EAP810/22/16

Title in original script: சித்திர புத்திரர் அம்மானை

The manuscript is composed of a text, written in verses. It contains palm leaves numbered from 1 to 51; it is complete. The manuscript is in good condition, but the leaves are more and less darkened by fungus infestation.

The text informs that it was copied by Cuppiramaṇiyaṉ, son of Kuppattu Paṇṭitar. It is an ammāṉai, a type of literature in Tamil language which teaches morality through a story. The present text is entitled Cittira Puttirar Ammāṉai.

The story concerns Intiraṉ, considered by Tēvar (Tamil caste reputed as martial) as a king, and his wife, Intirāṇi. As they did not have a child, they prayed Civā. Satisfied by their prayers, Civā came on earth the full moon day of 3rd May, and taken the form of a cow with eternal quality, he gave birth to a child on the bank of a river and returned to his world. Intiraṉ took the baby that he named Cittira puttirar and brought up it. Cittiraputtirar, who was studious and very attracted by mathematics, became a genius. When he became an adult, it got a special job which consisted to report the good and bad deeds by individuals to Yamā, the god of death. Based on these reports, the individuals, after their death, have to go to the heaven or to the hell. The story ends here.

The morality of this story is to encourage people to do only good action. At Cittiraputtirar’s birthday, Hindus worship him by fasting, praying and doing charity in order to increase their karma.

Size of the manuscript: 39.5cm x 3.5cm. The text is formed of the leaves numbered from 1 to 51. There are 3 additional leaves: one with the title placed at the beginning and two leaves placed at the end of the manuscript which are blank. The manuscript is in good condition, but the leaves are more and less dark.