In this episode, we listen to words of a joyous welcome, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 104, penned by Madurai Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. The verse is situated amidst the flowering bushes of the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest Landscape’ and portrays a friend’s delight.

வேந்து வினை முடித்தகாலை, தேம் பாய்ந்து
இன வண்டு ஆர்க்கும் தண் நறும் புறவின்
வென் வேல் இளையர் இன்புற, வலவன்
வள்பு வலித்து ஊரின் அல்லது, முள் உறின்
முந்நீர் மண்டிலம் ஆதி ஆற்றா
நல் நால்கு பூண்ட கடும் பரி நெடுந் தேர்,
வாங்குசினை பொலிய ஏறி; புதல
பூங் கொடி அவரைப் பொய் அதள் அன்ன
உள் இல் வயிற்ற, வெள்ளை வெண் மறி,
மாழ்கியன்ன தாழ் பெருஞ் செவிய,
புன் தலைச் சிறாரோடு உகளி, மன்றுழைக்
கவை இலை ஆரின் அம் குழை கறிக்கும்
சீறூர் பல பிறக்கு ஒழிய, மாலை
இனிது செய்தனையால் எந்தை! வாழிய!
பனி வார் கண்ணள் பல புலந்து உறையும்
ஆய் தொடி அரிவை கூந்தற்
போது குரல் அணிய வேய்தந்தோயே!

It’s a happy tour of the forests in this trip and we hear these words said by the confidante to the man, when he returns home to the lady:

“After the king completed his mission, as swarms of bees suckling honey buzzed aloud in the cool and fragrant forest, as helpers holding white spears delighted, you climbed on to the tall chariot, and adorned the seat in the shape of a curving branch. The four fine horses tied to your speedy chariot seemed to leap in such a way that if only the charioteer didn’t restrain them with his reins, there wouldn’t be enough space for them to cross in this entire world, surrounded by the three seas. Passing by many a small hamlet, where a starving, little white goat, having drooping, huge ears and nothing within its stomach, and skin, akin to seedless bean pods spreading on the bushes, prances about with dull-haired little boys and munches on the clusters of the two-lobed ‘Indian Kanchan’ tree, with such speed, you have arrived and done much good on this evening, O lord! May you live long! With tears streaking down her eyes, the young maiden wearing beautiful bangles, was anxious and in much distress, but now you have come thither, bringing these flower stalks to adorn her tresses!”

Let’s climb on that chariot and take in the fleeting scenes of the lush forests! The confidante starts by remarking on the man’s successful completion of his mission to aid his king in battle. As the king obtained the results he desired, he gave leave to his worthy warriors and their helpers. As the bees echoed the joy in their hearts, the man started his journey homeward by climbing atop his chariot, whose horses were so speedy and leaped as if the entire earth would be encompassed within the spread of their hooves, the confidante describes. Then she talks about how the man passed by many hamlets, where starving goat kids were happy now, for the flowers were blooming, and there was plenty of tasty leaves to much on in the ‘Aar’ or ‘Aathi’ tree, and it was the right time to play with the young children. With these scenes of innocent joy as the subtext, the confidante concludes by saying how the man had done much good by arriving that evening, for the lady had been dejected, but all that was about to be wiped away in the gesture of the man adorning the lady’s tresses with fresh flowers! 

In these words, we can sense a medley of emotions such as relief, delight and satisfaction in the voice of the confidante. What a joy homecoming can be, is brought out in the few words of this verse. More importantly, I admire the confidante’s selfless interest in the welfare of her friend and the true heart that sees her friend’s happiness as her own. To have, or better still, to be such as friend is indeed a thing to aspire to!