University of Delhi - Indian Literature - An Introduction-Pearson Education (2005) PDF

PEARSON
L it e r a t u r e
An Introduction
V TR cfN
UNIVERSITY OF DELHI
In d ia n L i t e r a t u r e
<MKdl±l WlRSrH
B.A. P r o g r a m m e C o m m itte e , U n iv e r s i ty o f D e lh i:
S u b -C o m m itte e o n L a n g u a g e , L i t e r a t u r e a n d C u l t u r e
1. Professor Rajiva Verma, Department of English - Convener

2. Dr. Malti, Prinicipal, Kalindi College - Co-convenor
3. Dr. Anjana Neira Dev, Department of English, Gargi College -
Co-convener
4. Professor G.S. Arshi, Department of Punjabi
5. Dr. Gautam Chakravarty, Department of English
6. Professor Ravinder Gargesh, Department of Linguistics
7. Professor Ramesh K. Gautam, Department of Hindi
8. Dr. Chander Shekhar, Department of Persian
9. Professor T.K.V. Subramanian, Department of History
10. Dr. Vimlesh Kanti Verma, Department of Hindi, PGDAV College
11. Professor V. Xaxa, Department of Sociology
sft.TT <fcl4s*>M FftrfrT, fecr-fl fav<*re(€ilH4:

w n , yiferti afrr tftfrf't dimfafd
1. TRffa cprf, 3TM fcWFI - fWM'h

2. tf. TWRft, WEtrai
3. ^f. ST^RT TTTTff chkrM —
4. ■sit. 3?mf, TR R t fo w l
5. 'ST. iffcTR ’-Jsbcldl. 3t M fo w l
6. ^ft. TFf^r, *1M f^ÎFT
7. Tft. 'JHK 4lcTR, le-<0
8. ST. ^ fa'RFT
9. A fa*lFT
10. s i =Fffcr crcf,
11. ^ W*3T, iTRTSmi^ fEfRFT
In d ia n L it er a t u r e
A n In t r o d u c t io n
*T T T rfta
E d it e d fo r t h e
U n iv e r s it y o f D e l h i
By
A n ja n a N e ir a D e v
B a jr a n g B ih a r i T iw a r i
Sa n a m K h a n n a
^nrr fasrct fagitt
£RT
fq^qWsJH<4 % #7I^T
PEARSON
An imprint o f Pearson Education
The copyright for individual pieces vests with the contributors. Pages 383 and 384
are extensions of the copyright page.
Copyright © Registrar, University of Delhi 2006

Licensees of Pearson Education in South Asia
No part of this eBook may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without
the publisher’s prior written consent.
This eBook may or may not include all assets that were part of the print version. The
publisher reserves the right to remove any material present in this eBook at any time.
ISBN 9788131705209
eISBN 9788131776087
Head Office: A-8(A), Sector 62, Knowledge Boulevard, 7th Floor, NOIDA 201 309, India
Registered Office: 11 Local Shopping Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi 110 017, India
Contents
Preface ix
UMIcHI x
Introduction xi
vii
Valm iki
The Ram ayana: The V alin V adh Episode 1
OT1 10
V eda V yasa
The M ahabharata: The Ekalavya Episode 21
30
Sudraka
M richchhakatika: The M aking of a Breach 36
W *
49
Ilanko A tikal
C ilappatikaram : from The Book of M aturai 63
75
Namdev
You H ave Put Up a Show and How C an I Live 93
‘ 3?h' ‘'3?T fa-1 ^Tt’ 96
Kabir
The Sim ple State 98
vi / Contents
7. M irabai
I Know O nly Krsna 103
h ’H N i'S
^ <ft fTRtR 105
8. A m ir A bul H asan Khusrau

Separation 107
fq4l-*1 ^T3T
123
12. Subram ania Bharati

The Palla Song and
Letter to P arali Su. N ellaiappa Pillai 125
t o !
3?k TTftc! 129
13. Tarabai Shinde

A C om parison Betw een W om en and Men 133
dRMli; fcR
^5ft-Tp?q pci'll: ^Kt 'gfeT fans'! 141
14. R abindranath Tagore

The C abuliw allah and Shah Jahan 146
<cTkhi«?
‘ =f>r^dtoiMi ’ sffc 158
Indian Literature: An Introduction / vii
15. Prem chand

The C hess-P layers 171
% RsldUil 183
16. Sh rilal Shukla

Raag D arbari 194
TFT ^ R t 203
17. Ism at C hughtai

Touch-M e-Not 212
TO 219
18. Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai

A Blind M an 's V ision of Fulfillm ent 22 6
237
19. A m rita Pritam

To W aris Shah 245
SPJcU yId-H
^TTTO W ^ ! 248
20. M asti V enkatesha Iyengar

V en katash am i's Love A ffair 252
■qfeT =t«+>^!l W R
<**><d¥ll*fl W I 264
21. G udipat V enkat C halam

W idow 274
TjfeqTfs
f^ T 284
22. Indira G osw am i

The Journey 292
<iiwml
303
viii / Contents
23. J.P. Das

K alahandi 315
=tildl6is1 319
24. O m prakash Valm iki

Joothan 322
'jjci'i 334
25. Vikram Seth

A Suitable Boy 346
t a to
^ erg^r 360
26. Sitakant M ahapatra

Folk Songs 375
tTldl'+ild W
dW'ild 377
Bibliography 379
t M-TTO 382
C opyright A cknow ledgem ents 384

Preface
The present anthology of Indian literature is a prescribed
textbook for the literature com ponent in the foundation course
on 'Language, Literature and C ulture' for the new , restructured
B.A . Program m e of the U n iv ersity of D elhi. The editors of this
anthology had several challenges before them . The very idea of
m aking such a sm all selection from the im m ensely vast and
rich storehouse o f m aterial available w as daunting. N o such
selection can be en tirely satisfactory or can satisfy everyone.
For variou s, m ainly p ractical reasons, it w as n ot possible to
include w orks in all the m ajor languages. But the shortcom ings
of the anthology can perhaps be excused in view of its purpose,
w hich is to m ake the students aware of the wide range of Indian
literature in its b road est outlines and of the m ain phases of its
developm ent across tim e and space, and to do this through an
engagem ent w ith specific texts rather than through a 'su rv ey '
or 'h isto ry ' of Indian literature.
A n o th er ch a lle n g e , n e c e ss ita te d by the fa ct th at the
U niversity of D elhi gives its students the option of choosing
eith er H ind i or E n g lish as the m edium of in stru ctio n and
exam ination for a large num ber of courses, in clu din g this one,
was to find item s that w ere available in both H indi and English
translation. W hile this put a severe con strain t on the choices
before the ed itors, we hope the end result is som ething that is
both interesting and useful and that goes beyond the im m ediate
purpose of the anthology. Though students doing this course
are not required to read both the English and H indi versions of
the texts, w e hope that the parallel printing of the two versions
w ill prom pt them to do so. The anthology should also be of
in terest to students doing courses in translation as w ell as to
the general reader w ho does not have any specific pedagogic
objective but w ould like to read purely for pleasure.
R ajiva Verma
C onvener, Su b -C om m ittee fo r ‘ Language, L iterature and C u lture’
o f the B .A . Program m e Com m ittee
H'WWHI
*FTT?fa SflffiRq -iTfga ftc rrt % ^cffa afa

^ f f e r ^t.T?;. =hf4shH % ' h n t , '•Hifg'^q s ik m ^ f d ’ ^rc w t w %
UI feci) ^ % f e ll ftqfftcT 4ld^W <* t l % UMK+T %
'f -f t f W «ffl q R # T ^ T ff^ r % fc H ft? TM 3 ^ *f5TT 3
I j f t q r^ T T # ' *Ft ^ t f ^ n r w p ? i t fa u lte d ^ w «ni
cTCI ^FT ^ ift ^fcraT i t a # ^ i t T O k TTI tTRTR ^TT^ff, T O R
o^MîRcb ^ n i f f % ^ q t 3 jg ^ w a i f 3 H f^ r ^ w fte T
^FT xTRT ^*P=r 8^11 c ft^ T ^ TTW % ^ t ^*33 irq; 5 ^ t
^ 7TFR •T5R3T^F5T f^rqT ^ *H«bdl t l ^ T M ? ^>T W ^t ^ t 'HKd'l'M
^ ifie q % ftv iid cfft ark kff^FT ^sint' ?t « tt k ^ r% fW m ^ t
■gÎ 3^«TT3ff ^ ?ik TR MRfad ^TH T t l ^ W R ^ K t *TTTdfa w f l^ T
% ‘^ ^ t ’ ^ t ‘i f e r o ’ % ^ sRm; ^Rpm T^naqT 3 3ik
% ^ftlT ^ T?l
fe*?ft f ^ f e j T e F T 3TC^ uraf =fct ^ T MIc^sbM ^Ft W 3TfW ? T
LHc4-M9hHt' 3 f ? ^ t 3ffT 3 f M ^FT^FI % fa ^ -r^ T j i N ^ W T t ^ f d U ., ^ t f t
^ f l r ^ n s rf -h r t ^ *tt f t ^ t sftr 3t M arjofR
^j-'i Trafq -^TKETcn % U'MK<*>T % TtTq^ ^TT ^Tftsicf
f ^ T otf^FT t sm cnfaFT ^ TTW dlc^lRrlcf,
^ Ijf3 cT^T # #fiRT Tt^TT 3lk 3TW TTO^f % fair cT«TT
w M T n fe r # tti îcHiTch, ??? ■ q r^ w r % ^ r t ^ ^ t
^ f ^ T 3ffT 3T^5lt ^Tt ^TMcfT ^ 1^3 ^ c1<ml ^ ^ ^ft
<HHhld< ^TT^ '3 ^ T^tT M cT ^ j f l I T1W 3 Tjq K Hld<H5t)H %
fcraif^M ^>t ^lfF5, iTT8? i t "^T <HIHI^ Hld^hl ^ t '^1% ^ft
at R th I '?tf^W <i^<4 ^ t qîiy, Rh 4) •Hiielr^'h 3TFR % fcTQ; W m 'SfTfrt
tl
T F 3^ cnrf
TRtsW, ^t.tr. =bl4*H TTftfcT ^ t
*«TM, yifgoM ^ ^ ^ ifd ’ 7 1 # #
Introduction
Indian Literature has a history that dates back alm ost four
thousand years. W hile a ch ron ological listing w ould su ffice to
show its antiquity, range and developm ent over the centuries,
w hat is of greater interest is its evolution ; and the them es and
concerns w ith w hich it began, som e o f w hich continue until
the present. It is com m onplace to refer to Indian literature as
one, though w ritten in m any languages, but u ntil the roots of
this literature are explored, the visible branches and the offshoots
around cannot be u nderstood in their h istorical and literary
contexts.
A n c ie n t In d ia n L i te r a tu r e : 2000 BC to 1000 AD
The earliest w riting in India w as in Sanskrit, Pali, P rakrit,

Tam il and Kannada. The writers of each language worked within
a distinct so cio-h istorical context and yet shared a com m on
fram e of reference as far as recurring patterns of thought and
concern w ent. The relationship of m an w ith the w orld around
him and w ith the creator of this w orld w as the su bject m atter
o f the earliest know n texts.
T h e V ed ic A ge and A fter— S ru ti and S m r iti: The earliest
period of Indian L iterature in Sanskrit is the V edic A ge, w hich
scholars tentatively believe lasted u ntil around 1200 BC. It saw
the em ergence of the oral trad ition of the Sruti texts, inclu ding
the V edas, that w ere m eant to be recited and heard. The word
Veda com es from the verb 'vid', that is 'to kn ow ', and it w as
believed that the Vedas were the creations of God and the human
narrator was only the medium to convey the message. The Rigveda
is the earliest know n w ork of this type and contains hym ns
and prayers addressed to various gods. In this and later Vedas,
the Y ajurveda, Sam aveda and the A tharvaveda, is visible m an 's
earliest attem pts to understand his position in the w orld and
create the possibility of a dialogue w ith the unknow n, through
supplication, philosophical enquiry and speculation. These Vedas
are sam hitas (collection s; literally join ed together) and contain
hym ns, prayers, bened ictions, sacrificial form ulae and litanies.
xii / Introduction
The central m otif in the V edas is that of the sacrifice or yajna

and the injunctions for its perform ance in honour of various
gods, to request their benevolence. The prim ary impulse of these
prayers is m an 's d esire for the good life—a long and healthy
life, cattle, offsp ring and the like. The su pplicant hoped that
these w ishes w ould be fulfilled by the propitiation of a benign
deity. The deities w ere those w ho governed natural phenom ena
like fire, w ater, w ind and earth.
The eleven Brahm anas are a large corpus of prose texts that
com m ent on the V edic m antras and prescribe their application
in different sacrifices. The speculations are not only theological,
but also philosophical, gram m atical, etym ological and m etrical.
These texts had to be studied w hile carrying on w ith on e's
daily life in the larger com m unity. The three A ranyakas, on the
other hand, were m eant for study in the seclusion of the forest.
These texts were ritual explorations and allegorical speculations
that rep resen ted a tra n sitio n a l p h ase of en q u iry in to the
know ledge contained in the V edas. A fter the A ranyakas com e
the U panishads. The word U panishad m eans 'sittin g dow n, w ith
devotion, near the teacher to receive in stru ction '. There are
thirteen principal Upanishads and they are primarily metaphysical
in content and reflect m an 's yearning to find answ ers to the
eternal questions of life, death, im m ortality, h appiness, truth,
god and the origins of life.
If the Sruti texts contain w hatever is heard and revealed,
the Sm riti texts are m ade up of all that is rem em bered, recorded
from m em ory and later consolidated into a literary tradition.
The Sm riti texts are a break from the earlier Vedic tradition
insofar as they are attributed to hum an creation and also deal
w ith a variety of subjects as diverse as phonetics (siksa), m etrics
(chanda), gram m ar (vyaakaran), etym ology (nirukta), astronom y
(jyotisha) and rituals and cerem onies (kalpa). The body of Sm riti
literature consists of the six V edangas, w hich are adjuncts to
the Vedas, the epics, the R am ayana and the M ahabharata, and
the Puranas, the m ost popular of w hich is the Bhagvatapurana
that tells the story of the life of K rishna. The Sruti texts are
w ritten in the sutra (thread) form and lead to the realization of
d h a rm a -that w hich su stains, is firm and durable and governs
all hum an life. These w ritings are not only did actic in intent,
but also display a d evelopm ent in form and structure as they
use a variety of narrative techniques and introduce an elem ent
Indian Literature: An Introduction / xiii
of dram a as the d estiny of m ankind unfolds and the listener/

reader is entertained and instructed through the story. Sanskrit
poetry in the post-V ed ic age ranges from the am atory to the
m oral and the renunciatory. The poem s are com posed in courts
under royal patronage and diverge from their predecessors as
they becom e m ore secu lar in tone and tem per.
S a n sk rit D ram a, V erse and Prose: In the developm ent of
S a n s k rit d ra m a , fo re m o st is the n am e of B h a ra ta , w h ose
N atyashastra (of the first century BC to the first century AD) is
a theoretical text on the perform ing arts and sets the ground
and the param eters for Sanskrit aesthetic theory. M ost of the
plays w ritten at the tim e w ere structured around rom antic love
or heroic valour, had a noble and godly hero, and began and
ended w ith a ben ed iction for u niversal peace and prosperity.
The story chosen for dram atic treatm ent w ould illu strate the
hero's achievem ent of one of the four socially accepted goals
of dharm a (m orality), artha (w ealth), kam a (love) and tnoksha
(liberation). Destiny played an im portant role as did the natural
environm ent of bird s, flow ers, anim als, clouds, and so on.The
sources w ere m ainly the V edas, Puranas and h istory, and the
characters w ere draw n from a cross-section of society. Besides
rom ances and heroic plays w ritten by d ram atists like Bhasa
and K alidasa, som e d ram atists like Sudraka also w rote social
com edies, w hile others like V isakhadatta w rote about political
intrigu es and life in the courts.
The other form s of literary com position of this age are
M a h a k av y a s-lo n g poem s that conform to the prescribed rules
of good p oetry ; L a g h u k a v y a s-ly ric p oetry ; in scrip tio n s that
sty listically illu strate the use of ornate prose and verse w ith
striking im agery and introd uce the genre of the p r a s a s ti-the
eulogy of the ruling king; G a d y a k a v y a-litera ry prose rom ances
and A k h y ay ika-in v en ted stories of historical characters; scientific
prose on m edicine, astrology, gram m ar, prosody, astronom y,
erotics, politics, perform ing arts and law ; ca tn p u -m ix ed prose
and verse; and fables, the m ost popular am ong w hich rem ain
V isn u sa rm a 's P an catan tra and S o m a d ev a 's K athasaritsagara.
Taxonom y can be seen as the h allm ark of San skrit thinkers
w ith their penchant for classification and analysis of language,
natural phenom ena and even em otions. The w orld view is one
of a h ierarch ical social order and the regu lation of hum an life
xiv / Introduction
by dharma that is a given and is not open to debate or opposition.

By the sixth century BC know ledge had been codified and there
were strict rules for literary com position and even appreciation.
This w ould change w ith the grow ing influence of Buddhism
and Jain ism in the subcontinent.
L iterature in Prakrit and A pabhram sa: If Sanskrit was
the principal refined , language of literary speech and rituals
and required training, P rakrit, m eaning 'n atu ral' or 'com m on',
was the language of everyday conversation and commerce among
m any. The rela tio n sh ip b etw een these tw o lan gu ages that
developed side by side w as one of com plex negotiation and
exch an ge. In m any San sk rit plays, som e of the ch aracters,
especially the wom en and servants, spoke in Prakrit, and Prakrit
texts used Sanskrit them es and rew rote them in the con text of
folk traditions. The major evidence of Prakrit being used in literary
com p ositions can be seen in the A shokan in scrip tion s that
represent the earliest dated Indian literary records. By the fifth
century AD Prakrit w as also being used in songs, Buddhist
gathas, Jaina w ritings and doctrinal treatises and a large m ass
of secular literature like the Sattasai (anthologies) to which women
also contributed . G ram m ars, lexicons, w orks of poetics and
m etrics, and astronom ical and m edical texts w ere also w ritten
in Prakrit.
A nother language used at the tim e w as A pabhram sa. By
the seventh century AD it had becom e a literary language. This
language w as originally used in Jaina w ritings and therefore
had an overtly religious tone, but later it also began to be used
for the com position of sandhi ba n d h a s-stories from the Puranas,
biographies and religious narratives; and the rasa ban dhas-lyrical
com positions w hich em ployed a fixed m etre for the m ain body
of the text and a range of other m etres for variation.
Sangam and Bhakti Literature in Tamil: The ancient period
of Tam il literature is popularly know as Cankam (Sangam ) and
the earliest know n w ork is the Tolkappiyam , usually ascribed to
anyw here betw een ca. 300 BC and the first century AD and
this is the first com plete, classified and com prehensive treatise
on the Tamil grammatical system. The two major forms of literature
as enunciated in the Tolkappiyam are the 'Akam' and the 'Puram'.
The Akam is the in terior landscape of the w riter's im agination
and deals w ith love in all its variations and m oods. The poem s
Indian Literature: An Introduction / xv
are located in a specific space and tim e and the characters are
n ot nam ed, but id entified by their gender, occu pation, region
and role in the love relationship. The Puram is the outer w orld,
marked by feats of heroism , war, court life and the poet in search
of a generous patron. The Cankam poetry of love and war, composed
b etw een ca. 300 BC and ca. 100 AD, is conceived in a secular
m ilieu and the relationship betw een nature and m an's em otions
and experiences is explored in all its dim ensions.
The next phase of ancient Tam il literature, betw een the
second and third century AD, is the did actic phase in w hich
the influence of Jainism and Buddhism is prom inent. The m ost
fam ous w ork of this period is the T irukkural, w hich developed
the earlier tw o-fold division of literary com position into a three-
fold one of—love, virtue, and matters relating to polity and society.
In this period , m any m ajor epics w ere also com posed, like the
C ilap p atikaram and the M a n im ek h a la i. T h ese rep resen ted a
d epartu re from the Sanskrit epics and reflected a prom inent
Bud d hist and Jain w orld view . At the centre of the narrative
are strong w om en w ho are em pow ered, invested w ith m oral
au thority that is reinforced w ith religious san ction , and w ho
anticipate the rebellious w om en of the B hakti period.
B hakti, w hich in Tam il m eans 'p artak in g of G o d ', found
expression in the Tamil-speaking region around the sixth/seventh
century AD. The literature of this period is m ade up of a large
b od y of d ev otion al hym ns sung by Saiv a saints called the
N ayanm ars and V aishnava saints called the A lw ars. The songs
are com posed in a sp irit o f protest against conventional rituals
and scripture, and the intercession of priests betw een m an and
god. Each bh akti poet w orships a personal god and the poem s
are em otional, ecstatic and erotic and explore the relationship
of the self w ith h is/ her god.
Early Kannada Literature: Any introduction to the literature
of ancient India w ould be incom plete w ithou t a reference to
literature in K annada. Based on linguistic evid ence available
from rock edicts and inscriptions, it is believed that the Kannada
language m ust have existed as early as the third cen tury BC. It
w as influenced by Sanskrit, P rakrit, V edic and Jain a legends,
and also the stories from the R am ayana and the M ahabharata.
The earliest know n literary w ork in Kannada is Kavirajam argam
(ca. 850 AD) and like the first book in Tam il is a treatise on
xvi / Introduction
rhetoric, gram m ar, language and prosody, and also contains

observations on contem porary society, religion and culture.
Influenced by the epics, the Ram ayana and the M ahabharata,
grand n arratives w ere also com posed in Kannada at this time
and they took w ell know n episodes from these sources and
reinterpreted them in a local context.
In the tenth century A D , w hich is often referred to as the
Golden Age of old Kannada literature, the most important writers
w ere Pam pa, Ponna and Ranna. Their w orks are a reflection of
the social, cultural and political m ilieu of the tim e. M ost of the
w riting in Kannada at this tim e attem pts to create a distinct
id en tity through lan gu age, lan d scape, m yth, literatu re and
culture. Jainism , its beliefs and social practices, had gained wide
acceptance and this is also evident in m ost of the w riting. In
fact the dilem m a of a m an caught betw een his desire to live a
full life and the contrary tendency of renu nciation -th e dual
vision of affirm ation and d en ial-in form s the w hole corpus of
Jain a-in sp ired w riting. Thus one of the threads that binds the
lite ra tu re in all th ese la n g u a g es m en tio n ed ab ov e is the
juxtaposition of two parallel archetypes-m ovem ent towards life
in all its variety and passion and the w ish for the fulfillm ent of
erotic and m aterial d esires; and a tradition of renu nciation, a
m oving aw ay from life. It is only w ith the Bhakti m ovem ent
that the duality of the 'here' and the 'hereafter' could be reconciled
and it is during the Virasaiva m ovem ent that the V acanakaras,
the m akers of divine poetry in K annada, com posed songs that
blended all d isparate em otions to achieve an integral vision.
M e d ie v a l In d ia n L i t e r a t u r e : 1000 AD to 1800 AD
M oving into the 11th century AD, the map of the Indian
su bcontinent begins to look different, as various political and
social changes usher in an era of dialogue betw een cultures,
religions and languages. The m ost fascinating dim ension of
this age of Indian literature is the developm ent of m odern Indian
languages. In the next seven centuries, all the Indian languages
as we know them today w ould develop a distinct literature of
their own. This era w as m arked by foreign invasions, cultural
contacts, larg e-scale m igration, religious conversions, m ilitary
conquest and changing patterns of socio-econom ic relations.
Indian Literature: An Introduction / xvii
The Past and the P resen t— Identity and D ifference: The

first d istin ct featu re o f m ed ieval Ind ian literatu re w as the
tra n sla tio n , a d a p ta tio n and tra n screa tio n of sto ries of the
R am ayana and the M ahabharata, the Puranas and m yths and
legends into a large num ber of languages. These texts in their
new form s reflected the local ethos of the region into which
they w ere tran slated , and also becam e the classics of the host
languages. For exam ple, K am ban's R am ayanm am in Tam il and
N ann aya's M ahabharata in Telugu, are considered landm arks
in the developm ent of these literatures.
Each of the languages also retained folk elem ents in their
literature, lead ing to the developm ent of distinct id entities, as
is seen in languages like M aithali, M anipuri and N epali. Drama
and perform ance continued to flourish and this was most evident
in the folk theatre and local styles of perform ance that developed,
lik e the B h av ai in G u ja ra t. L ite ra ry tex ts w ere w ritten to
accom pany perform ances, like the A ttakathas in M alayalam that
com plem ent the K athakali perform ances. In fact a lot o f '
literature at this tim e retains its orality as w hat is w ritten is
incom plete w ith ou t the m usic and gestures that accom pany it.
The Bhakti Movement: W hile all languages saw the growth
of devotional and philosophical literature , a distinct feature of
this age w as the resurgence of V aishnavism and Saivism and
the rise of the Bhakti m ovem ent. This new dialogu e betw een
man and god gave rise to a whole body of songs in many languages
across the length and bread th of the country. These harbingers
of a new faith also w rote com m entaries on the Bhagavad-G ita
and the Puranas as seen in the w ork of Jn anesh w ar in M arathi
and the P adam puranas in A ssam ese. This age also saw the
em ergence of w riting by wom en saint poets, the m ost prom inent
am ong w hich are Lai Dyad and H abba K hatoon in K ashm ir,
M ira Bai in H indi, G u jarati and M arathi, A vvayyar in Tam il,
M u d duparani in Telugu and A kkam ahadevi in K annada. An
interesting relationship was set up between literature and ideology
as the saint-p oets spoke of faith in a new idiom . Their vibrant
m essage of love and hum anism transcended barriers of region,
language and class. Buddhism and Jainism continued to exercise
an im portant influence and were joined by the stories from Islam
and C h ristia n ity w ith the com in g o f the M u slim s and the
Portuguese. This was supplemented by the im pact of Guru Nanak
D ev 's A di Granth w hich speaks of a religion as a w ay of life
xviii / Introduction
that com bines elem ents from all the b elief system s and also
incorporates the hum anistic ideals of the Bhakti and Sufi poets.
This trend w as also seen in Sindhi w riting at the tim e, w hich is
profoundly influenced by Sufi ideas and w orld view. W hile the
literature of some languages like Dogri, M anipuri and Kashm iri
make reference to local deities, m ost of the deities w ritten about,
that are the objects of w orship and veneration, are pan-Indian.
L iterature, G eography and P olitics: Since this w as an era
of changing political boundaries with constant wars being fought
and territories being consolidated, chronicles as a genre of writing
developed further, as seen in the Buranjis o f A ssam and the
b a lla d s o f h e ro ism on the b a ttle fie ld , in R a ja s th a n . T he
establish m en t of courts and kingdom s also gave rise to the
concept of royal patronage for w riters and artists, and eulogies
becam e an im portant type of literature and also provided rich
evidence of life and times in medieval India. After the migrations
of an earlier era, life becam e m ore settled and the im pact of
this w as seen in literature that began to respond to the local
landscape, flora and fauna, mountains and rivers. The vocabulary
and the im agery of the w riters reflects and even develops from
th e lo c a tio n o f th e c o m m u n ity to w h ich s/ h e b e lo n g s .
G eograph ical p roxim ity and ethnic a ffiliatio n s also lead to
regional groupings and neighbouring languages often displayed
com m on concerns and them es.
The Rise of Urdu and Khariboli: One of the most important
linguistic and literary developm ents of this age w as the rise of
Urdu and K hariboli. The history of U rdu in the su bcontinent
begins w ith the com ing of M uslim arm ies, im m igrants, Sufis,
traders, travellers and settlers, w ho brought w ith them A rabic
and Persian and their distinct literary traditions. The respective
cultures of various ethnic, social and linguistic groups com ing
from A sia and Europe cam e into close con tact w ith those of
the local com m unities and this interaction not only led to the
developm ent of new literary traditions, but also to a com m on
language as a m edium of com m unication and literary expression.
This language was known at various stages as Hindavi, Dakhani,
G ujri, Rikhta and U rdu. U rdu, A rabic and Persian gave to the
literature of the tim e the ghazal, the m athnavi and the qasida
am on g o th er lite ra ry tro p es and form s. In D elh i and the
surrounding areas, at this tim e, the language of com m unication
Indian Literature: An Introduction / xix
for the com m on folk w as K hariboli and this later developed

into an im portant literary language.
M ed ieval Ind ian literatu re is ch aracterized by cultural
encounters and syn th esis and this is evid en t from the m any
p arallel and overlapping literary trad itions that develop and
the forms that they give rise to. Love and war remain the dominant
them es that preoccupy w riters and w hile the form s m ay vary
from one language to the next, at the core is the relationship
betw een the hum an and the divine.
In d ia n L i te r a tu r e u n d e r C o lo n ia l R u le : 1800 A D to 1947 AD
A t th e en d o f th e e ig h te e n th c e n tu r y , In d ia w as a
heterogeneous, m ultiling ual entity, and alm ost every regional
language had a rich body of literature, written and oral. However,
literature continued to use the form s and conventions of the
medieval period with com paratively few innovations. Languages
in close geographical proxim ity borrow ed from each other, and
som etim es a particu lar literature itself could be m ultilingual.
For exam ple, in Punjab, P ersian w as the cou rt langu age, but
Punjabi w as interm ingled w ith Brajbhasa and U rdu, and some
Sikh scholars even w rote in Brajbhasa, using the G urum ukhi
script.
The printing press is considered by m any to have been
firm ly estab lish ed in Ind ia by 1800, m arking a new era of
communication. It also heralded the slow death of the manuscript,
and initiated an age where the author could communicate directly
with the reader, without delay, without the need of interpretation
(perfom ative or otherw ise), and create a readership based on
this relationship. The establishm ent of the printing press led to
other im portant changes in India as w ell.
Up to this point, the learned w riter's m edium w as either
Sanskrit or Persian, his regional Indian language being a second
choice. Soon, how ever, the printing presses also began to cater
to local areas and those langu ages w here a w ide readership
existed, gradually gained im portance. T ranslations of the Bible
into various Indian languages helped the developm ent of prose
w riting. Prose, so far a neglected field, also gained currency
due to the rise of jou rn alism as new spapers and m agazines
w ere introduced to the subcontinent by the fourth decade of the
eighteenth century.
xx / Introduction
In the early days of the Em pire, the B ritish felt it w as

beneficial for them to learn local Indian languages; as the Empire
spread its pow er, their thinking changed. In 1835, M acau lay's
M inute on Education w as accepted by Lord W illiam Bentinck,
the G overnor G eneral, and English began m aking its presence
felt in the political and social spheres of life in India. Its ostensible
aim w as to create a class of Indians that w ere educated into,
and estee m ed , B ritish v a lu es and tastes. It also aim ed at
secularizing English education, which had so far been considered
a preserve of the m issionaries. In 1857, the Indian U niversity
system w as form ally instituted based on the pattern of London
U niversity. U niversities w ere set up in Bom bay, C alcutta and
M adras.
By the end of the nineteenth century English had alm ost
com pletely replaced Persian, and had becom e the new language
of pow er and form al education. Slow ly, literary expression in
m any Indian languages began to show the influence of English,
and Indians began w riting in English as w ell. H enry D erozio
and M ichael M adhusudan Dutt w ere the pioneers in this field.
A C hange in C on sciou sn ess: 1857 w as also the year of the
failed re v o lt, and a m b iv a len ce ab o u t B ritish ru le gain ed
m om entum . O ppression by the colonial pow er led to greater
strife and poverty. In response to the grow ing disaffection, folk
poetry began eulogizing leaders of the revolt, such as Rani Jhansi
and N ana Saheb, and gradually d issenting voices w ere heard
in alm ost every Indian language. The patriotic fervour inspired
by the Revolt of 1857, and the atm osphere of glorious revival
led to a m arked spirit of resurgent pride and a desire for liberty.
W riting in India acquired a strong n ation alistic overtone, and
this w as coupled w ith a love for the 'm o th er ton gue'. Each
Literatu re looked to its ow n past trad itions, and its h istorical
anteced ents, in order to create for its patrons a strong sense of
identity—regional and cultural. Though com m on themes can be
seen in each language, and certain features overlap, w riters
tried to focus on concerns and situations that were of im m ediate
im portance, and close at hand. The love of liberty, and the
m otherland , how ever w as the m ain unifying factor. Bankim
C handra C hattop ad h ya's A nanda M ath (1882) contained the
patriotic song ‘Vande Mataram', a m ixture of Bengali and Sanskrit
—w hich w as to later becom e the anthem of freedom fighters all
over the country.
Indian Literature: An Introduction / xxi
The nineteenth century was also a period w hen m any social

and religious reform m ovem ents such as the Brahm o Sam aj and
the Arya Sam aj w ere instituted. Self-reflection and self- criticism
w as a m arked feature of the literary outpourings insp ired by
them. In their writings, many reformist leaders and their followers
also harked b ack to In d ia's glorious past, to create a sense of
pride and achievem ent in the m asses that w ere crushed by a
sense of in feriority created by B ritish rule.
T h e R ise and In flu e n ce of E n glish : By the early twentieth
century, inspired by a spirited and continuous interaction w ith
w estern and E n g lish lite ra tu re, In d ian lite ratu re b eg in s to
in co rp o ra te n ew th em es and issu es. T ra n sla tio n s b ecam e
available in m any languages; these w ere of W estern texts, such
as the w orks of Shakespeare and M axim G orky, and even of
other Indian w riters such as Tagore. The changes in m odern
Indian literature w ere perhaps m ainly a m atter of im itation at
first, but soon innovations and adaptation ensued; the language
and expression of literary creation in all the m ajor languages
w as transform ed. The novel, essay and short story replaced
poetry as the m ajor form of expression as w ell. In poetry, the
sonnet form , verse rom ance and ballad s w ere popularized.
As a result of social reform m ovem ents, there was a gradual
change in the position of w om en and their education. A number
of jou rn als, m ean t exclu sively for w om en, w ere now being
brought out in alm ost every language. Another important feature
was the rise of the literary journal, in languages such as Gujarati,
M arathi, K annada and Telugu, to nam e a few. They provided
a platform for em erging authors and gave an im petus to the
developm ent of a m odern literature in their respective languages.
In d ian w ritin g in E n g lish at th is tim e assu m ed great
im portance and it becam e a vehicle that w as used w ith skill
and felicity. Swami Vivekananda, Tagore, Sri Aurobindo, Gandhi,
N ehru and others w ere able to com m unicate their view point
against colon ial pow er to the W est, and gain support. Political
w riting is an im portant feature of this period, and G andhi's
w ritings had a deep and pow erful im pact on the country, as
w ell as on oth er w riters. H e in sisted th at lite ratu re had a
transform ative effect on society and laid stress on the w riter's
s o c ia l an d m o ra l r e s p o n s ib ilit ie s . U n d e r h is in flu e n c e ,
u ntou chability, the pligh t of w om en and other socio-political
xxii / Introduction
con cern s and m usin gs on the 'In d ia n w ay of life ' b ecam e

predom inant concerns in all the Indian languages.
Sarat C hand ra C h attop ad h yaya w as the m ost popular
novelist of the period, but Tagore dom inated the scene and his
w ritings engaged w ith philosophical and political d ebates on
n ationalism and hum anism .
The Im pact of the Freedom M ovem ent: M ost w riters were
in som e w ay involved w ith the Freedom M ovem ent, but even
those that w ere not, could not but respond to the m ood of the
day. Literature of this period, in all the m odem Indian languages,
articulates the reform ist and resurgent spirit of the people and
raises its voice in protest against oppression, w hether political
or social. It also condem ns inequ ality and d iscrim ination, in
order to create a better society. Writers celebrate, even mythologize
Ind ia's glorious past in order to give back pride to a subjugated
people.
The N ationalist M ovem ent m ade m any w riters aw are of
their own linguistic and individual identity and past. In their
w ritings, w riters often adopted or adapted ancient m ethods of
story telling or presentation to keep traditions alive. The majority
of Indian w riters of this period cam e from villages, and even
if they m igrated to cities, they m aintained the links w ith the
past, and rural concerns are evident in their literary expressions.
In the 1920s the mood of Indian literature w as 'rom an tic' as
seen in m ovem ents like the Chayavad in Hindi and the Navodaya
in Kannada. The m ost eloquent expression of this w as found in
lyrical poetry. The w riting was personal and su bjective and
talked about the suffering of sensitive souls who had a melancholy
response to nature and also w ished to change the present order
of society. This rom antic m ode of w riting cam e in for a lot of
criticism , especially from those w hose concerns w ere overtly
political and social.
In this context, the form ation of the Progressive W riters'
A ssociation is a landm ark in the progress of m odern Indian
Literature. It held its first m eeting in Lucknow , in 1936, w ith
Premchand as its President. The socialist and egalitarian concerns
that this movem ent cam e to be associated with, were to influence
Indian literature for the rest of the tw entieth century. Econom ic
exploitation and d eprivation, class concerns and a con cern for
the u nderprivileged becam e them es for Literature in the entire
Indian subcontinent.
Indian Literature: An Introduction / xxiii
W riters and readers in creasin gly tended to be from the

m iddle class, and literature reflected this change. An im portant
link betw een the tw o w as theatre. M any B engali and M arathi
p la y w rig h ts b eca m e p o p u la r w ith se m i-u rb a n an d ru ra l
a u d ien ces. P o p u la r n o v els w ere o ften 'p e rfo rm e d ' w h ere
a u d ien ces w ere yet u n fa m ilia r w ith them (u su ally due to
illiteracy). Film s emerged as a popular m edium and w riters and
poets began to be associated w ith this new m edium . IPTA —
Indian People's Theatre A ssociation w as one of the products of
the political ferm ent o f the 40s. A p eo p le's theatre m ovem ent
was started by a few intellectuals, scientists and artists at Bombay
in the years 1942-43. W ithin a short span of tim e, 500 units of
IPTA sprang up all over the country com bining the dynam ism
of Punjab, the lyricism of Bengal, and the pain of rural Assam
and A ndhra, and w eld ing all these on to a com m on platform .
Sarojini N aidu, pop ularly know n as the nigh tin gale of India,
becam e its first P resid en t. M any a rtistes and p lay w rig h ts
associated w ith IPTA w ere to later becom e m em bers of the film
industry.
The Second W orld W ar brought w ith it a deep questioning
of the im perial pow ers and their m otives; the im petus of the
Q uit India m ovem ent launched in 1942 m ade it evident that
British Rule in India was on its w ay out. The passion and patriotic
zeal that m arked political life in this period w as to rem ain a
source of inspiration in literature for many years. India's struggle
for freedom w as not w aged for m erely econom ic or political
gains—in a very im portant way, it was to reassert India's cultural
identity.
The euphoria of Independence was m arred by the h eart-
rending P artition of India. Further, the Telangana m ovem ent,
described as the 'biggest guerrilla w ar of m odern Indian history'
had begun in 1946 and continued for alm ost five years. It proved
that for the dow ntrodden and oppressed peasants and labourers,
transfer of pow er m eant little. Such u prisings leavened the joy
of independence w ith the realization that India had to chart
her ow n destiny, as m uch still needed to be done for m illions of
inhabitants. Freedom w as an im portant landm ark, but not the
final goal. The Literature of this period reflects both the glory of
the Freedom struggle, and a somber, darker mood of self-reflection.
xxiv / Introduction
C o n t e m p o r a r y In d i a n L i t e r a t u r e : 1 9 4 7 o n w a r d s
A N ew C h ap ter B egins: Indian L iteratu re took a new

direction after Independence in 1947. Its focus altered and the
scope of its concerns expanded. There are three m ain trends
that form ed the basis of this new chapter in Indian literature.
The first, n atio n alist w riting , w as insp ired by the freedom
m ovem ent and expressed a longing for political freedom ; and
the aw akening of national pride took precedence over literary
conventions. The second was Romantic w riting which originated
in the W est and cam e to us through our contact w ith w ritings
in English. Rom antic w riters in India tried to introduce a w ider
cultural d im ension to the concept of political freedom . The
Progressive w riters em erged in reaction to the Rom antics and
econom ic inequ alities w ere their prim ary concern, rather than
political and cultural freedom . This type of w riting enjoyed a
long innings and its concerns preoccupy w riters even today, as
do the issues raised by them.
Independence and Partition: A long w ith Independence
cam e the traum a of P artition. This anguish found expression
and the horrific incidents w ere recorded especially in H indi,
Urdu and Punjabi literature. Indian Literature confronted issues
of hatred, violence, religious fanaticism and other forms of conflict,
and raised its v o ice ag a in st them . A t the sam e tim e, the
consciousness of m ass aw akening and political struggle, the
values and standards that w ere created and accepted during
the freedom m ovem ent continued to inspire successive w riters.
The literature of independent India set two prim ary goals
for itself-m odem ization and dem ocratization-both of which were
fundamental processes for the upliftment of society. Contemporary
literature continues to advocate these ideals in new form s and
new ly em ergent contexts.
D ream s and D isillusionm ent: The sacrifices endured by
the Indian populace during the struggle for freedom and the
high ideals propagated at the tim e had raised expectations of a
bright future, from the new ly em ergent nation. The five-year
plans further strengthened people's b elief in progress towards
a better tomorrow. U rbanization becam e a feature of life in India
and this w as reflected in the literature of the tim e and the city
becam e a sym bol of aspiration and progress.
Indian Literature: An Introduction / xxv
The first fifteen years passed in anticipation of the fulfillment

of the hopes that had been raised after independence. To some
extent literature also reflected this optim ism , but soon doubts
and questions also su rfaced . W hen the id eals, sacrifices and
su fferin g w illingly endured earlier, proved fru itless, p eop le's
hopes cam e crashing dow n. Ram pant selfishness, corru ption
and d ishonesty in ev itably gave rise to b itter d isillusionm ent.
This mood found expression in novels, poetry and drama. Young
w riters turned an ti-establishm ent and advocated revolt and
anarchy, even though M arxist w riters still nurtured the dream s
of an egalitarian society free of all form s of exploitation.
N ew V o ices: The eighties saw the daw n of a new era in
Indian literature. The influ ence of the Progressive w riters had
w aned and questions of id entity becam e the focus of w riting.
Indian literature also took a new d irection as it in terrogated
literary traditions of the past. The m ost prom inent voices in
this new w riting are those of the fem inists and the D alits as
they explore uncharted territory and raise issues that were earlier
taboo. Feminist writers question the patriarchy prevalent in society,
m orality and literature and strive for true gender equality. This
they believe w ill only be possible through a reorgan ization of
institutions like m arriage and the fam ily. Like fem inist w riting,
D alit w riting also has a pan-Ind ian presence. A fter M arathi,
Dalits found a voice in Gujarati, Kannada, Tam il, Telugu, Hindi,
Punjabi and Oriya. Deliberately disregarding felicity of expression,
D alit w riters use an unrefined and harsh vocabulary to express
their experiences. Fem inist w riters turned prim arily to fiction,
w h ile au to bio grap h ical w ritin g w as the p referred m ode of
expression for D alits. The central them e of D alit w riting w as
an exposure of the plight of their com m unity and the atrocities
com m itted by the 'u p p er castes'. The harsh reality experienced
and expressed by the w riter is the hallm ark of D alit w riting.
The arrival of D alit w om en into the arena of Indian literature is
a recent phenom enon. Dalit wom en writers find the labels 'D alit'
and 'fem in ist' too restrictive and they dem and a separate space
for them selves. D uring this period the em ergence of A divasi
w riting is also notew orthy.
W riters of the Indian Diaspora have added a new dimension
to Indian literature. People of Indian origin settled in all corners
of the globe express their unique sense of cultural identity through
xxvi / Introduction
the m edium of their w riting. Diaspora w riting has also added a

new perspective to the corpus of Indian W riting in English.
From the V an tag e P o in t o f the P resen t: Indian literature
is being influenced by the present scenario of globalization and
com m ercialization. The perceived threats of n eo-im perialism
and n e o -c o lo n ia lism fin d an a m b iv a len t resp o n se am on g
contem porary w riters. Sim ilar concerns and responses are also
found in w orld literature. Indian literature has traversed a long
jou rney of about four thousand years. At this ju nctu re, looking
back at the m ilestones of the past, w e are in a position to assess
achievem ents and failures. O nly tom orrow will tell what course
this jou rn ey w ill take in the future.
This brief survey of Indian Literature is intended to arouse

the read er's in terest and also act as a prelu d e to the texts
them selves and help locate them in their h istorical, social and
cultural contexts. The m ost challengin g task for us has been
the selection of appropriate texts to include in this anthology.
We endeavored to choose those texts w hich in their form and
content are representative of an im portant trend in the language
and the age in which they were w ritten. This selection is neither
exhaustive nor prescriptive in any w ay, but only a glim pse
into the abundant creative w ealth of India. The other problem
that confronted us w as the av ailability of translations in both
H indi and English. W hile in som e cases m ultiple translations
vexed us w ith their variety, in others, we had to m ake do w ith
w hat was available, since the text w as too im portant to be
excluded. The translations are both literary and literal, but we
hope that they w ill fu lfill our purpose of sharing w ith you the
feel and flavor of the original and you w ill be inspired to carry
your engagem ent w ith Indian Literature further. We can assure
you that you w ill be delighted and enriched by the experience,
as we have been.
W e w ould like to end by thanking some very special people
w hose support, encouragem ent and contribution helped us to
give shape to this vision - Prof Rajiva V erm a, Dr. Chander
Shekhar and all the members of the sub-com m ittee on Language,
Literatu re and C ultu re; D r V. Jam una, P rof R. P arthasarathy,
Dr. Syam ala K allury, M r V ibhanshu D ivyal, and Ms. K am ini
M ahadevan at Pearson Education India.
^)T 4000 ^ ^ ^ ^ jtr t t i ^ i t i*r i^ t
^% IR? ^Ft chlds*>MI;iyK -h V i Pji ci ^ t ctt I* R H W # R T , ?*Rfr oilNchdl
aqk y id ff< 4 % ^R r fa n f*R n f^FR T t i f*r n W t %
gft 3 ^ * n # ', fa w r^ ark m T^ Tkfarkf ^ t
■HH^Hl, fiTTR ^ tJsS ci^HM cRi SIT T t t , 3R*t 3TR *t TR> < N cti <*>14
tl ^R cfa Wl'flr^ *Ft T t RT 3?^F RRTSTf 3 t , f^TR ^ t
■HirfeoM ^ y.c+ilfd H f l^ T R R ri ^ t W*RT 3RT T it t l ^ ^ IR
f¥T TTTfl^f % 3TTf^ ^rat ^FT 3R^RT H Ifk <R <R7 3TRT 3fR%cT W ^ fr
?rraT3Tf-Ti?iniT3Tt' <Ft ^ r % i W r f W aftr w r f 3 H it
T T W ^T TRRTI
w s fh r n H d l-y fu fe rU : qror 3 ?k^r tr ^r , w it , w ?r ,
3rk ^FRS RRT3tf 3 ^3TTI W R 7 RRT % dy=bT ^ 3 m f-3 T T T t
fa fw y M fa * * afdîRHch 3 trr f ^ n i f a r ^ t, r i t <pf
f ^ K s fk ydobkT ^ t siF ffo ^f t s t h t <rt t r % ?r s r t pt r t i
■R^T ^T 3R^ STRT-W W\ ^ R T 3Tk <[pRT % ^ ftd l % TTT8J ^RT
W t *Tlt yRfnqsF *TR TTlfl^T ^T fa * R «TTI
c f t h a frr ^ r % mjmm: §/?t m r T tfh : *rRcfcr f n t i ^ ^ft
Skf^RT ^TTcT Tt^n T 3 ^ ^FIT RRT t fRTRf ^fcT TT^t ^Ft TR-TT s^f,
^3ft ^ R SR17! % Î ^ ¥1^ îT T ^ R 1f I s t r M l T-t ^3TT f^RRiT
3T«I t W^RTI "JTI "RRT ^R T f T^RT ^ ^ft t 37k I^RiT
■RFR 3R5TRT f^ R h T TT^T TT^ftcT ^ ^ T ftftrT R R «TTI W
M ^ T ^«FT ?TR TTO t , f^R ^' ^ T oRHT % T R W ^feR t , ^ft f ¥ « F T
^ c n a ff ^n tr ^ r ti ark w t ^ ct«tt
3T^4 c|^ ^ H ^ ■yRk^Ri W'HI'H R<3IS ^ t Wf 3 TR fq<|d f^RR ^
3RHt ksrfir fRT^R alk f^Rrt ' st ^ r ’ % ttto t r k t *#r ^t
TP-ncMl f^TTT| ^ •HlecllSTf % ^ R ^f t f^R ^ TcfR,
^ fk iq m H , ^ t ^ ^ R ?T*TT ^ T ^ t ^ TRlt?T t l ^ i Cn 1RM ^
sfR d'l'î fsrft?-f^t?R t ^ fsff’T R ^R13ff ^ t 'JiHI TTT^ % RrlM, 7 R it
3I7Tfer f^TT ^ «tl |?T ^ T T 3 T f m p R T 3R:3kuIT TR> 3 R ^ %
f^fTi "R ^T ^ t ? ^ T ^>t t - e T 1^ 3lk T3TST '5Ttq;i % 1FR, ^ t R % feR,,
xxviii /
kRTR 3TTfc % fa m RTRRT R1 3T^^T RRRT «TT f a 3FR R1 f a k t

^RRT Rif cJ5I RH/t %■ Rrty, ^3TTR)t RTstRT «h^ll Rt •3*l'hl i^TXT ijft 'fliîl I
k ^RRT k k ^ft 3TkR, *I?T, RFJ sfft TJ*kt ^fk K i^ fa ^ Rckt % fW R R i
RT^ ^ kl
9tl5tul TT*}! R>t <H04I 11 t k t TRI k f^ n i RTT t 1 k 5II$)UI RR clfc'*)
RRt Rft <>41041 Ri^k t $fk fsrf^Fl R^t k dR% RRTR Rit fM k RRTR t1 ?Hk
% ^ r £ # f a f^TRR cf[ R ff t R fa F <U#yfHcb , od||ch<fu|ch. o ^ q % fRRRRT
cT«fT ^ t T O F ?TFT *ft TTRTfeT t l ^RRTT 3T*RRR RTR % t f a f r ktRR RR
TJR1? T*R k ^RclFt % fa ir 31|c^Rc*, STTI ^l<ui|ch Tjzf cfa f fkTTRH 3TSRRR
RR % RRRR k faRT ^RTRT RTI RT^R: ?Rk tb4«+)|u^' RT 3 ) ^ h T RR
3FJ?lt?TR faRT RRT t 3?fc ^ f a f % ’RTtzTR k fRRR RfaRT R7t 3?Ft R<oTRT
RRT t l ?TT RTF k R k k k k fRf?R ^TFT % SFk^FT % •HsbHlJl RR?T RR
RfRfRfacR RR^ t l 3TTTTW' % R R 3MfHN« 3 # t l TRfRR^ ? T ^ RR 3T*t
t ‘ STT^T RTfai % f a ll 9T5T % TR*T 3TRk TJ? % fapH k3RI I ’ d#TRq
13 t 3lk fRRTf f e W I ^ •g^TcI: 3TT%RTfcRR; t k t ktRR,TJ?g, 3TRTcR. TJ7R,
TT?R, afftr ktRR RR '3^RR ^>k 1t=rRR R?Rf RR TRT RFt RTt R ^ I W\
cTToTOI Rit m^R;!cI <Mal t l 9jfR 11*^ k t M'leM qi-cn ark strut faRT ^TRTT
t *llf-i f^ F t ®ite1l 3^k y -ll Îcll t l RT3 ^ t f^ F t T^rf f ^ J T ^STTcn t
■JIFTt f^ F t cfc'Jd^ t W ^TFTT t l RT3t T>jlTT % "RT^TO ^ feifRq^
yir^r^ct, Tn>qn R ^ H f i d f e n w t i p jfir Rraf 3??t
W # ? R7TRT! ^ f«F T T7FTT ^Tmi t f a TpR ^ falT W
tl c-MlHcb t W ftTSJT, WS., &M|ob<u|, f= T ^ I.
^Ttf?TR, 3 T^5 H ^ ^ T^ % f ^ T t l yifeo4 ^ T R13 W
^ F T f ^ ftfe T t l 3 ^ F T % cj^t ?t RFT Rtf t 3TF FTR' IFTFm ,
TT5TRKft ^ R^lcbloiJ cT®Tr ^TFT ÎlfR^ t'l c^FfiFT RFT^cT
■JTM ■§■ ^ ttot 'jflq-i RT^H RT ^P-s.a t l RT3 ^ R ^ f e F i RTJ
t altr ^ % qk ^f qai^ t i ^>r 3T*tf t ^ft trrFi #
^ 3lk T«7FTt Ft 3fk ^ ^ n jn f RPToT ^ R ^ff farftcT ^ k l ^ R B % ^ c l
<S4^llrRcb t t R ft t ^ 3lfRBqt^T % ^ R 3^ % t%RRR ^ t
Rt tl clul'1 ît 3 T ^ i W^TRt 3ftT 'liechl'Hai % clc^t Rt RRtR
faRT RRI t l |R cR^f % RT«TR ^ R F ^ ‘sft^R % RT f a R R - f ^ f
RRR TTRR RraR? RT sftRT RR RRkRR Rt ttRT t 3lk R l ftT^TT Rt WTR RRRT
t l ^RT "JR Rft Tk^TR RifRRT STRRt RfrfR k RTRRT, ^llR<+) sfk
TFRTR fRRRRT t l RjfRRT3Tf Rft TRRT ^TRkt k 3TRRT TTRTSff % T R ^ R k
^ 1 3?tr, ^ k - ^ k R1 crtfaRi y^)M STRRTRt "flf ^ k - ^ k R l 3TRRt TJRRRT
RTRTT k ^ R t R^l
*iitf.ch, msi 3 ^T MSI: TR^kT ■ll<i<+> % f^ T R T ^ f^l'H 3TJRft
HR ^T 31fdfYJr+ f cJ? 'T O ^ T t l SIT^Ff 'TOT ^ T H I<ilVIIW HTeq
■^)0Tr37f tR f^RT TRT £l.&lTd'*> U*T t l '3TT T R R fcrld ^ 3Tfsi3uK 'll<i=hl ^>T
cfTSR ^l^chdlûl zf[ H I S ^ «TTI ^T^FT HR5? ^ R T * T^ T tlcTT «TT
3^ 3 3 ?Tff% 3 ^ T T ffe ^ F H T % TIT«T 'SfR'*T 3^k TP=fF<T
^ i -iidch % fcra; irf ^ « tt ^f *h h m *41=hd % ^^fR ‘s ^ T f *T*f
(^Pd<*>dl), 3T«f ( « R ) , ^FTR (^= 0 3 ^ ^ ( 'jftcR ■gfaf) 3 3 f a d t T3=F
rll'Hch ^ <5Mclf®*M<Ml ^)T cnfa eldl «TTI ild=h Tf xT8jl', ^>crt, XT?J, =TReT 3nf^
3 y itP d ^ encTTWT facRt ’j f w *ft ^ R t f\ 4 ^ ^ | u f
’j t W 3fTW (* ITR ) ^ «ftl did^TF % "g^T ^ T 3
sffr i W n t f t H«TT HRf ^fTT W T R R % M « F T cRf 3 3 ftR T «
8TTI ^TRT 3fft + lfd<W ^ H li+'+KT £ R % !# ntr Tfa 3lk
% 3TcTRT ^ ^5 Hkoh+k'l ^ TIRTf^RT ^ T R - W m ^ ■TTH^T «ff
f ^ f i , ^3Rfa t ^ T T ^ r T ^ 3TR HM++KT 3 <MHlPd'*> 3 ^ IM ^ R f
■% 'Sllq-l "lldch ^)T f=R£| q-ll'HI I
fTT ^ T Tf HT^Tf % 3TcTRT W f ^ % ^ 3RT ^ T U^Pdd «t, 3 «t:
Hei'^lo4! - ? ^ 'tiloH % ft^rfftcT ^TSiMt % 3TT*TTR 'CR Tjf^RT crl*«il '+>Fqcl I : ?R,
^TTT«T-TflcT TEft ^ ^ jo q TERI; 3 Tpq?l^g~f^ ^T ^
■c|Hct:hlR.cb Iq*«f % TTT^T 3TcfaR 1jyf ^TT t fU ^TI iR t1! f^RT ‘5TRTI
t i F ra w f e r w w 1^1 w f e r ^ t srsf stt ? t r r ^ ^ trt
^ t <juniR; h W t ^ T r a -^ ^ t ^ t ark Q,fdîP^ch TTRt %
c+i IcrMP^1^ cti5lPli l'l T^TT Si IOH IR-lch I; 3TT5^, W lfdî, °iilch'(.ul ,
■m^r, 3 R ife r f ^ T R , tftfst, (N H lfd , ':n^T sfk ferfM srrf^
c|?llPl'+i TUI; ^ t3^— “hlcrHpl'ti ^8TT3Tt îT TRI cfSTT W ^ cl^f'T,
f^FR ' ^ T fasTraftrm ’TT’ 3?k f ^ J W ^T ‘W R ’ T R f f ^
# 5 F fiR T# t l ^ T fe rn i ^ ^p^T T T ^ k T Pc|^K=bT ^TT f f c ^pT tl
«ira , yi^)Pd+ L|Pw<iHI3Tf sftr -q^T % TRt^TRf % 'R ^ R 3ftT
c|J|Tcb<u| ^ tR ^ fa3T? t l *'4IJfTR
ÎH lPd^ ^ R T «IT 3lk tn l IRT ^ R ^ ^ft^T % f a W T ^ W I 3TR«TT 3
ftfficT t l ^ TJTO t f ^ f R ^ R 3fk M % T ^TTf?T HFt' t l ^ 3 t
y'dl«ft tT^ TRJ^T ? R TTfWcTR^ ^RT «TT 3rk TTT fU R ^ H ^ T cT«TT
y m d k H I % ^T3tT f W T W1 fTTr ^| cf,Hld< ^ W k W T?T5W Tt'
3fa ^ T ^ ^T ^ ^ mPw ^H 3TTTII
U T ^ T afR 3 R W T ^TRT3Tt ^TTnfpJT: 3PR i m l l ^ S T fW ^ R f
3=fk 3 T J^ R f 31^3 -qft^cT W «Tt eft 31T^k T f^-H=hl 3T«f 4yi^P d^ ’ ^TT
xxx /
‘ y W M ’ t , t f a f *T3R 3 ^ W H K stfl ?R*RT TTT«T-*rt«T fa+R-ld

’IRTSTf ^7T W ^ K 3 ^ f a f a R ^ T TR*T «HI ^ f rf
3 tr ^ ct H T^ff 3 ^ qr^r, 3 ^Rt aftc ttr .w jr 3
t i F it w gTfrci t M ^ 1 w r -^ g ^ t # m erfa w ^rt s t !' %
3 ^ tt f a * 3 fw a l TFTT t l 3T?lfa % 3Tf*tofc§ t f a W JR
^ t iratTi d < si afk tT iH fa w < j*r % far* fa^T ^ t r t srn ^ s r f^ r ^ i
stRcffa Wlferil % m f*R? <W I<^ t l W fR ^ T tM , ^
R^natt, # r oftif, ^ s ifa r * tM w ttc rt I ^ TTTfa*r gft t er t 3
qt faÎT W «TTI ?'[% TJ3R 3 r M ^ T 'Rt 4)JK H 8TTI s i w i f , ? I ^ T O ,
?TR^ aftr WF5T «Ft 3Tk H8iR fa ^ R H*TT s k f i f fa^TR
W Tt W gft TERT Rt W f R 3 f f l
FT ^ t 3r t y-ciTdd r r t sn w sft, r^m +i # r ■ g ^ R :
&Ff w f t 3 f3TT 3ftr ^fTlfdiJ. f t ^R r e ^ r sTT^fa tr t f^ R fq;
t l FR Tlfa ITT 'RRT "^T '5PTtTT cbq<rl KfTftfa sfrt ^f[f% TR^lt TSRTSTf % feiy,
Ft HFf f'iTT ^TfcRT Ttftf ^f%T-4kinJ|ch TTT8TT3Tt, Rt^R ^ d t aftr *TTfifa S IT W ft
^ t TEHT3f| 3?tT T?T ^ J — JfldlcR=t> T^RTsff fjR T^ gOH 4l<3 % Rr1l< XRT
RlfiNd ^ y4lJi fa^fT ^lai ®TT 3^fr IqfqKRT % Tdy, 3TR U R l ^ T ; %
t^ R Rt ^3TTI
n fiF T $ tr r t a ffr w H^T: tttW ^?t w # t ^ner
w rg n % ^ w ct ti yNlHdH w Tf®T t ‘H t r r r a f a m ’ ît
cTft^T o4l+{U| HT T^T TTPjat c|jfl<^d sftT T T ^ r M TERT t l
c ft^ R rfw m ■$ TTTfe^T % f^R if y g s WTt ^ T ^ = I fa^TT TRT t ^ t
‘ 3TRnr’ 3Tk ‘ g w ’ l ‘ 3 T T ^ ’ git ^FTRT ^ T 3TRTffa ^ T t #
M « F T ftsTfaff sfk 3T^FSTT3Tf gff ^ r f a t l F f a t ^ fa T R ; fa rtt
f%?P* T®TR sftT ^TcT % JfRftcT ttcft t l ^fa' % -TTR HFf tt?f
3 3 R ^ f^ R , ■sq^WT, E^f 3fk ^ 7 TT^'tT $ 3TRt ’ffe FT ^ W ^ R ^TR t l
‘ g W ’ ?fW 7iT«TT3tfr -J S , <N^<s)K 3TTf^ % W ^ T f ^ TR T t l
^t TR^Rf gft Hrrr?T *lt IT rt' ^TTftet t l ifa 3?tr ^ % 'w '
■ît xr ff a F cRT TJî e ftfa ^ qlaici<ui ^ ^>t t, y^Ri % TTr*?
^Ft ^TTernît h «tt srg’T^f % w - n gn sr ^ t fa^rr w t i rn^rR TTfteT
-Rlffi'rM ^7T 3ReTT ^ T vJ4^llrM=h ^ T t fWH^' ^ T ^ 3^ ^ ^
■gm t l F T W>t Traff^Ri T iy g ^ R t ‘ Ri <>'î <'c i ’ t
t^RT^ 3tw cRi' % <riif5rH % fg w fh r ^TT f a n TRT
t - ^ T , ^Fdchdl srk TFST-TRIRT W f t t w i l F f ^ R T ^ ^ " 5 ^ "RFRTMt
g^t TERT ^ f a ‘RRRTRgTRTT’ 3 ^ ‘"R l^W T ?’! ^ "RFRnoq TR^R
^ / xxxi
g^°q tnrqn 3 *t afa ■g^RFir ^ afa ^ g grf g*M î ^g 'ânsff

% 3 ?TfeWT# HTftgf t TOTS^gn t 3fk 3rf^gJR 3
t l ^ HTTt gigf 3 gfgg ^T gft foftFt HTfM gft =fc^HI git ^TT TT^fl sftl
g ft? r g n g fa g y ifto M ‘ g T g g rc’ ^ g ^ ^ r ark an ^ n r
g ? t ^ iR g r ^ ^ iq Tffrt ■gro g i g g g g fg g g tg t % fg^TRrf ' H g t g g ^ fn P I d
f a n t i g g ig q -R n rftg ? g n f g n ^ ' g « g g g * g s f t r 3 g g k t g *g
s f t g g f g it g *g *«?g T % fo rte g it w i 3 g g ti g cg gr g g?r g tfg
3 g rt ggr o iiR w iw ^ gaT g it aggggi gR ?n ti ^ ig it w m * g T ^ n g -n g r ,
^ i^ K c h k l. ^ n ftcb t sfk 3g ?g cT^n dTW ‘ ^ g ’ % w ? g rr s f ^ f t
g rrg f t i
Tjirf^gj ^ T f fuf^rM: urgtg gng % Tnf^g grr gfrf “jft gftgg

g^Hf m feg % % tggi #gn w # r gr^rs mfecg Tt^n,
gifig, gfcgr ott ^g grgTsrT gsg t t r f f i sftr w r o git grssnatf 3 ggrfgg
«ni g^Hf git gr#=[gg w ‘gjfggggFfg’ t 3^ gft^r git ggg ^ 1g
git g n g^ gt aragnr, ^ i+ ^ i, gm, ^ i i ^ git t fg*ft gcgn#=r
ggrg, *ft sffc y'^fd % w r 3 gt tggR tgrgr ggT t i w m afa:
tTFT’TOT % w ig 3 g^gs 3 g t grgT gnsqf git t^ht gt Ffi ?gg gtg g'«it'
git g f% gr*mi if # gf gf sifc f*R Tgntg TT^gf 3 ggsfenfgg
fgigi ggi *Tfi ^rgffg^ w?ggyf gû, gt^gi, sftr t r t
^ pJiy+l iggrq gcgn^g Tngifgg?, irf^fggr afk <nh1Ri+ gftf^rfcrgf
gft fgfigg gr^gt t i rwg g?r 3rfgg?m g ^ ^ gg «ngi, ^g,
Tufeg sfk «^»fd % gT^gg ^ gg^ fg fw g^gn gg^f gn ggm ^tctt t i
3TT*sg s k -HiHirôb oîgFTT % ^g «nf git ^ngg^ w ^ fg f t # ^
gt aft;: g? g»g p? ^rgg % srfggg?! ^ § g ^ ihn t i g ^ : ^ gtgg
^ git grrggT afk sRnftgi "^5 rgrg^ git t ^ - F T if ftitvt g^fggf grit
g^fg sftr 1g^fg % ■g^g ^ gît gg^g git ^fggr tt ^g TTfer <h<sih %
g?«g git tg^fqg g^Tcft t i w ?g Trgt % Tufeg git gr'g^ grai
^ Tjg gt W cR g^»g gn t-g g r aqk ^ftgg git TFRg
fgfggensTl % gfH 3ggr^r sftr gtfg^ g*g giggicggr ^ is ft' git ^jRf git
w r t ; ^mt aik 4 %g? ^ §f git cgig^ ^t gr*gg gprt ^rarfw gtgg ^
fad'iwi ‘^ t ^tgg’ afk ‘# g g % g*’ gg gFi gfer ^kIchh g tt m « i r
gr Tigni gk ?tg aiKlein % ^trn t t g f fg> gr^s ^ 3g%grf?ggj
gnsq % TggrgTR ggggnrf ^ ^ nt?ft git TggT git r^^'lH ^gg^
gtgg grgr g>r^ % %g f^g y^K git giggr3tt git gg> ,?jg ^ ftrt
tggn
xxxii / ’ffa=FT
W T ^ lrfh T ^TTTrfm ^ F t F*T ^ST 3Tt J-MK^cfl' WTT^t 3

Tt^T ^ t eft W h T « 1 5 k *FT HHfa?l f*FT 3J^FR ^FT f^ §Tf <?FT?TT
t l fafasf W TC % 3fk yiHlR cb mR cI^H fafTOT T R ^ fm t, *mf
3 ^ R lW % W T T T O R % ^giT ^ T TpTCR ^ t l T O cfa TUfFc^T
% ^ -jn ^T T O f t o ic-viteH'k 3 ^ Îchtfob -qg 3T T ^ f^ W f a TOTT3Tf
^FT t a l t l W ^ % *TK ^ t 3TFimt 7 ^ I d I 4 t ' 3 TOcT ^ t TT'tf TOITH,
f ^ F ' F*T ^ H H 3 46'^Md t , 3 M - 3 T ^ f o f W tW T T
^FT e ft W t qfl W -giT fN ? rt s n ^ q f , T O ^ ff^ F TTTOF7, ■sqrw
fopsrm i' 3qftr W T R T ^ it, w ^ u u f i, # ? r t w i t ' afrr w n f ^ r - s n f ^
3 s i ^ n T *ft ^ m
3Tfflrr 3ftr c iJ mH : H W T J# ! yife<?4 ^FT HFRT 1 W ^
W T , TOTTOcT, 1JTM-^81T3tf, fasjcFf Srfc TJTOT*TT3Tf ^FT a^<*>H<*. f p f i
37g^K, ^mw<ui sfa ^r#®R «ni a m ^ ^qf 3 qra *rrarat
sN efit T*TRfa w r o s t f ^ wfafafMd ^ «t 3rfc t it *; F t a r ^ t t o t t # '
H TORF ’Tf ^ *tl ^TT% <J<lg<u| <rffc^f ^ g n j Tf^cT ‘ TTTOFT’
3 h h ^ i T fe r ‘ ■ rftto c t’ t *rl s m - a m yiferq ^ft fa ^ m -in ^ T ■jnrar
^TfTSTH tl
TTr^F *TM 3 p ft TTlf^T 3 3 P ft cTr* ^ t ^JTC; T ^ ft t sfft ^ t
£> *TT«TR 3 3 r f t yiB rt) ^ t f o f w qF^TH ^ t t l Mful4,(l 3?K
^TT# ^TTt *TTO3Tt 3 W TOP ? k HT ^3T ^T ^kTT t l HT^T c ^ R s fk
# t ^ t -q tro ^t w f r iT w i T i ^ cTmcTR -q 5 c # --^ m t T fti ■d<i^<ui %
^ T ^ 'JSRTcT ^>t W T ^ TRTcTT t ÎWT STf^R^T TSTrN ^tf^Tt sftT e ffe
W ra ^ ‘ HT^T ^T faebfed I3TTI ^ HT^T y^j(d4 ^ t TTF^TT %
?^r -$ T T lfF f?^ qT3f ^ t T^TT f f ^TTTfe MdÎdH ^ ‘ ^<d=Kb«lR’ t #
^ « T ^ it W M % ^ % ^ T ^f ^ T R f f l ^ g c T : W I ^ T ^fcT TTT
tttW s m t cnh+ di ^ t t ^ t t % wr ^ fc n n ^j?n t
TFltcT sfk Fra^T5f % d ld A d % foHT 3T^TT Ft TFHT t l
■STf^rT 341^'lcHH: ^TFT ^Mt '^Mstt' ^f ^Tfife aftT TTlfF^T ^FT
fd<ai ';jTHT ^TRt TFT ^FT fTT ^ ^>T TJ^ fW k ^T^T qîq 3^fr Wf îT
TfTT^TR cf«rr «rf^ r ^r *t t i f T ^ r ark ^ r % t t =f htt
W T ^ST TTqR ^ ^?T ^f fofTOT ^TOSTf ^ ^gt TH5TT^ "ntcft sftT

^TfocTT3Tf ^T ^ i R fSTTI ^ ^cT % yfd4K<+> 3TRFif 3^T W ^f^TT %
^ ‘ M^lldl 3ftT ^TMf qT Z^FT^ «Tt % # ' l ^ % TOrat ^ TtcT ^
^m ^ntd i % srrqn q r i n ^ r t ^ t % ® t aftr s r a f W m-^h ^ iui gft
T^TT ^ 1 ^TT •gn "RIf RT TtcT ^ R f ^ t ^ t T O R 3TT^ f a r t f ^ ? T O
'TRtffa «ilcrq : >mn<i / xxxlii
3 afk h t ^ i , tg g 3 "g ^ rn t a ftr
% h r TPjra t i t r t «F fo tf srcr *nf$F s irstt -q ^ htt ■gFR} 3

3Tfsroq=KT foSTJ Sirt 3 TTTftc*T 3TR f o ^ lR H R I % H tH ^ HHl T P P F W - ?
Tsnfaa fa n i t r t ^fo^fr % alk M Hîdi % t t % t shr, w n aftr

^?t TfrHT3Tt % HR H^l g^» ®ftT spfi ^>T 'Sf’TR ^HT TFT HHT
g*i# sftr ^ mRh ^' % st f f r % tct*t ^ aftr =ft
*ft ^55 HHTI 3 TcW m>HHcb % ‘ 3Tlfo n V HH TI*PI Ht
*llfacn Ft TT£m H F TT*T ^ afft 41=1-1 ^teft ^TH qRaT t
T R t ^ct sftr 'Hfor w TjP t % HTOcrrai^t s n ^ rf htt
<HHl^Jfl t l *1F y^frl ^Tf t f r % ftr^rt e lo -l ^ *it R y i^ ^cft t ^Tt Tjpft
3TK*if sftr ’STT^ft fo?=I Tt HFTif Tt H’ilfoa f[3TTI ?TT T F R 9RJT 3 ^
‘RforT % sn^PT ^ t '3H SiRgcri ^TRcfhT F ft % TIT*? T^TFHhT THcT
^ *n for H frrgr, ^ T t t aftr <*>sjhU1 3 ^ § t -sit tt^ h t t i
Wf%rET, S^TtR aflr TTHHtfo: H«T g^T FFTIcTR cfT^t g^f %
< M H lfd + «N t sfk THHT3TT 3 fo t^ T '«K<rll°| gn «TT i T # R W
W f^RT TJcfr fo*JT ^ T f o ^ m ^ f3TT cfF ®TI 3 ^TcI^tI eTQHI ^3 T

f o ? 3R T H % y F ift 3ftT TF3T?«TH ^f g ^ t H«7T ^ 5 (t -q n ui
■EFTsq- fo?3Tf ^ 1 t l TF^f 3^T ^WTf T*IFRI ^ d ^ + 1' afk <+icil4)KT

<N=bl<4 T R O T H d i SR^TR^Tl =Pt <msiqi foÎTI fTT <^k ui w f T n -H R
TTlfFc^f ^Ft ^ H F c ^ f fsfqj f f i T 3^11 ^ WfTcT HTH "R«Tg#T ^TTTcT %
•sifoH sftr w % hf c^ jM t u^ i ftn s p ; i ^ ■gn % emTcnr T*rfHRT^ff %
?T? gn ^ ^ftcR srfM^r 3q^ft«T?T Ft HHT 3ftT ?T^T TTlfFc*T ^f «ft
f o ^ H5T # 3 R 3T*ri ^ f o r R T»?nfo # ft,
HFT5 3ltT Hfont ^t TTHlfFfT eTTT ®TTI crl<a=bl îT ?IH 3ftT <iH=bl
f o ^ foÎH 1r * l W HTt ^TfcTT «TT 3T«RT McT *TT
f ^ T ^ f o ^ <^H|obK TfoTtR ^ l h1'|)RH4i f o ^ T T 3^tT ^TTcftH TRH ^f ^ «ft
wy<i41<*>*u| ^ ^ ra i foqr sftr nstrit ^thi#' h w i: tw r TnfoR
aftr s if^ r^ ^ T p ; i
■3^ 3ftT T3-ft ^tc=ft eFT f^RTTT: ?TT gH ^ ^ g ccffif TtTTFfoR)
sftr fm i LiRtidH i ^ a ftr " s s t hh fo ^ ra « rti ^TTTcft^r
fR ifttt -g f e w #TT3#, 3TT?mt', t j M ' , -strrm M , •^nf^Tf

% 3TFTHH % T1T8T ^ ^3TT, ^ 3R # TTW S R ^ t, H JR T lt 3 ftT fo tW
WlfefrM‘*> HTWRTTT ^ r STTTT ^1 ^f?RT aftT grt^T ^ W t fof^FT ^ T # T ,

«IH ir«l+ 3TTT TPJî ^?t TR ^H R T TaTpfrtf T ^ I H f ^rt T IR ^ ^
3TTf s f t r ?TT 3 T c T :T R q ^ ^ H H^ T T T T F f ^ H T °R T 3Tf ^ fo^ T
xxxiv/
im h F i afhc yiPsr^<+> arfq^TFoRi % ttt^ tr % ^ q 3 ^ rm n qrai

% f ^ r o ^ t *ft «ts ri t^ n i faP*FT ^R f q r ^ f ^ ro f ^ i t , <w s i h ) , ijsrct,
Wcff 3?lT ^ % qFT 3 *JRt q fI 3R^t, T O # 3 d^hlcilH UlPSrM ^T
3 rt famart' 3?r ^ % ^n«r-^n«T w , h tfm ark ^Riter ^ e t
f^qTTT gt'l *RR t^ r ft afk 3TO W % sNf 3 ■HIHM tfW ^
mm ^ t# Mtl mft mm ^ 3PJ^ W % ?R
3 f^chRHd s>fl
W ^ i 'H qR #q ^ T T f^ T f a f * F T ^ R ^ R T m T ia ff ^ afk
3 ffaR fSHI ^F mcT 3T^T W cR 3TSRT TJcF-^k <FT

^PdstiH U I f f U lfe fa c fi 3 ^ 3 t *IT W i # tl TO TO #' ^
HTT yiP^Po4cb efn *jt Pc|chiy f ^ T i ^q 3Tk ^ 5 % 3T>J^ f w

itl ^ 'RRT 3 ^FR t m m % y iP sP c'M * ^ q q ^ t F t P«FT 7 t F?
n fF ^ r % 3 qg^q a f a 3 ?= rc % # ^ r ^ t q ^ sr yy^di ^ * r t tfti
a f h f W ^ F ? ttc r 3 W H h r w iP ^ r y ( 1 8 0 0 - 1 9 4 7 ): a rarr^ '
% 3R cRT qRcT TT^ ^ d d l^ t ^rmfa*F q?RR W ^ m 3lk

s rt: q p te aHfa qrci % w PdRsid m ^ q 3 *pp; qriFcq-qsR
m i H fF ^ T 3 , F 1 R T % , 3 R qt a ^ W JR « ft£ 3 H cIM K I % '^FTT8T q w ^ f a
^ T o q -^ q f afk qrqqart' ^ t qqtq m rt mi qkitf^Rr im tqm m # w i %

■ ^ ra 3 T K R - q ^ R FtcTT ?TT a f k ^ q t - ^ T R ■Hlff.r^ 'pf ^ 'H l f 'H 't i F t
m i d<l^<u| % t # r q ^ T R Tt' ( N c h N W q?R # q ^ IR t
affr % ^j8T '5 # -fq R t 3^ ^?5 flra fqgNl ^ ‘j<>y<a1 % fq

^ ^ rn q T *ft iRTati
^ ftg R f ^ T f ^ R t % ^ 1800 CRT «TRcT ^f fiffeq ^T
gq ^ c r f afdftad Ft mi w ^ ^ t ^ s rm *fti
(gwRriRsid) mu^PdPq q tro ^?r st ^ tr ^sn ark "gq anm w t
qTcRr ^ qr sr fW ^ '? r ^ -? r r t m crm ^ % anmr
q r arqqT q r ^ ' t m r ^ r t r r t m i fqfeq t o ^>t Tm qqi ^ r r ? t ^ ^ 5
3R ^ - q F c ^ t ^ t *rt fe m i
3T*ft CRT ftg R crltelchY ^ t 3Tp^°qf^ ^T îwm m eft ^R^cT m
qqrot, m fqR, fgcftq arqqt mqiq;i fqfeq
^ jf^ t Ft :?mqtq snRit ^ q ^ ^TRt ^r ^t sfk f^R ^TRTsft ^ t
w r ? qT3^ s n f m i^ r f ^ t o r w tti ttt^r?tt «rat, qg# R nft
m ^THmli ^ t Ftcft qî fapqR nRcftq mqisit' m fR ^ r %
argrngf ^ q ? i-R ^ q ^ft MloHifea fem i sraRF^t ^m k! % ^t«t ^ rt
snim r sfk q f^ ra ff TraR-TOR F ft ctht i q^Rnfen ^ t f^ T R j
^SfT sfk 3T^ CR) TT?J-f^^n ^ c R q 3TI qî
3 f M ^ 3Tq^ M W % ?J?3irat f^Tt' 3 -RF^FT f^ T T qRfltq
qiqistf qq 3T«qqq ^q% f#T ^TWTt t l "RTOh^-fsrHR f 3TI,
^qqff q F <M<dd1 q^l 1935 3 PoPcr^H q fe fr SRI ^fTT^t qq fW -'S R q iq
^1 $d % Ti % ^* T qR q % IF F f t f W 3fk W I l f ^ F 3 3?M
qiqT ^ SRqt ^qftstfq q^f qRTqt ^ q R qtl Vi^Z * lk < M qq
■ÎT M ^ 1 qR^f ?TT ^ t fa fo q TJ^ff 3fa 3 Il^ K f % 3 I ^ T % f^ c l Ft 3 ^
^qqq ^qqTq q^| ^qq^f % 3PKTiq qn T3=F " 3 ^ T 3 ? M - f w q?t "gqq qRqT
qt ^T ^ 3iq qqr f i m M " % 3 Tfqq^ $ q q «ft| 1857 3 # ^ q A[[Hc|P4i1
% qr 3Tr^Trft?T qR#q <jmr«el Hh«h qq sfrqqiftqr q^q tqrqr w i
? q % sig q R q r q l cb<H<+.rii sfk trsra 3 fq^qfqsiM q ^ n fq q ^txti
d'-il'Hql ^ t % 3ffl qq> 3# # ^ ^ ?RF ym^t q>t ^snT^ ^ # sffr
qF w qqT aftqqTftqr 1w qrt qf q m qq qî qft-qft w i qR#q
*PIT3lt q>t T n flfN ^ ) 3 r f q * M 3 3fjtqt q>T 3RR fc<3l^ ^ cRTT 3?k
q ro fN t % 3t M 3 IdteHl ^ qR fqqTI t^Rt i<ir^4) 3$K M l^d
qq $ q 4 sqpqt 2^1
^ R T i f <d«<HM: 1857 f a w t ^ t F ^ T q*f qt «ni Hrfe?T W P T %
q i} *t qRxfNt *t ^fqsfT ^ t I 3 ? h M R 'lch TTt TT SRI f ^ ^ it ^ ?FT^
q^R sfa TlM qtl ^ SRTcfa qft yfaPsMI 3 dH+fadl ^ fqstF %
■^TTstt q>T "gumPT ^ R fÎTI ?TRft ^ft T F t 3TtT 'HFTT « IF ^ % 'TFI
3J^§ ^1 SRlF^fcT 3ffT 3TFRTW % T=R ^ q ? T : ^ «ft ^ R cfa qTO3Tf
^ W tl 1857 % f ^ t F ^ 3tftcT ^ q f e l % ^t?T sfR jjtw ûf ^ f r R q
^ r f q q R s ik g f e r ^ t sti ^ t^ t ^ t ^r t f ^ n i q R cfk c^ t 

uifecM ^ a n # ^ j k sflr y i ^ P d + q F ^ n % ^ w n %
s m t 3Tcft?i gft qtq-îsTf sfk th % ^.PdsiR-i* i ^ r f f ^ t ■qîH % ^ i i ^^mfq
WI TIT^ f^qq ^ ^ M^d t feT qt cio=f)l ^ air=hiRi<*) h F ^
qrt 1%T3lt' sfk ft8 # q f ^rt qrpRT =fR^ oFt ^ftf¥m ^ t l WdTldl sfk
qig^jfq % ^tq ^mt ^ t r 5f tfti ^ f e q ^ % ^ s s tq rw q %
7 r tr t ‘ a rn ^ q s ’ (1882) snqi ^ q f e r ^ f fft?r “ ^ H i d ^ " suqiqt
f^ tf ^ ^?t % w n # # rq f <i^<ild ^ t t i q F qtn t r ^ k t sftr
qi'tni % fq?PT ^ T^T W «7TI
^Hi y41' q^) % ^fqq Ft Wp ^ Hqrf^F sfk WTftcF -gqRqRt
angt^nt ^rt ^cii-i îdt TRqisrf ^ sm •hhm slk 3tt4 «hm qn q^q
fSITI F l ^ t ^ T T ^ T ^ T TFTfeq 3TT?q--fq?#m sfk 3TT?qT#qqT qrt
ywdV ^ wi'P+id fqjqT "311 TOsqr t i q p ^ ^qiwKl % i3jt sftr ^q%
xxxvi /
srgqrfNf ^ 3 fafesi srt w m *jft frc; Fran % ^

*fit F3T^ 3?k TJ^ cr^T ijUc|<{uf % q jg =fn ^ ^TRcT
% *^PuIh 3#cf ^)t 3qft ^ 3 ferJJTI
3# # w ^ r 3ik snTTcf: #?rat' ^ opt ?|?3qTcT?w mPmhI sfk
3Rt# tnfsw 3 #cffi afk M r ^ ^ftcT w k WlP^rM ^ ^ f^rjf
3?R ^ff YTTft?! ^/TT oR P^lI rl’RFT ')TnTI3TI ft aTjjqTs 3H<n«*T it
ttit| ^ 3FpTK Wf: # 3^ % *t W ^chiPm^ ^fl Tf^ff % srfc
^R *T*TT £nfc % *tl 3 T T ^ f^ *TR#T yiP^Î 3 fQ; mR c^H
3N# ^ ^ T 3 W ffi: 3q w i M *t # 3^ ^T#t FT W 3R 3^

aqg^n wi ^ i ^rqt g ^ ^TMsrf =frt ^nfFfcw 3TfH°iir=ki
^ Tff I 3irfq5!lf^f ^ -g^T k m % F q 3 ^RTT # "3FTF 7FTRT, f^M
3^ W W 3 #1 ^kcIT 3 W ^f, TftRT tM 3Tk ^ TTHf ^t
dUP^dl f t# I
g ^ R ^ # 3i k h h T t t cp mR u iih ^ tft % 3mm # f t * # 3fa
^ F t f W 3 ^ fW ofêTra 3rft ?RTTI * 5ft %f^T Mfa<*>|li WT^FT ^T#
WT3rf 3 ^nt ^rffi ^ro 'a ^ y -ik rTOT Tptr#, mrat, ^gg
3Tlfg ^rmT3Tf 3 yifepri|=ti qf^FT3Tt' cfcT 3 W H *1TI f^ F ft #3^f
Trg f^TT sfa 3 F # - 3 m t *PTT3tf 3TT£[f^F ^TlfFc^T % ft^RT
^ qsiqi f^TTI
I S ^ T 3 T M 3 STRcfa # ^ T ^ t ^RTT R F r? W<T ^3TT sffT W %TT
■r t k t r tot ^ e T a i 3fa ^^ r tt % ^ tt*t ^ t *t w wf tt *t t i « tr # jt
HfF^T TTf^ W ^T cT^T ^1 WTt PcI^bl'K, M r, $\ 3R k R ^TTOt,
sfk # i f f ^ qf?^qt ^Rm 3f h t W ^ w % 3tw
k g R y-îRd %q; sik 3^:' qt ft^ri w srgfq v w ft% ^ w i
ip ? tTFr^r ti ^qpT^qf d y + T % ttt*t ttt# % ^ ^t
m ^5T TTFTT 3qftT TOiq=dKl 3RR ‘SleTTI TTT^t ^ T W mT *H % •HHM m
«lPg<?M ^5T Tqfecf^^Rt 3TOR Tqns-rfT t l 7 F f t ??T # 1 ^ ^ t f^ F ^ R t
^jt t®ffecT f^TTI TftKft % 3T5R ^ 3TPJ¥^T?TT, aftTcff ^ t ^TT 3fk 3RT
yiHlp3|'+>-<.NHlRl=h cT*qi ‘ «TRcfk # ^ T -^f?T” ^ f e - ^ t qRclk
«TM3Tf % g^T fWT ^=T ^ 1 ^ % ^srfP^ #grf5R oM-Mm+H
? R W S 'Êtqi^qRT ^ # ^ T 4 R ^ ^ '11 M r F t W 7 ^ *tl t 1^ ^ T
<l>^c|K 3fr( MHc(c(K TR ÎVtPH^ 3ftT <NHlPd=b MpT cT*TT f e # ' ^
fan *ni
WH^dl 3TRtm ^T 3TOT: % # ^ % # 3Tfw?T #§gr
W ^ T T 3T1%R ?TTfteT *t afk # ?nft^T ^TFf *t ^ «ft 3 T ^ W Tt
Ft Tt *ti *r*ft # i qraiatf Tnm ^ t irrfF^r #nf ^t
: TTgfr -qfrg^ / xxxvii
^ o t m c r i5T «m ^Tti^T 3 w f f f e
ywfa<*> TO^ % 3pftt 3TTeTRT 73T*ftl ^ %tTC % ftqfa %
f# r TO^ 3UHHHdl 3fR *Ft ft^T ^Ftl ^JeTO # jjf Tpf ^FT ft*T
3> < ft % f# * el<a=hl ^ *7TTcf % ‘ iK q s'llcil 3Tcft?T ^>T g ^ P T F fo^TT, '*TFT ^
ftr^Rfhr ^ q f t u^t-t t^rqri

T T ^ K t 3fl%H 3 <qpr 3 dW>T ^ 3m t q if w sfk
■qF^H 3 r f c 3Tcft?T % ft?T 'JlM l^ch f t ^ T I d<s(=hT 3 TORI # fa cT 3
% f# i W T: TO JTfi ^T M H ^Rcb sfft W #T ^T 3T W FT I TO ^TTO %
$ffqîWT d<a^ ft^t ^ ^1 ?TFT ^ TO ^fft % ft ^ ^•I'til ^Tcfl

*111 r^V liy, s f t r 'H q id <4-1+1 T ^ ^ n s f f 3 Tq^ ^ T ^ H I^
tl 1920 % qTCcfa WlfecM ^ T f*r?TR (iMl'fe^ STTI ^ flft %

‘ ^WI=IK’ 3ftT % ‘ TO tTO ’ ^ +| o MK|('HT ^ I T *TT ^ k TT t l TO
’STTO aqfôijpcW y jHdlrHcb ^ K T T 3 qF<T f t f t t l *)Hl'fd<*>
3^T 3Hr^PHW an TT^n TFffa % ft?T yfdfiill
^ ft ^ 3TcT:^rWf ^ T ^T fW T ^FTcTT «TTI cftqR
«IH lfa + oZfoR«n ^ ft 3TOT 8JTI f a f f e d 3T1%H T O fa
3TTft^RT ^ft q f I W 3 n # ^TT T J ^ 3 7T 3 f^ R % m f c R
■g^T: <NHlRlcb 3fk yiHl^cb $\ ^ 3 y'Tfcf?^ #§qF ^T
Iro N qrorte ^ ifF ^ 3 ti% r t^ro-'^rraT -qt^r ^ t -q?«R t i
yilfd^lld 1936 ^fl T O ^ T O ^
3TKJ^T «RTTi TJTTI f^T % TO R cf# 3 ^ ^TRRdF!# y<UkT ^
vreri®^t % q r d k qqif^ci f ^ r i qn?ik ^ R F ig h q
3TTfe afir t o ^. sftr %
f^ T ^ i
TO W I cl^ # 3 ^ 3fk ■qra^ ^Kld< TTtq ^ 3Tft eft «^l «lfe^
q ??r -q ft^ ft ^Ft fto ftt t i f t # rf % # 3 fT F w p f fa fts r t i
3T^ YFFTt 3fh: ^Frat ^ t f t ' % ^?T ^ “FTTeft 3f|R TO3t Hld+cbK
#5Ffipr firi rftifyii ^ ro ro f ^ ‘ y<Rid’ ‘ft^r?r’ % ^r «n
W lfc g ?T o F 3 1 -14® t f t ^ S T q f tf ^ T F t T F T I ®TTI f ^ r A
^ oil'FPy'H qT^TO % ^ q ^ 'J^Rt sfk # 1 ^ ^T«TT f T O ':55H w tl

^ t ~m f f e s R ftrfe r 1940 T rs ftlft^
W F T F ft T O «ni 1942-43 % ^ ^ fo 4 ir= l4 , % l t o t ' 3fk
cbeTrafti IR I f ^ T l TOT ^3R 3ri^trR « f t t t t
TOTI TO^ TOra ^ 'ifd^llddl, S’nldlcH'+.cll 3fk 3TTV
^ 3W7 % ^5ial ■qteT T’Tcfr—_;5^Tt «fti ^ qr ^ st f it
TOTI qror ^feeTT fRNH) -TFT^ qsw 3T«T^T ^ffl FSI ^ ^
Tt cbdl+K 3fk gid+^K ^ f W I 3 lift % -HTOT ^T nril
xxxvili /
^ fa?*? '33 ^ «i«M o n < | cTT^cff 3?K ^ T % ^ fTft

W-T f^TÎ 1942 ^ IJTtq t^rtT Tpj it R cT Wl-sl 3ii<0<rH ^ W*T 3iT fTOT
qR?T 3 fafisd Y iK R ^ t W-TT Ft FWTI ?TT ^ T R <TFftflr=F ^t
f%*rffaT ^TqfacT ^>t # qT^TT 'R ^ t afft fqqiRia i f ^ F 3iimih 1
cRi yiferM ^TnTT-'?fkT ^ f t TFtl qTCcT ^ T ■Md^ldl iTHTR q R
3TrfSraT sfk <M'llfacf) cTT^f % ^Ft ^fST TOT «TTI ^TF qTOT ^>t TFTO
WR^Pd* 3 # tR T ^ t 3Tpq°srfatI 8TTI
qTOT faq R R ^ W^jfacTT ^)T '^ 3 olsci f^TTTI ^T% TTT*T
“ 3TT*JpRT qTCTfa ^TFR T % T T # |]R<rdl ^ c rf% ^ I R I
3TKleR 1946 3 TJR*T 1T3TT ^ft 3FT^ W T «R qRT e^f cRT ^RRT TFT I
ttt^ r f ^ iT i^ lf e d T a k gfad r+ «H T . q ^ r r % fcro; w f ^ r r
TOT^T TTT«fe g 87TI f H <TTF % fas^Ff 3 TJFflW ^ T O T f e qTCT ^ 3 TW

