Episode 01 - Pillaiththamizh - Background.
BACKGROUND OF ‘PILLAITHTHAMIZH’
“PiLLaith Thamizh” (‘பிள்ளைத்தமிழ்’) is a well-defined poetic architecture amidst the complex Thamizh literary architecture, with clearly defined formats, rules and distinguishing features. The ‘Tholkaappiam’ (தொல்காப்பியம்) which exhaustively prescribes the foundational rules for various components of Thamizh literature – prose, poem, drama and music (இயல், இசை, நாடகம்), speaks of PiLLaith Thamizh thus:
குழவி மருங்கினும் கிழவது ஆகும் i.e. Desire (and its adorative expression) could happen with infants too. Tholkaappiyam (the ancient grammar lexicon for Thamizh 711 BCE) – PoruLathikaaram, PuRaththiNai, goes on to clarify that the object of desire – the infant – could be a human, or a god form, or an incarnation, or a grown up celebrity whose infancy is imagined. This content was regarded as ‘PiLLaith Thamizh’ – among the most proliferate of short epics (சிற்றிலக்கியம்) in Thamizh. (There are reportedly more than 300 of these short epics beginning with Periyazhwar’s.) Though Periyazhwar’s PiLLaith Thamizh is widely regarded as the forerunner and model for the later ones, it was a component of his larger “Thirumozhi” and not a stand-alone work. The first stand-alone PiLLaith Thamizh is regarded to be the one by Poet Ottakkooththar – a contemporary of Kamban – who sang about the reigning Chola King – Kulothungan – ‘Kuloththungan PiLLaith Thamizh. The one that many of us might be familiar with is the ‘Meenakshi Amman PiLLaith Thamizh’ by Kumara Guruparar. Many of us would still be dwelling on the captivating lines –
தொடுக்கும் கடவுட் பழம்பாடல் தொடையின் பயனே நறைபழுத்த
துறைத்தீந் தமிழின் ஒழுகுநறுஞ் சுவையே அகந்தைக் கிழங்கை அகழ்ந்து
எடுக்கும் தொழும்பர் உளக்கோயிற்கு ஏற்றும் விளக்கே.
இமயப் பொருப்பில் விளையாடும் இளமென் பிடியே எறிதரங்கம்
உடுக்கும் புவனம் கடந்து நின்ற ஒருவன் திருவுள்ளத்தில் அழகு
ஒழுக எழுதிப் பார்த்து இருக்கும் உயிர் ஓவியமே மதுகரம்வாய்
மடுக்கும் குழற் காடேந்தும்இள வஞ்சிக் கொடியே வருகவே
மலயத் துவசன் பெற்ற பெரு வாழ்வே வருக வருகவே
Rough translation; “Oh! The whole reward of composing an adoration on the Supreme Being! The dripping sweet crush from the delectably ripe Thamizh, the light that sweeps the hearts of the sages who dig out from their senses the ‘I’ ego; the baby she-elephant that frolicks among the peaks of the Himalayas! The object of the life-like portrait that Siva, the one who is beyond the sea-clad world, try and imprint in his heart! The creeper-like tender one, with young, dense tresses that are swarmed by bumble-bees – looking for nectar in the flowers adorning those tresses! Come hither! Oh! The priceless darling of Malaya Dwaja!** Come hither!.
**Malaya Dwaja was a Pandyan King. Parvati is believed to have incarnated as his daughter Meenakshi and gone on to wed Sri Sundareswarar, in Madurai. Sri Maha Vishnu, from his sanctum in nearby Azhgar Koil is believed to have come and given his sister, Meenakshi (Parvati) away to Sundareswarar. Meenakshi Thirukkalyanam and the earlier visit by Azhagar (Sri Maha Vishnu from Azhagar Koil) to Madurai for the grand wedding are celebrated tumultuously even today around Chitra Pournima – with lakhs of devotees attending.
Now, back to the format of PiLLaith Thamizh.
The definition cited is of the Sangham period – long before the Azhwars walked this earth.
