In this episode, we relish intriguing similes on ancient professions, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 30, penned by Mudangi Kidantha Neduncheralaathan. The verse is situated amidst the roaring seas of the ‘Neythal’ or ‘Coastal landscape’ and relays a hidden rebuke.

நெடுங் கயிறு வலந்த குறுங் கண் அவ் வலை,
கடல் பாடு அழிய, இன மீன் முகந்து,
துணை புணர் உவகையர் பரத மாக்கள்
இளையரும் முதியரும் கிளையுடன் துவன்றி,
உப்பு ஒய் உமணர் அருந் துறைபோக்கும்
ஒழுகை நோன் பகடு ஒப்பக் குழீஇ,
அயிர் திணி அடைகரை ஒலிப்ப வாங்கி,
பெருங் களம் தொகுத்த உழவர் போல,
இரந்தோர் வறுங் கலம் மல்க வீசி,
பாடு பல அமைத்து, கொள்ளை சாற்றி,
கோடு உயர் திணி மணல் துஞ்சும் துறைவ!
பெருமை என்பது கெடுமோ ஒரு நாள்
மண்ணா முத்தம் அரும்பிய புன்னைத்
தண் நறுங் கானல் வந்து, ”நும்
வண்ணம் எவனோ?” என்றனிர் செலினே?

After ten songs, it’s time for a trip to the shore, and here, we hear the confidante speaking to the man, when he comes to tryst with the lady after a long gap. The confidante’s words are:

“Wielding beautiful, small-eyed nets, tied with long ropes, diminishing the glory of the seas, gathering great schools of fish, with the joy of uniting with partners, those fisherfolk, young and old, along with their kith and kin, assemble together on the silt-filled shores, with much uproar, like the strong bulls of salt merchants, who traverse formidable shores with their study carts.  Then, akin to farmers, who shower paddy in huge vessels, they fill the empty vessels of supplicants and make these brim over with their produce. Afterwards, splitting what’s left of their catch into many heaps, they shout out the prices, and finally, end their day sleeping on the peak-like sands of your shore, O lord! Will your great pride be ruined, if you were to come to this cool and fragrant orchard, filled with mastwood trees, and scattered with unrefined pearls, and ask with care, ‘How do you fare?’”

Time to listen to the secret message hidden by the shouts of fishermen on the shore! The confidante turns to the man and starts by describing his land. To do that, she brings the people of this land to the fore, the fisherfolk, who have no qualms about taking the bounty of the sea, the rich catch of fish, with their well-woven, beautiful nets. She talks about how they resemble the bulls owned by another group of professionals in that landscape, namely the salt merchants, saying they use these bulls to traverse those tricky shores in their journey. The fisherfolk are sturdy and strong like the bulls as they gather together in that shore, the confidante implies. Then bringing in another group of people, the farmers, she characterises them as people, who would fill the vessels of those, who come seeking to them, with rich paddy. Just that way, these farmers of the sea, the fishermen, first give away what they have caught to those, who come seeking to them with empty vessels. From these mentions, we can infer that giving to the needy was considered as the first and foremost duty of those with any kind of wealth!

Returning, we see that once charity is done, these fisherfolk take what’s left and heap the catch in little sections, and sell them, shouting out the prices. After an energetic day such as this, they rest by sleeping on the sandy shores, the confidante says, and ends the description of the man’s land. She then turns to the man and asks him whether he would fall from his great state if he came and enquired after the lady’s health, at their rich shore, filled with ‘punnai trees’ and washed-up pearls. With that pointed question, the confidante scolds the man for his absence and questions how he could be at peace after leaving the lady in such a torment. It’s a hidden message of ‘Marry her, Marry her’ yet again, but those energetic scenes of people doing their work with joy and meaning is something to smile about indeed!