In this episode, we perceive the intricate emotions of a mother, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 55, penned by Maamoolanaar. The verse is situated in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’ and presents a momentous historic event from the Sangam era.

காய்ந்து செலற் கனலி கல் பகத் தெறுதலின்,
ஈந்து குருகு உருகும் என்றூழ் நீள் இடை,
உளி முக வெம் பரல் அடி வருத்துறாலின்,
விளி முறை அறியா வேய் கரி கானம்,
வயக் களிற்று அன்ன காளையொடு என் மகள்
கழிந்ததற்கு அழிந்தன்றோஇலெனே! ஒழிந்து யாம்
ஊது உலைக் குருகின் உள் உயிர்த்து, அசைஇ,
வேவது போலும் வெய்ய நெஞ்சமொடு
கண்படை பெறேன், கனவ ஒண் படைக்
கரிகால் வளவனொடு வெண்ணிப் பறந்தலைப்
பொருது புண் நாணிய சேரலாதன்
அழி கள மருங்கின் வாள் வடக்கிருந்தென,
இன்னா இன் உரை கேட்ட சான்றோர்
அரும் பெறல் உலகத்து அவனொடு செலீஇயர்,
பெரும்பிறிது ஆகியாங்கு பிரிந்து இவண்
காதல் வேண்டி, எற் துறந்து
போதல்செல்லா என் உயிரொடு புலந்தே.

This journey to the drylands features a mother’s lament, on learning that her daughter has eloped away with the man:

“The scorching sun, traversing the sky, splits even mountains, with its harsh rays, and makes birds flying, melt in sorrow, in those heat-spreading, long paths! In this jungle, ablaze with burning bamboos, where chisel-like, hot pebbles torment the feet, making people know not where they will stumble, with a strong bull of man, akin to a towering elephant, my daughter walks on! I worry not that this happened! Ruined, I sigh, like an ironsmith’s bellows, and when I move, feel like I’m burning up, and as for my despairing heart, it finds no sleep at all.

After clashing against Chozha King Karikaalan and his radiant army, in the battlefield of Venni, the Chera King Cheralaathan, felt ashamed about a forceful wound and decided to give up his life, by sitting facing the north, in that ruinous battlefield. Hearing this bitter-sweet news, noble and wise men, left to that hard-to-attain higher world and perished along with him. Akin to that, with my girl, who parted away for the sake of love, leaving me behind, that my life does not part away, is the only thing I lament about!”

Let’s brave the heat and tread through the drylands! Mother starts by describing this harsh landscape, where the sun burns, and brings out equal sorrow in the huge mountains and in tiny birds, with its piercing heat. She further talks about the burning bamboos and the pebbles on the ground, which pierce feet with the sharpness of a chisel, making people stumble and fall everywhere. Explaining that she has described this place in all its fearsome detail to say this is where her dear daughter has eloped with her love. A question arises as to why these young lovers are always running through the drylands? Can’t they find green and shaded forests for their escapades? Or does their path seem so in the mind of the lamenting kith and kin?

Content with just asking and not wanting the answers, let’s move on and listen to what mother has to say. She continues by declaring the fact her daughter has left is not a thing of worry for her at all, even though she sighs like an ironsmith’s bellows, and cannot find a single moment of sleep. Then she goes on to describe a historic event that we have encountered in Puranaanooru 65 and 66, talking about how a Chera King Cheralaathan gave up his life by fasting unto death, just because the spear of his enemy, the Chozhan Karikaalan, pierced with much force, and came out of his back. Feeling ashamed about the wound on his back, and giving no excuses, he decides to end his life in the battlefield of Venni. Hearing this incident, which is curiously described as both pleasant and unpleasant, no doubt because it talks of a noble virtue and the death of a much loved king at the same time, many other wise men gave their life along with his king, says Mother. Now she connects to this historic incident and declares just like how those wise men gave their life when the Chera king died, she laments that her own life was not leaving her, even when her precious daughter has forsaken her and eloped away! In essence, it’s mother crying out aloud and explaining clearly that her sorrow is so unbearable that she prefers death.

Hearing these words, we may feel this is an exaggerated style of talking about one’s sorrow but such declarations should be seen as a nudge to modern societies, to openly and boldly talk about the depth of our feelings, instead of suppressing the same. A verse which echoes the timeless truth that expression of emotion is the path to emerge out of the scorching drylands of suffering!