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In this episode, we perceive the pain in separation, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 373, penned by Pandiyan Enaathi Nedunkannanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse presents the poignant state of both the protagonists. முனை கவர்ந்து கொண்டென, கலங்கி, பீர் எழுந்து, மனை பாழ் பட்ட மரை சேர் மன்றத்து, பணைத் தாள் யானை பரூஉப் புறம் உரிஞ்சி, செது காழ் சாய்ந்த முது காற் பொதியில், அருஞ் சுரம் நீந்திய வருத்தமொடு கையற்று, பெரும் புன் மாலை புலம்பு வந்து உறுதர, மீளி உள்ளம் செலவு வலியுறுப்ப, தாழ் கை பூட்டிய தனி நிலை இருக்கையொடு, தன் நிலை உள்ளும் நம் நிலை உணராள்; இரும் பல் கூந்தல், சேயிழை, மடந்தை, கனை இருள் நடு நாள், அணையொடு பொருந்தி, வெய்துற்றுப் புலக்கும் நெஞ்சமொடு, ஐது உயிரா, ஆய் இதழ் மழைக் கண் மல்க, நோய் கூர்ந்து, பெருந் தோள் நனைக்கும் கலுழ்ந்து வார் அரிப் பனி மெல் விரல் உகிரின் தெறியினள், வென் வேல் அண்ணல் யானை அடு போர் வேந்தர் ஒருங்கு அகப்படுத்த முரவு வாய் ஞாயில் ஓர் எயில் மன்னன் போல, துயில் துறந்தனள்கொல்? அளியள் தானே! In this trip to the drylands, it’s more of an inward and homeward travel, as we listen to the man say these words to his heart, in the middle of his journey through the drylands, having parted with the lady in the quest of wealth: “As the battlefield had enveloped, troubled, ridge gourd vines have risen in this ruined building in the town centre, around which deer huddle. Here, since a thick-legged elephant rubbed its huge back, with sagging rafters, crestfallen, stand those ancient pillars. Amidst these grounds, as I sit helpless, with the fatigue of traversing the harsh drylands, the dull evening arrives and torments me, and the strong mind that had nudged me to part away now bids me to go back. As for the one, who sits with her lowered hands holding her knees, all alone, the one who thinks about her own state, will know not what I’m going through. The naive maiden, having thick, long tresses, and wearing well-etched ornaments, in the deep darkness of midnight, lying on her bed, with a suffering heart that makes her let out a hot sigh, with the exquisite petals of her rain-like eyes, brimming over with tears, with her affliction peaking, would shed tears that would moisten her huge arms, even as she flicks away the pouring teardrops with the tips  of her soft fingers. Akin to a king, who is separated by a single fort wall, when many battle-worthy kings, wielding victorious spears and esteemed elephants, have joined together and laid siege to his entrance, she too must have given up on sleep! Pitiable indeed, she is!” Let’s listen to the man’s lament! He starts by etching his surroundings mentioning that the building he was at, was once the town hall of an ancient town, but since it was surrounded by war, it had lost all its inhabitants, and now only ridge gourd vines surrounded the place, along with deer that assembled fearlessly, no doubt because gone were the humans. The man also sketches the dilapidated state of the roof and a broken pillar, imagining how it must have fallen down because a battle elephant rubbed its back on it. Then from his surroundings, the man travels inward and notes his despair and exhaustion at having walked through the dreadful drylands and now missing the lady in that evening hour. Then, he makes the comment that the lady would never understand the state he was in, and travels to where she is, and sees her holding her knees, wiping away her tears. Sketching a scene of a lord in a fort, laid siege by a worthy group of kings, and just the way sleep would desert that king, so must it be for his beloved, the man concludes. In the way the man zooms on his surroundings, his inner world and then onward to the lady’s situation, the verse presents techniques of mindfulness and visualisation to overcome the overpowering emotions of the moment!

