Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | iHeartRadio | Email | TuneIn | RSS | More
In this episode, we observe a unique way of cheering someone, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kurunthogai 339, penned by Peyaar. The verse is situated in the mountains of ‘Kurinji’ and speaks in the voice of the confidante to the lady, stressing the need to bear with the man’s parting.
நறை அகில் வயங்கிய நளி புன நறும் புகை
உறை அறு மையின் போகி, சாரல்
குறவர் பாக்கத்து இழிதரும் நாடன்
மயங்கு மலர்க் கோதை நல் மார்பு முயங்கல்
இனிதுமன் வாழி-தோழி!-மா இதழ்க்
குவளை உண்கண் கலுழப்
பசலை ஆகா ஊங்கலங்கடையே.
‘It was so good then, right?’ asks a voice emphatically here. The opening words ‘நறை அகில்’ bring into focus ‘an aroma-filled agarwood tree’, the world’s most expensive tree, for there can be no synthetic production of its aroma, unlike the sandalwood, its competitor. Following the theme of scents appear ‘மயங்கு மலர்க் கோதை நல் மார்பு’ meaning ‘the good chest adorned with a many-flowered garland’. The phrase ‘மா இதழ்க் குவளை உண்கண் கலுழ’ meaning ‘making the kohl-streaked eyes, which are like water-lilies with huge petals, cry’ presents both a sorrowful emotion and also the oft-repeated comparison between a woman’s eyes and blue lilies. Ending with the words ‘பசலை ஆகா ஊங்கலங்கடையே’ meaning ‘in the past, when there was no pining’, the verse transports us to a flashback and welcomes us within.
Pleasing scents all around and yet it’s a case of crying eyes! The context reveals that the man and lady were leading a love relationship when the man decided to part with the lady so as to gather wealth for their wedding. At this time, the lady languishes. Observing the lady so, her confidante says to her, “Aromatic smoke from the fragrant ‘akil’ tree in the dense forest, akin to a waterless cloud, floats towards the slopes and descends down into the villages of ‘Kuravars’ in the land of the lord. When you embraced his fine chest adorned with a garland of many different flowers, wasn’t it pleasant? May you live long, my friend. At that time before, when pallor did not spread on you, thus making your kohl-streaked eyes, akin to huge-petaled blue-lilies, to cry, it was pleasant, wasn’t it?” With these words, the confidante chides the lady for not bearing with the inevitable sadness of the man’s parting.
A scolding within such gentle words – How is that possible? Let’s listen and find out! The confidante starts by talking about how smoke of the agarwood tree is rising high from the tree-covered forest. Why is this happening? Most probably, the mountain dwellers are clearing the trees so as to begin farming there and along with the other trees, the precious agarwood tree is being burnt as well. What these ancients are burning without a thought is such a valuable tree, and owing to its economic importance, finds itself on the list of threatened trees in the world. The tree is unique because it does not have a fragrance on its own. Only when a type of fungi attacks it, in response to that infection, it develops a sweet-smelling resin, which endows the tree with its unmistakable fragrance. Beyond all that monetary benefit, from a philosophical angle, isn’t that a stunning story of resilience?
Returning, the confidante has mentioned the smoke of the agarwood tree, comparing that to waterless white clouds, and says these descend on the village of mountain hunters in the domain of the lord. Having talked of his land, the confidante then moves on to say how the lady relished embracing his fine chest that came adorned with many different flowers from his mountains. At that time, when there were no tears in your kohl-streaked eyes and when there was no pallor of pining on your skin, you found it sweet, didn’t you, the confidante questions the lady. In that question is the thought that when he was around, you were joyous in his company, and now, he has left only to seek wealth for your wedding; Like how that joy was so natural, so is this sorrow in parting, and you must learn to accept that, the confidante hints to the lady. A meaningful verse that subtly shows how happiness and sadness are two sides of the same coin and one needs the insight to embrace those contrasting states with equanimity.
Share your thoughts...