47 - A Series of Unhappy Events
Summary
TLDRIn this episode of 'Stories from India,' host Narad Muni narrates a tale of love, betrayal, and tragedy from Tamil Nadu. Kagi's trust in her husband Kovalan is tested when he befriends Madavi, a fellow poet, leading to a series of misunderstandings and heartbreak. A stolen royal anklet accusation results in Kovalan's execution, and Kagi's curse brings about the city's downfall. The story, from the ancient poem 'Saram,' highlights themes of loyalty, justice, and the power of poetry.
Takeaways
- 🎙️ The podcast 'Stories from India' narrates myths, legends, and folktales from India, hosted by a character named Narad Muni.
- 💖 The story revolves around a couple, Kanagi and Kovalan, whose marriage faces challenges due to Kovalan's infidelity and poor decision-making.
- 📚 The narrative begins with a poetry festival, where Kovalan impresses the crowd and engages in a poetry duel with Madavi, leading to mutual respect and eventual betrayal.
- 💔 Kanagi experiences heartbreak when she discovers Kovalan's deceit and his affair with Madavi, but she holds on to the belief in her husband's potential for change.
- 🏆 A second poetry festival becomes a turning point, where misunderstandings and accusations in poems lead to the end of Kovalan and Madavi's relationship.
- 🛑 Financial strain results from Kovalan's irresponsible behavior, leaving the couple bankrupt and in need of a fresh start.
- 🚫 Kovalan's reputation is so tarnished that he cannot even buy a cup of coffee on credit in their village.
- 💎 Kanagi sacrifices her sentimental gold anklet with diamonds to fund their new venture, demonstrating her commitment to their marriage.
- 🛍️ Kovalan sells the anklet to the Royal Jeweler, unaware of its royal origins and the ensuing trouble it will cause.
- 👑 A case of mistaken identity leads to Kovalan's arrest and execution, as the anklet is mistaken for one belonging to the queen.
- ⛔️ Kanagi's desperate plea to the king fails to save Kovalan, and in her grief and rage, she curses the city and the king.
- 🔥 The story concludes with the fulfillment of Kanagi's curse, the city's destruction, and the king's repentance, with a note on the Chola and Pandia dynasties' contrasting justice systems.
Q & A
What is the podcast 'Stories from India' about?
-The podcast 'Stories from India' is about discussing myths, legends, and folktales from India.
Who is the host of 'Stories from India' podcast?
-The host of 'Stories from India' is Narad Muni, a mythological character with the gift of eternal life and knowledge of the past, present, and future.
What is the main theme of the story discussed in the podcast episode?
-The main theme of the story is heartbreak, loyalty, betrayal, misunderstanding, poor decision-making, and revenge.
What is the significance of the poetry festival in the story?
-The poetry festival is significant as it is the setting where Kovalan meets Madavi, leading to a series of events that cause a rift in his marriage.
Why did Kanagi initially trust Kovalan despite his suspicious behavior?
-Kanagi initially trusted Kovalan due to her misplaced sense of faith in her husband.
How did Kovalan and Madavi's relationship end?
-Their relationship ended after a misunderstanding during a poetry festival, where both changed their poems to reflect hurt and betrayal, leading to a wide rift between them.
What was the turning point for Kovalan and Kanagi's financial situation?
-The turning point was when they ran out of cash due to Kovalan's irresponsible behavior, leading them to consider starting a new life in Madurai.
What was Kanagi's backup plan to start a new business in Madurai?
-Kanagi's backup plan was to sell a pure gold anklet with diamonds inside, which had sentimental value as it belonged to her mother.
Why was Kovalan arrested after selling the anklet?
-Kovalan was arrested on charges of having stolen the Queen's anklet, as the one he sold was identical to the Queen's, which led to a case of mistaken identity.
What was the tragic outcome of the misunderstanding involving the anklet?
-The tragic outcome was that Kovalan was beheaded, and Kanagi, unable to bear the loss, cursed the city and the King, eventually passing away as well.
What is the historical context of the story discussed in the podcast?
-The story is part of a poem called 'Saram,' written about 1500 years ago during the time of the Chola Dynasty, and it contrasts Chola justice with Pandya justice.
What changes are being made to the podcast format based on feedback?
-The podcast will change the format of the midweek episodes to include a story instead of a character of the week, starting from the next midweek episode.
What is the source of the music used in the podcast?
-The music is sourced from Purple Planet, a website that provides royalty-free music.
Outlines
🎙️ Introduction to Stories from India Podcast
The podcast 'Stories from India' is introduced by the host, Narad Muni, a mythological character with the gift of eternal life and omniscience. He is a traveling musician and storyteller who uses the podcast medium to narrate tales from India. The episode's focus is on a story from Tamil Nadu involving themes of heartbreak, loyalty, betrayal, and misunderstanding. The story revolves around a couple, Kanagi and Kovalan, whose marriage faces challenges due to Kovalan's infidelity and poor decision-making, leading to a tragic series of events.
