Podcasts about kurinji

In this episode, we perceive a curious technique of persuading another, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 188, penned by Veerai Veliyan Thithanaar. The verse is situated amidst the blooming Kino trees of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain Landscape’ and hides a throbbing heart amidst the drum beats of thunder. பெருங் கடல் முகந்த இருங் கிளைக் கொண்மூ!இருண்டு உயர் விசும்பின் வலன் ஏர்பு வளைஇ,போர்ப்பு உறு முரசின் இரங்கி, முறை புரிந்துஅறன் நெறி பிழையாத் திறன் அறி மன்னர்அருஞ் சமத்து எதிர்ந்த பெருஞ் செய் ஆடவர்கழித்து எறி வாளின், நளிப்பன விளங்கும்மின்னுடைக் கருவியை ஆகி, நாளும்கொன்னே செய்தியோ, அரவம்? பொன் எனமலர்ந்த வேங்கை மலி தொடர் அடைச்சி,பொலிந்த ஆயமொடு காண்தக இயலி,தழலை வாங்கியும், தட்டை ஓப்பியும்,அழல் ஏர் செயலை அம் தழை அசைஇயும்,குறமகள் காக்கும் ஏனல்புறமும் தருதியோ? வாழிய, மழையே! A sound and light show awaits us in this quick trip to the mountains, as we listen to the confidante say these words to a rain cloud, when the man listens nearby, as he pretends not to notice him: “O rain cloud, after gathering from the great seas along with a huge group of your kin, you climb on the right and envelop the dark, high sky. Then, resounding, akin to a war drum covered in leather, you descend down, accompanied by flashes of lightning, which are akin to swords, pulled out of the sheaths, by brave warriors, who rise up in the furious battlefield, in aid of their discerning king, who with his rightful rule, never sways from the path of justice.  That which you do all day, is it just futile uproar? Weaving a garland of brimming Kino flowers that have bloomed, akin to gold, along with her radiant playmates, wearing the beautiful red leaves of the ‘Ashoka' tree, akin to fire, the young mountain maiden walks around, so pleasing to the eyes, flapping her ‘thazhalai' device and shaking her ‘thattai' rattle device. Won't you shower upon that millet field she so protects? May you live long, O rain cloud!” Let’s listen closely to the subtle sounds of emotion amidst the din of a mountain shower! The confidante starts by talking to a cloud, mentioning its past of joining along with its relatives and drinking up from the oceans of the world. Then, those clouds seemed to have arrived there, and were resounding with thunder. This sound, the confidante places in parallel to the roar of war drums. Then, she moves on to the other eye-catching element that always accompanies or precedes this sound, namely lightning, and to visualise this, she brings forth the unsheathed swords of warriors in the battlefield, and not just any warriors but those who rise in support of a just and discerning king. Sound check, light check! The confidante now comes to the centre-piece and asks the rain cloud, if all this is just a useless show. Then she goes on to describe the lady, who along with her playmates, wearing garlands of fully-bloomed Kino flowers, and ‘Seyalai’ tree leaves, was walking around, swaying her rattle and other musical instruments, so as to chase away the parrots and protect the millet fields. The confidante concludes by questioning the raincloud whether at all it had any plans of showering on that millet field the lady was protecting. While this may seem like random, playful words said to a raincloud, each one reverberates with a hidden meaning. First, let’s note how the confidante casually remarks about the Kino flower garlands that the lady wears. This is to tell the man that the auspicious time of the year, when the harvest was done and marriage plans were set in motion, had begun, for Kino flowers marked this transition in their lives. The confidante intends to convey to the man that he had been thinking only about the temporary pleasures of trysting, spreading fleeting moments of joy in the lady’s life, akin to lightning. This had led to the thunderous uproar of slander to spread in town. With her pointed question to the cloud as to whether it would only flash and dazzle or whether it would provide the useful effect of watering the millet fields with its rain shower, the confidante nudges the man to take concrete steps to bring forth the useful end of a happy married life with the lady. And thus we see, beneath the layer of simple words, lies a complex meaning, intending to change the heart of a person and the life of a couple. While we may prefer direct and blunt communication in our modern world, don’t you think there is a thoughtful melody of affection in the subtle aesthetics of this ancient poetry?

In this episode, we listen to a hidden message of persuasion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 182, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated amidst a scene of leaping monkeys and showering trees, in the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain Landscape’ and relays the consequences of a person’s present actions. பூங் கண் வேங்கைப் பொன் இணர் மிலைந்து,வாங்கு அமை நோன் சிலை எருத்தத்து இரீஇ,தீம் பழப் பலவின் சுளை விளை தேறல்வீளை அம்பின் இளையரொடு மாந்தி,ஓட்டு இயல் பிழையா வய நாய் பிற்பட,வேட்டம் போகிய குறவன் காட்டகுளவித் தண் புதல் குருதியொடு துயல் வர,முளவுமாத் தொலைச்சும் குன்ற நாட! அரவு எறி உருமோடு ஒன்றிக் கால் வீழ்த்துஉரவு மழை பொழிந்த பானாட் கங்குல்,தனியை வந்த ஆறு நினைந்து, அல்கலும்,பனியொடு கலுழும் இவள் கண்ணே; அதனால்,கடும் பகல் வருதல் வேண்டும் தெய்யஅதிர் குரல் முது கலை கறி முறி முனைஇ,உயர்சிமை நெடுங் கோட்டு உகள, உக்ககமழ் இதழ் அலரி தாஅய் வேலன்வெறி அயர் வியன் களம் கடுக்கும்பெரு வரை நண்ணிய சாரலானே. In this illustrative trip to this vibrant domain, we get to hear the confidante say these words to the man, who arrives for a nightly tryst with the lady: “Wearing golden clusters of the Kino tree, blooming in the picturesque place, placing a curving, sturdy bow on the shoulder, relishing nectar from sweet jackfruit slices in the company of helpers, who wield whistling arrows, followed by fierce dogs that never miss an animal's track, a mountain man who goes hunting, makes the moist bush of a wild jasmine splatter with blood, when he fells a porcupine, in the peaks of your domain, O lord! In the dark hour of midnight, when clouds, shaken by winds, pour down rain, accompanied by lightning, and thunder that ruins snakes, you walk on alone. Thinking about the path you tread so, all day, her eyes brim with tears. And so, you must come in the brightness of day here, where an old harsh-voiced monkey, disliking the bite of pepper vine leaves, leaps from the tall and long branches, and shedding and scattering fragrant petals of flowers many, making this slope of the huge mountain, appear like the arena of Velan's ‘Veri' ritual!” Time to track the scent of a porcupine in the hills! The confidante starts with a vivid portrait of the man’s country, and to do that, she zooms on to the quintessential denizen of this place – a mountain hunter, and paints a verbal sketch of the golden Kino flower garland he wears, the strong bow he carries, and his manner of enjoying the nectar of jackfruit, with his helpers. Then, she transports the listener to a particular moment, when with the help of his talented dogs, this mountain hunter has tracked a porcupine and because he has felled it, the blood from the beast splatters on the white flowers, blooming in the wild jasmine bush. After that graphic account of the man’s country, the confidante switches to talk about how the man comes walking all alone in the middle of the night, when the clouds pour and she talks of how this brings great distress to the lady, making her cry all day. So, she concludes by asking the man to come to their mountain slope, by day, a place where a leaping monkey scatters flowers of the forest on the mountain floor, making it appear like the ‘Veri’ ritual arena, where Velan does his divining dances. While this may seem like a simple request to change the meeting time, there’s much more going on here! The confidante, by talking about the blood-splattered wild jasmine bushes, brings forth a metaphor for how the man had been trysting with the lady at night and leaving her at other times, which has led to visible signs of distress in her, which in turn has invited the attention of the lady’s kin and the gossiping townsfolk. In that subtle simile about the mountain slope looking like Velan’s arena, the confidante hints that steps are being taken by the lady’s parents to arrange such a ritual, which could end up dishonouring the lady because the true reason for her affliction was not God Murugu, who was being prayed to, but that mortal man she was in love with. Next, by asking the man to come by day, the confidante actually means to tell him to come claim the lady’s hand for all to see. It’s indeed ‘Marry her, Marry her’ but encased in the ancient equivalent of today’s cryptographic encryption! 

