EKAAKSHARA POEM
A RARE TYPE OF POETRY
In Tamil poetic literature, there are many hundreds of formations.
Some of them follow very stiff grammatical rules. And many are most difficult to form. And many are impossible to be composed within the sope of other languages.
Palindrome is a word or sentence which can be read forwards and backwards and still it will read the same. Like Rotor; Madam I'm Adam, etc. But ThiruGnyanaSambandhar has sung eleven verses of Palindrome poetry.
There is a rare form of poetry called Ekaakshara Poetry.
This is possible in some other Indian languages following the same type alphabetical system - the Siddha Matruka System.
In Tamil they are commonly known as 'Kakara vargga Paadal' or 'Thakara Varga Paadal', etc.
In other words, the whole poem will be formed just with the letter ka, kaa, etc., or tha, thaa, etc.
Lets us see one poem. This was composed by the great aasuKavi KaaLamEgam.
I will write a biographical sketch of KaaLamEgam one of these days.
The poem -
kaakkaikkaakaakuukai kuukaikkaakaakaakkai
kOkkukkuu kaakkaikkuk kokkokka - kaikkaikkuk
kaakkaikkuk kaikkaikaa kaa
So......
Let us split up the whole thing -
kaakkaikkaakaakuukai - kaakkaikku aakaa kuukai -
kuukaikkaakaakaakkai - kuukaikku aakaa kaakkai
Kuukai is a type of brown owl. It cannot see during the day. But it sees well during the night. It is a night prowler and hunts during the night.
The crow can only see during the day and sleeps during the night.
The crow and the brown owl are natural enemies. They kill each other on sight.
They also raid the nests of each other during the time when they can see and their enemy cannot see.
kOkkukkuu kaakkaikkuk kokkokka
kOkku kuu kaakkaikku kokku okka
kOkku - For the king; kO - king
kuu kaakkaikku - in order to protect the world; 'kuu' is the world.
kokku okka - just like the crane bird (he must abide and wait for
the most opportune moment and then strike at his enemies).
kaikkaikku - in order to confront enmities
kaakkaikku - and thus protect (his realm)
kaikku aikku aakaa - even the most able leader will not be able to(win)
(if he loses the opportuniy of the correct time)
KaaLamEgam says, that we must wait for the correct opportunity and without losing the opportunity, we must make use of it and act promptly.
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