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In this episode, we breathe in the scents on an ancient shore, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kurunthogai 320, penned by Thumbiser Keeranaar. Set in the coastal regions of ‘Neythal’, the verse speaks in the voice of the lady to the confidante, passing on a hidden message to the man, listening nearby.
பெருங் கடற் பரதவர் கோள் மீன் உணங்கல்
இருங்கழிக் கொண்ட இறவின் வாடலொடு,
நிலவு நிற வெண்மணல் புலவப் பலவுடன்
எக்கர்தொறும் பரக்கும் துறைவனொடு, ஒரு நாள்
நக்கதோர் பழியும் இலமே, போது அவிழ்
பொன் இணர் மரீஇய புள் இமிழ் பொங்கர்ப்
புன்னைஅம் சேரி இவ் ஊர்,
கொன் அலர் தூற்றும் தன் கொடுமையானே.
‘Reasonless rumours abound’, says a voice in this verse. The opening words ‘பெருங் கடற் பரதவர்’ meaning ‘fishermen of the huge ocean’ situate the song strongly in the setting and the profession of this region. Further elements of this space appear in ‘மீன் உணங்கல்’ and ‘இறவின் வாடல்’ , referring to ‘the drying of fish and shrimp’ respectively. The phrase ‘ஒரு நாள் நக்கதோர் பழியும் இலமே’ meaning ‘not a blame of a single day’s joy’ makes us wonder about what could be the connection between joy and blame. In ‘புள் இமிழ் பொங்கர்ப் புன்னை’, we see the quintessential tree of the coastal regions for it refers to ‘the branching laurel wood tree with birds resounding’. Ending with the words ‘தன் கொடுமையானே’ meaning ‘because of its hardheartedness’, the verse invites us to walk on these shores and know more.
Drying fish and crying birds fill the verse with strong scents and sounds. The context reveals that the man and lady were leading a love relationship and the man was trysting with the lady, but with many interruptions to their meeting. One day, when the man arrives to meet with the lady, pretending not to notice him, but making sure he’s in earshot, the confidante says, “The fish brought in by fishermen, who hunt in the huge seas, dries near the shrimp brought in from the dark backwaters, on the moon-hued white sands, spreading many a scent of meat across the sand heaps in the shores of the lord. With him, I spent not even a day of joy and laughter. Even without that blame, in this town, with a soaring ‘punnai’ tree with many branches, from which birds resound, and which has fully bloomed flowers, with pollen, akin to gold, without any cause, slander spreads, owing to the town’s wickedness!” With these words, the lady conveys to the listening man that slander is spreading in town and persuades him subtly to seek her hand in marriage without further delay.
Time to explore the nuances. The lady starts by talking about how men in that region bring home fish from the seas and let it dry out along with shrimp that’s brought from fishing the backwaters. This variety of seafood is dried on the pure white sand mounds in the man’s shores, filling the air around with strong scents, the lady says. Adding that she did not have even a single day of uninterrupted bliss and laughter with him but still their people of their town, where grows the ‘punnai’ trees, the favourite abode of birds, was filled with the sounds of slander about her relationship with the man. What other reason for this can there be, other than the cruel hearts of their townsfolk, the lady concludes!
Words meant to soften the heart of the listening man and make him consider the plight of the lady, as hurtful words by the gossiping town fill the air, like the scents of drying fish and shrimp in the man’s land. The only thing for the man to do is to seek the lady’s hand and shower gold on the lady’s kith and kin, as symbolised by the falling pollen in the glowing white ‘punnai’ flowers of their town. By planting these contrasting images, the lady appeals to the man’s concern for her in a visual manner, while treating us, the descendants, to a sensorial impression of that ancient land.
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