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In this episode, we will soak in Natrinai 2, a poem by Perumpathumanār, set in the landscape of ‘Paalai’, which is a dry, desert area and lands in its vicinity. This is a poem as narrated by those who see a man and his lady in the desert.
அழுந்துபட வீழ்ந்த பெருந் தண் குன்றத்து,
ஒலி வல் ஈந்தின் உலவைஅம் காட்டு,
ஆறு செல் மாக்கள் சென்னி எறிந்த
செம் மறுத் தலைய, நெய்த்தோர் வாய,
வல்லியப் பெருந் தலைக் குருளை, மாலை,
மான் நோக்கு இண்டு இவர் ஈங்கைய சுரனே;
வை எயிற்று ஐயள் மடந்தைமுன் உற்று
எல்லிடை நீங்கும் இளையோன் உள்ளம்,
காலொடு பட்ட மாரி
மால் வரை மிளிர்க்கும் உருமினும் கொடிதே
I struggled tremendously in understanding this poem. In my interpretation, the only elements that turned out right was something about a tiger cub and touch-me-not leaves. This turned out to be a poem that posed a lot of difficulty even after I read the explanations. And yet, I’m happy to say I have made sense of the poem finally.
This is my understanding: In this wasteland near a tall, cool mountain with roaring winds that blow amidst soaring palm trees, roam tiger cubs with blood stained heads and mouths, hiding behind those touch-me-not, hemp and other scrub bushes. On such a path filled with danger, this young man lets his lady walk ahead and follows behind. His heart is more cruel than rain-laden winds that dance with thunder, rolling down heavy rocks that shatter.
On reflecting on this poem, I see the narrator of this poem shaking his head in utter disapproval at the behaviour of this young man, who has stolen away a lady from her land and is now putting her through all this danger. When we encounter ‘ஒலி வல் ஈந்தின்’, there before our eyes soars a luxuriant date palm tree. In the words ‘வை எயிற்று ஐயள் மடந்தைமுன் உற்று’, he talks about a woman with sharp teeth. This is a curious description for a young woman. With our modern diet of horror movies, it actually brings to mind, a vampire! But, I’d like to think that this description perhaps points to an innate quality in the woman, to drive away even the sharp-toothed, blood-stained tiger lurking in the bushes. But, that is another matter altogether.
The focus of the poem is however on the young man, who is in the midst of such a wrongful act. How dare he leave her to walk in front and dally on behind? His heart is more cruel than the roaring, rainy wind with clapping thunder that rolls down rocks, for putting this maiden in such danger, the poem says! Why does this man not walk with her? What is he scared of? Or is it that the narrator is angered by the mere act of this man taking this woman through a dangerous path, away from the comfort of her home? Many such questions arise.
Looking deeper into this song set in a desert landscape, I’m surprised to find these references to lashing rains and roaring winds. There’s a fury of elements that one can sense in this verse. Also, there’s a portrayal of violence in the depiction of those blood dripping mouths of tiger cubs, hiding, waiting to pounce on an unsuspecting prey. In talking about the wrongful act of this young man from long ago, perhaps is an implied shining upon the right path. Maybe we could take this to mean that a couple should walk together, be it in the midst of glory or danger!
Excellent