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In this episode, we perceive a picturesque scene from the life of a seaside hamlet, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Natrinai 191, penned by Ulochanaar. The verse is set in the coastal regions of ‘Neythal’ and speaks in the voice of the confidante to the lady, conveying a subtle message to the man, listening nearby.
”சிறு வீ ஞாழல் தேன் தோய் ஒள் இணர்
நேர் இழை மகளிர் வார் மணல் இழைத்த
வண்டற் பாவை வன முலை முற்றத்து,
ஒண் பொறிச் சுணங்கின் ஐது படத் தாஅம்
கண்டல் வேலிக் காமர் சிறுகுடி,
எல்லி வந்தன்றோ தேர்?” எனச் சொல்லி,
அலர் எழுந்தன்று இவ் ஊரே; பலருளும்
என் நோக்கினளே அன்னை; நாளை
மணிப் பூ முண்டகம் கொய்யேன் ஆயின்,
அணிக் கவின் உண்மையோ அரிதே; மணிக் கழி
நறும் பூங் கானல் வந்து, அவர்
வறுந் தேர் போதல் அதனினும் அரிதே.
The poem opens with an oft-repeated phrase in ‘Neythal’ poetry, which is ‘சிறு வீ ஞாழல்’, meaning ‘the small, falling flowers of the cassia tree’. The expression ‘வண்டற் பாவை’ constructs the image of ‘sand dolls’, built by the playful hands of ‘நேர் இழை மகளிர்’ or ‘girls bedecked with brilliant jewels’. The poem resonates with the rhythm of word combinations like ‘எல்லி – சொல்லி’ , ‘அலர் – பலர்’ , ‘மணி – அணி’ and ‘நறும் – வறுந்’. Beyond sweet sounds, let’s journey to make meaning out of this verse.
The man and lady have been in a love relationship and the man had been trysting with the lady, at night. The confidante decides it’s time to urge the man into seeking the lady’s hand in marriage. One night, when the man arrives for his tryst, the confidante pretending not to notice him but keeping him in earshot, says to the lady, “From the honey-soaked, radiant flower clusters of the cassia tree, little flowers drop down on the sand dolls carved on extending sands by well-adorned maiden. The shining gold dust of the falling flowers spread on the beautiful bosoms of the dolls, akin to pallor spots. Such scenes are to be found in this desirable little hamlet, fenced by mangroves. Asking around, ’Didn’t a chariot come by last night?’, the townspeople spread rumours. Even though there are many young women here, mother looks pointedly at me. If I do not leave to gather the sapphire-hued ‘neermulli’ flowers, the true state of my beauty will be difficult to retain. But, if the lord ’s chariot that arrives in the fragrant orchard of this dark marshland returns empty, that would be even more difficult to bear.” A word of warning to tell you that the confidante assumes the lady’s voice to convey a significant message to the man. With these words, she tells the man that mother is getting suspicious of his relationship with the lady and the consequence of that would be having the lady confined to the house.
Now, for the fine details! The confidante starts with a description of the coastal village. Sands extend all around and here, young maiden play by making dolls out of fine sand. In many of these Sangam poems by the shore, it’s always young girls playing in the sand. I wonder what the young boys might be doing! Returning to the verse, near the playing maiden, stands a ‘gnazal’ tree and its tiny, yellow flowers drop down on the bosom of a sand doll below, decorating it with gold dust, making it shine with the beauty of pallor spots. The confidante is sure to have hidden a metaphor within this beautiful scene, which we will unravel in a while! Then she talks about how rumours are spreading all around town with people gossiping about chariots that arrive at night. The confidante reveals the real trouble by saying though there are many young women in the hamlet, mother seems to look pointedly at the lady, as if she knew what was up. If mother acts on her suspicions, the inevitable end would be the lady being confined within the house. This will prevent her from doing a thing dear to her, which is to gather the sapphire-coloured, water-thorn flowers. The confidante says that’s painful for the lady to think about that but even more painful is the thought of the man returning home in his chariot disappointed at not having met the lady.
The confidante pointedly tells the man, listening nearby, his happy trysts are about to end. If he wanted to relish the company of the lady, then like those falling flowers that spread grace on the sand doll beneath, the man must render the grace of a happy, married life to the lady by seeking her hand in marriage. With that delicate scene of a flower falling to adorn a doll beneath, the confidante paints the right path to lasting joy!
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