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In this episode, we perceive the angst of a man, separated from his beloved, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 214, penned by Vadama Vannakkan Peri Saathanaar. The verse is situated amidst the showers of the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest landscape’ and reverberates with the notes of melancholy.
அகல் இரு விசும்பகம் புதையப் பாஅய்,
பகல் உடன் கரந்த, பல் கதிர் வானம்
இருங் களிற்று இன நிரை குளிர்ப்ப வீசி,
பெரும் பெயல் அழி துளி பொழிதல் ஆனாது;
வேந்தனும் வெம் பகை முரணி ஏந்துஇலை,
விடு கதிர் நெடு வேல் இமைக்கும் பாசறை,
அடு புகழ் மேவலொடு கண்படை இலனே;
அமரும் நம் வயினதுவே நமர் என
நம் அறிவு தெளிந்த பொம்மல் ஓதி
யாங்கு ஆகுவள்கொல்தானே ஓங்குவிடைப்
படு சுவற் கொண்ட பகு வாய்த் தெள் மணி
ஆ பெயர் கோவலர் ஆம்பலொடு அளைஇ,
பையுள் நல் யாழ் செவ்வழி வகுப்ப,
ஆர் உயிர் அணங்கும் தெள் இசை
மாரி மாலையும் தமியள் கேட்டே?
In this quick trip to the forests, it’s a soak in the rain, as we listen to the man say these words to his heart, as he sits in a battle encampment, faraway from his beloved:
“Burying the huge and wide skies, shining with the many-rayed sun, clouds, appearing akin to huge herds of elephants shivering in the cold, shower ceaseless drops of rain in a heavy downpour. As for the king, with great enmity, in the battle camp, sparkling with leaf-edged, radiant, tall spears, he lies sleepless, desiring the fame of victory in the war. My beloved with shining tresses, had cleared my vision saying, ‘The battle is our responsibility, my dearest!’ and bid me farewell. But now, clear bells with open mouths, around necks of huge oxen, would ring out, as cowherds gather and move the cattle with the sound of their ‘Ampal’ flutes, in the melancholic ‘Sevvazhi’ tune of a fine lute. When she hears the crystal notes of this music that ravages one’s life in the rainy evening hour, all alone, what will she do? How will she bear it?”
Let’s take in the fragrance of petrichor and listen to the heartbeat of the rain! The man starts by talking about how the clouds have buried the sun and the sky, and appearing like herds of elephants on high, they bring down a huge shower. This is to tell us it’s the season of rains, which is usually the promised season of return to the lady. After that weather report, the man moves on to describe the attitude of his king, who is bent on victory in the battlefield and who tosses and turns, contemplating the strategies. This tells us that the end of the war is not in view! The man looks back and describes the lady’s assuring words to him, understanding that leaving her and taking part in the war was the man’s duty at the moment. He returns to the present and imagines his beloved, as she would be there, all alone, listening to the sound of cows returning home, the music of the cowherds’ flutes, all resounding in the heartrending ‘Sevvazhi’ tune. The man concludes wondering about the angst the lady would suffer, as those notes fell on her ears, in that evening hour of rains! Moving to see how a person thinks about the sorrow of their beloved, even as they are in the midst of suffering themselves. A tender song that resonates with the music of rain and pain!
