99 Tamil Flowers – Kurunjipaatu – Introdution/Index
Before starting the blog I have to confess that the amount of hours I have spent to create this whole series is close to if not more time I have devoted for my course projects in my Masters. Around 75- 80 hours of work has been put into this blog to make it as accurate as possible. This is one of a kind material available in the web.
First I would like you to watch this video. This is Surya from Poovellam Kettuppar.
He mentions name of 100 flowers and nearly most of the flowers he has mentioned is taken from a poem from Sangam Literature.
Kapilar , one of the greatest poets in Sangam era had mentioned 99 flowers found in the Kurunji region(Mountainous region).Below are the lines from Kurunji paatu
வள் இதழ்
ஒண் செங் காந்தள், ஆம்பல், அனிச்சம்,
தண் கயக் குவளை, குறிஞ்சி, வெட்சி,
செங் கொடுவேரி, தேமா, மணிச்சிகை,
உரிது நாறு அவிழ் தொத்து உந்தூழ், கூவிளம், 65
எரி புரை எறுழம், சுள்ளி, கூவிரம்,
வடவனம், வாகை, வான் பூங் குடசம்,
எருவை, செருவிளை, மணிப் பூங் கருவிளை,
பயினி, வானி, பல் இணர்க் குரவம்,
பசும்பிடி, வகுளம், பல் இணர்க் காயா, 70
விரி மலர் ஆவிரை, வேரல், சூரல்,
குரீஇப் பூளை, குறுநறுங் கண்ணி,
குருகிலை, மருதம், விரி பூங் கோங்கம்,
போங்கம், திலகம், தேங் கமழ் பாதிரி,
செருந்தி, அதிரல், பெருந் தண் சண்பகம், 75
கரந்தை, குளவி, கடி கமழ் கலி மா,
தில்லை, பாலை, கல் இவர் முல்லை,
குல்லை, பிடவம், சிறுமாரோடம்,
வாழை, வள்ளி, நீள் நறு நெய்தல்,
தாழை, தளவம், முள் தாள் தாமரை, 80
ஞாழல், மௌவல், நறுந் தண் கொகுடி,
சேடல், செம்மல், சிறுசெங்குரலி,
கோடல், கைதை, கொங்கு முதிர் நறு வழை,
காஞ்சி, மணிக் குலைக் கள் கமழ் நெய்தல்,
பாங்கர், மராஅம், பல் பூந் தணக்கம், 85
ஈங்கை, இலவம், தூங்கு இணர்க் கொன்றை,
அடும்பு, அமர் ஆத்தி, நெடுங் கொடி அவரை,
பகன்றை, பலாசம், பல் பூம் பிண்டி,
வஞ்சி, பித்திகம், சிந்துவாரம்,
தும்பை, துழாஅய், சுடர்ப் பூந் தோன்றி, 90
நந்தி, நறவம், நறும் புன்னாகம்,
பாரம், பீரம், பைங் குருக்கத்தி,
ஆரம், காழ்வை, கடி இரும் புன்னை,
நரந்தம், நாகம், நள்ளிருள் நாறி,
மா இருங் குருந்தும், வேங்கையும், பிறவும், 95
அரக்கு விரித்தன்ன பரு ஏர்அம் புழகுடன்,
When I was reading Kurunjipaatu, I wondered how all these 99 flowers would look like. Then I decided I would try to make a blog on these 99 flowers like I have done before for few other flowers in my wordlist series. But this one was more arduous work than I thought.
Methodology:
I have used Nachinarkuiniyar commentary to identify flower names which is not in usage now. I have used Tamil Lexicon to find the scientific names/Latin names. Using google images I have found images for the flowers. Since Google images is not a very accurate source, I have gone through various other websites to confirm the common name and the scientific/latin name. The list here is mostly accurate and I have mentioned comments in the places I have varied from Lexicon or Nachinarkiniyar commentary. Some flowers mentioned here are categories (it could mean lot of flowers) rather than a flower itself. I have created disambiguation page for these flowers. Finally for serious readers I have provided a further study page which have link to more details on each flower. I have tried to provide common name, scientific name and alternate Tamil name for each entry. If any reader finds any discrepancies please inform me so that I can update it.
Lot of efforts is put into this blog so please leave your comments on this blog.
31. குறுநறுங்கண்ணி kuṟu-naṟu-ṅ-kaṇṇi
47. கஞ்சங்குல்லை kañcaṅ-kullai (page 643)
49. செங்கருங்காலி ceṅ-karuṅkāli
61. சிறுசெங்குரலி ciṟu-ceṅ-kurali
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My title
You are really crazy to even attempt this. But having said that, you have done full justice to the effort. Its really come out as a masterpiece, a flower garland to crown your lovely and unique site. Hope Mr Surya/ Mr. Sivakumar take notice.
vj
indha post un blog-irku kanakkilla azhagu serkum oru malar maalai!
a gr8 job. hw many days u hv spent on this. really a gr8 job
really really awesome….ive got most of these growing in my backyard and i never knew their names. Now i am better informed. Thanks. Great work.
Sir,
Something interesting I found…but i dont know how valid it is,
“The wood of ebony is used as firewood, as it can burn even in moist conditions.”
” The best-known ebony may be that from Diospyros ebenum, native to southern India and Sri Lanka; this wood is traded as Ceylon ebony.”(from wikipedia for ebony)
Going by these two, I understand it as….
Margali is the season Andal keeps her fast. Margali is traditionally winter and 1000 years back it must have been really cold in the morning. So Sulli would have given the continuous fire which is required. It was the need of the hour! a wood which would burn even in very cold and moist conditions….
it also looks like ceylon ebony must have been really costly (unless they have it in their backyard) …so we can assume Andal must have been really desperate and ready to do anything to acquire the lord!
