1. Parimalam (Female), 72 years old

2. N. Muthurakku (Female), 60 years old

3. C. Panchavarnam (Female), 67 years old

4. Lakshmi (Female), 50 years old

5. Ganapathy Palaniammal (Female), 70 years old

Oral tradition

A riddle is a puzzle described indirectly in one or two lines (that is, without directly explaining the object). Riddles are used both as a form of entertainment and as a tool to develop knowledge and enhance thinking skills. They come in many forms, including true riddles, story-based riddles, math riddles, and literary riddles. Riddles serve as a testament to the intellectual abilities of folk people. Riddles are a form of entertainment that unites everyone, from children to adults.

Some of the riddles available in the audio recording are translated as follows (refer audio file):

1. A chubby baby lies in a pit, a thin (needle-like) baby lifts it up. What is it?

Answer: Paniyāram (A round South Indian snack made from rice batter, crispy outside and soft inside.)

Explanation: The "chubby baby" is the round paniyaram sitting in the mold, and the "thin baby" is the skewer/ stick used to flip it.

2. When it laughs and shows its white,

its teeth are plucked away. What is it?

Answer: Cotton (in its pod).

Explanation: When cotton pods open up, they look like a laughing mouth showing white teeth. The white cotton fibers are like the teeth, and we harvest (pluck) them when the boll opens (laughs).

3. A deep pit is dug, a long seed is sown,

But no shoot will grow — what kind of seed is it?

Answer: A buried human body (dead person)

Explanation: The "deep pit" refers to the grave, the "long seed" is the human body, and it never "sprouts".