Kurunthogai 376 – Cool in summer and warm in winter

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மன் உயிர் அறியாத் துன்அரும் பொதியில்
சூருடை அடுக்கத்து ஆரம் கடுப்ப,
வேனிலானே தண்ணியள்; பனியே,
வாங்குகதிர் தொகுப்பக் கூம்பி, ஐயென,
அலங்கு வெயில் பொதிந்த தாமரை
உள்ளகத்தன்ன சிறு வெம்மையளே.

‘How am I to part with such a person?’ is the central question here! In the opening words ‘மன் உயிர் அறியாத் துன்அரும் பொதியில்’ meaning ‘unknown to living beings, stands the inaccessible Pothiyil mountains’, we gather a reference to the ‘Pothigai’ hills in the southern region of Western Ghats, between the states of Kerala and Tamilnadu, a mountain range of much spiritual significance to ancient Tamils, and the origin of the famed ‘Tamirabarani river’. A strong fragrance arrests our attention in ‘ஆரம்’ or sandalwood’. On the theme of sensual beauty, next appears ‘அலங்கு வெயில் பொதிந்த தாமரை’ meaning ‘a lotus which has the sun’s warmth buried within’. Ending with the words ‘சிறு வெம்மையளே’ meaning ‘she is one filled with warmth’, the verse welcomes us to learn more.

Shall we climb up the Pothiyil mountains to understand what the man means? The context reveals that the man and lady were leading a happy married life when the man found his heart nudging him to part with the lady to go in search of wealth. To his heart, the man says, “Beyond the reach of living beings, stands the Pothiyil mountains, the abode of Gods. Akin to the sandalwood in this mountain range, she is soothingly cool in summer. After soaking in the sun’s rays all day, the exquisite lotus flower closes its buds, and at its inner core, lies buried the sun’s shifting heat, and akin to that, she is gently warm in winter!” With these words, the man refuses to heed to his heart’s insistence that he should go in search of wealth, indicating that he prefers to stay in the lady’s presence.

Time to explore the nuances. The man starts by talking about the faraway Pothiyil mountains, that ordinary mortals have no knowledge of, and thus, he renders a mystic touch to this spot in the Western Ghats, known for its rich biodiversity. He mentions how these hills are the favourite haunt of Gods, and then, turns to the real to relate about a sandalwood tree that grows here. He has talked about the tree only to say that’s how deliciously cool, the lady is, in the hot months of summer. 

From that mountain spot, the man takes a deep dive into the ocean side, and zooms on a lotus flower, which has been touched upon by the sun’s rays all day, and in the evening, it closes its buds beautifully. Then, as if he has touched the flower just before it closed its buds, he talks about how the warmth of the sun lies buried in the flower’s heart, and concludes by saying, that’s how, the lady is soothingly warm, in the cold months of winter.

In essence, the man is telling his heart, be it summer or winter, my lady is just the right companion for me, one whom I cannot separate with, to traverse in the searing heat of the drylands to attain that hard-to-reach wealth. Youth and love seems to have gained an upper hand in the conflict between the duty of searching for wealth and the beauty of being with a beloved. The striking element of this poem lies in connecting the temperature of person’s skin to faraway elements in nature. We may think it’s only a celebration of beauty in a human, but when we look beyond that, we can sense a deep reverence for nature, for the serene coolness of a sandalwood tree and for the energising warmth of a lotus flower!