A Rereading of Manimekalai

மறுவாசிப்பில் மணிமேகலை

Abstract

Shathanar’s Buddhist propaganda purpose is embodied in Manimekalai epic’s excessive natural events and supernatural legends. The effort of religions to suppress the human senses that wash the human body has been emphasized in the Buddhist tradition. In the face of increasing inequality among people, Manimekali narrative has tried to subtly do the work of justifying existence. The emphasis on morals and ethics on religious grounds shows that the power of the rulers of the day was strengthened. The Manimekala epic was created to justify all kinds of oppression when Buddhism merged with state power.