The Epic of the Anklet, more commonly known as Silapathigaram, is perhaps one of the best known Epics written in Tamil. Composed by Elangovadigal, the epic sang the story of a chaste woman, Kannagi.
This story was narrated by Brahmanda Guruji Shri Narendra Babu Sharmaji in his Bruhat Brahmanda programme telecasted in Zee Kannada TV Channel.
Kannagi was a young woman of legendary beauty, as devout and chaste as she was beautiful. A fitting match was made when she was given in marriage to Kovalan, a wealthy merchant from KaveriPattanam. Life was a bed of roses for the loving couple until fate came in the form of Madhavi, a strikingly beautiful danseuse at the court of the Chozha king Karikaalan. Kovalan was at once enamoured by Madhavi’s dashing looks and totally forgot that he too had a wife, as beautiful and chaste. Lust took over the man’s senses and he started living with Madhavi.
Back at KaveriPattanam, Kannagi was heartbroken over the news of her husband staying in with a danseuse, but nevertheless she continued living as his wife, offering prayers for the well being of Kovalan, wherever he was.
Kovalan stayed with Madhavi for a year. Over the period, his lack of interest in trade made him loose all his wealth. He had spent all that he had had in pleasing Madhavi. Madhavi soon bore him a daughter whom they named Manimekalai (another epic in Tamil is based on this daughter of Kovalan and Madhavi). At the end of the year, totally devoid of any wealth, Kovalan’s senses managed to kick in and he realised what he had done under the influence of lust. He begged Madhavi to forgive him and rushed back to Kannagi, who welcomed him back with open arms.
The reunited couple decided to go to Madurai and start a new life all over again. Kovalan planned to restart his trade in the prosperous Pandian kingdom. But having lost everything, he had nothing to capitalise on. It was then that Kannagi came to his rescue once again and gave him one of her anklets. The anklet (silambu) was an exquisite work of art. Made out of gold and filled with precious rubies, it was worth a fortune. Kovalan reluctantly took it to the market place to sell it for a suitable price.
Unfortunately for Kovalan, the queen of Nedunchezhian, the king of Madurai, had had one of her anklets stolen by a greedy courtier. The anklets were very similar to Kannagi’s except for the fact that they were filled with pearls rather than rubies. So when Kovalan attempted to sell the anklet at a goldsmith’s place, the goldsmith immediately accused him to be the thief of her majesty’s anklets and promptly turned him in to the guards. Nedunchezhia Pandian, in a towering fit of rage over the fact that a theft had taken place in his prosperous city, ordered the guards to behead Kovalan without even holding a trial. Kovalan was beheaded and his head rolled onto the sands of madurai.
Kannagi on hearing the news was overwhelmed with anger and grief. She at once took her other anklet and marched onto the court of Nedunchezhian. There, in front of all the assembled courtiers, she challenged the king, “Pandia, in the land that is reigned over by the Goddess Meenakshi, you have committed an act of grave injustice”.
The King was shocked, “Pious lady, pray, what fault have I done? Why are you calling me unjust?”
“You have beheaded an innocent man. Your hands are soaked with the blood of a man who knew no harm, who knew no crime.”
“That man stole my queen’s anklets. He deserved to die. In this prosperous land of Madurai, which is overwhelmed with the blessings of the divine couple, no crime will be tolerated.”
“You fool, the man was innocent.”, screamed Kannagi, her eyes were red with anger.
“How do you know that? Do you know the man? Can you pove he is innocent?”
“What is the use, his life cannot be returned,” cried Kannagi, her voice chocked with grief. “He was my husband, my god, my everything. And those anklets he tried to sell were mine, not the queen’s.”
“Aaaah, nice story. How can a poor woman like you have such an exquisite anklet?”
“Base man, unjust king, behold this.”, she screamed and took out her anklet. The king was shocked. “The queen’s anklets are filled with pearls, but here is mine, the other of the pair, filled with rubies. Rubies, the colour of the innocent blood on your hands.” And she threw down the anklet. The anklet broke and rubies burst out of it. “There, do you see? Your act of injustice. You killed an innocent man. You have slipped in your duty as a king. Do you deserve the crown and the umbrella and all the other paraphernalia?” Kannagi shouted, her voice thick with anger.
The king and queen, could’nt bear the injustice that they had done and right there in front of Kannagi, they gave up their life. But Kannagi was not satisfied. She was burning inwards at her loss, at the injustice she had been subjected to. She tore off one of her breasts and flung it to the ground, “If I have been a true Pathivratha, then let this entire city of Madurai be reduced to ashes. The burning that I feel, let it burn up the city too.” she cursed.
And at once, tall flames burst up in the city. The whole of Madurai was burning, fed with the power of Kannagi’s chastity. People ran helter skelter and buildings just crumbled down into ashes. Finally, the patron goddess of the city, requested Kannagi to stop the raging fires. Kannagi agreed to the divine request and withdrew her curse.