In this episode, we listen to a pointed question put to another, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 179, penned by Koadimangalathu Vaathuli Narchenthanaar, Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse etches the dreariness of this domain. விண் தோய் சிமைய விறல் வரைக் கவாஅன்,வெண்தேர் ஓடும் கடம் காய் மருங்கில்,துனை எரி பரந்த துன் அரும் வியன் காட்டு,சிறு கண் யானை நெடுங் கை நீட்டிவான் வாய் திறந்தும் வண் புனல் பெறாஅது,கான் புலந்து கழியும் கண் அகன் பரப்பின்விடு வாய்ச் செங் கணைக் கொடு வில் ஆடவர்நல் நிலை பொறித்த கல் நிலை அதர,அரம்பு கொள் பூசல் களையுநர்க் காணாச்சுரம் செல விரும்பினிர்ஆயின் இன் நகை,முருந்து எனத் திரண்ட முள் எயிற்றுத் துவர் வாய்,குவளை நாள் மலர் புரையும் உண்கண், இம்மதி ஏர் வாள் நுதல் புலம்ப,பதி பெயர்ந்து உறைதல் ஒல்லுமோ, நுமக்கே? In this trip to the drylands, we get to hear the confidante say these words to the man, when he conveys his intention to part away from the lady and go in search of wealth: “Adjoining those majestic mountains with sky-soaring peaks, in the scorched, stony spaces, filled with mirages, running away from the wide and formidable scrub jungle, where fire spreads rapidly, a small-eyed elephant extends its long arm and opens its wide mouth. Without receiving the satisfying gush of water, it leaves with dejection from there. In those wide spreading spaces, glory of men with curving bows and red-tipped, speeding arrows is etched on hero stones. If you wish to traverse such paths, where there is no one to end the uproarious deeds of the wicked, do you think you are capable of departing from this place and living apart, leaving the lady with a sweet smile, sharp teeth, akin to the eye of a peacock's feather, red mouth, kohl-streaked eyes, akin to freshly blossomed flowers of the blue-lily, and moon-like, shining forehead, to lament?” Time to experience the familiar heat of this land! The confidante starts with a vivid description of the place, talking first about the adjoining ranges, telling us this drylands region could be the transformation of a ‘Kurinji’ domain in the heat of summer. Here, she talks about how the heat paints mirages on the land, and fooled, an elephant comes rushing to quench its thirst and leaves in much disappointment, even as wild fires streak around. She points to the many hero stones that echo the glory and death of great warriors, detailing how these are abandoned spaces, away from the protecting hand of law, and there’s no one to quell the mischief of the wicked. After that long description, the confidante talks about the beauty of the lady, her smile, perfect teeth, red mouth, dark eyes, shining forehead, and ends by asking the man how he could even think of staying away from the lady, leaving her in suffering! To put it in a nutshell, the confidante tells the man, ‘The wealth you are searching for, is nothing but a mirage. What is real is the beauty of the lady, right next to you, and that’s all the wealth you need!’. Whether the man accepts her perspective or not, it sure echoes a timeless philosophical debate about the nature of wealth and its conflict with love!

In this episode, we perceive the trust and confidence in the actions of another, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 178, penned by Paranar. The verse is situated amidst the gushing springs of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’ and etches a day in the life of a wild boar. வயிரத்தன்ன வை ஏந்து மருப்பின்,வெதிர் வேர் அன்ன பரூஉ மயிர்ப் பன்றிபறைக் கண் அன்ன நிறைச் சுனை பருகி,நீலத்தன்ன அகல் இலைச் சேம்பின்பிண்டம் அன்ன கொழுங் கிழங்கு மாந்தி,பிடி மடிந்தன்ன கல் மிசை ஊழ் இழிபு,யாறு சேர்ந்தன்ன ஊறு நீர்ப் படாஅர்ப்பைம் புதல் நளி சினைக் குருகு இருந்தன்ன,வண் பிணி அவிழ்ந்த வெண் கூதாளத்துஅலங்கு குலை அலரி தீண்டி, தாது உக,பொன் உரை கட்டளை கடுப்பக் காண்வர,கிளை அமல் சிறு தினை விளை குரல் மேய்ந்து,கண் இனிது படுக்கும் நல் மலை நாடனொடுஉணர்ந்தனை புணர்ந்த நீயும், நின் தோட்பணைக் கவின் அழியாது துணைப் புணர்ந்து, என்றும்,தவல் இல் உலகத்து உறைஇயரோ தோழி”எல்லையும் இரவும் என்னாது, கல்லெனக்கொண்டல் வான் மழை பொழிந்த வைகறைத்தண் பனி அற்சிரம் தமியோர்க்கு அரிது” என,கனவினும் பிரிவு அறியலனே; அதன்தலைமுன் தான் கண்ட ஞான்றினும்பின் பெரிது அளிக்கும், தன் பண்பினானே. In this illuminating trip to the mountains, we get to hear the confidante say these words to the lady, pretending not to notice the man listening nearby, but making sure he’s in earshot: “A wild boar, with upraised tusks, sharp like a diamond; dense hair, akin to bamboo roots; drinks up water from a brimming spring, akin to the eye of a drum; eats up fleshy tubers, akin to sacrificial offerings of food, from the Blue Taro, with wide leaves, in the hue of sapphires; descends carefully from atop a boulder, akin to a sleeping female elephant; moves towards green shrubs, next to cascades, appearing like river tributaries; and akin to a bird that perches on the curving branches, rests there. As the boar brushes against the swaying clusters of the white nightshade, which has loosened the tightness of its buds, pollen sheds down, making the boar appear like a touchstone, coated in gold dust. It then grazes on dense crop ears of the flourishing little millet, and rests peacefully in the fine mountain country of the lord. Overcoming your reservations, you united with him. May he render his sweet company always, never letting the bamboo-like beauty of your fine arms fade, and may you live in this world as you would in the flawless other world, my friend! Knowing that, ‘In the moist and cold season, not minding if it's day or night, dark clouds shower rains resoundingly. A dawn in such a time is hard to bear for those who are alone', he would never think of parting from you even in his dreams. And also, he has the good nature of showering even more love and grace than what you have seen before!” Time to track a wild boar in the hills! The confidante starts with a description of the man’s mountain country, and to do that, she chooses a particular animal, a wild boar, and portrays the animal and its activities with a stack of similes, comparing its pointed tusks to the sharpness of diamonds, and its fur, to knotted bamboo roots. She talks about how this boar feeds on the tubers of the Blue Taro, with sapphire-like leaves, and then steps down from a boulder, which resembles a sleeping female elephant. It goes near lush bushes, growing near cascades, and here it brushes against the white nightshade flower clusters and becomes coated in gold dust, looking like a goldsmith’s touchstone. Then, it looks for even more food amidst the millet fields and filled to the brim, rests peacefully, the confidante sketches. What a life of bliss our boar leads! The confidante turns from the man’s country and recollects how the lady decided to accept him and united with him. Then, from the past, she moves on to the future, blessing the lady to live joyously with the man, never losing the beauty of her arms. After this, it’s praise for the man saying he’s someone who would never let the lady remain alone in the cold season when the rains pour incessantly. She concludes with the words promising the lady that the man has the nature of showering even more love than the lady had seen thus far.  Why is the confidante singing these praises of the man? It’s because she knows the man has arrived there with the intention of claiming the lady’s hand, and with these words, she wishes to convey to him he’s on the right path. Even in that lengthy description of the wild boar in the man’s mountain country, the confidante places a metaphor for how the man would do all things perfectly and ensure a blissful life for him and the lady. A nuanced strategy on the part of the confidante to express trust in the man’s future behaviour, thereby inspiring him to live up to the image she has presented to the lady! She is indeed a treasure of a friend, who keeps on giving! 

