Tamarai - Part IV: Wealth or Poverty?

• Tamarai’s family has become wealthy, but there is one big sorrow. She and her husband have had no children despite their many years of marriage.
  

• Tamarai is a frequent visitor to the family goddess temple. She keeps asking herself why she has to suffer such a terrible misfortune.
  

• Even the family’s fine farm animals have not borne offspring.
  

• Feeling sad without children, Tamarai decides to visit her brothers. At least she can enjoy watching their children for a short time! She has a jewelery maker prepare some ornaments as gifts to take with her.
  

• Tamarai sets out with a several servants. She is hoping to find the old palace where she was raised. She reasons that this should still be where her two brothers live.
  

• When Tamarai reaches her old home she is beaten by the palace watchman and not allowed entry. Her reputation as a “barren woman” has preceded her. She discovers that she is greatly feared.
  

• Tamarai is angered and hurt. In a vengeful mood, she decides to show her brothers her true power.
  

• So Tamarai calls on Lord Shiva, asking him to send her a ball of fire.
  

• Soon a fire ball descends from the heavens and lands in her right hand.
  

• She throws the fireball at the family watchman.
  

• But Tamarai doesn’t stop there. She also places a death spell over all of her brothers’ children.
  

• The family is very distressed, believing that all their children have suddenly died.
  

• However, the family’s temple priest soon works out a compromise. He tells the two brothers that they must apologize to their sister. They were wrong to order the watchman to beat her and prevent her entry.
  

• Hearing the apology, Tamarai relents and lifts the spell from all six children.
  

• Happy to reawaken, all six children quickly spring back to life.
  

• Then Tamarai returns home with her servants. But she is afraid of what will happen when Kunnutaiya sees her many bruises. After all, he told her not to go in the first place.
  

• Kunnutaiya finds Tamarai hiding under her sari and quickly realizes she has been beaten. He is angry, as expected.

[Continue to Part 5==>]

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