Question

Statement 1: Silappadikaram is the tragic story of a merchant named Kovalan.

Statement 2: The Manimegalai marks the beginning of the Kannagi Cult, which is a cult that worships Kannagi as the ideal wife.

• A. Statement 1 is true and statement 2 is false.
• B. Statement 2 is true and statement 1 is false.
• C. Both statements are true.
• D. Both statements are false.

Answer 1

The correct option is A Statement 1 is true and statement 2 is false.

Silappadikaram, the earliest among the epics of the Sangam Tamil Age, is considered the greatest. It is the tragic story of a merchant named Kovalan from Puhar who, neglecting his wife Kannagi, falls in love with a dancer named Madhavi. The story goes that Kovalan, upon attempting to sell his wife’s anklet in the Pandya city of Madurai, to start a business, is held guilty of stealing the queen’s anklet. Kovalan is then beheaded by the Pandya King. His wife, Kannagi, goes on to avenge the death of her husband and becomes a goddess. This marks the beginning of the Kannagi Cult, which is a cult that worships Kannagi as the ideal wife. The epic Manimegalai is an offshoot of Silappadikaram. Manimegalai is the story of Manimegalai, the daughter of Kovalan and Madhavi from the epic Silappadikaram. Manimegalai becomes a Buddhist nun and preaches Buddhist doctrine.