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In this episode, we listen to the immense courage of a chieftain, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 311, penned by the poet Avvaiyaar. Set in the category of ‘Thumbai Thinai’ or ‘Battle of two kings’, the verse etches the greatness of a leader in times of war and peace.
களர்ப் படு கூவல் தோண்டி, நாளும்,
புலைத்தி கழீஇய தூ வெள் அறுவை.
தாது எரு மறுகின் மாசுண இருந்து,
பலர் குறை செய்த மலர் தார் அண்ணற்கு
ஒருவரும் இல்லை மாதோ, செருவத்து;
சிறப்புடைச் செங் கண் புகைய, ஓர்
தோல் கொண்டு மறைக்கும் சால்பு உடையோனே.
A crisp verse that presents a parallel view of two attributes of a ruler. The poet’s words can be translated as follows:
“Drawing water from a well dug in a salty land, every day, the washerwoman cleans his pristine white garment. Not minding the dirt that sullies this garment by the dust of dung and pollen, he would stay for long in the streets and remedy the concerns of the villagers. That was the nature of this lord with a garland around his wide chest. Even though he has no one by his side in the battlefield, with his flaming red eyes and his single shield, he defends against the entire enemy army. Such is his greatness!”
Time to delve into the details. The poet talks about how a washerwoman would clean and render the pristine white garments of this leader, every single day. While it’s white when he starts out, by end of day, it would be coated with pollen and dung dust, because the leader would stay for long in the streets and solve the problems of all who came to him. That leader, who was a saviour for many, now stands in the battlefield with no one by his side to aid him, and yet, with his immense courage, he defends against the enemy army singlehandedly with his spear and shield, the poet concludes. The striking element here is the everyday life of a washerwoman brought alive before our eyes. One can almost touch and see this bright white garment cleaned by that ancient washerwoman two thousand years later, and it’s in these little moments that Sangam poets truly triumph in the test of time!
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