Sangam Lit

In this episode, we perceive a man’s angst, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 126, penned by Nakeerar. The verse is situated amidst the gushing rivers of the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ and relates a personal situation to a historic event. நின் வாய் செத்து நீ பல உள்ளி,பெரும் புன் பைதலை வருந்தல் அன்றியும்,மலைமிசைத் தொடுத்த மலிந்து செலல் நீத்தம்தலை நாள் மா மலர் தண் துறைத் தயங்கக்கடற்கரை மெலிக்கும் காவிரிப் பேரியாற்றுஅறல் வார் நெடுங் கயத்து அரு நிலை கலங்க,மால் இருள் நடுநாட் போகி, தன் ஐயர்காலைத் தந்த கணைக் கோட்டு வாளைக்கு,அவ் வாங்கு உந்தி, அம் சொல், பாண்மகள்,நெடுங் கொடி நுடங்கும் நறவு மலி மறுகில்பழஞ் செந் நெல்லின் முகவை கொள்ளாள்,கழங்கு உறழ் முத்தமொடு நன்கலம் பெறூஉம்பயம் கெழு வைப்பிற் பல் வேல் எவ்விநயம் புரி நன் மொழி அடக்கவும் அடங்கான்,பொன் இணர் நறு மலர்ப் புன்னை வெஃகி,திதியனொடு பொருத அன்னி போலவிளிகுவைகொல்லோ, நீயே கிளி எனச்சிறிய மிழற்றும் செவ் வாய், பெரியகயல் என அமர்த்த உண்கண், புயல் எனப்புறம் தாழ்பு இருளிய பிறங்கு குரல் ஐம்பால்,மின் நேர் மருங்குல் குறுமகள்பின்னிலை விடாஅ மடம் கெழு நெஞ்சே? In this trip to the farmlands, we listen to another side of the story in the usual love quarrel between the man and lady involving a courtesan, as we get to hear these words said by the man to his heart, as the confidante listens nearby: “O heart, thinking that your thoughts are so true, you have attained not only an immense suffering-filled sorrow; The brimming flood that descends down from the mountains sways, with huge, freshly bloomed flowers, in the cool shores, as the River Kaveri’s huge stream flows, shrinking the seashore. Muddying the precious state of the silt-filled river mouth, in the darkness of midnight, her brothers fished and brought back the thick-crested scabbard fish in the morning. Taking this catch, the bard’s daughter with a curving belly and sweet words, goes to the streets, where tall flags flutter and toddy brims over. Instead of just accepting the barter of heaps of old red paddy, she seeks and obtains fine jewels with pearls as big as molucca beans, in the prosperous expanses of the land, ruled by the many speared Evvi. Without heeding his fine and thoughtful words and standing down, desiring the laurel-wood tree with golden clusters of fragrant flowers, Anni waged war against Thithiyan. O naive and ignorant heart of mine, if you insist on bowing and standing behind that maiden, with a red mouth, akin to that of a parrot that babbles but a few words; well-set, kohl-streaked eyes, akin to a pair of fish; five-part thick tresses that descend darkly down her back, akin to a cloud in the storm; a waist, akin to lightning; then like that Anni, you are sure to lose your life too!” Time to fish in the flooding rivers and visit the rich streets of the farmland towns! The man starts by addressing his heart saying it seemed to be torturing itself with so many thoughts and believing in the truth of it all. He remarks how it seemed to be in a state of much suffering. However that was not the only thing to be worried about, the man hints. Instead of saying what else, the man goes on to talk about the prosperous land of a king named Evvi, mentioning how the River Kaveri brings a flood of freshly bloomed flowers and how fishermen gather bountiful fish from the river mouth, and take their catch home. Apparently, the task of selling this fish fell on the women of the household, and in this case, the fishermen’s sister takes it to the marketplace. There, instead of simply accepting the offered paddy in exchange for the fish, the shrewd businesswoman she is, the girl bargains for fine jewels studded with pearls as big as Molucca beans and gets it too. This is mentioned to remark on the prosperity and plenty of Evvi’s country. The man has mentioned King Evvi only to say that another ruler named Anni failed to heed the words of this good king, and instead, he went charging against a king named Thithiyan, and chopped down Thithiyan’s sacred ‘Punnai’ tree. These historic facts we have already seen in Natrinai 180 and Aganaanooru 45! What happened after this incident is revealed in the next few words of the man, when he turns to his heart and says, ‘Just the way Anni died after this incident in the hands of Thithiyan, you too will die if you continue to keep begging before that young and beautiful maiden’, implying that he was heartbroken at the constant refusal of his lady, to accept him back. These words are meant to nudge the confidante into obtaining the lady’s forgiveness for the man and her acceptance to take him back into the home. Like a river that starts in the mountains, meanders through the plains and reaches the ocean, the verse too starts with a sharp downward fall of the man’s state of mind, then swirls through the landscape of ancient rivalry between kings, and reaches the destination of bringing about a change in another’s heart. Historic moments and the heart’s beats dance a duet

In this episode, we listen to an angry retort to an inanimate element, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 125, penned by Paranar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse weaves in a relevant historical reference as an apt simile to echo an emotion within. அரம் போழ் அவ் வளை தோள் நிலை நெகிழ,நிரம்பா வாழ்க்கை நேர்தல் வேண்டிஇரங் காழ் அன்ன அரும்பு முதிர் ஈங்கைஆலி அன்ன வால் வீ தாஅய்,வை வால் ஓதி மைஅணல் ஏய்ப்பத்தாது உறு குவளைப்போது பிணி அவிழ,படாஅப் பைங் கண் பா அடிக் கய வாய்க்கடாஅம் மாறிய யானை போல,பெய்து வறிது ஆகிய பொங்கு செலற் கொண்மூமை தோய் விசும்பின் மாதிரத்து உழிதர,பனி அடூஉ நின்ற பானாட் கங்குல்தனியோர் மதுகை தூக்காய், தண்ணென,முனிய அலைத்தி, முரண் இல் காலை;கைதொழு மரபின் கடவுள் சான்றசெய்வினை மருங்கின் சென்றோர் வல் வரின்விரிஉளைப் பொலிந்த பரியுடை நல் மான்வெருவரு தானையொடு வேண்டு புலத்து இறுத்தபெரு வளக் கரிகால் முன்னிலைச் செல்லார்,சூடா வாகைப் பறந்தலை, ஆடு பெறஒன்பது குடையும் நன் பகல் ஒழித்தபீடு இல் மன்னர் போல,ஓடுவை மன்னால் வாடை! நீ எமக்கே. We stay back with the lady, instead of taking the tour of the drylands, in this instance, and hear her say these words to the northern winds, as her confidante listens nearby, when she learns that her man, who had parted away was on his way home to her: “Making those beautiful bangles, shaped by a saw, to slip away from the arms; Having an intention of destroying this incomplete life; Plucking white flowers, akin to hailstones from the touch-me-not tree, whose mature buds are like the ironwood tree’s seeds; Loosening the buds of the blue lily, filled with pollen, akin to the dark beard of the sharp-tailed lizard; As thick clouds, dried up after pouring down the rain, appearing akin to a strong male elephant with sleepless green eyes, wide feet and strong mouth, in whom the flow of musth has stopped, roll around in the dark and wide expanses of the sky, in the middle of the dark night, when the dew pours down, without understanding the limits of those who are lonely, even when I have no quarrel with you, you spread suffering by blowing with coolness; When the one who has parted away, worshipping his mission with folded hands and seeing it as God, returns speeding on his fine, radiant horses, with swaying manes, then akin to those kings lacking honour, who lost nine royal umbrellas on one single day, when the great and famous Karikaal Peruvalathaan arrived with his fear-evoking army, seized the lands he desired and conquered them, in the battlefield of ‘Vaagai’, you too shall run away, O cruel northern wind, turning your back to me!” Time to observe the antics of an element of the weather! The lady starts by detailing the activities of the northern winds in the cold season. First, it’s the wind’s effect on her, which is the epitome of pining, reflected in the slipping away of her bangles, and then, she makes a comment that the intention of the wind seems to end her still incomplete life, echoing the torment she feels. Then, the lady moves on to the outer effects such as, how the winds make touch-me-not white flowers drop down, and how these open out the tightly closed buds of the blue lily. There’s a striking comparison here which led me to a curious discovery. The pollen on the blue lily has been placed in parallel to the beard of a lizard, which was said to have a sharp tail. When searching for an Indian lizard with a beard, I came across an ‘Oriental Garden Lizard’, and Lo, its tail was long and ended in a sharp point. Looking closely at its neck, I found the reptile to have a serrated, scaly neck and this image turned out an exact match for the pollen-filled inner core of a blue lily. This left me with awe at the skills of these ancients in connecting disparate elements like a flower and a lizard, which stands testimony to their creativity. Returning, we see the lady continuing to detail what the northern winds are up to, by talking about the dry clouds in the sky, appearing like elephants, whose period of musth is done with, telling us this season appears after the rainy season, and most probably is the ‘Koothir Kaalam’, the ‘Cold Season’ by Sangam definition. Next, she talks about how the dew pours down ceaselessly, and the cold that envelops test the very limits of those who are lonely, and she asks the northern winds why it’s doing all this to her, when she has no fight with it! Finally, she turns to the winds and concludes by saying, ‘The moment my beloved, who has left on his mission, returns, you will run away, defeated in front of me!’. To etch this image, the lady brings in the battlefield of Vaagai, where King Karikaalan defeated not one, not two, but nine kings, and seized their royal parasols, and made them flee in fear! The beauty of this verse is the exquisite layering with unique and stunning similes, ending with that celebration of a renowned Sangam King. A moving expression by the lady on how the elements seem to turn an enemy, when h

In this episode, we listen to a man’s yearning to be back home, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 124, penned by Madurai Aruvai Vaanikan Ilavettanaar. The verse is situated amidst the blooming jasmines and buzzing bees of the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest landscape’ and describes a homeward journey. ‘நன் கலம் களிற்றொடு நண்ணார் ஏந்தி,வந்து திறை கொடுத்து, வணங்கினர், வழிமொழிந்துசென்றீக’ என்பஆயின், வேந்தனும்நிலம் வருத்துறாஅ ஈண்டிய தானையொடுஇன்றே புகுதல் வாய்வது நன்றே.மாட மாண் நகர்ப் பாடு அமை சேக்கைத்துனி தீர் கொள்கை நம் காதலி இனிதுற,பாசறை வருத்தம் வீட, நீயும்மின்னு நிமிர்ந்தன்ன பொன் இயற் புனை படை,கொய்சுவல் புரவி, கை கவர் வயங்கு பரி,வண் பெயற்கு அவிழ்ந்த பைங் கொடி முல்லைவீ கமழ் நெடு வழி ஊதுவண்டு இரிய,காலை எய்த, கடவுமதி மாலைஅந்திக் கோவலர் அம் பணை இமிழ் இசைஅரமிய வியலகத்து இயம்பும்நிரை நிலை ஞாயில் நெடு மதில் ஊரே. In this familiar path through the forest, we hear the man say these words to his charioteer, when he’s about to return home, after completing his mission of aiding his king in battle: “If it becomes true that enemies would arrive with elephants and fine vessels, offer tributes, bow to the king, praise his greatness and bid farewell, then there’s a good chance that the king, along with his huge army, which torments the earth beneath, would return to his country today. That’s a good thing!  In the fine, decorated mansion, upon the well-crafted bed, lies my beloved with no notion of dislike. To delight her and to diminish my pains of the battlefield, you have to ride like a flash of lightning, wielding with firm reins, the speedy horses, having a swaying mane and fitted with a golden saddle. Dashing through the long roads, fragrant with the scent of fallen flowers of the wild jasmine, with green vines, loosened by the steady downpour, at the time, when bees buzz along, hasten, so that, as the fine music of beautiful bamboo flutes of the herders resounds around the widespread spaces, we shall reach the tall-walled town, with rows of fortified gates!” Time to trot along in the speeding chariot through the fragrant forest! The man looks at the happenings around him and declares everything looks set for the enemies to surrender to his king, offer him tributes, and bid him farewell. He declares that would be a wonderful thing because in that case the king would return with his huge army, back to his capital. The man’s mind turns to his beloved waiting patiently for him back home and he sees how she has not a bit of anger towards him. He decides that he must delight this beautiful soul, and at the same time, give him the much needed relief from the exertions of the battlefield. To this end, the man concludes by asking his charioteer to ride like the lightning through the forests, blooming with jasmines and buzzing with bees, and enter the gates of his fortified town, even as the music from the flutes of the herders spreads around that space, in the tormenting hour of twilight. In this request to express the eagerness in the man’s heart to be back home, we learn about the man’s mission to aid a king in battle, the success of that king, the mode of transport, the highways of the past, the season of flowering jasmines and the man’s rich and fortified town, implying his position as a wealthy lord and leader! Amusing how there’s so much story in these simple words, whose modern equivalent would be nothing more than a GPS location!

In this episode, we perceive the troubled mind of a man, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 123, penned by Kaveripoompattinaththu Kaarikkannanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse talks about the oscillations in the midst of an endeavour. உண்ணாமையின் உயங்கிய மருங்கின்ஆடாப் படிவத்து ஆன்றோர் போல,வரை செறி சிறு நெறி நிரைபுடன் செல்லும்கான யானை கவின் அழி குன்றம்இறந்து, பொருள் தருதலும் ஆற்றாய்; சிறந்தசில் ஐங் கூந்தல் நல் அகம் பொருந்திஒழியின், வறுமை அஞ்சுதி; அழிதகவுஉடைமதி வாழிய, நெஞ்சே! நிலவு எனநெய் கனி நெடு வேல் எஃகின் இமைக்கும்மழை மருள் பல் தோல் மா வண் சோழர்கழை மாய் காவிரிக் கடல் மண்டு பெருந் துறை,இறவொடு வந்து கோதையொடு பெயரும்பெருங் கடல் ஓதம் போல,ஒன்றில் கொள்ளாய், சென்று தரு பொருட்கே. In this little trip to the drylands, we journey more into the mind rather than this domain, as we hear the man say these words to his heart, in the middle of his journey through the drylands, having parted from the lady in search of wealth: “Having the shrivelled, starving stomachs of ascetics, who bathe not, jungle elephants, along with their herd, walk on, in the small path, amidst the dense mountains, in those highlands, bereft of beauty. You seem not to be able to go there steadfastly and bring back wealth; On the other hand, you are not able to stay on the beautiful bosom of my beloved with fine, beautiful tresses, woven into five-part braids, because you fear the poverty that would ensue; You are doomed, may you live long, my heart! Having well-oiled, tall iron spears that shine like the moon, and many shields, akin to rain clouds, are the great and compassionate Chozha kings. Akin to the waves of the huge ocean, which arrives with shrimps and parts away with garlands, from their huge river shore of Kaveri, whose bed no bamboo pole can touch, you stay not firm in one place, with the sole intention of bringing back wealth!” Let’s listen to the troubles that walk along with the man through the drylands! The man starts by presenting a vivid image of elephants, walking in a herd through narrow paths amidst mountains, which are shorn of their usual beauty, no doubt owing to the scorching summer. He zooms on to how the bellies of these beasts are shrivelled up, and to etch the image, he brings in the parallel of the shrunken stomachs of ascetics, who don’t eat or bathe, but are intent on their penance. After describing the drylands with this singular image, the man accuses his heart of not going there, with determination, to earn wealth, and at the same time, not staying with his beloved lady, because it feared the lack of wealth. Because of this, his heart seemed to be behaving like the waves of the huge ocean that arrives at the river mouth of the Chozhas’ Kaveri, showering the shrimps it holds, and stealing the garlands on the shore, moving forwards and backwards, and refusing to stay in one place, the one that would make him earn wealth and return, the man concludes. A simple thought about a heart that wavers even after a decision has been taken! The man seems to be separating himself from his heart to see how he wants to go forward and earn wealth, and at the same time, remain in the joy of his beloved’s company. This seeming contradiction he projects on his heart and hopes to find the will to keep moving forward towards his goal. A relatable verse whose thought about the pendulum motion of a heart swings across time timelessly!

In this episode, we listen to a list of impediments to trysting, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 122, penned by Paranar. Set amidst the hooting owls and crowing roosters of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’, the verse presents the problems in the present and subtly nudges a change of course. இரும் பிழி மகாஅர் இவ் அழுங்கல் மூதூர்விழவு இன்றுஆயினும் துஞ்சாது ஆகும்;மல்லல் ஆவண மறுகு உடன் மடியின்,வல் உரைக் கடுஞ் சொல் அன்னை துஞ்சாள்;பிணி கோள் அருஞ் சிறை அன்னை துஞ்சின்,துஞ்சாக் கண்ணர் காவலர் கடுகுவர்;இலங்குவேல் இளையர் துஞ்சின், வை எயிற்றுவலம் சுரித் தோகை ஞாளி மகிழும்;அர வாய் ஞமலி மகிழாது மடியின்,பகல் உரு உறழ நிலவுக் கான்று விசும்பின்அகல்வாய் மண்டிலம் நின்று விரியும்மே;திங்கள் கல் சேர்பு கனை இருள் மடியின்,இல் எலி வல்சி வல் வாய்க் கூகைகழுது வழங்கு யாமத்து அழிதகக் குழறும்;வளைக்கண் சேவல் வாளாது மடியின்,மனைச் செறி கோழி மாண் குரல் இயம்பும்;எல்லாம் மடிந்தகாலை ஒரு நாள்நில்லா நெஞ்சத்து அவர் வாரலரே; அதனால்,அரி பெய் புட்டில் ஆர்ப்பப் பரி சிறந்து,ஆதி போகிய பாய்பரி நன் மாநொச்சி வேலித் தித்தன் உறந்தைக்கல் முதிர் புறங்காட்டு அன்னபல் முட்டின்றால் தோழி! நம் களவே. It’s all about who sleeps and who doesn’t, in this trip to the mountains, where we hear the lady say these words to her confidante, before a nightly tryst, pretending not to notice the man listening nearby, but making sure he’s in earshot: “Having people, who ceaselessly delight in drinking toddy, this uproarious, ancient town sleeps not, even when there are no festivities; Even if the buzzing markets and bustling streets fall asleep, mother who speaks sharp, harsh words sleeps not; Even if mother, who is akin to a strong prison that ties one down, sleeps, with sleepless eyes, guards would roam about hither and thither; Even if those young helpers with shining spears sleep, the sharp-toothed dog, with a right-whorled tail, would bark aloud; Even if that saw-mouthed dog doesn’t bark and falls asleep, rendering the appearance of day, the moon would spread its light, standing so bright in the middle of the wide sky; Even if the moon were to disappear into the mountains and fall sleep, rendering a thick darkness, the strong-mouthed owl, which has just nabbed the house rat, would hoot, evoking terror in the midnight hour, when ghouls walk about; Even if the owl, which lives in a tree hollow, sleeps without a peep, the rooster that lives in the house would crow out with its rich voice; Even on a day, when everything falls asleep, he, who has a heart that stays not in one place, does not turn up; Lord Thithan, has fine, pouncing horses, which trot to a perfect rhythm, making their pebble-filled anklets resound, and he rules over Uranthai, surrounded by a fence of chaste trees. Akin to the dense, mountainous protective forest around Thiththan’s Uranthai, filled with obstacles many, is my secret love relationship with him, my friend!” Time to go on a midnight prowl in the mountains! The lady starts by talking about how the people in their town, who are known to relish toddy, don’t seem to sleep at all, even if there’s no excuse of a festival time. If at all, by some good grace, the town, with its busy marketplaces and streets, finally rest, their mother, who speaks sharp words, does not seem to sleep; If mother sleeps, then the guards don’t sleep and keep roaming about, doing their duty; If these guards decide it’s time to get some winks, then the dog takes their place and keeps up its loud barking; Even if the dog were to call it a day, the moon too would call the night a day and spread its bright rays, standing bang in the middle of the sky; Even if the moon decides to end its shine and settle down in the mountains, the owl, which has captured a rat, celebrates its success with a loud hoot; Even if the owl settles down without a squeak, our friend, the rooster, decides it’s time to grace the world with its resounding voice; By some glorious fortune, if at all, all these various creatures decide to render perfect silence, then that day, the man, who’s always wavering, doesn’t come here, the lady connects. She ends by saying just like the protected, stone jungle around the well-guarded town of Uranthai, ruled by Thithan, who has pouncing horses, the path of her love relationship with the man, was filled with pitfalls many! In essence, the lady is telling the man, ‘Don’t you see how many things have to go right for us to keep doing what we do?’. Hearing this angst-filled question from his beloved, the man would hopefully give up this temporary trysting and seek her hand in marriage. Beyond the usual theme of ‘Marry me, marry me’, what stays with us is the logical and lucid outlining of all the risks and dangers of the present course of action, which is the perfect fuel for the journey forward. Isn’t it a classic lesson to follow even today, whenever a wise voice within hints to us, ‘It’s time to change that path!’

In this episode, we perceive an animated reaction to a proposal, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 121, penned by Madurai Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse relates the discomfort in a journey through this domain. நாம் நகை உடையம் நெஞ்சே! கடுந் தெறல்வேனில் நீடிய வான் உயர் வழி நாள்வறுமை கூரிய மண் நீர்ச் சிறு குளத்தொடுகுழி மருங்கில் துவ்வாக் கலங்கல்கன்றுடை மடப் பிடிக் கயந்தலை மண்ணி,சேறு கொண்டு ஆடிய வேறுபடு வயக் களிறுசெங் கோல் வால் இணர் தயங்கத் தீண்டி,சொரி புறம் உரிஞிய நெறி அயல் மரா அத்துஅல்குறு வரி நிழல் அசைஇ, நம்மொடுதான் வரும் என்ப, தட மென் தோளிஉறுகண் மழவர் உருள் கீண்டிட்டஆறு செல் மாக்கள் சோறு பொதி வெண் குடைகனை விசைக் கடு வளி எடுத்தலின், துணை செத்துவெருள் ஏறு பயிரும் ஆங்கண்,கரு முக முசுவின் கானத்தானே. In this crisp trip through the drylands, we encounter many different scenes as we hear the man say these words to his heart, on hearing from the lady’s confidante that the lady intends to accompany the man, if he were to part away: “It makes me burst out laughing, O heart! As the sweltering heat of summer rained down day after day on those sky-high paths, impoverished, the tank dug up for drinking water, turns muddy, losing its moisture. In that slushy space with undrinkable water, a strong male elephant rubs mud on the soft head of its pregnant, naive mate, and then bathes in that mud. With its hue changed, it pulls the red-stalked, white clusters hesitantly and then rubs its rough and itchy back on the burflower tree, near the path. Resting under the lined shade of such a tree, the maiden with curving, soft arms, would accompany me, they say, through those paths, where after harsh-eyed highway robbers have troubled wayfarers, their white palmyra boxes holding food, would be carried away by fast-blowing winds, and would sound like a shower of arrows to a male deer, which would call out frightened, for the safety of its mate, in that jungle, filled with black-faced monkeys many!” Let’s join the man in his walk through the drylands and learn more! The man starts by saying that he has heard some really amusing words that are making him laugh out loud. Without saying what these are, the man launches into a long description of the drylands, in which first we see how the sun has scorched the moisture out of the region, in that harsh season of summer, and owing to that, tanks that had been dug up thoughtfully to provide drinking water to wayfarers had dried up, and in that slush-filled vicinity, a male elephant was cooling its pregnant mate’s head by rubbing some mud, and then, the male elephant takes care of itself by rolling in that slush with meagre moisture, after which it searches for a burflower tree trunk to rub its scratchy back against. The man connects to this scene by saying that the lady was planning to come with him, through the drylands, resting under such a burflower tree now and then, and walk on. He then goes on to describe that space as filled with paths, where highway robbers have troubled wayfarers and the lunch boxes of these travellers, made of palmyra leaves were lying scattered, only to be picked up by the hot wind. As these palmyra leaves are pushed and pulled by the hot winds, the sound that arises resembles a shower of arrows, which startles a male deer and makes it fear for the safety of its mate, and such is the jungle, filled with black faced monkeys that the lady wants to accompany him, the man concludes, explaining that this was the reason for his mirth! That the man believes that such a drylands path was no place for his delicate lady is evident from his reaction. The portrayal of the male elephant taking care of its mate by rubbing mud and the male deer startled by the seeming sound of arrows and worried about its mate’s safety are all projections of the man’s mind about his beloved’s ability to bear the dangers and discomfort of the journey through the drylands. Is this a right assessment of the lady’s ability to handle the discomfort or an underestimation of her abilities? It reminds me of the mother’s amazement at how her delicate girl is going to bear the journey through the drylands, when she hears that the girl has eloped away with her man. In both instances, love is being portrayed as fear and protectiveness. Something tells me in spite of all these worries in the minds of those who care, the lady has what it takes to brave the discomforts and take on any journey she needs to!

