Kalithogai 95 – The quail fight quarrel

In this episode, we perceive fighting over the truth, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 95, penned by Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. The verse is situated in the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ and renders details about quail fights in ancient times. தலைவிநில், ஆங்கு; நில், ஆங்கு; இவர்தரல் எல்லா! நீநாறு இருங் கூந்தலார் இல் செல்வாய், இவ் வழி,ஆறு மயங்கினை போறி! நீ வந்தாங்கேமாறு இனி, நின் ஆங்கே நின் சேவடி சிவப்ப தலைவன்செறிந்து ஒளிர் வெண் பல்லாய்! யாம் வேறு இயைந்தகுறும்பூழ்ப் போர் கண்டேம்; அனைத்தல்லது, யாதும்அறிந்ததோ இல்லை, நீ வேறு ஓர்ப்பது தலைவிகுறும்பூழ்ப் போர் கண்டமை கேட்டேன், நீ என்றும்;புதுவன ஈகை வளம் பாடி, காலின்பிரியாக் கவி கைப் புலையன் தன் யாழின்இகுத்த செவி சாய்த்து, இனி இனிப் பட்டனஈகைப் போர் கண்டாயும் போறி; மெய் எண்ணின்,தபுத்த புலர்வில் புண் ஊரவர் கவ்வை உளைந்தீயாய், அல்கல் நின்தாரின்வாய்க் கொண்டு முயங்கி, பிடி மாண்டு,போர் வாய்ப்பக் காணினும் போகாது கொண்டு, ஆடும்பார்வைப் போர் கண்டாயும் போறி; நின் தோள் மேலாம்ஈரமாய்விட்டன புண் கொடிற்றுப் புண் செய்யாது, மெய்ம் முழுதும் கையின்துடைத்து, நீ வேண்டினும் வெல்லாது கொண்டு, ஆடும்ஒட்டிய போர் கண்டாயும் போறி; முகம்தானேகொட்டிக் கொடுக்கும் குறிப்பு தலைவன்ஆயின், ஆயிழாய்! அன்னவை யான் ஆங்கு அறியாமைபோற்றிய, நின் மெய் தொடுகு தலைவி‘அன்னையோ! மெய்யைப் பொய் என்று மயங்கிய, கை ஒன்றுஅறிகல்லாய் போறிகாண், நீ தலைவன்நல்லாய்! பொய் எல்லாம் ஏற்றி, தவறு தலைப்பெய்து,கையொடு கண்டாய்; பிழைத்தேன்; அருள், இனி’ தலைவிஅருளுகம் யாம் யாரேம், எல்லா! தெருளஅளித்து, நீ பண்ணிய பூழ் எல்லாம் இன்னும்விளித்து, நின் பாணனோடு ஆடி அளித்திவிடலை நீ நீத்தலின் நோய் பெரிது ஏய்க்கும்நடலைப்பட்டு, எல்லாம் நின் பூழ். Reverting from the striking exception in the previous verse, we are back to in-house fighting! The words can be translated as follows: “Lady:Stay there, stay right there! Do not come here! It looks like you lost your way when going to the home of those maiden with dark and fragrant tresses and came here instead! Go back the way you came from, reddening your fine feet! Man:O maiden with perfect, shining teeth! I was elsewhere watching a ‘quail fight’. Other than that, I know not what you are talking about! Lady:Indeed, I so heard about your watching the quail fight! I heard all about how as the one, who keeps singing new praises about your endless generosity, that inseparable bard of yours played on the lute, you, slanting your head, watched the fight of newly caught quails! Those wounds on the form are still not healed indeed! Without giving a thought about the slander in town, you held them close to your garland and embraced them, and watched the quail fight, and even that was not enough for you, for it appears as if you watched the fight of the decoys used to bait the quails as well; Behold how your arms are filled with moist wounds! Taking care to not wound your cheeks, caressing your entire form with the hands, even if you plead, not winning, as those quails fought so closely, it’s clear you were watching it intently; Your face reveals it without a doubt! Man:If you say so, O maiden wearing well-etched jewels. I will swear on your form that I know not of what things you speak of! Lady:Is that so? As if you are someone who doesn’t know how to confuse me saying a lie is the truth! Man:O beautiful maiden! You saw through my lies and found out the mistakes I made. Render me your grace! Lady:Who am I, to render my grace to you, O lord? The quails that you celebrated and offered generously to are calling out to you! Leave with that bard of yours and render your grace to them. If you were to forsake them, feeling betrayed, the affliction would soar in all those quails of yours!” Let’s explore the details. The verse is situated in the context of a love quarrel between the man and the lady, owing to the man’s seeking of courtesans. Here, the words are exchanged by the man and the lady. The lady starts by stopping the man in his tracks, asking him if he had lost his way when going to the house of the courtesans. The man declares that the lady was mistaken and he was just away watching a quail fight. The lady catches hold of his mention of a quail fight and says how she heard all about it, and about how the man watched his quails fight over him, as he listened to the bard’s praises, and how those quails seem to have left their wounds on his form. She continues talking about how he held those quails close and watched the endless fight of the quails and the decoys, and adds that those quails would not win and end the fight even if he begged them to. All this was evident from the scars on his arms, chest and cheek, the lady says. By now, it’s clear that the lady is not talking about quails but those women the man has been with. Still, the man pretends innocence and says he’ll swear on her. The lady replies saying he is someone adept at presenting a lie as the truth. Now, it’s total surrender on the part of the man saying, yes indeed, he was doing what she says and asks her to forgive and render her love. To which, the lady angrily replies that she is no one to him and asks him to leave to those quails, who are calling out to him, and wishes that he does not let them feel betrayed by his presence at the lady’s home! Yet again, the same fiery sparks from the lady about the man’s behaviour unfold here. But within this repeating theme, we learn of the practice of quail fights in the Sangam era. This reminds us of ‘rooster fighting’ that has been prevalent since ancient times, spreading from the Indus Valley to Greek and Roman civilisations. Perhaps, this was the origin for the practice of betting still active in many sports of today. From quails and roosters, it’s players on the field fighting it out in the present and the continuity of this custom tells us there is something ingrained in human nature, which makes them want to watch a fight!