Aganaanooru 278 – Seeing him in the stream

In this episode, we perceive the subtle art of persuasion, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 278, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated amidst the gushing cascades of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain Landscape’ and sketches the journey of water and its significance in the lady’s life. குண கடல் முகந்த கொள்ளை வானம்பணை கெழு வேந்தர் பல் படைத் தானைத்தோல் நிரைத்தனைய ஆகி, வலன் ஏர்பு,கோல் நிமிர் கொடியின் வசி பட மின்னி,உரும் உரறு அதிர் குரல் தலைஇ, பானாள்,பெரு மலை மீமிசை முற்றினஆயின்,வாள் இலங்கு அருவி தாஅய், நாளை,இரு வெதிர் அம் கழை ஒசியத் தீண்டிவருவதுமாதோ, வண் பரி உந்தி,நனி பெரும் பரப்பின் நம் ஊர் முன்துறை;பனி பொரு மழைக் கண் சிவப்ப, பானாள்முனி படர் அகல மூழ்குவம்கொல்லோமணி மருள் மேனி ஆய்நலம் தொலைய,தணிவு அருந் துயரம் செய்தோன்அணி கிளர் நெடு வரை ஆடிய நீரே? In this trip to the highlands, we witness the dynamic actions of the elements of land, as we listen to the confidante say these words to the lady, pretending not to notice the man, listening nearby, but making sure he’s in earshot: “Clouds brimming over, after dipping into the eastern seas, looking like rows of shields around many different armies, lead by a king with ‘panai’ drums, rises to the right, and akin to a flag that flutters on top of a pole, flashes, splitting the skies, and with an uproarious voice that thunders on, it pours down in the middle of the night, laying siege atop huge hills, and comes down as cascades, shining like swords. Tomorrow, those cascades will come pouncing, breaking tall and beautiful bamboos, in the manner of a speeding horse, and will arrive at the vastly spreading spaces of our town’s river shore. Making those dew-covered, rain-like eyes to redden, in the dark of the night, to be rid of this hateful suffering, shall we take a dip in those waters that have arrived here, after playing on the picturesque mountains of the one, who has rendered a ceaseless sorrow, making the old beauty of your sapphire-hued skin to fade?” Let’s listen to the music of this mountain song! The confidante starts by talking about how the clouds have taken a dip in the eastern seas and were travelling west. To sketch their appearance, she brings in parallel, the marching armies of a king, covered in shields, and talks about how these rise to the right, and then roar with a thunderous voice. The companion, lightning, is compared to a fluttering flag on high by the confidante. Now, this army of clouds lay siege to a mountain, and then pour down with gusto, in the middle of the night, says the confidante. Next, she sketches the transformation of that downpour into a cascade, that seems to speed on like a king’s horse, and chop away bamboos standing in the way. In this manner, those gushing waters arrive at their door-step, the river shore of their town, the confidante connects. She concludes by beckoning the lady to go take a dip in those waters which comes from the mountains of the lord, who has brought a great sorrow to the lady and made her beauty wither away! The nuance here is the hidden statement in the words of the confidante to the lady, ‘You seem to suffer without embracing the chest of the man. Perhaps you will find some relief in dipping in the waters that gush from his mountains!’. The listening man would understand the yearning in the lady’s heart to be with him and the angst she suffers when he is not able to tryst with her. Through this, the good friend hopes to nudge the man to give up his sporadic trysting and seek the permanent path of happiness by marrying the lady. Leaving aside this repeated theme, isn’t that picture-perfect parallel depiction of flowing water and a king at war? The army of clouds, rising from the sea, the siege of the mountains, roar of thunder, the flag of lightning fluttering in the sky, leaping horses of cascades and the journey’s end at the river shore of the lady’s town, presents a graphic geography lesson on ‘Orographic rainfall’, with the perfect fusion of poetic elements!