I. Introduction

The Rāma story indisputably counts among the most popular traditional stories of India and is part of the common knowledge of all her peoples – whether they hail from Gujarat, from Bengal or from Tamilnadu. Apart from Rāma who is worshipped as being considered the sixth incarnation of Viṣṇu, and Sītā who is venerated as the ideal wife, also other characters of the Rāmāyaṇa receive due attention from the people of India - most of all, Hanumat who enjoys special devotion with lorry and bus drivers, as in handling their vehicles they depend on Hanumat´s popularly most appreciated qualities, i.e., strength and endurance.

1Thus it is no wonder that in common folklore genres, such as folk-tales, folk-songs, proverbs and riddles, we frequently come across allusions to the Rāma story, its dramatis personae et scaenae, its various episodes and incorporated myths and legends. The original sources of such allusions are either the classical Rāmāyaṇa versions, i.e., Vālmīki´s Rāmāyaṇa, Kampaṉ´s Irāmāvatāram, Tulasīdāsa´s Rāmacaritamānasa or, one of the numerous regional and folk Rāmāyaṇa versions which have come down to us in various written and unwritten Indian languages.

2The aim of this paper is to draw the attention of scholars to Rāmāyaṇa allusions as being found in Tamil riddles. A search for such in the most comprehensive and exhaustive Tamil riddle collection, "Tamiḻil viṭukataikaḷ", compiled and edited by Ca. Vē Cuppiramaṇiaṉ (in the following: TVK), led to the result that from among 2504 riddles listed therein, at least fifteen items (plus three variants) contained allusions to the Rāmāyaṇa:

1. eleven allusions in the riddle questions (TVK 56 [No. 15], 96 [No. 6a] and 195 [No. 6b], 420 [No. 16], 577 [No. 11], 659 [No. 14], 748 [No. 9], 916 [No. 3], 1426 [No. 12], 1526 [No. 4], 1717 [No. 7a] and 1718 [No. 7b]);

2. two allusions in the answers to the riddles (TVK 857 [No. 8], 1605 [No. 2]);

3. four allusions in the questions as well as in the answers to the riddles (TVK 351 [No. 1], 352 [No. 10], 748 [No. 9], 1250 [No. 5a] and 2503 [No. 5b]).

One more riddle which I found in one of the numerous smaller Tamil riddle collections has been added to the above corpus as it contained an allusion to one more character of the Rāmāyaṇa in the wording of the riddle question (NVK, p. 13 [No. 13]).

3In the following, the nineteen riddles are presented along with translations and – wherever necessary – with commenting explanations.

II. The Riddles

1. TVK 351

irāmaṉum aracu ceyvāṉ ayōttiyil alla
irāvaṇaṉum caṇṭai ceyvāṉ pōrkkaḷattil alla
cītaiyum pū muṭippāḷ ciṅkārippāḷ
cintai makiḻnt-iṭum māntarum matu uṇpar maṉaiyil alla.

atu eṉṉa? - irāmāyaṇa-p puttakam.

Rāma (Irāmaṉ) reigns, but not in Ayodhyā (Ayōtti).
Rāvaṇa (Irāvaṇaṉ) fights, but not in the battle-field.
Sītā (Cītai) ties flowers [to her hair and] adorns herself.
Rejoicing within their hearts, the people drink nectar, but not in their homes.

What´s that? - The Rāmāyaṇa (Irāmāvatāram) (book).

2. TVK 16051

naṟṟamiḻīr nāl eḻuttil "ōr maṉṉaṉ pēr"
naṇṇum itiṉ "oṉṟ iraṇṭu" akkula nallōṉ ām
maṟṟum uḷa iraṇṭ-eḻuttum "nakaram" ākum
vāytta mutaloṭu nāṉk ōr "vaṉitai" ākum
muṟṟa-v iraṇṭoṭu nāṉkum "pāy" eṉṟ-ākum
mūṉ iraṇṭum āynt uṇariṉ "piri" eṉṟ-ākum.

kaṟṟavarkaḷ koṇṭāṭum kaṉa-mikk ārnta
kaviṉ nacciṉārkkiṉiya kaḻaṟu īt eṉṉē?

aṭalār "rakupati "yē ām aḻakar rājī viṭukataikku-t takka viṭai.

