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In this episode, we perceive the art of concealing a wish for the future within the forces of nature, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Natrinai 347, penned by Perunkundroor Kilaar. The verse is situated in the mountain country of ‘Kurinji’ and speaks in the voice of the lady to her confidante, expressing her worry, as the man continues to delay formalising his union.
முழங்கு கடல் முகந்த கமஞ் சூல் மா மழை
மாதிர நனந் தலை புதையப் பாஅய்,
ஓங்கு வரை மிளிர ஆட்டி, பாம்பு எறிபு,
வான் புகு தலைய குன்றம் முற்றி,
அழி துளி தலைஇய பொழுதில், புலையன்
பேழ் வாய்த் தண்ணுமை இடம் தொட்டன்ன,
அருவி இழிதரும் பெரு வரை நாடன்,
‘’இன்ன நிலையன்; பேர் அன்பினன்” எனப்
பல் மாண் கூறும் பரிசிலர் நெடுமொழி
வேனில் தேரையின் அளிய,
காண வீடுமோ-தோழி!-என் நலனே?
Opening with ‘முழங்கு கடல்’ meaning ‘resounding seas’, the verse highlights a sound that has been echoing from the beginning of life. The phrase ‘கமஞ் சூல் மா மழை’ is a quaint one for it means ‘dark clouds, filled to the brim’ with the word ‘கமஞ் சூல்’ specifically referring to ‘pregnancy’ in many other instances. Interesting to visualise a cloud as a pregnant mother! In connection with clouds and rains, when we encounter ‘பாம்பு எறிபு’, we understand that it’s a reiteration of the Sangam belief that ‘rain, and specifically thunder, killed snakes’. ‘அழி துளி தலைஇய’ talks about a ‘heavy downpour of rains upon the land’, a feature that frequents a mountain landscape. The phrase ‘புலையன் பேழ் வாய்த் தண்ணுமை’ pens a portrait of an ancient tribe, who seem to have been expert drummers, for it means ‘the wide-mouthed drum of a pulaiyan’. Accolades lie hidden in ‘இன்ன நிலையன்; பேர் அன்பினன்’ for it means ‘A pleasant person, a man of integrity and one with great love’. Wonder who glorifies whom thus? Thereafter, we encounter a ‘வேனில் தேரை’ or ‘a toad in summer’, who, no doubt, has a lot to teach us. The verse ends with ‘காண வீடுமோ-தோழி!-என் நலனே’ meaning ‘Will my health let me see it, my friend?’ and beckons us to listen with intent.
The man and lady had been leading a love relationship and the man had been trysting with the lady for a long time. The lady is worried that the man is delaying formalising his union with her. The confidante tries to console the lady with positive words about the man. To her, the lady replies, “The pregnant, dark clouds that have drunk from the roaring seas, spread in all directions and hide the wide open spaces. Then, quaking mountain ranges with lightning, they end lives of snakes therein. Finally, they surround those peaks that soar to the skies and then, shower down copious rains. At that time, akin to the sounds that arise when a ‘pulaiyan’ beats his wide-mouthed drum, waterfalls descend down with uproar in the lord’s mountain country. Will my pitiable health, akin to a toad in summer, let me be and hear the words of praise from the lord’s suppliants calling him, a good, truthful man and one with immense love?” With these words, the lady refuses to accept the confidante’s consolation and conveys that the only solution to her suffering is the man’s seeking her hand in marriage.
Time to delve into the details! The lady starts like a weather reporter announcing that the clouds have gathered moisture from the seas and are now dark and huge, filled to the full. As they move on the land, they seem to shroud the open spaces in grey and hide the land from view. Continuing our journey with these clouds, we see them now flashing lightning in the mountains and when lightning flashes, its siamese twin, the thunder, needs to be there too! As per the belief of the times, we hear the lady say that this thunder is ruining snakes. Light check, sound check, now the drama is heading to a climax with the rains laying siege to a soaring peak and then surrendering themselves as heavy rain upon that land. From the skies, the waters fall on the peaks and continue downwards as the roaring waterfalls that seem to echo all over the land. This sound, the lady equates to that of the drumbeat from a mountains hunter’s drum. The documentary on the life of a cloud is just to describe the man’s land, the lady says, but there’s sure to be more than rain hiding therein!
Returning to the lady’s words, we see that she now turns to descriptions of the man, who is being called as ‘a great and good person of truth and love’. When we turn to look at who’s saying these words, we find these are words from those who have gone to the man, seeking his patronage, and they come back, filled with the wealth they seek and praising their patron to the skies. The lady says that indeed, these are sweet words to hear about one’s beloved. But then, she adds, be that as may, my health, which is suffering, like a toad that hides in the heat of summer – will that be patient enough to see and relish these words? With this, the lady expresses how she suffers with pining every time the man leaves her after the tryst and wonders how long her ruined health will hold on. Within that scene of the clouds surrounding the mountains and pouring rain, the lady conceals the metaphor of how the man should arrive with shining gold to her family, akin to the clouds surrounding the mountain peaks and flashing lightning and then, he must end the slander in town, akin to the death of snakes by thunder, and finally, pour down the riches to seek the lady’s hand in marriage and, this and only this, will make his fame resound all around the land, akin to the roaring waterfall, throbbing to a drummer’s beat. The lady hopes the confidante will perceive her hidden message and take steps to persuade the man to take action. The verse highlights the difficulty in seeing and accepting the good in the other, when the mind is distressed by their actions, and yet, that’s the very path psychologists recommend today to tide over moments of anger and differences!
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