31eR TRcn ^ T T q tq T TO ffo ? « % ^TTfTOt' % t# * 3jqt ^5
f s R '5TT% ^ t 3Tra^RRT t l STRTT^t TJ^ Ruifacfc Tfgjej &TT, atfTO eT^T ^Ft|
W 3^ftT ^TT TTlfF^T Wd'^dl i l W ^FT 4 ^ 3Tfc P ^ K ^ l SHcHfxkH ^Nt'
^t W fdfa'fad ^TcTT t l
TcfTSffarTT OTft<T % «JT3 ^FT H H d M T T T f^ T : TTg 1947 ^
T5T#RT-yiP<T % TTT*T qR cfa y iftri) 3 TJcfT TOT q fe STRTT t l ^ R T T
W RT t, W fW l ^T T O »TScTT t l W t e TTlfF^T % W ^ 3T«TO
ffR qnTQ; cftT 'CR 41^5 t — <I'^C(I'{1 r io -i NTT1 #
^ m Wd'^dl 3T1%R -q P^Hl^Rl ^Tcft «ft 3fk TTT%f^RRT #
H<qi5 f^Cf f^TT <M'l1fnch 3hRT# % fetr cT^q sftT "sj^T ^ T ^TR ^>T ^FT
TFt ^RT <)HlTd=h # *ftl W ^ T T T f^ q 4' fSTT «TT
3ftT -qF 3 f M TTTfFc^ ^ F ^ % ^rfttr ^TFT rRF - q ^ t «ft| ^ t[RT
3 TT3Rt%3) 3TP?lKt # iTO ^ ^FtTT yi^Pd4> 3TOFT ^ <=h1f^|!#l
sfti cftmt qro yj|fd«=iieO Mt ^ g ^ R : ilniTdcb # 1
p , p; Mti TF3pftf?RT afk yi'fcj,Reh w # r t ^ tttt -qF
qra snfSRi ^ ^ y g y d i ^cft *fti f h qra ^rr w t ^f r
ft^TT 3?k ^TF 3 R *ft ilfdHH t l

T^TtfhRT 3TT^teR % ^<.M # T R ^ -^ c R T 3TTf *lt, f^ R ^
wl^Pd f f Mt, # f i R ^ ftftc r f i r ^ 7 f ) ^ -q ^ f r TnfF^T ^ t o ? r 3rm
"SToTT 1 3TP5TKt f t c H % TTTq f ^ R T ^ R ^ T 7TFTT qt W *TTI f l # aftT
H ^ iR t y l f F r q q q R d - f ^ q T 3 R ^ t xftST U H cfk ^ ^ ^ 1 fFTTT, ^ T F ,
KTTfe 3?tT TOFT cRF % ? f M t ' % T F J^ q R # ^ TTT%^T H

^5TI T^TO qRcT % U l P ^ ^ 3Tq^ % ir ^ ^T^T PnR(^ld f ^ - S T T ^
afc ^ncTTfW t^TI qRcf^T TTOR % f#!; ^ ^tit' ft
s[pFTKt ■RF^ t l MH+ldH ^Rcfa TTTfl^T ^ 3jf^TT3ff W t TR'Rf
3 ^ ^ Tftftsjfatf % 3 T ^ 3?Ft s^T TFT t l ^ l4 g # 3 3 ■gflFTT^
tust Pw ^ft ti
dl+MM^ ^ 3TR1# % %TT 7m ^fd<Hl ^ ^§?t p ;
^t ^TO T # Kft'l w r a 'RTTfl ^ ^ ^ff fT^ H’MqtfM ^RT3Tt'
^ ^ ^ t 3 ^ ^FTTI W feT'JT TfftFTT ^ t l w t
^fermsft ^ yifeo4 ^ tt t w r ^ wrn ^ ttri crt
^ft cR? ^sJT TFTTI ^ WtSJT *t W <Ûm ■Hlfe^ ^ ysf-i)
3 ^ Yf^T3Tf % %Ti ^ WTt «ttl 3TTf^FR ^ ^
‘fijl’ I[f, 3TI^f, c^FFT 3ftT qfeim-ll Hfa TR T3^t ^ft ^ fHKd ^
W ^TOIT, ^ H mI sfk SfW^TT ^>T Îdqldl Ft fRT eft ■Rtg'^FT f? «# 3Tpft
Ft Mtl ^RTRTf, ^RTT3Tf 3 ^ TC^Ft' 3 fTtw«R ^T T^R 3 g<§fcl
^3tti ■gen i M % d s ^ i’ ^ 3KM+di 3rk ftnreg ^ t y^fri^T ^ t
<r # f gti sidi'fo h i ^ kI #§cpf ^ 3^ ^ iF rm g ^ r t r r
^T TTW TT^TT WTI
«*4*icHh nRc|yii: sfterat s;idKl % srra^' 3 ^rrdk yiferM
3 T3=F îr ^ t ?JT>3TRT Ftcft t l ?TT W I cRF yJ|fdclKl UlR?o4 3Tf^R
«fteT f W ^FTf t , TfRFT Mfal Ft W t l *TR#T *Hlfeo4 3 3^
aifVndlql'O 3iiqi'jl Tpnl ^ d Jidl t l ^ îqi-j) ^cfqdl ■HiferM ^ f%IF =h<d)
^ t l 'iiOqi'O # F T sfk ^.(Vici ^<g-l tl
yifeo4 fad^>d 3T?^, giT ^ ? T ttclT t l HKIoIKI TTRR
3ftT TTTfe^f ÎR t %?TTn?R^ HURl'+dl dMIidl f3TT, y^HlT+d ^TaT
f3T fWfecT fkT t l ■qft^R, 1ÎF, ^fd<=Kdl 3TTf^ 3UqTCgjT msTT#' aftT
tj ^ ' g#ER] fTKn ^rerfW w rd i t i hkI^ k
cRF <Pdd=IKl "9#^T ^T «ft 3TRsFcT ^TTTcft^r t l fRBt ^T ^1
^31T Îcid 3ii^)dH tt 'i^Kicfi, qi-*is, dPra, ^ P J, Mîiql sftT
37Tf^ ^TNT W t l gf#T TnfF^TR W Tf^F ?TT^f
^ ^ p s r tr ft ^ T Tt ti hk I^ ik I
<^hi + kT ^ ^R-arr Tnfêq fgrra yf+^di i^3T? eft gfecT d y + i ^

3Tnq^«n?q^ TTTfF^ ^tKT T^TI ^TcT fTJ^'R ^ft ^9TT sffT ^37# ^hRi-mT %
îfnqi<{l 3Tc^tT9Rt =FT ^ T H ^(cia ■Hiterq % gcT 'R t l 3 ^ ^ ^ 1jjft %
a ftri g f # i yife c^ + K t i g f # r irg^PT ^ t ferat'
^T % ^3T 371WT # i « | ^ r d + mR ^ H I t l ^ f# T 73jt WHI=bK
^ eft ■iiOqiS % ^ TFT! Î5d1 t 3ftr 'T gf^RT^K % l 3PT^ f # i T3^>
xl / ’jfH+.l
‘ ^ M W U l’- ^ s R ^ nRcftn T T lW i $ U=F 37eTT STFTFt tl

■qrdkr g?T % fo&tf 3 *kt # q s m f t ^ f w yi'^Rich w ^tr
37^ ( 37? # ; ^ w W m # i ' T ) % Tn^m 3 ^ fr t# t i w
3 ■qrdki 37M ttS ^ t Ft t?t t i 3fc ^ n T te R o i
% qeRTR ^ k 3 q R cik TTTfF^T ^Ft U ’TTf# f^ T T t l ^ U W M c iK 3^tT ^
3 q p T ^ ? l^ % I t l l i ^ t qrraFT Ulfec4+R T7FTJT7 ^ r t# t , W 3 rT
TrfTTTrsr 'Rt T3 T# t l W sR7 ^ T7TfSt*7 Tl 773T7 T7TO& RTÎ ||;37T t i
f^R7 k R j m 3TT3T RTTcfkT f l l f ^ W t ^FT ^ ^ F t ^H<MK ^ M f ^ R T
fc o rl ^ t 3fk ^ r m r r 'd^Ti 37RTkt ^g^frRmr Rti 3 n # w>n ctf
fo r? t r f grt t w « r f ^ f f t -MdiiJ.Jii i
T T fsra ^T R 3 R R R R e f f a T T lf ^ T W 3^ ' ^FTFTT
eRTT « '+ f c r ld TERT37t' ^ 7 t TOTT^RT ^ 7 7 t f^R TO R R - k 7 ? R 3T7% ^ F l f o F T .
■HIHlfach 3 f R T T R ^ f c R ) * t « a <*>■(. *t fRc-T T 7 % l ?T7 T7TJF %
f a n * '3 T g ^ d T^FTTSTt' ^ T FRk T T ^ fftR T y f ^ d 3fk ^ H 'l d l ^ j 7 fj|
FR R t g rt ^ T E R 737f ^ w fo cT ^ ^Ft T # t ^ tt ^ T sfk 3 7 ^ k g
% T ?R ^ R 3 7 # t R7RI 3 7 k "JR ^ Ft fe R T t R F W J O T ^FT 3 # f t P * 7 ^ r
F t l ? 7 F y '+ d H 'T eft i T ^ f m ^ f t 3?fk ^ F t T W 7 - f t q f c F , s # 3 T w 'RRcT ^
f^ T T H T ^ R T T O F T F K T ^ Ft T ^ ??R ^ F » R T R ^ et ^ R cH t l T7TTF f f a R ^FTet
W l FRk T 7R H ^ F ifl "g fW o 7 ^T?I 37Tf °TF ^ft T sn T 3 7 f g f t f l g t 3fk
3 fM srg ^ K f ^ W c n i w& T£R T 37t % ^ 37ggR : 4 ^ 5 eft ^ 5
TTTRoff T7f f ^ F T f » # 3 f t r F ^ f ^ T c T S tJ 3 7 g ^ R F t V l l f t d ^ T T 'T fT
FR ^TFt ^ T F ^ 3 rfT E 2 3 7 3 ^ % 3?^ ^ ^ ^ " R F W j n f T^HT V l l f t d
F t ^ Tt T F ^ tttti 37^1^ F rf g f ^ t eft ^ 5 5 ( 1 1 ^ + I F *7 ^ n f t ^ t
F ^ i f d 'd 3 7 ^ ^ K g c T T^RT ^7T 3 7 g « R 3 ^ 3 7 R 5 IK ^ TTR^f F R t s f k ^ 7 1 3 ^
W t ^ T T 7 lf^ 7 % TTKR) 3 7 ? ^ R 3 7 k 3 f t ? [ F t T 7 % n i FHTTt ? R F 3 T R ’ f t
?T 7 3 7 g ¥ R ^ 3 7 F ft^ T 3ftT iT FT JH g ^ t - ^ 7 T FTRT f ^ R 7 tl
?T7 TWcR ^ f^R # n t ^ F 4 iT F ^ k T , ylrHI^H 3fR

q^d-W?Rd ■Hi'I'aI'I R^l t 3# FR t l FR W?7 efk Tt TTt. <m1o|
^ 7 f. i\. cT«7T ‘ RT^T, TTTfFc^ 3 7 k iR ^ fc T ’ ^ t 7 7 # # % ^ k
TRFff ^ ^S7. ^t. ■srggj, -5ft. 37R. T7T«I ffR«7t, ^7. ^TWdl +"^<1, f^^Tfg
Roilld, sftT ^5ft chlPHHl TTFT^T % 3# 37T«fR o ^ -^nF?r t RR%
t^FTT t^cTR ^>T f?7 ^7 ^ W ? R T7^R ^Ff *711
The Ramayana:
The Valin Vadh Episode
Valmiki
In Sanskrit literature the Ram ayana is known as the first epic and
its creator Maharishi Valmiki as the first poet. Nothing specific can be
said about Valmiki's life. It is a popularly believed that Valmiki tended
to his fam ily's needs by looting and plundering, but the course of his
life changed after a chance meeting with a group of seers. He then
devoted himself to the pursuit of knowledge, penance and meditation.
The story of Valmiki's conversion to a poet is attributed to his witnessing
the killing of the male of a pair of mating cranes. Moved by the
anguished wails of the female crane, Valmiki's emotions poured forth
in a couplet, 'O hunter, you have killed the crane in love, you will
never achieve fame and honour.' The form and rhythm of this utterance
cam e to be known as shloka.
In the R am katha (legend of Ram) that Valmiki narrates, he is
present himself. Sita takes shelter in his ashram and her tw o sons—
Luv and Kush, are brought up there. Scholars differ about when the
Ramayana was com posed. Ram, as a M aryada Purshottam (protector of
ethics), is popular not only in the Vedic tradition but also has place in
the Jain and Buddhist traditions. Ram's popularity in folklore has a long
history. In W internitz's opinion, the first format of the Ramayana
evolved in the fourth century b c , and its final form at in the second
century a d . Some scholars are of the opinion that the U ttarkanda and
some portions of the Balkanda were not written by Valmiki but were
later accretions. The German scholar, Hermann Jacobi grants recognition
only to five Kaands from A yodhyakanda to U ttarkanda. W hatever be the
case, the modern form at of the Ram ayana today does not have a loose
or incoherent structure. The Ram ayana contains tw enty-four thousand
'shlokas' in all. The anushtap chand (a verse with specific metre) has been
mostly em ployed, and Valmiki is acknowledged as its creator. The
Ramayana text exists in many forms. These days three texts— Dakshinatya,
Gaudiya and Paschim otariya are in prevalence.
This selection is from the dialogue between Rama and Valin,
found in 17th and 18th Sargas of the Kishkindhakanda. Having befriended
This except is taken from The Ramayana o f Valmiki: An Epic o f Ancient India,
Vol. IV, Kishkindha Kaand. Introduction, translation and annotation by Rosalind
Lefeber. Edited by Robert P. Goldman, Princeton, New Jersy: Princeton University
Press, 1994, pp 87-95.
2 / The Ramayana
Sugriva, Rama deceitfully kills his brother Valin. Before his death, Valin
denounces Rama for his cow ardly and deceitful act. Rama gives him
a patient hearing and attem pts to dispel his doubts while justifying his
own deed. Valmiki's Rama is not an 'avatar' but a 'm ahapurush' (a
great m an), a man endowed with extraordinary qualities but a man
nonetheless, who debates the validity of his actions. He overcom es his
hum an frailties to become divine.
Sarga 17
1. Then struck by R am a's arrow, Valin, harsh in battle, fell
suddenly like a tree cut down.
2. Adorned with pure gold, his w hole body toppled to the
ground, like the flagstaff of the king of gods when its ropes
are released.
3. As that lord of the hosts of m onkeys and apes fell to the
ground, the earth grew dim, like the sky w hen the moon
vanishes.
4. And yet, though he had fallen to the ground, the great
m onkey's m ajesty, life, pow er, and valor did not leave his
body.
5. For the w onderful jew el-studded gold necklace that Sakra1
had given him sustained the life, power, and majesty of the
monkey-chief.
6. W ith his gold necklace, the heroic leader of the m onkey
troops looked like a rain cloud edged by the glowing light
of evening.
7. Though he had fallen, it was as if his lingering splendor
had been broken into three shining parts: his necklace, his
body, and the arrow piercing his vital organs.
8. For that m issile, shot from Ram a's bow , had opened the
path to heaven for that w arrior and gained for him the
highest state.
9 -1 1 . Like unassailable great Indra, like irresistible great Indra,
great Indra's fallen son, gold-garlanded Valin, lion-chested,
long-arm ed, blazing-faced, taw ny-eyed, lay fallen thus in
battle, resem bling a fire w hose flam e has gone out, like
Yayati2 fallen from the world of the gods through exhaustion
of his merit, or the sun cast down to earth by Time at the end
of the world. Followed closely by Laksmana, Rama approached
and looked at him.
Indian Literature: An Introduction / 3
12. Now w hen Valin saw Raghava3 and m ighty Laksmana4, he

spoke these w ords w hich, though harsh, w ere civil and
consistent w ith righteousness.
13. 'Because of you, I have m et m y death w hile in the heat of
battle w ith som eone else. W hat possible m erit have you
gained by killing me w hen I w asn 't looking?
14^-15. "'R a m a is w ell-born, virtuous, pow erful, com passionate,
and energetic. He has observed vows, knows pity, is devoted
to the w elfare of the people, knows w hen to act, and is
firm in his vow s." That is how everyone spreads your
good reputation throughout the world.
16. 'Considering those good qualities of yours and your exalted
lineage as w ell, I engaged in battle w ith Sugrlva though
T ara5 tried to stop me.
17. 'Since I d idn't see you, I had no idea you w ould strike me
w hen I w as in the heat of battle w ith another, heedless of
you.
18. 'I did not know that your judgm ent was destroyed and
that you were a vicious evildoer hiding under a banner of
righteousness, like a well overgrow n w ith grass.
19. 'I did not know that you were a w icked person w earing
the trappings of virtue, concealed by a disguise of righteousness
like a sm oldering fire.
20-21. 'I did no harm either in your kingdom or in your city, nor
did I insult you; so why did you kill me, an innocent
forest-ranging m onkey, living only on fruit and roots,
when I had joined battle here w ith som eone else and was
not fighting against you?
22. 'Y ou are the handsom e, renow ned son of a ruler of men.
You also have the visible signs associated with righteousness,
king.
23. 'W hat m an, born in a kshatriya6 fam ily, learned, free of
doubts, and bearing signs of righteousness, would perform
such a cruel deed?
24. 'B orn in a royal fam ily, reputed to be virtuous, w hy do
you go about w ith the appearance of decency w hen you
are in fact not decent, Ram a?
25. 'Conciliation, generosity, forbearance, righteousness, truthful-
ness, steadiness, and courage, as w ell as punishm ent of
w rongdoers are the virtues of kings, your majesty.
26. 'W e are but forest-dw elling beasts, Ram a, living on roots
and fruit. That is our nature, while you are a man and a lord
of men.
4 / The Ramayana
27. 'Land, gold, and silver are reasons for conquest. But what
possible profit could there be for you in the fruit belonging
to me in this forest?
28. 'Both statesm anship and restraint as well as punishing
and rewarding are royal functions that must not be confused.
Kings m ust not act capriciously.
29. 'But you, instead, care only for your own desire. You are
wrathful, unsteady, confused about your royal functions,
and interested only in shooting your arrows.
30. 'You have no reverence for what is right, no settled judgment
concerning statecraft; and because you are addicted to
pleasures, you are driven by your passions, lord of men.
31. 'N ow that you have done this despicable deed and killed
me, an innocent creature, w ith your arrow , what w ill you
say in the presence of virtuous m en, Kakutstha7?
32. 'A king-killer, a brahm an-killer, a cow -killer, a thief, a
man who delights in killing, an atheist, a man who marries
before his elder brother— all of them go to hell.
33. 'V irtuous people cannot w ear my skin, my fur and bones
are forbidden, and my flesh cannot be eaten by people
like you w ho observe the law.
34. 'O nly five am ong the five-claw ed creatures can be eaten
by brahm ans and kshatriyas, Raghava: the hedgehog, the
porcupine, the lizard the rabbit, and fifth, the turtle.
35. 'W ise men do not touch m y skin or bones, king, and my
flesh m ust not be eaten; yet I, a five-claw ed creature, have
been killed.
36. 'W ith you as her protector, Kakutstha, the earth has no
protector and is like a virtuous young wife with a deceitful
husband.
37. 'Treacherous, dishonest, m ean, w ith false hum ility, how
could a wretch like you be born of the great Dasaratha?
38. 'I have been killed by this mad elephant Ram a, who has
broken the fetters of good conduct, overstepped the laws
of virtuous men, and disregarded the goad of law fulness.
39. 'If you had fought openly in battle, prince, I would have
killed you, and you would now be gazing on Vaivasvata,
god of death.
40. 'But I, who am unassailable in battle, have been struck
dow n by you w hen you could not be seen, as a man
sleeping under the influence of drink may be killed by a
snake.
41. 'I could have given you Ravana, not killed in battle but
bound around the neck; yet for that sam e outcom e you
killed m e, w ishing to please Sugrlva.
42. 'H ad M aithili8 been hidden in the ocean w aters or even in
the underw orld, at your com m and I would have brought
her back like the w hite she-m ule.
43. 'It is fitting that when I have gone to heaven, SugrTva should
obtain the kingdom. But for you to have killed me unjustly
in battle is not fitting. ■
44. 'G ranted, all people, being what they are, are destined for
death. But if what you have accom plished is proper, think
of a good defense.
45. W hen he had spoken in this w ay, the great son of the king
of the gods, pained by the arrow that had wounded him,
his m outh dry looked at Ram a, radiant as the sun, and fell
silent.
The end of the seventeenth sarga of the Kiskindhakanda of
the Sri Ramayana.
Sarga 18
1. Stricken and losing consciousness, V alin had addressed
to Ram a those w ords that w ere civil, beneficial, consistent
with righteousness and statecraft, yet harsh.
2 -3 . As he finished speaking, that best of m onkeys was like a
darkened sun, like a rain cloud that has given up its
water, or like an extinguished fire. Ram a, having been
censured, at last addressed Valin, lord of m onkeys, w ith
unsurpassed w ords distinguished by righteousness and
statecraft:
4. 'H ow can you, w ho do not understand righteousness,
statecraft, pleasure, or even worldly conduct, in your foolishness
reproach m e here today?
5. 'M y friend, in your m onkey frivolousness, you w ish to
revile me here w ithout consulting elders endow ed with
judgm ent and respected as teachers.
6. 'This earth with its m ountains, w oods, and forests belongs
to the Iksvakus9, as does the right of punishing and rewarding
its beasts, birds, and men.
7. 'It is protected by righteous Bharata10, w ho is truthful and
upright, who knows the true nature of righteousness, pleasure,
and statecraft, and w ho devotes him self to punishing and
rewarding.
6 / The Ramayana
8. 'H e is a king w ho knows the proper place and time for

action. In him are well established both statesm anship
and hum ility, as well as truth and valor, as prescribed in
sacred texts.
9. 'W ith his com m and given for the sake of righteousness,
we and the other princes go about the entire world seeking
the continuance of righteousness.
10. 'W h ile that tiger am ong kin gs, B h arata, devoted to
righteousness, protects the whole earth, who could suppress
righteousness?
11. 'Firm in our own high duty, honoring Bharata's command,
we duly chastise whoever strays from the path of righteouness.
12. 'But you violate righteousness and are condem ned by
your actions. You are engrossed in the pursuit of pleasures,
and you have not kept to the path of kings.
13. 'A n older brother, a father, and a bestow er of learning—
these three are to be regarded as fathers by one who
walks the path of righteousness.
14. 'A younger brother, one's own son, and also a pupil with
good qualities— these three are to be thought of as one's
sons, if righteousness is the standard here.
15. 'Righteousness is subtle, m onkey, and extrem ely difficult
to understand even for good people. The self in the heart
of all beings know s good and evil.
16. 'You are frivolous and consult with frivolous, weak-minded
m onkeys, like som eone blind from birth who consults
with others blind from birth. W hat then can you possibly
see?
17. 'But I shall tell you clearly the m eaning of my statem ent,
for you should not condem n me sim ply because you are
angry.
18. 'Learn therefore the reason why I have killed you: You
have forsaken everlasting m orality and live in sin with
your brother's wife.
19. 'O ut of lust you com m itted a sinful deed: W hile great
Sugriva11 is alive, you lived in sin w ith your daughter-in-
law Ruma.
20. 'Y ou acted according to your desires, m onkey, and in
violating your brother's wife, you departed from righteousness.
That is w hy this punishm ent was adm inistered to you.
21. 'Leader of monkey troops, I see no way other than punishment
to chastise som eone w ho is opposed to righteousness and
deviates from universal custom .
22. 'D eath is the punishm ent prescribed for a man who out of
lust approaches his daughter, sister, or younger brother's
wife.
23. 'N ow Bharata is the ruler of the earth, and we m erely carry
out his commands. How then can we overlook your violation
of righteousness?
24. 'Wise Bharata is intent on chastising those addicted to sensual
pleasures, righteously disciplining w hoever transgresses
m ajor laws.
25. 'A nd we have m ade Bharata's com m and our sacred law,
lord of m onkeys, and are intent on punishing those who,
like you, transgress the proper limits.
26. 'M y friendship with Sugrlva is just like my friendship with
Laksmana. And for the sake of his wife and kingdom, he is
devoted to m y highest good.
27. 'M oreover, I m ade a promise at that time in the presence of
the other monkeys. And how can someone like me disregard
a promise?
28. 'Therefore, for all those important reasons that are consistent
with righteousness, you must agree that your punishm ent
is appropriate.
29. 'Y our chastisem ent m ust be viewed as righteous in every
way. A person w ho keeps righteousness clearly in view
m ust assist his friend.
30. 'Then too men who have done evil but have been punished
by kings becom e pure and go to heaven just as do virtuous
men.
31. 'M y noble ancestor Mandhatr inflicted a terrible punishment
on a m endicant w ho com m itted a sin like the sin you
com m itted.
32. 'Sins have been com m itted as well by other heedless rulers
of the earth. But w hen they m ade atonem ent, that taint
w as rem oved.
33. 'So enough of this sorrow! Your death w as decided upon
justly, tiger am ong m onkeys: We w ere not being arbitrary.
34. 'By snares, nooses, and various traps, m en in hiding or
out in the open catch all kinds of beasts w ho run away
terrified or confidently stand still.
35. 'M en seeking m eat shoot anim als that are attentive or
inattentive or even facing the other w ay, and there is
nothing w rong w ith this.
8 / The Ramayana
36. 'Even royal seers w ho fully understand righteousness go

hunting here. And so, m onkey, I struck you down with an
arrow in battle regardless of whether you fought back or
not. After all, you are only a monkey.
37. T h ere is no doubt, best of monkeys, that it is kings who give
life and prosperity and otherw ise unattainable religious
merit.
38. 'O ne should not harm them , nor censure them, nor insult
them, nor say displeasing things to them. They are gods
in hum an form going about on earth.
39. 'Y et you, w ho know nothing of righteousness and simply
follow your passions, rebuke me for abiding by my sacred
ancestral law s.'
40. A ddressed by Rama in that way, Valin, lord of m onkeys,
was deeply disturbed. Joining his palms in supplication,
he replied to Rama.
41. 'Best of m en, there is no doubt that what you have said is
true. Indeed, a low ly person should not talk back to an
exalted one.
42. 'Please do not find fault with me even for the unseem ly,
displeasing words I spoke before by m istake, Raghava.
43. 'For you understand worldly interests and know the truth,
and you are devoted to the w ell-being of the people. Your
immutable judgment about determining crime and punishment
is correct.
44. 'You know righteousness. Therefore, with righteous words,
com fort even me, know n to be a flagrant violator of
righteousness.'
45. Like an elephant mired in mud, Valin cried out in distress,
his voice choked with tears. Then looking at Rama he said
softly:
46. 'I do not grieve as m uch for m yself, or Tara, or even my
kinsmen as I do for my em inently virtuous son Angada of
the golden arm bands.
47. 'Cherished since his childhood, he will be so wretched at
not seeing me that he will dry up like a pond whose
waters have been drunk.
48. 'Show the same high regard to Angada as to Sugrlva, for
you are their teacher and protector, abiding by the rules of
what m ust be done and what m ust not be done.
49. 'A nd, king and lord of men, you should think of Sugrlva
and Angada with the same affection as you have for Bharata
and Laksm ana.
50. 'A nd please arrange it so that Sugrlva w ill not think ill of
poor Tara w ho is guilty only through m y guilt.
51. 'For the kingdom can be served only by someone you favor,
who is under your control and obedient to your w ishes.'
52. Rama then consoled Valin, who now saw things clearly:
53. 'You m ust not w orry about us, or even about yourself, best
of m onkeys, for we m ade our determ ination w ith regard to
you according to the law.
54. 'N either he w ho inflicts punishm ent on one who deserves
punishm ent nor he w ho is punished when he deserves
punishment perishes: Each serves the due process of justice.
55. 'Therefore, freed from sin by meeting with this punishment,
you have returned to your own righteous nature by the
path determ ined by righteousness.'
56. W hen he heard the sw eet, calm speech of great Rama,
who follow ed the path of righteousness and crushed his
enemies in battle, the monkey said these very fitting words:
57. 'If w hen I was half unconscious w ith the pain of the
arrow , lord, I unw ittingly censured you, w hose fearful
prow ess is equal to great Indra's, please be gracious and
forgive m e, ruler of the earth.'
. The end of the eighteenth sarga o f the Kiskindhakanda of the

Sri Ramayana.
1 Sakra : A name for Indra, the king of the Gods.

2. Yayati : an ancestor of the Pandavas and K auravas who
w as considered an ideal king, noble and semi-
divine, but was cursed by the sage Sukra, with
prem ature old age, for com m itting adultery.
3. Raghava : another nam e for Rama.
4. Laksmana : Ram a's younger brother who accom panied him
and Sita into exile.
5. Tara : wife of Valin.
6. Kshatriya : the second vam a in the four fold caste hierarchy.
7. Kakustha : an ancestor of Rama, from whom the lineage gets
the nam e 'Kaakutstha'.
8. Maithili : another name for Sita, Ram a's wife.
9. Iksvakus : the founder of the dynasty to which Rama belonged.
10. Bharata : The reference is to Ram a's ancestor, the son of
Dushyant and Shakuntala. Also, the name of Rama's
righteous step brother who ruled Ayodha during
his exile.
11. Sugriva : Valin's brother and Ram a's friend.
% n * £ £<£ ff
'Ifr
& £
■V
1 % -* t c
V
r Mr IT? &
ff .tr-‘
5= ^ I V*
■g
# IF lc
i i m i ^ f * # Hff £
. .I
-ii'o |s
& * *£ Iff ff 'IS
fr p- I-
uv rip
7V
5^
*7fU>
E - 1 f ‘E | | | E s , H*
i h I I i * !
; l | i p l i i •vflC/ I *
s ¥ f
^ ic - 1 ^ 1
IE
'/flD c f)
If &
lc I f f *
\& : «tr 1*
-is | *
♦ i n v
kT
1
^
4
S’ f ?i r rr
7r F
s- c
1 1 1 p i 5 i, P 7r E^
I (n; -A& O’ fh
f r t | 5*S
Iff | 5T *5 '-tic.
IE 1? & i
. ^ 'tc.
z m-
~ 1E c iff k
t
&I l ^ f J I r r *
Iff^ ff“
Iff I
» I 1
I » |*
I it
5 I
Rw £ hi- ^ fr *1*°
1 r*-' •• v
'jf r “E ^ 1®
•tr !_
I ? g -p: P >*■
' ill
<?|VC/ E
Iff if ff
Iff e I 1
?I llU * % -iflD
I
3TR^ cRR # W dFRR tl % TTR 3TRRltt ^ RFf tl 3
3 *JRR RFFJSR t l 3 3T*nt RRRf % sfrt^rJf RT tRRTT R5T^ t l «WI-4 RTRcftR
^H^llRÎ RT fsRR TlTCff RiT 3 RF1R RR^ tl
■g^ k ^dUdi Rfell^ ^TeTT ^ t TTR % RFR Tt M Nd Ft R>£ ^3T

R?t RTfa T O g*4t RT 1RT RST 11*11
<5tiqil TTTTT ?TTtT ^«R t RT 'RST 1|3TT *TTI RRFt TJR1^ % 3RT'*JTsnTT 3TR
Rt 'STTRft ?TtRT R^T T# «tl R F ^RTFR 3> -SRTRTfecT «*TR R^t RTfn g»=jt
RT fRT R^T ®TTI R 11
RTRTf 3fk RT^3Tf % gsTRfR1 R T # % *l<|5#ll41 i t "RT^ RT R F ^*Rt
^FstftcT 3TTR7TCT Rit RTfo # R I # T Ft RRtll^ll
TJ*# RT R ^ t f t RT Rt RFTRRT R T # % ?TftT R>t # R T , W R , ^ R affc
RTTR5R RFf T# sîmi
^ R?t ^t srf Tr=TRfcT ^ 3 ^ u Jm h i ^TT cIH U M % RFT, ^ 3Tfc
# R T Rrt RTTW R f 3 f t r *TtllMI
3TT gcluJ^MI 3 fR’jfRR S>3TT RFTTgRRft R k R T # TT*RT ¥1 T IT # 3
f*t f[^ 3TRT R T R ^ t W 5 % TTRTR ?tt^rr RT TFT «RIIÎI
TJ«^t RT W # t RT Rt R T# Rft RF T p f a M T , 3TTRR ^TTtT ?T«TT
^pftsTcR R?t P=K>f R>TR RTeTT R F R M —^ 'dHt Rfa RTRt *t
fR*IRR i f 3 T ^ T S # % TTRR # R T RT T t ^11^911
q)<q* 9ltTTR % *TgR Tt "9FTT4 R^t ISTT 3TTR ^ Rldl % fc*i^ TR^t RiT
■Rpt ychiPîd r t t R r t sftr ^ r t r w # RfRT R r t i k i i
^TT 3J^rr ^[TSTeT Ri fRTT ^3TT ^ 5 ^ ^TT# ^ M T TfFcT 3TfR % TTRFT,
ginjli RTT 8rP7 Ft^ RT ^ 'M d l* ^ ^TT ^*4t RT tRt p TMT RRTRT % TTRPT
cr^TT RFTSTcTR % TTRR qiieigKi 1J* # RT fRTT^ R ^ T^f % TfRH' "5TTR Hsai
«TT I '3Th% R ^ tM ^ t RTcR ?ttRT ^ TFt «ftl ^ F n t ^ % TTRFT ^ R sffT
RR^Tg f ^ 33! % TTRH ^TTTF ^TTI ^TT^t UTRt ^ t e l, ’pTT^ ^ 5 t -^ s t ,
'{ifklHH 3ffT % cbP Td^t % « t l l ^ - U M
■^T^PR ^ t TTT*T f?T^ ?lt TTR % ^Teft ^ t 3T^T*TT ^ ^3 T sftT ^ '3TT%
TTRtR R ^l ?TT RRRT ^M TTfF R 3TfR ^>t RffR ^FT fRTT ^STT ^ F # T
^ TFT ®TTI RFTRTTîRt gN t RTf ?ftTTR aftr eTWR 3TT ^ tr ^R t^ T R TFRFT
RiT^ 3TT% RTTT R ^ l l ^ - ^ l l
3R StTTR 3Tk cT*TT "R F N # ^ t W T ^ t g ^ ? T ^ f t 3fk ftR R 3
■gRR RT3k ^ rte T T -ll^ ll
1 2 / im m
3R 3TT1} ^ 3T sfa ypj] fqrHHT^T *t Ft TF ^ $1 ^F ^t i n

#FT TJ8# m TT§T *TT 3rk %=Tf el^T Ft# ^T TFt *Ttl ^
*t ,|cf^)'+rl H<ISbH y^d. ^T$ Wfet ?fl<.IH ^ <*>ciU qi'Jl] Tf f?? y=hK
^fftt 3mraq f^ n -ii?m i
‘ ^H ^H ! 3 m t r t ^ i w % ^ f w r r a gw t i s tr ^ tt th^rtt ftra
t l ^ 3TRT^ qiT^ ^TFt 3TRT STTI eft % TTffl ^ <sel^l ?|3TT «TTI
^
"3TT g?ll 3 3TR^ t^T cf*T *TFT cFR-TTT 7pi 3TRT f^TT t - f ^ R ^
*rer =r ^mi^h t ? ^ ft% g g % fa rt m tR w ^ ft t f t *tt,
fct)"^ 3TR% cti|<ul #Ef '4 Ft TJrJ ^ t W<f 13TTIIÎI
‘f^T ^dd TR yiuf) 3TR% W '3TT ^>Tct sHT ^>F^ t —-ft
<W-cK # yi^guiyuiH, ‘^Reft, 'StRT ^ ^FT 37T5R^T ^Ft ^ t ,
w m ^t ^ on^; -5T3n % Ulrtt, t^trj, ^r^g t^ ifI, *m tfcR
^TfJ TJcf *KMR % w 3fk ^rfcT? t ll ^ -U M
‘Tragi if^TkraF. ^R ^FT WPT, acTTT, *T*f, &f, T7T*T, 'RIsbH 7T«TT
3Trote?ft ^rt ^TT-rt <m % g ^ t iiH H
‘^' 3TTT^f ^T TT'tft y^guiT cfi] fsRcrra 3TN% ^ ^ ^
îT cIKT % *RT =FT^ TT *ft TJlftc? % TTT«T R ^ f 3TT TFTTIRoll
cR7 ^ 3TTWt '^§T 8TI, cR <T*F ^ TR ^ ^TFt fa^R 3d3T
sitf f a % Tim iR g 4 ^ p -551 s tr s r tr ^ r s m 3^
WRT ^ ^^RT 3f^cT ^Ff TFT^rni 11
‘ 3TT3f HIc^M 13TI t% 3HH=hl '^fe 'rnft “n^ft t l 37R
t i f^ a ra % # r t ^qr f i ^ rs rq 3 s w f f t i sttw
3TrETTT-oi|c|^K w p f t l 3TR W-'fTT ^ F^J. ^ 1 % TFTR tfTST ^

^ t l R ^ 11
‘ 3hih^ g<Ri ^tt - ttf wr t <=hsii t ; Tft5 t hihDI TH§ ^
^ T ^ 31FT % ^TTR 3TR^7T 3TORt ^ TTT^-^ *f fSR 7PTT t l ^ 'TFt
^Mdl 8TT t% 3TR^ cTTrft 0 ttl % fn'-l Ft 3TT? eft t IRÎI
^ 31R% TT^T ■qi W ^ ^Ft'^JT TFT «TT cT«n 3TTWT
fd<WVR HFT ^Tcn »TT, cR 3TR^ gfT ftT'TO^T ^ff ^ TfTTT?IRX||
FgT ^FeT-tJeT Î'Jld qTeTT 3flT ^T ^ Ft I^TT^MT
fi ^tft 3tr^ ^fT ^7Tfn sn, % ttt«t ^rt c^t| Ft TFt «fti ft>‘T
WTT SRTTN % 3TR^ ^ft HKI?IRmi
‘TRR! 3TR T3cF yuiHHl^ ^ T % ^;r t l f^T T T % f afk
«rt ftR t l 3tM irf gn TTltRgcT f%If (^THT) ^TF^R tTR^T 3TTfg 4 ^cq^T
fggrat t iR 6 ,ii
TO N : Tpp nfr^? /13
‘ rt 3?^FT ?TI^f ^FT W , WTTfFcT TT«H tflfrt* rt?T-gqf rt

s i t ^ r 4 F fa i rtt %u sfc«ii,t ul ^>rt Tf^Rf t i R ^ n
1 H3RM! Tg % g>cT rt 3TTWT 3TTg*lfa !>37T t l 3TN %RfaTT rt> ^ rt
3Jf^ S t ctf rtt ?cFf 3 T ^ ( ^ T ) M ^ ! "qfg ■qft 3TTW 3TO # t eft
f a r fa?T fart 'SRT rt *f°3 ( ftlld Sîiq) TTTg '3 ^ ^tT—
TTT ^7 ^rTFT
■^T% rflrt' 3 fa '^ srt fa rr t t ? I R £ l l
‘ W T ! TIFT, ^ H , 3RT, sirt, *Tc*T, *jfa, mRFR 3Tk 3RTffsRf ^ ^
^ r r - r t g g fa f % g?T t ’lR S II
‘TOSR TR! F*T W -g ^ T T3lrt ~m\ oHîd ijtt t l ^ fukt Tigrtrt f ;
f a g 37N eft C'rg^T) t ( 3 R : F*rrt afft 3?rcrt rtr ^ft ^ ^Ff
tO llôll
‘ g ^ rtt, ttrt s ftr ^ K t — ^rgrtf % f a r t T M fsrt r t h < ** k g s F trt
ti r t F t cft^r ^ ? c t f % g ^ r ^ rR T i t i m g ^ F f r t rtt ^ F f t i fe n rt
cR rt'^ T F 1^ T?i#' rt 3TTWT =RT #*T FT ^ F R f t ? l l ? ? II

‘rttfrt sfo f a R , ^ *5 aftr 3TgnF-rt TR*rrt t , f a g ^^rt? dnrtrt %
f^ F T-f^ F T 3 R m t ( F W 3lfrtrt^g=fa W T r t ^ T T ^frtcT ^TFf t ) I TRTSff
^ ^TstSNKl f f a ^TfFrtll^^ll
‘m g 3TFT rtf ^TR % g^TR, sffaft sftT TRfgr rt fe w g TFrt
r t ^ r t i m r-'faR 3nfg rtf Transit rtr £frt t , '3Tfa 3r w °bt fa^nr
fart fan i t fartt ^F t rtt Trrtrtr rtrt t i ^tf t ^>Ft rtt ^ f t
T^rm-fara t i
‘ 3TTWT ^rt % f a R rt 3TTm ^ t afk ^ ST^-ST^R rt Ft STFfat
g f e fam t i 3TPT T r t w ^ r r t t i ^ r f a r t srpfat ? r r t arfmrrt ^bft rtt
^ ^rrat t i i ^ n
‘ ^ i ^ , ^ ! 5 rt Trrt*n fa rm rv «t t rtt rtt ^t f t g ^ rt ^mrt ^facr
^rrt ^Trt» « ^ n T rt> rtH rt 3?r ^tt ^trtPu^mi
‘ tfit gnrt ^ t ct t , w -F r q r a , rtfa # , rtk, yifuirtl' flrtT rt
^TRT TFrt ^ n , -ilP w ^ 3fk nkrtrlT % srfERTfFS TFrt 3 TW fa^TF
^ ^ter « n f)-rt *r --%-^ r rn^RRt Firt tii^^n
‘^giT# ^Trt W , # rtt, ftR-FRRT fT«TT g^MHl«IIH)-rt ''TT'TTrR'iart rt?
clfa rt ^Trt t —fTlrt TRR HFt tll^sil
‘f h ^ tto ^5i ^ *tft rtt rtt rt? ^rrt rtfR ^tfT Ftan F=rk
rtn aftr F fp T f rtt t ( ^ rtfar hf I" t i 3t f t ^ r t tmNrrt g^rtf % fart
^rirt rtf Ft t ; fa r fa n rt srnrt g n ^ pt t ^ t arcrt ^ p if
^ T faram ^TR T t ? ) H 3 £ l l
MTCTfa ^ /1 5
w W Ft ^ ^ *ft ^ (F TF*T TTRT ^ T t , ^ <ft ^ R Ft
tl 3T g f% R ?cH T F t 5[3TT t 3 T F tf g ^ W g ft 3 3 ^ 4 ^ + W t l l < v * II
‘ ^t f ^FTg ^ tM t - ^ ^ n ?r % 3 t %t H tk n Ft ti t^ tt T ^ rra
Ft tl 3R : ^ F t 'k f t * J ? 2 F t *IFTI 5 « 4 > g?t ^ W l tl M<g ??T
c R F 'R it :3TT^ ^>T 7Tf^ 3TFT^ 'S 'N r i dTl< ^f<o R ^ ld l Ft eft ^ 3T ^ ?t cR F
# E f-fa r* R <F7 ^ I ^ ’ I M I I
T^TT ^ 5 F * R H S IH H W ) =FR <M $H K = tT # % TFTR
9kw^4l # sftr Ft w i ^ f f t g F w «tt 3rk w i t %

3TMF 3 ^ R ? t ^ t ^ Ft TFt M t l M I I
W ™ s ftw ftfa fH ffid a rrftrw r a n f^ M % M ^ f^ tt^ f^ 3
y ^ c l f TPf ^ f3T T II*V 3ll
37^T^T :
ST^FT ^>T ^ T eft ^ > t W ^T 3 t R ^ "3^ f^ t ^ ^>T 3 ^ p q r q
q n i-11, ^ T cft ^ T Pl<>TK F f a i T * F ra P ^ ^t 3FT ^ 3FR T N % f a N t 3FTT ^TFT^ t[q;
3T>K T3TT % f?TCr TTT^fHT «+»<HI 3 T k STtTR ^>T STTCf^RR ^TT
^ F T TTk 3T ^ m ^T# 3 ^ IT r T O R fa'I'HI^TRT, * F T fa R T ,
3T*lf*TRT 3 f t r fFcTT^TRT ^ t g ^ ? f q i d k ^ > F t , STTStT f ^ T T , c R ^Tcff
chfJcfK *-f|-| P q i'K .S fS S c jl d l ^ t ^JU lH ’ ^ ' j f l ^ t r f , 3 7 *1 3 f t l 8 ^ ^'J11 Tf
g ^ T 'CR17 W T =F>FtI ‘3TT TTTT^l ^Rrft 'SPHieh g 4 , ^cie l'l «ll<\<n 3fk «j$i)
T|f 3TFT % 7PTR ? f t # T TRtcT t^TT «TTII^— ^11
( 5 lt TTR ^ - ) *=TPR ! 3T «f, ^ F T sfk W ^ R ^ eft g*T
T^T F t *TFt ^TPT?i F t l ' P R q id lp cia 3T fg ^ ) % cb H u l 3TF5T 'JTFT ^ T t P l-^ l
^ ff F tll^ ll
‘^ 1 ! g^T 3T R FT f 1R T -HJ-MlPHd ^ ^ g # f^TT
F t-^ T ^ cfft ^ - - 5 ^ 7 ^ F T ? t f^TT F t cfR T tfa cT ^ T e m r a ^ T g #
■JTFT 3 M ^ I ^TT -c|l5r) F t ? 3TKCT g ? R T 3TT^T F tll^ ll
‘ 'cT4cT, ^ T 3ftT ch i n l ^ g ^ T ^TF TTRt q ? i T TF3TT3Tt ^ > t t ;
3R ^ ^TFT ^ ^ --q ^ ft s f t r T=FJ^rf m ^TT ^ 3TR ^ F cR % qt
3T facfTR t t l l ^ l l
' tTRTr*TT TRT *RtT ^ g*^t ^ T W T ^ t l ^ T T ^ R t , M l cT®TT

tp f, 3T^ 3 k W % ^ t *th^ ^ t ; 3R: % pRTF rT*TT TTTg
g ?^t % 3jf?T 3TJJIF k drH< 7F^ 1 11^ 11
‘ fa R rt' IW T , ^ 3fk h <T«7h 3Tlf^ 7T«ft T R tf ^ c T Jp T ^ « T T ^ ^ T
^ fe R "STFT, ^ F t ^ T-^n ^T-cT r^ ^>t ^TR^ '^ T T TRTT FtcTT t ( *RrT ^f

^ TT^t g a r fa«W H t ) ll < il l
16/ Tm m
4 TO T 3T R r t F r t rT*TT T R 13T f # ?TF 3TT^?T 3 t M t fa> ^HTc^
rt srf % W^T 3fk TOR % fart ^ %*TT ^TFTI FR # T *rf ^T

3R R ^ ^ t F ^ I rt w t ^3«# m F H R tf 7F ?t t IK II
‘ TRT3TT ^ 3 T O »rf ^ 3^f[FT W ? W t t l rt ''p i t ^ T

H ld i ^ R i t tl TF^ ?R ' ' J * # TR y i u lt % f a T Z J 3HI^<.UI
* P ? k TT t ? ll* ° ll
‘FR crTtT 3T^ ^ 5 *lrt 3 ■JSdFj'fa' t^RT TF3R T O ^ t 3TTW <£\
r t r } 773^ p »h4hijI rt w ^ tu * * ii
'g i t f 3T ^ rtt^ H r t W * F t F t 3T*TFTcTT 3 T ^ a t * f tl <M)pc|d R F f R t
g*T ft* R ^TFt i t I g * ^ R FT F t cfjt WT^n 4 ^ l l 4 1 3Tk ^ ^ r t t r t?
^FR^T ■Hc ^ nT S R I ^TFT g * F R t *fit T F f t l l * ^ l l
‘ ^tft *nf, f w ?t«tt rtt f e n % n t , ^ f g ^ - r t c fN t «r4 RFfaT ft«R

TF^ W t % fa rt frcTT % g ^ T HHHIaJ t , UH$HI ^ T f F r t l l ^ l l
‘fRt ycM< sjfHT RTf, g^ sffc ‘j'Jiqi't Rfi^—rt ?fN g^ % g<r*f RR?)
^ ^tfaj t l "31% RfF i^TT RT^T 773^ rt *Rf Ft <*>Kul t l l * ^ l l
‘ ^FR! <H^Hl ^>T «[rt ^J$R FfaT t ^ F W ^ * T t —"SR RRfFTT STc^FcT
cFfcFT t l RRRT U l M ' 3? 3 T ^ T :^ T rt f a W T R rtt RTRTcRT t , rt Ft R*rt?
?JR sffr 3T3JR ^ t ^TH?t t l l * M I
‘ gR w r Rt Ft sftr rtêT frtrrafai srfacncRT9 W Rt' rt? RT?T TF^
F t; 3TcT: '^rt ^ WmF*\ ^ ^pqprtf rt Ft T^ IT ''pJ, crat 'TOR c[*T
ijt^ T M I % W R f 3R?t Ft, 'PTR g q ^7 fa ^ R ^qT ^ R
F t? -^ % g jt r tm T m fr w d F t? n * ^ ii
' r t ^ "^tft r t t ^ > f t t , 3<H't)i art^raFi g jrt VFZ <*><<* q m m 'i i g i t
r t^ r l rtW T rtd fa^ T H Ft ^ R r t q T M ll* V 9 | |
‘ rt^t g ^ t ^ r t t r r t t ? <j'H<t>i tt ) K ui ^ t t a r k •h h %i ) i g 1? ■H'lm-i ^ ^ t
c^TFT ^ f R % 3T ^ ^ »n t rt W 9R T ^nrt Ftll*<ill

*^T RFRRT ÎTt^ % rtt^ -rtt ^ TRTI ^ T , rtt g^FTrt
r t) TRPT t , W l? l ^ F t | 3RT: M NNRl F tll^ ll
'w r ! w g*r rt w Ft fêsraift tt frt Ft srk ar^ ^rf
^ft ^ t °Ft 7Trt eFTTct Ftl g^Frt ^ft 3rRT*T rt? =HKU| gt^ f^qr 7FTT
tlRol
1e | H « N ! rtt <h'I<*)NK r t ^ F fe T d I= t> H « 5 aT T ^ ^ R tlT t , ^ rt
r t ^ r t ^tt t t f 1R e i r t r t? f a r t r t r t? frt^ T a f t r ^ t f ^ t f t t f T ^ i t i m 11
‘ rt 3 t IR ^ T rt ^rq^f ^ T %; 3TcT: rt g ^ F R ^TTT ^ t SRTT ^ T F t ^ R
■H ^ ai I # 3 T q r t qi-<HI, q f p 'l 378T^T ^ t ^ RTf ^ ft ^ r t? TTRT ^ i T R - ^ f e
rt ^TM t , 3 ^ ? T ^RTTT F t ^ T % fa rt ^ F RPTT 'TFTT t l R R I I

M' csty; a
, 4 ‘l £ 1
.. -1 nsty /31^
1 1 1 ! -
& a
■ t i sa a t o<
<31^. <1 t i l
cA,. ^1 -U^ ±
-H-' -I 21 I I i f ! !
JS ^ -SH
nsfy
X aty . ^ s t
Ol^ $1 f 5
_£0
-i2P M
3 1 ^ % 5Oi
i * i i s i SI ]j S
2 = -il- .* ] a
f & s a '^ , 4 Al t ! 29-
on* Jj } U *
$r g ^ | I — 5! a
3- ^ t |
o% ^ i j i i a f
9 j ? |
o /.O —3
| f | ! i f !5f- I *
3
t-l
£ ± <31(* ■sp
l f l 1 ^ J | 'I f l i t i I ii
«*, ■
*1 -I 3 ^ % * £% 3
a I 33op., ? ±
i t f "" 3 t
g a S t' -1 t ^J
i i i ; ! ‘ ! 3 M; ^ £ 5H 1 . t . ft
1 6J- I
^ „i‘ 2J- a' t ±
=$> # -it
?S y<J _1 t l a il
A a 1 Is-
.5 3 1 a - Ol^- it . 4
* * ' « ! » £ * a :|
^l- -t, /V3
t a JL J:
£ -OJ ±, %( I th
_lp n ,
t " f i l l s
t^ i l& la 2$ 5H> <& 5H I * St XJ -U'
OJ Jt
5H 1 stiN U 4J i 1 1 1 i u
1 8 / 'W*F1
‘ 3fcT: ^FR#*3! W 9TW T ^ 3 ^ t l Tp3*TT %

3FJ*TR tt ^TTT ef«T farm W t ; ^rrfe eMdl'l 3N^ ^ t (^TR^
% tt srqfa t ) ll?mi
‘^rn fm N ^! <re cr # ^ ttw t , nt ^ # i
■ R ^^TR trf ^TOT <pt ift Jffa ^ T ^R T ^ f e ^ l l ^ l l
‘■3HT9T53! ^T w 4 % faf^ *ft IR it -T eft tR N tfar t sftl ^
? tl ( T R T 3TTfa) ^TTef f r o m , ^ f e w 3TtT RPTT T O R %
^ 2 OT1 (ip^T flfft % PihIui 3flfa) =t><<=n fa^ TTOT WT^ 3TOT ÎpT-^
ifft TO ^ o ft t ; *Fr tt 3 W R fa ffa R « m fa t f ^ fa iM W #TR
3Tc*RT fa^Ri ^ Ff II
‘■ R R W R t* ^ ( srfa*j) * n ^ iR , 3rttc?*tr a r s ^ f a i p tfa R w r ^ g f a
^3Tf' gft qt 3Tc*RT W1R ^ t; ^1% fa^ T jW ‘ 3 ^tf
tlc m iw i
‘ ^R T! «^t? T R f^ qt "SRc^ *f TJTPTT % faf<t ^ t t 3ftl fafa*T
^RJ3ft TR cf%T ^ t l ^ ffa m ^ g if ^ ^TFT ^R fa^TRT W^FTT
tl ^ 1p R t H ”** ^ ^ ^Ft *t, $1*61<.1 ^SZRTT *t 3 R R ':TFf
3TFcTT; ^ f % ^rrai'ifl '2 Ft (3Tk TfPTT ^ ^TT 3Tfa?T 3rf*R7R
t ) IIXoll
‘ W R ^ J ! TT3TT #*1 ^cf*T 41c(H sfR ciif'ti'h 3 T ^ ^ T % '3TH
F$ t ; W I ^TFf t i l ' l l I
1 3 R : d'l'+l flRTT *T W( , tf'l<*>l Pl-^l H ^ R , d'l'^) yRl 3TT^T *ft *T ^R
sftT *T 3TfiRT ^ R Ft wfa; ^ftfa ^ >=li«iq T"f ^cTT t , #
3 ^8# TR f a W tll^ ll
‘gq eft epf % ^ft ^ TR^WT %^T ThT % ^Tt^cf tt M it,
i^ fart fam -fm m tf % tr ^ t faî t# t t ’nx^n
?TtTRI % T^n cti5'i ''R % ! R ^ t ^ 5 t 0^*71 f f I *Rt % cR^
gfTT pHV^-4 t t TRTI # 0 R ^ # % cfn f e R c^TFT f a j n i l ^ l l
c llH U N ^ f t ? f t w ^ f t ^ W *T
^
3TFT # «t>6cl t , lq<r^>ci ^far t ; '? ^ TRRT -fit tll^kll

‘ 3TF7 ^ 5^ 1 fa1^ ^T yrift <4pqa <sti< ':ftt
i TRkIT; 3R: W ^T WT M t, qt
3TTTOt ^TT SPRTSJ ^tf RFFTT ^T%^l <HH-<H! 3TFT WTiat-cRg % âTT?t
^TTcTT y^M'll % facf rlc'R t l 3TTTOt ^C-S ct)l4-chKul %
fa?^R fa^far Tjcf faifa t n ^ - w i i
‘ 3 t r f w S l W 3 3TTFFnT ^ 3?fr W t ^ 3ffafe
t <it *ft 3TR 3TTH=Ft YIT0! q 37FTT jjfj 3TFft *Wcuq ^ t W^t ft 3TR ftft
qt TW + 1 M ’ II
^FTT ^>1^-'3)1^ 3Tf^3^Y ft ^Tcft '3TT 7MT *TC 3TTO aftr q i chl-q-S ft
ft^ft lT*ft ^ cR l 31#n^ cfR% ?ftqq 3lfc ^3<TT 5T3TT %ft}-*ft}
^ T T -II^ II
‘ ^l<iqt! ^ fa ft, cIKT % fcfft TT«TT % % f t q t 3cFTI
T ik ) ^ l t itflT t , ftcRT ^T 3 m W I ^ ^ 3 JJUW HH ^ T
3t o % fa ft i t TIT t i m ° l l
‘ft} W F T ft # ^ F T »T5T ^TTT ferJTT t ; 3R ^ 1 ^WfR m ^f5T
it^TT 3lk f^ra^>T qt fcPTT q^T it, <1l<niq ^)t rTCl ?J!sI
^FRTim^ll
‘ ?TkFT! °fl 3*qt t l 3^ t f f e mRm<=Mqit ^ t l ftq $<*d1dl
i f t % ^TROT OKi^HK 3FT^ ■gft ^ T fiR t l 3TN ft? 37T HSI««ril ^
^ t TSTT ^ tf^ T T IM M
‘ y / ih 3Tfc 3PK ^ t t % qf?T 3TN 7T\qR T 3 # l 3 R 3TR i t f^T # q t
% TSFF cT«TT ^rfoq-3T^cfoZT ftlSJT ^ ^ t l M I I
‘?T^! q*?<?7! W sft? % TTfa 3TTW ^ T t, ^
cT^TT 3ftR % y% ifaT îfe^l 3IN "3# qR ft fq ^ftt ^>T W ul
3^1 M il
‘ft^T?t cTTTTI *T5t #SBfa 31^ n it qqt t l ft} i t 3TTO«r ft ^jft
qt srorfMt ^w?wt ■gnra «?rerr PdU4>K q ?q «rra qt » w i t
ebiM'inmmi
‘^jftcf 3ITW <J)4IMl5| it^R # TFR ^T ^«[T8f ^7 ^ W ^7
^ k !T t l 37FI% 3TOfa 3m% f^rT ^7T 3^*H<J| ^ ^TcTT ^ T
sflT ''jMt ^>T qt TFR TF tT3)cn sflT dy<+)| Sp^jt cRl 'TldH ^JT •Hchdl
tll^ ll
‘ ^f W T r Kn 1% 3TFt% ITKf ^ -^T ^ i t ; $«lRrl^ ?TRT % q^T ^
qr qt 3iq^ qif ■pt^ % ttt«t ^ ^rr stfti’iiîi
# n q ^ # ^ T^TT ^l^ T ^TTOFT ^T# it iFITI ^T
^hîPw ^t r^chiy it t r t 8tii eft ^ % ^r«n«t wf z
TTT^ ?TTT H^lfWd ^ F T t q ^>1T—‘^PR^S!
ttcnq ^ ^<rt ^rfiî ^)Praq<! TOrq ^ ^ - n
^Tfiftl +P4yoR! fqit sflr 3Tq^ qt f e l l ¥ t 3i|cf?^dl
t ; *p ft% SH dVl g jir f t ST^^T f e r e t w t , iq ^ y q f^ F I ^ F t ^
it TQ I tllK d ll
2 0 / <IHI<4U|
C'J S-lV-l " 5 ^ ^ t "^ 5 % rr t cT*TT ^ ^ U-S 3iT 3 l f £ r a R l 5 l ch<
’ ftTRTT t , ^ o^fcKl SPT^ 3 h h <I%T % H id ^ H 3 ÎKi'+i ^ T f ^ I T
pn ^ ^fm^FT cT«TT ^ ^ t qiciT W F F '3TT W # T ^ ^ K ^ T -M ir a

gM<*K ficTT«l i t jITH t '-3 T cRT-3TcRT <*>^<*1 1JU ^ R % <fcK.u| ^ 4 ^ 4
■î^T 3 *j,cK1 i t ^llcl t l 3Tcf: ^ ^j<3l ''T it l t ^ l l ^ * l l
‘ t (^n i-i ^r ^T

YTR^ URT ^f^RT TH°T ^ T TTT^f ^ i t t i H l ^ r l 7f5 ■Kl^H
=fft ^nfcr i t TFftii^îi
‘ $pT a T 'T } 1^1 4 feR T ^ ft^ _ T [tl 3 f t? 'CR ^>T rSTFT 3 R I
cJl-RefaJ! cp t 5r % f a s iF T ^ i t ell*M ■ M chdll^ ^ ll
‘ dl-l^cR! ^ R R 3 FK # f ^ T 11^ TR ^ T T *TT, ÊTt T O R TJJlfa

% 3ft? W ^Tt ^ 3 3 T#rn, ?*T>t T O -Tit t ’ l l ^ l l
3 ?rj TFrn^r ^ r } ^ t w i t w t t w s # ^tt *Rt tiFt %
STJ^TcT 3ltT HMpHcti ?K til3Tf =FI ^FTT^TH ’+)<.') gr^TT TT^T = f^ -l 7 J T O 7 n — iis ^ ll
‘ S^Tt! ^q<M ^ % tHHM ’TTOT W<isM T O ^ ^ r r t °lld 'l^ c K ! ^

3TFI% sfM 3 tftfecT ift % ^R^T 3 T% it W «ITI ^ # F T 3FF51H 4'
# 3T FT % ^ 3 tT W ^ F 1 ^SToft t , 3IN SRTT 4 )1 ^ 1 ^ 1 1 1 3
y T ^ H I^ cb 3TTTOt W = T ^ H T ^TlcTT II
f?T TO R # eiKTMlfePlWd ari^lHWUi sn fT O T ^ T % 3
3T3Rmr ?rf is ttii^ ii
1. \ a p ifa flH llId
2. 4W LK ^ h ,
3. tir ftc fs it *-l4 + 1 r^ lo ll Ch^ e||<HI
4. i^ l.
5. * T cfr^ l ■{Fsn ^ i r f * I ^ =|!;i *1 ^^>1 »i)l
6. « r f5 R . ' ^ i , ^ ^ ^ % tftH ^ j f i
Icfft-Qh * ! « ; fiP«eB it i t ‘§1 *{irl 1^ ^ R ? T
-sil^JHUl ftff=PT 31FIT f|
7. <1*41 ÎHî <1 ^ 1
8. °r?ft TRT ? S 3 T ^ % ^ T ^ t TI TR1 f i R I ^ T 3 ^ 1 ^ ^ 1^ 1^
^ ? T , T s p ? l cj®^! '^ I ' J r ^ I ^T?T 'STTcft t l
9. <Hpi1c1lrHI f a flc W -irq^ft ilTrRl m p F ran i H ffli
10. c lH W N
11. T fB n qvj<«t + 1 felcbK
12. ^ n y l* J 'l
The Mahabharata:
The Ekalavya Episode
Veda Vyasa
The Ram ayana and the M ahabharata have a significant place in
the literary and cultural tradition of India. They are known as upjeevya
kavya— source books for later oral and written compositions on a variety
of subjects. Besides Sanskrit literature, these epics have also had an
im pact on other literatures of India as m any writers have adapted these
stories and written various texts in their own languages.
The Ram ayana is called literature (kavya) and the M ahabharata,
history (itihaas). The latter here refers to those stories of the past that
have a didactic purpose and teach the listen er/read er about dharm a
(duty), arth (wealth), kaam (desire) and m oksha (liberation). The creator
of the M ahabharata is well aware of the Ramakatha (the story of
Rama) and presents this creation of Valmiki, in abridged form, in his
own epic. The Ramakatha is found in three cantos of the M ahabharata—
The A ranyak Parva, Drona Parva and Shanti Parva. The m ost detailed
story is found in the Shanti Parva where the story is narrated to the
guilty and depressed Yudhishthira by Rishi M arkandeya.
Veda Vyasa is believed to be the creator of the M ahabharata. His
full nam e is Krishna D vaipayana Vyasa. He w as the son of Satyavati
and Rishi Parashar. He is called 'D vaipayana' for his birth on an
island of the Yam una, 'Krishnamuni' for his dusky com plexion and
'Veda Vyasa' for explaining the Vedas in the form of Samhitas (texts).
There has been a lot of debate about the period of composition
of this epic, but scholars generally agree that it predates the age of
Buddha, i.e. the sixth century b c .
The present text of the M ahabharata contains about one hundred
thousand shlokas, thus giving it the title of 'shat sahasra samhita'. Scholars
are of the opinion that this volum inous epic could not have been the
creation of a single individual and m ore than one w riter would have
contributed to it over time. Three consecutive versions— Jai, Bharata
and M ahabharata, written by Veda Vyasa, Vaisam payana and Sauti
respectively, are believed to have contributed to the evolution of the
text in its present form. The M ahabharata has eighteen parvas (cantos)
and the amplitude of its themes and the grandeur of its creation, have
This excerpt is taken from The Mahabharata o f Krishana-Dvaipayana Vyasa, vol

1. Adi Parva translated into English prose from the original Sanskrit. Delhi:
Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., pp 279-284.
22 / The Mahabharata
led to numerous commentaries. It is said that 'whatever this epic contains

is available elsewhere, but w hatever is not in the epic cannot be found
anyw here'.
The selected extract is from the A di Parva. After having received
dakshina from Bhishma, Guru Dronacharya agrees to tutor the sons of
Dhritarashtra and Pandu, in archery. Am ong all his disciples, Arjuna is
D ronacharya's favourite. Arjuna enjoys this position because of his
devotion, effort and his deep sense of service to his Guru. He is also
the only one who succeeds in all Guru D ronacharya's tests. But the
Guru is not free from human weakness and this is revealed in his
inability to deal fairly with Ekalavya. D ronacharya's love for his son
Asw attham a and his favourite disciple, Arjuna, cause him to demand
Ekalavya's right thumb as dakshina. This act of the Guru ensures
Arjuna's pre-em inence in archery, but also detracts from the pristine
image of the teacher and violates the sanctity of the relationship between
guru (teacher) and shishya (disciple).
This incident is also an unfortunate comment on the discriminatory
practices of the time. Drona's demand of Ekalavya is proof of the grip
of caste and class prejudices on people's minds. Those belonging to
the higher caste monopolised all knowledge and did not hesitate to
treat any rivals with inhumanity. Anyone who threatened the supremacy
of the members of the elite, was immediately deprived of his life, or
rendered ineffectual.
CXXXIV)
(Adi P a rv a -S e c tio n
'Vaisampayana1 said, Thus worshipped by Bhishma2,
Drona3, that first of men, endued with great energy, took up
his quarters in the abode of the Kurus4 and continued to live
there, receiving their adorations. After he had rested a while,
Bhishma, taking with him his grandsons, the Kaurava princes,
gave them unto him as pupils, making at the same time many
valuable presents. And the mighty one (Bhishma) also joyfully
gave unto the son of Bharadwaja a house that was tidy and
neat and well-filled with paddy and every kind of wealth. And
that first of archers, Drona, thereupon joyfully accepted the
Kauravas, viz., the sons of Pandu5 and Dhritarashtra6, as his
pupils. And having accepted them all as his pupils, one day
Drona called them apart and making them touch his feet, said
to them with a swelling heart, "I have in my heart a particular
purpose. Promise me truly, ye sinless ones, that when ye have
become skilled in arms, ye will accomplish it."
'Vaisampayana continued, Hearing these words, the Kuru
princes remained silent. But Arjuna, O king, vowed to accomplish
it whatever it was. Drona then cheerfully clasped Arjuna to his

bosom and took the scent of his head repeatedly, shedding tears
of joy all the while. Then Drona endued with great prowess
taught the sons of Pandu (the use of) many weapons both celestial
and human. And, O bull of the Bharata race, many other princes
also flocked to that best of Brahmanas for instruction in arms.
The Vrishnis and the Andhakas, and princes from various lands,
and the (adopted) son of Radha of Suta7caste, (Kama), all became
pupils of Drona. But of them all, the Suta child Karna, from
jealousy, frequently defied A rjuna, and supported by
Duryodhana, used to disregard the Pandavas8. Arjuna, however,
from devotion to the science of arms, always stayed by the
side of his preceptor, and in skill, strength of arms, and
perseverance, excelled all (his class-fellows). Indeed, although
the instruction the preceptor gave, was the same in the case of
all, yet in lightness and skill Arjuna became the foremost of all
his fellow-pupils. And Drona was convinced that none of his
pupils would (at any time) be able to be equal to that son of
Indra.
'Thus Drona continued giving lessons to the princes in
the science of weapons. And while he gave unto every one of
his pupils a narrow-mouthed vessel (for fetching water) in order
that much time way be spent in filling them, he gave unto his
own son Aswatthaman a broad-mouthed vessel, so that, filling
it quickly, he might return soon enough. And in the intervals
so gained, Drona used to instruct his own son in several superior
methods (of using weapons). Jishnu (Arjuna) came to know of
this, and thereupon filling his narrow-mouthed vessel with water
by means of the Varuna9 weapon he used to come unto his
preceptor at the same time with his preceptor's son. And
accordingly the intelligent son of Pritha, that foremost of all
men possessing a knowledge of weapons, had no inferiority to
his preceptor's son in respect of excellence. Arjuna's devotion
to the service of his preceptor as also to arms was very great
and he soon became the favourite of his preceptor. And Drona,
beholding his pupil's devotion to arms, summoned the cook,
and told him in secret, "Never give Arjuna his food in the dark,
nor tell him that I have told thee this." A few days after, however,
when Arjuna was taking his food, a wind arose, and thereupon
the lamp that had been burning went out. But Arjuna, endued
with energy, continued eating in the dark, his hand, from habit,
going to his mouth. His attention being thus called to the force
of habit, the strong-armed son of Pandu set his heart upon
practising with his bow in the night. And, O Bharata, Drona,
hearing the twang of his bowstring in the night, came to him,
and clasping him, said, "Truly do I tell thee that I shall do that
unto thee by which there shall not be an archer equal to thee
in this world."
'Vaisampayana continued, Thereafter Drona began to teach
Arjuna the art of fighting on horse-back, on the back of elephants,
on car, and on the ground. And the mighty Drona also instructed
Arjuna in fighting with the mace, the sword, the lance, the
spear, and the dart. And he also instructed him in using many
weapons and fighting with many men at the same time. And
hearing reports of his skill, kings and princes, desirous of learning
the science of arms, flocked to Drona by thousands. Amongst
those that came there, O monarch, was a prince named Ekalavya,
who was the son of Hiranyadhanus, king of Nishadas (the lowest
of the mixed orders). Drona, however, cognisant of all rules of
morality, accepted not the prince as his pupil in archery, seeing
that he was a Nishada who might (in time) excel all his high-
born pupils. But, O oppressor of all enemies, the Nishada prince,
touching Drona's feet with bent head, wended his way into
the forest, and there he made a clay-image of Drona, and began
to worship it respectfully, as if it was his real preceptor, and
practised weapons before it with the most rigid regularity. In
consequence of his exceptional reverence for his preceptor and
his devotion to his purpose, all the three processes of fixing
arrows on the bowstring, aiming, and letting off became very
easy for him.
"And one day, O grinder of foes, the Kuru and the Pandava
princes, with Drona's leave, set out in their cars on a hunting
excursion. A servant, O king, followed the party at leisure,
with the usual implements and a dog. Having come to the woods,
they wandered about, intent on the purpose they had in view.
Meanwhile, the dog also, in wandering alone in the woods,
came upon the Nishada prince (Ekalavya). And beholding the
Nishada of dark hue, of body besmeared with filth, dressed in
black and bearing matted locks on head, the dog began to bark
aloud.
"Thereupon the Nishada prince, desirous of exhibiting his
lightness of hand, sent seven arrows into its mouth (before it
could shut it). The dog, thus pierced with seven arrow, came
back to Pandavas. Those heroes, who beheld that sight, were
filled with wonder, and, ashamed of their own skill, began to
praise the lightness of hand and precision of aim by auricular
precision (exhibited by the unknown archer). And they thereupon
began to seek in those woods for the unknown dweller therein
that had shown such skill. And, O king, the Pandavas soon
found out the object of their search ceaselessly discharging arrows
from the bow. And beholding that man of grim visage, who
was totally a stranger to them, they asked, "Who art thou and
whose son?" Thus questioned, the man replied, "Ye heroes, I
am the son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas. Know me
also for a pupil of Drona, labouring for the mastery of the art
of arms."
'Vaisampayana continued, "The Pandavas then, having
made themselves acquainted with everything connected with
him returned (to the city), and going unto Drona, told him of
that wonderful feat of archery which they had witnessed in the
woods." Arjuna, in particular, thinking all the while, O king,
Ekalavya, saw Drona in private and relying upon his preceptor's
affection for him, said, "Thou hadst lovingly told me, clasping
me, to thy bosom, that no pupil of thine should be equal to me.
Why then is there a pupil of thine, the mighty son of the Nishada
king, superior to me?"
'Vaisampayana continued, "On hearing these words, Drona
reflected for a moment, and resolving upon the course of action
he should follow, took Arjuna with him and went unto the
Nishada prince. And he beheld Ekalavya with body besmeared
with filth, matted locks (on head), clad in rags, bearing a bow
in hand and ceaselessly shooting alone therefrom. And when
Ekalavya saw Drona approaching towards him, he went a few
steps forward, and touched his feet and prostrated himself on
the ground. And the son of the Nishada king worshipping Drona,
duly represented himself as his pupil, and clasping his hands
in reverence stood before him (awaiting his commands). Then
Drona, O king, addressed Ekalavya, saying, "If, O hero, thou
art really my pupil, give me then my fees." On hearing these
words, Ekalavya was very much gratified, and said in reply,
"O illustrious preceptor, what shall I give? Command me; for
there is nothing, O foremost of all persons conversant with the
Vedas, that I may not give unto my preceptor." Drona answered,

"O Ekalavya, if thou art really intent on making me a gift, I
should like then to have the thumb of thy right hand."
'Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these cruel words of
Drona, who had asked of him his thumb as tuition-fee, Ekalavya,
ever devoted to truth and desirous also of keeping his promise,
With a cheerful face and an unafflicted heart cut off without
ado his thumb, and gave it unto Drona. After this, when the
Nishada prince began once more to shoot with the help of his
remaining fingers, he found, O king, that he had lost his former
lightness of hand. And at this Arjuna became happy, the fever
(of jealousy) having left him."
'Duryodhana and Bhima, were, however, always jealous
of each other. Aswatthaman excelled everyone (in the mysteries
of the science of arms). The twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) excelled
everybody in handling the sword. Yudhishthira surpassed
everybody as a car-warrior; but Arjuna, however, outdistanced
everyone in every respect—in intelligence, resourcefulness,
strength and perseverance. Accomplished in all weapons, Arjuna
became the foremost of even the foremost of car-warriors; and
his fame spread all over the earth to the verge of the sea. And
although the instruction was the same, the mighty Arjuna excelled
all (the princes in lightness of hand). Indeed, in weapons as in
devotion to his preceptor, he became the foremost of them all.
And amongst all the princes, Arjuna alone became an Atiratha
(a car-warrior capable of fighting at one time with sixty thousand
foes). And the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra, beholding Bhimasena
endued with great strength and Arjuna accomplished in all
arms, became very jealous of them.
'O bull among men, one day Drona desirous of testing
the comparative excellence of all his pupils in the use of arms,
collected them all together after their education had been
completed. And before assembling them together, he had caused
an artificial bird, as the would be aim, to be placed on the top
of a neighbouring tree. And when they were all together, Drona
said unto them. "Take up your bows quickly and stand here
aiming at that bird on the tree, with arrows fixed on your
bowstrings; shoot and cut off the bird's head, as soon as I give
the order. I shall give each of you a turn, one by one, my children."
'Vaisampayana continued, "Then Drona, that foremost of
all Angira's sons first addressed Yudhishthira saying, "O
irrepressible one, aim with thy arrow and shoot as soon as I

give the order." Yudhishthira took up the bow first, as desired,
O king, by his preceptor, and stood aiming at the bird. But, O
bull of Bharata's race, Drona in an instant, addressing the Kuril
prince standing with bow in hand, said, "Behold, O prince,
that bird on top of the tree." Yudhishthira replied unto his
preceptor, saying. "I do." But the next instant Drona again asked
him, "What dost thou see now, O prince? Seest thou the tree,
myself or thy brothers?" Yudhishthira answered, "I see the tree,
thyself, my brothers, and the bird." Drona repeated his question,
but was answered as often in the same words. Drona then,
vexed with Yudhisthira, reproachingly said, "Stand thou apart.
It is not for thee to strike the aim." Then Drona repeated the
experiment with Duryodhana and the other sons of Dhritarashtra,
one after another, as also with his other pupils, Bhima and the
rest, including the princes that had come unto him from other
lands. But the answ er in every case was the same as
Yudhishthira's viz., "We behold the tree, thyself, our fellow-
pupils, and the bird." And reproached by their preceptor, they
were all ordered, one after another, to stand apart."'
'Vaisampayana said, "When everyone had failed, Drona
smilingly called Arjuna and said unto him, "By thee the aim
must be shot; therefore, turn thy eyes to it. Thou must let fly the
arrow as soon as I give the order. Therefore, O son, stand here
with bow and arrow for an instant." Thus addressed, Arjuna
stood aiming at the bird as desired by his preceptor with his
bow bent. An instant after Drona asked him as in the case of
others, "Seest thou, O Arjuna, the bird there, the tree, and myself?"
Arjuna replied, "I see the bird only, but not the tree, or thyself."
Then the irrepressible Drona, well-pleased with Arjuna, the
instant after, again said unto that mighty car-warrior amongst
the Pandavas, "If thou seest the vulture, then describe it to me."
Arjuna said, "I see only the head of the vulture, not its body."
At these words of Arjuna, the hair (on Drona's body) stood on
end from delight. He then said to Partha "Shoot." And the latter
instantly let fly (his arrow) and with his sharp shaft speedily
struck off the head of the vulture on the tree and brought it
down to the ground. No sooner was the deed done than Drona
clasped Phalguna10 to his bosom and thought Drupada11 with
his friends had already been vanquished in fight.
'Som e time after, O bull of Bharata's race, Drona,

acepmpanied by all of his pupils, went to the bank, of the Ganga
to bathe in that sacred stream. And when Drona had plunged
into the stream, a strong alligator, sent as it were, by Death
himself seized him by the thigh. And though himself quite
capable, Drona in a seeming hurry asked his pupil to rescue
him. And he said, "O, kill this monster and rescue m e."
Contemporaneously with this speech, Vibhatsu (Arjuna) struck
the monster within the water with five sharp arrows irresistible
in their course while the other pupils stpod confounded, each
at his place. Beholding Arjuna's readiness, Drona considered
him to be the foremost of all his pupils, and became highly
pleased. The monster, in the meantime cut into pieces by the
arrows of Arjuna, released the thigh of illustrious Drona and
gave up the ghost. The son of Bharadwaja then addressed the
illustrious and mighty car-warrior Arjuna and said; "Accept,
O thou of mighty arms, this very superior and irresistible weapon
called Brahmasira with the methods of hurling and recalling it.
Thou must not, however, ever use it against any human foe,
for if hurled at any foe endued with inferior energy, it might
burn the whole universe. It is said, O child, that this weapon
hath not a peer in the three worlds. Keep it, therefore, with
great care, and listen to what I say. If ever, O hero, any foe,
not human, contendeth against thee, thou mayst, then employ
it against him for compassing his death, in battle." Pledging
himself to do what he was bid, Vibhatsu then, with joined hands,
received that great weapon. The preceptor then, addressing
him again, said, "None else in this world will ever become a
superior bowman to thee. Vanquished thou shalt never be by
any foe, and thy achievements will be great."'
Translated by K isari M ohan Ganguli
1. Vaisam payana A sage who learnt the whole story from its
author Vyasa, and is the main narrator.
2. Bhishma The son of Santanu and Ganga who took a
vow of celibacy and was uncle to the Pandavas
and Kauravas.
3. Drona a sage renowned for his knowledge of archery.
4. Kurus The ancestors of Dhritarashtra who lend their
name to his hundred sons who are collectively
known as the Kauravas.
5. Pandu : The acknowledged father of the Pandavas and

king of Hastinapur.
6. Dhritarashtra : The blind father of the Kauravas and the husband
of Gandhari.
7. Suta : Charioteer, the caste of that name to which
K am a's adoptive parents belong; also, the caste
of the doorkeeper who is reluctant to bring
D raupadi in to be staked in the dice game.
8. Pandavas : The five sons of Pandu; Yudhishthira, Bhima,
Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadev.
9. V aruna : The God of W ater
10. Phalguna : Another name for Arjuna
11. Drupada : He was the king of the Panchala and the father
of Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas. He and
Drona had been childhood friends, but when
Drona visited him in his kingdom , D rupada
insulted him and said that friendship was possible
only among equals. Drona swore to take revenge
and one of the tasks he set his pupils was the
takeover of D rupada's kingdom. In the battle
D rupada's son w as killed by D rona's son
Ashw attham a.
TT^vT^T 5 F R
cfa °m r
HKRfa W T O 3 w m ?f«TT TTgT'»TRcr # 3T<RfaR7 -R?cR RPR t l F t

^T 3ft^? RRoR R7?T oirai t l OTjftoJT R T ^ RR 3Tsf R F t f e 3 TT«T RTR# TRRTSlf
% ¥trT T t t l TR5£R RR5R-RTRR % 3TfaftRR RTCR ^FTCt RTRTsit' % TRRTRRTt'
R <IRIRU| RiRT RFTRTCR % 3RtTR RT 3TRfRRR RR°Rf R?t TRRT R^t t l F R lt
UtffrfflRS RTRTT % fR R fa 3 fR ^fRRT =fit d r ^ F f h ? i^fRRR t l
ttr fr r # ' rrc ^ ' r jft ^ ra i t a ftr r f t *t r r # ‘ ^ R m ra ’ i r f t ‘ ^Riî-w’
RR 3TRTR # TJ5f^T 3 t RTWRR 3 « rf, 3T«f, T O 3flT R ^ t RR dRR?T
f^R i *ir tt% i <w k iu i r r r f t r r r 3 h m 'I hc k rt r t ^ trt t i w f t f R ? s ra t Pr r
‘ <i*i|i|U|' R fl Ri^TT ^ RFT*lKRRm R i q t n RftfRR t , 3#^ RF <TRR?«?T Rot

R W f f c T TOJR * fl R7TRT t l TTRR^SRT RR ‘ STRiRRT’ , ‘ s f a ’ 3ffT ‘ ?TTfRRcf’
3 fR^TRT t l ' SfHTd4cf’ 3' RFR < w l4lteilH TTRffaRT fa r^ R t l RF 3 W H 5!ll=big>d
RR R ifa Hl4>u^ ^ TJRTcl t l SM R^ RFT’ TKR RR ^ H l'h K RTRT "snRT
fI o z ^ RR tj r RTR âJT f w °q w t l 3 W M cTSTT RTT9TT % TJR s^l
R^JRT % fRTHt gtR 3 ^RT % <=bKul ‘s h n -T, TTTk % TR % RR<Ri ‘ ^rroi
■*jfR' r ^tt ^ r 3)1 i f f W a r f % ?^r ^ ^ m k r r R % =»->k ui ^ r °r tr r tft ^st t cTT t i
RFT'RTTR 'J S 3^T ‘ 'RfTRRcT1 TT*! R>t TRRT % TTRR RR ctRiT fa g l-il 3 'TRlkl fRRTR
tl SITRck RT RHT 'STIRT t RWTRTTd Rft TRRT ^ R R IT ^ T T «ftl «£5
RR 'RRR sTdt ^ ld l« ;l fTR ^ tl
^ f R H R?1RR?T 3 ^ c ^ 3 ?5Tte f i R ^ t l W t ^ ^T^TTFR '^Tfen *ft
t l f^SHT ^JT fq-^K t t^> 'R¥ f+ ^ 1 R3>' «Tf^d ^ f( T^RT R lt ? t -H<=bcTl I
T^RTRRTf % W l - W l RT <+irlcK ^ # f t l ?TT H'«T % ft= h l« %
# T ^rfR Ri RT^ RR; t - ^(R, RRR R«TT RITRRRI tJ?TR*T ‘ '3 R ’ % TRRTRR7
R ? f^ ^ 3RRT t l fTTt RR fRTRR RT!^ ^q; ^FR T R R ^ ‘ ^TOT’ R«TT fltfR 3
‘ RfTRRR’ RR tPRRR fRiRTI RITRRR 'R 3T3RW R ^ t l 3TR^ ^l^T R R t 3ffT cfRTR
fRRRt % TTRT%T % RTRTR fR?R RTt?T RTfT ':RTRT t l fTT RST R>t 'R|R Tft 'StRRR
R it R f t l ITTRft |qj?llcldl ? rfyR R iT î RF RTWRT '3f-Rd ^TR HSdl t f e ‘ fT l
R^ ^ f 3T^RR t , R tg '^ft ?TTR Rsft t 3T^T5( RTft *ft 'T?T
t l ’ RTRtR TFRRtfR, #RT5R^WR RTt ^3fP^ RR ^TR^ f ^ R a fh ^ 1 * 1 ^ ‘ RFTRRR’
tl 'W I ^ ' *ft RJFT W I t l
R? WT R^T’TO ^ ferar RRI f I 3I^T^ Hldcbdl 31TtIlftcI tl f^Q#: RTR

WRTR, ^ W IT 297-303
srrerta îrfFc^ : / 31
y'cbPdd 3t ?t 3 t i 5;\»i n i 4 ^ 3 xprfxa <£r p ?

