What’s the matterThat you unlace your reputation thusAnd spend your rich opinion for the nameOf a night-brawler? Give me answer to it.

Like Fate in Greek tragedies, Destiny plays a significant role in Silappadikaram. As Ilango says, it announces itself in the yaazh (harp) that Kovalan plays, leading to his separation from Madhavi the courtesan and his subsequent death in Madurai, the Pandyan capital. Again, it is Destiny that visits the tongue of the Pandya king who, instead of saying ‘Bring the culprit, inquire, and if he is the one who stole the queen’s anklet, then kill him,’ blabbers without thinking, ‘Kill him if he has the anklet and bring it to me’.

Difficult enough to prove a worthy challenge, with an over-complexity that might have benefitted from a little self-restraint.