Aganaanooru 86 – Recollecting the wedding

In this episode, we listen to recollections of a joyous event, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 86, penned by Nallaavoor Kizhaar. Set in the prosperous towns of the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’, the verse depicts intricate customs in a Sangam era wedding. உழுந்து தலைப்பெய்த கொழுங் களி மிதவைபெருஞ் சோற்று அமலை நிற்ப, நிரை கால்தண் பெரும் பந்தர்த் தரு மணல் ஞெமிரிமனை விளக்குறுத்து, மாலை தொடரி,கனை இருள் அகன்ற கவின்பெறுகாலை; கோள் கால் நீங்கிய கொடு வெண் திங்கள்கேடு இல் விழுப் புகழ் நாள் தலைவந்தென,உச்சிக் குடத்தர், புத்தகல் மண்டையர்,பொது செய் கம்பலை முது செம் பெண்டிர்முன்னவும் பின்னவும் முறை முறை தரத்தர,புதல்வற் பயந்த திதலை அவ் வயிற்றுவால் இழை மகளிர் நால்வர் கூடி,‘கற்பினின் வழாஅ, நற் பல உதவிப்பெற்றோற் பெட்கும் பிணையை ஆக!’ என,நீரொடு சொரிந்த ஈர் இதழ் அலரிபல் இருங் கதுப்பின் நெல்லொடு தயங்க,வதுவை நல் மணம் கழிந்த பின்றை,கல்லென் சும்மையர், ஞெரேரெனப் புகுதந்து,‘பேர் இற்கிழத்தி ஆக’ எனத் தமர் தர, ஓர் இற் கூடிய உடன் புணர் கங்குல்,கொடும் புறம் வளைஇ, கோடிக் கலிங்கத்துஒடுங்கினள் கிடந்த ஓர் புறம் தழீஇ,முயங்கல் விருப்பொடு முகம் புதை திறப்ப,அஞ்சினள் உயிர்த்தகாலை, ‘யாழ நின்நெஞ்சம் படர்ந்தது எஞ்சாது உரை’ என,இன் நகை இருக்கை, பின் யான் வினவலின்,செஞ் சூட்டு ஒண் குழை வண் காது துயல்வர,அகம் மலி உவகையள்ஆகி, முகன் இகுத்து,ஒய்யென இறைஞ்சியோளே மாவின்மடம் கொள் மதைஇய நோக்கின்,ஒடுங்கு ஈர் ஓதி, மாஅயோளே. A long song featuring a single day’s events in the fertile farmlands. These words are said by the man to the confidante, when she refuses to allow him entry into the lady’s house, as he was returning from a courtesan’s place: “Thick and soft porridge, perfectly cooked with urad dal, and heaps of rice balls were relished; Under the huge and cool canopy with rows of pillars, fine sand was spread; Lamps were lit in the house; Garlands were hung on that beautiful morning, when the thick darkness had receded; On that flawless, famous and auspicious day, when the curving, white moon had stepped out of the influence of the wrong planets, holding pots atop their heads, and new, rounded ‘mandai’ vessels in their hands, old and virtuous women, who conduct public rituals arrived with loud sounds, and handed out different elements before and after, as per custom. Just then, four women clad in bright ornaments, with beautiful pallor-spotted bellies, who had given birth to sons, came together, and with the words, ‘Without swerving from your chastity, offering all good aid, be a loving spouse to your partner!’, blessed her by sprinkling paddy and water with moist petaled flowers, on her thick, dark tresses. After this fine ritual of wedding was over, with a loud uproar, quickly rushing in, her kith and kin offered her saying, ‘May you attain fame as a good wife’. On that fine night, in that room, where we were to unite together, curving her back, she was lying covered in her wedding attire. As I hugged her with desire and lifted her buried face, she let out a fearful sigh. When I gently inquired saying to her with a smile, ‘Whatever is in your mind, speak it all freely to me’, her face lit up with a heartfelt joy, making her bright, heavy earrings, fitted with red gems sway. She quickly bent her head in shyness, that dark-skinned maiden with neatly oiled tresses and a deer’s naive and beautiful eyes!” Let’s join in the wedding festivities in a Sangam era town! When the confidante stops the man and chides him for courting the courtesan, telling him the lady does not wish to see him in her house, the man responds in a totally opposite tone. He starts recollecting the events of his wedding. Food is foremost! And we find mention of a soft porridge, made with urad dal, sounding very close to the contemporary ‘Pongal’, a well-known Tamil breakfast item. The man also mentions how heaps of rice were being relished along with this Sangam ‘Pongal’. From food, his attention moves towards the decorations, and he talks about how tents were put up and sand was spread, and the whole place dazzled with bright lamps. It was the early morning hour, the man informs us, at the time when the darkness was being quelled by the first light. Apparently, choosing the right day was very important to these ancient folks and they seem to have waited for a day, when the moon was free from the influence of other planets. Here we find a subtle reference to the practice of studying the skies to determine a favourable time. On such a day, the rituals start with the arrival of elderly women, who have seen much in life, known for their wisdom, and they arrive there, carrying pots on their heads and bowls in their hands, and as per custom, they arranged all these things in order. Once everything was in place, four women, who had given birth to sons, stepped forward and blessed the bride, wishing that she would be a loving partner to her spouse, even as they showered paddy and sprinkled water with moist flowers on the lady’s thick tresses. The mention of paddy made me recollect how even today in Tamil weddings, it’s turmeric-coated rice kernels that’s sprinkled on the bride and groom, at the moment they tie the knot and become one before the eyes of their society. Next, after these rituals are done, the lady’s kith and kin offer her to the groom, while blessing her to attain the fame of being a good wife. All this done, the man and lady are together in a room that night, and the man finds her lying covered in her wedding garment. When he hugs her and lifts her face, she seems to let out a fearful sigh. The man gently asks the lady to speak her mind. Hearing his kind tone, the lady seems to have felt a deep joy, as smiles spread on her, and her earrings swayed. Out of shyness, she seems to have quickly bent her head down again, the man recollects, and concludes by drawing a word portrait of his dark-skinned beloved, with neat hair and a deer’s naive eyes. The question may arise as to why the man is talking about his wedding day, when the confidante was confronting him! What the man implies is that the lady was such a sweet person and she would never refuse him entry, casting the blame on the confidante for the lady’s reaction. Pushing aside these love quarrels, we can turn our attention to this cultural treasure of an acute rendering of an ancient Tamil wedding. The thing I most loved about this account was the way women are at the forefront of all the customs, blessing the couple and guiding them as they take the first step of their future together, endowing the whole event with the serenity and practicality of a feminine wisdom.