3 lk ■'TT1^ % ^ t *15 ^ ^ ^TT W h F K ^ R ^ t l cTRRt R(l«il *f 3 T ^
ip * sfat l*rt fo jfa fSPT t l 3*5^ 3Tqit fTOT, xrf7?jTI cfan T[F % # d 3RTW
% «+ikui t^rt t*?ft ttt^ ti 'sWt 'gnr eft îH=ti<rtl TT*ft xjft8in3Tf ^
ttw tft ^ 3 t^fnrra ^ j r r t i 3 « r -3^ s fa mn41<M ^nrertfaif 3 ■gî
t l 1Ifc ^ 3TT^ ' p 3??^c81TRT, P?R 3T^T 3 ■sHÎ TFT xTÎKT ^ ft TffaT sfcIT
t l 3Txpft xf^TTRft ^ 41 'il *J,=t><n<>M Tt ^ ^fSJx’TI % ^ T 3
d«=t>l SFJST RFT cM t l rf'I'til ^Tl> s jfa XR ':tT3T t l ^
T O te W I 3 ' cMd|c{| "RprfycFm =lft % cFT tl ^ H H ftl'+ d l
% ^ ciuiT «m i i j . RsRT t l T I^ % fq s d ^ if^ + K
^ t "fM ^ % ■fflS? 3WHcfl<M ^ W R 3R ^ 3 ^ w ra F ta ll
T ]^ # ^RTtTT 3TSUPT
cftrJT cFT, 3 i k Miu^ctl' ^ t a f ^ f ^ u r ^ t % $ t t ^ n i ii<*icH<=y
^ jsit i f?i«4 xrfi^rr
t - T I ^ , H S I ^ w l s^T R ^R TJ^T ^R %
■^Ricf%zft % ■qfj ?Rtl Rt^R ^ ^tpT ?TT SR ^fiijnTT 3 3TR^ xfttft -gft
<J-1=til f^F2? fÎT I Rt^R ^ £RT-3F'T ?t RTT T33> TJ^T R ^ l ^t°T ^ t f^JT I
^ i« fd 1 ^ t r t 4 , «jcro^;, s fa r t ^ % ^ ' ^ t f ^ r ^ jr % , 3 t h ^ % ttts t
% ^T eRtl T ^ i f^ T ■h^'»)'i ijchi'-fl 3 ^cilctrC ?ftuT ^ ^ T ^ T -^ t iqR
3 TT^ ^ 5 1 t ; gi? •ErfWT ^ T t % 3^5T% m TFTra ^ ^ T ^T
>j0 ^t){IJ11
, sfar % ^ TTsf % ^TRR ^q T#l xfôT
s r ^ r ^ 3 r ^ % T i m ^ g f t ^ T T j f t ^ ^ t 3 r % 5 n ^ t i sOu i m i 4 ^ 3t ?^r t
7^3*2 13TR ^ 3T^T ^ W II t^RlTI ^ d i ^ i Hkt«t) 'TJ^F
W tl SIPR^ % "RT^ ^ ^ 3 l M ^ 3?T^W% W tl 3FI H^lrHI ^ u |M l4 ^ t 3 ^
R'lt4l 3T^» H°t)K % 3lfk dlfe ct) 3T^jft % ^T H itl 3 T ^ i
% *Mg>HR » fk 3 F q B I 3RR§!7 I M s(Wl ^ 3RoT--felT 3 ^ cRtl
^ fro i 3R*re^n?T % ^ ^ 3 im i st ^ r t ■qpft,
3T^T ^ dM IÎd % ^TFT ^ ^ T 3TT3RT x ^
Hi'<gcil' ^ ^ *it srWr ^ s R ^ftr^ n w <t ^ w t i st ^ t
^ jt 3 R ^ fg m 3 (o|^|q «ft s fk ^ FT ^TSt 'y? cfft ^ T 3 T??f ^1 ■??? =hKul
R<i«h1 % t?ren, ^pnsif % w r s lk <shjVi snf^ 3 s t ^ t # e re h q i ^ i
3 R 5 |fe n 3 -% sit^T % Ft i r t l s^NraRf ^ R t 1 ? M t ^ t TRTH ^ T 3
S R ^t-y^'l'l, 'Jcfl 3 fk 3 R ^ -qcilA ^ ft ■Hv+>li R-Kgiel ^ tWi^j T R f t l 64)) R 3T^T
F t TTW ^ ra t 3 3 7 ^ 1^1 W s^t11! ^ TTNT 1% '3 ^ - f e jT % ''JS TFWt
32 / TlWTCKtT
^>T <5H Î ^ 3H^-1 % f?RT 3ftT =hl^ W t t l

r I uim i4 ?RF T R g>HiO s p p N ^ f t f^TSrTT ^ t cTftl ^ P irn 3 R f
R l« jl 13=F-T33) <+>Hus q 3ftT 3PT} '55f 3T?cJc«TPTr =Ft T i ^ <*>d*l ^=h< "STcT
W - t % feUJ ^1 ^> d *T ^>T "5? 't iH 'J s q 3 «<sl F t } % 'fc K 0! a T ^ r S lM
^ ^ r c te rr 3^ $ i 3 r i ftr ^ r % 3' 3# «ti 3 T o ^ rm 3 sOui n i 4
3?^} "3^ ^ 3T?5ft % Ste "ST^ft7! «tddl ^ } *tl 3T^T 3Fpft Tt ?ft§f i t ^TT
W ^ t ^FT M \ 3 ^RTOT 3T?5f 3 T & q z ^ T g g ”R W T ^ 5 f % W 1 F t
?fte 3=rr%?pti ^nrn 3^5ff5raT *ih^hm1 3 # 3 Tfcpft 3t^t
3}T5ft ^ f t f^ I^ T 3 3 fa n -ft 3T?I 3 F H |/3 ,l ^ ^ ^Tc*I % TTTSJ H I
c = f t r r tj? ^ t ^ f q ; 3 R 5 if e n 3 t« ? rt ^ r } « t; ^ r r t ^ t ^ j t ^
sdul l ^ i 4 TR «R>t f^'TT TTsF? e fftl 3T^T[ 3TT } ',Jatf % ^ ^ t TW t
s«o=ti< "’211^ S?t ^ l d ’l't i l sdulR;i^n sftT 3 ^ P w 3 "PR TTTO rT?TT ^T3f
} T *M ^ t TJ^FRT 3 ^ d l * * ^FF f ^ n - 'g i T 3 T ^T cfft ^ 3T*ft 3 ^ 3 R ^
^TFI 3 ^T , 3 T ^T ? t *(5 * lt "T ch6*1l ^JF5ft } *16 3HI?1I ^ t t l
f^T 3T^T *ft*R îT Tt *t % ^T ^TfaiT W f} Tt f^TT ^13 ^Fdl
3 T ^T 3 T $ t 3 F t T§T^ e fftl 3 T « t o % ct)Kul 3 T ^T ^TT FT8* Bt=F ^p? % TTTTI
^tldl *JTI 3T^T } <HH^1 Rrl4!! f^> ^5 3T^nTT ît îct t l 5+il d<6 ^ 3f
$R^1I1 3 ^ ^T ^ 3q«TO TRuTI ^1 3T^T TRT cpt ^t ^
■qr ^roi fnsdi^Nl ^>'T 3t « ir t eTfti ^nu } w ^t ^ ^ft ^trt
îT d«t)K 4^HI I ^ "5 3 9 R 3 T ^ T ^ HltH 3TTÎ y ^ H p l ' t i i "3 ^F t} 3 T ^ T =fit Mrl
ePTT f^FTT 3?K ^ 1 - 3 f W ^ T =fft f ^ T ^ T W TT TRR
^ t '3)H A c|ldl f * f TTOR 3 ^ T R I H 'g tl ^ 3 <p3 M ^ F c n ^1

^ I^ W H t-3 R sOuir ^ l4 4 1 T R ^ R T T f ^7t FTsft, ^ j t t , W s ftr
^ t TR ^>T '5 S , f le l^ K ^ d l H I , cAh <—yi-trl—^flT'+d 3Tlf^ 5fi<-^ -îcrlMl,
^ to f ^ 5 3TT^ f t r a i } ^ F t l c( 3 T ^T FT T O ^Tcf 3 1R
<rtJl l c+>< ^ R - ^ R «<fllct s^l 3ii-cti4 % 3jHI% |Ru| f? T ^n -ch lîci ^ f t ÎcT "^T O T
T l t n } % f^TTT ^ T - ^ T 3 T ra i 3 ^ k < N ^ > H K W 31T} e n tl
^ fM f ^ TJ^ f^ T f F ^ ^ g % P m - 1# ^T ^ IJchdoi)
3 T ^ t? T ^ I TTRI ^ 3 U ^ t4 % W 3FTTI ^ W R 2(11 s fk W #^T T
^ 3 ^ 5 ^T ^!RT, '^tuT ■} ^ % ^ T ^)T71T ^41=hK H ? t f ^ T I
^ e i 01) s^t0! % ^ T W t 3 '1=(l<^< y uIIH >+)<4> d id TRTI ^ T 3 '3ll'ti<. '3TT}
sOuINl4 ^ t T O ^ft Tjfrf ^TOT W ? } TT§ eft 3^tT ^Tlt Tjfrf ^ft 3TRT4
TRf^vT TT^ft Îqi ^TTfiT ^3TT ^ "3TTt % snft ^fP1! êil} îT 3T^)m <+><^
d ' l l l 51^1 3 ? k P l^ H % T1T*T 'r R eRTOT 3T^qi<rl =h<} ^ <M1UI ^ e l l } 3 3ltT
STT^ % TPlt7! 3 PT^'DT?t 7Tm; W1! Pi'hid}, ^ f } 3Tfc ÎdiH 3 ^ST
it ^ id lc ii F t 'r RTTI
w fa / 33
t j cf f^ r aftr - q i ^ % sfaTRT4 3 3tt ? t # f t , T«tf t t ^ t t o t

cR 3 f?FFR TTÎ <M$HKT ^ TTTRH 3rk fq ; TJ=F 3 T ^ T ITR
cR 3 F R - 3 * R 2F?T TFT «TTI <M $ H K *ft f? T O i?ft <TO 3 ^ R T# *tl <*F
' P 11 I 3^ ftc h d TRTT ÎFT y ^ d o q ■qdl') ^ T 3T'«TRT ^ R TFT
«ni ^T cff ^ Is J Id l 3}fr *T2T STR^ f o r t ^ <Jv^q «jfa-«[RfTcT 4.<*<ri<^ ^ t
■^TOT c}F cjvrTT »JSf^ cRTTI " Q ^ ^ T 3 «T5t Tpff 3 TTR sTFT RTT3R
"STT ^ j r t ^TT '•JF ’TT f^TTI Q,fll ^ lli TT5T, H ill TTT«T F t TTTclt ^ T '3TT
% g? 3 ^ r t t i ^ t t t » 4 i jd f ^ r w r t f a n TTFrs ^ f % Tn n st pt t i
^T F ^^TO T ■ q T ^ t ^ t ^ F T 5 ra rÎ3 T T I ^TT o ^ ^ ^ M ^ T T ^ ^ t - g i #
aItT ? T ^ T ^ ft T R efl^T ^ W tl W WRT 3 T ^ 3 "T ^T O T T R < M $ H k
ÎpT Ft c il^ in ^ 1 T R f a m R 3TT ^F JT ■q<ni’tai<r) ^>t o 'U 'l ?Rtl
"s f if "qr "3^Ft4 ^ i t , ^ st i ^st t «Rm ^ tt t ft
t l 3TT W I ilsbtfoH ^TT^ q ^TTT fofnT Ft TFT «TT% ferft TF3RTI
TR^nqrrf } t jcF q^ 3 g^r-gR ^ Ft? % t t # t ers% Fti u,cbdoi) 3 ^ f t
# # c t , 3 fe<uqt[g ^TTR % 'PnT^-TR ^T 3?tT s{lull^l4 ^>T t?T«T \l ^
TThsFt 3 «T5T qfTSJR fartJT t l [cR -Mld'+T ^ ST^t <RF HS^H
t^RTI] ^FT 3 3TOT ^TTTt 3 sfluIMl4 3 TR FM W l TT^, ^ f t % ^
ST^T ^ ■Q^sq ^t ^TcT^7R ^TT% TJ^RT 3 3Trart 3 ^TOT ^ FT -^ft,
3RTR Ft^T, ^ ^ 3 W M T ^FT «IT 3TTW qt f?T^T tT^felT 3
■g^ ^ 5 "T Ft^ni fq^r s ttw tt^ t^ sftr t ^ ttott 3 ^ f t
^F T fe lT 3 t?
^ T R F R ^ F ^ t - t f F R M , îtst ^T TO % feR T 3 TTtTOT
3T^T ^ t W l c ^ T s0u|l^l4 3TTt 3 TTÎ ^TFT 'q fT O T 3^Ft% ^1 T ,
o lr ^ d ^ U.4id»M <HJllcfR ^ T T TFT t l 3TT% ^T^T ^R pRT "^T ^TR TRTT
t , 'qT W dTRH «TR Tfgf t l ^T 3 311^4 '^7t 3TTcT ^ 3 ^ iT TT^TSJT 3 W
3TOT s us q ^ "^ftl TTKT ^ ui h sftr 1JjTT «ti<<^> '3TT^ 3TN
îT 1?T^T 3^T 3 "3qlT«TcT t; ^TT 37T5TT t ? ycfc<n»M 3 R FT»T 3TFt 'Q^T
TFTI 5 ^ ^ ^ F T - ^ T f^ g q f?T^T Ft eft ' 3 ? - ^ r lTT ^ tl t t ^ cT«T
^ 7f?T Ft^T ^FT-UÎ •^^y., W ^? 3TR '5T#pT ^TTt ^tf "^t^T
^TFt # 3TTTOt 1 ^ t ^TT TT%I
RFTTR, sOuINl4 H ^FT-TO^ oZT3 3 g>FTt ^TfF^ FT*T ^T
3tg3T RRRTT \l sfaT % ^ ^ T ^TOT TTc^T^t TJêTsq 3 , STq^t 3Tf?f^TT %
STJRR y ^ ^ c fl^ BrRTF 3 ^TfF^ FT8? ^T 3PJ3T ^TITOT ^ ^t ^ f^TTI 3T7^
ftFR <JJird4t % ^ T W>T ^7t TR! T O T 'Sf^T aftT ^cTRTT ^ft, ^
^F ^ ^>t TTTiTf ®ftr ^TFt TFtl ^ <^<a<*>< 3T^T f^tTT ^T ^
^cT 'SRR'T HJ;i “ ^«^t TT ^ r 3 «TTOT »T^T ^ tf ^ FRTT," *IF ^ -srfWT ^ T
3 3T^T 3 ^>t 8ft, ^F TTrq ^ rt TFtl
34 / H6I^Kc|
TRFR WTST2 qtq^q 3 ^ gqfqq, 3 s^TT^Pf %

q ^ r - g s q>t t?is{i 3 s te ^ i 3R 5f - t ^ n q f t g ’q q r a t % ^ trr3 3 3^ « im
qqq fq ;i ^ e T 3 ^ q F & 3 q q q q^F ? m i ^ ^
3 g fq f^ T 3TPt I (=t)'tj 3^-1 q q t «(ldl 3 qq 3 ®tI 3H 3 ^ f< & ,
U c b lild l, q ^ T 3lf r q q t qi?t' « ff I q q 3T F 5f q i c j q ?tl g ? q?t 3 qT q t
3T^T q q 3 q c q n 377^ «t, f q t =hkui 3F^T q q t q ffit 3 q q ? t «(<e<M fTtJJ ^
Tjszft q t q ^ f a s ifir c q t 1 + ^ o i i ^ qq ^n q q n q R 3 *ig # ^
q ft f r o n ^ « t , cT^rrffT q t 4? iK t t 3? ^ s r q t f f c *q ; g f e % q q R 3 q q =£qrct
3 q^qn; fî qtq#i q^f 3 qqq srfqgr $, 3fa st^t qgf^sn 3 t o qsqn;
« tl ^ -SFTT^T *£ R TG ? % Tp -&% ^ a q q q r? t * t l
3 R 5 R ^ f^ p zn ' q f t f w qq^q *|U |M |4 3 T tt^ T # f t
qi#tl ^FFf cbld'K 3 T3=F q^F^t <MH=)|ch<TjqT ^ m, I^RKf 3 fem+i,

T^§ t ^ F T I q^t p R T H T W i l l f t R q q f ^ R f ^ '^dl<*>< q ? t f T 5 q n fH ^ IH I
R < 3 i^ '< sOuimi4 ^ q ^ r - g q # n ?f|q srq}-3T q^ q g q ^ r r ^ q q r q m
^ 1 + * 7IF i t qT3Ttl gqqrt ffl Rg[ % ftK qn ft?THT ‘5FFTT
?tqFI TJ^-T33’ ctH<^>, fqqst 3 qii| qFt, P-f^fii’-) q? qM -c(<rtlÎ
q ^ t q q g , 3R ^ qq3 g fq f e * 3 W - ^ I R ,
qg1? q? sTR qÎSltl q t q ^ m 3 q ^ T T I ^ ^ ^Tt 3TT5T
3 T:R -ctsi^ iI c R sOul ^ TJ t 5T—< m ^ h k , f? T ^ i t ?TRal
pTS ^31 ^3U "TO ^ 3^ Ft? ■gf^ffe? ^ ^?T—IT 37m4, 3 ^t
T?T ^1 sCt11! ^ fq>T dTO Tp5T—^ ^ t, ^ 3ft? 37^ ^ 15^ ^ qt ^ ?t
it *rr wf? •gr^fer ^ ^ t - ? t , 3 f*r ^ ^t, snw t, snri w f t ^t sft?
f r o ^ t qt "^1 T?T F.I ^ ■y'1=b< sluimi4 ^ 3Rpg^ qR 3 f^-S=h=h< 'gfefe?
3 o F F r -fH ^ is tt; g q ^ r ^ t q # ‘ q rc ? r ^ i ^
■^4! * ^ s n f ^ q t ° f t q ? < asi sdui ^ q e l T<+>îi t r ^ ^ ? t ~
3tR
f ^ r r ^ t g f q f e ? ^ f ^ u «ni q t q ^ . q ^ f . w ^ s fir 3 R iF ? i^ if % { n ^ h k I '
^ t 'SFT % ^Ft '5TFT f^qTI TR^ ^Ft T?R R4)!I TR^t flfS^RR
3i|-c|i4 ^ M il
l*,ch TfT wnl<H 3T«4l*l

«|uimi4 ^ r ST^T «Ft îT
^ ih w h t % q?RM, cR fq; sOuiwi4 % s t^ t ^rt
^crii=h< ^ q q ,5i F i - f q R ^ i i ^ ^ f t s rtr ^ § i t ; 3?^ g q ^ t q w P m iN i h k -ii F tq ri
gq srqt qgq qr qi«i -qsict)< 3rt stt ^ti ^ft qrs ■jflel i g? qft sn^n 3 qg^
q? q M ->=icsic+>< Pivn-t q>t stf? 'j)*hi<+< 3 ^ t qqt^n 's ft^ e ft i q q srrqpt
^ tto ij j 5 i - 3 t ^ t , ^ q q^t, t q ^ q ft sft? g ^ T t ?t? s t ^ t ^
: T3^ / 35
f3^ Ft f a u f TFT t : 3?k ^ 3t I ¥7FT # F ?

3imi4 3 13r gST—31^7, <p7 f ^ ^>T 3r?T 3713)17 371 t 3 Ft? 3T^T 3 ^TFT—
37RPf 3 <+qd f*R* ^>T f777 ^ r TFT %} <4y^> Tjk ?k k XR 3 3 _:T^t Î
3T^T ^>7 '3tT7 37PP^ % *73 s^T % ?kk 3 <IhiV 'gt 3TPTTI ^
^Ffa STTqTT ^t ■% W7T, «JM ^crTT33l 7JT’ ^3 3TT51T XTT^ Ft 37^T 3 Ill'll 'JtS
3t3-fq-G||} 3 3 §J75f4 ^FT 3 '377 Pl«S 37T f37 =hli=h< f’HI 'f^TTI 3T^T %t ^77
^kts-TT 3 y^ddl ^ 3 ^ 3 STMFl ^Tt 37PT^ |[3TTI 37^7 %t
^ w n t^ rri 37^1 % ?tt ^ t3 %t 3?33r sn^pf 3 P h ^ ^ r f?FTT % sT7T,
3T^T Ft 3 TTÎT %f H<.IH1 cF^TtI
^ w i 3fa3 ■q n ^ f^r 3t Pr i % ^ 3 3 ? t =t «Rgra % ^ *> imi 4
Rfi«i! %t 7TT87 3rPf ^FTT 3 ^TFTHtt3I ^3t Ft 37T3t4 ^|<rl % 3t?R 3?k r*Tt
F f TJ3> 3 37TCR <s-l<*0 ■5n3 3 k 3 H ^ s cffl 'SW 3 3TFT *£23 %
77*73 # f R 3t 3hh3 fcps3 3 ^ T -g iT cffTT w *^7 *TR3R 7STT
^Rtl ^ T %t ^TrF *WIK1 3t ^ Ft3 TfTf f3> 3T^T 3 37c^RT 33 'Tra ^T11! 377
xn3f 3 ^ 3 inT *7^7 ^ T[ki 37k 77^ f ^ t - ^ ^ t T 3 f^ fr srRf-aprff
^PTF TT7 7 l3 73l 37^7 %t ?77 ^FT 3 3t ■H'+icidi 3TRT ^ 3 3TRFf
Ff W % 37^1 f t 3^3? ^ %HTf 3 3s3 t l 3T^T TR STT^f ^fcT
y<H-*i ^4,1
sr^T % w 3 ' 3 ^*R arrapf ^ f ^
T$Z 7Tf I cR ^N i4 3RFT ?W< iTFR^ff H5irHl 3T^T 3 ^FT—3 3 k , '5f3fTT
3 ?R % 77187 W STc^RT STfwf W R R ^ ^57 f ^ f 31^ 3 ^ 1 3 ^
■^1 ? 3 UF11! 3RtI TR 3^t, H3«i) 3> "Siq? ^T3f 'JTF 377^ ^ ^cTHT; =t4(Pti
■^>7 3^r *3ST WtclT t l '?7T 377^ 3 Tl3 'Jt'lc^ ^ f ^dl sid^ ^ff VlPkl t l
H^«H-c3?F 3 fTT 377^ îT ^fcl ^R? cff^T ^TR?f t l cpf TTI^^TFff % 77T*7 ^
37751 ^ff ^RHII '?7T% fTTÎ W 3 ^ t 3 î3 3^1 \ fe> olTftl
% ■frrar sik %ff <p7 T77 3his*thui ^ 3 3f <pr ^ ttr3 % w 377^
■^TF iPfki ^R TTîct ^fl
37^ 3 ‘3f 37tw’ ch5ct>< 3te^R "j? 3 377^ u f^
13riti aTTwf 3 '3^3 ^ f t —37^ 7, ij83f tR '3lFk tt^th *7gf3ui ^rr w it slk
^ f3tti
1. : *7 IR 3 f e l
2. ^ IrM I : =h^Ptld <HlcMI, ^ W»1H
3. < I^M : m k <|ii ^ H l, ■NWIÎ * 1 P ^lfd

4. w : ^=bl<rll, dltell, tlK < K
Mrichchhakatika:
The Making of a Breach
Sudraka
A uthoritative inform ation about Sudraka's life is unavailable.
Like other ancient Sanskrit writers, Sudraka, too, is silent about details
of his life and achievem ents. W hatever little we know about him
com es from the forew ord of the M richchhakatika. In the forew ord,
Sudraka is introduced as a 'king, a Brahm in (D w ij), and a w arrior.
He was a versatile figure, unpretentious and saintly. A fter having
ruled for a 100 years and 10 days, he transferred pow er to his son
and chose death by entering Fire'. The narrative of the foreword seems
to indicate that a later critic m ay have penned it. Some scholars opine
that till such time as w e have concrete and indisputable evidence to
the c o n tra ry , S u d rak a sh o u ld be re c o g n iz e d as the c re a to r of
M richchhakatika.
Some sch olars are of the opinion th at Sudraka lived before
Christ while others believe it w as about 500 a d . The M richchhakatika
shows the clear influence of Bhasa (ca. 400 b c ) . The play deviates
from the traditional storyline concerning royalty and instead introduces
a love story with a poor Brahman and courtesan as its main protagonists.
It would seem that Sudraka possibly predates Kalidasa, but postdates
Bhasa. Except for the M richchhakatika, no other creation of Sudraka
is available to date.
M r ic h c h h a k a tik a means a cart of clay. The play is loosely divided
into tw o parts. The first concerns the love affair betw een V asantsena
and C harud u tt; the second, A ryak's installation as the King after a
rebellion. In ten acts, the play is a lively and true docum ent of the
period and of contem porary society, with a striking relevance to the
present. The playw right aim s at a real depiction of his times and
eulogizes the im portance of love. A t the sam e tim e, M r ic h c h h a k a t ik a
is infused with deep political satire. The p rotagon ist of the play,
C harud u tt, has becom e im poverished. H is son plays with a clay cart.
Vasantsena fills it with her gold and jewels. This incident is pivotal
to the play and provides its title. C harudutt is a Brahm an. His family
is involved in trade but because of his benevolent nature, he is left
This except is taken from Mrichchhakatika of Sudraka, edited with the commentary
of Prithvidhara (enlarged where necessary), various readings, a literal English
translation, notes and an exhaustive introduction by M.R. Kale. Delhi: Motilal
Banarasidas. pp 102-131.
destitute. V asantsena, the heroine of the play, is a fam ous courtesan

of Ujjaini. H er ch aracteristic fairness is praisew orthy.
The Third A ct of the play is titled 'Sandichhed' (the m aking of a
breach). Sarvilaka is a brahm an and a skilled thief. To get his beloved,
M adanika, freed from servitude, he breaks into C h aru d u tt's house.
A c t I I I — Then enter Cheta

C h e ta : A master, who is kind and compassionate to his
servants, is pleasing (lit. shines) even though he may be poor.
But again, one who is mean and purse-proud is forsooth difficult
to serve, and proves formidable in the end.
Moreover—
It is not possible to turn away a bull who is greedy of
corn, nor a man who is deeply attached to another's wife, nor
one who is addicted to gambling; nor is it possible to cure what
is one's natural defect.
A long time has passed since the noble Charudatta went
to attend the musical concert. It is past midnight, and still he
hasn't come, so then I'Jl go to the room near the outer entrance,
and go to sleep (there). (He does accordingly).
(Then enter Charudatta and Vidushaka)
C h a r : Oh! Splendid! Rebhila sang just beautifully! The lute
is indeed a jewel, (only that it was) not produced from the
ocean. For—
To a love-sick person, it is a companion agreeable to (the
state of) his heart; if the lover who has made an appointment
is long in coming, it serves as an excellent means to pass time;
to those suffering from (the pangs of) separation, it is the most
welcome means of consolation; and to a person actually in love,
it yields delight that intensifies his passion.
V id u sh ak a: Sir, c o m e a lo n g ; le t u s g o h o m e .
C h a r : Master Rebhila did, indeed, sing charmingly!
Vid: As for me, a smile is produced in me by two things:
by a woman reading Sanskrit, and by a man singing in a low,
sweet tone, for when a woman reads Sanskrit, she noisily muffles
(lit. makes a 'Soo, Soo' sound), like a young cow that has had
a new rope put through the septum of her nose. A man, too,
when he is singing in a low, sweet tone, is emphatically not to
my liking, like an old priest repeating Mantras and having a
garland of dried-up flowers (round his neck).
38 / Mrichchhakatika
C h a r : Friend, Master Rebhila did, indeed, sing wonderfully

today! And (how is it that) you were not pleased?
Really his song was impassioned, sweet, smooth, clear,
and so full of emotion, and graceful, and charming. Or where
is the use of many words of praise uttered by me? — Methinks
it was as if some woman concealed who sang (and not he).
Moreover—
To tell the truth, I feel that, although the time of the musical
concert is over, I am as it were still listening, as I walk, to the
cadence of the notes of his sweet voice; and to those well-blended
notes of the lute, highpitched when following up with the
harmonious swell and fall of the sounds of the syllables (of the
song) but low towards the close;—and to the song, sung with
due regard to the pitch of sounds, graceful and repeated twice
where the raga (passion) required it.
Vid: Friend, even the dogs are fast asleep in the various
lanes that stretch across the market-place. So let us go home.
(Looking before him). Friend, see, see! Here is the divine Moon
descending from his skyey mansion, as though to make room
for darkness!
C h a r : Your remark is quite proper.
There sets the moon, giving room to darkness, and with
one end raised upwards, looking as if it were the sharp tip
remaining (visible) outside, of the tusk of a wild elephant
submerged in water.
Vid: Well, here's our house. Vardhamanaka, Vardhamanaka!
Open the door!
C h e t a : I hear the revered Maitreya's voice; the noble
Charudatta has arrived. Well, then, let me open the door for
him. (He does so). Sir, my bow to you! Maitreya, to you too! May
you both sit on this commodious seat!
(Both show that they enter and sit down)
V id: Vardhamanaka, call Radanika to wash our feet.
C h a r : (With compassion). You need not awaken a person
who is asleeping.
C h e ta : Sir Maitreya, I'll hold the water, and you may wash
(Charudatta's) feet.
Vid: (Angrily). Friend, here is this fellow, the son of-a-slave,
going to hold the water, while he wants to make me, who am a
Brahmana, wash your feet!
C h a r : Friend Maitreya, you may hold Ihe water and,

Vardhamanaka will wash my feet.
C h e t a : Sir Maitreya, pour the water.
(VID. does accordingly, Cheta washes Char's feet and moves
away).
C h a r : Y o u should also pour w ater over (i.e. w ash) the
Brahm ana's (M aitreya's) feet.
Vid: What good will water for m y feet do? I shall again
(soon) have to roll on the ground, like a beaten ass?
C h e ta : Sir Maitreya, you are indeed, a Brahmana!
Vid: Yes I am a Brahmana among all the Brahmanas, like
the (harmless and despised) dundubha among all the serpents!
C h e ta : Sir Maitreya, still I shall wash your feet. (Does so)
Sir Maitreya, here's that golden casket which I have to
guard by day and you by night. So please take it. (Gives it).
(Exit).
V id: (Taking it). This still remains with us! What, is there
not even a thief in this Ujjayini who would rid me of this vile
thing, this robber of my sleep? Friend, 1 am going to keep it
inside, in the interior quadrangle.
C h a r : D o not take it inside the quadrangle; for it has been
worn by a courtesan; therefore, O Brahmana, you should keep
it with you till it is returned to her.
(Showing that he is about to sleep, he again recites the former
verse, "To tell the truth" & c.)
V id : Are you going to sleep?
C h ar: Yes.
Here is this sleep approaching me as it were from my
forehead, seizing my eyes; of invisible form and elusive, it gains
strength, like old age, overcoming the (opposing) vitality of a
person.
Vid: Well, we shall both sleep. (Shows that he falls asleep).
(Then enter Sarvilaka),
S a r: Having made a passage (for my business), by the power
of my training and physical strength, (a passage) large enough
to easily admit a man of my build, I move about, my sides
being scratched by my creeping along the ground, like a snake
with his old (worn-out) body casting off his slough.
(Looking at the sky : joyfully). Ah! How now! The divine
Moon is about to set! For now—
This night, in which all the objects are hidden (from sight)
by the pitchy darkness is concealing me as fondly as a mother
(conceals her son—a mother) in whom all other sentiments are
overpowered by the intense blindness (of love);—(me) who walk
about in fear of the king's watchmen, and who, supremely brave,
am bent upon burgling the houses of others.
Having made a hole in the surrounding wall of the park,
I have (now) reached the central building. So now I shall force
an entry into the (inner) quadrangle also. Oh!
Let people call, as they will, this a vile trade, which thrives
well when people are asleep; and that getting the better of people
by cheating them when they are unsuspicious, is mere thieving,
and by no means a brave deed. Still, even a condemnable position
of independence is preferable to serving others with folded
hands. And this is the path that was followed of yore by Drona's
son (Asvatthaman) when he assassinated the Kashatriya princes
in sleep.
So now, in what spot shall I effect a breach?
What is that spot, which is loose (soft) by being sprinkled
over with water, so that it would produce no sound (when
being bored through)? Where could be made a hole in the wall,
wide but not in sight (of the passers-by)? What portion of this
building is dilapidated, having its masonry worn out by the
corroding action of saline exudations? And where shall I not
come upon (lit. see) women-folk, and still accomplish my
purpose?
(Touching the wall). Here's a spot, worn out by saline action,
and weakened by being sprinkled every day with water at the
sight of the sun. And here's a pile of rubbish excavated by
rats! My purpose in hand here is (as good as) accomplished!
(For) this is the best (lit. first) omen of success for us thieves,
the followers (lit. sons) of Karttikeya (our patron-saint). Now I
have to begin my job; what sort of hole shall I make here? In
connexion with this the divine Kanakasakti has laid down four
modes of making a breach. They are as follows: to pull out the
bricks when they are baked, to chip them off if unbaked, to
wet them with water if they are of common clay, and to cut
them through if they are of wood. Now this is a wall of baked
bricks ; so I shall have to pull them out. Here (seven kinds of
holes are possible, viz.)
Padmavyakosa, Bhaskara, Balachandra, Vapi, Vistirna,

Svastika and Purnakumbha. So in what spot shall I exhibit my
skill, seeing which tomorrow the citizens would be filled with
astonishment?
Well, in this (particular case of a) baked-brick wall, the,
Purnakumbha breach alone would look well. I will make that.
When at night other walls were breached by me, as also
hard structures, weakened by the action of saltpetre, the
neighbours, seeing them in the morning, have condemned my
crime, and praised my skill of handiwork as well.
My bow to Kumara Karttikeya, the bestower of boons!
Reverence to Kanakasakti, the deserving of praise, whose law
is divine! Salutation to Bhaskaranandin! And reverence to
Yogacharya, whose first pupil I am. Highly pleased with me,
he gave me magic ointment.
When I am besmeared with it, the watchmen will be unable
to see me; nor will any weapon striking my body, produce
pain.
(He does accordingly). Ah! Alas! I have forgotten my
measuring tape! (Reflecting). Well, this sacred thread will serve
a s the measuring tape! Indeed, the sacred thread is a very
important serviceable article to a Brahmana, particularly to one
of my profession! For— .
With this, one measures the passage to be made in the
wall: with this one breaks off the fastenings (e.g. hooks &c.) of
ornaments; this serves as a key when a door is securely looked;
and it also serves as a ligature when one is bitten by insects or
snakes.
So, I'll take measurements and start on my work. (Does
so; then inspecting). Only one brick remains (to be taken out)
from this breach. Ah! Pity! I am bitten by a cobra! (He binds up
his finger with his sacred thread, and shows that he is affected by
the poison; then applying the cure). I am all right now! (Again
works at the breach; observing). Ah! A lamp is burning! For— .
This flame of the lamp, yellowish like gold, emerging
through the hole and lying across the ground, being surrounded
by darkness on all sides, looks like a streak of gold scratched
on a touch-stone.
(Again working at the breach). Here's the hole finished! Well,
let me get in. Or rather, I won't go in at once; I will first shove
in a dummy man. (Does so). Ah! There's nobody about! Bow to

Karttikeya! (Enters; observing). Ah! Here are a couple of men
asleep! Well, I'll open the door to provide a means of escape for
myself. How! The house being old, the door creaks! Well, now
I'll first look for water. Where indeed might water be? (Searches
here and there; finding water, he sprinkles it about; then with
apprehension). I hope it won't make a noise when being sprinkled
on the ground. Well, now, I will do this. (Looking behind, he
opens the door). Well, this is all right. Now I'll see if these two
are feigning sleep or are really asleep. (Frightening them, and
observing). Ah! They must be really asleep. For—
Their breathing is free (lit. unsuspicious), is quite distinct,
and occurs at regular intervals. Their eyes are firmly closed;
they neither blink nor are they unsteady behind the lids. Their
limbs lie loose, owing to the bodily joints being relaxed, and
they stretch beyond the limits of the bed. Moreover, if they
were shamming sleep, they could not have borne the (gleam
of the) lamp held before their face.
(Looking about him). Ah! How now! Here is a tabour; here
a flute, and here a panava! Here too is a lute; here are reedpipes
and here these puppets! How! This turns out to be the house
of a professor of music! Or why, I have entered by trusting to
the (external grandeur of the) mansion.—
Now, is he really a poor man, or does he keep his money
underground, from fear of the king or of thieves? Ah, can there
be a treasure buried to Sarvilaka? Well, I'll scatter the (magical)
seeds. (Does so). The seeds, when scattered, nowhere multiply
(or expand). Oh! He must really be a poor man! Well, I'll depart.
Vid: (Talking in his sleep). Friend, I see something like a
hole ! I see someone like a thief! So take hold of this casket
containing gold ornaments.
S a r : What! Can it be that he knowing that I entered here,
is mocking me that he is poor! Shall I then kill him?— Or is he
talking in sleep owing to lightheadedness? (Seeing). Ha! This
thing, wrapped up in a worn-out bathing-garment, is really a
casket of gold ornaments, as it gleams in the light of the lamp.
All right; I'll take it—Or rather, it is not proper to injure (i.e..
rob) a person of high birth similarly situated with myself (i. e.
poor). So I'll go away.
V id: Friend, I adjure you by the wishes of cows and
Brahmanas; do take this goldcasket.
S a r : The (adjuration by the) saintly wishes of cows and

Brahmanas must not be transgressed. So I'll take it. But no!
Here's a lamp burning! I carry with me a fire-insect (i.e. a moth)
for extinguishing lamps. So I'll let it loose; this is the (proper)
place and time for it. Here this insect, set free by me, flies
straightway and whirls over the lamp, describing wonderful
circles. Here is the lamp extinguished by Bhadrapitha with the
flutter (lit. breeze) of its wings ! Oh! It has caused darkness!
Or rather, fie on me, who too have caused darkness in (i.e.
brought ignominy upon) our Brahmana family! For here am I,
a Brahmana, Sarvilaka by name, the son of one who knew (by
heart) all the four Vedas and who never accepted any gifts,
doing this foul deed for the sake of the courtesan Madanika!
Now I will grant the Brahmana's request. (Proceeds to take the
casket).
Vid: Friend, your fingers are cold!
S a r : Oh! What carelessness (on my part)! My fingers are
cold owing to their (recent) contact with water. Well, I'll hold
my hand (for a while) inside my arm-pit. (He acts warming his
right hand, and then takes the casket).
Vid: Have you got it?
S a r : Of course, I couldn't say 'no' to this request of a
Brahmana; so I've accepted it.
Vid: N o w I c a n sle e p s o u n d ly , like a m e r c h a n t th a t h a s
s o ld o ff h is g o o d s .
S a r: Worthy Brahmana, you may sleep for a hundred years!
Alas! For the sake of the courtesan Madanika, I have thus brought
degradation upon (lit. cast into darkness) my Brahmana family;
or why, I have degraded my own soul?
Fie upon poverty, on account of which one's manly nature
ceases to feel disgust (for unworthy acts)! For instance, here I
am censuring this ignoble deed, but am doing it all the same!
Well now let me repair to Vasantsena's mansion to buy
Madanika's freedom. (Walking about and observing). Ah! It sounds
like somebody's footsteps! I hope they are not police-men! Never
mind—I'll become (rigid like) a pillar and stand (here). Or
rather—Are the police of any accout to me Sarvilaka?—I, who,
am a (veritable) cat in leaping, a deer in bounding off, a hawk
in seizing prey and tearing it to pieces, a dog in judging of the
strength of a man according as he is asleep or awake, a snake
in crawling, magic (personified) in assuming different characters

postures and dresses the goddess of speech in (talking in) the
various dialects of different countries, a lamp during nights, a
dudubha in (slipping away from) intricate places, a horse on
land, and a boat on water!
Moreover—
In movement I am (quick) like a snake; in steadiness like
a mountain; in flying, I resemble the lord of birds (the eagle).
In surveying the whole country, I am like a hare; in effecting a
capture, like a wolf; and in strength, a lion.
(Entering).
R a d a n k a : Oh! Alas! How now! Vardhamanaka was sleeping
in the room adjoining the outer gate; he, too, is not to be seen
here! Well, I'll call out to the worthy Maitreya.
(Walks about).
S a r : (Prepares to strike down Radanika; but observing). Ah!
She is a woman! Never mind, then, I am going. (Exit).
R ad : (Moving on; with fear). Ha! What's that! A thief has
burgled our house and is escaping! Well, I'll go and rouse
Maitreya. (Approaching Vid). Sir Maitreya, get up, get up; in
our house a thief has cut a hole and escaped.
Vid: (Getting up) Ah! What do you say, you slave-born
wench? A hole has cut a thief and escaped!
R a d : Y o u silly fe llo w , d o n 't y o u b e jo k in g ; c a n 't y o u se e
th is h o le ?
Vid: Ah! What do you say, you slave-born wench? That
he has cut open a second door as it were! Here, friend Charudatta,
get up, get up; a thief has cut a hole in our house and escaped!
C h a r : Enough; don't you be joking.
V id : M y d e a r frie n d , th is is n o jo k e ; y o u s h o u ld s e e fo r
y o u rs e lf.
C h ar: In what place (is it);
Vid: Here it is.
C h a r : (Observing). Ah! It is a fine looking hole!
This breach, formed with the bricks pulled out from the
upper part (downwards), which is narrow at the top and wide
in the central part, looks as if it were the heart of our stately
mansion, burst in fear at coming in contact with an unworthy
person (i. e. the thief).
How! There is a certain skill even in such kind of work!
V id : Friend, this hole could have been m ade only by two

sorts of persons; either by a stranger, or by one who wished to
try his hand; for otherw ise, w ho is there in this Ujjayini that
does not know the w ealth of our house!
C h ar: This (hole) in our house m ust have been m ade by a
foreigner w ho w anted to practise his art; he did not know that
people here were sleeping soundly because they were moneyless!
At first, on seeing the m agnificent structure of our house, he
was filled with hopes (and entered); but he must have afterwards
gone disappointed, being just fatigued, having long toiled at
boring that hole.
So w hat will that poor fellow say to his friends?— that he
entered the house of a leading m erchant's son (Char.) but got
nothing!
Vid: Sir, how is it that you feel sorry for that rascally thief!
He must have thought: H ere is a big m ansion; from here I shall
carry off a casket of jewels or of gold.— ( Remembering: sorrowfully,
to himself). Ah! W here's that golden casket:— (Again remembering;
aloud). Friend, you are alw ays saying that M aitreya is a fool,
that Maitreya is a blockhead. But I acted wisely in that I delivered
over that golden casket into your hands! Otherwise that son-of-
a-slave (thief) w ould have taken it aw ay.
C har : Enough of joking.
Vid: Sir, though I m ay be a fool, still do I not know even
the time and place for joking?
C h ar: A t w hat time (did you give it to m e)?
Vid: Sir, just when I said to you that your fingers were
cold.
C h a r: Perhaps it m ight have been even as you say—
(Looking everywhere; joyfully). Friend, good luck! I'll tell you
som ething pleasant!
Vid: W hat, it is not stolen?
C h ar: It is.
Vid: Then w hat is it that is pleasant?
C h ar: That he w ent aw ay satisfied.
Vid: But it w as a deposit!
C h ar: Ah! A deposit? (Faints).
Vid: Com e to yourself, Sir. If a thief has stolen the deposit,
w hy should you faint (for that)?
C h a r : (Recovering). Friend.
Who will believe the real fact? Everyone will think lightly
of me. For, in this world, inglorious poverty is always prone to
be suspected.
Ah! Bad luck!
If, indeed, Fate did desire my riches,—why did now the
cruel one spoil my character also?
Vid: I would, indeed deny it (and say)—Who made the
deposit? Who accepted it? Who was the witness?
C h a r : Am I now to tell a lie? (No).
I'll again acquire the means of returning the deposit, even
by begging (if necessary); but I'll never utter a falsehood, which
would lead to loss of character.
R ad : Well, then, let me go and tell (all this) to the worthy
Dhuta. (Exit).
(Then enter Charudatta's wife, accompanied by the Maid).
W ife: (Excitedly). Well, is my lord (i.e. husband) really safe
(lit. uninjured) in body, along with the worthy Maitreya?
T he M aid : Mistress, he is really safe. But that ornament
belonging to the courtesan,—that is stolen.
W ife: (Acts swooning).
T he M aid : Worthy Dhuta, please compose yourself!
W ife: (Recovering). Girl, What did you say?—that my lord
was safe in body? It were now far better that he was injured in
body, than in character. (For) now in Ujjayini people will
(everywhere) say that my husband himself, being poor, committed
such a vile deed. (Looking upwards and sighing). O mighty Fate!
You do, indeed, play with the fortunes of poor people, unstable
as the drops of water fallen on lotus-leaves!— Now, I have
only a jewel-necklace left, come from my mother's family. But
even this, my husband would refuse to accept, on account of
his extreme pride! Girl, just call the worthy Maitreya here.
T he M aid: A s the noble Dhuta orders. (Approaching the Vid.)
Sir Maitreya, Dhuta is calling you.
Vid: Where is she?
T he M aid : Here is she; g o to her.
Vid: (Approaching). My blessings to your ladyship.
W ife: Sir, my bow to you! Sir, just turn your face towards
the east.
Vid: Lady, here I have turned my face towards the east.

W ife: Sir, take this.
Vid: What may this be?
W ife: I had observed a fast on Ratnashashthi day. For that
I had to bestow a gift on a Brahmana, in accordance with my
position (lit. riches). But no Brahmana was yet given a gift; so
you should accept this jewel-necklace (from me) on his account.
Vid: (Receiving). God bless you! (Now) I will go and tell
(this) to my dear friend (Charudatta).
W ife: Sir Maitreya, but (take care) you do not put me to
shame thereby! (Exit).
Vid: (With wonder). Oh! What a nobility of mind she shows!
C h a r : H o w now! Maitreya yet tarries. I hope, he won't do
anything rash in his (present) distracted condition. Maitreya!
Maitreya!
Vid: (Approaching), Here I am. Take this. (Shows the jewel
necklace).
C h a r : What's this?
Vid: Sir, this is (what I would describe as) the fruit of your
having married a worthy wife!
C h a r : Alas! Even my wife takes pity on me! Ah! Now I
am truly a poor man!
I, having lost my money through my own (bad) luck, am
now shown pity by my wife's (i.e. my wife has given me) money!
Through (the absence of) money, a man becomes a woman;
and she who is a woman becomes a man, also through (the
possession of) money!
Or rather, I am not a poor man, I whose
Wife follows me through (the turns of) my fortune; who
have a friend in you, (unchanged) in happiness as well as in
sorrow, and who have not swerved from truth (i.e. honesty),
which is rarely to be found in the poor.
Maitreya, go with that jewel-necklace to Vasantasena and
say to her at my instance—'Kindly accept this jewel-necklace
in exchange for that golden casket of yours, which we thought
to be our own and in that belief lost at gambling/
Vid: Don't you give away this jewel-necklace which is (as
it were) the best produce of the four oceans for the sake of that
thing of (comparatively) little value, which was neither swallowed
nor enjoyed but was stolen by thieves!
C h ar: Nay, friend, say not so.

This price is being paid, (not for that ornament, but) for
that high trust, by relying on which she kept that deposit with
us.
So friend, I adjure you by the touch of my body,—you
must not return here without inducing her to accept it.
Vardhamanaka!
Quickly fill up the opening wall with these bricks; I do
not wish it to remain; for scandal has many evils.
Friend Maitreya, you should also address her with (due)
dignity and nobility of mind.
V id: Friend, can one talk ignobly, even though one may
be poor ?
C h a r : Friend, I am not indeed poor, I whose (—Repeats
again the verse, "Wife follows me" &c.). So you may go now. I
too will purify myself and attend to morning prayers.
(Exeunt all.)
Thus ends Act III-, styled
'The Making of a Breach.'
T ranslated fro m the San skrit by M.R. Kale.

* i^ c b ^ c b
W *
*4S\<fc % ■ail'('I-op % TT? *t cJtr>-Rs<*>l^ ^ t -flM'bld ':T5t fa^RTh 3FT
W # T 'SR^k T W H I+ k T TTf TRI 3 *ft 3Ptf sftcR 3 «afft ^ ^
fa n t i tt? 3 *ftst T ip ^T^R itt T>t yw icm 3 ti
yWNHI 3 T^T TTT t f a ’ ?JpF T M «t, ^ «t, ^TJJTR M stl 3 ^ ^ s l l W ,
3RIR Tf%rT cT«TT ci'ilPl'tt *tl " 3 ^ 1 T3T> ^ft T ^ 3?fa ^ 1 f a l TT3T TR^ % ^ K ^
Tit T ^ t 3rfR 3 f a n t t i ’ yw icm % j$ t%rar^r 3 w ^ r i t a rg n r
tri'ini 'SIT ^TTh IT t f i f fa * ff H<c(dl <;l=hi=hK ^ ifa n
TT^ [01511 *4£<*i n t cmcrHpi'T) TTH^ t 3^R ‘ ^^4'*[d4) ’ T>t T^TT m 9tT
^ n t ^T m 3 t l ^fa=T, ^ cm n tf «cfHM T W J ^ 3?TnT T fo?t <1T
*i?ch T?t ‘ ’m <-c|Hl=tiK HM-il T lt l^ l ^=*1 % 'jilq-1'ÎM n t cr)=h<
f^gpff ^ iR T ^ 11 fagl-ll T>T V$> T*f f*TT ^ m TRoT t tW ^JFRI f^ t
^ 500 % cRT*R FT^T :5ftfa l #TT W t+ K TR<TT t l TT TRT
( 34^HMd: ?Rn^t 3° ijo ) % TT?^ t T’ Tft WTT T O t
n t t r t m ■qr^cff ifa r T r fitii n r f r m ( a ^ n u d : T ie ft ^ id K l io Tjo)^ft
TTST =h<ni Trt <*>)| 3RR ‘ 1 T? fc o i^ Tf?t TScfT $«Rm, 3 ^ 5 «hifw m
% TJ^Tcft i f t T7t 7TTRRT TTrT t l 1t ^ f e * ’ % 3lPdR=k1 T?t n t^ ^RTt
T^RT P)P4cIK 3 3T*ft ?T^ f*Tcft t l
^FJT 3T4 t fiT ^ t ^rt TTStl '=TT2^ ^T '=TPT^ ^T?^t T it W
tl TJ5T fiTSSt ^ t ^ TleTtTT t l TTTSt ^TlfoPT ^trT ^TT %
* r ^cft t i ’TTsî t i t o t tn?E^yf t i T it f?r% h w <+><ui Tn
3TT«IR t l T I "=11^ i M cfk TR Tl 1%wf ^ t l TTIcn, c|y'dfHl 3?k ^T?^ t T ^T
■^T--5mn cTTT ÊRT, T^T f T W % ^TTT Tit T?t TlP<TI 5^1 ^TRT)
3 10 3T=fT t l '=TRT? 3TC^ W I 3lk ■HTT3T TH T^T afk f g ^ R ^ T
tl W « f fTTÎ % ^TTT ^T Tft TflTT Tn TI3H HI<i<+)+K TH ^ ? T tl
TITT ITSpftfcRF ^R T t l ^=7^ î M<q<Mld TRT-TRt T?t
T>^TI ^ it^ R TT^r T?TT HlPi|+l sfk w m ^PTTJ Tft TTTT t l ^HTTT
T T ^tI W tR t l W TftTR ÎFTR TIT t l 3 T ^ 3^R ^ T T T % T c ^
^ T ^ r f T fe I t ^f$T t l ^TcT^TI ^T3^> ^ HTfT^ST t l ^ 1 ^ r f M t Tft T?T^[
T fW t l ■3^lft TTftfT^T 33«*cTfll ^RTI^ftT t l
’ I?' 3T?T 5RI <tâ ^ 7FTI ^1 3ijqiên; Tflf^ <i%?Il ^

■^T^p (qeiiM^, 1961, 1999, wom 53-67
50/
cftot afa ti ‘itftr^^’ m anwr wt h t

t i ■?Tf%n s t w r t i ^ ? ra t i s w ft t e n H ^cbi n t % fai?
cff ^ T K ri % ■ER ^ ^t«T cT’TTcT t aftT WufMM ^ ^ ^m \ t l n t ^T ^RT
W ta t f a ^ k ^3Mt Fl*1 ^Ft TRT I !(l(y<rl4) ^RI <rt<ll^ ^ =hdl=hKl
^t ■grei ^ TJTRTT ^TclT t l ^ k t ^ Wufabl cWd^HI m «ni
■=ti<?^Ti ^Td % TTO <mqci1 ^3RTI t l <niq'il ^ kf ^ a ^>t
sjcff ^>t t ^fd n t yfd'yi m ^ (fc|<jqcb) % u fttr
cw 'd^H i n t snw W t ti
«l<d "9RT I
^Z ; W ^ T s fk W H W it
E R ik r *?t F t ^tt 3 t ^ i t i
w i t ^ ;t ^ctT ^rfe^r s fk qRuiw 3 t o w t,
£ R TR ^ ^H dT F t 3 ^ k ^>T 3T^5T ^ F tl ^
■^TTeTt ^>T gjST F3TTT ^ F f F^flTI

^ WTT " ^ k t F3P3; F^cITI
^ T ^ t ^ * ft F 3 R T F t F^cTTI
3 it4 -q K i^ ti ^ t # f k r % f^rq; ^ ^ t* p t F t 7m i s ir ^ t
Tier ^tcT 3T*ft crer ^TFt 3 i r i cit w % ^ k k 3
# 7^1
tw F t <5t h t t i % war
■Efre^rT «fiT y ^ VI I
•qi’O ^ti : 3J1TF ! facTTt "mcTT t tfaeT ! TT*p ^ ^ lit Pi“h e ll, fa ?
*ft ^ F ^*T F t t l
ar=KfeT % % tr ^ F ^ M H l^ d f e f t ;
fiPT % 3TP% 3 facT®f F t^ TTT
m lf a n k ^f t ^ -?n«n t i
f^ F -o z n ^ t ^t ^ 3T3TO t i
cT«TT SfgiF Tl F ^ I ^ 3T3?FT i ,
T33> ^?3T ■^T5T t l

: 1 ^ êit 'ETT ^ ' l
^ I^ tT : W p fa c H T 3T5@Jf «n ^FT # f t ? I !
1 ^ F : ^ ttl cfT W*. ^?kfcT ^T TTT3 a fk Tjltr c h i l l i 2 #lt'
^ t ■g:^ T F1# 3H # t l ^ ^ it ^ c T w t t c t t ^ F ^ H«b^<0
a lk 3T*ft ^>t ®^|4) ^ fJR ^>t rRF ^<d1 t l s lk ' 5 ^ ^
.a'
-4
>1
ft 3 d
t l i i t * 1 .3 - i
3 4 Si S.
S^- 1 « #
4 1 * 1 1 ? I a
ji 4
i i^ !a. ii. jj aI *i tj - at 4j| a^ ^ #
I t i t i- a .3 | ^ 51 * 1 l i a *. a s - a
23 Ob ^ S
6d|
*9 a 1 5> 2 L |
al 4 $
5*3^ 4 | ^
a _ 3
* ^ J 9 i
% <3ijj. oi|
oU* a
i i l - H 1 & 51
n I
5H
4i,
*1 £« ag i't
-H! -§ -
2$
si
-U-6S
*i>
3
jci j
n 5î 5)l ?J 3 <31^ a;
$>
-J
3=i ,n
& £ 5P J
d 9i-
7. 3| ± |- *¥ 4 a t
■Q a
nsty*
s r l i
%
j i
% ±,
I5 si!
4>~ *
Hi 04*
52 /
Pq'j'w : ^ q n ^ r , ^ % % q; «ft<*>i ^ 1 ^ tt ^ t i
: ( ^ J i f 7^7 *¥) ^fift-^, ^ RithI %t Î'll^ ^ft îq*’Hct)Cll
^ t 'l
: 3TT*f *t Tl?ft 331 cfoT \, 3(N *tt ^1
Pq^<*> : CsFt^r % TfT«?) to , ^ ^ ra t ^ t ^ s i f t ?it ■qnt w ii y ii
3^k s iis ^ i 7t ^ k *jciqn<'iil
WKÎ : ^Ft $ p q r ft 3HT3Tt, q^HI-lob *lt ^TTI
^ : 3tt 4 q n t siTom,!
[q ^ q c h 'm^ft "STHHT $ | '€fcr TîtniTi %
■^T sft^JT TZ *miT f l
w w ^ t % ■qt Mt i\
fa<J«W> : ^ ' ^ t t ^k y n i ^ H ? M f ^ n * ^ w ' * f F T ’ 3 f k 1R # < i t w s a r
t'
^Z : 3TFf ^ # 9 , 3TN w 11! ^ a t ^Trf t !
fs^W : ^ w i t ^ xipft t t n 4, ^ t t ift 5d®uil *¥ sd&ui !
i[Z f t * ’i t 31T4 ^<H r dl§i< ^f tft ^fT ^1 (^ T *tte)T) 31Pt T ^ T , ^ T
W “ hl5l ^ t fa ! t , TRT % t 31F1% ^ R l ^
eftf^nri
W ufU M ^ -5IHT ^TlrTT f l
( w f a r a %t ITIT) 3T«Tt cf^T 'W ^ ff- ^ T - ? q f F t 'raT t l ^
Ph i I *t ^ k ^1T 'RT 7T^ t w t % tf ’ i t ^ ^ ra t % i p %
^5t <4dl<M *TRTT ? ^ 3 t kT ^, ^ ^ 3T^7 % -qi«m ^
snrn t ? i
ÎWn : dl£Jul,
■*Ts? MTtFT t
a fa % if o k 3 Tftf <3 ^ *rr nqrH ti
^ cT3> ^ efteif "TFt "STTcft, cfa> ^ 3?q^ FT«T ^
F t T ^ T FPITI
f^RTT «FT ^3TT f^FT ^ if
c«l<n*^ oi«mi % :
h fh r îeF ^H«hl 't'... I ’
«nqsRt % sn ^ ?
W K tT : f t , an i\ ^ 1
s tra t ^ it g ^ t ^ 3 T ^ r s ik srf?sR
■RI^ ^ M k - t ik drt<<+>< 3TI TFt t ;
'cTRcfl'tl / 53
<t *it ^ t ?r f viRwî' %t ■q'iifsfd ^

g ^ 3 T ^ 3|f«R)R 3 ^ T it t l
jq^qcf) : eft <frft Tit t !
■plsJT ^5T n « « t «t><fli l | I
y ^ ri
îRSd'ti : w lsn ^ W T ^ ft cR I
?rctT % t im d ^ u
W ^Rcfr RT f w 3
W f f 5 3 7*T5 m *7 T ,
3 T ^ 3T«R<T ?T«TT W iH IT*Tt 3 eFTTf ^ ^f«T 3
3 fa 7t 3 1 ^ % t 3T^T d R H
s r g?t 3 tt ^ ^>Ff ifa t
(a n g rm ^ t s ik F fa fie T ) a tf, t o r ^ re ifa * 3t r t i t
^ t ! ^ n wfeiT fa
TRT % 3HTt f^rcrct TffacT T I^ t
s fk f a t f a t y.+HM <s ?tt t ^ r c f % m f % t ^ n -
Q,<hi ^ î; sfk ^TI <io
fT lt RTT*f? % t ^ 3T ^t ^ ff '^K T 7t G â l
RT ^>t (R?
g £ Rt t^ ttt T it t i
^ = llfic b l % -qt ^f W TT^r 3TT% TR^ 3 fa cff 3TI fFH ^1 3 R
^W r # [ crFTTji !
eftR ^ it
fa ^ 3 r£ p ;, -^gtf oqfarqf %t 3 W
W 3TRRR ■5R;n
^ t f t t , RITsFR H it I
R ig fa r r fa i t f r t ^ t * n
T^TMfa eft t l
ITTR f a # ^ t T^T *t
H «f ^ fq ^ iT eft l i t TI-TI MScl I I
s ftr f a r w RRf i <ht i i t -
g f a f e r ^ )t ttH n f # t t ^ f t ie *n ^>T
R Ic^ i t $«qn RPt fa3T "g% t l
eft g n t tf*T eFTT3T ?
qhft-RT T^RT T«TR t ^ft
54 /
■qpft ^ ft TfR ^ ''TS t

3TR 31Mcl 3 R ^ ^ -?T^ i l l FRT;
^fFT ^tq R T1T*H ^ i t
3TR =T5t-*ft 3 % t| Wf ^ t 't ;
w. ^ f*T^ 'RT^T 3 7§l| ^TT3R
^ ^ <RF g r g r t i t ^ t;
j TH 'feprt *FT 3TRI- vj1Hi ilciT
3 fa %T ^T 4 3 ^ 7 3 i t TT^cn t ?
(^ R ^ f R ) W T«fcT t W fT ^T WTT f3TT-7TT t l eFTm
t yPdRn * p f o r % w i ^ r ^ r ^ ftt ^m t t i ^ 3 ^
fe z f W t tl W ! 3T^ <ft 1k l ^>RF 7RIT ! ^ t t t %
eft TTWclT ^T ?I^R t l 3p? f%RT <RI ifa cRTRR ^ t4
3TR*T ? W fff ^ R ^ r m ^ crTT^ % ^ R f-FTH «FTTC;
t-3?Krf^ "qqgff ^ ^7f TsTNRR h ^ h ld l, ^ r5 g t 'fz t ^ ^R t,
f c z t % eM %t ■qpft 3 W3Tt 3 ^ i t <ft 3|Rt ^ ^ftrtl
w ft ^ t , f* # p r a w * { P r+ieH i ^t ^ it i
fe c ^ Tpf =t)Hd ^>T TTJS, n 3T^
f^RcpT TRtoR i(T wPw<+>7 n gyf ^ ' * f -
%7Tt STTîfcI ^f sfR <*>SI 3FR t ^ t qTT y<*>m ^ R
f a H^R % fT^RTt ^ VS 3TF 3WEf4 ifft !
^1 f?l 3 TJJif cfft TERT i t 3T5St cTWl eft ?q
3 # tl
TRT % 7RFT 37k *ft ^ F T - ^ it
teflteltrfl ^ R f W\ cfte-’cpfe ^
3TH t TlfcWI t,
T ^ R 3JTrt:'îTH
W % PHîyl
T^ ^ "sfkt % t f ^ T 3 R ^ f>3;,
^ Iw ic iN q 9 WRIT ^ tl
eft, "TRt ^K P T ^>MK=hlR{î|W, W ^T ^F T.
^ ? m ra , ■ H i ^ ^ 'f ^ , ^ ■mI j i n w I’41... 41j i n i 4...
pj|*1<=bI ^ H5dl f^F1! ^1 <J'ilA i t 3RTR iN R W
■jftTT-c^T f^TT t l
1. +IW<+'M^ HHWiH, +H+^lf=k1 HHW>R, ^Ft =1iTîR, ^Ft K1WHI

BT%rq : T^T / 55
?7t ?RtT TR ReT ^ 3

3T5TI" g tt
sffc 7R5f ^TT 3TM?I i t i ''R
?irtr XR *it ît arn^ti
9 IT h " R T M ei ^ H T 't 'l
% : - % : ! HFli 3tT ifTT i t ^f ’Jef i t 3TRT I (7TNr ^ R ) i t f R
^ 3 ) Tt i t t îT ^>TR firFTT ^3^1 5115401 % %TT ^
■J’FTfnt ^Tg t ; fq *h Tt ^ *17? % f ^ l 'rtl’Rti
3*T eFTFt 3 ^ % *HR 3TF TRFiT t l
sftr sngKpTi ttO t Tt ^ if it ^TRt 33171 ît
7T3FTT t i
^HT gR ^|cbei Tt i i if ÎT ?TRt '&% TltW '5fT
TFfKTT t ;
sftT Rf^ ^ R f =blsi r t TIN W\Z 7§TtJ i f RF RT*Ft
% *FFT 3TT 7T3FTT t l
if ¥ W 37TR 3TT7R w ' l (HN<M & RchMd ftT itR R %t
i^ ^ R ) 3FT ^TT 3 T3^ p . Pl'+ldHI i t T I RRT tl...
ITR-ITR ! 7TFT i ^57T % n !
^Ff3T ^ ^Reft cTTSr^TT HT3R
cRTriT % f^ T «T3 T?T itl
RTO i t 3RWT *ft eFRHT f l
31R ifa> i t RRTI
■ftRT ^fTTR TJTT «FR% 3T3[T fl
3T^T iTRT ^5feT TIT t !
T?ti R ft-7tt i t # R I i t i R>t eft
Tfa % Tfpf Tt ^ i?r Rff *jfR rt R f Tit t i
STTTFTTTT % SFFfTR 3 M ft,
\ cF lit t ^
^pftzt rt fiiit f t
tM ^>t TT3T if!
(3>TR 1JTT R R% ) îR i t 1jff i t "nt I 3TR 37^7 ^ c jj rt 7RR H
v*lIt:h< RIc^ SF fi Rfa^'H %t ’t^JJ (^TTT T 7 % ) 3T^ RIT i t R5tt
H i t t I HR: +lfÂ)l-4 ! (sf^T^FFR s f t T ^ F T ) 3^ ! i f ^ ffer
Tit T i t l i t SJTfRTSTT % ?R TlteT ^1 'ER 'i t ,Jf-'?TM
56/
t % fRTRTS' *ff Tgc# 3 F - F R J# t l R ^lf Tf RFTf ^ !... RIT

R7IT ifRT RTRt ?
■?W-3?JT m il ^ 3TTRT t
3ffT 3Tf g lT RT % ^ F R T f l
( ? f f e r t r t 3 ) RTRf % 3 ?t *r r is t t i t i
R to q ft 3TtT % W l^ fT RvT%
■pFT R tie il^ <alci ^TT t l
IT RI<^ ‘RTR R>T cN f :RTR RHf -H-qyq '#13; t RT \ i t
SinS R ^ jrq; f 'l
"3% "5TT% ^>f ■el061 «htni t
3ftT Rm cfrCrtT t l
oTRoi t RfRf TTRyR TTtR; t l
FT% ?RRT fa R ^ d 3TrR 3 3TT T# t l
sffc 3 r 3 3TFRRR RR TR?f R if t l
3TPS #R> Tf tl
3}ft 3T^T 3 gc#TRf 3Tft«R R if t l
afnT % # 5 ^ it ti
s fk w k %5TRR 3 « Rjf fRTIT T# t l
Rfc iR R ft Rf^ RiRS R>t r !r i t ,
cfr ThTh ^ R ^f R>t eft ^ R ^ TTlt R ^TFj; ?
( * n ff 3TtT RÎRR) 3 ^ ! R I TJRR RST t ! RI ^ W tl RI
^ T , R I R^TT sftT ^ RfgftRT ! RIT gTR%' T® f t l R I fRRTf
RTZRTRFf RR RT eft R if ? ^ ' Rf RTIT 3 RRR Rif R73R7T i f 'ReTT
3TTRTI RRT TTRgR tRTgf q i'iid RR RT t ? R ^ lf <MI 3Tfr R frt %
"5T Tf fTT^ *RRt ^ Rt R lt RTS T<IT ? RT^ R^T 1[3TT RR RRT
YlMcrTR) 3 %RT T I TTR5RT t ? 3TRf R fa RTRT^R ^ IR T \\ ( # R
^'c h + O f3TT # R RTff R if RSTI R I Rt TTR^R RTtf RTReTT
if t !... Rt R c^R IT ^1
fRÎR? : ( W R ^<9GI 1|3TT) f*TR, g?t TfR-TTt RSRf t l TTTR^ eTRRT
t R k 7I5T t l. . . R I TWTTR $R TTRTcT # 1
TTfRcTRT : ^ RRT ReT RRT t % 3' RIT \, 3 rk 3TRRf fR*TRRT % R R m R I
TkT 3RITTT RR TIT t ? Rt ?Tf RR ^ ? TTRR t 'SfeT 3TKRf
TTRRT ^ TIT t l ( % R R ) 3 li ! R i^ ^ 3 p ft# ^ R I Rt
TTRgR TRTR3 RR TR4RTR R^n t # RW RTt eft 'RRR? TIT t l
#tR ! R T j R lf l 3 1 R ^ - ^ R^f ^RT #R>' R lf l
"ReTRT i f ^RTflRI
■Ml<rfl-M i / 57
: t o , e p t i f t ® fk W ^frrT'^T ^ ft epi ^TF W u fq U H ^ #
eft...!
?lRfd<+> : 3 k } } } ! ^ f t o n s f k w ® ! ^Ft k t q k ^?T % k f^ T T ^T
<H=beii t ? 3T^ eft W cklT F t msmTI ^t<TT ^TH TIT t !... Tk 5 ‘a^T
^ i l % Rm. k t "qra w j t t ^ f t t !... * t f Rî qekn ^kt
% s ir a w e T T F -W k k S T r t WTTI f e : ! to ^ F T T t ?*T ^fsTTte
^1 ^ % t F=IT k - ^ i* * ^ % k s ftR J R ^ t ^ I l f !
m g to ^ F R ^ ftR F t I P ^ k F t 3fkcfn T « W l t ?
^ R t % it % *TTeTT sltT °F>kt Rb<fl k T H H d ^ q ie l fqeTT îT
silJuT sflRfdcb ^R> %TTT ^T T ^)T TFT t l . . . W siFT^T ^>t ^TT

W l + K ^FT F t ^ !
w u fa u w it o f t g r^ n f i
R ^ = h : t o , T% ^ iT cn<eb
fc ^ c fi ^ W u fM N ^ HeTT t l
^ %qr ?
: W IFT ^>t ^TT ^ ft 3*TT ^t5T '*TT TR k TT t ?... IT , ~<3 f^FTT;
Rt<jq=t> : eft k 3T^ Hid k^TT 3TTQ; F^ ®4im<l %t eTTI <j<a =Ft kfc kt
TT^kTT ^1
^lR4d=h : ^ k t ^TTTT eW k k fT T I HSNItvJui j... FT-FT ! k } T fk W ^ -^ T
^ f t 3 kra > R k qk>erT f^ IT I n k ^ % q c i 3Tq^t ^ f t F t fc)%<ni t l
fa cR F R t fttfaeTT ^
■kt oiiRw % Ttt^ 1? % fen tj. 3T°RiT?T HFt <F^ êftl

■jfReTT t ^ ^ f^ N r t ,
?T?^ft f ^ T *ft ^TeTT \, W TTT«1 foTTi q f ^Ten t.1
3 fk i^Fl) 3 k ! ^ f ^T ^ T lt ^ TIT t l ^7Ff TIFTt
eft HFt 31T T t ? 3T^5T "^TFT FNiT O-SI Ft ^TTeTT t.1 xk g
■ g^-^T fW m c F t - w M ' ^ ^TT «R t ? eft
k f ^ ir a \, * f f t } k fFOT 3Ttr
k qT5) !
TTTTI 3ftT WT^ p ; oilRk)ill' gft ?TfoeT ^ t "q r^ k W T I#!
k R k TTN, ^ T 3^tr k?r T33 fM ^FT ’Hl^H!. qlertl k
TfFTT !
58/
TRf % TT^ % W
T ja t £Rcft HT -q<rH 3 'nisi H^FT ';3TeT % -qcH ^t H R !
t ^ ^ WT
*t h i t s a fk n5TT ^ w
■Q^T 3 T lk TRTR ^>t ^13 3 <SK5I12,
■'T^TS' * t ^fe< 4i 13^ ?Tfea 3 fT T I !
T ^ F T : (aqrat f f ) IF T-IR T ! o ^ H H * W % ^T T ? 3 TTRJT *TT, ^ t l

qt H i t ^ TIN... cit 3TRf 3 ^ T H^t !
^ * m t f i vify<nch % t tm %
% f^TCT <j^ri t t vijirii t l
^lRJd4> : ( ^ c b O 3 ^ , -2TI <it T^t t !...cfr ^ l
^R t T ^miT t l
k Ph + I : ( 3T*R ^TFTR ^ T<R 3 ) IF T } ! I^ k m 3 ^ d Jll<M
qPTT ÎT TIT t l 3TpJ I <^<g|, t Û i q k ^R ^T*T
d'll=b< WTT ^T TIT t l
■ fg ^ w : (^ 5 3 R ) im tw ^ ^ rk w rm
3*T qTHT *FT TIT t l
K f a ^ l : IF T -IF T , ^ I T T t T ^ T T l t t i g n ^ ^ q t f ^ I T f H it ^cTT ?
H ^ '+ i : 37tt TITTt ^ ft g ^ t ! ^TT ^ 1 T it t <^ ? t ! ^11 Ht ^ foiTTt ^
^R *t ^TRT SR i t ^TT f^TT t ! t o l ^ i <*^t 1, d3)-'33)l i q k ^R
3 3*T FFTT3R # T qFTT ^TT TIT t l
^TR^H : i M t o , ITT ‘TftlTTT 3 ^RT W t ?
: xrftiTTT H i t ' t , cp ^ t eft T T lt !
W ^ T : fe q r ^ ?
: f tR ■zilf !
^t r t h : ( t ^ R ) 3 ^ ! T ra g ^ t ^ r f t ^ f e n t Tf?T 3 *t eFnt t !
^ H T 3qk H t^ 3 f £ IZTCR ^HFTT W ,
IF 'R ^ sjfeT H*TT Tt ^5T W *N ,
ITT 'ER % I ^ T % t HTI t
^ t TJ^T 3THftT3iTTt oqRw % 3RT 3TT^ Tt 'tPZ H n t l
W grm q t fe F ft H * ftt f^ g r ^ t !
f^ w : t o , ■qi ^ ^t ^ Tj=F ^ e n r t i t n t - n «it f ^ r t t ^ n r ^ sttit
^ T fe r n % T T t ITT 3JFT % fe jT « T f ^ ! H i t Ht < 4 ^ f iH l ^
iq k ■e r g f t 1 ^ % % t H i t "5FTm ?
/ 59
: FT, n eft fa^ft 3

n farrt ^ gn 3T«tre ch^q,^ ^ ^r gr 3 arm
t jf fe n ti
^ t ^F hoi iFt 8|T-
SR H <5^ ^ F R d l ' l <H5I P lfV ^ fl F fe T ■Hi'J, t l
HF^t % ^ W fefTM -ap\
"3T[% 'RH ^ H ^ n -3n 3HRim, ^ T t F k ft !
4<<J % cW 9FT =f><% WIFt %
3?k 'Pk k Tf Nr ^ kI ei1d=h< ^fell Hn FkTT !
3T^ 3 ^ R I =FJT g ^ t n ? f e TTT*fnF % '35r % -er
3 '3ll=b< Mt ^>?5 HFt faelT !

fq<jq«t) : cfTF f>T5f, n F ! 'Ît dTT q-qi< "gk Hit Ft f^RTT TR!T T?t t ! 3TR
FkTT f e ^cri gsr f , ^ft 3 n tf w r a n w fare
to k T T I ( W T F t 3TT^ ^ t o r ^ p f ^ 3 , W RT) 3k ! ^F
<«iufHi5i cfff Tm ? (t^R sfk n r ? t sirt ^ , 3igrz) ^ t firsr,

? p ^TCT g>FT g>T3 Ft f e t , 3i*tH l t , "n? t , tl
3?g gcTT3Tt, ^ 3*5*51 f e HFt ^T ^F #T felT,
HFt eft ^ F TTCTt nT g g 3 ^t ■'^.<l=b< ^ TPTT FtefTI
gr^rT : 3R W Hfem *M ...!
[q'jqoh : 3 k f c f , ^f g n ?cRT Ft Tpf ^ftl W H Hft
jimo i ?
t [R^ t T : ipit ep^ ^ F felT *1T ?
f e ^ : opf < p £ ^FT *TT f e g iF R t W W B§t t l
^ i*< d : i f^ n F t i ( g k t 3j k f ^ % T n « r ) t o r , t 2= f
g p Ft f t g w h mr ti
g k HFt ^ n n h ?
^ W tl
pc|^+ : Ht fiR «HNK ^ n t ?
gT^rT : ^F '0 1 # FT«T H?t Hni
: -qrg ^ f eft »^ftF? «it !
gTKH : q%T art ?

* jR tS d ^TlrTT t l
fq<jN«b : s k Mk^r Tot ! *^kt?T %t %t g k ^ n n , eft <pr ggt

ijf%cT m ■srm Ft ?
-elid’d : ( ^ 5 Ffer) t o ,
60/
?
^ HT cii^'i ei'iiu/ll
arri 3 ^ fe a f^ ra r Ft sram ht
¥^F H>T faHH «R *nflt t l
feel’} n t ncT t !
HFc^ eft V I ^ tR cf>T HTT f a n ,
3Tk 31Fjf ^ <*>dU ^ Ttt HT ’it cll'SS'1 el'll R^lll

fe|m : ejH ^ a n , H7F tn fe rtf W t *tt q%T ? fe^ fe HTCTT #
*ft ? TfT^Tt t ?
■qi<i^Ti : eft ^ ^3 ’ ft ® rtejn ?
f^TT "trfwt Ft ^ff H Ft,

£Rt^ ^RT ^ 3 O T ^-*>I<MIII
1^ ^ 3 ^ H?t HT^TT
f r o s t ^ f o i aftr f1 h Ft ^m?;i
k R * i: ^ m r arrqt « p n t «Jen \ !
tsicHI 'Jtml % 3ftr ciifx^Ti ^ t
t^rfl % W«T SRI?! ^Tot f l
«P ' : (SirfeT n g 3 ) 3Rt 3TT%*n 3TFf "^T % ?Kk n t
eft HFt H§^1 ?
wFhÎ2 : H5Feft %, T=nfiRt! HTeJ ct*TcT#TT m ^F w fa r ? *1TH,
"HIT et TRT t l
SJoT g w f <ET HT^J ^Trft f l
kPh+I : Mt^f T^t 31Flf ! ,
? P : (^T® STT^HFtnr) ^nHTFT^n^tt ! f e 3n4g^%?RkHT
HFf 3nt?.„-?RtT HT W HFf 3TTt, HTg eft HHT HFt TfTI
■i-îRiHl 3 ^ 3^ t^\ csfrt fa- Ftt % n n n ^ F ft
h f nro f e n t i n t 3ik ^ g n r n n ft:?qra # s n < )
H7*TePT3 H T H ^ t ^ ^ t H f t ^ n t e R F THHerf fe fa îfelHf %
■rtî ^ gi? nr? fe e m f f e n Ft \...ni % h t ^r f t #
n? T^> TrHT^cfr Ft ^ W ?t^ t l Htg SlfeTCFT 3W T %
H?nn w t t ^ w fek HFt n^ti ntft, g nt i
«Pi=til : '^tt 31Flf n t STT^TT ! ( fq'j'Hch % n?l '3ii<^)<) 3TFf , 3TFlf
g1? geTT T?t t l
*rTCcfa yuWr<? : / 61
P d ^R : ^FFT t 3 ?
WRcbl : *IFT t , ?*R 3U3^|
Pq<^<*> : ( W * fF fR ) + ^ | U | F t;
^TT : yuMH 3n4 J...3TR ^tft 3!tT ^F Ftl
r=)^<+, : ^f 3TPfat 37tT gF fan i
^JcTT : W 3TFt ^ ^51^1
: W ^T t ?
*JcTT : ^ T R W t sfff ferqT «!TI ^TT*t a?1# ‘HFT^f % 3ig?iR s<i $4ui ^ t
T R ^TT Ftcl! t ^ RFt 'fÎTI TO1! ^f 3TFT ^ F <niqetl
: (<HI=l<rl1 #FR ) =h<rillul Ft ! ^ *tFfR 3R^ fiPT t o ^ t sfcTT\\

«^T! : *TF ^ F ^ T d l ^ c i R ^R t, 3!Ff t ^ T !
■^Trft ^ m ft t l
: (fW m «I!5f 3 ) fc c R ! TIFF! t !
^ t faoiq Ft T5T t l % P it m ft ^ t f 3pm Flt R
< 3 ../^ T !
fa<^l<*> : (RRT 3TraR)^?T 3IT M l ^ F e f t f ^ (<HI<=ldl ^ Rtelldl t l )
^TT^ t ! : W *R I t ?
fq'jqqi : 3TFT^ ^ft 3TT^ 31i ^ d RtRt ^ 4 t t , dyohi 4»<rlI
t ^ I ^ t I : eft W # ^ W ^R ^TT n t t ?... 3ftF ! eT^T eft 3TR ^f
W jg # f t s f a F t T ^n f 1
■RF*! ^ f t -RR ^ a m i %R # c fR
^ ^ % * r "5 h fk w t,
tit ^ f TilTf%sTRT n t RRt
s fk RRt n t J P f ^RT ^cft t l
■CRcJ 3( ft*£l ^ f. ?
^ t ! ^ ^ F t ^F t
f^> RcRt vJ'Hohl f?*!f?T % 3Fp3R ,
f*T3 * t ^ T % fTT*T TF
sftr ^ f 3r ^ n t T^n n r t t % ?
^ T , W TRI^Rt # fR $*! cRR^n % RRT ^ ^TT3ltl
^Tt 3 !k ^ ^FRT f e ^ F W fq i^ r F ^ 3TR1 ^M^ch< ^ l i
^ F R 1 ÎT t l W ! TR ^ F < H lc ld l ^ T t t l
: R ^ 7 3 F !!, R i t n i »lt W F I fe t R T FtRT ! sftT f'F T ^
^ «tt fR T ! 3 !*t ^ ^ ^ TTg^t ^ ! TTR ^ F <Hlc|d1
^ T t ^!T37!t ?
62/ *j^4=bf'i+
■
c ik>'\ti : ‘I^n *T ^Ft t o !
far? f ^ r a 3n^R cfer
"3^ FRl} W 3*Ht *nt?T TTlt «ft,
^r r fh I^ ttt ^r i t
< ciiq < ril % ^ ^ fr< n W T ?1 f I
eft "At TTTtT n t s|3>T W i t F tnt f e ^ f e i f^TT

dW'T ^ft 3TT3TW...c|^mH^ I
fH n t *Ml<M
?ft¥ Ft ?r? Tfcr n t *rr ^ tti
sjm ^ Ft 3TWT FtcIT t ,
3TO: ^ft H 1TF^ Ft ^Tfet TSJT ^T # '^1113; ?
sftr , ^<al ^FT ÎRR <sjd f^T Tt <s^k Tt TR
sfffi ^TITI
fq 'jq c h : ftsfa D^fef 3^fc ^ "3TR ,Tra Tt-^F ^ Ff •H'hdl t ?
ÎWd : ^ SIM fttfa ^Ff \, t o !
ft*fa ^Jfer ^t cfiFT ^TF T^*f t
fe ^ ^rfet ffsrfir % st ^t t r ^ f,
f*T ^ *t 3 T I% TIT*} T t
s ff T ^ F T l^ l ^ft T8t(T ^ T T fe ?
"Efdtl *t cT^ rlî fH^rl FfeT TrWl'Hl'H'll ^T cjl

^ I s f " 5 1 ^ T jf l^ t l
T r f ir ^ ^rag; n t w 3Tc f i
1. ■SC'tlPcM d ry *,
2. 'h i + d l R -^ lR d ntcl
S. ■j*T ^ Icil
4. Hpfl ^>T T M fcw ^ d ym
5. 'PIcrT
6. ?T?TTT? w rr
7. W fcd * ^TTel !fi
8. ■ET5T
y. 5«tcii> H q 6I>H <+Tl = bkl?1
10. ^ t TT
11. > fir a d lH ^ l
12. <SK5I d 'lH ^ l >>t y i f d -*il,

Cilappatikaram
from the Book of Maturai
llanko Atikal
Tamil tradition ascribes the com position of the C ilappatikaram
(5th c. a d ) to the Jaina monk llanko Atikal (The Venerable Ascetic
Prince), the younger brother of the Ceral king Cenkuttuvan. We know
nothing else about him. Like Hom er, llanko was possibly a redactor
w ho took the story of KOvalan and Kannaki from the oral tradition
and put it into w riting. The Cilappatikaram tells the story (Ta. atikaram)
of the events centred around an anklet (Ta. cilam pu). Since the anklet
is one of the insignia of the goddess Pattini, the title establishes the
sacred ch aracter of the story: the heroine Kannaki's apotheosis into
the goddess. The C ilappatikaram deals essentially w ith duty, w ealth
and desire, and its sequel the M a n im lk a lai, attributed to Cittalaic
C attanar, w ith duty and liberation. The story of Kovalan and Kannaki
has been transm itted into a variety of genres, including folk songs,
ballads and plays and also adapted as a novel in Hindi, Suhag ke
N upur (1960), by A m ritlal Nagar.
This kaviyam (narrative poem) is divided into three books, Pukar,
Maturai and Vaftci, named after the capitals of the three Tamil kingdoms
the C sla, the Pantiya and the Ceral. Each book is further divided
into cantos, and in addition to these there are also five song cycles
th at function as a ch oru s to com m ent on the events in the narrative.
The three books also represent the three distinct phases through which
the story m oves, the erotic, the m ythic and the heroic. The erotic
(akam ) and the heroic (puram ) are the traditional categories of Tamil
discourse, to w hich llanko adds the m ythic (puranam ). Kannaki's
exem plary life as a chaste wife im pacts on all three phases and makes
it structurally coherent.
The story begins in Pukar in the Cola kingdom with K 6valan's
desertion of his wife Kannaki for the courtesan Matavi. Kannaki silently
puts up w ith the indignity and grief. Some years later, suspecting
Matavi of being unfaithful, Kovalan returns to his wife. Left penniless
by his indiscretion, Kovalan sets out w ith Kannaki for M aturai, the
capital of the Pantiya kingdom , to recoup his fortune. W hen he tries
to sell one of Kannaki's tw o anklets to the royal goldsm ith, the latter
This excerpt is taken from The Tale o f An Anklet: The Epic o f South India, The
Cilappatikaran of llanko Atikal. New York: Columbia University Press, 1993,
New Delhi: Penguin Books India, 2004. This headnote was written by the translator,
R. Parthasarathy, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York.
64 / Cilappatikaram
im plicates him in the theft of the queen's anklet. Kovalan is executed,

and Kannaki is outraged. She rushes to the palace to dem and an
explanation from the king. Anklet in hand, she ch arges the king
with the m urd er of her husband. The king defends himself saying
that it w as his duty to kill a thief. Kannaki then breaks open her
anklet and gem s leap out proving K ovalan's innocence, since the
queen's anklet contained only pearls. King Netunceliyan acknowledges
his guilt and dies; the queen follows him. In a rage, Kannaki walks
out of the palace. She curses M aturai, w renches off her left breast,
and hurls it over the city, which instantly goes up in flames. The
guardian deity of M aturai appears before her and consoles her. She
tells Kannaki that in fourteen days she will join her husband in
heaven. Kannaki leaves M aturai and travels west to the Ceral kingdom
from w here she ascends to heaven in Indra's chariot. The Ceral king
Cenkuttuvan engraves an im age of Kannaki as the goddess Pattini
on a m em orial stone brought from the H im alayas, installs it in a
tem ple, and orders her w orship.
In sp ite of its ep ic and th e re fo re c o n v e n tio n a l s ta tu s , th e
C ilappatikaram is politically subversive. In the Tamil worldview, even
a king is not spared if he swerves from justice. The hum blest of his
subjects is allowed to interrogate him. The ideal Tamil king is basically
a protector. Kannaki's spiritual authority supersedes the purely temporal
one of the king, notw ithstanding the gender and class differences
between subject and ruler.
The three cantos reproduced below from the second book of
the epic, 'The Book of M aturai', dram atize the confrontation between
king and com m oner in which the king is hum bled. Kannaki turns
her anklet into a terrible in strum ent of vengeance: it becom es a
noose around the king's neck, and Kannaki becom es his executioner.
K annaki rep resen ts the an cien t belief in a divine m ech an ism of
retributive justice for those whom hum an law fails to protect. Her
action is necessary for the orderly operation of society.
Canto 18
The W reath of Sorrow
The dance ended, the elderly herdswoman
Of ineffable charm went to bathe, and adore
With flowers, incense, sandalwood paste and wreaths
The feet of Netumal1 on the bank of the swollen Vaiyai2.
5 In the city someone heard a clamor
And rushed back. She spoke to none, but stood there
Without speaking to Kannaki who begged of her:
'Speak to me! Listen everyone! I don't see

My husband. My mind is confused. The sighs
10 From my heart exceed those from a bellows
Puffing and blowing in a forge. If the sighs
From my heart exceed those from a bellows
Puffing and blowing in a forge,
Won't you tell me what it is everyone
15 Is talking about? May you live long, friend!
Even during the day I tremble with fear.
Not seeing my love, my heart bleeds.
If my heart bleeds at not seeing my love,
Won't you tell me what it is people
20 Are talking about? May you live long, friend!
Help me, friend! I don't see my lord returning.
I fear deceit and my heart swoons.
If I fear deceit and my heart swoons,
Won't you tell me what it is strangers
Are talking about? May you live long, friend!'
Lines 1—23
The woman repeated what was said:
'Saying,
'He is the thief who quietly stole the precious anklet
From the king's palace. He is the thief who quietly
stole.
The men who wore loud anklets slew him.'
30 Hearing this, Kannaki sprang up in a rage

And fainted, as if the moon bursting with light
Had dropped on the wide earth with the clouds.
She wept till her eyes turned red,
And cried her heart out for her husband.
'O where
35 Are you?' and fainted. She recovered and went on:
'Like the unhappy women who keep painful vows
After their dear husbands vanished in the pyre,
Must I suffer and be ruined
Because I lost my husband through the fault
66 / Cilappatikaram
40 Of a king despised by his own people?

Like the unhappy women who lost their husbands
With chests resplendent with fragrant wreaths,
And went and bathed in holy rivers,
Must I suffer and be ruined,
45 O foolish goddess of dharma, through the fault
Of the king whose scepter is bent by evil?
Like the unhappy women drowned in the vows
Of widowhood after their dear husbands vanished
In the pyre, must I give up fame in this life,
50 Cry my heart out and be ruined
Through the fault of the Pantiyan
Lines 24—45
Whose scepter turned away from dharma?
Look at me! All you good herdswomen
Who have come and gathered here, and performed
55 The round dance with foreboding, listen to me!
All you good herdswomen who have come
And gathered here, won't you listen to me?
0 lord of the flaming rays! You that see all
60 That happens in this world clasped by the swirling waves
Tell me, is my husband a thief?'
'He is not a thief, O woman of dark, fishlike eyes!'

Spoke a voice, 'A raging fire will burn this city.'
Lines 45-53
Canto 19
K annaki Goes R ound the City
The Sun spoke thus. Not for a moment did Kannaki,
Her shoulders radiant with armlets, wait there.
Taking the other anklet in her hand, she cried out:
'Virtuous women who live in this city

5 Ruled by an unjust king! Listen to this!
1 have suffered a blow past cure,
When my troubles were about to end, unlike anything else
I had suffered before. Will I recover from it?

Listen to this. My husband isn't a thief.
10 Reluctant to pay the price of my anklet,
They killed him. Listen to this! Will I ever see
My dear husband in your presence, O virtuous women?
Listen to this. If ever I see my dear husband,
I shall hear from only his lips the real truth.
15 If I don't hear the real truth, condemn me,
Saying, "She alone brought misery on him." Listen to this!'
The sight of Kannaki in tears and distraught

Beyond endurance moved the people
Of the rich city of Maturai. Confused, they said:
20 'Untold harm has been done to this woman.

The king's upright scepter is bent!
How did it happen? Eclipsed is the glory
Of the Pantiyan, the king of kings of the moonlike parasol
And spear! How did it happen?
Lines 1-20
25 The victorious king's parasol that kept the land
Cool under its shade now throws off heat!
How did it happen? Before us has come
A new and mighty goddess bearing in her hand
A golden anklet! How did it happen?
30 Her beautiful, red eyes stained with kohl
And spurting tears, she laments inconsolably.
As though filled with godhead. How did it happen?'
Raising indignant voices, the people of Maturai

Lamented thus with Kannaki, and comforted her.
35 In the tumult someone showed Kannaki
Her husband's body. She, the golden vine,
Saw him, but he saw her not.
It was the hour the red-eyed sun
68 / Cilappatikaram
Withdrew his fierce rays and vanished

40 Behind the big mountain plunging this wide world
In darkness. On that amazing evening,
The flowering, vinelike Kannaki wailed aloud,
And the entire city echoed with her cry.
Only that morning she had with joy received
45 From her husband a wreath he had himself worn,
And she had adorned her hair with it. The same evening
She saw him in a pool of blood that spurted
From his open wound. Numbed by the agony
Of his not being able to see her, she mourned:
50 'Seeing me grief-stricken, won't you think,

"She will suffer?" Is it right that your body,
Fair as gold, should lie sprawled in the dust?
Lines 21— 40
Won't they say, "This is the doing of your own karma,"

That forced the king in his ignorance to cause
55 This grief? Is it right that on this amazing evening.
With no one to comfort me in my grief,
Your fair chest heaped with wreaths
Should lie clinging to the earth? Won't they say,
"This is the doing of your own karma,"
60 That forced the Pantiyan's error the whole world
Condemns? Is it right that you should lie here
In the dust with blood spurting from your open wound
Before this weak, unfortunate one, her eyes
Brimful of tears? Won't they say, "This is the doing
65 Of your own karma," that forced the king
To murder for which his people condemn him?
'Are there women here, are there women?

Are there women who would allow such vileness
Done to their own husbands? Are there
70 Such women here? Are there good people here,
Are there good people who cherish and rear

Their own children? Are there such good people here?
Is there a god? Is there a god?
Is there a god in this Maturai whose king
75 Erred with his fierce sword? Is there a god?'
As she raved, and caressed the chest
Of her husband where Laksmi had ensconced herself,
It seemed that he rose to his feet, and said:
'O! the bright, full-moon face has paled,'
And wiped her tears with his hands. The fair woman
Lines 41—64
Collapsed on the ground and clasped

The precious feet of her husband with both hands,
Radiant with bangles. Again he rose,
Cast aside his human form,
85 And ascended to heaven with a host of gods, saying:
'Girl with bright, flowerlike eyes
Shaded with kohl! Live here in peace.'
Kannaki cried:
'Is this a vision?
What else is it? Is it a spirit that has tricked me?
90 Where shall I go and look? Full of truth
Were his words. Till the wrath that burns in me
Is appeased, I will not hold my husband
In my arms. I will confront the evil king
And demand an answer.'
She rose, stood up,
95 Remembered her terrible dream, and wiped the tears
From her wide, fishlike eyes. She stood up, remembered,
Wiped the tears from her wide, fishlike eyes,
And strode toward the palace gates.
Lines 64-75
70 / Cilappatikaram
C anto 20
The D em and for ju stice
'Friend! In a dream I saw the scepter
Tumble down with the parasol. I saw the bell
At the palace gate ring by itself and toll.
Friend! I saw the eight points of the compass
5 Quiver. I saw the night devour the sun.
Friend! I saw a rainbow span the night.
I saw a meteor blazing with heat fall by day.
T h e O m ens
'The upright scepter, the white parasol
Fall upside down on the solid earth. The bell
10 At our king's victory gate trembles
And makes my heart quake. The rainbow spans
The night, and the meteor falls by day.
Some evil is about to happen. I must tell the king.'
Thus spoke the great queen. Maids adorned

15 With resplendent jewels followed her:
Some held mirrors, some held ornaments,
Some held new clothes, some held silks,
Some held caskets stuffed with rolls of betel,
Some held paints, some held pastes
Some held the paste of the musk deer,
Some held chaplets, some held wreaths,
Some held yaktail fans, some held incense.
Hunchbacks, dwarfs, mutes, and maidservants
Clustered thickly about the queen. Women
Lines 1—20
25 With sweet flowers in their hair sang
The king's praises:
'May the great queen of the Pantiyan
Who protects this earth clasped by the sea
Live forever!'
Her companions and guards who sang
Her praises at her every step followed. Thus with her train
30 The great queen approached the Pantiya king
On whose chest LaksmI is ensconced forever, and told him
As he sat on the lion-throne of her bad dream.
At that hour a terrible cry rent the air.
'Ho gatekeeper! Ho gatekeeper! O gatekeeper of the king

35 Who has forsaken his wisdom, whose vile heart
Has turned away from justice! Go tell the king
A woman, bearing an anklet from a pair
Of tinkling anklets, who has lost her husband
Waits at his gate. Go tell him.'
40 The gatekeeper came before the king and spoke:
'May our lord of Korkai live forever! May the lord
Of the southern mountain live forever! May Celiyan
Live forever! May Tennavan live forever! May Pancava
Whom scandal has not touched live forever!
45 She is not Korravai, the goddess of victory
With the fierce spear in her large hand,
Standing on the buffalo's neck that spurts
Continuous blood from its open wound.
She is not Anariku, the youngest sister
Lines 20—38
50 Of the seven virgins, who made Siva dance.
She is not Kali who lives in the dreadful forest.
She is not Durga who tore apart the broad chest
Of Daruka. Pent up with hatred and anger
At the loss of her husband, she stands
55 At the gate, a golden anklet in her hand.'
The king answered:

'Let her come in. And bring her over here.'
The gatekeeper led Kannaki to the king.
She rushed to him. He asked:
'With tears
72 / Cilappatikaram
In your eyes you have come before us,

60 Young vinelike girl! Who are you?'
Kannaki replied:
'Impetuous king!
Listen to what I have to say. Pukar
Of great renown is my town. One of its kings
Of spotless glory once rid a dove
65 Of its suffering to the wonder of the gods.
Another had his only son killed under the wheels
Of his chariot. He was burned to the quick
By the tears falling from the eyes of a cow
That swung the bell at the palace gates.
70 O king with tinkling anklets! Born in Pukar
As the son of Macattuvan, a merchant prince
Of untarnished fame, Kovalan came to Maturai
For a living, driven by his karma. When he was here
Lines 38-60
To sell my anklet, he was murdered.
75 I am his wife: Kannaki is my name.'
The king said:

'O divine woman! It is not unjust
To kill a thief. You should know it is the king's duty.'
Kannaki of the shining ornaments replied:
'O lord of Korkai who does not dispense justice

80 Impartially! You should know that my golden anklet
Screams with gems.'
Said the king:
'Woman
With a sweet voice! What you have said is true.
Our anklet is filled with pearls. Give me yours.'
She gave it, and it was placed before the king.

85 Her precious anklet she broke open,

And a gem leaped into the king's face.
He saw the gem. His parasol rolled,
His scepter bent, and he spoke up:
'Am I a king? I listened to the words of a goldsmith!

