Sangam Lit

In this episode, we listen to a description of the only available course of action, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 221, penned by Kayamanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse reveals the situation which necessitates elopement in a lady’s life. நனை விளை நறவின் தேறல் மாந்தி,புனை வினை நல் இல் தரு மணல் குவைஇ,‘பொம்மல் ஓதி எம் மகள் மணன்’ என,வதுவை அயர்ந்தனர் நமரே; அதனால்,புதுவது புனைந்த சேயிலை வெள் வேல்,மதி உடம்பட்ட மை அணற் காளைவாங்கு சினை மலிந்த திரள் அரை மராஅத்து,தேம் பாய் மெல் இணர் தளிரொடு கொண்டு, நின்தண் நறு முச்சி புனைய, அவனொடுகழை கவின் போகிய மழை உயர் நனந்தலை,களிற்று இரை பிழைத்தலின், கய வாய் வேங்கைகாய் சினம் சிறந்து, குழுமலின் வெரீஇ,இரும் பிடி இரியும் சோலைஅருஞ் சுரம் சேறல் அயர்ந்தனென், யானே. In this trip to the drylands, we hear the confidante say these words to the lady, urging her to choose the path of elopement: “Relishing well-filtered toddy that blooms from buds, heaping sand brought from elsewhere, in front of the fine and well-etched mansion, declaring, ‘Our daughter, the girl with exquisite tresses, is about to be married’, our kin are making preparations for your wedding; And so, the bull-like, bearded young man, holding a newly sculpted leaf-edged white spear, sees eye to eye with me on this. He shall pluck soft, honey-soaked flower clusters, along with tender sprouts, from the burflower tree, with a thick trunk, brimming with curving branches, and adorn your cool and fragrant head. Along with him, you should traverse the highland spaces, without rain, where bamboos have lost their beauty, and where a tiger, with a fierce mouth, maddened by the loss of its prey of a male elephant, filled with fury, lashes out with a loud shout, and frightens the elephant’s dark mate in the drylands scrub jungle. This is what I wish for you now!” Time to walk along with this couple through that harsh domain! The confidante starts with an account of what’s happening at home right then and she zooms on to the actions of the lady’s relatives, who are getting into the festive mood by drinking toddy that’s mentioned as blooming from buds. Now, blooming from buds implies that this is honey. Are they fermenting honey into alcohol? Researching on this, I learnt the term for this alcoholic beverage, made from honey, is ‘mead’, and it’s considered to be the ‘great, great, great grand-mother’ of all liquor, and revered in many ancient cultures, be it in China, Greece, Rome or even Scandinavia! Perhaps the ‘theral’ we keep reading about in Sangam literature, is the Tamil equivalent of this ‘mead’! Returning from our revels in toddy, we find the confidante continuing what those relatives of the lady are up to, talking about how they have brought heaps of sand and spread it in front of the mansion and they are going around telling everyone that the their daughter is about to be married. A wedding is a happy occasion, is it not? But not so, for the lady, who loves another, and here, the parents are arranging a wedding with a stranger. So, the confidante had taken things into her hands and has told the man the only way forward was to elope with the lady, and he too had wholeheartedly agreed to the plan. All this, the confidante conveys to the lady and sketches an image of the drylands, which is harsh indeed, where the sounds of a tiger, which has lost its prey of a male elephant makes it bellow aloud in fury, and this startles the female elephant there. The confidante concludes by telling the lady that even so, all she wished for the lady was to leave there, along with the man, whom the confidante promises will adorn the lady’s tresses with the clusters of bur-flowers growing in that very space! And so, the confidante seems to be telling the lady, ‘Even though there’s danger in the drylands, you are in safe hands, and those will shower love and care upon you!’ By presenting both the harsh reality of the situation and positive visualisation of the future, the confidante shows the way to nudge someone in the right direction!

