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In this episode, we observe the past and present of a person as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 252, penned by the poet Maaripithiyaar. The verse is situated in the category of ‘Vaagai Thinai’ or ‘Victory’ and sketches a charming personality.
கறங்கு வெள் அருவி ஏற்றலின், நிறம் பெயர்ந்து,
தில்லை அன்ன புல்லென் சடையோடு,
அள் இலைத் தாளி கொய்யுமோனே
இல் வழங்கு மட மயில் பிணிக்கும்
சொல் வலை வேட்டுவன் ஆயினன், முன்னே!
Another tiny song by this female poet in the same theme of a young man’s transformation. The poet’s words can be translated as follows:
“Being in the waters of the resounding white waterfall, losing its colour, his hair has taken on a dull hue, akin to a ‘thillai tree’ and has become matted. The one who picks ‘thaali’ leaves in this state now was someone, who could bind his beautiful and naive woman at his home with a web of words. Indeed, he was such a hunter back then!”
Let’s explore the thoughts outlined here. The poet continues seamlessly from the previous verse and mentions that because of the rough waters of the cascade that this man bathes in, his hair has taken on a brownish and dull tinge, like the leaves of the ‘blinding mangrove tree’. Right now, he is innocently plucking leaves from vines but back then he was a formidable hunter, not the kind who captures animals but one who would capture the heart of his wife, having the beauty of a peacock, with the web of words he seemed to possess. Indeed, such was his charm and allure back then, the poet concludes.
A poem which takes us back to Aham scenarios, where a man would entice a young maiden and keep her close to him. Here, the poem just talks about the transition from a familial life to that of an ascetic. A search for spirituality often seems to make some people give up their current life and go towards a secluded life in prayer and meditation. Perhaps this was how ‘midlife crisis’ expressed itself in Sangam times!
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