90 I alone am the thief! Through my error
I have failed to protect the people
Of the southern kingdom. Let my life crumble in the dust.'
He fell down in a swoon. His great queen

Shuddered in confusion, and said:
Lines 60—80
'There is no refuge
95 For a woman who has lost her husband.'
That woman
Of soft words touched her husband's feet and died.
En vo i
1
'Dharma itself will become the god of death
To those who do evil.' It is no idle thing
That the wise say. O queen of the victorious king
100 Who acted cruelly and unjustly! A slave am I
Of my karma. See what I shall do.
2
'I am a sinner,' cried an onlooker.
Tears pour from her blue-lotus eyes. Her hand
Clasps a single anklet. Lifeless her body.
105 Like a forest, her dark hair spread about her.
The Pantiyan saw her, and died of terror.
3
'When the lord of the Vaiyai saw the dust on her body,
Her dark hair undone, the single anklet
74 / Cilappatikaram
Blazing in her hand, he lost heart. Her words

Pounded his ears, and he gave up his life.'
Lines 80— 93
1. Netumal : one of the names of Vishnu

2. Vaiyai : the Vaikai River in Maturai (M adurai) district
3. Dharm a : A system of law, duties, rites and obligations incumbent
on a Hindu according to his or her class and stage
of life.
4. K arm a : Usually the consequences of acts perform ed by
someone that predeterm ines h is/h e r fate.
5. Laksmi : the goddess of prosperity and beauty and consort
of Vishnu
6. Chaplets : A garland or circlet of beads used as a head ornament.
7. Korkai : an ancient port, formerly at the mouth of the river
Tamiraparani in the Pantiya kingdom
8. Celiyan, Tennavan,
Pancavan titles of the Pantiyan King
9. Korravai Durga as the goddess of w ar and victory
10 . Ananku sacred pow er; one of the names of the goddess
Durga. Every woman, not only goddesses, is invested
with sacred power.
11. Kali the black goddess; the name of the goddess in her
destructive aspect
12. Durga 'the inaccessible one'—the name of the ferocious
aspect of the goddess
13. Daruka a demon killed by Durga
14. Ponni the Kaveri River (Cauvery)
15. Netiyon one of the names of Vishnu
16. Kandava A forest sacred to Indra, burned down by Arjuna
as an offering to Agni
arfzwrf
W R T ‘ I w n i f ^ l T R ' 3?t TERT 3?T & T ^=T 'gPr ^ R T t 3Tfef?T (TjjRT

clldil'O < N $ H K ) ^ $cft t l W i t 3 q f t W fafeiJId ^ T T T W ^ W K H % ^
^ $1 a ra e ft "TFT ^ f t | ^T?t JiiMcii I ^ ^ R T arftTî 3TlT '^TU ^ra
"Tft tl ?t*R ^rt eRF TRêT: foRit ’Tt fTI TI*! % TT?fl*T^> *t f^FFH td'wm aftr
+ UU|^| ^ f t ^ ? p ft W RT 3 3 3 l| «ft 3ftT ^ M 'T sR J 3 R *TTI
‘ tT T e F q fW m ’ <H W^TTaff =Ft t "3ft TT=F (atTspuT) % ^ T c it
t l 'P fffe ' ^ f t TTSZpT ^ T 3 ra fe a n ^ f ^ t IFfaTT ^ H t ^ T TTT'fo ITP??t
f* m <Rg ¥ t f e n ^ ft T*nft?T t i ?TRFt h i Rj + i ^ r ^ iF t ^ t ^ t ^ ^?pft
^Tcft t l T W d ^ R ^ I W ’ ^ R f : ûfsiT, *FT a fa 3?t <TT*TT t l f*T<*ft t ^ R T 3
‘ R p n ^T e l? ’ 3?t t*H?ft ?tcft t fa y + 1 W H I+ K R U M I* * . TRHR ^THT "5TRTI t l
^cfsT 3Ttr Wd'^dl ■gÎ O TT TFTT t l ^fNeR aftr «+>uu|gl =fft ^T?T=ft
fo*Traft' 3 ftemt t fartf' dt+'ild, =n<+i«^ aftr ^nfa^r t i f l^ t 3 it t
c£8TT 3? 3TTKTK XR 3T«JcT W?T "TFR } ‘ TJfFT % "£ £ ’ (I9 6 0 ) ^TRT3T T3=F ^RTRT
fe r a iti
*TF 3TreqH ^Toq ( e b ftitH ) # T ^ s t 3 t - ^ R , 3?R °f«Ftl
1 IH cft-T dfntrl <1^ ) 3 it i M ’tllPl'Hl —q ld , Hlu^ 4 a fo ^ T % 3TTt(R ^ T ^ TT^ t l
T lt^ F 7 ^5 % ^Fi 3 W t 3Ttr fTT% 3 r f M w ^TR ^ ft *ft ^HCI^Frl t t #
t *ft aTTWT 3>t STS'flaft *R fd uHufl + % firT^ <*>ltw Tftc? n t ^ F h ^ I Pr*fT^
t i ^ cM ' w # i f*p=r 3T?5«n3ft' «ft irRrPrfticer ^ t f t r a % ■srfto; ^ ? F f t
ariTt «rsrft t i ^ 3Torr«mi t - w m rn r, s ftr hw +î 3 7 ft n r R i
(3TT^rg) ( 1JTR) crfJTff fg *R f ^ f t 4K‘mR+ tl 3TfelcT
C sîurg) ^ "sits^ t i ^ xrf^sr • q # % ^ + u « i^ ^ 375^ ^
'jfict'l ? N t 3T^r«IT3ff ^ t Tf^llqcl ^TcTI t s ftr I 7? TJ^> TJ^ ^ n ^T fn t l
Cheill ^ f t ?J^3TRT ^ t? f TT^T ^ ? R T«TH ^ itc ft t t =hlqcl-1 ^
-R iq^t % 3 m t tfo ft <*>uu|f{) qRoMI'l ■SFT f W tl <+>uu|gl T F^T
3TTRH 3ftT ^ ft îTrfl t l ^ 'RT^Nt % 'TT TT^W
if i 1r ^ ? r t s t i # ^tcft % w m rr srmr t i 3 t ^ a r f ^ r % ^ t t ^ t
f a n =fftêR 3 T ^ T f t w q ^ t WTTTt ^Ft 3TT9TT RFft «b»«l^ % Tn«t -q p r^ r t j ^T
^ f t TJST^TPTt 'STT xtf^ T T t l ^ chûipl n t h iw % feTQ; ^liel

■Mu[=hK % TIRT H ^ d l t eft ^TTft t q uf'hl< ^T t 1R <IHl % HNerl n t # f t îT
76/
STTTt7? qTRI I? I =hlqoi-i 3 it TJf^J T 'r S ^ feTT '3TR(I t 3^T =huuiel 7J ^ Tt *R

^Tcft t l ^ F TT5TT 3 TW feT<JI n * H % R fe l 3TtT ^ t s R^cft t l ^JHTt RTRel
3Pl4 FI*? ^ <MI % <JiRT 3TR^ Rfcl 3 ft ScMI 35T 3hk1 M d 'lld l t l T m
*TF <*>!?<*>< 3 T W «T3Tct 3TTcJT t fe T3=?T ^ 3 ft 3r*ToZJ t l
^s> 3hm-i1 t o 3 ft cil-s^tx <gloi t l ^3TFt Tt 7 H t ^ i ^ R Pq<a<. t
j f l 'fi'lqoi-i 3 ft PisTRiai 3 ft f t^ 5 3TT ^ t 3 3 lf e Tl-ft 3 ft HN'n "R <^qet "Rt^t
■5ft «tl T M ST'FTt *iclcll 3ft *<fl=t>K 3>Tai t l 3 fk , <j«=hl Ft "^TRTT t l THt
3 ft *ft TJcg ? t ■SITcft t l sFt^r 3 *TTt cb uul^1 RfeT 3 n ? T 3TI W t t l cf? R^T?
3 ft ?TTR ^ d t t l 5T H I ® | ?TTtT Tt ^h ? cM t t -3TtT HTt ';FTT % ^3FTT <s»l<rt
■^ft t l W*JÎ Î6< 3TFT f^T W d l t l ^ TTT8tf3) ^ t R3iuuis1 H^TS * jts ^ d t t sftT Rf(T % ^? fa % f^T* n t H ^t % ( 't i'lR - f 'b 'I ll W T
3 ft 3Tk ^ eFFft t l R R 3H W I 3 ft W S t RT 3 F ' 3 F # t l =TFf 14 f e r ^ R
^c(cH3Tt 3 ft T^3T TTSeft % Tfl*} c ^ q ^ - t R f 3 ^ t sftT d-lcb T*T ''TT T m T ftW <
3TTOT^t W f W t '3TT?ft t l ^ T T T W ^TJK ^ H ^ F TTRT3TT R13TT chuuf^l cfct ^ffoRT
3>1 f=T733 3R fn t l =(F fFRTeTR Tt frldlteUS efl3TT s m t TM «(Ht R + u u |^ l
3 ft ijR f qnqi=h< ^ ufdrtrfd 3 rra i t i
RÎ3)I<>4 % W l f f e 'R ^ % n ^ 5 J 5 R ld ^ R + K R <Nd1Pd<=h ' f f e
shi(ci=t>iO t l cTpTeT f e m ^ SPK TJ3? TF5H *ft ^ P W ^ m Ftcn f # ^
^TRT -TFt fe^TT '31T ■H=bcli I TF?i| 3iT ?jt^ ^ ^ f e l s j f e f TRT ^ T l^ ra 3 iT ^ m
S lftI3rR l t l + uule>l ^ t 3HHnffR35 W T R I 3 ft 4f?T3? TTrn n t W 3TT ^ f t
ti ^ Tm a rk % 41 q fe fn s lfr n f 3st 3 r it fRH n c ir t i
^r^ST e^t': H5l=t)l'^ % ^ ^ teT^ ^ TFf TRI 3Ttr 1^3?
WRT^T o^lfeT % "#3 Pqqi^ =Ft ^.sfllrl t f5RT^ TT5TT 3ft RTT5T3 T^feR3t HSdl
t l ct»uu151 3Fpf| Hiqtri 3ft ^rfcf?fttf % 'md'+i ff^PTR ^ e l ^cft t l '3?' MNcrl T M
3ft j I<{h % f f R ^TTcft t 3ftT 3TiJTMFt T M 3ft TT31T ^ n # l
3nrorFt ^TT R T#T fe M T T 3 ft ^ 3 7 t f e f^ F # M Hcfh 3 ^ ÎPT w f i
RTeTl '5 ^ ' |? 3 T % 3TPJR ^ ÎFT fR51 n e n t l =huul6l ^ t y fo fe q l s f k TJ5U 3 it
fR?n TTRT5T % l- |RdM H % 3TT3?^3? t l
TIRTt gJT 3TFTCR

^ ^ft ymPki m
T?te JcHPdH ( w t )
fM^ToTFT Ffer
■gjrfN *j r . q-^'t-FFi aftr tttcTT irfecT
■^TfRT ^TCt q|F| (% ff2) ^
c
I
S’
fa^ _
?f
-?|\o
<^l£/
IIff-15 I^
I*
If J e IE 25f *(l&
s ^
*£ I f
-Jlic. t\
IP ^ IS)
I
1^
^
*(5 ^tlC/ <tio -iflC/
if‘5
^ J ^ *|
$ !> & -iflD
S Kr £
s' •>*r rc ha 1 ^
P* 'tf
Iff 6? Iff
** El
15
I?
Hs 'lit/ i iff
? ‘fr I*’ ftr’
ff
^fr "ll
f ^fr fr> ? £ %>
78/
3Tcf: t , wfc-fl eft!

^JFRt ^ rr t R>1R?”
cf«T ôRTI
“ #RT 3 RRT—
(cbkdH ^ )
TT5T RF^T % Rif
^ q % 3 '^ i^ o iid i r h r r -
ÎH^HIc) R ft cFRm W I Rw.^kH ( # f e f ) 3
R*T RR fRRTT f e n t l ” 3
eROTTT^t Tjf^?T ^
R ? ^RRTT
cbuui^l
cs«icict)< '3Bl aftr

f e ; R ^t,
RTRf f e r 4 f3 tt ^
RR ^rfgcl
f ^ J R *jfR RT
f*R R5T ITtl
ST^RTR *l4n l
T fe R
RsT TtRt;
3TR^ R% % Ufa
‘T O R>¥
4) <sl BSt 3lfc
f t r a f e n RTcit
Tjf^cT i\ RRtl
cbuui^l ^ t w r r
(STR^t TTT8T) 3RRft^R ft?. RfRR* %
c k ll-* H = b f^cTT fenril-l RT

o R n -W R % ^R (^ V o R ) RR RRrlR RT*R f i r
*!TC<ffa : ii*Fr / 79
^5-}qicrt1 -1lR4l %
% 3M V % m m
3T ^ fiPT m ft ^
i* ki P rf^ r Ffa>i,
^FTT, feTFT W t f t f e ^TTS?
gnfamq faviid ^ 3 ^ ftpi?w m
3 -o^l^jei Ft
fafasj cftsj? ^ 'FIFT
TF^tT# * 1 ' % ^ T R ,
3w4-far?r t f 3k ^ ^ -grp TFsn %

3TTO*T 3> nR^T,
% -gRt ^ t ,
^ T , fêllH îd l f t fiT2 ^TT35?
3T ^ ^ T 7$ fir
ste ^rfir %
cT<T facTT fqcih F^t m
■f=n«j»ci ^>T
cft*f V m +^=lld1 feRTTTOT # 1 % *TCR,
(^' *it)
* * 4 - ^ TF5RTT? qTOT ^fsm y f %
3TtTW % W 1
55dW 3 wls=b< "ETcTFT ^>T^,
°4l<$><yl FI,
^ n , fqciiH ^JTcft f t f e "^rra; ?
" # r t -<m ^ r m fr r ? ”
qfôqcn4 % ^
3 yfefacT ffW * t !
(^4 m n r)
fqs'iioi enTff ^ ■gm ^ fart ^jfa
80/
e[*T Ft I
era 3 -g ^ r %
f 3 tt T# ? ”
^J?J ^T C(T*1
^F*ft ^ t ' t l
w i H«61,
‘ ‘ 3RJPTt <.MI % "RR ^f ft^R T m ^ M t
TTcft ■Tlf^Tt!
^ F T3=P t l
**
3 T ^ oJT«TT cFT 3^jq cf % n i
3RTU o^SIT W t l
3 n ^ F t Ffal n ?
n ? T^> t l
“ Ttn TfeT
n « ft TFt FT W T I
t f t TfTT % "g ^ ^ W<T % fa r
( f c t f t ^ ) F ^T tl
*TR<ffa Hlfijril : T3=F trffgq / 81
tl
“ ■^T % Ft
3T^ fiPT xrf^T 'aÔ I

n? ^ tl
“ fiFT n t ^ e it
cfEFT ^ f j l t l
"?IF ^ tl
“ Pi ^Th 3 ti h q ^ i ^ TF ^TT^ eft
■g# ^:<sK|Rh1 HK=M
^ t ^ tl
^F ^ t l”
Hm<*ifti odiftid p ;
■^TT ^ F o5rf«TrT s fa n
sra^rai 3 facTFT cb^clldt nt ^
StTF
% m , tw ft
fq^Rnd f ^ l
“ a r ^ r fW ozrn
<^n ^ t \<*><
^ t c ^ ^T F t^ T e n
Ft 7FIT t l
^f ^ n fs n ?
“ TF3fTf^Tr3f 3lfa
< a ^m i< l ^fSFT
Ft W tl
^F *F?T f3TT ?
“ ’j f a ^ ?ftaci fe sra t 3 ■gm
9^5 ('■k?T) % *Ma<n ^
aiH R î t l
m? ^ftt fs n ?
8 2 / 'farPxrfk»!<>i
FT*1 ^ <j<j|<)
F *n} fa tj;
TT^T ^JcFT HSI'Wl 3Tlf f f I ?
^ F %1T f3CT?
“ ■y^< st ^ t t 'Hi ^ 'k i
3T^H TpSffi ^-■hIsO
■ ^T nTcft,
31TF m a t TT^H m ^ M t m
TTFft ^°[ Ft 37m 'tl

w % s tn c r i? ”
- f S W R % ?T^ ^ F
^rf^cT F t
e f^ t fTRT w lsci fT i
yir=IHI ^ tl
Mfd eFf ^T§T
T n t ' f e n ct><')qicil l-t
fa?IT<rI % F c t TI H-curi c il'll ^

(-3$) 1T% n t R^NII
vlcîîi c fv c R ^ n -iT t "3 iH
ty ra n t ^ § t
"3Tt ^Teft â T I
^ tp ^ ft fHrrr?r *jfa
3T*mTC o iiik i n r? i ftj;,
a re n fa rn fi ^Ten ( t j 4 ^ t )
3 m t ST^T fe r n f BFt T O T
■RFF t t^rT 'CR ^tT fts m
3RT%jfa f t f lt % ^PFT
■J^T-cTfTI ( '+i |J'j ^1 ) % "EIW1
HJk ^
IF
Iff a?
Iff Hr
IB Iff £ ft I
|
Iff
I I 1?
Huy
‘I
ff % 4 I
M Z $' I ft
f 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 f *■ i 1 1 j I f l | | & e
S’ e S ^
?! 7
3" I *
l l i i m i i l i
¥ p
&
84/
3 n (eft7!) HFt
n? ^ T T
Tin m f - W ! t\ t ? ”
■5 ^ t# R T % 'SFg®,
^n ^ ki îttr
Tm M ^ frfgc!
i^nRd FtnT TST T§?
^Fiai % Prî n<<t,
'fT % 3TTON n<ct
c ph (eft7!) '•iFt
“ ^ f , ^ f ( 5 : ^ ) *rm
■Q3 > m f - n e f Ft t ? ”
■iMHWT
“ =r t , n f t n *ft t i
n f t n *ft t ?
^r11! fn*t xrfcT Tn§t [q hR< n r
w - i n r ^ n e ft n f t n *ft t i
^Fft n f t n *ft t i
"SRT TTFR t?
TT?H *ft I ?
(sr A %) ^ fViy, n t d=h<
Hid'i w r ’ft t ?
TfFR *ft I ?
“ ^n ^ *ft I ?
■^FI ^ *ft f ?
trjr? 3
w ^ t i t t?
sr t ^ t fft t ? ”
*IRcfN ■wifccq : / 85
<JR
t^ t ^>f
ffcft =tiu,jie1 %
3 T ^ ■'}% %
^ 3 e F m 3T#FH
^ F (<*)<*rtH)
“ i j U M ^ - ^ r (<pFKT) <S^c|<rl -5 ®
w ti”
-T O fR ^ 3 T ^ FW 3
SFf^TTf#!
Tt^T =FR^ aftr
k ra fe q f
, jf*T f*R
3P^ ^ #53 W T f ^
^ feqf 3 3 ^^rsr f e
('fcM d H ) 'jTsfr 5<k1< ^ft tfl-s
'3)tTT •idl,
3T^> 3FRt % TPJi? î
‘ ‘ 3TSB-TfacT H^HMldl!
Tftl ” —
cr>ecf>< ^cTT 7FTfl
* U U |^1 f^RTT
“ 3*JT, ^ F RFIT 1??
^ft aftr 'JfcS?

■g?( # g * r ^ t a M i ^ ^ t?
^ ^>F? îlqH ^ ?
qS' ff l* f e ^TFf t l
( 3 F ^ ) cTCT gfttr % H ^F
Trf?r ^ "TFt f e j r h
^ fa^ fR
'^TT0T l ^ f t l ”
fcM'M-gR % % îf^RT
C ^T ) f ^ T *?t ^fiqcT f W I
TRT ^ TqTI
f^r î ■mt ^ i
3TT3f fc?TTC W F T H ^F ffl
^ faqfo 3TT^T# t l
3 ^ ftl”
^ TRTR ^ 5 1 ^ -
TRt W 3TTWT
^rfuf sjquT, ^ ^R ,
TTPT fe f^ T , in , ^ f ,
*J*|iH<-c^T, 'RTelT, f R , ^ r e , afft

(TjsqcF-Tjsqcfr) c f^ cfTffit
w ? m fq; 3 ’jfe r ^ R i 4 w
^ 3^T*f
^ affT ^ ■g^jf % WfHcbd W t,
^ ft! irî< +¥11=1 Id) 3 ^ ( W * F ^ T # tf) %
3 M ’j f a ^FT
w i =h<îtrl ■qffen ^
HSKIH) 7 # 'l” ~
c f^ R 3 ^f?T
^ ^
T llW S T f 3Ttr ^ R f^ T 3 T f % ^TFPT Tpi TP^,
HSKUl %
SR^ ofTcf (TF5IT ^ ) qcTT^Tt
^ jJTTT ff^w i p e n c il ^fl^T
fw li 3 * }rt d ^q arra^ h< ^ h Its rt «m
<*>UU|g) 1RTTM ^
3?k ?*rc-
(+"JU|g) ^ gKMld ^ ^ , )
SKMIcrl! # gKMItrl!
W i- W l^T q T H 3 ^
88/
^ ^ d <MI % 1RTO!
Wrai ^ - 1 1 ^ f%
^ % 'jftt ^ TJÎ
^r«f 3 ^Rt
^ft 3TC^ ntci t,
SR ^ ll
-3|l'b< ■(ÎHI ^ l ”
^KMH % TJERT
SJÎd ^ 'J|I<M ^>??T,
‘ ‘ fo M ft,
fu rt -yr f ^ M t f l i
^fs*m fn ft C # ^ ) % 3rf%rc,
r^<v*n°n ?fi
^Pn -4^ r-K'^cil ^'|
^%JT % T M # = f t f f l
*lFf ''R 'Jil'i^ld
Mlfrs<H f^ s ftc ft f f l
^TTSct ^ ^f*TC ^ y^Ki
U f ^ d cfRt ^ T - ^ T fe r ^ tr ^
cblnel eTcTi ^
f^ R ft *JT^ 3 ^SRI
+ *M ld l ^ 3 T $ I f f I ;
*5: ( q i^ iS ff) ^ l$\z\ -ik) ,
f?ra % -JÎ ^ ^ 3
7?T ''R 'JiHI cfc^clldl êf),
’T^RtT ^T ?^5T ^K'ft churl I 3f«T^T
SK?^ % fa ^lld cf^r
^ l ^ l d l ^Rt «ft - ^ f t ;
* p R chl(|JKl 3 "3^T
■q^r w > f 1H* ^ ^ *^.
3Tcqf*W *1^ ^ 'g^tT sfft
gTpTa-Ft ^ ^TRt,
*<Kcita «ifec4 : / 89
^ft 3^ -qf?i t,
W ^ tl”
" y.'t) i k I
3N^ ■q1% ^ ^ ^fcjt i?,
SR m i i ”
<H5 TF5TT ^ <*>$1,
^ w > n # !”
(iR w r 3 ) sir ■'rc
"RFeT R o n i i ”
^ f ■RfcT ^
^fr % Pi'De fft ( t t st t ^ )
‘‘ 3T^ «Jfl^ f t i %it' ^ffcT
<HIH^ 3hi*h1
^taeT cWT-# g*? ^ ?”
~3Q eFtcJrFT ^ TTrft \

( =+>uu|^l ^ ef^T,)
“ 3 ir ^ id ^7!
■g^ ^ *5 «t>5'ii i? i
3rf^SJ -Rffrn ^ ^cff %
ft?t,
falFT tftw ^ T I ^ t FHiiAqid sftr
3HPdR=M
SR-f^TcT ^ % TTKJ -5ftn % ^ R T f f t ,
WT ^ft 3?M ' ^Ft ^fat' 3 yelled 3T^ %
ît 5fe1T^ ^
^ R I 3N^ f t 3tg?m TJ5t *Ft
T * T - ^ 3 HKÎei ^T
3# ■aftra: ^JfR f t t^T W tl
■3^1 '^PR % fi^Tq H5tq ^
%
h w i ^ ih cfrr ^
ît 'jfift'î % fei^
^ f-H iei ^ stfer iI^ r ,
t ■j'T!
"FR ^f 3TRT 3rtr
^ 1 iy ftlH 'Jtlch<
gifR) 3Tft 3 "RRT ^
"OT qilqeii ^ t 'Trfl 5jJ
^ ru iff tR t i t R f| ”
rftr?
“ $RTO (Jr^l -1I<1!
^ itl
TTRHT T O W f t;
t^pg: T R tl”
<MI % i^.'HI 'fcS') ^
^^W^Tofr +«U|^ ^ ^TfT,
“W f ^ 'T ^lA=llcrt
t <t)|ef>5 'As'l I
TR 'TIT % ^
Trfbj % cfrq f| ”
d R d 3fo[ 3T^5T t l
Tffcff % cbul t l
(*[TT^ ^^t) 3^t oTT3^|” 3i?
<Ni %
(w s i 3 ) w w w i
3 ^ } W 'p f % ^ T rf& T -^ ^ 3
Trai % tR fod=t)Aqicii
■RfoT f t «UI
W tfh l h IV ^ / 91
^ TT3TT 3T5PTcT
t# T <*it
f t t fq; s ^ w i 3TR
M«T?T <MWc|lcril f t ,
TTSfT,
“ ■g^ % ^ ofit ^HHqldl ^f
3*JT TF51T {[?

^ ft
3T5tFm ^ 1 W 1 «KH=IMi
^fST0! ^T sdl'H'l
"5^ f t ^RTII
■ffal 'jflefl -l&d f t W ^ l ” —
^ f ^ HR 3T9Tfhf f t f t r xt s t i
^ft h ^ kih I
#FT
3R<T-°irc<T ^1
“ ttRt cfit -sit i§t
(STT^gRR % 3 ) f^ g r^ % % t t
^Tft f t m i ” -
<+)$dl
■gf - q ^ R lf^ ft
(T M % ) ^>t
q^Vil *Rcfl ^
ftT TTStl
*UU|£| % cTER
( «=hUU|^l } ^ f l , )
“ 3T*pf f^TFT% f^TT f t ,

fcrR *Pf TJ5^ ^ Îcll t l ’—
3 ^ fa^ ^ n T cfn ^ ^ K R «tt
f R s f e T ff t l
92/
^ 3 tr ■■*>*far<rfi %
^ft eh^lft,
qt ^gti
“ ^Tlfa-'yq (^Hf?T W ft') 3 ^ 3T^,
m 3 -^ ,
TfRf ?R r T q f c w tf 3TR
■JpT Mlfn-il %
^T W ^ W 3T o^ t ^ t ^73
w ftc r f f a r
^ s c i (TT^T?) ^T W f t ^FTTl”
q y f* ^>T WER
?R R T7T ^>t *jf?I,
fWOt rf'HIH 3Tef^t,
fT*T 3 'Q7F ^ J< , 3TR
3?^ ^ft ft
^T M*lfad f s n i
g^cff % ?I^t %
eFprf TJ#T f f t f t
c if w t f 3 fsn i
1. : c0 h6<
2. <^^HI: rftrl, HTit
3. *raft +lcidH f^Ti ^n«n cTOt 4>uuia1 etf ^ ? t ^
*rc 3 w f ^t far ^ ?f *ft 3*rt w w r - f ^ N ^ <**
4. Hfqa«4flT : f^RTîl ft-TT 3ReT f t , ft-ft, ^TRl
5. ^5f>: ^51, tji[dM
6. sff^T: ^l-ini % f^ ft dMs^ ^ft îT-t Îcft
You Have Put Up a Show
and
How Can I Live
Namdev
The character of the m edieval Bhakti m ovem ent w as pan-Indian.
It breached rigid social, cultural and religious divisions, and prom oted
and strengthened id eolog ical in teractio n and m utual d ialogu e am ong
d ifferen t lin g u istic zones. N am dev w as one of the m ost active and
p rom inent sain ts in the in itial stages of the m ovem ent. H is period of
literary creation is the 14th century. H e w as b orn in M aharash tra
and his w ritings are found in b oth the lan g u a g e s-H in d i and M arathi.
M any scholars con sid er him to be found er o f the N irgun (d evotion
to a form less G od) trad ition. N irgun b hakti b eliev es in th e w orship
of a fo rm less, in tan g ible god, w hile Sagun accep ts the tan g ible as
w ell as the in tan g ible God.
N am d ev p reced es K ab ir in h isto rica l ch ro n olog y . K ab ir and
other con tem p orary p oets have resp ectfu lly m entioned N am dev in
their w orks. N am dev w as a friend of the com poser of the G naneshw ari,
saint G naneshw ar. W hen G naneshw ar, retu rnin g after touring N orth
Ind ia, vo lu n tarily en tered his grav e, N am dev w as presen t. N am dev
has d raw n touching pictures of his frien d 's d ep arture in m any abhangs
(a poetic form ). A num ber of m iracles are also associated w ith N am dev.
H is w ritin gs are the exp ressio n s of a d eep ly d ev otion al heart. The
d iv isio n s o f Sagun and N irgun th at w ere w itn essed in H ind i, are
absent in the M arath i sain t trad ition.
Som e of N am d ev 's poetry is of N irgun ch aracter and som e is
m arked by Sagun sen sitivity . N am dev cou ld n ot recon cile h im self to
the d om estic life o f a hou seh old er and he cam e to liv e in P and arp u r
w ith the in ten tio n of serving h is lord , the deity V itth al. M ost o f the
verses of N am dev are ad dressed to V itth al. A long w ith V itth al, som e
o f his v erses are also ad dressed to H ari, K eshav, M ad hav, G ovind,
Ram and others. Born in a tailo r's fam ily, N am d ev's poetic m etaphors
are m o stly related to th e p ro fession of tailorin g (and in his use of
m etaphors he casts h im self as a tailor).
'M y h e a r t is m y m e tre a n d m y to n g u e is m y s c is s o r
M easure by m easu re I w ill cut the noose o f the god o f d eath ',
and
These excerpts are from The Hindi Padavali o f Namdev. Delh: Motilal Banarasidas,
1989, pp 166, 171-172.
94 / You H ave Put up a Show and How Can I Live
T h e need le is gold and the thread is silver.

N am d ev 's heart is sew n to G od '.
In 'Y ou H ave Put up a S h o w ', N am dev n arrates the pran ks of
his heavenly Father. God is the creator, and the destroyer of illusions,
and He grants salv ation to the one w ho takes the pro tectio n of H is
nam e.
In 'H ow C an I L iv e', N am dev reiterates his faith in G od 's nam e
and its p ro te ctiv e p o w ers. H e n a rra tes the m any m iserie s in the
w orld and asserts that the path to salv ation is not through know ledge
or in stitu tionalized religion, bu t through con tem p lation of the Lord.
40
You have put up a show ,
Father,
a m agic show .
I like the m an
w ho is not taken in.
Life is a show
death is a show
to these the m ind clings.
Thus I m editated:
You are both
the string
and the puppeteer.
I seek your shelter.

End our birth
and death,
says N am dev.
51
How can I live
w ithou t you?
You are the rock
of m y life.
Your nam e is
the substance
the rest of the w orld

is hollow .
Y our nam e is
the support
in thought w ord and deed
in this K a li 1 age.
The w orld has m any hells

terrible sufferings
w ithout end
O Creator.
Let m e live in bliss
at your lotus feet.
W hat is this veil

that keeps me
from you?
Greed
am bition
lust?
A rare devotee finds redem ption
his m ind fixed on
Ram
M en flow w ith V ed as 2
in the sw ift w aters
o f delusion
V itth al 3 is the Lord
of his servant N am dev
O take me
to the other shore.
1. Kali Kaliyug, the age of discord and immorality acording

to H indu belief.
2. V edas the prim ary scriptures of H induism believed to be
of divine origin. There are four Vedas.
3. Vitthal A nam e for Lord Krishna, considered an avtar of
Vishnu.
T $\ ’ d f t r
W 1&
*tPrt 3h% r cpj arlwr r r # t *tti fR sn% R % ^

cRF ît <h=tilufan< o h Th RTRT-siNt % r wj <taiR=h ^ n ^R -iR R , 3TTWf
y'qiS ît UlcMir^d f35RT sffc H-»1«J$fl ^tl fR 3n«dcl’1 ^ ?J?'3TO *t Jit TO
TOffa=f> «[st)M t 3=^ -iiH^q ^>t R^RT ¥lRt t l iw ^q ^1 <q-ii=bid qhsql
TOR^ RRT ^mi t l 3 TORF? 3 ^ 1 f3: *tl ^RFt TTOTC; RTOt f t ^ t ^Nf
^rmsrf ^ faddl t l ^f>i fqgH -iiH ^ ^ t Pi'Jui R f e w r o RH yq<ta RJfa RR^
t l Prjoi Rf^T 3 TO°iH % 3*cRTTt =fft RFTOT Rft t , ^Ri% R^pi Rf^RT
r r ^r % t o f r sfa Pu i + i< ^ ^n w l+ u w t t i r r ^ r R^fa % '^ R ff
t l ^FRTC RRT ^ TO ■SFf^ff 3 ^ffR^R Rlt 3 m t TR^TStt' 3 RU)|Hijcfcb ^ f^TT
t l iTRê} ‘ ■
THH?q<l ’ % WpJdl TO 5)lê|< % f t j f $1 ^RR 3RT RRR Rft R1RT 3
t?fteR>T tfl-l^q -t 3llo1'{I ^ RRlfR eft Rt <TR TOPT i l H ^ <Si4> 'RTR Ft *tl 3TR^
^ % tR sg ^ R?T R5T fR5( RRI^R 3 R ^ 3T«rnf 3 t l RIR^R op
^TT8T ^ ■qHc'hiR'h ’ê.-iisrt ^ jt '5(^1 îidi t l
RTR^R ^ t TRÎTR R^r t TO cpt 3fl^pT RTRTOlt' R^ y<+>il^<u| f l %
RtRR-RTffcR ^f f*P|ffl-WJJ ul R>T ^Rf RfM fRRTTO t R? H<ldl TO H<M<I ^ Rf?t
ffcr^TrTTI ^TTR^ Rft ^ WH|L( ftif'JT RTR «fa RTeft t eft ^ T^RTR R^pi i t ^ T
RTeftI -iH^q RTF TO ’J fW t ^ ^ TO ^ 3 ^ STRICT faddd ^ t '^T-<Hif"i^tr ^ t
’ITTOT ^ ^ f t T?^ cRt ^1 -IIH^q % STf^chRl 'CR fqebcl ît f t TO tfel
tl ^(TKf ffi;, n l f ^ , îîq , 'JTIKR 3TTf^ ^ it *ft TOtfeT =fR% ^ ^
t l ^RT^q ^ f f nftqR *¥ ^ 1 ^ ^1 -S'CM 3^R t TTOI3lf R «it ^10 t ^51
3RT^ ^ t ^ ^t TST t : TO *ftt fîeqT ^ t îRt, RfR R ft aRT
^>t 4 im lI’ 3T^T ^>t ^>T KIRTII ^)T P=t<2 ? ft TO cTRTl’ l
T O # R TTOT ^t ■=?TR^ f f t eftcTt ^PT ^ t l 4<Hpldl ^ ^ f t T^t
tl fsrarai t l w RRIT ^TeT ^ f^ R T t l ^ft 3Rr^
^ t RRJT % ^ ^ ^ T ^ '3IRT t , 3RRFH 'IltTIt t l ^PRTI cit ^<si) ^
*Rt t l Pl^«o1 *TM ^ TRT îl <-H<ul ^RTI f t "3^T TOicTT t l ,?ftT1
cft^TO ^?t ^RTT ® t f i 5 ^R cl ^ftl 3 ^Nt Ft W FRR ^ ^R ^?t eRTI TOÎ
■RtF-TOIT 3)t «OT eRft t l Rffi fq<idd îT 3TTSRT T^TT t 'sft RR ^RH TORU
t l R R I^ IH t ftid d ^ t ^ R oRTT Tt t l
^ 3T?I fF^t 'Hîqoil stf’TT iiH^q: ^ fln^t’ ^ ^rai t pu -î 3ijqi^: fqiis TJR.
aftr firai Mldldid ^ r a r k ra , 1989, ^nsqi 274-75 sfk 280-281.
W h l Hlftrq : / 97
I
^F5ft T^t I A ^ )t T ^ t II
sn^t <J1IHUI? ^T5|t H<”1I I '3F3jt eliPI T ift t 1:RT II
WRt R-T ^ Rtfa f t ’qK.I I 3TT^ TJcT 3TT^ ^ *IR t II
liH ^ q offi? 3f ^Tt TRt TT I I R f l ^ m ljl RTÎT II
II
fa ’T 3*ft i ^ TR^TT3 y|u| 3T*TR 11
TTR yWKT i? TJ’ 2 T
11 TR ■hVik
hi<hi ^T3T stiHii ^>fa4 <£q<n -IR5 3T*JR 11
'jpl'41 ^5FT ^ i f ^ f 7 3 ? fw 3TTR II
'tiqci 3>t 'lffa ^ Rtf? TT’lt PtK'Jl'ISK 11
Rt <jt fsrf^ R5^T fa>Ri cjfa ^STff °RTO II
^ t j =f ? frjR ‘5 ^ f a f t ■gpR^ RR II
^ ^ Rfa ÎJT tiffin RH? ^>t *1R II
^FT -iH ^q ^>t w f t 41d<ni9 Rtf¥ % <ial^l "TO II
1. sir^ft (^ r a t) TieT, dHWI, ? f t # e 1T

2. 'J1IHUI ( crlHI) , drMfrl
3. TT?n ^R , ^
4. =hle1 =blcr)^l, ^ ^‘ il ^ -t) lJ=b
5. ■=U*T
6. W *=Hl
7. 3*
8. (HtHd ^ e i- cbH<i <ftd
9. 41cJcr1l ft< d d , JtK M ^
The Simple State
Kabir
The w ave of the N irgun saint trad ition that flow ed across N orth
India is cred ited to K abir. K ab ir's life has b een w rapped in m yth,
speculation and m iraculous tales. W hat can be said w ithout any doubt
is that he w as brou ght up in a w eaver's fam ily, and w as a w eaver
by profession. Both H indu and Islam ic traditions w ere sim ultaneously
follow ed by the fam ily m em bers. R am anand is said to be the Guru
of K abir. Scholars m ay not agree on this point b u t K ab ir's d evotion
to nirgun (form less) R am is beyond any question. He is b elieved to
have liv ed in V a ra n a si. R esea rch ers h ave d iffe ren t o p in io n s, yet
g en erally he is b eliev ed to h av e liv ed in th e y ea rs from 1318 to
1448.
K ab ir's p oetic sen sitivity draw s its energy from folklore and
the lives of the com m on people. His poetry ad vocates the equ ality
o f all h u m an b ein g s. K a b ir is stric tly a g a in st any tra d itio n th at
d iscrim inates b etw een m an and m an. He b elieves in w hat he sees
and n ot in b ookish or classical know ledge. He is stron gly again st
hypocrisy and p retentiou sness, and lays em phasis on sim ple living.
Both extrem es of attach m en t and d etach m en t are u n accep table to
him . His life and exp erien ces as a w eaver are visible in his poetry.
H e d au ntlessly challen ges his opponents. H is poetry raises the basic
issues of life— issu es that are still relevan t even after the passage of
six hundred years.
K abir is called the m aster of d iction in the sen se that language
is unable to ham p er his expression. He ad vocates colloqu ial language
in creative w riting. His poetry includes w ords from various languages
and d ialects. T here is a controv ersy reg ard in g the au th en ticity of
K ab ir's creation. H is poetry w as preserved by oral trad ition, therefore
changes in language w ere incorporated into it over the years. The
original form of his poem s is rather difficult to tell today. The collection
o f his Banis ( oral com p ositions) is know n as 'B ija k '. The follow ers of
Kabir grant authenticity and originality to the 'B ijak '. M odern scholars
have labou red hard to collect and ed it K ab ir's w orks.
K abir is celebrated as a sym bol of H ind u-M uslim u n ity and is
believed to have w orked at b rin g in g h arm ony to both. W henever
religious harm ony is discu ssed , K abir is quoted as its crusader.
This is a m atter of debate. In fact, K abir is not ju st a poet of
harm ony am ong relig ion s of his tim e. He is w ell aw are of the ills of
This poem is taken from Kabir: The Weaver's Song, translated, edited and with
an introduction by Vinay Dharwadker. New Delhi, Penguin Books India,
2003. pp 161-63.
all the p rev ailin g relig ions and does not h esitate to criticize them . In
T h e S im p le S ta te his b itin g satire exp o ses those w ho tend to trade
in relig ions. H e ob serves falsity in b oth the relig ions, and proposes
a third p ath/ thou gh t p ro cess as an altern ativ e to these tw o organized
religion s. K abir vents his ire at the w ay so ciety b eh av es. P eople
easily tru st those w ho tell b latan t lies, and ru sh to kill those w ho
speak the truth.
Listen,
you saints—
I see that the w orld
is crazy.
W hen I tell the truth,

people run
to b eat m e up—
w hen I tell lies, they believe me.
I'v e seen
the pious ones,
the ritual-m ongers—
they bathe at daw n.
They kill the true Self

and w orship rocks—
they know nothing.
I'v e seen
m any m asters and teach ers—
they read their Book,
their Q ur'an.
They teach m any students
their business tricks—
th at's all they know.
They sit at hom e in preten tious poses—

their m inds are full
of vanity.
They begin to w orship
brass and stone—
th ey 're so proud
of their pilgrim ages,
they forget the real thing.
They w ear caps and beads,

100 / The Sim ple State
they paint their brow s

w ith the cosm etics
of holiness.
They forget the true w ords

and the songs of w itness
the m om ent they've sung them —
they h av en 't heard
the new s of the Self.
The H indu says

R am a's dear to him ,
the M uslim says it's Rahim .
They go to w ar
and kill each other—
no one know s
the secret of things.
They do their rounds

from door to door,
selling their m agical form u las—
they're vain
about their reputations.
A ll the students
w ill drow n w ith their teachers—
at the last m om ent
they'll repent.
K abir says,
listen,
you saintly m en,
forget all this vanity.
I'v e said it so m any tim es

but nobody listens—
you m ust m erge into
the sim ple state
sim ply.
R efrain: santo dekhata jaga baurand

BTjak, shabda 4
T ran slated by Vinay D harw adker
H rff ^ I c T W J ^TRT
w^k
if Pi'J"! TT5T 'H<*-H<i ^ft ^ SIR! yqifeci fa qiqk ^ t

t^ ll W tl ^ k =R ■'iftcR f a c K M . ^ i+ d T , ^Hr+|R+ ^ F l M 3 f^Tl
:,FfT t l *it «IM '3iFt j IT ■M=hd) t ^F *?F f^F <H+I W - h1'IuI
ÎTFT 3 13U «TTI Trt^R ^ ^pcf ifHf'dRd ^ fcT ^
| tj . fw ^ sfk $« iih ^ f t «HiW=h '*it *t -'?it *j TFt *ffi ^ k %
T[^ % ^ TFTHs ^1 ^ fiTOl « T t l F*T t^ 5 ^ fa&Ht 3 ^ ^ Ft
<rl[4)-i PiJ| ui TR % -gfcT <r>«fk ^>t kr^Ji fi^F ^ Tk t l aiMlfq'hl % ^ k
'jjcrii^ ^>T «raW<T ?t sffc st-iKî 3 TF^t *tl «h«ik % îlq-i ÎcT % ^
37^13# 3 Tftnfc t l ^ "dk ■qT W l ^ 1398-1448 RHI W tl
<*>«lU ^ff =bl«(—M=)vil tnW'jflq'l ^ 3TRt '5r3|f TIF11! 'hwl t l ^F
^ft «Hi-iai ^ft q$i*n: t i *it f^^R -xf^Ri ^ ^r<?ft t ,
<s*h<+ Radi1* Râli ^ t l ^ ?ir^-?TR ’R '=lFt, '3 |j^ R ^ *f$N
t l 3kl sfk 41<as 7f T[FTt fa s t l ^ 'HF3! 4lq-i % 3ffHFt t l ii^fa 3?k
fa ffa ^Nt' cRF ^T 3 # 3 R ^ W l+K tl m t 3 TT^T * P F ^fiT
^sfkR ^teT?n t i ^ ^ sn rR -P w w % srfin^t ^ t n = M ^ ti ^krar
afteR % ^PlAIKl TMcT 331cft t l ^ um’plcbdl W. ^fl W -3TT3I
*ft ^ tl
^ k ‘ ^M t fe<Wd<’ ^?FT ^ tl 3T«i % SIRT
aqf*Tozrf^T ^ Ttt 313=171 xffcjti ^ ^cT^M «?TOT % fp!R?ft t l ^ fll
twm 4\r^\, qM3if ^ 3HIJ ti ^ k yiHifui+di
tl ^ k T^lT^ WT: h1P«+ TkT^l T?f, 3 ^
qro % ^T f WT ?np^f Ftcft ^ 1 TSR13tf ^1 ^ 1 «H,
3t^ i-3N i TTcfI d'll-ll 3TF5T qifb-l t l =h«l1< cTljwft îl TTUF ‘^ t e 1 %
HTh ^ 3lftTS t l ^TniSTt T^ Ft aiHifî<=b hn^ t l ^ k ^ t T^RTW ^1 W F 3?k
TTW M t^SRt ^ f^ T l t l
^ k ^ t f ^ ' g k c w TTcfun ^ i ■g#^ f^ n ' w t i Tfcft '^raifei
^t ^ t % ^ l< 31TTO - 5 ^ <Ft ÎfiflVI T t ^1 ^l?l *ft
=Ft W 3TTcft t ^?T =h41< ^ t '5^1FTUT % ^ 7 ^ T?§T ÎRTI t l
ilF HMdl cHF ÎFt "fiff t l ^ k TTT^ % ^1% ^ t l ^ 31^
'<»!«()< 4\x<’*> ’ ■?} f^rar 7f u t i MKjn=t>ci[: ^r. k r ? , ^digHi<: ji+ w h ,

1972. ^ ^511 111
102 / jTT afrfRl
cfft ^ I^ T f 3 4[<fad t l 333>t 3TT#33T ^ 3

3?t I ■s-i'tii "a^q , *r4 ^ il *Tm ^>T3 ^ ra f xftcT ^sitcT ^3T t I 3 ^ iw iH
^ N f «wf 3 3 ^ faszjTc^ f a l l f ^cTT t l 3 ?3 «'Jirdd «T«f-*?<if 3 3TWT
^TT UWN t l MHM * # "41 <*)4U ofl^cl t l <jH<til TsftfT ^T3 ^ jt d=h<.
t fe> «"«l< ^J3 3t fq ^q iy ^3J t d p M '?R ^ctT^ 31^1 ^ it 'RTC}
ti
Tffit ^ 3 3 '3FT '^kpTI I

TTR eft 'RRTT I ? J3 '5FT ''TfcRTPTT1
M ^3T W it ^§T I 3IT3 ^ 3ra3T3T
STTcftT HlR M<SMfi>' ^ I 3 3 * t <+>Sg 3 % all'll
qgn'D ^§T ^fk 3t H^PTT I TTô f=t>ciM gxm
% Cl^ql<4 ^cTT^ I 33*t 3 t ^TFTT
3TTCT3 *Uft f e V ^ 3 , *13 ^ ^ fa ‘jHU'l6
itcR 7 eTT^t, 3k*J ^ ^T3T
3W Trfl^ TRrTT TTflt, WT* !aci=t> 3FJRT3T
TTRat "TracT 3TT?P7 o=iR 3 ^jfPlT
fF ^ *lt% TTR f^RRI, ^ ^ t if^HIHI
3TTTO ^ttff cift 3 ^31? ^3i3i
*T3T ^cT 'pRcT t , Mlg^l % 3rf*PU3T
■J? % Rio m TR «J^, 3RT îTeT HfyciMi
^>t =h«ik *J3l 1st *T3t, | TT«f ôTFfl
4>Rl=t> ^>S?t ^>FT 3 % 'lTI^, ■HHI'll
1. MfdATMl R w iy =FBT
2. 4JsIh R> Hiq|U| 33, 3r*J7 ît
3. f t W , 3^1FTt
4. n ^ l< 3^Ff
5. f¥*r
6. t j uht 3?fW T
7. 3*3* TftcTeT ( 41aoi Vig ^ <ml t^Rf)
8. t5T4 f3 ?
I Know Only Kguoa
Mirabai
M ira b elo n g s to the 16th cen tu ry . She w as b o rn to R athore
R atan Singh of the M edda state in R ajasthan. Since child hood she
w as d evoted to K rishna. She w as m arried to R aja Bhajraj o f U d aipur
bu t he p assed aw ay after a few years. H ow ever M ira had alread y
accepted K rishna as her lord even b efo re m arriage.
M ira'a devotion w as of a transcend ental nature. She w as alw ays
lost in reveries o f K rishna. In those tim es, royal w om en w ere not
supp osed to step out of their bow ers. The ideal w ife w as one w hom
even the rays o f the sun could n ot touch, b u t M ira never cared for
this code of cond u ct. H er deep d ev otion to K rishn a had filled her
w ith unflinching self-confidence. U nm indful of all restraints, she would
seek the com pany of sain ts and sages and dance b efore the K rishna
im age in stalled in the tem ple. This w as h ig hly h u m iliatin g for the
royal fam ily and they w ere ag ain st her u n trad ition al w ays. She w as
harassed b y them in m any w ays. It is in scrib ed in folk m em ory that
she w as sent a cup of p oison to kill her. But all such o b stacles proved
fu tile b efo re M ira 's u n break able d ev otion . H er in ten se d esire for
K rishna continu ed find in g exp ressio n in her verses.
M ira's life is an exam p le of the fact that the idea o f a w o m an 's
in d ep en d en ce and in d iv id u a lity w as con sid ered u n ten ab le in the
m edieval period. H ow ever, M ira faced and challenged all the restraints
of her tim e. She had no illusion about the futility of public opprobrium .
She op enly d eclared that 'p u blic fear and fam ily trad itions of the
w orld have flow n aw ay from her as easily as w ater and that people
can shut them selves aw ay behind cu rtain s as she h e rself cares not a
w h it for any trad itio n or sh am e'.
A lm ost all the b hakti (d evotion al) p oets o f M ira 's period w ere
associated w ith one sect or an other and this associatio n gave them a
sense of secu rity. M ira did not accept or requ ire this su p p ort and she
did n ot com m it to any sect th rou g h o u t her life. R aid as is m entioned
as M ira's guru, bu t this assertio n is not beyon d doubt. M ira's P adavali
(a collection of verses) has b een edited by a nu m ber of sch olars. The
langu age o f her v erses is Braj B hasha o f the R ajasth an i trad ition,
though in som e p laces pu re Braj B hasha (from the region around
M athura) is also visible.
In this particular 'pada' (verse), M ira tells the story of her infallible
love o f K rishna. K rishna is her all-in -all. She d eclares that she has no
This excerpt is taken from Mirabai and her Padas. Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal,
1998. pp 40-41.
1 0 4 / 1 Know only Krsna
other sh elter and that she has renou nced all her relatio n sh ip s for
Krishna. She attains contentm ent in the com pany of saints and w orldly
affairs b rin g her sorrow . T he tears of fo rlorn love hav e w atered and
strengthened the creep er of love. For her, love is the only essence of
life; w hy should she care for pu blic infam y?
M ira does not care for v ersificatio n , but her language is lucid
and m elod iou s. Even today her verses are p o p u lar and are still sung.
I know only K rsna

no other,
I have nothing to do w ith
relations or cousins,
or even m y brother.
People chide me
for m oving am ong saints
let them :
I grieve for those w ho rem ain
tied to the w orld,
I love those w ho have
devotion.
I have reared
lo ve's creeper
w ith m y tears.
I have abandoned the w orld
and live for love only
as one churning curd
to get precious ghee.
The Rana sent m e poison
I drank it cheerfully,
now the new s goes round
bruited in every yard,
let it; I am bound
in love to m y Lord.
T h at's all that's real for me
let w hat w ill be, be.
T ran slated by K rishna Bahadur

rft
W [ ?R t t l TRTaiH % %fdT TTR % TI^T TcrfW % *T3T

aRT tT31T KTTI ^ tsdi % -gft c R R ^T^TR 3 f t TRT «TTI W i l f^RTf
"3^ 1^ % TT5TT R^TM % Tn«T f3TT I facfTf % sfrt W T ^ R f R 0!! RtsiTR ^1
f t 7F?TI tflTI ^ cit Pq°ll5 % ,'Tf^ f t ^RJJ ^jt 3TW '4% R R foRT *111 RlTF
^>t ’rfer *iT^t * t r ^ft sffi ^ fipwH fTOTi % * r r t} ^ t Tf^rt «fti ^ tr* i
gioiq^3Tf ^ ^ft airat sft t%> ^ 3 T ^ T ^ ^TST ^ T7iI 3fK?f g i o i q ^
‘ ST^WSRT' ftcft ^ft I 4)^1 ^ ^T 3?T^f ^ft foci'll cl H<.qie Îft îtl cfRTT % '9%
3RT*? ^ 3 ^ 3RTC 3iirHfqsfqi« *R fsRT *tTI W l q 4 iisit Tt ^Rtish ^ TTT*j
fldl 3it TRfcT “RdfI <J>NJl îf Tjjct % TR$t hR<. ^f 'IMI =h<.dl I iM 'jol % Riy,
^ 3T W T 5R ^ «fll TTSRfT^R 3^ % f t W l % r ^ t rR f-tH f 3 TRRT
TRII '&% *1TT^ % fa1? ^>T RTelT f^TT “-3TRT <ri)>*>*-*jfa R T'jf t l 'Rift ^TUT^ Rkl
■^t Rfer % MiH-t ^3T^R îfqa ^fl ^RJT % TTf^T TflTT fq^qoicii s i# ? ''kt *t
« R a ftcft Tftl
TfHfgir 3 ^ T3?R «(f=K1cq •HHM % f?R f'hcl'11 3TOFJ *1T, RtTT 3iT
^TR* SRT°T t l TftTI S M ■JT ^ft <£T y=bNdl TOft t l
dlqurtw ^ t ftr^faRT % TR&T *t 3 ^ SR ^ft t l ^ T|c^ 'CR MtEfu11 *TR)
t 'crifar <HM gitrl'hli^t '5RcT % ^ fR '3TR 4Hl I SR^ îT TTÎ ^ ^
3RcTT ^tTRtl* Rkl % W t % 3IR: 'R’ft R¥rsnjo{ ^ ^ ^ f^ ft
^ fH 8tl "RRRR ^ ^1 3?fRRT ^RRT «UI %T ^
gryi ^ft *ft ^ff # W I I # 31MlcH ^ T R ^ R -f^ y «Rt Tftl Rtn % Tp: % ^R
^ ftRT ^nm t i c ^ R ^ RRrai aroT^r^ t i # a ^ft 4<wd1
^T TRK^ ^ f% R f ^ faRT t l %T % ^ t RRI TTSTTSlpft M?RT ^3fRRI t l
W t-^ ift p q ^ ^3[RRT *ft Roi^ ^ft t l
«=bRld ^ ^ fftTI ^ % TJ% 3 R ^ 3 R R ^ft ^Tft t l ^>OTI
f\ t l ÊTTI ^ 31TSR W fl ^ T % ^ f t t ^ - ^ f « R T R ^ t d^
f^?T t l TTdt % T7lfR*R ^ ^ 3 f^ d d l t 3 lk T T M fR R I % ^Tf
3TT^3Tt’ ^ ^jt TflRT, TRf«ftT f^RT t l * I f f t ^flq-1 îT TTR
cfc^ t l d W in q m ^ t fWdT g q t ^ t j?T^? RtTI ^ft *TRT '5RTf1J>f t l <iH<^> ^ ^
tl ^ T^T RtTI SfllWli) f=RRt ^ t *Tg5T W TTf H ft W f l
'^1?' T^TT fftft 957=27 ifW : 3jjfk*im $ 39T ^ eft Tlf t l qKri'y1"! Tra ?R
f^roft: 34+KHl, 1963, ^ 103.
106/ ^ f r w r ■nran
flt f>K«R Tfiwr. ^ k t ■=? ^

^n% krc 'Rk y<3>d, ^rt ■'tRt
(TR RTcl ¥RT ^'«J, STFHt H ^
*5ffe ^ft ^ rrft1, ^ ^rt|
TTcPT ^HcJ, #^>-^F5T T5tf
3Ttfe c fr# # f
Hi rTl Tj*t tfaiR , ^T-'RT^fT 't7tf'
3 R J3 R jTtI •HlTq Tttfq, ^
3R eft ^ftrT %f?T 3TFK TT>?1 ¥f^
■^R cfft 'R^P i 'HI, ^ *RH Tt lq<rtl^t
^ -■ g e f =hifs f^Rlt, !5T?5 'pRTt ^Jt^
*PTcT Trat ^FRT Tt^
hUi d id f^R^R, WRt 3 R R tft
1. ^>t ^>Tfa: <Jk=1 H<iki

2. cT^: ?fra
3. 'citf : •Jpft
4. fa # s : w n
Separation
Amir Abul Hasan Khusrau
A m ir K husrau, (1 2 5 3 -1 3 2 5 ), poet and chief arch itect o f the Indo-
P ersian literary trad itio n w as born in Patiali in w estern India, but
according to som e scholars, in Delhi. Starting w ith the reign of Balban,
he served seven su ccessiv e ru lers as poet, artist, m u sician , sold ier
and librarian. He travelled exten sively across India and w as w itness
to the p o litical u p heav als and changes in the G hu lam (1 2 0 6 -1 2 9 0 ),
Khilji (1290-1320) and Tughlaq (1320-1413) kingdoms. He w as a disciple
of H azrat N izam uddin Aulia and lies buried near his spiritual m aster,
in Delhi.
K h u s ra u 's k n o w led g e o f P ersia n , A ra b ic, T u rk i an d H ind i,
facilitated his contrib u tion to poetry, p hilosop hy, m u sic and fo lk -
song. He w as a prolific w riter and left five diw ans (collections o f verse),
one kham sa (co llection of five poem s) com prising five m athnaw is (long
n arrativ e poem s com posed in a single m eter, bu t w ith each couplet
having a d ifferen t rhym e) in im itation o f N izam i (a great P ersian
w riter) and som e historical mathnawis. The latter are not only evidence
o f his poetic geniu s, but also a valuable record o f the p olitical and
social history o f the tim e. K h u sra u 's p ah elis, m ukarnis and do sukhne
(rid d les in verse), dohas (couplets) and geets (songs) have b een orally
tran sferred from gen eratio n to gen eratio n by qaw w als and m irasees
(profession al sin gers), bhands (stage p erform ers) and also by w om en
employed by aristocratic families to look after their children and perform
other household chores. K hu srau's P ersian -H ind i dictionary the K haliq
Bari rem ains an im portant reference book for scholars and researchers.
H is m ost fam ous collection o f rom antic poem s is the P anth G ant—
five rom antic w orks that inclu d e M allol A nw ar, Shirin K husrau, Laila
M ajnu, A in -i-S ikan dari and D risht Vidrishi.
K husrau w as one o f the earliest w riters in Ind ia to use 'K h ad i
B o li' (the H indi d ialect spoken in the region around D elhi) in his
poetry and this paved the w ay for the literary dialogue betw een various
cultural groups divided by language, leading to an im portant synthesis.
This cosm opolitanism and spirit of inclusiveness could also be attributed
to his involvem ent w ith Sufism un d er the gu id an ce o f N izam ud d in
A u lia. To this day, K h u srau rem ains an im p ortan t sym bol o f the
com p osite cu ltu re o f the su bcon tinen t.
This verse is taken from the Life and Works o f Amir Khusrau. Mohammad
Wahid Mirza. Delhi: Idrahi-1 adabiyat-1 Delhi.
108 / Separation
'Separation' is a classic love lam ent w here the lover voices his
d esperation at the d ep artu re of his b eloved . T he poet m akes skilled
use of p athetic fallacy to show how n atu re also p articip ates in the
grief of the lovelorn poet. The poem m akes abundant use of the classic
sim iles of clou d s, rain and n ig h tin g ales, all of w hich are tim eless
sym bols of love, longing and desire.
The clouds pour dow n their burden chill

W hile I from m y loved one part;
How can I pray, on such a day
From her sever m y heart ?
The rain doth fall w hile w ith sad hearts
W e stand to bid farew ell,
The clouds do w eep, and in response
H ot tears from our eyes sw ell.
Fair blow s the breeze, w hile verdure fresh
The m eads and gardens covers,
E 'en like a captive nightingale
111 fare now parted lovers!
For thee m y tears are streaked w ith blood,
O pupil of m ine eye!
H ave pity on this grief of m ine,
D o n 't bid m e yet good-bye !
No m ore I w ant the gift of sight,
Let darkness m e enfold!
W hat use to me are now m ine eyes?
That face I can 't behold!
Translated fro m the P ersian by C hander Shekhar

__
iq q iM
'HKalii-'+>i«fl ^nfir^-wra % PihIai ®ifa ar'fa^prct ( 1253- 1325)

% qfcirat w i w . fan «ri ^ fagRf ^ f e # *st
<sH+l '5I;*T T*?H RHT t l <g*ul 3 w w % W i (1246-87) *1' 3FRt
TERFPn Wft ^ s i m 3^ <*><rll<*>K U<fld<*>K, # P F 3tfr ^FRTl<rlWRf
% ^ ^ shH^l: TUcl V11■H<+>1 ^)t ^ 1 R T^l <s-^H ^ XR TPJEl 'HKcl ^T
W l f a l 3fk?I?nR (1206-1290) felcrl'jfl (1290-1320) (1320-1413)
^?T % ?TTTR *t <.mh 1Ri <*> 3?k h RckM % TlTSft ^ i
P r a r g ^ r srtf^pn % fcpsq «t sffc f ^ f t 3 arq^ 3rT«nfcR=F ^
% qra i t ti
4>l<*fl, 3T^t, sfft f f ^ t % *IM=t>K *tl >J|Wchl<l ^ ^ lo ^ ,
^#T, wiht cT*n tfWltci % $Nt ^ <H % "tfhKR ^7t f^TII TJ^T
irl<g=ti *tl qra >(1o|m ( chloq-TTW), Pwiih I ^ t <Rf TR TTTsr H*nfq<it (TJ^
it ^ 3HlteilHM<ch ^fsrai, forf-Hchi ^ ^TcTT it f f l t ) ^
TpTf: (T^rt ^*T Pj|<HA ■qra fast IT ^ ^ i f t t ) cfs^T Q,faeiRrict> HWHfqî
(T^RTtr) ^êTSKf t l 3 H ^ t W T f^ n %3rT 3^=Ft ^TcZI-3rft*[T Ft TRM ^ t
w i % <n h IRi <+>, ymrf^RT $fa<<ra % " R r ^ f ti n ^ t ^t
■qif^raf, -gsFrfw, ^ 'g m , ^t# aqfk ntn <*<=tMi', Hh-ii Rh^Y W F t ) , *rfst
3 ^ TRWTf ^ t ^ M f SRI hH«<*> 3 SRlfer lt?t Ttl
Tfe?T ‘ yifd'ti ^Kt’- W H t ff^t ¥K<*>l!(l faSHt' 3 ^ ?it«re>crf3it' % ^
"tTWW$ot t M TJ8T t l ^RPft ^ft?IT3tf ^T TTW ‘W R ’ t
'TIcMT-'5eT-3H^1, ‘?ftd <g^l<) ’, '* 1 ^ ^ H 1, ‘ STIfH-Ti-ftrî^t’ 3lk
'-q ra <?>h h 1 <.-cciiy, tl l^st ^teft ( Rcîl 3ftr
3ira-'qra c(ft ^teft) ^)T 'SratT Î?t focigxn ?J?'3Mt d a ^ l 'flf ^ ^1
ipit7! ^ m^Fit sit ^r qr f^îPno fq(^-f î+<jifdch y*!?] % ^t^ t t W ? ^ ■•FraK
^T TFf W ?T I31T s k yiH'JlW ^T c|ldlc|<u| ^Tl 3 ^ yHNVH ^Ft
^>T fa *ft sftfÛ % P i^ n ^ W 0! TTQ; <|,y<] % TJ'Ft
f^ K f ^rt f^T Î ^ clT t l ^|mt 3TP5T ^ » n # i w im s h w t « ^ fr l %
■RF^Ppt TJ#F ^ m tl
‘fspftrr’ ^l Ui Rd t M am t ¥ t '^ st
■^t srfôtifcKi ^cti t i ’Trai’rra % îîci yql'i % s?iffli t f^ r
^ 3RT?I ‘^t ?^RcT artt^ TpRt ^ft Tjîf ^T rlîn ^ pft ^ t l 315^K,
^ t d<i|«iH, f t ? # : ftnlH t 20051
11 0 / foito
T!^T yn Hifsfl «4i=w °q«n y<j)f(i WHi'il ^ Weft i? I cbfadi <m^d,

^•(.■Hid sftr ^d^<n jRft =tcnr«^ •iHHi^rt" ^ ht'jc ■§■ OT, -cjlgn afa %
3TRT f|
W 3 TOM % I ^TR
■gff ^ e)di t\ ^ 3t, f*RT Rdî< ^5^11
Stsft-^TCT ^ l+)'3l|1 *)' ^ ^ 1^ '37T ^fRT

*} ^1 $t?3T 'p M lf4f 3TsT ^51, ^TR ^ l
■Hojtl-3Tt-^-c||' r TJ^ff-'^TMT*’ f ■h<s(|7

^ i? Ri<h fdy, 3 ■fN%-7^T5TR9
3 ira t ^ j r 10 t ^ fc n i ^ ^ - f W
^R} <pT ^ ITi f*R[, ^ T - t r - ^ R 1'' ^351
3 ft TTRT ^ W \ ftW 3 f 3 3 T lii, ctf^FT

3 # 7^ And- <0 ^K 1
1. ^
2. 3Tsft-«(KI ■ ^ i affc wrfer
3. Hi-fll ^Tcn^n
4. $P?3> PfT^n ST^cT
5. yojfl-Sft-rjÎT ‘jdl«( TJcf <^fdH TJEq
6. TJcft dldl U^R ^>1 <£d
7. ^ fR
8. W TT^ BI8?
9. Tm% TpTÎR «IF1 T^=fi
10. <%3K T^fl % 5lf^
11 . 3?ra ■gcicft
12 . ^kT-TT-'^R ^ckl-ST^T ft?
13. ftRcl ftz, ^WR
14. t 1? 3T^R?te,
Desires Come by the Thousands
Asadullah Khan 'Ghalib'
A sad u llah K han M irza G halib (1 7 9 7 -1 8 6 9 ) cam e from a noble
fam ily of T u rks w ho m igrated from Transoxian a (C entral A sia) in
the eigh teen th cen tury w hen Shah A lam II w as on the throne. G halib
w as born in A gra and cam e to D elhi as a you ng m an and spent a
jo yfu l child hood flyin g kites and p laying chess. In 1827, he w ent to
C alcu tta w here he spent a cou ple o f very happy years. W hile it w as
the g reen ery, the p retty w om en and the m angoes of C alcu tta that
end eared the city to him , he also got the op p ortu nity to interact w ith
M u slim , B engali and E nglish in tellectu als and get an exp osu re to
m odern ideas and new spapers, w hich contributed to the developm ent
o f his p o etry and attitu d es to life. In 1829 he retu rned to D elhi,
w here he w ould spend the rest of his life. H ere he faced financial
d ifficu lties and also cam e into con stan t con flict w ith the au th orities,
but continu ed to w rite prolifically. He w rote letters to various friends
about how his w ritin g w as a sou rce of com fort to him and he also
consoled him self w ith the thought that his greatness as a poet necessarily
m eant m isfortu nes w ithout end. H is insecu re financial situ ation m ay
have contrib u ted to his fondness for gam bling and this w as to lead
to his trial and im prison m en t in 1847, one o f the m ost d istressin g
exp erien ces of his life. This year w as to prove a m ixed b lessin g for
G halib as he also began his d ecad e long associatio n w ith the M ughal
court. Tw o of his con tem p oraries w rote b iog rap h ies of G halib and
these, H ali's Y adgar-e-G halib (1897) and M irza M au j's H ayat-e-G halib
(1899), give us an in sig h t into b oth his life and tim es.
G halib w rote in both Urdu and Persian. In the nineteenth century
the w orld of U rdu and P ersian poetry w as dom inated by the ghazal
and M om in, Z auq and G halib w ere its lum inaries. T he p oetic w orld
m oved around the ashiq (lover), m ashnq (beloved ), raqib (the lov er's
rival), saqi (cup b earer) and the Shaikh (relig iou s lead er). N early all
G h alib 's U rdu poem s are in the g h azal form , the them es of w hich are
largely prescribed by convention but w hose flexibility accom m odated
both the secu lar and the d ivine w ith ease. The dom inan t them es are
love for G od and the m istress. The form becom es a sym bolic canvas
on w hich the poet sketches his ideals of love and m ystic hu m anism
in the face of a h ostile and ind ifferen t society. The first ed itio n of
G h alib 's Urdu Diwan cam e ou t in 1841 and a collection of his Persian
This poem is taken from The Lighting Should Have Fallen on Ghalib: Selected
Poems o f Ghalib. New Delhi: Rupa and Company, 2001, 2002.
112 / Desires Com e by the Thousands
w ritings, under the title M ai-K hana-i-A rzoo, w as pu blish ed in 1845.

His P ersian d iary D astam bu (1858) is a firsthand accou nt of the Sepoy
M utiny and its im pact on D elhi. In 1868, his K u lliyat-e-N athr-r-F arsi-
e-G halib, a collection o f h is P ersian w ritin g s— letters, p refaces and
com m entaries, w as pu blished . His fam e as a prose w riter rests on
his letters pu blish ed in tw o volu m es— U d-i-H indi (1868) and U rdu-i-
M ualla (1869).
'D esires C om e By the T h o u san d s' is a ghazal that sp eak s of
the d ilem m as o f existen ce and the tensions o f d esire experien ced by
a m an and a poet in search of an ideal. T he poem is arranged in a
series of cou p lets, each auton om ou s, th em atically and em otionally
com plete in itself. T he op ening cou plet (m atla) sets up the context
and the schem e of the rhym e (qafia) and the refrain (radif). In the
final couplet, the poet includes his pen nam e (takhallus). Human activities
from the m ost serious to the m ost trivial are ju xtaposed and the m ood
throughout is both m elancholic and am orous. The poet m oves through
tim e and space in search of love, b oth d iv ine and secu lar, and for a
language in w hich to exp ress it.
Each d esire eats up a w hole life; d esires com e by the

thousands.
I'v e received w hat I w anted m any tim es, but still it w as
not enough.
The one w ho killed m e should not accept blam e for m y
death.
M y life has been pouring out through my eyes for years.
In parad ise, as w e know , God show ed A d am 1 the door.
W h en I h av e b een sh ow n you r d o o r, I feel a sh am e
deeper than his.
The tallness w e all see in you is an illusion.
If som eone took the tangles from your hair, we could all
see that.
H ire me if you are com m issioning a letter to her.
Every m orning I com e out of my house w ith the pen-
behind m y ear.
These days people point at m e and say: 'T h is is true w ine
drinking.'
It m ust be tim e once m ore for Ja m sh id 's 2 great cup.
I am alw ays asking others to sym pathize w ith m y pain,
But it turns out they are w orse off than I am.
For devoted lovers, living and dying are about the sam e.
M y life is sustained by looking at her but it also takes m y

life aw ay.
For the love of G od, please d o n 't lift the curtain over the
K aaba3.
Perhaps in that spot w e m ay find an ordinary stone.
The m ullah 4 and the tavern door seem to be tw o separate
things, G halib,
But I did notice that he w as entering yesterday as I w as
leaving.
Translated from the Urdu by Robert Bly
and Sunil Dutta
1. Adam : 'the first m an' created by G od and expelled from

Paradise for disobeying G od 's injunction not to eat
the fruit of the Tree of Know ledge. In poetry Adam
is the sym bol of m ankind that has fallen from
G race and can be redeemed only through the mercy
and grace of God.
2. Jam shid : a legendary king of ancient Iran. He is said to have
invented w ine and the w ine cup. He had, it was
said, a w onder w ine cup in the depths o f w hich he
could see everything that w ent on in the world.
3. K aab a : the holy place in M ecca tow ards w hich M uslim s
turn to pray. M uslim tradition says it w as built by
Ibrahim and his son Ism ail.
4. M ullah : a M uslim holy man, learned in the scriptures, Arabic
and Persian.
7 sc f# ? f
37W|rv?7 W 1 f t t m fr tf
7) lf ^ (1797-1869) ^ <[^7 % W e t qfe?R ^ *1. ^ft ZR#RR7H1 3

^ r r 1 8*tf w i ^ t 3 *irct sm, sti era w r fo??it ^ w s tm r fgeffa
SIRlfa «TTI * l l t ^ =R ^RT 3TFRT 3 IT37T S£[T 3 lk 3 f ôHMWT 3 3TT Tfir 8^|
w h W M ^ ft 3^k ? rr3 t 73cra in i i| ? f M p it ^ftari s r w s ifw ? !
f<rcft 3 f t TplRTI 1827 3 3 ^ 3TtT 'em i} ^ ^ f j l y y H d l-1^
t# i f f t w t , (j ^ w sftwt' 3rk arrqf ^ ^ ^ rrit , t t i*t ^ ^rsr
■jfero, wm\ 3fa 3Rta ^ w f? ^pt s m n ft^ni 3 s r i^ r
3lk SfffcjPlcp fa^Kl ^ 3H=l'ld ^ ■pSRT^ ■i-l'ti) 'jTleH-^H'd 3ftl ?TFRt ^ TPJ5
fo^TI
1829 3 <t f c r f t ^FFt fW T t TpIRtl f e r f t 3 3 ^ ' 37Tpsfe
chfdHI^)' =PT TTRRT cpW q ÎI 3 rfi™ fa rf 3 ^^RFT «RRR W IFI " ^ ^ I TfTI F I ^
^P*(«b«ii % q iq ^s d-SM MMldK TJ3R fa Îll 3Tq^ dHIH ^Rcfl ^ il fcR i 3
d-e)') sldNI t Rug-ll <S-l4> fcT^ ^>T TTfa t l 411Rrl «1 ^ 'q f '? ^
W RIT i\ for TT^ crfg ^ HgHdl 3TT *RcPT Ft t 3R1#T ^ f a l 37Tfsfc ctft
Tt f t 7IRR ' 3 ^ ^)T ?tR> ^ fSIT f t 7!! P™*1 ^ I f Tt <R TR ^'h'vHI êll
sfk ^ 1847 3 ^ 3 ^ n ^ l ?Tf 3TOt f^ R lt % TRifP*RF
3?3^T 3 ^ TJ^ t l w ^ % ftiu: ftrf^TcT TTTf^?T f3TT ^ f i% fR
o t i ^ -gnî ^ r % ffq ^ ^ ^ ^t cw ^ni ^kn ^ f r g F ^
3Ttr f ^ f t % TRTRHrF ^SfERR RrlOl I Mlfel^ % <HHchlclldl ^ dH=til jfr^pRfT
iw tl ^ t Feft SRI Tf^cl ‘ ^m^TR-xr-TTTfcR’ (1897) afk ffcnsrf 4^1 SRI
‘ f? M -T i~ iT T f^’ (1899) I ^ -^tarf^Rn' F ^ f^RTTt 3 ^ ^ T ^ it ^ft
3 t^ fe ^ t t l
TTTfera ^ 3 ^ 3 ^ W T t ^N f f t *?M3Tf ^ feRU t l 19^f ? M ^ t *f 3 ^ 37^
it>i<wl ^ t =hfqdi =f Y 'jfi'Hi q? *N d ^ri ei4w ani nlpHd, aftr j ii Ph <m
TRcIR «tl W R t =Ft ^pRTl 3TTf?I^r ( M ) RT?pT ( t f W ) , (M
ypds-^l), Tirat ( t st icit ^ îcn ) s lk (« rf T[?) % ^ jra t «fti t t # i ^
opt eRT’RT TT*ft ‘3 ^ '»)fqain TRR;I ^toft "R t f^H<til W l : HOKI ^ rPT 6ldl
m i <r)P=t>'1, r»n<=ti w 4 ic^ m-i "R 56eflPt)<+) sft? 3i<rflf=ti =*-> <1-11 cl?^t ^T "HFÎcTI ^
■ ctri^t f t ^rrai arri ^ % tjRi sfk Mi^=bi % 31% o t fW m r g ^ eft «
=fft ^M t m ^pfr1? ^ q ^ w aft f^RT q r ? rp c i s fk ^ r t N
<HHM ^1 pq<^^ s lk 1JS HM0(elK % 37I^jf ^ fl 3%T ^=hdl 8711 JllPd«( %
^ k n ■SF! W «W)<U| 1841 w f t m 137TI ‘ H ^y H I-^-S J R ^’ % STcRtcT
w N ^ / 115
^ w 1895 3 w R n a f3 n i ^ rc t
( 1858) ftT W f fasfc 3qk f e # XR g s p t cfiT yiHlf*J|<+> tl
1868 3 ‘ ^ r f ^ ^ - v - ^ - T T - W H t - T T ^T#M ’ HTH 3 d W TTOft ^T T ^
alk * i w g*if?ra p n fMf&Fif srrft sî to %
^ 3 3 ^ F t T^nfiT T ^f % t, *ft ‘ ^ - T J - f S ^ t’ (1868) 3^T
‘ ^ r Ti--g3?QrlT’ ( 1869) HW % ^ *M><rHT 3 y+lfeld t l
F^TTf w f^ y f 7ra^ f" ^ TfH^r 3?fei?g cfftcjfatnaft,
■Q3> H^J*^ % 31T^T^F3RT fl'liejl 3fft 41qi 3Tl^f ^ it a<rll*l *t <?pt chfcl
^ srfi|oi|Rki t l if? n^Tel Ttfl ^rt t^> ®j<a<ni ^ 7Pft t fsrcrt
TtT W5T 3T*f ^T f 3^: 3lk ’Tra 3 SPri 31N 3 TJJjf t l
■^srrat ?R Ctra^T) (^ u fw ) afa w q t (t ^ f ) ^ t ^ t
t l 3tRtr ?R ^ ? i f r 3 ? ^ ao crjy *ii[h?i ^JTcTT t l ^?r <M<n 3 hm=i 4)eH
3R3ff*re> 'SSRrft ^PTt ?t y=hi< =fft ■^'xiiu. 'TTWC ^ R o ii
ti rR? têira sift [qq^ it ^Cld t l
^Tf ^>t 'OtST jfl dllchch ift t 3^T ■qRWW^r *ft, sfa ^T OT
^T SffôqcM ^ rrl îT *1TO ^ft Tsft-3f ^ 3TFt qcai t ^ ^ TRFTT f^rttft
*pt ark *rfw3; ^ jf r ^ eprat t i
S'j I k I iscdleî T^ft, ^ ^ H<tie1

^ fc l Pl=hd ^ 3H<HM, d f ^ 'l [•+>< ,fl' ^vtT P l^ d
^ ^ f f ■flTI qiilcici, ^TT T^TT 'H'^T^ft

eft ^ ^ 3 9 - *R \
Pi ehcm ^ STT^T ^T y,-1^ 3TT^ ^ d fo *l

^cT ^ Piehd
^Rjf ■?gci ^rro; ^ i Ri h ^ e^ma4 ^<n T ^ t

3 tr ^}-ii-ip-L|^|yH 6 ofn -Êrhpm7
w tcra^rre; ^ ^ r t . ^ft feKsieiiiJ,

sftr ’ER ^ ehM TR «3<^<. etxrlM P l^ rl
5^1 9 H Î<\|-3H|5?IIh 1
fcpT 3TRT 'JlHMI, 'sft '5fgl 9 W ^-^T1?10 Pl^<ri
de(=MiV' ^SlHI'l)1" ^ TTI^ ^

f^FTKT W T -T i-H n ftRW13
116/ W Rf ifsft
HIP«*K1 3f 3Ft 1? Tf>% 4)') ^>T 3^k ^TT

3*ft ^n wra t %*? ^ ifo r 14 ^ ^
<Sj5 l % c(IKl 3 ^ ' 5 ^3 331 'JllfVlH

^FT l&fl 3 Ft ^T *ft ^Ft ^TpR TR9 l3^r(
^TFT •HOi'i gn <uqMi ‘3 # R ’, sflr ^TFT °ll^ 16

■'R fcT3l 'Jll’ld t , =t»oi 'Jllcil ÎT 1% FH fi'bd
1. ^ -? rc -3 * M 3t r § 3
2. 8F I- 8FI
3. wf
4. cfTTO!
5. W t Cl'«ll^
6. gl-TI-Tp-^'lyH t^Kld 'MHI
7. T3TTT ^ ^
8.
9. Î-3MlFTl w w i
10. xsn^-'SFT «IK5!llg T3TTcTTI ctf 3 f r # l & H ^T
q|<^ll£ ^vFT vjiidi t l Hi^di t ■% 3TT^ F^T afk
WH % T3IT^ ^>T 3lllq&=bK fÛ «ni ^>FT ■^STTcTT t
1% 3?i% tira w ^t %n 3t^?t wjwi *n,
t^ra% *ft?R #T>'SR q? ■?R?R 9 ^ 1 -^t FT 3fafafa
^3TH T^kTT «fri
11 . del**) 3Tmi
12 . yw'il ^TPTel 3T^*TT
13. < g « ii-^-^-fcic iH 3WEIR ^ cfcTcTR 3 'qFW
14. *\H < fw ff, Hllw«>
15. ^ t -qfe #«fc*icT
16. on^fl WWW
Sad and Weary
Firaq Gorakhpuri
Firaq G orak h p u ri's (1896-1982) real nam e w as R aghupati Sahay.
A fter g rad u ating from A llah abad U n iv ersity, he w as selected for the
C ivil Serv ices but resigned to jo in the Ind ian N ational C ongress in
1920. Betw een 1923 and 1927 he w as d eep ly involved in the Indian
freedom struggle and w as jailed m any tim es. In 1923, N ehru appointed
him u n d e r-se cre ta ry o f th e In d ian N ation al C o n g re ss— a p ost he
held until 1927. Firaq joined A llahabad U niversity in 1930 as a lecturer
in the D ep artm ent o f E nglish , w here he tau ght until 1958. In 1961 he
w as aw arded the Sah itya A kad em i A w ard for G u l-e-N aghm a and in
1970 w as hon oured w ith the Jn an p ith A w ard.
Firaq w rote ov er fifteen volu m es o f p o etry along w ith som e
prose, and he d om inated U rdu poetry of the su b -con tin en t for over
half a century. He w rote m ore than 40,000 couplets and left his im print
on three im portant genres of Urdu poetry— ghazal, nazm and rubaiyat.
Prom inent verse collections include M ashal, N aghm a-e-Saz, Gul-e-
Naghma and H azar Dastan. He also w rote a novel in H indi—Sadhu ki
Kutiya (The A scetic's H erm itage), as well as critical works and collection
of letters.
The m elan choly in his poetry lin k s him to M ir T aq ir M ir, and
like him , Firaq also u ses H indu m etaphors and m yth ology to express
his em otions and thoughts. In an attem pt to reform U rdu poetry and
to draw it closer to the Ind ian situ ation, he w rote in h is P reface to
R oop (1946), 'In d ian poetry should take fu ll ad van tag e o f H indi and
S a n s k rit'. In h is w ritin g , o n e can a lso g lim p se tra ce s o f E n g lish
R om an ticism .
In F iraq 's w orks, one can clearly see the d ou ble com m itm ent to
trad itio n and m o d ern ity . W ith ou t ab an d o n in g the tim e-h on ou red
them es of love and b eau ty , he im parted his ow n tone and tenor to
the ghazal and d eveloped a m atu re style that com bined Ind ian and
P ersian trad itio n s w ith the p oetic lore from E nglish L iteratu re— of
w h ich he w as both a stu d en t and a teacher.
This ghazal, 'Sad and Weary . . .', lam en ts the p assag e of tim e,
the creation of b arriers o f language and idiom , and the m eaningless
rep etition o f sym b ols that have lost their potency. The poet express
his sorrow at the inability of m ankind to travel tow ards understanding
This verse is taken from Masterpeices o f Urdu Ghazal: From the 17th to the 20th
century. K.C. Kanda, New Delhi: Sterling Publishers Private Limited, 1990.
p. 293
1 1 8 / Sad and W eary
and unity. In such a w orld lan gu age b eco m es in im ical, a hurdle,

rath er than an instru m en t o f h eartfelt com m u nication. F ira q 's life
w as m arked by p assio n ate involvem ent w ith p o litics and the traum a
of P artitio n found a voice in his poetry.
Sad and w eary the beauty w as, ashen grey the eve,
M any an old forgotten tale flashed across m y mind.
I w as telling the w oeful tale to m y countrym en,

H ardly had I half-w ay gone w hen the idiom changed.
You can find m y footsteps right till the bounds of life,

A sk m e not how far and w ide I have travelled in your search.
M any a culture, once ascendant, has gone extinct,

N ot rem em bered by the earth, nor by the sky.
W hom soever you see is singing lyrics of love.

Every tongue is voicing forth the tale of m y heart.
C ountless aeons have gone since his hom ew ard trek began,
But m an has hardly covered as yet a few reluctant steps.
Y esternight her d elicate hand held aloft the purple glass,

Looked as if a bloom ing rose beside the m oon did dance.
I rem em ber, O Firaq, m y love's lum inous, fragrant form,

R adiant as the sun, soft as the m oon, right from top to toe.
fF T SJT
fyilcb
feT^F "ntos^t (1 8 9 6 -1 9 8 2 ) *FT =HWfc|=b HRT TftfcT TTfFT «TTI 'SdlsSMK

fcn fal«T O 3 f i r w t f t % ^ ^ r^ i w ftrf^T ^ t 3 i t w *m Hfcr=r
?*? ^ f^TT, afa 1920 3 «(R#T TTSjfa 3 ?# hm ?t
^ l 1923 ^ 'Jiqi6<. c-TM '% ? ' ^ =hi'0y ^1 a w y R q f-i^'W f^TTI TRT ^
^R 3 1929 cR? # 1 fe l^ F 1930 3 $<rlls!MK f^rfT O T rR % 3 T M faWT 3
wkt t ^ tr P rg^ i 1958 <t *f f t r w ^f f ! f e r n i96i 9 ^ ‘- ^
^TRT’ % ^nf?^7 3W R 9) ^ T H ftcH 4 t 1970 3 3 dH4ld >J<W>I< 3
■MJ-mfHri fan* m .\ f r o ^ ^Ff^natrF % 15 ^r»5 y+iftid ^ i «rteT-^!
TO ^3^1 *ft fe?TI H W T 3TTNt <T*F 3 *TRcTfa 3 W T S fa ^ ^ cIT
% ?fH ^R I 40 fT-STR ^ *ft 3Tfaî ?R f ? n i , 3?k =hfq<ll efN TR^s!
fewST! 'Mcrt, ^riT afa TR 7TWTT SRra '5T<rTTI
<s-l=til =hfqm ^T 3iq«i^ 3 ^ iftT d^>1 tfR ^ ^Sften t l Rk =Ft cRF f e w
^ *ft $R^ Ici-cik) ark 'Hiql sfj^toSTfcRi % Rriy. fiF^ ^fkifaRKTT a?k ?r^t
3iT JRT|t[ fe*TT t l SPHl' '■^rq' (1946) % yi=t<fcSRT R d^TR feioil ‘ *TR?fkl
=bfqdl îf f f ^ 3?k TR^kT ^T 1JT1 (rTT*? ^Tl ^TffTJI ’ ^Tf ^TcT ■i-?)’} ^fqcll ^
“Kciiq HR alk *TRcTkT % Pi=h<: % y*)m % ^-n'fci ^Ftl
^f 3#3ft <h(«ciK ^ *rt 'sir TT^ft t i
fe R T T ^ n s rf W R 1 3?R 3TT^pR,in ^ N f % Ft TlfiT 3)lil3¥n<rldl
W^cl: W tl T fM w f c ^ # t f^T,
d-^'lH 'J'Tlcrl 3TCRT TT^T P)<jfl g *Im i K fen i hR hc m ^foTt
f=i+r«d f^Rrt' «TRcfr=r 3ik îrosfli % t t t «t 3^ st M yiftoM % ^ t s j
fw f-ftrsR T *ft Tjs^ ^ 3r«mq^ ^ a k *fti sr^
O TI ^Ft îfeci ^»^T3Tf ^ WHffl 3fk ^k cf*H ^ W w l 3?lT TRTt^
^Ft -PIT 3T«f f^qii
3^% ¥ 5 ® ^T°q W+tf'iT ' W ' , Wn-ti-TTRr’ 3fR 'FtlR ^ H ’
ti alk 3' dM-iim «ft ?fft ^fs^n’i 3=^t
^ 31HkHlrH<+i ^ 1R 3fft Tjjjf ^ W F *ft a+lPsjId ^3ni
fFT m 3?RT: f e R f % # E R ^T ^ ■q^-TTSpftfcT ^ «tR=nriR5
d 'liq ^ 'JST t l ’TOT % t^^TTSR îT T lfe d-ichl 'tifqm ^t 3Tf^|c^t+d t[3TT t l 3R^cT
‘I^H TRRT % 1pR^, *TNT 3lk ^6iq< «(T^TT3Tf % ^T^, 3Tk 3TiFTt ÎqflT ^
^ ^ 3T«I#T ^R I^ frT ^R =Ft TfteT tl f f R^ T d
srk «,=tidi 3?k ^ ttt^ Hiiqh 3T^nM sfk jPiî ■'r 7t?tt
^RcTT t , MWH ^141 Hl'1cf li ( STJ^jfcPTt % 3TKPT-3RR =FT 'RT*^RT *T ^T^TT
fts « m i« ! ^ rT ^ T3=F ^T tl
120/ ^ *n
T|FT 3SR T, ?TTR aft- % JO T -^ 3 ?t,
T it 3 T % T f 7F f [ f e T ^>1 ^ cheiPi'HI I
ite % w - W w i2 % ^ {fa q i,
f t 3 T 'ft ^ ^ 3 ik 'n f ^ ra ri
CR) $ $ W P f t # 1! W T - R - q T 4 ,
ijfHf w foni ^ ^ faNt ^ th ûst i
t 1! 'SRT % 3 3 Tlf f'tinH a n -^ 'iT ^ t R6

3 F t '^1*h1'1 ^ f t , ’ JeT 7FIT " t ÎW M II
hSRPFi * ft ^ f e i r ^|fT W T 3 t fT ^ f W ,
fo s f F f t ^ I 'k l H - '^ - R d W ^ to -T J- ^ h T T T 8 1
^ I f e i r a ^ * 1 T ^ t* fR ,
i? 3 iK H l ^Ft ^TTcT ef>^H 't i S f l l - 't ^ l l 10
^ Rsidi ^3TT *jdN % t ir t ciecneiy,

TTrt ^ 3 ^w-TT-fH^Tm-TT-ar^pn12!
ip ^ r f I w p ^ t % T - T T - 7 T T - 3 f t - ^ n ^ te T 13,
■Tra ^ cTT ^ t - R - ^ n ^ I 14, * t l R T+ )? [T -3 it-'R F ^ i T 1
1. <IWH-T*-TFr ^ 'SFt <*>6IHl

2. 37Fc^ $¥Mmi
3. T R F V ^ -'fa 3?5lRT ylni
4. ■1°F?T-'^-TIT % Ptifll’1
5. clH^Hl R«tcT3Tf
6. q'rH Hgfyd
7. TRI JIN=t)
8. sfB^tR-R-^Ki ^FRt ^ t Îrff % TFT*I
9. Cl<.4i, 3TR
10. '^?TT-'^?TT fer^-fisT^
11. <^-T^-'1l'fl
12. ^fm-T3;-rHi!lld-Ti-3TFM d-l4> ^T*jt *¥ ^)T "3ITR fad=j><rt ^ ft
t % 'qra RcJc=tl T|31T ynisf
13. 'W T-Ti-tIT-3ff-'5,3; H*<£N ttf ^fa-17T 3 ^ g'TM
14. îql'l-TJ-'TRf q R ^ Rist cW
15. ^<>+)!!ll-3ft-Rf êFT TJ^T sltr ■qi^ ^ t d<6 <t^Pft <6*1 t l
Do Not Ask
Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Faiz (1911-1 9 8 4 ) w as b orn in S ia lk o t, P u n jab. H e g rad u ated
w ith a d egree in E n g lish and took up teach in g in A m ritsar, w here
he w as introd u ced to M arxism and jo in ed the P rogressiv e W riters'
M ovem ent. He left this to serve in the Ind ian A rm y d uring W orld
W ar II and w as aw arded an M .B.E. A fter the P artitio n o f In d ia, he
resigned his com m ission and retu rned to L ahore, w here he served
as ed itor and trad e union leader. In 1951 he w as arrested and jailed
for four years for suspected participation in anti-governm ent activities.
In 1962, he w as aw arded the Lenin P eace Prize. H e sp en t the next
tw o years in L ond on and trav elled exten sively . H is retu rn to Lahore
w as troubled and he left again, rem aining in self-exile in B eiru t from
1978 to 1982. He then retu rned to L ah ore, w here he died in 1984.
F aiz's p rom inen t w orks inclu de verse collection s such as N aqsh-
e-Faryadi (1941), D ast-e-S aba (1953), Z indan N am a (1956) S ar-e-V adi-e-
Sina (1971), and S ham -e-S hahr-Y aran (1979). H is poem s h ave b een
tran slated into several languages and have reached a w id e aud ience
through the radio and live p erform ances; alm ost every popular ghazal
sin ger has sung h is verses.
Faiz is ren o w n ed as a re v o lu tio n a ry p o et and a g re a t love
p oet; for him there w as no d istin ction b etw een the tw o; love and
revolu tion had becom e id entical in his poetry. Love, in F a iz 's poetry,
can rep resen t a m u ltitu d e of stances. It can stand for d efian ce, self-
assertion, self-abn eg ation , resig nation , self-p ity or even the pain of
sep aration and exile— fam iliar to Faiz due to his p o litical exiles.
'D o N ot A s k ' . . . is one of his early poem s, w h ere the poet
seem s to tu rn to a realization o f harsh realities, m oving aw ay from
his p reoccu p ation w ith the b eloved and love. Im bued w ith the Sufi
ideals of H afiz and R um i, p ast trad itio n and idiom s are reconciled
and charged w ith contem p orary con cern s as the poet realizes that
his earlier quest fo r the b elov ed , and his p resen t q u est for social and
p o litical ju stice are one w ith each other, and b oth dem and d ev otion
and sacrifice.
T h e p o em d isp la y s F a iz 's a b ility to w rite o f co n tem p o ra ry
predicam ents and issues in an idiom which retains the tone of classicism,
bringing a new aw areness to trad itional sym bols, d iction and im agery
handed d ow n from G halib and Iqbal. In an in terview , Faiz d eclared
th a t . . to m e th e old an d th e n e w , th e tr a d itio n a l an d the
This poem is taken from The Unicorn and the Dancing Girl: Poems o f Faiz Ahmed
Faiz. Delhi: Allied Publishers, 1988. pp 92-93
122 / Do Not Ask
contem porary fall in their proper place in the larger com posite tradition
o f literatu re.' T hrou gh ou t his life, Faiz w as a keen stud en t o f various
trad itions o f classical poetry in U rdu, P unjabi, H indi, A rabic, Persian,
and E nglish am ong others, and this sy n thesis show s through, as he
ch arts his ow n cou rse in poetry.
Do not ask m e for that past love

W hen I thought you alone illum ined this w orld
And because of you
The griefs o f this w orld did not m atter.
I im agined
Your beauty gave perm anence to the colours of spring
And your eyes w ere the only stars in the universe.
I thought
If I could only m ake you m ine
D estiny w ould, forever, be in m y hands.
O f course, it w as never like this.