Ye good Tamilians! Within four syllables the name of a king [is contained].
The first and second of these four yield a noble person of that lineage.
The following two syllables mean "town".
The fourth joined with the first yields a woman.
Together with the second the fourth means "to jump".
When you take into consideration the third and the second, it becomes [a word meaning] "to separate".

O commentator2 of a poem which is praised by poets and abounds in dignity and greatness, say: What´s this?

The proper answer to the riddle is: The powerful hero Raghupati (Rakupati), incarnation of Viṣṇu (Aḻakar).

3. TVK 9163

kaṟuppu-c caṭṭaikkāraṉ
kaḷḷattaṉattil keṭṭikkāraṉ
tōṭṭi-vēlai ceyt-iṭuvāṉ
cuṟucuṟuppāy irunt-iṭuvāṉ
oruvaṉai nām kūppiṭṭāl
ūrāraiyē aḻaippavaṉ
cītaiyaiyē kottiṉattāl śrī-rāmar cāpamēṟṟavaṉ.

avaṉ yār? - kākam.

A man wearing a black robe.
A man cunning in deceiving.
He works as a scavenger.
He is very swift.
If we call one,
he will invite all the people of his village.
Because he had pecked at Sītā (Cītai), he was cursed by Śrī Rāma (Śrī Rāmar).

Who´s that person? - The crow.

4. TVK 15264

tāṉē tāṉ ṟōṉṟun tampirāṉum alla
takunta kuṇaṅ-kuḷircci tarum cantiraṉ alla
kāṉ-ēr-pacc-iḷaṅ-koṭi-y ām umaiyum alla
kaṇakk-eḻuttun teriya vaikkum vāṇi-y alla
vāṉē-y-antarar pukaḻvār cāṉaki-y alla
varumūṉṟuḷ iṭaiyatu tām iṭai-p pārtt ām
ēṉēṉ eṉṟ avviṭai vant-irukkum ākil
iyaṟ-peyar mēvum poruḷai-y iyampuvīrē.

atu eṉṉa? - poṉṉāṅkaṇṇikkīrai.

It comes into being by itself, but it´s not God (Śiva).
It bestows coolness of an appropriate quality, but it´s not the moon.
It is like a beautiful young green creeping plant of the jungle, but it´s not Umā (Umai).
It teaches arithmetic and grammar, but it´s not Sarasvatī (Vāṇi).
It is praised by the celestials, but it´s not Jānakī (Cāṉaki).
If, from among three [answers?] that will come to your mind, you examine the
middlemost of them, and
if, by thorough inquiries, you have found that answer,
you may name [that] thing to which a natural name is attached!

What´s that? - The plant Illecebrum sessilis or, Alternanthera sessilis.5

5. (a) TVK 1250

caṉaka-nakariṉ peyar
aṉumāṉ peyar
pārvati-tēviyiṉ peyar
koṇṭavaḷiṉ peyar
oru avayava-p peyar
oru irākattin peyar
inta āṟu peyarkaḷiṉ naṭu eḻuttukaḷai-y ellām oṉṟu cērttāl
oru stalattiṉ peyar.

appeyar yātu? - ti-ru-vā-ṉai-k-kā (mitilai – māruti - pavāṉi - maṉaivi – mūkku – mukāri).

The name of Janaka´s (Caṉaka´s) town.
A name of Hanumat (Aṉumāṉ).
A name of goddess Pārvatī (Pārvati).
A name for "wife".
The name of a body part.
The name of a rāga tune.
If you combine the middle syllables (or letters) of these six names, [you will get] the name of a sacred place.

What´s that name? - Tiruvāṉaikkā (a sacred place with a famous Śiva shrine near Tiruccirāppaḷḷi).

5. (b) TVK 2503

jaṉaka-nakariṉ peyar
aṉumāṉ peyar
pārvatiyiṉ peyar
peṇcātiyai-k kuṟikkum peyar
ōr avayava-p peyar
ōr irāka-p peyar
ākiya ivvaṟṟai kaṇṭu piṭittu
inta-p peyarkaḷin naṭu-v eḻuttāl
vicēṭamāṉa pāṭal peṟṟa oru ūriṉ peyarai-k kāṇalām!

anta ūriṉ peyar eṉṉa? - ti-ru-vā-ṉai-k-kā (mitilai – māruti- pavāṉi - maṉaivi – mūkku – mukāri).

