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In this episode, we relish a man’s celebration of his wife’s hospitality, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Natrinai 374, penned by Vanparanar. The verse is set in the forest regions of ‘Mullai’ and speaks in the voice of the man to wayfarers he meets on his journey homeward.
முரம்பு தலை மணந்த நிரம்பா இயவின்
ஓங்கித் தோன்றும் உமண் பொலி சிறுகுடிக்
களரிப் புளியின் காய் பசி பெயர்ப்ப,
உச்சிக் கொண்ட ஓங்கு குடை வம்பலீர்!
முற்றையும் உடையமோ மற்றே-பிற்றை
வீழ் மா மணிய புனை நெடுங் கூந்தல்,
நீர் வார் புள்ளி ஆகம் நனைப்ப,
விருந்து அயர் விருப்பினள் வருந்தும்
திருந்துஇழை, அரிவைத் தேமொழி நிலையே?
Opening with ‘முரம்பு தலை மணந்த நிரம்பா இயவின்’ meaning ‘on an unending path filled with rocky gravel’, the verse makes our feet ache, as we empathise with the long and arduous walk of the people then. ‘உமண் பொலி சிறுகுடி’ refers to ‘a little village where salt merchants reside’ and we can we conclude this hamlet is oft-deserted, for we know that these salt merchants are travellers, who journey with their kith and kin. But then, perhaps even people who live out of suitcases need a place to call home eventually! Returning, we see ‘a tamarind tree soar on that salty land’ in ‘களரிப் புளி’. A word-portrait of ‘umbrella-holding strangers’ appears in ‘ஓங்கு குடை வம்பலீர்’. The phrase ‘மா மணிய புனை நெடுங் கூந்தல்’ meaning ‘long, beautifully worn tresses, which look like dark gems’ once again expresses the regard of the ancients for a woman’s crowning glory! Another oft-mentioned attribute about a woman is ‘her desire to serve feasts’ as can be seen in ‘விருந்து அயர் விருப்பினள்’. The verse ends with ‘தேமொழி நிலையே’ talking about ‘the state of that sweet-tongued lady’, inviting us within!
The man and lady had been leading a happy married life when the man parted away to gather wealth. After he completes his mission, he returns homeward and on the way, meets some wayfarers. To them, he says, “On the unceasing path filled with hard gravel, rises the little hamlet of salt merchants. Here, blooms a tamarind tree in that salty land and you feed on its fruit to slay your hunger, O strangers with umbrellas over your head! My lady with alluring, plaited, long tresses, akin to dark sapphires, shedding tears that moisten her spotted bosom, tires herself in her wish to serve a feast. Indeed, I have experienced this state of my sweet-tongued, bejewelled young lady before, and the same we shall see today too!” With these words, the man extends an invitation to the wayfarers to experience the lady’s warm welcome.
Now, for the nuances! The man starts by describing the situation he has found the wayfarers in. He first mentions the long, stony path they had to take and then turns his attention to the village of salt merchants. Here, he specifically zooms on to a tamarind tree. In my search to know more about the tree’s habitat, I learnt that it’s one that thrives in arid conditions and does well even in the presence of salt in the soil. This modern knowledge is encapsulated in this ancient poem, which details this tamarind tree, as growing in a salt merchants’ village, and standing on salty soil. Returning to the poem, we learn that the man has referred to this tree only to talk about how the fruit of this tree is all these wayfarers have to satisfy their hunger. Now, anyone who has not tasted this fruit would think, good for these wayfarers that they have this fruit to savour. But, those who know, will feel their tongues twinging when even thinking about eating a lot of this tangy fruit. As a snack, it may be pleasing, but as a satisfier of hunger, it’s a pitiable find! The man has given us a true taste of the current state of the wayfarers, who have nothing but tamarind fruits to feed on.
From the state of these strangers, the man turns to picture the state of his lady at home. He describes her as one with long, dark tresses. The lady seems to be shedding copious tears that moisten her chest. Maybe this is her past state when she was crying, pining for the man, or maybe it is her present, when she is crying in happiness, hearing of his return. In any case, she is now all eager to prepare a feast for the returning man and is sparing no effort at it. The man delights in the state of his young lady, who speaks words of honey and wears well-crafted ornaments. Now, why has the man mentioned this state of the lady? Is he saying here you are, eating tamarind fruits, and I’m off to eat a feast prepared by my lady? To us, this would be a joke but for the people of that society, such an idea was unthinkable! The object of their life seems to render hospitality unto others and thus, we know that the man was indeed inviting these suffering strangers for a feast at home. Imagine this man’s trust in his wife to be able to bring home strangers suddenly. But then, perhaps it was an unwritten code that the lady welcomes anyone who comes home and serves them the best she can. Indeed, through these many layers, the verse leaves us with the taste of Tamil hospitality, something that has lingered for a long time!
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