This w as ju st a hope, a dream
N ow I know
There are affliction s
W hich have nothing to do w ith desire,
Raptures
W hich have nothing to do w ith love.
O n the dark loom of centuries
W oven into silk, dam ask, and goldcloth
Is the oppressive enigm a of our lives.
Everyw here— in the alleys and b azars—
H um an flesh is bein g sold —
Throbbing betw een layers of dust— bathed in blood.
The furnace of poverty and disease disgorges body after body—
Pus oozing out of d ecaying flesh.
H ow can I look the other way?
Your beauty is still a river of gem s but now I know
There are afflictions w hich have nothing to do w ith desire,
Raptures w hich have nothing to do w ith love.
My love, do not ask m e . . .
Translated from the Urdu by Daud Kamal

p W i A f t H$<|q ^ lTPT
3JW*K
%*f ( 1 9 1 1 - 1 9 8 4 ) ^ TT5(R % ftpiM 3 ^STl s?TI 3 ? f t

3 HM=b ^ ‘B^nffer # afk snjfraR 3 a rw im <*Ff ? p ; f e n i ^ ? t 3
T|T=KfaK % 31TTI afk y'lfd^flci TT*1 3 TlpM f^ l feffa
% ^t r 3t w ?f r ^f} 3 irraitq ^ sfk 3 ^ a m t 3 r f r e
T^T % ffrT^ T^. ^t. f. ^<*<t)l< 3JR1 ^3TTI ,*TRcl f^W5FT % 3=fH Tfal 3it
:= lfet # 5 ^ s k HTfk ^ ^ 1 *IFT 3 HHKi ^ t 4 % ^TO TTT«? ^JpT^FT %T
% ^ ’ft '5>t4 Tti i 9 5 1 fn^nr farMt 'nfafsrPwt ■*} *?ft <^t % strcta
3 3 ^ ' Pn'WK f e n s k 3 ^ cfif % W M ^Ft TRT fteftl 1962 3 3^ t
etPH Ûf=rf y w R ^ •iqi'fli W l SPT?! ^t ^ 3=Ft^ *¥ ’J ^ l fTT '2'faH
d-eH oîHch ^nr0! Rtiîi i ^ oiigU qin*i sittj, w g ^11(^1 Tt *iFt t f it% i 3 ^
<niel< als-ii 1TST s k 1978 ^ ^ ct»< 1982 4 ol^d ^ anvRf^fTR ^>t
3 Til 3 cTIFtT sk 1984 3 W f 3 ^ ^3TTI
‘W M ^ f W K l ’ (1 941 ), ‘^ l-H -^ M ’ (1953) 'f tK R W I 1 ( 1 9 5 6 ) ,
'TTT-Ti-ÎT-fTni’ ( 1 9 7 1 ) 3 k ‘ W R -T i-T T fT -^ ’ ( 1 9 7 9 ) ?nftH t l 3=fet
^ fonsrt' cft 3T^7 sjrerstf 3 fs n s k ^ sk fert
3Tlf^ % t n ^ R ^ Midchl s k ??T=f)T 3>t qtjd q-sl WteMI ?R) xf ^ t l WT^Fl FT
dUfSM T1T ^ H 3=fet TRHf crY ttm t l
Rj IcI-II «TST st->lPn=hl<1 =fifa "RHT j TRTI t 3 ? R Ft ^T1
’itl 3 1 % fdU, sMpd^lRfll 3lk ^ft srfôtifcki 3HcriJl ,Tra H ife T , fRTI
srfôqfcKi % i t ^ r ^ i ^>t ^ f e r 'A % 3 rfe ti ^>r 3TT?ra
3 ^ 3 1 , 3TToq-3rf«lo^ 3?K[cn 3TT?q 3TIrR ^HT, OTfq ÎT, f e k
aftr rnî-HH =Ft ^Tfei (f^ra^ %î ar^jt ^ttf ^ 4fifad ^ ^ ’Tt Ft
•^<+dl t l ‘ H5dl Tft ^ TTFT’ di<M yK^-'H'ti ^?ttt "ft T3^7 t l 5 ^ ^
^ f t ^ i ^fr ^ 3 tT ^ T R lf^ a is f f ^T ^ F 3 ^ ^ t ^ 3 F ' 3 ^ 1 t e l 3^T 3^T%
^ STrfrj F3^ ^ t f^^?I ^T?n t l
F1? ^ 3Tk ^ T t % TJ^ft 3TK?ff ^ t l ■'JTFft 4W<H4 sfR
di=til <tiMdl ^ 3Tf TFR dlr'hlRrl'ti 51^ w a j ^7 ^ t, ^ft "ifF 3TFffT?T
FtrTT t ^ 1 ^ t 3 3 ^ ft W f i ^ ^ tf 3 fk ^ fiT H ^ W R lf^ ? s fk <N^fd<^'
adR i q ^ jd : ^ H t TJ^" Ft ftsrfcT % ^ t t l <0il Ft r4 i'i 3Ttr fin 4 ui ^ t Hi'i
tl
^ ^ faWTfatf 3ftT TTWfT3Tf Tt ^t ^ ^ ^jft W ar WT
«Rrq ^ % ttt^t Ft cfsn TTTfFra 3k ^ ^ f e t ?ra w q f t^
ydl=t)l ? l^ t 33k y f^ lt '3FH TJî '-^cTÎ % TIT*? 3Tfil«Rd <J'i«hl Wcfl
y^Rffd =f>Tcft t l 3T>T^ TfRilc^K ^t ^ «(dl^l 1% d-l<+ f?TQ, 11 ^<MI 3?tr
124 / Heefl-’Sft '^?35W •! ÎFT
33T. w f e aflr TTOWfN o!TTW s k WRT 3 dl^t! W I

TT^JT <*<<•) t l ” 41=H *R 3^, H'JiNi, Ps-<{l, '-f>K<Hi 3Tfa STft^ft ^sn sr t
■RraTstt' % HlftriJ M*FT WTOSlt' % W 3TWT?n Ttl ^ 3 ^
<*m 'qrî 3 ^ rôii ^n t i
" 5 ^ W dt-Tft ^5“ id 'Rft h ^ I5! H RFT

wh$ii fei ^ t eft «<sS)il' t S'Mld
t r t eft Tpl-^fy.' '3TT sîsi t
M *J<d ^t t 3Ucih 3 ^ R t ^7t T M e f
3TR§t % rôi 'jf^TT ^f <=Hai ^TT t ?
^ wf fi?ei ^ if t eft ri^ t< i?t
^ ^rr, ^ Hicf>d -ciiei «it \ f i îiu.
3tK ’Tt 1? 'JlHI'l R % fa ^ l
w f l aftr ■Rt t °Rcf ^F?t <ipd7 % I^ rt
3RfiReT TTt^ft % cTTTtV WNPTT9 PdfdW
^Rt-3Te1crat--^q W j ' “ 3 |TIJ
^T-^~^|" flp=F?r ^5fTl;,-3ft-^RrR 3
3 f a s r t fq ; ^ 3 H ^dii) fq ;
f^RTf Pl>*iH ÎT 3hh <.M eFjrt ^
xTtTT «l6cfl ‘ Idct ^
d id Weft t 3*rc vft ^ ft^
sra *ft f ^ F ? i 14 t Hn w *f t t ^ t
3Tk *ft ^ 3 t ^TRT% R ygosld % facfT
TTl^ sftT *ft t ^<rT ^>t TI5?T % f? M
■g^ y s ^ d ^Tt TT^fSi -T RFT
1. <W<8II TI7H, ^H=hdl fSlT

2. W rt '4t=IH
3. ■fy} 'jih H ^T ^
4. 3CTeTO
5. d^<N
6. ‘STFIT
7. =R5T ^rt Tlfcl fifeR îl 3TPR
8. dlO=b 3T%
9. ■mÎh h i
•i \ \ \ . <.
10. t?lKt-^dcl«l-'+H tsdi=» T?m. s?^Rra am HdHd
+lHdl =IW
11. ^(T-^-^T "SFIW-WTW
12. TTcft
13. 13R) ^jci. Tra
14. P<d+^l
The Palla Song and Letter to Parali
Su. Nellaiappa Pillai
Subramania Bharati
Subramania Bharati (1882-1921) was born at Ettayapuram, a
small princely state in the Tirunelveli district in Madras state. He
was an intellectually precocious child and at eleven years was given
the title 'Bharati', (goddess of learning) when he gave an impressive
exhibition of his poetic gifts at a court function. Bharati spent four
years in Banaras from 1898 to 1902, where he learnt Sanskrit, Hindi
and English, and attended lectures by Annie Besant, a political activist
and the founder of the Theosophical Society of India. After returning
to Ettayapuram in 1902, he worked as a sub-editor of the Tamil daily
Swadesamitran and as the editor of India for many years, and was
actively involved in politics. His meeting with Sister Nivedita, an
English woman and a disciple of Swami Vivekananda, in Calcutta in
1906, proved to be a landmark event. He pledged himself to the political
liberation of India, the eradication of casteism and the emancipation
of women.
The second milestone in Bharati's life was his meeting with Sri
Aurobindo in Pondicherry in 1910. From him Bharati imbibed the
teaching of the Vedas and the ideas of vedantic humanism. Bharati
was in political exile in Pondicherry for ten years because of his
provocative writing against British rule and returned to British India
in 1918. He spent the rest of his life in Madras until a tragic accident
in 1921, when he was cast to the ground by the Triplicane temple
elephant, claimed his life. Subramania Bharati's songs are a part of
contemporary popular culture and have featured in Tamil cinema in
the last six decades and also been set to music by famous composers
like Illayaraja and sung by celebrated artistes like M.S. Subbulakshmi.
Bharati published his first two collections of poems Swadesa
Gitangal and Janmabhoomi in 1908. His literary canon in Tamil can be
divided into six major sections—the patriotic poems; devotional verse;
the Kannan Pattu, a song sequence in twenty, three lyrics where he
speaks of Krishna not only as child and lover as his literary predecessors
This poem is taken from Subramania Bharati: Chosen Poems and Prose, English
renderings o f a selection from the Tamil Writings o f Subramania Bharati, edited by
K. Swaminathan. The All India Subramania Bharati Centenary Celebrations
Committee, Delhi, 1984.
126 / Palla Song and Letter to Parali Su. Nellaiappa Pillai
the Alawars did, but also as friend, mother, father and teacher; his
epic Panchali Sapatham, a series of balladic narratives built around
the terrible episode from the Mahabharata when Draupadi is publicly
humiliated and takes her terrible vow of vengeance; Kuyil's Aria, a
750 line poetic narrative on a man's search for beauty, with the Indian
nightingale—the kuyil—as the central character; his social poems that
addressed social and gender inequality; his prose poems and fiction.
He also wrote prose and verse in English.
Bharati had a profound impact on Tamil literature as he narrowed
the gap between the spoken and the written word. He also made a
departure from the anterior tradition of Tamil literature that had three
phases until the 12lhcentury—poems of love and war; the Tirukkural,
the epics Cilappatikaram, M animekalai and jivaka Chintamani infused
with Buddhist and Jain influences and dealing with ethical questions;
and Kamban's Ramayana. Bharati's poems and prose speak with
revolutionary fervour and visionary power as they seek to herald
the freedom and redemption of the nation and the individual, providing
us with a vision of a unified and free India.
'T h e P alla1 S ong' is written as a clarion call to freedom and the
celebration of equality of all the people of the land. It invokes the
vision of a nation in which all strive for a better future in a spirit of
unity and equality.
'L etter to Parali Su. N ellaiap a P illai (19lh July 1915)' is a plea
for literary freedom and advocates a change of themes in literature,
so that questions of national and social importance are addressed
and it becomes a vehicle of change and progress.
D ance, brothers, and let us sing,

W e have found L iberty sw eet:
D ance brothers and let us sing.
No m ore shall we call the Brahm an Lord:
No m ore shall w e call the w hite m an m aster:
No m ore shall w e bow to those that live by begging.
No m ore shall we toil as slaves
For those that d eceive us.
D ance brothers & c.
Liberty, w herever we go
They speak of Liberty.
W e are all equal, this has been m ade clear.
Blow the conch, sound V ictory,
Let us proclaim this all over the earth.

The day o f equ ality has com e,
The end of falsehood and d eceit has arrived.
There is no n oble birth b u t goodness.
The evil-m inded can no m ore flourish.
The tillers of the soil, and labour
Shall be glorified.
The idle w e shall treat w ith disregard.
Shall w e exhaust our lim bs
W atering the w aste for nothing?
N o, w e shall no longer toil for the idlers.
This land w e live in is ours:
W e h ave learnt this now .
It belon gs to us by right:
W e know it now.
W e shall be slaves to none on this earth,
O ur servitu d e is but to the A lm ighty.
1. Palla: a labouring caste associated with agricultural work.

A Pallu is one of the ninety-six forms of composition in medieval
Tamil literature. It is structured as a conversational exchange and
features peasant life in all its pathos and humour.
LETTER TO PA RA LI SU . N ELLA IA PPA PILLA I2

19th July, 1915
M ay P arasakti guard w ell Sri N ellaiappa P illai 3 w ho is
like a younger brother to m e.
B rother— I find your intellect blossom s m onth b y m onth,
day by day. I am sure that the lotus that is you r m ind w ill be
irradiated by the inner Sun that is A w areness and all happiness
w ill be yours.
As the m ind m elts and goes on expanding, the intellect
burns brigh ter. The only w ay to increase our strength is to feel
com passion for those w ho are w eaker than we and strive hard
so that they becom e our equals. There is no other w ay.
Ha! If only you had know n H indi, M arathi and such other
N orthern languages, if only you could see for you rself w hat
128 / Palla Song and Letter to Parali Su. Nellaiappa Pillai
w on d erfu l m od ern ity the jou rn als in those languages have

acquired, O w hat a b en efit that w ould be for the Tam il land!
Let every b reath of yours be T am il and deem it your duty
alw ays to foster Tam il. But then new er and new er m essages,
n ew er and new er ideas, ever fresh truths and m ore and m ore
n ovel felicities should go on enriching in Tam il!
In the Tam il land there is only one caste; its nam e is the
Tam il caste; it is the eldest child of A ryan caste. W rite this.
W rite that m an and w om an are two aspects of one life-
principle.
W rite that neith er of them is inferior to the other.
W rite that he that b elittles w om an stabs his ow n eyes.
W rite that he that shuts up woman puts out his own eyes.
Ind u stries, in d u stries— C all out and proclaim .
Proclaim that the barber w ho does his job w ell is superior
in caste to him that m ispronounces the Veda.
May trade and com m erce flourish, May m achines multiply!
M ay efforts m ount ever higher!
M ay m usic, sculpture, engineering, the earth sciences,
astronom y, the physical scien ces— a thousand branches of all
these— proliferate In Tam il land.
P roclaim this aloud.
Sing. 'S a k ti....S a k ti....S a k ti
(Brother) Long m ay you live.
Your s
C . SUBRAMANIA BHARATI
2. Parali Su. Nellaiapa Pillai : was an author and publisher devoted

to Bharati. He worked with him as
Assistant Editor of India for a while
and was later instrumental in publishing
many of Bharati's books,
3. Sakti the universal Mother who is both
woman and nation to be freed from
the colonial oppressor and from
patriarchy. The figure of Shakti
incorporates within herself Saraswati
(knowledge), Lakshmi (economic
freedom) and Kali (righteous anger)
and calls for passionate commitment
and action.
gW 7^7 57R(#
<^1^1 *[Rdt ( 1882-1921) qq ^Fq WfT TFHf % f^ %

sRnfa q ^ # s t tft R'Mmd ii<«W!j<H 3 fan *ni 4tPs=bdi w r 3 i t
foiaq ?rqt «rti qrq ? w ^pf qft 3R 3 -q^r <^fnt iTRRtw 3 srqqt qq°q-qfoqf
qq qqi^Tleft TT^f'l <î<^ % <*)KUI * 'HKcll ’ ( $1M qft ^qt TRT^ft) qft <SHlfcf
W qrt q f Mtl W f 3 1898 3 1902 'SRTOT 3 focffqi qfT
TEt^RT. ft^ t afk 3 t M qq 3T«fqq t^TSTT ct«TT ^Kcfa fspftoffV=F^l ittRT55t qft
# U T O 3fa <MHlld+ + l4=+>dl qqt 3 3 ^ % 5 W P Tffl 1902 3
dW < cTfTT^f ^fa=F ‘*cTv?t t a ’ % 3 W r q i^ % ^ q 3 qq*f forqT 3}k
^ cw ‘^fosqr’ % y'LiKcb ^ 1 TRqtfo 3 3qq?t ^rforq w fkrrt Tftl q ^
3 # q qfi?fl cTSTT T^mt M w R qft fclW qfqqt fn^Rdl 3 <*ld=bldl 3 1906 3
" 5 ^ y,dl + ld 3=1% ^ffaq qrt PHUlkct, - q ^ ^rrf^cr f f 3 ^ 3 ^ f t 3fq} qrf
qTOt q ft ( M H lfd '+ i ■gfel, 'JilP d c lK ^1 3tcT cfSTl q f o ? f f - 'g f o ? T % fo fq T fq fo d q ^
foqTI »TOft % ^faq qft ^FTTt W r^ p f ^TT 1910 3 f l P ^ d 3 9ft SRfo^ 3

33^ t *jdi<+>id ?rti nrort ^ 3q^ qft f w sfa qq qTqqqre; t i w
s fk 3 ilr H y id f=h'HI I 3 T ^ 5 J ?1 T T R % f o < * 3 i 3 lH -t d (3 1 % cb K ul ^ K d l
qqf ^ 4lP^4(l 3 <MHlPd=h f t q f a q *(' T? 3fk 19 1 0 3 3T^f Tflftfcf *ff^f cffel

'j f l ^ 'l % «de|0 f o q ^ P f t ^ tfS T O * f 1921 *f f^ H d l 4 iH hT^< % 1 1 8 ft SK I
cj>-»=t<n f ^ ^ ff^ % cM < ul d'i'^Tl i j r g I w t % q t c l •(HH'+ildlH c f N i f i P f y ^ f d
^T f^ a i t sfk f ^ T T5: ^ F f ^ c i t e f t F t R f 3 ^ i t t l ^ 1 1 7J3TT ^ R ? T ^ [

ififtcRTRt ^ TTTtcf^ t o f t 3 ^ I3*f. T^. Êft yPdPMd <+.<rfl«+>KT
^ firar t i
1908 ^ W t % '<t ^ I 5 J f - W M + lP v id T fla F M ’ s ltr ‘ ^ R T ^ f q ’ l
T fift^f ^ t w Tjg?a RPif '^■'rffKf form ^ r t r k h t - i r ^ r ^?t +Pcidn(;

* i f o ^ -q r ^ r ^ d i u , . ^ i r ( ^ f q q f o f o i e f t q f o - 'q t ^ R f f o R f q 3 ^ 3 fq ^
‘ipfcidT 3 i m c ( k ] ' ^ t f^ rn T w ^ q cf« n M ^ q ^ ^ ?r%
fira, q r a r , fo c fi sfk % ^ q $ *ft fo rq f t); q rm q fo % s> q ^ w cf <a-i=t>i

H5ichi°i t 1q ^ ra t ^ T q ^ ’ ■sft ■Rwr^nrcf % 3R q q f^ f q y q q r sfit^rfer t ':3fff sOn'd
^ f îcf-JlPl't) 3ihhm foiqf "STRTT t 3Tk 5<h4> yfd^ll^ % fof^ ?N®f ^"dt
q am ‘ - g w ^ i ■mreft: Wch'fd'd tfifoeiTt;, xpi q g ’ ^ feri q^ t i w tq

*lK c ftq ^!ictl«0 « h k ) ? ‘H fq fii, i ^ c r f t , 1 9 8 4
130 / 1 ^>T 3 ^ TT^: ‘uRn 'g. i w ’ch f t l j f l
t; 9 3 ^ ^RT * ? r 4 <st # 3r r t sn tirfer 750 R f e t f =ft ^ t ^ t r r ^ f

3 ? f c n ’ fî'H'+n i p q - m i # i t , W R i f ^ affc 3 P f f
3WHHdl 9 ^ 3^Ft +fadll{; W TO cfHoq 3^fc ^«fT ^Kiqf affc st M 3
fcraT t o afk t o i ftPTcT «rf%oq r t ^ t w Tf'RF? r ^ti 3^?h ?i«;f
% fofisffl 3lk RtftsRi ?^Tf % «fra ^>t ^ft ^TR ^t sftl 12^f <idi«fl rW dlH<n
yiR?c4 % 8}—45<r1l, 'JR 3lk =Ft =hfqdlH, <j*KI, ‘ ’,
‘Rld“lft'*KH\ ‘ h M ^<3 ’ •W<*>i«4 afa cT«fT 3 TfacT ^
^ F W Tf 9 ‘ i f a c F Pd'dlHfur. a f a ffr^n , ^FTKR =FT ‘ TTRFW’ l W t
3 F ? WTO 3 31cTR pM.MII 9TC# 3Tt T5RHj shlTd'+l(l *far afk
3 TTnFT f l 3 F$ W'lfdd 3fk ^ T T O % fra fa l <Ft 3|ft 'SlTcT cFTflt t l ^[fad
srtr ^ it aTRKt % eT^r %t awuiRd ^f w « w ?k ti
W s ffiT ^ T -q? cFfacIT WdHdl ^T STI^R cFTcft t 3 lk *TCTt % 9*ft
o#lf ^ fl <HHHdl ^FT TRIcft t l 'RF T3=F t 3 TT*? MR-=b<rmi ^FT?ft t
9 * f t crftR «.=hdi 3?ft «H iidi *n ^ T % Tn«T «ISd< *ffq°^ % (W ^ i % f?T^
W W Ftfl t l
9iT: TTT^f 1$. %cvTzm iW f gjt ( 19 ^ ? n f, 1915 ): ^F TÎ ^lf?T
% 3?«(PT fâi 3 ^fcf t l cTfTT^T yelfjpui f^TRT W l ^ f t ^TF ff^T
d<)<+>) 3Tt 3%c! ^FTcft t ^ft '9lf'<T ^ ■HeN'h t l '^Frd ‘RRdl^l W s l ^
«qi<^ dfncl 3lk ^Tffcq °Ft <J-*lfd; TWRT andR^ ^ WTFcT
°R T3î Ft ^nfcT- crfiTeT Hlfif ^ t 3 ^ ttW ; ^ t-'J^ t WRHdl; ^ fw tf afk
dljt'fl ^JT dTncl WT ^ SIRRR ^ Ft ©iRncn f+'-ll ÎT TRk TI t l ^1F T^Ti 3FRt
Tug’jPT % nfe weft % 3Rrm ^ft ^rMt t i
F R ■^TT^rt 3 ? R ^ T c ^ 1 "RT^tl
3 T ra R t ^ t , F*T 9 ^ t l
FR dHJl . . .
sfTFM ^ t Hlfd=h % f^ T 3T^ ^ T "R^l
Tftft ^ f t % f^ T 3 R ^ cf ^ 1
-qr arcErraKf % f^r 3 R ttî

tliy-M lsn' ^ T % f ^ f 3 7^ ^fcT TJÎ
F9 . . .
-? w t c ^ T g 5 F ^ t 3T 3 ^ F 9 W 3T tl
19 ^ 9R ?ra ra t FT ' « 9 H tl
?H 3 ^ )T a P T - ^ R T c q R '^ 't l
f w i R ^ sroft ^ TpiftcT ^ i
F9 dH 'l . . .
9TOT ^f yMIHdl ^ T 3 R ':^ IT 3TFTT t l

/1 3 1
M -T O 3 RR ^ R 3RRT t l
<H'jÎH R>t h I s h i ‘ ll^ R)T ^ ‘ l 3TTRT t l
^5?R f q im RR 31R ^ d ^ l 3RRT t l
FR R M J1 . . .
^>fR RR 1JRR, <JsiM R>t R^RT R i^ tl
RTR "S^vyn R>t R i^ tl
^5>T7T ^ ^ TffR-T#R R>T f O RT^Ttl
^fcrlcll R?t T^RT R>T^ *t RFt Ef^Fnti
FR - iN 'l . . .
■'T? : ''TTfr'T %o fac'ri ofit

19 ^ T f , 1915
3S>
^ ^F *5tt R if ^ c r^ T R fR e ^ 3 R>t M ^ l l W T?^T TSfl R>tl
R if, FT R F ft FT t^ T cJJFTTT ?TR ^ fRRTfad FtRT 'RT TFT t , 3 3 ^f
^3RTT RTFR ^ i t % ftF IT l RR-RfeFRT ^ r f t RTR?T ^RRT F R t
3TR: Tjtf 3 H ^ f e d #TT 3ffc ? n W t
-Wila s fk cft^ FtRtl 3TR^ Tt ^\t*T RT ^RT <m 4> SIR^ TTRH TT3TR RRTR
% RR*f R5TRT F t 3TR^ RTl îr«tnVildl RRT^ RR t ^RPhTR 3RTR t l $««bi
3ltT chl^ ^RT RFt t l
3?} ! 3TRT <JR f F ^ t , RTraf, 3R ft "3RTt RIRT3Tf RR ^TR W^d RR, RF
T lt^ ^TR T l^ t % 3R RIRTSlf Rft RfRRR3lt' ^ fe c H t 3 ^ ^ d H^tHd! RRT Rfl
t , cfl dfRcH'l^, R*t fRTRRl c im fR^RT ! crfRcT, RfacT, R p M —F*fall RfRR RTT
1 W ra RRRT F t RTRSR T IR # I c^RTR, R ^ -R ^ fRRR, R ^-R^ Rt*RT, RR-RR
fspRR, RR-RR 3TR^-Rfo?f 3 3 # F t TF^ îfF R I
d fH eH l^ 3 XTR7 F t ^frfd t l 3T?RR RIR t crfRef "RTfRI RF fc R it %
RF 3r 4 *nfR RTR % RftRR *t ^ ^ 3 TTcfR t l
RF Rt f^Hsfl lR> '3?R s ftr TRt ^ H t R ^ i F t RFR % ^ t 3T?T t l
RF KnWi fR> ^ RTTRT RR) ^F lt R)R RFt t l
fe # fRi T ^t RR 3TRH1R fa R l t , 3TRRt 3TR3 R^t Rffe
f^RT t l
fd<a) tRi Pj i ^H "FRt R5^ R ^ t fRJRI, '3T1^ 3TRRt 3TT!§t R5^ R ^ fRiRTI
"3?itR, vJgfl‘ 1 R)FR>T ‘JRnrtl
1 3 2 / ‘ wa'afli 3JT sflr f^nrrA
^>I?t fai ^ '357 7TcTrT TcgK^T <3-c=m<. ^nrT ^T %, ^

fW lc T 3T5® t W * P f n !7 f I
oqlHK 3?K c jlfu M T p ^'-T J^, h * M ^ ft w n 3 c jfe i t l '5RRT ^ 1

# ftr, ip ^ n , ^ r ? n ^ 5 i, w r^ -? T T ^ r, y ^ f'd ^ iiM ^
? i r a T 3 T f ^ 71 d fH d H I^ 3 ^ ^ ttt|
*lR k l, 4!lf=td, ^lf=kl ^71? ^TT TTT3TtI

g*T TFtl
fM ,
W tl
- ‘ JTm^ h ’
Hortl ^5T Tî <rfl4i'0d; H<nrll 3 ij.'ti

^f^Kl ^Tlfa t l
f ^ ^ rai % ■'{4 3 _5f«n=r ^ i
3R1 cfr=T 'y i t ^cIT, gRT cfcRib'll
Wcl^'l ^»t nR'tic-H-ll *icM XR 3n^Tfei, ^<9
cror 3?*ir 3 Tf%cT 3?R qfr^f ^
% 3 ^ ti
3. TTlfa g. Hrok*^ *TRcft 3 ^ TW PH ^ y + l ^ l '+ i ;
1909 3 ■qrf^tt t r , n i 3=r^fr

*7TT?ft 3 ^<ni=hm irf alk <f*5 fT^ra
3 ^ R ‘-? f^ T ’ % 3q WUf|<efc % tR t r *ft
femi ciH-ifn 3 '?rc^ ^t r
3ft wifvm ^ 3 snrift ' j f w
3^TR T O t ^1 ’ft
y w n femi
4. w n fe i y'yi< «f>t MM-I sftr ycH4! «=)lcrfl
^ftl
A Comparison Between
Women and Men
Tarabai Shinde
Very little is know n about the life of Tarabai Shinde (ca. 18 5 0 -
ca.1910) except that she w as born in the second half of the nineteenth
century into a w ell-to-do M aratha fam ily, in Buldhana in central India.
She w as w ell read in classical and contem porary literature and this
w ould have been one of the first things to set Tarabai apart from other
w om en of the time. H er fath er's association w ith the reform er Jotirao
Phule (1827-1890) and the Satyashodhak Samaj (The truthseeking society
set up by Phule in Poona in 1873) w ould have contributed to her
engagem ent w ith the reform m ovem ents of the tim e that w ere w orking
towards the eradication of social evils like untouchability, child m arriage
and the forced seclusion of widows. Stri Purush Tulana (1882) is Tarabai's
outspoken venture into print and joins ranks w ith other w orks of
fem inist w riting to bring to the forefront hitherto neglected areas of the
colonial culture and gender relations in the social history of India.
This essay of about forty pages first appeared in response to an
article in the Pune Vaibhav about the trial and sentence of V ijaylakshm i,
a young w idow w ho had m urdered her new born child ou t of fear of
disgrace and ostracism . This event sparked off a lot of public discussion.
Tarabai joined these debates by contesting the patriarchal foundations
of social custom s that confined w om en to prescribed roles of w ife and
m other and m ade great dem ands on them to live up to m odels of
pativrata (ideal w om anhood) based on the Sati-Sita-Savitiri m odel. In
her argum ents Tarabai m ade m ale priests, reform ers, journ alists and
w riters culpable by laying the blam e for the degraded cond ition of
Indian society and w om anhood (especially w idow s), firm ly at their
door. Further, she interrogated the role of the print m edia and popular
culture in reinforcing stereotypes of pure and ideal w om anhood. W hile
on the one hand w om en are w orshipped as repositories of fam ily and
com m unity honour, on the other hand they are seen as m orally and
sexually vulnerable and in need of confinement and supervision, especially
when they are w idow ed.
W hile she com es across as a strong opponent of social conventions,
Tarabai w rites very m uch from w ithin her class and social m ilieu. Her
This excerpt is taken from A Comparison Between Men and Women: Tarabai
Shinde and the Critique o f Gender Relations in Colonial India by Rosalind O'
Hanlon. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1994. pp 87-93.
134 / A Comparison Between Men and Women
fem inism is an em ancipatory and constructive one that dem ands the
replacem ent o f the existing gender dynam ics w ith a m ore equitable
relationship of m utual respect and affection in the dom estic and the
public/social spheres.
This extract is concerned w ith the m iserable condition of widows.
Tarabai asserts that this is their plight because o f the hypocritical
moral guardians of society who fram e one set of rules for them selves
and another for w om en. It is this im balance that leads to social ills,
and not the innate w ickedness of wom en.
. . . O h, you idiots, w om en are shy, d elicate and foolish in

their very natures. And you, w hat lords you are, n atu rally so
b old , cou rageou s, strong, learned— so there you are calling
w om en all these nam es, even before your lips have touched
the nectar from your m oth er's golden breast. But ju st because
you happen to be strong, does that m ake it right? You label
w om en w ith all sorts of insulting nam es, callin g them utterly
feeble, stupid, bold , though tless— you beat out the sound of
their nam es in sham e. You shut them up endlessly in the prison
o f the h om e, w h ile you go ab ou t b u ild in g up you r ow n
im p o rtan ce, b ecom in g M r, Sir and so on. So you think to
yourselves: w h at's a w ife m atter, after all ? 'T he h u n ter's him
w h o's got the rabbit in his h an d ', and everything else is ju st
stupid nonsense. Startin g from your childhood you collect all
rig h ts 1 in your ow n hands and w om ankind you ju st push in a
dark corner far from the real world, shut up in purdah, frightened,
sat on, dom inated as if she w as a fem ale slave. And all the
w hile you go about dazzling us all w ith the light of your ow n
virtue. L earning isn 't for w om en, nor can they com e and go as
they please. Even if a w om an is allow ed to go outside, the
wom en she m eets are ignorant like her, they're all just the same.
So h ow 's she ever going to get any greater u nderstanding or
intelligence?
Can any of these ancestors of yours produce any evidence
direct from God that it's best for a wife to die before her husband,
or a husband before his w ife? W ho lives and w ho dies is all in
the hands of the all-pow erful Narayan. Next to him , what stones
are in your hands to throw ? Is there a law about young people
dying or old people living? Isn 't it true that som e people die
ju st as they're born, som e in the full flush of youth, som e not
till they've lived to be a hundred and taken full experience of

the w orld; that som e die w hen th ey 're at the very peak of
h appiness? Isn 't it true that som e kings abandon their thrones
as soon as Y am a's 2 m essenger calls them and leave it all behind,
w hether they enjoy having an all-pow erful kingdom or ju st
find it a heavy burden, that they go without a m om ent's waiting,
leaving their w om en and child ren behind? That som e people
are very happy to go, and others sad and unw illing? Do you
think there's anyone w ho can change that? Even a m ighty king
can do nothing in front of Y am a's m essenger. So w h o's going
to listen to a poor w om an? She, sh e's an orchard only God
looks after .3 W hat can she do about it? As for your M ahabharata,
w here does it show a w om an going to ask Brahm a if she could
have her dead husband back, and being sp ecifically told by
Bhagavan the creator him self, 'N o w om an, w hoever she is, can
marry a second time in this life, once she's lost her first husband'?
A part from that one w om an Savitri, no one has gone to Yam a
to try and get back her position as a w ife. A ll right, so she
went, and she got her husband back, and all sorts of other favours
besid es. So, even though this Savitri w as only a w om an, she
dared to go to Y am a's cou rt to bring her husband back to life.
H ave you ever heard of a m an w ho even set out on such a
jou rn ey to save his w ife's life, let alone one w ho got as far as
she did ? O nce w om en have lost their position as w ives, they
have to hide their faces as if they've com m ited some huge crime
w orse even than m urder and spend the rest of their lives shut
aw ay in a dark corner. So w hy d on 't you hide your faces w hen
your w ives have died, shave off your beards and m oustaches
and go off to live in the w ild erness for the rest of your lives?
O h no, not you— one w ife dies, and you ju st get another on
the tenth day 4 itself. Just show us the evidence then— that som e
w ise god has really told you to do this? In fact, w h at's good
for a w om an ought to be good for a m an as w ell. W hat's so
different about you? W hat— are you all such noble heroes that
God gave you this freedom as a special gift?
Oh, you get your fine reputations from these so-called noble
qualities— so long as no one exam ines them too closely! In fact,
w e w om en d o n 't even need som eone like the Rani of Jh an si 5 to
show us how: ju st take four or five hundred w om en w ho are
free from attachm ents, put bayonets in their hands, then see
w hat a tim e they'd give you. You w ou ld n 't even find a place to
hide near the stove. In the old days of the M aratha kingdom ,
there really w ere heroes of the sw ord, those m en w ho rocked
the ancient throne of D elhi. But now since English rule cam e
all your w ond erful pow ers have gone, all your pleasures are
ruined. Like the old saying— 'N o on e's going to praise m e, so
I'll have to do it m yself!— so call yourselves heroes then, but
only at pushing pens! W ho takes any notice of you? Better still,
with the way things are, it should be heroes at stuffing yourselves
w ith food, that's the nam e that really suits you!
If you're so good pushing pens, so clever, pious, charitable,
com passionate, if y ou 're a real b attislak sh an i 6 graced w ith all
the virtues, how com e you've got no love in you for your fellow
creatures. Isn 't there even a crum b of love in you? O r perhaps
you 'v e given it all out on loan— to the tigers in the jungle?
A ccording to you, our own lives ought to give us a way
of u nd erstanding the lives of others. W hat's happened to your
lives here then? Isn 't a w om an's life as dear to her as yours is
to you? It's as if w om en are m eant to be m ade of som ething
different from m en altogether, m ade of the dust from earth or
rock or rusted iron, w hereas you and your lives are m ade from
the purest gold. To you, w om an is just som e utterly trivial form
of life, like a louse or a flea— and your ow n experience tells
you that this is all very fine and good. Y ou 're asking me what
I m ean? I m ean once a w om an 's husband has died, not even a
dog w ould sw allow w hat sh e's got to. W h at's in store for her?
The barber com es to shave all the curls and h air off her head,
ju st to cool your eyes. All her ornam ents are taken aw ay. All
her beauty vanishes. S h e's stripped and exposed in all sorts of
w ays as if she belonged to no one, she becom es the w idow -pot
hidden in the co rn er .7 S h e's shut out from going to w eddings,
receptions and other auspicious occasions that m arried women
go to. And why all these restrictions? Because her husband
has died. Sh e's unlucky: ill-fate is w ritten on her forehead. Her
face is not to be seen, it's a bad om en. Sh e's a sign now for all
these things. Oh, but her h u sban d 's died! All right, w ho says
he h asn 't? But w as it she w ho killed him ? Did she m ake som e
private prayer to God, 'God take this husband from me quickly?'
In fact, she m ight very w ell have felt like asking God to take
pity on her, praying, 'Take this husband quickly, Oh God, release
me from this tortu re'. But then, sh e'd have stopped h erself out
of fear of the u nhappiness sh e'd su ffer after his lordship had
gone. W h o's to say? N o— w h o'd think such a thought? It's like
the old saying: 'N arayan did the deed, but it's Keshav does the
p en an ce !'8 The h u sban d 's life is at an end, all finished. His
good and bad poin ts have all been added up and h e's gone.
But w hy should his w ife take the blam e for it? A ll right then,
le t's say that she should. But if sh e's su pposed to give up
everything after her h u sban d 's gone, and sit lam enting, 'H ari,
H ari, god. O h god ', why sh ou ld n 't the m an do the sam e ? W hy
should he go off and m arry another w om an and settle down
happily w ith her? Did the authors of the shastras keep their
savage glares ju st for w om en? M aybe there w as som e w om an
once upon a tim e w ho w ent and set fire to their houses or
som ething. So ju st because of this one w om an, they w ent and
invented a law and applied it to all w om en.
It would have been all right if a similar law had been imposed
on all men at the same time. But would we ever get them to do that?
They really used their heads, those authors of the shastras, when
they m ade all this up. All very com fortable for them . Absolutely
excellent! But what if they laid it down today that 'N o m an can
rem arry after his first w ife has died. If he does, it's like h e's
com m itted incest with his m other and should be throw n out of
caste?' And then the next day one of these chaps' ow n wives
suddenly fell down dead. People would say even of him, 'H e's got
bad luck w ritten on his forehead— we don't want to see his face'.
It would be him w ho w ould be shut out as a guest at m arriages
and be thrown out of the village into a math.9 So isn 't it quite
obvious that these men were ju st thinking of their own com forts
when they gave men perm ission to m arry any num ber of wives?
Then their fortunes flourished! If one wife died or the poor thing
got ill, then our chap ju st m oves straight on to another. And if he
happens to be a rich man as w ell, that's one more stroke of good
luck on top of all the others. It means he enjoys two sorts of power:
one comes from his money, and the other just because he's a man.
There's nothing to hold him back!
You even get shrivelled-up old sinners of eighty years or
more, and there'll still be som e oily-faced hanger-on w ho'll tell
him , 'W hat nonsense, sir, who says you're old? If anyone dares
say so, I'll push their teeth in'. 'But look,' the old man says, 'W hat
about m y hair? D oesn't that spoil it ?' 'N o, no— you just take a bit
of this cream , sir, rub it on, and tom orrow it'll look fine, nothing
to it!' 'W ell, that's good, that's my hair fixed then. But my teeth—
there's not a trace of one left in m y head. A nything we could do
about that, do you think?' 'No problem, my dear sir. Tomorrow I'll
go along to a doctor I know who deals in teeth and I'll get you a
brand new set, a full thirty-tw o. And next time you're washing
your face, you just pull out any old bits of teeth still left and you'll
be all ready, nothing to it. Even lads of twenty-five w on't dare set
themselves up alongside you. No, no, sir— these may be old bones,
but does pepper ever fetch less than millet, even when it's a bit old
and rotten ? ' 10 So it's all arranged and the old chap puffs up with
pride, preening him self at the very thought. His few strands of
hair on his bald head, his eyebrows and m oustaches are all white,
like bits of cotton wool, but he has his three rupee box of ointment
brought to him and he rubs it in as instructed three times a day.
Then he starts dressing him self up. He folds his dhoti and ties it
up very tight. Then there's the turban with a gold border. And a
shiny new jacket, which has to be forced on over his old bones. He
finishes it off with a scarf over his shoulders and pops the borrowed
set of teeth in his toothless mouth. Then he crushes up some betel
for himself, to make his false teeth look good and red. Red sandals
on his feet, and an im ported w alking stick in his hand in case he
gets the shakes walking along. As for his diet, it's alm ond cakes,
fried sweets, gourd sw eets in syrup, ten times a day to fatten
him self up. He inspects his ugly old face w ith its cheeks sunk in
a hundred tim es in the m irror and struts about asking everyone,
'W ell, hello there! How do you think I'm looking these days—
pretty well, eh?' And then some m ischief-m aker will come along,
and say, 'Tut, tut, sir, w hat's this about you being old? You don't
look a day older than our Ganapati. You should find a wife! We
don't have m uch fun at hom e these days ourselves, so how on
earth do you manage? There's a saying, you know, "Money troubles
and you need relatives, but if it's diarrhoea a w ife's b est !" '11
W hat next, then? The old man spends every m inute of his
tim e looking out for a w om an, it's all h e's got eyes for. Then it's
done. The old corpse pays out a couple of thousand rupees and
gets a pretty doe-eyed girl for himself, just like you buy a goat from
the butcher and tie it up as bait to catch a tiger. Then out he goes
one day and falls down dead, and it's all over. His worldly life is
all finished and it's her again w ho's left to suffer. Right or not?
D o you ever find a w om an going in for perform ances like

these? O nce the axe has fallen on her out of the sky, she accepts
the burdens of widowhood, praises her husband's qualities good
and bad and puts up with torments from the rest of the household
till the day she dies. If a w om an's husband has just a small illness
her mouth dries up with terror. She watches him constantly, worrying
for him m ore than her very life. It's out of devotion, you m ight
say— or out of fear. She does everything ju st as he w ishes. Of
course, it's possible to be loving and open with someone, whether
it's a man or a woman. But she has no choice but to be nice to him,
how ever m uch she's got a m ind of her own. So how can you tell
her she's got to be all good and virtuous, w hen she just has to
accept w hatever you feel like handing out day after day? It's
naturally from others that people learn how to behave, in good
w ays or bad. You can see this from your own experience. If you
meet up with a cheat, isn't it likely you'll become a ten times bigger
cheat yourself?
It's ju st the same in this case. There's a saying in English,
that com passion breeds com passion. So ju st as com passion is
bom from the belly of compassion, you should start off by thinking
what com es out of your own mind, then think what it does to
others. But even this w on't w ork w here m en are concerned. If a
m an's wife is ill for a year or two, then His Majesty will be saying,
'W hen's she going to die and get it over with?' or 'I'm just sick and
tired of having to feed her medicine'. Whatever a wife's circumstances,
she can't say anything like that, out of sham e at what people
would think. The husband, h e's got to be treated w ith reverence
no m atter w hat happens. It's like the M uslim s, w hatever you are
they find som ething grand to call you— if a m an's w ealthy, he's
an amir, if he's poor, h e's a fakir and after he's died, they call him
a pir !12 A man w ho isn't married is given the title of brahm achari;
those w ho are m arried are called householders and fam ily men.
Then, w hen a m an's been through all the stages of life, he gives
up the world and becom es a sanyasi ,13 and that's the end! But
what's the proper time of day for people to take the vow of sanyas?
It's in the evening. But you— you d on 't give up these w orldly
hopes till the very last m om ent, w hen the doctors have given up
all hope of your life. Then and only then you 'll take the vow to
becom e a sanyasi, at som e unearthly hour in the m orning!
Translated from the Marathi by Rosalind O ' Hanlon
1. Rights the term in the original is 'sikka' - the royal

signet or stam p placed upon any grant of
rights in pre-colonial M aharahstra.
2. Yam a the god of the dead w hose m essengers
summon the living and who sits in judgment
on their souls in his city in the lower world.
3. An orchard O nly God
Looks A fter a com m on phrase for som eone w ho is
destitute.
4. Tenth Day ten days is the standard period of H indu
m ourning for close relatives, during which
no m arriage or auspicious cerem ony is
held.
5. Rani of Jhansi the queen of Jhansi who fought on the
side of the rebels in the Sepoy M utiny of
1857 and w hose nam e is a byw ord for
w om en's daring and courage,
6. Battislakshani the thirty two m arks of excellence— the
proportions and colours of different parts
o f the body.
7. W idow -pot in
the corner the term in the original is ‘sandice khapara’,
a rich M arathi reference to a w idow . The
widow is a pot or a vessel, a com m on
symbol for the female, but she is no longer
used by the fam ily and abandoned in a
corner. A nything in the corner also has
connotations of being improper and shameful.
8. N arayan did the
deed. . . : the punishm ent of one w ho is innocent of
the crime.
9. Math : a monastery, a community of Hindu ascetics
and scholars.
10. Pepper and m illet : superior goods will always be more valuable
than the inferior.
11. M oney troubles. . . : A proverb that m eans a w ife's attention is
worth most in times of trouble and adversity,
12. A m ir, Fakir and Pir : as a m an you can alw ays get som e form
of honour in all ranks and stages of life—
as lord, m endicant or saint,
13. Sanyasi : one w ho has abandoned all w orldly ties,
the last of the four ideal stages in the life
o f m an. The joke here is that the ritual of
a m an's becom ing a sanyasi should really
begin w ith a sacrificial fire at sunset.
WKMif f?f$
dRRTI (3^ H H d: 1 85 0 - 1 9 1 0 ) % ^3ftsr=T % 3 3#I37 ÎH3TOt

■=TFt ftRTcftI fcRT WF FteTI t f3> <3l4il '3RT 19^t <ldl«0 % 3eRT*J 3 RWJÎReF %
^cW RI 3 TF^t ^ ^ W R R TOIcJT ■qlTenT 3 fSTT «TI dRWI^ f?T^ 3 W # T cTOT
^HHchltriln t-llferq 3iT 3T^5T 3JWR^ fctiqi 8TTI 3 ih ^ qcKl 3ft f^5Rt 3 dKNI^ %
°qf=tdc^ % 3ft ^5fF ^(Ft TFt Fkftl "51% f^RT 'JllRuiq
J e ) ( 1 8 2 7 - 1 8 9 0 ) 3^T WWllfcRi « h m ( ^><rl ^RT "jot 3 1873 3 ^ i f n a ) 3
fli 8^1 *J5R 3 TTRRlf f?T^ 3ft SPrt W T % ? R R ^*TO 3tT # R t 3 1?R3R
3R^ 3ft TO^T ^ Ftftl 3 SFT^R 3R ^R TI, facfTF 3lk fo*R1 ^ IR 3 tft
■Himr^=h ^ I^ r f 3ft 3ft 3ftf?T7T 3 M IQ; s^l ^ 1?RT’ ( 1882)
dRNI^ 3ft w rW ra ^fct t l *FR?T % i T M f ^ sfciFm 3
y ^ T d 3rk *5ft-1j^ r *R5F«rf % f tR 3ft hk1 c(i<1 3 w n f^
FqR?f % 3 cTT^ 3iT 'SRR? f3RT t , ‘ f^ t-g ? ^ ^tn-ii’ 3 t ^3> tl
‘^ - y > < * rjrtll ’ ( 1 88 2 ): ^<>q jjci*ll ’ C'R’R 40 'jMl 3iT ^ F d o
t ^fl ^RfaeR ‘ y>t 3 * R ’ 3 y+lHfld T*3r % SrJTO 3 fcR3T fRT «ni
^ * r ’ 3' y+iftid ^ r 3ft f ^ t fa*RT % f r o ^ ^ r j r t <*>1^ aik
% =*k ^ an «k h ih 1 s ik w n f ^ 3 s r r i ':r ^ r f^ J
3ft Fr^TT 3 R ^t Mtl f*T '^ IT 3 T3^> til'taPl'b ^F*T 'fe s ^ «ftl ^FST 3
dKMI^ 3 ST^RT *ER «ft ^Ttffct^T 3R f^TT *TTI 3 W I T f ^ ftfa-'fen # ' %
pHq<HdirH=h cf^ % Mt, f^RT^ 3Htv(l 3ft ’jfiRiT "HcTt 3?k RI 3ft f^T^ffTa
’j f W cT3? 3 t f e l 3 R ^ ^TRTt t l ^ TO TOt, # 3 t , % 31K?f
3ft 3iT d'lldK W I Jirai t l 3Tq^ ?T3ff 3 ’TRcltq ■Hh N 3^tr ':TRt ( fts't^
3 f e t M ) 3ft 4dd^ltddl % ^ ^ 'JSfTf^t , 'g t n ^ ', m<*>Kl afk ^ I 3 f f
3ft 3 ^ t 3' W 3Rctt t l dKNI^ ?fS alk s n ^ f ^H%t' 3ft
^ R # R T 3' fits iftfÎT 3 k # 3 r f m W'^fd 3ft ’j f W TO *ft 'Q i 3Rcft
t l '5TFT '^3? SftT TTf^R 3?tT % W R % 3 aftejf 3ft '^STT
3ft Weft t , rft =IFT ^JfRt 3TR 3 ^ t ^Fd^ 3lk ^ 3 3T^lf«r3i' 3rCT5itT TTRI
■snrTT t f^R% ^TF eft 'TO 3 TF^ J^ R t FteH t ^ F^ 'HTOf Pi 'K mI
3it '^T^Rd Fteft t , ^ R t ‘dk 3 cR? ^RR 3 :T^ 3 3ftf fîRT Ft ^ Ft I cIRRlf
*TiHif5T3) ^fs^jt 3ft T^3> fTOtMt % 3 <HIHA 3Tmt t l <5'lchl <r)<9-l
3R ^ ^rf alk «R|F j|+ Tftft«?fiRf % # 3 3 ^[f5R fOT t l '3^3JT HKl^K
3RI ‘ ^ i t - ^ c^lll: ';IRt ^F«td ^ f^RT 'W t l *Rrat 3 ^ W N R ?RI

3<jelle d , T O W , 2002, ^ 3 TR^n 22-29
ii« I 1 4£
[f |S-
It- JAiC't .. f i i f I
' f l ?
-‘I'C' jr
S |
f ill!:- I l s s J i
15 # ^ ^ .
* t|g
1 *1 ? I
£“ I g -? | | | ~ fc £ £ g,
I
B
15' l - s I f Jl ^
f g * I? ® 2 * ST ^
» fll|? <jj -*c< -gc
g f « &<(5 ^ I I £ ^ I f
? Î £ f&g >** l i r
^
-O'
inL.
f
ju^
t
'|. HhftbJ
a
sum
-j, fl, ^ ^ j ^ | .y
a
'
I I ^ a *| l | 4>
i I •VJ
^L k^> h£
ik
-ii
yjte
fj €: ^ ^
4
t
iMMfr
^ ^
h -oil,
__, —
4y. ^
U n iH
nJjJ 4?i2 * u
% a a,
3frb
.al.
£
0) ^ a g>
IPhjhVh
144 / : ^TRt
lt*T 3 ^Ttt sftT Ttt«t 3 Tejfa Hlcs^h, f*TR 3*Tt TpRT? ? i3 t 3 f^<ai<l
i t , ^ T I t - 3rtt ':EfI^ 3 t cMcj| JH^hdl t , sftT 3HR 3 T<jf?T Mldqil % ?R I
Inci'i ^Frtt <5Tie'll! «Md îTH 3 t 3 WTT '3fra t , ^fet t%3TC[ ti
^pRt ^cfFtt ^ ^T; f^§T^ %t <*itfelVI I t # t l 3 tt^ 3 HFP ^FR ^ R -^ R T^T
PloKI ^TtcfT t sfk Srfijcfclfa't' f-KSIK-^ % y'MM *n?t t l ftR
Tejfa Hld<*> ^ t - ^ t ^R cIk'I'* ^R^ t 3fk ^ 3 fs t ^R Tt^R i t fq°ll5
% fetf ^ ? r i t ■^rra t i ^ ?t3 r ,*te^ i t t t ist h î
■g? 3 ^teT ^ i t t , 7R 3 ^te=l ’’TPra i t T t t , ^ ff^ ft 3 *3 TR k 3
%ct--gpnff T|2 T it t , Wldd eflde'l «ilei fi=h<rt T t t 3^3 3T^t
% t l T^3t t^rf? ! 3 lt * t 3 ^ T 5 t ^ ^R , 13t ^R W F t, ^ c t
?R k TR effect 3Fft^T-^tRt^R *fteft ^ t t W tM ^ °FR ^JPt STFt T^jfa
TTO^FT 3 •^rn t , “ 3rT1 cRTcT ^ftT 3 d id 41 ^F1 33?t t , “ 3tN
eft f«i <r<$><n M^l^ TTIerf % '5^t erFI^ t l ?IKt ^ 3 3 % tf l 3 ^ iti i 3 ’ft
ei'Hirdl 'fcTc%TTtI" ^tet T J ^ jit <gsdr> %t H^R 3 Hl3 ît ?5I ':3neTI t l 'foRtl
tr N %t 15TR -^f-l^R ^ 3 m i t TJ^T d S'hl %t <a(ki ^fTfft t l «(N
% t t t r 3 3 r 3 %t ~ sm *jh ii ^ra ^ i ^ m^kn w i W w R p f c » r
i t 3 t eft îfdî %t ^ it sTrqrfteT ftst%! ^ ff w t t ^r?
■?5ft %t '^j’Tt 1FI eRl ■?^Ft t f%?ft 3 ? ^R ’’R i l l
3^5^ %t T1T3T kRt eft %9Rt ^ l t Tratt 3TcFt TTRT T® 3T*t3 1Tf% %
Tpn-3TîpTT ■JIK W f f ^R 3 , ■^tlT *ft # T f % 3Te^MT Tileft f f ^ f^ f
T O H %t T^TRt i t ^left t l ^ ^t^R f3TT eft 3Rt ^Teft t l 3 W 3^1 W t
t - 'Îtt mP« i *?ra 3 ^TT ^Ft 3 l "tf?! Ênt ’tHI i t ^t '^ t - T # TRI d'H'hl
■^51 % 3T5?TR i t 3TT9Tnt ^Reft t l sfk TTr^ft ^ t-^ R ^Hld <41HK eft
■qftr 3men t , ^ i^ frt f i^ r r - fw - f^ n ^r tr n
iten ^1 T it ^ n ft ^TT t 3M ^ ^ l^ t F t 3T^R TTfaeft t? ^
f31T eft 3RftT, f«R3Rt T it eft ^P%R, sffT fR ^ % ^ xfk l TRtRT #11
^ t lt eft *ft eT^ ^ ije ^ '5!f5 i t ^ [t ’R Tleft t l § 'lch1 '3Tt3 t,rt °Ft eft
^ TFtra I t H lt . '^ t l # n eft # R 5 t % TRTFT i t - ^R
Rll=bK %t 3TT^ 3 ^R ^ ^ tc ti
1. ^R: ^T ^qeiT Tgsq % 3 7 ^ - ^ ^vtfl îT i'Hni ^MTI

2. 3RTWTT 'ER-'^R f5l^=h< Îd 3 T?^TI
3. flR ft % t TFft ?n3t TR W R ^R^ Îrft nfedl THt HyfNlf
1 857 % '5I8TO ^cimfaeTT W TR 3 3 t M 3^T
3 t^TRHT 3 ^ 3TeTd: %t W3
f3r ^4^^ i
The Cabuliwallah and Shah Jahan
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) w as born in C alcutta, into a
w ealthy and cultured Brahm in family. His father D evendranath, was
one of the leaders of the Brahm o Samaj. The p oet's early life was
spent in an atm osphere of religion, art, philosophy and literature,
m usic and painting. A fter a brief stay in England in 1878, to study
law , he returned to India, and instead pursued a career as a w riter,
playw right, songw riter, poet, philosopher and educator. He w rote
prim arily in Bengali but has been widely translated into m any Indian
and foreign languages. In 1901 he founded his school, the Shantiniketan,
at Bolpur and its great success led to the creation of Visw abharati,
dedicated to a confluence of emerging W estern and Indian philosophy
and education. The institution becam e a university in 1921.
Tagore w as recognized as a great p atrio t and w as involved
with the Freedom M ovement, despite his misgiving about the dangers
of N ationalism , about which he w rote extensively. He is perhaps
best know n for G itan jali— the collection of poem s that enthralled
the W est and led to his being aw arded the Nobel Prize for Literature
in 1913. H e w as also knighted in 1915, an honour he renounced
after the 1919 Jallianw ala Bagh m assacre.
Tagore w rote over one thousand poem s; eight volum es of short
stories; alm ost tw o dozen plays and playlets; eight novels; and m any
books and essays on philosophy, religion, education and other social
topics. His other great love was music, in the Bengali style. He composed
both the m usic and the lyrics of m ore than tw o thousand songs.
Two of them becam e the national anthem s of India and Bangladesh.
A few of his prom inent w orks are Sonar Tari (Golden Boat, 1894),
C hokher B ali (M ote in the Eye, 1903), N au kadu bi (The W reck, 1905),
G ora (1907) and G hare-B aire (H om e and the W orld, 1916).
'T h e C ab u liw allah ' highlights T agore's hum anist belief in the
universality of em otional responses and desires, as well as his dislike
of the barriers of suspicion that exist in society based of difference
of religion or geography. The poignancy of the C abuliw allah's plight,
his yearning to see his d augh ter and be recognized by her, gives a
hum an face to T agore's com plex political and personal beliefs, and
the point is m ade in sim ple yet lyrical lan gu age that touches an
em otional chord.
The story is from A Tagore Reader, edited by Amiya Chakravarty, New York:
Macmillan, 1961. pp 46-53. The poem is from Selected Poems: Rabindranath
Tagore, translated by William Radice. Middlesex: Penguin Books, 1985,
pp 78-81
146 / The Cabuliwallah and Shah Jahan
The poem 'Shah Jah an ' is considered the most lyrical description
of the Taj M ahal, but it is m uch m ore than that. W hile it celebrates
beauty and love, it is also a realization that man's fight against mortality
and erasure, w hether through A rchitecture or Literature, is a losing
one. The only rem anent, if any, is the innate emotional response which
transcends the barriers of time and space.
M ini, m y five year old d au g h ter, can n o t live w ith ou t

chattering. I really believe that in all her life she has not wasted
one m inute in silence. H er m other is often vexed at this, and
would stop her prattle, but I do not. To see Mini quiet is unnatural
and I cannot bear it for long. Because of this, our conversations
are alw ays lively.
O ne m orning, for instance, w hen I w as in the m idst of the
seventeenth chapter of m y new novel, M ini stole into the room ,
and putting her hand into m ine, said: 'Father! Ram dayal the
door-keeper calls a crow a krow! He d o esn 't know anything,
does h e?'
Before I could explain the language d ifferences in this
cou ntry, she w as on the trace of another subject. 'W hat do you
think, Father? Shola says there is an elephant in the clouds,
blow ing w ater out of his trunk, and that is w hy it rain s'.
The child had seated h erself at m y feet near the table,
and was playing softly, drum m ing on her knees. I w as hard at
work on m y seventeenth chapter, w here Pratap Singh, the hero,
had ju st caught K anchanlata, the heroine, in his arm s, and was
about to escape w ith her by the third -storey w indow of the
castle, w hen all of a sudden M ini left her play, and ran to the
window, crying: 'A Cabuliwallah! a Cabuliw allah!' Sure enough,
in the street below w as a C abuliw allah passing slow ly along.
He w ore the loose, soiled clothing o f his people, and a tall
turban; there w as a bag on his back, and he carried boxes of
grapes in his hand.
I cannot tell w hat m y daughter's feelings were at the sight
o f this m an, but she began to call him loudly. Ah, I thought, he
w ill com e in and m y seventeenth chapter will never be finished!
At this exact m om ent the C abuliw allah turned and looked up
at the child. W hen she saw this she w as overcom e by terror,
fled to her m oth er's protection, and disappeared. She had a
blind b elief that inside the bag w hich the big m an carried were
two or three children like herself. M eanw hile, the pedlar entered
m y doorw ay and greeted me w ith a sm ilin g face.
So precarious w as the position of m y hero and my heroine
that my first im pulse was to stop and buy som ething, especially
since M ini had called to the man. I m ade som e sm all purchases,
and a conversation began about A bdurrahm an, the Russians,
the English, and the Frontier Policy.
As he w as about to leave, he asked: 'A nd w here is the
little girl, sir?'
I, thinking that M ini m ust get rid of her false fear, had
h er b ro u g h t o u t. S h e sto o d b y m y c h a ir , w a tc h in g the
C abu liw allah and his bag. H e offered her nuts and raisins but
she w ould not be tem pted, and only clung closer to m e, w ith
all her doubts increased. This w as their first m eeting.
One morning, however, not many days later, as I was leaving
the house I w as startled to find M ini seated on a bench near
the door, laughing and talking w ith the great C abuliw allah at
her feet. In all h er life, it appeared, my sm all daughter had
never found so patient a listener, except for her father. A lready
the corner of her little sari was stuffed w ith alm onds and raisins,
gifts from her visitor. 'W hy did you give her those?' I said,
and taking out an eight-anna piece, handed it to him . The m an
accepted the m oney without delay, and slipped it into his pocket.
A las, on m y return an hour later, I found the unfortunate
coin had m ade twice its own w orth of trouble! The Cabuliw allah
had given it to M ini, and her m other seeing the bright round
object, had pounced on the child w ith: 'W h ere did you get that
eight-anna p iece?'
'T he C abu liw allah gave it to m e,' said M ini cheerfully.
'T he C abu liw allah gave it to you !' cried her m other m uch
shocked. 'O M ini! how could you take it from him ?'
E n terin g at this m om ent, I saved her from im pending
d isaster, and proceeded to m ake m y ow n inquiries. I found
that it w as not the first or the second tim e the tw o had met.
The C abu liw allah had overcom e the ch ild 's first terror by a
ju d icio u s bribery of nuts and alm onds, and the tw o w ere now
great friends.
They had m any quaint jok es w hich afforded them a great
deal of am usem ent. Seated in front of him , and looking w ith
all her tiny d ignity on his gigantic fram e, M ini w ould ripple
her face with laughter, and begin 'O Cabuliwallah! Cabuliwallah!

w hat have you got in your bag?'
He w ould reply in the nasal accents of a m ountaineer:
'A n elep h an t!' N ot m uch cause for m errim ent, perhaps, but
how they both enjoyed their joke! And for me, this ch ild 's talk
w ith a grow n-up m an alw ays had in it som ething strangely
fascinating.
Then the C abuliw allah, not to be caught behind, w ould
take his turn w ith: 'W ell, little one, and w hen are you going to
the father-in -law 's hou se?'
Now m ost sm all Bengali m aidens have heard long ago
about the father-in -law 's house, but w e, being a little m odern,
had kept these things from our child, and at this question M ini
m ust have been a trifle bew ildered. But she w ould not show
it, and w ith instant com posure replied: 'A re you going there?'
A m ong m en of the C abu liw allah 's class, how ever, it is
well known that the w ords 'father-in-law 's house' have a double
m eaning. It is a euphem ism for ja il, the place w here w e are
w ell cared for at no expense. The sturdy pedlar w ould take
my daughter's question in this sense. 'A h,' he would say, shaking
his fist at an invisible police m an, 'I w ill thrash my father-in-
law!' Hearing this, and picturing the poor, uncomfortable relative,
M ini w ould go into peals of laughter joined by her form idable
friend.
These were autum n m ornings, the tim e of year w hen kings
of old w ent forth to conquest; and I, never stirrin g from my
little corner in C alcutta, w ould let m y m ind w ander over the
w hole w orld. A t the very nam e of another country, my heart
would go out to it, and at the sight of a foreigner in the streets,
I w ould fall to w eaving a netw ork of dream s: the m ountains,
the glens, the forests of his distant hom eland w ith a cottage in
its setting, and the free and independent life of far-aw ay wilds.
Perhaps these scenes of travel pass in m y im agination all the
m ore vivid ly because I lead a vegetable existence such that a
call to travel w ould fall upon m e like a thunderbolt. In the
p resence of this C abuliw allah I w as im m ediately transported
to the foot of m ountains, w ith narrow d efiles tw isting in and
out am ongst their tow ering, arid peaks. I could see the string
of cam els bearin g m erchandise, and the com pany of turbaned
m erchants carrying queer old firearm s, and some of their spears
dow n tow ard the plains. I could see— but at this point M ini's
m other would intervene, im ploring me to 'bew are of that m an.'
Unfortunately M ini's mother is a very timid lady. W henever
she hears a noise in the street or sees people com ing toward the
h ouse, she alw ays ju m p s to the conclu sion that they are either
th ie v e s, d ru n k a rd s, sn a k e s, tig e rs, m a la ria , c o ck ro a ch e s ,
caterp illars, or an English sailor. Even after all these years of
experience, she is not able to overcom e her terror. Thus she
w as full of doubts about the C abu liw allah , and used to beg
m e to keep a w atchful eye on him .
I tried to gently laugh her fear aw ay, but then she w ould
turn on m e seriou sly and ask solem n questions.
W ere ch ild ren never kidnapped?
W as it, then, not true that there w as slavery in Cabul?
W as it so very absurd that this big man should be able to
carry off a tiny child?
I told h er th at, though n ot im p o ssib le, it w as h igh ly
im probable. But this w as not enough, and her dread persisted.
As her su spicion w as unfounded, how ever, it did not seem
right to forbid the m an to com e to the house, and his fam iliarity
w ent unchecked.
O nce a y ea r, in the m id d le of Ja n u a ry , R ah m u n the
C abu liw allah w as in the habit of returning to his cou ntry, and
as the tim e approached he w ould be very busy going from
house to house collecting his debts. This year, however, he always
found tim e to com e and see M ini. It w ould have seem ed to an
outsider that there w as som e conspiracy between them, for when
he could not com e in the m orning, he w ould appear in the
evening.
Even to me it was a little startling now and then, to suddenly
surprise this tall, loose-garm ented m an o f bags in the corner
of a dark room ; but w hen M ini w ould run in, sm iling, w ith
her 'O C abuliw allah! C abu liw allah !' and the tw o friends so
far apart in age w ould subside into their old laughter and their
old jokes, I felt reassured.
One m orning, a few days before he had m ade up his mind
to go, I w as correcting m y proof sheets in my study. It was
chilly w eather. Through the window the rays of the sun touched
my feet, and the slight w arm th was very w elcom e. It w as alm ost
eight o'clock , and the early ped estrians w ere retu rning hom e
150 / Indian Literature: An Introduction
w ith their heads covered. All at once I heard an uproar in the

street, and, looking out, saw Rahmun bound and being led away
b etw een tw o policem en, follow ed by a crow d of curious boys.
There w ere blood -stains on the clothes of the C abuliw allah,
and one of the policem en carried a knife. H urrying out, I stopped
them and inquired w hat it all m eant. Partly from one, partly
from another, I gathered that a certain neighbor had owed the
pedlar som ething for a Ram puri shaw l, but had falsely denied
having bought it, and that in the course of the quarrel Rahm un
had struck him . Now , in the heat of his excitem ent, the prisoner
began calling his enem y all sorts of nam es. Suddenly, from a
verandah of my house my little M ini appeared, w ith her usual
exclam ation: 'O C abuliw allah! C abu liw allah !' R ahm un's face
lighted up as he turned to her. He had no bag under his arm
today, so she could not discuss the elephant w ith him . She at
once therefore proceeded to the next question: 'A re you going
to the father-in -law 's hou se?' Rahm un laughed and said: 'Ju st
w here I am going, little on e!' Th-'n seeing that the reply did
not am use the child, he held up his fettered hands. 'A h ,' he
said, 'I w ould have thrashed that old father-in-law , but my
hands are b oun d !'
On a charge of m urderous assault, Rahm un was sentenced
to m any years of im prisonm ent.
Tim e passed and he was forgotten. The accustom ed work
in the accustom ed place w as ours, and the thought of the once
free m ountaineer spending his years in prison seldom occurred
to us. Even m y light-hearted M ini, I am asham ed to say, forgot
her old friend. New com panions filled her life. As she grew
older she spent m ore of her tim e w ith girls, so m uch in fact
that she cam e no m ore to her father's room . I w as scarcely on
speaking term s w ith her.
M any years passed. It was autum n once again and we
had m ade arrangem ents for M ini's m arriage; it was to take
place during the Puja holidays. With the goddess Durga returning
to her seasonal hom e in M ount K ailas, the light of our hom e
w as also to d epart, leaving our house in shadow s.
The m orning was bright. A fter the rains, there w as a sense
of cleanness in the air, and the rays of the sun looked like pure
gold; so bright that they radiated even to the sordid brick walls
of our C alcutta lanes. Since early daw n, the w edding-pipes had
Indian Literature: An Introduction /151
been sounding, and at each beat m y ow n h eart throbbed. The

w ailin g tune, B h airavi, seem ed to in ten sify m y pain at the
approaching separation. My M ini w as to be m arried tonight.
From early m orning, noise and bustle pervaded the house.
In the courtyard the canopy had to be slung on its bam boo
poles; the tinkling chand eliers should be hung in each room
and verand ah; there w as great h urry and excitem ent. I w as
sitting in m y study, looking through the accounts, w hen someone
entered , salu tin g resp ectfu lly, and stood before m e. It w as
Rahm un the C abuliw allah, and at first I did not recognize him .
He had no bag, nor the long hair, nor the sam e vigor that he
used to have. But he sm iled , and I knew him again.
'W hen did you com e, R ahm un?' I asked him .
'L ast ev en in g,' he said, 'I w as released from ja il.'
The w ords stru ck h arsh upon m y ears. I had never talked
with anyone w ho had w ounded his fellow m an, and my heart
shrank w hen I realized this, for I felt that the day would have
been better-om ened if had he not turned up.
'T here are cerem onies going on ,' I said, 'and I am busy.
Could you perhaps com e another d ay?'
At once he turned to go; but as he reached the door he
hesitated, and said: 'M ay I not see the little one, sir, for a m oment?'
It w as his b elief that M ini w as still the sam e. H e had pictured
her running to him as she used to do, calling 'O C abuliw allah!
C abu liw allah !' He had im agined that they w ould laugh and
talk together, ju st as in the past. In fact, in m em ory of those
form er days he had brought, carefu lly w rapped up in paper, a
few alm onds and raisins and grapes, som ehow obtained from
a cou ntrym an— his own little fund w as gone.
I said again: 'T h ere is a cerem ony in the house, and you
w ill not be able to see any one today.'
The m an's face fell. He looked w istfully at me for a moment,
said 'G ood m orn in g,' and w ent out.
I felt a little sorry, and w ould have called him back, but
saw that he w as returning of his ow n accord. He cam e close up
to m e holding out his offerings, and said: 'I brought these few
things, sir, for the little one. W ill you give them to her?'
I took them and w as going to pay him , but he caught my
hand and said : 'Y ou are v ery k in d , sir! K eep me in your
recollection; do not offer m e m oney! You have a little girl; I too
have one like her in m y ow n hom e. I thought of my own, and

brought fruits to your child, not to m ake a profit for m yself.'
Saying this, he put his hand inside his big loose robe and
brought out a sm all dirty piece of paper. W ith great care he
unfolded this, and sm oothed it out w ith both hands on my
table. It bore the im pression of a little hand, not a photograph,
not a draw ing. The im pression of an ink-sm eared hand laid
flat on the paper. This touch of his ow n little daughter had
been alw ays on his heart, as he had com e year after year to
C alcutta to sell his w ares in the streets.
Tears cam e to m y eyes. I forgot that he w as a poor C abuli
fru it-seller, w hile I w as— but no, w as I m ore than he? He was
also a father.
That im pression of the hand of his little Parbati in her
distant m ountain hom e rem inded me of my ow n little M ini,
and I im m ediately sent for her from the inner apartm ent. M any
excuses w ere raised, but I w ould not listen. Clad in the red silk
of her w edding- day, w ith the sandal paste on her forehead,
and adorned as a young bride, M ini cam e and stood bashfully
before me.
The C abuliw allah w as staggered at the sight of her. There
w as no hope of reviving their old friendship. At last he sm iled
and said: 'Little one, are you going to your father-in-law's house?'
But M ini now understood the m eaning of the word 'father-
in -law ,' and she could not reply to him as in the past. She
flushed at the question and stood before him w ith her brid e's
face looking down.
I rem em bered the day w hen the Cabuliw allah and my Mini
first m et, and I felt sad. W hen she had gone, Rahm un heaved a
deep sigh and sat down on the floor. The idea had suddenly
com e to him that his daughter also m ust have grow n up during
this long tim e, and that he would have to m ake friends with
her ail over again. Surely he w ould not find her as he used to
know her; besid es, w hat m ight have happened to her in these
eight years?
The m arriage-pipes sounded, and the m ild autum n sun
stream ed around us. But Rahm un sat in the little C alcutta lane,
and saw b efore him the barren m ountains of A fghanistan.
I took out a bank-note and gave it to him , saying: 'G o back
to your own daughter, Rahm un, in your own country, and m ay
the happiness of your m eeting bring good fortune to my child!'
After giving this gift, I had to eliminate some of the festivities.

I could n ot have the electric lights, nor the m ilitary band, and
the ladies of the house w ere saddened. But to me the w edding-
feast w as brigh ter because of the thought that in a distan t land
a long -lost father m et again w ith his only child.
Shah Jahan
You knew , Em peror of India, Shah-Jahan,
That life, youth, w ealth, renow n
A ll float aw ay dow n the stream of time.
Y our only dream
5 W as to preserve forever your h eart's pain.
The harsh thunder of im perial pow er
W ould fade into sleep
Like a su n set's crim son splendour,
But it w as your hope
10 That at least a single, eternally-heaved sigh w ould stay
To grieve the sky.
Though em erald s, rubies, pearls are all
But as the glitter of a rainbow tricking out em pty air
And m ust pass away,
15 Y et still one solitary tear
W ould hang on the cheek of time
In the form
O f this w hite and gleam ing Taj M ahal.
O hum an heart,
20 You have no time
To look back at anyone again,
N o time.
You are driven by life's quick spate
O n and on from landing to landing,
25 L oading cargo here,
U nload ing there.
In your garden, the south w ind 's m urm urs
M ay enchant spring m adhabi1- c r e e p e r s
Into su d d enly fillin g your quivering lap w ith flow ers—
30 Their petals are scattered in the dust com e tw ilight
You have no tim e—
You raise from the dew of another night

N ew blossom in your groves, new jasm ine
To dress w ith tearful gladness the votive tray
35 O f a later season,
O hum an heart,
A ll that you gather is throw n
To the edge of the path by the end of each night and day.
You have no tim e to look back again,
40 N o tim e, no tim e.
Thus, Em peror, you w ished,

Fearing your own h eart's forgetfulness,
To conquer tim e's heart
Through beauty.
45 How w onderful the deathless clothing
W ith w hich you invested
Form less death— how it w as garlanded!
You could not m aintain
Y our grief forever, and so you enm eshed
50 Your restless w eeping
In bonds of silent perpetuity.
The nam es you softly
W hispered to your love
55 O n m oonlit nights in secret cham bers live on
Here
As w hispers in the ear of eternity.
The poignant gentleness of love
Flow ered into the beauty of serene stone.
Poet-Em peror,
60 This is your h ea rt's picture,
Y our new M eg h a d u ta 2,
Soaring w ith m arvellous, u nprecedented m elody and line
Tow ards the unseen plane
On w hich your loverless beloved
65 And the first glow of sunrise
And the last sigh of sunset
And the disem bodied beauty of m oonlit Came/F-flower
And the gatew ay on the edge of language

That turns aw ay m an 's w istfu l gaze again and again
70 A re all blended.
This beauty is your m essenger,
Skirtin g tim e's sentries
To carry the w ordless m essage:
'I have not forgotten you, my love, I have not forgotten you.'
75 You are gone, now , E m peror—

Y our em pire has dissolved like a dream ,
Y our throne is shattered,
Y our arm ies, w hose m arching
Shook the earth,
Today have no more weight than the windblown dust on the
D elhi road.
80 P risoners no longer sing for you;

Y our m usicians no longer m ingle their tunes
W ith the lapping Ju m n a 3
The jin g le of the anklets of your w om en
85 H as died from your palaces:
The night sky m oans
W ith the throb
O f crick ets in their cru m bling corners.
But your tireless, in corruptible m essenger,
90 Spurn in g im perial grow th and decline,
Sp urning the, rise and fall of life and death,
Utters
Through the ages
The sam e, continuous m essage o f etern al m ourning:
95 'I have not forgotten you, my love, I have not forgotten you.'
Lies! Lies! W ho says you have not forgotten?

W ho says you have not throw n open
The cage that holds m em ory?
That even today your h eart w ards off
100 The ever-falling darkness
O f history?
That even today it has not escaped b y the liberatin g path
O f forgetfulness?
Tom bs rem ain forever w ith the dust of this earth:
105 It is death
That they carefu lly preserve in a casing of m em ory.
But w ho can hold life?
The stars claim it: they call it to the sky,
Invite it to new w orlds, to the light
110 O f new daw ns.
It breaks
The knot of m em ory and runs
Free along universal tracks.
Em peror, no earthly em pire could ever keep you:
115 N ot even the w hole
O cean-resounding n atural w orld could supply you.
And so
W hen your life's com m edia 4 w as com plete
You kicked this w orld aw ay
120 Like a used clay vessel.
You are greater than your fame: more and more of it is thrown
From your so u l's chariot
As it jou rn eys on:
Y our relics lie here, but you are gone.
125 The love that could not m ove or carry forward,
The love that blocked its ow n road
W ith its ow n grand throne
Could adhere to you no more than the dust of a road on your feet
For all its intim ate sw eetness—
And thus
You returned it to the dust behind you,
And grief's seed,

Blow n by your h eart's feeling,
W as shed from the garland of your life.
You travelled on afar:
The d eathless plant that grew
From that seed to m eet the sky
Speaks to us now w ith som bre m elody —
'Stare no m atter how d istantly,

That traveller is no longer here, no longer here.
H is beloved kept him not,
H is realm s released him ,
N either sea nor m ountain could bar him.
Today his chariot
T ravels at the beck of the night
To the song of the stars
T ow ards the seat of dawn.
I rem ain here w eighted w ith m em ory:
He is free of burd ens; he is no longer h ere.'
T ran slated fr o m B en gali by W illiam R adice
Madhabi : the name of a flower.

M egh adu ta: A famous lyrical poem by Kalidasa, the renowed
dram atist of ancient India. In this poem a Yaksa in
exile implores the clouds to carry the m essage of
his pining heart to his beloved in the far mountains,
Jum na : the river Yamuna.
C om m edia : From Commedia dell'arte, (Italian), meaning comedy
of professional artists. The term originally comes
from theater. The perform ances w ere generally
improvised around a repertory of stock conventional
situations, adultery, jealousy, old age, love, pursuit
of wealth etc.
ic fllt fW 37^7
W t^ m (1867-1941) ^F*T ‘bd'hdl 3 T i^ 3lh:

TrteR 3 p n mi 3^% t o <<khw tnk w TTRra % %3rf 3 3 «ti
w M -i r ^ t=
t 3 f t «nf. s k R^<t>i(l ^ r =ndi<=KUi t w i 1878
3 3 % 3?k?4R % fcpj; tth<j d*r t 7' ^ 3 t# , w ?fci i t ■*TKcr m ro
?fte sim; aft: ^ i f t cte=r cf?t i t 3 t w = q ^ w r wn 1%mi 3 ^ ig d t % «Rt
^ afk ^ T1T8T =bSIHl<+>k, 4'MW=bK, HI<i<M>K, 'lld=hK, < I# H '*, f? iy ^
aftr P ^ i + k «ti 3 ta , ^F t =f t H ro fa affc fa ^ n t
*rra3ff 3 ^ ^ 3 T ^ K !|3ff|
1901 3 ^ i f t ÎcT5< 3 3 T ^ fs r a m ?TTfcT ^ft WHHT cfftl IB
R illd il ^ t 3Hl^lld1d y ^ d d l fERcCRKcit ^ t W R T ^ ftl ^ W IT
■qf^mt 3?tr mrcffa f?rî ?rm ^t «rti 1921 ^t
■RF^TcTT ftr^ftl t ^ k Wd^dl TTOTR 3 ?TTf*TcI «tl W T T ^M ^1 M r
WZ ^ft 37^m7W % Jb4RLi|IHT % 3TmfouT *ft stl ^ '5!?TW
ck I R PtrKai I '3î ^?nfa ^fqcii-T lW ‘ 'lldMPci’ % «*inu| fte ft fsnFi^
^ t s ifq ^ ^ f^m mi ' ‘fldwPd’ % fcR 1913 Tnft?*? ^ r hwft
ftm w mi 1 9 1 5 3 3^#' ‘t r ’ ^ft ^ n fa ^ % m tm mi ^tf^r,
1919 3 ^fcwm^n t o t s k ^ n fa ^ t c f e fomi
M r f ? i r ^ *ft arffercr +fcidiH, ■ÊTtof % 3 to w , e rri^ i 2
^ 3% ^ t 3^ H ifi+ iit 3U3 -OT^rra, afa ^?f=T, «nf, % m , ^ m
m srfor 1p<?% srtr Piq-^r yîPVin ^ 1 aftr did^ ^ t ^Piî % 3Teum TFfkr
^ *ft 3 - i Trwn crij ii<=i m i ■4'?!^ 2000 ^ srf^î 'fldi ^ft t ^ r t ^ t sftr
% m i F rtt ^ ^t ¥TTOT aflr aiH yi^l % <I^||M ^ 1 3TOt ^«5 TT^Q
T^TTj; t : ‘ WIHIdlO’ (1894), m ?ft’ (1903), ^=bl4«ll (1905), ^
(1907), 3fk (1916)1
*|4j,c4)e|WI: ~m M r cfit ^ f % ÎTPraf ^ T3=p t l
HHcflil y'cj^Hl ^ t meft ^ f p f t 3TT?q^m?CRT ^teft 4’ fo r # t l ^WHt
^>1 'ii'sO4! m5( chigMlqiMI 3HH-1I ^ t ^ t crl<a<=h ^ ft Tpft ^ t l ^t?
f M t '’TT Simi yi<l TZIR d ^d d l t , W t ’T fM t ^ft m ^)t -RRt ^ TTf^V
ti 4' <im*h i ^ r a r i t aJtr irm«t ^sn t i
^ T9iF3; TîT w w i' ^ «»f!nn i l « n d i-s r f ^ a ^ h k ^ psflxn^Tr^r, ^

<HlPert 3?^Rm. 1995
-U- 3 £ 04*-
a a S | i i | | S c*.
1 21
4 a if 3
J * Ssff t 21» 3 X
*S> SI
3 ? & a. i s. nsty _1
I i t
a 1 ja - P i I 1, * 2
a 11 .f a
*:
f t /31(* ^ • ! <31)* 4
M i
2S. a 62
a.
i i * t
_c
l l3H 3I_ H,
^ f t * *A I
"
” i 1? » 2' " I f l i a |
4
3,
t 4, lit ! 5H
,r * '3!|* ^ j j | ±
(2
14 J*
23 ± I
I !> 'f i = p <n ij/ S - » fa 4 ?
sf- -Op a *H £j ^ J
■Si ± s| tSQfr
J * a
M *01 cn
a
, d 4 | ! i i
5H I fi.
1 J t| i i %
'''■' nsty
4 a £ -£ k
1 ,4 I HI 1 I 4 * i* |
' 4
5H &
A fj, I *i 1 1 1 3 S a ±
3 & zl-. 21
13 01’
13| | i ^ 3 i &.
■| %. | 2
sf 4 fa SI 3
I^ 2L 2 a I !* ii* t g ^ it l
3 %
■s> ii. 5H oi
± r ^
62£ , j — oil* J, a
a
i- ~ f a 4 1 a t* a *"*
£ J.
-£S 3
i if | j l i | a if ^ |
3, 3 f ^ f * a
a
*1 j i 21 cn
i* it -t^* # 3 ; i a a I 51 CD
160/ 'tujMiqidi s ft virs^sT
"STT TFT *TT—'3 $ ^<9 TcR % TR ^t % 3 3T^ 3<^, =h$di ebfd-1

t l 3 3 ^ 33% t 3 N t 3TiqF5] *t' «JqTR7 ^TT f^TT! 3 ^ , ‘^ 3 3R
TTT ^ftcTt %T* SfFfirr 3TF <g^l $Vll, ^TT TTÎfqT hk-gsS^ 3 R ’'JTI 3 f t Ft
■H'=hni I ’
fM t %t ''TT ^ F t =M^ci1qirl ^ f3 ^> T TJ1? "^TT sftr 3T
W %t 3TtT 3TF} o3TT, oqf F t c?f ar^TiJT 3 3FT 3qt-3TFFT
^TT3t- r^lM 3 t R<sll^ ^Tft 3STI 3 3 % 3 ?RF ^?T SF^fq^qi'H 3T f%
33 % ^ftcTT ^ -qr 3 3 % 3 3 f t st-^ ir ^ftf^r 3 r ^ - 3 3 t f t ftcr
TRicft t l
1 * 3 ^ I f f o lM I 3TFfR ^*<Mldl f3TI ^ 3erT3 ^T3% 7§FT f t W l ^ 3
3 t3 r , ‘ 3STfq w r f w aftr w e r b m t %t 3reT3T 3=bdi4H t ?t « # t
31K3t %t 3T TrT êTT ^ % 3 K 33T t 3 <g<)vil ?ff3T 3 f t ^TTI’
^ l§ftSTI 3TC S t-^ R 3 ^ 3 t i f l ST^FRH 3 ?3T, 3 T M
3TTfo 3 c^FT y lM M y ^ l % t TSTT-^tfa % «n} 3 «Hd41d w ftl
33cT <id=ti<. -qcia 3 3 3 3 3 ^ TJ%9T, ‘ ^T^, $J3?TTt <ns<t>l ^ ifT 3 3 t? '
fHdl % * R %f •Hôl 3 ’SJ ^ 3 ^ t % 3Tf35TT3 Tt 3?t ^1d< Tt ^ c i^ l
fe R I— Tt ■Hd'M =r>ig,crfl % 3Tk %il<ril % t 3TtT 3 fS T^T
3 ^ I c f t T3^t T ftl ^ d l 3 ^ ? M 3 fe?Tf3Vl, Tg3Fft fo ^ T c ^ T ^ c3TT,
TR %t f33Tf rTTl> TT3f 3!Tf 1>f I ^ p ! 3 ^ f Tt 3T ^ ■Hd^< ■^■
TFTtl 3t»73 trfT^T 1 3 W TJTI f3?TI
f^T 'SfR TJ^> f^T 3 % ! t% 3t ^>13 ^ 3T ^ 'i?TfT 33^T ^ IT ,
^ t t ffe c rf s k % w ^3 % 3 rq r srrfo T ’ T ft t sftr
^ T ^ f t w i 3 3 % ^ 3 % ',TF3 ^HT y w i^ ld l ^ 3 n ^ TFT t 3Tk #€J-#E T
y y ' I I ^ K 3TRT 3C1FRT ^ft ftfttcT o*T*RT îT TFT t l f M t % t 3T^Ff
iT ^ fq ofra^ % t srfq^TT 3 fq?TT % 3TMT^T t ^3T ^TTT ^ f t
t3eTT S7TI ^ 3 f «lt ^§T 3337T ^feT 37T^cT ^K T3 f^h^lfHÎ ^ 3 3 «TTI
3 ^ =Mg,d1qiel ^ ^ F i, ‘ 3 ^ 3 ^ ^ T f f^TT? 3T^ i%T 3?T ^TT!' 3ftT ^
^ STS^ f^qiTmiT 3 3 % t ^ ^tl 1%3T 3 % N % 3T3^ft 33^
^l<rfl ^f 3 § eft I
3T dld<+>J ^ T , 3 3 sre^Tf %t c ^ T ^J3 ?FTFT 33T ^3TT t l
fM t %t 3 f 3 ^ ^ ‘T^H'id p ; J lld l+ K t RT8^ % t ^ T T ^ T3T 3
f M t ^ Tp5 T ft «ft, 3 f 3T ^t W ^ f3 # ? ’
fM t T ft sft, ‘ ^ T ^ lctld ^ ^ t l
3 3 % t 3T’ ^ F T ft »ft, ‘ ^ F T f c # ^ ^ STB^ft ^ \ =Pft 3 4 t? ’
H #I ^ / 161
f*R t ^ T ft % t <S1T. ^ 'JRTIft *frst F t Mt, ‘3TT^ f ^ T

^ t l’
st r r s ir f t f^H ^4 Tt f* R t ^ t T <j ^ k f=ti<Hi a ftr " F t «t hr ^ t r t i
tr T êlT, qn^T tai?) Tt f M t % t ^ ^TRt y iiq u a i t , t*TTT ^ STTI

FT 3 F T ^ W T: 3TT^R fH W T -q R jH , ^TT ^ ^=FR f* R t % T # '
?J®T 1 ^ 1 ^R s r f if ^ R ^ R Ri <hi t l
■r t ^ it ^ 3 t t , ^ ffcr^fl 3 ^ «rMt ^ ^ s fk mR s u T y^Pdd
f- ^ 3 T F R %? # iftt ^ T T F T ^ -F R TJSflt, ‘ e b l^ d k ld ! 3?t
chrêft-N!'^! <p?Rt ? n # 3 ^RT t ? ’
t f r s p w ^ r ^ R d ^ F | '«itf=H< F t f s[<j ; f r %tt, ‘ifft fi’
3T8Tfc^ dTPFt ^Tteft *tf ^ llM t t l 3TR>t F T t ^)T ^Flt ^ TIFT 2TTI
^11 TF^T ^]|cf ^T K I 8TT "5?! tft ^>1T '5TT ■H<=hdl, FT nftlR T Tt
# T f i t 37FR t^ R k ^FT 3T^q5f ^ T l^ ~ 3 lfr % TJ’ TRT 3 T ^
a rk ^ s ra ra ^R R ^ f m j t r ? i i r ^ t ^sj<m ^ *rt sr^\ email
f-T’t 13^T 3?ft ^ R *ft y-^fclcl Mtl <.6Hd f * R t Tt ^FldT, ‘ H " l) , <J*T g^JT
cF*ft ^ ts M i ’
q 'lld ) mR=(K % t d s= h l J i'H - 'M d ^ i t ‘ TRJTJeT’ ? T ^ ^ MRr^jri T lcft
t, 1*T ^ i t % STTiJpT^ ^ % efl'H l t ^ % <*>kui f?T?J q iH n ^ i
%t H ^ l d % T T ^ T 3 ■qftf^T 3 l f ^RRTT ^FTT 8JTI ^ T d U . ^ 1 T l^ T %
STJTt^f % t 3t=F ^ 'TIT TFliT HlcD «rt, f'+ < ^lt W i '3iT <5tR
f^TT ^ ^ "3TT% T^^Tra % f s id ^ d PqH<la ^TT—^ 1 dcTd=R ^tscTl,
T l^ c l cblc'MpHch % TTfd ^ fTtel ^TTT cTPRR ^ i m , ‘ ^ ' TT^T %t

■tn^nr
■g^T^T f ^ t ‘^ ’ ^ 7^ t^TTt ^ $Rftf%RT % t ^ T « IT ¥ t
oh«rMH! ^ 7 % ^ IT R ltl
^ 5*Kr+ld 8T1I W # T =FIrT ^ ', T T ^ -^ K I^ I f ^ W T % % l i F ? t ^ 3
ft= h d rt 8^1 ^ +d+dl g rq t H it W , W f ^ FTt ^ ^TI ^
1J8^-«R ^THcn tl fTFTt 3 T ^ ^R % % t^ t^R^TRTt
itST, q ilT % «f<T^ % %Ti ^ 1 TR TT^T fcl'+id Tl^TT t l ^T ':TFT
^,-irl i t t ^T ^ ts t TfaT t , '3Tlt y ^ K P q ^ il W ^ i % t '^1'?) i t
'R t-M 4cf-3|<ut|6 % 41-c| ^)d1 ^T TR df^T It'd ! t 3 rk
^ rtrk r ^ r - '^ %t w ttr tr i t 33cft t i
ÊRt 3Tk ^f %TT 3 f^ T 3 f- - ^ % 7 SRÎ %RT i ^ R W
r n + d ^ i t f tR ^ ^rarara i t ^ i r t t F rtf^ro ; 1^ 1 3^ ^
HZ
u- K tf ir
Ip 1 S' <fc=
f t
T?
1 S
H*
¥
I!-1 . 1 ’
P p' J g I i l l ?
u ’ ff, £
» % Z 15 E !■> I? t$
t l fI SS3" IS
£ ‘S? r
&
.. £
E £ ^ g ? f l
• s i
ff I f 1 11# I T
J 17 ! f * ^ s
l■&i t
IV
g |V < s
1
H
i f £ E? i p*
[p
' V)
*& & ¥
5r . U" ^ &
W ? - f
* f Hf
Hfr
J j ? l i
fiff
? i f
i l l U"
£
_- I 9 ? I
?I f | f■u f
£ S£ - | |
v 15 I r
r
v Hff
Iff
i p- I ? ! 1 ! t
ST i i i f i •»
£ N 1 I ip .
I i i % f i «S %
&
£ Iff g % te% is
1
Iff ff
I Iff v & r>
I2? t5» * E -ft jp ■ifr
f f & I g >* £ <£
ff &
* * * I 1 cz ^ H Iff
1s «tr
P j=
*£?
5-Ki i l
ff
* & 2 « f Iffr
4F I * 8
• *‘ ■ 5
9
t)
f i f | f W £
'Vu
| <£ E r
I »
■ilvc/ p 5! c|i5 r& f g
- ! l ^ i , IS t s | ^ 4r If If ip
5f
162/
# is i w i n 15 !?> i l l ! i(l& IT If I ^ J f f 5 Is £ 7 ^ iff
wiPpc^ : Tjp5 /163
^ efts 3TFt cT^ft *is<*i ^R ‘^tk IcrTT TfTlf TST

3TT® ddl41 # ^3T ^t T^ 3T ^ <6Hfl %t ^T*J f?Rt ^TT T t t —3TT%
dHRI«flH ^t zM 37T Tft t l TPTcT % TTfa ?T*TT ^ s f ^R
% ^FT t 3fk 13^ TT1^ % FT2! ^ ^ T ^ TT3T sgTT t l WH
% ^TfT *IFFR TO* ^1#' %t <H«h< t j s i, ‘Tnqen t? ’
^ 3 9 tf, TiFRT 3 T p fR RT?jR p ? I % T ^ TTStaft 3
IIHÔ ‘!3KT % <6Hd ^ ^>*5 <?H<4l 3&IR f^FTT 2(1—3 ? ^ ^ 3 qld'M
^FRTT ^ ^ ' ^ R ^R f^TT, 3fk ^Tt W %t ^ R ^ R ^ -3R ^ <5Hcl
^ 3 ?t sgTT ^foF f^TTI
T?R?T 3 ^ ^R % m f - W % ) 3 ^ t JIlRrHI 3 T?T «II, W
‘ cbl^dlcll^, 3Tt +I^d1cll<rt, ^ K d l fM t 3 fW cT 3TFTtl
H m r RR^ TFRcT ^leRT ch l^ h ^ l IRTt ^ yyftmcl sTt 33TI 3 9 %
^ TR 3TR 3 # ' *ft, sWlPdlJ, 3 33%T PwfHd
3im1 ^hi 3 ? f i\ TT%ti M t 3 ^ f t 3 t t 3 Tjsr, ‘ Mlci<*> W R % STRICT R {^Md %t ^ %t ^ d t t TRTtI 3R % t

cji<1q-ct5<lq ^ ipiTI ^RT 'TRR ^R ^ ^ 3 9 R TKT % TRTH fHc^l
fH<lfMd 3>W ^ TJ^) % ^ Tjî ^ ^>13 T t F T TRRT T^fTykl
Hâîd " 5 ^ 3jRT-y|-cTl<9 ^ 1%TT T O ^ felT TFT ^TT, '5TF ^Tcl '?Rk
R 3 3 t ^ft 3 # 'I
3rk ■qi=lelg^'Hl fnil ^T 3hit i<u | fit STr^RT d'rj|M'i<^ *TT, ^ 3TT%
f'TcTT %t T^t°FR ^RHT 1T^TTTI 3?T^ W ^ ^ c T F J^ i 3R ^ "JTFt fnî %t
ffT O ^ eft 3 ^ T T^ % TTT«T W ° T*1TlRcT f^TTI ^ sftr
^Tt-^qt 3TT%t 3 ¥ cTTft c^Tt—r^ff Th §T % H,«ti-H,«b =h<% ■
h HsiÎ
■^3^ cFftl ^Tft -TFt, 31^ 3FT^ f w % fciy ^ -xI3^ % 3Ft

f^ § rf xrscft Mti ^ cit F ? % t it «t sjc h r ^ g><ei ^ r efr ?rti
■^f :jn ^ f%TT^ ^ ^t?T TT^! 3^fk ^Kr=hld 3TRtTI i^ ft Ph HI ^TT
fggT F -T T t^T ftPsj^d ^ ‘'FTT; ^ ^f F T ^ T fe T F tWT,
^dl^W lR TH l % TTT«T ^ ^R % t 31H^H4) ^ 3 T % ^R %
■qf^J? ^ ^TFFftl
3Tr^RT ■ygiq-ii TJ'RTcT *TTI ?Rc^ %t ^?ft ^T ^
^ 5Fl ^ Jicni^ ^ P l4d ^>T-TTT t 7! I^PTT t t l W t 3 t t , 'ticrl'+TlI %t
1c
Iff i f f I * 15 <g Iff I f ,fr ^
£ ^ £ IT a? Hff
u S
F X 15"
|f I^
& ic'
-v rr Fo *
!»!fl
P ■i I ' If f &
*5= c| f c& ,|s!-
U"
|c
*;B I n f
f? ♦5 £r
£
' l l t l H
<£
*& £
[r ')6
*pr
-?fv> s
(Kfl K 15 I , Iff
If
■* * ? . 5 .6
I '
t
I f ^ *B t» E i #
I
I? &c^
io h
>- ft: [_ z &
I? I
‘ -U u -iff
Iff <?
&
: *&
g f1 5
JlCfl 7fr>
IT
*6=
g. I
i $
™ £ |^ &> p
^£
r:
_ *5= ^ |»«|P ff
\) e? eI
E & * %
111
it r - jf
* &
| % 1 !f & \ Z : If f
25
I’l l Iff
'iu r * & ;tr fic^
g j g
f £ 'tr
E *f If If
9 V |jjf ( | | f £ ^ |
. i j i b
£ 1 Iff Iff <& *£ ♦
rf*«
&
If h?i
5 'to
15 F |r
l l i l •g
?|f ?
T & k ^ £ C' 15 Br
15 JT f r 'H |uv
z c ■ tuf _
K5
u
cz £ ^ 5 * i l i | l i d i f E IF iff
ir
't ff
h 1
4r *tr 1 I B f 17 £
ff
co
si
5 _
S
* 1?
- !r i i 5T
&
%
If
c
VC,11
ft i I f ‘I? £ 1i
114 i 314
* a
i ® 1
^ ^ ^ ^ - -
3.' w
i i
-t
« 1 *' i s r . a
» l a ,s a .
*i i 2 *a.a *
t a ’ i , ? | f
*S A 2
' % -. -2
ft a $ ^ i f * !
f 13|
a i i i
I *l ff S'
H i 1
a | H i
i*\ \ U
* A * 1 * 1 5 a*i ♦
111 t# ffa.il
166/ 3^ VllsHsit
^ Hte PlcMdeh<. ^ fÎTI î?T, ‘ <6Mt1, (JR 3PHl tn-S«til % TTO

