Gabfest: And Thereby Hangs A Tail

...understood, Amen.

I have read the post multiple times already, it's like reading a page of a book by a desi author. So much sweetness and warmth there, a reader's joy really. Love, love. Thank you for sharing.

 

Hmm, from what I have heard/know, Sangam Literatures and Tamil Epics like Manimekalai and Silappatikaram have references of the term Jambudvipa to indicate Bharath as a whole. Tamil nationalists put forth the "Kumari Kandam" theory - of a submerged, greater subcontinent in the south as proof of the antiquity claims of the Tamil Civilization. Otherwise, I haven't come across any other names so far for India, will look it up.

 

@Kohvachn,

It is so interesting to note that this name was derived from a tree that filled this land called "Jambu" and Dvipa being a continent or island. It had another name called Sudharsanadvipa. When men do Srartha or other religious rituals, we not only say the Rishi from whose heritage we came from but the location where our ancestors originated and when we say it, we use the term "Jambudvipa". The world is divided into seven continents and the other six are Plaksadvipa, Salmalidivpa, Kusadvipa, Krouocadvipa, Sakadvipa, and Puskaradvipa. They were divided seven oceans consist of salt-water, sugarcane juice, wine, ghee, yogurt, milk and water. - Source Wikipedia.

Note: Jambu tree had such a large fruit and seed when it falls into the ground, so much of juice is created and it runs like a river.

Another interesting quote from Wikipedia:

Jambudvīpa is the region where the humans live and is the only place where a being may become enlightened by being born as a human being. It is in Jambudvīpa that one may receive the gift of Dharma and come to understand the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path and ultimately realize the liberation from the cycle of life and death. Another reference is from the Buddhist text Mahavamsa, where the emperor Ashoka's son Mahindra introduces himself to the Sri Lankan king Devanampiyatissa as from Jambudvipa, referring to what is now the Indian subcontinent. This is Based In the Ksitigarbha Sutra in the Mahayna.

 

Can you post a photo of this podi so that I can see how it looks like? I have only seen in movies where the elderly women having something like this, to mix Vethilai and seeval to make it look like a powder so that they don't have to chew as they don't have teeth.

 

In the terms of the modern world, Jambudvipa may roughly include the geographical area from Egypt, Afghanistan, India, extending far to some parts of south-central Asia.



Outside mythologies and going with history, Chandragupta Maurya unified then India and called his empire Jambudvipa. From various inscriptions, Ashoka seemed to have named his extended Mauryan empire (that covered almost the entire Indian subcontinent)(aptly) as Jambudvipa. I had first come across the term in a gaming forum a few years back (I know, an odd place!) I was clueless and after falling through the rabbit hole of internet pages, I learned of its importance in Hinduism. (Deeper analysis on the topic can be found on many Iskon blogs if you are interested.)

Jambu translates to Naaval* in Tamil and Jambudvipa as "Naavalan Theevu" - mentions of which, I hear, are found in Sangam Literatures like Paripatal, Tamil epics (names ref: previous post), and even in some post-Sangam era Bhakti texts like Devaaram - to represent Bharatham. Tamil purists and nationalists claim Naavalan Theevu is part of the greater Kumari Kandam, that the word "Jambu" itself is a derivation from the Tamil word Sambal (alternative for Naaval) > Sambu > Jambhu!

Maybe decoding Indus Valley scripts or the latest findings from "Vaigai Valley" (Keezhadi) will shed some light on the truth. ; )

*Sutta pazham venuma, illa sudatha pazham venuma?

___

Other names I stumbled upon:
Ancient Mesopotamia texts refer to the Indus Valley / Indian subcontinent as Meluha.

Jain literatures claim that Bharata was called ‘Nabhivarsa’ after King Nabhi - grandfather of Bharata.

 

After the leaves are sun-dried well enough, a mixer grinder will do the magic! ; ) Just like any other podis will be made. The texture may look a bit coarser but that is just personal preferences.

 

Wow! Iskon's blog is a treasure trove of information and I am going to print and read it.
It is interesting during Sankalpa, Bharatavarsa, Ramyakakanda, etc. are used and we have been saying all these without knowing what they refer to. It is interesting, Avvaiyar's interaction with Lord Muruga was also about Naaval which confirms the place where Avvaiyar lived. I also learned that Hodu is the Biblical Hebrew name for India and is mentioned in the Old Testament and the Chinese and Japanese name for India was Tianzhu (it appears this name is translation of Hindu).

Note: When we do Sankalpa here, we add the word, "America Desa"

 

The Avvaiyar movie projects a combined version of "her" for the audience's pleasure and easier understanding. Tamil historians suggest "Avvai" is merely a title for any respectable and wise woman (Avvai < Ayyai: feminine version of Ayya), that many Avvaiyar(s) may have been active throughout different periods from Sangam era, Bakthi*, Middle age, and Modern times in Tamil literature classifications and at least 6 are prominently identifiable based on their linguistic style, compositions and time of the works produced. Ref: Tamil Wikipedia: 'ஔவை' யார்?. *Avvai of Bakthi age is the one (I'm assuming) who might have had that famous "Sutta pazham - Sudatha pazham" conversation with Lord Murugan in the movie.

There are no clear findings or strong references about any of the Avvaiyar(s)' birthplace, family, parents, or age - other than a statue of an Avvai in Kanyakumari, built to mark the place (suggestively) where SHE may have left this world. So I'm not sure what to understand - as the place where Avvaiyar lived..?!