💔 The Unfaithful Husband and the Poetry Duel
Kanagi and Kovalan's marriage begins to deteriorate as Kovalan becomes infatuated with Madavi, a skilled poet, after a poetry festival. Despite initial bliss, Kovalan's deceit and frequent visits to Madavi create a rift in their relationship. Kanagi, however, remains trusting and oblivious to her husband's betrayal. The situation escalates when Kovalan and Madavi engage in a poetry duel, which ends in a tie, further deepening Kovalan's respect for Madavi and his estrangement from Kanagi.
🏆 The Misunderstanding at the Poetry Festival and Its Aftermath
At another poetry festival, misunderstandings and hurt feelings lead to the end of Kovalan and Madavi's relationship. Madavi's poem about unfaithfulness is misinterpreted by Kovalan, who believes he is being accused. In response, he alters his poem, causing heartbreak for Madavi. The misunderstanding results in a complete breakdown of communication between them. Kovalan returns home, but his financial irresponsibility has left the couple in a dire situation, forcing them to consider starting anew in Madurai.
💎 The Anklet's Tale and the Tragic Consequence
In Madurai, Kanagi and Kovalan attempt to start over by selling a precious anklet to fund their new venture. However, the anklet is mistakenly identified as the stolen property of the queen, leading to Kovalan's arrest and wrongful execution. Kanagi's desperate attempt to rectify the situation at the palace reveals the truth but is too late to save her husband. The king's attempt to compensate for the mistake and the tragic end of the couple's life together is highlighted, along with the city's eventual downfall as foretold by Kanagi's curse.
📜 Historical Context and Podcast Format Update
The story is revealed to be part of the ancient Tamil poem 'Saram,' written about 1500 years ago by a prince who became a monk. The poem, which means 'The Story of an Anklet,' highlights the central character of Kanagi and her tragic tale. The historical context of the Chola Dynasty and the Pandyans is provided, along with the significance of the city of Madurai and its temple. The podcast's format is announced to be updated in response to listener feedback, with midweek episodes featuring stories instead of character highlights.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Narad Muni
💡Tamil Nadu
💡Heartbreak
💡Loyalty
💡Betrayal
💡Misunderstanding
💡Poetry Festival
💡Madurai
💡Anklet
💡Curse
💡Chola Dynasty
Highlights
Introduction to the podcast 'Stories from India' with host Narad Money, a mythological character with eternal life and omniscience.
The story of Kanagi and Kovalan from Tamil Nadu, involving themes of heartbreak, loyalty, betrayal, and revenge.
Kanagi's unwavering faith in her husband, despite early signs of trouble in their marriage.
The pivotal role of a poetry festival in the deterioration of Kanagi and Kovalan's relationship.
The introduction of Madavi, a poet who engages in a duel with Kovalan, leading to mutual respect and eventual betrayal.
Kanagi's discovery of Kovalan's infidelity and her emotional turmoil as a result.
The impact of Kovalan's irresponsible behavior on their financial stability and the subsequent crisis.
The second poetry festival where misunderstandings and hurtful poems lead to the end of Kovalan and Madavi's affair.
Kanagi's acceptance of Kovalan's return and her optimism for a fresh start in their marriage.
The plan to move to Madurai and start a new life with the help of Kanagi's gold and diamond anklet.
The tragic misunderstanding that leads to Kovalan selling the Queen's anklet, resulting in his arrest.
Kanagi's desperate attempt to clear Kovalan's name and the shocking revelation of the mistaken identity of the anklet.
The irreversible consequences of the king's hasty judgment and the execution of Kovalan.
Kanagi's curse on the city and the king, leading to their downfall.
The historical context of the story from the poem 'Saram,' written during the Chola Dynasty.
The significance of the Minakshi Temple in Madurai and its connection to the goddess Parvati.
Announcement of changes to the podcast format, including a shift to storytelling in midweek episodes.
Upcoming story from the Panchatantra, illustrating the moral of not counting chickens before they hatch.
Invitation for audience feedback and subscription to the podcast for new episode notifications.
