ஐங்குறுநூற்றில் மருதத்திணையில் பெண்களின் நிலை: ஓர் இலக்கிய-சமூகவியல் பகுப்பாய்வு

The Status of Women in the Marutham Thinai of Ainkurunuru: An Literary-Sociological Analysis

Abstract

Ettuthokai (The Eight Anthologies) and Pattupattu (The Ten Idylls) serve as the primary sources reflecting the lifestyle and social structure of the Sangam Tamils. Among these, Ainkurunuru, which intensely portrays interior (Akam) traditions within short poetic lines, depicts the inner emotions of the people against the backdrop of the five landscapes (Thinai).

The agricultural prosperity and economic advancement of the Marutham (riverine) region paved the way for the extramarital behavior of men, subsequently causing psychological tremors within the family structure. Based on the Marutham Thinai poems of Ainkurunuru composed by the poet Orampokiyar, this paper aims to examine the status and conditions faced by women within both the family structure and the social sphere.

This paper analyzes in detail the sociological and psychological states of the Thalaivi (the heroine) who stands as the center of domestic life; the Thozhi (the confidante) who supports her; and the Parathai (the courtesan) and Katharparathai (the mistress) who serve as men's companions of pleasure while simultaneously existing as individuals with distinct emotions. Furthermore, the life values, rights, and inner anguish of Marutham women—expressed through implied metaphors (Ullurai Uvamam), symbols, and historical records—are analyzed and compared with other Sangam literary evidence.