Tamil is
the oldest living Dravidian language which relates to the period between 300
B.C. and 300 A.D. The literature belonging to this period is referred to as TheSangam literature and the period in
which these literary works were composed is referred to as the Sangam period. The available literary works pertaining to
this period are Tolkaappiam and Padhinenkeezhkanakku (comprising of
eight anthologies, ten idylls and the five great epics). The literary works of this period, replete
with detailed description of the Tamil country, its kings and chieftains, love,
war, governance, trade and bereavement of its peoples have been well preserved
and are still available to us. The
cultural and religious history of the Tamils belonging to ancient times can be
known by us only from the Sangam
literature.
Sangam
literature mentions the term “thinai”,
which is the classification of the geographical landscape, its ecological and
traditional perspectives, and the social and moral behavior of the people of
each landscape. These landscapes are Kurinji (mountainous region), mullai (forest tracks), marutham (agricultural lands), neithal (coastal regions) and paalai (wastelands). Each thinai
is associated with its own characteristic flowers, trees, animals, birds,
climate and other geographical features.
Of these, the flowers and trees have played important roles in the social,
cultural and religious aspects of ancient anthologies. Flowers are associated with Gods and
Goddesses and the tradition of offering flowers to them finds mention in the Sangam literature.
OFFERING OF FLOWERS
There are innumerable references in Tamil
literature to several fragrant flowers and leaves which are offered to the Gods
and Goddesses during worship. Many
descriptions are found in the ‘ten idylls’.
In the sangam period, women
worshipped God in the evenings by doing poosai
offering a mix of flowers and paddy (Nedunalvaadai
– 43; Kurinjipaattu – 57; Mullaipaattu, 8-11).
The word poosai
/ poojai is derived from the root
word Poo (means flower in Tamil)
which is mainly used for performance of pooja
(offering flowers during prayer). This
clearly indicates that the Tamils were following the flower offerings as an
integral part of worship since the sangam
period.During the
performance of the poosai, they
offered a variety of flowers. Most of these flowers are referred to by names in
sangam literature - although they are
not commonly used today. The most common flowers are:
aambal (water lily / Nymphaea
alba),pithigam (Large-flowered
jasmine / Jasminum grandiflorum)
erukku (Indian swallo wart /
Calotropis procera)
kuvalai (morning bloom water lily / Nymphaea stellata)
kaanthal (Malabar glory lily / Gloriosa
superba)
kurunji (Strobilanthes kunthiana)
kadambu (seaside Indian oak
/ Anthocephalus cadamba), karaveeram (red oleander / Nerium odorum) and vetchi (scarlet ixora (Ixora coccinea). These flowers were used to worship the God
either as a single flower or in the form of a garland, depending on the thinai (landscape), where they were
available.
KURINJI THINAI (MOUNTAINE REGION)
Lord Muruga
has been identified as the deity of Kurinji
landscape and the attributed flower of this landscape is Kurinji. Puranaanooru (23), one of the eight
anthologies, described worship of Lord Muruga with kurinji flowers. Aingkurunooru (Poem no.259) mentioned
that the hill chief’s daughter worshipped the deity with the flowers of venkai tree (Indian kino tree / Pterocarpus marsupium) and other flowers such as kaanthal, kadambu, karaveeram, and vetchi.
The inhabitants of Kurinji offered mixed flowers and prayed to the deity (Narr. 47:9-10: 173:1-4;322:10-12; Akam. 22:8-11; 98:18-19114:1-3;
138:7-13; 187:17-18).
There is also a mention about a garland
made up of pachchilai along with kadamba flowers and offered to deity of
the landscape.
MULLAI THINAI (FOREST LAND
Lord
Tirumaal was an attributed deity of this landscape. This landscape is named after the fragrant
flower Mullai (Jungle Jasmine / Jasmiinum
auriculatum).
Paripaadal,
one of the Ten Idylls described the tinged form of Lord Tirumaal and the colour
of the Kaaya (Iron wood tree / Memecylon edule) flower is compared to
the complexion of Tirumaal. The poet
also mentions that Lord Tirumaal always wears garlands made out of dhuzhaai leaves (Tulasi / Sacred basil / Ocimum
sanctum) (Pathitrupathu
31-8). Wild lily, kanthal, and wild jasmine are the other flowers which are
associated with the deity.
MARUDHAM THINAI (AGRICULTURAL LAND)
The
distinctive deity of the Marudham
landscape was Vendhan. He is otherwise
called Lord Shiva. According to Puranaanooru, Lord Shiva used to wear
the garland made out of the flowers of the kontrai
tree. Inhabitants of this landscape offered kontrai
flower for the performance of pooja
during the evening time.
maa ( mango / Mangifera indica), thennai (Coconut/ Cocus nucifera), palaa (Jackfruit / Artocarpus intefrifolia) and Mahizham (Indian nedler / Mimusops elengi) and these plants are often associated with the distinctive deity.
NEITHAL THINAI (SEASHORE REGION)
The
distinctive deity of the landscape was Varunan, the god of rain. The
characteristic plants of this landscape are the Lotus, punnai (Alexandrian laurel tree / Calophyllum inophyllum), pulinaga kontrai (wagatea spicata),
Dhaazhai (Screwpine / Pandanus odoratissima) and neithal
(Water lily / Nelumbo nucifera). There are references about the worship of
god in the coastal region. On a full
moon day, inhabitants of this landscape drink and worship the god.
PAALAI THINAI (WASTELAND)
The distinctive deity of this landscape
was Kotravai, the Goddess of victory. Kottravai was the Goddess
of the paalai land. While all other land
types had male gods, only paalai had a
female goddess. In the modern state of Kerala (ancient Chera Nadu), Kaali /
Durgai temples face north. Kottravai or Kaali or Bhagavathi in ancient Tamil is
known as vadukkuvaichelvi. Vaagai had a direct link with victory in battles. Because
Kottravai was the Goddess of Victory, this was recognised as kadavul maram thereby relating it to
Kottravai (kadavul
vaagai: Pathittruppathu 66: 15). Characteristic plants of this landscape
are the Paalai tree (Wild sapota
(Sapodilla) / Manilkara hexandra),
marul (Indian bowstring hemp / Sansevieria roxburghiana and sappathi kalli (Cacti). Kanaviri (Red Oleander / Nerium odorum) is used for worshipping
the goddess Kotravai.
Conclusion
The custom
of offering flowers to deities as a sign of devotion is an age old practice as
evidenced by the sangam literature.
This clearly indicates the importance and sanctity attributed to the flowers
during this age.
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