Sangam Lit

In this episode, we perceive elements of a different landscape appearing in the farmlands domain, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 76, penned by Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. The verse is situated in the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ and sketches the lady’s way of revealing her relationship with the man to her friend. புனை இழை நோக்கியும் புனல் ஆடப் புறம் சூழ்ந்தும்,அணி வரி தைஇயும், நம் இல் வந்து வணங்கியும்,நினையுபு வருந்தும் இந்நெடுந்தகை திறத்து இவ் ஊர்இனையள் என்று எடுத்து ஓதற்கு அனையையோ நீ எனவினவுதி ஆயின், விளங்கு இழாய்! கேள் இனி! செவ்விரல் சிவப்பு ஊரச் சேண் சென்றாய் என்று அவன்பௌவ நீர்ச் சாய்க் கொழுதிப் பாவை தந்தனைத்தற்கோ,கௌவை நோய் உற்றவர் காணாது கடுத்த சொல்ஒவ்வா என்று உணராய், நீ ஒரு நிலையே உரைத்ததை? ஒடுங்கி யாம் புகல் ஒல்லேம் பெயர்தர அவன் கண்டுநெடுங்கய மலர் வாங்கி, நெறித்துத் தந்தனைத்தற்கோவிடுந்தவர் விரகு இன்றி எடுத்த சொல் பொய் ஆகக்கடிந்ததும் இலையாய், நீ கழறிய வந்ததை? வரி தேற்றாய் நீ என வணங்கு இறை அவன் பற்றித்,தெரி வேய்த் தோள் கரும்பு எழுதித் தொய்யில் செய்தனைத்தற்கோபுரிபு நம் ஆயத்தார் பொய் ஆக எடுத்த சொல்உரிது என உணராய், நீ உலமந்தாய் போன்றதை? என ஆங்கு,அரிது இனி ஆய் இழாய்! அது தேற்றல் புரிபு ஒருங்கு,அன்று நம் வதுவையுள் நமர் செய்வது இன்று ஈங்கே,தான் நயந்து இருந்தது இவ் ஊர் ஆயின் எவன் கொலோ,நாம் செயற்பாலது இனி? An instance of what can be described as ‘a confusion of core theme’, meaning that a verse situated in the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ seems to echo elements of the ‘Kurunji’ or ‘Mountains landscape’. The words can be translated as follows: “‘Gazing at the well-etched ornaments, accompanying when playing in the stream, painting beautiful lines of art, and arriving home and bowing with respect, are the acts of that esteemed man. This town declares with slander that you are his mate. Is this true?’, you ask me, worrying incessantly! Listen to me now: All he did was, one day, seeing how my red fingers can become redder, because I was working for a long time, he plucked the reeds by the salty waters and rendered me a doll made of it. Yet, without understanding the truth, you too repeat the harsh words of those who have the affliction of gossiping! All he did was, one day, seeing how I was hesitant to go further and was returning back, leapt into the waters, plucked that flower in the deep pond and gave it to me. Yet, without scolding them and declaring their words as false, you blabber the words of those who slander without kindness! All he did was, one day, seeing how I didn’t know how to draw the ‘thoyyil’ lines, he held on to my bamboo-like arms and painted a sugarcane on that. Yet, without perceiving that they speak not the truth, you ask full of sorrow about those words rendered by our playmates. And so, it’s really difficult to make you understand, O maiden wearing well-etched ornaments! Whatever should happen, when my family weds him to me with love, if this town decides, has already happened here and now, what should I do?” Let’s explore the details. The verse is situated in the context of a man’s love relationship with the lady, prior to marriage and involves a situation of a friendly quarrel between the lady and the confidante. The confidante repeats the words of the townsfolk, who are spreading gossip about the lady and the man, saying how he was looking at the lady’s jewels, was found in her company in the stream and was even painting lines of art on her, and the confidante asks the lady with much worry and anxiety whether this is true. The lady explains this talk by brushing away the acts of the man as something anyone would do. For instance, because her hands were red trying to cut the reeds, the man