Natrinai 139 – The music in a rain shower

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உலகிற்கு ஆணியாகப் பலர் தொழப்,
பல வயின் நிலைஇய குன்றின் கோடுதோறு
ஏயினை உரைஇயரோ, பெருங்கலி எழிலி!
படுமலை நின்ற நல் யாழ் வடி நரம்பு
எழீஇயன்ன உறையினை! முழவின்
மண் ஆர் கண்ணின் இம்மென இமிரும்
வணர்ந்து ஒலி கூந்தல் மாயோளொடு
புணர்ந்து இனிது நுகர்ந்த சாரல் நல் ஊர்
விரவு மலர் உதிர வீசி,
இரவுப் பெயல் பொழிந்த உதவியோயே.

Like a mega-starrer, the verse opens with the words ‘உலகிற்கு ஆணியாக’ meaning ‘the foundation of this world’. When it’s the rain we are talking about, we expect no less! The phrase ‘பலர் தொழ’ highlights ‘rain worship’ that seems to have existed for eons. The sweet-sounding ‘எழிலி’, which sounds like a Tamil girl’s name, means ‘a rain cloud’. Musical instruments such as ‘யாழ்’ and ‘முழவு’ fill our ears with the melody of rain sounds. ‘வணர்ந்து ஒலி கூந்தல்’ talks about the ‘wavy, rich hair’ of the ‘மாயோள்’ or ‘dark-skinned girl’. Being a song on rain, the poem is woven with exquisite rhythms such as ‘மண் ஆர் கண்’, ‘வணர்ந்து – புணர்ந்து’ and ‘இம்மென இமிரும்’.

Moving on from melody to meaning, we discover that the man had been away on a mission and separated from his lady. He has just returned after completing his task and in the promised time too, before the rains. His home is filled with joy and celebration. One morning, shortly thereafter, the man says, “O thundering rain, may you resound on the peaks of mountains many, having many to worship you as the protector of this world entire! Like the music of ‘padumalai’ melody arising from tightly stretched strings of an excellent lute, you showered; Like the roaring sound arising from the skin of a drum smeared with mud, you echoed; As I became one with the dark-skinned girl possessing curly, luxuriant tresses and experienced joy, you arrived at my good town on the slopes, accompanied by a breeze that made many a flower drop down and helped me by pouring down as the night’s rain!” With these words, the man expresses the ecstasy in his heart at being back in the right time and projects this happiness on the rains that have poured. 

The moment I read this poem, I was reminded of all the rain songs that play on FM radio, when the rainy season is upon us. Over the centuries, rain has never failed to inspire that poet and musician, hiding within everyone! This song would top the charts on that rain playlist of Sangam times. Time to get drenched in every drop of this verse! The very opening celebrates rain as the foundation of life and mentions that it’s a thing worshiped by many. This rain worship has gone on, in ‘mountain’ and ‘forest’ country of ancient Tamil lands and later, was appropriated by the ‘agricultural lands’ as ‘worship of Rain God Indra’. In agricultural terrain, rain merely becomes a resource for man’s needs but in the mountain and forest country, rain is celebrated for what it is – the sustainer of life, with no selfish benefits for man! Returning from our reflections, we see that rain is seen as one originating in the peaks of mountains. How true, if you consider that geography lesson where we learnt of rain bearing clouds dashing against the obstacle of mountains and then pouring down as rain on the fertile valleys beneath! 

From location, the man moves on to rain’s evocation of music! First, he mentions a Sangam tune called as ‘padumalai’, which is said to be one of the musical ragas in ancient Tamil music. Just like how these ancient Tamil words have been recovered, wouldn’t it be a joyous moment to have that ancient music resound in this century? Here’s a wish for musicians to research more on such ancient Tamil music and let it echo in the ears of the world! The verse gives a hint in that this ‘padumalai’ tune, when played on a lute, sounds exactly like a rain’s shower. But the question is, did the rain sound the same way, all those centuries ago? Then, the man turns to the next musical instrument which is a drum, whose taut skin has been smeared with black paste, and equates the sounds from this drum to that of thunder in the skies.

Following these generic praises of the rain, the man mentions why the rain feels special to him. His promise was to return to the lady before the rains poured and ecstatic at not having made his lady suffer, he praises the rain for waiting for his return. The pouring of night rain, which sends a cool breeze wafting in the air, raiding flowers from the branches, brings added joy to the man’s union with the lady. The protector of life is also the giver of happiness to him, the man feels. The man’s words echoing with the melody of euphoria brings to mind, many a beautiful day of rain!