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In this episode, we unearth a treasure trove of facets related to wild life in the ancient drylands, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Natrinai 352, penned by Madurai Pallimaruthankilaar Makanar Sokuthanaar. The verse is situated in the dry regions of ‘Paalai’ and speaks in the voice of the man, conveying his confused state of mind, as he journeys on, in search of wealth.
இலை மாண் பகழிச் சிலை மாண் இரீஇய
அன்பு இல் ஆடவர் அலைத்தலின், பலருடன்
வம்பலர் தொலைந்த அஞ்சுவரு கவலை,
அழல் போல் செவிய சேவல் ஆட்டி,
நிழலொடு கதிக்கும் நிணம் புரி முது நரி
பச்சூன் கொள்ளை மாந்தி, வெய்துற்று,
தேர் திகழ் வறும் புலம் துழைஇ, நீர் நயந்து,
பதுக்கை நீழல் ஒதுக்கு இடம் பெறாஅ
அருஞ் சுரக் கவலை வருதலின், வருந்திய
நமக்கும் அரிய ஆயின: அமைத் தோள்
மாண்புடைக் குறுமகள் நீங்கி,
யாங்கு வந்தனள்கொல்? அளியள் தானே!
Opening with ‘இலை மாண் பகழி’ meaning ‘a sturdy arrow, which has a leaf tip’, the poem presents a tangible image of an ancient artefact. The phrase ‘அன்பு இல் ஆடவர்’ intrigues our curiosity for it means ‘men who lack love’. Who does this pertain to? Then, ‘அஞ்சுவரு கவலை’ paints the portrait of a ‘fear-evoking path’. The phrase ‘அழல் போல் செவிய சேவல்’ meaning ‘a male bird with fire-like ears’ gives only a clue about the bird’s appearance and some detective work is needed before the bird can be named. In addition to this bird, we also meet with an animal, ‘நரி’, again a problematic name, because it could refer to the ‘fox’ as well as the ‘jackal’. ‘தேர் திகழ் வறும் புலம்’ conjures the image of seeing ‘mirages in the dried-up land’, something accessible even to modern day travellers. Thereafter, we encounter ‘பதுக்கை’, a term used to describe ‘ancient burial cists’, where stones were piled atop. These glimpses reveal a montage of fascinating elements that await our exploration. The verse ends with the words ‘யாங்கு வந்தனள்கொல்? அளியள் தானே’ meaning ‘how did she come here? Pitiable, she is!’ and beckons us within.
The man and lady had been leading a happy, married life when the man had to part with the lady, to go in search of wealth. One day, in the middle of his journey, the man says to himself, “Suffering in the hands of those heartless men, who wield excellent leaf-ended arrows from their fine bows, new wayfarers many have found their end in this fearsome path. An old fox, which plays with its own shadow, desirous of eating meat, chases away a male bird with fire-like ears. Then, it feeds excessively on the raw meat and starts to feel thirsty. Thinking that it has found water, the fox tries to drink from mirages in the dried-up land. Defeated, it attempts to find some shade and not finding the right spot near the shadow of a stone-pile, it suffers ceaselessly in this hard-to-cross desert path. Such a path is formidable even to me. But, how is that, my virtuous young girl with bamboo-like arms, has left home and managed to arrive here? Pitiable indeed, she is!” With these words, the man reveals how his heart is filled with thoughts of the lady, even as he’s surrounded by the dreary elements of the drylands.
Time to delve into the many details! Like an expert documentary film-maker, the man arrests our attention with the image of a leaf-tipped, sharp arrow placed on a sturdy bow. From the object, the man turns our attention to the one holding the object and it’s this person and his group that the man refers to as ‘men lacking compassion’. The reason for this reference is that these men are highway robbers of the Sangam era. They show no pity for the wayfarers they encounter, stealing from them and even ending their lives! The man then focuses on those wayfarers and how when they are new and unsuspecting, they fall prey to these men and end up as corpses in that terrible path. When corpses are to be found, nature sends its scavengers to clean up the space. As expected, the man talks about one such scavenger, a bird with fire-like ears. Pondering on which bird it could be, I zeroed in on a vulture. Looking up on the nine different species of vultures found in India, the only species that matches this verbal mugshot is the ‘red-headed vulture’. Taking a look at the picture of this bird, I could see red flaps on the sides of its face and no doubt, this has been penned as streaks of fire by our ancient poet. Returning to the verse, we find this bird being chased away by another scavenger. This animal, the man clarifies is a lone fox, an animal which he describes as one that loves to play with its own shadow. Although I was debating for a while, as to whether the animal referred is a fox or a jackal, I decided to go with a fox, after reading about the solitary as well as playful nature of this animal, rather than a jackal, which tends to hunt and roam in packs.
What is the fox up to, after chasing away the vulture? The fox feeds to the full on the corpse that’s lying about. After feasting on all that meat, the fox forgets that thirst is waiting to attack it. Once its stomach is full, the fox finds its throat tightening and it goes in search of water. It’s a searing, hot region and all the fox can find is dry mud in the place it thought was a pool of water. Dejected, the fox decides if not water, then at least some shade and seeks the shadow of a pile of stones on a burial cist. In that barren land, with the scorching sun above, the fox finds no solace in that spot too. The man has been describing this entire scene to present to us the horrors of that path which he is traversing. He sounds like a person who has travelled much but such a path is distressing even to him, he says. While pondering on this, he asks in confusion about how his lady, the delicate, young girl, could be standing there, in such a path, before him, and his heart melts in pity for her. Could the lady really be there? Of course not, it’s a case of hallucination, a psychologist today would say. As thoughts of the lady flood his mind, the man sees the lady take form and appear right before him, much like the fox seeing water in a mirage. A verse that weaves together human and wild life inextricably and also, speaks timeless truths about a mind in love and separation!
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