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In this episode, we perceive the angst of a lady parted from her beloved, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kurunthogai 285, penned by Poothan Thevanaar. Set in the drylands of ‘Paalai’, the verse speaks in the voice of the lady to the confidante, in response to the confidante’s words bidding her to bear better with the man’s parting.
வைகா வைகல் வைகவும் வாரார்;
எல்லா எல்லை எல்லவும் தோன்றார்;
யாண்டு உளர்கொல்லோ?-தோழி!-ஈண்டு இவர்
சொல்லிய பருவமோ இதுவே; பல் ஊழ்
புன் புறப் பெடையொடு பயிரி, இன் புறவு
இமைக்கண் ஏது ஆகின்றோ!-ஞெமைத் தலை
ஊன் நசைஇப் பருந்து இருக்கும்
வான் உயர் பிறங்கல் மலை இறந்தோரே.
‘The season he promised is here, but he’s nowhere to be seen’ laments a voice in this verse. The alliteratively exquisite opening words ‘வைகா வைகல் வைகவும்’ meaning ‘even when the unending night turns to dawn’ hint about a long and lonely night. Mirroring the structure of the first line, appears ‘எல்லா எல்லை எல்லவும்’ meaning ‘even when the unending day turns into night’, conveying there’s no joy to be found there too. In ‘சொல்லிய பருவமோ இதுவே’ meaning ‘this is the season promised’ hints at the exposition of the core theme. Following this, we glimpse at two different birds in ‘இன் புறவு’ meaning ‘pleasant pigeon’ and ‘பருந்து’ meaning ‘a predator bird’, which could be a vulture, kite or eagle. A moment to notice the word ‘இமைக்கண்’ meaning ‘in an instant’. This ancient Tamil word is literally translated as ‘blinking eye’ and I find its similarity to the English phrase ‘in the blink of an eye’ as simply stunning! Ending with the words ‘வான் உயர் பிறங்கல் மலை இறந்தோரே’ meaning ‘he who parted away to the sky-soaring mountains’, the verse welcomes us to know more.
Unending days and nights hold within a pining heart undoubtedly. The context reveals that the man and lady were leading a happy, married life, when the man parted away to gather wealth. Before he leaves, he consoles the lady saying that he would be back before a particular season. As days pass by, the lady languishes and her confidante asks her to bear with the man’s separation. To the confidante, the lady says, “Even when the endless night turns to dawn, he comes not; Even when the limitless day ends as night, he appears not; Where could he be, my friend? This is the season he promised to return. After calling out to its soft-feathered mate many times, the fine male pigeon, in the blink of an eye, finds such pleasure. While, atop a button tree, desiring a bite of flesh, sits a predator bird in the sky-high luminous mountains that he parted away to!”. With these words, the lady expresses her inability to bear with the man’s parting now that the season he said he would return had very much arrived but with no sign of the man.
Time to explore the nuances. The lady starts by talking about how the man seems to appear neither at the end of an unending night nor at the end of an unending day. She wonders aloud to her friend asking where he could be, now the promised season of return was there too. At this time, her attention turns towards a male pigeon that’s cooing out to its mate many times and then finds the pleasure it seeks in an instant. While, another bird, an eagle or vulture awaits atop a button tree, desiring to feed on flesh, in the land of the sky-reaching mountains to which the man parted.
The killer bird on the tree is referenced to talk about the dangers in the man’s path while contrasting it to the scene of domestic bliss back home, as symbolised by the mating pigeons. The lady seems to be sighing thinking it’s so easy for the pigeons to seek and find the joy they want, whereas though she calls out in her mind day and night, there’s no sign of the man at all! Hope the wise friend has the perfect words of consolation to render to this distressed lady! A nuance that this verse highlights is how when in sadness, we feel singled out in sorrow, whereas joy seems to find an easy abode in the world around us. In the end, it’s attention to what’s happening within oneself and in the outer world and expressing that precisely that’s going to pave the way for clarity and calm in the long run!
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