In this episode, we perceive a day in the life of a lush ancient town, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 395, penned about the Leader Chozhanaattu Pidavoor Kizhaarmakan Perunchaathan by the poet Madurai Nakeerar. Set in the category of ‘Paadaan Thinai’ or ‘Praise’, the verse talks about the unceasing generosity of this leader.

மென் புலத்து வயல் உழவர்
வன் புலத்துப் பகடு விட்டுக்
குறு முயலின் குழைச் சூட்டொடு
நெடு வாளைப் பல் உவியல்
பழஞ் சோற்றுப் புக வருந்திப்,
புதல் தளவின் பூச் சூடி,
அரில் பறையாற் புள்ளோப்பி,
அவிழ் நெல்லின் அரியலா ருந்து;
மனைக் கோழிப் பைம்பயி ரின்னே,
கானக் கோழிக் கவர் குரலொடு,
நீர்க் கோழிக் கூப்பெயர்க் குந்து;
வேய் அன்ன மென் தோளால்
மயில் அன்ன மென் சாயலார்
கிளி கடியின்னே,
அகல் அள்ளல் புள் இரீஇயுந்து;
ஆங்கப் பல நல்ல புலன் அணியும்
சீர் சான்ற விழுச் சிறப்பின்
சிறுகண் யானைப் பெறல் அரும் தித்தன்
செல்லா நல்லிசை உறந்தைக் குணாது,
நெடுங்கை வேண்மான் அருங்கடிப் பிடவூர்
அறப் பெயர்ச் சாத்தன் கிளையேம் பெரும!

முன் நாள் நண்பகல் சுரன் உழந்து வருந்திக்
கதிர் நனி சென்ற கனையிருள் மாலைத்
தன் கடைத் தோன்றி, என் உறவு இசைத்தலின்,
தீங்குரல்………கின் அரிக்குரல் தடாரியொடு,

ஆங்கு நின்ற எற் கண்டு
சிறிதும் நில்லான் பெரிதும் கூறான்,
அருங்கலம் வரவே அருளினன் வேண்டி
ஐயென உரைத்தன்றி நல்கித் தன் மனைப்
பொன் போல் மடந்தையைக் காட்டி, “இவனை
என் போல் போற்று” என்றோனே அதற்கொண்டு
அவன் மறவலேனே; பிறர் உள்ளலேனே;

அகன் ஞாலம் பெரிது வெம்பினும்,
மிக வானுள் எரி தோன்றினும்,
குள மீனொடும் தாள் புகையினும்,
பெரும் செய் நெல்லின் கொக்கு உகிர் நிமிரல்
பசுங்கண் கருனைச் சூட்டொடு மாந்த
விளைவு ஒன்றோ வெள்ளம் கொள்க என
உள்ளதும் இல்லதும் அறியாது
ஆங்கு அமைந்தன்றால் வாழ்க அவன் தாளே.

One of the longest verses we have encountered this far. The poet’s words to this leader can be translated as follows:

“Farmers, who work in the fields on fertile farmlands, let their oxen graze in the drier forest lands. Along with many dishes made with the soft meat of small hares and long scabbard fish, they eat old rice. Adorning themselves with jasmine flowers blooming in the bush, with an ‘ariyal drum’, they chase away birds, and then drink toddy, made from steamed paddy; As a house hen sends out its soft call, a forest fowl responds with its alluring voice; Hearing this, the water hen calls out in a song too. With soft arms, akin to bamboos, and an appearance, akin to a peacock, they chase away parrots, making many birds resting in the wide muddy space to flutter away. Having many lush farmlands around, is the wealth-abounding, renowned town to the east of the town Uranthai, with unceasing fame, ruled by Thithan, who owns small-eyed elephants and whose grace is hard to obtain. This town to Uranthai’s east is the well-protected Pidavoor, the one ruled by the long-armed great lord, Chaaththan, known for his just nature. We are under his protection!