This story was narrated by Brahmanda Guruji Shri Narendra Babu Sharmaji in his Bruhat Brahmanda programme telecasted in Zee Kannada TV Channel.
Kannagi was a young woman of legendary beauty, as devout and chaste as she was beautiful. A fitting match was made when she was given in marriage to Kovalan, a wealthy merchant from KaveriPattanam. Life was a bed of roses for the loving couple until fate came in the form of Madhavi, a strikingly beautiful danseuse at the court of the Chozha king Karikaalan. Kovalan was at once enamoured by Madhavi’s dashing looks and totally forgot that he too had a wife, as beautiful and chaste. Lust took over the man’s senses and he started living with Madhavi.
Back at KaveriPattanam, Kannagi was heartbroken over the news of her husband staying in with a danseuse, but nevertheless she continued living as his wife, offering prayers for the well being of Kovalan, wherever he was.
Kovalan stayed with Madhavi for a year. Over the period, his lack of interest in trade made him loose all his wealth. He had spent all that he had had in pleasing Madhavi. Madhavi soon bore him a daughter whom they named Manimekalai (another epic in Tamil is based on this daughter of Kovalan and Madhavi). At the end of the year, totally devoid of any wealth, Kovalan’s senses managed to kick in and he realised what he had done under the influence of lust. He begged Madhavi to forgive him and rushed back to Kannagi, who welcomed him back with open arms.
The reunited couple decided to go to Madurai and start a new life all over again. Kovalan planned to restart his trade in the prosperous Pandian kingdom. But having lost everything, he had nothing to capitalise on. It was then that Kannagi came to his rescue once again and gave him one of her anklets. The anklet (silambu) was an exquisite work of art. Made out of gold and filled with precious rubies, it was worth a fortune. Kovalan reluctantly took it to the market place to sell it for a suitable price.
Unfortunately for Kovalan, the queen of Nedunchezhian, the king of Madurai, had had one of her anklets stolen by a greedy courtier. The anklets were very similar to Kannagi’s except for the fact that they were filled with pearls rather than rubies. So when Kovalan attempted to sell the anklet at a goldsmith’s place, the goldsmith immediately accused him to be the thief of her majesty’s anklets and promptly turned him in to the guards. Nedunchezhia Pandian, in a towering fit of rage over the fact that a theft had taken place in his prosperous city, ordered the guards to behead Kovalan without even holding a trial. Kovalan was beheaded and his head rolled onto the sands of madurai.
Kannagi on hearing the news was overwhelmed with anger and grief. She at once took her other anklet and marched onto the court of Nedunchezhian. There, in front of all the assembled courtiers, she challenged the king, “Pandia, in the land that is reigned over by the Goddess Meenakshi, you have committed an act of grave injustice”.
The King was shocked, “Pious lady, pray, what fault have I done? Why are you calling me unjust?”
“You have beheaded an innocent man. Your hands are soaked with the blood of a man who knew no harm, who knew no crime.”
“That man stole my queen’s anklets. He deserved to die. In this prosperous land of Madurai, which is overwhelmed with the blessings of the divine couple, no crime will be tolerated.”
“You fool, the man was innocent.”, screamed Kannagi, her eyes were red with anger.
“How do you know that? Do you know the man? Can you pove he is innocent?”
“What is the use, his life cannot be returned,” cried Kannagi, her voice chocked with grief. “He was my husband, my god, my everything. And those anklets he tried to sell were mine, not the queen’s.”
“Aaaah, nice story. How can a poor woman like you have such an exquisite anklet?”
“Base man, unjust king, behold this.”, she screamed and took out her anklet. The king was shocked. “The queen’s anklets are filled with pearls, but here is mine, the other of the pair, filled with rubies. Rubies, the colour of the innocent blood on your hands.” And she threw down the anklet. The anklet broke and rubies burst out of it. “There, do you see? Your act of injustice. You killed an innocent man. You have slipped in your duty as a king. Do you deserve the crown and the umbrella and all the other paraphernalia?” Kannagi shouted, her voice thick with anger.
The king and queen, could’nt bear the injustice that they had done and right there in front of Kannagi, they gave up their life. But Kannagi was not satisfied. She was burning inwards at her loss, at the injustice she had been subjected to. She tore off one of her breasts and flung it to the ground, “If I have been a true Pathivratha, then let this entire city of Madurai be reduced to ashes. The burning that I feel, let it burn up the city too.” she cursed.
And at once, tall flames burst up in the city. The whole of Madurai was burning, fed with the power of Kannagi’s chastity. People ran helter skelter and buildings just crumbled down into ashes. Finally, the patron goddess of the city, requested Kannagi to stop the raging fires. Kannagi agreed to the divine request and withdrew her curse.
nice sttory
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