சிறுதினை மலரொடு விரைஇ மறிஅறுத்து
வாரணக் கொடியொடு வயிற்பட நிறீஇ
ஊர் ஊர் கொண்ட சீர்கெழு விழவினும்
ஆர்வலர் ஏத்த மேவரு நிலையினும்
வேலன் தைஇய வெறிஅயர் களனும்
காடும் காவும் கவின்பெறு துருத்தியும்
யாறும் குளனும் வேறுபல் வைப்பும்
சதுக்கமும் சந்தியும் புதுப்பூங் கடம்பும்
மன்றமும் பொதியிலும் கந்துடை நிலையினும்
வாரணக் கொடியொடு வயிற்பட நிறீஇ
ஊர் ஊர் கொண்ட சீர்கெழு விழவினும்
ஆர்வலர் ஏத்த மேவரு நிலையினும்
வேலன் தைஇய வெறிஅயர் களனும்
காடும் காவும் கவின்பெறு துருத்தியும்
யாறும் குளனும் வேறுபல் வைப்பும்
சதுக்கமும் சந்தியும் புதுப்பூங் கடம்பும்
மன்றமும் பொதியிலும் கந்துடை நிலையினும்
He is in the veriyāttam grounds created
by the vēlan, where tiny millet is mixed with flowers
young goats are killed, and rooster flags are flown.
In all the splendid festivals in all the towns,
those who worship, praise him.
He is in the lovely islands, forests, groves,
rivers and in ponds.
He is in various different towns, in the
Cross roads, and in the street junctions.
He is in the kadampam trees with flowers and
In the common grounds. He is also on columns of walls – Tirumurugatruppatai lines 218 - 226
by the vēlan, where tiny millet is mixed with flowers
young goats are killed, and rooster flags are flown.
In all the splendid festivals in all the towns,
those who worship, praise him.
He is in the lovely islands, forests, groves,
rivers and in ponds.
He is in various different towns, in the
Cross roads, and in the street junctions.
He is in the kadampam trees with flowers and
In the common grounds. He is also on columns of walls – Tirumurugatruppatai lines 218 - 226
Mohenjodaro seal of M 1186A containing a super natural power standing inside a Ficus tree and 7 maidens dancing at the bottom was clearly a subject of debate for a long period by many experts and so far none of their findings have been widely accepted.
For long I had a feeling that the central figure is Murugan and the 7 maidens were dancing Kuravai koothu, a dance performed by women of Mullai (area covering forests) and Kurinchi (area covering mountain tracts) regions by women holding their hands together. I started working on this subject for few days and could not find any descriptive evidence related to this seal in Sangam poems. However I found something very interesting in Silappadhikaram, a memoir on Chaste woman Kannaki, details of which aptly fits this seal and Pinkala Nigantu, traditional collection of Tamil words grouped together into thematic categories. Let’s see what these works trying to say on this esoteric dance of the legendary figure standing inside the ficus tree.
For long I had a feeling that the central figure is Murugan and the 7 maidens were dancing Kuravai koothu, a dance performed by women of Mullai (area covering forests) and Kurinchi (area covering mountain tracts) regions by women holding their hands together. I started working on this subject for few days and could not find any descriptive evidence related to this seal in Sangam poems. However I found something very interesting in Silappadhikaram, a memoir on Chaste woman Kannaki, details of which aptly fits this seal and Pinkala Nigantu, traditional collection of Tamil words grouped together into thematic categories. Let’s see what these works trying to say on this esoteric dance of the legendary figure standing inside the ficus tree.
Before dwelling into the real subject matter, let’s see a general description of the seal first.
1. A metaphysical power standing inside the trunk of Ficus tree
2. A priest offering a sacrifice
3. Head of a Markhor placed on top of a sacrificial stool
4. A huge sacrificial Markhor depicted showing the significance of this seal
5. 7 women or Ezhu Meen or Saptha Matrikas holding their hands together showing a dance posture at the bottom of the seal
6. Few Indus signs scribed, one of which appears at the bottom of the Ficus tree, a fish with a rod inside right next to the head of Markhor, a jar like sign, a man standing next to the jar sign and on top one or two signs completely eroded, two other signs right next to them appear to be tongs of a blacksmith
2. A priest offering a sacrifice
3. Head of a Markhor placed on top of a sacrificial stool
4. A huge sacrificial Markhor depicted showing the significance of this seal
5. 7 women or Ezhu Meen or Saptha Matrikas holding their hands together showing a dance posture at the bottom of the seal
6. Few Indus signs scribed, one of which appears at the bottom of the Ficus tree, a fish with a rod inside right next to the head of Markhor, a jar like sign, a man standing next to the jar sign and on top one or two signs completely eroded, two other signs right next to them appear to be tongs of a blacksmith
LITERARY EVIDENCE
As we all know, the seven women standing at the bottom represents the seven stars of the Ursa Major constellation and I have literary resources available on these seven maidens from Sangam age itself. Even today, on most of the temples belonging to Murugan and Shiva, one can find a special sanctum allocated for these seven women. A tradition followed from Indus valley. The unknown fact as per mythology, that many should aware is that these seven women reside inside the Ficus tree along with the mystical figure. Paripatal, a sangam period musical composition containing 70 long poems or songs. A long poem written by Kaduvan Ilaveyinan, music composed by Kannanaagan in Palai Yazh melody, was composed to panegyrize lord Murugan, contains elements of this mythical information.
