Natrinai 90 – The drama in the house

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In this episode, we gather elements from life in an ancient town, depicted in Sangam Literary work, Natrinai 90, written by Anjil Anjiyaar. Set in the agricultural landscape of ‘Marutham’, the poem speaks in the voice of the confidante to the lady, indirectly refusing entry to the singer, who has been sent as a messenger by the man.

ஆடு இயல் விழவின் அழுங்கல் மூதூர்,
உடையோர் பன்மையின் பெருங் கை தூவா,
வறன் இல் புலைத்தி எல்லித் தோய்த்த
புகாப் புகர் கொண்ட புன் பூங் கலிங்கமொடு
வாடா மாலை துயல்வர, ஓடி,
பெருங் கயிறு நாலும் இரும் பனம் பிணையல்
பூங் கண் ஆயம் ஊக்க, ஊங்காள்,
அழுதனள் பெயரும் அம் சில் ஓதி,
நல்கூர் பெண்டின், சில் வளைக் குறுமகள்
ஊசல் உறு தொழில் பூசல் கூட்டா
நயன் இல் மாக்களொடு கெழீஇ,
பயன் இன்று அம்ம, இவ் வேந்துடை அவையே!

Characters and their characteristics seem carved onto this poem. We encounter the phrase ‘மூதூர்’ meaning an ancient town.‘ஆடு இயல் விழவு’ refers to the ‘dance and festivities’ in this ancient town. Let’s explore the reasons for the celebration, a little later. A melodious word for ‘stiff starch’ is encountered with ‘புகாப் புகர்’ whereas ‘பூங் கலிங்கம்’ refers to a ‘garment with floral patterns’. The expression ‘வாடா மாலை’ piques one’s curiosity because it means ‘unfading garland’. Is there a flower that will never fade? Unlikely, for where life is, death is inevitable. So, we understand that ‘unfading garland’ can only mean a ‘golden chain’. With such richness resounding from the poem, let’s not forget the gem-studded rhyme in the verse with that alliterative line ‘புகாப் புகர்… புன் பூங் கலிங்கமொடு’ as well as the rhythms in ‘ஊசல் – பூசல்’ and ‘நயன் – பயன்’. 

A poem that needs quite a bit of context. The man and lady are in a married relationship. As was the case, in many agricultural towns, the man had left the lady to be in the company of courtesans. When he intends to return back to the lady, he sends a singer as his messenger to mollify the lady. Sensing the arrival of this messenger, the lady’s confidante turns to her and says, “This ancient town, filled with loud sounds of celebratory dance festivities, is filled with many who need their clothes washed. And so, the washerwoman’s hands never stop working. Indeed, she knows not poverty. Wearing a delicate, floral garment, washed by this washerwoman with stiff starch, and with an unfading garland oscillating on her body, comes running, a young girl with scant hair and a few bangles. She, who lacks many a feminine quality, sits on the swing, made by intertwining huge palm leaves, hanging on strong ropes. As her friends with flower-like eyes push the swing, she doesn’t want to swing. She starts crying and runs away. There is no one to calm her anxious tears, slay her sorrow and unite her with the lord. Such is the unkind, useless nature of the company, the lord keeps!” With these words, the confidante indirectly conveys to the lady, that the man has returned only because the courtesan is sulking and blaming the man’s bad company, she refuses entry to that singer-messenger. 

To gather the various facets of life depicted, let’s pause at different points on this poem and meander along. First is the reference to the ancient town filled with festivities. When we enquire further, we learn that such towns were led by people who helped kings win in battles. In such cases, the king would carve a little of his domain and hand over to these lords, who came to his aid. Having won the king’s graces, their coffers would be filled with money. With land to own and money to spend, these towns were always abuzz with celebrations, which necessitates dancers, who in turn, become courtesans. A curious facet mentioned is that in that town, there are plenty of people who want to have their clothes washed by someone else. Now, take the case of a mountain country or a forest land, maybe even the coastal regions, here people do not have money to avail such services. They live a simple life of hard work, whereas in these agricultural towns, the people seem to live a life of leisure by outsourcing their work to others. In this case, a washerwoman with a thriving business. The poem portrays her as one whose hands never stop. The demand for her services is so high that she doesn’t seem to know poverty at all. And why does a washerwoman come into the picture? It’s only to say that the courtesan in question, is wearing a starched garment that has been set by this same washerwoman. Another intricate fact is that the courtesan seems to be wearing a floral-printed garment. If you have noticed keenly, in poems from other landscapes, the women wear only flowers and leaves as their garments, whereas the courtesans are not just wearing any old garment, but those with floral prints, which again tells us that there must be a garment printing business or at least, a trader who imports these garments from abroad. Thus, with a few lines of verse, the poem lays out the economic structure of that ancient town!

Moving on from accessories, we find the confidante describing the courtesan as one with scant hair, wearing but a few bangles and lacking in femininity. Are these words spoken by the confidante because she’s insulting the courtesan or is she referring to the young age of the girl, one who is not fully mature? In any case, the girl is certainly exhibiting a childishness in crying and refusing to play. Why? Because the girl expects the man to push the swing and when he doesn’t, she runs away sulking. All this screenplay by the confidante only to say, the man has been away with a courtesan and is back only owing to her anger. She gives the finishing touch by calling the lord’s company as ‘unkind’ because they cannot wipe that crying girl’s tears! Had the confidante been living now, she would have finished the poem with two words ‘useless fellow’ and banged the door on the singer’s face! Joking apart, we are richer for this elaborate drama depicted in the poem, for we understand the complicated life of a rich town then. Perhaps, we should contemplate on whether an excess of money is the root cause of all such misery!