Episode 05 - Chapter 1.

BOOK I. BALA KHANDAM 

CHAPTER 1 - நாட்டுப்படலம் - KOSALAM MATCHING CHOLA COUNTRY OF KAMBAN

We move on to Bala Khandam – a few verses from this first of seven khandams of the  epic. 

Before we take up the selected verses from this chapter, we should look at the sharp  difference and approach and style between the Aadi Kavi (Valmiki) and Kamban in  handling this particular chapter. 

Valmiki focuses on the city of Ayodhya. He speaks more about its urban splendor, its people and their virtues and endowments. Kamban on the other hand, flies off into a  rare reverie – pictures Kosalam as if it were his own Chozha Naadu. He doesn’t lapse  into a great mis-selection in doing this as the two lands are comparable in terms of  natural landscape, riches of fauna and flora. 

The Thamizh community of yore classified their land into four types – mostly on the basis  of topography. These were - குறிஞ்சி, முல்வல, மருதம், நெய்தல், பாலை.  குறிஞ்சி was hilly districts; முல்லை was afforested districts; மருதம் was alluvial  plains, நெய்தல் seashore and adjacent districts and பாலை was a desertified  combine of hills and forests. Of these, the Chozha Naadu was largely made up of  alluvial plains – மருதம். Kamban speaks of the splendor of மருதம்.

Prof.A.S.Gnanasambandan believes, in his critique, that while venturing into his own  imagery of the land – Kosalam – Kamban indeed indulges in projecting for himself and  for his compatriots – and for history – the ideal Chozha land. (The later Chola dynasties  followed the near demise of the Pallava ones and lasted about 4 centuries: Kamban  was at the headworks of this great period (1180 to 1250 C.E.) 

This period saw the emergence of several poetic and literary stars in the Thamizh  firmament – Ottakoothar, Pugazhendhi, Sekkizhaar (who gave the other of the two  glittering jewels in Thamizh’s crown - Periya PuraaNam), BhavaNandi (of the Nannool  (Thamizh grammar authority), Azhagiya MaNavaaLa Jeeyar). 

Now to Kamban and his imagery of Kosalam – as a மருதம் land: மருதம் 

Kamban visualizes the land “மருதம்” as a Royal Durbar where மருதம் reigns amidst  the extraordinary natural orchestra: 

தண்டலை மயில்கள் ஆட, தாமரை விளக்கம் தாங்க, 

கொண் டல்கள் முழவின் ஏங்க, குவவள கண் விழித்து நோக்க, தண் திவர எழினி காட்ட, கதம்பிழி மகர யாழின் 

வண் டுகள் இனிது பாட, மருதம் வீற்றிருக்கும் மாதோ. 

Peacocks of cool groves, dancing with their glittering plumage, iridescent and flowing, Lotuses bobbing with beautiful lighted lamps, 

Darkened clouds orchestrating with drum beats in symphony, 

Lovely lilies onlooking with their large adorable “eyes”, 

Rippling water floor providing this captivating act the silver screen, 

Bumblebees ringing out honey-dipped strains out of yaazh 

(The Thamizh string-instrument) - amidst this magnificent setting 

Reigns “Marudham”, the land that is rich and great. 

A real, ROYAL, ROYAL durbar setting for the Marudham Land.

For once, Kamban parts company significantly from the AAadi Kavi, in both style and  substance. 

We saw earlier Kamban parting company – for now – from the Adhi Kaavya and  indulged in an extensive reverie of the arresting delights and riches of the land - மருத‍ம் – (Marudham – rich alluvial plains). As we noted, he is narrating the riches of  the Kosalam nation which is the primary territory of Dasaratha’s empire; but he is  actually visualizing for him and the Thamizh community, a Utopia that he wishes his own  Chozha Naadu to be. He ploughs a lone furrow for almost the entire chapter of  நாட்டுப்படலம். 

