கமபரமயணததல ககம கறததப பதவகள / References to Crows in Kamba Ramayanam

Crow is considered a Holy mount of Lord Saneeswaran in the pantheon of Hindu mythology. There is a strong belief that the departed Souls of the ancestors will accept the ritual food offered by their children and successors on the day of their death anniversaries at the times of Amavasa and other Eclipse days. The beliefs of the individuals are subject to radical changes according to the time of the present society, and it cannot be denied. Even today in Indian society, there is a strong belief that cawing of a crow in front of the house will bring guests to the house on the particular day. Many Omens seemed to be believed by the people attaching to their sentiments over different birds. During the Sangam Era, it was believed that the cawing of crows would unite the people from their separation, and this can be attributed to the references made in Sangam literature. There is a custom among the people to offer a small quantity of cooked rice to the crows before the family members start to eat. It was common right from the Sangam age to the present times. In Sangam literature, the crow is described as a native bird of the Neithal land. Ten poems in the Ainkurunooru describe crows. A Sangam poet named Kakkaipadiniyar got the name because of the songs sung about crows. In Kambaramayanam, Kambar mentions three types of crows such as crow, the raven, and the water crow. In this article, we will also examine how beliefs about crows in the past Tamil society and now in the modern society.