Bold and Forthright: Mapping the Evolution of Tirumaḻicai Āḻvār and His Irreverent Voice
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Abstract
The article is dedicated to Tirumaḻicai Āḻvār (ca. 7th c.), who is one of the early Āḻvārs, Tamil saint-poets devoted to Viṣṇu (ca. 6th–9th c. CE). He was a younger contemporary of Pēy, Poykai, and Pūtam. In contrast to them, Tirumaḻicai’s temperament is feisty, as he has little patience for people who differ from his views, and can be utterly provocative towards anyone. He is also very different from most of his successors like Periyāḻvār or Nammāḻvār, in the sense that his poetry is not overly emotional, with no heart-rending or pleading nor excessive joy, since his is a more intellectual kind of bhakti. His two works, namely, the Nāṉmukaṉ Tiruvantāti and the Tiruccantaviruttam, bear testimony to that fact. His is a unique voice that deserves to be studied in some depth, which this article only begins to do.
The focus of the article is the irreverent verses by Tirumaḻicai to understand the poet who produced them. Who was Tirumaḻicai, especially in terms of his background and his character? Why were his verses termed “controversial”? Who was the target of his irreverence? And who inspired his poetry? Does he follow the norms and the examples set by his predecessors, e.g. the Caṅkam poets and the other bhakti poets or does he break away from them? In what ways? And how has his voice survived throughout the centuries? Did it undergo a transformation that guaranteed its survival or did it remain intact?
These are some questions dealt with in this article to make sense of the poet and his poetry. In order to gain a better understanding of his poetry, the article first introduces Tirumaḻicai based on his own words, supplying historical information whenever possible and/or necessary. Then there is a transition to his irreverent verses that bring out his bold voice loud and clear. And finally, a study of how his voice was transmitted in the centuries following his existence, and how it evolved in order to adapt itself to the needs and ideas of the Śrīvaiṣṇava scholars.
How to Cite
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Tirumaḻicai Āḻvār, Nāṉmukaṉ Tiruvantāti, Tiruccantaviruttam, Tamil poetry, bhakti, Śrīvaiṣṇava scholars
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