helped her cut it and made a doll for her with it. Then because she decided not to pluck the flower far away in the huge pond and was returning back, the man leapt into the pond and brought the flower she had desired. Finally, one day, the lady seems to have been making a mess of the ‘thoyyil’ paintings and the man seems to have stepped in to help her, ending up drawing a sugarcane pattern on her arms. ‘These are normal things, aren’t they?’, the lady seems to ask her confidante and scolds her for repeating the thoughtless words of others. Finally, she gives up trying to make the confidante understand, and concludes saying, all the thoughts that should arise when the man finally marries me with our family’s blessing, the townsfolk seemed to be thinking right away. In this verse, the elements of ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ appears in the shape of the quarrel and sulking between the lady and the confidante. Other than this, it’s all about the lady revealing her relationship with the man to the confidante. Out of her shyness, she dismisses the actions of the man in his special attention to her. In the final lines, she places her hope that one day, she will be married to the man. Thus, in that roundabout techniqu

In this episode, we perceive the reasons for the lady’s restraint, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 75, penned by Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. The verse is situated in the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ and highlights the man’s crafty nature. நீர் ஆர் செறுவில் நெய்தலொடு நீடியநேர் இதழ் ஆம்பல் நிரை இதழ் கொண்மார்சீர் ஆர் சேயிழை ஒலிப்ப, ஓடும்ஓரை மகளிர் ஓதை வெரீஇ எழுந்து,ஆரல் ஆர்கை அம் சிறைத் தொழுதிஉயர்ந்த பொங்கர் உயர் மரம் ஏறி,அமர்க்கண் மகளிர் அலப்பிய அந்நோய்தமர்க்கு உரைப்பன போல், பல் குரல் பயிற்றும்உயர்ந்த போரின் ஒலி நல் ஊரன்புதுவோர் புணர்தல் வெய்யன் ஆயின்வதுவை நாளால் வைகலும், அஃது யான்நோவேன் தோழி! நோவாய் நீ எனஎன் பார்த்து உறுவோய்! கேள் இனித் தெற்றென! “எல்லினை வருதி, எவன் குறித்தனை? எனச்சொல்லாதிருப்பேன் ஆயின், ஒல்லெனவிரி உளைக் கலி மான் தேரொடு வந்தவிருந்து எதிர்கோடலின் மறப்பல்” என்றும் “வாடிய பூவொடு வாரல் எம் மனை!” எனஊடி இருப்பேன் ஆயின், நீடாதுஅச்சு ஆறு ஆக உணரிய வருபவன்பொய்ச் சூள் அஞ்சிப் புலவேன் ஆகுவல்; “பகல் ஆண்டு அல்கினை பரத்த!” என்று யான்இகலியிருப்பேன் ஆயின், தான் தன்முதல்வன் பெரும் பெயர் முறையுளிப் பெற்றபுதல்வன் புல்லிப் பொய்த் துயில் துஞ்சும்; ஆங்க,விருந்து எதிர்கொள்ளவும் பொய்ச் சூள் அஞ்சவும்,அரும் பெறல் புதல்வனை முயங்கக் காணவும்ஆங்கு அவிந்து ஒழியும், என் புலவி தாங்காது,அவ் அவ் இடத்தான் அவை அவை காணப்பூங்கண் மகளிர் புனை நலம் சிதைக்கும்மாய மகிழ்நன் பரத்தைமைநோவென் தோழி, கடன் நமக்கு எனவே. It’s the lady speaking yet again! The words can be translated as follows: “‘To pluck the blue lotus and the long-leaved water-lily with perfect petals in the water-filled fields, maiden run around with their well-etched, exquisite jewels resounding. Startled by the noise made by these maiden playing ‘Orai’ games, a herd of birds with beautiful feathers fly high and climb onto the tall branches of a towering tree, and then relay the affliction, caused by those maiden with pretty eyes, to their kin, with repeated resounding calls, akin to the sounds of a war in the lord’s fine town. The lord is one who wishes to keep the company of different women and keeps uniting with them day after day. This brings great grief to me, O friend. How can you be unaffected by this?’ – So you ask me! Listen to me well: I want to ask him, ‘You are returning in the morning. Where were you?’ But I don’t do that! Why because I forget that when I see the guests he brings home, with much uproar, on his chariot tied with a speedy horse having a thick mane! I want to sulk with him saying, ‘Do not come to my home with these faded flowers’. But I don’t do that! Why because I’m filled with fear that he who returns will start to swear false oaths many! I want to rebuke him saying, ‘All day you were with those other women’. But I don’t do that! Why because he would be pretending to be asleep, hugging his son, who, following the illustrious tradition, has gained the great name of his father! And so, facing new guests, fearing false oaths, seeing him embrace our precious son, this anger of mine remains not firm and melts away instantly. It seems like it’s my fate to see in all those places, all those things showing how he ruins the etched beauty of maiden with flower-like eyes and yet not express my suffering about the deceptive lord’s seeking of courtesans!” Time to delve into the details. The verse is situated in the context of a love-quarrel between the man and the lady, owing the man’s seeking of courtesans. These words are said by the lady to her confidante. As custom, the lady starts with a description of the man’s town, and here, we find maiden running around with their jewels jingling, as they pluck the blue lotuses and lilies, and play ‘orai’ games as well. Startled by all the ruckus created by them, birds fly high to the branches of a tall tree and lament about their atrocity to their kin, with the repeated piercing songs. Sound is the defining element of this description. Then, the lady tells us it’s the confidante who has been saying these words about the man’s town to tell the lady how the confidante was very much affected by the man’s actions and asks the lady how come the lady seemed so calm and without anger any, at the man. To this, the lady replies how she really wants to chide the man about his staying away at other places and coming home with a tattered garland and faded flowers. But she doesn’t do that because the man either comes home with guests many and owing to her innate hospitality, the lady forgets to be angry with the man, or the man starts swearing false oaths, which the lady fears would lead some catastrophe for their family, or the man would pretend to be fast asleep near their son, the claimant of the illustrious family name, belonging to the man’s father. The lady concludes saying because of these reasons, she is not able to hold fast to her anger, and it seems like she has no other way to express her angst about the man’s seeking courtesans. A rather interesting verse, which provides insight into all the ways the man

In this episode, we listen to the sharp censure of the lady, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 74, penned by Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. The verse is situated in the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ and vividly sketches the man’s infidelity. பொய்கைப் பூ புதிது உண்ட வரி வண்டு கழி பூத்தநெய்தல் தாது அமர்ந்து ஆடிப், பாசடைச் சேப்பினுள்செய்து இயற்றியது போல வயல் பூத்த தாமரைமை தபு கிளர் கொட்டை மாண் பதி படர்தரூஉம்,கொய்குழை அகை காஞ்சித் துறை அணி நல் ஊர! அன்பு இலன் அறன் இலன் எனப்படான் என ஏத்தி,நின் புகழ் பல பாடும் பாணனும் ஏமுற்றான்; நஞ்சு உயிர் செகுத்தலும் அறிந்து உண்டாங்கு அளி இன்மைகண்டு நின் மொழி தேறும் பெண்டிரும் ஏமுற்றார்; முன்பகல் தலைக்கூடி நன்பகல் அவள் நீத்துப்பின்பகல் பிறர்த் தேரும் நெஞ்சமும் ஏமுற்றாய்; என ஆங்கு,கிண்கிணி மணித் தாரொடு ஒலித்து ஆர்ப்ப, ஒண்தொடிப்பேர் அமர்க் கண்ணார்க்கும் படுவலை இது என,ஊரவர் உடன் நகத் திரிதரும்தேர் ஏமுற்றன்று நின்னினும் பெரிதே. A rather crisp verse in this series of the lady bashing the man. The words can be translated as follows: “Feeding on the fresh flowers in the pond, the striped bee journeys to the blue lotus blooming in the backwaters. After relishing