Aganaanooru 106 – A pecking kingfisher

In this episode, we observe the fury of a scorned woman, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 106, penned by Alangudi Vanganaar. The verse is situated amidst the fertile fields of the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands Landscape’ and reflects the sparks of rivalry in a rich town. எரி அகைந்தன்ன தாமரைப் பழனத்து,பொரி அகைந்தன்ன பொங்கு பல் சிறு மீன்,வெறி கொள் பாசடை, உணீஇயர், பைப்பயப்பறை தபு முது சிரல் அசைபு வந்து இருக்கும்துறைகேழ் ஊரன் பெண்டு தன் கொழுநனைநம்மொடு புலக்கும் என்ப நாம் அதுசெய்யாம்ஆயினும், உய்யாமையின்,செறிதொடி தெளிர்ப்ப வீசி, சிறிது அவண்உலமந்து வருகம் சென்மோ தோழி!ஒளிறு வாட் தானைக் கொற்றச் செழியன்வெளிறு இல் கற்பின் மண்டு அமர் அடுதொறும்களிறு பெறு வல்சிப் பாணன் எறியும்தண்ணுமைக் கண்ணின் அலைஇயர், தன் வயிறே. In this visit to the farmlands, we receive a unique perspective in the usual love-quarrel situation, as we hear a courtesan, say these words to her friend, as the lady’s friends listen nearby: “In the field, where a lotus blooms, akin to a flame, many little fish leap about, akin to grains, when roasted, amidst the thick, green leaves. To feed on them, slowly, very slowly, an old kingfisher, with broken wings, hops thither, in the lord’s town with a prosperous river shore. They say that the lord’s woman connects me to her husband and speaks disparagingly, even though I haven’t done anything at all. Tinkling these neat rows of bangles, let’s go there and roam around a little, come, my friend! Akin to how a bard beats on the eye of the ‘thannummai drum’, when he receives an elephant as his reward, after the conquest of every battle in a flawless fashion, by the victorious Chezhiyan, with an army of shining swords, let her beat upon her stomach and lament!” Let’s take in the sights of blooming lotuses and burning hearts in this one! The courtesan starts by describing the lord’s town, and she mentions lotuses blazing like a fire in the field and amidst the thick green leaves, little fish leap about like puffed rice. Wanting to feed on these little fish, an old kingfisher, whose wings don’t seem to work like before, hops on to that spot, with soft steps, says the courtesan. Then, she turns to the matter at hand, and talks about how people had told her that the lord’s wife has been speaking ill of the courtesan, suspecting of a liaison between the man and the courtesan. All this when I haven’t even done a thing, the courtesan remarks, and then turns to her friend and says we must go to the street where she lives and walk around, tinkling our bangles. The courtesan concludes with the reason for the same saying then the lady will beat upon her stomach, much like the bards’ beating on the drums, when they receive gifts of elephants from the victorious Chezhiyan, after the king’s success in the battlefield! In short, a verse that simply wants to taunt another! Even in the scene of the man’s town, that’s not a mere description, but a metaphor for the situation, wherein the little leaping fish are the courtesans, and the aged kingfisher with ruined wings is none other than the lady, who is bashing up the courtesans. By symbolising the lady as an old kingfisher, the courtesan is mocking at the lady’s age and echoing the pride in her own youth. All this bickering over a man! Perhaps that’s what you can expect when he holds the power and the purse in that prosperous town?