Madhavi (Silappatikaram): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox character
{{Infobox character
| image = Silappatikaram (11).jpg
| image = Silappatikaram (11).jpg
| caption = Madhavi with Kovalan
| alt =
| children = Manimegalai
| caption = Madhavi (left) with [[Kovalan]]
| occupation = Dancer
| creator = [[Ilango Adigal]]
| first = [[Cilappatikaram]]
| gender = Female
| occupation = Courtesan and dancer
| children = [[Manimekalai]]
| home = [[Poompuhar|Puhar]], [[Early Cholas|Chola Kingdom]]
}}
}}
'''Madhavi''' is an important character in the ''[[Silappatikaram|Silapathikaram]]'', one of the [[Epic poetry|epic]]s in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] literature. Silapathikaram is the first [[Kappiyam]] (epic) among the five in Tamil literature.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tamilnadu.com/arts/literature-silappathikaram.html |title=Silappathikaram Tamil Literature |publisher=Tamilnadu.com |date=22 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.is/20130411214545/http://tamilnadu.com/arts/literature-silappathikaram.html |archivedate=11 April 2013 }}</ref> It belongs to the [[Sangam Period]]. Madhavi was born in a lineage of courtesans, and was an accomplished dancer.
'''Madhavi''' is a central character in [[Ilango Adigal]]'s ''[[Cilappatikaram]],'' one of the [[Five Great Epics]] in [[Tamil literature]]. As per the literature, [[Kovalan]], the husband of [[Kannagi]], briefly leaves Kannagi to be with Madhavi. After squandering his wealth, Kovalan returns to Kannagi, and their tragic story form the rest of the epic.
Madhavi is one of the three main characters in Silappatikaram, along with [[Kannagi]] and [[Kovalan]].


==Plot==
==Literature==
Madhavi was the daughter of a dancer, Chitrapahti, who was a dancer too. They were believed to have a long ancestry starting with [[Urvashi]]. Madhavi was rigorously trained in music, dance and composition of poems. [[Kovalan]], the son of a wealthy merchant and the husband of [[Kannagi]], met Madhavi in a performance in Chozha king [[Karikala Chola|Karikalan]]'s court. Enamoured of her beauty, he fell in love with her. Eventually, Kovalan left his wife and moved in with Madhavi, with whom he stayed for a year.  Madhavi bore him a daughter [[Manimekalai]]. However, after spending all his money on Madhavi, he realised his mistakes and returned to his wife Kannagi.<ref>{{cite book|title=Myths and Legends from India - Great Women|last=Bhanu|first=Sharada|publisher=Macmillan India Limited|year=1997|location=Chennai|isbn=0-333-93076-2|pages=14-19}}</ref>
''[[Cilappatikāram]]'' ("the Tale of an Anklet"), is the one of the [[Five Great Epics]]s in [[Tamil literature]].{{sfn|Parthasarathy|2004|p=1-3}} It is attributed to a [[Ilango Adigal]], a [[Chera]] prince turned monk, and was probably composed between 2nd to 6th centuries CE.{{sfn|Sastri|2002|p=397}}{{sfn|Alain Danielou|1965|p=viii}} The epic consists of 5,730 lines,{{sfn|Parthasarathy|2004|p=5-6}} and narrates the tragic story of [[Kannagi]] and her husband [[Kovalan]].{{sfn|Zvelebil|1973|p=174–175}}{{sfn|Pollock|2003|p=296–298}}