In this episode, we perceive pointed questions put forth, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 220, penned by Madurai Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. The verse is situated amidst the fertile seas of the ‘Neythal’ or ‘Coastal landscape’ and builds a stack of similes to present a pertinent point. ஊரும் சேரியும் உடன் இயைந்து அலர் எழ,தேரொடு மறுகியும், பணி மொழி பயிற்றியும்,கெடாஅத் தீயின் உரு கெழு செல்லூர்,கடாஅ யானைக் குழூஉச் சமம் ததைய,மன் மருங்கு அறுத்த மழு வாள் நெடியோன்முன் முயன்று அரிதினின் முடித்த வேள்வி,கயிறு அரை யாத்த காண் தகு வனப்பின்,அருங் கடி நெடுந் தூண் போல, யாவரும்காணலாகா மாண் எழில் ஆகம்உள்ளுதொறும் பனிக்கும் நெஞ்சினை, நீயேநெடும் புற நிலையினை, வருந்தினைஆயின்,முழங்கு கடல் ஓதம் காலைக் கொட்கும்,பழம் பல் நெல்லின் ஊணூர் ஆங்கண்,நோலா இரும் புள் போல, நெஞ்சு அமர்ந்து,காதல் மாறாக் காமர் புணர்ச்சியின்,இருங் கழி முகந்த செங் கோல் அவ் வலைமுடங்கு புற இறவொடு இன மீன் செறிக்கும்நெடுங் கதிர்க் கழனித் தண் சாய்க்கானத்து,யாணர்த் தண் பணை உறும் என, கானல்ஆயம் ஆய்ந்த சாய் இறைப் பணைத் தோள்நல் எழில் சிதையா ஏமம்சொல் இனித் தெய்ய, யாம் தெளியுமாறே. On our way to the coast, we take detours to perceive significant events and observe bird life, as we listen to the confidante say these words to the man, when he is about to part away after his nightly tryst with the lady: “Making the town and neighbourhood rise together in slander, you rove around in your chariot and speak humble words. In picturesque ‘Selloor’, known for its ceaseless ritual fire, vowing to end the rule of kings, who battle in wars with their elephants in musth, the tall one with a sharp sword performed a ritual, and akin to the protected tall pillar therein, tied with a rope and having exquisite beauty, is her bosom of immense beauty, which is rare and precious. You have a heart that melts every time you think of it, and you are filled with worry, as you stand afar. The roaring waves of the sea surround the town of ‘Oonoor’ known for its produce of paddy from ancient times, and akin to the dark bird there that does not know what it means to be apart from its mate, you have to place each other in your hearts and having a profound union of ceaseless love. A beautiful net with a red rod dips in the dark backwaters and gathers curved back shrimp, and schools of fish, in the cool town of ‘Saykaanam’, filled with fields of tall grain stalks. Akin to the prosperous, cool bamboo that grows here, are her thick arms with curving wrists that her playmates celebrate. So tell me the right word to make me understand how you plan to act in such a way that the fine beauty of these arms of hers, are protected, without any sign of ruin!” Let’s fish the Sangam seas and learn more! The confidante starts by mentioning how the man seems to be come often to their place and causes slander to spread about his relationship with the lady. Then, she goes on to describe a place called ‘Selloor’ and mentions how this was the venue of a ritual conducted by someone referred to as the ‘Tall one with a sword’, which other interpreters have connected to the character of Parasuraman from Hindu mythology. Apparently, this ‘tall one with a sword’ conducted a fire ritual ceremony, vowing to end the line of kings in this town and the confidante has mentioned this only to say how just like the decorated tall pillar there, the lady’s bosom was exquisite and precious. Once again, the confidante reverts to the man and notices how he yearns to embrace the lady, understanding how he is filled with angst when far. Next, she talks about another seaside town of ‘Oonoor’ and how there lives a bird here, which cannot think of a life away from its mate. From other poems from this era, we can infer the confidante is talking about the ‘Andril’ bird, most probably referring to the ‘red-naped ibis’. Now, the confidante turns to the man and says that’s how he must be with the lady. After that, the confidante ventures into the last town, a coastal town called ‘Saaykaanam’, whose seas yield shrimp and fish in abundance, and also, where fields of grains sway in the wind. Here, there are also lush bamboos, and the confidante has summoned this place to connect the bamboos here to the lady’s arms. She ends by asking the man what steps he was going to take to ensure those arms of the lady never fall into any ruin! In a nutshell, the confidante is telling the man, ‘All this coming and going along with your humble, sweet words is fine. But what are you going to do to bring lasting joy to the lady?’ Another ‘Marry her, marry her’ rendition, in which we get to tour the towns of the Sangam era!

