Walking on a tight rope!- Kurunthokai 7

Every time I come across the visual imagery of the Sangam poems , I am awestruck by the brilliance of the poet. They are able connect the nature and the acts in the day to day life, which we can never think of. The beauty of all these imagery (other than being such delightfully) are situational. Imagery used in each poem has some connection to the mood of the poem.

The poem I am about to discuss has a beautiful visual imagery and also throws light into the custom of the Ancient Tamils.

—-

–

7. பாலை

வில்லோன் காலன கழலே; தொடியோள்

மெல் அடி மேலவும் சிலம்பே; நல்லோர்

யார்கொல்? அளியர்தாமே-ஆரியர்

கயிறு ஆடு பறையின், கால் பொரக் கலங்கி,

வாகை வெண் நெற்று ஒலிக்கும்

வேய் பயில் அழுவம் முன்னியோரே.

செலவின்கண் இடைச்சுரத்துக் கண்டார் சொல்லியது. – பெரும்பதுமனார்

…

….

Kurunthokai 7- What the passers – By Said

…

This bowman has a warrior’s band

on his ankle;

the girl with the bracelet on her arm

has a virgin’s anklets

on her tender feet.

They look like good people.

In these places

the winds beat

upon the vakai trees

and make the white seedpods rattle

like drums for acrobats

dancing on the tightropes.

poor things,who could they be?

and what makes them walk

with all the others

through these desert ways

so filled with bamboos?

Poet : Perumpatumanar

Translated by A.K.Ramanujan

….

…

Situation:

Thalaivan and Thalaivi are in love. Thalaivi with burning passion shows sign of love sickness and the symptoms are witnessed by her mother and house arrests her. Either at this stage or at stage when her parents see a bride groom for her or a stage where she is very ashamed to confess to her parents she is in love, the lovers decide to elope. This poem is uttered by passers by in the palai region when they see the young lovers eloping.

…..

..

Commentary:

Description of Thalaivan:

The Thalaivan is having a bow and a warrior anklet, this is to signify that the Thalaivan was a brave man and he is prepared to fight any one trying to stop them eloping.

Its important we look into the actual word for the warrior anklet

கழல் kaḻal

n. < கழல்-. [K. M. kaḻal.] 1. Anklet given as a token of honour to a warrior; வீரக்கழல். ஒண்பொறிக் கழற்கால் (பதிற் றுப். 34, 2).

This shows that the Thalaivan was an accomplished warrior .

Description of Thalaivi:

The young girl is wearing a bracelet and an anklet.

Lets see the two words employed here,

தொடி toṭi (page 2087)

, n. < தொடு²-. 1. Curve, bend; வளைவு. தொடிவளைத் தோளும் (சிலப். 10, 128). 2. Bracelet; கைவளை. (பிங்.) குறுந்தொடி கழித்தகைச் சாபம் பற்றி (புறநா. 77). 3. Armlet;தோள்வளை. நீப்ப நீங்காது வரின்வரை யமைந்து . . . போக்கில் பொலந்தொடி (நற். 136). 4. Armlet, warrior’s armlet; வீரவளை. வலிகெழு தடக்கை தொடியொடுசுடர்வர (மதுரைக். 720).

Thodi is either a bracelet or an armlet worn by the women. Now lets look into the orther ornament ,

சிலம்பு cilampu (page 1435)

2. [M. cilambu.] Tinkling anklets worn by women; மகளிர் காலணிவகை. ஒன்றின வோவவ ளஞ்சிலம் படியே (ஐங்குறு. 389).

This Silambu has special significance. I dont know how many people know this.

Please do not confuse this with the silambu of silapathikaram. Both are different. This silambu had special significance. Like present day metti which is used to signify that the women is married , the silambu in Sangam period was used to signify the women is unmarried(or virgin).

I have to mention about this custom here,

சிலம்புகழிநோன்பு cilampu-kaḻi-nōṉpu :
, n. < சிலம்பு +. Ancient ceremony preliminary to marriage, probably consisting in removing the anklets of a bride; மணவினைக்குமுன் பெண் ணிற்கு நடத்தும் சிலம்புகழற்றுதலாகிய சடங்குவகை. (ஐங்குறு. 399, உரை.)

There are at least 3 to 4 poems which tell about this custom. I am planning to write a detailed blog by next week.

And for now , we can understand that the girl is not married (probably a virgin).

…

..

