Aganaanooru 99 – The present of the present

In this episode, we observe the beauty of a place, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 99, penned by Paalai Paadiya Perunkadungo. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands Landscape’, the verse sketches a word of support expressed to a beloved. வாள் வரி வயமான் கோள் உகிர் அன்னசெம் முகை அவிழ்ந்த முள் முதிர் முருக்கின்சிதரல் செம்மல் தாஅய், மதர் எழில்மாண் இழை மகளிர் பூணுடை முலையின்முகை பிணி அவிழ்ந்த கோங்கமொடு அசைஇ, நனைஅதிரல் பரந்த அம் தண் பாதிரிஉதிர்வீ அம் சினை தாஅய், எதிர் வீமராஅ மலரொடு விராஅய், பராஅம்அணங்குடை நகரின் மணந்த பூவின்நன்றே, கானம்; நயவரும் அம்ம;கண்டிசின் வாழியோ குறுமகள்! நுந்தைஅடு களம் பாய்ந்த தொடி சிதை மருப்பின்,பிடி மிடை, களிற்றின் தோன்றும்குறு நெடுந் துணைய குன்றமும் உடைத்தே! None of the dreariness of the drylands in this one, and here, we hear the man uttering these words to the lady, in the middle of their journey, after they have eloped together from the lady’s town: “Akin to the killer claws of a tiger, with sword-like stripes, are the blooming red buds of the thorny coral tree. As bees suckle honey, the mature, wilting flowers have fallen down and spread all around; Akin to the bejewelled bosoms of maiden, wearing well-etched ornaments and having exquisite beauty, are buttercup flowers that have burst out of their tight buds, and these lie around too, fused with moist wild jasmine buds, cool trumpet flowers that have been shed from a beautiful branch, and the burflower tree’s differing flowers. All this makes the forest waft with the fragrance of many flowers, akin to the divine mansions where people pray. Picturesque, it is! Do you see, O young maiden? May you live long! Akin to your father’s elephant, which has pounced on battlefields many and broken its adorning tusk rings, standing along with its mate, a short hill with a tall one for company, appears before us!” Let’s smell the fragrance of the assorted flowers and sense the emotion herein! The man points out to the lady the various flowers that are lying on the ground and in the branches around them. First to the ‘Murukkam’ tiger-claw-like flowers, and then the ‘Kongam’ buds, akin to the jewel-clad bosoms of maiden, and others like the Athiral, Paathiri and Kadamba flowers. The scent of these various flowers reminds the man of places, where people worship to spirits, no doubt by offering an assortment of flowers, much like the temples of South India, even today. The man calls out to his lady and concludes by asking her to look around at the mesmerising beauty, in the sight of the hills, one tall and one small, looking much like the battle elephant of the lady’s father, in the company of its mate.  From these words, we can infer the lady comes from a wealthy and powerful household. At this time, the man understands both the mental anguish and the physical pain of the lady, and intending to take her heart away from all this distress, he calls her attention to the beauty of their present. What better way to show his love and support for the one who has left behind a world of comfort, just to be with him!