In this episode, we perceive a before-and-after story, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 14, penned by Okkoor Maasaathanaar. Set amidst the moist red earth of the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest landscape’, the verse portrays an evening hour and a much-awaited arrival.

”அரக்கத்து அன்ன செந்நிலப் பெரு வழி,
காயாஞ் செம்மல் தாஅய் பல உடன்
ஈயல் மூதாய் வரிப்ப, பவளமொடு
மணி மிடைந்தன்ன குன்றம் கவைஇய
அம் காட்டு ஆர் இடை, மடப் பிணை தழீஇ,
திரி மருப்பு இரலை புல் அருந்து உகள,
முல்லை வியன் புலம் பரப்பி, கோவலர்
குறும் பொறை மருங்கின் நறும் பூ அயர,
பதவு மேயல் அருந்து மதவு நடை நல் ஆன்
வீங்கு மாண் செருத்தல், தீம் பால் பிலிற்ற,
கன்று பயிர் குரல, மன்று நிறை புகுதரும்
மாலையும் உள்ளார்ஆயின், காலை
யாங்கு ஆகுவம்கொல்? பாண!” என்ற
மனையோள் சொல் எதிர் சொல்லல்செல்லேன்

செவ்வழி நல் யாழ் இசையினென், பையென,
கடவுள் வாழ்த்தி, பையுள் மெய்ந் நிறுத்து,
அவர் திறம் செல்வேன் கண்டனென், யானே
விடு விசைக் குதிரை விலங்கு பரி முடுக,
கல் பொருது இரங்கும் பல் ஆர் நேமிக்
கார் மழை முழக்கு இசை கடுக்கும்,
முனை நல் ஊரன், புனை நெடுந் தேரே.

In this sensually rich song from the forestlands, a bard narrates to his friends an event he witnessed. His words can be translated as follows:

“‘Upon the wide path spreading on red earth, akin to lac, wilting blue flowers of the ironwood trees have fallen, and around these crawl many red velvet bugs in neat rows, appearing as if coral has been fitted together with sapphires, in that jungle path, surrounded by mountains many. Here, after embracing a female deer, a stag with twisted antlers feeds on grass, and leaps about, in the wide-spread forestlands, where cowherds leave their cattle to graze and they delight in adorning themselves with the fragrant flowers in the little mounds around. After feeding well on the wild grass, those cows with a fine, strong gait, appear with their udders swollen, and so as to shower this sweet milk on their calves, bellowing aloud, they rush to the town centre in this evening hour. If he thinks not about this time of the day, what will become of me in the morning, O bard?’. Hearing these words from the lord’s wife, I stood speechless.

All I could do was to play the ‘Sevvazhi’ tune on my fine lute gently, singing the praise of god, as suffering filled my form, and I decided to leave to where he was! Just then, I witnessed the sight of horses, hastened with goads, the sound of chariot wheels with spokes many hitting against the pebbles, akin to the roaring music of thunder during a downpour, and I saw the lord of the town, returning from the battlefront, atop his well-etched, tall chariot!”

Time to deeply inhale the scent of falling flowers in the forestlands! The bard starts by mentioning the words he happened to hear from the lady of a house. This lady talks about the red earth of the forestlands and equates it to lac, a resin created by an insect on wood. A moment to appreciate how the rich red soil that covers 62% percent of the state of Tamil Nadu is being highlighted in this ancient verse. Returning, the lady points to how the blue flowers of the ironwood tree have fallen down and the way the red velvet mites crawl around these blue flowers makes one think of a jewel, fitted with corals and sapphire. Again, this talks about how jewellery making was second nature to the Sangam Tamils. It seems as if the availability of precious gems was a taken-for-granted thing in those times! Amidst such talk of wealth, let’s not forget the treasures of the natural world we are being gifted with – I’m talking about the ‘Moothaai’ or ‘Red velvet bugs’, referred here, which we have already seen and played with, in Natrinai 362 and Kalithogai 85!

Moving on, we see the lady continuing her narration by saying in such a path, deers are frolicking about. At the same time, cows have been brought to graze by the cowherds, who have little to do, as the beings under their watch feed to their hearts’ content and these cowherds turn their attention to fashion, adorning themselves with the flowers they find around. After all that rich food, the udders of cows brim over and wanting to feed their calves, these cows return to the town centre, bellowing aloud. The entire reference has been given by the lady to talk about the evening hour, a time of immense pain for separated lovers, and she turns to the bard and asks him what could she do if the man has no thought of her at such a time and delayed his arrival, conveying her worry of how she was going to survive another morning.

The bard is left speechless at these heartrending words and the only solace he could offer to the lady was to play a ‘Sevvazhi’ tune, in prayer to god, on his lute. He resolves to leave to where the man was put up and inform him about the lady’s state. Just then, he sees a vibrant scene before him of horses leaping in the air, wheels hitting against the pebbles and roaring like thunder, and at last, he catches a glimpse of the lord of that town, returning victoriously from the battlefield, riding his chariot! And thus, the mood of this verse changes from sombre to celebratory, as it traverses from the top to bottom, and ends, leaving us to imagine the ecstasy of that anxious lady, at the sight of her returning beloved!