the pollen of the blue lotus, it takes flight to rest on the glowing centre of a faultless and esteemed pink lotus bud with green leaves, blooming in the field, appearing like an etched sculpture, in the shores filled with Portia trees, which keep sprouting even as maidens pluck ceaselessly, in your picturesque, fine town, O lord! Upholding you as one, whom no one can say, ‘He is without love, he is without fairness’, the bard who keeps singing your praises is senseless. Akin to knowing fully well that it’s poison and still drinking it up, even after sensing your lack of grace, those women, who keep trusting your words, are senseless too. Uniting with one in the forenoon, abandoning her at noon, and seeking another in the afternoon, that heart of yours is senseless too! And so, resounding with strings of tinkling bells, as a net to trap maiden with shining bangles and big, pretty eyes, the chariot of yours that roams around, inviting the mockery of the townsfolk, is even more senseless than you!” Let’s delve into the details. The verse is situated in the context of a love-quarrel between a man and a lady, owing to the man’s seeking of courtesans. These words are said by the lady to the man. The lady begins by describing a man’s town, and to do that, she trails behind a bee that was relishing the nectar of a flower in the pond, and then flies off to roll in the bed of pollen on a blue lotus, in the backwaters nearby. From there, it then journeys to the exquisite and radiant heart of a pink lotus growing in a field. Such is the lush land of the man’s town, with vibrant shores, where the Portia trees keep rendering their flowers, no matter how many are plucked away. Such praise for the man’s land but he’s not so lucky here! First, the man’s bard, who keeps singing the man’s praises, gets the brickbat, and the lady says he must be crazy to say that the man is so full of love and justice. Next hit are the courtesans the man courts and the lady calls them crazy for accepting the man, inspite of all his falsehoods, just the way someone would drink a thing, knowing fully well that it’s poison. Third in line to get knocked down is the man himself, for being with one woman in the morning, forsaking her at noon, and then searching for another in the afternoon. The lady concludes by sketching a picture of the man’s chariot as a vessel, which roams as a trap for beautiful maiden, inviting the ridicule of the town, and that is even crazier than the man! Starting from the scene of the bee jumping flower to flower, the lady clearly lays the groundwork for this portrait of her promiscuous man, telling the world that she cannot be fooled by his pretences of love!

In this episode, we observe the perceptive eyes of the lady, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 73, penned by Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. The verse is situated in the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ and talks about the deceptive actions of the man. அகன் துறை அணி பெற, புதலொடு தாழ்ந்தபகன்றைப் பூ உற நீண்ட பாசடைத் தாமரை,கண் பொர ஒளி விட்ட வெள்ளிய வள்ளத்தான்,தண் கமழ் நறுந் தேறல் உண்பவள் முகம் போல,வண் பிணி தளை விடூஉம் வயல் அணி நல் ஊர! ‘நோதக்காய்’ என நின்னை நொந்தீவார் இல்வழி,‘தீது இலேன் யான்’ எனத் தேற்றிய வருதிமன்ஞெகிழ் தொடி இளையவர் இடை முலைத் தாது சோர்ந்து,இதழ் வனப்பு இழந்த நின் கண்ணி வந்து உரையாக்கால்? கனற்றி நீ செய்வது கடிந்தீவார் இல்வழி,‘மனத்தில் தீது இலன்’ என மயக்கிய வருதிமன்அலமரல் உண்கண்ணார் ஆய் கோதை குழைத்த நின்மலர் மார்பின் மறுப்பட்ட சாந்தம் வந்து உரையாக்கால்? என்னை நீ செய்யினும், உரைத்தீவார் இல்வழி,முன் அடிப் பணிந்து, எம்மை உணர்த்திய வருதிமன்நிரை தொடி நல்லவர் துணங்கையுள் தலைக் கொள்ள,கரையிடைக் கிழிந்த