Kalithogai 6 – Take me along

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In this episode, we perceive the immense love in a lady, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 6, penned by the Chera King Paalai Paadiya Perunkadunko. The verse is situated in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’ and reveals the determination in the mind of a young woman.

மரையா மரல் கவர, மாரி வறப்ப
வரை ஓங்கு அருஞ் சுரத்து ஆர் இடைச் செல்வோர்,
சுரை அம்பு, மூழ்கச் சுருங்கி, புரையோர் தம்,
உள் நீர் வறப்பப் புலர் வாடு நாவிற்கு
தண்ணீர் பெறாஅத் தடுமாற்று அருந் துயரம்
கண்ணீர் நனைக்கும் கடுமைய, காடு என்றால்,
என், நீர் அறியாதீர் போல இவை கூறல்?
நின் நீர அல்ல, நெடுந் தகாய்! எம்மையும்,
அன்பு அறச் சூழாதே, ஆற்றிடை நும்மொடு
துன்பம் துணையாக நாடின், அது அல்லது
இன்பமும் உண்டோ, எமக்கு?

A crisp verse depicting the harshness of the drylands region. The verse can be translated as follows:

“As the clouds have dried up, wild oxen devour the hemp leaves that alone remain. Those who traverse such formidable paths of the drylands in the soaring mountain, soon sense hollow-stemmed arrows plunging into them. Even those bowmen, with such a harsh and flawed nature, find their mouths going dry, without any moisture. The terrible sorrow of not finding any water makes them shed tears, which is the only moisture that falls on that hard and arid jungle. You say all this about that land, without understanding my nature. This is not befitting your nature, O noble lord. Without thinking about abandoning me, bereft of love, if you take me along with you in those paths, as the companion for your suffering, what more joy can there be, for me?”

Time to delve into the details. The verse is situated in the context of a man’s parting from his lady, after marriage. Here, the words are said by the lady to the man when he expresses his intent to part away to seek wealth. The lady starts by talking about how a wild ox, finding nothing else to eat, devours the hemp leaves, which are the only green things still surviving. On doing a little research, learnt that once established these hemp plants can withstand severe drought conditions, which explains why our wild cow has chosen to feed on this plant. The lady continues by talking about how the rains have failed and those who traverse those drylands soon find themselves dead, thanks to the sharp arrows of the highway robbers. What brutal souls they seem to be, but even they find themselves with their throats dried up and not finding even a bit of water, shedding tears because of their extreme thirst. These tears are the only moisture that falls on that arid land, the lady narrates. She continues by revealing that all these words were actually said by the man about the place where he’s heading to. At this time, she scolds him saying he does not understand her nature if he thinks this can dissuade her and that this was not right on his part. She concludes by putting her request that he take her along with him in this difficult journey and declares no matter what suffering comes their way, there can be no greater joy than being with him!