Akam Conventions – Thinai, Muthal, Karu, UriAkam Poetic Conventions

Sangam poetry is highly conventionalized.  It is best to understand the thinais and the concepts of muthal, karu, uri and ullurai to enjoy them best.  Tholkāppiyam,  Kalaviyal endra Iraiyanār Akapporul, and Nampi’s Akapporul Vilakkam are the three books that deal with Sangam Akam conventions.

Parts of Tholkappiyam (4th – 5th centuries) dealing with akam, Kalaviyal endra Iraiyanār Akapporul (4th – 5th centuries) , and Nampi’s Akapporul Vilakkam (13th century) were all written many centuries after the Sangam poems.  These akam conventions are probably much older than the poems themselves,  coming from an ancient oral bardic tradition.  The authors of the three books mention quote ancient Tamil scholars (“they said so”, “ ”என்ப ) from oral tradition times.

Kalaviyal endra Iraiyanār Akapporul is the  first book on Akam thinais according to Kamil Zvelebil, and it was written  even before Tholkāppiyam Porulathikāram section which also dealt with Akam conventions, among the many other topics.

Scholars differ on the date of Tholkāppiyam. Some place it much earlier and some place it later.  Most scholars think that it has many layers,  and that the earliest parts were around 300 B.C., but the later parts came centuries later.   Scholars agree that  Tholkāppiyam had a few additions later in Poruliyal,  and most think that it could be as late as the 3rd century A.D., and after the anthologies.

Ainkurunuru, Natrinai, Kurunthokai, Akanānuru and Kalithokai are Akam books.  Puranānuru and Pathitruppathu are Puram books.  Paripādal has both Akam and Puram songs.

Akam (interior) and Puram (Exterior) are not only thematic divisions of the Sangam poems.  They are more than that.  The two categories are related to each other by context, and by contrast.

Akam and Puram are very old Tamil words.  Akam means interior, heart, mind, self, kin, house, family, inland, settlement, earth, love poems and codes of conduct appropriate to akam.  Puram has opposite qualities to match each of these.

Meaning of Akam and Puram

Akam – interior, Puram – exteriorAkam – heart, mind, Puram – body surfaces & extremetiesAkam – self, Puram – othersAkam – Kin, Puram – non-kinAkam – house, family, Puram – house yard, fieldAkam – earth, Puram – farthest oceanAkam – love poems & no names or person, Puram – poems about war, kings, people, namesAkam – codes of conduct appropriate to akam poetry, Puram – Codes of conduct appropriate to puram poetry

Out of the ten anthologies, Kurunthokai (401 short poems), Natrinai (400 poems), Akanānuru (400 poems), Ainkurunuru (500 short poems), Kalithokai (150 poems) are akam books.  Puranānuru (400 poems) and Pathitrupathu (80 poems)  are puram books.  Paripādal (33 poems) contains mixed  songs.

AKAM THEMES  CALLED THINAIS (Landscapes)

Akam is further divided into 5 divisions called thinais.  The word thinai means ‘land’. These are Kurinji, Mullai, Pālai, Neythal and Marutham.  Each of these have unique characteristics – not just about the tract of land that they are, but also in the people and animals who live there, the plants, trees, flowers and above all the feelings of the characters in the akam poems.

The Tholkāppiyam classified 5 different kinds of land, but did not use the word ‘pālai’ for dry land, since Tamil Nadu does not have real deserts.  Instead, the word  ‘naduvunilai’ was used, and the author meant that  to describe kurinji and mullai lands which were  affected by droughts.   The word ‘pālai’ was coined by later commentators.

Some interesting elements seen in the poems:

The heroine’s eyes are described as having red streaks.

The heroine who is in love becomes thin when separated from her lover, and the bangles on her arms slip down.  She becomes pale and develops yellow spots on her body.   The words used to describe this are – பசலை�, பயப்பு, சுணங்கு, தே மல், ித் ி, ி லை�, பீரம், வரி.

