Spgm 066 - The Shepherdess Folk Dance Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

(In the shepherd area there were many
bad omens. The shepherdess were
afraid of the consequences and prayed
their tribal God Kannan, by performing
group folk dances)

STARTED CHURNING CURD

King Pandian's flag with fish symbol
On the top of Himalayas it flew well.
Under that flew Cholan's tiger flag.
And the other one Cheran's bow flag.

Under the Pandian's dominion,
Fell other small kings as one.
He wore a white pearl chain.
He had an umbrella, white one.

The morning drum beat sound,
From the palace went around.
Madhari told her daughter,
"Keep ready a pot of butter."

"To supply palace kitchen
A pot of ghee, it's our turn.
So, churn the curd pot
And the butter take out."

BAD INDICATION

Indications many were bad.
Milk never turned as curd.
More tears crocodiles shed.
Butter became stone hard.

The little lambs never played.
The trembling cows cried aloud.
Their neck-bells fell down.
Madhari took it as a bad omen.

INNER MEANING

"These bad omens indicated
Something bad had happened.
So, let us dance and say our prayer, "
Madhari told this to her daughter.

OPINION

She wore a garland rosy,
That was full of honey.
She loved a strong man
Who faced a bull's horn.

SHE WAS FOR HIM

She was for him, a bold man,
Who took a bull by its horn.
She was the right woman,
To embrace such a brave man.

SHE NAMED

Like this seven shepherdess
Who were given seven names
They danced in a circular form
And held tight their arms.

THEY STOOD IN A ROW

In a row, seven girls stood.
The rules they understood.
Each one in front came.
Madhari gave one by one a name.

Mayavan, Balaraman, Pinnai,
Baladevan, Muthai, Kaikilai
And Vilari, the last
These names they got.

In a circular movement,
They danced in merriment.
It was a dance of the Lord
Who measured the world.

Lakshmi sat on His chest
While the Lord took rest.
This was the dance theme.
It was part of their scheme.

COME, LET US DANCE

The girls each in her turn,
Started to sing one by one,
Each one in a different tone,
The total effect was fine.

The folk dance went on.
This time it was about Kannan,
The Lord of their choice,
They sang in melodious voice.