Aravalli Sooravalli Story
இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: ஆரவல்லி சூரவல்லி கதை
The tale of Aravalli Sooravalli or Aaravalli Suravalli is one of the folk ballad epics of Tamil Nadu. Folk epics are passed down orally and have continued through therukoothu[1]. They do not conform to classical epic grammar. N. Vanamamalai classifies Aravalli Sooravalli as an epic ballad. "They are created differently from the epic tradition of the source and have a folkloristic character", he says.
Ballad epics like Aravalli Sooravalli have primarily endured through the continued oral tradition of people. Tamil folkloristics encompasses therukoothu, proverbs, riddles, songs, oral tales, murals, and elements of worship . They are heavily influenced by the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. The Mahabharata stories had a significant impact on northern Tamil Nadu's folklore. The Aravalli Sooravalli narrative is one of the Mahabharata’s auxiliary stories. The story is told in Ammanai form (poetry in the form of questions and answers while playing a game of the same name—ammanai).
Edition History
The story of Aravalli Sooravalli was first published in print in 1887 by Ponnusamy Mudaliar. The story has 3,638 lines. A.K. Perumal has researched, compiled, and published the Ammanai songs of the Mahabharata in the Archunanin Tamil Kadaligal[2] book. The Aravalli Sooravalli story is summarized in this book.
Author
According to oral tradition, Pugalendhi Pulavar is the author of Aravalli Sooravalli. T.V. Sathasivam Pandarathar claims in his book Ilakiya Varalaru[3] that Pugalendhi Pulavar belonged to the 13th century. Researcher T.P. Meenakshi Sundaram agrees. There is also evidence that Pugalendhi Pulavar belonged to the period of Ariya Sekaran, a general of Pandia kingdom.
Arunachalam, who has authored a complete book in English on Tamil ballads, claims that Pugalendhi Pulavar is a fiction and that Attavadanam Veerasamy Chettiar included Pugalendhi Pulavar in all of his Ammanai editions. Associating the oral tradition stories of Chettiar's time to Pugalendhi Pulavar is supported through information provided by publishers such as B.R.N Sons.
Story
Daruma or Dharma ruled his country peacefully during the period when the Pandavas were at peace with the Kauravas. Krishna went to Daruma and said, "All the five Pandavas are warriors, but the Aravalli queen is ruling the neighboring Aravallipattinam (pattinam-coastal area). Your valor has diminished before her rule". To make up for the shortfall, Krishna advised going to war with the Aravalli. Daruma was not pleased and stated that initiating a war on our own violates the dharma[4] of war. Fighting Aravalli is not required.
As Krishna’s intention was not fulfilled, he devised another plan. He went straight to Nellore, the capital of Aravallipattinam. Krishna provoked the 'sandai seval[5] to call the Pandavas for war. The next morning, when Bhima went to the border of the village to perform his morning routines, he heard the sandai seval calling Bhima to war. An angry Bhima grabs his gadha[6] and rushes to Aravallipattinam. Aware of his invasion, Aravalli sent her army of beasts that she fashioned out of magic powder. Bhima slaughters them all with his gadha [6]and travels to Nellore.
Aravalli had no choice but to confront Bhima. Bhima dispatched his sandai seval[5] to battle Aravalli's sandai seval[5]. Aravalli's sandai seval used magic and defeated Bhima’s sandai seval[5]. Aravalli's girlfriends arrest Bhima and imprison him. Krishna, knowing this, took the form of an elephant and came to Bhima's rescue. Krishna unwraps Bhima’s chains. Bhima flees the scene.
When Aravalli discovers that Bhima has escaped from prison, she sends an olai (palm leaf message) to Daruma. "Is it the honor of a warrior born into a great royal dynasty to escape from prison unknowingly?" she wrote. Angered, Daruma mobilized his forces to invade Aravallipattinam." If the five Pandavas invade Aravallipattinam, we will certainly be defeated," Sahadevan told Daruma. "Brother, can we send our nephew Allirasan?" Bhima suggests. "Let us send Allirasan; he will definitely destroy Aravallipattinam," Sahadevan predicted.
Their plan is rejected by Pandava's sister, who does not want her only son to go to battle. Daruma promises to make Abhimanyu her adopted son, so she agrees to Pandava's plan. Allirasan, the great warrior, immediately set out to conquer Aravallipattinam.
