In this episode, we perceive the fearsome nature of the region, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 31, penned by Maamoolanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse offers insights about the extent of the domain, ruled by ancient Tamil kings.

நெருப்பு எனச் சிவந்த உருப்பு அவிர் மண்டிலம்
புலங்கடை மடங்கத் தெறுதலின், ஞொள்கி,
”நிலம் புடைபெயர்வது அன்றுகொல், இன்று?” என,
மன் உயிர் மடிந்த மழை மாறு அமையத்து,
இலை இல ஓங்கிய நிலை உயர் யாஅத்து
மேற் கவட்டு இருந்த பார்ப்பினங்கட்கு,
கல்லுடைக் குறும்பின் வயவர் வில் இட,
நிண வரிக் குறைந்த நிறத்த அதர்தொறும்,
கணவிர மாலை இடூஉக் கழிந்தன்ன
புண் உமிழ் குருதி பரிப்பக் கிடந்தோர்
கண் உமிழ் கழுகின் கானம் நீந்தி,
”சென்றார்” என்பு இலர் தோழி! வென்றியொடு
வில் அலைத்து உண்ணும் வல் ஆண் வாழ்க்கைத்
தமிழ் கெழு மூவர் காக்கும்
மொழி பெயர் தேஎத்த பல் மலை இறந்தே.

The drylands and the theme of separation seem to pop up again and again, unfailingly. In this instance, the man has parted away from the lady and the lady loses her health and beauty, pining for him. At this time, the people of the town spread slander seeing the change in her form. In response, the lady turns to her confidante and renders these words:

“Reddening akin to fire, as the heat showering sun blazes, scorching the farmland crops, everything diminishes and makes one wonder, ‘Is today the day when the land loses its wealth and changes beyond recognition?’. It’s such a time when lives perish without the nourishing rains. And here, vultures swoop over those paths with diminished hue, coated by the lines of fatty flesh, brought down by the arrows, aimed by the harsh men in that barren hamlet, amidst the rocky terrain. So as to feed their younglings, waiting atop the wide branches of a tall ‘Ya’ tree, bereft of leaves any, these vultures peck away at the eyes of those, who are lying with blood spurting out of their wounds, appearing as if they are adorned with red oleander garlands. Such is that fearsome drylands, my friend, and there’s no one to say, ‘Beyond those many mountains, where people speak unknown languages, which are in the protection of the three great Kings of the Tamil land, who have the mighty tradition of winning over their enemies with their bows, and flourishing with the tributes offered, he went, leaving her behind!’.”

Time for a walk in the sweltering drylands! The lady starts by talking about the harshness of the heat in the drylands, with the red sun, showering its anger on the land, killing everything fine and green, making people wonder if it’s the end of the world. Then, she points to how the paths with red soil appear reduced in their colour, because of fat lying strewn about everywhere. And how did this fat come to be? It’s the handiwork of the arrows belonging to the people of that domain, the highway robbers. From the ground, the lady points up to how vultures are swooping around this region and then she describes how these vultures dive in to peck the eyes of those lying wounded, with blood gushing out of their wounds, giving an appearance of wearing a red garland around them, and how those eyes become the food for the vulture chicks, waiting atop the tall, leafless ‘Ya’ trees. How gruesome and scary! Why would anyone want to traverse these lands?, we may ask. Exactly, replies the lady, adding that unlike you, there’s no-one here to question why the man has left to such a place in the drylands, crossing many mountains, where people speak other languages, though these lands come under the domain of the three great kings of the Tamil land, namely the Chozha, Chera and Pandya kings, adding how they subdue their enemies with the prowess of their bows and flourish in the tributes paid by the subjugated.

A moment to pause and fully understand this ancient reference to the word ‘தமிழ்’ used here to denote the land ruled by the three kings. In many cultures, we find that the word used by these cultures to describe themselves is different from what the outsiders use. But here, we find that Tamil land has always been ‘Tamil’ by the people and the others uniformly. The other interesting facet is that these Chera, Chozha and Pandya kings seemed to have extended their dominion to regions, where other languages were spoken, marking the extent of the influence in the ancient world.

Now returning to the crux of the verse, it’s a lady complaining that no one seems to be talking about the man, who has gone to such a horrible place, filled with dangers, leaving her behind. All they can do is blame her for losing her health and beauty. What an unfair world this is, she seems to be saying! A feeling we can truly understand, when we reflect on moments, where we have seen different standards being extended to men and women, in subtle and great ways, even today, after two thousand years!