Sangam Lit

Nandini Karky
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Reflections on 2000 Year Old Tamil Poetry

  1. 7 HR AGO

    Aganaanooru 190 – Nothing happened but everything did

    In this episode, we perceive a curious way of revealing something, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 190, penned by Ulochchanaar. The verse is situated amidst the playful waves of the ‘Neythal’ or ‘Coastal landscape’ and narrates a non-incident. திரை உழந்து அசைஇய நிரைவளை ஆயமொடு உப்பின் குப்பை ஏறி, எல் பட, வரு திமில் எண்ணும் துறைவனொடு, ஊரே ஒரு தன் கொடுமையின் அலர் பாடும்மே; அலமரல் மழைக் கண் அமர்ந்து நோக்காள்; அலையல் வாழி! வேண்டு, அன்னை! உயர்சிமைப் பொதும்பில், புன்னைச் சினை சேர்பு இருந்த வம்ப நாரை இரிய, ஒரு நாள், பொங்கு வரல் ஊதையொடு புணரி அலைப்பவும், உழைக்கடல் வழங்கலும் உரியன்; அதன்தலை இருங் கழிப் புகாஅர் பொருந்தத் தாக்கி வயச் சுறா எறிந்தென, வலவன் அழிப்ப, எழில் பயம் குன்றிய சிறை அழி தொழில நிரைமணிப் புரவி விரைநடை தவிர, இழுமென் கானல் விழு மணல் அசைஇ, ஆய்ந்த பரியன் வந்து, இவண் மான்ற மாலைச் சேர்ந்தன்றோ இலனே! In this trip to the restoring seashore, we get to hear the confidante say these words to the lady’s foster mother: “Tired out from playing in the waves along with playmates, wearing neat rows of bangles, climbing upon the salty sand heaps, as the day ends, young maiden would count approaching ships in the shores of the lord. This town of ours, owing to its matchless cruelty, spreads slander about him. Your girl did not cast her darting, rain-like eyes on him; So torture her not, mother! May you live long! Listen! In the orchards with soaring tree tops, on the branch of a laurel wood tree, a stork that had flown from far away was resting. Making it screech aloud and scatter away, one day, as the sea waves were tossing and turning, pushed by the cold winds, the lord came riding by the shore; At this time, near the river mouth in the backwaters, his horses were attacked by a shark. Owing to this, the charioteer stopped and removed the yokes of those horses, clad with many bells, which had lost their health and speed, and made them rest there. Until, the time in the late evening, when resoundingly, making the fine sands of the shore quiver, new horses were brought thither, the man stayed here; But you should know that he united not with her!” Time to surf the turbulent waves of this shore! The confidante starts by describing the man’s shore, talking about a place where maiden enjoy playing in the shores all day and then count the ships arriving to their shore by evening. A subtle reference to the prosperous sea trade in the man’s domain! Returning, we see how the confidante turns her attention to the issue in their own town, the way the townsfolk were spreading slander about her friend’s relationship with the man, reiterating that the lady had never looked at him with her rain-like eyes. She requests mother not to torment lady because of this gossip. Then, she goes on to talk about a day, when the man had been going through their town by the shore, when a shark had attacked and wounded his horses. Owing to this mishap, the man’s charioteer had stopped the chariot, removed the horses from their yokes and made them rest. Till the time, fresh horses were brought, the man had stayed on the sands of their shore, the confidante explains and concludes by saying, this was all and the man and the lady never came together.  On the surface, it seems like simple supportive words, vouching for a friend’s behaviour. However, we need to understand the dynamics of communication in these poems. Here, the confidante is saying one thing, and meaning another thing, in fact the exact opposite. Through this, she intends to reveal to the lady’s foster mother, who happens to be her own mother, about how the lady did look at the man with her beautiful eyes and how the man too fell in love with the lady, and had been frequenting their shores. In this roundabout way, by telling something did not happen, she tells mother that it indeed did happen. This information would supposedly be uncoded by the lady’s foster mother, and then taken to the lady’s mother and the entire family, setting the stage for the man to come and seek the lady’s hand. A bizarre way of revealing information indeed, something which makes me wonder what particular thing we do now would evoke the same reaction, some two thousand years later!

