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In this episode, we perceive the beauty of changing seasons, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kurunthogai 108, penned by Vaayilaan Thevanaar. Set in the forests of ‘Mullai’, the verse speaks in the voice of the lady to her confidante, expressing her inability to bear with the man’s parting any longer.
மழை விளையாடும் குன்று சேர் சிறுகுடிக்
கறவை கன்றுவயின் படர, புறவில்
பாசிலை முல்லை ஆசு இல் வான் பூச்
செவ் வான் செவ்வி கொண்டன்று;
உய்யேன் போல்வல்-தோழி!-யானே.
The season of rain arrives, declares this song! The opening words ‘மழை விளையாடும் குன்று’ conjure an image of ‘clouds playing around the mountains’ and the key here is the choice of the word ‘playing around’, as if the mountain were a mother and the fresh clouds are the newborns surrounding her. Speaking of mothers, we get to see ‘a mother cow’ in ‘கறவை’ and its ‘calf’ in ‘கன்று’. The quintessential plant of the forest regions waves to us in ‘பாசிலை முல்லை’ meaning ‘wild jasmine, with green leaves’. After delighting our nostrils with a heady fragrance, the verse turns to render joy to our eyes in ‘செவ்வான்’ or ‘crimson skies’. There is so much to fill one with joy, and yet, the verse ends with the words ‘உய்யேன் போல்வல்-தோழி!-யானே’ meaning ‘it looks like I cannot continue living’ and evokes our sympathy.
What has made the lady feel this dejected? The context reveals that the man and lady were leading a happy married life when the man left the lady to go in search of wealth. Before he parts with her, the man promises to return by a particular season. One day, the lady turns to her confidante and says, “In the little hamlet near the peaks, where clouds play around, cows hurry towards their calves, and in the forest, the green-leaved wild jasmine’s faultless white flowers take on the beauty of the red skies. It seems as if I cannot go on, my friend!” With these words, the lady conveys to her confidante that seeing these changes in the world around, she was unable to take the man’s absence any longer.
Picturesque sights of cows, nestling with their calves, and flowers, glowing amidst the green leaves, fill the verse and yet, the lady is languishing clearly. To understand why, let’s follow her words closely. Pointing to the peaks nearby, the lady reveals how the young clouds are rolling around these ancient mountains. From the skies, she points to a little hamlet in the forests and there, we can see cows returning in the direction of their calves. From this domestic scene, the lady turns to the wild again and points to the wild jasmine plant, whose blemish-less white flowers were simulating the glow of the red skies. After mentioning each of these scenes, the lady travels inward to her own heart and shows us the dreary desert it is, for she declares she cannot go on anymore!
The first key to unlocking the lady’s heart lies in the mention of clouds around the peaks and this is a clear indicator that the rainy season was here. From this, we understand that the man had promised to return before the rains. Then, there is mention of cows returning to their calves and jasmines glowing under a red sky. After a full day of grazing, the cows rush home to feed the young in the evening. At this time, as the sun sets and shades the sky a delicious red, the jasmines seemed to be shining like white stars amidst the red soil of the forest region. Not only has the season changed but it is now, the twilight hour of evening as well, a time unbearable to parted lovers. And that’s why, the lady ends with those words of hopelessness. Let’s trust that the confidante will find the right words to console this lady and bring her out of her dejection. Contrasting with the mind of the lady, the scenes around are filled with all that’s best in the world – the love of mothers and the beauty of mother nature!
இந்தக் காட்சியை அப்படியே ஓவியமா வரையணும்னு தோணுது 😍 Beautiful