In this episode, we listen to a pointed request, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 120, penned by Nakeeranaar. The verse is situated in the blue-lotus blooming backwaters of the ‘Neythal’ or ‘Coastal landscape’ and presents a subtle way to change a person’s course of action. நெடு வேள் மார்பின் ஆரம் போல,செவ் வாய் வானம் தீண்டி, மீன் அருந்தும்பைங் காற் கொக்கினம் நிரை பறை உகப்ப,எல்லை பைப்பயக் கழிப்பி, குடவயின்கல் சேர்ந்தன்றே, பல் கதிர் ஞாயிறுமதர் எழில் மழைக் கண் கலுழ, இவளேபெரு நாண் அணிந்த சிறு மென் சாயல்மாண் நலம் சிதைய ஏங்கி, ஆனாது,அழல் தொடங்கினளே பெரும! அதனால்கழிச் சுறா எறிந்த புண் தாள் அத்திரிநெடு நீர் இருங் கழிப் பரி மெலிந்து, அசைஇ,வல் வில் இளையரொடு எல்லிச் செல்லாது,சேர்ந்தனை செலினே சிதைகுவது உண்டோபெண்ணை ஓங்கிய வெண் மணற் படப்பைஅன்றில் அகவும் ஆங்கண்,சிறு குரல் நெய்தல் எம் பெருங் கழி நாட்டே? A scenic trip to the coast where we listen to the confidante say these words to the man, when he comes to tryst with the lady: “Akin to the garland on the chest of the Tall-speared One, grazing against the reddened twilight sky, the green-legged flock of storks, which feed on fish, spread their wings in a neat row. Slowly, slowly, diminishing the day, the many-rayed sun has reached the mountains in the west. Her beautiful, rain-like eyes fill with tears, and she, adorned with a great modesty and having a delicate, fine appearance, pines away and destroys her celebrated beauty with her ceaseless shedding of tears, O lord! And so, without taxing your mule, which is moving slowly in the vast spaces of the dark backwaters, as its legs have been wounded by the attack of backwater sharks, instead of leaving with your helpers, wielding strong bows, during the day, would anything fall to ruin, if you were stay for longer and then leave from this country, filled with vast backwaters, brimming with small-stalked blue lotuses, wherein palm trees soar upon white sands and the red-naped ibis cries aloud?” Time to take in the sounds of an evening by the sea! The confidante starts by sketching the time of the day and to do that she calls a God denoted as the ‘Tall-speared one’, most probably referring to God Murugan. She zooms on to the white flower garlands encircling his red-hued chest and says that’s exactly how the storks are rising in neat rows on the canvas of the blushing sky at dusk. Then, the confidante details the time of the day even more closely by saying that the sun has slowly drawn the curtains on the day and had gone to rest its many rays in the mountains of the west. Now, from this detailed look at the time of the day, the confidante turns her attention to the crux of the matter and points to how the lady seems to be shedding tears ceaselessly, ruining her beauty. When we ask why, instead of explaining directly, she makes us understand through her next question to the man, wherein she asks what harm would happen if at all he would defer leaving with his bow-clad helpers and his mule, which is anyway moving slowly, wounded by the attack of sharks in the backwaters, and instead stay there in the lady’s village, filled with white sands, where palm trees sprout tall, and atop which, a red-naped ibis is crying aloud! Remember how these birds were seen as an inseparable couple that even death can’t part, in the eyes of Sangam folks? Subtly evoking this profound feeling, the confidante seems to be asking the man, ‘Don’t you hear the pining of the lady in the call of that red-naped ibis?’. These words are to convey to the man how his absence seems to affect the lady so greatly, and thereby, gently nudge him to give up this now-on-now-off trysting, and instead seek the forever joy of a permanent union. A sudden thought pops up in my mind as to whether all such songs are a tool employed to tell us to go beyond the temporary and transient to the permanent and lasting, in all that we feel, think and do!

In this episode, we perceive the yearning in a lady to part away with her man, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 119, penned by Kudavayil Keeraththanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse presents various aspects of this domain. ”நுதலும் தோளும், திதலை அல்குலும்,வண்ணமும், வனப்பும், வரியும், வாடவருந்துவள், இவள்” எனத் திருந்துபு நோக்கி,”வரைவு நன்று” என்னாது அகலினும், அவர் வறிது,ஆறு செல் மாக்கள் அறுத்த பிரண்டை,ஏறு பெறு பாம்பின் பைந் துணி கடுப்ப,நெறி அயல் திரங்கும் அத்தம், வெறி கொள,உமண் சாத்து இறந்த ஒழி கல் அடுப்பில்நோன் சிலை மழவர் ஊன் புழுக்கு அயரும்சுரன் வழக்கு அற்றது என்னாது, உரம் சிறந்து,நெய்தல் உருவின் ஐது இலங்கு அகல் இலை,தொடை அமை பீலிப் பொலிந்த கடிகை,மடை அமை திண் சுரை, மாக் காழ் வேலொடுதணி அமர் அழுவம் தம்மொடு துணைப்ப,துணிகுவர்கொல்லோ தாமே துணிகொளமறப் புலி உழந்த வசி படு சென்னிஉறுநோய் வருத்தமொடு உணீஇய மண்டி,படி முழம் ஊன்றிய நெடு நல் யானைகை தோய்த்து உயிர்க்கும் வறுஞ் சுனை,மை தோய் சிமைய, மலைமுதல் ஆறே? A winding tour of the drylands in this one, where we hear these words spoken by the lady to her confidante, who has come with the news of the man’s intention to part away from the lady: “Without seeing with clear eyes that ‘Making her forehead, arms and spotted waist lose its light, lustre and lines, she would worry greatly’, and without deciding ‘Seeking her hand is the right way’, he intends to part away to those barren paths, cluttered with the vines of the adamant creeper, appearing akin to pieces of a snake, shot down by thunder. Near such paths in the drylands, reeking with odour, lies the stone stove, abandoned by the caravan of salt merchants, now being used by highway robbers, with curving bows, to cook their meat. Without thinking that such spaces are forsaken by all, with strength in his heart, holding a dark-tubed spear, which appears akin to a blue lotus, and is fitted firmly, with a beautiful, shining, leaf-like tip and a stem, adorned with peacock feathers, as he leaves to subdue that raging battlefield, will he dare to take me along, in that mountain path, surrounded by dark clouds, where a tall, fine elephant, attacked by a strong tiger, and wounded on its head, with much pain and sorrow, bends its legs and thrusts its trunk in vain into that dried-up spring, letting out a loud sigh?” Time to capture the essence of this desolate space. The lady starts by declaring how the man doesn’t seem to realise that she would lose her health and beauty and be thrown into the throes of depression. Why she says this is because the man seems to have no thought about seeking her hand, but instead he has decided to walk on, to aid his king and subdue the enemy in that raging battlefield. To this end, the man walks on with his sturdy spear for company, through the drylands, where one can see pieces of ‘pirandai’ vines, chopped up by wayfarers, appearing like pieces of a snake, severed by thunder. A moment to note that this is an echo of the Sangam people’s belief that thunder was snake’s arch enemy and it had this one purpose of ruining this creature! Returning, the lady moves on to other sights, bringing our attention to an abandoned, old stove, which once belonged to travelling salt merchants, now under the custody of the fear-evoking robbers, who are using the apparatus to cook their reeking meat. The lady continues her description of the drylands by talking about the plight of an elephant, wounded on its head by a fierce tiger, which has come running, panting, seeking a drop of refreshing water, and has found only a dried-up spring, and no matter how it nudges with its trunk, no water rises to quench its angst, making that gentle giant let out a loud sigh. Connecting that this is where her man walks, the lady concludes by wondering if the man would dare to take her along through such a drylands path. The lady wishes to elope away with the man, instead of falling a prey to the slander of the townsfolk, much like how the stone stove belonging to the salt merchants has fallen into the fierce hands of the highway robbers. She sketches her own state of pain and anguish by projecting these emotions on the wounded elephant in search of the succour of water. The question remains as to whether the man would concede to take the lady along through these dangerous paths or will he choose the alternate path of seeking the approval of the lady’s kith and kin to marry her. Whatever be his answer, the verse echoes how the lady has boldly decided that ‘No matter the danger, my place is by my man’s side!’.

In this episode, we perceive words of persuasion, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 118, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated amidst the roars of drums and tigers in the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’ and points the way forward in a subtle manner. கறங்கு வெள் அருவி பிறங்கு மலைக் கவாஅன்,தேம் கமழ் இணர வேங்கை சூடி,தொண்டகப் பறைச் சீர் பெண்டிரொடு விரைஇ,மறுகில் தூங்கும் சிறுகுடிப் பாக்கத்து,இயல் முருகு ஒப்பினை, வய நாய் பிற்பட,பகல் வரின், கவ்வை அஞ்சுதும்; இகல் கொள,இரும் பிடி கன்றொடு விரைஇய கய வாய்ப்பெருங் கை யானைக் கோள் பிழைத்து, இரீஇயஅடு புலி வழங்கும் ஆர் இருள் நடு நாள்தனியை வருதல் அதனினும் அஞ்சுதும்.என் ஆகுவள்கொல்தானே? பல் நாள்புணர் குறி செய்த புலர்குரல் ஏனல்கிளி கடி பாடலும் ஒழிந்தனள்;அளியள்தான், நின் அளி அலது இலளே! A short trip to the mountains where we hear the confidante say these words to the man: “Near the radiant mountain slopes, where white cascades resound, wearing honey-fragrant clusters of Kino flowers, they dance together with beautiful women, to the beat of ‘thondakam’ drums, in the streets of our little hamlet. Having an appearance, akin to God Murugu, followed by strong dogs, if you were to come by day, we fear the slander that would follow;  A male elephant, with a huge and curving trunk, escapes capture, and takes its dark mate and calf to safety, thereby maddening a killer tiger, which roams around with fury, in the deep darkness of midnight. If you were to come by, all alone, at that time, we fear that even more. But what is to become of her? In the millet fields with drying stalks, where you trysted together for many days, she no more sings songs to chase away parrots. She is to be pitied indeed, for she has nothing to lean on but your grace!” Let’s take in the sights of the dancing mountain folk and the fleeing elephant family and learn more! The confidante starts by saying if the man were to come by day, adorned with Kino flower clusters, appearing like God Murugan himself, when mountain men would dance along with their women, to the beat of thondakam drums, he would be discovered and slander would spread. If instead, he were to come at night, all alone, when an elephant has just escaped from the attack of a tiger, leaving the beast to fume over, and wait for another prey, that would cause even more anxiety in the lady, the confidante mentions. Then she talks about how the lady is to pitied so much because there’s going to be no more singing to chase away parrots in the millet fields, the favourite trysting spot of the man and the lady this far, and concludes by saying the lady is to be pitied for she relies on seeing the man and receiving his graces more than anything else. In a nutshell, the confidante says to the man, ‘Don’t come by night, Don’t come by day; Lady’s locked up; No more trysting for you’. Through this, she intends to convince the man that the only course of action is to seek a permanent union with the lady. Again, a clever negotiation technique by presenting the risks and losses in the present course of action, nudging another without explicitly commanding to choose the right path!

In this episode, we listen to a mother’s words of love, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 117, penned by an anonymous poet. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse brings out the tender thoughts in a mother’s heart at the juncture of her daughter’s elopement. மௌவலொடு மலர்ந்த மாக் குரல் நொச்சியும்,அவ் வரி அல்குல் ஆயமும், உள்ளாள்,ஏதிலன் பொய்ம்மொழி நம்பி, ஏர் வினைவளம் கெழு திரு நகர் புலம்பப் போகி,வெருவரு கவலை ஆங்கண், அருள்வர,கருங் கால் ஓமை ஏறி, வெண் தலைப்பருந்து பெடை பயிரும் பாழ் நாட்டு ஆங்கண்,பொலந்தொடி தெளிர்ப்ப வீசி; சேவடிச்சிலம்பு நக இயலிச் சென்ற என் மகட்கேசாந்து உளர் வணர் குரல் வாரி, வகைவகுத்து;யான் போது துணைப்ப, தகரம் மண்ணாள்,தன் ஓரன்ன தகை வெங் காதலன்வெறி கமழ் பல் மலர் புனையப் பின்னுவிட,சிறுபுறம் புதைய நெறிபு தாழ்ந்தனகொல்நெடுங் கால் மாஅத்து ஊழுறு வெண் பழம்கொடுந் தாள் யாமை பார்ப்பொடு கவரும்பொய்கை சூழ்ந்த, பொய்யா யாணர்,வாணன் சிறுகுடி வடாஅதுதீம் நீர்க் கான்யாற்று அவிர்அறல் போன்றே? It’s more about the lady than the drylands in this trip and we hear these words spoken by the lady’s mother, after the lady has eloped away with her man: “Without thinking about the chaste tree with dark leaf clusters, upon which wild jasmine vines spread and bloom, or her playmates with beautiful, lined waists, believing in the lies of that stranger, she has left her well-etched, prosperous mansion in loneliness, and departed to that fear-evoking path, where climbing atop a black-trunked toothbrush tree, the white-headed kite calls out piteously to its mate, in the expanses of those wastelands. Here, she walks swaying her hands, making her golden bangles jangle, and the anklets on her red feet tinkle. When I used to comb her thick tresses, coated with dried sandalwood paste, split it into parts, and adorn it with flowers, she would refuse to let me apply the ‘agarwood’ paste. Now, when her esteemed lover, who has a great love just like hers, ties many different flowers, wafting with intense fragrance, on her tresses, would it hide the small of her back and descend down, appearing akin to the radiant sand on the shore of the wild river with sweet waters, which flows to the north of Vaanan’s ‘Sirukudi’, with unending fertility, filled with ponds, where tortoises with curved legs, along with their little ones, nab the fallen ripe, white fruits of the tall-trunked mango tree?” Time to hear the sad cry of a drylands kite! Mother starts by declaring how her girl didn’t spare a thought either for the ‘nochchi’ tree that she grew with love, or her dearest playmates, with whom she has spent many an hour of joy, and just believing in the false words of a strange man, she has left them all, leaving their wealthy mansion to cry in loneliness. Then, mother turns to briefly mention where the lady is walking and this happens to be drylands path, where a white-headed bird of prey, possibly a Brahminy Kite, is crying out to its mate, sitting atop a toothbrush tree. Here, mother sees her daughter walking vigorously with her bangles and anklets tinkling. Then, her mind rewinds to that past moment when she would adorn the lady’s hair with flowers and try to apply a paste referred to as ‘thakaram’, and at that moment, the lady would refuse to let her mother do that. A moment to pause and investigate this ‘thakaram’ mentioned! On researching, I learnt that this could be either a paste or an oil made from ‘agarwood’, a natural resin, which is referred to as ‘liquid gold’ for such is its worth, and apparently, this ingredient is found in many hair products, and it seems to endow numerous benefits such as providing strength and nourishment for the hair, and also controlling dandruff and lice too! These ancient mothers seem to have realised the many benefits of this wood, exploited by the cosmetic industry currently! Returning, mother’s thoughts seem to turn from the past, where she was grooming her girl’s hair, to the present, when she imagines the lady’s lover to be tying many different, fragrant flowers to the lady’s head, and she wonders if her girl’s tresses would descend down, and appear like the silty sand on the river shores, to the north of a town called ‘Sirukudi’, belonging to a lord named ‘Vaanan’, where there were many fertile ponds, and the tortoises living therein would savour the fallen fruits of the mango tree. In short, mother weaves a garland between that past moment of her caressing her daughter’s hair to this present moment, where another, the lady’s lover, has taken over. A moment of realisation in mother that her young girl was no more hers to protect, but someone whose joy has now passed on to the care of other hands!

In this episode, we hear the reason for a refusal, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 116, penned by Paranar. The verse is situated amidst the paddy stalks and lotus blooms of the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ and illustrates the events of a historic battle. எரி அகைந்தன்ன தாமரை இடை இடைஅரிந்து கால் குவித்த செந் நெல் வினைஞர்கள் கொண்டு மறுகும் சாகாடு அளற்று உறின்,ஆய் கரும்பு அடுக்கும் பாய்புனல் ஊர!பெரிய நாண் இலைமன்ற; ‘பொரி எனப்புன்கு அவிழ் அகன்துறைப் பொலிய, ஒள் நுதல்,நறு மலர்க்காண் வரும் குறும் பல் கூந்தல்,மாழை நோக்கின், காழ் இயல் வன முலை,எஃகுடை எழில் நலத்து, ஒருத்தியொடு நெருநைவைகுபுனல் அயர்ந்தனை’ என்ப; அதுவே,பொய் புறம் பொதிந்து, யாம் கரப்பவும், கையிகந்துஅலர் ஆகின்றால் தானே; மலர்தார்,மை அணி யானை, மறப் போர்ச் செழியன்பொய்யா விழவின் கூடற் பறந்தலை,உடன் இயைந்து எழுந்த இரு பெரு வேந்தர்கடல் மருள் பெரும் படை கலங்கத் தாக்கி,இரங்குஇசை முரசம் ஒழிய, பரந்து அவர்ஓடுபுறம் கண்ட ஞான்றை,ஆடு கொள் வியன் களத்து ஆர்ப்பினும் பெரிதே. A trip to the farmlands, which throbs against our eardrums, as we hear these words said by the confidante to the man, when he seeks entry to the lady’s house, after his tryst with a courtesan: “In the midst of lotus flowers, blazing like a fire, harvesters heap stalks of red paddy. When the cart, which roves around, bringing fresh toddy to them, gets stuck in the mud, they chop and pile beautiful stems of sugarcane in a row to heave the cart out. Such is the prosperous town of yours with pouncing streams! You have no sense of shame, O lord! They say, ‘By the wide shores, where the beechwood tree, with blooming flowers, akin to puffed rice, you were playing along with a maiden, who has a shining forehead, short and thick tresses woven with many fragrant flowers, eyes akin to tender mangoes, a beauteous bosom, adorned by a pearl strand, the one who has an intricate, fine beauty, in the brimming streams yesterday’. Even though we tried to suppress it saying it’s nothing but a lie, beyond our hold, it leaps out and spreads as slander. The courageous, battle-worthy Chezhian, who possesses dark and decorated elephants adorned with flower garlands, attacked and shattered the huge sea-like armies of the two great kings, who came together in the battlefield of Koodal, with unending festivities, and made them abandon their roaring drums and run away. At that moment, when the backs of the retreating enemies were seen, in that wide battlefield, filled with victory dances, a tumultuous shout erupted. The slander that spreads because of you is louder than that uproar!” Sparks are flying in the land of plenty again! The confidante starts by describing the man’s town as a place, where harvesters heap red paddy amidst red lotuses, which appear like a blazing fire. These lines paint the song red, hinting at the angry mood that is to follow. The confidante also talks about a roving toddy cart, which apparently goes about the fields, quenching the thirst of these hardworking harvesters. Being a slushy terrain, the carts would happen to get lodged in the mud, and to help these carts to be on their way, the harvesters seemed to chop the sugarcane stalks growing by, without a thought, and use that as a board to heave the cart out. After that seemingly random description of the man’s town, the confidante comes to the crux of the issue, and tells the man that many people were saying that the man was courting a courtesan by the river shores, having great fun with her, by playing in the stream. She claims that she and the lady’s friends tried to shush it calling it a lie, but even so, the slander was spreading. To describe the nature of this slander, the confidante traverses to the famous battlefield of Koodal, where the Pandya King Chezhiyan routed the armies of the two other great kings, namely the Chera and Chozha kings, making their armies, which had been akin to twin seas, abandon their war drums and retreat. The moment they retreated, there arose a victorious uproar on that battlefield and the man’s doings was making the slander soar louder than that uproar, the confidante connects and concludes. In that scene of sugarcane being chopped to pull out the cart from the slush, the confidante places a metaphor for how the man was ruining the beauty of the lady and climbing over her goodness, so that he could rove about and frolic with the courtesans, akin to that toddy cart! A clear ‘No’ to the man’s ‘May I come in?’, said by the confidante, on behalf of the lady. We take note of a momentous conflict between the three great rulers of ancient Tamil land, and how two of them sided against one, and in spite of that, how that one emerged the victor in the battlefield at that ancient and ageless city of Koodal, known as ‘Madurai’ in contemporary times. Yet again, the Sangam poets prove that they are masters of creativity, adept at weaving the ripples of a domestic tussle with the roar of a histori

In this episode, we perceive the pain in a lady’s heart, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 115, penned by Maamoolanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse sketches the consequences of the man’s parting away. அழியா விழவின், அஞ்சுவரு மூதூர்ப்பழி இலர்ஆயினும், பலர் புறங்கூறும்அம்பல் ஒழுக்கமும் ஆகியர்; வெஞ் சொல்சேரிஅம் பெண்டிர் எள்ளினும் எள்ளுக;நுண் பூண் எருமை குட நாட்டன்ன என்ஆய்நலம் தொலையினும் தொலைக; என்றும்நோய் இலராக, நம் காதலர் வாய் வாள்எவ்வி வீழ்ந்த செருவில் பாணர்கைதொழு மரபின் முன் பரித்து இடூஉப் பழிச்சியவள் உயிர் வணர் மருப்பு அன்ன, ஒள் இணர்ச்சுடர்ப் பூங் கொன்றை ஊழுறு விளைநெற்றுஅறைமிசைத் தாஅம் அத்த நீளிடை,பிறை மருள் வான் கோட்டு அண்ணல் யானை,சினம் மிகு முன்பின், வாம் மான், அஞ்சிஇனம் கொண்டு ஒளிக்கும் அஞ்சுவரு கவலை,நன்னர் ஆய்கவின் தொலைய, சேய் நாட்டு,நம் நீத்து உறையும் பொருட்பிணிக்கூடாமையின் நீடியோரே. In this tour of the drylands, we get to hear the lady say these words to her confidante, as the man, who went in search of wealth, remains parted away. “In our formidable, ancient town, with endless festivities, even when there is no need for censure, there are many who speak behind the back and spread slander. Let those women of the village, who speak harsh words, mock at me, if they want to; Let my fine beauty, akin to Kudanaadu, ruled by Erumai, wearing intricate ornaments, be ruined, if it has to be! Akin to the resounding, curving stems of lutes, broken and thrown with worshipping, folded hands by bards, when Evvi, with a victorious sword, fell in the battlefield, mature seed pods of the radiant golden shower tree, lies scattered on the rock surfaces in the drylands path, where Anji, who possesses esteemed elephants, with crescent-moon-like, white tusks, and raging, strong horses, hides herds of cattle captured from his enemies. Traversing such a fearsome path, letting my exquisite beauty fade, he has forsaken me, departed to a faraway country, and with his affliction to seek wealth not abating, he continues to stay away. I only wish that he remains with no trace of ill health forever!” Time to walk on through fearsome drylands spaces! The lady starts by talking about her own town. Although it has a lot of good, when considering how it has existed from ancient times and how it seemed to have festivities all year though, there was one thing wrong about it and that was the presence of gossiping women, who cast aspersions, when there is no need at all. After making that statement, the lady declares that she doesn’t mind if those women were going to mock her. Also, she adds that she was not even going to worry if her beauty, which she places in parallel to a place called ‘Kudanaadu’, ruled by a lord called ‘Erumai’, fades away. After this, she goes on to describe the drylands and do that, she brings before our eyes, the seed pods of golden shower trees lying on rock surfaces, and to etch the image, she places the parallel of a scene, depicting the sorrow of bards, when their generous patron ‘Evvi’ perished in the battlefield, and they broke their fine lutes and threw the curving stems, in front of the dying king, worshipping his greatness. After connecting that element of nature with a historical reference, the lady further describes the drylands as a place where Anji, a leader is known to hide cattle he has raided from his enemies. Crossing such spaces filled with much conflict, the man has left her to seek wealth and that quest seemed to be never-ending, the lady remarks, and concludes by saying that the only thing she wished for, was whatever may happen to her, no harm should befall the man. In spite of all the pain he seems to have inflicted on her, the lady only wishes for the man’s welfare, echoing the true love that beats in her heart!