நின் காழகம் வந்து உரையாக்கால்? என ஆங்குமண்டு நீர் ஆரா மலி கடல் போலும் நின்தண்டாப் பரத்தை தலைக்கொள்ள, நாளும்புலத் தகைப் பெண்டிரைத் தேற்றி; மற்று யாம்எனின்,தோலாமோ, நின் பொய் மருண்டு? The lady voices her thoughts with conviction in this one. The words can be translated as follows: “Adorning the wide shores, near the low-hanging rattle pod flowers on bushes, the lotus flower with huge leaves lets go of its tightness and opens its petals, akin to the face of a maiden, who savours the cool and fragrant toddy from a silver vessel, glowing with a blinding radiance, in the field-filled, fine town of yours, O lord! There is no one at home to chide you for doing the wrong thing. When you come here trying to console me with the words ‘I have done nothing wrong’, I might have believed that if your garland, which has lost the beauty of its petals, because the flowers therein have shed their pollen on the bosom of maiden wearing bangles that slip away, had not told me otherwise! There is no one at home to rebuke you for your wrong-doings. When you come here trying to confuse me with the words ‘I have no evil in my heart’, I might have believed that if the sandalwood on your wide chest, which has become smeared, because you had embraced the beautiful garlands of those maiden with dancing, kohl-streaked eyes, had not told me otherwise! There is no one at home to say the right words whatever you may do. When you come here trying to make me understand with much humility, I might have believed that if the cloth you wear, which has become torn at the edges, because you had danced the ‘thunangai’ with those beautiful maiden wearing rows of bangles, had not told me otherwise! And so, akin to the brimming ocean that stays the same no matter how many streams pour in their copious waters, your desire to be with courtesans seems to have no end; You may be able to convince and cheer up those courtesans, who are sulking with you. Do you think I can be conquered, after seeing the truth of your lies?” Let’s explore the nuances. The verse is situated in the context of a love-quarrel between the man and the lady, owing to the man’s seeking courtesans, and speaks in the voice of the lady to her man. The lady renders a crisp description of the man’s town, talking again about a lotus flower, blooming near the rattlepod bushes, and glowing like the face of a maiden, who has had tasty toddy to drink from a silver bowl. Then, the lady turns to the man and remarks how there was no-one in their home to correct his wrong-doings and set him on the right path. She then narrates how the man tries to convince her with words, claiming that he has done nothing wrong, with so much humility. She piercingly remarks she might have taken these words to be true if the flowers on his garland had not lost their glow, shedding pollen on other women; if the sandalwood on his chest did not appear smeared, owing to his embracing other women, and if his cloth was not torn because he had been dancing with those courtesans. The lady remarks how like an ocean that never gets filled no matter how many rivers pour into it, the man’s want for courtesans seemed to have no end, and she concludes with the sharp message that the man may fool the courtesans with his charming words, but she can look through his deception. A verse which hints that the seeking of courtesans by the man was not a practice that was accepted as normal and some elders or wise people did indeed advise against that course of action, the absence of whom the lady laments in this verse. Another song where the subtle signs on the man’s exterior reveals his clandestine ways of pleasure-seeking to the piercing eyes of the lady!

