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In this episode, we perceive the glory of a flower, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 272, penned by the poet Mosi Saathanaar. The verse is situated in the category of ‘Nochchi Thinai’ or ‘Defence from within’ and portrays two different realms in the Sangam world.
மணி துணர்ந்தன்ன மாக் குரல் நொச்சி!
போது விரி பல் மரனுள்ளும் சிறந்த
காதல் நல் மரம் நீ; மற்றிசினே
கடியுடை வியல் நகர்க் காண்வரப் பொலிந்த
தொடியுடை மகளிர் அல்குலும் கிடத்தி;
காப்புடைப் புரிசை புக்கு மாறு அழித்தலின்,
ஊர்ப் புறங்கொடாஅ நெடுந்தகை
பீடு கெழு சென்னிக் கிழமையும் நினதே.
Another song in the theme of defending a fort. The poet’s words can be translated as follows:
“With dark leaves akin to bunches of sapphires, thou art, O Nochchi! Among the many flowering trees, you are the most loveable, fine tree! You cover the waists of beautiful, bangle-clad maiden in the wide and well-protected mansions. Also, those proud heads of great and noble men, who never show their backs in battle and who always ruin intentions of those wanting to break and enter their guarded forts, only you have the honour of adorning!”
Let’s delve into the details. The poet compares the dark leaves of the ‘Nochchi’ or ‘Peacock chaste tree’ to that of bunches of blue gems – A precious imagery indeed! Then, addressing the tree, the poet says that of all the trees that bloom, he finds this tree to be the most loveable of all. To explain why, the poet talks about how the tree covers the waists of beautiful maiden living within well-guarded homes, revealing the domestic sphere of these flowers’ influence. Then, coming out of these mansions, and moving towards fort towns, the poet points to how these flowers have the special privilege of adorning the heads of great warriors who guard their cities and thwart the intentions of those wanting to enter and conquer it. That shifts the spotlight to the other dimension of the outer life of war. Being a preferred flower of both the gentle maiden and valiant warriors, the flower is indeed special, the poet concludes. Although the thought is exactly the same as the previous verse, what we can appreciate in this one is the love and affection expressed to a tree, something moving to behold, and that which stands testimony to the bond of the Sangam people with the natural world around them.
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