In this episode, we perceive a man’s eagerness to return to his beloved, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 114, penned by an anonymous poet. The verse is situated amidst the scattered flowers of the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest landscape’ and visualises a person living far away. ‘கேளாய், எல்ல! தோழி! வேலன்வெறி அயர் களத்துச் சிறு பல தாஅயவிரவு வீ உறைத்த ஈர் நறும் புறவின்,உரவுக் கதிர் மழுங்கிய கல் சேர் ஞாயிறு,அரவு நுங்கு மதியின், ஐயென மறையும்சிறு புன் மாலையும் உள்ளார் அவர்” என,நப் புலந்து உறையும் எவ்வம் நீங்க,நூல் அறி வலவ! கடவுமதி, உவக்காண்நெடுங் கொடி நுடங்கும் வான் தோய் புரிசை,யாமம் கொள்பவர் நாட்டிய நளி சுடர்வானக மீனின் விளங்கித் தோன்றும்,அருங் கடிக் காப்பின், அஞ்சு வரு, மூதூர்த்திருநகர் அடங்கிய மாசு இல் கற்பின்,அரி மதர் மழைக் கண், அமை புரை பணைத் தோள்,அணங்கு சால், அரிவையைக் காண்குவம்பொலம்படைக் கலி மாப் பூண்ட தேரே. In this quick trip to the forests, we get to hear the man say these words to his charioteer, when he is returning after his mission: “Saying, ‘Listen to me, my friend, in this moist and fragrant forest, scattered with many fallen flowers, akin to the many small flowers, Velan the priest spreads in the arena of the ‘Veri’ ritual, when the sun, with its scorching rays diminished, has reached the mountains, and is vanishing slowly, like the moon being eaten by a snake, at this time of a suffering-filled evening, he does not think about me’, she would be sulking.  Lo behold, a sky-soaring fort with tall flags fluttering, where the night guards have planted many bright lamps, glowing akin to the stars in the sky. In this well-protected, formidable ancient town, in a wealthy mansion, with a flawless chastity, having lined, exquisite rain-like eyes, well-set, bamboo-like arms, akin to a goddess, lives the young maiden. So as to see her now and end her sorrow, O charioteer, who knows to wield the reins well, hasten this chariot, tied with proud horses, adorned with golden ornaments!” Time to trot along with the man and listen to his passion speak! The man starts by imagining the words his beloved would be saying just then. She would be looking at the setting sun, in that forest, spread with many flowers, which would remind her of Velan’s arena during the ‘Veri’ ritual and she would lament that even at such a painful time, the man had no thought of her. So, the man concludes by telling his charioteer that he doesn’t want her to suffer anymore and asks him to speed up his horses to the wealthy mansion of the lady, living in a fortified ancient town, in a wealthy mansion, waiting for his return. From the words in this verse, we can infer that this parting has taken place, before the lady’s marriage to the man, with its subtle mention of ‘Veri’ rituals, and talking about where the lady lives to the charioteer, for if it was the man’s own house, wouldn’t the charioteer know the way? Hope the man reaches his loved one’s abode safe and sound! Wishing that, we can partake in the man’s tender feeling, recalling the moment most of us would have experienced, when returning home eagerly after a parting!

In this episode, we listen to a lady’s anguished voice, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 113, penned by Kallaadanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse pens detailed portraits of some historical characters in the Sangam era. நன்று அல் காலையும் நட்பின் கோடார்,சென்று வழிப்படூஉம் திரிபு இல் சூழ்ச்சியின்,புன் தலை மடப் பிடி அகவுநர் பெருமகன்அமர் வீசு வண் மகிழ் அஃதை போற்றி,காப்புக் கைந்நிறுத்த பல் வேல் கோசர்இளங் கள் கமழும் நெய்தல்அம் செறுவின்வளம் கெழு நல் நாடு அன்ன என் தோள் மணந்து,அழுங்கல் மூதூர் அலர் எடுத்து அரற்ற,நல்காது துறந்த காதலர், ”என்றும்கல் பொரூஉ மெலியாப் பரட்டின் நோன் அடிஅகல்சூல் அம் சுரைப் பெய்த வல்சியர்இகந்தனர்ஆயினும், இடம் பார்த்துப் பகைவர்ஓம்பினர் உறையும் கூழ் கெழு குறும்பில்குவை இமில் விடைய வேற்று ஆ ஒய்யும்கனை இருஞ் சுருணைக் கனி காழ் நெடு வேல்விழவு அயர்ந்தன்ன கொழும் பல் திற்றிஎழாஅப் பாணன் நல் நாட்டு உம்பர்,நெறி செல் வம்பலர்க் கொன்ற தெவ்வர்எறிபடை கழீஇய சேயரிச் சில் நீர்அறுதுறை அயிர் மணற் படுகரைப் போகி,சேயர்” என்றலின், சிறுமை உற்ற என்கையறு நெஞ்சத்து எவ்வம் நீங்க,அழாஅம் உறைதலும் உரியம் பராரைஅலங்கல் அம் சினைக் குடம்பை புல்லெனப்புலம் பெயர் மருங்கில் புள் எழுந்தாங்கு,மெய் இவண் ஒழியப் போகி, அவர்செய்வினை மருங்கில் செலீஇயர், என் உயிரே! A long trip to the drylands, where we are mostly meeting with royal delegates from those times, and we get to hear the lady say these words to her confidante, as the man, who went in search of wealth, remains parted away: “With an unswerving principle of never swaying from the path of friendship, even when times are not good, the Kosars, with their many speared army, supported and stabilised the rule of the great lord Akthai, who renders naive female elephants, with delicate hair, to those who come seeking to him with much joy, even in the battlefield. Akin to the Kosars’ town of ‘NeythalamCheru’, fragrant with the scent of fresh toddy, in their fine and fertile country, are my arms. After embracing that, making this uproarious, ancient town spread slander, without rendering his graces, my lover has parted away. Pannan, the one who never retreats from his mission, the one who never tires of treading on pebble-filled paths, and walks on with strong feet, resounding musically, the one who carries abundant food in bamboo bowls and delights in fleshy meat, akin to those served in festivities, wielding his well-oiled iron rod with a heavy, dark ring, would seize humped bulls and other cattle, in well-guarded forts with lots of food, belonging to his enemies, locating the same, even if they are far away. Beyond the extent of Pannan’s fine country, is a shore, forsaken by people, with fine sand and scanty water, which is reddened, because robbers who killed wayfarers, had washed their weapons there. They say he has travelled far beyond this place. Hearing this, wounded lies my helpless heart. To end its suffering, akin to how leaving its nest upon a beautiful, swaying branch of a rough-trunked tree, a bird soars to migrate afar, leaving my body here, my life should depart to the place, where he is at work! If it does, then I may be able to endure this state without tears!” Time to walk along in those barren spaces and learn more! The lady starts by talking about a king called Akthai, renowned for his generosity to bards, even in the midst of a battle, and how a clan called ‘Kosars’ protected this king, with an unswerving steadiness. She has mentioned these details only to place her own arms in parallel to the prosperous town of these Kosars, fragrant with the scent of toddy, known by the name of ‘NeythalamCheru’. After this very modest comparison by Sangam standards, the lady goes on to talk about another character called Pannan, about how he never tires from walking on pebble filled paths, how he loves to feast on fatty flesh, and how he always locates the forts of his enemies and manages to capture their cattle. Now, these details are mentioned to say that beyond the country of Pannan, there’s an abandoned river shore with very little water, that too reddened by the robbers washing their weapons, which had done their killing work on wayfarers. People have told her that it’s this dangerous path that the man, who loved embracing those beautiful arms of hers, but deserted her, leaving her a prey for the slanderous town, is now treading, the lady connects. She declares the only way to bear this suffering would be if her life were to leave her body and soar to where the man was, much like a bird leaving its nest, when it is time to migrate elsewhere! The lady concludes by saying that only in that case, she could remain without crying, conveying to us that the whole thought is a reply to the confidante’s words of consolation.  Here’s an outlet for pain, which should no doubt bring a sense of calm in the lady. The question I have in this verse is about what determines a poet’s choice of a place or a historical character? Say, in this i

In this episode, we listen to a persuasive request, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 112, penned by Neythal Saaithuitha Aavoor Kizhaar. The verse is situated amidst the roving bears and roaring tigers in the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’ and attempts at changing a person’s path. கூனல் எண்கின் குறு நடைத் தொழுதிசிதலை செய்த செந் நிலைப் புற்றின்மண் புனை நெடுங் கோடு உடைய வாங்கி,இரை நசைஇப் பரிக்கும் அரைநாட் கங்குல்ஈன்று அணி வயவுப் பிணப் பசித்தென, மறப் புலிஒளிறு ஏந்து மருப்பின் களிறு அட்டுக் குழுமும்பனி இருஞ் சோலை, ‘எமியம்’ என்னாய்,தீங்கு செய்தனையே, ஈங்கு வந்தோயே;நாள் இடைப்படின், என் தோழி வாழாள்;தோளிடை முயக்கம் நீயும் வெய்யை;கழியக் காதலர்ஆயினும், சான்றோர்பழியொடு வரூஉம் இன்பம் வெஃகார்;வரையின் எவனோ? வான் தோய் வெற்ப! கணக் கலை இகுக்கும் கறி இவர் சிலம்பின்மணப்பு அருங் காமம் புணர்ந்தமை அறியார்,தொன்று இயல் மரபின் மன்றல் அயர,பெண் கோள் ஒழுக்கம் கண் கொள நோக்கி,நொதுமல் விருந்தினம் போல, இவள்புது நாண் ஒடுக்கமும் காண்குவம், யாமே. Plenty of scenes from the wild in this trip to the mountains, where we get to hear the confidante say these words to the man, when he arrives to tryst with the lady by night: “A pack of bears, with bent backs and short steps, desiring to eat from tall, red termite mounds, by breaking open the muddy edges, roam about in the middle of the night. At this time, since its mate, which had just given birth was wallowing in hunger, a brave tiger fells an elephant, with upraised, shining tusks, and roars aloud in that cold and dark grove. Without thinking, ‘I’m all alone’, you come here, traversing this space, doing much harm. It’s also true that my friend shan’t live, if a day passes, without you coming here. On your part, you desire embracing her arms very much; Even if it’s on account of love, the wise will never accept a pleasure that comes with censure! And so, why can’t you seek her hand, O lord of the sky-soaring mountains? In these mountain slopes, flourishing with pepper vines and grunting herds of deer, as those who do not know about your precious, secret love relationship, perform the marriage of their daughter, in the public spaces, according to ancient tradition, I shall feast my eyes on the scene, and in the manner of a visiting stranger, I will gaze at her special new shyness and relish it so!” Let’s take in the scenes of a mountain country and listen to the heart’s beat! The confidante starts by sketching the dangers of the hill country in the darkness of the night, mentioning hordes of bears roving to feed on termite mounds and a tiger roaring after killing an elephant, so as to satisfy its mate’s hunger. Inspite of all these dangers, the man comes walking in the dark to tryst with the lady and even though it’s an act of love, it’s something wrong, the confidante remarks. She talks about how the lady can’t go on even a day without the man and the man too wishes to embrace the lady. Given this situation, why can’t you seek her hand?, the confidante asks the man. Then, the confidante imagines the day when the lady’s parents would marry the lady to the man, as per their ancient tradition, and particularly, she sees herself standing at a distance, as if she doesn’t know anything about this relationship, and looking at the lady’s shyness like a stranger and smiling at the lady’s joy. Usually, we have cases of the confidante beating about the bush to convey the message of ‘Marry the lady’ to the man. Here, it’s a refreshing change to see these direct words, propelling the man to action. On a tangent, what a sweet friend she is! Not only does she care and comfort her friend, she also communicates in the perfect way to the other, with logic and compassion, presenting all sides of the story and then showing the only way forward! An inspiring lesson to help us handle the negotiations in life!

In this episode, we perceive words of consolation, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 111, penned by Paalai Paadiya Perunkadunko. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse vividly sketches the life in this domain. உள் ஆங்கு உவத்தல் செல்லார், கறுத்தோர்எள்ளல் நெஞ்சத்து ஏஎச் சொல் நாணிவருவர் வாழி, தோழி! அரசயானை கொண்ட துகிற் கொடி போல,அலந்தலை ஞெமையத்து வலந்த சிலம்பிஓடைக் குன்றத்துக் கோடையொடு துயல்வர,மழை என மருண்ட மம்மர் பல உடன்ஓய்களிறு எடுத்த நோயுடை நெடுங் கைதொகுசொற் கோடியர் தூம்பின் உயிர்க்கும்அத்தக் கேழல் அட்ட நற் கோள்செந்நாய் ஏற்றை கம்மென ஈர்ப்ப,குருதி ஆரும் எருவைச் செஞ் செவி,மண்டு அமர் அழுவத்து எல்லிக் கொண்டபுண் தேர் விளக்கின், தோன்றும்விண் தோய் பிறங்கல் மலை இறந்தோரே. Unlike the previous verse, this one is all about a place, and we get to hear these words said by the confidante to the lady, when the man, who left in search of wealth, remains parted away: “Without being content with what he had, feeling ashamed to hear the sharp, arrow-like words, from the mocking hearts of adversaries, he has left to the drylands, where akin to the transparent, white banners adorning a royal elephant, on the parched branches of the axlewood tree, a spider weaves its web in the Odai peak. Confused thinking that these webs are rain clouds, brought by the swaying western winds, many young elephants join together and raise their tired, tall trunks and trumpet out, making a loud sound, akin to the praising musicians’ ‘thoompu’ horns. Here, as the red dog drags the fine male boar that it attacked and killed with haste, the gushing blood is guzzled by a vulture, whose red ears, appear akin to lamps, taken out to the battlefield, at the end of the day, to scan the wounds of soldiers. He, who has left to such a drylands domain, in the sky-soaring mountains far away, will return soon, my friend! May you live long!” Time to take in the fearsome sights of the drylands! The confidante starts by spelling out the reasons for the man’s journey to the drylands in search of wealth. She remarks how the man could have stayed put, being content with the wealth he already possessed, but he feared words of mockery from his detractors and that’s why he left to the drylands. From this statement, we can infer that the unwritten code in Sangam culture was that even if a man had wealth he received from his ancestors, he was expected to earn his own. Returning to the flow of the verse, the confidante then launches into a lengthy description of the drylands, where we first see spider webs atop axlewood trees and these are placed in parallel to the silver flags on top of a royal elephant. Next, some thirsty elephants coming that way think these webs are the rain clouds brought by the winds and trumpet out aloud, which sounds like the ‘thoompu’ horns of musicians, who sing praises of kings. Then, the image of a wild boar being dragged by a red dog is brought before our eyes, and the blood that gushes out is being drunk by a red-headed vulture, whose ears are then compared to the lamps taken out to the battlefield, at the end of the day, to scan and treat the wounds of soldiers. Saying, though the man has left to such a drylands beyond the hills, he will return soon, the confidante consoles her friend. Why scare the poor girl with these gory images? Not the kind of consolation we would give but perhaps it’s a Sangam notion to be present with reality and still remain with hope. The nuance of this verse lies in how scenes in a king’s life, be it in the adornment of royal elephants, the booming praises of musicians, the treatment of soldiers in a battlefield, are compared so aptly with scenes in the wild. The ways and wars of humans aren’t so much different from the confusions and conflicts of animals, the verse seems to say, with a wise nod!

In this episode, we listen to a confession, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 110, penned by Ponthai Pasalaiyaar. The verse is situated amidst the waves and sands of the ‘Neythal’ or ‘Coastal Landscape’ and narrates a significant event on the shore. அன்னை அறியினும் அறிக; அலர்வாய்அம் மென் சேரி கேட்பினும் கேட்க;பிறிது ஒன்று இன்மை அறியக் கூறி,கொடுஞ் சுழிப் புகாஅர்த் தெய்வம் நோக்கி,கடுஞ் சூள் தருகுவன், நினக்கே; கானல்தொடலை ஆயமொடு கடல் உடன் ஆடியும்,சிற்றில் இழைத்தும், சிறு சோறு குவைஇயும்,வருந்திய வருத்தம் தீர, யாம் சிறிதுஇருந்தனமாக, எய்த வந்து,‘தட மென் பணைத் தோள் மட நல்லீரே!எல்லும் எல்லின்று; அசைவு மிக உடையேன்;மெல் இலைப் பரப்பின் விருந்து உண்டு, யானும் இக்கல்லென் சிறுகுடித் தங்கின் மற்று எவனோ?’என மொழிந்தனனே, ஒருவன். அவற் கண்டு,இறைஞ்சிய முகத்தெம் புறம் சேர்பு பொருந்தி,‘இவை நுமக்கு உரிய அல்ல; இழிந்தகொழு மீன் வல்சி’ என்றனம், இழுமென. ‘நெடுங் கொடி நுடங்கும் நாவாய் தோன்றுவகாணாமோ?’ எனக் காலின் சிதையா,நில்லாது பெயர்ந்த பல்லோருள்ளும்என்னே குறித்த நோக்கமொடு, ‘நன்னுதால்!ஒழிகோ யான்?’ என அழிதகக் கூறி,யான் ‘பெயர்க’ என்ன, நோக்கி, தான் தன்நெடுந் தேர்க் கொடிஞ்சி பற்றிநின்றோன் போலும் இன்றும் என் கட்கே. There’s less of place and more of people in this trip to the seas, and we get to hear these words, spoken by the lady, to the foster mother: “Even if mother comes to know, let her! Even if those with gossiping mouths in this beautiful hamlet were to hear, let them! Promising you that there’s nothing else, I will swear to you a fierce oath in front of the God of Puhaar, renowned for its swirling waves. With playmates, wearing garlands of flowers from the groves, we had been bathing in the sea, building small houses, pretending to cook food, and sitting there, relaxing after our exertions. At this time, coming close to us, a man said, ‘O good, naive maiden, having curving, soft, bamboo-like arms, the day has ended; I’m filled with fatigue; May I partake in the feast you have spread on these soft leaves, and stay back in this uproarious, little hamlet?’. Seeing him, with bent heads, we hid behind each other’s backs, and said softly, ‘These are not fit for you. For this is made of the fatty fish, thrown down by the waves’. Many there ran away without waiting, after flattening the sand houses with their feet, shouting, ‘Lo behold! Ships with tall flags fluttering are appearing. Shall we go see?’. Among all of them, he focussed his attention on me, and piteously said, ‘O maiden with a fine forehead! Shall I leave?’. When I replied, ‘Please go’, the way he stood there, holding on to the seat of his tall chariot, remains in my eyes even today!” Let’s play along in the shore and learn more! Though there are varying interpretations about whether the speaker is the confidante or the lady, to me, the voice of the lady sounds as more fitting the context. The lady starts by saying she doesn’t mind if her birth mother were to come to know of this, a statement that should tell us that the lady found this foster mother more approachable, when it came to talking about sensitive things. Next, the lady also declares that she doesn’t care if the gossipmongers of the town hear about this. She is also prepared to solemnly swear before the God of a place called ‘Puhaar’, also known as ‘Kaveripoompattinam’, an ancient but now sunken harbour on the Coromandel coast, where many underwater archaeological excavations are ongoing to unearth the significance of this place, much renowned in the ancient world. Returning, after declaring these opening statements, the lady launches into a tale of what happened one day at the shore, when she was playing with her mates, building sand houses, and pretend playing as cooks. Just then, a man had approached them and asked whether he too could join in that feast they had spread on soft leaves. Feeling shy, the girls bent their heads and hid behind each other and said that the food was not fit to be had by the man, since it was made of fish, thrown by the sea, perhaps implying these are beached fish, and not freshly caught. Then, distracted by the appearance of tall ships with fluttering flags, the girls seem to have run away, razing their sand houses. Just then, the man seems to have pointedly looked at the lady and asked with sorrowful eyes whether he should leave. When the lady replied he should, he seemed to have stood there, by his chariot, looking deeply into her eyes. The lady concludes by declaring that that image of the man standing there, looking at her, was frozen in her mind’s eye! This is a case of revealing the relationship to the foster mother, who would then take it to the birth mother, who would take it to the extended family, and thus pave the way for the lady’s marriage with the man. The highlight in this verse is the timeless capture of how long after the event, a certain expression – a look, a smile, a word, from a special person,

In this episode, we perceive the dangers in a journey, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 109, penned by Kadunthodai Kaavinaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse relays an indirect message of motivation. பல் இதழ் மென் மலர் உண்கண், நல் யாழ்நரம்பு இசைத்தன்ன இன் தீம் கிளவி,நலம் நல்கு ஒருத்தி இருந்த ஊரேகோடு உழு களிற்றின் தொழுதி ஈண்டிக்காடு கால்யாத்த நீடு மரச் சோலைவிழை வெளில் ஆடும் கழை வளர் நனந்தலை,வெண் நுனை அம்பின் விசை இட வீழ்ந்தோர்எண்ணு வரம்பு அறியா உவல் இடு பதுக்கைச்சுரம் கெழு கவலை கோட்பால் பட்டென,வழங்குநர் மடிந்த அத்தம் இறந்தோர்,கைப்பொருள் இல்லைஆயினும், மெய்க் கொண்டுஇன் உயிர் செகாஅர் விட்டு அகல் தப்பற்குப்பெருங் களிற்று மருப்பொடு வரி அதள் இறுக்கும்அறன் இல் வேந்தன் ஆளும்வறன் உறு குன்றம் பல விலங்கினவே. In the previous trip to the drylands, we saw how a journey to be taken was visualised. In contrast, now the journey that has been taken is described in these words by the man, speaking to his heart, in the middle of his travel through the drylands, to seek wealth: “With kohl-streaked eyes, akin to a many-petalled, soft flower, speaking sweet words, akin to the music from the string of a fine lute, is the one, who renders her beauty to me.  The wide spaces we have crossed are where herds of elephants kill with their tusks; where mating squirrels play around in the dense groves with tall trees; where those who fell to the speed of the white-tipped arrows are heaped in countless pebble-filled graves; where, fearing that people would be killed in these deadly paths, wayfarers avoid on principle; where, if by chance, a person traverses this path, with nothing in their hands, and if the robbers let them leave without ending their lives, as penalty, the ruler of those robbers, the one who lacks justice, demands a huge elephant’s tusk and striped skin of a tiger, in those arid, dreary peaks. Beyond such places many, is the town, where my beloved lives!” Let’s take a daring walk through the drylands! The man starts by reflecting on the beauty, sweetness and love of his beloved and he thinks about where her town is. When he does that, images of ruthless elephants, countless stone-graves, and uninhabited paths that he has crossed flashes before his mind. He remarks how in these spaces, normally people avoid knowing that there is a high chance of being killed by the robbers, and if in case, an unknowing person does walk through that path, and if that person has nothing worth in their hands, and the robbers let the man leave with his life, then the leader of this group would be so furious that he would demand those robbers to bring him elephant’s tusk and tiger’s skin as penalty. Such is the harsh nature of the people there, the man depicts, and concludes by saying his dearest’s town is beyond such places many, which the man has traversed. In a nutshell, the man is telling his heart, you may think of the lady, but we have crossed so many dangers to come here, and there is no point in turning back, and that the only way is the way forward! Sounds like a much-needed message for all of us, in our different journeys through life!

