In this episode, we listen to a lady’s lament, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 147, penned by Avvaiyaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse etches the aura of danger in this domain.

ஓங்குமலைச் சிலம்பில் பிடவுடன் மலர்ந்த
வேங்கை வெறித் தழை வேறு வகுத்தன்ன
ஊன் பொதி அவிழாக் கோட்டு உகிர்க் குருளை
மூன்று உடன் ஈன்ற முடங்கர் நிழத்த,
துறுகல் விடர் அளைப் பிணவுப் பசி கூர்ந்தென,
பொறி கிளர் உழுவைப் போழ் வாய் ஏற்றை
அறு கோட்டு உழை மான் ஆண் குரல் ஓர்க்கும்
நெறி படு கவலை நிரம்பா நீளிடை,
வெள்ளி வீதியைப் போல நன்றும்
செலவு அயர்ந்திசினால் யானே; பல புலந்து,
உண்ணா உயக்கமொடு உயிர் செலச் சாஅய்,
தோளும் தொல் கவின் தொலைய, நாளும்
பிரிந்தோர் பெயர்வுக்கு இரங்கி,
மருந்து பிறிது இன்மையின், இருந்து வினைஇலனே!

We witness a birth in our trip through this domain, as we listen to the lady say these words to the confidante, in response to her friend’s words about the man’s parting away:

“In the slopes of the soaring hills, along with wild jasmine, the Kino tree’s bright flowers burst into bloom. As if bunches of these fragrant flowers have been grouped separately, three cubs, whose curving claws are still concealed by flesh, have been birthed by the female tiger, which stands languishing, in the shade of a corner, within a cave, amidst the boulders. Perceiving the hunger of this female, its mate with radiant specks and a huge mouth, lies in wait, intently listening to the voice of the male deer, with broken antlers, in those long and winding paths through the drylands. Akin to Velli Veethi, I wish to traverse these paths, lamenting a lot. Filled with the fatigue of starving, thinning away as if my life would leave any moment, losing the old beauty of my arms, suffering day after day because of his parting away, without any other cure, I know not what else to do!”

Time to brave it all and tread the drylands path! The lady begins by describing this region, and to do that, she brings before our eyes a female tiger that has given birth to three cubs, and she places in parallel three bunches of the ‘Vengai’ tree’s bright yellow flowers, a connection oft-seen in Sangam literature. A moment to consider the choice of number three for that litter of cubs! My curiosity was piqued and I wanted to know how many cubs a tigress normally gives birth to, at a time. I learnt this figure ranged from 2 to 7, on the extreme, 2 to 4 normally, with 3 being the average number. Without the aid of modern censuses, our Sangam ancestors have zeroed in on this number, just with their observation!

Returning, from the mother and the babies, the lady turns her attention to the father tiger, who understanding its mate’s tiredness and hunger, has gone hunting for a male deer in the mountains. Such are these paths filled with terror, the lady says, and yet, she says she wants to walk on these paths, in search of her beloved, just like the famous Velli Veethiyar, when she lost her husband. The lady concludes by saying as there is no other medicine for her affliction which makes her starve, thin away, and lose her beauty, this was the only thing she could think of doing! Here’s a unique lesson in healing oneself by finding a commonality with another person, who has walked the same stony path!