What tree is it, my friend - Ainkurunooru 201

 

Image: Thanks to internet

Long live mother! Give ears! 

Golden buds bloom like gems

The leaves my lover donned

Also served me to dress

The tree growing in his slopes

What tree is it, my friend!

For the original Tamil poem and explanation, please click on this link, என்ன மரமது சொல்வாய்.

Ainkurunooru 201

Heroine says to her friend, as the foster mother listens

annaai vaazhi vendu annai ennai 
thaanum maindhaan emakkum thazhai aayina
pon vee mani arumbinave
enna maram kol avar saaral avve.

This Kurinji Thinai poem depicts the words said by the heroine to her friend, while the foster mother was listening. Its one out of the ten poems named as 'Annaay pathu' meaning 'ten songs addressed to the mother'. It was customary for the heroine and her friend to address each other fondly as 'mother'. Even Tholkappiyar has outlined this in his book, Tholkappiyam, the earliest book known to be available in classical Tamil literature. 

To paraphrase, "To say mother, my master also is customary", where my master refers to the lover.

Paraphrase: Long live, mother!  Listen to me. In the mountain slopes of my beloved, golden flowers bud forth resembling precious gems. He wore the leaves, and the leaves became clothing for me too.  What is the name of that tree? 

Explanation: The heroine is in love with the hero from the mountain country, and has pledged to marry him.  Not knowing this, the girl's parents are seeking a groom for her among her relatives. The heroine is troubled fearing obstacles to her marriage with her lover. So, in order to make her parents aware of her love, she reveals it indirectly to her foster mother who is nearby, as if talking to her friend. This poem depicts what the heroine said to her friend. She asks her friend to say the name of the tree in the mountain slopes of her beloved, which puts forth golden blossoms like precious gems, the leaves of which the hero was clad and he gave some to the heroine to dress as well. In the context of admiring the beautiful flowers, she asks the name of the tree which grows in the mountain slopes of her beloved. The heroine makes it plain her love, in a beautiful and subtle way. The foster mother who listens to this would enquire about it to the heroine's friend, and thereby the love would be brought to light to the heroine's parents. 

Poems also express something similar to the body language, which is known as 'meippaadu' in Tamil literature. According to 'Perumazhaipulavar' Po. Ve. Somasundaranar, this poem expresses fear of the heroine about obstacles to her love. The benefit of the poem is called 'arathodu nitral', meaning 'standing by the ethics/values'. The heroine reveals the truth about her love so as not to refrain from her promise, and to get married with her beloved. In the words, ;avar saaral',

Miscellanaeous Note: 'Perumazhaipulavar' Po. Ve. Somasundaranar, says the heroine refers to the people living in the mountain country, rather than refering to the hero with respect; avan means him without respect, used to friends and younger boys. avar is used to refer to someone with respect; He gives this explanation so as to clear the confusion of why the heroine refers to the hero in singular at one place , 'malaindhaan' and in plural in another place,' avar saral'. In general, mixes like this is referred to as 'mayakkam'  meaning 'slip', with respect to grammar.

Synonyms: annaay - mother; vaazhi - long live; vendu annai - listen mother; ennai - my master/beloved; thaanum malaindhaan - he too wore; emakkum - for me too; thazhai aayina - leaves became clothing; golden - gold coloured; vee - flower; mani - gems; arumbinave - blossomed; enna - what; maram - tree; kol- expletive; avar saaral - his mountain slopes; 

My Poem:

Long live mother! Give ears! 

Golden buds bloom like gems

The leaves my lover donned

Also served me to dress

The tree growing in his slopes

What tree is it, my friend!