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MEDLEY OF MADALS

The "madal" in other literature

by Prof. Vasudha Narayanan
March 28, 1996

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 thiruvaaymozhi (5.3.9 and 5.3.10).

     naaNum niRaiyum kavarndhennai
        nannencham koovikkondu,
     sENuyar vaanath thirukkum
        dhEva piraan_dhannai,
     aaNaiyen thOzhee! ulagu
        thORalar thooRRi,aam
     kONaigaL seythu
         kudhiriyaay madaloordhumE.	5.3.9

     yaamada loorndhum emmaazhiyangaip piraanudai,
     thoomadal thaNNam thuzhaaymalar kondu sooduvOm,
     yaamada minRith theruvu thORayal thaiyalaar,
     naamadaNG kappazhi thooRRi naadum iraikkavE.	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

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