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"Pattaal thaan theriyum Paarpaanukku"

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Dear All,
It had been some time since I wrote on old Tamil sayings in web forums. Thought of reviving it when time permits so that the wise old words of our ancestors are understood better. Ofcourse, what I would be writing would be 'as understood by me'. I am certainly open for correction / improvement.


The other day I was travelling in a train. Two of my co- passengers, in their early 40's, were debating on some issues. The issue sounded more of personal in nature. The decibel levels kept rising as the discussions progressed. The participants seemed oblivious of the irritated looks of their fellow travellers. I couldn't concentrate on the book I was trying to read and was getting distracted time and again. I was hoping against hopes that either the discussion or the train would reach their destination soon.


Suddenly, one guy said, "What is the point in discussing with you? You will never see reason. How rightly our ancestors have said 'pattaal thaan theriyum paarpaanukku' (PTTP)? " and turned away, thus indicating his intention to end the discussion. The second guy, presumably a brahmin, was taken aback by his friend's unexpected 'castiest' remark and looked at me embarassed. A brahmin couple, who were sitting next to me also looked offended by this remark and the husband made a sincere attempt to burn the first guy through his stare.


In order to diffuse tension in the compartment, I said to the first guy, "Pardon me for interfering in your private talk. Now that you have made a statement in a public place that has wide ranging implications beyond the matter concerning you and your friend, I am compelled to interfere. Could you please explain what you meant by saying PTTP?"


Realising the mistake he immediately appoligsed for his remark. As per him, in his earnestness to make his friend see reason, he had uttered the saying, without considering the feeling of other passengers who were also within earshot of his utterances. He reiterated that he is not a 'castiest' by any stretch of imagination and many of his close friends were brahmins, including the one travelling with us. As he had heard the saying PTTP so many times from his school days, it had slipped out at the heat of the argument.
His friend also supported him, acknowledging the fact that he was secular minded.
His appology & his friend's support had a softening effect on the charged atmosphere. Peace and tranquility prevailed in the compartment for the rest of our journey.


However, this incident set me thinking.
PTTP, as it is used now, literally means that 'a brahmin will understand only when he suffers the consequences of his action'. Normally, it is uttered in a derisive manner suggesting that a brahmin would not listen to reason of others, but would go ahead and act as per his wishes only before realising his folly.


For me, this saying didn't make any sense.
'Why should one community alone be rediculed like this? Does it mean that people are not to experiment but accept what ever is told to them? Isn't 'testing a theory before acceptance' an universal phenomena? If so, what else could the spirit of this saying be?'


Being a student of Tamil proverbs, I looked for possible similar sounding words that could have got twisted over the ages, to this form. I concluded that the original saying could have been 'Pattal thaan theriyum Parppavanukku' meaning - 'The one who experiences only will understand. The realisation will not come by being a mere onlooker' - and not the way it is used now.


It is easy to comment on a performance as an onlooker (parppavan - in Tamil) but only the players involved would experience and realise the true conditions prevailing. The onlooker need to become a player himself, to experience the truth.


If it is told to a child that 'the hot vessel will burn your fingers' only the one who had experienced what is meant by 'hot' would realise the true meaning. All others could atbest understand it as something to be avoided but not the real meaning.


Thus, flows the saying " Pattal Thaan Theriyum Parppavanukku" .


Anbudan,
Rrg
 
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