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In this episode, we listen to words of hidden persuasion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 228, penned by Andar Magan Kuravazhuthiyaar. The verse is situated amidst the blooming blue lilies of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’ and presents scenes from nature having a cultural significance.
பிரசப் பல் கிளை ஆர்ப்ப, கல்லென
வரை இழி அருவி ஆரம் தீண்டித்
தண் என நனைக்கும் நளிர் மலைச் சிலம்பில்,
கண் என மலர்ந்த மா இதழ்க் குவளைக்
கல் முகை நெடுஞ் சுனை நம்மொடு ஆடி,
பகலே இனிது உடன் கழிப்பி, இரவே
செல்வர்ஆயினும், நன்றுமன் தில்ல
வான்கண் விரிந்த பகல் மருள் நிலவின்
சூரல் மிளைஇய சாரல் ஆர் ஆற்று,
ஓங்கல் மிசைய வேங்கை ஒள் வீப்
புலிப் பொறி கடுப்பத் தோன்றலின், கய வாய்
இரும் பிடி இரியும் சோலைப்
பெருங் கல் யாணர்த் தம் சிறுகுடியானே.
In this short little trip to the mountains, we gaze at picturesque sights, as we listen to the confidante say these words to the lady, when they are waiting for the man to arrive for his nightly tryst with the lady, pretending not to notice the man listening nearby, but making sure he’s in earshot:
“Making swarms of bees resound, with an uproar, the cascade descends down the mountains, caressing the sandalwood tree in its path, and soaking it with moisture, in the fertile mountain slopes, where akin to eyes, bloom the huge-petaled blue lilies. In the wide spring amidst the rocky clefts herein, if he can play with you, pass the day together with much joy, and then leave by night, when the moon spreads on the sky, brightening it like the day, walking on those paths through the slopes, filled with jujube brushes, to his prosperous little hamlet, amidst the tall hills, where a dark female elephant with a huge mouth, mistakes the bright flowers of the Kino tree soaring amidst the boulders, for the stripes of a tiger and scuttles away in fear, that would a good thing!”
Let’s soak in the gushing waterfall and learn more! The confidante starts by talking about how the cascade comes pouncing down the mountain, scattering swarms of bees, and soaking a sandalwood tree standing in its path. A moment to imagine the scent of the waters gushing in this manner! Then, the confidante continues portraying how the cascade falls down and pools into a spring, where blue-lilies are blooming in abundance. It’s this spot that’s perfect for the man to meet the lady by day, relish her sweet company, and then leave to his town by night, says the confidante. She concludes by characterising the man’s mountain village as a place, where a female elephant looks at the golden flowers of the Kino tree, mistakes it for a tiger, and runs away scared.
Looking at the words of the verse, it seems like a harmless request to change the tryst from night to day. However, by placing the image of the brightly blooming Kino flowers, the confidante subtly hints that it’s the season of weddings, and instead of choosing the temporary path of trysting, the man must take steps to claim the lady’s hand in marriage. Hope the ‘decrypter’ is functioning right in the man’s head to decipher this cryptic message, seeking a change in action. A moment to appreciate the significance a simple flower’s blooming has in the life of a Sangam maiden, talking about a time when nature and culture were fused as one!