In this episode, we listen to a note of yearning, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 372, penned by Paranar. The verse is situated amidst the soaring peaks of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain Landscape’ and etches the angst within using the chisel of unique similes. அருந் தெறல் மரபின் கடவுள் காப்ப, பெருந் தேன் தூங்கும் நாடு காண் நனந்தலை, அணங்குடை வரைப்பின், பாழி ஆங்கண், வேள் முது மாக்கள் வியல் நகர்க் கரந்த அருங் கல வெறுக்கையின் அரியோள் பண்பு நினைந்து, வருந்தினம்மாதோ எனினும், அஃது ஒல்லாய், இரும் பணைத் தொடுத்த பலர் ஆடு ஊசல், ஊர்ந்து இழி கயிற்றின், செல வர வருந்தி, நெடு நெறிக் குதிரைக் கூர் வேல் அஞ்சி கடு முனை அலைத்த கொடு வில் ஆடவர் ஆடு கொள் பூசலின் பாடு சிறந்து எறியும், பெருந் துடி வள்பின் வீங்குபு நெகிழா, மேய் மணி இழந்த பாம்பின், நீ நனி தேம்பினை வாழி, என் நெஞ்சே! வேந்தர் கோண் தணி எயிலின் காப்புச் சிறந்து, ஈண்டு அருங்குரையள், நம் அணங்கியோளே. In this trip to the highlands, we take a few historic detours, as we listen to the man say these words to his heart, at a time when he returns disappointed, unable to meet with the lady on a planned tryst: “Protected by gods, as per the indestructible tradition, is the country of Paazhi, where huge honeycombs hang down, in those widespread mountain spaces, filled with divine spirits. Akin to the precious wealth, guarded in a wide mansion of Paazhi, by the ancient Velirs, is that precious maiden. As I tell you I’m filled with sorrow, yearning for her sweet nature, not stopping there, akin to the rope of the swing tied to tall branch, upon which many play, you traverse back and forth, filled with angst. Akin to a snake that has lost its gem of life, which twists and turns, akin to how the strap tightens and loosens upon a huge drum, which is played with much uproar, when warriors wielding curving bows, led by the sharp-speared Anji, who rules over the mountains of Kuthirai with long and winding paths, torment their enemies, you are whimpering in pain, O heart, long may you live! Akin to well-guarded forts that block the fury of enemy kings, she’s hard to attain, the one who has possessed me with her beauty!” Time to listen to the man’s heartbeat echoing from those mountain ranges! The man starts by describing a place called ‘Paazhi’ in a mountain country, filled with honeycombs. Here, the Velirs are known to have hoarded huge amounts of wealth in a mansion and placed that under a fierce guard, the man says, and connects that to the precious nature of his beloved. He talks about how even as he feels sad for not being able to see her, that heart of his goes one step further, and like a swing, keeps oscillating in the lady’s direction, returning empty and bereft of joy. Then he further sketches his heart’s state, with a stack of smilies, first talking about a snake that has lost its life gem. This is one of those Sangam beliefs that snakes hold gems within and spit out the same. Returning to the core, the man tells us the snake which has lost its gem is writhing like the strap around a huge drum, which is beat with force, when the warriors of Anji trouble their enemies in the battlefield, and just like that snake in angst, the heart seemed to be wallowing in grief, the man says because it has not seen the lady. He concludes by declaring that indeed his divine-spirit-like beloved is akin to the sturdy wall that keeps away enemy kings intent on a siege, so hard to attain she is. The highlight of this verse is that upon the unlikely canvas of a heartbreak, we see the bold strokes of history!

In this episode, we listen to words of angst, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 371, penned by Eyinanthai Magan Ilankeeranaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse projects the pain in separation onto elements of nature. அவ் விளிம்பு உரீஇய விசை அமை நோன் சிலை, செவ் வாய்ப் பகழி, செயிர் நோக்கு ஆடவர் கணை இடக் கழிந்த தன் வீழ்துணை உள்ளி, குறு நெடுந் துணைய மறி புடை ஆட, புன்கண் கொண்ட திரி மருப்பு இரலை மேய் பதம் மறுத்த சிறுமையொடு, நோய் கூர்ந்து, நெய்தல்அம் படுவில் சில் நீர் உண்ணாது, எஃகு உறு மாந்தரின் இனைந்து கண்படுக்கும், பைது அற வெம்பிய பாழ் சேர் அத்தம், எமியம் நீந்தும் எம்மினும், பனி வார்ந்து, என்னஆம் கொல் தாமே ‘தெண் நீர் ஆய் சுனை நிகர் மலர் போன்ம்’ என நசைஇ வீ தேர் பறவை விழையும் போது ஆர் கூந்தல் நம் காதலி கண்ணே? In this trip to the drylands, we get to see familiar sights, as we listen to the man say these words to his heart, in the middle of his journey through the drylands, having parted with the lady in the quest of wealth: “Wielding a sturdy bow, with taut strings, an exquisite edge and red-tipped arrows, men with unmerciful eyes, had shot and killed a female deer. Thinking of its fallen mate, as their tall and short young ones frolic around, the male deer with twisted antlers, looking around, with its listless eyes in deep sorrow, refuses to graze, and filled with affliction, doesn’t even drink up the little water, puddling in the pits of that saline land. It lies down with pain, akin to those people, who have been wounded by spears, in that moisture-less, utterly barren, doomed drylands. Even more than me, traversing this path, all alone, filled with tears, wouldn’t the eyes of my beloved, who has long, flower-clad tresses, suffer more? What would be the state of those eyes, around which thinking those are ‘flowers that bloom amidst picturesque springs with crystal waters’, bees in quest of blooms, buzz around?” Time to brave the barren spaces! The man starts by talking about how harsh-eyed robbers in the drylands have shot down a female deer with their well-etched weapons, namely a bow and arrow. Then, he shifts the focus onto the male deer which has lost its mate as it wallows in grief, even as the young kids leap about without any realisation. The deer refuses to graze or even have the little water, stagnating in a pit, the man etches, detailing the dreariness of the path he walks. The man concludes by declaring that though his suffering is great, it is nothing compared to the tearful state of the lady’s eyes, mistaken by bees for flowers that bloom in spring waters. Tender is the heart that goes beyond its suffering to reflect on the pain of another, and underscores all that is best about humanity!

