Women's Games in Thiruvasagam – An Overview

http://www.shanlaxjournals.com 249 £UP® Shanlax International Journal of Tamil Research Women’s Games in Thiruvasagam – An Overview Mrs. M. Arulambigai Assistant Professor, Department of Tamil S.S.K.V. College of Arts and Science for Women, Kanchipuram Abstract From the Sangam period onward, the games played by women have held a distinct cultural significance. Tamil literature—from the Sangam poems to modern writings— has continuously reflected references to women’s games. These games, often linked to emotional and psychological aspects, occupy an important place in social life. During the Bhakti movement, women’s games were not merely forms of recreation but became symbolic of religious and cultural growth, serving as expressions of devotion toward God. Both Saiva and Vaishnava literatures contain numerous depictions of women’s games intertwined with religious ideas. In this context, the games played by women as portrayed in Thiruvasagam reveal deep spiritual and devotional meanings, highlighting the devotion and piety of women in Tamil religious tradition. Reference Books 1. Tholkappiyam 2. Thiruvasagam 3. Kurinjikkali ©»º: 10 ]Ó¨¤uÌ: 1 ©õu®: AU@hõ£º Á¸h®: 2025 P-ISSN: 2454-3993 E-ISSN: 2582-2810 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/ zenodo.17346744 öu. v. C¢xUPÀ¿›, |õPº÷PõÂÀ 250 £UP® £ßÚõmkU P¸zuµ[P® : Œ©Põ»z uªÇõ#Ĩ @£õUSPÒ v¸Áõ\PzvÀ ©Pκ ÂøͯõmkPÒ&J¸ £õºøÁ v¸©v ©. A¸Íõ®¤øP Eu¨ ÷£µõ]›¯º, uªÌz xøÓ Gì.Gì.