The name of Janaka´s (Jaṉaka´s) town.
A name of Hanumat (Aṉumāṉ).
A name of Pārvatī (Pārvati).
A name that denotes "wife".
The name of a body part.
The name of a rāga tune.
Let us find out these six [names] and, with the help of the middle syllable (letter) of these names, hit upon the name of a place that has attained special fame!

What´s the name of that place? - Tiruvāṉaikkā.

6. (a) TVK 96

antarattil paṟantu varum paruntē-y aṉṟu
aḻakāṉa vālum uṇṭu aṉumār aṉṟu
vintaiyuṭaṉ kaṭṭ-uṇṭu kaṭṭum aṉṟu
vēntaratu tirunāmam avarkkē-y uṇṭu.

atu eṉṉa? - kāṟṟāṭi-paṭṭam.

It flies high in the sky, but it´s not a pariah kite.
It has a beautiful tail, but it´s not Hanumat (Aṉumār).
It is wonderfully fabricated, but it´s no fabrication.
It even wears the sacred mark of a king.

What´s that? - The kite.

6. (b) TVK 195

akācantaṉil paṟakkum paṟavai-y alla
atikamāy vāl uṇṭu aṉumār alla
vākāṉa kompum uṇṭu erutum alla
vāyv-aṭittāl mēl eḻumpun tūḷi-y alla
ēkānta veyilālum eyvār illai
iraiccaluṭaṉ āṭum atu pāmpum alla
pōkātu āḻntu viṭuṅ kāl tāṉ iṉṟēl.

pukaluvīr ikkataiyiṉ putumai kaṇṭē. - paṭṭam.

It flies high in the sky, but it’s not a bird.
Its tail is very long, but it´s not Hanumat (Aṉumār).
It has beautiful horns, but it´s not a bull.
If the wind blows it rises upwards, but it´s no dust.
They don´t let it go in the blazing heat of the sun.
Rustling it moves along, but it´s not a snake.
It can´t walk, but glides down, because it has no legs.

When you will have solved this strange riddle, you may tell [the answer]. - The kite.

7. (a) TVK 1717

neṭṭ-uṭalāy nīṇṭ-irukkum aravam alla
neruppil viḷaiyāṭum civaṉum alla
kaṭṭu-muṭṭāy vil piṭikkum vicayaṉ alla
kaṇṭavar payappaṭuvār kaḷḷaṉum alla
vaṭṭa-mukattil tuṇi kiḷampum mēkam alla
vāyiṉāl tiṉṟu kakkum vauvālum alla
paṭṭaṇattai-c cuṭṭu aḻikkum aṉumār alla
pāriṉil itaṟkum ōr iṇaiyum illaiyē.

atu eṉṉa? – tuppākki.

It has a long body, but it´s not a snake.
It dances in the fire, but it´s not Śiva (Civaṉ).
Vigorously it catches (bends) the bow, but it´s not Vijaya (i.e., Arjuna) (Vicayaṉ).
Those who see it, are afraid, but it´s not a thief.
Light emerges from its round face, but it´s not a rain cloud.
It eats and vomits through its mouth, but it´s not a bat.
It burns and destroys a town, but it´s not Hanumat (Anumār).
There is nothing on earth that is similar to it.

What´s that? – The gun.

7. (b) TVK 1718

neṭṭu-neṭṭāy nīṇṭ-irukkum pāmpum alla
neruppilē viḷaiyāṭum civaṉum alla
paṭṭaṇattai-c cuṭṭ-aḻikkum aṉumār alla
vāyalē tiṉṟu kakkum vauvāl alla.

maṉṉavaṉē ikkataikku viṭai colvāyē ! – tuppākki.

It´s very long, but it´s not a snake.
It dances in the fire, but it´s not Śiva (Civaṉ).
It burns and destroys a town, but it´s not Hanumat (Aṉumār).
It eats and vomits through its mouth, but it´s not a bat.