Regards,
Vairam
Dear sir,
Simply superb! How much pains u should have taken for this! Great great! I dont think even the renowned literaturists(tamil) have not done such an awesome thing..Mr.Surya was very much appreciated for his recitation of the flowers, and U have done something More. I’m proud to be a member in PSVP!!!
May God bless you with all that u need..
All the best for ur endeavours, we expect more from U.
regards,
malligaimagal
>>>I dont think even the renowned literaturists(tamil) have not done such an awesome thing
It would be a grave mistake if I dont point this out….
“Prof. Vaiyapuri Pillai (1891-1956) was a renowned scholar of Tamil. An advocate by profession, he edited and published several Tamil classics from original manuscripts. He is best remembered as the editor of the Tamil lexicon published by the Madras University in the 1920s. He was a voracious reader and had in his own private collection thousands of books in Tamil, English, Sanskrit and Malayalam. His collection also included hundreds of palm leaf manuscripts. This collection was later donated to the National Library at Calcutta.”
Without the great scholars who worked to create the Tamil lexicon …nothing could have been done by people by me.
If at all one has to thank for this blog all thanks should go to the great scholars who compiled this Tamil Lexicon!
Vairam
Dear sir,
greetings,
i have no second thought on our scholars’ contribution to tamil language, but my version was, no one has taken such a step as u did. thats it.
I have read about Prof.Vaiyapuri Pillai and his contribution to Tamil Lexicon.
regards,
Malligaimagal
Thank you very much for giving feed back….
To confess its always for a pleasure for author to get feedback!
Vairam
really good job….my hearty congrats for your contribution to our tamil language….be proud to be a tamilan… tamilan endru sollada thalai nimirunthu nilada…..
keep it up and try more to give your efforts to our mother tounge…
Machi.. Awesome work da!!! Padichu paakkavae moochu vaangudhu.. super da!!
Shantha mam will feel happy if she sees this interest in Tamil literature in you
She is in the US only I guess..
happya doubt than…aana shocked sure…
still remember the sb club in Tamil class, you me Shyam and Kiran….
Wow.. Thanks for all your efforts!
I never thought I would get to see the flowers I have read about in tamil poetry.
Hi Vairam,
Greate job done…….I have not seen these flowers in my life,How I will see this.But you made it for us………Thanks a lot….
Good job da.
Vairam,
Amazing work. I am beginning to memorize these names. Reciting these pookkal is a wonderful way to bless..
Hi.
I am a foreigner. I say this because I am very interested in the sangam, but since I am outside tamil nadu, my only way to take access to this singular literature are the online bookshops…
Here goes my question:
Is there any English translation of the Ettutogai that I can find for free/paying in any bookshop or page?
Thanks a lot for your help…
And Long live the Tamil culture!
Wowwwwwwww!!!!!! what a great job you did…. i never heard and seen those flowers and names in my life.U done a extraordinary achievement…… Keep it up……..
Awesome effort dude! I really enjoyed it… And ofcourse, its realling useful…
Really superb to know about this wonderful list of flowers. Thanks for you efforts.This is a good effort and i appericiate your efforts and still it was exiting.
really good effect….my hearty congrats for your contribution to our tamil language….be proud to be a tamilan… tamilan endru sollada thalai nimirunthu nilada…..
Great work, well done, Thanks a lot for sharing to us
Hi,
Very good work. I really appreciate it.
Dr. Ravanan,
Burnham Institute for Medical Research,
San Diego.
Great work sir. Let us contribute to Siddha system of medicine. Thank a lot!
Really superb to know about this wonderful list of flowers. Thanks for you efforts.This is a good effort and i appericiate your efforts and still it was exiting
my hearty congrats for your contribution to our tamil language….be proud to be a tamilan… tamilan endru sollada thalai nimirunthu nilada…..
Awesome work vairam. Although I’ve been a silent follower of all your blog pots, for the first time I am leaving a comment. Kudos to all your work. It is great to know that S.Ramakrishnan also commented on your blog. Keep going Vairam…
வணக்கம் வைரம்.உண்மையிலேயே பாராட்டுவதற்க்கு வார்த்தைகளே இல்லை! மேலும் உங்களுடைய எளிமை என்னை ரொம்ப ஆச்சரியப்பட வைக்கிறது.ஏன்னா, வேறொருவருடைய ஒரு படைப்பை கொஞ்சம் கூட மனசாட்ச்சியே இல்லாம எடுத்துட்டு, அவர்களுக்கு அந்த உரிமை/பெருமை கொடுக்காம,கூச்சப்படாம வலைப்பதிபவ்ர்கள் மத்தியில்,நீங்க மிக எளிமையாக பதில்கள் எழுதுவதும்,இந்த வலைப்பதிவை நடத்துவதும் பார்க்க ரொம்ப பெருமையா இருக்கு.வாழ்த்துக்கள்! மேன்மேலும் வளர!ஒரு சின்ன வேண்டுகோள்….எனக்கு அந்த புத்தகங்களோட PDF கொடுக்க முடியுமா? நான் உங்களை தொடர்பு கொள்கிறேன்.நன்றி.
Great post. நன்றாக பதியப்பட்ட கருத்துக்கள். நன்றி.
Really appreciate all your efforts to compile this information. I stumbled on your blog searching for Vaagai flower ,to my content found all the flowers in tamil literature.
that is really a good work…i have seen this scene but never thought this
Really awesome
i can absolutely feel the effort and time you have applied to go thru this THESIS..
hope to find more of ur researches in the future.. Glad to learn lots from you..
all the best
nandri..