Question
Which one of the following explains the practice of "Vattakirutal " as mentioned in Sangam poems?
(a) Kings employing women bodyguards
(b) Learned persons assembling in royal courts to discuss religious and philosophical matters
(c) Young girls keeping watch over agricultural fields and driving away birds and animals
(d) A king defeated in a battle committing ritual suicide by starving himself to death.
Answer:
D
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Explanation:
The practice of "Vattakirutal" mentioned in Sangam poems refers to the act of a defeated king committing ritual suicide by starving himself to death, accompanied by those who were close to him during his lifetime. This act of self-sacrifice was considered a significant event in the warrior ethic portrayed in Sangam poems.
To simulate death in battle for warriors who did not die in actual combat, there is mention of a practice in which their bodies were cut with swords before the funerary rites. This was done to elevate their status and honor them as if they had died in battle.