In this episode, we perceive a hidden attempt at persuasion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 108, penned by Thankaal Porkollanaar. The verse is situated in the bee-buzzing hills of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain Landscape’ and depicts the dangers in trysting. புணர்ந்தோர் புன்கண் அருளலும் உணர்ந்தோர்க்குஒத்தன்றுமன்னால்! எவன்கொல்? முத்தம்வரைமுதல் சிதறியவை போல், யானைப்புகர் முகம் பொருத புது நீர் ஆலிபளிங்கு சொரிவது போல் பாறை வரிப்ப,கார் கதம்பட்ட கண் அகன் விசும்பின்விடுபொறி ஞெகிழியின் கொடி பட மின்னி,படு மழை பொழிந்த பானாட் கங்குல்,ஆர் உயிர்த் துப்பின் கோள் மா வழங்கும்இருளிடைத் தமியன் வருதல் யாவதும்அருளான் வாழி, தோழி! அல்கல்விரவுப் பொறி மஞ்ஞை வெரீஇ, அரவின்அணங்குடை அருந் தலை பை விரிப்பவைபோல்,காயா மென் சினை தோய நீடிப்பல் துடுப்பு எடுத்த அலங்கு குலைக் காந்தள்அணி மலர் நறுந் தாது ஊதும் தும்பிகை ஆடு வட்டின் தோன்றும்மை ஆடு சென்னிய மலைகிழவோனே. The elements put up quite a show in this trip to the mountains, where we hear the confidante say these words to the lady, pretending not to notice the man listening nearby, but making sure he’s in earshot: “To remove the suffering of those they love is the duty of the wise, isn’t it? Then why doesn’t he? Frightened by the spotted peacock, the snake’s divine and fearsome hood spreads out. Akin to that, as the ironwood tree’s slender branch grazes on it, clusters of the flame-lily, akin to a many-oared boat, sways. And to feed on the fragrant pollen of those beautiful flowers, bees, appearing like dice played by hand, swarm around, in those hills, whose heads are covered in clouds, in the domain of the lord! On the elephant’s spotted face, appearing as if pearls have been scattered on a hill top, fresh hail stones dash against and then spread on the rocks, like scattered marbles, when furious clouds in the wide sky, flash vines of lightning, akin to a sparking fire brand, and heavy rain pours down in the middle of the night. At such a time, when killer animals roam, with a desire to feed on precious lives, in the dark, alone he comes. How is this rendering grace, my friend? May you live long!” Time to take a walk in the dark through the ups and downs of a hill! The confidante starts with a declarative statement that the foremost duty of those who say they love another is to avoid causing pain to them, and do all it takes to end any suffering on their part. She nails it, indeed! But it’s not to muse on the nature of love that the confidante says these words. She reveals the reason by saying that the man does not seem to be doing that. After launching into a description of his mountain country, with layered similes depicting ironwood trees, flame lilies and buzzing bees, the confidante details how the man has been coming to see the lady in the dead dark of the night, when carnivorous animals are on the prowl, looking out for a prey, and this is a time when the rains pour down, with hail stones as well, with angry clouds punching each other and sending sparks of fury in the form of lightning flashes. The confidante concludes by wondering how this can be seen as thoughtful rendering of grace by the lord of the mountains towards the lady.  In essence, it’s the confidante’s way of pointing to the man that he has been trysting for too long, instead of taking steps towards a permanent union with the lady. Without directly saying it to his face, the confidante appeals to his sense of justice in a seemingly secret conversation with her friend. The highlight of this verse though are the many stunning similes, such as a scattering of pearls on a rocky surface to etch the image of the spots on an elephant’s face. This matter-of-fact accessing of precious elements of the sea talks about how these ornaments were to be found ubiquitously in that domain. Other interesting similes are the many-oared boat for a flame-lily’s flower clusters, stressing on the culture’s ship-building sensitivities. And finally, it’s not all work or wealth, there’s also representation of play, as echoed by the comparison of a buzzing bee to dice in a game. Thus, aspects of life in the Sangam era gently shine in these similes, much like the confidante’s subtle attempt at changing the man’s path! 

In this episode, we listen to a message of acceptance, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 107, penned by Kaaviripoompattinathu Kaarikkannanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse visualises the journey ahead for a couple. நீ செலவு அயரக் கேட்டொறும், பல நினைந்து,அன்பின் நெஞ்சத்து, அயாஅப் பொறை மெலிந்தஎன் அகத்து இடும்பை களைமார், நின்னொடுகருங் கல் வியல் அறைக் கிடப்பி, வயிறு தின்றுஇரும் புலி துறந்த ஏற்றுமான் உணங்கல்,நெறி செல் வம்பலர் உவந்தனர் ஆங்கண்,ஒலிகழை நெல்லின் அரிசியொடு ஓராங்குஆன் நிலைப் பள்ளி அளை பெய்து அட்டவால் நிணம் உருக்கிய வாஅல் வெண் சோறுபுகர் அரைத் தேக்கின் அகல் இலை மாந்தும்கல்லா நீள் மொழிக் கத நாய் வடுகர்வல் ஆண் அரு முனை நீந்தி, அல்லாந்து,உகு மண் ஊறு அஞ்சும் ஒரு காற் பட்டத்துஇன்னா ஏற்றத்து இழுக்கி, முடம் கூர்ந்து,ஒரு தனித்து ஒழிந்த உரனுடை நோன் பகடுஅம் குழை இருப்பை அறை வாய் வான் புழல்புல் உளைச் சிறாஅர் வில்லின் நீக்கி,மரை கடிந்து ஊட்டும் வரைஅகச் சீறூர்மாலை இன் துணைஆகி, காலைப்பசு நனை நறு வீப் பரூஉப் பரல் உறைப்ப,மண மனை கமழும் கானம்துணை ஈர் ஓதி என் தோழியும் வருமே. We pass through different scenes in this trip to the drylands as we get to hear the confidante say these words to the man: “Hearing about your wish to take her away with you, pondering a lot, with a loving heart, seeing how my bosom had thinned away with the pain of this unbearable burden, wanting to end my suffering, she has agreed to come with you. Spreading on the wide space of a black boulder, after eating to its full, a huge tiger abandons a stag’s meat. Seeing this dried-up carcass, wayfarers passing through feel much joy. Taking rice that came from paddy grains of luxuriant stalks, adding together the thick curd that came from the community of cattle herders, and the fatty meat of the carcass, they cook the rice, and then spread the food on the spotted-trunked teak tree’s wide leaf and savour the same, in those formidable spaces, belonging to the Vadugars, who possess hunting dogs, and speak an unknown language from long ago. She will traverse through such a drylands domain with you. With much sorrow lies a once-strong bull that has been forsaken to live alone, owing to its broken leg, when it slipped on a dangerous slope. As it fears to tread a narrow path with loose sand, little boys with scanty tufts of hair, with their bows, bring down a beautiful cluster of flowers, with hollow tubes, from the Mahua tree, and after chasing away the deer that comes to munch on it, they bring it to the bull and feed it, in those little hamlets by the hills. Staying as your sweet companion in these hamlets in the evening, then, during the day, as fragrant, fresh flowers drop down on dense rocks, through that forest, wafting with the scent of a house of wedding festivities, as your mate, my friend, the maiden with moist tresses, shall walk on!” Time to trail this couple through the drylands! The confidante starts by giving a message the man had been waiting to hear, and that is acceptance on behalf of the lady to elope away with the man. The confidante talks about how the lady took pity on the confidante, caught between the two, and worrying about where this was going, and offered her decision to leave with the man. Then, the confidante goes on to sketch two different places, the first being a scorching space, where a tiger had left behind a deer carcass, after feeding on it. When wayfarers come that way, they are delighted to find some good food, and they prepare a unique ‘Paalai Biriyani’ by cooking that meat, along with rice, and some thick curd. Then, placing this food on the biodegradable plate of a teak leaf, they savour it. A moment to note how humans are also much like the scavenger birds, who have no qualms about eating what they did not work for! Let’s return to this thought in a moment.  The confidante has mentioned that harsh drylands space to be the domain of a tribe of people called ‘Vadugars’, who are said to speak an old language, but not a developed one, possibly meaning that this language had no script of its own, unlike Tamil. Next, these nuggets have been mentioned by the confidante to talk about how the lady will bravely cross such spaces with the man.  Next, the confidante takes us to a little town with kind-hearted boys, who bring down flower clusters of the Mahua, and take it carefully to feed a bull that has broken its leg, slipping on a slope, as it went to drink water. In such a town, the lady will rest with the man at night, the confidante connects, and concludes by saying, in the morning, the lady would wake up and walk on through the forests, which smell like a house filled with wedding festivities, thanks to the flowers that fall and spread on the rocks beneath. In short, wherever you take her, the lady shall follow and be your sweet companion, the confidante conveys to the man. Returning to that scene of wayfarers relishing food hunted by the tiger, the confidante places this scene as a metaphor for the man, choos

In this episode, we observe the fury of a scorned woman, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 106, penned by Alangudi Vanganaar. The verse is situated amidst the fertile fields of the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands Landscape’ and reflects the sparks of rivalry in a rich town. எரி அகைந்தன்ன தாமரைப் பழனத்து,பொரி அகைந்தன்ன பொங்கு பல் சிறு மீன்,வெறி கொள் பாசடை, உணீஇயர், பைப்பயப்பறை தபு முது சிரல் அசைபு வந்து இருக்கும்துறைகேழ் ஊரன் பெண்டு தன் கொழுநனைநம்மொடு புலக்கும் என்ப நாம் அதுசெய்யாம்ஆயினும், உய்யாமையின்,செறிதொடி தெளிர்ப்ப வீசி, சிறிது அவண்உலமந்து வருகம் சென்மோ தோழி!ஒளிறு வாட் தானைக் கொற்றச் செழியன்வெளிறு இல் கற்பின் மண்டு அமர் அடுதொறும்களிறு பெறு வல்சிப் பாணன் எறியும்தண்ணுமைக் கண்ணின் அலைஇயர், தன் வயிறே. In this visit to the farmlands, we receive a unique perspective in the usual love-quarrel situation, as we hear a courtesan, say these words to her friend, as the lady’s friends listen nearby: “In the field, where a lotus blooms, akin to a flame, many little fish leap about, akin to grains, when roasted, amidst the thick, green leaves. To feed on them, slowly, very slowly, an old kingfisher, with broken wings, hops thither, in the lord’s town with a prosperous river shore. They say that the lord’s woman connects me to her husband and speaks disparagingly, even though I haven’t done anything at all. Tinkling these neat rows of bangles, let’s go there and roam around a little, come, my friend! Akin to how a bard beats on the eye of the ‘thannummai drum’, when he receives an elephant as his reward, after the conquest of every battle in a flawless fashion, by the victorious Chezhiyan, with an army of shining swords, let her beat upon her stomach and lament!” Let’s take in the sights of blooming lotuses and burning hearts in this one! The courtesan starts by describing the lord’s town, and she mentions lotuses blazing like a fire in the field and amidst the thick green leaves, little fish leap about like puffed rice. Wanting to feed on these little fish, an old kingfisher, whose wings don’t seem to work like before, hops on to that spot, with soft steps, says the courtesan. Then, she turns to the matter at hand, and talks about how people had told her that the lord’s wife has been speaking ill of the courtesan, suspecting of a liaison between the man and the courtesan. All this when I haven’t even done a thing, the courtesan remarks, and then turns to her friend and says we must go to the street where she lives and walk around, tinkling our bangles. The courtesan concludes with the reason for the same saying then the lady will beat upon her stomach, much like the bards’ beating on the drums, when they receive gifts of elephants from the victorious Chezhiyan, after the king’s success in the battlefield! In short, a verse that simply wants to taunt another! Even in the scene of the man’s town, that’s not a mere description, but a metaphor for the situation, wherein the little leaping fish are the courtesans, and the aged kingfisher with ruined wings is none other than the lady, who is bashing up the courtesans. By symbolising the lady as an old kingfisher, the courtesan is mocking at the lady’s age and echoing the pride in her own youth. All this bickering over a man! Perhaps that’s what you can expect when he holds the power and the purse in that prosperous town?

In this episode, we perceive a mother’s shock, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 105, penned by Thaayankannanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse depicts the unlikely journey of a young girl through a challenging terrain. அகல் அறை மலர்ந்த அரும்பு முதிர் வேங்கைஒள் இலைத் தொடலை தைஇ, மெல்லெனநல் வரை நாடன் தற்பாராட்டயாங்கு வல்லுநள்கொல் தானே தேம் பெய்து,மணி செய் மண்டை தீம் பால் ஏந்தி,ஈனாத் தாயர் மடுப்பவும் உண்ணாள்,நிழற் கயத்தன்ன நீள் நகர் வரைப்பின்எம்முடைச் செல்வமும் உள்ளாள், பொய்ம் மருண்டு,பந்து புடைப்பன்ன பாணிப் பல் அடிச்சில் பரிக் குதிரை, பல் வேல் எழினிகெடல் அருந் துப்பின் விடுதொழில் முடிமார்,கனை எரி நடந்த கல் காய் கானத்துவினை வல் அம்பின் விழுத் தொடை மறவர்தேம் பிழி நறுங் கள் மகிழின், முனை கடந்து,வீங்கு மென் சுரைய ஏற்றினம் தரூஉம்முகை தலை திறந்த வேனிற்பகை தலைமணந்த பல் அதர்ச் செலவே? In this trip to the drylands, it’s the lady’s mother we get to meet and hear her say these words, when she learns that her daughter has eloped away with the man: “Listening to the praises of the man from the fine mountains, who wears a garland with shining leaves and blooming flowers of the ‘Indian Kino tree’, which grows by a wide rock, she went away with him. She was one, who would refuse to drink the honey-infused, sweet milk, brought to her in a bowl, studded with precious gems, by her foster mother. Without giving a thought to the wealth and comfort in our tall mansion, which is akin to a pond in a shade, listening to his lies, she has left to the drylands, where intending to finish the mission, assigned to them by the many-speared Ezhini, who wields horses, which trot in the style of a ball bouncing on land, warriors with indestructible strength, holding well-etched, strong bows and arrows that miss not their mark, delight in the sweet and fragrant toddy, amidst the burning rocks of the scrub jungle, after winning in the battle, and capturing herds of cattle with soft and bulging udders. To traverse the many paths of such a place, filled with conflicts, in the harsh summer, which can burst open even the rocks, how did she find the strength?” Time to follow the man and lady into the searing drylands! Mother starts by describing the man as a lord of the mountains, who wears Kino garlands. She says this man must have showered praises on her daughter, whom she describes as we have so often heard, as a fussy eater, who would refuse even milk and honey, offered in a gem-studded bowl by a foster mother. A moment to pause and reflect on the phrase ‘Eena Thaayar’ used here! The word literally translates as ‘the mother who has not given birth’, implying that the lady’s mother had other women, who took care of the child entirely. Here’s a reference to a nanny in Sangam times, underlining the affluence in those households. This nanny was not someone, who just did her job and got paid for it. In many instances, we see this foster mother as being mother-like in all respects, that it’s hard to differentiate, whether it’s the birth mother or the foster mother speaking. It’s in rare verses like this, which by the direct mention of the mother, who raises the child, informs us about these interesting facts on child care in the Sangam era. Returning to the flow, we find mother lamenting how the lady did not seem to care about how much wealth and comfort was there in their home, which she then places in parallel to not only a cool pond, but one that is under a sweet shade. What a pleasant place that would be and so is their abode, mother describes! The lady had left all this to go to the drylands. To describe this place, mother brings in the scene of the brave warriors, who following the command of their leader Ezhini, had gone to battle and captured fine herds of cattle and were now delighting uproariously in drinking sweet toddy, sitting by the paths of that dreary land. Mother concludes by wondering from where her gentle girl could have got the strength to cross such a terrible land, wrought with dangers, that too in the middle of a summer that could make even rocks burst out in the heat! Yet again, we witness how a child remains the delicate one, needing protection, in the mother’s eyes. A timeless testimony to the parents’ surprise at the delicate little being they once held in their hands, having grown into an independent human, with a bold mind of their own! 

In this episode, we listen to words of a joyous welcome, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 104, penned by Madurai Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. The verse is situated amidst the flowering bushes of the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest Landscape’ and portrays a friend’s delight. வேந்து வினை முடித்தகாலை, தேம் பாய்ந்துஇன வண்டு ஆர்க்கும் தண் நறும் புறவின்வென் வேல் இளையர் இன்புற, வலவன்வள்பு வலித்து ஊரின் அல்லது, முள் உறின்முந்நீர் மண்டிலம் ஆதி ஆற்றாநல் நால்கு பூண்ட கடும் பரி நெடுந் தேர்,வாங்குசினை பொலிய ஏறி; புதலபூங் கொடி அவரைப் பொய் அதள் அன்னஉள் இல் வயிற்ற, வெள்ளை வெண் மறி,மாழ்கியன்ன தாழ் பெருஞ் செவிய,புன் தலைச் சிறாரோடு உகளி, மன்றுழைக்கவை இலை ஆரின் அம் குழை கறிக்கும்சீறூர் பல பிறக்கு ஒழிய, மாலைஇனிது செய்தனையால் எந்தை! வாழிய!பனி வார் கண்ணள் பல புலந்து உறையும்ஆய் தொடி அரிவை கூந்தற்போது குரல் அணிய வேய்தந்தோயே! It’s a happy tour of the forests in this trip and we hear these words said by the confidante to the man, when he returns home to the lady: “After the king completed his mission, as swarms of bees suckling honey buzzed aloud in the cool and fragrant forest, as helpers holding white spears delighted, you climbed on to the tall chariot, and adorned the seat in the shape of a curving branch. The four fine horses tied to your speedy chariot seemed to leap in such a way that if only the charioteer didn’t restrain them with his reins, there wouldn’t be enough space for them to cross in this entire world, surrounded by the three seas. Passing by many a small hamlet, where a starving, little white goat, having drooping, huge ears and nothing within its stomach, and skin, akin to seedless bean pods spreading on the bushes, prances about with dull-haired little boys and munches on the clusters of the two-lobed ‘Indian Kanchan’ tree, with such speed, you have arrived and done much good on this evening, O lord! May you live long! With tears streaking down her eyes, the young maiden wearing beautiful bangles, was anxious and in much distress, but now you have come thither, bringing these flower stalks to adorn her tresses!” Let’s climb on that chariot and take in the fleeting scenes of the lush forests! The confidante starts by remarking on the man’s successful completion of his mission to aid his king in battle. As the king obtained the results he desired, he gave leave to his worthy warriors and their helpers. As the bees echoed the joy in their hearts, the man started his journey homeward by climbing atop his chariot, whose horses were so speedy and leaped as if the entire earth would be encompassed within the spread of their hooves, the confidante describes. Then she talks about how the man passed by many hamlets, where starving goat kids were happy now, for the flowers were blooming, and there was plenty of tasty leaves to much on in the ‘Aar’ or ‘Aathi’ tree, and it was the right time to play with the young children. With these scenes of innocent joy as the subtext, the confidante concludes by saying how the man had done much good by arriving that evening, for the lady had been dejected, but all that was about to be wiped away in the gesture of the man adorning the lady’s tresses with fresh flowers!  In these words, we can sense a medley of emotions such as relief, delight and satisfaction in the voice of the confidante. What a joy homecoming can be, is brought out in the few words of this verse. More importantly, I admire the confidante’s selfless interest in the welfare of her friend and the true heart that sees her friend’s happiness as her own. To have, or better still, to be such as friend is indeed a thing to aspire to! 

In this episode, we listen to the lament of a lady, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 103, penned by Kaaviripoompattinathu Chenkannanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse describes the pain caused by the man’s parting away. நிழல் அறு நனந்தலை, எழால் ஏறு குறித்தகதிர்த்த சென்னி, நுணங்கு செந் நாவின்,விதிர்த்த போலும் அம் நுண் பல் பொறி,காமர் சேவல் ஏமம் சேப்ப;முளி அரில் புலம்பப் போகி, முனாஅதுமுரம்பு அடைந்திருந்த மூரி மன்றத்து,அதர் பார்த்து அல்கும் ஆ கெழு சிறுகுடி,உறையுநர் போகிய ஓங்கு நிலை வியல் மனை,இறை நிழல் ஒரு சிறைப் புலம்பு அயா உயிர்க்கும்வெம் முனை அருஞ் சுரம் நீந்தி; தம்வயின்ஈண்டு வினை மருங்கின் மீண்டோர்மன் என,நள்ளென் யாமத்து உயவுத்துணை ஆகநம்மொடு பசலை நோன்று, தம்மொடுதானே சென்ற நலனும்நல்கார்கொல்லோ, நாம் நயந்திசினோரே? More of the drylands here, and we hear the lady say these words to her confidante, as the man remains parted away: “In those spaces, bereft of shade, an alluring male quail, with many beautiful little spots, appearing like sprinkled drops, having a small, red tongue and a crested head, marked by a bird of prey, wanting a safer place, rushes away from the thorny bushes, and runs towards a small hamlet, with cattle, to the town centre in the harsh land, and rests under an abandoned, soaring, wide mansion, looking at the path behind, in the shade of the roof, alone, letting out deep sighs, in that harsh and scorching drylands, to which he has left on account of fulfilling his task, leaving behind only pallor as my company in the dark dead of the night. Won’t the one I desire, he, who took away my beauty, render it back to me?” Time to run along with a quail in the drylands! The lady starts by describing the scene where a little male quail that has fallen in the radar of a swooping scavenger bird, knowing the danger heading its way, rushes away from the bushes in the open ground and runs towards an ancient town, bereft of inhabitants, and rests sighing under the eaves of an abandoned mansion. Saying this is where the man treads now, the lady talks about how he seems to have stolen her health and beauty when he left and given her only the company of pallor in the middle of the night. She wonders sighing like that quail about whether and when the man would return what he took away from her! Yet again, another song which talks about the helplessness of the lady without her man by her side. All these repeated songs about the woman’s dependence on the man makes me wonder what is the purpose behind them? What was the philosophy that made these Sangam poets pen verse after verse in the same theme? While we may not have clearcut answers to these questions, the thing to do is to feel grateful for the fact that the world has moved in a direction, where a woman does not need to let her love for another, hinder her enjoyment of all that life has to offer!

In this episode, we listen to an attempt at persuasion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 102, penned by Madurai Ilampaalaasiriyan Chenthan Koothanaar. The verse is situated amidst the lush millet fields of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain Landscape’ and portrays the consequences of the man’s delay in seeking the lady’s hand. உளைமான் துப்பின், ஓங்கு தினைப் பெரும் புனத்துக்கழுதில், கானவன் பிழி மகிழ்ந்து வதிந்தென;உரைத்த சந்தின் ஊரல் இருங் கதுப்புஐது வரல் அசைவளி ஆற்ற, கை பெயரா,ஒலியல் வார் மயிர் உளரினள், கொடிச்சிபெரு வரை மருங்கில் குறிஞ்சி பாட;குரலும் கொள்ளாது, நிலையினும் பெயராது,படாஅப் பைங் கண் பாடு பெற்று, ஒய்யெனமறம் புகல் மழ களிறு உறங்கும் நாடன்;ஆர மார்பின் அரி ஞிமிறு ஆர்ப்ப,தாரன், கண்ணியன், எஃகுடை வலத்தன்,காவலர் அறிதல் ஓம்பி, பையெனவீழாக் கதவம் அசையினன் புகுதந்து,உயங்கு படர் அகலம் முயங்கி, தோள் மணந்து,இன் சொல் அளைஇ, பெயர்ந்தனன் தோழி!இன்று எவன்கொல்லோ கண்டிகும் மற்று அவன்நல்காமையின் அம்பல் ஆகி,ஒருங்கு வந்து உவக்கும் பண்பின்இருஞ் சூழ் ஓதி ஒண் நுதற் பசப்பே? Picturesque sights await us in this trip to the mountains, where we get to hear the lady say these words to the confidante, pretending not to notice the man, listening nearby, but making sure he’s in earshot: “With the strength of a lion, sitting on a loft, atop a huge millet field with soaring crops, the mountain man relishes his toddy and remains there; As the breeze sways by with beauty, his mountain maiden dries her thick, dark tresses, spread with sandalwood oils, by running her fingers through her locks, and sings the ‘Kurinji’ song in those mountain spaces; Listening to this song, without eating the crops, without moving away from there, attaining sleep in those sleepless, green eyes, the brave, young elephant lies down and rests in the mountains of the lord. With his sandalwood-streaked chest, swarming with bees, wearing a garland and head garland, holding a spear in his right hand, taking care to prevent guards from hearing his approach, softly, opening the unbolted door, he entered within, embraced with desire my spreading chest, held on to my arms, said sweet words and then left me, my friend! But since he does not render his grace now, slander has risen, and on my shining forehead, surrounded by dark tresses that wish only to render joy, pallor has spread. How can I bear this now?” Time to go on that mountain trek at night and read the minds! The lady starts with a nuanced description of the man’s mountain country, talking first about a mountain dweller, who guards the millet fields sitting on a loft above the fields. Forgetting his duties, he seems to be relishing sweet toddy and lost in that pleasure. While this is happening on one side, his mate, the mountain maiden, dries her thick tresses in the wind, and sings a song, which echoes across the mountain clefts. Hearing this song, a young male elephant forgets about eating the crops, does not move away from there, but instead lies down and sleeps at peace, the lady sketches. Let’s return to this interesting scene in a moment. Then, the lady goes on to talk about the way the man comes at night, wearing his garlands and holding a spear, stealthily avoiding the lookout of the guards, and then enters the unbolted door to embrace the lady, say sweet words and leave. While this is such a joyous thing, when he does not come, pallor coats my forehead and slander spreads in town, the lady says and concludes asking her confidante, how she could go on in this manner. In the image of the toddy-drinking mountain dweller, the lady places a metaphor for the man’s actions of wanting only to enjoy the pleasures of trysting and his forgetting of his duties. In the scene of the mountain maiden singing her song thinking about her man, the lady talks about her own changes because of the man’s relationship; Finally, in the unintended consequence of the elephant sleeping to the maiden’s song, the lady talks about how it’s the town’s folk who seem to be alert to her changes and are dropping all their work to spread gossip about her. In short, the one for whom the lady’s heart sings that song seems not to pay heed, the lady implies, connecting to the man’s interest in temporary trysting and not in the permanent union with her. Though it’s the same theme of ‘Marry me, marry me’, the verse leaves us with exquisite glimpses of life in the mountain country.