÷P. Pø» ©ØÖ® AÔ¯À ©Pκ PÀ¿›. Põg]¦µ® B#Äa _¸UP® \[PPõ»® •uØöPõsk ©PκÂøͯõk® ÂøͯõmkPÒ uÛa]Ó¨¦øh¯ ÁÚÁõP vPÌQßÓÚ. \[P¨ £õhÀPÒ •uØöPõsk CßÖ Áøµ ©PκÂøͯõmkPÍPøÍ EÒÍhUQ¯ £õhÀPÒ GÊ¢u Ásn® EÒÍÚ. ©Pκ ÂøͯõmkPÒ Eͯø» \õº¢xÒÍuõÀ \‰PzvÀ •UQ¯zx Áõ#¢u JßÓõP EÒÍx. £Uv C¯UP Põ»zvÀ ©PκÂøͯõmk \©¯ £s£õmk Áͺa]°ß SÕ±hõPÄ® CøÓÁß «x £Uv ö\¾zxÁuØS ysk ÷Põ»õPÄ® Pmhø©UP¨£mkÒÍx. ø\Á øÁnÁ C»UQ¯[PÎÀ \©¯z öuõhº÷£õk Ti¯ ©PκÂøͯõmkPÒ £» Põn¨£kQßÓÚ. A¢u ÁøP°À v¸Áõ\PzvÀ ©PκÂøͯõk® ÂøͯõmkPÒ \©¯a ]¢uøÚPøÍ öÁΨ£kzxÁuõP Aø©¢xÒÍÚ. ©Pκ£Uv°À ]Ó¢uÁºPÍõP ÂÍ[Q¯ø©²® ¦»¨£kQÓx. •ßÝøµ  ø\Á\©¯ ¡»õÚ v¸Áõ\PzvÀ ©PͺÂøͯõk®ÂøͯõmkPÒ£» EÒÍÚ. AøÁ÷©® ÷£õUPõP ©Pκ ö£Êx ÷£õUQØPõP Âøͯõk® ÂøͯõmkPÍõP Põn¨£iÝ® BÌ¢u ö£õ¸ÍõP ©PΛß £Uv {ø»PÒ uzxÁa ]¢uøÚPÒ ¦µõnU P¸zxPÒ •u¼¯øÁ EÒÍõ¢u P¸zxPÍõP¨ ¦»¨£kQßÓÚ.£UvC¯UPÁͺa]US ö£sPÎß£[SGÆÁÍÄ•UQ¯zxÁ® Áõ#¢uxGߣx®C»UQ¯[PÎßÁÈ GÆÁõÖAø©UP¨£mkÒÍÚGߣøu²® CUPmkøµ°ÀPõs÷£õ®. £søh¯Põ»©PκÂøͯõmkPÒ  £Ç[Põ»® •u÷» ©Pκ ÂøͯõmkPÒC»UQ¯[PÎÀPõn¨ £kQßÓÚ.  \õßÓõP öuõÀPõ¨¤¯º öPh ÁµÀ.. £søn BQ¯ ÂøͯõmkUPøÍU SÔ¨¤kQÓõº. “Ti¯À©¸[QßBi¯Øö£¯º” (öuõÀ&ö£¯=õ‘¯À&11) ©Pκ C¸ SÊUPÍõP ¤›¢x Âøͯõk®÷£õx.u[PÒSÊUPÐUS ¦xö£¯øµ`miÂøͯõi²ÒÍÚº.  \[P ©¸Â¯ Põ»zvÀ Køµ Âøͯõi²ÒÍÚº.£Uv°¯UPPõ»zvÀ A®©õøÚ.S®ª.£¢uõmh®.£À»õ[SÈ. umhõ[PÀF\À÷£õßÓÂøͯõmkPøÍBi²ÒÍÚº.  AUPõ» ©Pκ Âøͯõmk Ch[PÍõP ©ßÓ®. öu¸. ©øÓÂh® SßÖ. CÍ©µUPõ. £¢uÀ. £ÎUPøÓ. }º{ø».ö|k©nÀ.£µ¨¦.PõÁØPõk. PÍ®÷£õßÓCh[PÎÀÂøͯõi²ÒÍÚº. HÊ Á¯x •uÀ £vöÚmk Á¯x Áøµ²ÒÍ S©›¯ºPÒ CÆÂøͯõmkPøÍ {PÌzv²ÒÍÚº. A®©õøÚ ]ÖÁ¯x ö£sq® Á¯x •vº¢u ö£sPЮ BkQßÓÚº. £vøÚ¢x Á¯vØS ÷©Ø£mh ö£sPÒ \õÇÀ. E¢v¯õºÂøͯõkQßÓÚº. http://www.shanlaxjournals.com 251 £UP® Shanlax International Journal of Tamil Research v¸Áõ\PzvÀ©PκÂøͯõk® ÂøͯõmkPÒ  v¸Áõ\PzvÀ ©Pκ Bk® ÂøͯõmkPÒ  v¸zöuÒ÷ÍÚ®  v¸a\õÇÀ  