‘Tholkaappiyam sets out the format for ‘PiLLaith Thamizh’ – The object would be an infant – real or superimposed on a grown-up, a God form or an incarnation; could be male or female. The infant is sung – from the third month after birth to the twenty-first month. Infants are not taken out of the mother’s chambers for the first two months after birth, according to old custom. Therefore, the adorative phase begins from the third month. And, it concludes in the twenty-first month when babies grow into reasonably formed speech – girl babies reaching there faster than boys; (I suppose girls keep up that gap right through life!)
The Gruhya Sutra which elaborately prescribes and defines laws for a disciplined religious life, enumerates SIXTEEN SAMSKARAS in one’s life – from conception forwards till one’s demise (Antyeshti). Of these, three relate to childhood in the abovesaid time span; the first one called “Nishkramana” – to come out – calls for the infant to be brought out to see the world outside – in the third month, to have a brief view of the Sun – Surya.
Following that, in the sixth month, is the most widely celebrated ‘ Anna Prasana’ – a samskaram that gets the infant to switch – gradually though – from mother’s milk to food made of cereals, pulses, etc.
The next Samskara for the baby is the Karna-Vedhi – Ear-piercing - காது குத்துதல் – திரியிடுதல் in ancient Thamizh custom. The piercing of the ear (a unique Hindu custom, this is believed to impact a vital naadi (nerve centre) that runs through the middle of the bottom earflap and thus insure the health of the pierced. A wide span of ten months is allowed for this samskara – from the 6th to the 16th month to suit the particular family’s age-old custom.
We would find verses covering these Samskaras in Periyazhwar’s PiLLaith Thamizh.
Spanning this particular phase as defined in the grammar-book, poets would sing the captivating, heart-warming, attributes, plays and antics of the object (infant) in distinct phases – ten of them, also prescribed in the book:
1. Kaappu காப்பு (Safety-fencing the baby from harms including from those that could be caused by ‘evil eyes’ i.e. eyes, not bearing to see the beauty of the person, produce an evil thought wishing harm to that object and that thought makes a harmful impact. Dhristi (த்ருஷ்டி). This phase of adoring and seeking the infant’s safety and protection is placed in the third month of the child’s birth.
2. Senkeerai: செங்கீரை – கீர் (KIr) would mean words. செங்கீரை would denote the baby, in his or her sixth month, beginning to mouth sounds that are yet to form into words - gibberish or babble, as they say: and those engaging the baby would try to correlate the baby’s limb movements – kicking of the legs and shaking of the hands, with the babble and call on it to go on with that ‘dance’ without a concert - ஆடுக செங்கீரை!.
3. Thaal: தால் – தால் would expand as தாலாட்டு (Lullaby). This is placed against the baby’s seventh month; it is possible that the infant has now grown enough, developed in its discriminated hearing faculty and could engage with melody and respond to it – either in a quiet, pleased, smile or going to sleep. The paasurams in this phase are amongst the most moving, captivating and melting ones in PiLLaith Thamizh. Sri Kulasekara Azhwar’s மன்னுபுகழ் கோசலைதன் ... என்னுடைய இன்னமுதே! ராகவனே தாலேலோ… must have quietened and lulled to sleep almost every baby that was fortunate to have been born in homes which still had the paasuram and singing culture – not just women, but men too. I have heard my maternal grandfather sing these to my siblings and was it pleasing! Slipping into slumber in such pleasing music surrounding it, the baby would, mid-sleep, smile! A half laugh sometimes! One of the most delightful rewards for the mother! Puranic lore would have it that Sri Bhagavan would be entertaining the newborn in that sleep, in order that the new life is not too shocked by the rude world around it and the infant, in deep sleep, responding to that entertainment with a smile.
4. ChappaaNi: சப்பாணி – This phase of play is associated with the ninth month of the baby, when it could sit up straight. Instinctively, the baby would clap its hands and finding the noise from it pleasing to it, would indulge in it with pleasure. Parents and other kin would engage the baby, prodding it for more and providing some verbal ‘come on’s ‘கொட்டுக சப்பாணி.