The heroine’s friend (தே ோழி) refers to the hero as our lover (நம் கோ �ர்) often, even though she means ‘your lover’, since the two of them are very close friends.  The heroine’s friend plays a very

important role in the poems.  She is a friend, confidante, she arranges trysts and is a messenger between the lovers.

Heavy thunder kills or kills snakes.

Kurinji – குறிஞ்சி:  Mountains and adjoining lands. Named after the kurinji flower that blooms once in 12 years in mountain slopes.  Kurinji and Kānthal flowers grow in the mountains. Murugan is the god of the kurinji land, and bears, tigers and elephants, monkeys, wild pigs, parrots and peacocks live there.  Wild rice, millet, and tubers are grown.  Sandal wood trees abound.  Honey collection and millet raising is done.  Springs and waterfalls abound.  Mountain people called kuravars live with their families in huts in small settlments.The subject of the poems are usually the secret meeting of lovers, which might be at the millet field, or at night when the heroine slips out of the house evading her mother, and the mother suspects that her daughter is up to mischief.  The time is daytime or midnight.  Lover’s union is the main sentiment in kurinji.

Typical Kurinji Thinai scenarios – Love in the mountainsThe heroine chases parrots in the family’s millet fieldHer friend joins her often in chasing parrotsThe young girls use rattles and noise producing gadgets to chase parrotsThe heroine meets the hero while chasing parrots, and fall in loveThe friend helps the lovers to meetThe hero comes through forest paths at night to meet his loverThe heroine worries about his safety and the friend conveys this to himThe friend arranges for day and night trystsThe heroine and her friend play with the hero at the waterfallsThe heroine and her friend play on swingsThe heroine is afflicated with love and becomes thinBangles slip down the arms of the heroineHer skin has become pale and yellow spots have spread on her bodyThe village finds out about the affair and gossips startThe heroine’s friend asks the hero whether they can come to his townHeroine’s mother finds out about it and locks her upThe friend urges the hero to come and marry her friendMother arranges for a velan (Murugan priest) to heal her daughterVelan prepares the cermonial ground with fresh sand in their front yardVelan does veriyāttam dances, and offers a goat and other things to appease MuruganThe heroine’s parents try to arrange her marriage with somebody elseThe heroine does not respond to the hero’s loveThe hero threatens that he is going to climb on the palmyra palm and be drawn around town with a photo of his beloved

The mountain dwellers plant millet and aivanam grainThey guard their crops from wild boars and elephants

Common words in Kurinji  thinai:   கிளி,   ஏனல் (millet, millet field),  அவலைண (millet field),  ிலைன (millet),  இறடி (millet),  இருவி (millet stubble),  குரல் (millet spears),  ட்லை& (bamb00 rattle to chase parrots – வெவ ிர் புலைன ட்லை&),  குளிர் – (noisy gadget used to chase parrots),  ழல் (slingshot), கவண் (slingshot),  புனவன் (mountain farmer),  குறவன் (mountain dweller),  கோனவன் (mountain dweller), வெகோடிச்சி (wife or daughter of mountain dwellers),  ஓப்பு ல் (to chase parrots and other birds that come to eat the grain),  யோலைன,  குரங்கு,  மந் ி (female monkey),  கடுவன் (male monkey),  மஞ்லை0 (peacock),  புலி,  போம்பு, பன்றி (wild pigs), வலைர ஆடு,  அருவி,  சுலைன (mountain springs),  ப�ோமரம்,  ப�ோப்பழம், சந் ன மரம்,  தேவங்லைக மரம் (kino tree),  அகில் மரம் (eaglewood tree), மோமரம்,  குறிஞ்சி, குவலைள,  கோந் ள்,  தே ன்,  ோது (pollen), மஞ்சு (cloud),  மலைழ (the word is used for both clouds and rain),  வெபயல் (rain),  ஐவனம் (mountain wild rice), words for bamboo – மூங்கில்,  அலைம,  வெவ ிர்,  கோம்பு,  ட்லை&,  கலைழ,  உந்தூழ் (giant bamboo),  வெ0லி,  பலைண,  தூம்பு,  மோல்பு,  தேவரல் (small bamboo), முந்தூழ் (spiny bamboo),  வலைர,  வயிர்,  வோன், தேபோல், words for guard platforms in the millet fields – கழுது,  இ ண்,  மிலை&,  பரண்,  கழு ,  இ ணம்,  பணலைவ, words for mountains, hills etc. -  ஏகல் (hill or mountain), அடுக்கம் (range),  அடுக்கல் (range),  அருப்பம்,  அலைரமலை� (slope side of mountain),  அலைற – huge rock,  அலைறவோய் (mountain pass),  இகுப்பம் (large boulders, hillock),  இறும்பு (foothill), ஓங்கல் (mountain top),   க&று (mountain slopes),  கது (mountain cleft),  கல் (hill or mountain),  கல்வலைள (mountain caves), கல்�லைள (mountain caves),  கன்முலைழ (mountain cavern),  கவோஅன் (slopes),  கிழிப்பு (mountain cleft),  குவடு,  குடுமி (peak), குன்று ( mountain),  தேகோடு (mountain),  சோரல் (mountain slopes), சிகரம் (peak),  வெசன்னி (peak),  நவிரம் (peak),   சிலைமயம் (peak),  சி�ம்பு,   வெபருங்கல்,   பிளப்பு (mountain cleft),   பிறங்கல்,  வெபோலைற,  வெவற்பு (hill),   மலை�,  முலைக (mountain cave),  முகடு (peak),  வசி (mountain cleft),  வலைர (mountain), வி&ர் (mountain cleft),  வி&ரகம் (mountain caves),  வி&ரலைள (mountain cave),   விண்டு (mountain), வி�ங்கல் (blocking mountain),  words for bees – வண்டு, சுரும்பு (honey bee), 0ிமிறு (honey bee),  தும்பி (used for both honey bee and dragon fly)