==Love with Kovalan==
==Legend==
Kovalan, who was married to Kannagi, fell in love with Madhavi when he saw her at her dancing debut in the court of the Chola king Karikalan. Kovalan left Kannagi and starts living with Madhavi. She lived with [[Kovalan]] happily for some time. During that period, Madhavi's mother stole all the wealth of Kannagi the wife of Kovalan by using Kovalan's ring ''Kannaiyali'' without the knowledge of Madhavi and Kovalan. After 3 years, Kovalan learned the truth about the mother's crime through the song  ''kaveri kanal vary'', during the festival of the god [[Indra]]. He grew angry with Madhavi and again returned to Kannagi. After Kovalan left her, Madhavi came to know of her mother's theft and showed her moral worth by returning all the wealth of Kovalan to his father and renouncing the world to become a Buddhist nun.
Madhavi was born in a lineage of [[courtesans]], and was an accomplished [[Bharatanatyam]] dancer.{{sfn|Thompson|2005|p=158}}{{sfn|Srinivasan|2009|p=53-75}} She was the daughter of Chitrapathi, a senior courtesan, who was responsible for arranging Madhavi's debut in the king's court and overseeing her wealth and relationships.{{sfn|Parthasarathy|1993|p=54–55}}{{sfn|Zvelebil|1973|p=172}}<ref>{{cite journal |last=Jaiganesh |first=B |date=9 July 2021 |title=The Psychological Acumens in the Construction of the Two Characters Manimegalai and Kayasandigai |url=https://www.annalsofrscb.ro/index.php/journal/article/view/8824 |journal=Annals of the Romanian Society for Cell Biology |volume=25 |issue=6 |pages=16100–16106}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Menon |first=Suseela |date=2011 |title=Empowerment of Women and Children Through Performance of Indian Classical Art Form – A Case Study with Special Reference to Mohiniyattam of Kerala |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1867831 |journal=SSRN Electronic Journal |doi=10.2139/ssrn.1867831 |s2cid=141228534 |issn=1556-5068|url-access=subscription |doi-access=free }}</ref> Madhavi performs in the Chola court and wins royal patronage, which brings her fame and wealth.{{sfn|Dikshitar|1939|p=43–45}}{{sfn|Parthasarathy|1993|p=59–60}} [[Kovalan]] is the son of a wealthy merchant Machattuvan, and lives in the [[Chola]] port city of [[Poompuhar|Puhar]] along with his newly married wife [[Kannagi (Tamil mythology)|Kannagi]].{{sfn|Parthasarathy|1993|p=60}} Kovalan meets Madhavi during a festival in the city.{{sfn|Parthasarathy|1993|p=61}} Enamoured of her beauty, he falls in love with her. Eventually, Kovalan leaves his wife Kannagi and moves in with Madhavi.{{sfn|Zvelebil|1973|p=173-174}}{{sfn|Danielou|1965|p=28–30}} Chitrapathi negotiates gifts and patronage from nobles and the wealthy on behalf of her daughter, and manages to accumulate large amount of wealth through Madhavi’s artistic success. When Kovalan becomes involved with Madhavi, Chitrapati initially supports the relationship because Kovalan is a wealthy merchant.{{sfn|Dikshitar|1939|p=44–46}} However, Kovalan subsequently spends much of his wealth on Madhavi, which ultimately leads to his financial ruin.{{sfn|Zvelebil|1973|p=173-174}}{{sfn|Danielou|1965|p=28–30}}{{sfn|Parthasarathy|1993|p=73–86}}


Manimegalai, the daughter of Madhavi and Kovalan, who is the main character of another epic called "[[Manimekalai|Manimegalai]]", written by Seethalai [[Sattanar]], born to them in this period of love in between them at Kaveripoompatinam.
After several years of living with Madhavi, Kovalan has a misunderstanding with Madhavi. During a festival performance where Madhavi performs, she sings verses connected with love and separation, which Kovalan misinterprets as referring to another lover of her.{{sfn|Zvelebil|1973|p=173-174}}{{sfn|Parthasarathy|1993|p=63–65}} Kovalan assumes that Madhavi is being unfaithful and emotionally detached, and abandons Madhavi, despite her attempts to reconcile.{{sfn|Parthasarathy|1993|p=63–65}} Later, Kovalan realises his mistake and returns to his wife Kannagi.{{sfn|Bhanu|1997|p=14–19}}{{sfn|Parthasarathy|1993|p=87–90}} After Kovalan leaves Madhavi, Chitrapati becomes angry and disappointed, as the relationship had brought prestige and wealth.{{sfn|Parthasarathy|1993|p=66}}