In this episode, we perceive the worry of a mother, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 219, penned by Kayamanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse sketches a portrait of the care and love showered on a daughter. சீர் கெழு வியன் நகர்ச் சிலம்பு நக இயலி,ஓரை ஆயமொடு பந்து சிறிது எறியினும்,‘வாராயோ!’ என்று ஏத்தி, பேர் இலைப்பகன்றை வால் மலர் பனி நிறைந்தது போல்பால் பெய் வள்ளம் சால்கை பற்றி,‘என் பாடு உண்டனைஆயின், ஒரு கால்,நுந்தை பாடும் உண்’ என்று ஊட்டி,‘பிறந்ததற்கொண்டும் சிறந்தவை செய்து, யான்நலம் புனைந்து எடுத்த என் பொலந்தொடிக் குறுமகள்அறனிலாளனொடு இறந்தனள், இனி’ என,மறந்து அமைந்து இராஅ நெஞ்சம் நோவேன்‘பொன் வார்ந்தன்ன வை வால் எயிற்றுச்செந்நாய் வெரீஇய புகர் உழை ஒருத்தல்பொரி அரை விளவின் புன் புற விளை புழல்,அழல் எறி கோடை தூக்கலின், கோவலர்குழல் என நினையும் நீர் இல் நீள் இடை,மடத் தகை மெலியச் சாஅய்,நடக்கும்கொல்? என, நோவல் யானே. In this trip to the drylands, we get to hear mother say these words, at the juncture her daughter had left her home and eloped away with the man: “In the esteemed and prosperous mansion, when she moved about with her anklets tinkling, and played by throwing the ball with her mates, fearing she would tire out, I called out, ‘Come here, my dear’ and holding a bowl, brimming with milk, appearing akin to a white flower of the rattlepod, coated with dew, I would say to her, ‘After eating one portion for me, do eat another for your father’ and feed her with care. Thinking, ‘My darling young girl, adorned in gold, on whom I showered all that was good and brought out the best in her, has now parted away with that unjust man’, my heart doesn’t want to forget her even a little. I worry not about this! Having sharp, white teeth, akin to molten gold, the wild dog roves in the drylands. Hearing its rustle nearby, frightened, a spotted male deer, turns in the direction of a sound that arises when the heat-showering summer wind blows through the cracked shell of the wood apple fruit, blooming on a rough trunk, and thinks it’s the flute of the cowherds, in that waterless, long path. Wondering how my naive and delicate girl would walk through such a place, is all I worry about!” Time to tread those scorching spaces! Mother starts by recollecting the attention and care she had bestowed on her girl, feeding her and nurturing her. Mother talks about how she would feed her daughter even if she had spent but a little energy in playing ball with her friends, worrying that she would fall tired. All the coaxing mother would do is brought out by the mention of her asking the girl to eat a little for the sake of mother and a little for the sake of father. This brings to my memory about how caregivers here, often play the game of making the food they are feeding a young child into small balls, and saying one is for mother, one is for father, one is for sister, and so on, including the whole family from grandparents to uncles and cousins, a way of entertaining and ensuring the kid gets some food in! Returning, we find mother saying how after all this care, the girl chose to leave her home and part away with the man. Yet that her girl broke her heart is not what worries her, mother says, but the thought of how she is going to walk on those harsh drylands spaces, where a deer, startled by a wild dog, mistakes the sound of wind through a wood apple as the sound of the cowherds’ flute! In essence, the verse etches the nature of a mother, who even when hurt by her daughter can think of nothing else but how she would fare, wherever she is!