v¸öÁ®£õøÁ  v¸¨§ÁÀ¼  v¸Á®©õøÚ  v¸¨ö£õØ_sn®  v¸U÷Põzx®¤  v¸Ä¢v¯õº  v¸z÷uõÒ÷|õUP®  v¸¨ö£õßÞ\À BQ¯ £vP[PÒ ©PκBi £õiU öPõsk Âøͯõk® ÂøͯõmiÞ÷h £Uvø¯ Cønzv¸¨£x AÔÄ \õº¢u Pmhø©¨£õPEÒÍx.CÆÂøͯõmkPÒ C¯À£õÚAßÓõhÁõÌUøP•øÓ°À PhÄøÍ {øÚ¨£uØS® ÁȨ£kÁuØS©õÚ J¸ ]Ó¢u ö|Ô¯õP Aø©UP¨ £mkÒÍx. ©PκÂøͯõmk®v¸Âøͯõh¾® v¸Áõ\PzvÀÂøͯõmk¨£õhÀPÎß ‰»® ]Áö£¸©õÛß v¸ÂøͯõhÀPÒ ÷£\¨£kQßÓÚ. “A¸©¸¢u÷uÁº A¯ßv¸©õØ P›¯]Á®”(v¸zöuÒ÷Ín®&5) “A¯Ý¢v¸©õ¾®,ÁõÚõhº÷PõÄ®..” (v¸a\õÇÀ&6) “AµÚõºAǾ¸Áõ#A[÷PAÍÂÓ¢x” (v¸÷uõ÷nõUP®&12) •u¼¯ AiPÎÀ ©õoUPÁõ\Pº ¤µ®©Ý® v¸©õ¾® Põn •i¯õ ö£¸¢uÇ»õP÷uõßÔ¯]Áö£¸©õÛß ußø©PøÍUTÖQÓõº. v¸Á®©õøÚ  ö£sPÒ ]Ô¯ E¸søhU PØPøÍ ÷\P›zxU öPõsk J¸ PÀø» ÷©÷» yUQ¨÷£õmkAUPÀR÷ÇÂÊÁuØSÒ uøµ°À umi AUPÀø»¨ ¤i¨£º. CvÀ PÀø» ÷©÷» yUQö¯Ô¢x Âøͯõk® ö£s ÷PÒÂ ÷PmP ©ØöÓõ¸ ö£s £v»ÎUP ÷Áßk®. CÆÂøͯõmiß ]Ó¨£®\® J¸Á¸UöPõ¸Áº PÁÚz÷uõk ÂøͯõkÁ÷u¯õS®. “÷Pmhõ÷¯õ÷uõÈQÔ ö\#uÁõöÓõ¸Áß vmhõº©vÀ¦øh`ÌöußÚß ö£¸¢xøÓ¯õß PõmhõuÚöÁÀ»õ[Põmia ]Á[Põmiz “uõÒuõ©øµUPõmizußP¸ønz ÷ußPõmi |õmhõº|øPö\#¯|õ®÷©ø» Ãöh#u BÒuõßöPõshõshÁõ £õkx[PõsA®©õÚ¯” (v¸Á®©õøÚ&6) GßÖ£õkQßÓÚº. ©Pκ CÆÂøͯõmiÀ ö£õßÚõ»õÚ PÇ[QøÚøÁzx®Âøͯõi²ÒÍÚº. “©Pκ•zuÁõº©nÀö£õØPÇ[Põk®” (¦Ó®) v¸¨ö£õØ_sn®  ©Pκ_sn¨ö£õiCiUS®÷£õx £õiUöPõs÷hö\#²®Âøͯõmk.  CvÀ CøÓÁÝUS §\¨£k® _sn¨ ö£õi CiUS® ©Pκ£Uv £õhÀPøͨ£õiUöPõs÷hCi¨£º. “÷u\ö©À»õ®¦PÌ¢uõk[Pa]z v¸÷ÁP®£ßö\®ö£Ø÷Põ°À£õi £õ\ÂøÚPÒ£Ôzx{ßÖ” (v¸¨ö£õØ_sn®&4) £õ\ÂøÚPÒ AÖ£h ö\#¯ ÷Ási¯ÁØøÓ _sn¨ ö£õiPÒ CizuÁõÖ©Pκ£õkQßÓÚº. öu. v. C¢xUPÀ¿›, |õPº÷PõÂÀ 252 £UP® £ßÚõmkU P¸zuµ[P® : Œ©Põ»z uªÇõ#Ĩ @£õUSPÒ F\»õmh®  AUPõ»zvÀ ö£¸®£õ¾® ö£sPÒ ©µUQøÍ°À P°ØÔøÚU Pmi Fg\»õkÁº.A¨÷£õxAÁºPÒ£õk® £õmkF\ÀÁ›GÚ¨£mhx. ö£¸[P°Ö|õ¾® C¸®£Ú®¤øn¯GßÖSÔg]U