EAP1260/11/1

This material is a Tamil palm-leaf manuscript titled ‘Story of Kovalan’ from Northern Province, Sri Lanka. This manuscript is written by Kaṇapatippiḷḷai from Tumpaḷai on 3rd May 1786. This is created by Veṟṟivēlup pulavar (Veṟṟivēlu caṭṭampiyār). This manuscript contains twelve stories of Kovalan, husband of Kaṇṇaki. This story is 250- 300 years old. This manuscript contains subtiles such as, (1.)Pāṇṭiyaṉ aracirukkai, (2) kaṇṇakai tiruvavatāram, (3) kōvalaṉ avatāram, (4) tūriyōṭṭam, (5) kaṭalōṭṭak katai contains the parts of veṭiyaracaṉ pōr, vīranaraṇaṉpōr, viḷaṅkutēvaṉ pōr aṭaṅkiyuḷḷaṉa. (6)Kaṇṇakai am'maṉ tirukkalyāṇak katai, (7) mātavi āṭal araṅkēṟṟu (8) kōvalaraip poṉṉukku maṟittal (9) cilampu kūṟal katai, (10) uyirmīṭci, (11) vaḻakkuraitta katai, (12) maturait takaṉak katai It also consists Kuḷircci at the end. The contents of this manuscript are, (1.)Pāṇṭiyaṉ aracirukkai describes the rule of Pandiya King (2) Kaṇṇakai tiruvavatāram describes the birth and history of Kaṉṉakiyammaṉ (3) Kōvalaṉ avatāram describes the birth and history of Kovalan (4) Tūriyōṭṭam describes about the purchase of Calaṅkai for Kannagi's marriage (5) Kaṭalōṭṭak katai describes the wars between veṭiyaracaṉ, vīranaraṇaṉ, viḷaṅkutēvaṉ that happened during the travel to Sri Lanka to buy Calaṅkai (6)Kaṇṇakai am'maṉ tirukkalyāṇak katai describes the marriage between Kovalan and Kaṇṇaki (7) Mātavi āṭal araṅkēṟṟu describes the marriage between Kovalan and Mathavi (8) Kōvalaraip poṉṉukku maṟittal describes the incident where Kovalan lost all his wealth to Mathavi and it also mentions the incident when he tries to go from her, she tortures him to pay her debt. (9) Cilampu kūṟal katai tells the story of Kovalan, who loses all his wealth to Mathavi and goes to the Pandyan country with his wife to sell his wife Kannakai's ‘Cilampu’. (10) Uyirmīṭci describes the story of the murder of Govalan mentioning him as thief (11) Vaḻakkuraitta katai describes about Kannagi who learned that her husband had been murdered by the Pandiya King and sought justice for him. (12) maturait takaṉak katai describes about the incident when Kaṉṉaki setting fire to Paṇṭimānar. (13) Kuḷircci part describes the story of middle-caste women who lived in Madurai city tried to appease the anger of Kannagi who set Madurai city on fire and also describes the incident where she finally connected with paramporuḷ.

Extent: 634.0.

Size and dimensions of original material: L 43 cm, W 4.2 cm.

Original institution reference: 1.0.