The River Speaks: The Vaiyai Poems from the ParipatalIn the ancient Tamil country, the Vaiyai was much more than a mighty river rushing towards the sea. People knew the river intimately and lived their lives upon its banks. In these exquisite poems from the distant past (second to eighth century CE), we glimpse the ebb and flow of everyday life: the bathing, the water games, the lovers’ quarrels and the sacred rituals. Breathtaking in their descriptive power and graceful in their celebration of sensuality, the Vaiyai poems from the Paripāṭal anthology delight our senses and give us insight into a world long past. In V.N. Muthukumar and Elizabeth Segran’s radiant new translation, the Vaiyai River comes alive to a new generation of readers. |
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Common terms and phrases
adorned Akananuru akil anger anthologies bangles banks bathing area beautiful Brahmins breasts cankam poetry carrying celestial chariots chastity chest Cilappatikaram Civaka Cintamani classical Tamil clouds collyrium colophon coloured Coma comparison concubine constellation corpus crowds dance dancers desire eyes flow followed Pari fragrant flowers fragrant garlands François Gros girls glosses hair heart hero bathed hero's heroine heroine's companion heroine's female companion honey horses husband jewels Kalabhras kind of drum Kutal Lines liquor Look lovers marutam Maturai melody Metaviti mistress moon mountain mulavu Murukan Muthukumar nakam Nallantuvanar naravam Orion constellation ornaments pālai Pantiyan king parai drums Pari Parimelalakar Paripāțal patiri perfumes phrase poem refers poet Pondicherry praise pronounced quarrel rains resembles river rushing sandalwood sandalwood paste says shallow waters sing smell squirts star Swaminatha Aiyar sweet Tamil literature Tamil poetry text reads Tirumarutamunturai translation Vaiyai poems valai Vedas water fight water games wearing garlands woman word yama young