In this episode, we perceive an attempt at changing a person’s behaviour, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 172, penned by Madurai Paalaasiriyar Nappaalanaar. The verse is situated amidst the roaring cascades and resounding slopes of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain Landscape’ and paints vivid images of life in this domain. வாரணம் உரறும் நீர் திகழ் சிலம்பில்பிரசமொடு விரைஇய வயங்கு வெள் அருவிஇன் இசை இமிழ் இயம் கடுப்ப, இம்மெனக்கல் முகை விடர்அகம் சிலம்ப, வீழும்காம்பு தலைமணந்த ஓங்கு மலைச் சாரல்;இரும்பு வடித்தன்ன கருங் கைக் கானவன்விரி மலர் மராஅம் பொருந்தி, கோல் தெரிந்து,வரி நுதல் யானை அரு நிறத்து அழுத்தி,இகல் அடு முன்பின் வெண் கோடு கொண்டு, தன்புல் வேய் குரம்பை புலர ஊன்றி,முன்றில் நீடிய முழவு உறழ் பலவில்,பிழி மகிழ் உவகையன், கிளையொடு கலி சிறந்து,சாந்த ஞெகிழியின் ஊன் புழுக்கு அயரும்குன்ற நாட! நீ அன்பிலை ஆகுதல்அறியேன் யான்; அஃது அறிந்தனென்ஆயின்அணி இழை, உண்கண், ஆய் இதழ்க் குறுமகள்மணி ஏர் மாண் நலம் சிதைய,பொன் நேர் பசலை பாவின்றுமன்னே! In this action-packed trip to the mountains, we get to hear the confidante say these words to the man, after bringing over the lady for a tryst with him: “In the water-filled mountains, elephants trumpet; shining white cascades descend, fused with honey, resounding akin to the sweet music of instruments, making clefts and caves in the hills echo with a loud sound; bamboos crowd densely on the slopes of the soaring peaks; Here, a mountain hunter, having black hands, appearing as if cast in iron, climbs on to a blooming bur-flower tree, aims the perfect arrow and pierces the tough chest of an elephant with a lined forehead, and brings its white tusk, capable of attacking enemies with strength, and plants it to dry in front of his hut, thatched with grass. Then, from a jackfruit sprouting in his front yard, appearing akin to a drum, he extracts sweet nectar and relishes it, amidst the uproar of his joyous kith and kin, sharing with them, rice cooked with meat on the fire of sandalwood barks. Such is your domain in the mountains, O lord! I never knew that you were such a loveless person; Had I known that, I wouldn't have let the beauty of the young maiden, adorned with exquisite ornaments, having kohl-streaked, petal-like eyes, to be ruined, by the spreading of gold-like pallor on her sapphire-like skin!” Trek time! The confidante starts by bringing the mountains alive. She makes us hear the roar of elephants and the descent of cascades, flowing with the music of an orchestra. She points to the densely crowding bamboos and after giving us a sense of place, she zooms on to a person, namely a mountain hunter, who is perched atop a burflower tree. From his vantage point, he takes aim with a sharpened arrow and hits straight into the chest of an elephant. Then, coming down, he brings home the gentle giant’s tusk and plants it in front of his home. His day’s work done, the hunter delights in drinking the nectar of jackfruit juice and eating rice and meat, cooked on a sandalwood fire, in the boisterous company of his beloved kin. The confidante has mentioned all these vivid elements to represent the man’s domain. After such glowing praise for his land, the confidante arrives at the core concern and declares that she never knew the man would turn up to be such a person, lacking in love. She concludes by lamenting if only she had known, she would have never allowed the lady’s beauty to be ruined by the fair pallor that was spreading on her dark skin!  The confidante means to say to the man, ‘I thought you loved the lady. How can you make her suffer so?’. In response, he would query the reason for such an accusation and the confidante would end up revealing how his absences affected the lady and brought great suffering to her. In the opening scene of elephants trumpeting and cascades roaring, using the imagery of sound, the confidante places a metaphor for how slander is spreading through town about the relationship between the man and the lady. Then in the scene of the mountain hunter felling the elephant and bringing the trophy of its tusk home, the confidante places a wish for the man to fell the enemy of slander and claim the lady’s hand and rejoice in the permanent union, sanctioned and celebrated by the kith and kin. Thus, with the firm stones of vivid images in the outer world, the confidante paves the road to happiness in the life of the man and the lady! 

In this episode, we perceive an attempt to change a person’s course of action, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 168, penned by Kotampalathu Thunjiya Cheramaan. The verse is situated amidst the soaring peaks of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’ and portrays the dangers of treading through this domain in the dark. யாமம் நும்மொடு கழிப்பி, நோய் மிக,பனி வார் கண்ணேம் வைகுதும்; இனியே;ஆன்றல் வேண்டும் வான் தோய் வெற்ப!பல் ஆன் குன்றில் படு நிழல் சேர்ந்தநல் ஆன் பரப்பின் குழுமூர் ஆங்கண்கொடைக் கடன் ஏன்ற கோடா நெஞ்சின்உதியன் அட்டில் போல ஒலி எழுந்து,அருவி ஆர்க்கும் பெரு வரைச் சிலம்பின்ஈன்றணி இரும் பிடி தழீஇ, களிறு தன்தூங்குநடைக் குழவி துயில் புறங்காப்ப,ஒடுங்கு அளை புலம்பப் போகி, கடுங் கண்வாள் வரி வயப் புலி கல் முழை உரற,கானவர் மடிந்த கங்குல்மான் அதர்ச் சிறு நெறி வருதல், நீயே? In this little trip to the highlands, we get to hear the confidante say these words to the man, as he prepares to leave after his nightly tryst with the lady: “After spending nights with you, full of affliction, she remains with tear-filled eyes at other times; And so, you must give it up, O lord of the sky-soaring mountains! In the shadow of a peak called ‘Pallaankundram', spreads a town called ‘Kuzhumoor', filled with fine cattle. Here, rules a king called ‘Uthiyan', the one with an unswerving heart, who has assumed the duty of charity. Akin to the uproar in his kitchen, cascades resound in the slopes of the majestic mountain ranges. Here, embracing its dark mate that has just given birth, a male elephant stands in guard of its calf with a swaying gait, even as a strong, harsh-eyed, striped tiger leaves its cozy den in the cave in loneliness, and steps out, roaring aloud amidst the mountain bamboos, in the dead dark of the night, when the mountain folk are fast asleep. Indeed, you must give up your trips through these small bushy paths, frequented by beasts many, at this hour!” It’s time for a midnight stroll through the mountains! The confidante talks about how the lady is all smiles and delight when she is with the man, during their nightly trysts, but the moment he leaves, she seems to be filled with suffering, with tears threatening to leap beyond the bounds of her eyelids. So, the confidante tells the man that he must give up something he’s been doing. Without directly telling what it is, she goes on to talk about a king named ‘Uthiyan’ and his town of ‘Kuzhumoor’, a town in the shadow of a peak called ‘Pallaankundram’, which translates as ‘the peak of cattle many’. No coincidence, the town is said to have many cattle indeed, echoing its wealth. The confidante takes us to the kitchen of this king’s palace and there’s a loud noise, lot of uproar, why because the king had sworn to uphold unceasing charity. That’s why his kitchen was always abuzz! The confidante has mentioned this fact only to place in parallel that uproar to the resounding roar of the cascades in their mountains. And here, she points to how a male elephant is embracing its female and guarding their newborn calf, even as the roar of a tiger that has left its cave resounds in the air. The confidante details how all this is happening in the middle of the night and it’s his walking in the dark amidst those narrow mountain paths that the man must give up! ‘Don’t you add angst to the lady’s heart’, the confidante seems to be telling the man, revealing how much the lady fears for the man’s safety, echoing her love for him. At the same time, telling the man that the lady cannot bear to be apart from him. In a hidden way, the confidante tells the man the only path forward was to forget this temporary trysting and seek the lady’s hand in marriage. ‘Marry her, marry her’ indeed, but interesting that we got to listen to the uproarious sounds in an ancient kitchen that never stops working, and keeps piling mounds and mounds of food, for all those who arrive at that doorstep, seeking! A capture of generosity and prosperity in one shot!