    6 min

  2. 1 DAY AGO

    Aganaanooru 189 – The town’s treasure

    In this episode, we listen to a mother’s words of angst, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 189, penned by Kayamanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse echoes the immeasurable pain in losing something precious. பசும் பழப் பலவின் கானம் வெம்பி, விசும்பு கண் அழிய, வேனில் நீடி, கயம் கண் அற்ற கல் ஓங்கு வைப்பின் நாறு உயிர் மடப் பிடி தழைஇ, வேறு நாட்டு விழவுப் படர் மள்ளரின் முழவு எடுத்து உயரி, களிறு அதர்ப்படுத்த கல் உயர் கவாஅன் வெவ் வரை அத்தம் சுட்டி, பையென, வயலை அம் பிணையல் வார்ந்த கவர்வுற, திதலை அல்குல் குறுமகள் அவனொடு சென்று பிறள் ஆகிய அளவை, என்றும் படர் மலி எவ்வமொடு மாதிரம் துழைஇ, மனை மருண்டு இருந்த என்னினும், நனை மகிழ் நன்னராளர் கூடு கொள் இன் இயம் தேர் ஊர் தெருவில் ததும்பும் ஊர் இழந்தன்று, தன் வீழ்வு உறு பொருளே. In this trip to the drylands, we get to hear a mother say these words, at a time when her daughter had left their home and eloped away with the man: “The forest, which used to have fresh fruits, hanging from the jackfruit tree, is parched dry. With nothing to cover the skies, the summer sun scorches. In those stony spaces, where the ponds have lost their cover of water, a male elephant embraces its sighing, naive mate, and walks on stony slopes of highlands, akin to warriors carrying their drums, seeking to attend festivities in a faraway country. Daring to go to such a formidable place, slowly walks my young girl with spotted waist, with ‘vayalai’ vines covering her thighs, along with him. She has become a stranger to us. Still, more than me, who is filled with suffering for all time, after searching in all directions, and arriving confused to this home, this town, which is brimming with the sweet music of the good people, delighting in toddy, in the roads with the ceaseless sound of chariots, has lost a much adored treasure!” Let’s follow along in the trail of the daughter through the drylands. Mother starts by visualising the path the lady walks, an arid scrub jungle with dried-up jackfruit trees, scorching sun, a place where elephants tread the stony spaces. Describing that the lady had decided to walk such a path with the man, mother talks about how the lady had become a stranger to them. At this time, the suffering of being apart from her daughter torments mother after her fruitless search. Even in that moment of pain, she looks around at the town, renowned for its joyous celebrations and ceaseless sound of chariots plying on their roads, and declares that the town had indeed lost its most precious treasure. One can empathise with mother recollecting a time of loss, when all the joy and wealth of the world seems to vanish in a single moment, and all that can be seen by the mind’s eye are the parched drylands all around. Hoping with someone’s care and love, those barren trees that the eyes see will bloom again!

    4 min

  3. 2 DAYS AGO

    Aganaanooru 188 – Spectacle or Substance?