In this episode, we listen to a hidden message, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 370, penned by Ammoovanaar. The verse is situated amidst the sand houses of the ‘Neythal’ or ‘Coastal Landscape’ and sketches the helplessness in the situation with vivid similes. ‘வளை வாய்க் கோதையர் வண்டல் தைஇ, இளையோர், செல்ப; எல்லும் எல்லின்று; அகல் இலைப் புன்னைப் புகர் இல் நீழல், பகலே எம்மொடு ஆடி, இரவே, காயல் வேய்ந்த தேயா நல் இல் நோயொடு வைகுதிஆயின், நுந்தை அருங் கடிப் படுவலும்’ என்றி; மற்று, ‘நீ செல்லல்’ என்றலும் ஆற்றாய்; ‘செலினே, வாழலென்’ என்றி ஆயின்; ஞாழல் வண்டு படத் ததைந்த கண்ணி, நெய்தல் தண் அரும் பைந் தார் துயல்வர, அந்தி, கடல் கெழு செல்வி கரை நின்றாங்கு, நீயே கானல் ஒழிய, யானே வெறி கொள் பாவையின் பொலிந்த என் அணி துறந்து, ஆடு மகள் போலப் பெயர்தல் ஆற்றேன்தெய்ய; அலர்க, இவ் ஊரே! In this trip to the seas, we encounter religious elements, as we listen to the confidante say these words to the lady, pretending not to notice the man, listening by the hedge, but making sure he’s in earshot: “After playing with sand houses, those young maiden wearing curving garlands, leave, as the day bids adieu and the night arrives. When I say to you, ‘In the thick shade of the wide-leaved laurel wood tree, after playing with me during the day, at night, if you are to remain with much affliction, at our fine, unfading home, thatched with dried grass, your father is bound to keep you under strict guard’, you relent not, and respond saying, ‘If I were to go, I shan’t live!’. In this manner, akin to the goddess of the sea, wearing a head garland woven with bee-buzzing screw-pine flowers, along with a swaying, fresh garland of moist and precious blue lotuses, if you are to remain at the shore, during this evening hour, leaving you here in the orchard, akin to a dancing maiden, who has performed the possessed ‘Veri’ ritual, casting away my radiant beauty, I cannot part away. Let this town spread slander, if it wants to!” Let’s listen to the words of this friend on a mission! The confidante starts by pointing out how the lady’s playmates after playing on the sands, building sand houses and sand dolls, have called it a day and gone home. She elaborates that night was arriving and she had told the lady that if after playing during the day with much joy, possibly in the company of the man, if the lady were to go home and spend her evening languishing in their home, then her father was sure to forbid her from going out and put her under a strict guard. To these words, the lady pays no heed and says that if she were to leave now, she cannot go on living, the confidante says. Then she sketches the way the lady was standing there on the shore, akin to a sea goddess, clad in flower garlands, shining in the light of dusk, refusing to come home. The confidante concludes by declaring it was impossible for her, to part away, like a worn out ‘Veri’ female dancer, and in a note of desperation, declares she cares not what gossip may coast through the town! In essence, the lady’s deep love for the man and wish to be with him, day and night, is proclaimed by the confidante, along with the dangers of being put under guard and slander spreading in town. All this to nudge the man to ‘Marry her, Marry her’. What’s interesting in this verse is the portrayal of the lady as the ‘sea goddess’ and the confidante as ‘the devotee seeking a boon’! The extent of responsibility and care the confidante shows for the lady’s life and happiness truly etches her as the abiding symbol of friendship, across space and time!