Significance of the description of the lovers:

The description seems to have certain significance here, the on lookers see the kalal the warrior anklet and the silambu the virgin anklet. Onlookers now understand that the man is a Honorable and famed warrior and the young girl is a virgin. They are passing through palai (very dreadful and infertile land). The Thalaivan is prepared for a fight in case any one is there to oppose( with his bow). This makes them understand that these two are lovers , who are eloping to get married. Hence they feel sorry for them and utter the words

‘நல்லோர் யார்கொல்? அளியர்தாமே’

They look like good people.poor things,who could they be?

அளியர் – இரங்கும் இயல்பினர்.

இரங்கு-. 1. Mercy, grace, commiseration; தயை. இரக்கமுடை யிறை யவனூர் (தேவா. 145, 9). 2. Pity, compassion; melting of heart, as of a mother at the sight of her child in distress, or of a cow for her calf;

….

..

Visual Imagery:

Now comes my favourite part , the visual imagery.

ஆரியர்

கயிறு ஆடு பறையின், கால் பொரக் கலங்கி,

வாகை வெண் நெற்று ஒலிக்கும்.

In these places

the winds beat

upon the vakai trees

and make the white seedpods rattle

like drums for acrobats

dancing on the tightropes.

….

..

The white seed pods gets swayed by the wind and it creates sound like the drums used while the  Aryan acrobats perform their dance on the tight ropes. If you actually see the visual of the  white seedpods of the vakai tree you will understand visual imagery the poet has infused into it.

Here is the picture of the white seedpods of the vakai tree,

source -http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oH7YVmRWh-s/SASv-kgyFwI/AAAAAAAABGw/QGqlfdqy7X4/s400/Albizia+julibrissin+seed+pod.jpg

Now just visualize the wind hitting the white seedpods and they start swaying across the branch with the force of the wind. It will be swaying and its only support from being blown away is its attchemnt to the branch of the tree.

Now I have two visuals for you, luckily I could get the exact description of what the poet meant .

See this video,

See the young boy having a drum and Rajesh Khanna performing the tight rope walk and dance. The boy is actually using band drum, so get more authetic here is Vathiyar M.G.R’s clip with nagesh playing the dolak(closest to description given by the poet).

If you have seen it carefully u can visualise the swaying of the white seedpods of the tree while the wind hits it is very very close to the way the rope dancer swing themselves across the ropes. This is very beautifully captured by the poet by his beautiful imagery within his simile.

How this imagery adds to the mood of the poem?

The lovers are now walking a tight rope.The thalaivi has come out of her home, the Thalaivan is taking her away, their life is very unstable and one wrong step can land them in trouble.

I hope I have explained you properly enough to make you imagine the imagery the poet has infused into his beautiful poem.
——

Some words for your knowledge,

கால்³ kāl
, n. < கால்-. [T. gāli.] 1. Wind, air, any of the vital airs; காற்று. கால்கடிப் பாகக் கடலொலித் தாங்கு (பதிற்றுப். 68, வேய்² vēy

வேய்¹-. 1. Bamboo. See மூங்கில், 1. வேய்ப்பெயல் விளையுட் டேக்கட் டேறல் (மலைபடு. 171). 2. Bamboo rod; மூங்கிற்கோல்.

பொரு -தல் poru-4. To blow, as the wind; வீசுதல். குரூஉப்புகை பிசிரக் கால்பொர (பதிற்றுப். 15, 6).-

————

———————————————————————————————

Reference:

Literary conventions of akam poetry by Kamil Zvelebil

Kuruntholai Urai- U.V.Swaminathan Iyer

Interior landscapes – A.K.Ramanujan

Tamil Lexicon

———————————————————————————————

————————————————————————————————

Please post your comments.

Follow me in twitter http://twitter.com/vairam

Follow blog in Face book http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=83270822979&ref=mf

Orkut community http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=49797549

Subscribe Karkanirka

Stumble It!

Visual Delight – Explaining a poem through series of pictures – Akanaanooru 11

11. பாலை

வானம் ஊர்ந்த வயங்கு ஔத மண்டிலம்

நெருப்பு எனச் சிவந்த உருப்பு அவிர் அம் காட்டு,

இலை இல மலர்ந்த முகை இல் இலவம்

கலி கொள் ஆயம் மலிபு தொகுபு எடுத்த

5 அம் சுடர் நெடுங் கொடி பொற்பத் தோன்றி,

கயம் துகள் ஆகிய பயம் தபு கானம்

எம்மொடு கழிந்தனர்ஆயின், கம்மென,

வம்பு விரித்தன்ன பொங்கு மணற் கான் யாற்றுப்

படு சினை தாழ்ந்த பயில் இணர் எக்கர்,

10 மெய் புகுவு அன்ன கை கவர் முயக்கம்

அவரும் பெறுகுவர்மன்னே! நயவர,

நீர் வார் நிகர் மலர் கடுப்ப, ஓ மறந்து

அறு குளம் நிறைக்குந போல, அல்கலும்

அழுதல் மேவல ஆகி,

15 பழி தீர் கண்ணும் படுகுவமன்னே!

