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In this episode, we meet with a historic personality characterised by a colourful simile, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 347, penned by the poet Kabilar. Set in the category of ‘Kaanji Thinai’ or ‘Defence’, the verse talks about the state of a town after a refusal.
உண்போன் தான் நறுங் கள்ளின் இடச் சில
நா இடைப் பல் தேர் கோலச் சிவந்த
ஒளிறு ஒள் வாள் அடக் குழைந்த பைந் தும்பை,
எறிந்து இலை முறிந்த கதுவாய் வேலின்,
மணம் நாறு மார்பின், மறப் போர் அகுதை,
குண்டு நீர் வரைப்பின் கூடல் அன்ன
குவை இருங்கூந்தல் வரு முலை சேப்ப,
……………………………………..
என் ஆவதுகொல் தானே?……………………………….
விளங்குறு பராரைய ஆயினும், வேந்தர்
வினை நவில் யானை பிணிப்ப,
வேர் துளங்கின, நம் ஊருள் மரனே.
Yet another verse with missing lines but firmly situated in this series of songs involving a beautiful royal maiden and her family’s refusal to give her hand in marriage. The poet’s words can be translated as follows:
“When one who partakes food along with fragrant toddy attempts to pry out pieces stuck in between the teeth with the tongue, the tongue reddens. Reddened like that is the radiant sword that crushes ‘thumbai’ flowers many, belonging to the king with a fragrant chest, holding a spear with its leaf end broken, the brave and victorious Akudhai, whose domain is surrounded by deep waters and shines in the city of ‘Koodal’. Akin to this city, are the thick and dark tresses of the lady. Wonder who would embrace her blossoming bosom? …. What is to become now?… Even though they have a thick trunk, as well-trained, action-ready elephants of kings are tied to them, the roots are about to be uprooted in the trees of our town!”
Let’s delve into the intricacies. This prolific poet starts with a description of a person eating food along with a drink and then when a piece of food gets stuck in between the teeth, the person would try to remove that piece with their tongue, and in the process, the tongue would redden. It’s this commonplace occurrence that most humans would have experienced one time or the other that this poet from two thousand years ago mentions in this timeless verse. Reddening of a person’s tongue is called in parallel to the reddening of the sword held by the great king Akuthai, known for his bravery in the battlefield. His capital was ‘Koodal’, a place said to be surrounded and filled with deep waters, implying the copious presence of rivers, ponds and lakes. Akin to the beauty of this ‘Koodal’ are the dark and thick tresses of the lady, the poet connects, and wonders about who will be the person who will marry and embrace her.
Certain lines are missing but after a break, the theme turns to a worried question of what is to become of them, and the poet concludes with a mention of how although the trunks are huge and strong, since elephants of enemy kings that are tied to it, strain at the leash, the roots are being uprooted in the trees of that town! What spoke to me in this verse was this poet’s concern for trees being uprooted owing to the outbreak of war, echoing the ruin that is to befall this town. In a way, that echoes aloud the humanity of these Sangam folks who seemed to have held a deep regard for the trees in their land, something which makes me look at them with an increased sense of reverence.
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