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Sangam Lit

Sangam Lit

Written by: Nandini Karky
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Reflections on 2000 Year Old Tamil Poetry© 2019 Nandini Karky Art Daily Philosophy Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • Aganaanooru 348 – The toddy of trysting

    Aganaanooru 348 – The toddy of trysting
    Oct 7 2026
    In this episode, we perceive a subtle message of persuasion, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 348, penned by Madurai Ilam Paalaasiriyan Chenthan Koothanaar. The verse is situated amidst the flourishing millet fields of the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountain Landscape’ and details the ingredients and recipe of an ancient fermented beverage. என் ஆவதுகொல் தானே முன்றில்,தேன் தேர் சுவைய, திரள் அரை மாஅத்து,கோடைக்கு ஊழ்த்த, கமழ் நறுந் தீம் கனி,பயிர்ப்புறப் பலவின் எதிர்ச் சுளை அளைஇ,இறாலொடு கலந்த, வண்டு மூசு அரியல்நெடுங் கண் ஆடு அமைப் பழுநி, கடுந் திறல்பாப்புக் கடுப்பு அன்ன தோப்பி வான் கோட்டுக்கடவுள் ஓங்கு வரைக்கு ஓக்கி, குறவர்,முறித் தழை மகளிர் மடுப்ப, மாந்தி,அடுக்கல் ஏனல் இரும் புனம் மறந்துழி,‘யானை வவ்வின தினை’ என, நோனாது,இளையரும் முதியரும் கிளையுடன் குழீஇ,சிலை ஆய்ந்து திரிதரும் நாடன்நிலையா நல் மொழி தேறிய நெஞ்சே? In this short trip to the hills, we get to witness a unique culinary custom, as we listen to the lady say these words to her confidante, pretending not to notice the man listening nearby but making sure he’s in earshot: “Taking the fragrant, sweet fruit, which has ripened in summer, with a honey-like taste, growing on the thick-trunked mango tree in their front yard, and mashing it with the sticky slices of the jackfruit, adding some honeycomb, they prepare a bee-buzzing nectar, pour it into the hollowed-out stems of tall and swaying bamboos and store it for long. That well-aged, sharp toddy turns out with a sharpness, akin to the bite of a snake. After offering a portion of that drink to the god, who resides in the soaring, sky-high peaks, mountain maiden, wearing garments of tender sprouts and leaves, offer to their men, who drink it up, and forget all about guarding their millet fields in the mountain ranges. Then, realising that elephants have raided those millets, unable to accept that, the young and old group together, and then, selecting their bows and weapons, set out and rove around in the country of the lord. What will happen now to that heart of mine, which had trusted in his wavering words?” Time to explore the highs and lows of this terrain! The lady starts by describing the man’s mountain country, and to do that, she first zooms on to a mango fruit in the summer, growing on a tree in the front yard of a home. This mango fruit is said to have the sweetness of honey. We see a hand choosing and plucking this mango fruit. Next, some sticky slices of the jackfruit are taken, and both these fruits are mashed well, with a dash of honeycomb too. Beating this mixture well, next they pour the liquid into the hollowed-out bamboo stems, swaying in the wind. Apparently, they leave this bee-buzzing mixture for a while, and then, when they take out the aged, fermented toddy, it has the sharpness of a snake bite, the lady details. Next she talks about how the womenfolk first offer this well-aged toddy to the god in the mountains and then to their men. Those men happily slurp their fruit wine, and lie there, completely sloshed. Consequently, they forget their task of tending to the millet fields, and as can be expected, elephants come to enjoy their bit of delicacy. Hearing about the raid, the men can tolerate no more, and the young and old prepare to go hunt down the elephant, in the man’s country, the lady connects. She concludes by wondering what is going to happen to her, because she had trusted in the man’s words, which did not seem to stand steady and render permanent happiness! While that long description of a toddy preparation and millet fields may seem like a mere description of place, within lies a sharp and biting metaphor for how the man too had become drunk with the pleasures of trysting with the lady, and had forgotten to protect her from the gossiping mouths, spreading slander in town, and causing her health and beauty to fade. When the man hears that, he will understand the angst in the lady’s situation and take steps to claim her hand. In this usual theme of ‘Marry me, marry me’, I was intrigued to learn about this specific way of preparing what seems like a fermented fruit wine, and when searching about the same, I came across this research abstract published in ...
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    6 mins
  • Aganaanooru 349 – What’s more precious?

    Aganaanooru 349 – What’s more precious?
    Oct 8 2026

    In this episode, we observe the bewilderment of a person at another’s course of action, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 349, penned by Maamoolanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse etches the victory and generosity of a Sangam-era king.

    அரம் போழ் அவ் வளை செறிந்த முன்கை
    வரைந்து தாம் பிணித்த தொல் கவின் தொலைய,
    எவன் ஆய்ந்தனர்கொல் தோழி! ஞெமன்ன்
    தெரி கோல் அன்ன செயிர் தீர் செம் மொழி,
    உலைந்த ஒக்கல் பாடுநர் செலினே,
    உரன் மலி உள்ளமொடு முனை பாழாக,
    அருங் குறும்பு எறிந்த பெருங் கல வெறுக்கை
    சூழாது சுரக்கும் நன்னன் நல் நாட்டு,
    எழிற் குன்றத்துக் கவாஅன், கேழ் கொள,
    திருந்து அரை நிவந்த கருங் கால் வேங்கை
    எரி மருள் கவளம் மாந்தி, களிறு தன்
    வரி நுதல் வைத்த வலி தேம்பு தடக் கை
    கல் ஊர் பாம்பின் தோன்றும்
    சொல் பெயர் தேஎத்த சுரன் இறந்தோரே?