In this episode, we listen to the passionate heart of a man, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 162, penned by Paranar. The verse is situated amidst the soaring peaks and descending cascades of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’ and reveals the beauty of a lord’s mountain country. கொளக் குறைபடாஅக் கோடு வளர் குட்டத்துஅளப்பு அரிது ஆகிய குவை இருந் தோன்றலகடல் கண்டன்ன மாக விசும்பின்அழற்கொடி அன்ன மின்னு வசிபு நுடங்ககடிதுஇடி உருமொடு கதழ்உறை சிதறி,விளிவு இடன் அறியா வான் உமிழ் நடு நாள்,அருங் கடிக் காவலர் இகழ்பதம் நோக்கி,பனி மயங்கு அசைவளி அலைப்ப, தந்தைநெடு நகர் ஒரு சிறை நின்றனென்ஆக; அறல் என அவிர்வரும் கூந்தல், மலர் எனவாள் முகத்து அலமரும் மா இதழ் மழைக் கண்,முகை நிரைத்தன்ன மா வீழ் வெண் பல்,நகை மாண்டு இலங்கும் நலம் கெழு துவர் வாய்,கோல் அமை விழுத் தொடி விளங்க வீசி,கால் உறு தளிரின் நடுங்கி, ஆனாதுநோய் அசா வீட முயங்கினள் வாய்மொழிநல் இசை தரூஉம் இரவலர்க்கு உள்ளியநசை பிழைப்பு அறியாக் கழல்தொடி அதிகன்கோள் அறவு அறியாப் பயம் கெழு பலவின்வேங்கை சேர்ந்த வெற்பகம் பொலிய,வில் கெழு தானைப் பசும் பூண் பாண்டியன்களிறு அணி வெல் கொடி கடுப்ப, காண்வரஒளிறுவன இழிதரும் உயர்ந்து தோன்று அருவி,நேர் கொள் நெடு வரைக் கவாஅன்சூரரமகளிரின் பெறற்கு அரியோளே. In this somewhat long trip to the mountains, we get to hear the man say these words to his heart, after a tryst with his lady love: “Never diminishing no matter how much is taken, having an unmeasurable depth where conches bloom, appearing with a thick darkness is the ocean! The vast skies seemed akin to glimpsing this ocean, and here, akin to a vine of flames, lightning flashed, splitting the clouds, along with roaring thunder and scattered heavy rain, with no end in sight. Such was the dark hour of midnight, shrouded in a downpour. Just then, watching for the moment the stern guards would relax, as cold and moist winds tormented me, I stood on one side of her father's tall mansion. Akin to river sand, cascaded down her tresses; Akin to flowers blooming on her shining face, were her huge-petaled, rain-like eyes; Akin to bee-buzzing buds, assembled in a row, were her white teeth; Akin to jewels, radiantly shone her exquisite red mouth; Swaying her hands and making her rounded, brilliant bangles tinkle, akin to a sprout that had grown legs, trembling, she had come to end my unceasing affliction and embraced me tight. In the mountains ruled by Athikan, who wears warrior anklets, known for his words of honesty, and having the fine fame of generosity that renders to supplicants, never leaving them in a state of unfulfilled wishes, fertile jackfruit trees, which have never known a moment of not bearing a fruit, flourish along with Kino trees. Here, akin to the victorious flag, fluttering atop elephants, owned by Pasumpoon Pandiyan, who wields an army of skilled archers, pleasing to the eyes, descend down from high, radiant cascades. Akin to the tormenting divine spirits that live in the slopes of this tall and majestic mountain range, my lady is hard to attain!” Let’s soak in the shower of the mountains and listen on! The man starts by describing the skies that appear before him just then, and to do that, he summons the deep and immeasurable seas in parallel. In this sea-like sky, lighting was flashing, thunder was roaring and the rain was pouring, with no respite, the man says. He illustrates how he was standing there, shivering in the cold, by the mansion belonging to the lady’s father, waiting for the right moment the guards would relax their watch. Fulfilling his yearning, the lady seemed to have arrived there, walking like a vine with legs, quivering. That’s not all he says about the lady, of course. He calls her tresses, black sand; Her eyes, blue-lotus flowers; Her teeth, wild jasmine buds; Her mouth, red coral jewels; He vividly records how the lady came there, with her bangles tinkling, and embraced him, putting his painful disease of yearning at ease. Then, he goes on to talk about the fertile mountain slopes of a lord named Athikan, who was known for his honesty and generosity, a place, where there were lush jackfruit trees, bursting over with fruits from every part, and radiant Kino trees as well. To describe the cascades flowing down in this mountain, the man summons another historic character, Pasumpoon Pandiyan, and specifically talks about the victorious flags fluttering atop his elephants. Returning back to Athikan’s mountain slopes, the man says this region was inhabited by female spirits, and concludes by declaring however hard it would be to attain those female spirits, it was so with his beloved too. In essence, though the man has just embraced his love, he is already pining for her! That’s the handiwork of love, especially in the blooming stage, modern psychologists would concur, remarking there’s not that much of a distance between love and addiction, symptomatically speaking! 

In this episode, we observe how communication is used effectively to convey two different things to two different people, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 158, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated amidst the slopes and fields of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’ and portrays the intriguing way in which the confidante rises to the aid of the lady. ”உரும் உரறு கருவிய பெரு மழை தலைஇ,பெயல் ஆன்று அவிந்த தூங்குஇருள் நடுநாள்,மின்னு நிமிர்ந்தன்ன கனங்குழை இமைப்ப,பின்னு விடு நெறியின் கிளைஇய கூந்தலள்,வரை இழி மயிலின் ஒல்குவனள் ஒதுங்கி,மிடை ஊர்பு இழிய, கண்டனென் இவள்” எனஅலையல் வாழி! வேண்டு, அன்னை! நம் படப்பைச்சூருடைச் சிலம்பில், சுடர்ப்பூ வேய்ந்துதாம் வேண்டு உருவின் அணங்குமார் வருமே;நனவின் வாயே போலத் துஞ்சுநர்க்கனவு ஆண்டு மருட்டலும் உண்டே; இவள்தான்சுடர் இன்று தமியளும் பனிக்கும்; வெருவரமன்ற மராஅத்த கூகை குழறினும்,நெஞ்சு அழிந்து அரணம் சேரும்; அதன்தலைப்புலிக் கணத்தன்ன நாய் தொடர்விட்டு,முருகன் அன்ன சீற்றத்துக் கடுந் திறல்எந்தையும் இல்லன் ஆக,அஞ்சுவள் அல்லளோ, இவள் இது செயலே? This unique trip to the hills takes us in the presence of the confidante, as she says these words to mother, when the man listens nearby, hidden from view: “Saying, “After a heavy downpour accompanied by roaring thunder, when the rains have ceased in that dark hour of midnight, when a mist of darkness pervades, akin to a lightning streak that suddenly flashes, her heavy earrings sparkled. With tresses that had escaped from the tightness of her braids, with the hesitant gait of a peacock when descending down a hill, I saw her coming down from the loft in the fields', do not rebuke her so. May you live long! Listen to me, mother! In the mountain slopes near our hamlet, filled with spirits many, wearing flaming flowers, those apparitions might take on any form of their choice and descend down. They could appear so real in the dreams of those who sleep and confuse them;  As for her, she would shiver even if she was caught alone without a lamp in hand; When the owl perched atop the burflower tree in the town centre hoots aloud, terrorised, she would lose her calm and rush to find a place of safety; On top of that, when father, who has the ferocious strength and fury of God Murugan, and who roves with hunting dogs, which are like an ambush of tigers, remains at home, won't she fear to do this?” Time to brave the dark and walk the ups and downs of the hilly terrain! The confidante starts by asking mother not to trouble the lady. From the confidante’s words, we understand that mother had been worried that the lady has been out trysting with the man. In fact, mother had been talking about how she had glimpsed the lady, climbing down the loft in the fields, as if she were a dainty peacock, descending down the hill, and come walking, with her earrings flashing like lightning on a dark night after the rains. After repeating these words of hers, the confidante tells mother that she was mistaken, and goes on to talk about how their mountain slopes were full of spirits and that they often take human forms of their choice and rove around, adorned with flowers. After trying to impress on mother that she might have dreamt seeing the lady because of the tricks of one such spirit, which makes people believe that what they saw was the truth, when it was nothing more than a dream.  Then, the confidante also mentions what a scaredy-cat the lady is, for she was someone who was afraid to even be alone in the dark, and would scream and rush to find someone, when she hears the owl on the bur-flower tree hooting in the middle of the night. Besides, last but not least, father, ferocious father, known to be out hunting with his fearsome dogs, was right there at home. ‘How will the lady dare to do what you think she has done?’, the confidante concludes by questioning mother! On the one hand, this is the confidante’s way of removing any doubts in mother’s mind about the lady’s relationship with the man by pulling a fast one about wandering mountain spirits and what-not. At the same time, the confidante is saying to the listening man, ‘Do you see what kind of stories I have to weave to confuse mother and keep her from suspecting your relationship with the lady? How long do you think mother darling is going to fall for it?’. Through this, the confidante allays mother’s anxiety about the lady’s activities, and also nudges the man to conclude that his temporary trysting cannot go on and that it was time to seek the lady’s hand. A classic case of one stone, two birds! 

