Aganaanooru 37 – The season of togetherness

In this episode, we perceive the distress in the lady’s heart, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 37, penned by Vitrootru Mootheyinanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse presents a unique portrait of the season of spring. மறந்து, அவண் அமையார் ஆயினும், கறங்கு இசைக்கங்குல் ஓதைக் கலி மகிழ் உழவர்பொங்கழி முகந்த தா இல் நுண் துகள்,மங்குல் வானின், மாதிரம் மறைப்ப,வைகு புலர் விடியல் வை பெயர்த்து ஆட்டி,தொழிற் செருக்கு அனந்தர் வீட, எழில் தகைவளியொடு சினைஇய வண் தளிர் மாஅத்துக்கிளி போல் காய கிளைத் துணர் வடித்து,புளிப்பதன் அமைத்த புதுக் குட மலிர் நிறைவெயில் வெரிந் நிறுத்த பயில் இதழ்ப் பசுங் குடை,கயம் மண்டு பகட்டின் பருகி, காண் வர,கொள்ளொடு பயறு பால் விரைஇ, வெள்ளிக்கோல் வரைந்தன்ன வால் அவிழ் மிதவைவாங்கு கை தடுத்த பின்றை, ஓங்கியபருதிஅம் குப்பை சுற்றி, பகல் செல,மருதமர நிழல், எருதொடு வதியும்காமர் வேனில்மன் இதுமாண் நலம் நுகரும் துணை உடையோர்க்கே! Another trip to the drylands, and in contrast to the barren landscape, here we find images depicting a scene of plenty. These are the words spoken by the lady to her confidante, when the man, who had left in search of wealth, remains parted away from her: “This is the season when the resounding music of joyous farmers calling out at dawn spreads all around; At this time, when the dawn ends the darkness of the night, these farmers separate stacks of hay and prepare to sift the unrefined paddy. The flawless, fine dust that arises then soars above like black clouds and hides all the directions in the sky; To surmount the tiredness caused by all this hard work, they pluck huge clusters of unripe mangoes, in the hue of parrots, swaying atop branches to the tune of a beautiful breeze. Chopping the unripe mangoes, they add to the fermenting, new pots, which brim over with the sour drink within. Dipping into these pots, showing their backs to the sun, using bowls made of fresh-petalled palm fronds, akin to bulls that drink water in a pond, they savour the drink to their delight. Then mixing the right amount of horse gram and milk together, they add the mixture to cooked white rice, appearing akin to silver wires, and eat it until their curving hand stops them from having more. Then, under the shade of the ‘Marutham’ trees, where paddy is heaped up, as the day journeys on, they rest with their bulls. Such is this beautiful season of spring, and even though he isn’t going to forget me and remain there forever, this is a desirable season only to those, who have companions to savour their fine beauty, right next to them!” Let’s take a refreshing break in the middle of the sweltering drylands and learn what’s in the lady’s heart! The lady starts not by describing the elements of this landscape as is frequently done, but instead focuses on the changes in her own surroundings. She describes how the lovely season of spring has arrived by narrating the activities of farmers, who can be heard waking up at dawn, and calling out the community to start their work, and even at that early hour, they can be seen doing tasks like separating bundles of hay and sifting the paddy by thrashing. The result of the latter activity is that the fine dust rises up like black clouds, and seemingly covers the sky, the lady says. So much hard work, so early in the day – That’s the life of farmers everywhere! But they do have their ways of finding relaxation, the lady explains, informing us of the details of how they prepare a drink, and then a food item. First, let’s focus on the drink, which is something made from an unripe mango, still in the colour of a parrot, happily swaying on a branch in the gentle spring breeze, perhaps thinking, ‘my time is not come yet!’. However, the farmers have other plans for they pluck clusters of these unripe mangoes and make a sour drink out of them in huge pots. Sounds familiar, right? This ancient recipe matches exactly with a drink called as ‘Aam Panna’ in Hindi, a beverage, popular in the Northern and Western parts of India, which is nothing but Green mango juice, known for its excellent health benefits, top among the benefits being, bringing coolness to the body in the heat of summer! Here’s an ancient bridge linking the North and South of this country, reminding us of the oneness of all of us! Returning, these farmers now bend their backs and drink up the cooling, health juice from the huge pots, using a vessel made of palm fronds, showing their backs to the sun, and this image is placed in parallel to bulls drinking water from a pond. A cool drink has been had and these farmers decide it’s time for some food, and so they take some healthy horse gram, milk and rice, and delight in that food until they can have no more and their hands stop them. Finally, these farmers stay and rest beneath the ‘Marutham’ trees, while letting their bulls graze. The lady ends this elaborate narration by saying such is the season of spring, and even though she knows the man is not going to abandon her, her pain is real because this is a season, meant to be enjoyed with one’s beloved, and hers was not with her, just then! What an insightful entry about a day in the life of farmers, in the season of spring, detailing their activities, their drink, their food and their rest, and telling us that even though the world outside can be exquisitely beautiful, the appreciation of the same ultimately depends on one’s inner world!