After lifting us to the extraordinary durbar/concert that மருத‍ம் reigned over, (last  week’s verse), he picks a few scenes depicting some facets of the other worldly  bounties, riches, nature’s gifts and arresting joys of this land. Let us pick just one of these  : 

வரம்பு எலாம் முத்தம்; தத்தும் மடை எலாம் பணிலம்; மாநீர்க் 

குரம்பு எலாம் செம்பொன்; மேதிக் குழி எலாம் கழுநீர்க் கொள்ளை 

பரம்பு எலாம் பவளம்; சாலிப் பரப்பு எலாம் அன்னம்; பாங்கர்க் 

கரம்பு எலாம் செந்தேன்; சந்தக் கா எலாம் களி வண்டு ஈட்டம்

 வரம்பு = bunds separating cultivated fields; முத்தம் = pearls; தத்தும் = (skipping,  cascAading) flowing; மடை = channels with flowing water; பணிலம் = conches;  (conches were considered dear and had several ornamental uses; even today, women  in Bengal use bangles made out of conches as a favourite and auspicious ornament)  மாநீர்க்குரம்பு = banks abutting large water channels; மேதிக்குழி = water puddles  in which buffaloes loll; கழுநீர்க் கொள்ளை = super abundance of water lilies; பரம்பு =  plough-levelled fields ready for sowing; சாலிப் பரப்பு=fields with standing paddy  crops; பாங்கர்=adjacent; கரம்பு=fallow land; சந்த = beautiful; கா=grove;  ஈட்டம்=large bevy or cluster; 

Bunds that bound the green fields gleam 

With lustrous paved-in paths of pearls; the channels’ threshold 

Spawned conches in exquisite abundance; water courses that stream Have banks that glitter with embedded glistening gold; 

Scattered ponds that cool, where buffaloes loll: 

Waters adorned by exuberant thickets that bloom 

Goblets of water-lilies so pink; lands ploughed for sowing haul 

Litters of crimson coral aplenty – who to groom? 

Verdant paddies bedecked with banks* of gracefully gliding swan 

Islands of unploughed fallows amidst endless rolling crop-filled green Are veritable founts dripping scrumptious honey, the colour of fawn, The cool, delightful groves of green resonate 

The buzz of bevies of bumble bees in groggy joyous state. 

*Banks – groups, bevies, - used for swans. 

Rough translation: All the bunds of fields are paved with pearls; the channels that irrigate  the fields are full of conches; The bunds of larger canals glitter with embedded gold; The  ponds where buffaloes loll are dense with pink water-lilies; the land that is reAadied for  sowing is littered all over with coral; the stretch of fields with paddy crop are full of  swans; the adjacent fallow land oozes fawn coloured honey; the delightful cool groves  are filled with swarms of bumble bees. 

Buffaloes are a favourite (unimaginable for us lay people) idiom used by poets of yore; it is not the prettiest of  animals, but it is very handy to notate the water-wealth of the place; buffaloes love water and slush. A land richly endowed with water resource is also rich by most of the  other indices. 

“Islands of unploughed fallows amidst endless rolling crop-filled green Are veritable founts dripping scrumptious honey “ 

Uncultivated fallow land dripping with scrumptious honey? Can you beat this? Kamban  soars the ultimate heights of poetic imagery in this (over-exaggerated) metaphor. Even  in our own Utopia, the land flows with milk and honey, doesn’t it? 

Kamban is not alone or unique in getting carried away with imagery of the riches of the  land. 

Consider, contextually speaking, about conches and pearls abounding everywhere,  the following verses in the “Nalaayira Divya Prabhandam” – Thirumangai Azhwar’s  Periya Thirumozhi: 

திருமங்கை ஆழ்வார் - பெரிய திருமொழி

சீராம விண்ணகரம் (சீர்காழி) பற்றிய பாடல்கள்

நான்முகன்..... உழுசே ஓடச் சூல்முகம் ஆர்வளை அளைவாய் உகுத்த முத்தைத் தொல் குருகு சினை எனச் சூழ்ந்து இயங்க...

