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In this episode, we perceive a jubilant command, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 374, penned by Idaikkaadanaar. The verse is situated amidst the falling showers of the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest landscape’ and etches the beauty of the land in the rainy season.
மாக் கடல் முகந்து, மாதிரத்து இருளி,
மலர் தலை உலகம் புதைய, வலன் ஏர்பு,
பழங்கண் கொண்ட கொழும் பல் கொண்மூ,
போழ்ந்த போலப் பல உடன் மின்னி,
தாழ்ந்த போல நனி அணி வந்து,
சோர்ந்த போலச் சொரிவன பயிற்றி,
இடியும் முழக்கும் இன்றி, பாணர்
வடி உறு நல் யாழ் நரம்பு இசைத்தன்ன
இன் குரல் அழி துளி தலைஇ, நல் பல
பெயல் பெய்து கழிந்த பூ நாறு வைகறை,
செறி மணல் நிவந்த களர் தோன்று இயவில்,
குறு மோட்டு மூதாய் குறுகுறு ஓடி,
மணி மண்டு பவளம் போல, காயா
அணி மிகு செம்மல் ஒளிப்பன மறைய,
கார் கவின் கொண்ட காமர் காலை,
செல்க, தேரே நல் வலம் பெறுந!
பெருந் தோள், நுணுகிய நுசுப்பின்,
திருந்துஇழை அரிவை விருந்து எதிர்கொளவே!
In this trip to the forests, we relish the rains, as we listen to the man say these words to his charioteer, when returning home to the lady, after completing his mission:
“Dipping in the huge seas, darkening all the directions, burying this widespread world, climbing on to the right, burdened by the heaviness, the many thick dark clouds, splitting the skies with flashing lightning, as if descending down, come close to each other, and as if fatigued, pour down incessantly, without the roar of thunder, and with the fine music of bards playing on the strings of their tautly tied fine lutes, pour down heavy drops of rain in a sweet voice, in this flower-fragrant morning, which has seen many such fine downpours. At this time, on the path winding upon a thick layer of sand atop the saline earth, red velvet bugs with tiny tummies run around hither and thither with their short strides, and appear as if corals are crafted with sapphires, as they hide amidst the exquisite flowers of the Ironwood tree. Such is this desirable hour, decked with the beauty of the rains, and so, hasten the chariot, O skilled charioteer, so that the maiden, having thick arms and a slender waist, adorned with well-etched ornaments, may accept the fine feast of our arrival!”
Time to trot along and delight our senses! The man starts with a long description of the journey of a raincloud, from the point it gathers the water from the seas, and then swelling in darkness, seems to bury the world entire as it pours down, with lightning first, and then becoming a steady sort of shower, which seems to sound like the strings of a well-crafted lute, in the hands of a bard. Such is the time when the clouds shower and the blooms flower, the man says. His eyes then fall on the tiny red velvet bugs, which show their faces to the world, only when the rains pour, as these bugs run around and hide amidst the blue Ironwood flowers, the sight of which the man compares to a radiant ornament adorned with corals and sapphires. The man concludes by telling his charioteer that the entire world is so beautiful at the moment, thanks to the grace of the rains, and that he must rush so that the lady gets to welcome him without any delay!
The man implies that just like how the earth has bloomed with joy because of the falling rains, the lady too will regain her beauty the moment he arrives at their gates, highlighting yet again how the Sangam thought visualised the fusion of the rain and earth as the perfect symbol of the togetherness in love!
