Kalithogai 27 – A return in time

Sangam Lit

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In this episode, we perceive pertinent similes to describe a person’s state of mind, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 27, penned by the Chera King Paalai Paadiya Perunkadunko. The verse is situated in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’ and reveals the thoughtfulness of the man.

‘ஈதலில் குறை காட்டாது, அறன் அறிந்து ஒழுகிய
தீதிலான் செல்வம் போல், தீம் கரை மரம் நந்த;
பேதுறு மட மொழி, பிணை எழில் மான் நோக்கின்
மாதரார் முறுவல் போல், மண மௌவல் முகை ஊழ்ப்ப;
காதலர்ப் புணர்ந்தவர் கதுப்புப் போல், கழல்குபு
தாதொடும் தளிரொடும், தண் அறல் தகை பெற;
பேதையோன் வினை வாங்க, பீடு இலா அரசன் நாட்டு,
ஏதிலான் படை போல, இறுத்தந்தது, இளவேனில்

நிலம் பூத்த மரமிசை நிமிர்பு ஆலும் குயில் எள்ள,
நலம் பூத்த நிறம் சாய, நம்மையோ மறந்தைக்க;
கலம் பூத்த அணியவர் காரிகை மகிழ் செய்ய,
புலம் பூத்து, புகழ்பு ஆனாக் கூடலும் உள்ளார்கொல்?

கல்மிசை மயில் ஆல, கறங்கி ஊர் அலர் தூற்ற,
தொல் நலம் நனி சாய, நம்மையோ மறந்தைக்க;
ஒன்னாதார்க் கடந்து அடூஉம், உரவு நீர் மா கொன்ற,
வென் வேலான் குன்றின்மேல் விளையாட்டும் விரும்பார்கொல்?

மை எழில் மலர் உண்கண் மரு ஊட்டி மகிழ் கொள்ள,
பொய்யினால் புரிவுண்ட நம்மையோ மறந்தைக்க;
தைஇய மகளிர் தம் ஆயமோடு அமர்ந்து ஆடும்
வையை வார் உயர் எக்கர் நுகர்ச்சியும் உள்ளார்கொல்?’

என ஆங்கு,
நோய் மலி நெஞ்சமோடு இனையல், தோழி!
‘நாம் இல்லாப் புலம்பாயின், நடுக்கம் செய் பொழுதாயின்,
காமவேள் விழவாயின், ‘கலங்குவள் பெரிது’ என,
ஏமுறு கடுந் திண் தேர் கடவி,
நாம் அமர் காதலர் துணை தந்தார், விரைந்தே.

The lady’s confusion and the confidante’s consolation are combined in this rendition. The words can be translated as follows:

“Akin to the wealth of a flawless man, who knows the path of justice and who leaves nothing amiss in his generosity, the trees on the sweet shore flourish; Akin to the smiles of women, who have the beautiful eyes of a female deer and who entice men with their naive words, the fragrant wild jasmine buds bloom; Akin to the tresses of those who have united with their lovers, with fallen pollen and leaves, the cool river shores shine; Akin to the armies of enemy kings, arriving in the country of a king without honour, guided by a foolish counsel, the season of spring lays siege around me!

Cuckoos sing with joy, atop the trees that prosper, and seem to mock me, as the beauty of my skin fades, and so, he might have forgotten me; But won’t he at least think of Koodal, with unceasing fame, where the land blooms with plenty, and those who are clad in brilliant jewels await to endow pleasures many.

Peacocks, atop the hill, cry, while the uproarious town spreads slander, as my old beauty diminishes greatly, and so, he might have forgotten me; But won’t he at least desire the games he used to play upon the hill belonging to the white-speared one, who vanquished his enemies in battle and destroyed the demon in the form of a mango tree amidst the salty waters.

Eyes, akin to flowers, kohl-streaked, he delighted and caused awe in them with his falsehoods and made me fall for him, and now, he might have forgotten me. But won’t he at least remember the happy times upon the high sands of the Vaigai river, where he sat and played with well-adorned maiden and their playmates?

Saying all this, do not suffer with an afflicted heart, O friend! Thinking, ‘She would be lonely without me, and it would become a time of great anxiety, for the festival of ‘Kamavel’ is around the corner’ and ‘She would be in immense sorrow’, with worry, he climbed upon his sturdy chariot and rode it here with much speed, to render his fine company to you!”

Time to explore the nuances. The verse is situated in the context of the man’s parting from the lady after marriage, and here, the confidante initially speaks in the voice of the lady and concludes with her own words. Speaking as the lady, she reveals how the season of spring has caused distress using a cascade of exquisite similes: The trees that bloom in this season are said to flourish like a just man’s wealth, who is generous without reservation; The wild jasmine buds are said to bloom like the smiles of maiden who entice men with their sweet words; The river sands spread and glow with shed pollen and leaves, much like the tousled tresses of those who have united with their beloved. The final one is the most intriguing of all, where the lady talks about how this season of spring lays siege around her, exactly like the army of enemy kings, who have no qualms in invading the country of a king without honour and who has no wise counsel to guide them in the right path. There’s politics and strategy concealed within this comment about a woman’s state of mind!

Next, the lady seems to talk about how , making the cuckoo mock at her, and the peacock cry and the village folk gossip, and after winning her over, and as her beauty fades, perhaps it’s natural for the man to forget her. But how could he forget their city of Koodal, where plenty of courtesans are awaiting to endow joys in that famous place; the peak of white-speared king, a possible reference to God Murugu, and the mythical stories of his vanquishing demons and others in the sea, for that place seems to be where the man has spent joyful moments in play, and finally, she asks how the man could forget the sands of the River Vaigai, where he played delightfully with the bejewelled courtesans and their playmates. In short, the lady seems to say, ‘It’s fine he’s forgotten me. How can he forget all these other things he does in this city of ours and why isn’t he back yet?’. Since this is situated in ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands’ signifying the theme of separation, the lady seems to be in this mood. If at all the same song is in ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’, she’s sure to shower her ire on the man for doing the very same things.

In any case, the confidante negates all these unnecessary worrying on the part of the lady and declares that the man is expected anytime now, for he thought that the lady cannot bear to be apart from him, at this particular time, for the festival of Kamavel was fast approaching. This made me imagine a worker in Dubai rushing home to be with his family in Cochin for Ramzan; a worker in London wishing to be with her husband in New York for Christmas; And a worker in Canberra flying to be with their children in Calcutta for Diwali and thrilled me to see this reflection of an ancient emotion in the modern world of today!

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