O king, may you give the answer to this riddle! – The gun.

8. TVK 8576

karaṅkaḷ irupatt eṉpār kāḷi-y allaṉ
kaṉam uṭaiya kāl iraṇṭu maṉitaṉ allaṉ
ciraṅkaḷ īr-aintuṭaṉē cakatt ōr mēccum
ceya-vīraṉ avaṉ pōla-t tēvar illai
yukantaṉilē kari-tantam uṭaintu kāṇum
ulakattil ivaṉ perumai-y uraikk oṇātu
karantaṉilē vīṇai koṇṭu vācippāṉ kāṇ!

kaṟṟavarē ivaṉ evaṉō kaḻaṟuvīrē ! - irāvaṇaṉ.

He is said to have twenty arms, but he is not Kālī (Kāḷi).
He has two strong legs, but he is not a man.
The whole universe praises him with his ten heads.
A victorious hero like him is not [found] among the gods.
In a battle, he has broken off the tusks of an elephant – behold!
His greatness in the world cannot be expressed in words.
In his hands he holds the Vīṇā and plays it – behold!

O ye scholars, may you make known who he is! - Rāvaṇa (Irāvaṇaṉ).

9. TVK 7487

ōkō kiḻakkē rāvaṇaṉ tōppē
ceṅkāl naṇṭē cevanti-p pūvē
caṭṭuṉu vantu peṭṭiyil aṭaṅkē!

atu eṉṉa? - cūriyaṉ.

O eastern region, o grove of Rāvaṇa (Rāvaṇaṉ), o crayfish with red legs, o (red)
Christmas flower!
Come quickly and get settled in a chest!

What´s that? – The sun.

10. TVK 3528

irāvaṇaṉ cirac aṟṟat ēṉ?
irāveḷḷi maṟaivat ēṉ?

irāmaṉ tārattāl / irā mantārattāl.

Why did it happen that Rāvaṇa´s (Irāvaṇan´s) heads were cut off?
Why does it happen that the stars of the night disappear?

Because of Rāma´s (Irāmaṉ´s) wife. / Because of cloudiness in the night.

11. TVK 577

etir-k katai pōṭṭa rāvaṇaṉukku mutukilē munnūṟu vaṭu.

atu eṉṉa? - callaṭai.

Brandishing his battle club, Rāvaṇa (Rāvaṇaṉ) got three hundred wounds on his back.

What´s that? – A (large) sieve.

12. TVK 1426

taka-taka taṭṭu-p pōlē
tāmarai muṭṭu-p pōlē
intiraṉ eḻuttu-p pōlē
irāvaṇaṉ curuṭṭu-p pōlē.

atu eṉṉa? – pāmpu.

It´s like a glittering metal plate.
It´s [long] like a lotus stalk.
It´s [fast] like Indra´s (Intiraṉ´s) hand-writing (i.e., lightning).
It´s shrewd like Rāvaṇa (Irāvaṇaṉ).

What´s that? The snake.

13. NVK, p. 13

vīṭṭil kuṭi-y iruppāṉ viruntāḷiyum alla
viṭintatum tūṅkiṭuvāṉ kumpakarṇaṉum alla
toṭṭāl koṉṟ-iṭuvāṉ neruppum alla.

avaṉ yār? - miṉcāra viḷakku.

He stays in my house, but he is not my guest.
As soon as it dawns, he will go to sleep, but he is not Kumbhakarṇa (Kumpakarṇaṉ).
If I touch him, he will kill me, but it is not fire.

What´s that? – The electric lamp.

14. TVK 6599

ēṟum iṟaṅkum eḻil vākai maruvuṅ
kūṟum irāmaṉ paṇiyē koḷḷum-āl - vēṟum oṉ-
ṟ eṉṉuñ cirañcīvi-y eṉṟ uraipparē-y aṉumā
ṉ aṉṟ ār eṉṟ ārāynt aṟai!

viṭai-y illai.

Climbing up and climbing down it embraces the beautiful sirissa tree.
It renders service according to Rāma´s (Irāmaṉ´s) instructions.
They call him "long-lived person", but he is somebody else, different from Hanumat (Aṉumāṉ).
When you have thought over it (and found out) who it is, announce it!