==Kovalan's death==
Kovalan and Madhavi have a daughter Manimekalai, who is the protagonist of the epic ''[[Manimekalai]]''.{{sfn|Vanita|2022|p=153-164}}<ref>{{cite journal |last=Sebastian |first=Tania |date=22 November 2021 |title=Invisibility of Female Street Names in India |journal=McGill GLSA Research Series |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=1–19 |doi=10.26443/glsars.v1i1.144 |issn=2564-3843|doi-access=free }}</ref> Later, Kovalan is killed in [[Madurai]] on the orders of king [[Neduncheziyan]].{{sfn|Dikshitar|1939|p=217–221}}{{Sfn|Bhanu|1997|p=7-9}} Hence, Madhavi renounces her life as a courtesan and adopts an ascetic life influenced by [[Buddhist]] teachings.{{sfn|Zvelebil|1973|p=176}}{{sfn|Pollock|2003|p=280}}
Kovalan and his wife left for [[Madurai]] to restore their fortunes by trade. In an unfortunate twist of events, he was mistakenly arrested for having stolen the queen's anklet and beheaded as the queen had the same looking anklet. Upon hearing this, Kannagi set out to the court of the [[Pandya]] king [[Neduncheziyan]] and proved her husband's innocence. On realizing his mistake, the king died instantly. Kannagi took revenge by burning the whole city of [[Madurai]] with her curse, which she later took back due to request of the city goddess.


Upon learning the tragic turn of events, Madhavi shaved her hair and became a [[Buddhist]] nun.
==Character==
According to [[Kamil Zvelebil]], Madhavi's character is considered to be reflection of the life of elite courtesans in the early Tamil society, who were often connected to royals and merchant elites.{{sfn|Zvelebil|1973|p=173-174}} As per [[R. Parthasarathy]], her role in the epic illustrates the cosmopolitan and artistic culture of the early Tamil cities.{{sfn|Parthasarathy|1993|p=52–55}} Zvelebil also opines that Madhavi was true to Kovalan, and the quarrel was a result of a misunderstanding driven by Kovalan’s emotional instability rather than her betrayal.{{sfn|Zvelebil|1973|p=173-174}} Some commentators contrast the life of Madhavi with Kannagi, considering them as contrasting symbols, with Madhavi symbolising pleasure and artistic life, and Kannagi symbolising chastity and moral justice.{{sfn|Pollock|2003|p=279-281}}{{sfn|Zvelebil|1973|p=178}} However, as per [[Sheldon Pollock]], Madhavi is a complex literary figure rather than a moral foil, and the epic highlights the social roles of women performers of early South India.{{sfn|Pollock|2003|p=279-281}}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
===Bibliography===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|title=Myths and Legends from India – Great Women|last=Bhanu|first=Sharada|publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers]] |year=1997|location=Chennai|isbn=978-0-333-93076-2}}
* {{cite book|first=Alain |last=Danielou|author-link=Alain Daniélou|title=Shilappadikaram (The Ankle Bracelet) by Iḷaṅkōvaṭikaḷ| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Uu3QelRpmsgC|year =1965|publisher=[[New Directions Publishing]]|isbn=978-0-8112-0001-1}}
* {{cite book|first=V. R. Ramachandra |last=Dikshitar |author-link=V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar |title=The Silappadikaram |year=1939 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] | url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.201802/page/n5 |isbn=978-9-390-03592-2}}
* {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WzEwFjKKFfIC&pg=PA279 | title=The Cilappatikaram of Ilanko Atikal: An Epic of South India| first=R. | last=Parthasarathy |author-link=R. Parthasarathy |  publisher=[[Columbia University Press]]| year=1993 |isbn = 978-0-231-07848-1}}
*{{cite book|first=R |last=Parthasarathy |author-link=R. Parthasarathy |title=The Cilappatikāram: The Tale of an Anklet (Iḷaṅkōvaṭikaḷ)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HWPg7EvPirgC|year=2004|publisher=[[Penguin Books]] |isbn=978-0-14-303196-3}}
* {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ak9csfpY2WoC | title=Literary cultures in history: reconstructions from South Asia| last=Pollock| first=Sheldon |author-link=Sheldon Pollock |  publisher=[[University of California Press]]| year=2003|isbn = 0-520-22821-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Srinivasan |first=Priya |title=A 'Material'-ist Reading of the Bharata Natyam Dancing Body: The Possibility of the 'Unruly Spectator' |date=2009 |place=London |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |isbn=978-1-349-30230-7 }}
* {{cite book |last=Sastri |first=Nilakanta |author-link=Nilakanta Sastri |orig-year=1955 |title=A History of South India |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |location=New Delhi |edition=Reprinted |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-195-60686-7}}
* {{cite book |last=Thompson |first=James |title=Digging Up Stories: Applied Theatre, Performance and War |date=2005 |publisher=[[Manchester University Press]] |isbn=978-0-719-07315-1 }}
* {{cite book|last=Vanita |first=Ruth |author-link=Ruth Vanita|title=Gender, Masculinity, and the Dharma of Parenting |date=2022 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=978-0-192-85982-2 }}
* {{cite book|first=Kamil |last=Zvelebil|author-link=Kamil Zvelebil|title=The Smile of Murugan: On Tamil Literature of South India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=degUAAAAIAAJ|year=1973|publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] |isbn=978-9-004-03591-1 }}


