In this episode, we perceive a man’s annoyance with his heart, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 79, penned by Kudavayil Keerathanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse presents a vivid account of the people and their activities in this domain.

தோட் பதன் அமைத்த கருங் கை ஆடவர்
கனை பொறி பிறப்ப நூறி, வினைப் படர்ந்து,
கல்லுறுத்து இயற்றிய வல் உவர்ப் படுவில்,
பார் உடை மருங்கின் ஊறல் மண்டிய
வன் புலம் துமியப் போகி, கொங்கர்
படு மணி ஆயம் நீர்க்கு நிமிர்ந்து செல்லும்
சேதா எடுத்த செந் நிலக் குரூஉத் துகள்
அகல் இரு விசும்பின் ஊன்றித் தோன்றும்
நனந்தலை அழுவம், நம்மொடு துணைப்ப,
‘வல்லாங்கு வருதும்’ என்னாது, அல்குவர
வருந்தினை வாழி, என் நெஞ்சே! இருஞ் சிறை
வளை வாய்ப் பருந்தின் வான் கட் பேடை,
ஆடுதொறு கனையும் அவ் வாய்க் கடுந் துடிக்
கொடு வில் எயினர் கோட் சுரம் படர,
நெடு விளி பயிற்றும் நிரம்பா நீள் இடை,
கல் பிறங்கு அத்தம் போகி,
நில்லாப் பொருட் பிணிப் பிரிந்த நீயே.

In this tour of the drylands, the man has left the lady and parted in search of wealth and we catch him saying these words to his heart in the middle of his journey:

“Carrying food bundles on their shoulders, men with huge, dark hands, set out on their task of shattering rocks, spreading dense sparks, to build a sturdy well, in that harsh and brackish land. Near the spaces where the hard ground was broken by them, where water springs forth, owing to the splitting open of the rocky surface, bells-clad cattle, belonging to the Kongars, rushes with eager, upraised heads. Just then, the red dust scattered by the these tawny hued cows, soar to the wide expanse of the sky, in that vast spreading drylands domain. Without thinking that you should accompany me and keep on going with determination, I see you stepping back, filled with worry. May you live long, my heart! Here, the huge-winged, curved-mouthed eagle’s white-eyed female, seeing robbers, with curving bows, come dancing as they beat their harsh-sounding ‘thudi’ drums, having beautiful mouths, sends out a long call in the deserted long and barren paths of this rocky drylands. Weren’t you the one who decided to part away and come here, caught in the affliction of seeking transient wealth?”

Let’s get ready for an in-depth exploration of the drylands! The man starts by describing the dreary world around him. He first talks about some professionals, who have set out with their lunch packs from home, knowing very well they have a hard task before them. This hard task is to shatter the rocky ground and dig a well to find good water in that terrible rocky land. As they hit the ground, friction makes sparks fly, notes the man. When humans are so intent on something, many a time they find what they are looking for and after much effort, water springs forth, and the scent of this fresh elixir draws out the grazing cattle of the Kongars, and as the herd of tawny cows rushes there, the red dust covers the sky, the man illustrates. At this point, the man pauses and goes inward, talking to his heart saying, ‘Without thinking I must continue steadily with him, you are languishing in worry, in memory of her’.

After that statement, he moves to the outer world a second time and points to the sound of a screeching call, made by a roving predator female bird, at the moment it sees highway robbers, marching on, beating their ‘thudi’ drums, swaying to the beat, as they enter that region. Why does the female call so? Just to say to its mate, ‘These harsh men are out and about, they will surely attack and kill innocent wayfarers. So be ready to feast to your full’. An image painted to project the fear-evoking expanse of this region, where death roams in a frenzy. After this illustration of the outer world, the man concludes by stepping within once again and reminding his heart that it was the one, who had sent him on this mad quest for wealth, something that never stays still in one place. 

In a nutshell, the man is accusing his heart of pushing him on this path and deserting him midway. This separation between oneself and one’s heart is to be aware and bring to fore, the doubts and despair that has started cropping up in one’s mission. That image of men boring the rocky ground to bring sweet water forth is no doubt a vision of inspiration to keep on at one’s task, no matter the obstacles in the world or in the mind!