‘ சப்பாணி’ is lent a variety of meanings. One is to point to the two phonetic components - ‘சப்’ and ‘பாணி’ the first one denoting the noise from the clap and the second one the hands. The other version is that the sitting posture of the baby is called that name சப்பாணி.
5. Muththam; முத்தம் – This play phase is associated with the eleventh month of the baby, when the baby can respond to some complex commands. It has now learnt to ‘kiss’, with its tiny, flower-tender lips, on command or even spontaneously when it is pleased with itself. This is regarded as the most rewarding phase for the parents and grandparents.
6. Varugai: வருகை – This is in the thirteenth month of the baby – the baby has become a toddler. And encouraging the toddling baby to toddle increasing lengths – ‘come hither! Come to me! Come!” வா! வா! வாம்மா! வா கண்ணா! - every time and when it wins, give it a warm embracing hug as the prize. The baby is delighted with that reward, often reciprocating with a spontaneous kiss and resolves to try harder next time!
7. Ambuli: அம்புலி – In the fifteenth month the baby is mentally strong and physically mobile enough to venture out and relate with the world outside – the wonders of the sky, the wonders of the nature, the birds and the animal world. Of principal attraction for the baby in this phase of development is the silvery moon high in the sky. Apart from the pleasing cool and silver, the child finds it fascinating that the moon ‘accompanies’ it as it is carried around. Encouraged, the child beckons the moon. The parents – or the grandparents – join in – ‘come, moon, come to this little one’ - அம்புலி! வா! அம்புலி மாமா வா வா வா!. The child is yet to reckon with the phenomenon of the waxing moon and waning moon, but is delighted when he or she is able to see it in the sky and relate with it. We would see how Periyazhwar brings Ambuli to little Kannan, but here is an amazingly different Ambuli story from Kamba Ramayanam –
As Indrajit falls in combat, his mother Mandothari laments over his remains, recalling his extraordinary childhood feats. Here is one that involves ‘Ambuli’:
அம்புலி! அம்ம வா!' என்று அழைத்தலும், அமர் வெண் திங்கள்
இம்பர் வந்தானை அஞ்சல் என இரு கரத்தின் ஏந்தி,
வம்புறும் மறுவைப் பற்றி, 'முயல்' என வாங்கும் எண்ணம்,
எம் பெருங் களிறே! காண, ஏசற்றேன்; எழுந்திராயோ!
“When, like a typical mother, I took you to the terrace and called out the moon – ‘Ambuli, come hither!’, the moon, gripped in fear that this command comes from Ravana’s palace, actually descended to you. And you! You comforted him – ‘Do not fear’ and holding him in your two hands, called out ‘The hare!’ and tried to pluck out the (hare-like) mole on his person. Would you not rise now and reenact that child’s play for your mother?”
One could see the four elements of management in the ‘Ambuli’ episodes: - Sama, Dhaana, Bheda and Dhandam – The moon is called out as if it (he) is one amongst us. Then when the moon does not arrive, discriminate it from us. Then offer him incentives to oblige our commands. Failing that, threaten him with consequences – a slap from the little hands of the baby.
The phase-line forks out here separating male and female babies:
For Male Babies:
8. SiTRil: சிற்றில் – This is the Seventeenth month. The gender inequity would surface now – the male child exhibits its roguish inclination vis-à-vis the female counterpart. The elders, parents are absent from the scene. The girl child/children take creative pleasure in constructing structures with fine sand following their imagination – a house, a temple, a school – whatever; and the male child either in mock jealousy or wanton teasing would trample over those carefully built edifices. The creative part is called சிற்றில் இழைத்தல் (making small structures); the male child trampling over it is termed as சிற்றில் சிதைத்தல்; and the creators’ pleadings with the roguish male child is சிற்றில் சிதையேல்! Don’t destroy this!. Andal pleads with mischievous and wantonly destructive Kannan thus in her Nachiar Thirumozhi:
குண்டு நீர் உறை கோளரீ மதயானை கோள் விடுத்தாய் உன்னைக்
கண்டு மால் உறுவோங்களைக் கடைக் கண்களால் இட்டு வாதியேல்
வண்டல் நுண் மணல் தெள்ளி யாம் வளைக் கைகளால் சிரமப் பட்டோம்
தெண் திரைக்கடற் பள்ளியாய் எங்கள் சிற்றில் வந்து சிதையேலே
“Oh! The Lion-like one residing in Thirupparkadal! The one who ended the horoscope of the musth-dripping elephants! If you would as much as cast a side glance on us, the poor ones who are captivated by your divine form - and come hither! You shall see how we have laboured with our slender bangles-clad hands, in creating this, with fine sand from the river bed. The one reclining on that cool Thirupparkadal! Do not trample over our fine creations.”