In this episode, we perceive the distress in separation, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 101, penned by Maamoolanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse vividly depicts the people and events of this arid land. அம்ம வாழி, தோழி! ”இம்மைநன்று செய் மருங்கில் தீது இல்” என்னும்தொன்றுபடு பழமொழி இன்று பொய்த்தன்றுகொல்?தகர் மருப்பு ஏய்ப்பச் சுற்றுபு, சுரிந்தசுவல் மாய் பித்தை, செங் கண் மழவர்வாய்ப் பகை கடியும் மண்ணொடு கடுந் திறல்தீப் படு சிறு கோல் வில்லொடு பற்றி,நுரை தெரி மத்தம் கொளீஇ நிரைப் புறத்துஅடி புதை தொடுதோல் பறைய ஏகி,கடி புலம் கவர்ந்த கன்றுடைக் கொள்ளையர்,இனம் தலைபெயர்க்கும் நனந்தலைப் பெருங் காட்டு,அகல் இரு விசும்பிற்கு ஓடம் போல,பகலிடை நின்ற பல் கதிர் ஞாயிற்றுஉருப்பு அவிர்பு உளரிய சுழன்று வரு கோடை,புன் கால் முருங்கை ஊழ் கழி பல் மலர்,தண் கார் ஆலியின், தாவன உதிரும்பனி படு பல் மலை இறந்தோர்க்குமுனிதகு பண்பு யாம் செய்தன்றோஇலமே! It’s all about the dread of the drylands in this one and we get to hear the lady say these words to the confidante, after the man had left in search of wealth and continues to remain parted away: “Listen, my friend! May you live long! It appears as if that ancient proverb, which says, ‘If you only do good in this life, no evil shall befall you’ has become false today. The red-eyed Mazhavars, with their long, curling locks of hair, hiding their necks, akin to the horns of a ram, holding termite mud in their mouths to quell that enemy called cough, carrying a small fire rod capable of kindling a huge fire, along with a bow, steal churning rods with foam lines. Then those bandits, with their slippers masking the sound of their foot steps, stealthily capture herds of cattle, along with their calves, from well-guarded spaces, and then move the herds to other places in that spreading, huge scrub jungle, where appearing like a raft on the wide sky, the many-rayed sun spreads its heat and scorches during the day, making the many flowers of the dull stemmed drumstick tree, wither down, akin to hail in the cool, rainy season. Such is the harsh and hilly region, which makes one shiver, that the man has left too. We have done nothing hateful to him ever!” Let’s brave the heat and take a walk in the drylands to learn more! The lady starts with an abstract statement about a well-known proverb seemingly becoming false. This said proverb is the one which says that no harm shall come to a person, who only does good in this life. Instead of saying what she means by that, the lady launches into a detailed description of the drylands, by sketching a portrait of the robbers called as ‘Mazhavars’. Their curly hair is placed in parallel to the ram’s horns, in a striking simile.  Then there’s a rather curious mention of these men, having termite mud in their mouths, so as to quell an enemy of the mouth. This enemy of the mouth is nothing other than the respiratory issues, such as cough, sneeze and so on. Obviously the robbers do not want to give away their discreet approach just before nabbing their goods, and that’s why they are taking so much care to prevent any disturbances in their throats. Like me, you may wonder, all that’s fine but termite mud, what’s that got to do with arresting a cough? On researching, a scientific article enlightened me about how termites have been used for long in south Indian traditional medicine as a treatment for asthma and other respiratory diseases by indigenous tribes such as the Irulas, Panniyars, Kannikaarar, etc. Felt amazed by how this subtle line in a two thousand year old poetry connects to the medicine of indigenous tribes even today. Returning, we find these robbers seizing the curd-churning rods and then stealthily approaching the sheds of these cattle, with their slippers masking their footsteps. With such precautions, they succeed at their attempt in stealing away the cattle and the calves, and move these herds to other places in that scrub jungle, where the sweltering heat makes the drumstick tree shed its flowers, like hail in the rainy season. Such a vivid description of the drylands has been given by the lady to say this is where the man is walking now. She concludes by declaring that she has done nothing wrong to the man, connecting back to her opening statement, implying even though she has done only good, the harm of separation has befallen on her. Yet again, it’s the theme of separation but this verse shines as an anthropologist’s delight, in linking the humans of the past and present!

In this episode, we perceive subtle words of persuasion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 100, penned by Ulochanaar. The verse is situated amidst the roaring waves of the ‘Neythal’ or ‘Coastal Landscape’, and reveals the concern with the man’s current course of action. அரையுற்று அமைந்த ஆரம் நீவி,புரையப் பூண்ட கோதை மார்பினை,நல் அகம் வடுக் கொள முயங்கி, நீ வந்து,எல்லினில் பெயர்தல் எனக்குமார் இனிதே.பெருந் திரை முழக்கமொடு இயக்கு அவிந்திருந்தகொண்டல் இரவின் இருங் கடல் மடுத்தகொழு மீன் கொள்பவர் இருள் நீங்கு ஒண் சுடர்ஓடாப் பூட்கை வேந்தன் பாசறை,ஆடு இயல் யானை அணி முகத்து அசைத்தஓடை ஒண் சுடர் ஒப்பத் தோன்றும்பாடுநர்த் தொடுத்த கை வண் கோமான்,பரியுடை நல் தேர்ப் பெரியன், விரிஇணர்ப்புன்னைஅம் கானல் புறந்தை முன்துறைவம்ப நாரைஇனன் ஒலித்தன்னஅம்பல் வாய்த்த தெய்ய தண் புலர்வைகுறு விடியல் போகிய எருமைநெய்தல் அம் புது மலர் மாந்தும்கைதை அம் படப்பை எம் அழுங்கல் ஊரே! Many fascinating sights of the shore are to be found in this trip to the seas, and here, we listen to the confidante say these words to the man, when he is about to leave, after his nightly tryst with the lady: “Applying well-ground sandalwood paste and wearing a garland high upon your chest, you come here at night, embrace her fine bosom, leaving wounds in it, and then part away at daybreak. This is something pleasant to me too. Our town is a place, where on those cloud-filled nights, when other than the huge roar of the oceans, the world stands still, and fishermen in search of fatty fish traverse the dark seas, and dispel darkness with a radiant lamp, whose light is akin to the bright glow that emits from the golden ornament, adorning the face of a battle elephant, in the encampment of a great king, with a principle of never retreating, and one, which is fenced by pandanus trees, where on a cool and fresh morning, a buffalo feeds on the new flower of the blue lotus! Akin to the calls of flocks of storks arriving in the shore of Puranthai, filled with groves of laurel wood trees, ruled by the great King Periyan, renowned for his generosity, the one who has horses and fine chariots, whom singers have praised endlessly, slander resounds in this uproarious town of ours!” Time to take a walk amidst the pandanus trees of this shore and learn more! The confidante starts by sketching what the man has been doing lately, which is to arrive at the lady’s place, with his chest, streaked with sandalwood paste, and embrace her by night, and leave in the morning. This friend concedes it’s indeed a good thing. Then she goes into a lengthy description of their town, talking about how the fisherfolk traverse the seas at night, with lamps on their boats, and which glow like the golden ornament of a battle elephant. Is the confidante warning the man that there’s danger of discovery by these night fishermen? Then, she also mentions how this town is naturally fenced by pandanus trees, and when dawn breaks, a buffalo can be found savouring a newly bloomed blue lotus flower. No doubt she says this as a metaphor for the man’s secret trysting with the lady! Finally, the confidante comes to the crux of the matter and points to the loud sounds echoing from the throats of storks that arrive in the fertile port town of Puranthai, ruled by the celebrated King Periyan, and connects this noise to the rumours spreading in their town about the man’s relationship with the lady. In short, the confidante impresses upon the man that it’s time to give up his temporary trysting and choose the permanent path of happiness with the lady. In this song filled with vivid images, the line that made me smile was the reference to the buffalo munching on the blue lotus and the connection of this scene in nature to the dynamics of a relationship!

In this episode, we observe the beauty of a place, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 99, penned by Paalai Paadiya Perunkadungo. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands Landscape’, the verse sketches a word of support expressed to a beloved. வாள் வரி வயமான் கோள் உகிர் அன்னசெம் முகை அவிழ்ந்த முள் முதிர் முருக்கின்சிதரல் செம்மல் தாஅய், மதர் எழில்மாண் இழை மகளிர் பூணுடை முலையின்முகை பிணி அவிழ்ந்த கோங்கமொடு அசைஇ, நனைஅதிரல் பரந்த அம் தண் பாதிரிஉதிர்வீ அம் சினை தாஅய், எதிர் வீமராஅ மலரொடு விராஅய், பராஅம்அணங்குடை நகரின் மணந்த பூவின்நன்றே, கானம்; நயவரும் அம்ம;கண்டிசின் வாழியோ குறுமகள்! நுந்தைஅடு களம் பாய்ந்த தொடி சிதை மருப்பின்,பிடி மிடை, களிற்றின் தோன்றும்குறு நெடுந் துணைய குன்றமும் உடைத்தே! None of the dreariness of the drylands in this one, and here, we hear the man uttering these words to the lady, in the middle of their journey, after they have eloped together from the lady’s town: “Akin to the killer claws of a tiger, with sword-like stripes, are the blooming red buds of the thorny coral tree. As bees suckle honey, the mature, wilting flowers have fallen down and spread all around; Akin to the bejewelled bosoms of maiden, wearing well-etched ornaments and having exquisite beauty, are buttercup flowers that have burst out of their tight buds, and these lie around too, fused with moist wild jasmine buds, cool trumpet flowers that have been shed from a beautiful branch, and the burflower tree’s differing flowers. All this makes the forest waft with the fragrance of many flowers, akin to the divine mansions where people pray. Picturesque, it is! Do you see, O young maiden? May you live long! Akin to your father’s elephant, which has pounced on battlefields many and broken its adorning tusk rings, standing along with its mate, a short hill with a tall one for company, appears before us!” Let’s smell the fragrance of the assorted flowers and sense the emotion herein! The man points out to the lady the various flowers that are lying on the ground and in the branches around them. First to the ‘Murukkam’ tiger-claw-like flowers, and then the ‘Kongam’ buds, akin to the jewel-clad bosoms of maiden, and others like the Athiral, Paathiri and Kadamba flowers. The scent of these various flowers reminds the man of places, where people worship to spirits, no doubt by offering an assortment of flowers, much like the temples of South India, even today. The man calls out to his lady and concludes by asking her to look around at the mesmerising beauty, in the sight of the hills, one tall and one small, looking much like the battle elephant of the lady’s father, in the company of its mate. From these words, we can infer the lady comes from a wealthy and powerful household. At this time, the man understands both the mental anguish and the physical pain of the lady, and intending to take her heart away from all this distress, he calls her attention to the beauty of their present. What better way to show his love and support for the one who has left behind a world of comfort, just to be with him!

In this episode, we perceive the consequences of impending events, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 98, penned by Veri Paadiya Kaamakkanniyaar. Set in the domain of the spirits, the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’, the verse portrays a subtle but striking technique of persuasion. பனி வரை நிவந்த பயம் கெழு கவாஅன்,துனி இல் கொள்கையொடு அவர் நமக்கு உவந்தஇனிய உள்ளம் இன்னாஆக,முனிதக நிறுத்த நல்கல் எவ்வம்சூர் உறை வெற்பன் மார்பு உறத் தணிதல்அறிந்தனள் அல்லள், அன்னை; வார்கோல்செறிந்து இலங்கு எல் வளை நெகிழ்ந்தமை நோக்கி,கையறு நெஞ்சினள் வினவலின், முதுவாய்ப்பொய் வல் பெண்டிர் பிரப்பு உளர்பு இரீஇ,”முருகன் ஆர் அணங்கு” என்றலின், அது செத்து,“ஓவத்தன்ன வினை புனை நல் இல்,பாவை அன்ன பலர் ஆய் மாண் கவின்பண்டையின் சிறக்க, என் மகட்கு” எனப் பரைஇ கூடு கொள் இன் இயம் கறங்க, களன் இழைத்து,ஆடு அணி அயர்ந்த அகன் பெரும் பந்தர்,வெண் போழ் கடம்பொடு சூடி, இன் சீர்ஐது அமை பாணி இரீஇ, கைபெயரா,செல்வன் பெரும் பெயர் ஏத்தி, வேலன்வெறி அயர் வியன் களம் பொற்ப, வல்லோன்பொறி அமை பாவையின் தூங்கல் வேண்டின்,என் ஆம்கொல்லோ? தோழி! மயங்கியமையற் பெண்டிர்க்கு நொவ்வல் ஆகஆடிய பின்னும், வாடிய மேனிபண்டையின் சிறவாதுஆயின், இம் மறைஅலர் ஆகாமையோ அரிதே, அஃதான்று,அறிவர் உறுவிய அல்லல் கண்டருளி,வெறி கமழ் நெடு வேள் நல்குவனெனினே,”செறிதொடி உற்ற செல்லலும் பிறிது” எனக்கான் கெழு நாடன் கேட்பின்,யான் உயிர்வாழ்தல் அதனினும் அரிதே. Our trip to the mountains takes us on a spiritual tour, and here, we see the lady expressing these words to the confidante, pretending not to notice the man listening nearby, but making sure he’s in earshot: “In the cool and fertile hill spaces, with an irreproachable principle, he had rendered his heart sweetly to me. When his graces were absent for a while, hateful suffering takes form in me. This shall recede only when I embrace the chest of the lord of the mountains, where divine spirits reside. Knowing not this truth, mother looks at the neat rows of radiant bangles, slipping away from my arms, and with helplessness, asks around for advice. In response, those old women, skilled at lying, spread various kinds of rice, and divine saying, ‘It’s the handiwork of Murugan and he has taken possession of her’. Believing that as the truth, mother prays that, ‘In this well-decorated, fine mansion, akin to a painting, my daughter, who is akin to a doll, whose beauty has been analysed and praised by many, should regain her old, thriving state!’ As various musical instruments resound in synchrony, setting up a stage, under a wide tent, decorated for a dance, wearing white palm flowers along with burflowers, singing in a melodious, rhythmic tune, raising his hands, praising the lord’s name greatly, beautifying the arena, per mother’s request, if Velan were to sway and dance, akin to a doll in the hands of an expert puppeteer, and perform the ‘Veri’ ritual, what is to become of me, my friend? Causing anguish to those confused women, even after the dance, if my faded form does not regain its old splendour, it’s unlikely that my secret relationship won’t turn into an object of slander. On the other hand, if the great one with a tall spear, God Murugan, wafting with the fragrance of ‘Veri’ rituals, were to be moved, seeing the suffering induced by my wise man, and were to render my old beauty with grace, my lord of the forest-filled mountains would say, ‘The reason for the pain in the lady wearing neat rows of bangles seems to be something else, not me’. Hearing such words, it’s even more unlikely for me to go on living!” Let’s take in the rituals of these mountain folk and try to read the lady’s heart! She starts by talking about how the man has been trysting with her and rendering his graces. At times, when he is unable to come to her as planned, a deep suffering spreads in her, the lady explains. She adds that the only way that suffering can vanish was if she embraced her man’s chest. Without knowing this side of the story, the lady’s mother becomes worried, as she glances at her girl’s thinning arms, from which bangles are dropping down. Like most mothers, she asks around for advice, and the wise old fortune-tellers in her village spread rice and do their divining. At the end of their process, they conclude that God Murugan has taken possession of the girl and that he must be appeased. Now, mother thinks somehow she has to help her daughter regain her excellent beauty. After stating the scenario as it is, the lady launches into the hypothetical next steps, which would be the performance of the Veri ritual by the Priest Velan, who would wear palm sprouts and burflowers and dance away on a stage spread with sand, under a tent, singing loudly the praises of God Murugan, accompanied by musical instruments. The lady wonders what would be her fate if this were to happen? Why should she worry?, we may ask. She explains by stating two possible outcomes for such an event. One, even after the Veri dance ritual, the lady’s beauty does not return, much to the distress

In this episode, we listen to a lady’s lament, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 97, penned by Maamoolanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse is a medley of many fascinating elements. ”கள்ளி அம் காட்ட புள்ளி அம் பொறிக் கலைவறன் உறல் அம் கோடு உதிர, வலம் கடந்து,புலவுப் புலி துறந்த கலவுக் கழி கடு முடை,இரவுக் குறும்பு அலற நூறி, நிரை பகுத்து,இருங் கல் முடுக்கர்த் திற்றி கெண்டும்கொலை வில் ஆடவர் போல, பலவுடன்பெருந் தலை எருவையொடு பருந்து வந்து இறுக்கும்அருஞ் சுரம் இறந்த கொடியோர்க்கு அல்கலும்,இருங் கழை இறும்பின் ஆய்ந்து கொண்டு அறுத்தநுணங்கு கண் சிறு கோல் வணங்குஇறை மகளிரொடுஅகவுநர்ப் புரந்த அன்பின், கழல் தொடி,நறவு மகிழ் இருக்கை, நன்னன் வேண்மான்வயலை வேலி வியலூர் அன்ன, நின்அலர்முலை ஆகம் புலம்ப, பல நினைந்து,ஆழல்” என்றி தோழி! யாழ என்கண் பனி நிறுத்தல் எளிதோ குரவு மலர்ந்துஅற்சிரம் நீங்கிய அரும் பத வேனில்அறல் அவிர் வார் மணல் அகல்யாற்று அடைகரை,துறை அணி மருதமொடு இகல் கொள ஓங்கி,கலிழ் தளிர் அணிந்த இருஞ் சினை மாஅத்துஇணர் ததை புதுப் பூ நிரைத்த பொங்கர்,புகை புரை அம் மஞ்சு ஊர,நுகர் குயில் அகவும் குரல் கேட்போர்க்கே? In this trip to the drylands, we glimpse contrasting images and listen to the lady, say these words to her confidante, when the man, who left in search of wealth, remains parted away from her: “In the cactus scrub jungle, a beautiful spotted stag, which had lost its dried-up antlers, is attacked by a flesh-reeking tiger. After feeding, the tiger discards the stinking flesh of the carcass. Akin to robbers with a killer bow, who attack a fort at night, making those within scream, steal away the cattle, share among themselves, and sit around in the small path amidst the huge boulders, tearing and eating meat, huge-headed vultures and eagles circle around that deer carcass in the harsh drylands domain, which is where my harsh-hearted one, has left to. “Accompanying maiden with curving wrists, holding small sticks with fine notches, made by choosing and etching from the huge bamboo stalks in the forest, arrive the bards. The great lord Nannan, wearing warrior anklets, showers much affection on them in his joyous court, flowing with toddy. Akin to his town of ‘Viyaloor’ fenced by Vayalai vines, are your spreading bosoms”, you say to me, and ask me to not let these lament, by crying incessantly, thinking of too many things, my friend! Now, the bottle-flower tree has bloomed, announcing that winter has ended, and the perfect season of spring has arrived. On the banks of the wide river, filled with fine silt, adorning the shore, Marutham trees soar high, and nearby, huge-branched mango trees, wearing beautiful, tender leaves, bloom with many clusters of fresh new flowers in the dense groves, enveloped by wisps of clouds, akin to smoke. Savouring all this beauty there, a cuckoo coos. Hearing its voice, do you think it’s an easy task to stop the flowing tears from my eyes?” Time to take a whirlwind tour! The lady starts by describing the drylands region, where the man has gone to. To do that, she paints a picture of a deer carcass, which has been abandoned by a tiger, after it had killed the animal and had its fill. Around this carcass, scavenger birds are bound to circle around, and the lady says these vultures and eagles appear exactly like highway robbers sitting around in a circle, splitting their loot, and having a meal, after their successful attack of a fort the previous night. After sketching the dreary drylands, the lady then goes in another direction and talks about the beautiful town of Viyaloor, ruled by Nannan, a great patron of bards and dancing maiden. The lady reveals that it was the confidante who placed the lady’s bosoms in parallel to Nannan’s beautiful town and asked her not to bring ruin to her bosoms, by crying endlessly. Then once again, the lady turns in a different direction and starts talking about how spring was here, the bottle-flower trees had bloomed, and so had the Marutham trees on the shores of the huge river, as well as the mango trees in the grove. When there’s so much beauty in the air, the birds, nature’s bards, burst into song naturally. Now, the lady connects and concludes saying how it could be possible for anyone, who is separated from their beloved, to hear that cuckoo’s song and not shed tears. In short, the man was still away in that dreadful place and all the tender beauty of spring around is tormenting the lady. The verse stitches together a description of a place, a historic character and elements of a season vibrantly to weave the tapestry of the poignant pain of parting!

In this episode, we perceive the refusal of a request, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 96, penned by Marutham Paadiya Ilankadunko. Set amidst the lush fields and paddy mounds of the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’, the verse refers to a historic incident to sketch a domestic tussle. நறவு உண் மண்டை நுடக்கலின், இறவுக் கலித்து,பூட்டு அறு வில்லின் கூட்டுமுதல் தெறிக்கும்பழனப் பொய்கை அடைகரைப் பிரம்பின்அர வாய் அன்ன அம் முள் நெடுங் கொடிஅருவி ஆம்பல் அகல் அடை துடக்கி,அசைவரல் வாடை தூக்கலின், ஊதுஉலைவிசை வாங்கு தோலின், வீங்குபு ஞெகிழும்கழனிஅம் படப்பைக் காஞ்சி ஊர!”ஒண் தொடி ஆயத்துள்ளும் நீ நயந்துகொண்டனை” என்ப ”ஓர் குறுமகள்” அதுவேசெம்பொற் சிலம்பின், செறிந்த குறங்கின்,அம் கலுழ் மாமை, அஃதை தந்தை,அண்ணல் யானை அடு போர்ச் சோழர்,வெண்ணெல் வைப்பின் பருவூர்ப் பறந்தலை,இரு பெரு வேந்தரும் பொருது களத்து ஒழிய,ஒளிறு வாள் நல் அமர்க் கடந்த ஞான்றை,களிறு கவர் கம்பலை போல,அலர் ஆகின்றது, பலர் வாய்ப் பட்டே. In this trip to the farmlands, trouble’s brewing and we find the theme of a love-quarrel related to a courtesan reverberating in these words of the confidante to the man, when he seeks entry to the lady’s house: “As toddy bowls were washed in the waters, shrimps therein leap about in an intoxicated frenzy, akin to the snapping of a taut bow’s string, and fall inside a grain silo, on the shores of the ponds by the fields, which are filled with serrated, saw-like thorny vines of the rattan bushes, and these vines tie around the wide leaves of the moist water-lilies. When the northern winds blow about, akin to the leather of a blacksmith’s bellows, it swells and shrinks in the fertile fields of your town, filled with portia trees, O lord! They say that you have desired a young maiden, one among many courtesans, clad in radiant bangles, and united with her. When the father of Akuthai, a maiden with beautiful, radiant dark skin, shapely thighs, clad in red gold anklets, the Chozha king, having a mighty elephant army, battled with the two great emperors in the Paruvoor warfront, surrounded by fields of white paddy, and defeated them, at that time, as he triumphed with shining swords and captured the enemy elephants, akin to the uproar that rose in that battlefield, because of your actions, slander is soaring in town, spread by many tongues.” Let’s take a walk amidst the ponds and fields of the farmlands town and hear the latest! The confidante starts with a vivid description of the man’s town by mentioning how people drink up toddy in bowls and then take to washing the same in the ponds by the fields. As a result, the shrimps therein get sloshed as well and seem to snap like a bow, and leap into grain silos around. She further describes how rattan vines tie around waterlily leaves and make them rise and fall, much like an ironworker’s bellows. Note how two occupational references are subtly woven into this narrative. One, toddy flows in that farmlands, a sign of fertility and prosperity, as we have seen in many poems, and farmers and others relish the drink as they work, and wash it in the ponds nearby; Two, the matter-of-fact reference to the blacksmith’s bellows etches the fact that ironmaking was second nature to these Sangam people. Returning, leaving aside such subtle elements, the confidante comes directly to the matter at hand and mentions how some interesting news about the man has reached her ears. This was talk of the man taking a young maiden, one of the courtesans, as his preferred partner. To portray how this news is spreading around town, the confidante takes us to the battlefield of Paruvoor. Here we meet the Chozha king, surprisingly a king known as ‘Akuthai’s father’- Akuthai, being a maiden of extraordinary beauty. This dad of Akuthai is quelling the forces of the Chera and Pandya kings, and the moment he captures the enemy elephants, a huge uproar rises from the throats of his warriors. As loud as that uproar, slander had spread in town because of the man’s doings, the confidante concludes. In essence, the confidante refuses to allow the man entry to the lady’s house. Though it’s the same old theme, it’s heartening to know that even in this patriarchal society, the lady had some means at her disposal, to express her displeasure at the man’s actions!

