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In this episode, we observe the harsh outcomes of a refusal, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 345, penned by the poet Andar Nadum Kallinaar. Set in the category of ‘Kaanji Thinai’ or ‘Defence’, the verse unravels the attitude of a girl’s family when suitors arrive claiming her hand.
களிறு அணைப்பக் கலங்கின, காஅ,
தேர் ஓடத் துகள் கெழுமின, தெருவு;
மா மறுகலின் மயக்குற்றன, வழி;
கலம் கழாஅலின், துறை கலக்குற்றன;
தெறல் மறவர் இறை கூர்தலின்,
பொறை மலிந்து நிலன் நெளிய,
வந்தோர் பலரே, வம்ப வேந்தர்,
பிடி உயிர்ப்பு அன்ன கை கவர் இரும்பின்
ஓவு உறழ் இரும் புறம் காவல் கண்ணி,
கருங் கண் கொண்ட நெருங்கல் வெம் முலை,
மையல் நோக்கின், தையலை நயந்தோர்
அளியர் தாமே; இவள் தன்னைமாரே
செல்வம் வேண்டார், செருப் புகல் வேண்டி,
‘நிரல் அல்லோர்க்குத் தரலோ இல்’ என;
கழிப் பிணிப் பலகையர், கதுவாய் வாளர்,
குழாஅம் கொண்ட குருதிஅம் புலவொடு
கழாஅத் தலையர், கருங் கடை நெடு வேல்
இன்ன மறவர்த்துஆயினும் அன்னோ!
என் ஆவது கொல்தானே
பன்னல் வேலி இப் பணை நல் ஊரே!
A long song on the situation of refusing a maiden’s hand in marriage. The poet’s words can be translated as follows:
“Trees of protected forests are stressed by the tying of battle elephants; Streets are filled with dust because of the ceaseless plying of chariots; Paths are worn-out because of the trotting of horses; Shores are muddied because of the washing of boats and river vessels; The land entire bends and twists under the burden of strong soldiers who stay here; Those who come are many, those hostile kings wanting to breach the well-protected fort door with a big path, appearing like the mouth of iron bellows that sigh like a female elephant, desiring the young maiden, with alluring looks and beautiful, black-spotted bosom. They are to be pitied indeed! For her brothers desire not wealth but victory, and declare ‘To those who are unequal to us, we shall not give her’. This leads to the assembly of those with unwashed heads, holding shields tied with ropes and upraised sharp-ended swords, streaked with flesh and blood. Alas! Because of these warriors with black-stemmed, tall spears, what is to become of this fertile farmland town surrounded by hedges of cotton bushes!”
Time to explore the details. The poet lists the happenings in a town talking about the damage to trees, streets, paths and shores, because of the presence of a huge number of elephants, chariots, horses and boats of kings, and adds it’s as if the land entire is bending and twisting from the pain of having so many soldiers striding across it. He then details that all these events are because many a king comes desiring the beautiful maiden who lives in this town inside a well-protected fort. The poet sketches this fort door vividly by presenting the simile of the mouth of an iron bellows, which he stacks with another simile, saying it sighs like a female elephant. This matter-of-fact usage of this technical gadget as a poetic simile gives evidence to the engineering knowledge of Sangam people.
Moving on, the poet pities those kings because all their efforts are to no avail as the brothers of this maiden do not want the wealth that is showered upon them by these suitors and they respond saying that their sister will be offered only to someone who was their equal in status. Do these brothers have an exaggerated sense of importance about their family? Whom are they waiting for? We don’t know the answer to these questions but only that they are ready to battle the great armies of these suitors. Because of all the assembly of terrifying weapons and soldiers wielding swords and spears, the poet ends by wondering what is to happen to that fertile town because of all these hostilities. An ancient verse from two thousand years ago that etches the damage caused by war in great detail. And this is why we need poets, writers and philosophers in every age and place, to tell a society that the choices they make are ruining this world for the living and for those yet to come!
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