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In this episode, we perceive the societal differences depicted in Sangam literary work, Natrinai 45, penned by an anonymous poet, set in the ‘Neythal’ landscape or the coastal regions. The verse speaks in the words of the lady’s confidante to the man, explaining the reasons why he’s unsuitable to be the lady’s companion.
இவளே, கானல் நண்ணிய காமர் சிறுகுடி,
நீல் நிறப் பெருங் கடல் கலங்க உள்புக்கு
மீன் எறி பரதவர் மகளே; நீயே,
நெடுங் கொடி நுடங்கும் நியம மூதூர்க்
கடுந் தேர்ச் செல்வன் காதல் மகனே:
நிணச் சுறா அறுத்த உணக்கல் வேண்டி,
இனப் புள் ஓப்பும் எமக்கு நலன் எவனோ?
புலவு நாறுதும்; செல நின்றீமோ!
பெரு நீர் விளையுள் எம் சிறு நல் வாழ்க்கை
நும்மொடு புரைவதோ அன்றே;
எம்மனோரில் செம்மலும் உடைத்தே!
The poem has a neat double-layered structure of opposites. In clear sight, there is ‘பரதவர் மகளே’ meaning ‘daughter of fisherfolk’ and ‘செல்வன் மகனே’ meaning ‘son of the wealthy’. Singing with rhythm, appears ‘சிறுகுடி’ and ‘நெடுங் கொடி’ meaning ‘small village’ and ‘huge flag’ respectively. As the highlight, this duality appears in the same line, ‘பெரு நீர் விளையுள் எம் சிறு நல் வாழ்க்கை’, the stress being on the words ‘பெரு’ meaning ‘great’ and ‘சிறு’ meaning ‘small’! Thus, each atom of the poem seems to echo a song of contrasts.
Reading more into the song, we find that this is a situation wherein the man confides in the lady’s confidante about his love for the lady. Hearing this, she says, “The lady is the daughter of fisherfolk, who make the huge, blue sea tremble, as they enter it to earn their living by hunting for fish. She belongs to a desirable little hamlet by the shore. Whereas, you are the beloved son of a wealthy man, who owns those fast chariots. You belong to an ancient town, filled with shops wherein tall flags flutter in the air. What good is your friendship to her? For she’s a mere sea-side girl who stands by chasing away flocks of birds, who come to steal those fat-filled fish meat, cut into shreds and dried in the open. We smell of fish meat! It would be good for you to stand far apart! We live a good, little life, reaping the harvest of the seas. It wouldn’t be right for us to associate ourselves with you, coming from such wealth! Humble folk, we may be, but there are great people amongst us too!”
What could be the confidante’s true intention? Is she actually putting down her folk and saying they are no match for the man? While this may appear so at first glance, there is more to the meat than meets the eye. Speaking of fish meat and how they smell of it, it’s just a highlighting of differences in their lives. We know for sure that she’s not belittling her folk because she talks about her village as ‘the desirable little hamlet.’ Small, it may be, but adorable, she says. And then again, she talks of the ‘good, little life’. Instead of going into this ‘good, little life’ to understand it further, let’s come at it from the opposite end – the man’s town and his life. The man obviously comes from an agricultural family, for the term ‘ஊர்’ is generally used for places in the Marutham landscape of farming. We know that there are shops in the man’s town for it was a practice to tie flags in the shops, to attract people to buy their wares. You could say, similar to today’s flex boards and neon lights. All this echoes of a complicated life in the man’s town, dependent on many factors for their wealth and happiness. In contrast, the fisherfolk go into the sea, get their catch and live a simple life, trusting the bountiful ocean. Thus, the lady’s confidante is painting a picture of their greatness even as she seems to be elevating the man’s wealthy background. In a hidden note, she’s also frightening the man a little, by describing the nature of the rough fisherfolk, who are said to make even the sea tremble!
How will the man handle this subtle threat and more importantly, that understanding that he and the lady come from two different worlds? In that, the wise confidante seems to be setting up the test of love. Perhaps, this is an exercise each person embarking on a relationship should undertake. To answer for themselves that loaded question: Is the ship of my love sturdy enough to sail in the sea of our differences?
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