Madhavi and jewelry in Silappathikāram

Silappathikāram or the lay of the ankle bracelet” is a Tamil epic from 5th century credited to Ilangō Adigal. The story is set in the three kingdoms of Southern India – of Chola, Pandya and Chera and revolves around a gem merchant Kovalan, his wife Kannagi and his mistress courtesan Madhavi. Read the synopsis of Silappathikāram and the role jewelry plays in it here.

Madhavi

Madhavi is introduced as a beautiful woman, an exceptional skilled dancer and musician in the epic. She is well versed in the 64 arts ancient India. Kovalan falls for her at her first public performance and goes on to become her lover and patron. While he lavishes her wealth on her, she lavishes her attention on him. She dresses for him, sings and puts up performances for him. Her world revolves around him.

Jewelry in Silappathikāram

Silappathikāram records terms related gem trade, jewellery and practice of adornment in a way that shows how important jewellery is Tamil culture. It supersedes Nāṭya Śāstra, a treatise on performance arts which is considered to be the go to text for adornment practices of Ancient India. In the Kadaladukadai section 126, verses 76-98 of Silappathikāram, there is a rich description of the jewelry worn by Madhavi as goes out to meet Kovalan at a grove full of fragrant flowers.

Madhavi and jewelry

Madhavi is adorned from head to toe. Her soft hair is oiled and perfumed with astringents, herbs and musk paste. Here is a list of the ornaments she wears, as per the text.

Head, hair and forehead ornaments

• Daivavutti – head ornament
• Pullaham – coconut frond or centipede like ornament that wraps around the forehead, on either side of the central parting. Similar to the Thalai saaman of the south or Matha patti of the North. Since its made of a multitude of components each linking to one another as though they are the vertebre of a creature, it is named that way.
• Thenpalli, Vadapalli – often mistaken as the suryan-chandran prabhai of the present times. These were curled centipede like ornaments that were worn on either side of the head behind the pullaham.
• Toyyaham – Also known as sidevi, the central component of the pullaham, typically a round with gemstones and pearl dangles. Can be vaguely compared to the maang tikka of present times.
• Valampuri – reverse spiral conch shell
• Sadaivillai – known as jadai billai in present times, small embellishments for the plait
• Thirukupillai – Hair screw, typically used with hair bun to secure the hair

Ornaments worn on the ears – Emerald and diamond earrings

Ornaments worn on the neck and upper torso (both front and chest)

• Nunotar – fine gold chain
• Kandigai – twisted rope necklace (in the epic, it is worn by men)
• Sarapalli – ornamental gemstone necklace (navaratna) held by a clasp
• strands of pearls at the back

Ornaments on the waist and hip

• Kamara kandigai
• Kurangucheri
• Mekalai – Girdle made of thirty-two strands of big pearls worn over a blue cloth embroidered with the figures of flowers.

Ornaments on the arms, hands and fingers

• Pearl armlets
• Pariyakam – gemstone circlet (maybe a navaratna bangle)
• Seedagam – a bracelet in which a central coloured gemstone surrounded by diamonds
• kudagam – a type of diamond bracelet
• Bangles – of gold, conch, coral and gemstones
• A ring of rubies and diamonds and curved ring with the image of an open mouthed fish

Leg and Feet Ornaments

• Pariyakam – gemstone circlet
• Anklets – nupuram, padagam, sadangai, and ariyakam

The transformation of Madhavi

After Kovalan’s death, his wife Kannagi burns down an entire city to seek revenge. She then goes on a self imposed exile and eventually moves to an astral plane to re-unite with her husband. However, Madhavi, who had given birth to a child – Manimekhalaı̈ by then, decides to chart a new course and recreate her identity. She converts to Buddhism, becomes an ascetic and engages in religious endeavor.

The story of what happens to Madhavi and her daughter is recorded in the epic Manimekhalaı̈  by Seethalai Sāttanār, which is considered as an anti-thesis sequel to Silappathikāram. Much like the term Silappathikāram meaning the tale of the anklet, the word Manimekhalaı̈ is also a play of words associated with jewelry – here a beaded girdle worn by dancers.

References and Further Reading

• Ilango Adigal. 1939. The Śilappadikāram. Translated by V.R. Ramachandra Dikshitar. London: Oxford University Press.
• Sāttanār Seethalai, and Daniélou Alain. 1993. Manimekhalaı̈ – The Dancer with the Magic Bowl. New Delhi: Penguin.
• Sthapati, V. Ganapati. 2002. “Ornaments.” In Indian Sculpture and Iconography: Forms and Measurements, translated by Sashikala Ananth, 141-54. Ahmedabad: Mapin Publishing.

Note

All stories have been collected from various sources, including oral histories and temple histories and compiled to form one narrative. Hence, there may be differences from the master narrative. The project hopes only to be a curator of stories and not an expert on history, religion and iconography.