viLari and tODi rAga (was Re: Q: Tamil literature)

[Jean-Luc Chevillard]

At 08:51 16/09/1997 -0400,  S. Palaniappan wrote:

>If you look at akam.279.11, it is clear that 'viLari' is a note.

I am not sure it is so clear.

There is an unpublished translation of Akam
by V.M. Subramanya Ayyar (who was an assistant of U.V.S.)
in the French Institute Library (Pondichery & Paris)

The translation he gives for the passage you refer to is:

 "... at this season when the water is crystal clear
  and the voice of the joyful indian cuckoo which perches
  on the branch of profuse flowers
  combines with the string of the small lovable yA_l
  from which is produced a sweet and mournful note viLari
  wakes up people from sleep ..."

 [ ........... tIm toTai
   viLari narampi_n nayavaru cI_riyA_l
   mali pUm po:nkar maki_l kura_r kuyiloTu
   puNar tuyil eTuppum pu_nal teLi kAlaiyum ]
      [akam:279_10-13]

To me the "mournful note" which is mentionned here
is probably not a single note (i.e. one of the seven notes,
as you advocate it is).

But, of course, this is subjective and the data is scarce.

Regards

-- Jean-Luc CHEVILLARD