Gendering as power in a re- reading of Dr. Ayyappa Panikker’s ‘ The Lay of the Anklet’

Abstract

Dr. K Ayyappa Panikker depicts the vengeful anger of a chaste woman in his Lay of the Anklet manifested through the modern reading of the Tamil classic Silappatikaram  written by the saintly poet Elankovadikal. It is literally translated as the Story of Anklet that depicts the life of Kannagi, a chaste woman who lead a peaceful life with Kovalan in Puhar (Poompuhar), then the capital of Cholas. Her life later went haywire when Kovalan falls for another woman Madhavi who was a dancer in the princely courts.. Although Kovalan remains under the charming spell for some time he comes back to his senses when he got ruined and decides to start his life anew in the city of  Madurai, the capital of Pandyas. Kannagi volitionally accepts him and goes with him to seek their fortune in a new place.