In this episode, we perceive an attempt at persuading another, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 156, penned by Aavoor Moolankizhaar. The verse is situated amidst the lush fields of the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ and talks about the wealth and faith in this domain. முரசுடைச் செல்வர் புரவிச் சூட்டும்மூட்டுறு கவரி தூக்கியன்ன,செழுஞ் செய் நெல்லின் சேயரிப் புனிற்றுக் கதிர்மூதா தின்றல் அஞ்சி, காவலர்பாகல் ஆய்கொடிப் பகன்றையொடு பரீஇ,காஞ்சியின் அகத்து, கரும்பு அருத்தி, யாக்கும்தீம் புனல் ஊர! திறவிதாகக்குவளை உண்கண் இவளும் யானும்கழனி ஆம்பல் முழுநெறிப் பைந் தழை,காயா ஞாயிற்றாக, தலைப்பெய,”பொய்தல் ஆடிப் பொலிக!” என வந்து,நின் நகாப் பிழைத்த தவறோ பெரும!கள்ளும் கண்ணியும் கையுறையாகநிலைக் கோட்டு வெள்ளை நால்செவிக் கிடாஅய்நிலைத்துறைக் கடவுட்கு உளப்பட ஓச்சி,தணி மருங்கு அறியாள், யாய் அழ,மணி மருள் மேனி பொன் நிறம் கொளலே? This is one of those rare songs where though the landscape is defined in one way, the theme tends in a totally different direction. Here, we listen to the confidante say these words to the man, when she brings over the lady for a tryst with him: “Appearing akin to the lifted yak-fur fans, fastened to heads of horses, belonging to wealthy lords with victorious drums, are the tender, red-streaked stalks of paddy in the fertile fields. Fearing that an old bull would feed on and ruin these stalks, guards pluck beautiful vines of bitter gourd along with the rattlepod, and using that, tie the bull to the trunk of a portia tree, and feed it sugarcane stems in your town, filled with sweet streams, O lord! When I had come with her, who has exquisite kohl-streaked eyes, akin to lush blue lilies, adorned in attires of green leaves and flawless flowers of field lilies, when the sun was not scorching, so that we could play in the pond and delight, we made the mistake of smiling at you, O lord! Even after offering toddy and garlands, along with a white male goat with hanging ears and sturdy horns as sacrifice, to the god who guards the river shore, with the right chants from the heart, seeing no relief whatever, her mother cries, as her sapphire-hued skin continues to be covered in a golden hue!” Let’s take a stroll on the banks of the town’s fields and river shore and learn more! The confidante starts by describing the man’s fertile farm town, and to do that, she compares the lush paddy crop to the uplifted yak-fur fans tied to the horses of the wealthy. These yak-fur fans were quite the rage in the ancient world, known by the Tamil term ‘Saamaram’, and it was also used as a manual fan in the royal courts. Returning, we see how the paddy stalks look lush and tender, and no doubt, wanting to protect their crop, fearing that the old cow in their farm would run amok and ruin the stalks, the guards tie up the animal using cords of bitter gourd and rattlepod and distract it with sugarcane stalks. After that description of the man’s rich riverine town, the confidante turns to the past and declares the lady and herself had made the mistake of smiling at the man, when they had come to bathe in the pond, at a time when the sun was not raging yet. The confidante then ends with the explanation for this cryptic statement saying that the lady’s mother had done offerings to the river god with toddy, garlands and even a strong ram, but there seemed to be no respite to the golden-hued pallor spreading on the shining dark skin of the lady. While the lady was happy when the man came around, she was pining for him whenever he left, leading to the attack of pallor and the consequence of mother’s worry, implies the confidante. This statement about offering to a river god would remind us of the ‘Veriyattam’ scenes in the Kurinji landscape, where a girl’s problems were attributed to ‘God Murugu’ and he is appeased with offerings and prayer. In this landscape, a river God takes the role of ‘Murugu’. As in those situations we have seen many a time, God is of no help, when the cure is in the hands of the man. The confidante understands this well and by subtly revealing the situation at hand, she nudges the man to let go of the temporary trysting and choose the path of a permanent union with the lady. In that metaphor of tying the old cow and preventing it from feeding on the tender paddy stalks, the confidante places a metaphor for her hope that the man would bind the mouths of the slanderous townsfolk and offer them the sweet sugarcane of a happy wedding with the lady. Lands may change, Gods may change, yet the confidante remains the steadfast friend who knows what’s what and what needs to be done for the happiness of all concerned! If you ask me, a friend like that is the true God in one’s life!

In this episode, we perceive beauty from the lens of a man in love, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 152, penned by Paranar. The verse is situated amidst the orchards and peaks of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’ and presents a glimpse of history through its mention of prominent people and places. நெஞ்சு நடுங்கு அரும் படர் தீர வந்து,குன்றுழை நண்ணிய சீறூர் ஆங்கண்செலீஇய பெயர்வோள் வணர் சுரி ஐம்பால்நுண் கோல் அகவுநர்ப் புரந்த பேர் இசை,சினம் கெழு தானை, தித்தன் வெளியன்,இரங்குநீர்ப் பரப்பின் கானல்அம் பெருந் துறை,தனம் தரு நன் கலம் சிதையத் தாக்கும்சிறு வெள் இறவின் குப்பை அன்னஉறு பகை தரூஉம் மொய்ம் மூசு பிண்டன்முனை முரண் உடையக் கடந்த வென் வேல்,இசை நல் ஈகைக் களிறு வீசு வண் மகிழ்,பாரத்துத் தலைவன், ஆர நன்னன்ஏழில் நெடு வரைப் பாழிச் சிலம்பில்களி மயிற் கலாவத்தன்ன தோளேவல் வில் இளையர் பெருமகன் நள்ளிசோலை அடுக்கத்துச் சுரும்பு உண விரிந்தகடவுட் காந்தளுள்ளும், பல உடன்இறும்பூது கஞலிய ஆய்மலர் நாறி,வல்லினும், வல்லார்ஆயினும், சென்றோர்க்குச்சால் அவிழ் நெடுங் குழி நிறைய வீசும்,மாஅல் யானை ஆஅய் கானத்துத்தலையாற்று நிலைஇய சேயுயர் பிறங்கல்வேய் அமைக் கண் இடை புரைஇ,சேய ஆயினும், நடுங்கு துயர் தருமே. In this long trip through the mountains, we travel to many different regions in ancient Tamil land, as we listen to these words said by the man, after his tryst with the lady: “After coming here to end the deep suffering that makes my heart quiver, she parts away to her little hamlet, amidst the hills. Her thick and curly tresses, worn as a five-part braid, are akin to the feathers of a dancing peacock in the slopes of Paazhi, situated amidst the picturesque mountain ranges, in the domain of Nannan, clad in sandalwood garlands, the leader of ‘Paaram', renowned for his immense charity of rendering elephants with joy on supplicants, and his victorious spear, which crossed the battlefront and won over Pindan, swarming around him, with a deep enmity, akin to small, white shrimps that attacks, destroying fine ships, bringing great wealth in the huge shores of Kaanaalam, near the roaring expanse of the seas, ruled by ‘Thithan Veliyan', possessing a huge, furious army, and having the great fame of rendering his patronage to bards holding intricate rods. As for her arms, they waft with the scent of the divine flame lily, blooming to be fed upon by bees, and the scent of many other beautiful flowers flourishing in the mountain orchards of the great lord Nalli, who wields an army of young men, skilled in archery. Indeed, those arms are akin to the slender and smooth stems between nodes of bamboos, flourishing in the forests amidst the tall mountains of 'Thalaiyaaru', ruled by Aay, possessing huge elephants, known for his copious rendering of fine cooked rice, making bowls of supplicants, who seek him, brim over, whether they possess great abilities or whether they don't. Those tresses and arms of hers, even though they be far, render a quivering suffering in me!” Time to explore ancient places and rendezvous with rulers to understand the song in the man’s heart! He starts by talking about how the lady had come to allay his yearning to be with her and had now parted away to her village in the hills. He then goes on to talk about the lady’s tresses. To put it in a nutshell, he says these thick and curly locks are very much like the feathers of a peacock in ‘Paazhi’, a mountainous region ruled by ‘Nannan’, with his capital at Paaram. Though that’s the destination, there are many outer roads that lead here. For instance, the man talks about the swarming shrimps surrounding the wealth-laden ships arriving at the harbour of ‘Kaanalam’, ruled by Thithan Veliyan. This mention of swarming shrimps is made to place in parallel the way Nannan surrounded the army of Pindan and scored a resounding victory over him. That’s the road that leads to Nannan’s slopes and the dancing peacocks, summoned in parallel to the lady’s exquisite tresses.  Next, the man’s mind turns to the lady’s slender arms and these are said to waft with the scent of flame-lilies and other beautiful flowers blooming in the mountain orchards of ‘Nalli’. Not only that, those arms are akin to the smooth spaces between the nodes of bamboos in the hills of ‘Thalaiyaaru’, ruled by ‘Aay’. Thus, five different kings have been called to the court of the man’s mind, to depict the beauty of his beloved. The man mentions the fame of each of these kings, such as Nannan’s generosity of showering elephants, Thithan’s greatness in rendering his patronage to bards, Nalli’s army of men with skilful bows, and Aay’s charity of making the bowls of his supplicants brim over with rice, regardless of their talent. He concludes by saying how those tresses and arms of the lady torment him, even when they have parted away and gone afar! It’s just a man musing on his beloved and feeling the pain of being apart from her, but this poet weaves the beauty of a nameless person with the history of the prominent and renders a crash course on connecting the disparate with creativity! 