In this episode, we listen to a mother’s lament, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 369, penned by Nakeerar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse differentiates two types of wedding ceremonies in the Sangam era. கண்டிசின் மகளே! கெழீஇ இயைவெனை: ஒண் தொடி செறித்த முன்கை ஊழ் கொள்பு, மங்கையர் பல பாராட்ட, செந் தார்க் கிள்ளையும் தீம் பால் உண்ணா; மயில் இயல் சேயிழை மகளிர் ஆயமும் அயரா; தாழியும் மலர் பல அணியா; கேழ் கொளக் காழ் புனைந்து இயற்றிய வனப்பு அமை நோன் சுவர்ப் பாவையும் பலி எனப் பெறாஅ; நோய் பொர, இவை கண்டு, இனைவதன்தலையும், நினைவிலேன், கொடியோள் முன்னியது உணரேன், ‘தொடியோய்! இன்று நின் ஒலி குரல் மண்ணல்’ என்றதற்கு, எற் புலந்து அழிந்தனளாகி, தற் தகக் கடல்அம் தானை கை வண் சோழர், கெடல் அரு நல் இசை உறந்தை அன்ன, நிதியுடை நல் நகர்ப் புதுவது புனைந்து, தமர் மணன் அயரவும் ஒல்லாள், கவர்முதல் ஓமை நீடிய உலவை நீள் இடை, மணி அணி பலகை, மாக் காழ் நெடு வேல், துணிவுடை உள்ளமொடு துதைந்த முன்பின் அறியாத் தேஎத்து அருஞ் சுரம் மடுத்த சிறியோற்கு ஒத்த என் பெரு மடத் தகுவி, ‘சிறப்பும் சீரும் இன்றி, சீறூர் நல்கூர் பெண்டின் புல் வேய் குரம்பை ஓர் ஆ யாத்த ஒரு தூண் முன்றில் ஏதில் வறு மனைச் சிலம்பு உடன் கழீஇ, மேயினள்கொல்?’ என நோவல் யானே. In this trip to the drylands, we spend more time back home rather than out in the domain, as we listen to the lady’s foster mother say these words to her daughter, who’s also the lady’s confidante, at the juncture of the lady’s elopement with the man: “Look at this, my daughter! What’s the point of my close bond with her? Even when many women, wearing neat rows of shining bangles on their forearms as tradition dictates, coax and praise, the red-garlanded parrot refuses to drink up its sweet milk; Her mates, adorned in red ornaments, with the appearance of peacocks, do not partake in play; The pots do not adorn themselves with flowers; The goddesses etched on the sturdy wall, with deep colours, and decorated with pearl strands, refuse to accept any offerings; Looking at all this, my affliction brims over. As if that wasn’t enough, my thoughts torment me about not understanding what was in the mind of that cruel girl, when I said to her, ‘O maiden adorned with bangles! I shall perform the ritual bath on your luxuriant tresses today’, and she seemed to be heartbroken and angry at me. In tandem with her status, she refuses to wear new clothes in her prosperous, fine mansion, akin to the indestructible, famous town of ‘Uranthai’, ruled by the generous Chozhas, who lead a victorious navy, and get married with the blessings of her kin. Instead, walking through that barren, long path, filled with ‘Toothbrush trees’ having forked trunks, along with her suitable young man, holding a sapphire-studded shield and tall spear with a sturdy stem, with an emboldened heart and courageous strength, my greatly naive girl treads unknown nations through harsh drylands. As for me, thinking, ‘Without any fame or glory, in an empty and barren thatched hut of an impoverished woman in a small hamlet, where there’s but a single cow tied to a pillar in the front yard, she is determined to undertake her anklet removal ritual and marry him’, I suffer endlessly!” Time to hear a mother’s words of angst! Those who are unaware may wonder as to why the lady has a foster mother. It should be understood that the word ‘foster mother’ does not have the contemporary connotation of a social welfare scheme. Rather, in that era, a woman’s confidante joined the woman’s household and helped the woman raise her children. This foster mother would take care of all of the lady’s daily needs and grooming, and also, her daughter would end up being the lady’s best friend. With that context established, we can listen to what this foster mother has to say. The foster mother starts by asking her daughter, the lady’s confidante, what’s the use of having a close bond with the lady thus far. Then she goes on to talk about all the changes that have happened in the house. At the moment, the parrot was refusing to drink its milk, even when many maiden coax it, the lady’s playmates refuse to play any more, even pots are refusing to flower, and as for the goddesses etched on the walls in bright colours, they were saying no to the offerings. Seeing the dreary transformation of their home, the foster mother says she’s sad but even more than that, her thoughts keep jumping back to the moment when she offered to wash the lady’s hair and that made the lady angry and depressed. This may confuse you as to why the lady should get so mad about a mere hair wash, like a stubborn toddler or a sprightly puppy! The reason is that was a ceremonial hair wash for a young woman, ready for marriage.  This must have made alarm bells ring in the lady’s mind, for off she went with her beloved young man, wielding a shield and spear, and daring to walk through the barren drylands. The foster mother says how the lady doesn’t seem to want to get married in her wealthy mansion, which is placed in parallel to the rich city of Uranthai, ruled by the sea-faring Chozhas, wearing new clothes and receiving the blessings of her relatives. Instead, the lady seems to only want to get married, removing her anklets, without any pomp or splendour, in an impoverished hut in some remote village, where there’s only one cow tied to the front yard, the foster mother declares, and concludes that this makes her ache enormously! This is the angst of a person who sees what could have been. Though we have seen this theme many times, the verse records the value of a girl in her home and also subtle markers of wealth and poverty in those times!

