Aganaanooru 102 – Song of the mountain maiden

In this episode, we listen to an attempt at persuasion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 102, penned by Madurai Ilampaalaasiriyan Chenthan Koothanaar. The verse is situated amidst the lush millet fields of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain Landscape’ and portrays the consequences of the man’s delay in seeking the lady’s hand. உளைமான் துப்பின், ஓங்கு தினைப் பெரும் புனத்துக்கழுதில், கானவன் பிழி மகிழ்ந்து வதிந்தென;உரைத்த சந்தின் ஊரல் இருங் கதுப்புஐது வரல் அசைவளி ஆற்ற, கை பெயரா,ஒலியல் வார் மயிர் உளரினள், கொடிச்சிபெரு வரை மருங்கில் குறிஞ்சி பாட;குரலும் கொள்ளாது, நிலையினும் பெயராது,படாஅப் பைங் கண் பாடு பெற்று, ஒய்யெனமறம் புகல் மழ களிறு உறங்கும் நாடன்;ஆர மார்பின் அரி ஞிமிறு ஆர்ப்ப,தாரன், கண்ணியன், எஃகுடை வலத்தன்,காவலர் அறிதல் ஓம்பி, பையெனவீழாக் கதவம் அசையினன் புகுதந்து,உயங்கு படர் அகலம் முயங்கி, தோள் மணந்து,இன் சொல் அளைஇ, பெயர்ந்தனன் தோழி!இன்று எவன்கொல்லோ கண்டிகும் மற்று அவன்நல்காமையின் அம்பல் ஆகி,ஒருங்கு வந்து உவக்கும் பண்பின்இருஞ் சூழ் ஓதி ஒண் நுதற் பசப்பே? Picturesque sights await us in this trip to the mountains, where we get to hear the lady say these words to the confidante, pretending not to notice the man, listening nearby, but making sure he’s in earshot: “With the strength of a lion, sitting on a loft, atop a huge millet field with soaring crops, the mountain man relishes his toddy and remains there; As the breeze sways by with beauty, his mountain maiden dries her thick, dark tresses, spread with sandalwood oils, by running her fingers through her locks, and sings the ‘Kurinji’ song in those mountain spaces; Listening to this song, without eating the crops, without moving away from there, attaining sleep in those sleepless, green eyes, the brave, young elephant lies down and rests in the mountains of the lord. With his sandalwood-streaked chest, swarming with bees, wearing a garland and head garland, holding a spear in his right hand, taking care to prevent guards from hearing his approach, softly, opening the unbolted door, he entered within, embraced with desire my spreading chest, held on to my arms, said sweet words and then left me, my friend! But since he does not render his grace now, slander has risen, and on my shining forehead, surrounded by dark tresses that wish only to render joy, pallor has spread. How can I bear this now?” Time to go on that mountain trek at night and read the minds! The lady starts with a nuanced description of the man’s mountain country, talking first about a mountain dweller, who guards the millet fields sitting on a loft above the fields. Forgetting his duties, he seems to be relishing sweet toddy and lost in that pleasure. While this is happening on one side, his mate, the mountain maiden, dries her thick tresses in the wind, and sings a song, which echoes across the mountain clefts. Hearing this song, a young male elephant forgets about eating the crops, does not move away from there, but instead lies down and sleeps at peace, the lady sketches. Let’s return to this interesting scene in a moment.  Then, the lady goes on to talk about the way the man comes at night, wearing his garlands and holding a spear, stealthily avoiding the lookout of the guards, and then enters the unbolted door to embrace the lady, say sweet words and leave. While this is such a joyous thing, when he does not come, pallor coats my forehead and slander spreads in town, the lady says and concludes asking her confidante, how she could go on in this manner. In the image of the toddy-drinking mountain dweller, the lady places a metaphor for the man’s actions of wanting only to enjoy the pleasures of trysting and his forgetting of his duties. In the scene of the mountain maiden singing her song thinking about her man, the lady talks about her own changes because of the man’s relationship; Finally, in the unintended consequence of the elephant sleeping to the maiden’s song, the lady talks about how it’s the town’s folk who seem to be alert to her changes and are dropping all their work to spread gossip about her. In short, the one for whom the lady’s heart sings that song seems not to pay heed, the lady implies, connecting to the man’s interest in temporary trysting and not in the permanent union with her. Though it’s the same theme of ‘Marry me, marry me’, the verse leaves us with exquisite glimpses of life in the mountain country.