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In this episode, we observe the determination in a lady’s heart, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kurunthogai 322, penned by Aiyoor Mudavanaar. The verse is situated in the hills of ‘Kurinji’ and speaks in the voice of the lady to the confidante, in response to the confidante’s words of displeasure at the man, as he listens nearby.
அமர்க்கண் ஆமான் அஞ்செவிக் குழவி
கானவர் எடுப்ப வெரீஇ இனம் தீர்ந்து
கான நண்ணிய சிறுகுடிப் பட்டென,
இளையர் ஓம்ப மரீஇ அவண் நயந்து
மனை உறை வாழ்க்கை வல்லியாங்கு,
மருவின் இனியவும் உளவோ?
செல்வாம் தோழி, ஒல்வாங்கு நடந்தே.
‘If he doesn’t come, let’s go to him’ seems to be the thought in this verse! The opening words ‘அமர்க்கண் ஆமான்’ meaning ‘a jungle cow with peaceful eyes’ brings before our eyes, an undomesticated hill cattle and its prominent feature. If eyes are its forte, for its ‘அஞ்செவிக் குழவி’ meaning ‘a calf with beautiful ears’, it’s another facial feature that is alluring. In ‘வெரீஇ இனம் தீர்ந்து’, we read emotions of fear and distress, for it means ‘scared, it parts from the herd’. In contrast, the phrase ‘மரீஇ அவண் நயந்து’ meaning ‘joining together and liking the place’, emotions of contentment and happiness abound. Ending with the words ‘செல்வாம் தோழி ஒல்வாங்கு நடந்தே’ meaning ‘let us walk, my friend, going as far as we can’, the verse welcomes us to join in.
What could be the story of that calf with such contrasting emotions? The context reveals that the man and lady were leading a love relationship and the man was trysting with the lady for a long while. At this time, the confidante becomes annoyed with him for his delay in seeking the lady’s hand. One day, the confidante expresses this to the lady, and the lady, observing that the man had arrived there and was listening, replies to her friend, “The serene-eyed cow’s little one, with beautiful ears, separates from its herd, startled, as hunters raise loud noises, and gets trapped in a small hamlet within the forests. As young people there take care of it, it settles down, starting to like that domestic life, and soon, gains strength. Akin to that, could there be anything sweeter than learning to mingle and live in harmony? Let us go, my friend, walking thither, as far as we can.” With these words, the lady expresses her deep trust in her future with the man and hopes to persuade him to take steps towards their permanent union.
Time to explore the nuances. The lady starts by talking about a female jungle cow with calm eyes and then moves on to its calf with well-set ears. She points to how the little one becomes startled because of the loud sounds raised by the hunters and separates from its herd, and later, wandering finds itself in a small village in the forests. There, the youth take loving care of the newcomer and soon forgetting that old life, this calf settles down in the village and becomes one with its people. The lady turns to her confidante and asks what could be sweeter than that transformation of being one with a different kind? She ends by saying that she and the confidante should head there, determined, and do what they can!
The cryptic statement in the end, when uncoded, would mean that the lady meant to go to the man’s village, and seek a life there, if he was not taking steps to seek her hand. She seems to be telling the friend why worry about his inaction when we can act. As it was not a done thing for a lady to go seeking a man, she adds ‘as far as we can’. Hearing this, the man would be assured of the lady’s love in him and her determination to be with him, and thereby, do what’s needed to render a lovely life to this trusting maiden. The words of this maiden with a ‘can-do’ spirit is a timeless inspiration to not wait for things to happen, but do what we can to make it happen!
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