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In this episode, we perceive curious customs of curing a person, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kurunthogai 263, penned by Perunchaathanaar. Set in the mountains of ‘Kurinji’, the verse speaks in the voice of the confidante to the lady, passing on a hidden message to the man, listening nearby.
மறிக் குரல் அறுத்து, தினைப் பிரப்பு இரீஇ,
செல் ஆற்றுக் கவலைப் பல் இயம் கறங்க,
தோற்றம் அல்லது நோய்க்கு மருந்து ஆகா
வேற்றுப் பெருந் தெய்வம் பல உடன் வாழ்த்தி,
”பேஎய்க் கொளீஇயள்” இவள் எனப்படுதல்
நோதக்கன்றே-தோழி!-மால் வரை
மழை விளையாடும் நாடனைப்
பிழையேம் ஆகிய நாம் இதற்படவே.
‘A pointless exercise, that is’ declares a voice in this verse! The opening words ‘மறிக் குரல் அறுத்து’ meaning ‘cutting a goat kid’s throat’ talks about animal sacrifice in Sangam times. A mound of land between two legs of a river can be seen in ‘செல் ஆற்றுக் கவலை’ referring to ‘a river islet’. The phrase ‘வேற்றுப் பெருந் தெய்வம்’ meaning ‘another great god’ has much significance, about which we will explore shortly. In ‘பேஎய்க் கொளீஇயள்’ meaning ‘a ghost has taken possession of her’, we learn of beliefs in the supernatural. The hero of the verse is described as ‘மால் வரை மழை விளையாடும் நாடன்’ meaning ‘the man from the mountains on whose peaks, clouds play’. Ending with the words ‘பிழையேம் ஆகிய நாம் இதற்படவே’ meaning ‘when we have done no wrong in connection to this’, the verse intrigues our curiosity.
Gods and spirits seem to fill this verse! The context reveals that the man and lady were leading a love relationship and the man was trysting with the lady for a while. When the man parted away after his tryst, the lady languished missing him. One day, when the man arrived for the tryst, pretending not to notice him but making sure he’s in earshot, the confidante says to the lady, “Cutting the throat of a goat kid, spreading millets and grains, making many instruments resound in the islet amidst the flowing river, serving the cause of mere appearance and not becoming the cure for this affliction, praising not the right one but many other great gods, they declare that, ‘a spirit has possessed her’. This is hurtful, my friend! When all you have done is to be in a blameless relationship with the man from the land, where clouds play around peaks!” With these words, the confidante informs the listening man that the lady’s kith and kin were making preparations for the ‘Veri’ ritual and it was high time that he sought the lady’s hand in marriage.
Sounds like an ultimatum to the man! But why is the ‘Veri’ ritual such a big deal? Let’s find out by listening to the confidante’s words closely. The first thing she mentions is the cutting of a goat kid’s throat. Next, she moves on to show us how various kinds of millets and grains are spread as offering. Looks like a complete meal is being prepared but for whom? Before she answers who, the confidante talks about where. This happens to be on a river islet between two branches of a fast-flowing river. Apparently there was a belief in Sangam times that gods preferred to reside in such spots amidst the water. Then, she talks abstractly about something that is being done for the sake of appearances and will never serve as the cure for the affliction. Wise words from the confidante indeed! What exactly this pointless thing is, she clarifies by talking about how people praise many gods other than the right one. Does the confidante belong to another religion? What does she mean? Let’s hold on to that question and listen to the rest of what she says. Continuing, the confidante says how those people have decided that a spirit has possessed the lady and this is what causes great pain to them, because all the lady has done is to be in a loving relationship with the man from the mountains!
Now, let’s unravel the knots tied in by the confidante. The right god is not a god at all but the man, who has stolen the lady’s heart. What the confidante means is that instead of uniting the lady with her true god, the man, the lady’s kith and kin are worshipping other gods and that’s why she declares all these elaborate rituals will be mere show and will not be a solution for what afflicts the lady. The listening man will know that he has the only answer for this crisis and in order that no dishonour comes to the lady’s name owing to this ‘Veri’ ritual, he will be pressed to seek the lady’s hand in marriage right away. The aspect of this verse that I would like to zoom on to, is how no matter how grandly and elaborately certain things are done for the sake of appearances, these will never solve the issue at hand. To me, it appears as if the confidante is saying address not the outward symptoms with ‘band-aid’ therapy, but go to the very core if you want to realise the lasting solution!
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