Pālai – பாலை�: Dry wilderness and adjoining lands. Named after the Pālai tree which grows in very dry areas.  Kotravai is the goddess here.  Tigers, red foxes, vultures, eagles, pigeons and lizards live in this pālai land. Iruppai, omai, and ulignai trees grow here.  Revam, kuravam and pāthiri flowers bloom here.  Robbery on the roads are common.  Water sources are dried springs and sunk wells.The hero sets out across the wilderness to elope with his beloved, or, if

he’s unaccompanied, to make enough money to marry her on his return.  Occasionally the hero is married and undertakes a journey for business purposes, or for some god.  The time is midday and the season is summer.  Separation of the lovers is the theme of Pālai.

Typical Pālai Thinai scenarios – SeparationThe hero leaves, passing the wasteland, to earn wealth (except in Akananuru 255, the only poem in Sangam poetry where the hero goes on a shipThe hero and heroine elope and go through the wasteland pathsThe foster mother goes in search of the heroinePassers-by give advice to the hero and heroineThe heroine’s mother is very hurt since her daughter has elopedThe hero goes alone in search of wealth, leaving behind the heroineThe heroine is afraid that he has to go through paths with bandits and wild animalsThe heroine’s friend consoles herThe heroine is distressed and bangles slip down her forearmsThe hero speaks to his heart about his feelingsThe heroine’s mother pleads with the crow to caw and bring her daughter back

Common words in Pālai thinai:   அத் ம் (harsh path), க&ம் (wasteland), சுரம் (wasteland),  கடுஞ்சுரம், அருஞ்சுரம் (harsh wasteland),  எயினர் (tribes living in the wasteland), பல்லி,  ஓ ி,  ஓந் ி (big garden lizard),  போ ிரி (summer blooming flower), கள்ளி (cactus), யோ மரம், ஓலைம மரம், குரவம், கள்ளிச்வெசடி, தேகோங்கு மரம்,  வெ0லைம,  இருப்லைப மரம், தேவம்பு (neem), யோமரம், உகோய்,  கழுகு, வெசந்நோய் (red fox), யோலைன, புலி, மூங்கில், பதுக்லைக (leaf heap, usually a shallow grave), வெநல்லி,  தேவனிற்கோ�ம்,  பரல் கற்கள், இறத் ல் (க&ப்பது), words for path – இயவு,  அத் ம், வெநறி, வழி,  ந&லைவ,  அ ர், ஆரிலை& (difficult path), ஆறு (path)

