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In this episode, we listen to a lady’s plea to a friend, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 111, penned by Chozhan Nalluruthiran. The verse is situated in the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest Landscape’ and sketches the petition and dismissal of a man’s requests.
தீம்பால் கறந்த கலம் மாற்றிக், கன்றெல்லாம்
தாம்பின் பிணித்து, மனைநிறீஇ, யாய் தந்த
பூங்கரை நீலம் புடைதாழ மெய்அசைஇ, பாங்கரும்
முல்லையும் தாய பாட்டங்கால் – தோழி! நம்
புல்லினத்து ஆயர் மகளிரோடு எல்லாம்
ஒருங்கு விளையாட, அவ்வழி வந்த
குருந்தம்பூங் கண்ணிப் பொதுவன் மற்று என்னை
“முற்றிழை ஏஎர் மட நல்லாய்! நீ ஆடும்
சிற்றில் புனைகோ சிறிது?” என்றான்; “எல்லா! நீ
‘பெற்றேம் யாம்’ என்று பிறர் செய்த இல் இருப்பாய்,
கற்றது இலை மன்ற காண்” என்றேன்; “முற்றிழாய்!
தாதுசூழ் கூந்தல் தகைபெறத் தைஇய
கோதை புனைகோ நினக்கு?” என்றான்; “எல்லா! நீ
ஏதிலார் தந்த பூக்கொள்வாய் நனி மிகப்
பேதையை மன்ற பெரிது” என்றேன்; “மாதராய்!
ஐய பிதிர்ந்த சுணங்குஅணி மென்முலை மேல்
தொய்யில் எழுதுகோ மற்று?” என்றான்; “யாம் பிறர்
செய்யுறம் நோக்கி இருத்துமோ? நீ பெரிது
மையலை மாதோ விடுக” என்றேன்; தையலாய்!
சொல்லிய ஆறு எல்லாம் மாறுமாறு யான் பெயர்ப்ப,
அல்லாந்தான் போலப் பெயர்ந்தான், அவனை நீ
ஆயர் மகளிர் இயல்பு உரைத்து, எந்தையும்
யாயும் அறிய உரைத்தீயின் யான் உற்ற
நோயும் களைகுவை மன்.
An account of a past conversation! The words can be translated as follows:
“After placing vessels with sweet milk within, I tied the calves with ropes. Leaving them in the house, wearing a blue attire with a floral border, hanging low, swaying my form, I went to the grove filled with toothbrush trees and wild jasmine vines. My friend, I was playing together with the daughters of goatherds there. Just then, a herder man came that way, wearing a garland of wild lime flowers.
He said, “O beautiful maiden, wearing radiant jewels, shall I carve a little sand home for you to play with?”. I replied, “Hey you! Only you will live in the homes of others, thinking ‘I’ve got it. What more do I want? You know not what’s right!”.
He said, “O beautiful maiden wearing flawless jewels, shall I weave a garland to adorn with much beauty, your pollen-filled, fine tresses?”. I replied, “Hey you! Only you will accept the flowers given by a stranger. Your foolishness is great indeed!”
He said, “O pretty maiden, on your soft bosom, on which beauty spots spread so alluringly, shall I etch ‘thoyyil’ paintings?. I replied, “Do you think I’m waiting for someone to come do this for me? You are in some delusion. Leave me alone!”
O young maiden! Whatever he said, I rejected repeatedly, and he parted away with much disappointment. If you will go to him and talk about the true nature of herder maiden, and let my father and mother know about this, you will vanquish my affliction too!”
Let’s explore the details. The verse is situated in the context of revealing a lady’s relationship with a man to the lady’s kin. Although this theme is mostly found in the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’, the setting of a herder community situates it in the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest Landscape’. The words are said by a lady to her confidante. The lady begins by talking about her activities on the day before. She presents the scene of how she milked the cows, brought those brimming vessels, and placed them within her home. Next, she ties up the calves, making sure they don’t scoot off, and then she mentions that she wore a blue attire with a floral design in the border, hanging low. This mention of an attire with varying patterns tells us the weaving industry was thriving well in that time and place. Returning to the lady, she says after that, with a little hop and dance, she went out to the grove filled with toothbrush trees and jasmine vines, to play with other young girls, daughters of goatherds.
As she was playing there, a young man seems to have approached her and put forth three requests: First, he asks whether he could build a little sand home for her to play with; Next, whether he could weave a garland to adorn her tresses; And last, whether he could draw ‘thoyyil’ paintings on the lady’s beautiful bosom. To each of these requests, the lady replies with, ‘Only you will be content with a home that someone else builds for them, not me; only you will accept flowers from a stranger, not me; and finally, about the ‘thoyyil’ question, she asks him whether he thought she was waiting for someone to come and paint her bosom’. She scolds the man for his delusion and asks him to leave. This series of exchanges the lady shares with her confidante and tells her, ‘That day, I cheekily retorted to him and made him leave so disappointed. But now, my heart has changed. So, please go to him and tell him this is how herder girls will talk, rejecting at first, and also wishing to accept their men only after they tame the bulls. You also please reveal my love for him to my father and mother. Only this will resolve the love affliction in my heart’! Quite a mission for the lady’s friend! The verse highlights how the mind can look at something one way in the beginning and totally change course after a while, especially when it comes to the matters of the heart!
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