Page:Status of Women in Tamilnadu during the Sangam age .pdf/13

Dr. C. Balasubramanian 11 Dr. C. Balasubramanian swings, threw balls, built sand-houses, and played with small balls in games like "Ammanai," The Kurinji girls drove away the birds that infested the Tinai fields with "Tattais." They knew how to string. beautiful flower garlands too." Kapilar mentions 99 varieties of flowers in Kurinjippāṭṭu. The young women were never melancholic; were always cheerful, were romping and lively. The little groups of girls indulging in sports and amusements were called Ayam" or "Orai Ayam." A Narrinai poet speaks disparagingly of giris who sulked in their houses without mingling with their companions in play and amusements. He says that sulking is not a correct conduct, and it will ruin their health. In his composition the maid-companion invites the lady-love to go with her and plunge in the milky, bubbling freshes of the river.² 8 Young ladies made dolls of a kind of kōrai grass and played with them.2* Dolls were also made of pollin dust. 80 An innocent little girl suckles her doll with her immature breast. 81 The lady-love builds a toy house with her toy vessels and dolls.89 There is yet another maid who, along with her girl friends, decks herself with a variety of jewels and engages herself in the performance of Tai Nonbu' praying to be blessed with a suitable husband." A little girl goes house to house singing, and distributes to the immates whatever gifts she had got from others.³* The Neytal girls frolic with the crabs on the sea-shore; beatrice in the wooden mortars with pestles and string garlands of Valli flowers.*0 Ancient Tamil families, some of them, appear to have been so very affluent that the girls played with golden-balls standing on the sand-dunes.8¹ Some girls played throw- balls with Molucca beans. The Tamil girls appear to have had a fascination for plunging in beautiful streams.