VK Sasikala's 'Mighty Vow' Slapping Ritual Leaves Twitter Baffled

Weeks ago, VK Sasikala, a political novice, had dreamed of becoming Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. A Supreme Court order not just shattered those plans but she was ordered to serve a four-year jail sentence. On Tuesday, as Ms Sasikala started for Bengaluru to begin her jail term she stopped at the beachside memorial of her mentor J Jayalalithaa in Tamil Nadu. And did something strange that set off a firestorm on social media.

The 61-year-old was seen striking Ms Jayalalithaa's grave at least thrice while muttering something in apparent anger. By all available accounts, she took a "mighty vow". Or three. An AIADMK tweet said she pledged to "overcome hurdles, treachery and plots against her".

The Hindu claims that Ms Sasikala enacted an ancient Tamil ritual for revenge - Vanjinam Uraithal - apparently for battlefields where oaths were taken to avenge the death of a king or a soldier. It is still followed in villages, said the report.

Now, videos, GIFs and pictures are circulating all over Twitter. Many used humour to try and interpret what Ms Sasikala did.

Tweeple, who live for such moments, immediately began posting versions of the clip - some imagined Ms Sasikala as a WWE contestant and others suggested the reaction came after she spotted a mosquito on the memorial.
 

When you find that one Mosquito #SasikalaConvicted #SasikalaVsOPS #sasikala pic.twitter.com/mo8a8SFBgK

- Dangit (@DangitInt) February 15, 2017

What actually happened! pic.twitter.com/PjE71Mwskf

- Madurai Fellow (@rajivrajaram) February 15, 2017

Tu toh ghotala karke margai jail muje ho rahi h.pic.twitter.com/tOomCFAbp4

- unMask (@Mr_LoLwa) February 15, 2017

WWE judge... #Sasikala pic.twitter.com/YwdEeJ2ieU

- AR (@AR3661) February 15, 2017

Making a promise or cursing? What audacity. See her clenched teeth at the time of slapping and later wiping her palms #sasikala pic.twitter.com/nCBi5J9Vl0

- Madhu Kottarakara (@MKottarakara) February 16, 2017

Sasikala's triple hand slam on the grave reminded me the WWE referees, slapping the mat 3 times when a wrestler defeats the other.

- Princestructor (@revprince) February 16, 2017

Sasikala at Amma Memorial. Vowed to destroy OPS, BJP and other enemies via @Priyamvathap pic.twitter.com/qNFIfbMzO2

- Dhanya Rajendran (@dhanyarajendran) February 15, 2017

Sasikala at Amma Memorial. Vowed to destroy OPS, BJP and other enemies via @Priyamvathap pic.twitter.com/qNFIfbMzO2

- Dhanya Rajendran (@dhanyarajendran) February 15, 2017

V. Arasu, former head of the department of Tamil, Madras University told The Hindu: "They would slam the ground as they treat it as Mother Earth. Mr. Panneerselvam observed a vow of silence at the memorial; Ms Sasikala has taken a different kind of vow."

Ms Sasikala, a former video store owner, lived with Ms Jayalalithaa for nearly three decades and performed her last rites after she died on December 5.