In this episode, we listen to an anguished voice, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 95, penned by Orodakathu Kantharathanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands’ landscape, the verse relays the reasons for taking a difficult decision. பைபயப் பசந்தன்று நுதலும்; சாஅய்,ஐது ஆகின்று, என் தளிர் புரை மேனியும்;பலரும் அறியத் திகழ்தரும், அவலமும்;உயிர் கொடு கழியின் அல்லதை, நினையின்எவனோ? வாழி, தோழி! பொரிகால்பொகுட்டு அரை இருப்பைக் குவிகுலைக் கழன்றஆலி ஒப்பின் தூம்புடைத் திரள் வீ,ஆறு செல் வம்பலர் நீள் இடை அழுங்க,ஈனல் எண்கின் இருங் கிளை கவரும்சுரம் பல கடந்தோர்க்கு இரங்குப என்னார்,கௌவை மேவலர்ஆகி, ”இவ் ஊர்நிரையப் பெண்டிர் இன்னா கூறுவபுரையஅல்ல, என் மகட்கு” எனப் பரைஇ,நம் உணர்ந்து ஆறிய கொள்கைஅன்னை முன்னர், யாம் என், இதற் படலே? In this trip to the drylands, we see more of the inner world and less of the outer, as we meet up with the lady, and hear her say these words to her confidante, at a time when her man has parted away to gather wealth for their wedding: “Slowly, pallor has spread on my forehead; My sprout-like form too has lost its health and is thinning away; This sorrow of mine rises for everyone to see. What could be the reason for all this other than to take my life away? Long may you live, my friend! From the rough and cracked trunks of the Mahua tree, hollow flower clusters fall down, appearing like hail stones, and these are gathered by a huge bear, which has just given birth, much to the fear of the wayfarers traversing those long paths in the drylands. Without thinking it’s natural to feel worried about those who have parted away thither, the townsfolk spread slander. Hearing this, mother says, ‘The terrible things the women folk of this town say suit not my daughter’. Though she has discovered my relationship with him, she has the principle of saying nothing about it. How can I continue to remain so, given the situation?” Time to listen to the lady’s logic! The lady starts by describing how her health was utterly lost as she was pining away and the sorrow that should be kept hidden had soared to the surface for all to see. She laments that these events make her think that her end is near. Then she talks about the drylands path where a bear, which have just given birth, seem to seek out the Mahua flowers, appearing like hail stones, and in the process threaten the life of wayfarers. Here, the man walks and without thinking it’s natural for anyone, whose beloved walks in such a fearsome place to feel sorrow, the town was spreading slander about her. Hearing that, mother had decided that this state does not suit the lady, and even after realising the situation, mother remained silent. The lady concludes by asking the confidante how she could go on, given these circumstances. In essence, the lady is describing her decision to elope away with her man, as she sees no other hope to sustain her love relationship. A moment of lucid decision-making by being mindful of the difficulty in the present and zooming on to the only path forward!

In this episode, we perceive the eagerness of a person to return home, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 94, penned by Nanbaloor Sirumethaaviyaar. The verse is situated amidst the flowering bushes of the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest landscape’ and renders the musical notes of a night. தேம் படு சிமயப் பாங்கர்ப் பம்பியகுவை இலை முசுண்டை வெண் பூக் குழைய,வான் எனப் பூத்த பானாட் கங்குல்,மறித் துரூஉத் தொகுத்த பறிப் புற இடையன்தண் கமழ் முல்லை தோன்றியொடு விரைஇ,வண்டு படத் தொடுத்த நீர் வார் கண்ணியன்,ஐது படு கொள்ளி அங்கை காய,குறு நரி உளம்பும் கூர் இருள் நெடு விளிசிறு கட் பன்றிப் பெரு நிரை கடிய,முதைப் புனம் காவலர் நினைத்திருந்து ஊதும்கருங் கோட்டு ஓசையொடு ஒருங்கு வந்து இசைக்கும்வன் புலக் காட்டு நாட்டதுவே அன்பு கலந்துஆர்வம் சிறந்த சாயல்இரும் பல் கூந்தல், திருந்திழை ஊரே! An eventful trip to the forest country, where we hear the man saying these words to his charioteer, when returning home after completing his mission: “Near the hills with honeycombs, blooms the thick-leaved midnapore creepers with white flowers close together, appearing like white stars in the midnight sky. Here, after gathering goat kids, the goatherd with a mat on his back, ties up moist and fragrant wild jasmine flowers along with flame-lilies into a water-soaked head garland, around which bees swarm, and then warming his palms in a firebrand nearby, he would remain whistling loudly in that sharp darkness, to scare away foxes. These notes merge with the sound of horns blown by the millet field guards to chase away herds of small-eyed boars, and resounds musically in that intractable, wild forest country. And herein lies the town of the lady, wearing well-etched ornaments, having thick, dark tresses, that beautiful maiden, who has become one with me in love, and who desires my company with eagerness!” Let’s ride along with the man taking in the sights of the night! The man starts by mentioning a place close to the hills, where ‘musundai’ flowers bloom, and at night time, these blooms appear as if they were the stars in the sky. In this place, a goatherd gathers all his little lambs in a pen, and then adorns himself with a flower garland made with both wild jasmines and flame lilies together, and sits there, warming his hands using a firebrand nearby, and letting out long whistles to scare away foxes intent on nabbing his lambs. These whistles rise high and blend with the sound of horns being blown by millet field guards to chase away boars and echoes musically in that forest country, the man describes, and concludes by saying this is the place where his beloved resides. The man is simply mentioning the address where his lady lives but within that, we are able to infer that this is a region where the ‘Kurinji’ and ‘Mullai’ fuse as one, meaning it’s a forest region close to the hills, where both wild jasmines and flame lilies can be found, and where both millet field guards and goatherds are within a stone’s throw of each other. The verse etches the sights of the region and also relays the musical man-made sounds that reverberate here. In some ways, it’s also making a statement about human-wildlife conflict. Interesting how rather than using the harsh methods of today such as electric fences and traps to keep away these animals from human spaces, the ancients chose to use the gentle weapon of music!

In this episode, we perceive the joy and anticipation in returning home, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 93, penned by Madurai Kanakkaayanaar Makanaar Nakkeeranaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse presents insightful facts about the three great empires in ancient Tamil land. கேள் கேடு ஊன்றவும், கிளைஞர் ஆரவும்,கேள் அல் கேளிர் கெழீஇயினர் ஒழுகவும்,ஆள்வினைக்கு எதிரிய ஊக்கமொடு புகல் சிறந்து;ஆரங் கண்ணி அடுபோர்ச் சோழர்அறம் கெழு நல் அவை உறந்தை அன்னபெறல் அரு நன் கலம் எய்தி, நாடும்செயல் அருஞ் செய்வினை முற்றினம் ஆயின்; அரண் பல கடந்த, முரண் கொள் தானை,வாடா வேம்பின், வழுதி கூடல்நாள் அங்காடி நாறும் நறு நுதல்நீள் இருங் கூந்தல் மாஅயோளொடு,வரை குயின்றன்ன வான் தோய் நெடு நகர்,நுரை முகந்தன்ன மென் பூஞ் சேக்கைநிவந்த பள்ளி, நெடுஞ் சுடர் விளக்கத்து,நலம் கேழ் ஆகம் பூண் வடுப் பொறிப்ப,முயங்குகம் சென்மோ நெஞ்சே! வரி நுதல்வயம் திகழ்பு இழிதரும் வாய் புகு கடாஅத்து,மீளி மொய்ம்பொடு நிலன் எறியாக் குறுகி,ஆள் கோள் பிழையா, அஞ்சுவரு தடக் கை,கடும் பகட்டு யானை நெடுந் தேர்க் கோதைதிரு மா வியல் நகர்க் கருவூர் முன்துறைதெண் நீர் உயர் கரைக் குவைஇயதண் ஆன்பொருநை மணலினும் பலவே. In this instance, we see less of the searing drylands and more of plenty and prosperity, as we meet the man when he is returning from his mission to gather wealth and saying these words to his heart: “To protect kith and kin from adversity, to provide food in plenty to them and to transform those who are not kin as one’s kin, with the determination needed for earning wealth brimming over, we set out! Battle-worthy are the Chozhas, clad in ‘aathi’ flower garlands. Akin to their town of Uranthai, where justice shines in the fine court, we have gathered the hard-to-attain, fine riches, and completed that formidable task that we desired to do. Conquering forts many with his fierce army, is the Pandya King, clad in unfading neem garlands. Akin to his town of Koodal, whose day markets waft with fragrance, is the fine forehead of the dark-skinned maiden, with long, black tresses. In the sky-soaring, tall mansion, appearing as if carved out of a mountain, upon the soft, flower-like mattress, appearing akin to heaps of sea foam, on the high bed, in the light of the tall lamp, making fine jewels on her bosom carve scars on the chest, let’s embrace her. Come, O heart! Having lined foreheads, fearsome trunks, with musth liquid pouring down and seeping into the mouth, thundering with strength, akin to Death, pouncing on the land, and unswerving in killing the enemy, are the proud and fierce elephants, belonging to the Chera King, renowned for his tall chariots. Let us embrace her for more times than there are sands, brought by the cool ‘Aan Porunai’ river and heaped on the tall banks, brimming with clear water, in the shore of the Chera town of Karuvoor, filled with rich, huge and wide mansions.” Time to walk along with the returning man and hear his delight! The man starts by laying down the reasons he went in search of wealth and that is to ensure that no harm comes to those who are his kith and kin, to provide plenty for them, and more importantly, to make even those who are strangers as kin by rendering a heartwarming hospitality to them. A moment to pause and appreciate the noble thought in Sangam culture of extending love and compassion to those beyond one’s circle. A trait that is exemplified in the Puranaanooru lines, ‘Yaathum Oore, Yaavarum Kelir’ meaning ‘Every town is our own, and every person therein is our kin’. Returning to the verse, we find the man declaring to his heart that they had succeeded in this mission and were now returning with bountiful and precious riches, which can be placed in parallel to the capital of the Chozhas, known as ‘Uranthai’. The Chozhas are identified by their bravery in the battlefield and the ‘aathi’ flower garlands they wear, whereas the town is praised for its courts of justice. Next, the man talks about the Pandya King Vazhuthi’s town of Koodal, which is the ancient name for the contemporary Tamil city of ‘Madurai’, mentioning its fragrant markets. He then connects this fragrance to that of his beloved’s forehead. Here too we learn about the formidable army of the Pandya king and their chosen flower garlands of neem flowers. In the final segment, the man turns to talk about the Chera king Kothai’s town of Karuvoor. Before that, he describes in great detail the battle elephants of this Chera king and their fearsome presence in the battlefield. The man has mentioned the Chera town of Karuvoor only to talk about the ‘Aan Porunai’ river that flows through this town and the sands it heaps on the banks of the river shore here. He concludes by telling his heart that he would embrace his beloved for more times than there are sands on the river shores of Karuvoor. In a nutshell, the wealth the man earned is like the precious Uranthai, the beauty of his beloved is like the fragrant Koodal, an

In this episode, we perceive a technique of hidden persuasion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 92, penned by Madurai Paalaasiriyaar Natraamanaar. The verse is situated amidst the flowing cascades and blooming flame-lilies of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’ and relays an alternate plan of action. நெடு மலை அடுக்கம் கண் கெட மின்னி,படு மழை பொழிந்த பானாட் கங்குல்,குஞ்சரம் நடுங்கத் தாக்கி, கொடு வரிச்செங் கண் இரும் புலி குழுமும் சாரல்வாரல் வாழியர், ஐய! நேர் இறைநெடு மென் பணைத் தோன் இவளும் யானும்காவல் கண்ணினம் தினையே நாளைமந்தியும் அறியா மரம் பயில் இறும்பின்ஒண் செங் காந்தள் அவிழ்ந்த ஆங்கண்,தண் பல் அருவித் தாழ்நீர் ஒரு சிறை,உருமுச் சிவந்து எறிந்த உரன் அழி பாம்பின்திருமணி விளக்கின் பெறுகுவைஇருள் மென் கூந்தல் ஏமுறு துயிலே. An eventful trip to the mountains awaits us in this one, where we get to hear these words from the confidante to the man, when he leaves after a nightly tryst with the lady: “In the middle of the night, when blinding the eyes, lightning flashes in the tall mountain ranges, and heavy rain pours down, attacking an elephant and making it shiver, the red-eyed, huge tiger with curving stripes roars aloud. Do not come by at this time, O lord, may you live long! The lady, having perfect wrists and slender, bamboo-like arms, and I, are planning to go guard the millet fields tomorrow. If you come then, to that thick forest with trees that even monkeys know not, where bright red flame-lilies are in full blossom, where the cool, heavy cascade flows down on side, in the light of the fine gem spit out by a snake, whose strength was ruined by the fury of thunder, you will attain a pleasant sleep on her darkness-like, soft tresses!” Let’s talk a walk in those lush hills and learn more! The confidante starts by asking the man to not come when the lightning is flashing, rains are pouring, in the middle of the night, when a tiger roars after attacking an elephant. She then tells the man that she and the lady were planning to go guard the millet fields the next day and asks him to come by at that time. The confidante concludes by promising that if the man were to come then to those dense forests, with trees that even monkeys know not about, where the flame-lilies are at their peak blossom, and where the cascades are flowing so invitingly, then in the light of a gem that has been spit out by a snake, ruined by thunder, the man would find sweet sleep amidst the thick, black tresses of his beloved. First, let’s turn our attention to the two seemingly bizarre facts mentioned about snakes: One is that snakes are destroyed by the fury of thunder, and two, these snakes spit out gems. These statements portray beliefs held by Sangam people. We know not what this implies but it’s just one of those things people of a certain era are so sure about, but looks incomprehensible in hindsight. Turning to the essence of the verse, it is a refusal of nightly trysts, but the highlight is in the way the confidante delivers this rejection. It’s not ‘No and be gone’. Rather, it’s ‘No. But why don’t you?’ She offers an alternate plan. However, even within that, she conceals the danger of discovery, for people will abound in that space to pluck those flame-lilies and play in the cascades. So, ultimately the confidante is asking the man to ‘marry the lady’ but saying it in such a way that the man arrives at this conclusion himself, rather than the confidante demanding the same of him. Another effective lesson in communication for behaviour transformation!

In this episode, we listen to a message of reassurance, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 91, penned by Maamoolanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse sketches contrasting images of an arid domain and a fertile one. விளங்குபகல் உதவிய பல் கதிர் ஞாயிறுவளம் கெழு மா மலை பயம் கெடத் தெறுதலின்,அருவி ஆன்ற பெரு வரை மருங்கில்சூர்ச் சுனை துழைஇ நீர்ப்பயம் காணாது,பாசி தின்ற பைங் கண் யானைஓய் பசிப் பிடியொடு ஒருதிறன் ஒடுங்க,வேய் கண் உடைந்த வெயில் அவிர் நனந்தலைஅரும் பொருள் வேட்கையின் அகன்றனர் ஆயினும்,பெரும் பேர் அன்பினர் தோழி!-இருங் கேழ்இரலை சேக்கும், பரல் உயர் பதுக்கைக்கடுங்கண் மழவர் களவு உழவு எழுந்தநெடுங் கால் ஆசினி ஒடுங்காட்டு உம்பர்,விசிபிணி முழவின் குட்டுவன் காப்ப,பசி என அறியாப் பணை பயில் இருக்கை,தட மருப்பு எருமை தாமரை முனையின்,முடம் முதிர் பலவின் கொழு நிழல் வதியும்,குடநாடு பெறினும் தவிரலர்மடமான் நோக்கி! நின் மாண் நலம் மறந்தே. In this trip to the drylands, we meet the confidante consoling the lady, at a time when the man had left in search of wealth and remains parted away from the lady: “The many-rayed sun that aids the day to flourish, had scorched away and made the huge and fertile mountain lose its useful cover, and the cascades too had ceased to flow in those spaces amidst the hills. Searching these erstwhile springs, inhabited by fearsome spirits, and finding no water whatsoever, the fresh-eyed elephant ends up eating moss, and then lies down with its hungry mate on one side. Although he parted away to these drylands spaces, where bamboos burst open in the blazing heat, with a desire to gain precious wealth, he is someone who has a deep love within, my friend! Beyond the region of Odungaadu, filled with tall-trunked breadfruit trees, where dark-hued stags rest amidst the high stone-filled burial mounds, where harsh-eyed warriors go about their act of ploughing by stealing, there is a town, protected by King Kuttuvan, renowned for his resounding tight drums, a place brimming with bamboos and fertile fields, where people know not the meaning of hunger, where a buffalo with curving horns, satiated with lotus flowers and wanting no more, leaves to rest in the thick shade of the curving jackfruit tree. Even if he were to attain this prosperous town known as ‘Kudanaadu’, he will not stay away, forgetting your fine beauty, O maiden with a gaze of a naive deer!” Let’s step into those scorching spaces and learn more! The confidante starts with a vivid description of a drylands space. She mentions how it’s the sun that makes the day shine, but sometimes the sun overdoes its work and as a result the lush mountains lose their fertility. From this, we infer that this ‘Paalai’ region is not a drylands region always, but a ‘Kurinji’ space modified so, in the sweltering summer. This should explain that the ‘Paalai’ landscape often seen in Sangam verses does not pertain to a permanent desert region in ancient Tamil land but possibly talk about the transformation of ‘Kurinji’ and ‘Mullai’ tracts in a particular season. Returning, the confidante continues saying how thanks to the scorching sun, the cascades have dried up, and elephants that come expectantly to those ancient springs find no water and have to be content with eating moss. The confidante connects saying though the man had seemingly abandoned the lady and left to such a place to gather wealth, he was one filled with a great love for the lady. Then, she moves on to talk about another space entirely, first mentioning a region called Odungaadu, seemingly another drylands space, where there are many breadfruit trees, where deers can be seen resting amidst the stone graves, and where the highway robbers are said to do their daily ploughing of stealing from wayfarers. That ancient Tamil land was predominantly a farming society is captured by the way the professions of every other region is seen through the lens of tending to the soil. Returning, the confidante has mentioned these facts only to talk about Kudanaadu, a town that lies beyond this region, the capital of the Chera King Kuttuvan, where people do not know the meaning of hunger, whatever be the season, and here, even a buffalo has so much to eat that it munches in plenty its favourite food of lotus flowers that it wants no more and waddles along to rest in the shade of the jackfruit tree. The confidante concludes by saying even if the man were to attain this fertile town of Kudanaadu, he will not be tempted to stay away from the beautiful, deer-like eyes of the lady. In essence, the confidante proclaims that nothing would make the man forsake his love for his lady ever. Isn’t it interesting to note that it’s wealth that the man leaves the lady for, however even though he is given that epitome of wealth, the rich town of Kudanaadu, he would not be tempted to stay away from his beloved? A picture perfect illustration of the code of ethics in the man’s wealth

In this episode, we perceive a subtle technique of persuasion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 90, penned by Madurai Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. The verse is situated in the ‘Neythal’ or ‘Coastal landscape’ and projects how invaluable the lady is to her family. மூத்தோர் அன்ன வெண் தலைப் புணரிஇளையோர் ஆடும் வரிமனை சிதைக்கும்தளை அவிழ் தாழைக் கானல் அம் பெருந் துறை,சில் செவித்து ஆகிய புணர்ச்சி அலர் எழ,இல்வயிற் செறித்தமை அறியாய்; பல் நாள்வரு முலை வருத்தா, அம் பகட்டு மார்பின்,தெருமரல் உள்ளமொடு வருந்தும், நின்வயின்,”நீங்குக” என்று, யான் யாங்ஙனம் மொழிகோ?அருந் திறற் கடவுட் செல்லூர்க் குணாஅதுபெருங் கடல் முழக்கிற்று ஆகி, யாணர்,இரும்பு இடம் படுத்த வடுவுடை முகத்தர்,கருங் கட் கோசர் நியமம் ஆயினும்,”உறும்” எனக் கொள்குநர்அல்லர்நறு நுதல் அரிவை பாசிழை விலையே. In this little trip to the seas, we get to meet the confidante and hear her say these words to the man, as he arrives to tryst with the lady: “Having white heads of elders, waves dash against and destroy sand houses, built by the young, in those huge shores, filled with pandanus trees, brimming with blooming flowers. As news of your union fell on a few ears, slander has spread and she has been confined to her home. You know not about this! How can I come to you, who has a handsome, proud chest, which has not had the company of her young bosoms for many days, and whose heart is filled with sorrow and confusion, and say to you, “Let go of her”? On the eastern side of Selloor, known for its powerful gods, is the town of Niyamam, ruled by the fearless Kosars, who have scarred faces, carved by the slash of iron, and here, the huge ocean resounds ceaselessly, and it’s filled with endless prosperity. Even if this town of Niyamam is given as the bride price for their young girl, with a fine forehead, they wouldn’t say, ‘This is fitting’ and accept it!” Time to take a look at the unending waves in the love life of these ancients! The confidante stops the man when he arrives to tryst with the lady. She describes the shore where they live as one where waves, having the greyed hair of elders, would smash against the sand houses, etched with love by the young. That’s a subtext for what’s to follow! Continuing, the confidante talks about how some people had spread slander about the man’s union with the lady, and because of that, the lady’s parents had confined the lady home. The confidante laments that she does not have the heart to disappoint the man, who is coming there with much passion, and ask him to forget the lady. She concludes by giving the explanation that the lady’s family valued their girl so much that they would not consider even the rich and fertile town of Niyamam, east of Selloor, to be a fitting exchange for their beautiful daughter. The confidante is nudging the man to give up trysting and marry the lady, warning him that he had his work cut out. ‘Neither will you be able to see her now and if you want to win her over, you have to shower immeasurable riches on the lady’s kith and kin’, she means to say to the man. These lines clearly tell us that this society had the custom of bride price, wherein a man had to render a certain amount of wealth to the girl’s family, prior to their wedding. Curious how this practice has turned topsy turvy and in contemporary Tamil society, some families of girls are expected to pay a ‘dowry’ to the groom’s family. It would be insightful to understand how this diametrically opposite change came about over the centuries, in this particular wedding custom!