In this episode, we perceive an effective technique of changing a person’s course of action, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 218, penned by Kabilar. Set amidst the pouring rain of the midnight hour in the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’, the verse etches the dangers in traversing this domain by night. ‘கிளை பாராட்டும் கடு நடை வயக் களிறுமுளை தருபு ஊட்டி, வேண்டு குளகு அருத்த,வாள் நிற உருவின் ஒளிறுபு மின்னி,பரூஉ உறைப் பல் துளி சிதறி, வான் நவின்று,பெரு வரை நளிர் சிமை அதிர வட்டித்து,புயல் ஏறு உரைஇய வியல் இருள் நடு நாள்,விறல் இழைப் பொலிந்த காண்பு இன் சாயல்,தடைஇத் திரண்ட நின் தோள் சேர்பு அல்லதை,படாஅவாகும், எம் கண்’ என, நீயும்,‘இருள் மயங்கு யாமத்து இயவுக் கெட விலங்கி,வரி வயங்கு இரும் புலி வழங்குநர்ப் பார்க்கும்பெரு மலை விடரகம் வர அரிது’ என்னாய்,வர எளிதாக எண்ணுதி; அதனால்,நுண்ணிதின் கூட்டிய படு மாண் ஆரம்தண்ணிது கமழும் நின் மார்பு, ஒரு நாள்அடைய முயங்கேம்ஆயின், யாமும்விறல் இழை நெகிழச் சாஅய்தும்; அதுவேஅன்னை அறியினும் அறிக! அலர் வாய்அம்பல் மூதூர் கேட்பினும் கேட்க!வண்டு இறை கொண்ட எரி மருள் தோன்றியொடு,ஒண் பூ வேங்கை கமழும்தண் பெருஞ் சாரல் பகல் வந்தீமே! In this adventurous trip to the mountains, we get to hear the confidante say these words to the man, when she brings the lady over for a nightly tryst: “A strong male elephant with a steady gait, one which is celebrated by its kith and kin, brings bamboo shoots for the whole herd and lets them feed contentedly, at a time when the skies flash their lightning in the hue of swords, scatter many thick drops of rain, which leap from the skies, and pour down, surrounding cool mountain peaks, as clouds resound aloud with thunder, during the darkness-drenched midnight hour. Saying, ‘Her eyes will not find any sleep unless she unities with my thick and curving arms, pleasing to the eyes, and adorned with strong ornaments’, and without thinking, ‘The paths through the huge mountain ranges, where in this hour of confusing darkness, a huge tiger with swaying stripes stands in wait for wayfarers, is dangerous’, you think it’s easy to come here. It’s also true that if even for one day, she does not get to embrace your cool and fragrant chest, adorned with a fine and intricately etched necklace, her exquisite ornaments would slip away; So, if mother would come to know of this, so be it! If the gossiping women of this uproarious town were to hear of this, so be it! Come by day, to this cool mountain slope, which wafts with the together fragrance of the fire-like flame-lilies, swarming with bees, and the radiant flowers of the Kino tree!” Time to brave the rain and leave on a midnight trek. The confidante starts by sketching an image of a male elephant, which is thoughtful and considerate to its herd and brings shoots and leaves for them to feed on and is much celebrated by the herd. After a record of that estimable being, the confidante turns her attention to the weather, which is quite stormy, bringing down heavy rain on the peaks. She says all this is happening at midnight. At this time, the man thinks about how his beloved would not find any sleep, if she did not unite with him and without caring about the danger in that mountain path, where a tiger waits to pounce on some innocent wayfarer, the man comes walking to tryst with the lady, in the confusing hour of darkness, the confidante explains. She also concedes that indeed the lady would lose her health and her jewels would slip away from her arms if at all the man did not come to meet her. After mentioning all this, as if she has come to a conclusion, she tells the man, ‘Never mind if mother comes to know of your relationship, never mind if the slanderous womenfolk in town get to know about it, but you must come to our mountain slope, wafting with the scent of both the flame-lily and the Kino flowers, only by day.’ While it may sound like a harmless request to change the time of the rendezvous, it’s a neatly-worded statement to make the man change his attitude of temporary trysting and make him seek the lady’s hand in marriage. The confidante does this in a gradual and logical manner, first appealing to the man’s sense of honour by talking about that esteemed elephant, which keeps the entire herd in mind, then she goes on to appreciate the man’s love for the lady, and his fearlessness in fulfilling his duty by her. At this point, she talks about how the lady too is worthy of his love and truly reciprocates his feelings. After all these statements, she presents it to the man as if the only logical solution is to meet by day, so as to not fear for the man’s safety. Even there, she brings in the other danger of mother knowing and the women gossiping, and through his, without telling the man, she tells him, the only way forward is to marry the lady, in front of the whole village, and be honoured like the elephant we just met. Holding the other to a high standard, acknowledging the positives, establishing the worthiness o