Bhima told Allirasan the tactic of winning Aravalli's sandai seval. Bhima cautions Allirasan about Aravalli's magic tricks, how she uses magic powder to launch tigers and bears, and her devious tactics. Allirasan says that he comes from a long line of brave warriors and that he is not afraid of anything.
Before leaving, Nagula gives him a beautiful horse. His aunt, Draupadi, gives him a box and says, "Keep this in your hand. As long as you have this box, no magic or pillisoonyam[7] will affect you."
Allirasan went to the Kali [8]temple on the outskirts of the town and sang her praises. Kali, who was sleeping in the sanctum sanctorum, woke up hearing the hymns of Allirasan. He prayed for Kali's blessings and grace. Kali heard his prayers and appeared to him. Allirasan saw her greatness and sang her praises. She blessed him with a mighty sword that no one could ever defeat.
Allirasan went to Aravallipattinam with the sword and chased away the tiger and bear, produced by Aravalli’s magic powder. Aravalli got word from her messengers that Allirasan was riding his horse to invade. Aravalli dispatched her female wizards to battle. Allirasan defeated them all and reached Nellore. Allirasan defeated Aravalli's sister, Sooravalli, also.
He went to Nellore and invited Aravalli to the sandai seval[5] war. She agreed to the war with no other option. Aravalli's cock maneuvered like Bhima warned earlier. Allirasan won all the maneuvers by the box given by Draupadi. To test Allirasan, Aravalli gave him an iron rod and asked him to cut it into two. Allirasan cut it into three pieces.
As a reward for Allirasan's victory, Aravalli agrees to the marriage of her only daughter, Palvarisai, with Allirasan. Palvarisai was as beautiful as Ramba, the most beautiful apsara [9]of heaven . Palvarisai was innocent and did not do wizardry. She was excited about her marriage to Allirasan. Allirasan told Aravalli that he did not want his marriage in Nellore.
Allirasan said, "My marriage must take place with my uncle's consent. I will take Palvarisai with me and our wedding will be held there. " Aravalli agreed. She called out to her daughter alone and said, "If Allirasan is thirsty, offer him this flower to smell and then squeeze this fruit to drink."
Allirasan was thirsty on the way, so Palvarisai gave him the flower to smell and the squeezed fruit. Allirasan passed out and collapsed as if he had died. Palvarisai was unsure of what to do in the middle of the jungle. She rushed to Nellore and informed her mother of the events. Aravalli was delighted that her scheme was fulfilled. She locked Palvarisai in a dark room.
Allirasan's horse rushed to Nagula and told him of the events. The enraged Pandavas invaded Aravallipattinam with a huge army. Knowing the Pandavas were coming, Aravalli used magic to turn them all to stone.
When Allirasan's mother learned of her son's death, she raced to the Pandavas to seek justice. When she discovered that they had been turned to stone, she informed Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu went to heaven and brought Allirasan back to life.
Allirasan and Abhimanyu worshipped Goddess Kali and rushed to Aravallipattinam. They destroyed all the women on their way. Then they cut the noses of seven Reddy women and insulted them. By the grace of Krishna, the army of the Pandavas came to life. Palvarisai ran over to Allirasan and stood near him.
Bhima was skeptical of Palvarisai. Sahadevan said, "Palvarisai is an innocent and naïve girl. She does not know witchcraft. " Allirasan was married to Palvarisai.
Historical background
"The Aravalli character in the Aravalli Sooravalli story is a reflection of an Andhra Pradesh queen." According to A.K. Perumal. The story's rooster fight/seval sandai, Aravallipattinam and Nellore, the locations where the story takes place, and the Seven Reddy women characters in Aravalli Sooravalli all confirm it.
References
- Archunanin Tamil Kadhaligal, Author: A.K. Perumal, Kalachuvadu Publishing, 2012
Footnotes
- ↑ ட்ance and musical performance of epics
- ↑ The Tamil lovers of Arjuna
- ↑ History of literature
- ↑ Righteousness or morals or innate rules
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Rooster used in cockfights
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 a mace-like weapon used in India
- ↑ witchcraft or wizardry
- ↑ Goddess Kali or Kaali
- ↑ Female celestial dancer
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