- Kunnutaiya is liked by his new masters. The household women
are kind to him and he becomes (almost) a family member.
- One day the two accidentally exchange glances. A special
attraction starts to grow between the two teenagers.
- After a few years Kunnutaiya becomes a grown man. The family
depend on him for all kinds of work.
- The young girl of the house, meanwhile, has become a lovely
young woman.
- Kunnutaiya dreams of this lovely girl frequently. But he
knows that he can never marry her due to his low status.
- Celatta, the goddess who looks after Ponnivala has been neglected
all these years. Her temple has not been cared for. Vishnu,
Celatta’s brother, agrees to find Kunnutaiya and bring him back to
her lands.
- Vishnu takes the disguise of a wandering ascetic and
approaches Kunnutaiya at night, near the cattlefold where he sleeps
in order to guard his masters’ animals.
- The strange visitor tells Kunnutaiya to block his masters’
path by lying down, and then to get up when called and announce that
he is the rightful bridegroom for their sister.
- The two masters find Kunnutaiya early the next morning as
they set out to worship at their family temple.
- The two masters are angered and beat Kunnutaiya for
insolence. The odd visitor returns and finds him in pain, tied to a
post.
- The visitor unties the victim and then starts to set
Kunnutaiya’s masters’ palace on fire.
- The men come running. The beggar says he will stop the fire,
but only after they agree to give their sister in marriage to
Kunnutaiya.
- This extortion trick works. The two masters agree and the
visitor stops the fire. A maid takes their young sister as far as
the village boundary.
- The wedding occurs in a forest. Now the real Vishnu arrives
to conduct the couple’s unorthodox marriage ceremony.
- No family members attend. A servant is sent bearing
insulting gifts. The young bride is told never to return to her
family home.
- The newlyweds set off together. They are hoping to find
Kunnutaiya’s old family lands in Ponnivala.
[<==Back to part 2]
- Kunnutaiya is now an orphan. He has been adopted by his
father’s clansmen. Their first step is to ask Kunnutaiya to
change into a loin cloth, a degrading gesture.
- Next these men debate what to do with this unwanted orphan
boy they have been told to look after by the king.
- The men feed him poor quality food and tell him to sleep
alone in an old shack.
- Kunnutaiya now has to work at degrading jobs just to earn a
bowl of gruel to eat.
- Various clansmen’s wives are asked to take the boy in. But
no one wants the extra expense of feeding him.
- Now and then he is given a bowl of porridge, but Kunnutaiya
remains perpetually hungry for a real meal.
- Meanwhile, the clansmen tear down his old family palace,
hoping Kunnutaiya will never be able to reclaim his father’s
estate.
- Kunnutaiya begins to wander long distances, always looking
for someone kind to take him in.
- He learns how to gather wood in the forest and sell it in a
neighbouring village in exchange for something to eat.
- Kunnutaiya is frequently beaten just because he is alone with
no one to stand up for him.
- Kunnutaiya also sees violence occurring in the homes of
others.
- Seeing these things causes him to run farther still, fearing
that the same fate could soon be his.
- Eventually two kind men call Kunnutaiya back when they see
him run past. They ask where he is going.
- These men are from a prosperous farming family. They are
kind and they decide to take Kunnutaiya in.
- Finally Kunnutaiya finds a decent job. He will be this new
family’s house boy and shepherd. His life has improved at last!
[<==Back to part 1]
- Kolatta and his wife Ariyanacci have had no children for many
years. They are growing old and begin to worry about the fate of
Ponnivala after they die.
- Lord Vishnu sees their distress. So he goes to visit Lord
Shiva and asks him to help the couple out by granting them a child.
- Shiva hides that baby under a large rock pile, and arranges for a cow to feed it!
- The little child Shiva created is as beautiful as the sun itself!
- Kunnutaiya grows strong with the help of his loving parents.
- His father, Kolatta, involves himself daily in his son’s
development.
- Soon Kunnutaiya is taken to the family temple for a
traditional naming ceremony. Lord Vishnu attends the big event in
person.
- Kunnutaiya is given many toys and enjoys plenty of small
adventures.
- The family are very happy with their son and enjoy his
presence every day.
- Five good years pass in this way.
- Suddenly something terrible happens. Two assistants of Lord
Yeman arrive, announcing that Kolatta and Ariyanacci’s time of
death has come.
- Reluctantly, the family say their goodbyes at a nearby
temple.
- Then the couple climb the ladder that leads to the sky. Poor
Kunnutaiya, now an orphan, must stay behind.
- The Chola king comes to the palace for the funeral
ceremonies. He finds Kunnutaiya at the temple.
- The king takes Kunnutaiya to the family palace where he
asks his father’s cousins to look after him well.
- The cousins agree to the king’s request, but their answer
does not sound sincere.
- The king has other business to attend to. There is nothing
more he can do. He leaves quickly for his own kingdom.
- Poor Kunnutaiya returns to the temple for solace. He is
alone and confused.
