Aganaanooru 93 – The joy that awaits

Sangam Lit

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8d ago 6:56

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In this episode, we perceive the joy and anticipation in returning home, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 93, penned by Madurai Kanakkaayanaar Makanaar Nakkeeranaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse presents insightful facts about the three great empires in ancient Tamil land.

கேள் கேடு ஊன்றவும், கிளைஞர் ஆரவும்,
கேள் அல் கேளிர் கெழீஇயினர் ஒழுகவும்,
ஆள்வினைக்கு எதிரிய ஊக்கமொடு புகல் சிறந்து;
ஆரங் கண்ணி அடுபோர்ச் சோழர்
அறம் கெழு நல் அவை உறந்தை அன்ன
பெறல் அரு நன் கலம் எய்தி, நாடும்
செயல் அருஞ் செய்வினை முற்றினம் ஆயின்;

அரண் பல கடந்த, முரண் கொள் தானை,
வாடா வேம்பின், வழுதி கூடல்
நாள் அங்காடி நாறும் நறு நுதல்
நீள் இருங் கூந்தல் மாஅயோளொடு,
வரை குயின்றன்ன வான் தோய் நெடு நகர்,
நுரை முகந்தன்ன மென் பூஞ் சேக்கை
நிவந்த பள்ளி, நெடுஞ் சுடர் விளக்கத்து,
நலம் கேழ் ஆகம் பூண் வடுப் பொறிப்ப,
முயங்குகம் சென்மோ நெஞ்சே! வரி நுதல்
வயம் திகழ்பு இழிதரும் வாய் புகு கடாஅத்து,
மீளி மொய்ம்பொடு நிலன் எறியாக் குறுகி,
ஆள் கோள் பிழையா, அஞ்சுவரு தடக் கை,
கடும் பகட்டு யானை நெடுந் தேர்க் கோதை
திரு மா வியல் நகர்க் கருவூர் முன்துறை
தெண் நீர் உயர் கரைக் குவைஇய
தண் ஆன்பொருநை மணலினும் பலவே.

In this instance, we see less of the searing drylands and more of plenty and prosperity, as we meet the man when he is returning from his mission to gather wealth and saying these words to his heart:

“To protect kith and kin from adversity, to provide food in plenty to them and to transform those who are not kin as one’s kin, with the determination needed for earning wealth brimming over, we set out! Battle-worthy are the Chozhas, clad in ‘aathi’ flower garlands. Akin to their town of Uranthai, where justice shines in the fine court, we have gathered the hard-to-attain, fine riches, and completed that formidable task that we desired to do.

Conquering forts many with his fierce army, is the Pandya King, clad in unfading neem garlands. Akin to his town of Koodal, whose day markets waft with fragrance, is the fine forehead of the dark-skinned maiden, with long, black tresses. In the sky-soaring, tall mansion, appearing as if carved out of a mountain, upon the soft, flower-like mattress, appearing akin to heaps of sea foam, on the high bed, in the light of the tall lamp, making fine jewels on her bosom carve scars on the chest, let’s embrace her. Come, O heart!

Having lined foreheads, fearsome trunks, with musth liquid pouring down and seeping into the mouth, thundering with strength, akin to Death, pouncing on the land, and unswerving in killing the enemy, are the proud and fierce elephants, belonging to the Chera King, renowned for his tall chariots. Let us embrace her for more times than there are sands, brought by the cool ‘Aan Porunai’ river and heaped on the tall banks, brimming with clear water, in the shore of the Chera town of Karuvoor, filled with rich, huge and wide mansions.”

Time to walk along with the returning man and hear his delight! The man starts by laying down the reasons he went in search of wealth and that is to ensure that no harm comes to those who are his kith and kin, to provide plenty for them, and more importantly, to make even those who are strangers as kin by rendering a heartwarming hospitality to them. A moment to pause and appreciate the noble thought in Sangam culture of extending love and compassion to those beyond one’s circle. A trait that is exemplified in the Puranaanooru lines, ‘Yaathum Oore, Yaavarum Kelir’ meaning ‘Every town is our own, and every person therein is our kin’.

Returning to the verse, we find the man declaring to his heart that they had succeeded in this mission and were now returning with bountiful and precious riches, which can be placed in parallel to the capital of the Chozhas, known as ‘Uranthai’. The Chozhas are identified by their bravery in the battlefield and the ‘aathi’ flower garlands they wear, whereas the town is praised for its courts of justice. Next, the man talks about the Pandya King Vazhuthi’s town of Koodal, which is the ancient name for the contemporary Tamil city of ‘Madurai’, mentioning its fragrant markets. He then connects this fragrance to that of his beloved’s forehead. Here too we learn about the formidable army of the Pandya king and their chosen flower garlands of neem flowers. In the final segment, the man turns to talk about the Chera king Kothai’s town of Karuvoor. Before that, he describes in great detail the battle elephants of this Chera king and their fearsome presence in the battlefield. The man has mentioned the Chera town of Karuvoor only to talk about the ‘Aan Porunai’ river that flows through this town and the sands it heaps on the banks of the river shore here. He concludes by telling his heart that he would embrace his beloved for more times than there are sands on the river shores of Karuvoor.

In a nutshell, the wealth the man earned is like the precious Uranthai, the beauty of his beloved is like the fragrant Koodal, and the joy of his togetherness would be like the fertile Karuvoor! In sketching the trajectory of the ecstasy that awaits him, the man takes us on a tour of those ancient and renowned cities, ruled by the three great kings of Tamil land in the Sangam era!

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