The learned people of ancient South India strove to master the 64 arts of life, what we might refer to as branches of knowledge or fields of study.
[A string inserted through the holes binds the leaves into a stack. Each bundle is a book]
Translating the list to English was tough, and some words were beyond my limited understanding. But here is a crude attempt at listing the 64 aaya-kalaigal:
- Grammar (required for verse and prose)
- Style or Metre (required for verse)
- Calligraphy
- Mathematics
- Vedas
- History
- Law (local and foreign)
- Astrology
- Tenets of Righteousness
- Yoga
- Religious Invocations (mantras)
- Interpretation of Omens
- Sculpture
- Medicine
- Anatomy
- Ancient Epics
- Etiquette
- Presentation and Bearing
- Gentle Speech
- Drama
- Percussion Instruments (vernacular: nadam)
- Percussion Instruments (vernacular: mrudhangam)
- String Instruments
- Wind Instruments
- Ability to discern various sounds (human and non-human)
- Music Modes
- Music Critique
- Archery
- Kanaga Paritchai (No idea what this refers to)
- Chariot driver
- Elephant rider (mahout)
- Equestrianism
- Gemmology
- Geomorphology (study of landforms)
- Warfare (strategy, tactics, and code of war)
- Wrestling
- Trapper (of men and beasts using wiles and lures)
- Seeking positives in negatives
- Technology
- Appreciation of Paganist Arts
- Ability to tame Temptations
- Secrets of Charming
- Alchemy
- Perceptiveness
- Kavuthiga Vaadham (No idea what this means)
- Palmistry
- Kaluzham (No idea what this means)
- Stoicism (etiquette for expressing/sharing loss)
- Knowledge of Clairvoyance*
- Knowledge of Levitation*
- Knowledge of Interstellar Travel*
- Knowledge of Astral Travel*
- Thannurukarathal (No idea what this means)
- Knowledge of Celestial Magic*
- Sleight of Hand (aka magic)
- Fire tantras (invocations)*
- Water tantras (invocations)*
- Prana (Air) tantras (invocations)*
- Third Eye (Sight) tantras (invocations)*
- Sound tantras (invocations)*
- Flow tantras (invocations) – as in ethereal and corporeal flows*
- Lifting the Veil tantras (invocations)*
- Katka thambanam (no idea what this means)
- Black magic*
*One can debate or accept that mankind lost much knowledge to history. But many modern discoveries draw from ancient knowledge. For example, there are stone carvings that show space travellers. Another example and not one in the realms of conspiracy theorists: scientists are working on (or have already perfected) a machine that can “see” the human aura—an ability that many (including this writer) believe ancient man possessed via use of the Third Eye.
But let’s leave speculation and stick to history as we know it.
Next week: Village Administration
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Copyright @ Eric Alagan, 2019