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In this episode, we perceive the loneliness in a lady at a dark hour, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kurunthogai 6, penned by Pathumanaar. The verse is situated in the coastal regions of ‘Neythal’ and speaks in the voice of the lady to her confidante, expressing the angst in her heart at the man’s parting away.
நள்ளென்றன்றே, யாமம்; சொல் அவிந்து,
இனிது அடங்கினரே, மாக்கள்; முனிவு இன்று,
நனந்தலை உலகமும் துஞ்சும்;
ஓர் யான் மன்ற துஞ்சாதேனே.
No matter what time it is wherever you may be, the verse takes us on an instant travel to the reverberating stillness of a midnight hour! Time is established even as it begins with the words ‘நள்ளென்றன்றே, யாமம்’ meaning ‘the midnight speaks in a deep silence’. Many scholars interpret the word ‘நள்ளென்றன்றே’ to mean, the night echoes with the sound ‘நள்’, which likely led to the contemporary Tamil word for midnight: ‘நள்ளிரவு’. Speaking of speaking silences, we next come upon the phrase ‘சொல் அவிந்து’ meaning ‘ending their words’, and yet again, feel the soundless night echoing in our ears. When it’s night, how can sleep not come into the picture? As predicted, the words ‘நனந்தலை உலகமும் துஞ்சும்’ talks about ‘the wide world that sleeps’. Ending with ‘துஞ்சாதேனே’ meaning ‘sleepless’, the verse hints at insomnia raising its troublesome head yet again!
Probing the reason for this sleeplessness, we learn of how the man and lady were leading a love relationship when the man parted away to gather wealth for their wedding. Unable to bear with his parting, the lady languished, and one night, turns to her confidante and says, “The midnight hour echoes with a deep silence; Ceasing their endless words, people have retired pleasantly. Without anger, the world entire, in all its wide open spaces, sleeps; And, the only one who does not sleep is me!” With these words, the lady expresses her loneliness to her friend, perhaps seeking solace in her company.
Delving deeper into the layers, we hear the lady talk about how the night speaks to her in the language of silence. If silence speaks, is it still silence? Something to ponder about! Beyond these abstract notions, here there’s only a feeling of being enveloped by an intense stillness. Further adding to this, the lady talks about how the people all around had ceased their words and are now sleeping sweetly. Within this, is a mention of how these very people had been spreading words of slander about her, causing her much pain during the day. The incessant wagging of their tongues seems to have ended finally. When the lady talks about how these annoying people are sleeping sweetly, it seems to echo a subtle feeling of how a sleeping person seems like another, lost in a world that no one understands, and looking so vulnerable. The lady seems to forgive their slanderous words as they slumber on! Then, from the townsfolk immediately around her, she turns to the faraway places and declares that there is only deep sleep in the world entire. Finally, she concludes saying she must be the only one who is unable to be lost in that sweet sleep!
When in a moment of suffering, the mind seems to trick one into thinking that they are the only one ever and anywhere to face that pain! It’s this very emotion that the lady seems to be going through. And yet, right next to her, is her friend, her companion, to whom she says these words. Perhaps this awareness will jolt her to help her find comfort in that ray of hope amidst the darkness. To express grief and angst to another – isn’t that the very core of psychotherapy? And, no matter the issue ravaging one’s heart, that’s the simple and effective solution that this verse from the past seems to point to us!
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