வடவயின் விளங்கு ஆல்உறை எழு மகளிருள்
Flourishing lights of North, the seven women who have their aerie in Ficus tree - line 43
Flourishing lights of North, the seven women who have their aerie in Ficus tree - line 43
The priest, Velan shown here is a performer of rituals to ever powerful legendary Murugan or so precisely AAL AMAR SELVAN, the youth who sits on ficus tree or AAL URAI SELVAN, youth dwelling inside the ficus tree. Sangam poems demonstrate this priest as a ritual functionary, who upon cutting the head of a Ram or goat of Markhor, sprinkle blood on flowers spread or millet or rice spread, offer that to Murugan and conduct frenzied ritual dances called Veriyaattam.
An example from sangam work, Tirumurugaatruppatai, a treatise on Murugan, which contain the necessary information about Velan priest.
சிறுதினை மலரொடு விரைஇ மறிஅறுத்து
வாரணக் கொடியொடு வயிற்பட நிறீஇ
ஊர் ஊர் கொண்ட சீர்கெழு விழவினும் . . . .220
வாரணக் கொடியொடு வயிற்பட நிறீஇ
ஊர் ஊர் கொண்ட சீர்கெழு விழவினும் . . . .220
Murugan is there,
in every veriyaattam grounds where millet is mixed with flowers,
rams are sacrificed, rooster flags
hoisted by Velan the priest.
in every veriyaattam grounds where millet is mixed with flowers,
rams are sacrificed, rooster flags
hoisted by Velan the priest.
On many occasions he was manifested as a priest who had been invited by mothers of love sick daughters not aware of her love affair, to perform ritual dances to find out the truth. The priest uses molucca beans (kazhangu) or Nickernuts on freshly laid sand in the front yard of the house to divine, and tells the mother that Murukan’s anger is the reason for her daughter’s affliction. He wears flower garlands, prays to Murukan, kills a goat and performs veriyaattam dance.
Citation from a sangam work called Aikurunooru (500 shorts poems on akam theme - love) exhibits this info here:
ஐங்குறுநூறு 245, கபிலர், குறிஞ்சித் திணை – தோழி தலைவியிடம் சொன்னது
பொய்யா மரபின் ஊர் முது வேலன்
கழங்கு மெய்ப் படுத்துக் கன்னம் தூக்கி
முருகென மொழியும் ஆயின்
கெழுதகை கொல் இவள் அணங்கியோற்கே.
பொய்யா மரபின் ஊர் முது வேலன்
கழங்கு மெய்ப் படுத்துக் கன்னம் தூக்கி
முருகென மொழியும் ஆயின்
கெழுதகை கொல் இவள் அணங்கியோற்கே.
Ainkurunūru 245, Kapilar, Kurinji Thinai – What the heroine’s friend said to her
Our town’s elderly clairvoyant, Velan
from an unfailing tradition
divines with kazhangu beans,
gives a talisman,
and explains that Murukan
is the cause for her affliction.
I wonder whether that description
fits the man who caused her distress!
Our town’s elderly clairvoyant, Velan
from an unfailing tradition
divines with kazhangu beans,
gives a talisman,
and explains that Murukan
is the cause for her affliction.
I wonder whether that description
fits the man who caused her distress!
Occult spirit who is enshrined in the Ficus tree is none other than Murugan and he is also called AAL AMAR SELVAN, AAL KEZHU KADAVUL AND AAL URAI SELVAN in sangam poems. Later poems mention this god as Shiva and Murugan being the son of Shiva once the Aryan ethics started to flourish in South. All male gods especially, Skandha, Shiva, Krishna, Ganapathi, Dakshinamoorthy some way or other are connected with ficus tree and the root evolved from Indus religion. For details on this spiritual figure please see my previous presentation in facebook months ago, below:
So the general description of this seal goes like below:
Murugan, a divine figure a domicile of Ficus tree dances with 7 maidens or the 7 stars to whom the head priest Velan offers a sacrificial goat to pacify the spirit. The transcendental dance of Murugan along with 7 maidens is called DANCE OF THUDI or THUDIKKOOTHU and this has been well documented in Silappadhikaaram and later in Pingala Nikantu. Let’s see what the poem try to disclose about this dance in Silambu:
மாக்கடல் நடுவண்
நீர்த்திரை அரங்கத்து நிகர்த்துமுன் நின்ற
சூர்த்திறங் கடந்தோன் ஆடிய துடியும்
நீர்த்திரை அரங்கத்து நிகர்த்துமுன் நின்ற
சூர்த்திறங் கடந்தோன் ஆடிய துடியும்
In the midst of the vast ocean
Upon exterminating the soor (demon or asura)
Who stood against, Murugan, danced THUDI
To the tunes of drum THUDI
Keeping the rippling waves as a dancing theatre
Upon exterminating the soor (demon or asura)
Who stood against, Murugan, danced THUDI
To the tunes of drum THUDI
Keeping the rippling waves as a dancing theatre
Pinkala Nigantu gives a panoramic description of Kumaran or Murugan dancing THUDI with 7 maidens after extirpating the Sooran or Demon. There we go. The seal describes the dance of THUDI by Murugan or Ficus deity and 7 maidens upon crushing the Soor who hid himself beneath the ocean as a Mango tree which the super power identified and destroyed. The head priest Velan is trying to assuage Murugan by offering a sacrifice of Markhor goat.
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