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In this episode, we listen to words that echo a deep trust, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 213, penned by Thaayankannanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse depicts various regions and rulers in ancient Tamil land.
வினை நவில் யானை விறற் போர்த் தொண்டையர்
இன மழை தவழும் ஏற்று அரு நெடுங் கோட்டு
ஓங்கு வெள் அருவி வேங்கடத்து உம்பர்,
கொய்குழை அதிரல் வைகு புலர் அலரி
சுரி இரும் பித்தை சுரும்பு படச் சூடி,
இகல் முனைத் தரீஇய ஏறுடைப் பெரு நிரை
நனை முதிர் நறவின் நாட் பலி கொடுக்கும்
வால் நிணப் புகவின் வடுகர் தேஎத்து,
நிழற் கவின் இழந்த நீர் இல் நீள் இடை
அழல் அவிர் அருஞ் சுரம் நெடிய என்னாது,
அகறல் ஆய்ந்தனர்ஆயினும், பகல் செலப்
பல் கதிர் வாங்கிய படு சுடர் அமையத்துப்
பெரு மரம் கொன்ற கால் புகு வியன் புனத்து,
எரி மருள் கதிர திரு மணி இமைக்கும்
வெல்போர் வானவன் கொல்லிக் குட வரை
வேய் ஒழுக்கு அன்ன, சாய் இறைப் பணைத் தோள்
பெருங் கவின் சிதைய நீங்கி, ஆன்றோர்
அரும் பெறல் உலகம் அமிழ்தொடு பெறினும்,
சென்று, தாம் நீடலோஇலரே என்றும்
கலம் பெயக் கவிழ்ந்த கழல் தொடித் தடக் கை,
வலம் படு வென்றி வாய் வாள் சோழர்
இலங்கு நீர்க் காவிரி இழிபுனல் வரித்த
அறல் என நெறிந்த கூந்தல்,
உறல் இன் சாயலொடு ஒன்றுதல் மறந்தே.
A long trip through the drylands that takes us on many a detour, as we listen to the confidante say these words to the lady, when the man continues to remain parted away, having left in search of wealth:
“The courageous, warring Thondaiyars, possessing elephants, skilled in battle, rule over tall and formidable peaks, surrounded by clouds, adorned with shining, white cascades in the domain of Venkatam. Beyond this region, live the Vadugars, known for feasting on fleshy white meat, and wearing thick clusters of wild jasmine that bloom at dawn, on their thick and curly hair, causing bees to swarm around, and for the victory of seizing a huge herd of cattle in the battlefront, they render the sacrifice of well-aged toddy. In this land of the Vadugars, upon those long and winding, waterless paths, which have lost the beauty of shade, without considering that this scorching, formidable drylands is far, he wishes to part away.
In the evening hour when the many-rayed sun pulls back its shine, in the wide forest space, where huge trees have been felled, inviting the wind to gush over, where radiant gems sparkle with their brilliant rays, in the victorious Vaanavan’s western Kolli hills, lush and thick bamboos sprout. Akin to the perfect stalks of these bamboo, are your arms with curving wrists. He has parted away leaving its great beauty to be ruined.
While that may be so, even if he were to attain the precious world of the noble along with the elixir of life, leaving you, he shall not remain there, forgetting to come unite with your sweet and slender form, adorned with wavy tresses, akin to the silt, stacked by the shining waters of the River Kaveri, in the domain of the Chozhas, having strong hands, adorned by swaying bracelets, and which are always turned upside down, giving away vessels to those who come seeking, or holding honest swords that always claim victory rightfully!”
Time to brave the scorching spaces! The confidante starts by talking about where the man has left to, and do that, first she talks about the Thondaiyars, who rule over Venkatam hills and are said to have skilled battle elephants. Then she goes beyond Venkatam hills, to the region where the rugged Vadugars live, known for jasmine flowers on their curly locks of hair, and they supposedly offer toddy in sacrifice to their gods for blessing them with the victory of herds of cattle in a recent battle. Those scary, dreary spaces of theirs is exactly where the man is treading now, without any consideration, the confidante connects. Then, she talks about the lady’s arms, and to depict their beauty, she takes us to the Kolli hills of Vaanavan, where huge trees have been felled in the pursuit of agriculture, and where the winds gush in with force, in the twilight hour, and she points to the thick bamboos growing there, saying such are the lady’s arms. She has mentioned this to say the man has left these arms to be ruined and concludes by saying, even so, the man is not going to leave the lady and remain, even if he were to be offered both heaven and ambrosia, why because it’s impossible for him to forget the joy of being one with this beautiful lady, having tresses like the silt of River Kaveri, in the domain of the generous and victorious Chozhas!
In essence, the core elements are that the man has left to a faraway country, the lady’s arms are pining away and yet the man is bound to return and unite with the lady. Within this oft-repeating theme, the verse brings in the nuances of various tribes and kings, domains, lifestyle and natural wealth, to paint an intricate portrait of the ancient past!
