medley of madals

[Guest guest]

I have really enjoyed the conversations and have learned so much from them.

I would only like to add that there is a marvellous example of maDal in

KuruntOkai 17 -- the following is a translation by A.K. Ramanujan:

 

When love is ripe beyond bearing

and goes to seed,

men will ride even palmyra stems

like horses; will wear on their heads the reeking cones of the erukkam bud

like flowers; will draw to themslves

the gossip of the streets;

 

and will do worse.

 

There are some beautiful verses on madal in Tiruvaymoli (5.3.9 and 5.3.10).

A very loose (partial) translation follows:

 

Overwhelming my modesty, my chastity,

stealing my heart,

the Lord of the divine ones is in the high heavens.

My friend, this I swear:

I shall shock all earth,

I shall do weird (kONaikaL) deeds,

and ride the palmyra stem [like a horse].

With no sense of shame, I shall ride

that palmyra stem through every street in town

.....

And I shall get from my Lord,

who holds the discus in his splendid hand,

a cool blossom from the tuzhai plant

and adorn myself with it....

 

The alvars do recognize that while it is not gender-correct (according to

traditional Tamil culture) for them to adopt a madal and be vociferous about

their divine passion for Visnu, there are other examples of women from

northern India who were very articulate in expressing their love. These

women -- Vasavadatta, Sita, Vegaathi, Usha and Uma-- become the role models

for the alvar (Periya Tirumadal, lines 39-70 something?). It is my

understanding that the madal was an extreme step and generally even

threatening it brought about results-- the town people would prevail upon

the girl's family to allow the marriage to take place.

Thanking you once again for your discussions,

Vasudha Narayanan