    In this episode, we perceive a curious technique of persuading another, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 188, penned by Veerai Veliyan Thithanaar. The verse is situated amidst the blooming Kino trees of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain Landscape’ and hides a throbbing heart amidst the drum beats of thunder. பெருங் கடல் முகந்த இருங் கிளைக் கொண்மூ! இருண்டு உயர் விசும்பின் வலன் ஏர்பு வளைஇ, போர்ப்பு உறு முரசின் இரங்கி, முறை புரிந்து அறன் நெறி பிழையாத் திறன் அறி மன்னர் அருஞ் சமத்து எதிர்ந்த பெருஞ் செய் ஆடவர் கழித்து எறி வாளின், நளிப்பன விளங்கும் மின்னுடைக் கருவியை ஆகி, நாளும் கொன்னே செய்தியோ, அரவம்? பொன் என மலர்ந்த வேங்கை மலி தொடர் அடைச்சி, பொலிந்த ஆயமொடு காண்தக இயலி, தழலை வாங்கியும், தட்டை ஓப்பியும், அழல் ஏர் செயலை அம் தழை அசைஇயும், குறமகள் காக்கும் ஏனல் புறமும் தருதியோ? வாழிய, மழையே! A sound and light show awaits us in this quick trip to the mountains, as we listen to the confidante say these words to a rain cloud, when the man listens nearby, as he pretends not to notice him: “O rain cloud, after gathering from the great seas along with a huge group of your kin, you climb on the right and envelop the dark, high sky. Then, resounding, akin to a war drum covered in leather, you descend down, accompanied by flashes of lightning, which are akin to swords, pulled out of the sheaths, by brave warriors, who rise up in the furious battlefield, in aid of their discerning king, who with his rightful rule, never sways from the path of justice.  That which you do all day, is it just futile uproar? Weaving a garland of brimming Kino flowers that have bloomed, akin to gold, along with her radiant playmates, wearing the beautiful red leaves of the ‘Ashoka’ tree, akin to fire, the young mountain maiden walks around, so pleasing to the eyes, flapping her ‘thazhalai’ device and shaking her ‘thattai’ rattle device. Won’t you shower upon that millet field she so protects? May you live long, O rain cloud!” Let’s listen closely to the subtle sounds of emotion amidst the din of a mountain shower! The confidante starts by talking to a cloud, mentioning its past of joining along with its relatives and drinking up from the oceans of the world. Then, those clouds seemed to have arrived there, and were resounding with thunder. This sound, the confidante places in parallel to the roar of war drums. Then, she moves on to the other eye-catching element that always accompanies or precedes this sound, namely lightning, and to visualise this, she brings forth the unsheathed swords of warriors in the battlefield, and not just any warriors but those who rise in support of a just and discerning king. Sound check, light check! The confidante now comes to the centre-piece and asks the rain cloud, if all this is just a useless show. Then she goes on to describe the lady, who along with her playmates, wearing garlands of fully-bloomed Kino flowers, and ‘Seyalai’ tree leaves, was walking around, swaying her rattle and other musical instruments, so as to chase away the parrots and protect the millet fields. The confidante concludes by questioning the raincloud whether at all it had any plans of showering on that millet field the lady was protecting. While this may seem like random, playful words said to a raincloud, each one reverberates with a hidden meaning. First, let’s note how the confidante casually remarks about the Kino flower garlands that the lady wears. This is to tell the man that the auspicious time of the year, when the harvest was done and marriage plans were set in motion, had begun, for Kino flowers marked this transition in their lives. The confidante intends to convey to the man that he had been thinking only about the temporary pleasures of trysting, spreading fleeting moments of joy in the lady’s life, akin to lightning. This had led to the thunderous uproar of slander to spread in town. With her pointed question to the cloud as to whether it would only flash and dazzle or whether it would provide the useful effect of watering the millet fields with its rain shower, the confidante nudges the man to take concrete steps to bring forth the useful end of a happy married life with the lady. And thus we see, beneath the layer of simple words, lies a complex meaning, intending to change the heart of a person and the life of a couple. While we may prefer direct and blunt communication in our modern world, don’t you think there is a thoughtful melody of affection in the subtle aesthetics of this ancient poetry?

