CHENNAI: Set in the lush fields, the Thiruppavai depicts daybreak in the pastoral community as fragrant lotuses bloom, anaichaithan birds resume chattering, and cowherds engage in churning better. The sounds of the early morning fill poet-saint and Alwar Andal’s pasurams or lyrical verses penned in the 9th century. During the chilly and celebratory months of Margazhi, devotees across Tamil Nadu chant this collection of hymns daily across Vishnu temples.
Aside from rituals and the devotional aspect, the Thiruppavai is an ode to nature as a healer, says historian Meenakshi Devaraj. In an attempt to spark interest in this Tamil poem, the historian is holding an online storytelling workshop titled ‘Significance of Margazhi’s Neeradal’ for children over the age of eight years, on November 4 and 5.
Depiction through kolams
Unlike run-of-the-mill workshops that translate Tamil words and focus on explaining the literature, Meenakshi hopes to capture the interest of the children with the intricate art of dots and curved lines or sikku kolams. “For each Thiruppavai pasuram, I created one concept kolam which depicts the pasuram. Since it is a diagrammatic representation of each pasuram, it will reach (kids) fast.” With a carefully chosen set of 30 kolams, the historian aims to bring to life the lyrical verses, in a one-hour duration.
“In Thiruppavai, there is so much about the lives of the pastoral community, scientific information, culinary practices, and the water cycle,” Meenakshi says. Moreover, there are lessons such as how condensation works, how rain clouds form, poetic descriptions of jewels, or the everyday life of the pastoral community embedded deep within this text.
Awareness, going back to one’s roots, and generating love for the poems are the core of this workshop. Pointing out the importance of learning the hymns, she explains, “It gives you a proud feeling about your roots, and knowing history is important…Things that celebrate nature will make you a better citizen and give you a civic sense of why you need to protect nature.”
At the end of the session, Meenakshi aims to encourage the participants to come up with their own writing, poems, or sketches. “It aims to kindle imagination and bring out their form of visual output of Thiruppavai,” she signs off, adding that more such sessions will be held in Chennai soon.
The Thiruppavai workshop will be conducted online on November 4 and 5, from 8.45 pm to 9.45 pm. For details, email: meenbas@gmail.com