In this episode, we perceive an alternate proposal of action, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 148, penned by Paranar. The verse is situated amidst the rocky paths of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’ and describes an astonishing historic moment. பனைத் திரள் அன்ன பரு ஏர் எறுழ்த் தடக் கை,கொலைச் சினம் தவிரா மதனுடை முன்பின்,வண்டு படு கடாஅத்து, உயர் மருப்பு யானைதண் கமழ் சிலம்பின் மரம் படத் தொலைச்சி;உறு புலி உரறக் குத்தி; விறல் கடிந்து;சிறு தினைப் பெரும் புனம் வவ்வும் நாட!கடும் பரிக் குதிரை ஆஅய் எயினன்நெடுந் தேர் மிஞிலியொடு பொருது, களம் பட்டென,காணிய செல்லாக் கூகை நாணி,கடும் பகல் வழங்காதாஅங்கு, இடும்பைபெரிதால் அம்ம இவட்கே; அதனால்மாலை வருதல் வேண்டும் சோலைமுளை மேய் பெருங் களிறு வழங்கும்மலை முதல் அடுக்கத்த சிறு கல் ஆறே. In this little trip to the mountains, we get to hear the confidante say these words to the man, when he arrives to tryst with the lady by day: “Having a thick, beautiful, sturdy and curving trunk, akin to a palmyra tree, expressing a fierce strength with killer rage, flowing with bee-buzzing musth, and bearing upraised tusks, an elephant dashes and ruins a tree, in the cool and fragrant mountain slopes, pierces and overpowers a tiger that opposes it, and then snatches small millets in the huge fields of your land, O lord! When Aay Eyinan, the possessor of speedy horses, clashed with Mignili, the owner of tall chariots, and perished in the battlefield, unable to go visit him in the harsh time of day, an owl felt much shame. Even more than that owl's suffering is hers, during the day. And so, you must come to that narrow, stone-filled path through the mountains,  frequented by a huge elephant that comes to graze on bamboos in the grove, only in the evening hour!” Let’s tread those mountain paths at different times of the day and learn more! The confidante starts by describing the man’s mountain country, bringing into spotlight an elephant in rut, with a thick trunk and upraised tusks. This pachyderm is on a rampage, destroying a tree, most probably a Kino tree, no doubt, mistaking it for its arch enemy. Then, finding the real deal, it fights and kills a tiger, and then devours millets in the fields. After this animated portrait of a being in the man’s land, the confidante turns to history and describes an incident from the battle between two kings, Aay Eyinan and Mignili. In this clash, Aay Eyinan was killed, and at that moment, birds seemed to soar in the sky and shield Aay Eyinan from the harsh sun. The reason for this action of the birds is attributed to the nature of this king. Apparently, he was a great protector of birds, and at the moment of his death, the birds with their superior perception had arrived to pay their respects.  Returning, the confidante continues by saying at that time when all the birds of this land arose to shield this bird-lover of a king, one bird was not able to come there, and that was an owl, and though it very much wanted to arrive there, owing to its inability to move about in the day, it remained where it was, filled with shame. Now, the confidante turns to the lady’s state and connects it to the angst-ridden owl, saying that the lady too is in a terrible position of being unable to see the man by day. This is possibly because of the soaring gossip in town about the lady’s relationship with the man. So, the confidante concludes by telling the man that he should choose the evening hour to come tryst with the lady, treading those narrow paths, traversed by huge, fearsome elephants, seeking bamboos to graze on! It’s a seemingly simple thought asking the man to not come by day but to come by night. However, concealed in that last line about dangerous elephants in his path, the confidante seems to be hinting that even a tryst by night would not be remain suitable and the best thing for the man to do would be to seek the lady’s hand in marriage. Even within that scene of the elephant thrashing about trees and tigers and then feasting on the millets, the confidante places a metaphor for how the man should put an end to the slander in town and then feast on the lady’s company. Leaving these concerns of that past moment aside, when we turn to that exquisite comparison of the lady’s suffering with an owl’s distress of being unable to visit that famous king in his moment of death, and perceive the kindness to birds that this king must have shown to evoke such a reaction, we can see how this oft-repeated portrait is streaked in the timeless hues of what’s best in humanity!

In this episode, we listen to words of delight after an awaited event, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 142, penned by Paranar. Set amidst the golden flowers of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain Landscape’, the verse depicts the generosity of a king and the courage of a commander in the battlefield. இலமலர் அன்ன அம் செந் நாவின்புலம் மீக்கூறும் புரையோர் ஏத்த,பலர் மேந் தோன்றிய கவி கை வள்ளல்நிறைஅருந் தானை வெல்போர் மாந்தரம்பொறையன் கடுங்கோப் பாடிச் சென்றகுறையோர் கொள்கலம் போல, நன்றும்உவ இனி வாழிய, நெஞ்சே! காதலிமுறையின் வழாஅது ஆற்றிப் பெற்றகறை அடி யானை நன்னன் பாழி,ஊட்டு அரு மரபின் அஞ்சு வரு பேஎய்க்கூட்டு எதிர்கொண்ட வாய் மொழி மிஞிலிபுள்ளிற்கு ஏமம் ஆகிய பெரும் பெயர்வெள்ளத் தானை அதிகற் கொன்று, உவந்துஒள் வாள் அமலை ஆடிய ஞாட்பின்,பலர் அறிவுறுதல் அஞ்சி, பைப்பய,நீர்த் திரள் கடுக்கும் மாசு இல் வெள்ளிச்சூர்ப்புறு கோல் வளை செறித்த முன்கைகுறை அறல் அன்ன இரும் பல் கூந்தல்,இடன் இல் சிறு புறத்து இழையொடு துயல்வர,கடல் மீன் துஞ்சும் நள்ளென் யாமத்து,உருவு கிளர் ஓவினைப் பொலிந்த பாவைஇயல் கற்றன்ன ஒதுக்கினள் வந்து,பெயல் அலைக் கலங்கிய மலைப் பூங் கோதைஇயல் எறி பொன்னின் கொங்கு சோர்பு உறைப்ப,தொடிக்கண் வடுக்கொள முயங்கினள்;வடிப்பு உறு நரம்பின் தீவிய மொழிந்தே. There’s only a dash of this domain in this instance, as we listen to the man say these words to his heart, at a moment when he has trysted with his lady, after a long separation: “Celebrated by wise bards, who have skilled red tongues, akin to silk-cotton flowers, is the one with generous hands, exalted above all others, that conquering king with an unstoppable army, known as ‘Mantharam Poraiyan Kadunko'. Akin to the vessels of those impoverished, who return after singing about him, you shall brim over now, my heart! May you live long! Without swerving from his just path, with his talents, the great Nannan won over elephants with huge feet. In his town of ‘Paazhi', his commander Minili, renowned for his honesty, undertook the task of feeding the insatiable and terrifying spirits of death, and routed the famous Athikan, with a flood-like army, renowned for being a protector of birds. After this, Minili, performed the ecstatic ‘Amalai' dance, with his shining sword. Akin to the uproar that arose in the battlefield just then, slander would spread in town if they knew of our relationship. Fearing that, walking gently, wearing many neat rows of flawless silver, curving bangles on her forearms, having thick, dark tresses, akin to silt-laden sand, caressed by the river, extending and swaying beyond her slender waist, my lady love came at the dark hour of midnight, when even fish in the seas sleep, moving with a delicate gait, akin to a radiantly painted doll, which was just learning to walk, and making my honey-soaked garland of mountain flowers, tousled by the rains, shed flowers, akin to golden sparks that scatter in a smithy, she embraced me, leaving impressions of her bangles, and uttering sweet words, resounding like the well-played strings of a lute!” Let’s hear the heartbeat of this mountain man! He starts by talking about a great king, Mantharam Poraiyan Kadunko, one who was celebrated by silver-tongued bards, only here, their truthful tongues are placed in parallel to the red flowers of a silk-cotton tree. The man goes on to say how generous this king was known to be, and just like how the bowls of those who had come seeking to him would overflow, the man’s heart too was in the same state of brimming over with joy!  Before telling us why, the man talks about the nature of slander that would spread in the lady’s town if her relationship with him were to be found out. To do that, he makes the verse echo with the uproar in the battlefield at the moment a commander of King Nannan, a lord named ‘Minili’ defeated the powerful Athikan and did the victory dance. Connecting this uproar to the rumours in town, the man says the lady feared that very much. This nugget tells us that the man had not been meeting the lady as much as he would like, for she had been avoiding seeing him owing to her fear. But just a while ago, she had come walking like a doll, and making the golden flowers of his rain-soaked garland scatter, she had embraced him tightly, leaving imprints of her bangles on him. Not only that, she had ended by speaking words as sweet as the music of lutes, the man concludes. Since this event occurred, that’s the reason his heart is brimming over, we understand. A record of a relatable feeling that many of us would have felt when a much awaited meeting goes on better than our expectations! Situations may change, reasons may differ, but emotions remain the same!

