மருதப்பாடல்
Dear all,
“Ecocriticism” is a word I learnt very recently. It is supposedly the application of ecological concepts to the study of literature. As I was intrigued and wondering how in the world could somebody even get the idea to connect literature with ecology, stumbled across தமிழ் poetry being be a much older and organised predecessor of this concept. The term “ecocriticism” now merely seems to be an old wine in a new bottle.
The poems of Sangam literature are classified into distinct திணை (thinai). Each திணை is equated to a particular landscape and the songs’ descriptions of nature, people and behaviour identify distinctly with that particular landform. The five thinais geographically from coast to interior mainland are நெய்தல் (coastal land – கடலும் கடல் சார்ந்த பகுதியும்), மருதம் (wet and agricultural lands), முல்லை (pastoral lands), பாலை (dry lands) and குறிஞ்சி (mountain region). Each thinai was also linked to specific emotions, behaviour and actions within humans (அகத்திணை)and the outer world including war and governance (புறத்திணை). Songs from a particular thinai utilised the humans, their feelings, flora and fauna of the corresponding landscape for their imagery and narration. Brilliant isn’t it ?!!!!!
This week picked a song that seems to be a modern version of a sangam poem happening in மருதம் (agricultural land). It faithfully elaborates on everything happening in மருதம் through the eyes of a young woman cycling and taking in all the beauty that landscape has to offer her. The time suited for மருதம் is விடியல் (வைகரை) and the song rightly happens early in the morning.
IR has aptly used a raagam commonly deployed on auspicious occasions – “Madhyamavathi” for this song (symbolising an auspicious start to the day). The song also provided an auspicious start to two other people in real life : singer S.P. Shailaja (her first solo song) and the lesser known lyricist (debut of M.G. Vallabhan) – and is from the movie “ பொண்ணு ஊருக்கு புதுசு”.
See how IR gradually increases the number of instruments as the song unwinds, paralleling the gradually increasing sounds as the day progresses.
The pallavi starts with a
humming with violins and flute bringing the desired effect of early morning :
“சோலைகுயிலே காலைக்கதிரே
அள்ளும் அழகே துள்ளும் ராகமே
துள்ளும் ராகமே”
Now the Charanams : notice how the lyrics comprehensively describe மருதம்.
“வண்ணதெங்கழனி
(கழனி – paddy field)
காலைக்கு வாழ்த்து பாடுதே
சின்னபூங்குருவி
நாளைக்கும் சேர்த்து தேடுதே”
“அசைவில் இசையில் கன்னிதமிழே”Everything sways gently in the breeze and the sweetness and variety of sounds reminding her of the beauty of கன்னித்தமிழ்.
The next lines have perfect சந்தம் and showcases the wealth of our language:
“வாடையில் ஆடிடும் கோடையின் நீரலை
மேடையின் மீது கண்ணாலே கவி பாடி
பொன் வண்ண மீனாடுதே ஓ ஓ”
“வாடை” is North-wind as opposed to south-wind “தென்றல்”.
தமிழ் – likely the ONLY language to have precise individual words for breeze coming from different directions!!!!
The song continues as she cycles along:
“முல்லை மாலைகளை சூடிடும்
வெள்ளி மேகங்கள்
(A very distinctive imagination – the silver white clouds appear to be wearing jasmine garlands!!)
நெல்லுப் பானைகளை
சுமக்கும் கன்னி கோலங்கள்”
(Again using life in மருதம் for the illustration)
“அசைவில் இசையில் கன்னி தமிழே
செங்கதிர் சிந்திடும் சித்திரை பங்குனி
(Lovely phrase – “செங்கதிர் சிந்திடும்” – scattered red rays of the sun in the month of March and April)
திங்களில் நாளில் மந்தாரை செந்தாழம்
வந்தாடும் ஊர்கோலமே ஓ ஓ.”
A song that teaches the way of categorisation based on “திணை” in simple understandable terms. Showcases how as a language we have been way ahead of the rest using poetry to record and narrate history, geography, culture and the ecology around!!!
Two lines sum up the two debutants:
- S.P. Shailaja voice and singing duly fits the line – “அள்ளும் அழகே துள்ளும் ராகமே”.
- வல்லபன் – lyrics live the line
“அசைவில் இசையில் கன்னி தமிழே”
மனதை மயக்கும் மருதப்பாடல்!!!!
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