Kannagi

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Kannagi (Tamil mythology)
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Kannagi
Kannagi
Kannagi Statue in Marina Beach, Chennai
This article is about a legendary person. For other uses, see Kannagi (disambiguation).

Kannagi (

King of Madurai, who had wrongfully put her husband Kovalan to death. The society that had made her suffer, suffers in retribution as the city Madurai is burnt to the ground because of her curse.[1] In Tamil folklore, Kannagi has been deified as the symbol – sometimes as goddess – of chastity, with sculptures or reliefs in Hindu temples iconographically reminding the visitor of her breaking her anklet or tearing her bleeding breast and throwing it at the city.[3][4]

Text

Kannagi Amman in Tamil Nadu.

The Kannagi story first appears in the Sangam era poem Narrinai 312.[2] A more extended version appears in the post-Sangam era Tamil epic in Silappatikaram ("Epic of the Anklet).[1]

Legend

Kannagi with her husband Kovalan.

Kannagi was the daughter of the merchant and ship captain Manayakan from

patron deity.[5][6] Later, Kovalan met a dancer Madhavi and had an affair with her, which prompted him to spend all his wealth on the dancer. At last, penniless, Kovalan realised his mistake and returned to his wife Kannagi. Kovalan hoped to recoup his fortunes by trade in Madurai, by selling the precious anklet of Kannagi.[citation needed
]

Madurai was ruled by

Nedunj Cheliyan I
. When Kovalan tried to sell the anklet, it was mistaken for a stolen anklet of the queen. Kovalan was accused of having stolen the anklet and was immediately beheaded by the king without trial. When Kannagi was informed of this, she became furious, and set out to prove her husband's innocence to the king.

Kannagi came to the king's court, broke open the anklet seized from Kovalan and showed that it contained

Cilappatikaram written by poet Ilango Adigal.[7]

Worship

A shrine to Kannagi as Pattini goddess in Sri Lanka. She is shown as holding an anklet in each hand.
Main article: Kannaki Amman

Kannagi or Kannaki Amman is eulogized as the epitome of chastity and is worshiped as a goddess in select regions. She is worshiped as goddess

Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus and as Kodungallur Bhagavathy & Aatukal Bhagavathy in the South Indian state of Kerala. Keralites believe Kannaki to be an incarnation of Goddess Bhadrakali who reached Kodungallur and attained salvation in the Kodungalloor temple.[9][10]

In popular culture

Kodungallur Bhagavaty temple

A Tamil epic film Kannagi directed by R.S Mani released in 1942. This was the first Tamil film based on the epic Silapadhigaaram. A similar movie named Poompuhar released in 1964. A statue of Kannagi holding her anklet, depicting a scene from Cilappatikaram was installed on Marina Beach, Chennai. It was removed in December 2001 citing reasons that it hindered traffic.[11][12] The statue was reinstalled in June 2006.[13][14]

A Sinhala film called Paththini was released on 5 May 2016 in Sri Lanka. The role of the goddess Paththni or Kannagi was played by Pooja Umashankar.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 90-04-04926-6
    .
  2. ^ a b Kamil Zvelebil 1973, pp. 51–52.
  3. ISBN 90-04-04926-6
    .
  4. ISBN 978-0-231-07849-8
    .
  5. ISBN 9781136843846
    .
  6. ^ Kantacāmi, Cō Na (1978). Buddhism as Expounded in Manimekalai. Annamalai University. p. 185.
  7. ISBN 0-333-93076-2
    .
  8. ISBN 978-88-95814-85-8. https://www.academia.edu/3740760/Dance_of_Ardhan%C4%81r%C4%AB._A_Historiographical_Retrospection
  9. ^ Shankar Radhakrishnan HAI Bubbling over with devotion The Hindu news.
  10. ^ R.K.K. Rajarajan (2016) Masterpieces of Indian Literature and Art - Tears of Kaṇṇaki: Annals and Iconology of the ‘Silapathikaram ’. Sharada Publishing House, New Delhi. Pages xix + 412, photos 143,
    ISBN 978-93-83221-14-1. https://www.academia.edu/30222114/Masterpieces_of_Indian_Literature_and_Art_-_Tears_of_Ka%E1%B9%87%E1%B9%87aki_Annals_and_Iconology_of_the_Cilappatik%C4%81ram_
  11. ^ "Presidency College ground ideal for Kannagi statue: panel". The Hindu. Chennai. 16 June 2002. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
  12. ^ "Kannagi statue to be reinstalled on Jun 3: Governor". One India News. OneIndiaNews.com. 24 May 2006. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
  13. ^ Menon, Jaya (16 May 2006). "On Marina beach, Karunanidhi keeps date with Kannagi". Indian Express. indianexpress.com. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
  14. ^ Tiwari, Binita (23 August 2007). "Kannagi's statue adorned Marina Beach". Newstrack India. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
  15. ^ "Pathini Sinhala Film by Sunil Ariyaratne". Sandeshaya. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
Bibliography

External links

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