In this episode, we perceive the angst of a lady, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 138, penned by Ezhuvoo Pandri Naakan Kumaranaar. The verse is situated amidst the dark paths of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain Landscape’ and etches a scene from a ritual of worship. இகுளை! கேட்டிசின், காதல் அம் தோழி!குவளை உண்கண் தெண் பனி மல்க,வறிது யான் வருந்திய செல்லற்கு அன்னைபிறிது ஒன்று கடுத்தனள்ஆகி வேம்பின்வெறி கொள் பாசிலை நீலமொடு சூடி,உடலுநர்க் கடந்த கடல் அம் தானை,திருந்துஇலை நெடு வேற் தென்னவன் பொதியில்,அருஞ் சிமை இழிதரும் ஆர்த்து வரல் அருவியின்ததும்பு சீர் இன் இயம் கறங்க, கைதொழுது,உரு கெழு சிறப்பின் முருகு மனைத் தரீஇ,கடம்பும் களிறும் பாடி, நுடங்குபுதோடும் தொடலையும் கைக்கொண்டு, அல்கலும்ஆடினர் ஆதல் நன்றோ? நீடுநின்னொடு தெளித்த நல் மலை நாடன்குறி வரல் அரைநாட் குன்றத்து உச்சி,நெறி கெட வீழ்ந்த துன் அருங் கூர் இருள்,திரு மணி உமிழ்ந்த நாகம் காந்தட்கொழு மடற் புதுப் பூ ஊதும் தும்பிநல் நிறம் மருளும் அரு விடர்இன்னா நீள் இடை நினையும், என் நெஞ்சே. It’s a walk at night through this landscape as we hear the lady say these words to her confidante, pretending not to notice the man listening nearby but making sure he’s in earshot: “O companion! Listen to me, my loveable friend! As my blue-lily-like, kohl-streaked eyes filled with clear tears, perceiving my sadness, mother decided that it was because of a different reason. Becoming worried, she arranged for a worship of ‘Murugu', known for his glorious form, inviting the god home, with folded hands, singing about his burflower trees and elephants, holding a fluttering garland of palm fronds in hand, and dancing, with the accompaniment of musical instruments, brimming over with fine notes, akin to the sound of cascades that resounds and descends from the formidable peaks of the Pothiyil mountains, ruled by the Southern King, the one who wields a tall spear and commands a sea-like army that triumphs over enemies. If this worship goes on all day, is this right? The lord of the fine mountains, who has spoken for long and clarified the future to you, comes for trysts in the middle of the night, descending from the mountain's peak, in a sharp and thick darkness that makes one lose the path, and herein a serpent, which has spit a fine jewel, looks at the bee buzzing around the new flower of the thick-petaled flame lily and mistakes its rich shine for its stone in those deadly clefts. When I think about his dangerous walk through those long paths, my heart trembles!” Let’s walk on through the mountain paths, skirting over serpents and noting the glow of the buzzing bees! The lady starts by beckoning the attention of her friend and recounts how when mother saw her tear-filled eyes, she decided that was because they had invited the ire of ‘God Murugu’ in some way and so to appease him, she arranges for the ‘Veri’ ritual. In this ritual, there’s worship with folded hands, singing about the elements that signify this God, such as his burflower tree and the elephants of his domain, and then there’s dancing to the tune of resounding musical instruments, and to etch this sound, the roaring cascades in the mountains of the victorious, battle-worthy Pandya King is called in parallel. After describing the Veri ritual, the lady asks the confidante if this goes on all day and night, is this right? Why the lady asks this question is because she’s absolutely clear her sorrow is not because of this God, but only because she worries about the man, walking in the darkness of midnight, when he comes to tryst with her every night, fearing he may lose his path, in those mountain clefts, where serpents which have spit their gems, come searching for it and mistake the buzzing bees for their sapphires! A moment to note the Sangam belief that snakes spit gems and then moved about in the light of the same! In this scene of the snake mistaking the bees for its gems, lies a metaphor for mother mistaking the lady’s anxiety about the man as God’s ire. These words are especially for the benefit of the listening man, who had clarified to the confidante that he would wed the lady soon. This is to make him realise that the situation he’s subjecting the lady to, is unbecoming of his promise, thereby nudging him to hasten the steps to seek the lady’s hand in marriage. My wonder is why don’t these people talk directly? Why doesn’t the daughter tell her mother what she’s feeling and why she’s feeling so? Why doesn’t the lady tell the man what she wishes for him to do? Perhaps that would have suited a peaceful life but not a piece of poetry that lives on to educate us about the past! As long as we are not penning poetry, don’t you think being direct is better for our complicated lives of today?

In this episode, we relish scenes of nature’s plenty, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 132, penned by Thayankannanaar. The verse is situated amidst the bee-buzzing blooms of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain landscape’ and puts forth a persuasive plea. ஏனலும் இறங்கு குரல் இறுத்தன; நோய் மலிந்து,ஆய்கவின் தொலைந்த, இவள் நுதலும் நோக்கிஏதில மொழியும், இவ் ஊரும்; ஆகலின்,களிற்று முகம் திறந்த கவுளுடைப் பகழி,வால் நிணப் புகவின் கானவர் தங்கைஅம் பணை மென் தோள் ஆய் இதழ் மழைக் கண்ஒல்கு இயற் கொடிச்சியை நல்கினைஆயின்,கொண்டனை சென்மோ நுண் பூண் மார்ப!துளிதலைத் தலைஇய சாரல் நளி சுனைக்கூம்பு முகை அவிழ்த்த குறுஞ் சிறைப் பறவைவேங்கை விரி இணர் ஊதி, காந்தள்தேனுடைக் குவிகுலைத் துஞ்சி, யானைஇருங் கவுட் கடாஅம் கனவும்,பெருங் கல் வேலி, நும் உறைவு இன் ஊர்க்கே. In this trip to the mountains, there’s plenty to feast our senses on, as we listen to the confidante say these words to the man, after she brings over the lady for a tryst with him: “In the millet fields, the bent crops have been harvested; As her affliction soars, her forehead has lost its old beauty; Seeing that, this town too speaks strange words; And so, please take away this sister of hunters, who feed on white meat, and possess arrows that can pierce the cheek of a male elephant; this mountain maiden, who has beautiful, bamboo-like arms, and exquisite petals of rain-like eyes, a swaying gait, and leave to that sweet town you reside in, surrounded by the fence of great hills, where because the skies have showered their raindrops, springs are brimming over with water, and here a small-winged bee, after opening a closed bud, buzzes around the pollen of the blooming golden shower flowers, and then sleeps in the honey-filled, bunched clusters of the flame-lily, and dreams about tasting the musth flowing down the dark cheeks of an elephant!” Time to swim in the springs and take a trek through these hills! The confidante starts by giving the news of the region, talking about how the harvest season is done with, implying that the lady will not be coming anymore for guarding the millet fields and chasing away parrots. Next, because of the interruptions in her tryst with the man, the lady’s forehead seems to be shedding its old beauty, the confidante mentions. She then relates owing to that, the village is abuzz with gossip about the lady. Then, she turns to describe her friend, the lady, as a sister of hunters, who like to feed on white fatty meat and who have such sharp arrows that these can pierce the thick cheeks of elephants. From her relatives, the confidante turns to shower praise on the lady and describes her as one have beautiful arms and eyes and an adorable manner of walking. It’s now she comes to the point and asks the man to take the lady and leave to his own town amidst the hills, and ends with a description of that place, lushly filled with overflowing springs and blooming flowers, where a bee takes up the task of opening buds, then moves on to the golden shower flowers, that are spreading out their petals, another indication that the harvest season is over and the marriage season was here, and that busy bee then finds its way to the bed of flame-lily clusters, and here, it lies and dreams of savouring the musth liquid, pouring from the cheek of a male elephant in rut! The confidante is simply presenting her case of ‘Marry her, marry her’ to make the man move away from temporary trysting with the lady and turn to pursuing a permanent union. In that scene of the bee that hops from flower to flower and dreams of other delights, the confidante conceals a metaphor and a criticism for the man’s focus on pursuing pleasures with the lady, instead of finding lasting joy. Here, the confidante could be pressing the man to go for elopement, when she’s talking about taking the lady away or the formal route of seeking the lady’s hand from her kith and kin. The formidable and fierce nature of the lady’s family is depicted in that description of sharp arrows. Thus, we find in a simple song on relationships, intricate details of the natural delights that excite not only the bee, but also us, and make us dream about tasting the beauty of that pristine past!