Transcripts
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
hello and welcome to stories from India
a podcast where we talk about myths
Legends and folktales from
India I'm your host narad money and I'm
a mythological character myself
I have the gift of eternal life and
knowledge of the past the present and
the
future by profession I'm a traveling
musician and a
Storyteller so the way I'm doing my job
is by
podcast this week we are going to talk
about a story from Tamil
Nadu it's about heartbreak
loyalty
betrayal
misunderstanding really poor decision
making and revenge served warm and
toasty rather than ice
cold so let's
begin kagi waited at home for her
husband kovalan to
return but just like every other day it
was a pointless wait it hadn't been long
since their wedding
but their marriage was already turning
SAR it had started quite well actually
they had just returned from their
honeymoon they had snorkled in the
underbars shared a warm hot chocolate
while riding a horse carriage through a
park and brought lots of stuff from the
souvenir
stalls they got off the ship and kovalan
carried his bride over the the threshold
of their
home everything was still great as they
settled into their domestic
life they even tolerated each other's
cooking and then the rift
began and this happened at a poetry
Festival while one school of thought has
it that poetry festivals are generally
boring this one featured some of the
most well-known Tamil
poets kanagi wasn't much of a poet but
kin was he dazzled the crowd with one
poem after another that he just compos
on the
Fly And Then There appeared a
lady
madavi she was as much an expert at
poetry as
kovalan the two had a bit of a
duel a poetry duel which finally ended
in a tie and left each person deeply
respectful of the
other kanagi should have seen this as
the first sign of the trouble to
come but she had a misplaced sense of
faith in her
husband the next evening when kovalan
claimed that it was poker night with his
buddies kanagi did not even suspect that
he was sneaking off to visit
madavi but after a
while when for the seventh evening in a
row kovalan asked her not to wait up for
him she suspected something might be up
she followed him one
evening when she found out that mavi's
house had definitely not been hosting
poker parties every night her heart was
broken she prayed for a change in him
but day after day he continued to
disappoint
her he would return home in the morning
drunk call into to work sick and sleep
it off till the
evening and then he'd go to madavi
again if a routine like that makes you
wonder how they were running the
household it's a real good question
because very soon they ran out of
cash at this point normally you'd expect
the wife to do something about an
Unfaithful
husband but kanagi held on to her belief
that they were still good in
him if you've seen the Star Wars movies
this may remind you of the Queen's faith
in Darth
Vader even after he killed all those
people
finally one day their life changed
again and just like last time this
happened at another poetry
Festival Ki decided to sit this one
out and kovin went with madavi of
course he said to her honey bunny wait
till you hear my poem you love it
I was thinking of you when I wrote
it pumpkin pie wait till you hear mine
it's about you as well she
replied madavi recited her poem
first it was about a boy who had been
unfaithful to the girl he
loved she definitely had covalin in mind
when she wrote it but the girl in the
poem wasn't mother it was kanagi that
she had in
mind but kovalan did not realize that he
quietly assumed that madavi was silently
accusing him of having cheated on
her it's a little silly how the
alternative explanation that didn't pop
into his head but it just
didn't maybe he should have been
sober well two can play this game he
thought he changed his own poem he had
written it about madavi but now he
changed it to be about a girl who hurt
the boy she
loved and that broke poor mavi's
heart the rift between these two was
suddenly so wide that kovalan and madavi
did not even look at each other
anymore at this this point kovalan had
no choice but to return home he couldn't
very well stay with one of his poker
buddies who didn't actually
exist and he couldn't possibly go to
madav after what had
happened that alone should tell you that
kovalan and mavi's romance was doomed to
fail if a couple doesn't even talk out
their differences to clear what might
simply be a
misunderstanding they are very unlikely
to be
successful now in a moment that may have
us all collectively face spamming kanagi
took kovalan
in she completely believed koval's
claims that he was now reformed and he
would never speak to madavi
again he said he would immerse himself
into earning money for
them
but it was now too late for them in this
Village weeks of partying without a
steady income had left kovalan
bankrupt his credit rating in the
village was so low that they wouldn't
even let him buy a cup of coffee on
credit the only way out was to start in
a completely new
place how about madurai suggested
kovalan it's well known for textiles
said
kanagi you could buy some material and
setup shop I can help you make
cloth but we need some money to get us
started how do we buy the raw material
and a loom asked
kovalan now if someone has lied to you
every day and taken money from home and
blown it all away on someone else
you might not want to immediately trust
them with
more but
kanagi did she revealed her backup of a
backup
plan she took off an anklet and gave it
to kovalan to
sell it's pure gold with diamonds inside
she said you should be able to fetch a
pretty penny with
this fantastic said kovalan failing to
notice the utter expression of loss on
his wife's face the anklet had held
sentimental value to the girl it had
been her
mother's but kanagi if the diamonds are
completely within the anklet and can't
be
seen will a prospective buyer even
believe they're
there they will kovalan here's the
certificate from the Jewelers who made
it
