Question

Manimekalai is a _______ epic.
A. Malayalam
B. Sanskrit
C. Tamil
D. Telugu

Answer 1

Hint: Manimekalai is an epic which is a sequel to an earlier text called Silappadikaram, which was a love story. This text was composed in around the 6th century and is about a girl, who like her mother, was a dancer and a Buddhist nun.

Complete answer: Manimekalai is a Tamil text from the 6th century. This text was composed by Kulavāṇikaṉ Seethalai Sataṉar, who was a Tamil poet and has 11 verses from the Sangam literature attributed to his name.
This text is an anti-love story, as a sequel to its Silappadikaram, which was a love story. The story revolves around a girl named Manimekalai who is a dancer and a Buddhist nun being pursued by the Chalukya prince. She tries to stay out of the circle of human bindings according to the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism and uses various methodologies to keep the prince at bay. Yet, the prince gets killed at last and Manimekalai is arrested for it. When the king and queen are given a sermon about Buddhism and the chastity of the girl, they set her free.
This is a story glorifying the ideals of Buddhism. It is also interesting to see the intersection of Buddhism and Hinduism in the story multiple times when Hindu goddesses are evoked and appealed too as well for help.
Thus, the correct answer is option (C).

Note: This is one of the very few surviving works of Buddhist literature. Though it has been found that Buddhist literature had existed since the 14th century, it has rarely survived. This particular epic was originally found on palm leaves in a Hindu temple.