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In this episode, we perceive a dramatic attempt at persuasion, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 272, penned by Madurai Aruvai Vaanikan Ilavettanaar. The verse is situated amidst the flowing cascades of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain Landscape’ and presents a hypothetical situation and its impactful consequences.
இரும் புலி தொலைத்த பெருங் கை வேழத்துப்
புலவு நாறு புகர் நுதல் கழுவ, கங்குல்
அருவி தந்த அணங்குடை நெடுங் கோட்டு
அஞ்சு வரு விடர் முகை ஆர் இருள் அகற்றி,
மின் ஒளிர் எஃகம் செல் நெறி விளக்க,
தனியன் வந்து, பனி அலை முனியான்,
நீர் இழி மருங்கின் ஆர் இடத்து அமன்ற
குளவியொடு மிடைந்த கூதளங் கண்ணி
அசையா நாற்றம் அசை வளி பகர,
துறு கல் நண்ணிய கறி இவர் படப்பைக்
குறி இறைக் குரம்பை நம் மனைவயின் புகுதரும்,
மெய்ம் மலி உவகையன்; அந் நிலை கண்டு,
”முருகு” என உணர்ந்து, முகமன் கூறி,
உருவச் செந் தினை நீரொடு தூஉய்,
நெடு வேள் பரவும், அன்னை; அன்னோ!
என் ஆவது கொல்தானே பொன் என
மலர்ந்த வேங்கை அலங்கு சினை பொலிய
மணி நிற மஞ்ஞை அகவும்
அணி மலை நாடனொடு அமைந்த நம் தொடர்பே?
In this trip to the highlands, it’s scenes in the night that greets us, as we listen to these words said by the confidante to the lady, pretending not to see the man listening nearby, but making sure he’s in earshot:
“To wash away its flesh-reeking, spotted face after killing a huge tiger, the long-trunked elephant arrives at night to the cascade in the mountains. Casting away the deep darkness of the clefts and caves in those formidable, fear-evoking spaces, as an iron spear, which flashes like lightning, shows the way, he comes alone, without minding the cold dew descending down. Wearing a garland of nightshade flowers woven together with wild jasmines that had been blooming in those picturesque places near flowing waters, as the moving winds scatter its stationary fragrance, he would enter our hut with hanging eaves, adjacent to a field of pepper vines around a short boulder, with his body brimming over with joy. If Mother were to see that state of his, thinking it’s ‘God Murugu’, she would raise her hands in prayer, would sprinkle moistened bright red millets, and worship the Tall Speared One! Alas! If that happens, what is to become of your relationship with the lord of the handsome mountain country, where the sapphire-hued peacock calls out aloud and the fully-bloomed Kino flowers glow upon the swaying branches?”
Let’s walk along with the man and investigate what’s in the hearts of these mountain maiden! The confidante starts by talking about how fearsome the mountain paths are at night, mentioning how an elephant which has just killed a tiger would come to the cascades to wash its trunk. Unmindful of all this danger to his safety and not caring for the cold dew pouring down to the detriment of his health, with his spear lighting the way, the man would come walking on this very path, the confidante connects. Then she mentions the garlands of nightshades and jasmines he would be wearing and the way the wind would be spreading that scent all around the place. Walking in this manner, the man would reach the destination, which is the lady’s hut in the mountain hamlet, near a field of pepper vines, the confidante continues. Let’s make a note of this specific field and explore it in a moment.
Returning, the confidante asks the lady to imagine the moment he would step inside their house. What if Mother happened to catch a glimpse of him? She predicts that Mother would think the man was the ‘Tall-speared God Murugu’ and would start worshipping him with a scattering of red millets. After saying these words, the confidante wonders what would happen to the lady’s relationship with the man if a such a thing were to happen, and concludes by describing the man’s country as a place, filled with singing peacocks and blooming Kino flowers.
An intricate attempt using the powers of visualisation to get the listening man to realise that he needs to change his dark and dangerous path of temporary trysting and take the road to the permanent joy of seeking the lady’s hand. The subtle elements here is the mention of the blooming Kino flowers, indicating it’s the auspicious season of marriage, and that scene of mother mistaking the man for Murugu is to tell the man the lady is in danger of being placed under guard, which would sound the death knell to his secret relationship with her. In short, ‘Marry her, marry her’ with a movie style delivery!
Let’s revert and focus on that phrase about a field of pepper vines. This tells us the preciousness of these naturally growing spices was realised by this mention that it was intentionally cultivated in a mountain field. A matter-fact line which actually implies that these pepper corns were much sought after in faraway shores such as Greece and Rome and that those abroad were waiting to shower gold in exchange of these little black beauties!