தலைமகன் பொருள்வயிற் பிரிந்த இடத்து, ஆற்றாளாய தலைமகள் வேறுபாடு கண்டு ஆற்றாளாய தோழிக்கு, தலைமகள், ‘ஆற்றுவல்’என்பது படச் சொல்லியது. – ஔவையார்

I have tried to explain on poem of Auvaiyar in a visual manner.  Lets first see this poem from Akanaanuru.

11. பாலை

வானம் ஊர்ந்த வயங்கு ஒளி மண்டிலம்

நெருப்பு எனச் சிவந்த உருப்பு அவிர் அம் காட்டு,

இலை இல மலர்ந்த முகை இல் இலவம்

கலி கொள் ஆயம் மலிபு தொகுபு எடுத்த

அம் சுடர் நெடுங் கொடி பொற்பத் தோன்றி,

கயம் துகள் ஆகிய பயம் தபு கானம்

எம்மொடு கழிந்தனர்ஆயின், கம்மென,

வம்பு விரித்தன்ன பொங்கு மணற் கான் யாற்றுப்

படு சினை தாழ்ந்த பயில் இணர் எக்கர்,

மெய் புகுவு அன்ன கை கவர் முயக்கம்

அவரும் பெறுகுவர்மன்னே! நயவர,

நீர் வார் நிகர் மலர் கடுப்ப, ஓ மறந்து

அறு குளம் நிறைக்குந போல, அல்கலும்

அழுதல் மேவல ஆகி,

பழி தீர் கண்ணும் படுகுவமன்னே!

தலைமகன் பொருள்வயிற் பிரிந்த இடத்து, ஆற்றாளாய தலைமகள் வேறுபாடு கண்டு ஆற்றாளாய தோழிக்கு, தலைமகள், ‘ஆற்றுவல்’என்பது படச் சொல்லியது. – ஔவையார்

Akanaanooru 11

The round blazing sun

creeps in the sky,

raging as a fire

in the forest,

and the silk cotton tress

is leafless

yet in flower

without a bud,

like a long array

of red lamps

in the month of karttikai

lit happily

by bustling women,

in the fruitless forest

where the pools are dry,dusty.

If only

he’d spent the time with me,

it would go fast,

if only he’d walk swiftly with me

on the dunes

over hung with flowering boughs,

all fragrant,

where the forest stream flows now

and the sand

is laid out like a woman’s bodice,

he could have what arms desire,

loving embraces,

body entering body,

and then my guiltless eyes

that now fill

ceaselessly like barren pools

fed by secret springs

could put aside

their daily sorrow

and find some sleep.

Poet:  Auvaiyar

Translated by A.K.Ramanujan

This poem spell bound me for the simple reason ‘aEttu surakai vazhkaiku uthavathu’  . IF you have read the poem re read the poem so many times, never once you can understand the visual imagery portrayed in this poem.

This could be another ‘first in the net’ kind of effort, I am trying to visually present the imagery described by the poet.

Visual Imagery:

Ilavam or Silk cotton trees are very fast growing trees. In India their habitat seems to be forest with very very high temperature.

The poet now describes a stage where ‘the silk cotton tress is leafless yet in flower without a bud’.

First we’ll see how Ilavam flower look,

இலவம்_ilavam

You can see it to be red flowers. If you see the green balls around they are the buds and also in deep back ground you can notice the tree has leaves.

So how does the ’the silk cotton tress is leafless yet in flower without a bud’ look?

here it is

http://www.banana-tree.com/catalog%20images/image343.jpg

If you notice the photo , you will notice there are no leaves and nearly no buds and only the flowers are present. This is the state explained by the poet.

Lets look at flower more closely,

http://www.rareflora.com/bombaxmalab.jpg

You will notice that the flower has  dark red petals and center with bright shades of yellow and red. With slight imagination it looks like a flame in red mud container , like below

http://www.zonkerala.com/gallery/festivals/thrikarthika/karthika-vilakku-2.jpg

Just think of so many Ilavam flowers scattered around in one tree and think about the whole stretch of trees in the forest with so many Ilavam flowers on them. The poet builds an imagery that the Forest with the silk cotton flowers looked like

‘like a long array of red lamps in the month of karttikai lit happily by bustling women’.