In this episode, we listen to a hidden message of persuasion, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 368, penned by Madurai Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. The verse is situated amidst the soaring trees of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’ and describes the surprising nature of spreading slander. தொடுதோற் கானவன் சூடுறு வியன் புனம், கரி புறம் கழீஇய பெரும் பாட்டு ஈரத்து, தோடு வளர் பைந் தினை நீடு குரல் காக்கும் ஒண் தொடி மகளிர்க்கு ஊசலாக ஆடு சினை ஒழித்த கோடு இணர் கஞலிய குறும்பொறை அயலது நெடுந் தாள் வேங்கை, மட மயிற் குடுமியின் தோன்றும் நாடன் உயர் வரை மருங்கின் காந்தள் அம் சோலைக் குரங்கு அறிவாரா மரம் பயில் இறும்பில், கடி சுனைத் தெளிந்த மணி மருள் தீம் நீர் பிடி புணர் களிற்றின் எம்மொடு ஆடி, பல் நாள் உம்பர்ப் பெயர்ந்து, சில் நாள் கழியாமையே வழிவழிப் பெருகி, அம் பணை விளைந்த தேக் கட் தேறல் வண்டு படு கண்ணியர் மகிழும் சீறூர் எவன்கொல் வாழி, தோழி! கொங்கர் மணி அரை யாத்து மறுகின் ஆடும் உள்ளி விழவின் அன்ன, அலர் ஆகின்று, அது பலர் வாய்ப் பட்டே? In this trip to the highlands, we get to see many picturesque scenes, as we listen to the confidante say these words to the lady, as they wait for a tryst by day, pretending not to see the man nearby, but making sure he’s earshot: “In the wide field, burnt and cleared by a forester, clad in leather slippers, the black surfaces are washed clean by the moisture of a heavy downpour, and here, the blooming green millets, with long stalks and luxuriant petals, are protected by maiden, clad in shining bangles. The tall-trunked Kino tree, near the small hill, extends its swaying branch, filled with flower clusters, as the swing for those maiden, and appears akin to the crest of a naive peacock, in the mountains of the lord! In those soaring spaces of his, filled with picturesque groves of flame-lilies, with the dense jungle of soaring trees, which even monkeys know not about, amidst the clear, sapphire-like, sweet waters of the remote spring, akin to a male elephant uniting with its mate, he had played with you, for many days. Then, when it has only been a few days, when he parted away elsewhere, something has brimmed over in this hamlet, wherein people clad in bee-buzzing garlands delight in the sweet toddy that blooms in the beautiful palmyra tree! How is this possible, my friend, may you live long! Akin to the ‘Ulli’ festival, wherein the ‘Kongars’ tie bells to their waists and dance in the streets, so loud the slander spreads here, echoing across mouths many!” Let’s take that mountain trek and learn the spread of the land and the mind! The confidante starts by going to a past activity of mountain folk, clearing the trees by their slash and burn methods. A curious mention here is of these mountain men as being clad in slippers, perhaps to protect themselves from the heat of the burning forest! Then, the confidante mentions how the rains pour down and cleanse the blackened surfaces, and further on, how millets grow abundantly in that field. From the millets, she turns to focus on maiden, who guard those millet fields, and then jumps to their play things, the swings that hang from a branch of the Kino tree, filled with blooming flower clusters, and appearing like a crest atop a peacock’s head. This stitching of images is simply to describe the man’s mountain country. After that address drop, the confidante moves on to mention the activities of the man along with the lady, playing together like an elephant couple, in the well-protected, sweet springs, deep in the jungle, with trees that even the all-knowing monkeys know nothing about. Then, the confidante talks about how it has only been a few days since the man left the lady, and went on other tasks, and within that interval, so much slander had spread in their town, where people are known to delight in toddy. That slander was so much louder than the Ulli festival of the Kongars, who tie bells to their waists and dance about in the streets, the confidante concludes! An attempt to tell the listening man that his absences create disturbances in the lady, which causes slander to spread and bring more trouble to the lady, thereby nudging him to give up his temporary trysting and seek the permanent path of happiness by claiming her hand. Beyond this usual theme of ‘Marry her, marry her’, what’s interesting in this verse is to reflect on those picturesque spaces available for a couple to meet and get to know each other. What better place to lay the foundation of one’s love than in the presence of the gushing waters of a spring, the rustling leaves of trees, in the comforting lap of nature?