In this episode, we listen to an anguished question, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 72, penned by Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. The verse is situated in the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ and provides insight about the prominent workers in a town setting. இணைபட நிவந்த நீல மென் சேக்கையுள்,துணை புணர் அன்னத்தின் தூவி மெல் அணை அசைஇ,சேடு இயல் வள்ளத்துப் பெய்த பால் சில காட்டி,ஊடும் மென் சிறு கிளி உணர்ப்பவள் முகம் போல,புது நீர புதல் ஒற்றப் புணர் திரைப் பிதிர் மல்க,மதி நோக்கி அலர் வீத்த ஆம்பல் வால் மலர் நண்ணி,கடி கயத் தாமரைக் கமழ் முகை, கரை மாவின்வடி தீண்ட, வாய் விடூஉம் வயல் அணி நல் ஊர! கண்ணி, நீ கடி கொண்டார்க் கனைதொறும், யாம் அழ,பண்ணினால் களிப்பிக்கும் பாணன் காட்டு என்றானோ‘பேணான்’ என்று உடன்றவர் உகிர் செய்த வடுவினான்,மேல் நாள், நின் தோள் சேர்ந்தார் நகை சேர்ந்த இதழினை? நாடி நின் தூது ஆடி, துறை செல்லாள், ஊரவர்ஆடை கொண்டு ஒலிக்கும், நின் புலைத்தி காட்டு என்றாளோகூடியார் புனல் ஆடப் புணை ஆய மார்பினில்ஊடியார் எறிதர ஒளி விட்ட அரக்கினை? வெறிது நின் புகழ்களை வேண்டார் இல் எடுத்து ஏத்தும்அறிவுடை அந்தணன் அவளைக் காட்டு என்றானோகளி பட்டார் கமழ் கோதை கயம்பட்ட உருவின்மேல்குறி பெற்றார் குரற் கூந்தற் கோடு உளர்ந்த துகளினை? என ஆங்குசெறிவுற்றேம், எம்மை நீ செறிய; அறிவுற்று,அழிந்து உகு நெஞ்சத்தேம்; அல்லல் உழப்ப;கழிந்தவை உள்ளாது, கண்ட இடத்தே,அழிந்து நிற் பேணிக் கொளலின் இழிந்ததோஇந் நோய் உழத்தல் எமக்கு? As in the previous song, though some interpreters consider this as the rendition of a concubine, I can only hear the lady’s voice in these words, which can be translated as follows: “Upon a blue mattress with many layers, filled with the feathers of a swan that had happily united with its mate, placing soft pillows and bringing a well-crafted vessel with little milk, a lady feeds her delicate little parrot that was sulking with her. Akin to her blooming face, with bushes caressed by fresh waters, with the spray showering from the waves, near the flowers of a white water-lily that has bloomed facing the moon, a fragrant lotus bud blooms open, when a swaying tender mango fruit grazes against it, in the field-filled town of yours, O lord! Did your bard, who delights you with his songs in the houses of those whom you seek, leaving me to cry, ask you to show to me, the wounds made by the nails of those who decided that you don’t care for them anymore and the marks of those whom you united with, the next day, as they smiled and left imprints of their lips on your arms? Did your washerwoman, who became a messenger for you, shirking her duty of going to the river-shore to wash the clothes of the townsfolk, ask you to show to me, the marks of the glowing red lacquer thrown by those sulking with you, because you let other women in the stream play with your handsome chest as their raft? Did that wise priest, who sings and upholds your praises needlessly in the homes of those who care not, ask you to show to me, the pollen that had shed from the thick tresses of the maiden, who attained your grace, as you caressed her hair, when she embraced you with delight and mangled her fragrant garland? And so, I attained your grace when you united with me back then. Now, understanding it all, my heart breaks in sorrow; Even though I suffer so, not thinking about what has happened, whenever I see you, I break down and accept you. Isn’t this more disgraceful than suffering with that pain?” Time to delve into the nuances. The verse is situated in the context of a love-quarrel between the man and the lady, owing to the man’s seeking courtesans, and speaks in the voice of the lady to her man. The lady starts as custom, with a description of the man’s town, where she first talks about a woman, who is placing pillows on blue mattress made with the feathers of a swan. The nuanced point I noticed here was the mention that this swan was one, which had happily mated with its companion. This made me think of the advertising tag I have seen: ‘Milk from Happy Cows’, and also about a monitoring device to note the stress levels of pigs, raised for their meat. Like the scientific food researchers of today, the Sangam folks too seem to have believed that one’s sleep would be peaceful if the feathers came from a happy swan! Returning, we find the lady setting up the pillows on this bed and bringing a bowl of milk so as to feed her pet parrot that had been angry with her for some reason. Imagine how her face would glow with love and care! Just that way, a lotus flower had bloomed open because a tender mango fruit that was hanging low over it, caressed it, the lady says, and connects this scene to the man’s town. Then, she goes on to talk about three different people in this town: the bard, who sings in the houses of the women the man desires; the washerwoman, who sometimes turns a messenger for the man, instead of carrying out her usual duties of washing clothes for the townsfolk; and a priest, who sings praises of the man’s goodness in places they don’t care about it, meaning the lady’s