Aganaanooru 263 – If only I had known

In this episode, we listen to words of angst, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 263, penned by Karuvoor Kannampaalanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse reveals a mother’s emotion in the midst of discomforting news. தயங்கு திரைப் பெருங் கடல், உலகு தொழத் தோன்றி,வயங்கு கதிர் விரிந்த, உரு கெழு மண்டிலம்கயம் கண் வறப்பப் பாஅய், நல் நிலம்பயம் கெடத் திருகிய பைது அறு காலை,வேறு பல் கவலைய வெருவரு வியன் காட்டு,ஆறு செல் வம்பலர் வரு திறம் காண்மார்,வில் வல் ஆடவர் மேல் ஆள் ஒற்றி,நீடு நிலை யாஅத்துக் கோடு கொள் அருஞ் சுரம்கொண்டனன் கழிந்த வன்கண் காளைக்கு,அவள் துணிவு அறிந்தனென்ஆயின், அன்னோ!ஒளிறு வேல் கோதை ஓம்பிக் காக்கும்வஞ்சி அன்ன என் வள நகர் விளங்க,இனிதினின் புணர்க்குவென் மன்னோ துனி இன்றுதிரு நுதல் பொலிந்த என் பேதைவரு முலை முற்றத்து ஏமுறு துயிலே! We tread through this terrain, seeing familiar sights, as we listen to the mother say these words when she hears of her daughter’s elopement with the man: “Rising in the swaying waves of the huge ocean, as the world entire worships, spreading its radiant rays, the glowing orb then pounces on the fine land, dries up the ponds and routs the land’s prosperity, in this suffering-filled time of summer. At this time, in the formidable, wide jungle, filled with many forked paths, so as to spot the arriving wayfarers, men with strong and sturdy bows, hide above in the branches of the towering Yaa trees in the drylands. Alas! If only I had known she would dare to part away with that harsh-eyed, bull-like man, I would have let them become united happily in my prosperous mansion, which is akin to Vanji, guarded by shining-speared Kothai, so that without any pain, he could attain sweet sleep on the blossoming bosoms of my naive girl, with a fine forehead” Time to brave the scorching sun and tread on this domain! Mother starts by talking about the sun, the way it rises from the ocean such that all the land worships it. Let’s pause for a moment and let this comment sink in. It’s a well-known fact that many ancient cultures worshipped the sun, first and foremost. For instance, take the Egyptians and the Incans. Both built temples and structures many to this celestial entity! Here we find an intuitive understanding of this truth in ancient Tamil culture. They may not have met the Egyptians, they surely did not meet the Incans, but still the sun is an entity the world will revere across the ages and spaces is a fact sensed here.  Moving on, Mother has mentioned the sun only to talk about how it scorches during the peak of summer just then and dries up all the ponds and the fertile fields. At this time, in the drylands, those highway robbers would lie in wait to pounce on innocent wayfarers, hiding in tall Yaa trees, she describes, and connects that’s where the lady has now left with the man. Then she concludes by lamenting if only she had understood the extent of the lady’s love for the man and her daring to leave with him to the drylands, she would have saved them all the trouble and would have married them, right there in her prosperous mansion, which she compares to the city of Vanji, guarded by Kothai, and says she would have let the man enjoy sweet sleep on her lady’s bosom! It seems to be a case of ‘If only’! I wonder why the confidante and the lady did not read mother’s emotions right and rushed into the elopement plan. However, it’s true we can never say how people will react until they actually do! Perhaps, understanding this change of heart, the man and lady will return home to the mother’s care, as we saw just a few verses ago. While that may be, this is indeed a well-etched expression of regret!