Natrinai 197 – Painting the skies with hope

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In this episode, we experience the meaning that dark clouds impart to a pining lady, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Natrinai 197, penned by Nakirar. The verse is set in the drylands of ‘Paalai’ and speaks in the consoling voice of the confidante to the lady, conveying a positive message to the lady’s pining heart.

”தோளே தொடி நெகிழ்ந்தனவே; நுதலே
பீர் இவர் மலரின் பசப்பு ஊர்ந்தன்றே;
கண்ணும் தண் பனி வைகின; அன்னோ!
தெளிந்தனம் மன்ற; தேயர் என் உயிர்” என,
ஆழல், வாழி-தோழி!-நீ; நின்
தாழ்ந்து ஒலி கதுப்பின் வீழ்ந்த காலொடு,
வண்டு படு புது மலர் உண்துறைத் தரீஇய,
பெரு மட மகளிர் முன்கைச் சிறு கோல்
பொலந் தொடி போல மின்னி, கணங் கொள்
இன் இசை முரசின் இரங்கி, மன்னர்
எயில் ஊர் பல் தோல் போலச்
செல் மழை தவழும், அவர் நல் மலை நாட்டே.

The verse opens with ‘தோளே தொடி நெகிழ்ந்தனவே’ meaning ‘Bangles slip away from the arms’ and then, go on to relate all the symptoms of ‘பசப்பு’ or the ‘pallor of pining’. It all sounds rather drastic with the lady declaring ‘தேயர் என் உயிர்’ meaning ‘my life is about to fade away’. There’s also the consoling word ‘ஆழல்’ meaning ‘do not cry’. Words like ‘மின்னி’ and ‘இரங்கி’ meaning ‘flashing’ and ‘roaring’ promise us, a sound-and-light show in the skies. The verse finishes with the quaint expression ‘செல் மழை தவழும்’ meaning ‘moving rains shall crawl’, referring to the movement of rain clouds up above. What is the story strung together by these giants of the skies? Let’s find out.

The man and lady have been in a love relationship and the time comes for the man to part from her to gather wealth for their wedding. The lady initially bears with the parting but as days go by, she suffers intensely. Seeing the lady in anguish, the confidante says to her, “My friend, you say, ‘Bangles slip away from my arms; A pallor, akin to ridge gourd flowers, spreads on my forehead; Tears fill my eyes; Alas! It has become clear; My life shall end.’ Stop your tears! May you live long! Akin to your hanging dark tresses, the clouds gather in the skies; akin to the small gold bangles on the forearms of those great, young women, who gather bee-buzzing, new flowers from the pond, lightning shines up there; akin to the sound of a collection of drums, thunder roars its sweet music; Akin to the moving shields on the fort of kings, clouds crawl across in the fine mountain country of your man!” With these words, the confidante promises that the man will glance upon these clouds in the sky and remember his promise to the lady and thereby, hasten his return to her. 

Now, to feel the hidden corners of those elusive clouds! The confidante first speaks the words of the lady, narrating her pained state, where bangles slip away and fall, pallor spreads on her forehead, and her eyes fill with tears. Feeling these intense emotions, the lady decides the man has forgotten her and declares that her life is sure to end. So fragile these Sangam women have been portrayed as, indeed! Hearing this, the confidante turns the lady’s attention to the skies. There’s a weather phenomenon happening up there. Dark clouds gather looking like the lady’s low-lying tresses; They flash and shine like the gold bangles of women, who gather flowers from the ponds; They resound like war drums; All this shows a clear promise of the rainy season, the season the man promised to return. The confidante concludes saying that when the man looks up at the sky and sees these clouds in his lovely mountain country, he will remember the promise made to the lady and return to claim her hand in marriage. 

Dark clouds have been predominantly used to symbolise something negative, especially from the perspective of western culture. We are encouraged with words like ‘it’s a passing cloud’, ‘beyond dark clouds, the sun will shine’ and so on. Dark clouds have been presented to us as something to be overcome, something to bide by. But here, in this verse, the same dark clouds become harbingers of happiness. They convey a message of hope, the way forward and the means to shake away dark feelings within. The stunning contrast between these two approaches made me think that the world outside is nothing more than what we construct from our worlds within.