In this episode, we listen to a mother’s lament, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 89, penned by Madurai Kaanchipulavar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse sketches the dangers of a drylands journey. தெறு கதிர் ஞாயிறு நடு நின்று காய்தலின்,உறு பெயல் வறந்த ஓடு தேர் நனந் தலை,உருத்து எழு குரல குடிஞைச் சேவல்,புல் சாய் விடரகம் புலம்ப, வரையகல் எறி இசையின் இரட்டும் ஆங்கண்,சிள்வீடு கறங்கும் சிறிஇலை வேலத்துஊழுறு விளைநெற்று உதிர, காழியர்கவ்வைப் பரப்பின் வெவ் உவர்ப்பு ஒழிய,களரி பரந்த கல் நெடு மருங்கின் விளர் ஊன் தின்ற வீங்குசிலை மறவர்மை படு திண் தோள் மலிர வாட்டி,பொறை மலி கழுதை நெடு நிரை தழீஇயதிருந்து வாள் வயவர் அருந் தலை துமித்தபடு புலாக் கமழும் ஞாட்பில், துடி இகுத்து,அருங் கலம் தெறுத்த பெரும் புகல் வலத்தர்,வில் கெழு குறும்பில் கோள் முறை பகுக்கும்கொல்லை இரும் புனம் நெடிய என்னாது,மெல்லென் சேவடி மெலிய ஏகவல்லுநள்கொல்லோ தானே தேம் பெய்துஅளவுறு தீம் பால் அலைப்பவும் உண்ணாள்,இடு மணற் பந்தருள் இயலும்,நெடு மென் பணைத் தோள் மாஅயோளே? We get an in-depth tour of the drylands in this trip and listen to the words of a mother, at a time when her daughter has eloped away with her man: “The burning rays of the sun scorches in the middle of summer, in those wide spaces, parched without any downpour, filled with mirages, and here, the male owl hoots with a soaring sound, akin to that of rocks rolling down the hills, spreading lament in those arid clefts, bereft of grass. In those spaces, crickets chirp around the small-leaved Babool tree, from which ripe pods shed down. As the white and salty layer of soil has been removed by washer-folk from that desolate spread of land, acidic soil is all that remains in that pebble-filled region. Here, after feasting on fatty meat, highway robbers with bulging bows, pounce upon those strong men with etched swords, accompanying huge paces of puffing donkeys, beasts of burden, whose strong shoulders are laden with goods. Those highway warriors chop the heads of these accompanying guards, making those spaces reek with the smell of flesh. Beating their ‘thudi’ drums, they gather those precious vessels that have been won by battle-worthy men from forts, protected by archers many, and they distribute the booty among themselves, as per their customary order. Not thinking such a dark and dangerous domain is too long to tread, making her soft, red feet suffer, she walks on. Does she even have the strength to do this? For she was one, who would refuse to heed my call to eat the sweet milk, mixed in perfect proportion with honey, and would run hither and thither on the fine sand spread under the canopy. Such was the nature of that dark-skinned maiden with long and soft, bamboo-like arms!” Let’s brave the scorching sun and explore the drylands! Mother starts with a detailed description of this region and she talks about the scorching sun, illusory mirages, hooting male owls, chirping crickets, and the withering Babool trees. Then, she makes a comment about washer-folk removing the white, salty layer of soil and leaving the land acidic and infertile. This made me pause and wonder what’s the connection between washer-folk and drylands mud. When researching, I came across the ironic fact that in ancient times, people used to wash their clothes with abrasive, salty mud, to wipe away the grime. That’s why these Sangam washer-folk are collecting their weapons of dirt destruction from this mud! Returning, mother continues talking about this region and turns her attention to the most dangerous element in any place – the people, of course! She highlights how highway robbers are chopping off the heads of soldiers accompanying donkeys carrying precious vessels and other tributes from forts captured. Those valiant soldiers, who were victors in the battlefield, fall to the arrows of these highway robbers, who then happily distribute the loot among themselves, apparently in an orderly fashion. Honour among thieves, looks like! Now mother comes to the point and says how this is the place her dear daughter was treading on, without worrying about the dangers there, and wonders from where her little girl got the strength to do this. She concludes by describing how her beautiful and delicate girl was such a fussy eater, who would refuse sweet milk and honey, and would be playfully running around, under the sand-filled tents. In essence, this is nothing but a mother’s wonder at how suddenly her offspring seems to mature and change their shades in the blink of an eye!

In this episode, we perceive a subtle message of persuasion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 88, penned by Eezhathu Poothanthevanaar. The verse is situated amidst the swaying millet stalks of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’ and portrays the dangers in a person’s path. முதைச் சுவற் கலித்த மூரிச் செந்தினைஓங்கு வணர்ப் பெருங் குரல் உணீஇய, பாங்கர்ப்பகுவாய்ப் பல்லிப் பாடு ஓர்த்து, குறுகும்புருவைப் பன்றி வரு திறம் நோக்கி,கடுங் கைக் கானவன் கழுதுமிசைக் கொளீஇயநெடுஞ் சுடர் விளக்கம் நோக்கி, வந்து, நம்நடுங்கு துயர் களைந்த நன்னராளன்சென்றனன்கொல்லோ தானே குன்றத்துஇரும் புலி தொலைத்த பெருங் கை யானைக்கவுள் மலிபு இழிதரும் காமர் கடாஅம்இருஞ் சிறைத் தொழுதி ஆர்ப்ப, யாழ் செத்து,இருங் கல் விடர் அளை அசுணம் ஓர்க்கும்காம்பு அமல் இறும்பில் பாம்பு படத் துவன்றி,கொடு விரல் உளியம் கெண்டும்வடு ஆழ் புற்றின வழக்கு அரு நெறியே? This tour of the mountains takes us in the presence of confidante, who is saying these words to the lady, pretending not to notice the man, who is listening nearby but making sure he is in earshot: “Desiring to eat luxuriant crop ears of the huge red millet flourishing in the ancient mountain ground, guided by the clicks of the split-mouthed lizard on its side, a young boar approaches the field. Anticipating its arrival, the harsh-eyed hunter lights up fire brands, atop his watch loft. Glimpsing the glow of this bright lamp, the good-natured lord comes here to remove your shivering sorrow. On the cheeks of the long-trunked elephant that has felled a huge tiger, descends down desirable musth, around which dark-winged swarms buzz around. Thinking this is the sound of lutes, the ‘Asunam’ living in the huge clefts of the mountain cries with pleasure. In the bamboo-filled forest, killing the serpent within, the sharp-fingered bear digs into the deep and furrowed termite mounds. Did your good man leave from here to walk on such a fear-evoking path?” Time to take a night stroll in the meandering mountain paths! The confidante describes to the lady the scene of a young boar waiting cautiously, listening to the sounds of a lizard on its side, biding its time to feed on the lush millets growing in the field. There’s a projection of human attributes on this boar in the way it’s portrayed as waiting for the good omen from the lizard to take a step forward towards its meal. Whatever be the grand plans of the boar, the hunter is prepared, and has lit up firebrands on his watch tower. This is the only light in that dark night, which guides the man to the lady’s house, and he has the good heart to come and end the lady’s suffering, the confidante remarks. Then she launches on a description of the mountain paths, and here, we find an elephant that has just felled a tiger, and from its cheeks, a thick musth liquid pours down, for it’s the time of rutting, and attracted by the scent, bees buzz around with their characteristic hum. Hearing this hum, a creature called ‘Asunam’ apparently shouts out with pleasure. To recollect, this Asunam is a mythical creature we have encountered in many Sangam verses, one which is attracted by pleasant music and dies the moment it hears harsh sounds. If such a creature existed, it would not have lasted one second in our modern world! Returning, we find the confidante continuing her description saying not only that, but there’s a bear furiously digging through a termite mound, killing a snake residing within, in that very path. She concludes by asking her friend if indeed the man was taking such a path to come visit the lady and then part away! Implying that this is a path filled not only with dread and danger, but also the fear of discovery, the confidante is urging the man to give up his temporary trysting and seek a permanent union with the lady. This subtle tone of communication, without any hint of force, appreciating the good qualities, and depicting interest in the other’s safety and welfare, is a masterclass in techniques of effective behaviour transformation!

In this episode, we hear healing words rendered to a heart, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 87, penned by Madurai Peraalavaayar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse sketches a journey as it nears its end. தீம் தயிர் கடைந்த திரள் கால் மத்தம்,கன்று வாய் சுவைப்ப, முன்றில் தூங்கும்படலைப் பந்தர்ப் புல் வேய் குரம்பை,நல்கூர் சீறூர் எல்லித் தங்கி,குடுமி நெற்றி நெடு மரச் சேவல்தலைக் குரல் விடியற் போகி, முனாஅது,கடுங்கண் மறவர் கல் கெழு குறும்பின்எழுந்த தண்ணுமை இடங் கட் பாணி,அருஞ் சுரம் செல்வோர் நெஞ்சம் துண்ணென,குன்று சேர் கவலை, இசைக்கும் அத்தம்,நனி நீடு உழந்தனை மன்னே! அதனால்உவ இனி வாழிய, நெஞ்சே! மை அறவைகு சுடர் விளங்கும் வான் தோய் வியல் நகர்ச்சுணங்கு அணி வன முலை நலம் பாராட்டி,தாழ் இருங் கூந்தல் நம் காதலிநீள் அமை வனப்பின் தோளுமார் அணைந்தே. In this trip to the drylands, though there’s some suffering, all is not just about pain, and we hear the man say these words to his heart, when he’s returning home after completing his mission to earn wealth: “After churning sweet curd, letting a calf lick and taste it, the thick-stemmed rod is left in the front yard of a hut, thatched with grass, under a canopy of trees, in this impoverished, little hamlet. Staying here at night, when the tree rooster with a tufted forehead, calls out in the early hours of dawn, let’s leave from here. You have suffered greatly in those paths through the hills of the drylands, resounding with the music of ‘thannummai’ drums, wielded by harsh-eyed robbers from their rocky forts, sounds that make the hearts of those who traverse the region quiver with fear! But you can delight now, O heart, for in that flawless, sky-high, wide home, lit with bright lamps, praising the beauty of her lovely, pallor-spotted bosoms, you will soon embrace the long, bamboo-like arms of our lover, with dark and descending tresses!” Let’s extract the beat of the man’s heart amidst the drumbeats in the drylands! The man starts by painting a picture of the place, where he is spending the night. This is said to be a poor village, where huts have thatched roofs and are under the thick shade of trees. The man talks about how a curd churning staff has been left leaning in the front yard, and there, a calf was licking up the remnants of the sweet curd on the rod’s surface. Turning to his heart, the man promises that they will leave this place at the moment the rooster on the tree crows aloud and announces the dawn. As he’s sitting there and making plans for the next day, his mind rewinds to the past few days, when his heart has been going through a lot, as it traversed through the harsh drylands in the man’s company, startled every time the drum beats of the highway robbers was heard rippling through the barren paths there. The man concludes by telling his heart all that’s done with, and that it can start feeling happy for soon the heart would be by the side of his beloved in their tall, bright mansion, and praising her beauty, it can lie wrapped up in her bamboo-like arms! Yet again, this is a case of separating the heart and the man, to put an objective distance between him and his emotions. The verse vividly captures the pain in the past and contrasts it with the hope of joy in the near future. In essence, it’s the last push needed to reach the destination by employing the timeless technique of visualising the delight that awaits one there!

In this episode, we listen to recollections of a joyous event, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 86, penned by Nallaavoor Kizhaar. Set in the prosperous towns of the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’, the verse depicts intricate customs in a Sangam era wedding. உழுந்து தலைப்பெய்த கொழுங் களி மிதவைபெருஞ் சோற்று அமலை நிற்ப, நிரை கால்தண் பெரும் பந்தர்த் தரு மணல் ஞெமிரிமனை விளக்குறுத்து, மாலை தொடரி,கனை இருள் அகன்ற கவின்பெறுகாலை; கோள் கால் நீங்கிய கொடு வெண் திங்கள்கேடு இல் விழுப் புகழ் நாள் தலைவந்தென,உச்சிக் குடத்தர், புத்தகல் மண்டையர்,பொது செய் கம்பலை முது செம் பெண்டிர்முன்னவும் பின்னவும் முறை முறை தரத்தர,புதல்வற் பயந்த திதலை அவ் வயிற்றுவால் இழை மகளிர் நால்வர் கூடி,‘கற்பினின் வழாஅ, நற் பல உதவிப்பெற்றோற் பெட்கும் பிணையை ஆக!’ என,நீரொடு சொரிந்த ஈர் இதழ் அலரிபல் இருங் கதுப்பின் நெல்லொடு தயங்க,வதுவை நல் மணம் கழிந்த பின்றை,கல்லென் சும்மையர், ஞெரேரெனப் புகுதந்து,‘பேர் இற்கிழத்தி ஆக’ எனத் தமர் தர, ஓர் இற் கூடிய உடன் புணர் கங்குல்,கொடும் புறம் வளைஇ, கோடிக் கலிங்கத்துஒடுங்கினள் கிடந்த ஓர் புறம் தழீஇ,முயங்கல் விருப்பொடு முகம் புதை திறப்ப,அஞ்சினள் உயிர்த்தகாலை, ‘யாழ நின்நெஞ்சம் படர்ந்தது எஞ்சாது உரை’ என,இன் நகை இருக்கை, பின் யான் வினவலின்,செஞ் சூட்டு ஒண் குழை வண் காது துயல்வர,அகம் மலி உவகையள்ஆகி, முகன் இகுத்து,ஒய்யென இறைஞ்சியோளே மாவின்மடம் கொள் மதைஇய நோக்கின்,ஒடுங்கு ஈர் ஓதி, மாஅயோளே. A long song featuring a single day’s events in the fertile farmlands. These words are said by the man to the confidante, when she refuses to allow him entry into the lady’s house, as he was returning from a courtesan’s place: “Thick and soft porridge, perfectly cooked with urad dal, and heaps of rice balls were relished; Under the huge and cool canopy with rows of pillars, fine sand was spread; Lamps were lit in the house; Garlands were hung on that beautiful morning, when the thick darkness had receded; On that flawless, famous and auspicious day, when the curving, white moon had stepped out of the influence of the wrong planets, holding pots atop their heads, and new, rounded ‘mandai’ vessels in their hands, old and virtuous women, who conduct public rituals arrived with loud sounds, and handed out different elements before and after, as per custom. Just then, four women clad in bright ornaments, with beautiful pallor-spotted bellies, who had given birth to sons, came together, and with the words, ‘Without swerving from your chastity, offering all good aid, be a loving spouse to your partner!’, blessed her by sprinkling paddy and water with moist petaled flowers, on her thick, dark tresses. After this fine ritual of wedding was over, with a loud uproar, quickly rushing in, her kith and kin offered her saying, ‘May you attain fame as a good wife’. On that fine night, in that room, where we were to unite together, curving her back, she was lying covered in her wedding attire. As I hugged her with desire and lifted her buried face, she let out a fearful sigh. When I gently inquired saying to her with a smile, ‘Whatever is in your mind, speak it all freely to me’, her face lit up with a heartfelt joy, making her bright, heavy earrings, fitted with red gems sway. She quickly bent her head in shyness, that dark-skinned maiden with neatly oiled tresses and a deer’s naive and beautiful eyes!” Let’s join in the wedding festivities in a Sangam era town! When the confidante stops the man and chides him for courting the courtesan, telling him the lady does not wish to see him in her house, the man responds in a totally opposite tone. He starts recollecting the events of his wedding. Food is foremost! And we find mention of a soft porridge, made with urad dal, sounding very close to the contemporary ‘Pongal’, a well-known Tamil breakfast item. The man also mentions how heaps of rice were being relished along with this Sangam ‘Pongal’. From food, his attention moves towards the decorations, and he talks about how tents were put up and sand was spread, and the whole place dazzled with bright lamps. It was the early morning hour, the man informs us, at the time when the darkness was being quelled by the first light. Apparently, choosing the right day was very important to these ancient folks and they seem to have waited for a day, when the moon was free from the influence of other planets. Here we find a subtle reference to the practice of studying the skies to determine a favourable time. On such a day, the rituals start with the arrival of elderly women, who have seen much in life, known for their wisdom, and they arrive there, carrying pots on their heads and bowls in their hands, and as per custom, they arranged all these things in order. Once everything was in place, four women, who had given birth to sons, stepped forward and blessed the bride, wishing that she would be a loving partner to her spouse, even as they showered paddy and sprinkled water with moist flowers on the lady’s thick tresses. The mention of

In this episode, we listen to a recollection of promises, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 85, penned by Kaattoor Kizhaar Maganaar Kannanaar. The verse is situated amidst the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’ and offers consolation to an anxious heart. ‘நல் நுதல் பசப்பவும், பெருந் தோள் நெகிழவும்,உண்ணா உயக்கமொடு உயிர் செலச் சாஅய்,இன்னம் ஆகவும், இங்கு நத் துறந்தோர்அறவர்அல்லர் அவர்’ எனப் பல புலந்து,ஆழல் வாழி, தோழி! ‘சாரல்,ஈன்று நாள் உலந்த மெல் நடை மடப் பிடி,கன்று பசி களைஇய, பைங் கண் யானைமுற்றா மூங்கில் முளை தருபு ஊட்டும்வென் வேல் திரையன் வேங்கட நெடு வரை,நல் நாள் பூத்த நாகு இள வேங்கைநறு வீ ஆடிய பொறி வரி மஞ்ஞைநனைப் பசுங் குருந்தின் நாறு சினை இருந்து,துணைப் பயிர்ந்து அகவும் துணைதரு தண் கார்,வருதும், யாம்’ எனத் தேற்றியபருவம்காண் அது; பாயின்றால் மழையே. In this trip to the drylands, we are left to stay back home and hear these words of the confidante said to the lady, as the man remains parted away: “Saying, ‘Even as my fine forehead spreads with pallor, my thick arms thin away, my life wallows with the suffering of not eating, he chooses to remain parted away. He’s not a just man’, and lamenting deeply, do not cry, my friend, may you live long! Remember what he said when consoling you: ‘In the mountain slopes, to end the hunger of the young calf, which had been just birthed a few days ago by the gentle-gaited, naive female, the fresh-eyed male elephant gathers tender sprouts of bamboo, and feeds the young one in the tall mountains of Venkatam, ruled by Thiraiyan, who wields a victorious spear. Here, amidst the fragrant fallen flowers of a young Kino tree, when a peacock with spots and specks dances, calling to its mate, sitting on the fragrant branch of a moist and green wild lime tree, I will arrive and be by her side, in that moist and cool season of rains!’. Lo behold, those clouds spreading yonder! That season of rains approaches!” Time to play the waiting game with these maiden! The confidante starts by mentioning how the lady had been feeling let down by her man, as he decided to part away and has left her to lose her health and beauty. Asking her friend to wipe her tears, the confidante reminds the lady about the man’s promise. When he was leaving, the man had detailed a place in the north, amidst the hills of Venkatam, which was said to be ruled by Thiraiyan, and here, he brings forth the poignant scene of a father elephant feeding tender bamboo shoots to a recently-born young calf. After mentioning the place, the man had talked about a specific time, and this was just when the peacocks dance, amidst the Kino flowers, and call to their mates sitting on the wild lime trees. This time is the season of rains, and when that approaches, he would be by the lady’s side, the man had said. The confidante reminds the lady of this, and points to the clouds gathering at a far distance, and says, ‘If the rains are here, can he be far behind?’. Nothing like a friend to bring cheer to a heart by recollecting the positive past and reiterating the hopeful future! 

In this episode, we listen to an anguished heart, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 84, penned by Madurai Ezhuththaalan. The verse is situated in the fragrant forests of the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest landscape’ and compares the abodes of two parted lovers. மலைமிசைக் குலைஇய உரு கெழு திருவில்பணை முழங்கு எழிலி பௌவம் வாங்கி,தாழ் பெயற் பெரு நீர், வலன் ஏர்பு, வளைஇ,மாதிரம் புதைப்பப் பொழிதலின், காண்வரஇரு நிலம் கவினிய ஏமுறுகாலைநெருப்பின் அன்ன சிறு கட் பன்றி,அயிர்க்கட் படாஅர்த் துஞ்சு, புறம் புதைய,நறு வீ முல்லை நாள் மலர் உதிரும்புறவு அடைந்திருந்த அரு முனை இயவின்சீறூரோளே, ஒண்ணுதல்! யாமே,எரி புரை பல் மலர் பிறழ வாங்கி,அரிஞர் யாத்த அலங்கு தலைப் பெருஞ் சூடுகள் ஆர் வினைஞர் களம்தொறும் மறுகும்தண்ணடை தழீஇய கொடி நுடங்கு ஆர் எயில்அருந் திறை கொடுப்பவும் கொள்ளான், சினம் சிறந்து,வினைவயின் பெயர்க்கும் தானை,புனைதார் வேந்தன் பாசறையேமே! We are back in the earthy forest domain, and here, we get to hear these words from the man: “Painting above the hills, a colourful and captivating rainbow, the clouds, roaring like drums, shower down the great waters they had gathered at the ocean, by climbing on the right, and encircling, burying everything with a downpour, making the land look exquisite to the eyes. In this delightful time, when a wild boar, with small eyes, akin to fire, sleeps on the fine sand, amidst a little drizzle, covering its rear, fragrant flowers of the wild jasmine fall down in the forest, winding through which a road leads to the little hamlet, where resides my beloved, the maiden with a radiant forehead! Cutting down many flowers, akin to flames, grain harvesters, who delight in fine toddy, tie huge heaps of paddy, and leave them swaying in many fields, in the moist farmlands. Ruling over this rich land, stands a well-guarded fort, fluttering with flags, and even though rich tributes are offered by them, refusing them, with his fury fuming, the garlanded king puts his army to work, and at his battle encampment is where I am!” Let’s relish the rich rain of this region and learn more! The man renders a poetic view of the actions of a raincloud, as it seems to paint the hills with the radiant hues of a rainbow, and pour down the water it had collected from the ocean, by climbing high and surrounding the region. At this time, the land looks so captivating to the eyes, remarks the man, and then zooms on to a wild boar sleeping peacefully in these woods, even as the falling flowers of the wild jasmine hide its back. The man has mentioned these details to say this is where his lady lives, in a little hamlet, near the forest. Then, he comes to his own situation and talks about a fertile farmland village, and the scene of paddy harvesters heaping bundles of paddy by the side of their fields, something mentioned to talk about how fertile and prosperous this farmland region is.As can be expected, around such rich farmlands, there’s a fort and a king to rule over the fort. Even though this king extends a peace flag and promises to give a rich tribute, for some reason, his enemy king, the one wearing garlands on his chest, refuses to heed to their appeasement, and remains intent on launching war, the man describes, and concludes by connecting that’s where he is, right now, in the encampment of the raging enemy king! In a nutshell, the man is complaining about his separation from his beloved, even after the promised season of return, simply because his king sees no reason to end the war. Yet another vivid illustration of how war brings misery to the good-hearted, and if you ask me, be it then or now, shouldn’t that be reason enough to shun war and bring hearts together?

In this episode, we perceive an instance of love across the miles, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 83, penned by Kallaadanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse echoes the tender feelings in the heart of a man parted away from his beloved. வலம் சுரி மராஅத்துச் சுரம் கமழ் புது வீச்சுரி ஆர் உளைத் தலை பொலியச் சூடி,கறை அடி மடப் பிடி கானத்து அலற,களிற்றுக் கன்று ஒழித்த உவகையர், கலி சிறந்து,கருங் கால் மராஅத்துக் கொழுங் கொம்பு பிளந்து,பெரும் பொளி வெண் நார் அழுந்துபடப் பூட்டி,நெடுங் கொடி நுடங்கும் நியம மூதூர்,நறவு நொடை நல் இல் புதவுமுதற் பிணிக்கும்கல்லா இளையர் பெருமகன் புல்லிவியன் தலை நல் நாட்டு வேங்கடம் கழியினும்,சேயர் என்னாது, அன்பு மிகக் கடைஇ,எய்த வந்தனவால்தாமே நெய்தல்கூம்பு விடு நிகர் மலர் அன்னஏந்து எழில் மழைக் கண் எம் காதலி குணனே. In this trip to the drylands, we get to see some interesting characters and hear these words said by the man to his heart, in the middle of his journey: “Radiantly adorning their curly, mane-like hair with fragrant, new flowers of the right-whorled, drylands burflower tree, making a naive female elephant, with thick legs like a pounding pestle, scream aloud in the forest, they steal away a male elephant calf. Laughing with joy at their success, with pride, they break the thick branch of a black-trunked burflower tree, and tear a thick cluster of its white bark, so as to make a sturdy rope to tie the calf securely. Then, they bring it over to an ancient town, filled with flag-fluttering markets, and tie it at the entrance of a fine house that sells toddy. These men are none other than the unlearned youth, who are led by Pulli. And even though we have crossed Lord Pulli’s wide-spreading, fine country of Venkatam, without thinking that’s so faraway, brimming over with love, my beloved’s exquisite, rain-like eyes, akin to bright, blooming twin flowers of a blue lotus, have come right here!” Time to track a band of hunters in the drylands! The man starts by describing certain men in this domain by talking about their thick and curly hair and the way they adorn it with burflower tree’s blooms. After putting on that equivalent of the modern tie, these men set about their jobs, which is to steal a young elephant calf, leaving the mother to suffer and scream. Not minding the mother elephant’s pain, they seem to be intent at amplifying their joy, and to do that, first they tear some thick fibres from the burflower tree’s branch to make a strong rope to bind the calf securely, and then they set off to an ancient town, with the flags of great houses fluttering around, and they step inside the market and locate the very place they are looking for – a shop that sells toddy, and here, they tie the elephant calf to the entrance. We can imagine the intentions of these boys, described as ‘unlearned’, implying they have no education, and are skilled only in their job of hunting, and perhaps, drinking! ‘An elephant calf for a toddy cup’ seems to be their motto! In any case, these hunting young men are said to be ruled by the Lord Pulli, and the man connects this description to his narrative by saying, at that moment, they had crossed even the northern domain ruled by this Pulli, and even so, without thinking it’s too far away, his dear lady’s exquisite eyes have followed him thither! In essence, the man’s saying, ‘I’ve come so far away, and yet, her eyes are here!’, reflecting his feelings of missing his beloved as he journeys on, in those dreary paths. A feeling, which anyone can relate to, beyond space and time, for what could give greater comfort than musing on a beloved’s presence when separated from them!

