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In this episode, we observe a young man expressing his jubilant state of mind, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kurunthogai 70, penned by Orampokiyaar. Set in the mountains of ‘Kurinji’, the verse speaks in the voice of the man to his heart, attempting to describe the lady’s nature, after his union with her.
ஒடுங்கு ஈர் ஓதி ஒள் நுதற் குறுமகள்
நறுந் தண் நீரள்; ஆர் அணங்கினளே;
இனையள் என்று அவட் புனை அளவு அறியேன்;
சில மெல்லியவே கிளவி;
அனை மெல்லியல் யான் முயங்குங்காலே.
The verse seems to say with a smile that it’s ‘all about her’! In the opening words ‘ஒடுங்கு ஈர் ஓதி’ meaning ‘neat and oiled hair’, an important attribute of a Sangam woman’s appearance can be seen. After those tresses, the lady’s ‘shining forehead’ is described with the words ‘ஒள் நுதற் குறுமகள்’. The portrait is shaded with further lines in ‘நறுந் தண் நீரள்’ meaning ‘fragrant and cool nature’, which I understood to be akin to that of water. Her style of speaking is illustrated with ‘மெல்லியவே கிளவி’ meaning ‘her words are soft’. Ending with the words ‘அனை மெல்லியல் யான் முயங்குங்காலே’ meaning ‘she is soft to be embraced’, the verse is indeed filled with the joy of a man in love.
One cannot help smiling when reading these exuberant words! What is the background for these utterances? The context reveals that the man had met a lady and fallen in love with her. A few days after his happy union with her, the man tells his heart, “The lady, with oiled, well-kept hair and a shining forehead, has a cool and fragrant nature. She torments me tremendously. To say this is what she is and to describe her, I know not words enough. She speaks but a few, gentle words. That gentle girl is like a soft quilt when I embrace her!” With these words, the man expresses without a drop of doubt that he’s blown away by the beauty and nature of his lady.
Anyone who has been in love would so relate to the emotions of this man, glowing in the rosy light when love has just bloomed. The first description of the lady is rather curious because he talks about oiled and neat hair. I find that this definition of a woman’s beauty has lived on, at least in the rustic belts of Tamilnadu, where fashionable, free-flowing hair is slightly frowned upon, even today! Whereas that sort of oiled look mentioned in this verse has got the reputation of being prim and proper in the urban areas. Next, we observe the shining forehead, which finds a special place in most Sangam poems. From outer aspects of beauty, the man turns to talk about the nature of the lady and calls her cool and fragrant like a stream of water.
Just as one would struggle to hold that water in the hands, the man expresses how tormented by her immense beauty, he is at a loss for words to describe this lady! Speaking of words, he’s reminded of her words and notices how they are few and gentle. This image of the soft-spoken lady then makes him remember how like a soft quilt, she felt, when he embraced her. With that, the man ends his words of delight to his heart. Note how the various thoughts are not neat and organised but flowing in a random way! It’s this diverging flow of thoughts that arises in the throes of ecstasy that is so vividly captured in this epitome of emotions!
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