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In this episode, we relish joyous moments from the lives of common people in ancient times, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 24, penned about the Pandya King Thalaiyaalankaanathu Cheruvendra Nedunchezhiyan by the poet Mangudi Kizhaar. The verse is set in the category of ‘Pothiviyal Thinai’ or ‘miscellaneous matters’ and renders thoughts on living a good life unto this Pandya king.
நெல் அரியும் இருந் தொழுவர்
செஞ் ஞாயிற்று வெயில் முனையின்,
தெண் கடல் திரை மிசைப் பாயுந்து;
திண் திமில் வன் பரதவர்
வெப்பு உடைய மட்டு உண்டு,
தண் குரவைச் சீர் தூங்குந்து;
தூவல் கலித்த தேம் பாய் புன்னை
மெல் இணர்க் கண்ணி மிலைந்த மைந்தர்
எல் வளை மகளிர்த் தலைக் கை தரூஉந்து;
வண்டு பட மலர்ந்த தண் நறுங் கானல்
முண்டகக் கோதை ஒண் தொடி மகளிர்
இரும் பனையின் குரும்பை நீரும்,
பூங் கரும்பின் தீம் சாறும்,
ஓங்கு மணல் குவவுத் தாழைத்
தீம் நீரொடு உடன் விராஅய்,
முந் நீர் உண்டு முந்நீர்ப் பாயும்;
தாங்கா உறையுள் நல் ஊர் கெழீஇய
ஓம்பா ஈகை மா வேள் எவ்வி
புனல் அம் புதவின் மிழலையொடு கழனிக்
கயல் ஆர் நாரை போர்வில் சேக்கும்,
பொன் அணி யானைத் தொல் முதிர் வேளிர்,
குப்பை நெல்லின், முத்தூறு தந்த
கொற்ற நீள் குடை, கொடித் தேர்ச் செழிய!
நின்று நிலைஇயர் நின் நாள்மீன்; நில்லாது
படாஅச் செலீஇயர், நின் பகைவர் மீனே
நின்னொடு, தொன்று மூத்த உயிரினும், உயிரொடு
நின்று மூத்த யாக்கை அன்ன, நின்
ஆடு குடி மூத்த விழுத் திணைச் சிறந்த
வாளின் வாழ்நர் தாள் வலம் வாழ்த்த,
இரவல் மாக்கள் ஈகை நுவல,
ஒண் தொடி மகளிர் பொலங்கலத்து ஏந்திய
தண் கமழ் தேறல் மடுப்ப, மகிழ் சிறந்து,
ஆங்கு இனிது ஒழுகுமதி, பெரும! ‘ஆங்கு அது
வல்லுநர் வாழ்ந்தோர்’ என்ப தொல் இசை,
மலர் தலை உலகத்துத் தோன்றி,
பலர், செலச் செல்லாது, நின்று விளிந்தோரே.
Another long song, thankfully not on war and bloodshed but rather the day-to-day joy of commoners. This Pandya King seems to have been a favourite among poets. Verse after verse, we see something about him. The poet’s words can be translated as follows:
“Sturdy farmers, who reap paddy, disliking the red sun’s scorching heat, leap into the cool waves of the sea; Strong fishermen with powerful boats drink up hot liquor, and dance to the beat of cool ‘Kuravai’.
Wearing garlands, strung together with the soft buds of sweetness-filled ‘punnai’ trees that flourish in the ocean spray, young men offer their hands to maiden wearing shining bangles; In that bee-buzzing, flower-filled, moist and fragrant grove, women wearing glowing bracelets and garlands of water-thorn flowers mix together the water in the fruit of the tall palmyra tree, sweet juice of alluring sugarcane and water from the coconut tree that grows on the soaring sands. After drinking this concoction of three waters, they dive and play in the confluence of ‘three waters’!
Filled with countless such people was the fresh-water filled, fine town of Mizhalai that flourished under chief Evvi, the one with a huge spear and limitless generosity. This ancient town with fields where birds feed on carp fish, having gold-clad elephants, ancient people of the ‘Velir’ clan and mounds of paddy was seized by you and placed under your victorious, wide umbrella, O Chezhian with a well-adorned chariot!
May your stars sustain and flourish and may that of your enemies, fade and die away! Along with you, akin to life that lives on in an old body, soldiers from ancient clans, who earn their livelihood with their swords, fight your battles valiantly and sing of your victories. With supplicants celebrating your charity and bangle-clad maiden pouring fragrant and cool toddy in a golden cup, may you live happily, O lord! It is said, ‘That is the good life of the capable’. These are the people, who unlike many others who are born upon this wide world and die, they stand and shine!”
Time to delve into the nuances of this verse! The poet starts by talking about farmers. Not to worry, they are not lamenting the scorching of their fields by an invading king. Rather, reeling under the attack of the burning sun, they seek the remedy of leaping into the waves of the cool sea. Without breaking the connection, the poet employs the modern editing technique of threading frames and talks about those who farm those blue seas, the fishermen, and how these men, after being in coolness all day, desire the warmth of hot toddy. After having a drink, they dance to the beat of Kuravai, the poet says. In these two scenes, the poet brings in the striking contrast in people practising these two occupations, while uniting them under the common theme of seeking relaxation at the end of a day’s work.
Taking the link of ‘Kuravai’ dance, the poet talks about how young men wear garlands of the ‘punnai’ tree that we have heard so much of, in Akam literature – the laurel wood tree that abounds in the coastal regions. These men then offer their hands to maidens so as to dance along with them. Now, the connecting link is ‘maiden’ and the poet goes on to talk about what they are up to. As can be expected, the hands of these maiden are clad in rich gold bangles and these seem to be in the midst of preparing something delicious. Like a food expert, the poet talks about the ingredients of their recipe. Take the water of the palmyra fruit, add sugarcane juice and then find some tender coconut water. Now, mix all three to a perfect consistency and get a taste of heaven, the poet seems to says. What a rejuvenating elixir for a summer’s day! Returning, we see these ladies drinking up this concoction they have prepared and then they find joy in playing in the ocean. The poet connects how the drink they made is from three different juices and he uses a word ‘Munneer’ to describe the ocean they play in, which can be translated as ‘three waters’, signifying how the ancient Tamils were aware of seas covering their land on three sides.
Following this, the poet explains to us why he has been talking about these moments in the life of random people. This seems to have been the description of the town of Mizhalai belonging to the Velir chief Evvi. A place rich with paddy fields, birds feeding on fish in the fields, copious amounts of paddy, gold wearing elephants and people belonging to the ancient tribe of Velir. It was such a glorious land that this Pandya king being sung about, conquered possibly in the battle of Thalaiyalankaanam, and brought under his rule.
After rendering blessings that the Pandya king shall shine forever as their super star, the poet talks about how soldiers who fight inseparably with the king celebrate his valour, and supplicants in the king’s court sing praises of the king’s generosity. He adds that the king must always live so, with hands of bangle-wearing maiden pouring sweet toddy in a golden cup for him. That is the good life, the life of those who leave a mark, unlike the masses who are born and then die, the poet concludes. In a nutshell, the poet conjures images of farmers and fisherman all relaxing after their hard work and likewise nudges the king too, to enjoy the sweet life after all his conquering. To put it even more crisply, the poet seems to be telling the king, ‘It’s time to play’! Thoughtful words on ‘work-life balance’ from across the centuries, don’t you think?
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