In this episode, we listen to the beat of an anxious heart, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 128, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated amidst the dark and rugged paths of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain Landscape' and presents thoughtful words to change the course of another.

In this episode, we listen to a list of impediments to trysting, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 122, penned by Paranar. Set amidst the hooting owls and crowing roosters of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain landscape', the verse presents the problems in the present and subtly nudges a change of course.

In this episode, we perceive words of persuasion, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 118, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated amidst the roars of drums and tigers in the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain landscape' and points the way forward in a subtle manner.

In this episode, we listen to a persuasive request, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 112, penned by Neythal Saaithuitha Aavoor Kizhaar. The verse is situated amidst the roving bears and roaring tigers in the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain landscape' and attempts at changing a person's path.

In this episode, we perceive a hidden attempt at persuasion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 108, penned by Thankaal Porkollanaar. The verse is situated in the bee-buzzing hills of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain Landscape' and depicts the dangers in trysting.

In this episode, we listen to an attempt at persuasion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 102, penned by Madurai Ilampaalaasiriyan Chenthan Koothanaar. The verse is situated amidst the lush millet fields of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain Landscape' and portrays the consequences of the man's delay in seeking the lady's hand.

In this episode, we perceive the consequences of impending events, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 98, penned by Veri Paadiya Kaamakkanniyaar. Set in the domain of the spirits, the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain landscape', the verse portrays a subtle but striking technique of persuasion.

In this episode, we perceive a technique of hidden persuasion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 92, penned by Madurai Paalaasiriyaar Natraamanaar. The verse is situated amidst the flowing cascades and blooming flame-lilies of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain landscape' and relays an alternate plan of action.

In this episode, we perceive a subtle message of persuasion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 88, penned by Eezhathu Poothanthevanaar. The verse is situated amidst the swaying millet stalks of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain landscape' and portrays the dangers in a person's path.

In this episode, we delight in musical sounds many, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 82, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated amidst the bee-buzzing cascades of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain landscape' and reveals the hidden emotions of a lady.

In this episode, we perceive a thoughtful intervention on behalf of another, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 78, penned by Madurai Nakeeranaar. Set amidst the honeycombs and flame-lilies of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain Landscape', the verse highlights events in the life of a famous Sangam King.

In this episode, we perceive a subtle technique of persuasion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 72, penned by Erumai Veliyanaar Makanaar Kadalanaar. Set amidst the resounding hills of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain landscape', the verse sketches the life in this land on one rainy night.

In this episode, we listen to a friend's encouraging words, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 68, penned by Oottiyaar. The verse is situated amidst the flowing cascades of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain Landscape' and portrays a daring aspect of the man's personality.

In this episode, we listen to the angst of unfulfilled expectations, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 62, penned by Paranar. Set amidst the soaring peaks and descending cascades of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain Landscape', the verse reiterates the presence of a renowned man-made structure in those times.

In this episode, we listen to a lady's angst-filled voice, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 58, penned by Madurai Panda Vaanikan Ilanthevanaar. The verse is situated in the soaring peaks of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain Landscape' and relays a subtle message seeking to change a person's heart.

In this episode, we perceive how a message is discreetly conveyed, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 52, penned by Nochi Niyamankizhaar. Set amidst the towering boulders and flowering trees of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain landscape', the verse talks about the technique of presenting a dilemma to echo the seriousness of a situation.

In this episode, we listen to how an intricate message is conveyed, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 48, penned by Thankaal Mudakotranaar. The verse is situated amidst the soaring peaks of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain Landscape' and sketches the first interaction between the man and the lady.

In this episode, we experience a downpour of joy, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 42, penned by Kabilar. Set in the rain-soaked ranges of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain Landscape', the verse talks about the transformative effect of an event.

In this episode, we listen to how a hidden message is subtly conveyed, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 38, penned by Vadama Vannakkan Peri Saathanaar. Set in the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain Landscape', the verse paints picturesque images to etch the past and present.

In this episode, we perceive a romance brewing, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 32, penned by Nalvelliyaar. Set amidst the millet fields in the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain landscape', the verse paints a vivid portrait of inner emotions and outer reactions.

In this episode, we perceive the communication of a hidden message, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 28, penned by the Pandya King Arivudai Nambi. The verse is situated amidst the millets fields and parrot sounds of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain Landscape' and persuades a person to choose the path of permanent happiness.

In this episode, we hear a strong statement defending a person, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 22, penned by Veri Paadiya Kaamakanniyaar. Set amidst the cascades and slopes of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain landscape', the verse paints a portrait of the beliefs and rituals of those times.

In this episode, we perceive the dangers in trysting, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 18, penned by Kabilar. Set amidst the wild streams of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain Landscape', the verse presents a persuasive plea for a change in action.

In this episode, we perceive a strategy for course correction, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 12, penned by Kabilar. Set amidst the squeaks and squawks of squirrels and parrots in the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain landscape', the verse attempts to offer a new perspective to a perplexed person.

In this episode, we perceive the dangers in trysting, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 8, penned by Perunkundroor Kizhaar. Set amidst the hills and slopes of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain Landscape', the verse presents the challenges in the situation and its resolution in a hidden manner.

In this episode, we delve into the art of conveying a nuanced message, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 2, penned by Kabilar. Set among the rocks and boulders of the 'Kurinji' or 'Mountain landscape', the verse reveals the sensory delights of this land.

In this episode, we listen to a curious incident that unfolded one night, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 65, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated in the ‘Kurinji' or ‘Mountains landscape' and attempts to convey the gravity of the situation in an indirect manner.

In this episode, we listen to a playful conversation between a man and lady in love, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 64, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated in the ‘Kurinji' or ‘Mountains landscape' and etches an attempt to reconcile a disgruntled person.

In this episode, we perceive an exchange of words to unearth the truth, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 63, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated in the ‘Kurinji' or ‘Mountains landscape' and sketches the confidante's attempts at bringing together the man and the lady.

In this episode, we perceive the transformation in a lady's heart, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 62, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated in the ‘Kurinji' or ‘Mountains landscape' and sketches the manner in which the man wins over the lady's reservations against him.

In this episode, we listen to an interesting conversation between three people, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 61, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated in the ‘Kurinji' or ‘Mountains landscape' and reveals the man's situation and the confidante's support.

In this episode, we listen to an animated conversation between two women, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 60, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated in the ‘Kurinji' or ‘Mountains landscape' and presents a situation where the confidante pleads the man's case in the court of the lady's mind!

In this episode, we listen to a man's attempt to convince a maiden, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 59, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated in the ‘Kurinji' or ‘Mountains landscape' and informs us about certain customs of penances undertaken by Sangam women.

In this episode, we listen to a man's angst, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 58, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated in the ‘Kurinji' or ‘Mountains landscape' and depicts an ancient strategy employed to win love.

In this episode, we listen to a long list of praises, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 57, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated in the ‘Kurinji' or ‘Mountains landscape' and reveals both the glory of a king and the power of a maiden.

In this episode, we listen to the words of a man in love, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 56, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated in the ‘Kurinji' or ‘Mountains landscape' and expresses admiration for a lady.