Vattakirutal in Sangam Period

Vattakirutal also referred to as Vadakiruthal or Vadakiruttal was practiced during the Sangam Period in South India. Vattakirutal meant fasting facing north until death. The practice of Vattakirutal was one in which a defeated king committed suicide ritually by starving himself to death, accompanied by those who had been close to him during his lifetime. The Tamil kings performed Vattakirutal to save their honor, and prestige, and avoid humiliation by the victorious king.

In the UPSC Civil Services (Prelims) Exam 2023 – General Studies – Paper I – Question 44 was asked about Vattakirutal mentioned in Sangam poems.

Vattakirutal and Sallekhana or Santhara

Vattakirutal is something like Sallekhana. Sallekhana was practiced by Jains and was the ritual of starving oneself to death. Sallekhana also known as Samlehna, Santhara, Samadhi-marana or Sanyasana-marana was considered as a final mode of liberation by Jainism. The Jain traditions mention that Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Mauryan dynasty, settled down at Shravanabelagola and performed Sallekhana.

Vattakirutal and Jauhar

We can also see some similarities between Vattakirutal and Jauhar. Jauhar was mass self-immolation by females particularly practiced by the Rajputs of North India region during medieval India. Most Jauhars are recorded during wars between Hindu Rajput kingdoms and Turko-Persian Muslim rulers.

Vattakirutal and Prayopavesa

Prayopavesa which literally means resolving to die through fasting, is a practice in Hinduism that denotes the death by fasting of a person who has no desire or ambition left, and no responsibilities remaining in life.

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