    6 min

  4. 3 DAYS AGO

    Aganaanooru 187 – Seeing the faraway path

    In this episode, we listen to a lady’s lament, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 187, penned by Maamoolanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse presents a stack of similes to sketch this landscape. தோள் புலம்பு அகலத் துஞ்சி, நம்மொடு நாள் பல நீடிய கரந்து உறை புணர்ச்சி நாண் உடைமையின் நீங்கி, சேய் நாட்டு அரும் பொருள் வலித்த நெஞ்சமொடு ஏகி, நம் உயர்வு உள்ளினர் காதலர் கறுத்தோர் தெம் முனை சிதைத்த, கடும் பரிப் புரவி, வார் கழற் பொலிந்த வன்கண் மழவர் பூந் தொடை விழவின் தலை நாள் அன்ன, தரு மணல் ஞெமிரிய திரு நகர் முற்றம் புலம்புறும்கொல்லோ தோழி! சேண் ஓங்கு அலந்தலை ஞெமையத்து ஆள் இல் ஆங்கண், கல் சேர்பு இருந்த சில் குடிப் பாக்கத்து, எல் விருந்து அயர, ஏமத்து அல்கி, மனை உறை கோழி அணல் தாழ்பு அன்ன கவை ஒண் தளிர கருங்கால் யாஅத்து வேனில் வெற்பின் கானம் காய, முனை எழுந்து ஓடிய கெடு நாட்டு ஆர் இடை, பனை வெளிறு அருந்து பைங் கண் யானை ஒண் சுடர் முதிரா இளங் கதிர் அமையத்து, கண்படு பாயல் கை ஒடுங்கு அசை நிலை வாள் வாய்ச் சுறவின் பனித் துறை நீந்தி, நாள் வேட்டு எழுந்த நயன் இல் பரதவர் வைகு கடல் அம்பியின் தோன்றும் மை படு மா மலை விலங்கிய சுரனே? In this long and winding path through the drylands domain, we get to hear the lady say these words to her confidante, at a time, when the man had parted away from her, to go in search of wealth: “Slaying the loneliness of my arms, he had slept here for many days, in a state of clandestine union with me. On account of his honour, and with a heart that yearned for the precious wealth to be gained in a faraway country, that lover of mine parted away, thinking of my welfare. After destroying enemies in furious battles, harsh-eyed warriors, clad in sturdy anklets, wielding speeding horses, celebrate the festival of flowers. Akin to the first day of these celebrations, shines the front yard of our wealthy mansion, spread with sands from afar. Won’t it now turn lonely, my friend? In those uninhabited, faraway spaces, filled with dried-up axle-wood trees, spotting tiny hamlets by the hills, to eat the day’s food, in a protected spot, he stays for a while, and then he continues onward to those scrub jungles, where the summer’s heat scorches the black-stemmed ‘Ya’ trees, having dried black sprouts, akin to the hanging beards of house hens, and he walks on those formidable paths through the ruined lands, where people have fled owing to endless battles, where after feeding on the palmyra fronds, a green-eyed elephant closes its eyes and rests, without a sliver of movement, in the morning hour, filled with tender rays, when the sun scorches not, and appears akin to a boat, sailing in the swaying sea, wielded by fisherfolk, intent on their day’s hunt, as they traverse those cool shores, frequented by sword-mouthed fish. Such are the drylands he traverses near huge, cloud-covered mountains now!” Let’s brave this dreary domain and learn more! The lady starts by mentioning how the man had been in a secret love relationship with her for long. But realising the importance of seeking her hand, he had left in search of wealth, she adds. She compares the sand-filled front yard of their mansion to the festivities of victorious warriors, and depicts that now that the man had left, it’s going to turn bleak and lifeless. Then, she goes on to visualise the path the man walks, talking about the dried up axle-wood trees, the scrub-jungles, where the hanging sprouts on ‘Ya’ trees, appear like the black beards of house hens, where people have fled the region, owing to the battles that arose there, where an elephant sleeps appearing like the boat of fisherfolk in the morning sun. In much detail, the lady concludes by visualising how the man would try desperately to find a protected spot to have his day’s meal and trudge on through the endless expanse of the drylands, to win the wealth, seeking to uphold the welfare of his beloved. The thought that came to me when reading and reflecting is that timeless sense of how the pain of those we love seems so vivid and tangible, no matter how far apart in space they may be!

    5 min

  5. 4 DAYS AGO

    Aganaanooru 186 – Who is the enemy here?