Mullai – முல்லை�:  Forest and adjoining lands.  Named after the jasmine, and the plant grows wild in forest areas, especially in the rainy seasons.  The god is Māyon (the dark one), and cattle, deer, rabbits, and wild fowl live there.  Wild grain and millet is grown.  Flowers are jasmine and thonral, trees are kondrai and kāyā.  Forest streams are active in the rainy season.The heroine waits for her man to return from a journey.  Some poems in this category describle union.  All concern the fertitility of the rainy season in the forest meadows. Rainy season is the period.  The time is usually evening.  Patient waiting by the young woman is the theme of Mullai.

Typical Mullai Thinai scenarios – Patient waitingThe hero has gone on a personal business trip, and is expected at the start of the rainy seasonThe hero has gone on the king’s business, and is expected at the start of the rainy seasonThe heroine awaits his arrival when the rainy season arrivesThe heroine is upset that the rainy season has started, and her man has not returnedThe heroine is in denial that the rainy season has started and blames the trees for showing signs of the seasonThe heroine’s friend consoles her when she is worriedThe hero is anxious to get back home once his business is overThe heroine is upset when rainy season has started and the hero has not returnedThe hero talks to his charioteer on his way backThe rains start and forest is filled with kāyā, kondrai, mullai and other flowersThe hero eventually reaches home and tells the heroine how happy he is to be back

Common words in Mullai thinai:   புறவு (mullai land),  வெகோல்லை� (mullai land), இரலை� மோன், முயல், ஆ (பசு), கன்று, மலைழ, flowers – முல்லை�, கோயோ, குருந் ம், வெகோன்லைற, தே ோன்றல், பித் ிகம், தே ர் (chariot), போகன், மோரி,  தேகோவ�ர், ஆயர் (cattle herders), ஆடு, குழல், மஞ்லை0 (peacock),  மலைழ (clouds, rain),  மோன், முயல்

Neythal - நெ�ய்தல்:  Seashore and adjoining lands. Named after the blue water lily that grows near the seashore.  Varunan is the god.  Fish catching and salt making is done here. Blue water lily grows in the ponds.  Cormorant is the bird and crocodiles, sharks and buffalo that carries salt bags live here.  Screw pine trees grow, water wells and salt water ponds are here.  Fishermen community called parathavar live in nearby settlements with their families.The subject is often separation, during which the unmarried woman believes that her lover has abandoned her.  Occasionally, neydal poems concern the journey of the hero along the beach in his chariot as he comes to see his beloved.  The time is afternoon, evening or occasionally night. Anxious waiting is the theme of neythal.

Typical Neythal Thinai scenarios – Anxious waitingThe heroine and her friend dry fish on the seashoreTheir fathers and brothers go into the ocean to fishThe heroine plays with her friends on the seashoreThe heroine waits anxiously for the hero who is awayThere is gossip in their settlement when the love affair is knownThe heroine’s friend assures her that the hero will come on his chariot

The heroine’s body becomes pale and weak due to the separationThe heroine is unable to sleep at night

Common words in Neythal thinai:   பர வர், மீன், சுறோ, மு லை�,  க&ல், க&ற்கலைர, கோனல் (grove near the seashore, க&ற்கலைர தேசோலை�),  ிமில் (boat),  அம்பி (boat), தேசரி (settlement) ,  புன்லைன, 0ோழல், ோலைழ (fragrant screwpine),  லைக ல், லைகலை (fragrant screwpine),   உப்பு,  உமணர் (salt merchant),  உப்பங்கழி (salty waters), மணல், எக்கர் (மணல் தேமடு),  அ�வன் (நண்டு),  அடும்பு (a creeper with beautiful pink flowers), வெநய் ல் (purple water lily), ஆம்பல் (white waterlily), தேகோடு (conch shell), வலைள (conch shell), வலை�,  குருகு, நோலைர, அன்றில், words for ocean – க&ல்,  புணரி (sea, wave), வெபருநீர், ஓ ம் (sea, wave),  பரலைவ,  முதுநீர்,  பவ்வம்,  வெபளவம், ஆழி, முந்நீர், அளக்கர், words for waves – ிலைர,  அலை�,  ஓ ம், புணரி

