I was born into one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations, the Tamil civilization. Growing up, I developed a deep appreciation for the brilliance of the ancient Tamil civilization—from the architectural precision of the Chola temples to the sophisticated urban planning of Keezhadi, and the timeless wisdom of the Sangam literature.
A big part of the knowledge were lost over time due to wars, natural disasters, colonization, and lack of documentation. While some knowledge survived by being tucked away in customs and folklore, history is a long game of ‘Chinese Whispers.’ Centuries of institutionalized tradition, the ‘because I as an elder said so’ stupidity, have stripped away the rational foundations of the culture.
I’ve always had trouble with blind acceptance, so this is my journey in figuring out the rationale behind the folklore I grew up listening to.
| Saying/ Practice | Origins |
|---|---|
| “ஆயிரம் பொய் சொல்லி திருமணம் செய்” | “ஆயிரம் முறை போய் சொல்லி திருமணம் செய்” |
| Driving a new vehicle on a lemon | When horses were used for transport in the age of kings, because the horses walked everywhere, they had small cuts on it’s legs, lemon was used due to it’s anti-bacterial properties |
| “யானைக்கு ஒரு காலம் வந்தால், பூனைக்கு ஒரு காலம் வரும்” | “ஆநெய்க்கு ஒரு காலம் வந்தால், பூநெய்க்கு ஒரு காலம் வரும்!”, ஆநெய் = ஆ + நெய் = பசுவின் நெய், பூநெய் = பூ + நெய் = பூவிலிருந்து உருவாகும் தேன், Consume ghee when you are young and alive, towards your old age, consume healthier things like honey, alternatively, பூநெய் could have been referd to eating medicines (as it medicne was often had with honey in olden days) |
| “கழுதைக்குத் தெரியுமா கற்பூர வாசனை?” | கழு தைக்க (கழுதைக்குத்) தெரியுமாம் கற்பூரவாசனை, கழு ஒருவகையான கோரைப்புல் அதில் தைக்கப்படும் பாயில் படுக்கும் போது கற்பூர வாசனை அடிக்கும். |
| Cutting nails after 6 | Poor lighting in olden days, meant the cut nail pieces could end up in the day’s dinner |
| The traditional tamil meals served in weddings | Order of eating ought to follow the order of placing, fibrous vegetables come first, other vegetables, rice, sweet comes last, the fibres coat our intestine, reducing sugar absorption from carbs |
| Kolam | Orignally was made with rice flour, so as to feed ants |
| Saani | anti-bacterial |
To reach out: https://www.tamiluniversity.ac.in/english/periodicals/tamil-civilization/