9. SiRuPaRai: சிறுபறை – This is the Nineteenth month. Small drum for the child to beat and see if it could cause a concert (or nuisance if it is upset). Again, this is for the male child. Technological revolution has left untouched, gracefully, this one preference for the child’s entertainment.
10. SiRuthEr: சிறுதேர், - The is the twenty-first month – the tenth of the ten phases. Till plastic took over the world in the fifties replacing much of wood, aluminum and brass – those amongst us who remember those days – would recall young children – two, three years old – being provided what was then called a wooden நடைவண்டி (see figure):
Ancient Thamizh literature calls this a small chariot சிறுதேர்.
தச்சச் சிறாஅர் நச்சப் புனைந்த
ஊரா நல்தேர் உருட்டிய புதல்வர்
தளர்நடை வருத்தம் வீட அலர்முலைச்
செவிலி அம்பெண்டிர்த் தழீஇ பால் ஆர்ந்து
அமளி துஞ்சும் அழகுடைநல் இல்”
‘‘புணர்ந்த காதலியின் புதல்வன் தலையும்
அமர்ந்த உள்ளம் பெரிது ஆகின்றே
அகன் பெருஞ்சிறப்பின் தந்தை பெயரன்
முறுவலின் இன்னகை பயிற்றிச்
சிறுதேர் உருட்டும் தளர்நடை கண்டே”
Ancient precursor to automatic or semi-automatic automobiles that today’s children play with.
The ancient emphasis was on the developing and strengthening of the child’s legs, infusing confidence in him with the slow-moving sturdy wooden tri-cart.
For Female children:
8. Neeraadal: நீராடல் – The seventeenth month of the girl baby. The baby is now taken to ponds and rivers for bathing and the bathing is sung elaborately.
9. Ammaanai: அம்மானை – The Nineteenth month – The girl baby has looked to entertain herself in the company of other peers – girls. The child learns to throw small pebbles, chowries, hard seeds from a creeper called கழற்சிக்காய் or கழக்கோடி** or light metal spheres – throw up with one hand and receive it in the other. This would continue to absorb the interest of female children even after they reach puberty. At the well-developed skill level, the game would involve the throwing of these objects in an increasingly rapid cycle, causing a visual illusion that it is a blur of a circle. Professional jugglers would envy that level of skills.
**
10. Oosal: ஊசல் – ‘ஊஞ்சல் – swings – wooden swings, rope swings, hammock swings, so many of them. In the house, in the garden, in public squares. For reasons not that obvious, girl children would seem to love this entertainment – not boys so much. Not just an oriental phenomenon, the western civilization also seems to witness this strange distinctly calibrated predilection. ஊஞ்சல் always induces singing and singing again is naturally a feminine attribute?
Tholkaappiyam goes on to define the further contours of a PiLLaith Thamizh – each of the above ten phases would be presented in ten verses each. That was the limit laid down in the grammar book. Most authors/composers complied.
The forerunner, the ideal model, for PiLLaith Thamizh is regarded as Periyazhwar’s Prabandham rendering in this category of verses. Though that part of the Azhwar’s Thirumozhi is not formally designated as ‘PiLLaith Thamizh’ it is widely known and celebrated as such.