{{Reflist}}
{{refend}}


{{Cilappatikaram}}
{{Cilappatikaram}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Characters in Silappatikaram]]
[[Category:Characters in Silappatikaram]]
[[Category:Fictional Buddhist nuns]]
[[Category:Fictional Buddhist nuns]]
[[Category:Indian courtesans]]
[[Category:Fictional courtesans]]

Latest revision as of 11:49, 11 March 2026

Madhavi
Error creating thumbnail: File missing
Madhavi (left) with Kovalan
First appearanceCilappatikaram
Created byIlango Adigal
In-universe information
GenderFemale
OccupationCourtesan and dancer
ChildrenManimekalai
HomePuhar, Chola Kingdom

Madhavi is a central character in Ilango Adigal's Cilappatikaram, one of the Five Great Epics in Tamil literature. As per the literature, Kovalan, the husband of Kannagi, briefly leaves Kannagi to be with Madhavi. After squandering his wealth, Kovalan returns to Kannagi, and their tragic story form the rest of the epic.

Literature[edit | edit source]

Cilappatikāram ("the Tale of an Anklet"), is the one of the Five Great Epicss in Tamil literature.[1] It is attributed to a Ilango Adigal, a Chera prince turned monk, and was probably composed between 2nd to 6th centuries CE.[2][3] The epic consists of 5,730 lines,[4] and narrates the tragic story of Kannagi and her husband Kovalan.[5][6]

Legend[edit | edit source]

Madhavi was born in a lineage of courtesans, and was an accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer.[7][8] She was the daughter of Chitrapathi, a senior courtesan, who was responsible for arranging Madhavi's debut in the king's court and overseeing her wealth and relationships.[9][10][11][12] Madhavi performs in the Chola court and wins royal patronage, which brings her fame and wealth.[13][14] Kovalan is the son of a wealthy merchant Machattuvan, and lives in the Chola port city of Puhar along with his newly married wife Kannagi.[15] Kovalan meets Madhavi during a festival in the city.[16] Enamoured of her beauty, he falls in love with her. Eventually, Kovalan leaves his wife Kannagi and moves in with Madhavi.[17][18] Chitrapathi negotiates gifts and patronage from nobles and the wealthy on behalf of her daughter, and manages to accumulate large amount of wealth through Madhavi’s artistic success. When Kovalan becomes involved with Madhavi, Chitrapati initially supports the relationship because Kovalan is a wealthy merchant.[19] However, Kovalan subsequently spends much of his wealth on Madhavi, which ultimately leads to his financial ruin.[17][18][20]