(Ploughing turns up well-developed conches and pearls (oysters) and white cranes  flying overhead circle round mistaking these to be their eggs) 

பொருஇல் வலம்புரி அரக்கன்..... திரைநீர்த் தெள்கி

மருவி வலம்புரி கைதைக் கழி ஊடு ஆடி வயல் நண்ணி மழைதரு நீர் தவழ் கால் மன்னி, 

தெருவில் வலம்புரி தரளம் ஈனும் காழிச் சீராம விண்ணகரம்....

(Sea waters bring in “valampuri” conches and pearl oysters and these get rolled into  the water channels; thus the streets of Sirkazhi are strewn with Conches and Pearls.)

I conclude this week with this note:: the brief commentaries given in these discussions  are my understanding of the verses and their import. When fit and appropriate, I would  seek corroboration or reference from scholars who have studied Kamban and written  volumes on his work(s); when I do that I would appropriately reference it (like I did in the  case of Prof. Gnanasambandan a couple of weeks back.) That would be literary ethics. 

Kamban ventures further, unidirectionally, to find startling, eye-filling riches in most  unlikely places/things. 

படை உழ எழுந்த பொன்னும்,   பனிலங்கள் உயிர்த்த முத்தும்,

இடறிய பரம்பில் காந்தும் இன   மணித்தொகையும், நெல்லின்

மிடை பசுங் கதிரும், மீனும்,மென் தழைக் கரும்பும், வண்டும்

கடைசியர் முகமும், போதும்,கண் மலர்ந்து ஒளிரும் மாதோ

 படை = plough-share; பனிலங்கள் = oysters; இடறிய = leavened/levelled; பரம்பில் =(leavened/levelled) field for sowing; காந்தும் = radiant; இன = (high born) precious; மணித்தொகை=various gems;

 கடைசியர்=women of the “marudham” land. (Women in the five natural divisions of land முல்லை, குறிஞ்சி, மருதம், நெய்தல், பாலை were known with distinct geo-racial names: e.g. for குறிஞ்சி  it was குறத்தி ; for முல்லை it was ஆய்ச்சி, இடத்தி; for பாலை it was மறத்தி, for  , நெய்தல்  it was அளத்தி (Ref: Choodamani Nigandu) 

(படை = generally means a weapon; the full term for this context would be உழு படை = ploughing tool i.e. plough-share; பனிலங்கள் is used as a common noun for oyster-type sea-creatures including conches; காந்தும் = etymological root  - kaanti in Sanskrit कान्त= radiant.)

 Lumps of gold turning up in the plough-shares’ wake, 

Lustrous pearls that fat and gleaming Oysters yield; 

Glittering, precious, gems of several kinds that rAadiate 

From the leavening, levelling of the sowing field 

Ripening paddy weighed by maturing golden grain 

Fishes frolicking; sugar cane stands, with soft leaves’ flowing train 

Bumble bees in drunken joy; the women of tillers, pretty and graceful,  Lotus buds; they all blossom with rAadiant smiles – in concert, so beautiful! 

As the land is ploughed, in the wake of the plough-share, (chunks of) gold is turned  up.Oysters yield lustrous pearls; when the land is reAadied for sowing with  levelling/leavening, very precious, rAadiant, gems are revealed (scattered) on it; The  ripening paddy ears are weighed down with golden grain; fishes (are frolicking); sugar  cane with soft leaves sway; bumble bees (are drunk, joyous and busy everywhere); the  women of tiller folk look pretty and graceful; lotus buds are ready to bloom. All of these  (nine things) seem to smile happily – in concert as it were - with wide and rAadiant  eyes.(The poet is talking about NINE disparate things and brings in a concert to the  "wide-eyed smile" in all of them).