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In this episode, we observe a lady’s state of mind as evening approaches, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kurunthogai 195, penned by Theratharanaar. Set in the coastal regions of ‘Neythal’, the verse speaks in the voice of the lady to the confidante, expressing her angst as the man remains parted away.
சுடர் சினம் தணிந்து குன்றம் சேரப்
படர் சுமந்து எழுதரு பையுள் மாலை,
யாண்டு உளர் கொல்லோ வேண்டு வினை முடிநர்?
”இன்னாது, இரங்கும்” என்னார் அன்னோ-
தைவரல் அசைவளி மெய் பாய்ந்து ஊர்தரச்
செய்வுறு பாவை அன்ன என்
மெய் பிறிதாகுதல் அறியாதோரே!
‘Here comes the evening and he comes not’ exclaims a voice in this verse. The opening words ‘சுடர் சினம் தணிந்து’ meaning ‘as the sun’s ire lessens’ paints a portrait of an angry sun, as it blazes during midday and its comparatively zen state at dusk. Although the sun’s angry no more, it seems to be ‘பையுள் மாலை’ or ‘an evening of sorrow’ for someone. In the phrase ‘வேண்டு வினை முடிநர்’ meaning ‘the one who intends to complete the task he has set his mind to’ is a characteristic noun-formation in Sangam verses that employs a person’s actions to render them a name. A soothing element appears in ‘தைவரல் அசைவளி’ meaning ‘a stroking, swaying breeze’. In ‘செய்வுறு பாவை’ meaning ‘a handmade wax doll’, ancient industries flit before our eyes. Ending with the words ‘மெய் பிறிதாகுதல் அறியாதோரே’ meaning ‘he who doesn’t realise that my form changes’, the verse beckons us to listen with empathy.
What could be the sorrow that this evening brings? The context reveals that the man and the lady were leading a married life when the man parted away on a mission. The lady languished in his absence, and one day, says to her confidante, “As the sun abates its anger and settles down amidst the peaks, bearing sorrow, rises this suffering-filled evening. Wonder where he is, the one who parted to complete a desired task. Alas, he doesn’t think, ‘She will suffer without me’! As a caressing breeze that sways around pounces and spreads on my form, like a wax doll, my form changes, and yet, he knows nothing of it!” With these words, the lady talks about her pain at the prospect of facing another evening without the man’s company.
Time to explore the nuances. The lady starts by talking about the rage of the sun receding and the sun itself retreating behind mountain peaks. Then, she says this causes an evening of suffering to raise its head and wonders aloud about the whereabouts of her man. Saying he doesn’t seem to think about her pain and take pity on her, the lady elaborates what’s happening to her by mentioning the effect of a breeze that swirls all around her. To vividly portray that, she talks about how a wax doll would melt in a hot breeze and says that’s exactly how her form was changing when the man wasn’t around. And yet, the man seems to be away without realising the torment she’s going through, the lady concludes.
The forever question in a love relationship echoes here too, ‘Is the other not thinking of me as I am?’ Leaving aside abstractions, let’s focus on a real object, that of the wax doll. When I encountered this simile, I debated whether the breeze is attacking the doll or the lady and decided it’s happening to both. When a hot breeze blows, a handmade wax doll, which is not fully set, may change in form. Likewise when a caressing breeze swirls around her, the lady misses the man and loses her health. Let’s hope this expression of inner angst will bring, if not the man, at least some relief to the lady. When I ponder on why a caressing breeze should accentuate sadness instead of alleviating it, I’m reminded of how when we are feeling sensitive and vulnerable, even affectionate words from another can move us to tears. A verse that illustrates how something pleasant that’s present can highlight what’s missing and heighten the yearning!
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