In this episode, we listen to a lady’s lament, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 97, penned by Maamoolanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse is a medley of many fascinating elements.

”கள்ளி அம் காட்ட புள்ளி அம் பொறிக் கலை
வறன் உறல் அம் கோடு உதிர, வலம் கடந்து,
புலவுப் புலி துறந்த கலவுக் கழி கடு முடை,
இரவுக் குறும்பு அலற நூறி, நிரை பகுத்து,
இருங் கல் முடுக்கர்த் திற்றி கெண்டும்
கொலை வில் ஆடவர் போல, பலவுடன்
பெருந் தலை எருவையொடு பருந்து வந்து இறுக்கும்
அருஞ் சுரம் இறந்த கொடியோர்க்கு அல்கலும்,
இருங் கழை இறும்பின் ஆய்ந்து கொண்டு அறுத்த
நுணங்கு கண் சிறு கோல் வணங்குஇறை மகளிரொடு
அகவுநர்ப் புரந்த அன்பின், கழல் தொடி,
நறவு மகிழ் இருக்கை, நன்னன் வேண்மான்
வயலை வேலி வியலூர் அன்ன, நின்
அலர்முலை ஆகம் புலம்ப, பல நினைந்து,
ஆழல்” என்றி தோழி! யாழ என்
கண் பனி நிறுத்தல் எளிதோ குரவு மலர்ந்து
அற்சிரம் நீங்கிய அரும் பத வேனில்
அறல் அவிர் வார் மணல் அகல்யாற்று அடைகரை,
துறை அணி மருதமொடு இகல் கொள ஓங்கி,
கலிழ் தளிர் அணிந்த இருஞ் சினை மாஅத்து
இணர் ததை புதுப் பூ நிரைத்த பொங்கர்,
புகை புரை அம் மஞ்சு ஊர,
நுகர் குயில் அகவும் குரல் கேட்போர்க்கே?

In this trip to the drylands, we glimpse contrasting images and listen to the lady, say these words to her confidante, when the man, who left in search of wealth, remains parted away from her:

“In the cactus scrub jungle, a beautiful spotted stag, which had lost its dried-up antlers, is attacked by a flesh-reeking tiger. After feeding, the tiger discards the stinking flesh of the carcass. Akin to robbers with a killer bow, who attack a fort at night, making those within scream, steal away the cattle, share among themselves, and sit around in the small path amidst the huge boulders, tearing and eating meat, huge-headed vultures and eagles circle around that deer carcass in the harsh drylands domain, which is where my harsh-hearted one, has left to.

“Accompanying maiden with curving wrists, holding small sticks with fine notches, made by choosing and etching from the huge bamboo stalks in the forest, arrive the bards. The great lord Nannan, wearing warrior anklets, showers much affection on them in his joyous court, flowing with toddy. Akin to his town of ‘Viyaloor’ fenced by Vayalai vines, are your spreading bosoms”, you say to me, and ask me to not let these lament, by crying incessantly, thinking of too many things, my friend!

Now, the bottle-flower tree has bloomed, announcing that winter has ended, and the perfect season of spring has arrived. On the banks of the wide river, filled with fine silt, adorning the shore, Marutham trees soar high, and nearby, huge-branched mango trees, wearing beautiful, tender leaves, bloom with many clusters of fresh new flowers in the dense groves, enveloped by wisps of clouds, akin to smoke. Savouring all this beauty there, a cuckoo coos. Hearing its voice, do you think it’s an easy task to stop the flowing tears from my eyes?”

Time to take a whirlwind tour! The lady starts by describing the drylands region, where the man has gone to. To do that, she paints a picture of a deer carcass, which has been abandoned by a tiger, after it had killed the animal and had its fill. Around this carcass, scavenger birds are bound to circle around, and the lady says these vultures and eagles appear exactly like highway robbers sitting around in a circle, splitting their loot, and having a meal, after their successful attack of a fort the previous night.

After sketching the dreary drylands, the lady then goes in another direction and talks about the beautiful town of Viyaloor, ruled by Nannan, a great patron of bards and dancing maiden. The lady reveals that it was the confidante who placed the lady’s bosoms in parallel to Nannan’s beautiful town and asked her not to bring ruin to her bosoms, by crying endlessly. Then once again, the lady turns in a different direction and starts talking about how spring was here, the bottle-flower trees had bloomed, and so had the Marutham trees on the shores of the huge river, as well as the mango trees in the grove. When there’s so much beauty in the air, the birds, nature’s bards, burst into song naturally. Now, the lady connects and concludes saying how it could be possible for anyone, who is separated from their beloved, to hear that cuckoo’s song and not shed tears.

In short, the man was still away in that dreadful place and all the tender beauty of spring around is tormenting the lady. The verse stitches together a description of a place, a historic character and elements of a season vibrantly to weave the tapestry of the poignant pain of parting!