In this episode, we listen to a lady’s angst-ridden thoughts, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 367, penned by Paranar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse etches a scene of wait and watch at the boundary of the tamed and wild.  இலங்கு சுடர் மண்டிலம் புலம் தலைப்பெயர்ந்து, பல் கதிர் மழுகிய கல் சேர் அமையத்து, அலந்தலை மூதேறு ஆண் குரல் விளிப்ப, மனை வளர் நொச்சி மா சேர்பு வதிய, முனை உழை இருந்த அம் குடிச் சீறூர், கருங் கால் வேங்கைச் செஞ் சுவல் வரகின் மிகு பதம் நிறைந்த தொகு கூட்டு ஒரு சிறை, குவி அடி வெருகின் பைங் கண் ஏற்றை ஊன் நசைப் பிணவின் உயங்கு பசி களைஇயர், தளிர் புரை கொடிற்றின், செறி மயிர் எருத்தின், கதிர்த்த சென்னிக் கவிர்ப் பூ அன்ன நெற்றிச் சேவல் அற்றம் பார்க்கும் புல்லென் மாலையும், இனிது மன்றம்ம நல் அக வன முலை அடையப் புல்லுதொறும் உயிர் குழைப்பன்ன சாயல், செயிர் தீர், இன் துணைப் புணர்ந்திசினோர்க்கே. In this trip to the drylands, we perceive intense scenes, as we listen to the lady say these words to the confidante, when the man continues to remain parted away, having left in search of wealth: “As the radiant, flaming orb, migrating away, traverses to the mountains, diminishing its rays, an anxious, old male deer sends out its call, and near the chaste tree, which grows near houses, herds of deer come together and rest, in that beautiful, little hamlet near a jungle fort. Here, upon the red earth with black-trunked Kino trees, blooms millets. Standing on one side of the silo containing these abundant millet grains, wishing to end the exhausted hunger of its mate, yearning for flesh, a green-eyed male cat with pointed feet stands biding its time, to nab the rooster with cheeks, akin to tender sprouts, a neck covered in thick hair, and a comb atop its upright neck, akin to a Coral tree flower cluster, in this listless evening hour. Even this dull time, would turn sweet for those, who have the good fortune to be one with their flawless, sweet mate, feeling as if life’s melting every time their fine, decorated bosom is embraced!” Time to take a walk in the scrub jungle! The lady starts by talking about the time of the day, when the sun sets in the western mountains. She mentions how at that time, a worried male deer would send out a call and its herd of deer would group around the chaste tree, growing near a house in the village by the fort. She mentions how upon this red earth, millets bloom in abundance, and how the people of that village heap the grains in a silo. Standing near one such silo, a green-eyed jungle cat, wanting to end the hunger of its mate, waits to seize a rooster, roving around in that evening hour. The lady concludes by declaring that even such a dull time would turn pleasant to someone who had their mate to embrace. Another declaration of ‘I’m lost without him’ by the pining lady. The evening, the night, the rainy season, spring all seem to torment the parted, according to the Sangam poets!

In this episode, we perceive words about a person’s state of mind, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 366, penned by Kudavayil Keerathanaar. The verse is situated amidst the lush paddy fields of the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ and presents a unique scene of conflict between people from two different professions. தாழ் சினை மருதம் தகை பெறக் கவினிய நீர் சூழ் வியன் களம் பொலிய, போர்பு அழித்து, கள் ஆர் களமர் பகடு தலை மாற்றி, கடுங் காற்று எறிய, போகிய துரும்பு உடன் காயல் சிறு தடிக் கண் கெடப் பாய்தலின், இரு நீர்ப் பரப்பின் பனித் துறைப் பரதவர் தீம் பொழி வெள் உப்புச் சிதைதலின், சினைஇ, கழனி உழவரொடு மாறு எதிர்ந்து, மயங்கி, இருஞ் சேற்று அள்ளல் எறி செருக் கண்டு, நரை மூதாளர் கை பிணி விடுத்து, நனை முதிர் தேறல் நுளையர்க்கு ஈயும் பொலம் பூண் எவ்வி நீழல் அன்ன, நலம் பெறு பணைத் தோள், நல் நுதல் அரிவையொடு, மணம் கமழ் தண் பொழில் அல்கி, நெருநை நீ தற் பிழைத்தமை அறிந்து, கலுழ்ந்த கண்ணள், எம் அணங்கு அன்னாளே. In this trip to the land of plenty, we see nerves flare and sparks fly, as we listen to the confidante say these words to the man, when he returns after courting a courtesan, seeking entry into the lady’s house: “In that water-enveloped, wide field, adorned by Arjuna trees, with low lying branches, blooming with beauty, spreading haystacks, those farmers, who delight in fine toddy, let bulls stomp around to thresh their grain. As fierce winds blow, the husk flies and spreads around the drying patches in the salt pan. As their fine, white salt gets ruined because of this, the fishermen, who live on the cool shores of the huge ocean, become furious, and rise up in anger against farmers in the field. Seeing the conflict bursting out in the battleground of that dark, muddy field, wise men with greying hair, separate the fighting parties, and offer well-aged nectar to the fisherfolk in the town of ‘Neezhal’, ruled by ‘Evvi’, clad in golden ornaments. Akin to the beauty of this town, are the beautiful, bamboo-like arms of that maiden having a fine forehead, with whom you rested along, in the cool and fragrant shores yesterday. Knowing that you wronged her thus, the eyes of the one, who’s akin to a spirit, brim over with tears!” Let’s explore this prosperous domain and learn more! The confidante starts with a detailed description of a place, where first we see a wide field, with the