75.1 Fortress
Question:
What are
the features of an ideal fortress?
Answer:
A fortress
is that which is impregnable and well-suited for
self-defense
of the inmates with required provisions inside. (Couplet – 745)
கொளற்கரிதாய்க் கொண்டகூழ்த் தாகி அகத்தார்
நிலைக்கெளிதாம் நீரது அரண். (குறள் – 745)
Explanation:
In Couplet 745,
Valluvar says that a well-planned fortress of a king should be such that it is
impregnable so that it will deter the enemies by demotivating them. Further,
the fortress should have the necessary food and other accessories that the
inmates of the fortress require for a reasonable period. Although the fortress
described by Valluvar would have been ideal during his time, it is of no use in
today’s warfare. In poem 109 of
Purananuru[1],
the poet Kabilar describes King Paari’s Parambu hill, where his fortress was
situated. Kapilar’s description matches Valluvar’s description of an ideal
fortress.
About 2000 years ago, Tamil Nadu (the
southeastern state of India) was ruled by three kings and a few chieftains. A
chieftain named Paari was a brave fighter with a powerful army. He was known
for his generosity, and he became very famous. Three kings were interested in
establishing a relationship with him. They came one after another wanting to
marry his daughters. Paari refused to give his daughters to any of the three
kings. The three kings became angry at Paari and were also very jealous. Each
of the three kings had fought with Paari, and they were defeated. Finally, they
joined together and waged war against Paari. They besieged the Parambu hill
upon which Paari’s fortress was situated.
Paari had a loyal friend named Kabilar,
who was also the poet laureate in Paari’s court. Kabilar was also an advisor to
Paari. At one time, the three kings
besieged Parambu hill. Kabilar approached them and said that no matter how many
days they surrounded Parambu hill, tied their elephants in all the trees in
Parambu hill, and spread their chariots all over the hill, it would be
impossible for them to seize control of Paari’s fortress and win him. According
to Kabliar, the Parambu hill is very fertile and can provide adequate food for
Paari and his soldiers for a very long time. In particular, Kabilar mentioned
that the Parambu hill has plenty of bamboo rice, ripe jackfruits, thick Valli
roots, and honey. Kabilar ridiculed the three kings by saying that the only way
they could win Paari was to come like singers and their wives to come like
dancers and beg for gifts from Paari. The three kings apparently took Kabilar’s
advice, approached Paari, and killed him. The manner in which Kablilar
describes the self-sufficient and secure nature of Paari’s fortress is very
similar to what Valluvar says in Couplet 745 about an ideal fortress.
[1]. Hart, George L. and Heifetz, Hank. (1999) The Four Hundred Songs of
War and Wisdom.
Columbia University Press, New York: 1999, page
74
No comments:
Post a Comment