3TT^ ^T eflS ^ s it; gJ^Rf fa'ft ^T ch<rîui ^ itl’
FT WTf ^T ^ tF W ^ ^ ^ fo lM
3 3 ^-TJEF g ft ^ f c f t ^T t T S tl ^TT #EfT «TT, f * R # ^ M fm ^
^ ^T TT^rtl «fe ’ Tt 3TT TFFTI S R T :^ 3 fe ^ T ^T5T
¥3kT îT7? Wit, fob^ H'ici-3iicriW ^ '^TT TJ’T-dwq Ff '33TI
1. Wm
2. jfe d l
3. <HH‘ ld s r iW m ; d'lldK
4. siraF ? fsrc^ <5^ <H=h«i
5. n R e t« Wt-*T5iFfc
6. SRT^T Wl^T
7. <i(\H«1JI<t>fd
8. cPT ^55
9. + K b y i4 U °fft
10. w®? frracIT
VIIMSI
t ^Kd^cti W 5T ff‘ ?
^Tf? ^TcT RTcJR *ft ^TeT % 3JW ^
^freH, MfdMI 3Tk *H,
t t ^t I' ®n? ti
%êT g*3TO 3 R l ° W f^RFJ3 # R T#,
^sns. ^ W «fti
^ - ^ b h Trsmfer
TT^TT % <nicri T1! % fiHH,
^ fqcil-i ttcft t eft Ft ■
3TFT,
^>=Kr1 TJ^> cT# 3TFF
f^Tc^T cs-c^qRna ffa>T
an^rm ^ w > tt 3 ^Rcft t#,
4 ■q# 3TT9TT *ftl
ÎRcfhl «i(pcq : TJ3> /167
■g^n, m f w i sfk Ftrf

HH>, fiyftM "TT
§'^'Jllcil<H 1531 t ,
cf^T F f a T t (ff F $
^ dMHSd
s r ^ - ^ T ^T ? p j, U * ^ d f^ ^FR
^>TeI % ^'Hln tr <JFCT Ttl
FFT t W - W !
<$ % *ft % t 3lk
^ R -^ R Mdi-M ^ ^T W ■TFf facTOT;
^ ff f t ^ T , W f f^TcTcfTI
*rt^R % W3T ‘SclTf 3 ^ TP^T Ft
"SPlcf % W -SJT2 TR ^fti] TfoT t l
- m 3 * t r eTKcn t ,
^TRt FH ^ ^ <3l<nl W l ^?TT t l
^fsijuft % ■q^-ipf^ (-^ '3 ^ 0
^ ft f t q’H'fl %t 'RT*T%-'EFSRt
cnfctn % 3raeT ^ ■'Jjf *FT# t ,
?qt F t, f^ T % t Tff’^%6 st i^r
f^ T -f*F T ^T f t ^ t 3 ft^T tl
TT*RT "^tt *Tft t l
^rdU., t W %t '5T# %t TT3TT% % %TT
3 f a -* R t Tffi 3
foR ^ Hopf* 3 M ^ % t TTfERRTT T R jfe T ftflt t l
FFT } Sp^T?
Sp^ TJ3F-W T 3 7 ^ TT^T %t
TR^ % f^R lt "êff 'StMl MSclT t l
t •Hyii?
irftf^TtT, ?ff^TcT f^ T 3 ,
170 / +I$rfle|l<r1l sfa
eft ^ Ft '5RF Pl*^d tl

^ *JcT *1 TPfR
P jf t % STTcRtiT 3 Tjrg ^ t 3 TM t l
41 q i i f e «=t>ai t ?
3TFFTCT 35T 3Trfe ^ F R TFT t l
<nWl 7t,
^ -f^ ra rf 3 ,
wm 3
31IHûl 3TT T5T t l
3>t fits otsc^-t
^ F T -f q ^ li, ^R TT5eTT t l
H5KM?
f a t f t 'Rt W I ^ *ft H ^ R M 17T ^TFt' TWTI
t fe ?
3 *3ftcT ^« 4 t ^<T ^ ^FR Mtl
1. ^ T rt ^ ? 1 I? =hl 4 < ^ T 'lU «hl ^ ¥IIM*T

(1593-1666 t ) ; sn^t ^ y,HdN Ms?d ^ M=t>«R
% ^ ^ fq^q h Rh.s dMHS<n =hl i-inlî ^RPTTI
2. ^°4 î «ftcRt ntSTI
3. fro g ptTTTI
4. ■flra ^ 1 , cbWHII
5. eF^T '3rsri
6. 'nHjfci WRI
7. *5: '3tcT3Tf T|' ; T ^t % 3TcT afa ^TRT % TT?^ ^TF
3imt i i
8. H$-'i| w
9. ^ A d l îfd 3>l y,4i 'iN l, <Ji< =bl fieri 1
10. 9 K 5? 4 k =tii fqciiH, ^1<ai
11. J^dl U °ft, 41h I
12. ■^T W : , ’TRl
13. SIHl
14. f ^ l^ l I^TIT ^>T 3fct; tjR ; fyftfSlI
15. ■Hmidld ^ 3T^s?#TI
16. y iT d ^ iT d f^TTH-«^)PTI
The Chess-Players
Premchand
Prem chand (1 8 8 0 -1 9 3 6 ) w as born in a village called Lam ahi,
about four m iles from Benares. H e did his early schooling at the
village school and then passed his matriculation exam from a missionary
school in Benares. In 1899, he began teaching and during this time
he also com pleted his BA and w as appointed Deputy Sub-Inspector
of Schools. In 1920, responding to M ahatm a G andhi's call for Non
C o -o p eratio n he resign ed from his g o v ern m en t job. In the later
years of his life, in 1934, Prem chand also w orked as a script w riter,
but was soon disillusioned with the comm ercialism in the film industry
and returned to Benares, w here he died in 1936 after suffering for
som e m onths w ith a stom ach ailm ent. In the evolution of Indian
fiction, Premchand's contribution is remarkable. His works are authentic
docum ents of his time and his profound understanding of rural life,
sets him ap art from his contem poraries.
P rem chand's real nam e w as Dhanpat Rai. He first began writing
in U rdu under the nam e of N aw ab Rai. His first collection of stories
published in U rdu, Soz-e-Vatan, w as rom antic in tone and tem per
and carried the m essage of sacrifice for the nation. This volum e was
confiscated and banned by the British on charges of sedition. Very
soon after he also began w riting in Hindi. M ost of his fiction w as in
fact w ritten originally in U rdu and then translated into Hindi by the
author himself. Prem ch an d's Hindi is colloquial and conversational
and an exam ple of the com m on speech p atterns of the time. Some
of his p rom in en t n o v els, Seiva Sadan (1 9 1 8 ), Premashram (1 9 2 1 ),
Rangbhoomi (1924) and Karmabhoomi (1932) w ere originally w ritten in
U rdu und er the titles Bazaare H usn, Goshe Aafiyat, Chaugane Hasti
and Maidanee Amal respectively, but they w ere all first published in
Hindi. In all Prem chand w rote eleven novels in Hindi, one of w hich,
Mangalsutra, is incomplete. In addition to the novels mentioned above,
his other novels are Vardaan (1921), Kayakalp (1926), Nirmala (1927),
Gaban (1931) and Godaan (1936).
Prem chand also w rote about three hundred short stories and
three plays. He also published and edited three m agazines Madhuri,
Hans and Jagran. W ritten on a number of different occasions, a selection
of his philosophical and literary essays w as published under the title
Kuch Vichaar (Som e T hou gh ts) in 1939. L ater, his son A m rit Rai
d isco v ered som e m o re of his fa th e r's n o n -fictio n al w ritin g and
This short story is taken from The World o f Premchand: Selected Short Stories,
translated and with an introduction by David Rubin, New Delhi: Oxford University
Press, 2001. pp. 182-192.
172 / The Chess-Players
published these in a collection called Sahitya ke U deshya (The Purpose

of Literature).
Prem chand w as an ad vocate of purposeful literature and he
believed that literature m ust act as a catalyst for social change and
be the torchbearer guiding hum anity tow ards a better future. As a
keen observer of his tim es, Prem chand tried to find solutions for the
ills that plagued society. Each of his w orks addresses a different
problem and in his early writing he tries to offer alternatives and
rem edies. Prem chand's creativity was constantly evolving in response
to the changing times and the dem ands of his art. In his early works
Prem chand com es across as an idealist but in his later works, idealism
takes a back seat, giving w ay to realism and G odaan and K afan are
telling exam ples of this evolution. Prem chand m ade the problem s of
Dalits and the slave-like condition of w om en the focus of his w riting,
but it w as the exposure of the exploitative nature of capitalism that
w as at the forefront of his literary concerns.
The Chess Players (S hatran j ke K hiladi) w as first published in
M adhuri in O ctober 1924. This story is a realistic representation of
the d egeneration and d ecay of feudalism . The story is set in the
tim es of W ajid Ali Shah w ho ruled O udh (A vadh) betw een 1847 and
1856. The upper strata of Lucknow society is w allow ing in indolence
and lu xu ry and is highly self-obsessed and oblivious to w h atever is
happening in the state and in the country. The two m ain protagonists,
Mir and M irza, p o rtra y the confused p syche of the nobility w ho
hold on to the outm oded m ores of this culture and do not realize
that times have changed beyond recall. They are unm oved by the
British occupation of Lucknow and the arrest of W ajid Ali Shah, but
get into a heated arg u m en t during a gam e of chess and fight to
death to defend their point of view and 'honour'.
It w as the era of W ajid A li Sh ah 1. Lucknow w as plunged

deep in luxurious living. Exalted and hum ble, rich and poor,
all w ere sunk in luxury. W hile one m ight arrange parties for
dancing and singing another w ould find enjoym ent only in the
drow sy ecstasy of opium . In every sphere of life pleasure and
m erry-m aking ruled suprem e. Indulgence in lu xury pervaded
the governm ent, the literary w orld, the social order, arts and
crafts, industry, cuisine, absolutely everywhere. The bureaucrats
were steeped in gross sensuality, poets in describing lovers and
the sufferings of separation, artisans in creating intricate patterns
of gold and silver thread and em broidery, m erchants in selling
eye-shadow , perfum es, unguents and coloring for the teeth. All
eyes w ere dim m ed w ith the intoxication of luxury. N o one had
any aw areness of w hat w as going on in the w orld. There w ere
quail fights, b etting on m atches betw een fighting partridges,
here the cloth for causar2 spread out, there shouts of 'W hat luck,
I'v e m ade an ace and tw elv e!' and elsew here a fierce chess
battle getting under way.
From king to beggar all w ere sw ept w ith the sam e antic
spirit, to the point w here w hen beggars w ere given m oney they
spent it not on bread but on opium or madak3. By playing chess,
cards or ganjifa4 the wits w ere sharpened, the process of thought
w as d eveloped , one becam e accustom ed to solving com plex
problem s — argum ents of this sort w ere presented w ith great
vehem ence. (The world is not free even today of people of this
persuasion!). So if M irza Sajjad Ali and M ir Raushan Ali spent
most of their time sharpening their wits, what reasonable person
could object? Both of them w ere m asters of hereditary estates
and had no w orry about their incom e, so they could lounge
around at hom e enjoying their idleness. A fter all, w hat else
was there to do? Early in the m orning, after b reakfast, they
w ould sit dow n, set out the board, arrange the chessm en, and
w arlike stratagem s w ould begin. From then on they w ere quite
u naw are of w hen it w as noon or afternoon or evening. Tim e
and time again word w ould be sent from the kitchen that dinner
w as ready and the answ er would com e back: G et on w ith it,
w e're com ing, set the table, it would reach the point w here the
cook, d esp erate, w ould serve their m eal right in their cham ber
and the tw o friends w ould go on w ith both activities, eating
and playing sim ultaneou sly.
In M irza Sajjad A li's household there w as no elder, so the
gam es took place in his draw ing room . But this is not to say
that the other people of M irza's household w ere happy w ith
these goings-on. And not only the m em bers of his household
but the neighbours and even the servants were constantly making
m aliciou s com m ents. 'T h e gam e's ill-om ened! It's destroying
the fam ily. H eaven forbid that anybody should becom e addicted
to it, h e'd be utterly u seless to God or m an, at hom e or in the
w orld! It's a d readful sickness, that's w h at.' Even M irza's w ife,
the Begam Sah iba, hated it so m uch that she sought every
possible occasion to scold him . But she hardly ever found the
chance, for the gam e would have begun before she woke and in
the evening M irzaji w ould be likely to appear in the bedroom
only after she had gone to sleep. But the servants o f course felt
the full force of her rage. 'H e's asked for paan, has he? W ell, tell
him to com e and get it himself! He hasn't got time for his dinner?
Then go and dum p it on his head, he can eat it or give it to the
d ogs!' But to his face she could not say anything at all. She
was not so angry with him as with M ir Sahib, whom she referred
to as 'M ir the T rou blem aker.' P ossibly it w as M irzaji w ho laid
all the blam e on M ir in order to excuse him self.
O ne day the Begam Sahiba had a headache. She said to
the m aid, 'G o and call M irza Sahib and have him get som e
m edicine from the doctor. Be quick about it, ru n!' W hen the
m aid w ent to him M irzaji said, 'G et along w ith you, I'll com e
in a m om ent or tw o.' The Begam Sah iba's tem per flared at this.
W ho could put up w ith a husband playing chess w hile she
had a headache? H er face turned scarlet. She said to the m aid,
'G o and tell him that if he d oesn't go at once I'll go out to the
doctor m y self5.'M irzaji was immersed in a very interesting game,
in two m ore m oves he would checkm ate Mir Sahib. Irritated, he
said, 'S h e's not on her deathbed, is she? C an 't she be ju st a
little p atient?'
'C om e now ,' said M ir, 'go and see w hat she has to say.
W om en can be touchy, you know .'
'T o be su re,' said M irza, 'w hy sh ou ld n 't I go? Y ou 'll be
checkm ated in tw o m oves.'
'M y dear fellow , better not count on it. I've thought of a
m ove that w ill checkm ate you w ith all your pieces still on the
board. But go on now , listen to her, w hy m ake her feel hurt for
no reason at all?'
'I'll go only after I'v e checkm ated you.'
'T h en I w on 't play. D o go and hear her ou t.'
'I'll have to go to the d octor's, old man. It's not ju st a m ere
h eadache, it's an excuse to bother m e.'
'W h atever it is, you really m ust indulge h er.'
'V ery w ell, but let me m ake ju st one m ore m ove.'
'A b solu tely not, u ntil you 'v e gone to her I w on 't so m uch
as touch a piece.'
W hen M irza Sahib felt com pelled to go to his w ife the
Begam Sahiba w as frow ning, but she said w ith a m oan, 'Y ou
love your w retched chess so m uch that even if som ebody w ere
dying you w ou ld n 't think of leaving it! H eaven forbid there
should ever be another m an like you!'
Mirza said, 'W hat can I tell you? Mir Sahib sim ply w ouldn't
agree. I had a m ost difficult time of it putting him off so I could
com e.'
'D oes he think everybod y is ju st as w orthless as him self?

D o esn 't he have child ren too or has he ju st let them go to the
d ogs?'
'H e's utterly m ad about chess/ said M irza. "W h en ever he
com es I'm com pelled to play w ith h im .'
'W hy d o n 't you tell him off?'
'H e's m y equal in age and a couple of steps above m e in
rank, I'm obliged to be courteous w ith h im .'
'In that case, I'll tell him off! If he gets angry, let him . Is he
supporting us, after all? A s they say, " If the queen su lks, sh e'll
only h urt h erself." H iriy a!' she called her m aid, 'G o out and
take up the chessboard, and say to Mir Sahib, "T h e m aster w on't
play now , pray be good enough to take your le a v e ." '
'For h eav en 's sake, d on 't do anything so ou trageou s!' said
M irza. 'D o you w ant to disgrace m e? W ait, H iriya, w here are
you going?'
'W hy d on 't you let her go? A nybody w ho stops her w ill
be sim ply killing m e! V ery w ell, then, stop her, but see if you
can stop m e.'
Saying this, the Begam Sahiba headed for the drawing room
in high dudgeon. Poor M irza turned pale. He began to im plore
his wife: 'For G od's sake, in the nam e of the holy Prophet Husain!
If you go to him it w ill be like seein g m e laid o u t!'5 But the
Begam did not pay the slightest attention to him . But w hen she
reached the door of the draw ing room all of a sudden, finding
h erself about to appear b efore a m an not of her household, her
legs felt as though paralyzed . She peeked inside, and as it
happened, the room w as em pty. M ir Sahib had done a little
shifting of the chess pieces and w as now strolling ou tside in
order to demonstrate his innocence. The next thing that happened
w as that the Begam w ent inside, knocked over the chessboard,
flung som e of the pieces under the sofa and others outside,
then clapped the double doors shut and locked them . M ir Sahib
w as ju st ou tsid e the door. W hen he saw the chessm en being
tossed out and the jingling of bangles reached his ears he realized
that the Begam Sahiba w as in a rage. Silen tly he took his w ay
home.
M irza said, 'Y ou have com m itted an ou trage!'
She answ ered, 'If M ir Sahib com es back here I'll have him
kicked out straightaw ay. If you devoted such fervour to God
you'd be a saint. Y ou 're to play chess w hile I slave away looking
after this household? A re you going to the d octor's or are you

still putting it off?'
W hen he cam e out of his house M irza, instead of going to
the d octor's, w ent to M ir Sah ib's and told him the w hole story.
Mir Sahib said, 'So I guessed w hen I saw the chess pieces sailing
outside. I took off at once. She seem s to be quick to fly off the
handle. But you 'v e spoiled her-too m uch, and that's not at all
the w ay to do things. W hat concern is it of hers w hat you do
aw ay from her part of the house? H er w ork is to look after the
hom e. W hat business does she have w ith anything else?'
'W ell, tell me, w here are we going to m eet now ?'
'N o problem , we have this whole big house, so that's settled,
w e'll m eet here.'
'B u t how am I going to placate the Begam Sahiba? She
w as furious w hen I sat dow n to play at hom e, so if I play here
it could cost m e m y life.'
'L et her babble, in a few days sh e'll be all right. But of
course you ought to show a little backbone you rself.'
*
For som e unknow n reason Mir Sah ib's Begam considered it
m ost fitting for her husband to stay far aw ay from hom e. For
this reason she had never before criticized his chess-playing,
but on the contrary, if he w as late in going she rem inded him.
For these reasons Mir Sahib had been deluded into thinking
his w ife w as extrem ely serious and hum ble. But w hen they
began to set up the chess board in the draw ing room and Mir
Sahib was at hom e all day the Begam Sahiba was very distressed.
This w as a hindrance to her freedom , and all day long she
w ould yearn to be at the door looking out.
M eantime, the servants had begun to gossip. Form erly they
had lain around all day in idleness, if som eone cam e to the
house, if som eone left, it w as no business of theirs. Now they
w ere living in fear all tw enty-four hours of the day. O rders
w ould com e for paan, then for sw eets. A nd, like som e lover's
heart, the hookah had to be kept burning constantly. They would
go to the m istress and say, 'The m aster's chess gam es are giving
us a lot of trouble. W e're getting blisters on our feet from running
all day. W hat kind of a gam e is it that starts at daw n and goes
on till evening? D iversion for an hour or two, that's enough for
any gam e. O f course w e're not com plaining, w e're your slaves,
w hatever you com m and natu rally w e'll do it; but this gam e is
positively sinister! W hoever plays it never prospers, and surely

som e d isaster w ill befall his hom e. It can reach the point w here
one neighbourhood after an oth er's been know n to go to rack
and ruin. Everybody in this part of town is gossip ing about it.
W e have eaten your salt, w e're grieved to hear bad things about
the m aster, but w hat can w e do?'
H earing this, the Begam Sahiba w ould say, 'I d on 't like it
m yself, but he w on 't listen to anybody, so w hat can be done?'
In their quarter there w ere also a few people from an earlier
generation who began to im agine all sorts of disasters: 'T h ere's
no hope now. If our nobles are like this, then God help the country!
This chess playing will be the ruin of the kingdom . The om ens
are bad.' The entire realm was in an uproar. Subjects were robbed
in broad daylight and nobody was there to hear their appeals.
All the w ealth of the countryside had been drawn into Lucknow
to be squandered on w hores, clowns and the satisfaction of every
kind of vice. The debt to the East India Company kept on growing
day by day, and day by day the general misery was getting harder
to bear. Throughout the land, because of the wretched conditions,
the yearly taxes w ere no longer collected. Tim e and again the
British resident w arned them , but everyone in Lucknow was so
drow ned in the intoxication of sensual indulgence that not a soul
gave any heed.
W ell th en , the ch ess gam es co n tin u ed in M ir S a h ib 's
drawing room over the course of several months. Newer strategies
w ere devised, new d efences organized , and ever new battle
form ations planned. From tim e to tim e quarrels broke out as
they played , and they even reached the point of exchanging
vulgar insults; but peace w as quickly restored betw een the two
friends. At tim es the gam e w ould com e to a h alt and M irzaji
would return hom e in a h uff and Mir Sahib w ould go and sit in
his ow n cham ber. But w ith a good n ig h t's sleep all the bad
feelings w ould be calm ed; early in the m orning the tw o friends
w ould arrive in the d raw ing room.
One day w hen they sat engrossed in thorny chess problem s
an officer of the royal arm y arrived on horseback and inquired
for M ir Sahib. M ir Sahib panicked , w ond ering w hat d isaster
w as ab ou t to com e dow n on h is h ead . W hy had he been
sum m oned? The case appeared desp erate. To the servants he
said, 'T ell him I'm not at h om e.'
'If he's not at hom e w here is he?' the horsem an dem anded.
The servant said he d id n 't know — w hat w as this all about?
'H ow can I tell you w hat it's about?' said the officer. 'M aybe
sold iers are being levied for the arm y. It's no joke, being the
m aster of rent-free estates. W hen he has to go to the front lines
h e'll find out w hat it's all about'
'V ery w ell, go along, h e'll be inform ed .'
'It's not ju st a m atter of inform ing him . I'll com e back
tom orrow , I have orders to take him b ack w ith m e.'
The horsem an left. M ir Sahib w as shaking w ith terror. He
said to M irzaji, 'T ell m e, sir, w h at's going to happen now ?'
'It's a great m isfortune! W hat if I'm sum m oned too?'
'T he bastard said he w as com ing back tom orrow .'
'It's a calam ity, no doubt of it. If w e have to go to the front
w e'll die before our tim e.'
'N ow listen, th ere's one w ay out: w e w on 't m eet here at
the house any m ore. Starting tom orrow w e'll have our gam e in
som e deserted place out on the banks of the Gom ti. W ho could
find us there? W hen that fine fellow com es for me h e'll have to
go back w ithout u s.'
'B y A llah, that's a splendid idea! T h a t's certain ly the best
w ay.'
In the m eantim e, M ir Sah ib's Begam w as saying to that
cavalry officer, 'Y o u 'v e got them out of the w ay very n icely ,'
and he answ ered, 'I'm used to m aking such jackasses dance to
m y tune. Chess has robbed them of all their com m on sense and
courage. A fter this they w on't stay at hom e, w hatever happens.'
From the next day on the tw o friends w ould set out from the
house at the crack of daw n, carrying w ith them a rather sm all
carpet and a box of prepared paan, and go to the other side of
the G om ti river to an old ruined m osque w hich had probably
been built in the tim e of N aw ab A safuddaula 6. A long the w ay
they w ould pick up tobacco, a pipe and som e w ine, and spread
their carpet in the m osque, fill the hookah and sit dow n to play.
A fter that they had no care for this w orld or the next. A part
from 'ch eck ' and 'ch eck m ate,' not another w ord cam e out of
their mouths. No yogi could have been more profoundly plunged
in trance. At noon w hen they felt hungry they w ould go to
som e b ak er's shop and eat som ething, sm oke a pipeful, and
then return to engage once m ore in battle. At tim es they w ould
even forget all about eating.
M ea n tim e, the p o litic a l situ a tio n in the co u n try w as

becom ing desp erate. The East India C om p an y's arm ies w ere
advancing on Lucknow. There was com m otion in the city. People
w ere taking their child ren and fleeing to the cou ntryside. But
our tw o players w ere not in the least concerned about it. W hen
they left hom e they took to the narrow alleyw ays, fearing lest
som e governm ent official m ight catch a glim pse of them and
have them forced into m ilitary service. They w anted to enjoy
the thousand s in in com e from their estates w ith ou t giv ing
anything in return.
O ne day the two friends w ere sitting in the ruined m osque
playin g chess. M irza's gam e w as rather w eak and M ir Sahib
was checking him at every move. At the same time the Company's
so ld iers cou ld be seen ap p ro ach in g . T h is w as an arm y of
Europeans on their w ay to im pose their rule on Lucknow .
M ir Sahib said, 'T h e B ritish arm y 's com ing. G od save u s!'
M irza said, 'L et them com e, but now get out of ch eck.'
'M aybe w e ought to have a look, let's stand here w here we
can 't be seen.'
'Y ou can look later, w h at's the rush? C heck again .'
'They have artillery too. There m ust be about five thousand
men. W hat odd-looking soldiers! T hey've got red faces, ju st like
m onkeys, it's really frightening.'
'D o n 't try to get out of it, sir! U se these tricks on som ebody
else. C heckm ate!'
'W h at a strange fellow you are! Here we have the city
stru ck w ith c a la m ity and you can on ly th in k of w ays to
checkm ate. Do you have any idea how w e're going to get hom e
if the city 's su rrou n d ed ?'
'W hen it's tim e to go hom e w e'll see about it then. This is
checkm ate, your k in g 's finished n ow .'
The arm y had m arched by. It w as now ten in the m orning.
A new gam e w as set up.
M irza said, 'W hat are w e going to do about food today?'
'W ell, tod ay's a fast day— are you feeling hun grier than
u su al?'
'N ot in the least. But I w onder w h at's happening in the
city.'
'N oth in g at a ll's happening in the city. People are eating
their dinner and settling dow n com fortably for an afternoon
nap. The K in g's in his harem , no d ou bt.'
By the tim e they sat dow n to play again it w as three. This

tim e M irzaji's gam e w as w eak. Four o'clock had ju st struck
w hen the arm y w as heard m arching back. N aw ab W ajid Ali
had been taken prisoner and the arm y w as con ductin g him to
some unknow n destination. In the city there was no com m otion,
no m assacre, not a drop of blood w as spilled. U ntil now no
king of an independent country could ever have been overthrown
so peacefully, w ithout the least blood shed . This w as not that
non-violence w hich d elights the gods, but rather the sort of
cow ardice w hich m akes even great cow ards shed tears. The
king of the vast country of O udh w as leaving it a captive, and
Lucknow rem ained deep in its sensual slum ber. This w as the
final stage of political decadence.
M irzaji said, 'T hose tyrants have im prisoned His M ajesty.'
'I suppose so. Look here— check.'
'Ju st a m om ent, sir, I d on 't feel in the m ood now. The poor
King m ust be w eeping tears of blood at this m om ent.'
'I'm sure he is— w hat luxuries w ill he enjoy as a prisoner?
Checkm ate!'
'Everybody has to suffer som e change in his fortunes,' said
M irza. 'B u t w hat a painful situ ation !'
'T ru e, th at's the w ay things are. Look, checkm ate! That
does it, you ca n 't get out of it now .'
'G o d 's oath, y ou 're h ard -hearted . Yo.u can w atch a great
catastrophe like this and feel no grief. A las, poor W ajid A li
S h a h !'
'F irst save your ow n king, then you can m ourn for His
M ajesty. It's checkm ate now. Your hand on it!'
The arm y passed by, taking the K ing w ith them. As soon
as they w ere gone M irza again set up the chess pieces. The
sting of defeat is bitter. M ir said, 'C om e now , let us com pose an
elegy for H is M ajesty .' But M irza's patriotism had vanished
w ith his defeat. He w as eager for vengeance.
It was evening. In the ruins the sw allow s w ere returning and

settling in their nests, the bats began to chitter. But the players
were still at it, like two blood-thirsty warriors doing battle together.
M irzaji had lost three gam es in a row; the outlook for this fourth
game was not good either. He played each move carefully, firmly
resolved to w in, but one m ove after the other turned out to be so
ill-conceived that his gam e kept deteriorating. For his part, Mir
Sahib w as singing a gazal and snapping his fingers from sheer
high spirits, as though he had com e upon som e hidden treasure.
Listening to him , M irzaji w as furious, but praised him in order
to conceal his exasperation. But as his game worsened his patience
began to slip out of control until he reached the point of getting
angry at everything M ir said.
'D o n 't change your m ove, sir,' he w ould say. 'H ow can
you go back on a m ove? W hatever m ove is to be m ade, m ake it
ju st once. W hy is your hand on that piece? Leave it alone! Until
you figure out your m ove d on 't so m uch as touch your piece!
Y ou 're taking h alf-an -h ou r for every m ove, th at's against the
rules. A nyone w ho takes m ore than five m inutes for a m ove
m ay be understood to be checkm ated. You changed your m ove
again! Ju st be quiet and put that piece back there.'
M ir Sah ib's queen w as in danger. He said, 'B u t w hen did
I m ake m y m ove?'
'Y o u 'v e alread y m ade it. Put the piece right there, in that
sam e squ are.'
'W hy should I put it in that square? W hen did I take my
hand off the p iece?'
'If you w ait till doom sday to m ake your m ove, y o u 'll still
have to m ake it.'
'Y ou 're the one w h o's cheating! V ictory and defeat depend
on fate, you ca n 't w in by ch eatin g .'
'T h en it's settled, you 'v e lost this gam e.'
'H ow have I lost it?' '
'Then put the piece back in the sam e square w here it w as.'
'W hy should I put it there? I w o n 't!'
'W hy should you put it there? You have to put it there.'
The quarrel w as getting w orse. Each stuck to his position,
n eith er one w ould give an inch. Their w ords began to m ove to
irrelevan t m atters. M irza said, 'If anybody in your fam ily had
ever played chess then you m ight be fam iliar w ith the rules.
But they w ere ju st grass-cutters. So how can you be expected to
play chess? Real aristocracy is quite another thing. N obody
can becom e a noble ju st by having had som e rent-free estates
given to h im .'
'W hat! Y our ow n father m ust have cut grass! M y people
have been playin g ch ess for g en eration s.'
182 I The Chess-Players
'C om e off it, you spent your w hole life w orking as a cook
in G aziuddin H aid ar's' house and now you 're going around
posing as an aristocrat.'
'W hy are you d efam ing your ow n an cestors?' said Mir.
'T hey m ust, all have been cooks. M y people have alw ays dined
at the K in g's ow n table.'
'Y ou grass-cutter you! Stop your brag gin g.'
'Y ou check your tongue or y o u 'll be sorry! I w on 't stand
for talk like that. I put out the eyes of anybody w ho frow ns at
me. Do you have the courage?'
'So you w ant to find o u t how brave I am! C om e on then,
le t's have it out, w hatever the consequ en ces.'
Said M ir, 'A nd w ho do you think is going to let you push
them around !'
The two friends drew the sw ords from their belts. It w as a
chivalric age w hen everybody w ent around carrying sw ords,
daggers, poniards and the like. Both of them w ere sensualists
but not cow ards. They w ere politically debased, so w hy should
they die for king or kingdom ? But they did not lack personal
courage. They challenged one another formally, the swords flashed,
there w as a sound o f clanging. Both fell w ounded, and both
w rithed and expired on the spot. They had not shed a single
tear for their king but gave up their lives to p rotect a chess
queen.
D arkness w as com ing on. The chess gam e had been set
up. The tw o kings each on his throne sat there as though
lam enting the death of these two heroes.
Silence spread over all. The broken archw ays of the ruins,
the crum bling w alls and dusty m inarets looked dow n on the
corpses and m ourned.
1. Wajid Ali Shah :The last Nawab of Oudh (A vadh) who

ruled from 1847-1856 and was a great
patron of the arts-m u sic, dance and
poetry.
2. Causar : A game of dice
3. Madak : An intoxicating drink prepared from
opium
4. Gatijifa : A card game
5. For a muslim lady in purdah this would be m ost inappropriate
6. Nawab Asafuddaula : Nawab Wazir of Oudh in the 18th century
cred ited w ith co m m issio n in g the
construction of the Bara Imambara.
7. Gaziuddin Haidar : the last Nawab W azir of Oudh, during
whose rule (1814-27), Oudh became a
distinct political territory.
st cr ^ t £ t e n it
w r^
RTCdk ^8?T-"HlfWr£t % f^FTC? 3 (1 8 8 0 -1 9 3 6 )

tl cR W 1880 3 ^R Tl ^ ^TT tft^T RPT 3 s[3TT
Sfll 3 H tT ^ ^ % TTEF 3 ^ | l ^SRTOT % fiR R
W faÎI 1899 3 3T«PR 3 ^ ^ S tm ^fTl ^ m
3 ^ R =ft° Tio TJTt ^ftl ^ T ^ rt' % ^>l«+d< Ht T#l 1920 3
Mf?lrHI *TT*ft % 3TlfR ~m 3 IW V T ^ f^TTI i f o n %
dTKcldT=hld 1934 3 ^ 'M f % 3 1W T ^F*1T
*ft W R [q iq il f? l W ( ^ *R 'S t^ t '3 ^ 2 TFT[ alfc ^ sRTW cite 3fli*l
TJyRFT «TTORR m i d ^ R # 3 ^ ?J^3ffiT I3^3 3
'R!=RPT % -TPT ^ RrlOfl *tl 3 ^ ^ d-lchl H5<ni ^ iF R t T1W ^ e R ’ 'TW ^
sJRTI ’5?rt (iHHl RlcpnTl ^ IclHtil % Hw, SdrR îfirl^R îT T1%T ^ ^T?ft
■qf^ ^sft Rr t t i snta t t c t f r 3 <Msdsi ^ i s t r W d Jn<+< w w ? ^f t
%3T *UI ^ 3 3TT tttxi c^fsfR, ^ R aicni <rl<gi ^
^ 3 u i d-^lH 3 n ^ srftR ifTf " 5 'i^ ra w e t ^ ^ f c n i f a r <n«hi F t f F ^ t *t
?^ri<rc fo^Ti ^rt f?^t ^ n U k afa t i ‘ ^ i w r ’ ( 19 18 )
fFT ’ ‘ ^ t ? R ’ (1921) 3 H f w ’ ‘t n ^ ’ (1925) ‘ 4 ^ R
FTeft’ ?T*n ^hjfiT (1926) 3TW ’ ^ 3 'qf^t 3 ^ ^ ' t ? # ^ *t,
^ F T ycKlVH ^ ^3TT| ijof ( ^ 3TÎ)
^ p jr a y + iftid f a in % a # fw w w t - ‘^ R ’
( 1 9 2 1 ) , 1=hI^ I=hcrM’ ( 1 9 2 6 ) , ‘ft jfel’ ( 1927), ‘ Srf^T ’ ( 1 9 2 9 ) , ’^ ’ (1931),
‘■Tt^R’ (1936)1 ' W TJ^’ STjyf J M I d t l ^ eR’TT # T
^ i f ^ p r i cT«n # r ■=ir^ f^ R ii ^ ? r # r t n f e ^ ■qf^FTsft' ‘ ^ n g ^ ’ , ‘ i t t ’ s fk
‘ Î'K U I’ ^FT T R l^ l y<t>I^H f^rqr CT8TT w i- w m ^ | R + , tn W R T f ^ 'q
f?nil i-i4i =FT W ‘^ 5 fq^K1 (1939) ':inT ^ ÎTI «IT^ ^ d-iî ^
srgcRR ^ sfk Timft ■qfM^r ■ gw m ‘H T ^ r ^ t ■3 ^ 1 ’ ^ ^
y + iftid ^ r a n ^ t ft» R ■RFNf t N ^ ^ 8
1936 ÎITO 4 ^3HI
Tl^T Flflvq % ^1 ttfhi qi % yifec'M W T lf^
«l^«rlW TT?FR) ^ T cT8TT HM^dl ^?t 3 lk ^ ^T ^ lftr5 f
Rmpn ^ iw ti 3PRt ^rf?rzfr % -Riwrn ^ 3 ^ r -gfif =fTRt ^TFti
3PT^ W I a lk T R ra TR ^Ft ■=T3rR sftl ^ 3?q^ W l
^TST=ft -RR?R^R, ■m’T 3 ^ # Tlf t l ^dlgWK: 1978, ^ ^ T l 269-280

184 / % fe n ft
T# 3lfc WMPT cRUStf %t %rf7TCT T# «tl 5 h ^ F* T^HT 3 ^

^ ^rtf TFrcm ^ t i ^ppsirat % tt w ^
<*>tf?ryi ^ ti teht -w st f ^ r c t^FS R ?fto t i ^ 3 3
s n ^ fq i^ t t f'TR 3lK?f ^ft 3TR ■gs^t t 3TrRT: 3TK?f Tft^ sgS WcTT
t l ^cTT t ftr fr I ‘ Tfr^Ff' <JLMW ^T*n ‘ ^ F ( ’ (1936) ^fiFHt 1*1% TTT^
t i ^ r t - t w f t t , ^sft-w ft^ra r, r^y n T %t '$&n *u H u t i
HSI'Jl’fl ^ ft ?fNî Mcjf-rl'Ml ^7t dHISH % % f 3t*R ^ -TMIÎ O q ^ff ^ f|
‘7RTrU % fia d l^ t ' : W ^ F H t W f - ^ ‘ B T ^ t’ 1TftWT 3 1924
3 w ft i ^ ^?pft -qr y^fad w 3 f w sfti wmt^T yw'dciK ^
Steffi f^5f =r 3 w t WTT t l ^ 3 1 e ftw ( m f l ^ l d 1847-1856)
*FT t l d<sH* 3 #*T fadlRHdl 3 ^ t l TRF3I *FT ^ t f t % ^ I cH4>PsW
t l ^7T 3 ft ^Piqi ^ 3®fT Ft T?T t "STfcT ^ F «l<a«K t l f ’T'Slf TF3TR 3Toft a ft
*fk <lsfM sicTt % 'dRy, ^ t f^ ^ fn d Hi-iRri^di ^ t f ^ m fe q i TFn t i
W FT* 'tR 3r£Mt Ofil ctxsjrll f t M I cu(jt<; 3 M t W ^ t f ^ ^1 ^ 3^
ftra f T*TO xfalH 3Ff F $ l 3 f t ! s m t ■SIR 3 ^ tl
^ lfa ^ 3 T # ?TTF ^ T W I SITI d fe H * I^RTRTcTT % i n ^ ^ T -g3TT qn

■ S t^ -^ , ■,TTt^-3TOk ^T*ft fqcllf'Hcll ^ ^ t ITT ®tl % tf ^ 1 3ftT 7TR %t
H ^rd w irsfmT stt, eft ^ f r | s r o k % t ft ^ «ni ^ttcR %
Ttc^T f^^FT Tt 3TTiK-TfTK ^ T UT<^RT «TTI WFR-f^^TFT 3 , JHlfec-M V ,
■HIHir*1cb 3 T ^ n ^f, ^ t T - % t? M ^f, ^ r m - ^ - T l' ^f, 3 T W - ^ F R ^ ^
f^ R T fe n S T M Ft T ft 8ftI T T W ^ n r t f w r ^ R T ^ ', ^fsFF T sftr f% F %
^f, -^RtTR = h d N ^ sftT f r o ^TT^ ^ ', o q ^ p f t g ^ f , ^ f , f t w t 3ftT
^ T <W»rK %^<T ^1 H ^ t % t 3TT#' ftdlR H dl ^ T W I
^3TT 8TT| ^ ^TT Ft TFT t , 1TT%t f e y l %t 3 *ftl cTF i t t l
cftcTTt % t qTST^ % %T^ ■'TTcft ^ t ^ TFt t l ^ F t ^ t f R f% ^t t ; Tft-'^R F
ofTI ?frr iraT ^3TT t l ^>Ft KICK'S! ^TF 'STk ^ ‘JIH feST ^3TT t l TF^TT Tf
^ c R T ^ f t ^ T W 8 t | T T F f c W f % w W f %t ^ eft ^ T tfe ft H
3TOtTT HT^ ^TT 1 ^3 ) ^ 1 YlahR, ePT, 7RftTfT is ld 'l ^ efe Fteft
t , t%gR-7TfeT ^T Ftcn t , -TO#' % t ^ g ^ F t % t 3TKeT W t
tl ^ ^ t r f % HT«T ^?T % t ^TRft «ft'l ( ^ Tra^FT % cftrfY ^ ^ T T
3 R «lt w f t 3 F f t l ) TF3n^3Tcft sftr tf tr ^ R 3 T c ft 3TT1
3#R7RT ¥ R 'dt^ ^ «KTtci «t, ?it f% lft f^ R ^T T R ^ ^t
^TT 3TRfrT Ft Î'hcll Mt? ^ N t % TTTTT h W* iV W i t t 8ft; 'sftf^^T % t % tf
MTT =1 *1 ; 5R ^ ^dtPd-41 ^ «tl STTfeT a lk ^ F t ^TT?
W :« # f f fiT5f f^TTcT f ^ I ^ T a lk
cTSlf % <I=(M^ f W c m tl 7 3 ^1 3 Ftcft 8 f t f % ^ ^ T F T ^ , ^ efhro
5 ’
g-
y*-
I a
-ti?
u i ^ _
a la, & ^ -Sf" î ^
31-
5P * « Si 491 ^ &
* 2j
a
J *^ *a 1s !3 •*i
j
ji 3l!|l * # 1 I
Is ^<3 d. .. 4 f ^ :r
-a , M
01 2
5 ■Jftl 5L
£1. •- *
•Sf- <£j £
if! n
,
*I1a^ 3 s - ifi
-i j
f" -ti^ ^ If 111}

o Hj . S 5
A 5P |
n * i
2$ &
i S. If t i l
1 8 6 / W ^ % R5MI4 I
f t , ^ w t w f a r eft w i f t -^ T fti
ftT ^ rr-a r^ i, "Q^r sfk ?j j
R tr—5<f'M H ft, ^ clef? 3TF7 Tp? W f -3TTT37t ^ *f fT8} f t 3
WIT^TTI
P-K'fll ■HISN Hj i <^< ffa R 3T^T ^ eft %FF <HI5«I ^ r^tfPTT sf^T îT,
ctictH <Mlsd ^ cfrSl—(J^t f^mtST Îd M frp ft T3TRt ' t l ^T?T % t| ft
^ liJ , cfT <id^ îT HM *rft < ^ ! i l ^1 , % tf ^ H - ^ mi -ShI'ah I f t !
fm ^ n -^ n ^ -Rh ttr ^ f t n ^ i * r f t yl^<+id 3
3TRT ^1
^ t, ^ f t T w rr t? qt
^t ^ T c T -^ t ( iW T rw n ^ '5MT?
fj TTÎT— 3Tr^7Tt f I ^ 3TT oJl?IT t , cR H^1^< f t ^ R *ft
TicRT TT5?n t l
oPPT—jpRTR ^ r t ^ f t ^ ?
fM i^ l- ^ T R T % 3TT^rt I ; 4', ^ 3 g?^ fl 3TgR ^T 3 l
*d,C'llfe^ll f t TScTT t l
^ T O - c ft ft ^cft 3RRT f t ^fTTJTt, f t ^TTT| f% # %t
T tfe ri % tt t i THt ^ i t , 3 M ^ f i # f t i % fw , h t ^ w ^r
33T eTTI T lk TTTl^ ^ cRWHT, f*FTT 3 R 3 d e l'A , 3TN cl^l-0*+> ^ ^Tlf^l
"fiTTiTT-fT-WT, W t T^JT %^
1 <fTRT! ^71T -^Tfcft f t
^T f? B f r I f f e n , ^rrat t i
sl^lH —jTT^ ^T t ^ f f ^ ? ^TI f t Tsgl fat*, '^ft '3Tt Tt%l 3T^5T, 0<t>i,
g ^ Tt°Fn, cfr ^ trj?
W %FT HTf^T w n f ^ <0dHtell'i % t CTW ^ (# '| ffcrr^T
% srt ^TF IT? 7FTTI «fNt % t fM'-ld w t —^ 1 % RrlH, f^HxT
% t ^r? m t i ■qft f t ^T c ^rt '3 *tt “^rrxT1 ^ t f ^ f ^ ■qcF ^
T^pftl ^t°fT^gr^ % ITT c l^ ^FTt, TTT ij.c b i^ 1[T T - g ^ % TTI^rt ^ ’TR
7TC;i qtcTT W ^T , TR tn ^ 73T# STTI i t r TTTF^ ^ ^ t-T J ^ ^
I^ T - ^ T ^T ^ 3Ttr 3THt TT'fT^ ^RTT^ % ^TFT H fd T f «Tl f^PT
^TT *TT, ^T R ^ 3T^T ‘T ^ R iT '!^ra t '3R2 f t , g f ^ dted % -iV-l Lhch
f ^ , '5>^ sITFT; 3?R F ^ q is 3R^T ^ «T^ ^5T% ^ > f t eFTT f t l ^ftr T?Tf^
<^<qi^ -qr eft ^ f t , g f t ^TfT % % "517^ "^ffe^ft % t chH R
■^ftl f t R «^<c|Ml f31T, eft fTti %TTT TTTF^T T%T5 "^1 ^5^% ^ 'ER
%t W eftl
^ / 187
R u'fli ^ R>FI—eJR^ R^TR %RT|

spTR—3TR R k ?RT 3R?t, eft 73^-73^ Pl=benc|| ^Rtl ^FTt eft
Tt ei'ile), eft Rcrft8 Ft 'RT^t! 3TR eft sfleK^ Ifct 3fk $ RF1 ^<^1
R^t f ^ R k R T R W ! ^fTet f t F F tR W R % RFT % 31R Rt R F p t ?
fRTÎT ^ ^ fn<*><ri eft % RT "RH % R ^ R k îP°f % RT R?[R
3fk TRR ^RTef R>FFI R k TRWR R M— eft RR t JF } RTFT 3TT^ ^ i t , RRt RT5
RRTI 4>) 3TFT RTFT RRT R>T^ t l RT R>T
sH^W RHRT 3RcR RHR t ; ^RTt Rleft 3 =FRT TKfaTTT?
fRT^fT—i l l , RF eft s(eli^, 31R R>FT FtRT?
R k - W ^ T RRT RR t l lelRl R5T RT R5T IT31T t l RTT, RFt 'RRl
fRTRlT-^ffcR ^RR TTTFRT Rft RRT35RT? ^TR RT RT ^3T TFRT RT,
RR eft RF FTRT fa'ISel) Rf; RFT ^d=fi FtRt, eft 5<IN^ R a l l 'l l I
RlT—3TRt, RRT^ Rt ^tfRlJ, ^t-RTT TT3T R 3RR Ft 3tRi Ft W ^fl I
FT, 3TTR FTRT Rftf^m; % 3TTR 3 ÊTR RR ^ !
2
R k TTTFR R?t ^RR % R t 3^TTR RiRRT 3 R k TRFR RR RT 3 ^ TFRT
i t <dM^cW TTRSTeft *ffl RF 3R % ?TRTR-^R R?t RTRt 3TT#ERT R
RReft sff, «ifer<*> R>Rt-RTRt R k TTIFR Rit ^T Ft 'RTeTt, eft RT^ tRerTT êft *ffl
FT R n W -£ RtT TRFR R ft?T R F tR R T R T % T k tT R t 3RRRT 3?tT
RTRk t l ^TR ^tRPRH^ fRRTeT % 5R W it 3?k R k RTfR f^T-RT
RT R ent, eft ^RR RIFRT Rft RFT RTO eRTTI "3RR)t TRT’^tRRT ^ RT*IT
R S R^l f^R-RT ^TRT^ R* Rft RW ^ 1
3RT ■;ftR?Tf R Rt R^RFfRt FtR e^ftl 3TR elRV f^R-RT R ^ -R t RpRRRI
RRT °FT^ *tl RT R Ritf 37TR, RRf "RTH, '3R^ RefefR R «TTI 3TR 3Rgt
RFT Rft *ffR I t R^l RTRt RTR eTpt RiT ^3R FtelT, RTRt fR3T^ RiTI 3^tr ^ R R
eft fRTRt M % ?^R =F>t RffR f^ T ^telRT Ft TFeTT RTI ^ ^RR RTIRT ^
'RT-'j|lct)< Ri ?^— tRRT R>t ?TRTR eft FRlt 'Rt RR 'RRTef Ft R f I f^R-RT
^te^-^Fet ^Tt R R 5 RtT| RF Rt Ritf t fR> ^R F Rft ^ eft ?TTR
RR ^tl R^t 3RR R 5t 'feTRWcTTR % 'îcl e^RT Rêl t l ^ T , F ^ eft RTt^
Rfl'bNei R ?t; ^ "êTIR t , ^ft ^tRT. ^ edQTt; RRT RF
RR^R t l fRRR Tie^RTRT ^ R t RR’TRT R?t; RT RT Rft^ R Rftf STRTeT ^ T
StTeft t l RFT RR^ tR> RR^ % Rt# H5ereri-%-H5erel RRTF Ft^ ^ R^ t l T?k
188 / sum**! % Rswl^l
Hserl R W f Ftcft TFcft ill 3iT RR3i ^T?T t , 3TR^ 3TT^>T =fit «pi^
TfT-Tff^K T5T Fteff ill R*R 3*T[ ^ ? ^R RT %TR *lisqi 'fcedl, ^f cfr ^
^<+>1 R R ^ RFt «^<olI RT ^ F f'tml %t Ft RFt, ^?T f%RT ^TTTT}
■gFe^ R Rt jft ^ t-^ R 'JTR ^TRT^ % eftTT ^ , 3TTRR ^ Rlfa-RTft %
3TRRR %t qierH'im, 'fiT^ R>t—3 R <3R<<a RFt 'tl '5R FRl} Ti?Rf ^FiT RF
FTR t , eft 'g c^ Tf^T Ft F T f W t l RF ^ I l S d W ^ t % FT«Tf RRTF
FW tl 3TTOR ^ tl
TF^R ^f FTF1^>R R^T s>3TF «TTI 3T5IT f^R -^FT^ e jjf ‘STFelt Mtl R itf
^ h ^ m i r *m ^Fraf % t 'Riff # r a ? r § h * 3 t ^ t 3TRft «ft aftr
^F %RT3TT 3 , RT5t 3 3TR ftdlRHdl % 3RT spft Rft R ^5 *ftl
3R fa «bm1 RH > iul t^R -fsR 'Mrsrll ^TRTT «TTI +H<ril R R -f2R 'f l 'i 'M RRt
Ftelt *nflt «ftl ^ 1 3 R F t t % RROT RTpfor RR Rt R cRJeT FtRT
«ITI M i z 10 RR-RR ^dloiHl ^TT «n, RT RFT eft # R poldlRldl % -m 3 ^JT
*t; % R t % =Fpfl: RT ^ R THcft 8ff|
TslT, R k TTTFR % '{Iqiio H ^ Ft^ Rff RFfR 'J3R R*tl RtJ-RTT
W FR -RT^; ’^-•T^ (cj)<$ 'MHlM, ^ld; ?W R?t -iHd 3TT
^tlcTl; RT ?fh? Ft '{hi Ph Î R R R Ft 'RTdTI R>Rt-RoRt 0.-HI Rt FIcTT 1% 'Ml^l
i d l ^ t ^(ffit; fRTRRlt ^ d q i i 3TT^ ^R 3TRt I R k TTTFq STT^ ^ ^n
^ 1 TR TRT-^R % t % HT«T URT t # R # P T ^TRT Ft WRTT «ITI WT:^TR
«(Nt fR5f <{lqMdl^ ^f 3IT <H§>-qd «tl
TJ^> f^T ^ N f f t j ^ ^ ?TcR5f % t 1M M i t ®t f% ?eT^
RT T ^ R T33? 'MKÎIÎ ^>1 3TRRR r R ^ T -TR fSTT
3TT H^-qil RR RIF^ % Ft?T ^55 TPÎ '!!IF ^TT ^RT ftR ^R STF^ftl '?TF aetql
1%R f^TTT| -iW<l ^ % ^ -^ iF ^t, ^ R "TFt t l
R ^ R —'ER î HFt, eft ^TFT t ?
’ffSRT—'W ^ 3Ft 'JlNdll ^11 îTR t ?
W T -^ F T R ^ W « (d l*'ll? l ^ T ^f eTeRt t l W
ftN IF t RFt RTT t ' l ^ tm t^ R t 1% P<<rdJit! r R ^ RT ^TRT t r t 7IT, eft
^ T R R RTcJR Ft WtRTT!
^ t g R - 3 ^ 5 1 , eit ^ T fti, ^ F W H I
« ci k — %t ^TcT ':TFt t l ^ STrSTRI, TTI^T ‘3n^ ^T ^ R
I37T t l
Ro[R "^RT RRTI RR ■HI55I % t 3TFRT W I '3Btl fRT^Trat ^
^ R R , 3 R ^?II FtRI?
streifa /189
■pfr55T-^5t grfoffi t l W f k k k t 1 ?t!

—*Tq<5T ^TcrT f*TR 3TT% ^ 7FTT t l
In'('fll—3TFTkT t , ^ T ! 3>tt k k k TR '3TFTT TST, eft 4*lld R^l
kk-'SR T, ^ tt <K4k“ t f e i n k r # # n tti w k îta#
tIT ^ t t 41 <1^ k 'm il *lkl WF f35k TsRT tH tl S'fl’W 3TT3R 3TN effe
ftT ^ rr-^ crii^ , 3iTq^ ^ Tjpfti kRTFT s ik ^ <K«ik #

tl
f£R R k ^>t ^TR "3R fraR k '3TF TFt «ft, T|^ £RTT ^cTRTTI
"5fgH f^TT—t^k 'iiqR4l ^ -^dlcM) RT H-ctldl ITI 5*1'bl TTTTl"
3R^f 3ftT %IR<T eft ?ffiT*T tR # | 3 R *je ^ T *ft m ^ T^kl
3
Êk f^r k ^Ht fa^r g*? 3?«k r t k Fn^d ^ ffti k ^
tM -k t ^ ^ F T , fe®^ k PldlRÎ ?k , Tfkrat RR ^ T^F gTFft RRfk^ k
^ f k k ?TFR 3 H ^ 3 ^ e n k «Hc|NI «CTI Tlkt k cRSTPf, fkeTR
h <Raii ^ ^ aftr traf^K k ^ fe s i, i ^r f t rt ^r w r ^t t i ^r
kcJ «tl kfR ^ f a -jF l4!! Tf?cft sfll 1+iJd, W 3nf^ R3i
% fkRT g i k sfft Rl^T l'i=heiai *ni k tft Rt
Trofk k fh t r tt'di ttnTi ^ r s r rt ^j r ffttt, <it ^Nf f e r
fc-Hl '1M««|| ^>t "JebH "'R HHT 7§T^ afk Tf^> f^cRT § ,^ 1 f'TR
k n m -^ k sz ^ i cil ^#3R ^tt ■©tm ^ w *ni
f ^ft IFSfftfoF ÎT ’RT^R ihrt ^fT ■ # «ftl ^
eK sn * cR1^ 3?Tcft *ffl ?TFT k FFTqei R ^t ^ *ftl efl7!
«nel-q Wl ^WTcTl k T t ^1 ''R FR k nadlfs'Ml §y=bl
^RT ^ I ^ "ER k 37T^ eft Jifd4l k eW<l «^T 1%
sti'A^nel yeiifîH fRIT? XT5 ^ 3 ;, ^ft kfJR k h^ 4 :31TTn | 5'flK)
y id n i T5rnfk "g^r ^ f ?ir ^ n «ti
f^r ^ tr a f^ % wzwi k ^ fir ?Tck3T ^ T t k i fiR^n
■^>t ^Rit chH'flk »fti k k RTM '3^t f4iyd-1R-n+)yd ^ T t k i k
chrh! % k f ^ 3tt^ ^ti fîTi -nkf ^ -qiN k t k l ■qr
3 T f w r ^TRT^ % fwo: 3TT T?t «ftl
k k ■Hieq k tk —^li)jfl tpN 3t t T?t t ; Tgî ■îr ^ ki
f M < ^ l-3 ^ ^Tfkij;, % ?cl ^ 'IJIII 7J^ fgj^Ti
190 / 7TcR3( % tWTlfr
4 k -^ R ! ^<9-II qT%TT, ^flt 3TTf 4 T l4 Ft ^fjlil

I h ^ i - ^ I ciir^y,1!!, ^<r'0 ^ T t , f 4 r
4 k —dl'HdMI 41 t l tR!R 3f!^4t l l 4 l % 4 -% T t îqii t l
eTIeT ^ 4 % 4 g i ! TJTc! 3t§3FR -q ^ f |
fjR *fT -^ R R , '! +irîj,l 4 f% 4t 3fk ^ t ^n37TTI W
fsF^cT!
4 k —3!R *ft 3Rffa 3TF^Rfl t l ^ eft 7!1T STFTk T 3TFlt l|f t , 3TfT
3T!Wt 3it tl 5'HcfTl 41 T3^T t ?!1T f^R 7FII 4t ^R 4>4
■^H1! ?
f4 R H -^ R m ^ c R ^T ^RT snrnn, kt ^ i t ^ r f t - - * ! ! 3R
^>t ?H 4 'RRT t l
T^ T P l^d TRftl ^T? ^ 4 ^5! TFR ®TTI 1 4 t ^ l4 t f4s? Tff I
Phî 4 1 4 —3TR t ipI 3>t 4>4 d ^ f t ?
4 k - 3 r 4 t , 37R kt 4 ?n t i ^ tt 3?m rt ^ t k i tnejg iftft t ?
f 4 r ^ n - 4 t --iifi ?! i t 4 ^ *r ! i t t it ti
4k 4 ^t i t Ti! i4 n i efW t § r ! 's i - t s r ^t ann*! 4 t i Tt
i 14 i ^ j r -Hie^ kt 0,^1'iii? 4 i14i
«0'll TF3R Pm 4 t 4 5 , eft # T ^5f 7TÎ 3!^ f4RfT5ft ^>t
^Rfl =bH>flk 411 '^R ^T TRR ^ T ^t TIT *!! 14) 4 ^ ^>t =1144) ^ft 3TT1Z
ffcreft i ^Tf4^3T# h<^s fcR; ^ *t artr 4 ^ i f o 4 t arwer w r ^
fo4t ^Tf Tit ®!tl ?HT 4 H ^ Scn^d 4 f, H 'RR-'îTSI TJ^>? *ft ÎFt
4ITT «TTI 3TR cRi' f o 4 t ^ T % TRTT ^>t "TTRFT F l4 t *llPfl 4 , FT
c r i isp ^ 1 f%^T ^ it4 ti w w 3rfi4T h 41, f4rr xr Aqjiui h « -i it^
tl ^ ^ 1 W R T R 8n, f4TT TR ^ 4 - - ^ ^FFR 3TR^^1R t l 3T^«f % fg?TM
■^t ^tt Hcji«i Kfi sftr cio-idf) 4?f ^ t k k 4 t t t ^t st t i ,?t i
T R R t f e ST^rTRH oFft ^TH 4 4 n »f1l

f4 ^ n k ^ I T - f ^ TTTl^ îPdH)' ^ ^ #PTT t l
4 k - l t TTT> W dir^m. "9T11
fi|<M)|-wm, ^RI HlfrtTI F R '^ k ld WTcft? TTTl^
FT % 3TR| 4 T t itn i
4 k —4^n i t "snti w 4^ ^>it 'TTfN i t 7!!? ■qi fc^ ai
Im<>^1—^ 4 1 % ^T!«R 'snkl f o a il S'A'ii'b l!R c! t l
4 k - 1 ! ; 4 t rft t i t - ' q i rfl, ft>T f e w ! ^TT, S R ^ t % ?c! 4 t , ^
w t TRmi
’TTCffa UlfScM : / 191
ftrrJTT-’|?T %t 3TR «r£ t l êRT ^ T FT^T ^ F T

3TPT^n ^:73 3 f t fteffl FPT, ^Rfa ^rf^3Teft ?TTF!
T f t r - 'q ^ 3R ^ ^ K v lif. %l eft ^ i ? ^ , f'PT W «T ^T "RTcR?
%Pn37ni ^ f f%??r aftr ■qf w ! qt h t fm i
«4l^^ne %t let4! ^ TRT WI*hA i t Pi<î<rl 7Fftl <s*i'*> f t fiRîT ^
ft>T ^Rlt ^tl f R %t ^ft fteft t l 4 k 3 'îirr—3TTfti 3=TR ■HI65(
% RT?RT 4 Ti^ -ERkRT ^Ff ^ ' l # 3 R ftRÎ %t TRT»#RT 3TRt FR %
ITTO f t ^% t sftl cffT f R ^ 3T«fk f t T# «tl
4
?TTR Ft T f I T^SfT 4 W T F ^ f 3 ^ t%9TI 3HI<41d' 3TT-3TFFT
3 T O -sn ^ 4 f w f i m ^Nt fed i^ l ~s$. p ; *t, ^ n t ^t ^
<£(.1-11 3TFRT 4 eTS’ i t Ft I RK'flNl efN ^TfaFTT eRIcTR FR ^ ^
^Rft ^>T t 1! *ft 3T^5I 3 «1 TI ^ f ^ R -^ R "slta^ ^TT Pi^-h cf,<<î T f^ m R
<acia *t, <t !Rm ^Tef i^?Tt 3TT TScft *ft, t^RT^ «lMl <a<N
ft Mtl FT FR % TfT^T h Ri ^ k ' %t *ITq3T sftr 4 t ^JTT ftcft ^ficTt
sfti ^* r "r It t t t f^ ^nt 's r j t % ‘M d ttt ^ *t, ^rfer^TT *t, RRt %tif ■y<f
*R 3T tjit f'fi Rh^mI TfT-TJRR s^ d k ) 3?ft FR %t
W ^ ^ s^l tR ^jf-^qf ^Rtt cbH^k TTScfr «ft, M FT*T 3 IH<*dl '3TRTT
?-TTI -WT cT^T f% ^F W-^TcT TR ^ d H eRt-^RFi 3IN ^Tei 'M'^dl H
=hin=iy,l 'JTF ^TT 1 % 1 3^’ 3 w f'T’T ^ ^ e T f^JTI ^ q<ri'ii
ft, ^R ^ qlRjik,; 'q f 31R Tg^ ^ fT*T ^ ff Têt t ? '^f^ %t # 5
slfai^l ^ cP) 3TTWt 'T TJ^, 'g fn T|f^ f t ^ 1 3TR '^ - 'Q ^ ^Tei
3TFT 'sni£ ^f qdd t l iTRit TR^ ^fftl T^' ^Tel ^ r R ^ HN f^R2 ^
^-ll<l eRt, "STRit RTcT TFI^ft ^TTTT| f tR 3 TJtf^ «4<<rTl! ^ '^fTT W t
TO ^ tf^ l
4 k TTTf^ TPT^fr ftZcTT KHI « itc ^ -^ ^ ^?ft f t *tt?
r H ^ I-3 T R 1 % t l "gfTI ^ f t V3 ^Tf5TTi-^Tft m î
i f k - O T W 4 =RT1 7 7 5 ? ^ fT«T ^ -gfTT WfT f t ^ 1 «1T?
fq^ffT--gfTT 3TFT <=t>>41Ha1' clî H « ) 4 , ?(t ^TT ^ld f t -T fk ft? TTRît
■feet ^®T, eft *lf*^?ft I
l i k —MTÎeft STR t l fR-^lld aW^k ^ fteft t ; ^Tf^TcTt ^
%t^ ':Tft ■Jilaai I
ftT ^ lT -c ft fT? ^ R ft 4 eft 37TWt "Riel f t ^ 1
192 / % Rsldl^l
i f l T— ^ t t 'RTcT I F t W T t?
ffcrr^ n —?n st n g i n 3 *ft m w ^ n r . •arefT i e t *u i
■ jftT -W I ^ T t V^7 T i t 7<anTI

f i R ^ n - ^ T f "T iR sH yil? 3 T F P ^ W T T i f o l l
eRltl ^ H t 3 T H t-3 P R t ^ 'RT ^tl T ^ 1 ^ cTT *TT, T

g ii ^ y w 'P i ^ ift ornYi ftR ^ n k t ^ t - f ^ r t k w t ^f t 3 tM
it c f t , TM eft cfil'-K ^fprkl ^ eft l*t?TT 'E?RT *5teff 3TN ^Rlt^f ^7T
R ib 'll I f c lR ffl 3TR i f t l ^ p f t r fnel "STH ^ i t - l i t i t "STTcTTI

WtT —^TT! ^THT 3 T R % 3T W 3T R s$)e1ct i t k l "^ni ?ft MIRo-mI i t ^leK-fl
d e td 3TF i t t l
■pTT^TT-ST^t, ^ i j ; q t, t^ T % ^1T cjn ^ t r
■^t T cT—^TTct T R 'J ^ R 3TT5T 7 ^ 9 tl sf-l-ll ^>?5 R e e l'll T i t
tl
iftT -SFT T 3 T lk % ■gi + lfeUsl eFTT^ l t - 3 i t s tF R ^ t ^ T ^ F T
^Frrn i t k l ^ eft l 3 * i i W 1 % M W 1 TT WHT 7§ra ^ 3TPt t l
fm ^ l-S R ^TeT " 3 7 3 ^ , ^ T ^Tl
tftT — 'flq i'l TTRlfcm,, ^TTT ^71 i t n i * t T^ft TpTT ^TT 3TT^t T i t IT]
^tiT eft % a t k arret f c y i 4 ) T s ^ f t a r n i fr ^ T e fti t ik e n ?
f M ^ i- 3 T F r k n ifa e iT ^ tt T n a t , eft f o R s n ^ i st r ^ M t im
i t ^ n r, i *r ?n 3 *r i
TflT—eft 'IflT cJTRt <s(^c|ie1i ^ t r ?
^ tr f ^ fe tf k ^F R ^ d e l^ ll' fd'+ilel eftl T ^ R t ^R F H «JT; T R t det=IK,

^l-=t»««lt ^ R <*%1 »tl ^ f t fa e fR lt *t, ^R ^ R R T *tl
< N H lfd + W ^ T 3TET:WT i t ^FTT s ^ T - ^ K W % %TT, -MKVII^d % %X3;
^ ft ^ ; 'CR «HpW'in cftTcTf ^>1 37*fT^ T *TII '{i'll k ^ e t , ae iq i^ -c(^=h1,
W O T ^?t 3TMRT' 3TFTt'l ^ R t W W M , aftT ^Nt' k ^Tlf c T ^ f - e T ^ m
jTH ^ ^ f i sT'rk % f lr ti t^ n ^ ft a r r a t ^ ^ P i'H eti ,
^ i t ^tkt Tnf&TFTf k % ^ratr ^ft t^ t 3 ym ^ kki
3T % i t W «TII ^Fft t%#t ^ sftl fttlR H t
'R ^ 'Rpft ^Nt ^trt ^ t ■g?5 TR 'k T t *ti
^Rf cR’f fF ir a UFH -|3n «ni w m t ^ t zet ^ % rrif, pRt 1^
^3(T^ 3fR ktTTt' eTTTft ^ f t ^ 3 c ft »ftT f?R ^fTctt aft I
1. k iw t PcHWd ffcrw lair, CHwrfr)!

W f a Tnftc*? : /193
2. <W« spIH <gni =w yisff, ^l+l 4<. ^diî 'JiiA qnni

<*>4-311
3. <*]c|YEft ( « 4 ) <3MI H=hl^ qidl,
4. ,-fN?i 3 sntî
5. Pi<3^ *il * i i q fz%, ctto^ri
6.
7. ?im , ~m, srsffl
8. ■iHcrll^ =t)l ^MKI
9. b w d <*><.•} qidi, jSW
t) l
10. WUK <^<5ni
13. yci^'tiKi, fn ^>T f^T
Raag Darbari
Shrilal Shukla
Shrilal Shukla (1925-) w as born in a village of the Lucknow
district. After his graduation from Allahabad University, he was selected
for the Indian A dm inistrative Service. A s a civil servant, he gained
invaluable insights into the vagaries of adm inistrative functioning
and the condition of the com m on people. His vast range of experiences
have contributed to the ironical stance that imbues his w ritings.A fter
retirement, Shukla is actively involved in literary and cultural activities.
Shrilal Shukla's early writings include Sooni Ghati ka Suraj (1957),
and A gyaatvas (1962). R a a g D a r b a r i (1968) firm ly established his
reputation as a w riter and won him the Sahitya Akadem i aw ard in
1969. His next important novel, Seemayen Tootti Haiti (1973) is completely
different in plot and characterization. This is the story of com plex
relationships in an urban m iddle-class family. The tragedy of this
fam ily becom es a symbol of the tragedy of society as a whole. P ahala
P adhav (1987) is a realistic p ortrayal of the lives of labourers. The
con tractors and engineers exploit these people w ho com e to the city
in search of a livelihood. Between these conflicting sides is the middle
class, caught up in its own concerns. Shukla's m essage is that only
by abandoning a self-centred lifestyle can one hope to change this
op pressive system . His latest novel R aag V iraag (2002) discusses
im portan t social issues like caste, class, co m m ercialism and the
degeneration of culture, through the love story of Sukanya and Shankar
Lai. This short novel is a reflection of con tem p orary society. Shukla
has also w ritten short stories, essays, satires and B abbar Singh aur
Uska Saathi, a novel for children.
In the long journey of the Hindi novel, from the view point of
literary appreciation, popularity and readability, R aag D arbari, com es
next only to G odaan (Prem chand, 1936) and M aila A anchal (Phanishwar
N ath R enu,1954). The Indian village is the site of the n arrative in all
three. In G odaan, the plight of the Indian farm er is depicted trough
the life of Hori and in M aila A nchal, the life in M eriganj, in the Purnea
district of Bihar, is portrayed in all its colourful variety, with its joys
and sorrow s. By the tim e R aag D arbari w as published, conditions
deteriorated further and all the hopes generated by the Five Y ear
Plans, shattered. The village panchayats and co-op eratives seemed
to have forgotten or abandoned all the goals with which they w ere
This excerpt is taken from Raag Durbari, translated from Hindi by Gillian
Wright, Delhi: Penguin Books, 1992. pp. 31-37.
set up and the m ood is one of extrem e disillusionm ent. R aag D arbari
depicts a p icture of debased Indian d em ocracy in a satirical tone.
The novel has been criticized for being 'region al' in scope, but this is
not strictly accu rate since Shivpalganj, the location of the story, is a
m etaphor for rural India and its story could be that of any small
tow n or village in the country.
The chosen extract vividly p ortrays this degeneration in every
aspect of life. If the health of a d em ocracy can be m easured by its
judicial and educational system, then Shivpalganj is in a critical condition.
The judiciary is in such a bad shape that one cannot get the cop y of
even an insignificant docum ent w ithout a bribe. Trials go on for
generations and decisions are indefinitely postponed. The education
system is also no less corrupt. The Principal of the only college in
Shivpalganj registers his presence at the cou rt of Vaidyaji and is
n ever found in college. R angnath represents the intellectual class
w ho while fully aw are of the nuances of the situation he observes, is
ineffectual and cannot take any significant action to redress it.
The theory of reincarnation was invented in the civil courts

so that neither p lain tiff nor defendant m ight die regretting that
his case had been left u nfinished. C om forted by this theory,
both could die in peace know ing they still had the next life in
w hich to hear the ju d gem ent.
The m an w ho w as now sittin g on the verandah outside
V aid y aji's sitting-room had filed a case in the civil cou rt about
seven years ago. So it w as n atu ral that in con v ersatio n he
regu larly referred to the sins of his previous existence, Fate,
God and his plans for the next life.
People called him Langar— the Lam e O ne. O n his forehead
he bore the tilak of the K abirp an th i1 ascetics, around his throat
hung a necklace of h oly tu lsi2. H is face w as w eathered by dust
and thunderstorms, and his thin body was covered with a quilted
cotton jack et. O ne leg had been am putated at the knee and he
made up for its loss w ith a stout stick. His expression resembled
that of the early C hristian saints who whipped them selves daily
a hundred tim es to m ortify the flesh.
Sanichar pushed a glass of bhan g3 tow ards him. 'Take
this, brother Langar, drink it. T h ere's plenty o f fine things in
it.'
Langar refused w ith closed eyes and for a w hile they both
discussed such philosophical subjects as the importance of bhang,
196 / Raag Darbari
the benefits of almonds and raisins, the transience of life, material

pleasures, and renunciation. Finally Sanichar freed him self from
the debate by w ipin g his left hand on his u nderw ear and,
d isplaying an indifference to w ordly su bjects, he grow led, 'If
y ou 're going to drink it then get it dow n you quickly. If you're
not then to hell w ith you !'
He leapt into the inner sitting-room and offered the sam e
glass of bhang to the Principal. V aidyaji contentedly w atched
the Principal drink his bhang. Em ptying the glass, the Principal
said, 'T h ere really is som e great stu ff in there.'
'Bhang is m erely a n am e,' said V aidyaji, 'it is and it is not.
The real substance is alm onds, raisins and pistachios. Alm onds
increase intelligence and potency. Raisins are a purgative. There's
also cardam om in it. It has a cooling effect. As a result sem en
does not burst out, it rem ains solid and unm oving. I am also
m aking som e sm all use of this beverage in m y treatm ent of
R an gn ath.'
The Principal lifted his head and tried to speak but Vaidyaji
had already gone on to say, 'Ju st a few days back he began to
run a fever. He had becom e w eak. So I called him here. I have
m ade up a daily program m e for him . A lm onds are also used in
tonics. Tw o leaves of hem p as w ell. W e'll see w hat he looks
like w hen he goes back in six m onths' tim e.'
The college clerk said, 'H e cam e like a rat, but h e'll leave
like a rhinoceros, U ncle, ju st you w ait and see.'
W henever the clerk called V aidyaji 'U n cle ', the Principal
was sorry that he couldn't call Vaidyaji 'Father'. His face dropped
and he began to leaf through the files in front of him .
By then Langar had appeared in the doorway. He squatted
dow n outside rather like a chicken and greeted V aidyaji in the
w ay prescribed in the scriptures for a low caste m an m eeting a
Brahm an. This show ed that in our country the scriptures are
still suprem e, and all attem pts at the eradication of caste, if not
fraudulent, are at least rom antic gestures. Langar w hined like
a beggar, '1 am going, respected Father!'
V aidyaji said, 'G o, brother, you are fighting a righteous
battle. Fight on! But how can I help you?'
L angar replied natu rally, 'V ery w ell, respected Father! In
this kind of battle what could you do? W hen I need som eone to
speak on m y behalf, I shall com e and rub my head on your
doorstep.'
Bending forw ard to touch the floor he paid his respects

and left, hopping aw ay on one leg w ith the support of his stick.
V aid yaji laughed loudly, 'H is m ind is like a ch ild 's.'
V aid yaji seldom laughed. R angnath w as startled to see
that w hen he did, h is face softened, gentleness rep lacing his
expression of au thority . Instead of a virtu ou s, great m an, he
began to look alm ost debauched.
R angnath asked, 'W h a t's he fighting for?'
The P rincipal had began to gather together the files and
cheque books spread out in front of him under the cover of
w hich he used to com e for an occasional early m orning glass
of bhang. Pausing for a m om ent, he said, 'H e has to get a copy
of a docum ent from the T ehsil O ffice. H e has sw orn not to
give a bribe and to get a copy by the rules. O n the other side
the copy clerk has sw orn not to take a bribe and to give the
copy by the rules. This is w hat the fight is all abou t.'
Rangnath had an M.A. in history and had studied the causes
of countless w ars. A lexander attacked India to capture it, Porus
resisted to stop him . The Sultan A lauddin had said that he
would take the beautiful Q ueen Padm ini, her husband the Rana
had said he w ould not give her up. So a w ar w as fought. The
root of all battles w as the sam e. O ne side said, 'I'll take!' the
other, 'I w on 't giv e!' This w as the reason for war.
But here Langar w as saying that he w ould take the copy
by the rules and the clerk w as saying that he w ould give the
copy by the rules. And still they w ere fighting.
R angnath asked the reason for this historic turnabout. In
reply the P rincipal quoted a saying in A vadhi w hich literally
m eant, 'E lep h an ts com e, horses go, but the poor cam el lollops
along.' Perhaps this saying had its origin in a zoo, but Rangnath
m anaged to com prehend that it m eant som ething to do w ith
the length, bread th and depth of governm ent offices. But he
still failed to understand the righteous conflict betw een Langar
and the copy clerk. He put his question to the P rincipal m ore
clearly.
The college clerk replied on his behalf, 'T hese are ganjaha4
w ays, d ifficu lt to u nd erstand . . . Langar lives in a village ten
m iles aw ay. H is w ife is dead. He fell out w ith his sons and as
far as h e 's concerned they are dead. H e's a religious m an. He
used to sing b hajan s of the saints K abir5 and D adu D ayal6. He
198 / Raag Darbari
grew tired of singing and, idling around, he w ent and filed a

case in the civil court. He needs a copy of an old judgem ent for
the case. For that you have first to m ake an application to the
Tehsil Office. There was something missing from the application,
so it w as rejected. The he m ade a second application. A few
days ago he w ent to the office to collect the copy. The copy
clerk turned out to be a real crook, and asked for a five-rupee
bribe. Langar said the fixed rate w as tw o rupees. Then the
argum ent started. Tw o or three law yers were standing around.
First of all they told the copy clerk, "Brother, agree to two rupees,
the poor m an's lame. H e'll take the copy and sing your praises."
But the clerk refused to budge an inch. Suddenly he becam e a
m an of honour and said, "A m an of honour sticks to his w ord.
I'll take exactly w hat I asked for."
T h e n the law yers reasoned w ith Langar. "T h e clerk too
has fam ily responsibilities. He has to pay for his d aughters'
w eddings. So h e's pushed up the rate. A ccept w hat he says
and give five ru p ees." But Langar stuck to his guns. He said,
"S o now it's com e to this. He squanders his salary on liquor
and m eat curry and takes bribes to get his daughters m arried ."
'T h e clerk lost his tem per. "G et o u t," he snarled, "I'm not
taking any bribe for this. W hatever is to be done w ill be done
by the ru les." The law yers said, "D o n 't do this. Langar is a
devout man, don't take w hat he says badly". But once the clerk's
tem per w as lost it cou ld n 't be recovered.
'T h e truth is, R angnath Babu, Langar w asn 't w rong. In
this country getting your daughters married has become an excuse
for corru ption. If one m an takes a bribe, another says, "W h at
can he do, poor fellow ? H e's got a big fam ily, h e's got to pay
for d ow ries." The w hole stream of crim e is flow ing in the nam e
of m arriage.
'A nyw ay, there's been a serious altercation between Langar
and the clerk. N ow adays there are alw ays argum ents over the
sm allest m atters concerning bribery. Before the w ork w as done
in a regular fashion. In the old days m en used to be true to
their w ord. You put dow n one rupee, next day the copy was
ready. N ow you 'v e got a lot of new , young, school-educated
boys creep ing in and the rates of business are all upset. Seeing
w hat the new boys are up to, the old ones do exactly as they
like too. N ow giving and taking bribes have both becom e a big
problem.
'L an gar w as furious. P lacing his hand on his n ecklace of

holy tulsi, he said, "G o , clerk! If you can w ork by the rules, so
can I. N ow you w on 't get a single penny from me. I have m ade
m y application , sooner or later m y turn w ill com e."
'A fter this Langar w ent to the T ehsild ar and told him the
w hole story. The T ehsild ar laughed and congratulated him on
doing the right thing. He said there w as no need for him to get
involved w ith bribery. W hen his turn cam e he w ould get the
copy. And he told the clerk of the court, "L o o k , this m an has
been driven to distraction for m onths. N ow his w ork should
be done by the rules, no one should harass h im ." The clerk
replied, "S ir, this crip ple is a lunatic. D o n 't get draw n into this
m ess." Then Langar lost his tem per w ith the clerk. They started
yelling at each other, until som ehow or the other the Tehsildar
m anaged to restore peace.
'L an g ar knew that the copy clerk w ould find som e excuse
to reject his application. An application, poor thing, has a life
like an ant's. You need no great strength to kill it. An application
can be rejected at any tim e. Too few fee stam ps, the file num ber
incorrect, one column incomplete— any mistake like that is posted
on the notice board and if it's not corrected by the prescribed
date the application is rejected.
'That's why Langar is now completely prepared. H e's locked
up his house and left his village. Land, crop, b u llocks— h e's
left them all to the m ercy of God. H e's cam ping in a relative's
house and from daw n to dusk spends his day m aking rounds
to see the tehsil notice board. H e's scared that som e new s of
the application w ill appear on the board and he w on 't know.
He d oesn 't w ant to m iss it and have the application rejected.
It's already happened once.
'H e has learnt all the rule about copying docum ents off
by heart. He has m em orized the fees' chart. It's w hen a m an 's
fortune is bad that he is fated to see the inside of a cou rt or a
police station. L an g ar's luck is bad. But the w ay h e's attacked
the tehsil this tim e, it looks like he really w ill get hold of the
docum ent.'
R angnath had not yet com m itted enough stu pidities in
life to be considered experienced . L an gar's story affected him
deeply. He w as m oved, stirred by the feeling that he should do
som ething to help. But w hat could he do? H e had no answ er.
200 / Raag Darbari
As the feeling w ithin him becam e intolerable, he blurted

out. T h is is all com pletely w rong . . . som ething should be
d on e!'
The clerk pounced on his w ords like a hound on a hare.
'W h at can you do, R angnath Babu? W hat can anyone do? If
you have an itch you have to scratch it yourself. It's enough for
people to cope w ith their own troubles. W ho can carry another's
burdens. N ow adays its like this— you scratch your back and
I'll scratch m ine.'
The clerk stood up to go. The Principal looked about him
and said, 'T h ere's no sign of brother B ad ri.'
Vaidyaji replied, 'Som e relative has got involved in a dacoity
case. The w ays of the police, like G o d 's, are infinite. You know
it w ell. Badri w ent over there. He should be back today.'
Sanichar w as sittin g near the doorw ay. Letting out his
breath w ith a w histle, he said, 'T he longer he stays aw ay the
better.'
By now the bhang had made the Principal forget the current
saying that 'it is w rong to rest'. Pulling a large cushion towards
him , he lay back contented ly and asked, 'W h at's u p?'
Sanichar explained softly, 'T h ere's been an em bezzlem ent
in the C o-operative U nion. If brother Badri hears h e'll eat the
Su pervisor alive.'
The Principal w as scandalized. He w hispered, 'So that's
it!' V aidyaji thundered, 'W hat is this w h ispering like w om en?
So w hat if there has been an em bezzlem ent in the co-operative?
W hat union is there w here a sim ilar thing h asn 't happened?'
Pausing, he explained , 'T h ere had never been a case of fraud
in our union and so people began to su spect som ething w as
w rong. N ow we can say we are honest people. There was an
em bezzlem ent, and w e d id n 't hide it. W e adm itted it as soon
as it hap p en ed .' D raw ing breath, he concluded, 'W ell, it's an
ill w ind. . . O ne thorn has been rem oved from our flesh. . . One
w orry is over.'
The P rincipal w as propped up m otionless on his cushion.
He voiced the popular sentiment, 'Nowadays people have become
very d ishonest.'
This statem ent is very efficacious and every decent man
can m ake use of it like a m ulti-vitam in tablet three tim es a day
after m eals. But it seem ed to the clerk to contain som e personal
alleg a tio n ag ain st h im self. H e rep lie d , 'It d ep end s on the

individual. In our college there's never been any trouble like
this.'
V a id y a ji re g a r d e d h im c o r d ia lly an d s m ile d . T h e
em bezzlem ent had occurred w hen w heat w as rem oved from
the seed grain store. R eferring to this he said, 'H ow can there
be an em bezzlem ent like this in the college? You d o n 't have a
grain store?'
This w as a joke. The Principal laughed and once he started
laughing he co u ld n 't stop. But the clerk seem ed afflicted by
the hint of personal criticism . 'N o, U n cle,' he said, 'b u t there
are lots of fodder stores. The m inds of everyone there are full
of straw .' This caused even more hilarity. Sanichar and Rangnath
also laughed. The w ave of laughter reached the verandah. A
few nam eless people sittin g there also burst into uncontrolled
m irth. T he clerk caught the P rin cip al's eye and signalled him
to leave.
It is our proud tradition that the real issue only surfaces
after three or four hours of conversation. A ccordingly V aidyaji
asked the Principal, 'A n yth in g else you w anted to talk about
esp ecially?'
'N oth in g . . . the sam e old problem w ith Khanna. The day
before yesterday he w as teaching a class w earing dark glasses.
I gave him a dressing-d ow n right there. He w as leading the
boys astray. I said, "L ook here, son, I'll tear you to ribbons on
the sp o t." The P rincipal had show n considerable self-con trol
during this speech but as he finished it he began to m um ble
and only a sort of Jik -fik ' noise issued from his lips.
V aidyaji said seriou sly , 'Y ou should n ot do such things.
You should treat your opponent w ith courtesy. Look, every
great leader has m any enem ies. They have all pinned dow n
their opponents through the power of their will. This is a principle
of d em o cra cy . O ur le a d ers en d u re th eir o p p o n en ts, w ith
enorm ous politeness. The opposition keeps on talking nonsense,
and the leadership quietly plays its own game. No one is affected
by anyone else. This is model opposition. You should also adopt
this stan ce.'
These fundam ental principles of politics had no effect on
the clerk. He said, 'T h at d oesn 't w ork, U ncle! I know K hanna
M aster. H e's an M .A . in history but he d oesn 't even know w ho
202 / Raag Darbari
his father was. H e's just an expert at politicking. He keeps calling

the boys to his house and teaching them gam bling. There's only
one w ay to fix him . Get hold of him som e tim e and thrash
him .'
This m ade V aidyaji even m ore seriou s, but everyone else
becam e excited. The conversation turned to the m ethod and
traditions of ad m inistering a shoe-beating. Sanichar chirped
up, 'If y ou 're going to thrash K hanna, let me know. It's a long
tim e since I'v e given a shoe-beating. I'll com e along to land a
few blow s m yself.'
O ne m an rem arked that if a shoe is w orn out and soaked
in w ater for three days it m akes a good noise w hen it lands on
the flesh and even people far away can hear that there's a beating
in progress. Another said that if you're going to beat an educated
m an you should use shoes m ade out of som ething other than
cow leather, so that h e'll be beaten but he w on 't be disgraced
too m uch. A third m an sitting on the verandah said that the
correct w ay to give a shoe-beating w as to start counting one
hundred blow s, and as you reach ninety-nine, you forget w here
you were and start all over again from one. A fourth man agreed
that this w as the best m ethod of shoe-beating and so even he
had begun to learn to count up to a hundred.
T ranslated fro m the H indi by G illian W right.
1. Kabirpanthi The folllowers of Kabir.

