Aganaanooru 94 – The music of her abode

In this episode, we perceive the eagerness of a person to return home, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 94, penned by Nanbaloor Sirumethaaviyaar. The verse is situated amidst the flowering bushes of the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest landscape’ and renders the musical notes of a night. தேம் படு சிமயப் பாங்கர்ப் பம்பியகுவை இலை முசுண்டை வெண் பூக் குழைய,வான் எனப் பூத்த பானாட் கங்குல்,மறித் துரூஉத் தொகுத்த பறிப் புற இடையன்தண் கமழ் முல்லை தோன்றியொடு விரைஇ,வண்டு படத் தொடுத்த நீர் வார் கண்ணியன்,ஐது படு கொள்ளி அங்கை காய,குறு நரி உளம்பும் கூர் இருள் நெடு விளிசிறு கட் பன்றிப் பெரு நிரை கடிய,முதைப் புனம் காவலர் நினைத்திருந்து ஊதும்கருங் கோட்டு ஓசையொடு ஒருங்கு வந்து இசைக்கும்வன் புலக் காட்டு நாட்டதுவே அன்பு கலந்துஆர்வம் சிறந்த சாயல்இரும் பல் கூந்தல், திருந்திழை ஊரே! An eventful trip to the forest country, where we hear the man saying these words to his charioteer, when returning home after completing his mission: “Near the hills with honeycombs, blooms the thick-leaved midnapore creepers with white flowers close together, appearing like white stars in the midnight sky.  Here, after gathering goat kids, the goatherd with a mat on his back, ties up moist and fragrant wild jasmine flowers along with flame-lilies into a water-soaked head garland, around which bees swarm, and then warming his palms in a firebrand nearby, he would remain whistling loudly in that sharp darkness, to scare away foxes. These notes merge with the sound of horns blown by the millet field guards to chase away herds of small-eyed boars, and resounds musically in that intractable, wild forest country.  And herein lies the town of the lady, wearing well-etched ornaments, having thick, dark tresses, that beautiful maiden, who has become one with me in love, and who desires my company with eagerness!” Let’s ride along with the man taking in the sights of the night! The man starts by mentioning a place close to the hills, where ‘musundai’ flowers bloom, and at night time, these blooms appear as if they were the stars in the sky. In this place, a goatherd gathers all his little lambs in a pen, and then adorns himself with a flower garland made with both wild jasmines and flame lilies together, and sits there, warming his hands using a firebrand nearby, and letting out long whistles to scare away foxes intent on nabbing his lambs. These whistles rise high and blend with the sound of horns being blown by millet field guards to chase away boars and echoes musically in that forest country, the man describes, and concludes by saying this is the place where his beloved resides. The man is simply mentioning the address where his lady lives but within that, we are able to infer that this is a region where the ‘Kurinji’ and ‘Mullai’ fuse as one, meaning it’s a forest region close to the hills, where both wild jasmines and flame lilies can be found, and where both millet field guards and goatherds are within a stone’s throw of each other. The verse etches the sights of the region and also relays the musical man-made sounds that reverberate here. In some ways, it’s also making a statement about human-wildlife conflict. Interesting how rather than using the harsh methods of today such as electric fences and traps to keep away these animals from human spaces, the ancients chose to use the gentle weapon of music!