Marutham – மருதம்:  Paddy fields and adjoining lands.  Named after the flowering marutham tree which grows in agricultural areas.  Indiran is the god here, white and red rice are grown, Water buffalo is the animal, and lotus and lilies are the flowers. The trees are vanji, kanchi and marutham.   Wells, ponds, rivers, and streams are all over the place.  The birds here are pelican, waterfowl and swan. People work in the fields planting, weeding and cutting the rice stalks.After marriage and usually after the couple have a child, the hero leaves his wife and begins to live with courtesans.  The time is day. Lover’s infidelity and the beloved woman’s resentment are the themes in marutham.

Typical Marutham Thinai scenarios – Infidelity and hurtThe hero takes a concubineThe hero plays with his concubine/concubines in the riverThe heroine is very sad and hurtThe heroine’s friend accosts the heroThe concubine talks about her feelingsThe concubine talks about the heroineThe hero uses a messenger bard to send word to the heroineThe heroine tells the bard about her sad feelingsThe heroine tells the hero how hurt she isThe heroine tells the hero about gossipsThe heroine tells the hero that he was seen with his concubinesThe friend speaks her mind to the bardThe friend refuses the hero entry into the house

Common words in marutham thinai:    வயல் (field), கழனி (field),  வெசறு (field), பலைண (field), words for ponds – பழனம்,  வெபோய்லைக, கயம், குளம், மீன், வெகண்லை& மீன்,  ஆலைம, உழவர், அரிநர் (those who

cut the grains, those who harvest), வெநல், மோமரம், 0ோழல் மரம் , வெநோச்சி மரம், கரும்பு,  நீர்நோய்  (otter), ஆம்பல் (white waterlily),  ோமலைர,  குருவி, தேகோழி, தேசவல்,  கழனி, வெகோக்கு, கோரோன் (buffalo),  கோஞ்சி மரம்,  மரு மரம், அத் ி மரம் (fig tree), கரும்பு,  ோமலைர ம�ர், எருலைம மோடு,  மு லை�, களவன் (நண்டு)

The Akam Poem: Tholkāpiyam lists the three components of akam poems as follows:

Verse 3, Akathinai Iyal – அகத்திலை� இயல்முதல் கரு உரிப்நெபாருள் என்ற மூன்தேறநுவலும் கோலை� முலைற சிறந் னதேவபோ&லுள் பயின்றலைவ நோடும் கோலை�

On examination, when we list them,the entities which constitute the poemare, excelling in order,mutal, karu and uripporul.

Muthal means ‘first’ or ‘principal’, and refers to the setting in time (pozhuthu) and place (nilam) where the  activity of the poem takes place.  Time is conceived in two aspects, the time of the year or season, and the time of the day or night.  Land refers to kurinji,  mullai, marutham, neythal and pālai lands.

Karu means ‘embryo’ or ‘nucleus’ and it refers to the fauna, flora, inhabitants and artefacts which are native to the thinai or lands.

Uri refers to the distinctive mood of that thinai.

The following poem is a good one to look at muthal, karu and uri. Muthal is the physical location and it is the pond in this poem.  Karu is the vālai fish, mango trees and the mangoes. Uri is the infidelity that we see here.

Kurunthokai 8, Ālangudi Vangānār, Marutham Thinai – What the jealous concubine said about the heroHe’s from the townwhere pond vālai fishcatch sweet mangoes that dropfrom trees in the nearby fields.