2. Tulsi basil, worshipped in m any Hindu households.
3. Bhang an intoxicating drink.
4. Ganjaha behaviour attributed to those with a partiality
for marijuana.
5. Kabir medieval saint poet.
6. Dadu Dayal medieval saint poet.
TFT c T ^ n fr
staici ^ rr ensna ^ ’iri 3 1925 3 switi

$ d l*M K 3 Hldct) 3fft FTfTRI cjnk % ^pRd *tTTdfa
w t t # pf % fîxr ^ fa n *na;i W R r ft ^ TRf ^r cr t # p; ^ r ysjimn
^ ctf W lfa t d«Tl 3TRI «RdT cHwPc|<ti f M d ^T *TFd^ 3 WJRT fa^TI
^p^vjft % 3T^3> F«is«hi-^*J k '3-Tî fa w 3T5^f ^ft PiPcîfl Ft tl
dtart 3 sra^m mP<r % ^ 3 Tnfff^-TTR^fd^ TRif¥sraf
ti
‘ TFT ^ R t ’ ^ R ir a % y+I^H ( 1968) ^ SffaRT faTF? ^ J lfif
f t # I FB% ^ cR^T 3FTW W ^ T i f ^ R r r a ‘ 7TftTQ; ^Zdt t ’ (1973) V ^ lftld
fSTTI d4-4rn ^ ^ a n ’j f t ‘ TFT ^ R t ’ 3 ft^ T ^ T 3 W I t l p f t TTFTt
TfiqcPTh i?ftc(R % « ife r TR*jf ^ ^ « tt t i w Tife R ^ "sira^ = q rw
«IHlPi1<*> ^T oR W ) t l <Tf?rTT TTSRT’ ( 1987) <SM-MW 3 flfa M
*p<d ^ ^ff Pda'll 371 tf^n*} Fd^ Tstfal t l ciom Tt 'IN k
7TFT Tnrk H-fl'jO ^TT sfk $oi)Pi<H Tfl'lTTTT t l T-^ ^ 3 ^wjcpf
t src% 3 Ft fRTcra t i fr? ^ r r st t ^ % fa n w « ff
HHRw>dl ^T ?S1FT TTHT #TTI ^ Id ld 'd l HcflddH dM-MI-H ‘ TFT faTFT’ (2002)
t s rft y + ^ i alk î+wid 5 te « n % *rftn îfd^Kl nuRiohdi, ^nfmfer
, SR-iTîfcT 3Tfa 'MI'flKcil^ "^91 TFRZfTSTf TR ft^TR l=h<HI 'Nl t l 3n=bK k <?PJ
F$ *ft ‘TFT ftTFT’ SIR ^ ^RdftûTT % f l ^ ^rt iftsdT t l ^RTRf
Ho-I % TTT^T 9llcud's)) k cb^Ml. Pl«l*I. 's TnT r)*TI «1lc1-<-llf6rM ffll tl
f?^ ) dq-MIW ftctiW-tiraT k yiP^PpM=h 'ipicfdl, dWfyildl 3?k wfrjfdl
% raFra ^ ‘TFT ^ R t ’ ^T T«TH ‘% R ’ ( W ^ , 1936) cT«TT ‘kcTT -3TfêT’
(4i«n^<=Kdl«? ^ 5 . 1954) % 3TRTT t l k cM F) ^RTRT < H * tm ^ 3PRt
^*TT-,j f t sRT^ t l ‘ ‘ll^M ’ k Ffft % ■RTKRT ^ ÎRdt1! f^RTR off) ^4^11 ^T (^ûl
t d) ‘^TT 3Hl^d' k ftFR Tl^T f4^t % Ô'M ilH=h 3RcT % îRy,
TJS k TR TT-f^T1! y«ja f^ntT TTT t l ‘TFT W lO ’ cW
ank-3TT^ fe^T TRTf^d ^pft t , ■5?T^T*TT t l 4^=1^
k^3RT3Tf ^ 4 ) TOTR -Bftft «ft, cff ZS ^ t l TTFFNTî' 3Tk ÎS T T R f^ 3 T ^
TRRTS ^ ^ tl ^ 1 PHdl + < ^ i%«FT ^ W T frsrfd t l ‘ TFT ^ W T t’
W d N jRcTS ^f) fTT Pq%Hdl oqitiirHch 0^5 ^ T ^T R ^ ^ d i t l ‘ TFT qTqRt'
3T?1 ‘ TFT svmd’ ^ ftFn TFIT t l P^cnl: tl+IVH, TF3TT 31-38

204 / TFT
sfT E rf^ w i w t i ^tftH 3^1 rnRciK ^ t i ^ * tt ^ t
f w w r a ti fw rr^ R <??t ^ «n % rt <fft ? t ^ « n t i

F^tFRT 3m f ^ f r o ^RtT5( *Ft ^ tl W * % W**2?
^T TTrTT 'SRMt sfa fal^T W # ^ t ^ % ?FTRT ^T TT^nTT t l
^ R -y u iM l ^ t "p w ft w f ^ ; f^Ri 'RFjcft *fr Trfafafq
W<T ÎFt ^ t ^TT <Hcbtil I ^ ît yiqi| '5r^-^FTiKK wuft Tfcft t l
î<H<rl 3i-ia=hid cRi ecl?l t l ^STt cTC'T’ , f?T?lT-'>Mq^fI ^ft ffTft % kk
^F fl fW W I W % U.+HM % fa fa Id ^T#5r 4 TF^ ^ 'SRTq gaFift %
^W3> ^ Fif%rt =nsn3 t i f h t c ^ f e s M ^pf Tfftftfa t , ^
^<3dl <rlH5icll t C’lf'tH ^ WfT t l
4H ^ % ^ = lH t 3KM ?ff 4 t , c n f^ ^ t 3 fk
H'Rlcrr^ ^ 3 T O W g ft n f a 3 ^F T ycb^MI 3T*JCT f t ‘CTST TFFI
w t * 3 TTras p ; t % ■g^q ^r %
3T*ft SPTdT »PT eft XT§T Ft t l
■^SRt ^ ft % =II6<. "Sf^rft ^R '^ft 3hkhI f f f •HH4) «tei «TT, <**!•-)
? IW T W TO W o t ^tefFTt ^FT TT^ y < + ^ l ^T?R f a m «TT f5 # P T
T^l^TffWoF? ®1T f a ^ F SPT^t ^TcT 4 1J^jR T % t TTt f, ^F^T, ‘H 'iq i'ls, 3FR^ '3RT
% cbl4sbH 3TT O-jfMd ^T 4 FTOT ^TTI
cfm ePT5 ^ F ^ ^1 m ^ t F F s f t fct^T, 7Tc^ 4 êWt
^ 3 T , in m -qprt % n, % , f ^ -q ^ ^ ti
tJ^T '5?^ % THH 4 8TT, f^RT^t ^vRt TioF) cTT3t 4 1jrt TRt «ftl
TR TJIFt ÎHlA % 3^ i n i TRft *Tra, "3ft Tf^T SPT^ FT®1 4 SHMdl
■tfte tR ift îTS HKri Ft I
O T^t 3TR H#ER ^ «FT ^T T ^ fTMRT ^ F (T sfk “FFT, “ ^ t *TTf
d j i s , Tft ^nsfti '^ s -o i^ t o ^ ti
d j i4 ^ *^5<^< ^d^K f ^ n sftr *rtst ^Frt 4 «fF?r Ftcft TFt
U h+\ * ft ^ft TrftRi, % ^ rq , ift^ r
*ftTT 3ltT ^ F [ - ^ <l^fPHct) t w i f 4 «TTI ^FH % SRT 4 THt^T ^ 3NHT
fto st ^ W r 4 - q tW r ir q t c w ! 4 ^ fr t ^ fcWT 3 ik n M W
f w r f % 3rfff a^TWRcTl ^ ’fT ^ T I^ T ^FFT, “ ‘'ft^TT Ft rft 4
^5n3Tt, H Ft cTt F ^ rt ^ t 4 l ”
d 1i-s ^t '5jk ^ fTRT <s(T^1 3ftr 3Tn^ ^ eft, ^ f e snfR-'^TT 4 Hlfsd
srf^ p ff 4 7§T ^ T O f 4 qrcr-'a^ T ^ft Tt^t Ft
dWPy’H 'g^T HHt WRTt t l TRt^R ^ «1s f^TT sftT Vî Q.tll ^^T-W T
'TRrfhT <Hifprq : HRq^ / 205
êTFT WTIFFR, % Pol+W ^Kl nH«6M cfit g f e W f *ft, %

4teRt f f l ^ t *R $*H<ni t^T T I ^ fT lyrViM<n ^1 5 ^, w i , <ta41, WTT*T 3Tlf^
fa r % *ti
3 *FT ^T c |ft f*MRT 3TW ftrftlW T W ? *Ft 3TR ^F T T 3lfc
^ f t ^ t ?t 3 5 ft, “ Tft H i w H if q , ?*Ft ti"
f i r f w r W * T ^ ^srsfr 3 W , “ -fcTR'M 3>TF 3TFTT ^1
?TFT % f t TOT s IF tl”
^ ^FfT, " W l + W i t c rl'lP ^ IU ”
“ =t)TRrl^ e>)s=h< 3TFTT 5[J ” ^ ftiT '^tctl
<^TRi^ % R^y, '^R ^ ifcrR e lch< l its j ^ f t cue
m . T5T ^3TT * M ^JT f j k l ®P?t2, ^ P fid W ^ l % 3FJSR ^TT
% q i q ^ , cplnnl f f t % W ^ t ^TT TRuft «ftl IFFT TTH HT
f?PTT ^TT 3Tk ^T?T IT3R «tl fT*T 4 ^ 4 t j t - 4 t foeTR, ^ <simaU 4
h m iR + v ii^ % ^ ^ ^rrat *rt afa P^r w ^ tft ‘^Nt *tti
4 'fK S 'J î^'i, TJ^T eTTef a fk Hteft *<Tift ^)T, ^ f t t f^TT ■wist % i
<=h«ril^ 4 ^T5t, "sit f t r g <Md) *rt 1%i 'sft ^ st t <sl<nai t ■ay<nl 'ETSt ?ra> tf-T
f t *rrat t 'jft ^5îrs41 ^ t ■r m ^ t t oct t t ^ c+Tincfl ^rs t
cTOi 4 f t ? I *lld) t i
T^FT »TFf ^ PyTfl'-ra 3T?T 3TfT Pl<*>dd-PH=bd<-t I f f # «tt,
^ ^ ft 4 “ ^TRl^l ^>t eft 3TTT f4?TT f t T f^ t l ^ f eit ^Tfci^l f t
t ^f) 3TTWt T # ' ^ t e m i ”
PyT«4d Tnf^ w ^ ttt # ark ^ ^ “f r ^ ^ t?t -qw t
°Ff^ t l ”
TFfraT ^ -ra^TqFT ^ f r W T ? ■ q ^ f # I p4>d=b+< ^ f T , “ eft
?4t ^RT ''R ^ST 'Jii^y. T?^ Pldl'H I”
^ R t IR fW ^ Py'PyMci ^>T ^FT 1fNT itl W T
^TH, tTT^T t l”
^ R t ^ W , “ *FT cit HWMN ^7t t l t , 3 fa ^ 4 t t l cHWP=l+
eft ^KFT, gH=Kti| s rk f ^ n t l ^KTF 3 rk ^ t 4 ^ t ^SleTT t l yHcKhl
tl iFTFrO 4 t 7 ? ) t l ^ ? T ?TtcTcT t l # ! f W eH
^Tft, HRT 3^k ft^ R TfeTT t l 4 eft ?TTt ^ T îT ^teT-flT '51^7 WTT«T 171
4t ^ TfT ^ l ”
PyRnHcri Î5«t ^ ‘ i w v5di<^>< ^jS'ii ^TfT, TR ^ TT f ^ f t ^ i f ,
“ ^ t ^ f^T f l i , T f^ cFH »TTI ?TfeT #JT f t - g # «Ttl ^ 'if d lj, ^
206 / TFT
^HT ^TI tl fac*T îl T3^) ^Tpfe*T ^TT 1 ^?T 7TCT t l

4 ir ^ + Sv°qf 3 q ^ iH cfn *ft t l ■^Trft '‘RT ^ ff if t l ^<gTT f , S : ^TRT
% ^ ^ 1 it Jll^'l eft ^ n FfaiT '3nk 1 1
^rff^R % =ki4> k ^ 5 1 r “ arpt *t, 'V si î*J"01
crHi ^tmi I ”
^ r t ‘ t h ^ h ’ t o o t «n, 'ftrf^R T w * f ^ t a r ^ f t o
iftfT «1T ^ ' ^ t aFRTF T i t ^>1 xnkl dTqiT ÎTT d q jy i t TRTTI ^
■HIM') TSt ^ lfl$ d "3vT2T PRtl
cR <ri'l-S XIT 3TT 7FTTI ^TR^t k *jsO % Rm, t^RT 3HN<UI
wn fa*n r t , 3pprR -q'l<3c g r f qictu '3uk et^Hi ^rt 34tjtth fe«ni
fTTO 3 T ^ 1|3TT 1% 1RR ^TIT 3TR '*ft *ll*9| TT^hrll t affc '3nt%-'5f«TT foiJR
^ t TTRt ^ r f M 3RR ^ Tit' t kt T^TTf^ ^ l ^ l ^ l t l HITS’ k
'frta-^ T t fTFlk ^ ^>FT, “ kt "STRTT ^ ^ J j "
^ R t k ^ 1 T , “ '5fT3Tt «n ^r <£t ^ T# i t , cTSfl ^T3Tfl
3 ^FTT TdRJTT 3T7 TT^kTT ^! ”
CRTS' k W R Tfaqi ^ T ^ ^>1T, i t t ^PJ! T^ft cTsif k <p7 ^TT
^TTW? ^ ^ R ^ l R ^ I - f a t l R v i ^ t WTcT # f t , cR 3TRFR I i t y uIIH fe^TI s f tl T ^ ' T l cTBt
% 1T1R ^dcii I>3TF 'sr^TT TRTTI cI^m! "kk i t l i t I ^5Trt, “ $y=b) ’it
^l<r1^F>i ^ t- lf t t l ”
^cf IT lk ^ I TTRT^T k ■c|'|cf)chl ^3T, 1 ^ i t ^ 4 ) ^ il ^ IT I
ydNH i t TRTT, % F M ^ft ^FTl ^dHHfl^d k ^ # 1 ^ 3TTE[R^
■ R IT ^ ^ t '3FT1 ^ f ^ T cTrtl
WTT®T k TJ5T, “ ■JI1 TH t ? ”
M^NFi TTTl^ W Têft ^Tn^' sfk f^ T ^ t 3TT^ ^
^ k t-^ 4 m f «FT it k % f^ra; 3TTk W T W t ^ 1 1 T2 Ti t ^ I
alFfFT ^ ^ T T ^ T ^ ft T q ic i c^rt t l ^FTk ^ h Th Isrral 1
R^fqa T ^TT 3TtT cfii'H1^ ^ i t -icfxrt eJTI, 3 tR TîcT k ^RFT TaT^ft
t ^ Rs;qci T ^ I T s lk ^ i t T q ic i ^T II ?7tt ^>t c is i^ ^T?T T it
tl"
t*n m k ifniRT ■q' t o T «n 3ftr t f ^ t cr^Tfkt %
^RTJT ^ 8tl k nRT TR ^®5TI ^ % f^TT 3TlsWa[ t^T I «TT; ^
'HKoh «ilprq : / 207
w * 3 3r®3i sylfdi!, 3fM«r %3T «ni ^ jt 3nrw c t ^ ^

*ftl 3TeTB^T ^ 37fT *TT % ^ 3Tf ?J3T, 3JST f a 4' M^HHl
3ft 3 # ^TTI S^lRiy. eT5T^ f f «ftl TT3t d ^ l^ T 3ft ^PS 4 3 f t 3m »ftl 3=F
3ST 3TF3T *3, ?J3T; ^FRT 3JF3T 3T, 3 # ' ^3TI ? 4 t TPT ?T5Tf ttd t *ftl
31 313 d'l-S 3>f3T ^TF, 3T3 ^t 'icfxrl cjjlll 3T^ 3T!?3T 3T, *R 3 it
33>o1 ^3TI f tR 3 t cT5T^ 3?T 7 ^ Mtl
<'Ml3 ^ fyRhmcti ■Hie«i it ^?T T^f3l3f33i t^R fq2 3 3 Hfl<rN 'Ip5TI <j *h<^>
^3T3 4 3T3*ft 4 (TcFT 3TFT33 3>*t, faH 33 3T*f 3T : ^T«ft
3TT^ t , 3 tS t , 3 3 R ~5>Z 3 $ T§T^ t l 3 F <êiqct ?1T33 R*thI Pjiî
3 W T O 37 3>ft 3 3 t «ft, 37 T33T*T ?33T 3t 333T f t 33T % f^TRf f3RTt
*U<*>I7 3 t, 3 F cT3S afft
-icfxn 3F| % 3 t 3 ■qci')qi<rl ^ 4 ^<S 3ft fe3T?3 3l>t iF lff 33TI " 3 ^ 3T33T
3TR 73*2 ^ 3 4 ft'faMef W % 7 3 3 } ^ T f^lTI
333ft 3TR it 3t?TT :
W f % # 3 ^ t l gf^R<rl 4 73T?T 3 srri t l
ei'l-S 3FT i t 3T3 3ft7T ^7 TJ^T 3T3 3 3 7F^3Tc3 t l 3 H t 3 7 ^3>t t l
cT53>1 7t 31? ’1KM t sftl 3T3^ 3 3 ^33 7T35T "^33 t l 3 3 3 3TT^Rt
t l 3T3tl aftl «T5R 3T3T 3>73l ^TTI 3T^-3T^ 33> 331 3f ^H-3Tc^ 33*
3 t3R t 3 3 y=KHI 3T3I 3 R ^3TI
“ ■gepn; % f ^ [ T33? 30^ 3ft 33>cT % tr - q ^
d^^1d 4 <^sctlW 4 ^ 37ift TF 3 3 t, SUfdH, 3 F Mftof ? t 3 3 tl 3T
^FRt 3 I ^ R 3 3tl f^T p ; , 3 F Og^lcrt 4 33i^f ^ 3311
33>w3t*T Fc)-s1 h k Pi<^crti, <JWH 3 R "RFtl <rlJl-S 3teTT 1% 3f W 3
3>T t l W t 3T 3F^T i t 3 3 tl ^ t-^ R 33ft^T 3fT 73^ 3FH
33^TR=ttH 4 W % , ^ 3t W t 4 # TFT ^ f t , 3 F #3RT m S T t l
33>eT ct3?T (Jkili ^pi 3T^3TI 31 3 f 3733^ 3T3 ^ 3TcrT-333T *ft 3 f t
Rsi'H'til I 3 3 t3 3 ^ 3 ^ 3 3 33T 3ftT 3tcTT 137 3^ 3ft 3T3 3[3) ft3 t t l ^ft 3 ^
133T, 3 F t eJ3TI
3 3 3 3 ft# ' ^ # T f 3ft im?TT3TI 3 t^ % 33^T 3T^ 3 t ^R-PlRwl^K
3TT33t t l cT5f3T3T' snF^t t l '^frlU 35T f33T t l 3T3 ^TT3ft 3?k 3 f3
■64^ ^ 3tl "'R 3 F 3 t ^ 3 33TI 3teTT f3> 3T3 3 ? t ?t3T t l 0-10=116 3t
3T^-3T%3T 3T <sc4 3R 3 t sffT rT^T3i3T «3TF^ % ^JFI tl
3 3 ^ - 3 ^ f3 3 5 33TI g<f3)< 3te!T ^TT3Tt, 1 3 fTTl' 3T3 31 3Ft c^tl
# ^ 3R3J # rn, c p i^ ^ cf^| W M ^ 3 f 3 H3?TT3T % ^ t 3T3 3
3Rf, eT35 3 3 3 3333t t , "d333 3T3 3 3 ^ 3 3T3I,’ 3T 'OT33 |]H)I 33T
3 R 3^T 3t f3T{ 3Ft ‘ScRTI
208 / TFT ^ ! R t
kt ^Tl t t ’HTST % cf1^ k 7M?T ^Tlt ^1T *1TI ^

<nsRt>>m ®4l£-ll *lt q^Nl i t ^FCT t l foqcl êlT t <Tt ^HTT
^FlcIT t % SRI ^ ^JTCU ^5T ■tell'KH t , eTSf^ff ®qil# t l HTCt
e r s f ^ t % ®zni TR itcfT t l
“ ^ f *ft i t , # 1 5 3rk ^ St sp3RT i f l 3 R % thF^?
3 ^TcT-^RT TT 1p31eT iteft i t t l TT1^ THU '3TFT gldl *TTI 'JTlk 3h <^h I Î?T %
itk *ti t^F 'fe^JT ^t, far t o îtci 3 r i^ T t
cT5% ^fcR 'giT 3TTk t 3^fc # T -^ T ^T fa'lisc) t l F i t ^>t ^ § - ^ § t
■yrk s w r t *ff h ih ii! t i sra fecid ^rr k*rr aftr Rv^d ^ t # tt - ^tkt
~5&Z % i t 7T^ t l
14 d Jl4 ^ ^ ^•«hi 3TT 7FTTI Tfik $Fnt qigdl w<*>< <*>si 1% '^n,3TT
^T^, epf <=r>N^ ^ i t W ? eft l^T ^ft it i t W ^ * t I 3R $H<*>'|
T*F ^TPTt ^ T ft H fa # T tl l ^ k 'WscllW WTT ^ t t , ^ f t - H - ^ f f t kt '-TI^T
Sum'll it l
“ ■3H% s(K ePT? k dSUlerKR ^ t TR ITeT ^cIFITI dSUterKK
^s[cf 1TTI s fk ^teTT 1% ?1MRT # H > , e^T-t c?fa> i t f«MII $pt FT ^ T -^ T ^
■TSk ^ =Ft| ^T^lcT ^Tltl '=T^T 3Tlk TR <pt 'I'f’CI ftc l *1l<t‘f)l "37H 'IVl^tiK
i t ^>H, ^sft, cij is ^-=iki ÎT hsIA i t t l R t l 3R <=hN^ i t ^TFT It'TT
ÊTflTj;, F t ^ Î'bK ^TT % T O R , ^1 #TST kt
^ F t tl 3TN F ^f ^ ^ 'l Qvi'hK ^ TFni
FFT-FR i t k crrftl 1 ^ r t m i ^N t ^ c i l H ^ R k ■g?H ^ T R tl
“ ^TRcn t % ^ F c T - ^ ^tecllW f e lt- H - 'f e lft ÎTk
<9|Rvj| ^TII ^«sdi«i 'jfaRt eft ^fst ^Ft ^TR-'^lft t l 3 lt
^ tf ^ t cTT^cT 1 ^T%TT| c^tpiiw ^ «Tt T O ^ ife f ^TFIT ^TT I R k IT
t l TFtlT îT f i n i WIT t , RlR-lci îT W ^TeTcT Rrtoi t , T^> ^3HI 3T^TI
■TST t - ÊTt i t ^ t f ÎcT 'CI1H k tfe rr-^ t^ ^ t "îrat t 3 lk 3FR
fFft c!Kte B to H f^JT oTT^ ?ft Wad IHI TITRsi ^TTeft t l
“ 5«lfciy. w r s k ara lp t - lj7t t^n rt w i eft t i ^ i s n k ^
3TRT t , ^ ^ cfToTI d'll f^TF t l '^ T -1TRT, êf-^f^TT, TR
W H % «Rt^ «5t5 31M t l 3Tqk T3=F fW^<K % WT tTT ‘STcT f^fT t afR
^ cfl#eT % k t f e ^ - ^ % 3TRTW ^ ^ 7 W l ^RcIT t l
■3^f t % ^ l t %1T ^ i t % k t f e ? - ^ -3 ^ W spIIW ^ t ^ tf
3fir -qm i t i ^ i ^ ^rit % «tediw Mfcsr ^ i ^
i t •sff tl
MR#} / 209
“ 37T^ •1'^crt % T R c b l ^ TZ UTik t l "'FtfT "FT 1JTI T O TO

f# n t i s ro rt ^n t o to * t t jt o t t <mt TOT-TOTiTt ^ t * j i ^ t o t
TOcTT t l T O 5 =FT *ft TO*T TJS 7FtT t l ^TT ?TT TO f^R I TO? i t TO WTftcT
^R ^3T t , 3TRt crt'ldl t fa> XIH3T -icpcn TOR i t T^TTI ’ ’
TTO«T k 3Rk 3 TO TO TO ft ^ f f w ' W f ^Ht «ffl
3 ^ 3igq4t ^ lf TOT ^T TTTOT *TTI T O 5 % ffTOTT ^T 37T% TO ^R TOT
i t TOT JTTOT TOT 3^7 TO i t W l ^TTTO i f t i t ‘^ 3 TOTT ^Tfiq;’
^ t W IT 3TT% T-R ^ TTSR T O t, XR ‘ T O TOTT T O lTr’ ?TOT ^TTOT 3H%
TOT Hit «TTI
^ t *ft i t , ¥ttd < -lt-*flcK TO ^T<T s K ^ d i t «(I5d i t TTRT2? ^T^? ^Ttf 3*TT TO 7TTOT t ? fT O % Rs<rlcll t , 3 \it %
^H^HIdl t l efR 3TCFTT i t ^ t ^ f, TOt tl ^>T ^t|TT '33T
7TTOT t ? 3 R elt c l# t 'fcfT, TO 3TTO TO 3 *R 3 TgTO T#, TO 3TTO
?*R 3 ^ d l 4 l ”
tw cfi ■g^R 3 3 <§si ^3TTI fsrflTTO k TO l 3Tft P i'iie ^tsTTO TOT,
^ t 'fo r R yi41 ^Tlf TO T# t l
^ r a t k TOT, ‘ ‘ T O (U lckk 3 TOT t t 3 t l g f# T ^ t eft^T
3TTOTO t l "3TR^ i t i t l «fgt ^ l t T O «TTI 37R ^\Z TIT # T T l”
y k h R 4 l< g i % TOt ^3T 8TTI " J l ^ T fts t-^ T ft ^5TR frq; ^toiT, ‘ ‘ ^
c l^ ^ l7 3TR cT^ft ^TcTT t l ”
fy'faqd TTTi®r * f t k t r o s r cpf $ 1 ^ s trrt i t r t t i ^
■^ST-in eTfTOTT 3PRt 3lk W^TTO ^ ^r4lHH ^ ^ 3 3?R “ TO TO
t? ”
fR t^ T k ^|cT TOT, “ ^ t3 lfq }fe 3 ■JJPFR ^ i t TOT 11 ^ t
^TT ^ t kt -gqTTO^T ^ t TIT ^ r t ”
MTTTO 3TTcffTO i t TTÎ 3TTt r R l ^ tH , “ ^T?t T O t l ”
t r N r k ftR ^ n r o ^ t o ^t t ^ t o f r o i T O fo m ^ t t o =(it a rf^ro
TOrft^T ? t # *ft 1 ^ TOTTt f«rfeTf k 3 m r TO f r o t l 1TT% TTlrt TO
3TOTt ^ ^ ^ TOcTT t sflT TOf TR " Q t fo ; k t r ^ 37Kqt ^ t TOTtTOT 7§^T
w f i t a t ; TO ^TRt T O t Tfl TO ^ t ^Tt T O ^ <5»f<+iTO 3TT T O
^ t aq^t w g r o r t r t ?t t sftr ^ ^ m rg ro ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
3TOTt ^ ft # te T O , TT’ft ^TT T O t 1 ^ 3TTk T O it^TOTT t l TT^T k ,
210/ TFT ôiKI
°1ld ^ t j p i <<SlH '-K'-Hll'lfl ^tc-Tt M-1l=h< THhcR ^ BlTÎHCl

TFIfW ^Tt ^ 5 s(dMI fa*JTI
^r =hs=ti^< ^ tH , “ ^ n R - ^ l ^ ff ■*rff?r f■ h -^> ,h TfF t ?
^ W R l f c f 4 T O f t TjzfT Tfr ^ T - # ^ t ^ f t TRft? ^ f a - 4 t ^ fW T t
fs R r f t ^ t t n ^37T f t ? ”
c]n5 W 3 R , 3 ^ “ fRRt ^jfw t 4 T O n # f3fl
«7T, ^ >*>KUI eftn f 4 T F ^ f ^ft 4 ^ 3 ^ ^tl 3W eft I R ^>f ■H'+id t
f a fR STKtft t l ‘l^d f$IT t 3ftr 5H'I feMNI -Tft t l ^•Hl t , ^ 1
IT1? } ^cfT f a n t l ”
'HI'H W N qi< -J'p'h ^Tfl Wrn<T ^ ft, “ ^ d l 3T^T f t f3TTI t3 ^
fa*??T TRT f e u f q z t l”
fir fa w r n fa 4 % ^ f t f Ph^c-i ^ t # i s n fe * 4 13^ w
^ f ^ * tl ^ fH ^ f T , “ # fT «TS ÎTFT f t n 4 t l ”
■JTf f t g trr^R t t s fk 3T^4t u 4 tn n ^ t - P d ilp H
■fefant °Fft d<5 f a t 4 4 fa ^ R o m i <3Pt % 3R •Hchai t l w=f> 37t
f^ l4 ^>*5 s rfa fT ]^ 3TT^T-ÎT jTH h sti 'Jicii^ f a n , “ 3-lTq4)-3TT<^4t
nr 11 3m} =RTfa3j 4 nt st t st ^ tt n ft fs n i ’ ’
^ ra t 3 ^4 îr41<4di 4 ^ it afrr «j w i i 3 i ^ 3 t f 4 r f c f
ijf r o ^ M T T O 4 fa - 4 fa R 4 Th =hI<rt'+>< 1|3CT «ni ^ 4 t 3}R ^TRT
^■(.ci f t f “ '^Tlcl'Jl 4 'J^d % ft f t <rt<=hdl t l ^ fT * t f ^ T 4 ftlH n f t
ftm i”
n f TRTT^r KTTI fsrftfq^f flICT f 4 , «IR f 4 t ^ f f <lt 3TRt
4 rT 4 44lcT fsRTTI 4 f 4 ^ f t i t l ^R ^ w r a 3fl8^ % ^7% ■£
4 tfe r ^ tr n sm «Tri ^ f i , “ -qr êtt^t, 4 nt ^ nt^m
t l f * T3^7 % f^ q p j 4 ÊTI f t ^RT t l ”
^ TK 3?R 4 t f 4 t f f I TRt^R 3|R WTT«T 4 t f 4 l f 4 t ¥ t m i^ jR
crai n fc i n n ti ^ fT n r ^ p ^t-ÊfR ^ r p h ^ k 4 1 4 t ^■H*-^<+d 4
fir } h î ■} fyRhM<ri ^ n s ir § 4 ^ jt iîRT fa m i
^ f fTTRt ifRcP^jf WJRT t f a 3RTeT ^RT ^t-^TR ¥ t ÎcHtcT %
3RT 4 # PHchddl t l 3RT: ^ f t ^ 3T^ f t ff W T 4 TJiJI, “ afR
c^tf ^m ?M
‘ ‘ ^ r g ^Tff ^ f t ^ H M Id l ^R ra r t l 'crroff ^ 4 ^FMT W T I d Jll<^<
i t ^1 ^ ft T7§ f a n i cis=h) ^ t nt;=t)i i t ^1 ^ ifT , rft
^ l cK, f n "n ft <M'Hkct)< *+Odl =RT^ t l ” PyR-l^d •HI6«( ■} 3 rT } ^ R
^ST W I fa lR IT 8 ( 1 , 1 ^ ^ W t 3TÎ 4 3 ^ % g f ^
‘fW - fa ^ ;’ ^ 4 t ^ t f fn ^ r # w i
’HIWl-M tdfprq : hk ^<T / 211
k Tiwfrcm k “ k rrr ^ ^5 ^ 1 f k k k t k k t TTRFTjpf

«T317T 't)<'1l -cllleiO ^73t H, yc«)’*> ^ ken ^5T fcR^Tt t l TTkt k
lk ^ 5 T k 3TW-3TCRI fk k M t W f TW t l ^T1 ^ReT^T ^FT fk ^ R T t l lÎTT
kcTFM % erkt sjiidlHdi k M W ^ ^ i t t i fa k k k m 3 i # ^Fk
T ik t s ftr k d m ^ q w r srakt ^ i k T ik t i *F tt f c k t k 3T«nfer
■^tcTTI ^ 1 3 T I^f M « I t l 3TFHFt k t ^Tlt TiT3 3TWTT ^TT%XT| ’ ’
t r iMHlfd % ^ n’lRrlct) fk^RTt' ^FT 3TTR fSITI
kfal, "iTTk ^ ^ lf itefT, ^TETT! H^TT f m e i ^Ft k W \\ $FdSW k THT.
t , TT1 -i-i? 3Tqk ^ F I ef3T îT TFF ':Tlt Hlo^H I fFR’ 'q re fa ^ t % <1WK t l
STPt ^T TR er1S<*>l ^ k ^^TT—^crlI<=t>•«. ^3TT PsK’Url t l 7 ^ k fa i =Flk ^57 fkq>
U=F cTTt^T t l ^Fkt T O I ^ T T ^ T - ^ K ^ cFTT f c k ^ f lk l ”
fTT ^TeT k k ’Sfkt ^ t 3ftT k t fT ^ k l ^TT i^FT, "qT a ft! # fT <JrtHl(eel i t
^ k l «nd ^ d l •RRk ^ t T ^f? f sftT W T O ^TT 3TT ?Tktl n k N l k W ^ F T ^FIT
% 1§^T TR q ^ k # t , eft l k k t ^cfRFI ^ d f^ T k l ^ R
fsFlk ^ k ^fk3TFTT H it t l 1R k t ^t-^TTT 1T*T cFnk ^ g # tl tn p 3TT^kt kt?TT
1k) ^[dT SPTT '-hii i t ktT d l'l R 'l d + h mI k fknTt^TT JI'MI i t k t Huk k
3 T ^ t 3TraT3T <=^><01 t 3ftT #>Tt ^ k ^ T -fT rT^> TJSRT fkeT ■'jTTdt t tk> ^cTT
'êT TIT t l ^FtTT kteTT ' q ^ - f ^ i 3TKkt ^ t ■^dSTFTT i t k t 'HtTS^ ^ k ^ t T
Trktn <^<•11 ^ t Ii t t dTfe t t t t k t t t s ' ^fTk, "qr ^ t k t k if ^ r k t ^ i t i ^t t
k k - k k k t r k ^ w k k ^ f i t % ^fâ iT k w f ddqî ^ F t f e Piich<
Tk ^ k TTRk fk^rnk ^ 3n^-3Trk fq w k fiHdt ^ sftr ^ k
fi H-+)< fqR M k ^cTT WTHT ^ ^FTT k l "k tk 3TT^kt k ^^H K H
^ r k f i r ^71T % TT^g^T ^gfd3TT^ ^T ^Flt T33T cTTt^T t sftT ^ I fd U , k ^ k t
k t c i^ 'Pi’id) '5t t ^ ^ r k l ^>t ^ t t i
1. : ^ TR , <^)[iwiqa ^T ^MTI
2. fW N : ^Te--3H2
Touch-Me-Not1
Ismat Chughtai
Ism at C hughtai (1 9 1 1 -1 9 9 1 ) w as born in Badayun (U P) into a
w ell-to-do family and w as the ninth of ten siblings. She grew up in
A gra and Jodhpur. A t a time when young girls w ere not allowed to
study, she persuaded her parents to let her com plete her BA and
teacher's training. H er passionate com m itm ent to freedom — personal,
s e x u a l, e co n o m ic and in te lle c tu a l— can be tra ce d b ack to her
involvem ent with the Progressive W riters' M ovem ent that is credited
with the m aturing of the short story in U rdu in the 1930s and 1940s.
Ism at is believed to have said that the first w ord spoken by her was
'w hy' and this questioning spirit is visible in all her w riting. If there
is a religious belief that Ism at subscribed to, it is m nzhnb-e-insaniyat—
the religion of humanity. She is widely admired for her outspokenness,
her choice of bold themes and her sharp, crisp style that is conversational
and resonates with the colloquial U rdu spoken in Lucknow.
Ism at has an impressive oeuvre with eleven novels and novellas,
nine short stories and one play to her credit. H er first literary work
Z iddi (The Obstinate One) w as published in 1940. T ehri L akir (The
Crooked Line,1944), is a semi-autobiographical novel about the growth
and developm ent of a young w om an whose experiences resemble
her own. H er stories and novels are social com m entaries and she
explores the socio-cultural conflicts and the psycho-social determinants
th at g o v e rn the d e v e lo p m e n t of fem ale co n scio u s n e s s . In h er
ethnography of m iddle-class M uslim w om en's lives, Ism at portrays
the em otional barrenness of traditional households against which
her female protagonists rebel. M era D ost M era D ushm an (1955) [My
Friend, My Enem y, 2001], a selection of her non-fiction writing, essays,
com m entaries and pen portraits of well-know n contem poraries, is
an interesting reflection of the artistic, political and social m ores of
her time.
Ism at C hughtai's fiction is w om an-centred and her themes are
d raw n from m id d le-class life, w ith all its in trica cie s, d rab ness,
repressions and m om ents of hum our and brightness. She is a strong
advocate of the selfhood and self-definition of w om en and her w ork
combines a personal voice with an understanding of the socio-economic
boundaries that m ake w om en's lives w hat they are, in the India of
This story is taken from Lifting the Veil: Selected Writings o f Ismat Chughtai.
Selected and translated by M. Asaduddin. New Delhi: Penguin Books India,
2001. pp. 95-100.
today. Ismat Chughtai is considered one of the best short story

writers in Urdu, along with Krishan Chander, Upinder Nath Ashk,
Rajinder Singh Bedi, Rasheed Jahan and Sa'adat Hasan Manto.
'Touch-Me-Not' (1952) is the sad tale of a young woman's inability
to fulfill her 'conjugal duty' by giving birth to an heir who can carry
her husband's name forward and her fears that this will make him
remarry. The narrator is a young girl whose comments, as the action
unfolds, render the story even more distressing as her sister-in-law,
Bhabijan's, predicament is a precursor to the kind of future that also
awaits her. A major portion of the story takes place in a train
compartment and this enclosed space becomes the location of the
tragedy. The setting is also symbolic of the confined spaces within
which women's destinies are charted out in a male-dominated society.
The tremulous entry and triumphant exit of the unknown woman
give an interesting and evocative twist to the story. The narrative is
peopled with middle-class women, their hopes, fears, joys and sorrows
and their desperate attempts to give themselves an identity through
the domestic and childbearing roles allotted to them.
'Ilah i khair !2 O G hulam D astgir!3 O beisance to the tw elve4

im am s!. . . M ake a m ove dear. . . carefully. . . steady, steady. . .
pull up the salw ar. . . easy, easy ,' Bi5 M ughlani bellow ed like a
herald ; I pulled B h abijan 6 up, B haijan pushed from the other
side and thus she, a veritable ad vertisem ent for am ulets and
talism ans, took the sm all step and rolled over to the ch air like
an inflated balloon.
'P raise be to A llah, the A lm igh ty!' Bi M ughlani sighed
w ith relief, and w e felt a great load lift from our m inds.
Bhabijan w as n ot exactly born w ith a silver spoon in her
m outh, nor had she had ayahs and other lad ies-in-w aitin g at
her disposal. Yet, before long, the frail slip of a girl had becom e
as tender as a sw ollen w ound. The fact is, the m om ent her
m other stopped feed ing her, she cam e to adorn B h aijan 's bed.
H ere she had p retty little to do and blossom ed like a flow er,
fresh and fragran t, w ith ou t any sense of life's h arshness. Bi
M ughlani took charge of her from the day of her m arriage.
She w oke up from sleep at a leisurely hour, b u t rem ained in
bed w hile Bi M ughlani flurried around attending to her person.
Later she w ould be given a choice breakfast. H aving w ashed
it all dow n, she w ould keep sitting— her cheeks resting on her
hand and lips parted in a sm ile.
214/ Touch-Me-Not
The sm ile began to fade in the second year of her m arriage

as nausea m ade her throw up all the time. Finding his beautiful,
doll-like bride turning into a perm anently sick wom an, Bhaijan
began to lose in terest in her. But Bi M ughlani and A m m ijan
were bursting with excitement. From the first month of pregnancy
they threw them selves into the baby project w holeheartedly—
stitching diapers, etc. with such enthusiasm as though the delivery
w as im m inent. So covered w as she w ith am ulets that even a
m ole could not have peeped through. C onstant application of
w itch craft and charm s w ore her dow n. As it is, Bhabijan was
never a great one for w alks and sprints, but now even if she
turned on her side h erself, Bi M ughlani w ould raise such a
racket that the w hole house w ould com e rushing in. Even a
half-baked clay pot w as n ot handled w ith greater care. Pirs
and fakirs7 becam e perm anent fixtures in the house, ever ready
to m utter prayers and w ard off evil spirits.
In spite of Bi M u ghlani's rigorous vigil, how ever, the shell
cracked before time and expectations drew a blank. The blossoms
w ithered aw ay and the branch rem ained bare. But a thousand
thanks to A llah that her life w as saved. A llah is bountiful. If
the m other survived, m ore could com e. And did. The vigil was
intensified. Yet hopes again drew a blank. The third time round,
m atters took a grave turn. The poor thing w as choked w ith
pills and syrups. A sick pallor gave her the look of a sw eet
potato turned bulbous. Her evenings stretched to the early hours
of dawn. Am m i Begum and Bi M ughlani w ere not too pleased.
Lying in her bed, Bhabijan seemed to hear the shehnai of Bhaijan's
second m arriage.
H ow ever, by the grace of A llah, the p regnancy advanced
quite a b it w ithou t any m ishap. This tim e, besid es pirs and
fakirs, Delhi doctors also descended in their full arm our. From
the second m onth, she was treated as delicately as a soap bubble
and provided w ith all com forts. N o one w as allow ed to sneeze
or blow their nose in her vicinity lest the bubble should burst
once again. W hen the doctors declared her out of danger Ammi
Begum decided that the delivery should take place at A ligarh.
It w as hardly a tw o-hour journey. Bhabhijan w as reluctant to
leave D elhi even though the doctors had given the go-ahead.
H er horizon was darkening. She knew that another m iscarriage
would be her husband's ticket to a second marriage. Now Bhaijan
could do anything in the nam e of progeny. O nly A llah knew

w hy the fellow w as so keen on keeping his nam e alive. As it
is, he d id n 't h ave a nam e to speak of. If she failed in this one
conjugal duty, she w ould have to forgo all brid al com forts.
She had reigned so long on the stren gth of h er beauty and
charm . N ow she w as p erch ed on a b oat h er husban d w as
prepared to topple. W here could the poor thing go? She d id n 't
learn need lew ork because of lack of in terest in it, and the little
she had studied w as long forgotten. In the absence of a provider,
she could resort to one thing only— that is, to render the sam e
service to everybody which was, so far, exclusive to her husband.
That w as w hy she w as d esp erately looking forw ard to the
delivery w hich w ould m ake her life secure. If the father of the
newborn lacked interest, the grandfather would certainly provide
for her m aintenance.
As if she did not have enough on her m ind already, there
cam e A m m i B egu m 's im perial com m and to start for A ligarh,
and w e w ere throw n aflutter. A bun ch of new am ulets w ould
see her through.
'Ilah i kh air!' C aught u naw ares by a p articu larly strong
jolt of the speeding train, Bi M ughlani crashed down and Bhabijan
clutched at the v essel by her. 'Is this a train or a transport to
h e ll! O P ir M u r s h id 8, h e lp us . . . O H a z ra t A li9
. . . ' H olding B h abijan 's tum m y, Bi M ughlani started m uttering
prayers and verses from the holy Q uran. Som ehow , we reached
G haziabad.
The Toofan M ail10, true to its nam e, tore along w ithout
stopping. The entire coach was reserved for us. H ence the threat
o f jo stlin g crow ds w as out. I w as intently w atching the crow d
in front of the window and Bi Mughlani shielded her ears against
the train's shrieking w histle. Bhabijan nearly fainted at the sight
of the crow d from afar.
As the train chugged off, the coach door opened and a
peasant w om an m oved in. The coolie tried to pull her aw ay
but she stuck to the handle like a lizard and w ould not budge.
Slow ly she dragged h erself to the bathroom door, despite Bi
M u gh lan i's constant ch id in g and leaned against it, panting.
'M ay A llah forgive our sins!' Bi M ughlani m urm ured 'H ey
you! A re you pregnant for the full term ?' The panting w om an
ju st m anaged to spread her parched lips in a strained sm ile
and nodded assent.
216/ Touch-Me-Not
'B y A llah, this girl has som e ch eek!' The shock w as too
m uch for Bi M ughlani, and she began to slap her face repeatedly.
The w om an stood m ute. The intensity of pain made her restless,
and she clutched at the bathroom door w ith both hands. H er
breath cam e in gasps and perspiration appeared on her forehead
like dew drops on cool ground.
'Is it your first pregnan cy?' Bi M ughlani asked angrily,
piqued by h er lack of experience. The w om an could not reply
as fits of pain sw ept over her. H er face turned pale and tears
trickled dow n her dilated eyes. Bi M ughlani kept up her litany
of lam ent as the w om an continued to w rithe in tearing pain.
'W h at do you think y ou 're doing, looking on like that?
No dear, look the other w ay; you're still a virgin m aid.' I turned
aw ay. But the heart-ren d in g cry of the w om an m ade m e turn
back involuntarily. Bi M ughlani w as incensed— 'A llah 's curse!
As though sh e'd achieve salvation if she sees a child being
b om !' Bhabijan, her face wrapped in her dupatta, kept on staring.
Bi Mughlani's burkha dropped to her nose and she badly smeared
the floor of the coach w ith her constant spitting.
A ll of a sudden it seem ed that the w orld shrank on its
axis and tw isted itself. So intense w as m y reaction that my
ears began to burn and tears w elled up au tom atically. 'T h is is
the en d ,' I thought. But the tension in the atm osphere m elted
abruptly. The burkha slipped from Bi M u ghlani's nose as a
lum p of red flesh dropped near B h abijan 's royal shoes, the
Salim sh ah is11.1 cried out in surprise and jo y and bent dow n to
look at the tiny w onder that broke all h ell loose by letting out
a full-throated yell.
Bi M ughlani raged on. B habijan clung to m y pallu as I
handed over a pair of n ail-cu tting scissors to the w om an. She
w as m y age, m aybe a few m onths older. I w as rem inded of
field anim als like sheep and goats who bring forth their offspring
as they graze along, w ithou t any fuss and not caring for the
help of lady doctors, and then tidy up by licking them w ith
their tongue.
Elderly people prevent young girls from watching a delivery
saying that w hen Z eb u n n isa12 saw her sister giving birth to a
baby, she w as so shocked that she never got m arried. So m uch
for old folks and their old w ives' tales! Z ebunnisa's sister m ust
have been as fragile as m y Bhabijan. If she had w itnessed this
w om an 's delivery, she w ould have been convinced like me,
that people m ake a lot of fuss for nothing. G iving birth is as

easy a job for w om en as getting on or off the train is for Bhaijan.
A fter all, this is not som ething to be asham ed of. Far m ore
revolting is the gossip betw een Bi M ughlani and Am m a about
fellow w om en, w hich falls like hot em bers on my ears day in
and day out m aking them burn.
For som e tim e the w om an tried to breastfeed the child in
her clum sy w ay. H er tears had dried up, and she broke into
occasional fits of laughter as though som eone w as tickling her.
Bi M u gh lan i's chid in g subdued her som ew hat. She w rapped
the baby in a rag, put it under the seat and stood up. Bhabijan
let out a scream . Bi M ughlani soothed her. The w om an fetched
w ater from the bathroom and began to clean the coach. Rubbing
off the stains from B h abijan 's brocad ed shoes, she left them
standing in a corner. Then she picked up her child and sat
leaning against the bathroom door w ith the air of one who,
h aving finished the d ay 's chores, sits dow n to relax. As the
train drew to a halt, she stepped dow n.
'W h ere's your ticket?' asked the ticket collector. She held
out her dupatta w ith a flourish as though she w as exhibiting
jam u ns that she had plucked stealthily. Too shocked to speak,
the ticket collector stood transfixed w hile she turned aw ay and
vanished in the crow d. .
'A lla h 's w rath on all these harlots! They go on breeding
bastard s. . . the w itch es!' Bi M ughlani m uttered to h erself. The
train gave a lurch and chugged off.
Bhabijan's sm ouldering sobs abruptly turned into a searing
scream. 'O h Allah! W hat's wrong, Begum Dulhan?' Bi M ughlani's
heart cam e to her m outh as she looked at the Begu m 's terror-
stricken face. W rit large on it w as the v ision of her h u sban d 's
second m arriage:
Thus does fate play w ith us
Show s the shore and capsizes the boat.
The unborn child got cold feet and w ilted aw ay before its
entry into the w orld. M y flow er-like Bhabijan felt so unnerved
after w itn essin g the b izarre delivery in the train that she had a
m iscarriage once again.
T ra n sla ted fr o m the U rd u by M . A sa d u d d in .

218/ Touch-Me-Not
Touch-m e-not A delicate, shrubby tropical Am erican plant

(Mimosa pudica) having m auve flower heads,
with leaflets and leafstalks that fold and droop
when touched.
Ilahi khair : an invocation for protection and succour
Ghulam Dastgir : a holy man, protector and saint
The twelve imams:
Sufi saints : Imam Ashraf, Im am Baksh, Khwaja Imam
Baksh Chisti, Imam ud-Din, Shaikh Abdullah
Imam ud-Din, Im am ud-Din Hasan Khan,
Imam ud-Din Husaini Chisti, Im am ud-Din
Khan, Iman ud-Din Illahabadi Imami, Sayed
Mahdi Ali Imami, Imam ud-Din Imami and
Sher M uham ad Khan Imam.
5. Bi short form for bibi-a respectful form of address
to an older woman.
6. Jan appellation of affection and regard added on
to kinship terms like bhai(brother), bhabi(sister-
in-law) and am m i(mother).
7. Pirs and fakirs saints and holy men, normally Sufis,
8. Pir Murshid a Sufi saint.
9. H azrat Ali the fourth and the last of the Grand Caliphs
who guided the Muslim community after the
death of the Prophet Muhammed. He is specially
revered by the Shia sect of Muslims. His son,
Imam Hussain was m artyred at Karbala on
the 10th M uharram , the first month in the
Arabic calendar. This occasion is mourned by
the Shias all over the world,
10. Toofan Mail the h u rrican e/storm express,
11. Salitnshahis shoes shaped like English slippers, pointed at
the toe, terminating in a thin wisp turned
back and fastened to the instep. The shoes,
normally made of thin red leather, were either
plain or embroidered.
12. Zebunnisa A urangzeb's eldest daughter, she was well
educated and a great patron of the arts, literature
and poetry. Zebunnisa never m arried and
died in 1113 /1 7 0 1 .
# 2^
^TdTf (1915-1992) ('3. Tl.) % T?=F 9«FT ^ftqR 3 % if

*fii s m ■Rrm-fqm ^9 w f i 3 w q r «ffn ct? s tfk i aifc i f t v y
■ft xR ? ft-^tl ^ fM t '5^1 cTSf^T?ft ^ft 3>t fn w ft
4 amft *7k TI ftd ! ^t. ^ TJTT 3>Tft aftr 3TW)N<+> ^>1 3Ti?TÎ yr TTS^ (H'Ii ^ ^ft y'lRwilcri elTsR? 3U^tcH % 9T«f
^ 5 ra -4 ^3 1 ^ 1 93uTT t l STR^R 4 1930 3lfa 40 % ^F ? ft 3
*fft 4Rl=Wdl ^ tl |T O 3ft W d^dl 3Tt -qftfv ^ , 'jfft, 3Hf«fa afk 4)fe4>
JHl'-tfl'O ÎiIhcI t l =h5l ^lldl t 5^Hc1 4 SRft jRT % 31^ 'Sit He?1l trl'-M ^fcrlT
‘ ^pft’ *ni sfk, w ■sPHFprar 9^ 3 $)<*)<*d) t i ^ % 9t
3 |T O 3ft stresjl f t 9 3 tft t ~dt 3 ? 9 3 f^ -T i-^ ifH 'M d -H j.^ d l 'fTT V*f t l fW c!
$FPTl *Wq|Rcii, 3Trft ^>kz[ % Tjc^R 3?R ^cfl 3ft y<3<.di % ftTQ; 'îHt 'Sfldt t l
■S-llft ffcft qmtdlH 3>t t aft Qio-ldn 9 3teft ^Tlft 3Tcft ^ % 3T(fa t l
f f f ld % T3lft 3 9 <SM-MW 3}fc 9 3^#I3T 3 lk T3=F tl
^ i3 ft q f # 9 T W r ? ^ f d ‘ f ^ f t ’ 1940 3 y ^ lftld ^ *ftl ‘ M ^ 3 f tr ’ ( 1944)
3?«f 3ncR3r«lTc937 <J4-!1I9 t ^ft TJ3T '331 * ift % ^ftcR % ^dR-3£T3 3ft
9 Jte n t i 3? ^fiaoBi % 3 9 P 3 93di t i 5*93 3n 3r*n wifecM-i'M^ra
3TlT cf>6lPtqi 9Rlf3T3> fe^flliilT t l q f ÎHlfa|'t)-^l<<J)l<1'ti d'h<l6<il 3^T W t’- ^ f l'll
% to w ?nf9d 3r*ft ^ H H ) ^ ir H + - w n f ^ f t v f e f t 3 ft ^ i m 3 ^ 3 t t i
TTHTcprffq tjR ^H 9 ^ # f W W % 3T3R V 4K4R+ Vft^l<T % «rra^T(?q^
W5RTT 5«-Hcl doii'K <t><d) t l iW T % f W ^ f e f t f 3>TcT t l ‘ ^Tl
^ 1 ^ R ’ ( 1955) 9 fFRT % 31«blc^rH«h ^Rl, fR « f, fewfoii)! afk
■teMlTdcisStT WH<+ildlHT % « + fd d t l 'q f 33d % T R R tto ,
3 ^ fllHlRj|ch c-ilchMKI cFT tl
5<-Hd -^‘ idlf tl 'qv^qiilq ^ft 3TTft
c^<a-i fq^'H W i l t 41c(H 9R t atficmn!,, '5)^, '^ H -? fN nT 3 lk fTFT
rfSTT ■qchl'41^ t l ^ feP lt 3it Plvsidl <T*TI STR^t-qft^nqi yqcl tl
d’l'hi T=RI3Tt' Tf ^fitdcf) % "^TTKf 9T9lfaRj-3?lf8f^r 9t913ft 99?T >5^ i f
tl T O Tft fepft' p5R7Tt cfY prpffir ^m ' ^d+dl t l IFTd ^ R llf ^1
^rroi d^-ii«? 3T?3), TFft^ 1 w 7jf?K aflr 9K a ¥9=1 92t % 91«T
3^ % =b^Hl<+.KT ^ ■frpTf ^ncTT t l
■jjf ^?ht ‘iwiT ^rmf: yfaftfk m w ifW ^ # ^ t i Travel ^ r r , ^ f e # , 1994 ,

^ 9 ^ 33-39
220/
( 1952 ): *n? ^,'ti U.^-11 HiW<ti =bFHt t ^ 3TT^ mRi 3)1

^ ^dlA % fcf^ T^> "37RTfyîlfl ^jt *RT ^ % SHT^ ^qi[5=h ''JTT
^ sr th «J t i f t Twq ^t f t t okt t t 3r r ofg ^ ^ ^
«4>'l) eft 'ct% ^TRF (cMI£ 3R crlJll I ^7 cf»ei*fl TJ^JR T3^>
t f5RR7t fecqfTW, ^STFW 3(Ft f , cFFHt ^ 3TP*T^ of
^ R ft ‘STTdt t l 3TTc?ff *tmfar=T ^ ^v?n ’T f^ I ^rt ^ VtfdSfil t ^
■stl<t)l |?RTR 3R T?T t l fTI eel'll 3#TW?T H<Hl9bH ^ % 'Q^> f F ^ *t ^ fel
it^TT t afk ^fF ^ ^TTcIT t l tRF i[F fs®qi fTlpHd
SFRI 3)T Mcil'+i *ft t "5^ 3Trf%T'T?EJ qid <HHM *T sfteft ^>t t-Rifa tRT ^>t
Weft t l 3^kcT % W T ^ R 3Tk ffcfiT f^T«ITc( % TTTar 3TT% WFC
3>t HiHl <*?>Hl 3it TJî 0 ■'*'*> 'MIVIK Tf e ^ %ft t l 17?:ilc(‘ilil 3?Ucl, d*1<t>)
OTl^', ST, 7|f?TCT afa <£9 cM Ijgrrff 3lk ^rfTTT fc l ^ W t 3fft fa*rffcf
’j f w w % ^rfrtj; sFRt w ^ h % 3 1 % w m t *rc w s ^FFit ^ fq; t i
smm^rff ^ r % fe « t it eRTT ^t t ft I' srtr ^n^rpr ^ cpw ^ jn t i

“ icTlft Til! . . . *IT TJefTO «W'lH ^fRF . . . F^Fft ^T TT^cFTI fofcReeffF-
r^R-Hexrll^ . . . ^ 3 f R , IT’M % . . . T O «*T*T % . . . W ^ff . . . '331
% TTF*f-TTF5H” ^ft-yJJdlHl Tc?fa 3Tt W el el =hI<11 ^ ^ 'TOter ^
h im ^ êni ark ^ft p w # «n«rkH w\ ■p;
cRl fr o m TTte TR
“ W -M W R 'IK ! ^11 ^t-g'W H l % ^ afk fe ff ^
Pl^cill ^ t l ITKf-^T i^cil^ IF F ^ SfKcT ^t ITrsT c ^ T eft ^ T
H t W 3ftl *T SFTOTt, ^FfT3ff ^ft eIT5-^Rt TfNt ^ •4'l«hl 3T^R 'TSTI f^R
^t 3TV?TcT ^ l ^ r c f ^ # - - q ? f # efS^ft ^ # ITTef ■tf W t ^ ^ft R F
ii^=h ^T fRTtl W ^ ^ for TTt*ft TTT % ^ e t ^ ais<^< ÎI^H % w l
ITRrf ^fT ^ sftl ^Ff TT^T VHJ'-Ml' ifef ^ft W q t 'tT F ^ %
TTT R l'v l) ^T sltl ^t^ H "qSTI ^t-yMefpft ?TKt % f^ f
Miei'(-1TtlT^ TR gqo(<2 =BT ^Fltl ^ >55 effrrt ^>t
F t# t , f e e m t 3 ^ ^ F êff^R ^Ff RUFTt ^R ^ffeT ^ e f^ R ^ t ^ t ,
ittefF ftPTR =t><4> ’R 1! ! Reefl % 'TT?^' îT ■ispiI'I4 ■tliH'i fTO ^fTcfT, t^f^
ITFF ^1% tW cbeeil'cHdl nf«it F « l# TO ^ ^ t T^t ^3t ^^RPTT
W t 'l
elf=hH ^ 'gi^RIF^ ?TKt % Ft TTTef '+0ct0 XTF 7Fft 3rk s-i«hi
fiieifiieiT FT ^ ^ f sftT % ^T^ ^ 'JjR ^ eFTTI H5=t>a ^ ''Jeit ^ eRt
HlFtfTTT % q^N ?TTt TfTT ^ yîeff ^>t TTra>T ^TT^TR ’Tt ^ e f 4 # t :
■CRR 3TRT ^ F f 3ftT ^t-yneFTt % '3TFT eft ^fpft ^FR 3TT TOftl 'TFeT Ft "RFt^
*rrerfa Hiiecq : ^ mR^-m / 221
3 r ^ R m i stt # [V ? itr 3 ftr^n # t , ^ ^ i t Rrrrf 3 ^ p f t

ift^ T # t l R k RT#?ft' % faTR RT f?M *R^ -afi ^ R 1 R Tltl 3 r 3 fcR %
Z t^ -d ld ^ ) ^R ^ d lA cRfl ^ i t RTRhsnR % 'J F R R Rt RTt 'RcT^-fRRTi %
^TfcftR *t, 3TR Rt *RT T O J Rt yJMIHl Rt S t^ T T F -f^ W rllF %
WR-^TRRTRt T-t "RT TR RT 331 # f t 3Tfa RTT f^R-RT Rf RvS^ R ^ Rot <K6
^cl'+ii6 TTsff ■JiicTl I TJR1-WT R f T - n ^ k ^ R - ^ < '+ {') 3 lk ’'j>% HK^ 3TTrrI
etfRR «<|o|'aJ5 fRf Wt-gjJdlHl RR R1TT TTTST *U, <t>-eî "R5T RRR Tt
R l?f i t TgcT RRT 3ftT 3hhm'| RT RTRt foR RRTI 5TT-T fRR TITcrft T l RRtl Rfc
RRTI RT ^TR R^ft, H nif RTÎ 3TevTTl 3?tT ^RTI RT Rft t , 3TcvTTl
^ s fa f^ n i r it t R ict Tt -4U hi it rrti r r t fRR i m t § t# i Rtrrrt ^ r r
Rt RTRcR ^RT RRfRct-Rfc RR RRTI ^ ^RT#' % RT#5TR RR R ct*R fRRTH
'N il TR R î f r k Tt JIM Î Rrl'f ' J d V ^ d l 'SRcft ^ ^l=h<=h’^ -^ '(rll T l ' n ! I
^TTilkSTR Rit W R TTR % «IK6 R ^ i k t el'D I R t-^ 'jc lM l 3Tfa 3RRT <s)'H %
%RT Rt ^cRT ^ ^ - ^ R T ^ # 3^tr RTRtRR R^t RTTITt RT R i - R t RT^TR Rft
^TRt ?TT^t % ^llR-MI^ TJRTRt # tl
3^tr ^TR ^<r^1l6-3Hcni5 RR% R+i< Rt f^R 3TTRT rft' tfkl-g< 11^ %
37eTT^T Îcft % 5TRZT Rt 3TRR TTk R k-cFfR # J R ^RTR i t M l Tf^T %
RRR Tt 3PIHF hsI-ii d Jll sflT RTR'PRR •Hl^'i % ^crig,d ^ t ?R1
RT T # e fffl f^THt ^ t ^ T t ^ T § t i f e T ^ ^ [■HH'+^t ^ ft ^
l^TRfcl 3 «Ttl -g^KI T^-STO^f ^ ^ ^ it ^ 1
3 R "SI=ETT ^ ^ ilT —T3cRT M'+id 7FTT, fit 3RTIT ^-cii
^ F f t 3 M t ^ ^ i t l \ l ^RT TCT eft T O t l fft *trflfa R f ^ f t # 5 ^ cRJRft
ait, ^T lf % 5R 3Tf ^ l ^ T W T TTlt-3fr-TTTf#r ^T3T I^ IT «TTI 3 R
3TlT5t ^ it TJpTT i t eft T l TRft *Ttl ^t % H^T ^ 3 T it *ffl 3RTT
^TTT ^ R <sHd1 TRT eft R lf^ fR ^ t TTt^ ifld elT^ ^ WIRT
*ft 3TTt 3 T^TTI 3T«f eft ^ t '^TTR ^KrlMqici ^ ft 3 ^ d<+)< T R ^ J ^ R T R i^
«^l Tp^T 'T it, ^ T t =Ft '?eRT 3FRI ^ f^ R T TTI^ sftT ‘3T^ ■cidl'l ^ t ^
n+>sh TTSt ®4t? eidlRt) d^cbl et>H 'TFT «TT ^ t -Tltl ^P l^l R RTTlTt
'fll'lcl7 îT Wt y,=ti 3H5H TRif t , 3RR Rt -T 1JTT ^ R T R it eft ’zR>t-R
^ 0 ^>t ^ T a l s i l R Tntl ^ TTM ^fhiRFft 3^tT ^FT % «(<n^ RT
^ t5 3 tT lf,R T 3 R cft^ rO eT ^ 1 % R T ^ 5WTT^ ^TT T# ^ aftT ^t
^ t ^T R *TTI sftT fRR ?TT eRscT ^ 3cR^R ^ k l % RRT ^TRt ^F T l ^1 T
*ftl TTtRT-fRTtRT eft csV m R TTtUT 3^tT R "31^ ^5ft # f | ^ t ®ftcR R ^ TTt ^ t
Rt ^ -R T ? T RRt «ffl T m eft R1 t ^fRRT 3TRT 3RRR RTt^ U d d H -
R T# Rt ^ t iTTRi TR? RRR 3TfeTRR RR TTRTcft t l RTRt R lt
222/
fw ra *ft eft *#3TFT t, ^ t ^ 1 fafFrlT ^ ^ t-^ T R

3 t j c f t^ t ff« ra R g f ^ p t ^ ^ g # f f *ft', f^re % w t *r %
'QI^-'TFT^ ^>T ^< T W f eft f t WRTTI WT H W t ^KT eft MlcHJl f t l
^ W ) ^ ^fTT ftR TO 3R*TT ^T R ^ H|ft<!?||?s] fc fq 3 M I 3}fc f*T
e fk ^ c ^ -x p ^ s r t W s t£ i ^ d i4W i s fft 3 fto R
'SfTRfaH 3 ^ fc H t 1 f» M f t ‘F f t l “ ^ T T ft Tsfc!” ^ t - ^ J d H l ^
dcKh< Tt «l<a«K) ^ ^ 5 F I ^t 1*Rt affc ^PfrsfFT 4 ^ H t fT*Tt ^ ^T5T
■ ^ ra %*JTI
“ # % 3 TTSt t 1% W5TT! fa ^T T 5?iTft iW f ^ T W P T - ^
g[i!<*><r1^ll... ” ^ t - ^ l d H l Î# 3 T H ^T ^Z W 5 % ^fR% ^ 3^
^ t 3TFT^ ^ rF lfl ^ I - ^ I ^FR% MlfaWMK 3TT t r j |
cj*+>m ^tcrT ^71 TFT ^ t ^ ‘W 'll f l l ^n# t l ^F>T ^TW f t
^ Ift ^tcftl fsosti ^ 3TO^ f^Ttj; Rai4 *TTI *fte - ^ T <sKVn f t H *TTI ^
Rsl4«bl % WIH'^cirdi fTTSt 3 *Rt f f "R73^5? % gcTT^f 3 "Rft ( r f a ) aft?
^ t - y 'j d l 'f l 'f ;3R ^ ft Tltst % Tsffai ^t ^TR 1%r^ «hjt «ff| ^TTîl'Jll'l ^ ft
eft f t Tt *fte ^>t ^9 < M " W i 3TT TRT 3Tk ^ t '3 ft T13Tt XFT 'TOT TRTfl
^ ft f t M , f s ^ ^ tt 'A^qi'î ^ t t ark ^rarct w fti ^ c ft 4
'TOter w cjt ^?rat % t o w feMchci) gfr w
TR t s ftr ^t--gncTRt ‘ t - t ' ^>t H<qi6 *T eh<<^» 3T^T ^7T 3TFlt 3flT
^ d t e ll ^ % 3 i t 3 dJ|l<M fF T ^ cTfti
t ■gf, cfkT t ” ^t-gjjdnl rmfMHi^, f=pM, ^ n ^ f^r ^
t i ?”
6 1V 1cil f f 3lVc1 4 3TT^ Hnfs'm 'sp^ f f e t ^ t s|gR'+iC1 yt«h<l5
^ ft f t i ^ a ^ a-SH'^'i. ‘jHd<sn^ îT « c|M 1 ^ T t fT*Tf TI M<+>s 1%PITI TIRT
3 fk ^cR cto f t 1RIT 3 ^ ^?TRt TT TO t^ % ^ k R f t ^ j f t TT 3fl?T ^ t
■ ^ t ^ it ?R f ■'JZ 3TTÎ
“ 3?t ^TT M^dldl ^T t ? ” ^ t- g 'M H l 4 3 q ^ f^ R ^
f t ^ T ^T fl sftT f?? ^R ^jT %TI fR^TT 'CTST ■% ^ t îqi«( f t H ^ TRitl
d'H'+i ^ f t ^)t •hk ! T’t na-q-i eRlt, 3TRJ^ d'H'til ^ e f t f f 3TM
^ ^ f t ^ l ^ t-g J jd H l ‘ t - t , f f , f R ’ ^TcTt T ft iTR ^ t ^ ^ ft etfT ^ t
^ffeft T ftl 'Sf T ft «ft s fk «n#3rH ftRTf^rqf ^ T ft «fti
t , ^ t ^3T R t ^ IT TT^ ^ ^ B t T ft f t l ^ ^ s t, ~3VR 'g f '3R%
^Btl” sltr ^3TRt 4 ^Rr^t ^ 'g f ^tR t^PTTI f'PT ^ f t ^ ^>t cTfT ^
Virata yiffirM : ^ / 223
^ 3flcjra f t * id), ^ 1 Tf TFfct 3qk «jt-^MIH] 4

«oi=(icl ♦i'li'il ^>ti “ 3> f <fNri ^ ^ 5 ^ gn *) <iRgd f $
'aO'TX. *T2<3 f t eft 's il ^ ll l ” ’TF’ftaTR ^T22l TJf t r ePt£ faTJT T ft aft I
^t-^'ieii-il HRi tR ^<qi| T ^ T3t-T3t Tft «ft 3|fc ^>t
3it Tf T ft «ftl
■q^cr1? Tn ^ F I 3^ ^ ^ t R i^ - m Tggt f t ^ i tw
^ s t - i M f t Tpftl T?T^-TJfH R T 3 3 f t chH qfiill ^ t fIdUsiT 37t
eRf SPf^g TRlf gffc ^-STfePTR 37T^ T jil 3 ft # 3 T , 3facf 3 R TRt
sffc 3T«? TRt, -QcF^ 3 foÎT gTT d 5 f l ^ ‘° ^ TFTTI ^ t - ^ j d H l HRT
3H ftRTcl TST s fa *n#5TH ^ft ■■HerftWft ^fcR t % W
^fTeT-cIM ^faeT ^ft ^ 2 t 3TH "TStI fTeT sfk H ^ el" ^ t fa d t-^ jd t "#53 ftt
g f 3 P j+ d l a lk %+<*,< ^ ^ ft'-T T t chNHId ^fit %3H w f t , t^RT^ 3PRT
eTRT-^ltST ^fH T <a)erl‘fc< fRT-effaT ^STcrf
wt-gj iQiHl ft ftrt "^tst H't)s^<. ■gft git^ ft cjrr t^fT aftr ■stt sikd t r
'llRi^T sfa HerlWdT 3TT gHR # F T ^ ^Tgtl 3ft # 2 % ft 3TRJ3Tt ctf
PqerlHI f t ^l=b=b< ^T3T eit ^ t 3^tof TRt ^ «ft, qR^h '3TT% T j^ p ffe ,
f^F#' ^ "sicn »u, snff^n-snff^n g ^ R if^ ft ft>?T Tt fti
^ F f-ft «l<W ^>t qTêriT ft ftft^ ffa R 3TR3t T3tcrl ^tl 31T5t ft^ T '3^t
^31 f^Rni 3 1 ^ I t T j f e R fT«ft ^ ^ WTJ ^Reft T ftl f^R ZW\
3lltoHl ^ KT'?jft LMS=h< -TleT ît f^TII 1TT% ^t ^ R f t ^
^£R-3^R ^73^ WTtl 3?qit eR^ yyifd^ ^§5FR # TJÎT fecT ferfR R
fTT TTSt-“ ^ t| t ^ N t?"
^ t-^ jd H l TTlfeRtT ^cft Tf 7FTfl ^T#3IH 4 ^TI Slf^T ‘df^T,
^R ‘:n^T T O ^Ft ^ t W 5T ^tl
d m iT fTR ('TO) f t êRT f t 7!! ^ W 1!^ TUcT-^: T?ft4 ^ i t f t l ^ t
3 ? ^ 31erf4 . riiei'j4=tiK fl« it ^ 13^ ^ T 'TR^ T ft *ft, "^ft "3TFT
fiRS ^?TeR12 ^3RT 8TTI ^ ^<+>< eft 4 g -^ 5 F f W ^ 3 ^ W it ^ft ^ t r
sffT ^ 5 t si=hi< gft ^ 'EfRf ^R^ 'te-elc^ jrcqMsiMi W êft
t 3ftT H k M < : ( H'c<5jra t?T?l) ^T 2 -^ lc i+ < % R T I Tpe^T ^Reft t l
#*T ^ 3 R t cH4 f=h g?t ^ ^l??T ^ 3 ^ ^ 17HT ^R^ t 3rk
îfe) t ■^f^RTT 4 3TRt ^fH % 'zffT ^ 1 ft^ ^73 f^RTF *TT, eft
^t tqev3Rl'3 f f TIRt TO ?TKl f t ^ g ftl W '^f^RTT ^)t 3 fH
■^rt *n'i1'siM-^Rt ftrnt, °r ^t sr r ^t ? t t w^fh?ft % ft^ ^ êft
eft ^ f t f t 5H<a-men f t ^TeTt, St1! T^Tel t l ^ T ^RHI 2 eRT f t
3TRTFT t , Rslel-ll ’:IT’fr5fM % f c ^ TR «qR f t i l ^ <4eRHII
31- o4*-
*$ &
a Olf* §*£,
H -c
^ £
4 S’ H I ja*
f ^ I ^ i. U i m * * 2J . #
| % I’ f l f t f l - f in
' a, a. * * *
a>
&
3>| | |
2 ^ 31
Ut*x
‘ ■ j i f
nil
i-a * a
i i£j
2lL ^
1a a «• #
if
1 5$ ai #* it- f
A a-ft 5 * * . . a
-52
•3 5
*t ft
a I? •s 2D■ i
!* r f fs -.tf 1 1 3 i M '55> 2
i S'
*1 $>(4:
!,# a 4
a .a | « ® | a
4 -U
3, h , ^ ^ ^r l
-t
S i „ *^1A aat ! l
21. -
1%■ 3 I *
, i t i
^ i| Jd.
S P j i f f
a <*
r i i l l # tiS
qRclfa HifSw : / 225
3. ?TKf-'3? «HclHI
4. IfqR Q,fll =hHSI -^1 OH <=hl A'H FqaNI ^llcll 1 , ^h N-1 Hddll
5. iiw , 4+41 4<hi, ■^rn 4^11
6. w*tl+<l
7. •jfHd «*IHI, ■H^KHII
8. '^TC-Prfifa, T jfe
9. ^ 3 , Tfrsii
10. clif1^1
11. HU&i S?^, 31H^,
12. ^cTC
*
13. s^ ct^ i ■HililW, 4ild>:hyKl
14. U't)<v'^ , Hi^h
15.
16. FRcT TT^f
A Blind Man’s Vision of Fulfillment
Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai
T h ak a zh i (1 9 1 4 - 1 9 9 9 ) is co n s id e re d one of th e fo re m o s t
M alayalam writers. He was born in village Takazhi, in Alleppey district,
K erala. Though a law yer by profession, he began w riting novels in
his thirties. He penned novels and short stories and also experim ented
with writing a play. He had a great deal of sym pathy for the depressed
classes and this is evident in his w ritings, which deal with the life of
the low er classes, or those aspiring for a better life but tied dow n by
circumstances and injustice in society. For his contribution to Malayalam
Literature, he w as honoured with the Jnanpith A w ard in 1984.
His works include Randi-dangazhi (Two Measures of Paddy) written
in 1948, T ottiyute M akan (Son of the Scavenger), 1948, and E n ippadikal
(The Steps of the L ad d er), 1964. H ow ever his tw o m ost fam ous
novels are K ayar (Coir) 1978, and C hem m een, for which he won the
Sahitya Akadem i aw ard in 1956. C hem m een w as also turned into an
aw ard-w inning m ovie that is considered a landm ark of M alayalam
cinem a. His autobiography E nte Vakkil jivatam (M y Life as a Pleader)
appeared in 1961.
T h ak azh i le a n t to w a rd s M a rx ism an d a c o n c e rn fo r the
underprivileged is m anifest in his stories and novels which present
an incisive view of the lives of people that are dispossessed and
oppressed, living a life of poverty and social deprivation. He explores
the hypocrisies prevalent in society and is considered a realist w riter
but realism for Thakazi is only a means to an end— the end being to
document the conflict of the individual and society in his own distinctive
m anner, in sim ple and effective language.
Thakazhi's writings combine a deep personal vision of the human
condition— w here love, hope and virtue survive despite the squalor
and desperation of a harsh life. The fight against corruption can be
either em otional, spiritual or m aterial. In this story, one of his m ost
famous works, he depicts the simple faith and acceptance that triumphs
over the most degrading situation. Tradition and religion are interpreted
in a unique and personal way to uphold the dignity of life and character;
goodness and virtue survive in unlikely setting in this touching story.
This story is taken from Comorin to Kashmir: An Anthology o f Malayalam Short

Stories, translated by M.I. Kuruvilla, New Delhi: Navrang, 1990. pp 188-196.
Pappu N ayar accepted B hargavi as his w ife.

He w as blind from his birth. And she had som e notoriety
in the neighbourhood.
N o one gave m uch thought to his going to that house w ith
its bad reputation. A fter all, w asn 't he a blind m an? Bhargavi's
m other w as delighted to hear stories from the P uran as1. Pappu
N ayar w ould relate to her w hatever he knew . H is m other had
twice sternly warned him against going there. In the end Bhargavi
w a s fo u n d to b e p r e g n a n t. P a p p u N a y a r a c c e p te d the
respon sibility and took the blam e for it on him self.
H is m other told him that she w ould not perm it him to
step into her house. Pappu Nayar had an excuse. 'I cannot expect
m y you nger brother to take me about all the time. A lso there
m ust be som eone to look after m e.'
H is m other asked him , 'W hat w ill you provide her w ith
for a livin g?' 'I need not give her anything. She w ill m anage
som ehow by sw eep in g som e com p ou n d or p o u n d in g rice
som ew here.'
'A nd you ?'
'Sh e w ill look after m e.'
'You know what an abortion is? She has had three abortions.'
'N o. I d on 't believe it. There is no one like that in the
w hole w orld .'
So his m oth er's order prohibitin g him from en terin g the
house becam e absolute.
Bhargavi had w ork in a Brahm in h ou seh old— sw eeping
and w ashing and clean ing the house and doing other m enial
w ork. She w ould get from that house two rice m eals a day and
ten m easures of unhusked paddy for a m onth. In addition she
did the pounding of rice in two oth er houses, and that w as on
a perm anent basis.
She looked after Pappu N ayar as w ell as she could. From
the rice gruel she prepared , she w ould take out the grains of
rice and give them to him . She w as satisfied w ith drinking the
w atery portion. She w as very d ocile by nature. She w as not
used to talking m uch. But d istressing circu m stances appeared
to have banished all joy and happiness from her face permanently.
W ith sunken eyes, hollow draw n cheeks and the scanty hair
on h er head, at tw enty she looked w ell over thirty. H er face
w as alw ays gloom y. She could never laugh spontaneously. But
228 / A Blind Man’s Vision of Fulfillment
at tim es one could see a sm ile touched w ith scorn appearing on

her lips, now grow n black and dried up, especially w hen she
m et her childhood friends w ho w ere d oing w ell in life.
A lm ost alw ays she had only one piece of cloth on h er—
ju st enough cover her nakedness. And she did not have any
other cloth to change into. But she did not run aw ay in sham e
to hide her bare body.
It was into this bleak and cheerless atm osphere that Pappu
N ayar m ade his entry, chattering ceaselessly and lightheartedly
and never giving a m om ent's rest to his tongue. She hardly
spoke to him .
Pappy N ayar w ould say, 'T he child that is in B h argavi's
w om b is a boy. W hen he grow s up, he w ill be reading the
Ram ayana to m e.'
To that she w ould retort, 'I w ish it w ere a girl'
Bhargavi gave birth to a boy. N ay ar's h appiness knew no
bounds. H e w ould not get out of the room w here the m other
and the child were. He w ould tell all the w om en w ho cam e
there, 'M y hopes have been fulfilled. Bhargavi w as expecting
a girl.'
He alw ays w anted the child to be placed in his lap. Then
he w ould ask the child, 'Y ou little fellow , you rogue, are you
going to read Ramayana for your father, w hen you grow b ig?'
That blind m an 's face w ould often beam w ith intense joy.
He w ould frequently ask Bhargavi, 'W o n 't you give a kiss to
the baby now and then?'
She w ould then retort, 'T h at tongue of yours w ill not rest
in your m outh even for a m om ent.'
'W om an, you d on 't realise that our fortu nate period has
at last com e. W hat else do I w ant now? He w ill take me to
Benares and Ram eshw aran, w on 't you m y son?'
Pappu N ayar fondled the child and kissed it. 'A sw athi2,
M akhan M oolam and from M oolam to Kethu, seven days'. Thus
he b egan ch artin g the h oroscop e of the child and m akin g
p redictions. 'E ven in his youth he is under the influence of
V enus. H e is lucky because of the au spicious position of the
stars at his birth. Bhargavi, we m ust give him the nam e Gopala
R am anan.'
He insisted that Bhargavi learn the lullaby O m ana T h in ga l
Kidavai (Oh dear kid of the darling m oon).
She decided otherw ise about the nam e. She gave him the
nam e Ram a. He asked her, 'W hy d id n 't you give him the nam e
G opala R am anan.'
She rep lied, 'T h at nam e for a child destined to beg?'
'D o n 't talk like that, w om an. The planets show som ething
different. He has the fortune to be a K esari— a leader of people.'
N or did she learn or sing that lullaby he suggested to her.
The child w ould w riggle in his lap and cry loud. In great
fright he w ould call for Bhargavi. G rinding her teeth, she would
scream. 'D oes not this creature know anything else but to how l?'
Then Bhargavi w ould slap the child. Pappu N ayar w ould
shudder w ith fright. W hen she w ent out in the m orning, she
w ould return only in the evening. H e w ould grow restless and
rem ain m uttering to him self that there w as not even a drop of
w ater to w et the ch ild 's throat.
To see the w ay this love took possession of him w ould
break o n e's heart.
'M y son is going to be very fortunate. O n the right side of
his chest ju st below the nipple is a clear birthm ark. Like the
lotus flow er. It is a sign of G o d 's blessing on h im .'
He w ould ask the w om an from the neighbou ring house,
'D oes he resem ble m e?'
That w om an on hearin g this w as on the verge of tears. In
the total darkness w hich enveloped him he w as able to see a
b irthm ark! He w ent on thinking that the child w as the exact
im age of him self. O ne day a w om an asked him , 'C an you see
w ith your eyes?'
He rep lied, 'I can see m y son.' A nd he appeared to be
seeing him .
W hen he w as kissing the child he w ould say, 'Y ou rascal!
you and your laugh.' It seem ed from what he said that he could
see the child laughing, though soundlessly.
The w om en in the neighbourhood w ere m ade to say, 'It is
terrible. C an w e anyw here find one w orse than she? She has
m ade him believe that. But has that child any resem blance to
him ?'
The occasion for giving the child the first rice m eal had
arrived. Pappu N ayar w as of the opinion that he should carry
out that act h im self. But B hargavi w ould not perm it it. She
told her m other that he had an ungovernable appetite. 'T h at
seem s true. In that case, we m ust get som eone else to give the
cerem onial feed. The child cannot be allow ed to have a large
stom ach.'
'B u t how can I find out that I eat such a lot of rice?' He
said this and lau ghed at his ow n jo k e in good hum ou red
am usem ent.
The child grew up. The plight of the family was deplorable.
On the charge that she had stolen som ething, her w ork at the
Brahm in household w as term inated.
'D o n 't starve that child. G ive him the one rice m eal I get
everyd ay.'
The fam ine-stricken m onth of K arkadakam , notorious for
its scarcity everywhere, came. They could not have even a kunjee3
m eal in the house for three days. The first day they m anaged
by boiling and eating bean leaves. The second day they tided
over with some rice bran. On the third day Kesavar Nayar living
on the w estern side of their own house gave Bhargavi two and
h alf chackram s. W ith that she bought som e rice and m ade rice
gruel. Bhargavi, her m other and the son drank that, while Pappu
N ayar sat on the verandah listening to the Ram ayanam read
to him by R aghavan a boy from the neighbourhood. He did
not even hear the noise of w hat w as happening in the kitchen.
In a light-hearted spirit he w as reciting to him self verses
from K uchela V ritha4. Because of the frightful, gnaw ing hunger
in his en trails, he could not sleep even after m idnight. The
neighbours heard him con tin uing to recite the verses beating
the rhythm w ith his hands. Bhargavi was furious and shouted,
'W hat a terrible curse in this?'
'T h is is the story of Bhagavan. D on't you know that?' I
am singing it in his p raise.' Then instead of singing K uchela
V ritha, he started repeating the nam e of God and offering it as
up as p ra y e r-b u t this tim e silently.
Bhargavi becam e pregnant again. Pappu Nayar kept telling
her that this tim e it w as going to be a girl.
The eld er child started talking a little. He w ould call his
m o th er A m m a and ev en h is g ra n d m o th er he w o u ld ca ll
Ammoomma. But the root sounds of Achan— father— never came
to his tongue. 'You silly fellow , w hy can 't you say A ch an'. He
told him self that it was probably difficu lt to form the w ord on
his tongue.
W hile she w as expecting the second ch ild, she suffered

from various ailm ents.
Pappu Nayar continued to repeat that their hardships would
all be over soon. Ram an w ould not leave his m oth er's side.
And he avoided his father as m uch as possible. Pappu N ayar
w ould tell the boy that in his m oth er's stom ach w as a young
sister. H e w ould ask the boy to place a kiss on his m oth er's
stom ach.
B hargavi gave birth to a girl. He again began charting the
ch ild 's horoscope. She w as going to have a happy m arriage at
the age of fou rteen, he said.
'M y daughter is, I am sure, the exact picture of her m other.
Isn 't it so, K u ttich ech i,' he asked his next-door neighbour.
She could not help laughing inw ardly, and that laugh w as
reflected on her face.
'Y es, so it seem s,' she replied.
But the w om en in the neighbou ring houses w ere alm ost
certain w ho the father of that child was.
So there w ere two child ren. The poverty of that fam ily
could not even be im agined. B h argav i's health w as com pletely
ruined. She w as u nfit to go out to w ork.
Pappu N ayar consoled his w ife that their poverty would
soon end. She thought that su icid e w as the only escape from
this terrible m isery and w anted very m uch to end h er life. He
argued w ith her that, if she did anything so foolish, there would
be no one to look after the children. She was incapable of shedding
tears, as though tears had dried up in her. In utter hopelessness
she could not grind her teeth. H er sunken eyes w ould at tim es
revolve in their sockets w ith an unnatural glint; but, exhausted
w ith that exertion she w ould sink into a m elancholy stupor.
O ne day she asked him , 'C a n 't you go out and b eg?'
'Y ou w om an, that is a good idea. You are clever. But that
w ill m ean I will have to leave this house and this village. How
can I separate m yself from these ch ild ren ?'
B hargavi becam e pregnant again. T his tim e she could not
get up from the bed at all. For several days the stove rem ained
unlit. Every day towards noon Pappu N ayar would send Raman
to the Brahm in household. The m other and the children would
feed on the rice gruel w hich w as sent from there. If there was
anything left over, Pappu Nayar would partake of that. He would

say, 'For me hearing the Ram ayana read is enough. I d on 't then
care w hether 1 eat or drink.' So he spent the w hole day listening
to the Ram ayana and in the night he w ould repeat the lines he
had learnt by h eart after having listened to them so often.
The children would be lying in hunger and crying. Bhargavi
w ould not say anything to him . Pappu N ayar w ould say, 'A ll
these m iseries w ill soon en d .'
The child ren w ithout anyone to look after them w ere like
orphans. Raman could not be seen anywhere during the daytime.
He w ould be in and out of houses— begging. At that tim e the
sm all girl fell ill. Pappu N ayar w ould get som e rice from one
of the neighbou ring houses and have a rice gruel m ade out of
it for her and feed her. W hen Raman would return home towards
evening, Pappu N ayar w ould ask him to repeat the nam e of
God at least as a prayer as people often do. But he w ould pay
no heed to that. Pappu N ayar w ould call him to his side, m ake
him sit dow n and tell him stories from the Puranas. Ram an
how ever w ould scoot. N ayar w ould continue w ith his story-
telling. It w as only w hen he heard the boy's voice in the kitchen
that he w ould realize that he had gone aw ay.
The child born to Bhargavi w as a boy. It died after four
days.
In a w ay it w as good that it happened that w ay— Pappu
N ayar consoled h im self w ith that thought. How w as it to be
brought up? H e told Bhargavi, Tt is m y respon sibility too to
bring up these children. W e have now two children. They w ill
som ehow m anage to grow up. It is best that we d on 't have
any m ore ch ild ren.'
Ram an w as now six years old. Pappu N ayar decided that
he should be sent to a school and taught to read and w rite. In
the follow ing m onth of Idavam he w as adm itted to a school.
Bhargavi got back the w ork in the Brahm in household,
w hich she had lost earlier. A fter all the dead child brought
them som e luck, N ayar said. So at last the people in that house
w ere able to m anage w ith one m eal a day. But that brought no
relief for Pappu N ayar. H e continued to be in hunger for m ost
part of the day. The cooked rice that was brought from the Brahmin
house at noon and in the evening— the m other and the children
ate it up. N ayar w ould sit on the front verandah listening to
the R am ayana or repeating the nam e of God. It is possible that

he w as given som ething occasionally. But he asked for no food
nor dem anded it.
Ram an gave up going to school. His m other had asked
him not to. She said that she could not m eet the expenses of
his schooling. N ayar agreed that his w ife w as right.
Children must learn to read and write— Pappu Nayar knew.
H ow ever, he had reason to be content. In R am an's case, he
was only six years old and could very well wait till the follow ing
year to be put to school again.
But those children— how were they grow ing up? They had
not called him A cchan— Father— till now . W hen they saw him
groping about in his h elp lessness, they w ould laugh. H e w as a
source of am usem ent to them .
'M y little daughter, com e to m e', he would say and stretch
out his hand. But the girl w ould not go anyw here n ear him .
K eeping h erself at a d istance from him , she w ould m ock at
him . O nce he asked Ram an. 'B rin g m e the things to have a
chew of betel, so n .'
Ram an daubed the betel leaves w ith a generous coating
of lim e and in place of the arecanut the in corrigible boy put a
piece of stone. Pappu N ayar's m outh w as burnt because of the
lime. The boy clapped his hands and laughed loud. Nayar him self
broke out into laughter at w hat he considered the clever prank
of his son. O ne day Pappu N ayar w as getting dow n from the
verandah into the front yard w ith the help of his stick. Ram an
w as rushing out at that tim e in a fit of tem per from the kitchen
after a quarrel w ith his m other. Ram an gave a kick to the stick
in his father's hand and sent it flying. Pappu N ayar fell headlong
on his face strikin g the ground. A fter that incident, w hoever
cam e to the house w as treated to a d escription of the incident
by N ayar to prove w hat a lively and sm art son he had.
Tw o years passed in that m anner. Pappu N ayar's desire
to send the boy to school rem ained u nfulfilled. He w ould often
talk about this subject to Bhargavi. She would reply, 'W hy don't
you shut that tongue in your m outh for a little w hile at least?'
He w ould protest, 'A m I not telling you som ething im portant?'
O ften she w ould not care to give him a reply at all and
w ould w alk aw ay w ith a look of com plete indifference. The
story of a case in w hich Ram an w as involved reached Pappu
N ayar. Ram an was charged for som e petty thefts in the village.
N ayar asked him , 'You fellow, is it a proper thing to have done?'
'Y ou d on 't have to w orry about that. I w ill see about it.'
That w as his reply.
After all he was a young boy. Pappu Nayar consoled himself
that, as he grew older, he w ould give up his bad w ays.
Bhargavi becam e pregnant again. Pappu Nayar was a little
surprised at this. He asked, 'B h argavi, w hat is this I h ear?'
She did not reply. At about this time Bhargavi sent Raman
aw ay to w ork as a servant in som e p erson 's house. N ayar
com plained about this to K uttiyam m a from the neighbouring
house. 'Is it right to have sent him like that? H asn 't he got to
learn to read and w rite?'
'T h at is true, 'K u ttiy am m a said and ab ru p tly stopped
w ithout com pleting w hat she w anted to say. She had been an
eyew itness to the bad life Bhargavi led. She knew that Bhargavi
had done m uch harm to that m an and that had pained her a
lot. W hile Bhargavi had her meals of rice and curry, he remained
in stark hunger. She had shed tears over w hat w as happening
in that house. Now she had, besides, com e with a m essage from
his mother. The sad story of his miserable life was widely known
and m uch talked about in the village. But out of pity for him
nobody dared discuss such things w ith him . People feared
that he w ould not be able to endure the dreadful happenings
in his ow n life, if their true nature w ere revealed to him.
At the same time the people were astounded at the affection
he had for his wife. That love was beyond all comparison. People
had nothing but adm iration for this unshakeable optim ism of
the blind m an. The w orld paid hom age to his sincere sacrifice
and devotion. H e never spoke even an angry or harsh w ord to
her. So how could such a m an be made to face the harsh reality—
the bitter truth?
K uttiyam m a h erself could not com e out w ith the truth.
Pappu N ayar w as saying, 'M y son is clever. He is w orking
now for a big governm ent officer. So it w ill be possible for
him to learn to read and w rite, w hile being there.'
Suddenly Kuttiyam m a blurted out, 'Pappu Nayar, that boy
is not your son.'
'N o, he is the child of God. D o n 't you know the w hole
w orld is the illusory plaything in the hands of G od.'
K uttiyam m a did not say anything after that. She had no

strength of m ind to con trad ict him .
B hargavi gave birth to another boy. N ayar w elcom ed the
new addition to his fam ily as w ell. And he added, 'T h is fellow
is going to be a com panion to m e.'
Again on another day, Kuttiyam m a dropped in at his house.
She said, 'It is fortu nate that you ca n 't see anything. You need
not see the evil in this w orld .'
'T h ere is no real evil in this w orld. Yet, there is poverty—
w hich w ill end. If there is sorrow , there, is happiness too. Isn 't
it so, K utty C hech i?'
That is not w hat I m eant. There is a thing. . . .'
'I have no sorrow s. My God has not burdened m e w ith
any sorrow s. It is true that I am som ew hat upset w hen I think
of m y child ren. Ram an has not sent m e a letter ev en .'
'If you really saw those children, you w on 't have any such
feelings for them .'
'D o n 't say that I d on 't see m y child ren. I see my ch ild ren.'
'A ll right. In that case, are you their father?'
K uttiyam m a's heart began beating fast. She had said things
w hich she shou ld n ot have. Pappu N ayar looked pu zzled ,
intim idated. But the next m om ent his answ er cam e, 'T h ey are
ch ild ren!'
'W h at do you really know , Pappu N ayar?'
'Y ou m ay be rig h t, K utty C hech i. The last ch ild — that
. . . I am not a fool, sister. Blind people are unusually intelligent,
they say. That m ay be true. I have know n certain things. O ne
day at night I heard the jingling sound of coins inside the house.'
'Y ou sit on this verand ah. She is a d evil.'
Pappu N ayar did not say anything in reply for som e time.
Then he said,
'W h at of that? Let it be so. At least the world w ill not say
that the child ren have no father.'
'B u t do the child ren call you "fa th e r "? '
'N o, not that way. I have loved them . That is w hat m atters.
Look, m y Ram an and. m y D evaki are standing before me. How
lovely they are— such golden vessels of purity. They are m y
child ren. Should I not do som ething for their sake?'
'Y ou d on 't realise that she has deceived you?'

'She is a poor helpless thing. W hat hunger, what starvation
she has put up w ith. Perhaps she m ay have done m any w rong
things. That m ay have been the only w ay she had of earning
her livelihood. She also needed som e one to support her, for
her to stand up against the w orld. At least I have been of som e
help to her that w ay. I am satisfied .'
K uttiyam m a had no answ er for w hat he told her. His heart
w as w ithout lim its, bound less. He w as really not groping in
the dark. The arena of his large heart w as not in darkness at
all. It was bright, shining with the brightness of mirrors reflecting
light perpetually. So m any w orlds buoyed, swam in that grand
ecstasy of his h eart's unending brilliance.
K uttiyam m a left w ithout saying anything m ore. That night
too the neighbours heard him reciting verses from the Kuchela
V ritha.
1. Puranas ancient Hindu scriptures,

2. Aswathi astrological configuration,
3. Kunjee rice gruel
4. Bhagvan and
Kuchela Vritha Lord Krishna and his friends (similar to the
story of Krishna and Sudama). The story is
narrated in the Bhagvat Purana and Kuchela
has com e to symbolize a person who suffers
the hardships of poverty, with complete faith
and devotion in God.
e f t SRJrTT
d^h'fl /^/qf^/qf) < ftlcrt
cl^ft (1 9 1 4 -1 9 9 9 ) 3Tt TJcjj 3?Tmt 'RFtT '31R1I t l

3<rtrll^|| f%^t 3? oRFPfl TO 3 (|3tt «(TI 3 W 3 cHtfoi «fl 30 ^
^\ 3ft% % «n^ ^ r ? r t fcna^r ^ t o i «iti j w i « 3fa ^ F T fw
d'-gl'l ■^TT^T crl'a-i ^TT *ft ^ 'SPlt1! t^ T il ^firtd ^ t f % 'gfa d l'h l 'lg<l
aft, ait S^d^dl t l » T ^ 3 1 pTR cpff 3T«rar %
afte-T % ^trar t ^ft % < r ^ftcR ^ft sirai^T mOi t -qftft*rf?f^ft sffc
«mifa1=h 3 W J % c f^ T fW IF l ifaiT T? ^ tl W W TTTflÎ 3 31^FT %
% ij ; 1984 3 yiTffrq ^ t «qT**i w i ^ mmIcJ y ^ R f^ n nqii
<wft ^ t r ^ i s i f 3 ‘ ■Kt-'^wt’ (^t *t h , 1948) 3fk ‘# # 5 ^ ^ r ’
(1948, ^PTf ^ ^T ^ST), sfa ‘ yjH4lft<*>d ’ ( 1964, % TTfaFT) Wftfc^T t l
HfoR w f r ^t Tlftng: <iLMW ‘^^PR’ (1 9 7 8 ) afk ‘ %#=T’ e ^ 3 T ^ ) t l
' ûfln’ % %TT 1956 3 ■Hlfe'^ 31<*>K*ft ' J ^ R W<T 13TT «JTI ‘ ûfln’ x r
^ 3 fw faqW fs n I M ftr W 3 tftcT ^T ÎcSR 'RRT tl
i-ltfcl 3TRTR)8gT 1 qttild aflqflH ’ ( qchVl % '?^T ^t '^TI af|q-i) 1961 3"
y=hiRiia i f I
3T^ g?t ERRTT: JR^cT ^FH t ^F^ft ^ t ^|R<*1 afk ^<HVPddl ^FT d rjr e
<KI^<u| f| =F1 ^FTq HI=r }c ||< sfa *111 Hl'Hfqi'd ^T^t
^ F l W sfk W W ' 3 f ^ u f Tg'cH t l 3 =ffÎ. 3TfsraFKf^lh, ^T " 5 ^
jfpf sftr WIHlfal'b ^ qftt'Jid dl'l) % aflq-1 ^ft HlWcb ^HI'+Tl yKj,cT ^<cl
t l ^ OHM ^ “HI'fl 41^^ =Ft ''ffe <ald^ t l d'h^l ^ t ^?7TsfqnO c1<3=h Mi'll alldl
t, f^m if8?Taf^ cT^t cT3T ^5T ^ T t l sfk ejf eT^T
t oErf^T sftr «HN % ^1 l?8TI?^t pqfild I ^jt 4 d-tilH ST^Rt fq ^ l^
^tcft CT8TT WaT-TRcT *1P(T ^ f^TT t l ‘ 3T^ =fft tR ÎT’ W = ft fTT3?T * tl
dchcjl % WSI'I ^ Hliq aliq-! ^F ■b'I'+il i^RT ‘ lg<l 3ftr
WRTfaR) VîNk % Fq^^. wt4'f - '{ill 1^ t l 3HH h iHHI t f t l sflw ^
Pk i îi sftr qRscii % q i q ^ , 3W I 3?R ^Rt=+>m % t , <a^fl ci<6
TO R % W ?W i t TT^k TI t , 3n«nf?rr^ *ft 3Tk 4 f ^ ? «ftl
TRgrT <^6H1 ^t fl=bcjl 4 HJat( % T5(,TT3 ^>t f^c^^nJTcTT ^T aflqrl f ^ '3%T[ t l
3n^ W at fq^qw % W h j,1
^ f=ti« ci<6 aflc m ^ 3hM'll 3?R*?1 qiiy, «acii t ,
W =b^nl ‘tmcTg^' frUF ^ cTt Tlf t l trly+ : fw w 'HMK'+>: ^f. ^t.

