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In this episode, we perceive a curious way of ascertaining closeness, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kurunthogai 222, penned by Siraikudi Aanthaiyaar. The verse is situated in the hills of ‘Kurinji’ and speaks in the voice of the man to his heart, after locating the lady’s confidante among her playmates.
தலைப் புணைக் கொளினே, தலைப் புணைக் கொள்ளும்;
கடைப் புணைக் கொளினே, கடைப் புணைக் கொள்ளும்;
புணை கைவிட்டுப் புனலோடு ஒழுகின்,
ஆண்டும் வருகுவள் போலும்-மாண்ட
மாரிப் பித்திகத்து நீர் வார் கொழு முகைச்
செவ் வெரிந் உறழும் கொழுங் கடை மழைக் கண்
துளி தலைத் தலைஇய தளிர் அன்னோளே.
‘In perfect synchrony’ exclaims a voice in this verse. About what, we shall know in a while! The opening words ‘தலைப் புணைக் கொளினே’ meaning ‘if the head of the raft is held’ pertains to an ancient Tamil game, played in mountain rivers. In parallel to these opening words appear ‘கடைப் புணைக் கொளினே’ meaning ‘if the rear of the raft is held’. The phrase ‘புணை கைவிட்டுப் புனலோடு ஒழுகின்’ meaning ‘if the raft is let go and one floats in the stream’ talks about a hypothetical situation. From these water-vessel references, we turn to ‘மாரிப் பித்திகத்து நீர் வார் கொழு முகை’ meaning ‘the rainy season’s wild jasmine’s rain-soaked fleshy bud’, a sight epitomising freshness and beauty. Ending with the words ‘துளி தலைத் தலைஇய தளிர் அன்னோளே’ meaning ‘she, who is like a fresh sprout that shines with rain drops’, the verse welcomes us with a smile.
What does the raft have to do with that charming lady? The context reveals that the man had met the lady in the mountains and fallen in love with her. As was the strange custom then, the man had to seek the favour of the lady’s confidante to further his relationship with her. One day, after observing the lady and her playmates indulge in a game in the river, the man says, “If she holds the top of the raft, she too holds the top of the raft; If she holds the bottom of the raft, she too holds the bottom of the raft; If she were to let go of the raft and flow in the stream, looks like she will go along too; I speak of she, who has red-streaked, rain-like eyes, akin to the fleshy rear of a moist, full bloomed bud of the esteemed wild jasmine that blooms in the rains, and a skin, akin to a fresh leaf on which water drops glisten!” With these words, the man declares that he has managed to know who the closest friend of the lady is, and thereby conveys his intention to plead with this friend, so as to gain the lady’s affections.
In many Sangam verses, we have seen how the man must seek the confidante’s help to get closer to the lady, who has won his heart. This is the verse which tells us how he locates this person among the many friends, who surround the lady. The man starts talking in an abstract fashion about the top of a raft being held and adds that, someone else also holds the top of the raft. Next, he talks about the bottom of the raft being held, and mentions that someone follows suit and holds the bottom too. And then, from these observations, he projects that if the raft were to be let go, that someone too would let go and float along in the river. To our raised eyebrows asking who that someone is, the man replies saying it’s the lady, who has charmed him, and goes on into a lengthy description about her rain-like eyes that look like a wild jasmine flower in the rainy season and her skin, which glows like a tender leaf, shining with rain drops. It’s the downpour of young love!
So, it’s the lady who is doing those actions on the raft the man just described. But who is she following? That’s her closest friend! How does the man infer that? When the confidante holds on to the top of a raft in their game, the lady mimics her, and when the confidante changes over to the bottom, the lady repeats that too. So, the man says if the confidante were to let go of the raft, even by accident, looks like the lady too would let go and mind not that she’s all afloat on the river! When I understood this line, I burst out laughing. For it reminded me of a rhetorical question most parents would have put to their kids, and that is, ‘If your friend jumped off a bridge/cliff/well, would you do too?’ A question that implies the all-encompassing power of peer influence! And that’s exactly what’s happening here where the lady is following the confidante, no matter what, which makes the man conclude like a detective, ‘There, that’s the girl, who is my lady’s best friend and my only path to securing the lady’s affections!’ A testimony to the influence of friends, especially when young, that seems to live on, even today!
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