What can a bloody tale of neglect and revenge, hundreds of years old, have in common with present-day court verdicts in India? Intriguingly, quite a lot. Just last week, on July 14, a woman accused of killing her two small girl children before attempting to end her own life was released by the Madras High Court, which upheld a trial court verdict citing the ‘Nalla Thangaal syndrome’, referring to an old story still popular in the southern parts of Tamil Nadu. As per the case, which came to light in 2016, the woman, Sathiya, had felt pushed to take such a measure because she was no longer able to take the continued harassment she was facing for giving birth to a third daughter. Sathiya had left her eldest daughter unharmed, but the younger ones succumbed to their injuries. Sathiya, too, survived.
So, what is the Nalla Thangaal syndrome, which had come to the aid of the mother in the case? Nalla Thangaal is not a syndrome in the scientific sense of the word, in that, it is not a diagnosable mental health condition. The phrase actually refers to an old story that is both moving and violent. Speaking to TNM, folklorist AK Perumal retells that tale: “Nalla Thangaal was the sister of King Nalla Thambi. The siblings, according to the story, shared a close bond. Years after she was married off into another kingdom, famine hit that land. Nalla Thangaal returned to the kingdom of her birth, along with her seven small children, hoping to find refuge with her brother. On her way to Nalla Thambi’s home, she ran into him in the forest, where he was in the middle of a hunt. The brother told his beloved sister to go on ahead, and that his wife would take care of her. But the wife, the sordid tale says, turned on her sister-in-law, humiliating her until Nalla Thangaal fled with her children. Hiding in the forest, she was at a loss about how to provide for herself and the children. Sadly, when she comes across a deep well, she throws each of the children into it one after another, before taking her own life too.”
There are many versions of the Nalla Thangaal tale, told in many literary forms. The story perhaps came to Tamil Nadu from Andhra Pradesh and became localised during the Nayakkar period, says Perumal, adding that the story is told in Karnataka too. “Here, in Tamil Nadu, this tale has become a symbol of two issues: death by suicide in the face of poverty, and of abusive in-laws.”
While referencing the story in Sathiya’s case, both courts took the view that an economically vulnerable woman was unable to cope any longer in a misogynist society. Hence, she was released on probation, on humanitarian grounds.
Interestingly, this is not the first time a court in Tamil Nadu has made a reference to the Nalla Thangaal tale while giving its judgment. In fact, the Madras HC order cites several preceding cases. The first appears to be as early as in 1973, when a district judge was hearing the ‘Sreerangayee vs Unknown’ case. “Thereafter, the state of mind/psychological concept was explained in detail and propounded by this court in the judgment on ‘Suyambukani v State of Tamil Nadu’,” the order reads. “Suyambukani's case was in 1989. Unfortunately, this occurrence happened in 2016 and we, as a society, have not corrected ourselves … . It is a matter of great pain that the appellant/accused, being the mother, should feel ashamed for giving birth to female children and even would attempt to commit suicide and to kill the children.”
It may seem strange that a court of law would rely on old stories to pass judgment, but advocate Sudha Ramalingam offers a different point of view. “Referring to mythologies in itself is not new for courts, but it would be a mistake to presume that the court’s order was based entirely on the Nalla Thangaal story. Verdicts are made based on the strength of the evidence submitted by the prosecution and defence. In this particular case, it seems clear that the woman was not mentally fit when the incident took place.” Sudha adds that Sathiya’s circumstances of poverty and social pressure must be the focus of concern here. “Ideally, we must be glad that the court took such a bold stance.”
Earlier in 2019, Sathiya had been sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000, failing to pay which, she would have undergone six more months of imprisonment. Later that year, the same court had ordered her release while making a reference to the ‘Nalla Thangaal syndrome’, which has now been upheld by the High Court. She is instead to appear regularly before the Sessions Court in Vellore and execute a bond of good behaviour. In the ensuing days after the incident in 2016, Sathiya has had a fourth daughter. The court order has directed her to ensure that both her daughters are educated, at least up to an undergraduate degree, and that she is to “bring them in the best possible manner without placing any fetters merely because they are girl children”. Also, according to the order, Sathiya had expressed remorse in court and stated that she would no longer be influenced by society’s views on gender.
Now, if you are wondering how the story of Nalla Thangaal — who is currently living on through the pages of court orders — had ended, it gets bloodier. After his hunt in the jungle, King Nalla Thambi returns home expecting to find his sister and her children waiting for him. When he does not find them, his wife claims that Nalla Thangaal argued with her and went off in a huff. Nalla Thambi later uncovers the truth and vows revenge, killing his wife and her entire family, before taking his own life too.