In this episode, we delight in musical sounds many, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 82, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated amidst the bee-buzzing cascades of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’ and reveals the hidden emotions of a lady. ஆடு அமைக் குயின்ற அவிர் துளை மருங்கின்கோடை அவ் வளி குழலிசை ஆக,பாடு இன் அருவிப் பனி நீர் இன் இசைதோடு அமை முழவின் துதை குரல் ஆக,கணக் கலை இகுக்கும் கடுங் குரற் தூம்பொடு,மலைப் பூஞ் சாரல் வண்டு யாழ் ஆக,இன் பல் இமிழ் இசை கேட்டு, கலி சிறந்து,மந்தி நல் அவை மருள்வன நோக்க,கழை வளர் அடுக்கத்து, இயலி ஆடு மயில்நனவுப் புகு விறலியின் தோன்றும் நாடன்உருவ வல் விற் பற்றி, அம்பு தெரிந்து,செருச் செய் யானை செல் நெறி வினாஅய்,புலர் குரல் ஏனற் புழையுடை ஒரு சிறை,மலர் தார் மார்பன், நின்றோற் கண்டோர்பலர்தில், வாழி தோழி! அவருள்,ஆர் இருட் கங்குல் அணையொடு பொருந்தி,ஓர் யான் ஆகுவது எவன்கொல்,நீர் வார் கண்ணொடு, நெகிழ் தோளேனே? In this picturesque trip to the mountains, we find ourselves in the presence of the lady, sharing these words to her confidante: “The beautiful summer breeze that flows within the holes of the swaying bamboos turns into the music of flutes; The sweet sounds of the resounding cascades, flowing with cool water, turns into the dense music of a variety of drums; The grunts of male deers turn into the sharp music of the ‘thoombu’ horns; The buzzing of bees, amidst the mountain blooms, turn into the music of lutes; As monkeys sit around together, looking on with bewilderment, hearing the many notes of such a sweet music, filled with ecstasy, peacocks sway and dance, in the bamboo-filled mountain slopes, appearing akin to dancing maiden, who enter an arena of festivities. Such are the scenes in the mountain domain of the lord. He had come here, holding on to his strong and beautiful bow, and a clutch of arrows, inquiring about the path of the elephant, which he had shot at. Just then, near the entrance of the millet field blooming with thick crop clusters, there were many, who stood and looked at this lord, with a wide chest, garlanded by flowers. Long may you live, my friend! Among all those, how come I am the only one, lying in bed, in the dead dark of the night, with eyes, shedding tears and arms, thinning away?!” Time to relish a treat for the eyes and ears in this hilly domain! The lady starts by describing how various elements of nature turn into instruments of music. First, it’s the breeze flowing through the holes of bamboos, which turns into flutes; Next, the roaring cascades become the drums; The unique grunts of male deers turn into ‘Thoombu’ horns, and as the last aspect, the buzzing of bees become the music of lutes. When there’s so much music resounding, shouldn’t it be honoured with dance? ‘Indeed yes!’, say the peacocks, and spread out their bright plumes, as the monkeys sit around like the audience. The entire scene has a close resemblance to the performance of ‘dancing maiden’ in a town’s festivities, the lady adds, and connects these as events unfolding in the mountain country of the lord. Then she goes on to narrate a particular incident involving this lord, as he had come close to their village one day, holding a bow, and inquiring about the path an elephant he had just shot had taken. At that moment, there were many young maiden, who stood and watch him, standing by the side of the millet fields, the lady details, and ends with a question as to how only she was affected by that sight in a such a way, that every night, as she lay in bed, tears poured from her eyes and her arms thinned away! This is no mere question but a statement of fact about the lady’s love for her man, which she is subtly revealing to her confidante. This is the first step in a series of revelations, by which the lady’s love moves up the ladder from the confidante to the confidante’s mother, and from her, to the lady’s mother, and finally to the lady’s family, hoping for their acceptance of a permanent union between the man and the lady. Beyond these cultural subtleties, the stunning aspect of this verse is the perfect synchrony of music and nature, doubling the healing capabilities of these two superpowers, and offering a visual and auditory treat, the kind that modern audiences witness, when two talented performers create sparks together on the same screen!

In this episode, we listen to a pointed question put forth, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 81, penned by Alamperi Saaththaanaar. The verse is situated in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’ and vividly illustrates the elements of nature in this domain. நாள் உலா எழுந்த கோள் வல் உளியம்ஓங்குசினை இருப்பைத் தீம் பழம் முனையின்,புல் அளைப் புற்றின் பல் கிளைச் சிதலைஒருங்கு முயன்று எடுத்த நனை வாய் நெடுங் கோடு,இரும்பு ஊது குருகின், இடந்து, இரை தேரும்மண் பக வறந்த ஆங்கண், கண் பொரக்கதிர் தெற, கவிழ்ந்த உலறுதலை நோன் சினைநெறி அயல் மராஅம் ஏறி, புலம்பு கொளஎறி பருந்து உயவும் என்றூழ் நீள் இடைவெம் முனை அருஞ் சுரம் நீந்தி சிறந்தசெம்மல் உள்ளம் துரத்தலின், கறுத்தோர்ஒளிறு வேல் அழுவம் களிறு படக் கடக்கும்மா வண் கடலன் விளங்கில் அன்ன எம்மை எழில் உண்கண் கலுழஐய! சேறிரோ, அகன்று செய் பொருட்கே? In this trip to the drylands, the region appears in a hypothetical question put forth by the confidante to the man, as detailed in these words: “Rising up and setting out on its daily stroll, a bear, adept at claiming its food, feeds on the sweet fruits of the Mahua tree with soaring branches, and when it starts disliking this food, the bear moves towards a termite mound with many small hollows, built by the effort of many families of white ants, working together. Nearing the wet-mouthed, tall mound, akin to an ironsmith blowing through the nozzle of the bellows, the bear breathes within, and gathers its food. In those barren places, where the earth is split into cracks, and where the sun scorches the eyes, climbing upon the upturned, dried-up branch of the burflower tree, growing near the path, a lonely eagle sits with suffering. Such is the heat-soaked, long paths of the fiery and formidable drylands. The lady’s dark and beautiful kohl-streaked eyes are akin to the town of ‘Vilangil’ ruled by the great and strong Kadalan, who overcomes shining spears of his enemies with his army of elephants in the battlefield. To traverse those drylands, pushed by your esteemed heart, O lord, are you going to leave to earn that wealth to be made faraway, making those exquisite eyes of hers shed tears?” Let’s attempt a walk through the sun-swept paths of the drylands and learn more! The confidante starts by describing the drylands region, and to do that, she follows the activities of a sloth bear, that has risen from its rest, and is setting out on its daily activities. The first stop of the bear happens to be a Mahua tree, with dried-up leaves, and the bear manages to collect some fruits on a tall branch. After having its fill and wanting no more of the fruit, the bear navigates to its next food place, which is a termite mound, built by the concerted effort of many groups of ants, the confidante details. Here, akin to a blacksmith blowing into the bellows, the bear too breathes into the termite mound to clear the ants and feed on its tasty snack of termite comb. In a such a place there’s nothing but heat, the confidante continues, now turning her focus to a lonely eagle, perched on top of a bur flower tree. Saying how the earth is all cracked up and the burning heat scorches the eyes, the confidante sums up this place as one dry and dreary place to be! Then, she goes on to describe how the lady’s eyes are like the famous town of ‘Vilangil’ ruled by a victorious King Kadalan, known for his army of elephants. The confidante concludes by asking the man, whether he was going to make those beautiful eyes of the lady shed tears, by leaving her and parting away to those drylands, so as to earn wealth. A question with which she expects to move the man and make him put off his plans of parting away. The interesting elements of this verse are the metaphors seamlessly placed in the narrative. For instance, in the scene of the bear tiring of the Mahua tree fruits and moving towards the termite mound, the confidante places a metaphor for the man, relishing the lady’s company, and then as if done with that, moving towards seeking wealth. In the image of the lonely eagle, sitting in suffering in the middle of the drylands, the confidante predicts that’s going to be the precise future of the man, if he so decides to leave the lady. Thus, a verse comprising of a simple question, ‘Are you really going to part away and make her cry?’, is elevated by its elegant description of the dynamics of emotions through the actions of elements in nature!

In this episode, we perceive an indirect technique of persuasion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 80, penned by Marunkoor Kizhaar Perunkannanaar. The verse is situated amidst the trees and vines of the ‘Neythal’ or ‘Coastal landscape’ and sketches a well-etched portrait of an ancient shore. கொடுந் தாள் முதலையொடு கோட்டுமீன் வழங்கும்இருங் கழி இட்டுச் சுரம் நீந்தி, இரவின்வந்தோய்மன்ற தண் கடற் சேர்ப்ப!நினக்கு எவன் அரியமோ, யாமே? எந்தைபுணர் திரைப் பரப்பகம் துழைஇத் தந்தபல் மீன் உணங்கற் படுபுள் ஓப்புதும்முண்டகம் கலித்த முதுநீர் அடைகரைஒண் பல் மலர கவட்டு இலை அடும்பின்செங் கேழ் மென் கொடி ஆழி அறுப்ப,இன மணிப் புரவி நெடுந் தேர் கடைஇ,மின் இலைப் பொலிந்த விளங்கு இணர் அவிழ் பொன்தண் நறும் பைந் தாது உறைக்கும்புன்னைஅம் கானல், பகல் வந்தீமே. In this quick trip to the seas, we meet with the confidante and hear her say these words to the man, when he comes to tryst with the lady, by night: “Traversing narrow paths through the huge backwaters, frequented by crocodiles having curving legs and sharks as well, you have been coming here in the dark of the night, O lord of the cool seas! It shouldn’t be that difficult to see us! Wielding your tall chariot, resounding with the sound of bells, tied on your horses, with your chariot wheels, cutting the slender, red-hued vines of the beach morning glory, having many radiant flowers and twin-lobed leaves, on the shores of those ancient waters, densely filled with water-thorn bushes, to that beautiful orchard filled with laurel wood trees, with resplendent leaves and radiant flower clusters, showering cool, fresh, fragrant, golden pollen, if you were to come by day, you can easily find us, chasing away birds that come near the heaps of fish that father brought from his hunt in the wide seas, filled with foaming waves!” Ready for a swim with sharks and crocodiles? Here we go! The confidante starts by pointing out how the man has been coming in the deadly hour of night through a dangerous path in the backwaters, teeming with crocodiles and sharks too, to meet with the lady. Then she asks the man why take all this risk and come at such a time through such a place. It’s not very hard to meet the lady, she adds. The confidante then describes the man’s tall chariot and horses tied to it, resounding with bells many, and concludes by telling him, if at all the man decided to come by day, wielding his chariot, cutting the red vines of the beach morning glory, blooming alongside the water thorn, on the shores, heading towards the beautiful orchard of ‘Punnai’ trees with shining leaves, white flowers and golden pollen, then the man could easily see the lady, for she would be right there, chasing away the birds that come to steal away from the heap of fish that father brought from his hunt in the seas. In essence, the confidante tells the man to come claim the lady at a time when she would be in the company of many others. This is another way of telling the man to give up his temporary trysting and ‘Marry her, marry her’! The highlight of this verse is the way the words delight both the naturalist and the anthropologist in each of us, with its vivid portrait of the various dimensions of life on a coastal landscape from another era!

In this episode, we perceive a man’s annoyance with his heart, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 79, penned by Kudavayil Keerathanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse presents a vivid account of the people and their activities in this domain. தோட் பதன் அமைத்த கருங் கை ஆடவர்கனை பொறி பிறப்ப நூறி, வினைப் படர்ந்து,கல்லுறுத்து இயற்றிய வல் உவர்ப் படுவில்,பார் உடை மருங்கின் ஊறல் மண்டியவன் புலம் துமியப் போகி, கொங்கர்படு மணி ஆயம் நீர்க்கு நிமிர்ந்து செல்லும்சேதா எடுத்த செந் நிலக் குரூஉத் துகள்அகல் இரு விசும்பின் ஊன்றித் தோன்றும்நனந்தலை அழுவம், நம்மொடு துணைப்ப,‘வல்லாங்கு வருதும்’ என்னாது, அல்குவரவருந்தினை வாழி, என் நெஞ்சே! இருஞ் சிறைவளை வாய்ப் பருந்தின் வான் கட் பேடை,ஆடுதொறு கனையும் அவ் வாய்க் கடுந் துடிக்கொடு வில் எயினர் கோட் சுரம் படர,நெடு விளி பயிற்றும் நிரம்பா நீள் இடை,கல் பிறங்கு அத்தம் போகி,நில்லாப் பொருட் பிணிப் பிரிந்த நீயே. In this tour of the drylands, the man has left the lady and parted in search of wealth and we catch him saying these words to his heart in the middle of his journey: “Carrying food bundles on their shoulders, men with huge, dark hands, set out on their task of shattering rocks, spreading dense sparks, to build a sturdy well, in that harsh and brackish land. Near the spaces where the hard ground was broken by them, where water springs forth, owing to the splitting open of the rocky surface, bells-clad cattle, belonging to the Kongars, rushes with eager, upraised heads. Just then, the red dust scattered by the these tawny hued cows, soar to the wide expanse of the sky, in that vast spreading drylands domain. Without thinking that you should accompany me and keep on going with determination, I see you stepping back, filled with worry. May you live long, my heart! Here, the huge-winged, curved-mouthed eagle’s white-eyed female, seeing robbers, with curving bows, come dancing as they beat their harsh-sounding ‘thudi’ drums, having beautiful mouths, sends out a long call in the deserted long and barren paths of this rocky drylands. Weren’t you the one who decided to part away and come here, caught in the affliction of seeking transient wealth?” Let’s get ready for an in-depth exploration of the drylands! The man starts by describing the dreary world around him. He first talks about some professionals, who have set out with their lunch packs from home, knowing very well they have a hard task before them. This hard task is to shatter the rocky ground and dig a well to find good water in that terrible rocky land. As they hit the ground, friction makes sparks fly, notes the man. When humans are so intent on something, many a time they find what they are looking for and after much effort, water springs forth, and the scent of this fresh elixir draws out the grazing cattle of the Kongars, and as the herd of tawny cows rushes there, the red dust covers the sky, the man illustrates. At this point, the man pauses and goes inward, talking to his heart saying, ‘Without thinking I must continue steadily with him, you are languishing in worry, in memory of her’. After that statement, he moves to the outer world a second time and points to the sound of a screeching call, made by a roving predator female bird, at the moment it sees highway robbers, marching on, beating their ‘thudi’ drums, swaying to the beat, as they enter that region. Why does the female call so? Just to say to its mate, ‘These harsh men are out and about, they will surely attack and kill innocent wayfarers. So be ready to feast to your full’. An image painted to project the fear-evoking expanse of this region, where death roams in a frenzy. After this illustration of the outer world, the man concludes by stepping within once again and reminding his heart that it was the one, who had sent him on this mad quest for wealth, something that never stays still in one place. In a nutshell, the man is accusing his heart of pushing him on this path and deserting him midway. This separation between oneself and one’s heart is to be aware and bring to fore, the doubts and despair that has started cropping up in one’s mission. That image of men boring the rocky ground to bring sweet water forth is no doubt a vision of inspiration to keep on at one’s task, no matter the obstacles in the world or in the mind!

In this episode, we perceive a thoughtful intervention on behalf of another, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 78, penned by Madurai Nakeeranaar. Set amidst the honeycombs and flame-lilies of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain Landscape’, the verse highlights events in the life of a famous Sangam King. ‘நனந்தலைக் கானத்து ஆளி அஞ்சி,இனம் தலைத்தரூஉம் எறுழ் கிளர் முன்பின்,வரி ஞிமிறு ஆர்க்கும், வாய் புகு கடாத்து,பொறி நுதற் பொலிந்த வயக் களிற்று ஒருத்தல்இரும் பிணர்த் தடக் கையின், ஏமுறத் தழுவ,கடுஞ்சூல் மடப் பிடி நடுங்கும் சாரல்,தேம் பிழி நறவின் குறவர் முன்றில்,முந்தூழ் ஆய் மலர் உதிர, காந்தள்நீடு இதழ் நெடுந் துடுப்பு ஒசிய, தண்ணெனவாடை தூக்கும் வருபனி அற்சிரம்,நம் இல் புலம்பின், தம் ஊர்த் தமியர்என் ஆகுவர்கொல் அளியர்தாம்?’ என,எம் விட்டு அகன்ற சில் நாள், சிறிதும்,உள்ளியும் அறிதிரோ ஓங்குமலைநாட! உலகுடன் திரிதரும் பலர் புகழ் நல் இசைவாய்மொழிக் கபிலன் சூழ, சேய் நின்றுசெழுஞ் செய்ந் நெல்லின் விளைகதிர் கொண்டு,தடந் தாள் ஆம்பல் மலரொடு கூட்டி,யாண்டு பல கழிய, வேண்டுவயிற் பிழையாது,ஆள் இடூஉக் கடந்து, வாள் அமர் உழக்கி,ஏந்துகோட்டு யானை வேந்தர் ஓட்டிய,கடும் பரிப் புரவிக் கை வண் பாரிதீம் பெரும் பைஞ் சுனைப் பூத்ததேம் கமழ் புது மலர் நாறும் இவள் நுதலே? Our trip to the mountains takes us in the presence of the confidante, who is rendering these words to the man, who has stayed away from the lady for a while, during the days of their courtship: “In your soaring mountain peaks, fearing the ‘aali’ in the widespread jungle, a strong bull elephant with a spotted head, gathers its herd around it and offers protection with its shining strength, as striped bees buzz around, and musth flows inside its mouth. This strong male extends its huge, coarse and curved trunk, and hugs with love, its naive and pregnant mate, which was shivering in the slopes, wherein on the front yards of mountain folk, who distill sweet nectar from honeycombs, beautiful flowers of the bamboo lie scattered. O lord of the soaring peaks, at this time when, making the long-petalled, tall stems of flame lilies break, cool northern winds blow in this early dew season, announcing the arrival of winter, as you left her and stayed away for a few days, did you even think a little and try to understand wondering, ‘What might happen to the one, who is alone in her village, without me for company? Isn’t she to be pitied?’! With the support of the great Kabilan, a poet of truthful words, who has the great fame of being praised by many who travel the world entire, the king obtained lush stalks of paddy crop growing far away, along with flowers of the white-lily with curving stalks, and even when days many passed, not giving up his stance, with much determination, crossed all the tribulations, and attacked those sword-wielding soldiers, chasing away the great rulers on their elephants with upraised tusks. Such was the greatness of King Paari, renowned for his generosity and speedy horses. Akin to a honey-fragrant, new flower that has just bloomed in the fresh and sweet springs in Paari’s land, is the scent of her forehead. Did you even think about its state a little?” Taking in that majestic huddle of the gentle mountain giants, let’s walk on and learn more! The confidante starts by describing the man’s country and to do that she talks about how a male elephant offers its protection to its entire herd by huddling together and standing strong. The focus then shifts to the particular care this elephant gives to its pregnant mate, by hugging it close with its huge trunk, to ease the fear of a creature called ‘aali’. Some interpreters say this could be a lion and others connect it to a mythical creature, with the body of a lion and the trunk of an elephant. This could be a case of the ancients projecting their fantastical beliefs on elements of nature. The male elephant’s caring concern for its mate could be a metaphor placed by the confidante to say how he must take care of the lady. Returning, we find the confidante continuing her description of the mountains, talking about the people, there, who enjoy their work of distilling sweet toddy from honeycombs and how on their front yards, bamboo flowers lie scattered everywhere, painting a picturesque portrait of the man’s land. From place, the confidante switches to time, and talks about how the cool northern winds have landed in their domain, breaking stems of flame-lilies, and declaring the harsh winter was about to arrive. At this time, which is a period of distress for separated lovers, the man had chosen to stay away from the lady, the confidante explains, and questions him about whether he considered the lady’s state even a little. She then launches into a long report on King Paari, making sure to accord praise on poet Kabilar for the latter’s support to the king. The tale about how the king managed to procure paddy crops, growing far away, probably with the use of trained parrots in his mountain country, and thereby survived the blockade

In this episode, we hear the reasoning for a resolute decision, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 77, penned by Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse reveals insightful historical facts through its intriguing similes. ”நல் நுதல் பசப்பவும், ஆள்வினை தரீஇயர்,துன் அருங் கானம் துன்னுதல் நன்று” எனப்பின்னின்று சூழ்ந்தனை ஆயின், நன்று இன்னாச்சூழ்ந்திசின் வாழிய, நெஞ்சே! வெய்துறஇடி உமிழ் வானம் நீங்கி, யாங்கணும்குடி பதிப்பெயர்ந்த சுட்டுடை முது பாழ்,கயிறு பிணிக் குழிசி ஓலை கொண்மார்,பொறி கண்டு அழிக்கும் ஆவணமாக்களின்,உயிர் திறம் பெயர, நல் அமர்க் கடந்ததறுகணாளர் குடர் தரீஇ, தெறுவர,செஞ் செவி எருவை, அஞ்சுவர இகுக்கும்கல் அதர்க் கவலை போகின், சீறூர்ப்புல் அரை இத்திப் புகர் படு நீழல்எல் வளி அலைக்கும், இருள் கூர் மாலை,வானவன் மறவன், வணங்குவில் தடக் கை,ஆனா நறவின் வண் மகிழ் பிட்டன்பொருந்தா மன்னர் அருஞ் சமத்து உயர்த்ததிருந்துஇலை எஃகம் போல,அருந் துயர் தரும், இவள் பனி வார் கண்ணே. Back again in the drylands and here we hear the man say these words to his heart: “If you say, ‘Even if pallor spreads on her fine forehead, for the sake of earning wealth through your determined effort, you should leave to the formidable forest’, standing behind me, you are doing a great wrong to me. May you live long, my heart! Everywhere, there would be nothing but heat, and thundering clouds, nowhere in sight. In those spaces, people have migrated elsewhere, leaving behind ancient ruins that are pointed out. Akin to those public election officials, who check the seal and then unseal, to pull out the inscribed palm leaves from the pot, tied with ropes, the red-headed vulture pulls out the intestines of brave warriors, who had crossed many a battlefield, but who were lying there, with their life, parted away. Such are the scenes from the fear-evoking, pebble-filled paths, and if I were to traverse these drylands, in those hamlets, surrounded by the spotted shade of dull-trunked fig trees, hot winds would assail me in the darkness-filled evening. Akin to the sharp-edged spear, raised against enemies in a fierce battle, belonging to the Chera King Vanavan’s commander Pittan, who wields a curving bow in his strong hands, known for his delight in ceaseless toddy, her eyes pouring with tears, would render endless pain in me!” Time to take a walk amidst the spotted shade of those drylands trees and learn more! The man starts by declaring to his heart, which had been pressing him to leave the lady and go earn wealth, that it was nudging the man in the wrong direction. He then goes on to talk about those drylands spaces, where there’s only heat and more heat, a place, which people have abandoned a long time ago, and there are nothing but ancient ruins. Imagine an archaeologist’s delight in discovering these ancient ruins pointed out in this ancient verse! Returning, we hear the man declaring that there would be nothing in this space but dull-trunked fig trees with few leaves, offering only a scarce shade and no protection against the hot winds. The man specifically points to the image of a vulture swooping down and pulling the intestines of a dead warrior, and to etch this, he brings in the simile of public officials, who pull out palm leaves from a pot tied with ropes. This matter-of-fact simile offers a unique window to the politics of the Sangam era. Here’s democracy in action! Those palm leaves were said to be inscribed with the names of the leaders for village councils and those public officials are the equivalent of the Election Commission, and they break the seal and pull out the palm leaves to declare the winner of that poll. Elated to find mention of democratic ideas, even in the midst of those monarchies of the Sangam times. It’s clearly an instance of decentralisation of power and effective rule at the grassroots, even under the reign of a king. Returning, the man concludes by saying just like the enemies of the Chera king, who would suffer because of the spear, wielded by the king’s commander, Pittan, he too would be pained by the thought of the lady’s tear-filled eyes, if at all he were to leave to those drylands at his heart’s behest! In essence, this is a clear-cut refusal to leave the lady and go in search of wealth. It’s interesting how those few words about inscribed palm leaves in a pot, casually employed about what was probably a routine event in the past, and that too, only as a reference for something else, excites us so much, telling us we can never predict which aspect of what we do will turn out to be of interest to our future generations!