    In this episode, we listen to the distressed response to an accusation, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 186, penned by Paranar. The verse is situated amidst the lush lotus-filled ponds of the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ and portrays the beauty and wealth of an ancient town. வானம் வேண்டா வறன்இல் வாழ்க்கை நோன் ஞாண் வினைஞர் கோள் அறிந்து ஈர்க்கும் மீன் முதிர் இலஞ்சிக் கலித்த தாமரை நீர்மிசை நிவந்த நெடுந் தாள் அகல் இலை இருங் கயம் துளங்க, கால் உறுதொறும் பெருங் களிற்றுச் செவியின் அலைக்கும் ஊரனொடு எழுந்த கௌவையோ பெரிதே; நட்பே, கொழுங் கோல் வேழத்துப் புணை துணையாகப் புனல் ஆடு கேண்மை அனைத்தே; அவனே, ஒண் தொடி மகளிர் பண்டை யாழ் பாட, ஈர்ந் தண் முழவின் எறிகுணில் விதிர்ப்ப, தண் நறுஞ் சாந்தம் கமழும் தோள் மணந்து, இன்னும் பிறள் வயினானே; மனையோள் எம்மொடு புலக்கும் என்ப; வென் வேல், மாரி அம்பின், மழைத்தோற் பழையன் காவிரி வைப்பின் போஒர் அன்ன, என் செறிவளை உடைத்தலோ இலெனே; உரிதினின் யாம் தன் பகையேம்அல்லேம்; சேர்ந்தோர் திரு நுதல் பசப்ப நீங்கும் கொழுநனும் சாலும், தன் உடன் உறை பகையே. We go on a trip full of twists and turns as we listen to the words of a courtesan, said in the earshot of the lady’s friends, conveying a pointed message about the man to the lady: “Leading a life without any poverty, one that seeks not the favour of the skies, fisherfolk pull their sturdy nets woven with strong threads, knowing the catch is caught, in the ponds, brimming with fish. The tall-stalked, wide leaf of the flourishing lotus that floats atop the waters of the dark pond, flutters, when touched by the wind, akin to the swaying ear of a huge elephant, in the town of the lord. The rumours that have risen about my relationship with him is huge indeed; Whereas the extent of his affection for me is only akin to the act of holding on to a raft of thick-stemmed reeds, when playing in the river stream; As maiden wearing shining bangles sing along to the tune of the ancient lute, as moist and cool drums are struck with sticks, the man’s shoulders, wafting with the scent of cool and fragrant sandalwood, would now be embracing another woman, he’s entranced with. They say his wife is furious with me; Akin to the town of Po-or, watered by the gushing Kaveri, ruled by Palaiyan, renowned for his cloud-like shields, rain-like arrows and white spears, are my beautiful bangles. I have not broken my bangles in anger; Honestly, I’m not her enemy; The one who parts away, leaving the fine foreheads of those he united to be filled with pallor, that rich lord is the right person to be called as the enemy, one within her own abode!” Time to fish in the ponds of this lush landscape! The courtesan starts with a description of the man’s town, and to do that, she brings forth a certain community of people, whom she describes as leading a life that does not know poverty, for they are fisherfolk and they don’t have to depend on the skies for their wealth and prosperity, a statement which implicitly contrasts them with another group of people in that landscape, those who follow the occupation of farming. After that philosophical statement about their work, the courtesan zooms on to the sturdy nets in their hands and the way they are hauling the fish by pulling their nets out of the ponds. She describes these ponds as brimming with water, filled with lotus flowers and leaves, whose movement in the breeze, she specifically places in parallel with that of the swaying ears of a huge elephant.  After that picturesque description of the man’s town, the courtesan turns her attention to the man himself and describes how gossip about her relationship with him had spread all around town. But in reality, the way the man had treated her was nothing more than how someone would hold on to a raft, made of strong reeds, when playing in the gushing river stream, and then abandoning it, once they are done with their play. She reveals how at the very moment the man was enjoying the company of some other courtesan, embracing her and dancing to the songs of the maiden, accompanied by the music of ancient lutes.  The courtesan goes on to talk about what she has just heard, about how the man’s wife, was mad at her, when he was romping around elsewhere. She then describes a rich and handsome town, one called ‘Po-or’, ruled by a chieftain named Pazhaiyan, renowned for his battle-efficient army of spears, arrows and shields. She has summoned this town only to place it in parallel to her own bangles. She talks about how the lady’s anger had not made her break those bangles of hers in oath and fury. The courtesan concludes by pointing out that the real enemy of the lady was not her, but the lady’s own husband, the lord of the town! A perfect illustration of a place where men are few, and where power and wealth accumulates in their very hands. The striking aspect of this verse is the way it tells us to pause in our moments of anger and consider who is to be blamed truly. Often, we avoid blaming ourselves or those close to us, and instead direct the anger at those others, whom we think are the cause of our troubles! Just the way this courtesan points out, it would bring great clarity to ponder on the question, ‘Who is the enemy here?’

