WHAT LAND GRANT PROPOSAL IS THE KING DISCUSSING?
Again, like the last few video clips (blog 3 1.11 and the several postings preceding it) thisLegend of Ponnivala excerpt is quite simple in its basic construction. This makes it a good “teaching clip” for younger students. This particular scene conveys just one key message: the king has had a very prosperous growing season. The harvest has been abundant. The fields are lush and green. The king’s explanation for all this beauty and wealth around him is straight forward. He attributes it all to the skills and hard work of the nine farmer-brothers from Vellivala who happened to seek out his goodwill sometime back, because of a drought in their own Vellivala region. He had agreed to hire them and clearly he now feels that he made the right decision. Somehow these men’s presence was auspicious. They had brought him good luck. In exchange the Chola king wants to show his gratitude by giving them land in an area called Ponnivala. We have not learned much about this area from the story, yet. But Ponnivala must lie at some distance (upstream) and the king must have a reason for choosing this particular place. Likely his reasoning has been influenced by three (unspoken) factors: 1) He trusts these nine men to work hard, 2) He believes they will make good envoys who will be loyal to him because he has shown them generosity and kindness, and 3) He hopes these men will help fulfill his broader ambition to expand his own territorial influence and thereby further enhance his own good name. Clearly this king believes his generosity will make a good impression and solidify the bond he now has with these men. He is in the process of transforming them from loyal workers into loyal political allies
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