what's more all of these diamonds are
Kimberly process certified no blood
diamonds
here kovalan agreed that that was
probably enough to convince prospective
buyers they headed off towards Maday the
next morning and made it there in good
time kagi was
optimistic yes she had had lots of
trouble with her husband she had to deal
with a lot of love
eyes and she knew that ultimately
kovalan had returned to her only because
he was annoyed with madavi and not
because he had remembered his vows to
kanagi but she was willing to give that
marriage another
chance hers wasn't just a guarded
optimism either she was thrilled and she
immersed herself into thinking positive
thoughts about their new life together
kovalan went off to the market to sell
the anklet while kanagi stayed at their
new
home an abandoned little Hut at the edge
of the
village a few hours later kovalan
returned with sacks of groceries and
lots of material for their new
Venture and a big smile on his
face I got a great deal for the anklet
he told
kanagi I sold it to the Royal Jeweler
himself he paused and
continued it was funny how the Jeweler
kept asking me if it belonged to someone
Royal I laughed it off by saying it
belonged to my
Queen haha
oh he stopped suddenly as a bunch of
soldiers stormed into their Hut
are you the one who sold an anklet to
the Royal Jeweler asked one of the
soldiers when kovalan nodded they
arrested him and began reading him his
Rights kovalan was told he had the right
to remain
silent and he was silent if only out of
shock what what what has he what has he
even done asked kagi
you'll have to take it up with the King
said the
soldier believe me I will she said and
stormed off to the Palace just as she
was she wasn't very presentable at the
moment but kanagi couldn't be bothered
by all that she had her priorities set
right she got to the Palace but had to
wait in line for an audience with the
King
after a few hours when she finally had a
chance she jumped into the
problem what has my husband
done the minister who had a huge book
open in front of him scroll down to the
case and
found kovalan here got it arrested today
on charges of having stolen the Queen's
anklet the queen
anklet that was my anklet that he
sold where is this anklet that he is
said to have
stolen the article exhibit a was
immediately brought
forward kagi slipped off the anklet off
of her other foot and held it up next to
exhibit
a they were
identical but then what about the queen
anlet it asked the
king at this point the queen decided it
would be wise to
interject I'm not missing an anklet dear
she showed her ankles and there was an
anklet on
each oh my God said the
king but but um we can set this right
Ki I'll make sure you and your husband
are
compensated
you needed seed money to set up your
Enterprise I'll provide it no harm no F
all water under the bridge and fault on
both sides and all that okay he
asked kagi didn't say
anything the king cleared his throat and
ordered a guard to release kovalan
immediately and to bring him
here the guard
asked do do you want me to bring just
his head or both the head and the
body that shocked
everyone but the punishment for the
non-existent crime had already been
carried
out
kovalan had been
beheaded kagi did not cry she flew into
a rage she cursed the king and the City
Justice you call this i' take Kafka any
day but for now I'll make you
pay this city will perish and you King
will become a
dervish not bad she thought to
herself maybe she was getting the hang
of this poetry thing that seemed to be
all the rage these
days but there was weren't any more
poetry festivals in her
future unable to Bear the loss of her
husband Ki passed on as
well but her final moments were
happy as she thought she would soon be
joining her husband in the
afterlife the city of maduray did perish
in a fire and the King died
repentant the the queen probably
deserves credit for Reviving The textile
industry by selling one of the unstolen
anklets just as kanagi had
done that's all for this
episode some notes on the
show this story is part of a poem called
saram written about 1500 years ago it
was written by a prince who became a
monk and no I'm not referring to the
budha the name
saram means the story of an
anklet the anklet plays an important
role but frankly I think it should have
been called the story of
kanagi she's the central
character there are many statues of
kanagi in Tamil Nadu check out some of
the links in the show
notes the poem was composed during the
time of the Chola
Dynasty if you haven't heard about this
dynasty it is one of the longest ruling
in world history having ruled for over
1600
years the king who ordered the execution
was part of the pandia
dynasty the poem has the young couple
move from the Chola Empire to the p AA
one and there's a bit of a theme Here of
Chola Justice contrasted with panda
Justice the city of Maday is a real one
it's well known for its minakshi
Temple minakshi is an avatar of Parvati
whom we have encountered before on this
podcast we'll continue to do more
stories of
her that's all I have for this week
in response to some of the feedback I've
received I'll be changing the format of
the show a little
bit on the midweek episodes we'll no
longer be doing characters of the week
we'll instead do a story so I don't
sound as boring as a Wikipedia
article and this will be in effect from
the very next midweek
episode this Wednesday night/ Thursday
we'll do a story from the panchatantra
it's a story about building Castles in
the Air and counting your chickens
before they are
hatched if you have comments or
suggestions please leave a comment or a
review on the site SFI podcast.com or
tweet at SFI podcast you can also find
me on Instagram and Facebook be sure to
subscribe to the show to get notified
automatically
of new
episodes thanks to all of you listeners
for your continued support and your
feedback the music is from purp
planet.com that's
purple-planet.com I'll see you next
[Music]
time
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)