He talks big while at my place.When he is at his home,he’s a mirror image

that lifts its hands and legs,reflecting his son’s mother.   Translated by Vaidehi

Thurai or colophons – notes attached to the akam poems: Considerable number of conclusions drawn by modern scholars with regards to akam poetry have been based on secondary material, that is thurai attached to the poems.  Thurai is where the reader is given information about who the speaker is and who it was spoken and under what circumstances. These were not written by the author. These were added many centuries later.  Dr. Takanobu Takahashi is of the opinion that these colophons were added between the 4th century A.D. and the 7th century A.D.  Sometimes, more than one colophon was added to a poem by different commentators and at different times.  Those who added only guessed what the author’s intent was, based on what they had learned and experienced.  It is very possible that the later commentators were not always perfect in their interpretation.  Thurais guide us in interpreting the poems in a very balanced manner for the most part.  However, they do leave questions for doubts in a few poems, especially about the speaker of the poem.

The elements of thurai are the kootru (speaker), ketpor (the listener), viri (the specific theme) and the way the message is conveyed by the speaker to the listener. The colophon is usually the notes above the poem – see the poem below.  The words, ‘What the foster mother said about the heroine when she got married to her beloved” is the colophon.

Dramatis Personae: The voices of akam poems are the hero, the hero’s friend, the hero’s charioteer, the heroine, the heroine’s friend, the heroine’s mother, the heroine’s foster mother, and passers by.  In akam poem, the poet does not address the reader. Also, there are no names for the characters in these poems.  Names of leaders, kings or kingdoms will appear once in a while,  and they can be used as long as they are used as references, and are not the main characters of the poem.  For example, kurunthokai 15 has a reference to the Kosar tribe.

Kurunthokai 15 – Poet Auvaiyar – What the foster mother said about the heroine when she got married to her belovedHe wore  beautiful war braceletsand his white spearhad a red tonguefor a blade,and she had bangles deckedon her hand.

Her love has come truelike the infallible wordof the Kosars from the four villagesgathered under the ancient banyan;as the wedding drums thunderand the conch shell trumpets blare,her love is made good and true.

Ullurai – Inner meaning – Many Akam poems have inner meanings, like the one that follows.  Learn to look for that.  It’s amazing how the poets use nature to express many levels of meanings.

குறுந்நெதாலைக 105, இயற்றியவர் �க்கீரர், குறிஞ்சி திலை� – தலை�வி நெசான்னதுபுனவன் து&லைவப் வெபோன்தேபோற் சிறு ிலைனக்கடியுண் க&வுட் கிட்& வெசழுங்குரல்அறியோ துண்& மஞ்லை0 ஆடுமகள்வெவறியுறு வனப்பின் வெவய்துற்று நடுங்கும்சூர்மலை� நோ&ன் தேகண்லைமநீர்மலி கண்வெணோடு நிலைனப்போ கின்தேற.

I get teary eyed when I think of my friendshipwith the man from the mountain filled with gods.I shiver with pain like the innocent peacockthat panicsafter it eats the golden tiny milletleft as offering to the gods in the mountain kuravars’ fields,and trembles like a beautiful veriyāttam dancer in a ritual.

புனவன் து&லைவ – மலை�க்குறவனின் தே ோட்&த் ில், வெபோன்தேபோற் சிறு ிலைனக் – வெபோன்தேபோன்ற சிறுத் ிலைண,  கடியுண் க&வுட் கிட்& வெசழுங்குரல் – பு ியலை உண்ணும் க&வுளுக்கு இட்& வளமோன க ிலைர, அறியோ துண்& மஞ்லை0 – அறியோமல் உண்& மயில், ஆடுமகள் – ஆடும் வெபண் (தேபோல்),  வெவறியுறு வனப்பின் – வெவறியோட்&ம் ஆடும் அழலைகப்தேபோன்று, வெவய்துற்று நடுங்கும் – பயந்து நடுங்கும்,  சூர்மலை� நோ&ன் தேகண்லைம – க&வுள் வோழும் நோ&னது நட்பு,  நீர்மலி கண்வெணோடு – நீர் நிலைறந் கண்வெணோடு, நிலைனப்போ கின்தேற – நிலைனக்க கோரணம் ஆகின்றதே

Ullurai here is that the heroine worries about her lover not marrying her, and  she trembles in fear like a peacock.  Just as the peacock innocently eats the offerings , she innocently got into this relationship in a trusting manner,  unaware of the consequences, and is in fear now.