‘அரிவாள்’ is folklore – the machete (Aruval or Aruva), the iron made weapon is a killer toy often resulting in grievous injuries or death. In many movies, you see the violence unleashed by the villain group chasing on Scorpios (or Sumos) armed with machetes. A machete is a large cleaver-like knife, similar to a kukri. In the Spanish language, the word is a diminutive form of the word macho, which means male or strong and was used to refer to sledgehammers. In the English language, an equivalent term is matchet. Here is what a search on ‘அரிவாள்’ returned: -
The village
Thirupachethy is famous for the arivals made here – of their quality and
strength, primarily used as agricultural implements but recent movies had
brought the infamy equating them will killer weapons. In one such movie (Thirupachi) the hero
Vijay is a ironsmith engaged in making such aruvals. He is so attached to his sister and lands in
hardened Chennai where he encounters ruffians amidst many violent scenes.
A violent sound
followed by group of thugs running with deadly arms in their hands is regular
scene in cinemas, seen by some unfortunate in real life too. There have been clashed between groups (be it
political / caste / religious) using such armoury and putting down others. This is different – TOI reports of a man
creating a scare by brandishing a
machete near two state ministers at a function in Poonamallee on Sunday .
Police said
Tirupathy, 30, was riding pillion with his friend Bharath, 32, on a motorbike.
They were returning after assaulting a rival and, believed the policemen in the
security detail of the ministers were trying to catch him. Ministers B V Ramana
and S Abdul Rahim and MLA R Manimaran had participated in a cleanliness drive
with a group of college students at a temple tank on Poonamalle-Parivaakkam Salai
and were about to leave when the ruckus broke out.
A policeman
escorting minister Ramana prevented Tirupathy from getting close to the car
that he was going to enter. An argument ensued and, Tirupathy , who was drunk,
whipped out a machete he had concealed in his shirt and threatened to hack the
policeman to death. When he moved forward as if to make good the threat, other
policemen came to the rescue of the escort. Members of the public also set upon
Tirupathy, some throwing stones at him, causing him to run around in no
particular direction, waving the machete and creating panic. “The man was
acting like he was mad. He ran at the crowd even after policemen asked him to
drop the sickle,“ a witness said.
Tirupathy took to
his heels but was later caught hiding from the police in a house in the
locality. He had minor injuries. The ministers witnessed the commotion before
leaving in their cars. Police detained Bharath and Tirupathy and said they were
involved in several cases of assault. “They were returning from Valasaravakkam
where they had attacked an old rival, Kumar,“ a police officer said. “He
thought we were trying to arrest him for attacking Kumar.“ The Poonamallee
police registered a case and handed the man to the custody of the
Valasaravakkam police. Investigators are looking into the possibility that
Tirupathy had other motives for displaying threatening behavior.
-
~ but such acts occurring in broad
day light at public place only displays lawlessness and lack of fear in the
Police.
அரிவாள் மூக்கன் என்பது
நீண்ட கால்களையும் வளைந்த அலகையும் கொண்ட ஒரு பறவை இனம். இதன் அலகு வளைந்துஅரிவாள்
போன்று தெரிவதால் இப்பெயர் பெற்றது. The straw-necked
ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis) is a bird of the ibis and spoonbill family
Threskiornithidae. Distributed widely in Australia, New Guinea, and parts of
Indonesia – they are colloquially known as ‘Arival mookkan (matchete nosed). Straw-necked
ibises are large birds, around 60–75 cm (24–30 in) long. They have dark wings
with long, black, downcurved bill.
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
27th Jan 2015.
