Spgm 040 - Seeing The City Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

(After leaving the house and Pugar,
Kovalan and Kannagi walked towards
Madurai City along with Kownthi
Adigal. Passing thro' Thiruvarangam,
the three proceeded to Uraiyur of
Chola Nadu)

CROSSED THE GATE.

It was time for the dawn soon,
That hid the twilight moon.
The sky became dark then.
Kovalan left his mansion.

The court yard they passed,
The outer gate they crossed.
This well designed wooden gate,
It revealed their artistic taste.

THEY WORSHIPED DIVINE PLACES.

They first went round the temple
To worship Lord Thirumal,
Resting o'er the serpent bed,
Adhi Sesha with hoods spread.

They worshiped Indra Vihara,
The house of Lord Buddha,
Which spread his teachings,
And preached his messages.

They went round the holy houses
Of saints, who controlled their senses,
To get their blessings for success,
In their strange and unknown places.

They crossed the main gate
Of the famous Pugar Fort,
They went with other groups
And with traveling troupes.

THEY MET KOWNTHI ADIGAL.(FEMALE MONK)

"I find from your face and dress
You belong to a higher class.
You don't seem to be poor.
Where do you go at this late hour? "

To this Kownthi Adigal's query,
Kovalan replied, "For your inquiry
No answer I've, but for the reason
We go to Madurai to seek our fortune."

"She can't walk on rough pathway,
With her delicate feet on the way,
It's difficult to cross forest after forest
For you both with no proper rest."

"Forget your travel there.
Better you stay with us here,
Kownthi Adigal told thereafter,
But they didn't listen to her.

She said, "Since you want to go
With you let me also go."
Kovalan replied, "It'll be to our gain,
When you come, we'll forget our pain."

THE NATURE'S ROLE ON THE WAY.

"Listen, Oh Kovalan, not one,
But many obstacles, it's no fun,
We'll have to face on the way,
One by one to you I shall say."

"To avoid the hot sun,
If we go by the garden,
The ground is dug there,
With holes here and there."

"We can't avoid these holes,
Which are but false,
Filled up with flowers,
Unseen by naked eyes."

"The big jack fruits ahead,
They'll knock our heads.
Or o'er their slippery seeds,
We can't march onward."

"The fields are even worse,
Bad injury as it may cause.
Your wife may have fear
When the dogs rush near."

"These field are full of water,
Kayal and Valai fish grow there.
The dogs hunt for these fish,
So you can't go, even you wish."

"When the honeycombs break,
Drops of honey the streams take.
This honey-water you can take,
To quench your thirst sake."

"The poisonous spotted bees
Surely harmful they may be.
There're chances you may fall
Bitten by these insects' tail."

"The canal bunds are still worse,
Where snails and crabs cause distress.
So, we'll select a path barring these
That takes us to the city across."