UPSC Prelims 2023 Q44: Art & Culture – Literature & Languages
Which one of the following explains the practice of 'Vattakirutal' as mentioned in Sangam
poems?
- (a) Kings employing women bodyguards
- (b) Learned persons assembling in royal courts to discuss religious and philosophical matters
- (c) Young girls keeping watch over agricultural fields and driving away birds and animals
- (d) A king defeated in a battle committing ritual suicide by starving himself to death
Answer: (d) A king defeated in a battle committing ritual suicide by starving himself to death
Explanation
Vadakkiruttal (Vattakirutal) — ritual fasting unto death in Sangam poetry
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Meaning | "Sitting facing north" — a king or warrior fasting until death |
| When | After defeat or dishonour in battle |
| Famous case | Chera king Perum Cheralathan, wounded in the back at the Battle of Venni by Karikala Chola, starved himself to death |
| Followers | Poets and friends sometimes joined; Kopperuncholan and poet Pisirandaiyar are famous examples |
| Sources | Purananuru and other Sangam texts |
A wound in the back was considered shameful, as it suggested running from battle.
Other options compared:
| Option | What it describes |
|---|---|
| (a) | Women bodyguards — recorded in other periods, not Vadakkiruttal |
| (b) | Learned assemblies — the Sangam itself |
| (c) | Girls guarding millet fields — a common Sangam poetry theme, but not this term |
Answer: (d) A king defeated in a battle committing ritual suicide by starving himself to death.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Vadakkiruttal is not about bodyguards; it is ritual fasting unto death.
- (b) Incorrect. Assemblies of learned poets were the Sangams themselves, not Vadakkiruttal.
- (c) Incorrect. Girls guarding fields is a Sangam poetic theme, but it is not called Vadakkiruttal.
- (d) CORRECT. Vadakkiruttal is a defeated king's ritual fast unto death, facing north.
Key point
Vadakkiruttal = defeated Sangam king fasting to death facing north; e.g. Chera Perum Cheralathan after the Battle of Venni.
Remember
Vadakkiruttal is a defeated Sangam king's ritual fast unto death.
Common mistakes
- Confusing Vadakkiruttal with the Jain practice of sallekhana; both are fasts unto death, but with different contexts.
- Choosing the field-watching option because it is a famous Sangam image.
- Forgetting that a wound in the back brought dishonour and prompted the ritual.
Exam tip
'Vadakku' = north in Tamil. Vadakkiruttal literally means sitting facing north.
Sources
- Purananuru (Sangam anthology)
- Tamil Nadu State Board — Class XI History (Sangam Age)
- K.A. Nilakanta Sastri — A History of South India