The Position of the Underprivileged People in Sirpi’s Poetic Work ‘Sarpayaakam (Sacrificial rite for the destruction of serpents)’

Abstract

The poet Sirpi is a boon to 20th century Tamil. In his poem, this article examines the status of the downtrodden people in society, the status of women, and the status of the people affected by politics. In the poem, Sarpayaakam, the position of the people of the lower strata of the society, the atrocities committed on the women belonging to that community, and the sufferings suffered by the people due to the political situation are also mentioned in this work. It depicts the idea that even nature silently accepts the idea that the upper classes in society think of the lower classes as contemptuous and degrading. Human society still suffers from poverty. Though there are many political programmes to eradicate poverty, poverty persists as they are not able to work. Even in the dreams of the people, there is no atmosphere of prosperity. When will their dream come true? Poverty has persisted for ages. People must be freed from these continuing clutches of poverty. The poet's desire to get rid of their hunger is expressed. Pointing out that society is deteriorating because of politics and that politics is a Snakes and Ladders game. The poet points out in his lines of poetry that many politicians are enslaving society as poisonous snakes who puff out and lunge their bodies to move on. The poet's view that the lower classes should fight unitedly and fight against the power of the upper classes to reduce their arrogance is expressed in a way that arouses the sentiments of the lower classes.