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In this episode, we perceive the art of subtlety, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kurunthogai 42, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated in the mountains of ‘Kurinji’ and speaks in the voice of the confidante to the man, refusing in a hidden manner, to accept his request to tryst with the lady by night.
காமம் ஒழிவதுஆயினும்-யாமத்துக்
கருவி மா மழை வீழ்ந்தென, அருவி
விடரகத்து இயம்பும் நாட!- எம்
தொடர்பும் தேயுமோ, நின்வயினானே?
A proclamation seems to resound from the mood of this verse! As it begins with the words ‘காமம் ஒழிவதுஆயினும்’ meaning ‘even if passion were to be done with’, the verse refers to the passing away of intimacy. Next, we glimpse at the phrase ‘யாமத்துக் கருவி மா மழை’ and this makes lightning flash and thunder echo in harmony with ‘midnight rains’. Music in nature makes its presence felt in ‘அருவி விடரகத்து இயம்பும்’ talking about ‘waterfalls that resound in the clefts of mountains’. Ending with the words ‘தொடர்பும் தேயுமோ, நின்வயினானே’ meaning ‘would the relationship with you ever diminish?’, the verse seems to hint at the security of love and invites us to know more.
Rains, waterfalls and an unending love – Interesting combination! The context reveals that the man and lady were leading a love relationship and were trysting by day. The man expressed his wish to meet with the lady by night and for this, he sought the help of the confidante. To the man’s request, the confidante responds, “O lord, in your country as huge rains poured in the middle of the previous night, accompanied by lightning and thunder, cascades resound aloud in the mountain clefts! Even if passion were to end, would the relationship with you ever fade?” With these words, the confidante, while seemingly conveying a positive message, is actually refusing the man’s wish.
How does the confidante achieve this striking contradiction? First, she describes the man’s hill country and calls it a place, where waterfalls are echoing aloud in all the mountain’s crevices and declaring that the night previous, copious rains poured, no doubt, in the company of lightning and thunder. Is this a mere address to the man, indicating his address, or is there something more? Let’s get to that in a moment! The confidante then concludes by saying that even if passion were not to continue, nothing would ever make the lady’s relationship with the man end. Such words of positivity, isn’t it?
To get to the heart of the confidante’s message to the man however, we have to unravel the way she describes his mountain land. In that scene of the waterfalls announcing the previous night’s rain, she places a metaphor for how even if the man were to meet with the lady by night and leave without anyone noticing, the changes in her would announce to those around about their relationship. So, within that scene, the confidante intricately stitches the refusal to the man’s request. But, the best thing about this refusal is the way she cushions the blow to the man by glorifying his unassailable relationship with the lady. In that, is the wise lesson from the past about expressing even words that may hurt with a thoughtful kindness!
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