I once wrote that perhaps, ‘Kutru’ (pronounced) in the ancient grammatical work Tholakappiyam might have become ‘Kuthu’ denoting theatre. As it was described, this “atrocious statement” stirred up a hornet’s nest. I was troubled by a traditional Tamil scholar who argued that Tholakappiyam only reflected the real-life way of life of Tamils ​​and could not be a fictional depiction of “the treasure of ancient Tamil culture that is Tholakappiyam”. Life on stage.

I do not want to enter philosophical territory to discuss whether art is real and life is an illusion, or life is real and art an illusion, but I can say that all ‘ego’ (love) poems The paintings that depict life are found in the Sangam classics, thereby providing a classical blue-print of illustration for the Tholakappiyam grammatical rules and regulations, following such a rigid and strict tradition without any deviation that one cannot imagine could like this Life is just imagination.

five geographical areas

The Tamil country is divided into five geographical regions. Hills, plains, grassland areas, coastal areas and dry barren lands. The main theme of all these poems, which provide a romantic setting in the mountains, is premarital love (punarchi or sexual union), either in the form of dramatic monologue or dialogue. Rich and fertile plains, portend a prosperous life, where there are frequent fights (provocative or feigned anger) between lovers who are now married. The husband also has social responsibilities, and when he goes on such missions, the wife patiently waits for him in a village called Mullai. Classic scenes such as the autumn sunset, the sound of cattle slowly returning home, the sound of rain and distant thunder distinguish these scenes of dramatic poetry across this geographical divide. The sea is always a reminder of the dividing line, and the drama imagined in this area is especially brought forth as the slings and arrows of romantic anguish. It is possible that many of these dramatic poems existed long before the Tholakappiyam, and only later were they collected and classified, on the basis of which the Tholakappiyam could determine its grammatical rules.

‘Aham’ poetry contains some poems of dramatic importance, which now appear to be completely different from mainstream thinking, as set out by Tholakappiyam. According to Tholakappiyam, the hero and heroine, who fall in love, must be extremely good-looking, endowed with all the textbook virtues, nobility and virtue, and belong to the same economic and social class. Thankfully, there is no mention of caste!

One of the Kalitogai poems depicts a beautiful drama that can be described as ‘rebel theatre’ that rejects tradition. In one poem, a hunchbacked woman and a dwarf, who are in the autumn years of their lives, fall in love. Nature has been physically unfair to him, but has not interfered with his indomitable spirit. Leslie Fielder has said that in those days, people really believed that God created devils for the entertainment of children and the rich. Therefore, it is no surprise that the hero and heroine always have to suffer losses. But in each other’s company, they appear to be of tremendous stature. He has no less presence on the stage than any traditional hero or heroine. Their wit, their playful irony and, above all, their natural ability to laugh at themselves without inhibitions elevate them to a romantic throne much more unusual than a typical couple.

set in darkness

Let’s watch the drama. There is darkness on the stage. In the dim light coming inside, we see a hunchbacked woman (late middle-aged woman) entering from the right corner of the back stage and she moves quickly towards the front stage like a snake in water. In the backstage left corner, a dwarf (a man about the same age as the woman) watches her with amusement. He walks towards her with measured steps. bright lights. She looks at him with an angle. Both are in simple clothes which tells about their financial condition. They are servants in that house.

The dwarf addresses him in mock-heroic style, imitating the idiom of an epic hero’s stylistic speech. “Oh! Gracious Lady! Your Majesty moves like a wavering shadow in the flowing waters of a holy river. I salute you.” Showing anger but hiding her admiration for him, she replies: “Look who is making fun of him! Are you no less than a man, O bird?” ?You walk like a straight tortoise, holding your waist tightly with both your hands and what a blessing, my Lord.

many subtexts

While engaged in this rhetorical duel, they move around the stage, chasing each other. These dialogues can be sung in a stylized manner which would make it a musical parody. But the tragi-comedy created in this beautiful poem should not be lost in the dramatic production by evoking feelings of sympathy or compassion. The dignity of the presence of these two characters should be visible. This poem seems trivial on the surface, but it has many subtexts that make it refreshingly modern. It sounds like Samuel Beckett’s creation, a classical text for the Theater of the Absurd.

(The author is a well-known writer and playwright).