    7 min

  6. 20 FEB

    Aganaanooru 185 – A heart of iron to part away

    In this episode, we perceive surprise about the act of parting away, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 185, penned by Paalai Paadiya Perunkadunko. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse etches the sweltering nature of this domain. எல் வளை ஞெகிழச் சாஅய், ஆயிழை நல் எழிற் பணைத் தோள் இருங் கவின் அழிய, பெருங் கையற்ற நெஞ்சமொடு நத் துறந்து, இரும்பின் இன் உயிர் உடையோர் போல, வலித்து வல்லினர், காதலர்; வாடல் ஒலி கழை நிவந்த நெல்லுடை நெடு வெதிர் கலி கொள் மள்ளர் வில் விசையின் உடைய, பைது அற வெம்பிய கல் பொரு பரப்பின் வேனில் அத்தத்து ஆங்கண், வான் உலந்து அருவி ஆன்ற உயர்சிமை மருங்கில், பெரு விழா விளக்கம் போல, பல உடன் இலை இல மலர்ந்த இலவமொடு நிலை உயர் பிறங்கல் மலை இறந்தோரே. A deep dive into the dreariness of this domain, as we listen to the lady say these words to her confidante, when the man has parted from her to go in search of wealth: “Making shining bangles to slip away, bamboo-like, beautiful arms, clad in well-etched jewels to lose their great beauty, leaving behind an utterly helpless heart, he has left, akin to a person, whose sweet life is made of iron! He has strength to be so, that lover of mine, the one who parted away, crossing those high mountains to traverse spaces, where the fading, thick bamboo that soars high with seeds is split and broken, by the speeding arrows of ecstatic robbers, in those scorched spaces, without a spot of green, filled with stones, during the harsh summer, when all the white cascades have dried up in the peaks of the mountains nearby, and where, akin to lamps in a great festival, only the flowers of the silk cotton bloom, bereft of leaves!” Time to tread the familiar stony paths! The lady talks about what the man’s parting had done to her, namely made her so thin that her bangles slipped away from her arms, and left her heart helpless and pining. Looking at how the man could do this, she concludes that he must be hardened, seemingly as if his life was made of iron. Then, she talks about the drylands space he treads, where bamboos are split by the careless arrows of jubilant robbers, where it’s all bleak and dry, not a spot of water, even the evergreen cascades have dried up in the hills. She concludes by describing how the silk cotton tree blooms with bright red flowers, even though it has no leaves, and appears like the lamps lit during a festivity! ‘Oh! He’s gone. How could he?’ seems to be the lament of the lady about the man’s parting. The interesting element here is the portrait of the silk cotton tree in a phase of having flowers, without any green around, one called ‘leafless blooming’, a characteristic of trees in dry, arid regions to conserve water, and even when struggling to thrive, keeping the species propagating with the blooming flowers and that invitation to pollinators. A subtle lesson on finding the moisture within to keep going and fulfilling your duty, no matter how dry and dreary the world around may seem!