characteristic trees of this landscape. Here, farmers are threshing their harvested paddy grain by letting bulls walk through. At this time, a speedy wind blows through and because of this, the husk flies and settles on the fields of the salt pan nearby. It’s one of those rare mentions of both ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands’ and ‘Neythal’ or ‘Coastal’ landscape occurring close to each other! Returning, the fisherfolk, who are involved in the complementary work of making salt, get mad seeing their produce ruined. So, they head to the fields and pick up a fight with the farmers. Arriving at that conflict-ridden spot, wise old men separate the fighting folks and calm the newcomers by giving them sweet, filtered nectar, the confidante etches, mentioning that this is happening in the town of ‘Neezhal’, ruled by Evvi. Why this long description of this coast-farm city? Only to say, akin to the beauty of this city was the arms of the courtesan, the man had been spending time in the cool shores the previous day. The confidante concludes by saying that the lady had come to know of the man’s meandering with the courtesan, and that, much wounded, she had been wallowing in tears!  In essence, the confidante is telling the man that there’s no hope of reconciliation at the moment since the lady was mad and sad about the man’s actions! Apart from the usual rivalries, what’s striking in this verse is that scene of conflict between fishermen and farmers, and more importantly, the sweet resolution enacted by wise old members of the society, which present a vivid slice of life from the ancient past!

In this episode, we listen to words of admonishment, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 365, penned by Madurai Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse presents a study in contrast of barrenness and beauty. அகல் வாய் வானம் மால் இருள் பரப்ப, பகல் ஆற்றுப்படுத்த பையென் தோற்றமொடு சினவல் போகிய புன்கண் மாலை, அத்த நடுகல் ஆள் என உதைத்த கான யானைக் கதுவாய் வள் உகிர், இரும் பனை இதக்கையின், ஒடியும் ஆங்கண், கடுங்கண் ஆடவர் ஏ முயல் கிடக்கை, வருநர் இன்மையின் களையுநர்க் காணா என்றூழ் வெஞ் சுரம் தந்த நீயே துயர் செய்து ஆற்றாயாகி, பெயர்பு, ஆங்கு உள்ளினை வாழிய, நெஞ்சே! வென் வேல் மா வண் கழுவுள் காமூர் ஆங்கண், பூதம் தந்த பொரி அரை வேங்கைத் தண் கமழ் புது மலர் நாறும் அம் சில் ஓதி ஆய் மடத் தகையே. In this trip to this harsh domain, we get to see familiar sights, as we listen to the man say these words to his heart, in the middle of his journey through the drylands: “As darkness spreads in the wide sky, the day crosses over, and with a listless appearance, filled with fury, the suffering-filled evening arrives. At this time, thinking that a hero stone in the middle of the drylands is a person, a jungle elephant kicks it, causing its huge toe nail to break, appearing akin to a palm fruit’s shell. In such a place, harsh-eyed men, who wait, intent on showering their arrows, find no wayfarers to end their impoverishment. You have brought me to such a barren, scorching space, and not satisfied with the sorrow you’ve rendered thus far in coming here, now you are also thinking about that naive and noble maiden with beautiful tresses, which have the fragrance of the moist, new flowers blooming upon that Kino tree, with a parched trunk, on which resides a spirit, in the town of Kaamoor, ruled by the strong and courageous Kazhuvul, who wields a victorious spear! Long may you live, my heart!” Time to brave the formidable paths! The man starts by sketching the time of the day and talks about how a dull evening seems to arrive, pushing aside the daylight in the sky, and at this time, not seeing very clearly, an elephant seems to mistake a memorial stone in the middle of the drylands for a person standing there, and gives it a kick, only to find its nail tearing apart in the impact. This is equated aptly to the torn shell of a palm fruit or ice apple, called as ‘nungu’ in contemporary Tamil. From the time of the day, the man moves on to talk about the place, and he mentions how the prominent denizens of this domain, the highway robbers, seem to lie in wait for wayfarers, but their wait only ends in disappointment for no one dares to come through those scorching spaces. The man turns to his heart and points out how it has brought him to such a place where even those harsh-eyed robbers are to be pitied, and concludes by saying as if the heart had not caused enough trouble, now it was thinking about the lady, the scent of whose tresses is akin to the flowers of a particular Kino tree, favoured by spirits, in the town of Kaamoor, ruled by Kazhuvul. Indeed, it’s the familiar theme of separating one’s heart from oneself and trying to overcome the despair of the situation.  On a tangent, what struck me in this verse is the way this poet remembers a particular Kino tree, in a specific town, and its features. Doesn’t it seem like these poets had a unique bonding with the trees they encountered in their travels, as if they were on first name basis with them? I conclude that it’s only by living such a life, characterised by a deep awareness of all the elements of nature around, that these poets have attained their extraordinary powers of expression!

