Natrinai 132 – Caged in the house

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பேர் ஊர் துஞ்சும்; யாரும் இல்லை;
திருந்து வாய்ச் சுறவம் நீர் கான்று, ஒய்யெனப்
பெருந் தெரு உதிர்தரு பெயலுறு தண் வளி
போர் அமை கதவப் புரை தொறும் தூவ,
கூர் எயிற்று எகினம் நடுங்கும் நல் நகர்ப்
பயில்படை நிவந்த பல் பூஞ் சேக்கை
அயலும் மாண் சிறையதுவே; அதன்தலை,
”காப்புடை வாயில் போற்று, ஓ” என்னும்
யாமம் கொள்பவர் நெடு நா ஒண் மணி
ஒன்று எறி பாணியின் இரட்டும்;
இன்றுகொல், அளியேன் பொன்றும் நாளே?

The poem opens with the words ‘பேர் ஊர் துஞ்சும்’ conveying ‘the whole town is asleep’. Then, ’பெயலுறு தண் வளி’ paints a shivering portrait of that night, meaning ’cold winds with rain’.‘கூர் எயிற்று எகினம்’ presents conflicting meanings about this ‘sharp-toothed creature’. One meaning for the uncommon word ‘எகினம்’ is ‘dog’ and the other is ‘swan-like bird, domesticated in Sangam homes’. Seeing the reference to the ‘sharp tooth’, many interpreters have assumed that it refers to a ‘dog’ raised in an affluent home. However, swans too have teeth-like, serrated projections around their beaks, to aid their eating of marine plants and animals. So, is it a dog or a bird being referenced here? Hold the question and we’ll get to that soon! ‘பயில்படை’ talks about a bed and ‘பல் பூஞ் சேக்கை’ talks about the ‘flower-filled mattress’ while ‘சிறை’ refers to the ‘action of guarding the movements of the lady’. ’யாமம் கொள்பவர்’ refers to the ‘town’s guards’ who march around at midnight. The verse seems to echo with danger and fear!

The man and lady have been in a love relationship for a while. Changes appear in the lady’s demeanour and consequently, she’s confined to the house. Not knowing this, the man arrives one night, to tryst with her. Making sure that he’s in earshot, the confidante says to the lady, “The great town sleeps; There’s no one around. Cold winds with rain, akin to the spray of water from the etched mouth of a fish, spread around in our huge street, and pierce through the gaps in the twin doors of the swan’s keep, making the sharp-toothed bird in that fine mansion shiver. In this house, close to my many-layered bed, filled with feathers and flowers, there’s a mighty guard mounted. On top of that, the midnight town patrol shout intermittently, “Secure your gates!” As if keeping perfect time, the long-tongued, clear bells they hold, ring in unison with their voices. Is today the day of this pitiable girl’s death?” With these words, the confidante assumes the voice of the lady, to convey the constraining circumstances to the man.

Time to slow down and take one reflective step after another to unravel the messages in this poem. The confidante opens the scene by mentioning that the whole town sleeps, adding that there’s not a soul around. Good for them, isn’t it? That’s what the man thinks too and that’s why he has chosen the hour to tryst with the lady. But, the confidante adds a hidden ‘however’ just then! She mentions a fish with a perfect mouth. Although the word used is ‘சுறவம்’, which sounds a lot close to ‘சுறா’, the word for a ‘shark’, I have seen that this word has been used interchangeably for other kinds of fish, for instance, a swordfish. I want to interpret this expression beyond how it has been commonly seen. This line talks about a spray from the perfectly formed mouth of a fish. This instantly brought to my mind, a whale and its blowhole. Indeed, no other fish sprays water like a whale. Could there be sightings of a whale in Indian shores? Searching, I learnt that there are rare sightings of whales along the Indian coast even today. So, two thousand years ago, it’s possible there were many such sightings and maybe, one such has captured the imagination of this poet. 

Returning to the verse, we find that the spray of water from the whale’s perfect mouth is mentioned as a simile to the cold winds with rain that seem to shower on the lady’s street. If you had closely observed the translation, you know by now that it’s a ‘swan’ rather than a ‘dog’ I have chosen for the word ‘எகினம்’, discussed earlier. This cold spray of wind seeps in through the pores and gaps in the twin doors of the mansion and makes the swan resting within shiver. I chose ‘swan’ for another reason, which is such birds are given to shedding their feathers. And, such feathers must have found their way to the many layers of the flower-filled mattress, which is then described by the confidante. From the shivering swan, the confidante makes a leap to the mattress, hinting at this subtle connection. She talks about the mattress saying, there’s a guard mounted at home to watch the movements of the lady. Not just that, the town patrol also walks by, shouting aloud, and ringing their bells in synchrony. Sounds that seem like death knells to the waiting lady! Employing rich visuals to outline the fierce protection all around, the confidante informs the man that it’s an impossible feat to meet and thereby, he should alleviate the lady’s pain by seeking the course of marriage. Images of the lady’s life by the sea and the wildlife in the sea sketch for us, shades of the Sangam world!