    In this trip to the drylands, we get to see the usual sights and visit a king’s court, as we listen to the lady say these words to her confidante, when the man had parted away from her and gone in search of wealth:

    “Leaving me to lose the old beauty of these forearms, decked with beautiful bangles, cut with a saw, which he had claimed in marriage and held close, what has he found that’s so precious, my friend? Nannan renders flawless, fine words with justness, akin to the mid pointer of a weighing balance, and when seeing singers and their fatigued clan, he would render without any hesitation, great vessels and wealth that he had captured from the formidable forts of his foes, after ruining them in the battlefield with much determination. In Nannan fine country, where soars the Ezhil mountain peak, blooms a bright-hued, dark-stemmed Kino tree, with an etched and soaring trunk. Feeding on its flame-like flowers, a male elephant places its tired, curving trunk on its striped forehead, which appears akin to a snake crawling on a boulder. Why has he gone, crossing many such countries, where languages differ, and parted away to those drylands?”

    Time to ponder on the lady’s words! She starts by asking a question to her friend about the man, wondering what is that thing he has found to be so important for him to leave her and make her lose the beauty of those arms the man had linked together in marriage. Then she goes on to talk about King Nannan and his just nature, bringing the pointer of a weighing scale to symbolise his qualities, and mentions how he would render all the wealth he had gained in the battlefields to singers and their clan, without any thought of keeping it for himself. We learn that Nannan has been called to mention his country of Ezhil mountains, and the lady taking us to this land, points to a particular Kino tree growing there, whose flowers a tired elephant preys upon, having nothing to eat, and places its trunk on its head, making it appear like a snake crawling up a hill. After that description, the lady connects saying it’s crossing many such countries, where different languages are spoken, the man has gone to the drylands, leaving her!

    In essence, the lady’s wonder is, ‘What is that which he deems so precious than my health and beauty?’. When in courtship, no doubt the man had been pursuing the lady with such devotion, but once he was married, he was off to his new pursuit, and that’s why the comparison is so stark in the lady’s mind. Pondering on a beloved’s choices seem to be a custom, then and now, here and everywhere!
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    4 mins
  • Aganaanooru 354 – Where will it go?

    Aganaanooru 354 – Where will it go?
    Oct 15 2026

    In this episode, we perceive the joyous mood in returning home, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 354, penned by Madurai Tamil Koothan Kaduvan Mallanaar. The verse is situated amidst the dance of calves and the song of flutes in the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest landscape’ and presents the happy turn of events and its far-reaching consequences.

    மத வலி யானை மறலிய பாசறை,
    இடி உமிழ் முரசம் பொரு களத்து இயம்ப,
    வென்று கொடி எடுத்தனன், வேந்தனும்; கன்றொடு
    கறவைப் புல்லினம் புறவுதொறு உகள,
    குழல் வாய் வைத்தனர் கோவலர், வல் விரைந்து,
    இளையர் ஏகுவனர் பரிய, விரி உளைக்
    கடு நடைப் புரவி வழிவாய் ஓட,
    வலவன் வள்பு வலி உறுப்ப, புலவர்
    புகழ் குறி கொண்ட பொலந்தார் அகலத்து,
    தண் கமழ் சாந்தம் நுண் துகள் அணிய,
    வென்றி கொள் உவகையொடு புகுதல் வேண்டின்,
    யாண்டு உறைவதுகொல் தானே மாண்ட
    போது உறழ் கொண்ட உண்கண்
    தீதிலாட்டி திரு நுதற் பசப்பே?

    In this trip to these lush forest lands, we get to see a lot of frantic activity, as we listen to those around the man in the battle camp say these words to him, as he prepares to leave home to the lady:

    “Rutting elephants having great strength trumpet in the battle-camp; Thunderous drums resound in the battlefield; The king raises the flag of victory; Along with their calves, cows leap about in the forest lands, and cowherds place the flutes on their mouths and play on; Helpers run about on their errands with much haste; Speeding horses with spreading manes rush on the paths, as the charioteer wields them with strong reins; For that garlanded chest of yours, having those famous scars, celebrated by poets, to be adorned with tiny specks of moist and fragrant sandalwood, with a victorious smile, you wish to enter your home. When you do, where will the pallor, resting atop the fine forehead of your flawless wife, having kohl-streaked eyes, akin to flowers, leave to and take residence?”

    Let’s take in the fleeting sights of this speeding verse and learn more! The people in the camp turn to the man and point out the sounds around them, which include trumpeting elephants and thundering drums. All these are echoing aloud the news that the king has attained the victory he wished for. From the immediate surroundings, the minds of these people travel to the forest lands around where there’s much frolic happening between cows and calves and the cowherds too are sending sweet musical notes on their flutes, calling their herd. Then those people picture the man’s helpers buzzing around, finishing the tasks, and horses speeding homeward, in the expert hands of the charioteer. They visualise the battle-scarred chest of the man, celebrated by poets, being welcomed home and streaked with sandalwood and conclude by wondering where that poor pallor, which had been sitting so rightfully on the lady’s forehead, will run to, now! In short, they take us on an entire journey from where the man was to where he wants to be, painting all the joyous events, one after the other. A verse which gives us the feeling of watching a movie unfold scene by scene, from here to there, from him to her!
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    4 mins
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