#6B8E23
A Forest Dweller
Dr.R.Nagaswamy
2013-10-14
Van Paranar was a great poet of the Sangam age. He had some immortal poems now in the Purap Pāṭṭu collection. Three of the songs are interconnected probably related one episode.
A Bānan was passing through a forest region by the side of a hill slope., with his family. It was terrible route and they were completely tired, hungry and were unable tp proceed as their legs refused to move.so they spotted a jack tree under which sat down to take a break. They saw well built hunter with bow and arrow in his hand came nearer them and with his hands over his eyes looked at them. Poor folks tired they look he thought and immediately he cut a deer he hunted into pieces and lighted a fire by rubbing dry woods and roasted the meat of the deer and gave to the hungry Bānan and his retinue.the meat he gave tasted as nectar and they ate to their satisfaction and moved to a spring near where there was crystal like water which they drank and having quenched their thirst started on their.the hunter came and stopped them and said I am only a Forest dweller I don't anything else to present you except this and so saying he removed the necklace of pearls from his neck and the bracelets he was wearing in his powerful hand and gave them .TheBana and his family looked at him and asked which is your dwelling. He did not reply. They asked him what is your name.to this also he did not reply. The Bana and the family moved and learnt from the passers by that he was Nalli the chieftain of the hilly region. They were amazed to see a forest hunter unwilling to let others know even his abode or name and did helped and wanted to remain absolutely anonymous .they looked at the top of the hill and felt he was taller than the top of the hill.
A second poem , a short one the Bānan addressed the chief " Nalliwe are accustomed to sing Marutam pan in evening and sevvalip pan in morning wit our Yaz.we have for gotten them for we have been overwhelmed by your kindness and generosity that they do not come to our mind"
And in the third poem the Bānan sang " Nalli having seen bringing whatever you could to this town and distributing them to the needy, our little but honest tongues can only sing your praises and not the so called great kings who do nothing worthwhile but for their name"
These three poems in the Puranānūru collection remind us of Guha the fisherman in Ramayana who attracted Sri Rāma as a perfect human than many others.the Sanfam poems many such great enthralling episodes as a true reflection of ancient Tamil culture that deserves to be studied and understand human greatness rather waste our time in reading low level writings. It is a pity that these immortal poets and their songs are neglected these days and only pseudo vituperative writing is passed as Tamil 's contribution. We would love to enjoy true and great Tamil.