P¼SÔ¨¤kQÓx. CÆÂøͯõmiøÚ©õoUPÁõPº v¸¨ö£õsr\ÀGßÖ SÔ¨¤kQÓõ º . “©õuõk£õPzuß Ezuµ÷Põ\©[øP” (v¸¨ö£õsr\À&6) ö£søn J¸ £õP® öPõshÁÛß A¸Ò uõÎøÚ¨ £õk÷Áõ® GÚ Fg\»õi©QÌQßÓÚº v¸Áõ\PzvÀAÓ®  Áõ#ø©ø¯UPøh¨¤izu÷»]Ó¢u AÓ® GÝ® v¸öÁ®£õøÁ £õhÀPÒ ¯õøµ²® £Uv°À DºUS® ußø©U öPõshx. ö£õ# ÷£_£Áº ©ÚvÀ CøÓÁß ¦P©õmhõº GßÖ TÖ® ÷|õUQÀ, EÓUPzøu Âmk GÊ¢u ö£sPÒ EÓ[QU öPõsi¸US® ö£sPøÍ Gʨ¦QßÓÚº. Bß«P ÁÈ, ©õ¢u¸USÒ C¸UQßÓ Jߣx ÁøP¯õÚ \UvPøÍ Gʨ¦® Âu©õP ö£sPÒ £õi°¸¨¦x, ö£sPÎß ‰»®¦v¯÷uõºBß«PE»PE¸ÁõUPzvøÚU Põn•iQÓx. ¤Ó¸® £¯ß ö£ØÖ E#¯ ÷Ásk® GßÓ |À» ÷|õUPzøu, “©õ÷u Á͸v÷¯õÁß ö\Â÷¯õ {ßö\Âuõß” (v¸öÁ®£õøÁ&1) ]Áö£¸©õÛß v¸ÁiPøÍa ÷\µP¸x®ö£sAµ\Ásih®, ©õHÖ÷\õv²®ÁõÚÁ¸®uõ© AÔ¯õa ÷\HÖ ÷\ÁiU÷P ö\ßÖ Fuõ#, ÷Põzx®¥ CøÓÁß «x wµõu £Uv öPõsh ö£s ÷\õø»°À £Ó¢x v›²® Aµ\Ásih®, ¯õµõ¾® AÔ¯ C¯»õuÁßPõøÍÁõPÚzvÀHÖQßÓ ]Áö£¸©õÛß v¸ÁiPÎÀ ö\ßÖ AŸ[Põµ® ö\# £UuºPÎß ©Úøu CøÓÁß£õÀÁÈ©kzxAݨ¦QÓõº. C[S |õ¯Q¯õQ¯ ©õoUPÁõ\Pº. ÷©¾®v¸Ái¨ö£¸ø©ø¯, AÀ¼©»ºPøÍUöPõskÂøͯõk® ö£sPÒ, ]Áö£¸©õß ‰ßÖ ÷PõmøhPøÍ|øPö\#xAÈzuÁß. JÆöÁõ¸USÒЮ ö\¯À£k® •¨¦µ[PõÚ BnÁ®, Pß©®, ©õø¯ø¯PøÍ AȨ£Áß, AÁøÚ £ØÖªßPÒGßÖ_¯]¢vUPøÁUS® BØÓ»õP, ÁøÍ¢uxÂÀ¾ÂøÍ¢ux¦\À FøÍ¢uÚ•¨¦µ®E¢w£Ó J¸[ShßöÁ¢uÁõÖ¢w£Ó (v¸Ä¢v¯õº1)  J¸ ö£s ö\õÀ¼U öPõs÷h E¢w£Ó GßQÓõÒ. ©ØöÓõ¸zv ‰ßÖ ÷PõmøhPЮ J÷µ ÷|µzvÀ £ØÔ G›¢uÚGßQÓõÒ. “AøÚ¯õº¦ÚØÔÀø»A®£»z÷u BkQßÓ” (v¸¨§ÁÀ¼1)  ]Áö£¸©õß uß v¸ÁiPøÍ £UuÛß uø»÷©À øÁzuÄhß AÁøÚ `Ì¢xÒÍ E»P¨ £ØÖPÒ AøÚzx®}[QÂk®GßÓEmP¸zøu ©PκÂøͯõmiß‰»®EnºzxQÓõº ©õoUPÁõ\Pº. http://www.shanlaxjournals.com 253 £UP® Shanlax International Journal of Tamil Research  v¸Áõ\P® ø\Á\©¯ Bß«PP¸zøuÂÍ[SÁ÷uõk©mk©À»õ©À Bß«PzvÀ ©PθUPõÚ ]Ó¨ø£²® ö£¸ø©ø¯²®E¯ºzvUPõmkQÓx. £õºøÁ¡ÀPÒ 1.öuõÀPõ¨¤¯® 2.v¸Áõ\P® 3. SÔg]UP¼