One day in the past, when I had been walking through the drylands for long in the midday sun and then when the harsh rays had faded, and the thick darkness of the evening enveloped around, I appeared at his gate, and announced my arrival, with the sweet-voiced…. clear tones of my ‘thadari’ drum. Seeing me standing there, without even hesitating a little and without speaking a lot, he rendered unto me rare and precious jewels, with a few words. Not only that, turning to his wife, a maiden who shone like gold, he said, ‘Treat him with the care you would render unto me’. Because of this, I can never forget him; I can’t think of any other protector either;

Even if this wide land becomes dry and barren, even if many burning comets appear in the sky, even if the ‘Kula’ star and the ‘Thaal’ star appear smoky, he would render unto us cooked rice from paddy that grows in huge fields, akin to the sharp claws of a stork, along with meat and fresh sprouts. Long live the one, who never worries about what is there and what isn’t, and always renders as if the harvest has poured in like a flood. Long live his rule!”

Time to explore the nuances. Although it’s long and winding, the verse can be neatly divided into three segments. In the first and most detailed segment, the poet talks about the town of Pidavoor, ruled by this leader. He mentions about the farmers working in the fields and oxen grazing in the drier forest lands nearby. He then talks about the food they relish such as the meat of hares and scabbard fish as well along with the rich rice from their fields. From the taste and smell of food, the poet turns in the direction of sounds heard and mentions how the people there, wearing jasmine flowers partake a liquor made from cooked rice. Let’s take a special note of this ancient food item and come back to it shortly. Going back to the sounds in this town, hens and forest fowl are heard singing their own songs of yearning. Amidst all these bird calls, young and graceful maiden are seen chasing away parrots from the paddy fields, and as they clap on their drums, flocks of birds take to the skies, the poet details. Such is the fertile town of Pidavoor, and to geographically locate it, he says this town is to the east of the even more famous town of ‘Uranthai’, which was ruled by a formidable king called ‘Thiththan’. Returning to Pidavoor, he says this place is ruled by the great Chaththan and he was one of the bards of this town.

After taking us on this tour of Pidavoor, the poet moves on to the next section, where he details the events of the day he met the lord of this town. He had been walking for long in the harsh midday sun and when evening arrived, he came to the gates of this leader’s mansion and announced his arrival with a ‘thadari’ drum. Without wasting time or words, the leader seems to have showered rare gifts to the poet. Not only that, he seems to have turned to his wife and said, ‘You should regard him with the same respect you render unto me and serve him fine food’. These words of the leader touched a chord in the poet and he declares that he can never ever forget this lord and that he cannot go seeking any other patron henceforth. With that, he moves to final section, talking about how no matter how the land around becomes barren, the signs in the stars are all worrisome, the leader would still offer cooked rice and meat and allay the hunger of supplicants. Such is his generosity that he never cares about whether there is more or whether there is a lack, says the poet, and concludes by wishing this leader lives for long. 

Let’s return to the town of Pidavoor and to that particular moment, we saw the farmers there, preparing liquor from rice. Reading this line, I was immediately reminded of ‘Sake’, the popular Japanese rice wine, and decided to search about places in the world, where there is a custom of preparing such liquor from paddy. Although ‘Sake’ is the most popular member of this club of rice wine, I learnt that there’s a long list of these beverages in many parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia. Seeing the names and places on this list as the contemporary ‘Sunda Kanji’ in Tamilnadu, ‘Sonti’ in Andrapradesh, ‘Apo’ in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, ‘Zutho’ in Nagaland, ‘Sato’, ‘Taupe’, ‘Makkoli’ and the famous ‘Sake’, my mind traced a possible trajectory of ancient travel from South India via North east India to Thailand, Philippines, Korea and Japan, sailing in this sea of rice wine! Is it just a coincidence that all these cultures happened to make liquor out of rice or does it speak of a long-extending bond across the ages between the different cultures of this region? An interesting question for food, history and culture enthusiasts to ponder upon!