    4 min

  7. 19 FEB

    Aganaanooru 184 – Rejoicing in the Return

    In this episode, we listen to joyous words of welcome, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 184, penned by Madurai Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. The verse is situated amidst the falling flowers of the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest landscape’ and relays emotions that arise at the juncture of a homecoming. கடவுட் கற்பொடு குடிக்கு விளக்கு ஆகிய புதல்வற் பயந்த புகழ் மிகு சிறப்பின் நன்னராட்டிக்கு அன்றியும், எனக்கும் இனிது ஆகின்றால்; சிறக்க, நின் ஆயுள்! அருந் தொழில் முடித்த செம்மல் உள்ளமொடு சுரும்பு இமிர் மலர கானம் பிற்பட, வெண் பிடவு அவிழ்ந்த வீ கமழ் புறவில் குண்டைக் கோட்ட குறு முள் கள்ளிப் புன் தலை புதைத்த கொழுங் கொடி முல்லை ஆர் கழல் புதுப் பூ உயிர்ப்பின் நீக்கி, தெள் அறல் பருகிய திரிமருப்பு எழிற் கலை புள்ளி அம் பிணையொடு வதியும் ஆங்கண், கோடுடைக் கையர், துளர் எறி வினைஞர், அரியல் ஆர்கையர், விளைமகிழ் தூங்க, செல்கதிர் மழுகிய உருவ ஞாயிற்றுச் செக்கர் வானம் சென்ற பொழுதில், கற் பால் அருவியின் ஒலிக்கும் நல் தேர்த் தார் மணி பல உடன் இயம்ப சீர் மிகு குருசில்! நீ வந்து நின்றதுவே. A glimpse of many, different elements of the lush forest in this trip, as we listen to the confidante say these words to the man, when he returns home after completing his mission: “Not only to the good woman, with a god-like chastity, a veritable lamp of the household, who has the fame and excellence of bearing your child, but also to me, this is cause for delight! Long may you live! With an esteemed heart that has accomplished a hard task, you have left behind the jungle, buzzing with bees, and crossed the fragrant forest filled with fallen flowers, where white malabar jasmines have bloomed. Here, burying the dull heads of the cactus with sharp thorns and short branches, thick vines of the wild jasmine spread. Removing new flowers that have loosened and fallen from these vines, with its breath, the handsome stag with twisted antlers savours the clear water underneath, and then rests along with its spotted, beautiful mate in those spaces. At this time, when those with sickles in hand, the cleansers of weed seek and drink fine toddy and sway with ecstasy, when the sun with its diminished rays leaves the reddened sky, with the many bells on your chariot, resounding together like a mountain cascade, the way you have arrived here, O noble lord, brings forth immense joy!” Time to relish the sound of the returning chariot! The confidante sees the man at their doorstep and declares that the man has brought so much happiness not only to the lady, who has borne him a son, but also to her. We should not miss how she celebrates the lady’s chastity and portrays her as a ‘lamp of the household’, a phrase that can be heard in Tamil homes even today, calling a new bride, who enters her husband’s home thus! Returning, we see the confidante narrating the man’s journey back, talking about how he has succeeded in his mission, and has left behind forests, wafting with the scent of many fallen flowers, and where the vines of a wild jasmine cover the dull tops of cactus, and a male deer that comes to drink water nearby, scatters the fallen jasmine flowers with its breath and savours the pure, clear water. After quenching its thirst, the male deer rests peacefully with its beautiful mate, the confidante sketches. From place, she moves on to time, taking about how it’s the evening hour, when the people hard at work in the fields, those weeding with sickles, are calling it a day, and seeking the refreshment of toddy, as the sun bids bye to them and curls up in the twilight redness. The confidante has referenced this time only to say how the man had returned at this hour with his chariot bells, resounding like a cascade, and she concludes by saying the man has flooded their lives with joy because of his timely return! A verse in which every sound, word and line reverberates with delight! In the scene where the wild jasmine vines cover the dull cactus, the confidante informs the man how the lady had hidden her feelings of distress and pallor with the garment of her chastity and patience. Likewise, in the scene of the stag blowing away the fallen flowers, relishing the clear water and resting with its mate, the confidante presents an image of events to follow, such as the man slaying the pallor in the lady, relishing her old beauty and resting happily with her. Also interesting how the confidante, who always sees her as one and same as her friend, especially when in sorrow, separates herself from the lady, and conveys her personal satisfaction at the man’s return, no doubt her skilful implementation of the concept of ‘doubling the joy and halving the sorrow’!

