The Siri Sandhi also Siri Paddana (pronounced: Siri Paadhdhana) or Epic of Siri is an epic poem in the Tulu language. Consisting of 15,683 lines of poetry, it is the longest poem in Tulu. The epic is essentially a biography of a legendary Bunt[1] princess Siri Alvedi and expands to describe the fate of her progeny – son Kumara, daughter Sonne and grand daughters Abbage and Darage. The epic declares Siri's divinity and also that of her progeny and she is worshipped as a Daiva (demi goddess) across Tulu Nadu region of South West India in temples known as Adi Alade. Siri is the patron deity of the Tulu people. Her worship and mass possession cult surrounding her transgresses caste and ethnic lines. The Epic of Siri, though in Tulu, is well known in Kannada speaking populations in and around Tulu Nadu. It is recited in parts in a highly ritual style during the annual festival of Siri Jatre[2] and mass possession festival called Dayyol.[3] Complete recitation of the epic takes close to about 25 hours.[4] The Epic of Siri has been translated into English by Lauri Honko, a Finnish linguo-folklorist.[5]
- ^ U. Padmanabha Upadhyaya (1985). Folk epics of Tulunad. Regional Resources Centre for Folk Performing Arts. p. 26.
- ^ "Udupi: 'Siri Jatre' Begins Across Coastal District". Daijiworld Media Network. 19 March 2009. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
- ^ Team Mangalorean (26 April 2008). "Sirikumara – A unique folk tradition". Mangalorean.com. Archived from the original on 22 June 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
- ^ B. A. Viveka Rai. "Epics in the Oral Genre System of Tulunadu" (PDF). journal.oraltradition.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
- ^ M.Raghuram (16 July 2002). "Tulu fit to be included in Eighth Schedule". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2011.