Manimekalai

The author is Chithalai Chathanar.

Most likely in the sixth century, Kulavika Cittalaic Ctar penned the Tamil epic Manimekalai, also written as Manimekhalai or Manimekalai.

A number of Silappadikaram's characters and their descendants are included in this Buddhist "anti-love" sequel.

The epic contains 4,861 lines in akaval metre and 30 cantos. Manimeka, the daughter of Kovalan and Madhavi, continues in the dancer and Buddhist nun footsteps of her mother.

Her tale is told in the epic. The Chola prince Udhayakumara is seduced by her aesthetic accomplishments and physical beauty. He is after her. She is a nun who practises Mahayana Buddhism and is dedicated to living without human bonds. Despite turning off his approaches, she can't help but be pulled to him. She runs away, cries out to her mother, Aravana Adikal, her Buddhist instructor, and angels who teach her Buddhist mantras to help her overcome her worries.While the prince tries to find her, one angel gives her the ability to transform into another person and mysteriously vanish to an island.

She is given a miraculous begging bowl on the island. Later, as the prince pursues her, she adopts the appearance and clothing of a married woman in the area. When the husband notices the prince making fun of her, he kills the prince to defend "his wife," Manimekalai-in-hiding. After learning of their son's passing, the king and queen order Manimekalai's arrest and hire a hitman to kill her. As others go closer to Manimekalai, angels step in and she suddenly vanishes once more. The queen recognises and expresses regret. The release of Manimekalai. Manimekalai teaches the king the Buddha's teachings and transforms the prison into a hospice to aid the poor.

Buddhist instructors recite the essential tenets of Buddhism in the epic's final five cantos.

She visits the goddess Kannaki temple in Vanci (the Chera kingdom), prays, hears from various religious authorities, and engages in strenuous self-denial in an effort to reach niravana.