    6 min

  8. 18 FEB

    Aganaanooru 183 – I hear you but…

    In this episode, we perceive the anguish of a parted heart, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 183, penned by Karuvoor Kalingaththaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse echoes the emotional response to words of consolation. ‘குவளை உண்கண் கலுழவும், திருந்திழைத் திதலை அல்குல் அவ் வரி வாடவும், அத்தம் ஆர் அழுவம் நத் துறந்து அருளார் சென்று சேண் இடையர் ஆயினும், நன்றும் நீடலர்” என்றி தோழி! பாடு ஆன்று பனித் துறைப் பெருங் கடல் இறந்து, நீர் பருகி, குவவுத் திரை அருந்து கொள்ளைய குடக்கு ஏர்பு, வயவுப் பிடி இனத்தின் வயின்வயின் தோன்றி, இருங் கிளைக் கொண்மூ ஒருங்குடன் துவன்றி, காலை வந்தன்றால் காரே மாலைக் குளிர் கொள் பிடவின் கூர் முகை அலரி வண்டு வாய் திறக்கும் தண்டா நாற்றம் கூதிர் அற்சிரத்து ஊதை தூற்ற, பனி அலைக் கலங்கிய நெஞ்சமொடு வருந்துவம் அல்லமோ, பிரிந்திசினோர் திறத்தே? In this trip to the drylands, it’s more about the weather rather than the land, as we listen to the lady say these words to the confidante, when the man continues to remain parted away, having left in search of wealth: “‘Making your blue-lily-like, kohl-streaked eyes to brim with tears, the beautiful lines on your spotted loins, adorned with well-etched ornaments, to fade, he parted away to those formidable paths in the drylands. Even though he’s gone afar, he will not delay further in returning’, you say to me, my friend! Dipping into the resounding huge ocean, with a cool shore, guzzling the water from the roaring waves, and brimming with excess, climbing on to the west, appearing here and there, akin to a parade of pregnant elephants, the dark herd of clouds then come together and pour down. Such a day in the season of rains has arrived, and in the evening, sharp buds of the wild jasmine shivering in the cold, open to the nudge of the bees. The irrepressible fragrance of these flowers is spread everywhere, by the winds of the cold season. Isn’t it natural to worry, with a heart shaken by these circumstances, thinking about how the one who parted away, hasn’t returned?” Let’s hear the roar of the rain clouds and inhale the fragrance of the jasmines! The lady starts by repeating the words of her friend who had been talking about how the man had left, causing the lady’s eyes to brim with tears and her beauty lines to fade, and how though he was far off, he would return soon to the lady’s fold. After acknowledging these words, the lady talks about how the rainy season, characterised by dark clouds, which she imaginatively connects to a herd of pregnant elephants, had come and gone, and now the wild jasmines were blooming. She concludes by relating how shaken by the scent of these flowers and the touch of the cold winds, she had no other go but to worry about the man and his absence. In all, it seems like just an expression of pining but within hides some intricate elements of therapy, such as a concerned friend and her thoughtful words, as well as acknowledgement of the lady about her friend’s act of consolation and her own expression of worrying emotions within. Aren’t these the exact elements to help overcome those seemingly impossible moments in life?

    4 min
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About

Reflections on 2000 Year Old Tamil Poetry

Information

  • Creator
    Nandini Karky
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    319
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2019 Nandini Karky
  • Show Website
    Sangam Lit