Decad :8 Thiruvanmaanai Sub-title: Aananda-k- Kalippu (Fapturous Joy) (Sung at Thiruvannaamalai) Thiru means sacred. Ammaanai is a game of girls. It is played by a group of girls with pebbles which are tossed into the air and caught skilfully on the back of the hands. It is accompanied with a song called ammaanai the rhythm of which is suited to the action of the players. The subject of the song is generally the heroic exploits such as are popular among the people of the great acts of Civan as in this decad. Anananda = exulting or rapturous; Kalippu' = joy There are twenty verses of six lines each in Tharavukochaka Kalippa metre. The word ammaamaai comes as a refrain at the end of each verse. The long ‘a’ at the end of the word is a vocative (case) ending to suit the title of the decad. The saint has wisely chosen this title in order to drive home his bridal mysticism and he as the lady-love uses this game to sing the praises of her lover. Her acts, talk, thoughts dreams and everything are only about her lover Mahaadevan. 367