So the poet compare this ,

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1194/1010558205_e05999a2bd.jpg?v=0

to this,

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UPzb1xVh2NU/STFQVcoOjrI/AAAAAAAAEfA/L6LoHBVU9fU/s400/lamps.jpg

And this imagery can never be realised how beautiful it is, unless and until seen by our own eyes. There is no end to the imagination of the poets of the sangam. Their intimate knowledge of nature was beautifully blended into any love poems producing some brilliant imagery. I am happy to decode one of the imagery and see it  with my own eyes.

Commentry on the poem:

The  Thalaivan is away in search of pride or material(on war or business) ,he has to pass through palai region which i s fruitless ,dry and arid. But if Thalaivan was with Thalaivi they could hsve enjoyed their time nesr the river bed and enjoyed the pleasures of love(and love making). If that had happened she would have stopped crying and slept for while, which she is unable to do when her lover is away.

I have noted some thing really interesting in the translation and the original poem,

observe these lines by A.K.Ramanujan,

“loving embraces,

body entering body”

body entering body is clear indication that the activity was love making. So I had a doubt, from what ever I have heard Sangam poems never exclusively contains a word which means ‘making love’. So I went through the leixcon to find the meaning of the word …

முயக்கம் muyakkam n. < முயங்கு-. 1. Embrace; தழுவுகை. பொருட்பெண்டிர் பொய்ம்மை முயக்கம் (குறள், 913). 2. Copulation; புணர்ச்சி. முயக்கம் பெற்றவழி (ஐங்குறு. 93, உரை). 3. Connection; uniting, joining; சம்பந்தம். ஆணவத் தின் முயக்கமற்று (தணிகைப்பு. நந்தி. 110).

The word means embrace as well as making love. So taking the words before it

‘மெய் புகுவு அன்ன கை கவர் முயக்கம்’

மெய் – body, புகுவு- entering, அன்ன- equivalent,like

கை – hand கவர்- liking

Then if we place முயக்கம் the best meaning should be what possibly a hand can do is embrace the lover. Then take in the whole situation, they are alone and after seperation(though their uniting is imaginary..it is fueled by seperation), near the river side (think about the yarum illai thane kalvan poem…the heroine has lost her virginity near the river bed) , if we add all the situation we get an answer and likely and most possible speculation that they were going to make love. The poet himself is making us speculate that way, by choosing to employ a word which also means copulation.

The poet throws us sitatuion where we are open to imagination of what happened between them by using careful words instead of explicitly saying they made love. This is the speciality of the sangam agam poems, where they never directly refer to the act of love making or sexual union. They either use smilies,metaphors and imageries to describe it or unique case like this where the poet has used word with two meanings which also means copulation but the word embrace seems to fit perfectly to the string of words she has used.

There is another imagery the poet has used here ,

“the sand

is laid out like a woman’s bodice”

the orginal tamil meaning also the same

“ வம்பு விரித்தன்ன பொங்கு மணற் “

only word to be researched here is ,

வம்பு vampu :

20. Stays for woman’s breast; மூலைக்கச்சு.

lets see wat kaccu means,

கச்சு kaccu :

, n. cf. kañcuka. [M. kaccu, Kur. gajji.] A kind of corset worn by Indian women in ancient times; முலைக்கச்சு. கச்சது கடிந்து (கல்லா. 44).

“The kancuka are of mid-thigh length with short or long sleeves; in some the opening is on the left side, and in others it is at the front. The tunic worn by a king in hunting dress has no discernible opening at the neck, so it is probably at the back. Necklines too differed in that some were V-shaped and others were round in shape.” http://www.4to40.com/discoverindia/index.asp?article=discoverindia_satavahana

Kaccu a deravative of kancuka means a robe with stiches and opening and a neck pattern. Vambu means a kaccu specificly worn for the breast. So we can imagine it was wear which was close enough to present day pattu pavadai blouse or saree blouse. Just imagine how it would look when its spread.(Sorry for not adding any picture…when I google to find a blouse to show exaclty what poet meets, i am able to find decent enough pics, according to me to post it on the blog.. since every body has seen a blouse I hope you can imagine that easily and how it will look when it is pread out.) So lets see how the sand which has patterns like a spread out blouse would look like,

http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/Photography/Images/Content/egypt-sand-dunes-300632-ga.jpg

——————————————————————————–

Reference:

Tamil Lexicon

Akanaanooru urai by U V Swaminathan Iyer

Poems of Love and War by A.K.Ramanujan

————————————————————————————————

Please post your comments.

Follow me in twitter http://twitter.com/vairam

Follow blog in Face book http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=83270822979&ref=mf

Orkut community http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=49797549

Subscribe Karkanirka

Stumble It!