Aganaanooru 174 – Without waiting for accolades

In this episode, we observe the anxious rumination in a man’s mind, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 174, penned by Madurai Alakkar Gnaazhaar Makanaar Mallanaar. The verse is situated amidst the pouring clouds and blooming jasmines of the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest Landscape’ and expresses the love and yearning in the hearts of those separated by circumstances. ”இரு பெரு வேந்தர் மாறு கொள் வியன் களத்து,ஒரு படை கொண்டு, வருபடை பெயர்க்கும்செல்வம் உடையோர்க்கு நின்றன்று விறல்” எனபூக் கோள் ஏய தண்ணுமை விலக்கிச்செல்வேம்ஆதல் அறியாள், முல்லைநேர் கால் முது கொடி குழைப்ப, நீர் சொரிந்து,காலை வானத்துக் கடுங் குரற் கொண்மூமுழங்குதொறும் கையற்று, ஒடுங்கி, நப் புலந்து,பழங்கண் கொண்ட பசலை மேனியள்,யாங்கு ஆகுவள்கொல் தானே வேங்கைஊழுறு நறு வீ கடுப்பக் கேழ் கொள,ஆகத்து அரும்பிய மாசு அறு சுணங்கினள்,நல் மணல் வியலிடை நடந்தசில் மெல் ஒதுக்கின் மாஅயோளே? This fragrant trip through the rain-soaked forests takes us in the presence of the man, as he says these words to his heart, when he remains in a battle camp: “Declaring, ‘Those who possess the wealth of courage to scatter the enemy army with one’s own in the midst of a wide spreading field, where two great kings are waging war against each other, unfading would remain their glory’, drums roar and floral war tributes are presented by the victorious king. Not knowing that I would rush to her, without even waiting for these tributes, that sorrowful maiden, would be feeling dislike for me, and she would curl up helplessly whenever the harsh-voiced, dark clouds resounded in the morning sky, shedding raindrops, and crushing straight-stemmed jasmine flowers blooming on mature vines. Pallor would be spreading on her form, so flawless, having beauty spots, in the hue of fragrant golden flowers of the Indian Kino tree. What would be the state of that dark-skinned maiden, whom I saw walking with short hesitant steps upon the fine sands of our wide mansion, when I left her then?” Time to travel to the battlefield and listen to the drum beat of the man’s heart! He starts by reflecting on how the king would honour his victorious acts in the battlefield of defeating the enemy army and shower tributes even as drums roar. The man says he would do his duty of fighting in the battle and bringing victory to his king but he wouldn’t wait to receive the king’s tributes because his heart would be in a rush to be back with his beloved, who would be worried that the season of promised return, the rains, had come and gone and still there was no sign of him. He imagines her curling up with pain every time the clouds roared and the rains poured. The man concludes by bringing back the image of the lady, with her fine beauty spots in the hue of yellow Kino flowers, as she was walking with hesitant steps, when he bid farewell to her, back then. A verse filled with tender longing on both sides, with the man tied by the norms of duty in a battlefield, and the lady, bound by the norms of society, to remain back at home!