In this episode, we listen to a lady’s lament, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 364, penned by Madurai Maruthankizhaar Maganaar Perunkannanaar. The verse is situated amidst the blooming trees of the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest Landscape’ and sketches the picturesque changes in the season of rains. மாதிரம் புதையப் பாஅய், கால் வீழ்த்து, ஏறுடைப் பெரு மழை பொழிந்தென, அவல்தோறு ஆடு களப் பறையின் வரி நுணல் கறங்க, ஆய் பொன் அவிர் இழை தூக்கியன்ன நீடு இணர்க் கொன்றை கவின் பெற காடு உடன் சுடர் புரை தோன்றிப் புதல் தலைக் கொளாஅ, முல்லை இல்லமொடு மலர, கல்ல பகு வாய்ப் பைஞ் சுனை மா உண மலிர, கார் தொடங்கின்றே காலை; காதலர் வெஞ் சின வேந்தன் வியன் பெரும் பாசறை, வென்றி வேட்கையொடு நம்மும் உள்ளார்; யாது செய்வாம்கொல்? தோழி! நோதகக் கொலை குறித்தன்ன மாலை துனைதரு போழ்தின், நீந்தலோ அரிதே! In this trip to this moist landscape, we get to see pleasant sights, as we listen to the lady say these words to her confidante, when the man continues to remain parted away, having left her on a mission of war: “Spreading in a such a way as to bury all sense of direction, descending down, along with thunder, huge rain clouds have poured down. Striped toads in many pits resound akin to drums in a festivity. As if exquisite, radiant ornaments are hung down, the golden shower tree with long clusters makes the forest glow with beauty. Akin to lamps, the flame-lily blooms atop bushes, and along with wild jasmines, the clearing nut tree too blooms. All the wide-mouthed, fresh springs in the mountains fill up for animals to savour.  Such is the hour when the rainy season has begun. At this time, that lover of mine, who’s at the wide battle camp of the furious king, with his intention focused on victory, has no thought about me. What should I do, my friend? When the evening hour arrives beside me with much haste, as if intent on murder, it would be impossible to prevail over!” Let’s soak in the rain of emotion! The lady starts by talking vividly about how the rains have showered, and as a consequence, toads are croaking, akin to festival drums, the golden shower tree is all ablaze, as if adorned with hanging ornaments, flame-lilies seem to light up with lamps, and as if all these splendours were not enough, the wild jasmines and clearing nut tree flowers have bloomed in synchrony. Further, to render relief to all thirsting animals, the watering holes in the mountain paths were brimming over. After stating that everything was blooming in the season of rains, the lady explains that her state was in contrast, for her lover was locked in a king’s battle, and so intent on victory was he that he had no thought about her. She concludes by wondering what she would do, when the murderous evening hour arrived and stood beside her! Reading these lines, it occurred to me how these poets have visualised a woman as a vine that would collapse if not for the sturdy support of her beloved.  Moving beyond the lady’s sorrow which no doubt the man would soon allay, it was a sensory delight to hear the toads croaking, see the dangling golden shower clusters, inhale the fragrance of the wild jasmines, taste the cool mountain springs and sense the magic that the rains seem to cast upon the earth!

In this episode, we listen to words of hope rendered to a languishing heart, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 363, penned by Madurai Pon Sey Kollan Vennaakanaar. Set in the 'Paalai' or 'Drylands landscape', the verse details the activities of the denizens in this domain.

In this episode, we listen to a hidden message of persuasion, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 362, penned by Velli Veethiyaar. The verse is situated amidst the spraying cascades of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain Landscape' and describes the dangers of a tryst by night.

In this episode, we perceive the pain of parting, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 361, penned by Eyinanthai Makanaar Ilankeeranaar. Set in the 'Paalai' or 'Drylands landscape', the verse etches the yearning of the heart to turn back the hands of time.

In this episode, we listen to a person's attempt to change another's course of action, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 360, penned by Madurai Kannathanaar. The verse is situated amidst the bee-buzzing blue lotuses of the 'Neythal' or 'Coastal landscape' and seemingly proposes a change in the trysting spot.

In this episode, we perceive a challenging situation, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 359, penned by Maamoolanaar. Set in the 'Paalai' or 'Drylands landscape', the verse etches the many faces of this domain.