(According to TVK: ) No answer.

15. TVK 56

aṭuppu-c cātam kotippatēṉ?
arici aṉṉam āvatēṉ?
ilaṅkai aḻintatēṉ?
irumpu urukuvatēṉ?

neruppāl.

Why does rice boil on the fire-place?
Why does rice become boiled rice (food)?
Why did Laṅkā (Ilaṅkai) perish?
Why does iron melt?

Because of fire.

16. TVK 420

uṭamp ellām urōmam uṇṭu vāl nīṇṭ-irukkum
maramēṟi-t tāvuvāṉ paḻam tiṉpāṉ aṇilum alla
kiḷaikaḷai-p piṭitt ūñcal āṭuvāṉ nām
eppaṭi-c ceyyiṉum appaṭi-c ceyvāṉ
ilaṅkāpuri-k kōṭṭaiyai-t tāṇṭiṉavaṉ
ivaṉē.

avaṉ yār? - kuraṅku.

He is hairy all over his body. He has a long tail.
He climbs up trees and jumps about. He eats fruits, but he is not a palm squirrel.
He takes hold of branches and swings to and fro.
Whatever we do, he imitates.
It was him who leapt over the fortress of the city of Laṅkā (Ilaṅkāpuri).

Who´s that person? – The monkey.

III. Summary

In summing up, we find that the riddles presented here contain,

4(a) one allusion to the Rāmāyaṇa:

5TVK 351 (No. 1): the contents of the Rāmāyaṇa;

6(b) four allusions to Rāma / Raghupati:

7TVK 351 (No. 1): Rāma reigns over Ayodhyā,

8TVK 659 (No. 14): Rāma gives instructions to palm squirrels,

9TVK 916 (No. 3): Rāma curses a crow,

10TVK 1605 (No. 2): Rāma´s name;

11(c) four allusions to Sītā / Jānakī / Rāma´s wife:

12TVK 351 (No. 1): Sītā adorns herself,

13TVK 352 (No. 10): Sītā is the reason for Rāvaṇa´s beheading,

14TVK 916 (No. 3): Sītā is pecked at by a crow;

15TVK 1526 (No. 4): Sītā is praised by the celestials;

16(d) eight (ten) allusions to Hanumat / Māruti / monkey:

17TVK 96 (No. 6a): Hanumat´s beautiful tail,

18TVK 195 (No. 6b): Hanumat´s long tail;

19TVK 420 (No. 16): Hanumat´s physical characteristics, habits and his daring deed of leaping over the fortress of the city of Laṅkā,

20TVK 659 (No. 14): Hanumat is one of the seven "long-lived persons",

21TVK 1717 (No. 7a): Hanumat burns and destroys Laṅkā,

22TVK 1718 (No. 7b): do.,

23TVK 1250 (No. 5a): Hanumat´s name,

24TVK 2503 (No. 5b): do.;

25(e) six allusions to Rāvaṇa:

26TVK 351 (No. 1): Rāvaṇa fights in the battlefield,

27TVK 352 (No. 10): Rāvaṇa´s beheading is caused by Sītā,

28TVK 577 (No. 11): Rāvaṇa brandishes his battle club and gets 300 wounds,

29TVK 748 (No. 9): Rāvaṇa´s grove (i.e., Sri Lanka),

30TVK 857 (No. 8): Rāvaṇa´s physical characteristics, habits, daring deeds and praise,

31TVK 1426 (No. 12): Rāvaṇa´s shrewdness;

32(f) one allusion to Kumbhakarṇa:

33NVK, p. 13 (No. 13): Kumbhakarṇa´s habit of sleeping for six months;

34(g) one allusion to Ayodhyā:

35TVK 351 (No. 1): Ayodhyā is reigned by Rāma;

36(h) two (four) allusions to Janaka´s town / Mithilā:

37TVK 1250 (No. 5a): the name of Mithilā,

38TVK 2503 (No. 5b): do.;

39(i) two allusions to Laṅkā / Laṅkāpurī:

40TVK 56 (No. 15): Laṅkā perishes through fire,

41TVK 420 (No. 16): Hanumat leaps over the fortress of the city of Laṅkā.