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In this episode, we relish a unique way of dissuading despair, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Natrinai 248, penned by Kaasiban Keeranaar. Set in the forest country of ‘Mullai’, the verse speaks in the voice of the confidante to a cloud, in a bid to comfort the lady, who is disheartened by the arrival of the rains.
”சிறு வீ முல்லைத் தேம் கமழ் பசு வீ,
பொறி வரி நல் மான் புகர் முகம் கடுப்ப,
தண் புதல் அணிபெற மலர, வண் பெயல்
கார் வரு பருவம்” என்றனர்மன்-இனி,
பேர் அஞர் உள்ளம் நடுங்கல் காணியர்,
அன்பு இன்மையின் பண்பு இல பயிற்றும்
பொய் இடி அதிர் குரல் வாய் செத்து ஆலும்
இன மயில் மடக் கணம் போல,
நினை மருள்வேனோ? வாழியர், மழையே!
The verse opens with ‘சிறு வீ முல்லை’ bringing before our eyes, the ‘little flowers of the wild jasmine’. Phrases like ‘தேம் கமழ்’ meaning ‘fragrant like honey’ and ‘பசு வீ’ meaning ‘fresh flowers’ delight our senses further. ‘பொறி வரி நல் மான்’ takes us to the world of fauna, portraying a ‘spotted and speckled elephant’. The time factor is revealed by the words ‘கார் வரு பருவம்’ meaning ‘the approach of the rainy season’. We then see a curious phrase ‘பொய் இடி’ meaning ‘false thunder’, making us wonder what could be false about this phenomenon of nature? An elegant member from the family of birds makes an appearance with the word ‘இன மயில்’ meaning ‘muster of peacocks’. When I saw the word ‘மடக் கணம்’ meaning ‘a foolish group’, I was struck by the similarity of this phrase to the contemporary ‘மட ஜனம்’ again meaning ‘the foolish people’. Whether these two seemingly similar coinages shake hands in the past is a puzzle for etymologists to solve. Ending with ‘வாழியர், மழையே’ meaning ‘may you live long, O raincloud’, the poem highlights the ancient custom of offering words of blessing to the listener. Let’s partake in this blessing and explore more!
The man and lady had been leading a happy, married life when the man had to leave the lady on a mission. The lady bids him farewell after he promises to return before the rainy season. Days pass by and the rainy season seems to be fast approaching. Seeing the changes in the weather, the lady suffers immensely. Wanting to console the lady, the confidante turns to the cloud and says, “He said, ‘When the little, honey-fragrant, fresh flowers of the ‘mullai’ bloom, enhancing those moist bushes with beauty, akin to the spotted and lined face of a fine elephant; when the skies pour in abundance; in that rainy season, I shall come!’ and he left away. Now, so as to see a heart trembling afflicted by a great sorrow, this raincloud sends out false thunder, without love, speaking mannerless words. Hearing that roaring voice, thinking it’s the real thing, the muster of peacocks calls out aloud. Do you think you can confuse us like that foolish flock? May you live long, O cloud!” With these words, the confidante tells the lady that it’s not the season of rains yet and assures her that the man will return before the real rains.
What a simple world where words had the power to mend hearts! Now, let’s delve into the nuances. The confidante starts her conversation with the cloud by relaying the words the man spoke before he left. He had promised to be back by the rainy season, when the ‘mullai’ bushes get decorated by the bursting of its tiny, fragrant and fresh flowers. Herein, an interesting simile appears. This wild jasmine bush in its full bloom, is said to look like the spotted and lined face of an elephant. For people who have never seen an Asian elephant, this comparison might seem far-fetched. It’s because of all the elephant species, it’s only the Asian elephant that has spots on its once-grey face. When an Asian baby elephant is born, it is fully grey like elephants in other parts of the world but once this elephant grows up to be a 15 to 20 year old, it goes through a process of depigmentation, which makes its face look freckled. It’s this spotted face of an Asian elephant that is being placed in parallel to a dark wild jasmine bush with little white flowers and so aptly too!
Returning to the poem, the confidante wags an accusatory finger at the raincloud and says that as if wanting to see the lady trembling with angst, the cloud seems to act without love and speaks unkind words. These unkind words turn out to be the thunder in the skies, which the confidante declares as fake! Still, the peacocks in the forest seem to be fooled by this thunder and they open out their feathers and call out aloud to their mates. Let’s step away from the verse to understand the connection between the rains and the peacock’s dance. It’s common knowledge that peacocks dance in the rains. When exploring the reason why, we learn that the rainy season is also the mating season for the peacocks. Although the peacock is vulnerable to attack by predators when it opens out its feathers, it takes a chance so as to attract its mate and further its progeny. What better season than the rains, because when those exquisite feathers become moist, they take on an extra sheen and thus the peacocks become simply irresistible to their mates!
Moving on into the world of the verse once again, we see the confidante continue her discourse to the cloud and say that maybe you have fooled those peacocks with your fake thunder but you can’t fool me or the lady. Even though she has accused and scolded the rain cloud this far, she ends by blessing the cloud to live for long! And, this reveals the innate kindness in those ancient people. Even if the lady is not so naive to accept these words of the confidante, maybe seeing her friend take all this effort to put her heart at ease, she would be heartened a little to wait with patience for the arrival of her man. For sometimes, even if something is a lie, there may be love smiling at its core!
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