After several years of living with Madhavi, Kovalan has a misunderstanding with Madhavi. During a festival performance where Madhavi performs, she sings verses connected with love and separation, which Kovalan misinterprets as referring to another lover of her.[17][21] Kovalan assumes that Madhavi is being unfaithful and emotionally detached, and abandons Madhavi, despite her attempts to reconcile.[21] Later, Kovalan realises his mistake and returns to his wife Kannagi.[22][23] After Kovalan leaves Madhavi, Chitrapati becomes angry and disappointed, as the relationship had brought prestige and wealth.[24]

Kovalan and Madhavi have a daughter Manimekalai, who is the protagonist of the epic Manimekalai.[25][26] Later, Kovalan is killed in Madurai on the orders of king Neduncheziyan.[27][28] Hence, Madhavi renounces her life as a courtesan and adopts an ascetic life influenced by Buddhist teachings.[29][30]

Character[edit | edit source]

According to Kamil Zvelebil, Madhavi's character is considered to be reflection of the life of elite courtesans in the early Tamil society, who were often connected to royals and merchant elites.[17] As per R. Parthasarathy, her role in the epic illustrates the cosmopolitan and artistic culture of the early Tamil cities.[31] Zvelebil also opines that Madhavi was true to Kovalan, and the quarrel was a result of a misunderstanding driven by Kovalan’s emotional instability rather than her betrayal.[17] Some commentators contrast the life of Madhavi with Kannagi, considering them as contrasting symbols, with Madhavi symbolising pleasure and artistic life, and Kannagi symbolising chastity and moral justice.[32][33] However, as per Sheldon Pollock, Madhavi is a complex literary figure rather than a moral foil, and the epic highlights the social roles of women performers of early South India.[32]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Parthasarathy 2004, p. 1-3.
  2. ↑ Sastri 2002, p. 397.
  3. ↑ Alain Danielou 1965, p. viii.
  4. ↑ Parthasarathy 2004, p. 5-6.
  5. ↑ Zvelebil 1973, p. 174–175.
  6. ↑ Pollock 2003, p. 296–298.
  7. ↑ Thompson 2005, p. 158.
  8. ↑ Srinivasan 2009, p. 53-75.
  9. ↑ Parthasarathy 1993, p. 54–55.
  10. ↑ Zvelebil 1973, p. 172.
  11. ↑ Jaiganesh, B (9 July 2021). "The Psychological Acumens in the Construction of the Two Characters Manimegalai and Kayasandigai". Annals of the Romanian Society for Cell Biology. 25 (6): 16100–16106.
  12. ↑ Menon, Suseela (2011). "Empowerment of Women and Children Through Performance of Indian Classical Art Form – A Case Study with Special Reference to Mohiniyattam of Kerala". SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1867831. ISSN 1556-5068. S2CID 141228534.
  13. ↑ Dikshitar 1939, p. 43–45.
  14. ↑ Parthasarathy 1993, p. 59–60.
  15. ↑ Parthasarathy 1993, p. 60.
  16. ↑ Parthasarathy 1993, p. 61.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Zvelebil 1973, p. 173-174.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Danielou 1965, p. 28–30.
  19. ↑ Dikshitar 1939, p. 44–46.
  20. ↑ Parthasarathy 1993, p. 73–86.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Parthasarathy 1993, p. 63–65.
  22. ↑ Bhanu 1997, p. 14–19.
  23. ↑ Parthasarathy 1993, p. 87–90.
  24. ↑ Parthasarathy 1993, p. 66.
  25. ↑ Vanita 2022, p. 153-164.
  26. ↑ Sebastian, Tania (22 November 2021). "Invisibility of Female Street Names in India". McGill GLSA Research Series. 1 (1): 1–19. doi:10.26443/glsars.v1i1.144. ISSN 2564-3843.
  27. ↑ Dikshitar 1939, p. 217–221.
  28. ↑ Bhanu 1997, p. 7-9.
  29. ↑ Zvelebil 1973, p. 176.
  30. ↑ Pollock 2003, p. 280.
  31. ↑ Parthasarathy 1993, p. 52–55.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Pollock 2003, p. 279-281.
  33. ↑ Zvelebil 1973, p. 178.

Bibliography[edit | edit source]

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