Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | iHeartRadio | Email | TuneIn | RSS | More
In this episode, we perceive curious events around courtship, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kurunthogai 214, penned by Koodaloor Kizhaar. The verse is situated in the mountains of ‘Kurinji’ and speaks in the voice of the confidante to the lady’s kith and kin, in response to arrangements for a ritual.
மரம் கொல் கானவன் புனம் துளர்ந்து வித்திய
பிறங்கு குரல் இறடி காக்கும், புறம் தாழ்
அம் சில் ஓதி, அசை இயல், கொடிச்சி
திருந்து இழை அல்குற்குப் பெருந் தழை உதவிச்
செயலை முழுமுதல் ஒழிய, அயலது
அரலை மாலை சூட்டி,
ஏமுற்றன்று-இவ் அழுங்கல் ஊரே.
‘You ignore the real reason and focus on the needless’ accuses a voice in this verse! The opening words ‘மரம் கொல் கானவன்’ talks about ‘a farmer in the mountains who practices agriculture by clearing trees therein’. In the phrase ‘பிறங்கு குரல் இறடி’, we see the fruits of that effort for it refers to ‘the well-grown clusters of mountain millets’. ‘பெருந் தழை உதவிச் செயலை’ meaning ‘Ashoka tree which renders huge leaves as a gift’ holds within the most significant clue in this mystery reveal, which we shall explore shortly. Another denizen of the floral kingdom makes an appearance in ‘அரலை மாலை சூட்டி’ meaning ‘adorning with a garland of oleander flowers’. Ending with the words ‘இவ் அழுங்கல் ஊரே’ meaning ‘this uproarious town’, the verse welcomes us within.
There seems to be more to farmed millets and wild trees than meets the eye. The context reveals that the man and lady were leading a love relationship and had been trysting for a while. As the man couldn’t meet her as frequently after a while, the lady went into pining and the lady’s family, noticing the changes, started worrying about her health. As was the custom then, they decided to arrange for a ‘Veri’ ritual to appease God Murugan and restore the lady’s health. At this time, the confidante goes in front of the lady’s kith and kin and says, “A forest farmer clears trees and prepares the field, from which seeds sprout and radiant stalks of millets soar. This is guarded by the mountain maiden, on whose back lies beautiful, fine hair, that sways as she walks. For her loins with well-crafted ornaments, the ‘seyalai’ tree rendered the help of lending its huge leaves, and now, stands with its entire trunk barren. And yet, focusing on the ‘aralai’ shrub nearby, they pick its flowers to weave garlands for the ritual. So confused are they, the people of this uproarious town!” With these words, the confidante reveals the lady’s love relationship with the man to the lady’s family in a hidden manner.
Hidden it is, indeed! For all the confidante seems to talk about, are the leaves of trees and flowers of bushes. How is one to understand what lies beneath? Let’s go deeper into her words to find out. The confidante travels to the distant past and talks about how farmers clear the trees so as to turn it into cultivatable land and it’s in this prepared ground, that today, the millets are soaring above. As it’s well known, it was the duty of unmarried maiden in the mountain country to guard these millet fields and chase away parrots that come to steal the crops. Describing how the lady is one with beautiful, fine hair that hangs low on her back and sways along gracefully, the confidante adds cryptically that the ‘seyalai’ tree rendered its leaves as a gift to the maiden and stood with its entire trunk, devoid of leaves. Even after seeing this, people in their village seemed to be foolishly focusing on the ‘aralai’ shrubs and intent on picking its flowers and weaving a garland, she concludes!
Certainly, there is some mystery around the ‘seyalai’ tree’s so-called help to the lady! It’s not as if a tree would decide to remove all its leaves and handover to a lady. And that is the clue that the lady is involved with a man, and has accepted a gift of an attire of leaves from him. Perhaps this leaf attire was the engagement ring of the Sangam period! When a man gives this and a lady accepts, their relationship is formalised between themselves. While this may seem like Sherlock Holmes level deduction to go from a tree’s leaves to a lady’s love relationship, perhaps it was common knowledge then. Coming to the ‘aralai’ flowers, these were the preferred flowers for the ‘Veri’ ritual. When the confidante mentions this as the act of their uproarious village, she, in fact, means the lady’s family. And so, in effect, the confidante is saying the true reason for the lady’s ill health is standing right before your eyes and yet, you seem to ignore that and go towards the superficial and the unnecessary, she ends by chiding the lady’s family. Fascinating how even before the science of rationality came to be, this voice from the past beseeches us, when trying to find lasting solutions, to give up superstition and seek the truth!
Nice poem 👏