^t. # T O , f e # : Wrtta W rite , 1999, TTÎ 96-203
238 /
f i t 'fcei-il % -TFTT 'JlRy. ^?lfaT TFTT 'tl WTO sftr ^ 1 TT^<yT

■5RH t f5RT^ft ^K ldd 3T?Tcf 4 d -w ld 3 *ft # c R 3Ti Ufa T J ^ I ^ ? f
■qren
1TC3 ^TRR ^ ’TF'Wt ^FTt % ^ T "3 <4]cm< fe^Ti *TTI

-spq ^ SF^T «TT 3lk WF Trig ^ « T ^ H RRt *TRft *ftl
W1 3TT qvTiH ^R TR ^n?TT 8TT eft feiTTl ^n ?T3ST ^Tlt i t # «Ttl 15^1 eft
3F%TT «TTI ,»TFMt g ft RT 37t 4<|U|=b*TTC; T p tf ^ T *TTI ^ 'fRR
rîaHl Mt '^îR'HI filial ^T, '3TFt IT? "3^ ■y-ii ^fl ^?t 'ITT ^ ~kz
■?fn 3TT 'ER t r oTR TT ^ t WR TtqFTT «TTI 3iif<sK ^TFT^t % fT^ T l TPTTI
■qf ^ xpg t t pt c fîfj ■% ^ 3R^ -q^; Tf <iRg<n i f t
^ rit ^ f t i i<t uj 'TRR °i°iiq ®n, “ *k r sfter * n f Tfaf-Tfsr t ^ i i t *t «rf^ i t
^ 1^111 nrt % fan?, sn fer ^ ^rfer eft ^rfi^ i t i ”
*TT ^ TJt51, TO ^ W T T ?”
“ ^ 5 ^ ¥ t ^ T f l ^llTl ^ 1 foTTt 'ER TR ^ T - s l^ T ^T %1FT
jft # f t l ”
“ sftr <£?”
‘‘ ^Tt «ft Î^TTeT c f ll”
#T ^ frroqi t l "
“ ^ f r o 3 ^rrt ^Jtf sfRcr ^ if i t f t r
3TM ^T % 1R ^ 5 ^TFR grt l*t?TT % % n it M l
’TFMt 9ilP rT-1J l ^ Wcfa 'HFSf^ w ft Mt I WIT T^ "3Tt Tfa ^ f f ^T
gn t§ f it s fk "R it^ W ^ th focr *m \ w t i srcrrai g i
tr PhÎhci ^ ^ «ft ^31 w t i
^TTTfcf| ^ ■qig '^RR ^ t 3T^?t ^ T ^ tl W1 ^ rat ^ ^ ^ iq n
fedldt sfk ^ ^ Tqfs ^ m c^cftl 3HIÎ|chlRun «rt Wll
^TR sllcHdl I IT, '5:T§-'?)T^ % Sf^M t ^ '3H% ^ l t ^ ? lt 5 ^ ^ ll %
35T ^t »jtl f*ra% TTTc;T, WTc7! ftT^ TTIeT ^ft *J =H #TT ^ft WT
Tit «ftl 3TT^n %TT lk?TT 3^RI TIT ^TcTTI grqt f^T Wld<M 'Tlf ITT ’'TRt
®Ttl ^ft—'î'^Tt '3TT% ^)T^ ite t TR o *F*T ^ft ITlt T^R 3TT "^nTTt, <ai'H=h<
T^TIT^T T T#f#ff ^7t ^ 3 H W T I
W1 3Tf*T^KR T3^> ‘ IH » i i t T1FTT 'hicil I W ^crt % %T3; ^TTTT =hHSi
«Tt eft ^ «TT dTT% W l '3TT 3T*fa^cTT ^ W1 d ( ^ d i t ^ T f e q # W f «ftl
^ 3 ^ tt sftr "gT^M Wt^r k tr^ t t r ^bt, «mpt, -q^ ^rar ^ f^r
3tt ^ t i ’n M t 3 t t 3 qt w fcf g n r % m t *fti
*ITC<fa filfecM : / 239
■jnzR 'fteai, “ ’TT’fgl % 'f c g^gi g ? TFT t l g F g§T f-Wt FT

t^FTTt gft <IMWU| g ig g <FT ^ H l^ lll”
gF f?PT> 3TT gicf g?T 'Jiqiq ^gt, "" g it gt gTT, q-c^l ■qifsy.l”
'H l'hl ^ g ^ l grt '^r^T t^ g il 'TRT g>t Tg?Tt giT Rjcbin ^F t TFTI g F '3TT
gr>k T^ WIFT TFf PlcbddlI gFT 3flgt TT’tt sfhxft T^ g F cfrSfll, “ '*kt
TJTt Ft M tl qrfgt fit g ^ ft sftl”
cfF ^ F ^n 3m t *M 3 ^cTiT^ TF^T *TTI
3Tl3 -^TT, “ 3k ^ ^ 1 7 Ft^T WN grt TTRm g^FT TfTFJTTT g ? ”
3TT 3T^f g>T ^FTI ^g?ft Tt fe^T "3311 gTT*gTT giFcTT, “ w M t, TO ^
Tjnft g?¥
w fg t g ^ # , “ a^pjr^TT *ft TpFTTt *jfa TJF % *fcfT g ^ t TFf TF
T ^ ftl”
“ 3kt ^ g F g % f t g 3TT M l g ^ 3 lk T O g ifF ^ ? g F <T5T F^FT g ^
W t - T T ^ T ^ W n jT I t g g ^ s n ? ”
g°J gTgT ^ g M g>T 5(^-1 F ig Tt iile ir) ^ Jll<n) g?t fcrl’Hl I 3TT^
g g -F t-g g g ^ t g>t 'JI'-HH^l qilH l 7J? giT gtl
“ 3k , f r w t ■ggpft 3 «j f ^¥h Ftgh g F ^»ifa>+%i t i *n M t, ^ ft
gm ' iIPm+ khui ^ t ^ t t i "
qpfsft 3 HdÎdH gft T^n ¥ fe ^ HlTt T T ^ ^T 3TTTIF %gTI
3TT sftTcT ^ weg gTT HIH=h<u| fagT-'Tm Ff’l 3T ^ g^T, “ <jM g M *FT
g ig g r fq g n r g ^ M t' g#f tot ?”
ggfgt h "5fqR f r o , “ sftr t o ? g fa i g fM g r ^ g ^ g it...”
“ 3 k t, g f TRT *PFI fT T ^ ^ ^T iM T T t l ”
■qpHt ^ w f cftrt qt ■=#' Tftrgti
qid=ti 'CF5 ^TFTT TfNt TTST—TTST WlpT M clJldl eft o(F <H°KICM
«fPM ^ 3T]gR %TTI ^ F ^fcT ^ktcft fgc^TT 33cft, “ TO ^ Ft
3t m t ? ” srk ^h s ^Ffi ^ r t i tp g 1I*H 5T Îd ll
Î'fcfl giFT 'IT "STTclt eft TIFT ^ it Ft 3TT?ftl ifFT xT:g «t4-l Ft
33?n, q s ^ s ia i TFcfT ^ t tMT TJ13 TFT t l
■*TF ^ T ^ ^>T fe T TTTTt^T 33eTII
“ %T -g=TT * IF W T t l 3Ttgft ^FTf UT?ft % T3=F fdcf t , gFTef-TTTI
^R gpi g n ertgerr2 t i ”
•q^kr g>t srkeff ^ g F ■'pgi, “ t o g F g ^ r g?r ^ g^T t ? ”
sftrgt g>t s rn i 3rfg3tt ^ »rkF ^la l i
240 / 3R*
3 F 3T«ft 3 ^3cTT sftT TJTcT TO3?t ^ 0 t t l

■Q^T 4 TT3) f^*T T fr a 3^1. "3 3 T tJR ^T3 F t? ”
“ FT 3 ST1^ ^ t ^T3 ■(rl'tidl f l ”
^F 3^ ^<sldl *ft aiTI "3^ ^F +ecii, “ s k âM! ^Tt 'W
*TtfF^t FTTh”
^ F 2TT tfN y « cm i ^ 3 TTTcTT l^TTI
Trf^ 3>t ■feRl 3TFRT 3f 37FT qruft, “ FFT! fH»crl "SR^T i f xfrq- f^T^TF
^t*TT| 3 F ^ T T "STT x r XTST t ? ”
TRFT % SFTmrPi3 3>T f^T 3TT3TI xpJJ ^TRR 3^t 3Txp^ ^T«t Tt f?T?J 3?t
3FT 3>T H5<ni 3 )^ 3>t f ^ T f f I *RR 'CFT,M 4 3l*qi<fcK 35T t^TTI
SHRTt 'RT Tt 3>FT, “ '3F ^ST ^ t l ” W XR xfnj ^FRR ^ T T , “ '3F W t <tt
3^k Tt 3TR fceTT ^tl spc^ 3^t W t FfaT ^Jft 3^TT W f3>
3 3ffT T3T3T f l ”
xpg ^TT3T 2TT H^ffq? x r f^ T y W 'h ( FTTT
^FT F f t cRTTI ?*R TO nftqK 3 ft 3nf«f3T ^TT RTT3t ^ c f t ^Fftl
5II$JuI- h R c ik 4 *Ti7fofl 3Tt f37TTt 3Tt ^TT^ % 3TXRH1 ^ iW 'fl t ) 3^FT
3>T f^TT K(TI
“ ■^sg 3?t ^J!3T H <73dil *tn ^ T 3iT T3FTT ^ f^TT 3TTl” XFJ
■=1™: 4 *If M 3 ;t -HH^flMI I
3TTW 3>T 3T3>M! ^TT 3 cffa f^T ^ ^ l^ ld % ^TFt f ^ l TJ^ Tfa
Tfcf 3iT xraT H3Ti37T T3T f^RTI ^TTTT f^T =R2 #raTI c fk k f^T H lk ft
^îq-i 'ii'H< 4 f^ I w M t 4 -clWd T3Tk3R chilli4 s h n I I
■JTT, 3 ftl ^ 4 xff # | TTtg ^RR ^ ^ IR T m ^
■R dl*1 ^ TTTtf^T 3 it ■c(5ci-TT^cT 3iT XRTT F t -TFt ^TnTI
^ ' ¥ t ’H ^ 37Toq -J^pT TFT ®TTI STT^t TTcT 'S?t4 TT *lt
^BTTfR6 % ^t^T cTTT % 3HTm ^ 3TT TFt *ftl xTStfTRTf 4 TO3TT
cTT^T q'J|lct>< ‘ 11*11 •y,*!! I ‘HHfefi IT w T ^ t , “ '^TF ^cTT t ? ”
f'PT ^ ’ TRMt % 7T^f TF TFTTI xr0! dFR ^1‘ fofl ^ <^501, F^T ^ R «(Wl
f W i”
3FT ^5^T «l(di)l^ e M «TTI 3 F ‘ ^TT-RT’ y,=bKdll 4^Tpft’ ^ K d l l W
'gF ^ ‘ 3T^T’ (sfT^) 37«lt ^ Pl'+xrldll
“ ^ ‘ 3 T ^ r’ ^c(,Kdl t ? ” ■RTTT‘ ^ 5 ’ «cfpT 3?T d ^ R U | gf^chd «TTI
TT^feaTT Tl ’TPfsft 37t 3Jf 'MIh i R'MT 4 ^T TT3T «TTI
^ *TFR TRT^TRTT TFT f^> ^ yyl'Nd T3?RT Ft ^ r f t l W T 3 m t T=Tf %
H^Kl+ ^ *TFt F2HT «TTI ^ F xpg ^ ^TFt ^TcTTI xpg ^TFR
3?Fm, “ TTT % ^ 3' 15tet g ^ t t , "3TT ^ 3 XR ^ « T t ^ l ”
w t a Wlfeci) : !2=fT / 241
’ Hi'fcfl % ^>t cRF ^TFR ^ W iftn j i umi ^TFT,

“ fTT ^st '^ ^ F M 3T^R«CT 3 RlM M fa t l ”
^ -TRR ^ 3 TJt5T, “ i f t t W\ TJRI RT 3 f a c # t -T?"
^ F sftlcT TR-Ft-'PR FIT q s tl FRt TR M t *Ttl
îqiq f M l, “ ^TI Ft oi'icii t l ”
sfferf ^ farej % fq^pr ^ t ^ RFt fa M ^fr f r o «ni
3ra ^ t Ft M i "nfNt ’i t w<o M h 'Hi'tal itFcT wi[cT fa r M h
WF ■qfEFT-'^fa ,*Tt ÎT ^TFf R ^ ftl
q ^ ^ ifr îJMt ®i3M ^ t r t fa> d-i'til M ^t Fhrh îi'fql ^ 3R
* f t w ^ * 3 3 -gfor ^ % %TI SllcHSriH WTFtl ^ 3 'TPR ^ ^ f a f %T
cjff far 3HTKf t t W ^ t 3rfc 3HlrHôMI TJ^TT t l ’T fM 3Tn§f 3 3TR£
^ cT3T •TFt dHct>rl'l qTfcPi TRRTt TR WF ^fa 1TtR <rtcTl I M *t fatt
3TR#' *R % fan* 3)^Pc+i=h ^ ^ ^q=F 3 3 # 'l *TFMt WR
faR i t ^KUtl 3 ^ fqR ?TRT t t ^TRft I
fa*T TfT5 ^ l^ i-
“ TO 3*T % 3 ^f T RFT R ^M ?”
“ 3Rt WTcf cit R Ft t , 3 T ^ f ‘‘ff t R’R ^TF ’’TR sils'M «(TFT "^TPTT
h 4 ‘ MI W ^ t ^ it sjls ''jTFt ^TT R-T -TFt = b ld lI”
■HlJfcf| % fM 7fqn ara^t wr 41h K tT5 M ti
cT^T '31T 'SR ^f -^(r?l -T^t WeTTI 1T,:5 'IPR <0h6< % <1H-1 ^ ''TflTi
% 9(I5Ju I-'eR ^ 1 ^ cTII ^ "3ft ^ "RT 3 lk ■'ft scâi
eft ^ ^TFR ^ qt ^Tt # n i “ <IHI-MU| ^ ^ tr
faRlT ^ ’H e n # !”
f ^ - ’R ^ TTOFm ^RfTI "ql^TO ^?TRTTI
3TiqRi t t M l TRR f^T ^ ''R fT^T ^ %ITI 'ER-^R
"RFTcTT RS^cni wtRR t t ^ f t l ^ 'TFR M tlT 3 rR R
^ <+>m ! fncnmi I TPTH ■Hi’$i tt^ -Ft^ ^ ciliai I xTi:3 'IFR TPÎT
TR ‘ HIHMdl ’ ^ 1 ^FcTT, TR m ^ T ^ ft TRWTF ^ ^ReTTI
■q^ ^TPR IRTtq ^ d iq R ^-INI ^Kelll 'qr <nact)i
Rsl«ch WRfTI ^TFR ^ ft ^KfT ^ r ) T f # l ^R Tf W Tc^ ^ t SITWR
3tt % ■qr t t Him fa) TnR ^t pt trtti
*nM t ^ faR 'Q3 > «T^ ^ t fazfll ÊTR t t fa^T WK WF RT TFTTI H1-^
TFR ^ ''CR «fit ^ 1 ^ 1 1 ^t, *W 3T^T I^Tfl WF ^ Hienal?'
« n M ^ ^ F T ,“ ^ t ' ^ t w n T F R R T ^ ^ t i am t F*n} ^t ti ^ t
■JSIRI fa rft cRF Ft Ft ^TIttTTI 3^ ^ ^ ^ ^Tfaî”
& rsty- ro
a at *■
4 f a t i t l a r. ^ a_,
i ™\. & $ s ^ s
o-
ijL
t>T 3^ i^2
a
(b jrlk
i ^^1 ^^ .tp ^ 3> ^ XAj-, ’
o- 2
-Ql> a a & 1 s> 1S <1S|
%
(± fl- 4 aj^ H 31
.to
‘^ l i h ,, ‘i!
_u< & a M'
i 3
fi
S H i " i« a S
-4?
a ! a | as x*4*1
S ’ 31 /Jri (a xnk j.
i<±4
£
_C
~>U 3j 3
£
if a |
a 5] JS
-ip
f » *•£# 5H
Jtk
S
„da%
a. _ l a I 5H,-
± a
^ ^^^^ ji ?a
±
I ± 4 » a J *
Ilkk
^ 5
ia-"? ^ f i f * ii- i
£ d’ & i
M.
Elk
I * â o3i ^f | 4
*T J ii ± csty, X. -li'
Z' ' _ 3 .a -1^
iklk
||s £ * |4 4
is’
y*~
% A «] - ^ % z
-Q
Jik
$>2 0“3
-M
£ ^ ^
7i ai)
1 -’ 1^ *L I ? i * -lp
nstyf r 5' 51 2 •<-î /i«-i a 3f
60) ^ i
i ^ 4J ,|i
IJtei
I -nP ^ i 5r
21 ^ yd 3 ■
*if- ^Cj I- 6 # r*,s
i a
a ?_ -£.
6±1 .tin
yajrlk
5 5’
a 2$1 ft 5 Ol| Jll' f t SI 3
3> 11 2b
■qRak ^TlfSOT : / 243
^ F ^ 5 ÎFt TO^ TT*R ^>T fo r ft % TTT8} TF^ R^T fTOI "TFIT

3 M^fW^ 3 R)l=hHd “ TO ■*n ^ R T 3 l ^ «TT? TO ^ W IT PeHsHI
'IFf t ? ”
“ cIF # . . . ” ^ F ^ -^ F cf M41HrlH ^ Ft M tl WF 'RFM % ^
loMFTTf ^ t W TFt t l R ^ ^FTT % Tlfa 'RFfat % sm ^ t-W -tM K l
^t TO3TT 7!5R 33T «TTI TO^ ^ ÎT t RPfat ^T^-TTwit
M«t)i'h< Tg^ t§t :5frat aftr 3p%?i ^ k i ^jar t f ît?tt 1 ^ f ^ 0 w Tt Rt 33dti
RgtfTH WTC R ^ RTRT ^>t "RT ^*T TF&T «ftl faTRTt 3 TF
ct)<>u|-cf)5 H') lg^3TTR ®iaial Mtl RRT f R ^ f % ^ k ui T5tf ^ 1 ^) T>Ht
ctF TIcT TFf M ^ ld l *TFI T f WldH 3P%T^R R TTTTIT % RtsR T F ^ f e r i T#l
^fTO W t *ft % TO 3TT^Rt 3 ^T HK'+Tl'M T3RT3ff TTt W T ^ t cTT^kT
RFf F W l TfTm TO% ST^RR WTO^T RT ^dRfrd Ft 33TI TO% 3 T ^ i
3im M K RT TTTITT ^ t 3TP?M f3ITI TO% ^RFKR 3TTcR Wfa^R 3TfT F # ^
r^TFT % TTIR^ TTTTIT ^ fTTT RcflTTI R ^ RTTT ^ TTRt ^ 3 3TI^T RFfat T^t
T3=F 3TR?T^7 ^ RF? W l m TO ?T«^T ^ fecl TTTeTT?
n s lR li Tt TF ^FT RFf ^STfcTf I qifl-qlfl ^ 'CPJ RITT ^ T>FT, “ ^TI ^21
FtfclTTT t l TF T i 3TRTTTT % TFT TFcH t l TFT TF R^RT, f a ^ I T l ”
“ R ^ RTRT, TF <FFTTT T ^T i -TFt t l ”
“ RFt, TF T O H TTT T^TT t l TF TTTTIT Ft TO^Ft "RFCT t T ? ”
T S tflR 3IFt Wtettl TOR wtcT^ ^ fF »M ^TFf TFtl
sra^ft WR RFMt % «C«=tl ^3711 ':TPR ^'dl'l-WR ^ Tg?T ':T^R
3TFTTI
WF ^>FdT 2fT % 3F TO^TT TTT«T M il
f M 3 TJ^T f^T MdlfyH 3TRftI W t#, ^^TT^R, fefHd ^?t TRTFt
3 i^ Fti t o ^ fro ^ t srraf ^ t t hfT w t i ”
" w $ ^ ^F t ^sn ^nxTTi TFt f i M ^ ft w r Tit w f ^
Ft ÎTTiftl 3FR t eft TO% T7T»T TJ^ ctt t , ^ K tl”
“ 3T^ WF eft... ”
“ ■g?t ^t^ HFt! RT TPJ ^ ^ ^ tf ^ f^lTI 3lM %
fw r f^ rn ^ r t i T m ^ sr^t erar ^ t f f ^ s t ^n' ^ ti”
^7t 3TR3t ^ T ^T§^ TT j p t ^ ^>Tt 'RFTJTT Ftd t?”
‘ ‘ St M ®T5cft =Ft ^f ^T§ TFT j[J ' '
“ 3T^5T! eft TOT WR 'gR F t?”
244 / 3RJ ^ t
^ ht i it g i ^ 4 ^ ^
*tl HRT ^JcfR f ^ t t^TT ^>*5 fî§i<*>ai T1TI TTTT f M 3 1 ^t^TT,
“ STlfeT 3 ^ 1 i t <ft t l ”
" j p t 33T XRTT t , xft5 •TFTT?”
“ tt3 it t , ^ t i ^ n 3^ rT...3i../#^! 3 ^ 3 ^ - ^ î ^
3TR^t Tt ^ 3 "Tit ^ ^ 3F^T Tt elHfHK l t 4 t l 3% «fteT-3?r?T TTR?T f^PTT
t l UcF f^T ^TT m 3 f t t o f ^ t 7sH<sHI6T chlf 3TT T i t t l ”
“ TTT j p t ‘ STSjJT’ (3 F J) t? ”
“ TTt 3TcT T ltl "S^t 13TK tT>TT t l ^ § t TFR 3?fa ^3Tft T t -h ih *-)
TI^ t l f^KPt ^ In d crPT T t t ? TTt4-Tt eTTrl! ^ TT 3 ^ t t l TTT dTl<^> f ^
g ff ^ 5 T it T>TTT t ? ”
“ 3 1 g i t KftM ^ T it t l ”
“ c jf ^ R t t l f e n t g r i 3^fecT w t T it! i t TTTk TT t T?ffit
Tft i t l T i t 3TT^t Ttst TT ^STIT TIT it ™ ^fTTT 3' 3PRt f^ fc f TT§4 % %U;
TT^T -q^ ^3ft T T flT I TTT-3-T7T '3TTTT IcRT W R eft 3 TTT TTTiTl”
T S tftH % TTTT T ^ f ^T3T3 T # ' «TTI
3 1 TT TH 35T ^T T «TTI T l 3T%ft id ld d l H it TTI TOTT IT T
pcirtl^l^l Tt c S ^ d 8TfI "3TT y<*)i:;i-^TTTT 3 ST^Tr 3UFT5 3PJJ3ft T it TT1 <sl<n
T t *tl
TStfTR -^MÎIM TTTTT ^ f t T Tt I ^TT f t T T t TTcT T ^ T-gtftR 4 XFJ
TTTT T>t g r ^ d ^ T ) ^ ^1 °^ tt 4 g-n *TTI
XRT ^TT ^T % îTR

2. aft^cTT fûij TT^> '^FT, t3^5 % T*7oT xfT ^TI hf*
3. 3IHyi¥H TltcTl TTT^TTf 4 ^ ^ 1%?h TTT^TTI ITm H 3^ T
«Ft h s c iI SPH fiacii'l ^ft f^ftI3cT fstrm •HHif^d ^>t
Wdt tl
4. w ff % ^ st
5. ^rsr?Tf^ <3>'"MM®Tr, <J>“JIII|STT ^ TT3feT T33> y=hK ?PT
6. >j|d(lpH ■^2 ^>t 3IF1;
7. ^ h n , Tirat
To Waris Shah
Amrita Pritam
A m rita Pritam (1919-2005) w as born in Gujranw ala. She began
writing at an early age, and her first two collections of verse, Thandian
Kiranan (The Cold Rays), 1935, and A m rit Lehran (The Ambrosial Waves),
1936, are sentimental homilies that use conventional motifs and themes.
It is only after she cam e under the influence of M arxian thought and
idiom of the Progressive W riters' M ovem ent that she began w riting
social and political poetry. One of her im portant w orks of this period
is P atthar G ite (G ravel Stones) 1940, and the poetic stance is one of
protest and self-pity. In 1947, at the time of the Partition, she m oved
to New Delhi, where she began to write in Hindi as opposed to Punjabi,
her m other tongue. The indignities and hum iliation resulting from
the traum atic violation of wom ankind during the Partition and its
afterm ath had a powerful im pact on her writing. P injar (The Skeleton)
1970, is a poignant account of this period with the religious and political
conflict becom ing a sym bol for her feminine concerns.
In 1956, A m rita Pritam becam e the first w om an poet to win the
Sahitya Akadem i A w ard for Sunahare (M essages) which is a w om an's
cry against her fate and social abuse. O ther poem s and stories also
take on a personal note as she talks about unhappy marriages, smothered
love and the redem ptive pow er of com panionship. A m rita Pritam
has also been the w inner of m any national and international aw ards,
including India's highest literary aw ard, the Jnanpith, in 1982 for
K agaz te K anvas (1973). A prolific w riter, she has w ritten tw enty-eight
novels, eighteen volum es of poetry, five collections of short stories
an d s ix te e n c o lle c tio n s of m is c e lla n e o u s p ro se b e sid e s h er
autobiography, R asid i T ickat (Revenue Stam p), published in 1976. In
her life, as in her w ork, A m rita Pritam has alw ays been staunch and
outspoken about her right to freedom — as a w om an, as an individual
and as a writer. Her unconventional personal and professional choices
and her fearlessness have m ade her both the darling and the delinquent
of Indian literature.
This poem 'To Waris Shah' (1949) originally called 'Ajj Akhan
Sah N u n ', and included in her volum e of Punjabi verse called M ain
Tw arikh Han H ind D i (I am the historian of Hind) is a hauntingly
beautiful poem addressed to the author of the im m ortal epic of love,
H eer Ranjha. It is a plea for a return to the days of love and brotherhood
This poem is taken from Amrita Pritam: Selected Poems, Delhi: Bharatiya Jnanpith
Publications, Delhi, 1982, pages 93-95.
246 / To Waris Shah
am ong the people of the Punjab. H eer R anjha is a love story and an
allegory of the living culture of eighteenth cen tu ry Punjab, which
the poet recalls with nostalgia and longing. The partition of India in
1947 had a great im pact on Indian literature, especially w riting in
Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi. The transfer of populations and the carnage
of the com m unal riots challenged the w riters of the time to take up
their pens and stem the tide of hatred and bloodshed by advocating
hum anity, peace and brotherhood. 'To W aris Shah' is an expression
of the p oet's h orror and sense of sham e and indignity at the brutal
w ays of men. In this poem she expresses her agony at the condition
of the bleeding and ravaged land. The historical analogue that is invoked
from the outset, adds to the sense of poignancy and pain. Am rita
P ritam 's appeal is to both poetry and history and she sum m ons to
her aid the greatest m edieval love poet of Punjab.
To W aris Sh ah 1 I turn today !

'Sp eak up from the graves m idst w hich you lie!
In our book of love, turn the next leaf.
W hen a daughter of the Punjab did cry
You filled pages w ith songs of lam entation,
Today a hundred daughters cry
O W aris to speak to you.'
O friend of the sorrow ing, rise and see your Punjab

C orpses are strew n on the pasture,
Blood runs in the Chenab.
Som e hand hath m ixed poison in our five rivers2
The rivers in turn irrigated the land.
From the rich land have sprouted venom ous w eeds
How high the red has spread
How m uch the curse has bled !
The poisoned air blew into every wood

And turned the flute bam boos into snakes
They first stung the charm ers w ho lost their antidotes
Then stung all that cam e their w ay
Their lips w ere bit, fangs everyw here.
The poison spread to all the lines
All of the Punjab turned blue.
Song w as crushed in every throat;
Every spinning w h eel's thread w as snapped;
Friends parted from one another;

The hum of spinning w heels fell silent.
The boats lost their m oorings

And float rud d erless on the stream
The sw ings on the p eep u l's branches
H ave crashed w ith the peepul tree.
W here the w indpipe trilled songs of love

That flute has been lost
Ranjah3 and his brothers have lost their art.
Blood keeps falling upon the earth

O ozing out drop by drop from graves.
The queens of love
W eep in tom bs.
It seem s all people have becom e K aidoos,4

Thieves of beauty and love—
W here should I search out
A nother W aris Shah.
W aris Shah !
O pen your grave;
W rite a new page
In the book of love.
1. W aris Shah the eighteenth century author of the celebrated

Punjabi rom ance Heer Ranjha, written in the kissa
(story) form.
2. Five Rivers Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej, that
flowed through undivided Punjab and gave
this region its name.
3. Heer Ranjha the tragic love story of Heer, the daughter of
the chieftain of Jhang and Ranjha, a Jat from
Takht Hazra and a skilled flute player; the drama
is m ostly enacted on the banks of the river
Chenab.
4. Kaidoos from Quaido'n who w as H eer's m aternal uncle
and betrayed the lovers; a nam e for someone
who is a treacherous enemy of love.
jfcm
3T>JcU ’SftcTO "SRT iJ ^ M M I 3 ^ 1919 3 13TTI istst ^ #

PtfUHl ^ f^TTI ^FitoT3Tf % ^ 3 T R ft W ? f ^ r i ’ (1935)
aik ‘ sR fct ( 1930) mi<mR.=h s r f w t f sfa t o r t ' 3 ftftfa s T ig ^ r jjf
d T O t l HI+^c)k 1 t o R sfo y'lPd^lVl 3TT#R % TTWT^ 3 3TT% %
# t^ r « w if'j|+ s fk <mh1Ri+ +.ftdiH R-kshi ^ ^ fi ^ ^hc
■ R F r^ i T^TT3Tt' i f ^ '^cKR f ^ ’ (1940) t f^ F rf fM fa sffc ^ Ic H ^ I
<+>i<=iiitm=h "gsm; in rid) t i 1940 3 fa’TRR % ^nrii ^ ^f ■fevft 3tt ttIi ■zrgT
■3*elH ST^Rt *TTcJ*ITO « l4 ct>^ Rk s MI tÎTI fa ’TRH 3 ^ '3iT%
h R uIIH^^H «nt <1h H ■'R 3^)<dl ^ ^$^d1, 3HHHM 3lfc q<r1lr*iK ^ Cl<3*1
XR *|c(Wd 3RR ^TqTTI 7ERT ‘fq^R’ ( 1970) ^ P * } ^T TT^TOff
#3T -#7IT f 3fr[ <NHlfdch ^ fe -n lR d -H<|chl<T % ^T5lfT><
^ tjtt f i snjm Tfcm 1956 if aichKHl i<w>K ^rnm cn^ft -q i# T5ft
^fsr *ffl ^TF ^< f*l< 3 ^ TERT ‘ ■ g ^ ’ ftcTTI i r r t i 3 m *TTn? sfft •HIHlf^l^h
^nrenaTf % fe w r r t t ^ ^ i f t i w i ) <*>pcidiii sfa ^ i r f w ftift
TTFRf 3 ^fKT t FTî 3T»Jcn Tfftm ^ 3 ^ t^ran, ^Pra ifa a fc ^ t st i t
W W =Ft ijfelcFTT) ?rf^T =fit ^ f ^TTcfr t l ^ 4 h =H«’ ( 1973) ^ 1982
■4' ftc } T O % "9#EEI TTTfHto W I ÎHMld % TIT*} 3T>p ^ t 3T^J
TTcf 3 r t o t ^ t t o r fact t i spjcn # m ^ ^rai 3 ftrqr t i
1976 3 a m t su?q^«n ‘w H t f & z z ’ % srfM w 28 3PRTR1, 18
^f <^)qdiy,, xTra îlHt TTW 3ftT f^ ? il tR 16 •H'+ici-il ^ ^ <ri<a-i
fÎT t l ST1^ Îq-I 3^k TERT-^nt ^ 3RJcII iftrTR TJî T5ft, T^T o^lRtd T33?
WHI+K % ck xr Wd'^dl % 3T^ 3lftRiR % -?fcT PhMMM A ^ Tft t l
sm ^ w t e , -prsft sik ^Traf aik f e r m ^ 3^? T O ta Tnfe??
■^T ■'TT:! 3 ^ ST^RlMt ^N) ^ 1 f^JT t l
‘■grfro w ^ ! ’ (1 9 4 9 ): m TEH! TJcTCT ^ ‘ 3]«f w = p ’ HTR ^
sft s k -3^ *3t doiiOa f t ^ t’ ( 3 ^t i ) h tirt
TTUF ^f ««t>Pdd sftl "FT cnr^Tt ^ cFfacTT SFR =F?Fft
TT?TT’ % TTsftftfiT t l ^ M'JlHcdPyijT % ^ afft ^ T tf^ : % f H '
^PTOt % f^TTT tT T to t l FR T ip ^ TO ^«TT t afk 18^f TRt
% Hîiq sftoia iRîfci t f ^ <^qR|5(l -qisd s fk ^TT^k TT ^ 'JTR
■^5 ‘ spjar ^fl ^ =bfc(d|i) ’ ^ ^ t l fe r fl: VRtfta WT’TR, 2003,
90-93
MTCfa : TJ=F / 249
W t t l 1947 % ^ 1 ftTRR^ 3 ÎRdk ^ iffM f^7fW < f t ^ t , 3^ W ^t

«rfF^ ^ ^tftt arm ^rar ani m f^TFR afa ymxiRi'* ^rif 3 fq;
HT WRt ^ ac=hlell'1 crl<a<*>l 3it f^foTcT tW *fll $*M *l<-yg ^-fldl <d^l
^ «ft % <1 s m t ^ r r t t r i afa: hhcw i, w fa ?t«*t *trf ^ i *i% i ^
W c l afa ^ - T g r r a ^ft i& \ ‘ o d fe iw ^ ! ’ o?rafR % 31%
=Mfa,n % *ra, Trt afk 3t w t <?rt aryjfa ^ 3rfsr°qf%R t i 3
crf^R*? afa '3fvfT-':TfB ^ KRcft ^?TT ''R "3^lft TfteT ~%3>Z i f ^1 'helf't)’ ll ^
Q.fd^lRH-=h w f t 3?R SR*T ^ i t ^T*l T f , cfF i f e l afk
% ^>t ‘ isHck t t ^cfT t l 'JT51 snjeH ylclH =h[=ldl afk SKiem ^RT ^ Ft
Mtfacf t aftr apRt % %q; Hîq *t 'M 'Sfa % îT
3TT^FT cRdt t l
3TR WTfeT W 3 ^FFeft

sr^nt ^ '■(Wl!
s fa ^ F > ^ t f e M ^ ‘T
^JT QteTU
M t aft,
^ TJcfT eT^t W H fcrat.
3TR eTl#' ^ fe q f Tt TFt t
WTfeT W ! c p 3 ^FF TFt I :
^ % ^ R I,
T^TR ^>t eleici ^.tel]
^sfhTeT eTTYTf 3 3T2T ■'T5T i ,
■cnicl cT^ ^ *R TFTT ■§■...
% *? t ^ ^ fc n a r f 3
TJ^T j UR fiTeTT f^ T T 't
3?R qpft
«TOlt ^ t - # M WTT f
^ «TOt ^
Pi=6dl ^
^ t , -g o f W 3TT T ^f^t!
sftT <fFT' ^F T cW 3TT XT^^T!
250 / W
■pR 'deOdl F^T

-q' ^ rft
■3TT*t FT WTTT «(i'y<l
TJ3T '=nTF ^TF ^ L .
":Trrft ^ crftnt % Ffe ^s t f f ^

aftr M
aftr w ? %
Tnt sff 'Mci sftr 'Tl<h h -^ *1^
FT Tt "nYrT (£3 <NI,

FT ^ T ^ îT t|2 TRTT
■H^fd'Hl Tt f«(^s M t ,
■q«al °Ft M^n+>ci efUh Ft Jl41
TTFrTTFf % TITTt foftcPTl

■^51 % TfT*T Ft WFT ^ t
tfhTeff H TTTTt M
ZF^Fff % 'RT8T effe Hi
'jlî 13TR •1'A 'jjid *J,

^ F WTTjft îpf ^>FT l§t TFft
sftT T # 6 % TTW
WTTJTt s('Ill'll ^ M ...
SRcft XTT WTTTT,
<iM4iH cTHt
sftT TftcT ^ ^TF^lfTO
H'JIk) 3 Tt^ cWt...
3TR TT*ft ‘ % ^ t,? M —

t[ f t aftr % ^rfr
^TFT Tt ^ 5 ^TT <rTT5>
TJcfr îfe? ^TF 3 lk
qiR^H ?TTF! ^t <prt ^>FWt \
ST^nt cf>54 Tt ^ d l
*TTCcfa h W : TJcF -qfr^T / 251
sftr fV>ai«< ^T
# e fl !
1. ^Tfw W 3fdi<ôfl’ % wrat tNra w ’ ^ t ^h t ^

^R-t « (a *l
2. W ^fo?T ôTO, #rra, *Mt afk w^rsfi
37f^^nftm TT^pf 3 3 mgt Hf^qf *ft f3rcr% sin k
xr t o ^ t o w fan m
3. 3 T ^ t o r ; *jfai
4. W?ft, elinrlMl
5. fR TOH, STrZIRR
6. 3TRT M ; I k WT % <*>t «ft aft* Tf?T <RsT
S^tKi ^T jfTC sfa ij^nn q|^<) STTI TO ^>*IT
sfipT TFtl W 3fa ^T*7T tl
7. TTft HTT fTPHi PjIM"} ilfH^l *Tfts!T f^TTI <T*ft ^ W HTO
jfa % =t>Mtd) t^RI cTHTI
Venkatashami’s Love Affair
Masti Venkatesha Iyengar
Masti Venkatesha Iyengar (1889-1986) w as born in Masti village,
in the Kolar district of K arnataka. His m other tongue w as Tam il, he
studied in English but chose to express himself in Kannada. He is
considered the father of the m odern short story in this language,
though he also w rote plays, poem s, novels and did translations. Masti
also w rote under the pen nam e Shrinivasa. He used all literary forms
for his creative expression, like most writers of the Navodaya tradition,
the p re d o m in a n t fe a tu re s of w h ich w ere e x p e rim e n ta tio n and
innovation.
M asti's childhood w as m arked by acute p overty, but he w as a
brilliant student. H e served in the M ysore Civil Service for tw enty-
six years and after taking voluntary retirem ent, launched the monthly
m agazine Jeevan a, which he edited for alm ost tw enty years. In 1983
he w as honoured with the Jnanpith A w ard.
Masti w rote extensively and p roduced som e seventy-six short
stories, sixteen plays and four novels in his lifetime. His first collection
of short stories appeared in 1920, and w as followed by poetical works
such as Binnah (1922), A runa (1924), and later, M alara, which consisted
of eighty-tw o sonnets. The five volum es titled N avaratra, written in
blank verse, w ere modelled on C haucer's C anterbury Tales. The novella
Subbanna (1926) depicts the spiritual pilgrim age of a musician. Masti
had a keen interest in the land's past and w rote tw o historical novels.
C han nabasavan ayaka (1946) tells the story of the small state of Bidanur
which falls prey to H yder Ali of M ysore. C hikkaveerarajen dra (1956)
exposes the m achinations that led to Coorg succum bing to the British.
He also w rote m any critical essays and books; A dikavi Valmiki, written
in 1939, is considered a landm ark. A part from this, he also w rote
books on Rajaji, Tagore and Kannada culture.
M asti chose ch aracters w ho are ordinary hum an beings and
created events to bring out the poignancy of hum an relationships, as
in 'V enkatasham i's Love A ffair', considered a classic tale of lost
love. Though he belongs to the N avodaya m ovem ent, he does not
su rren d er to the excesses of em otion, unlike other w riters in the
Rom antic m ould. His style is sim ple and direct and he is perhaps the
'Venkatashami's Love Affair' by Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, translated and

edited by Ramachandra Sharma, was first published in Masti: Fictions in 1995 by
Katha, a registered, non-profit society devoted to enhancing the pleasures of
reading.
only Kannada w riter of the pre-Independence d ays w ho deliberately

uses the language of the com m on m an, evident in the sim ple diction
of this tale. H e exhibits a deep understanding of the genre of folklore
and oral tradition, as he tells this tragic story, w ithout taking recourse
to hyperbole or sentim entality. He displays his concerns about social
class, prejudice and traditions, in a restrained and sympathetic manner.
D u rin g the h olidays this tim e, I w ent to R am asw am y's

village. O ne evening, on our w ay back from the new orchard he
w as getting planted , w e stopped to sit under a tree. It w as a
lovely spot. W e could see a tank-bund in the d istance. There
w as an open paddy field below it. To its right w as a m ango
grove and to its left, the fields b elon ging to the v illagers. The
w ater from the tank flow ed through the field and into a narrow
canal b esid e the place w here we w ere sitting. W e could see a
square green plot at the edge of the fields in front of us. The
cattle had alread y gone hom e and there w as no one around.
The su n 's rays fell on the land, the fields and the grove, m aking
their colours glow . A cool breeze w as blow ing. It w as as if one
could stretch out on e's hand and grab the evening peace that
w as com ing dow n from the sky. I, w ho had grow n up in the
city, learnt a little about the happiness of life in a village that
evening. I told R am asw am y that it w as a beau tifu l place.
'Yes/ he said. 'It is the loveliest spot in the village. That is
w hy m y father planted this tree here and I put up the stone
bench under it.'
'And someone else who thought like you, planted that grove.
The plot, w ith a tree at each corner and one in the centre, is a
pan ch avati,' I said.
'Y o u 're right. V enkatasham i, our b a rb er's son, lies buried
there. The field belon gs to his father. B efore he died, the boy
had asked to be buried at this spot. The father carried out his
son's last w ish. H e planted the trees. That neem tree in the
centre stands at the head of the grave. It is a love story.'
'A love story? W hy d o n 't you tell it to m e?'
Ram asw am y began. . . .
V enkatasham i w as about ten years old er than me. He left

our school when I was in the first standard. His father, Narasappa,
w as very keen that his son should learn to read and w rite. The
254 / Venkatashami’s Love Affair
boy did go to school for a short w hile, but had enough of it by

the tim e he w as on his second reader. His heart w as not in his
studies even w hen he attended his classes. All he w anted was
to sling a sm all bag on his shoulder and carry on his father's
p rofession. And he had a very deft hand. The teachers in the
school used to w ait for an auspicious day before they sent for
N arasa. But w hen V enkatasham i grew up, they w ould send for
him and ask for a shave w henever they felt like it. The father let
his son do w hat he w anted, confident that the boy w ould earn
his living som ehow .
Around that tim e, a troupe of acrobats visited our village.
O ur Ram egow da w as know n to be a very generous m an, and
the leader of the group w as heard to say that they w ere here
ju st for that reason. The villagers w ere happy that som eone
else was paying, while they enjoyed the show. We were youngsters
at that tim e and in our excitem ent we thought that heaven had
descended on earth. The show was to be held the next day. It
w as our luck that our teacher w ent dow n w ith tem perature
and school w as closed for the day. The acrobats' visit turned
out to be a festive occasion for us. It commanded the same respect
as the Deputy C om m issioner's. The w hole village turned out at
the perform ance.
I w ill not say anything about how good the show w as. To
us, everything was w onderful, from the series of cartw heels by
the young D om bara1 boys, to the revolutions on top of a sm all
bam boo pole by their leader. Even the grow n-ups could not
help but appreciate it. But what am azed everyone w as the way
the D om bara girl did her act. I have seen m any bam boo poles
since then, but they do not look as big as the one I saw that
day. If a person fell off such a pole, he was not likely to survive.
W hen I saw the girl go up the tall pole that day, I thought
she must have touched the sky. She looked like a squirrel running
up a coconut tree as she clim bed up. She was w earing a saree,
tightly w rapped around her body, a clo se-fittin g blouse and
had a strong band tied around her w aist. She quickly reached
the top, balanced herself on the head of the pole and perform ed
som e feats, now lying on her back and now on her belly. And
then cam e the spin. Resting the weight of her body on one hand,
she started to go round and round slow ly. Then as her speed
increased, she stretched out her lim bs, At first, we could tell
her hands from her legs. But w hen she w ent round faster and
faster, she looked like a rapidly spinning w heel.
In the beginning, the spectators w hispered appreciatively
to each other, 'S ee how w ell she does this!' Then, they said,
'Look! She has let go of her hand!' But w hen she started gyrating
at top speed, they held their breaths in fear and w ished in
their heart of hearts that she w ould com e dow n unharm ed.
H er brother stood on one side, banging on a sm all drum , w hile
her father sat on the other side beatin g a big one. H er m other
sat next to him , in ten tly w atching her d aughter. W hen the
spinning had gone on for som e tim e, the Gow da told the leader
o f the D om baras that it w as enough, and suggested that the
perform ance could end. The m an said, Tt is alm ost over, sw am i.'
The girl had gradually stopped spinning. She then stood on
the end of the bamboo, balancing on her left foot, did a namaskara
to the crow d and cam e slid ing dow n the su pporting rope on
the side. She covered h erself w ith a cloth and sat dow n beside
her m other.
I was a young boy at that time, but even I had wanted to go
on looking at her in that dress. W hat can one say about how the
older people felt? There w ere grow n-up boys in our teacher's
household and the G ow da's. They too cam e to our school. For
the next three days, their talk was only about the girl. It must
have been the same with the adults. But the traditionalists among
them w ere not in a position to indulge in such talk. We had a
couple of rasikas in the village. I think they too w ere silent out
of a fear of the others. Since there were no gossip-m ongers, these
people behaved sensibly, I suppose.
The acrobats stayed for a day m ore, and after they received
their gifts from the G ow da, left for the neigh bou rin g village.
That w as the end of the affair as far as the boys w ere concerned.
But from the point of view of the village, a problem w as left
behind.
O n the day the D om baras left our village, V enkatasham i
and som e others accom panied them. They returned after a short
w hile, but V enkatasham i said he w ould com e back later. He
did not com e hom e that day. The follow ing day, a m an from
the next village broug ht the new s that V enkatasham i w as w ith
the D om baras and had told som ebody, h alf jokin gly, that he
was going to m arry the girl. The new s reached our village. There
w as lam enting in V en katash am i's fam ily. The villagers w ere a

little concerned.
V enkatasham i's m other, M uniyam m a, called her husband
and asked him , 'S h o u ld n 't you go and bring the boy h om e?' It
seem ed he had not heard w hat she said. She becam e a little
m ore insistent and rem inded him of his duty as the boy's father.
Even then, N arasappa did not budge. So M uniyam m a scolded,
'W h at kind of a m an are you? How can you stand and w atch
your son go the w rong w ay?'
O nly the previous year, the m atter of V en katash am i's
m arriage had com e up but M uniyam m a had brushed it aside
saying, 'N ot so soon .' N arasa rem inded her of this and taunted
her, 'W hen I told you the boy has com e of age, let us bring a
daughter-in-law , you said N o, because you w ere afraid to lose
your position as the m istress of the household. Now su ffer for
that!'
'A ll right, all right, enough of this m aster and m istress
business. That boy m ight tie the knot w ith the D om bara girl.
Go and bring him back before that,' she retorted.
' Ai, m istress, hold your tongue,' he said. 'That boy of yours
w asn 't born to a D om bara for him to go and m arry one. She
m ust have ju st sm iled at him and he m ust have stood there,
gaping. W hy m ake so m uch noise for that? W ait for a couple
of days, he is sure to come back,' he said and ended the discussion.
U n able to th in k of a n y th in g else, M u n iyam m a w en t and
com plained to the Gow da.
The G ow da w as sitting in the ch avad i2 w ith som e of the
elders of the v illage w hen M u niyam m a's ranting interrupted
their conversation. The G ow da could not ignore the m atter as
N arasa had done. He w as w orried about the affair brin gin g a
bad nam e to the village. An acrobat girl picking up the son of
the village barber was like a hunter's hound being carried away
by a fox. It w ould be a blow to his prestige as the headm an of
the village. He sent for the gardener M ariga, and told him ,
'M arigya, go and brin g V enkatasham i and the leader of the
acrobats h ere.' M uniyam m a w ent hom e, relieved. The Gowda
w ould som ehow save the boy.
There was no need for Mariga to go and fetch Venkatashami.

The boy h im self cam e hom e ju st as N arasa had sat dow n to
his m eal.
'A i Shamiga, why didn't you come home yesterday evening?'

M uniyam m a asked h er son. N ot giving him a chance to speak,
N arasa cut in, 'H e had som e w ork in the neighbou ring village,
so he stayed back. W hy this cross-exam in ation ?'
V enkatasham i had a w ash and sat dow n beside his father.
H is m other w as im patient to brin g up the m atter of the girl
and settle it once for all, but had a su spicion that her husband
w ould not allow any d iscussion. She served food to her son
b u t h er m ind w as elsew h ere. H alfw ay th rou gh the m eal,
Venkatasham i turned to his father and said, 'There is som ething
I w ant to ask you, A p p aji.'
'W h at is it?'
'T he other day w hen I w ent to the big house to give the
young m aster a shave, he praised m e and told m e I had a very
fine hand. There w as no one like m e even in Bangalore, and if
I w orked there, I could earn thirty rupees a m onth, he said. I
have decided to go to B angalore, A ppaji.'
'A i Shamiga, it's enough if you ask your father, is it? There's
no need to tell your m oth er?' com plained M uniyam m a.
'W ill I ever go away w ithout asking you, Am m a? I brought
it up now because both of you are h ere.'
'You can go. I have no ob jection ,' said his father.
'I'm thinking of leaving tom orrow or the day after.'
'L e t's see. W e m ust ask our sh an bogh 3 and our Gow da.
It's a m atter of your leaving the place. They should say Yes,
sh ou ld n 't they?'
'You are prepared to send him to Bangalore if they agree?
We have only one son. W hat do you w ant to do after sending
our on ly ch ild to B an g alore? H ave a jo lly tim e w ith m e?'
M uniyam m a said.
'W h at's this, m istress of the house, you are opening your
m outh too m uch? Is it because your son has grow n up? You
had better keep q u iet.' M uniyam m a becam e silen t, m um bling
som ething under her breath.
To tell the truth, V en katash am i's father was filled w ith
fear. He suspected that this trip to B angalore had som ething
to do w ith the D om bara girl. He w ould not have m inded if the
boy had had a b rief affair w ith her. He w ould have to hang his
head in front of the people, but he could have explained it saying
that the boy was foolish and immature. But now, his very existence
in the village seem ed to be threatened. The boy would leave for

Bangalore and a new barber w ould be appointed. He would
lose his inam ati, the land his fam ily had been given, for the
duties they had perform ed for the com m unity. N ot that he got
m uch out of the land. But the prestige and the im portance of
being a functionary of the village w as what really m attered.
W hat w as the w ay out? If the boy had brought up the m atter
of the girl, he could have told him that these things are not
done. But the boy had denied him the chance to utter his w ords
of advice. As a father, he w as in no position to bring up such
matters with his grown-up son. Not knowing what to do, Narasa
finished his lunch and w ent to see the Gow da.
M uniyam m a w as w aiting for ju st this m om ent. Barely had
he left, w hen she said, 'E la Sham iga, the people of the village
are saying all sorts of things. Should you give them reason for
such gossip, an n aji?'
'W hat are they saying, A m m a?'
'T h at you are besotted w ith a Dom bara girl, and that you
are alw ays in her com pany.'
'It's true, A m m a.'
'It isn 't right, you should know that.'
'R ig h t or not, I can 't live w ithout her, A m m a.'
'How can you say such a thing? Shouldn't you bother about
your p arents' prestige and about what others of our caste w ill
say?'
'T h a t's w hy this decision to go to B angalore.'
'Is she also going w ith you?'
'She may. W e cannot set up a hom e here anyw ay. Let me
see if w e can do it in B angalore.'
'F org ettin g your own parents. . .'
'W hy should I forget you, A m m a? I'll send you m oney.'
'W ill I have to say I have a D om bara for a daughter-in-
law , then?'
'T h at girl is like pure gold, A m m a.'
'Y es, yes, annaji. Sh e's pure gold in your eyes, in the eyes
of all those w ho see her. . .' M uniyam m a sat dow n and wept.
V enkatasham i w as very serious w hen he said all those
things. But seeing no end to the d iscussion, he w alked out into
the street. If Muniyam m a had come out, she would have realized
that he w as heading for the village w here the group of acrobats

had cam ped.
W hen N arasa reached the G ow d a's place, the leader of
the D om baras w as seated there. 'M ahasw am i, you are the head
of this village. W hat w ill happen to us if you d o n 't look into
the m atter and set it right? W e eat crow s, they eat chicken.
Now this boy comes and asks for my daughter's hand in marriage.
How can w e hope to m ake our living if he runs aw ay w ith the
girl? I have grow n old, m y w ife is in no con d ition to clim b the
pole. The other child ren are sm all. If we break the pole and
use it for firew ood, w hat show can w e put up?'
N arasa had arrived ju st as the Gow da was asking the man,
'C a n 't you tell your girl not to go w ith h im ?'
The Gow da turned to him and said, 'You have com e about
your son, I su ppose?' N arasa did not say anything.
The girl's father replied, 'W e did speak to her, m ahaswam i.
She too isn 't happy to go aw ay from her parents. But her heart
seem s to flu tter w hen she sees the youth. She has been crying.
I som ehow m anaged to drive him out of our cam p. C an 't think
of a show for the next few days. Suppose she slips and falls
because her m ind is som ew here else? You are a big dh ani4. We
cam e here hoping to prosper by your generosity. N ow things
have turned out this w ay.'
Venkatasham i's father heard these words and was reassured.
He told the G ow da, 'I cam e here to say the sam e thing. Both
he and I are agreed on saying No. So there should not be a
problem . A few eld ers should express their disapproval of the
w hole thing, that's all.'
A fter further discussion, it w as decided that the Dom baras
should go far aw ay from the village and a close w atch should
be kept on V enkatasham i. The two m en left for their respective
hom es.
The acrobat troupe w ent away. But w as there any place,
so far, that V enkatasham i could not hope to reach it? A ctually,
it w asn 't all that far. To those of us w ho live on the plains,
anything beyond the fourth village is far aw ay. O ur villages
are so clo se th at one can e a sily rea ch ou t and tou ch the
neighbouring village. A young m an can travel this distance ten
tim es in a day, if he w ants to.
Venkatasham i did not give up visiting the girl. His m other

kept scold ing and shouting but his father show ed his anger by
m aintaining a sullen silence. V enkatasham i did not care.
Every Sunday som e of us boys used to roam in the w oods
beyond the tank and look for fru it— karehannu, m irupehannu
and budum ekai. One Sunday, we saw V enkatasham i there w ith
the girl. He had a bow in his hand and he w as shooting crow s
for her. Som e of the big boys in our gang saw them and w hat
he w as doing. They started laughing. The girl covered her face
with her pallu, but Venkatashami did not seem to be embarrassed
at all. I did not understand why my com panions were laughing.
Soon w ord got around in the village that the b arber's boy had
started shooting crow s to win the heart of a girl. Even now we
have a proverb in our place, 'W anting to befriend the Dombaras,
a barber even ate a dog.'
It seems it was either that day or the day after, that Mariappa
from the G ow d a's household was going along this road. He
thought he saw tw o figures standing on the grass. M ariappa
w as not one to be frightened of anything other than ghosts.
W anting to m ake sure it w as not a pair of spirits, he asked,
'W ho is it?'
'It's me, M ariann a,' the boy replied, 'W h at are you doing
here at this h ou r?'
'O ne of our cow s is m issing, I cam e looking for it. Oho,
it's V enkatasham i, is it? A ll rig ht,' As he turned to go, he said,
'A nyw ay, you seem to have found one.'
V enkatasham i had nothing to say in reply to M ariappa's
joke.
A few d ays later, w hen ev ery o n e had gone to sleep ,

Venkatasham i cam e hom e and knocked on the door. His m other
did not open it. W hen the boy knocked again, his father said,
'W hy d on 't you open the door? Shall I?' She replied, 'G o and
lie dow n quietly. T h ere's no need to open it for that stupid
fool. This is not a prostitute's house for the door to open whenever
he com es.' V enkatasham i heard his m oth er's w ords. He knew
she had d eliberately not let him in. He w ent away.
For a few days no one knew w here V enkatasham i had
gone. Enquiries revealed that he had run away with the Dombara
girl. The leader of the troupe cam e to the G ow da to express his

grief and w ent back to the camp. There w as, nothing that anyone
could do. Four days later, a G ow da from a v illage som e five
m iles away, was passing this way, and he brought Venkatasham i
and left him at his p aren ts' house. The boy w as burn in g w ith
fever. It seem s the girl w as w ith him w hen he becam e ill. She
had been taken hom e by her father and Venkatasham i had been
broug ht back, seriou sly ill.
T he b o y did n o t recov er from th at illn ess. H e w as a
handsom e boy w ith an open face. D ark, yes, but attractive.
The black of his skin, that of his eyes, and of his m oustache
w ere of three d ifferen t shades. W hen he sm iled, it w as like a
flash of ligh tn in g am ong the clouds. H is body w as so w ell-
built, no ham m er could break it The fever that had caught hold
of him seem ed u nw illing to let go of such a fine physique.
They call the fever by the nam e typhoid now and can diagnose
it in no tim e. But those days, nobody w as aw are of such things.
A ll they knew w as that som ething w as w rong w ith the tongue.
H e w as given the trad itional m ed icines and kept on a local
diet. A fortnight later Venkatasham i passed away. His delirious
m ind ram bled and his talk w as all about his m eetings w ith the
girl. W henever he w as conscious, he kept asking them to call
her. It w ould have been all right if he had been m arried to her.
H is request w ould have been treated w ith understanding and
sym pathy, and she w ould have been sent for. But does one
bring the girl w ho had led him astray, to his b edside in these
circum stances?
In the end, Venkatashami did not see her again. He probably
knew he w as dying. He said to his father, 'A p p a, I am asking
you for som ething. W ill you do it?'
'W hy, w hat is the m atter, an n a?'
'N oth in g, A ppa. M y act is over. You m ust m ake a place
for m e on the grassy patch near our field .'
Som eone standing b y the bedside said, 'W hat is this? Fine
talk, in d eed!'
'I d o n 't care w hether it's fine or not. If I d o n 't tell them ,
they w ill bury m e ju st anyw here. I w ant to be buried there,
now here else,' V enkatasham i insisted.
'W hy should you bother about it? You will be gone anyway,'
the m an said.
'I d on't have strength to talk any m ore. Prom ise me, Appa
. . .' The boy pleaded.
'V ery w ell, an n aji.'
V enkatasham i paused for a m inute, then said, 'W e spent
three nights there.' I think those w ere his last words.
He w as buried at this spot accord ing to his w ishes. These
trees were planted by his parents. When I was young, I remember,
I used to be quite scared to pass this w ay. . .
That w as the end of m y frien d 's story. I w anted to know
w hat happened to the girl. R am asw am y did not know. 'D id n 't
you feel like find ing ou t?' I asked. 'If it w ere now , perhaps I
w ould have been curious. O r I w ould have found out at least
for the sake of a storyteller like you. W e w eren't bothered about
all those things at that tim e,' he replied.
Just then, an old v illager cam e to w here we w ere sitting.
'W hat brings you here, sw am i?' he asked Ram asw am y.
'T h is gentlem an is my friend. I told him V enkatasham i's
story ,' he said.
'H n,' the old man replied. 'But see what happened? Because
of him , an ou tsid er had to step into our b arb er's shoes and
take aw ay the incom e.'
'P oor fellow . He died young. If he had lived, there w as so
m uch happiness life could have given him ,' I said, adding, 'How
does it m atter, w ho does the job of a b arber?'
'A ll that is B angalore talk, sw am i,' the old m an retorted.
'W e villagers don't think like that. An outsider should not spread
his cloth to collect w hat is a hered itary entitlem ent. We cannot
even talk to him as w e can to our ow n barber, sw am i.'
My m ind was caught in a w hirl w ith V en katash am i's tale,
R am asw am y's ind ifference and the old m an 's fierce pride and
attachm ent to his village.
All three of us w alked away.
I have told you w hat I learnt from Ram asw am y. I do not
know w h eth er you con sid er it a story or not. T h in k in g of
V enkatasham i and the girl, I have experienced som e pleasure
and m uch pain. I do not know w hat your feelings are at the
end of this narration. I only hope that you have not been bored.
N ever m ind w hat you felt. Think of the love betw een the boy
and the girl, of their w alking together on this road, near the
tank, by the forest and on the grass beside the field. And of
the end of their love w ith the b oy 's death. I am sure you w ill be
m oved by the fate of the b arb er's boy and the girl he lost.
Translated from the Kannada by Ramachandra Sliarma.
1. Dom bara Considered a low caste often associated with activities

such as carrying dead bodies, or perform ing tricks
as wandering musicians etc.
2. Chavadi village square or a space for meeting in the village.
3. Shanbogh headm an.
4. Dhani rich, prosperous man.
W Rf cFFZfi 3JFFR
■Rfet <}'<*i^l 3 P R (1889-1986) 37T *RR <*Hk<*> M % '^ T R fa ^ t %

■qfer ^ 3 ^3tt «tTi 3 a rttw fr w n 3 *ft fc n id «ti w i rt^ 'rtc t crfifcT «fti
^ f h 3iMf 3 s f^ H forqr, afa *nWi=F srfwrfî ^r ■rtwr
W ill Rfcd ^=b^l 3TTgpRT ^T=TS 3 ^ IH I fa*IT % ‘3Rcf7 t l ^ rfq
h i^ , <=hf^diij;. 3^Rira f a # sfc 3T3^ r *ft f ^ , ^ffoR w ^ fro
Ft T ftl '=1^1 tRKRT % 3Tf%T5fTRT =fft _<RF 3PRt <îlrM<+i
3rf^H«TPm % %q; îTsrq ^ft TT*ft fa*jT3rf ^?t yR)7! f^nrn m<h <i offt 'SRpa
■qFan <=HirM=b w h affc w ^r î
xffef 5(-cm-i 3Tc*rffcT3i 'Ktsft 'J3RTI ^f%Ti ^ 'RtiT^t W5T $
d'ietil 3TWRR *T?T ^ i TI ^ 26 ^ cRi ifc jj vmmf-l'h M l ^ T^l ^
<rlqiPicjfa ^ ■S'^l'l 141qi' ■h h <* ^ RTfrw qf^n ^ft <J^3TRT ^ft
Ry=hl i^FR eFT^FT 20 fl^ K H f^TTI 1983 3 iF F fte ^
TRRTftcT farqt W l
fTfel ^ ^ftcR *R 3H8T3T c ^ T f^TTI ^ F R c R m 76 wf=RIT, 16 -TTS^),
3Ttr 4 d^MW f c # l ^T=f7T WTT ^ F R t W 1920 3 y+lHiM f3TTI fH % «IK
faRTF (1922) 3Tôn (1924) 3?k ‘ TTrTRT’ <FTsq y«hll5>ld fS .1
‘ HdKI' ^ 82 «<*>[« a t l y,=W A fcTCJT TRT, qra <ausl qidl
d-i=hl 1-iq<l3' =M«4 "3RR 'îs 1! ^>fd ' <*>-i<<sHl t r f T 1 ^>t ?)cT) A f^RKT TRTT t l
d ^ f i d4-^lf«cbl ‘ ^ « M l ’ (1926) TRft<T=RR =f>t $HtznfrtT^ '^RT ■fenT
^R?ft t i M s k '5^ % *ft f^ ra fi 1939 3 fcra t "Hi
d-i'til ‘ 3HR=t)[^ qKTHlfe ’ T33> <w i Rh^ ^)fd Rpfl 'STTcfl t l h ! h 1 ^ t SPT^
% SRftct ^ r^d ^W l aft aftT ^ ^fcTglftl'^ dM-4l« 1 ^ 1 ‘ ^H=ll^ct-î=b ’
(1946) Tf ^ TI^T ^>t ^JFHt t l ITT T l^ ef^ ^ j j r t^ T 3T# '-Klf^ld
^R 3N^ 3TtfR ^RdT t l 3Tq^ ^fdWTftRT 3^PTRF ‘ f^ lW ^ k T T ^ ’ (1956)
W 3TT TITf^m =FT T R fw r fe q r t f5TT#t ^ T F ^ TT^ ^ ftrfe?T-TraT
% TTRy TR«^T ^RTTT TTSTI 3^raT ^ F R TM ^ft, M r 3Tk T R ^ T TR
*ft fcTQt'l
3f<+><iViimI yiiRT: irftci srq^ -qraf ^ t « i h m # n t' ^ ^rta «ii
afk, HH=n<J T R ^ fl' ^7T <5r+a'dl ^ d<JWlfid % f^ ^ n 3 lt' T^TT °FR3
^ aVll ‘ ^d^llH) ^)T ‘5TaT^f’ ^ f^TT t l ^ ^t^ ^ ^ ^ 31j,4H
» ? H 1 1 s w R i 3 ^ ? ! tTSTT 3RT ^ "nf t l e)<a<ti-<Hf«i ôF27T 3 W R , S T J^K
31R. HUNUII f ^ f t : t(R#l ÎHMld, 2004, WTT 70-79

vrctfta : T^r / 265
^f?T t l <4S4Fm 3 3H|'^lcr1'1 3 '5 ji 3 , C^HIil *IRT 3> 3RJ trly=f>l (R?
3 îqiir*H=f> sri?RT^ 3 TIW H?t 1^1 <s-t=b1 ^teft W 3 ( 3ltr 7R?T t l TT»Tq3: 3
tcm ^dl ^ ^ t T^T % T?^j HT? ctH-S <rl<3=h t ftF FR •WMI'fH 3TRT dHll ^ 3 *1M
^T TORT f^ IT t l ?7T =h5lll ^ t *TTCT 3 ^ ^RI W f) 'Ar x r ^(sfl W TRuft t l
"3H3 cfNi Tnftc? 3?k q il^ 'ti XRBTO TTlTt TRfT fc o ii %ft t l 3 aiRt^l1i)pK1
*IT 31% ’TicpKll ^ft 3TW ^ f^RT 3PT=ft ?TT chei-ll 3TFf <st«ld t , rTSTT
TRifer afa <t33? 3 TrmTftw ^mf, Tj ^ r f f afk xnTJRiaff 3 r ttRt m J \
f^TT3Tf ^ t ^ tl
TO ^TT ^ t|f2 s 3 f 3 3 T R W T t % HF? TPTTI TJ=F ?TFT 3' aftr =TF

^ qRT 3 FfoFT dV cl l[i< TR3 3' 'Q=fi 3 f % cTct 3 h rr3 l qF 'SRF
^ fc f T p R 3 tl 3 T3=F 3 ^ ^ T « l W 3TT «TTI to 3 ? 3 t3 ^
? F ^T -^te r *TR ^>T ^ *7TI TO % ^ l3 t 37k ^ 3RTTTf 3 t, ^T3t 3 3 t 7Tra
^Teft 3> T§Jcf 3 l aioiiq ^Tf x[Rt TO *TFT % 7llcT 3 el=h< *TFT FR 3 3 3 WT
3 TJ^) ?32t-TTt HTeft 3> WT 3 ^ F TIT *TTI FRIT •HIH^ F t- * R 7§fcft % 3 fa
T3^> FTT-TTT 3 ^ 7 ^ 7 3 TFT *TTI cT3> T ra % ^ 2 ^ 3TT3 ^ t t c ir fw '^TT
^§3> 3 l 3TTOTTTT 3 t HFt »tl Tj4 TTt^ft T ^ T TTlt TgcT-^fd^HT ^
TTTcft T O TFt *ffl F^T ^ TFt «Ttl TTTfT ?TTf% 3i 3RT%
cTTF 3TR)WT ^ <sa<cf)< 3TT TFt ®ftl ?TFT 3f 'c(eTT 3 n "R5? «TteT-'^T ^
TTRfT^ RHT «TT "'Tra % # f f f ^TT gqT t l <WWWl ^ W , “ 'JTF
^FTF x^TTTt t ”
Tm r^m t ^ tt, “ ^ft ft , w fr t* ttr tt^ ^ t w tf ti F rf^
3 t % T R t 3 *TFT TT^ ePTPTT 8TTI 3 3 ?TT^ ^ ^TF xfc«TT '^WT
f^ IT l”
cR 3 3 ^F T , “ ^FTT Ft feTTt STKRt 3 ^FT 3TOTlf ^TT ^ t t l
^ f t ^ r t f ^ t 3 f 3' ^ 3 ^ s ffr 3 T337 3 s d<ii4>< w t ^ tt ^ t t i ”
TRTWRt 3 W , “ ^FT ^TM % h t| 3 2 3 ^ n 3 t ^ t tl ^T
3tR ^rr 3 ^ T O ^ t % f t m r ^ t r w tp tt w t i to 3 t r 3 3 x tf^ w
«tt % ' t o ^ 3 ^ f t < iii(il ^tttti ^ f t3 tt to 3 > w t ^ tt t l 3 2 ^ 3 F^5T
g rt ^ ii3 % (Mcii 3 t o % ^ f t ^ t r t ^ tt ^ 3 ? c ft t f^ 3 3 i
w 3 jt ^ F i3 t t i ”
3 3 XJ15T, “ 3 r ^FPTt! ^TT ^ S l t c itl” ?R TFR ^m t 3 ^FF ^FPTt
t i ’1,f -
3 3 ^ n 3 t gfT 3 ^TT ^ t3 ^5T «TTI 3 ^TW XTF# 3 TRTT cit
T O ^ x f^ lf ^ t Mtl TO % ftcTT 'TTTFTT ^5t 3TX|3 3 2 ^?t HCI^ ^ ft «fsl
?^T I XR 3 2 3 ^TRt ^T^T cW F t 3 ix n t xi^Tf 3 ^ îT ^ t l <^crl
N>
05
03
» t W |
& f a
# i 51.
5'
21 &
f 4 ■S
31
(V 51
-tP
Jsi s
? i 3>
tl a 4 -h
I i)
a i a a l a i l i a S f’a f f t a
a - i. i * 4 1 z a i % 1 1 a a 1 * * * * 51
&t - i i =?
*
'^ J if I i i i t h si
a
* * a i ^ 3p
4 * 4 I I ^ 1 3-*^ i f #* 1 4 f -4-
f s i f j i j i a | # | H f t 11 ^ S is
s * « * A -9k -h ±t^ 3 -
I f i 3 i S * a. # a a a 4 1
a f a a
*;**Mt * _ a -1 (h 3 ' t f * s
aI a i l l
w f a 'fflfSrM : TITSPT / 267
*3T*ft, 3TW Tllel T3c*T Ft 'TO Hlfei'fc ’ W7F i t TFT 8TT 1% e is ^ l WTTT % fTT^
^TT 13=F ~m ^TT T § it Ft M t a fk ^ W F T WTT^FT FT*T WfecBT TTSRFt
'IH ^ h k W>T% TTTlt % TTF^ ft>TTeT WR 3HT 3TFTt sftT ST^Rt ^TT % TTTTT
3TTWTT T 3 it F t M t l
"STT TT*PT ^ W(pT *TTI <TW *ft 7TT ^ ? T - ^ T *t WF TJ?t 3T^5t eFTtl
^3Tt WTT-WTT W>T TR t>3TTI "WW t ^TT i t WF 3 M ^t w i t W)T 3WT <+i^?
F*TT} 3T«TTW sftT TrteT % WT TPTFTt <rtefa>i)l «ftl 3 F *n } T<J>ef 3 ^
3TT<ft ®ffI ^ eft7! cffa f^T eFTRTR 3TTt CIS4)1 % WTt *t WT^ WTTcft TFtl
W>T *ft W t FTeT TFT FtTH TR 3TTWTT fq-qn.1 WT^ ^ fa ^ T *f TgeRTT WTH
^ F f WTT TT3T?t *tl 3 W - ^ t TfTFF ’ ft *tl W i - ^ t % ^5T ^ 3 ‘‘ft W T
TsiteT ■H'fcd *tl "mW ^ Wftf TsTTTT set-q el 'f F f^ W)T <*)Kul WF TFT 1w> TTTTT
»i|c|^K T m W t 3 ^ T l WF ^fteT 3 «Hs¥fl!*l ^ T ^ ^TR WeT
^ t l eT^FT % %TT cTt WF T^T WFf TTWFW Ft :rRTT ''TT T R % fFTTR 3
^ t TF M l
H Z-Vrg# faTT f c f M f M t 3TTt f^T <}'■*><15fIl*fl affc ^
<5<h<^) ^jter *rt vs-i^l W is'i M i ^ r r t eftT eft ^ r cra> î=h< efte s M xrr
-}=hdVIIHl ^ W>FT, “ ^ ' ^ sftr ^T cT^T WT^T 3TT?TT ^1 ” TR WF TTTTT f^ T ^
efteri -qitrr % tttw ^ stt^ w ff ^ ^ ctt^tt % ^ f h ^'+^ iw1 ^t ^-H^<ri1
% TTT^r ^ T f l % T T t % ^ 1 5 ^ TIT 3 T 1 ^ "fR lW ) ^ W>FT W F ^STT TC-dS=h!
^ W5T TFT t l WF WTcT «it iTfg -q M t l ^ ^ I T R i % WT ^f
tTW fFTTI 3TT^ Tjf^ WTcff ^ft ’ft » M f e lT f f I
"^ft 'RT "% 37M xt% ^ T ^F P F T °F)FT, ®[elT M t ^
cTT^?” '3TT3)t WIcT "RT tffiT ^ W T ^ f M l af lit F t % WR "3T1^ f^)T ^ "^ftT
^ W)FT, “ 3TM WFt3 TTT fcRT-TTT ’ft ^TPf M t 'Tit ^ ? " pT3et M
'^'♦x i ÎIhI =RT ?TKt wft WRT 3 ^ t sftI cR 'RT ^ ^>FT ^TT, f^ R t ^<^{1 <*>15? ^ ft
t ? 'TOTT ^ 3TW WF WT?T <idlÎ '3TT^ cTT% % TWT ^ W)FT, d s i wft
?TKt W>t WTcf W>Ft cR cjM STMt "TFt Weft WT^ % ^ST ^ 'R^TT ^ T 1M t *TTI
3TW eft ‘HTT ^TFt WJT 'RWTl"
“ 3 R fTT TT^t W TT^t WFTT TTWTW? ^ i t l WF eTS^T ^ F f 3TT ^-efffeW T
?TKt-WKt 'f W>T ^ l fTTTT TTF^ WR)T Rrl'Hi efT3Ttl"
"3TT TTT Tl1% WteTT, “ 3Tt! 3T^! 'RFRFlt fe R T W t^ WT TFt F tl T O
■3Tt 1W)TTt ^ îRT fT O t Wt WF 'TS-cftfeWT ^ WtTT e i'l'lll "3TT
eftfeWT ^ WTT ^TcT T^§TW F fft, WF WFt T§ST Ft TFTT Ft^TTI Frft-TTt WTcT 1TT
T O TTWT T?t Ft? ^ f^ ff 3TM 3TFT effe 3TTMTI ” WF W ^F T
268 / WJ
3 RTR W T R R ^ t l RT 3 R # 5 R T 3' R 5 t RT 3 TfteT 3 R ift R K R ^tl

RTR R>t îH ld RT ^HT 7fteT <5^5 ?ftRt Tt RTR RR TFT RTI ^Rie^TTRt
Rit 'TTT RR {l-ll-EftRT <j)'1cti< TTRRR ®RR "3RT RRTI RTRT Rit RTF 'it-SI RTR Rit
^t^TT R if RR TTRkTTI 3 ^ RTR RR RTR f s R ^ R R ^ T R t R t R T I R f ^ R T R %
R if % oT5% R^t R£f cfft cT5R?t R2T ^ ^TTR;; eft # R ^ t % P^l+Kl cJTRT ~33\
^ "jJT^ ^t?ft RTR Ft b in 'll I ^3TT% ^ftST R^ RR R R R>FT T^RT? ^TTR RTR %
^ N f k R RTt ^T IR R R^FT RfTRT, ^ R RTTT % RTR ^JTRR H^f % TjfilRT
3rk ^ d V IIR l R^t Rt ^TT cRl ” RR R^t RT RF #RRTT ^ftST
W rr t W cfTt R^RT ^RT, ^ 3RRtl
q ^ d ^ iiH i r 3 <JeTT RT^ % RftRT % ^TTR Rff RFt R ^ tl
RfaR % ■HH'4 RR> RF RT 3TT RRTI RTRT cTRt 7sfRT 73R R5t ^ d l l RR RT ^
Tt 1|j5T, “ RRt t YITRt, Ri^T RT RRt RFt 3TTRT?" RTTR 3TPt RTR RiTzt RR
4tRR R ^R>T TRR RtefT, “ RTtf T O TFT FtRTI Hsta % R1R 3f RR> TTR TF
TFTTI 3TT RTR R^t # R fRRt M^Md RRt'?” ^ i ^ l I R l FTR-R1R RtRH: fRRT
% TTTR F t TsTT^ ®tcJ RRTI d'H'fcl RT 7TT R<it Rff dS=h| R>t RTR 3<JT RTT
R^TTRT RR ^RT W R t «ftl ^ RF Rt RRT «TT % 3TTRR ^ l e l T RF RR^ RR
^ftRR RFt ^RTI ^-h'1HrlLi. ^TTT FtîT ^ F TIRT RttTT^ R rftl TIRT 'QT^-'^T^
c h illi Ml ^ %TT ^ ^F T , “ ^PJ, ^R ^ t r ^ ^TcT ^ F T t t ? "
“ ^TT ^TcT t , ^ T l ”
“ ^>cT 3 TFT TTTF^ ^>t F^TTRcT ^TT TFT «TTI cR ^ ^ T O ^>t TTOTf
^!§^T '^N^TTRt gJFTt FT^T 3 ^fcT W f f f| ^?RT ^ T T T O ^ t 2
■^T^ q'loiU 3 Rt HFtl ^R SFTT ^TcftT ^ c tt eft H^l-t 3f cftTT ^TRT
•H=r>d F t l’ ^-Hfcrm, ^T1^, 3% TTt^T t «('i<nl< ^<rll îi<Jf>I "
RT ^ te ft, ‘ ‘ ^ f t t W R t, 3 7 ^ sfFJ^ ^ ^ f^FTT eft Ft TFTT, "RT ^
^ ) t ^ ^ T c T F t H F t T F t? ”
^N ^TT R t 2 ^FT f^TT ^ êTT ^ n T T ^TT, "RT? 3 R ^R ^ H t
TTT«T Ft ITttfRTT eft g?5Tl”
fTcTT : '5TPTTI”
^=ti<i¥lHl : “ ^R-RTTTt Ft ^TT^ ^ ft TTT^ TFT ^ l "
fW : 3T^5t ^TcT f I RH^TTt ^ft ^ f| ^ft ^ ^^TT t l RT^
»IS<M ^ ft ^TcT t R! Hllcrlch eftRt ^ ft Rt eft R ^ tt e l'll R ^ ft R j”
RT: “ R^STTTt ^ft a fk RtST RR ^ eft ^ t w fk ^3 f ^ t ^RT?
$=hdtd ^ t RRcTtT ^5fRR FR RFT RTRt RT^Tt RRT?”
fRRT RteTT, “ RRT RTR t 371^ 'RT R)t RTcT%R! «is1 ^TRR ^ c il TFt F tl
: t t ep / 269
R5T Ft RRT t RTR RTT^ Rit ^^Mei RFt,I ?JF 'RR R ^ Ft

T ^ltl ” RT 44«m<M ^ TF M l RTTRR 3 f c w f t % fRRT R5t -RR 3 R^T
"ST cRTTI 3T1^ TltRT ot'ierik ^ R>t RTR 3ftT '3TT R^t R it <ns<*)1 R>t RTR 3
cfjff TR«F%T f | % TTTR 3TT3-RTT fRR ^R-RTRRTT 3R *fTeTT
eft RTR RRT RFt R7TRTI 3TTRfRRf % TTTRR ^TR fTTT F t eft RfRT R7TRT R5RTI
3TRT R ^ RTR tfcJeft eft 13TRt cis<*>i ^TT TTR?T t ’ R>F ^ RT RTR RFt 1RR2:
■RTRti rt 3t r eft t ^t t t ermdi t 1r > r f rtr ^ bf t ^ r mt RFti ?T5RR 3t r t
RRcftT ^ReTT RRT eft RfR ^f ^TTTT RTf 3 nM ri ^ T # ' 3 3TTRt SHIHdl ^prtR Rt
FTR 3 1RR5?T 'RTRRfl ?TTt RTF 3TRF5T 1R?HT Rf R ^ Ft ^TPTRTI TTT«T F t
tt tr RTR-RRfcr Rt eit t i w r r 4 rt t F ft Rft ti it t r r Rt eft rrt
<?el<MI t l ?TT TTR RR RRT s ir'll? ^<R 3TRT c i s ^ l Rft RTR vJcSlcll eft '3Tt "RR
■HMÎ'MI-^TFTT 'RT TT^TT ^TTI 3TR eft RF RTR F t RFf 3 3 tl ^tcflR M % TTlM
RF RTR TRR 33TRT RFf "RTFRT RTI ^ TTR^T 3 R 3TTRTI RF MRT TITR7T
iffeT % RT RRTI d M > RT T^ P la cid F t 'RT Rtejft, “ 3 $ TTTRt, R1R RTe^ ^TrTT
RFt RRT-RRT 7ST T t t ? RRT ^ 'RRRTTt ^ H-s-ii -qifey,?”
“ RRT RT^ R>F T t t ’RT?”
“ TfTT t ^"3TT R^t ^ ft d-S ^l RT ^T Z^F t RRT t l TKT 3^Ft % TTT®?
^ReTT t ? ”
“ F t RTI ”
“ RRT RF 3tRT t ? "
“ 'StRi' t RT R^Tef RF eft ^f RFt 'Jll'ieil RT "3TR)’ fRRT ^ TF RFt
TTRieTTI ”
“ 3T^ %TTt RT^ RReTT t T? ^ T r M =ll<rl sftr RTFf^-RtTT^ RTrit RR Ttft
RT Rt ^RTR RFt RRT? ÎTeT-fRTRTt R Ft RRT R # t \ ?"
“ FTft^TTT cfT RRcftT -RT^ Rft RTeT RR TFT \ , RT?”
“ RF Rt RMftT ^T TFt t RRT?”
“ RFT eft TTTR TF RFf TTRJ#I M # T 'RTRR ^TIRT F ,l”
“ Rf-RTR TTRRft ’P "RTCTTT ^ ? ”
“ ’P RRf ^rraTRT RT? ^ ’^ R T l”
“ eft 3R RHt Rft ^ftfeRT ^Tt R ^ R>rdTQ7ft RRT?”
“ RF R p 3T^st cTSRft t RTl”
“ FT M l , FT, ^ RF 3T^5t t , ^ RTR % R-m. Rt R^H $ T ^ t t ,
RTeft % Rt RF R^R 3 T ^ t t l ” RF RTFRiT RT M ^R itl
■^RiZ^TTRt ^ eft TTNRR ?RRt RTR R?t R tl RT 3TFt 3TT "R^f R>T R ftf
270 / sfo sw ft w i
3?^ R?3 RftlTI RF "RR TTSTI RT 3TTRR ^<9ell eft TTR?? ^TTcff fR>
RF '3T:ft RTR R>t 3TtT 'RT TFT *TT ^RFT 'TO ens^l RR ^ R RTI
3RTH?Tr3t RR fRRT if e l % RFT RfRT eft '3TT W I R3f RR gfeRT
R^T Tt RTR RR TFT ®TTI
“ l^ T , 3RR ! P % ^ftST t l 3RR Ft ^RTR RR% ITT RTd RR ^RTR RFt
R>f3 eft FR ‘^^Tt RR RRT R^RT? FR eftR R?t^ 7RT3 RTcft ^TTR % t l 3 cftR
■’J’ff 73TR RTet t l ITT RR TT^R^ FRTt TTT«T RRT cfcft ^ < ll! 3TRT
RF cis^hl FRTTt el-S^l RR d s i et eft FRTTT R£ % ft -cierhl? '3 ^<oT Ft
RRT 1|I 3 ft aftTxT RTTT RT "R<J RFt TTRieTf, RTRft «Ftf 3TRt TRT3 RFt RTTT
dk<M 3TRT FR ^cFT eft 3 z R^RT?”
TfkT: “ 3TRRt 3 2 t RR "3TT% TTT*T :Rpt f t RRT RRt TFt R R R ?" RRt
RTTTT 3TT R![RT eft <J^1^ d'H*) =h$l, “ 3Tf RT 3 2 Rff F t RTR ''Id TFt *ff I ”
RTTTT ^RRTR RFF iTTT RT FTR RTR>T 3 s RRTI
“ RRT eft %RT t R#TR?I 3TTRR eft RT-RTR Rft ^T5R RR IdRT RR R?t
t RT ITT ^SjcTR # = f3 RR ^TsTRR "3TTRR RR ^ T ^teT RRT t l f t T it *Ttl
■ ^ - ^ f t ?TT RR 3TR3 ^ % RITT Tt RRT f^RTI 3TR 3TTR R ^ F f^R RRT
FR TteT f^TRT RFt TTRi3l R>Ft sftT £RR «a=t>< RF RRT RT "R^t sftT fRT R ^ t
eft FRTR RRT R^RT ? 3RR R t W t , 3TTR 3 ^ RT RR FRTTT R2 RT ^RTRRTI
RF TTtRRR FR 3r 3 ^1 RT %TT Ft RRTI ”
^■dVTTRi RiT RTR RF TTR ^JR TFT «TTI BTT% RR RR * M RTTerRt ^ I
RF TftST ^ #e^T, “ 3 Rt RFt R?F^ 3TTRT RT, R#TRTI ^ i f q t RRT ^ T T#
t sftT FR Rt RRT RiT TF t Rt ^ RRT RTT TTRi^ t l ^RTT R ^ cftR fRvTRiT ^RT
RT5RRT d ‘ lli| eft RTd RR TTRieft t l ”
^T RTd RvT^ % RR ^3R d l'l) 2 1RTRR fRTRT fRi R3 BTT fRT%
^ ^T ■STTXT 3ftT i f # R 'RRT7?[TRt RT fRRTHt Tî'l ^ ^tRf STR^-STR^ RT
RR R ^l
RZ ^T % RTR Re^ R ^ l RT RRT ^T "R^ 'RT^ ^ ^RiZ?TTRt RFT R^R RFt
TTRiRT RT? ?TT% 3TRTRT ^ eftR R ^d ’ f l RFt RTÎ F R lf 3^TRt §eni=nl
3 eft ^RTT RfR RR RiT eft Rt R fd ^T TTR^TT 'RTRT t l RT RRT RTR f t fTTTT RTR
eft R^R ^T RFt TFdTI ^RRTR cTSRR "RTt eft TJR7 1RR 3 ^TTt ^TT ^ffRT cTTR
TTRk H t l ^ i^ llH I 2 "3TT RSRft ^3 fRRRT R^R RFt fRTRTI RT RT 3
FrgRt-iTTTSeft F t TFt I RTR 3 t “3 RtcTRT R^R RR% 3TRRT gr^TT f^RT TFT
«TTI 3 IR TTRR>t RTRTF RFt' R3l IRRR % IRRR FR RTRTR
% RTeft RTR?, ^T , TTTRft RT R^RR 3TTfR "^TR r 3 ^RT RiT^ «tl RR> IRRR
W t a ■flTfesf : T3=F / 271
f *t ^ F f ftF F R ^ t 3<sl<*>< FTT xl i l '3TT rT F ^ t 3 ?pf
3 TTe^ 3 ■gF fcFTTI ?FTfaT w F l ? T 5 ^ ^T
FTHT TT*T?T *f ^TFt 3TFTTI "R ^ TR ^>F^ W t, “ ^ T , cilTs'Ml Tt W T
% *Tl} ^?R TTR TFT t V ’ ^TF ^TcT Tfl} 1 ^ ^ T^ T "TT^ftl 3TFjf ’ft F^TT} TTR
Tf 7IF gFRTT ^ T TFTT t ' - “ ':H t Tt <lw1 WTT % ^ % c f l i ^ ûTT T^PTH”
■JTT f^T *TT ^ T lt 1^T FR l} TJR % ^feT % ^TT îT h R-MÎ ^TTt TR^ Tt
3TT TFT *TTI cR 3Tt ?FTT, ^ F t WTT ^TT ^ t TITS t l gijT ^TFt t ^TF 1T=PFiT
||t ^3TB % ^ F ^ST^ ^TeTT 3TTTTT4t ^TFt ®TTI 3TT^ fpT ^ H ^ l ^>T ^ %
f^ T R 3 g^r, I ? ” ^chdVIIHl ^ T T , “ 3 ^ TrfFFTTl” 3TT^ W T ,
“ 3T^! ?TT ^TT giT ^TFT ^TT ^ T T# F t? ” # ^ Z W T t ^ W , “ F*TRT ^t?5T
g*T M il T it^ rt 3TFTT KfTl” T T fF m r ^ ^ t ^ T 3TFt TTI^ % *TFT W f T
f^T T , “ ^ c ft ^% qT eft focT TFTtl” h R>4uTI % *RT37 ^ T ^ f ^ i m t 3 ^
T3T ^T f M I ^ F HR«M^MI ^?T TT%cT TTR^T M l
?TT% ^ 5 fi^T T3^> ^ * R ^R ° n ^ t M fHT *t cR ^ ) i? iT * ft ^
3TFFR « c |N I te li^d W II 3TR?t *Tt 3 ^ T R T W f TgfclTI 3TT^ ^ R T <U=IMI
<sli(slil-4ll ^T% ^ ^ g^T, “ cPlf Tt, ^T t ^TFf igt^TT, M TgteT
t?”
t r t ^ t , “ 3TT 3TRRT % %T3; < W N I M ^ Id H I? -q t TFtl W i
»Tt 3TT^ cT’ ft cF# <W M | ^7fI W ^7T tfe ^ ff ^ T ^t3 T t ? ” ^ « i m l
^ jt ttt ^ t ^ Tpfti w t ^ t - ^ t <w n i ^tfT t^Tct t # t , T t t ^ r ^ f
■êtl TFTTI ^ F ^>FT TFTT, ^ "9R-t t N 1^T f^TTTt îT 'tT?TT -TFt ^cTTI g^-cTT^
^>T^ ''R ‘CRTT ^ i T ^ F 3TT 'IS -p T s ^ t % TTT«T ^ F t ^^TT TRTTI B^T ^ îT
gfe^TT a r m Tffer % w a rw ^ f T ' d ^ t t r t i ^ «it m ^t
TRkTT «tti t r ^ t tf ^ i
^ R 1^T '*TFf ^ TTra TTte! ^T % TTR ^JT ^ftST ^ ?*R 3TT TFT *TT
rft ^ F "HR ^ g ^ R TTt ^ Z W f t ^ t TTT«T c l^ T 3TFTTI ^ F TCf ^ ft cTS^ft
3TT% TTT«T -TFf »ftl 3TT^T ^Tq TTT«T c^TT ^ T T M «TTI ^4><dVIIH!
41HK FtîT 3Tq^ f w % ^R STT^TT q ^ TRTI fq>T ^ F ^<3K ^ 33T ^ 1 ^F
’i^ n ■g^r ds^hi kt t i ■4t'Si--ci=t>cii g F , ^)T?n ■jRR *t t , ■qr «t s t t 3t r t - t t t
'M d l , 3TRTT «=hlcrll T7! sftT g ^ t ^>T =t>ldlH*l, 3TH§t ^)T 'tild lH 'l ^ cfNt ^5T^
T7T ^ =t>lcil F t^ ^ ^ ^ F FTRTT eft w lm h -Jid l
^T ^T TFt F tl -gfTT f3TT ^TTT m tT I F ^ s ^ f t ^ ^ ’ ft 3TT ^R ^ 3RR -TFf
■q^cTT «TTI ^ cis<î ^ t ’ ft j<gi< ^ ^ ^=hs f^PTF 'RRt 'TO Wls-t ^)t f ^ T
272 / f e w # W?
i t H F tl 3TF3R>e?i *fc^t p K ll i t ^fTcTT t 'f c HF faHH ?TlH t,

îHi'i h h p h ^ 3h ht s it ! t r cftn ftpr? H it ■sriHet *11% offar h t
H ^ H t ^PT TRft t l ^ t H R H^t ^TT* ^ t HHt, H R % F t H*H
H ni H ^ F fcH 3 # ^ « i m l ^ T W l yPHMId 3 Ht B *R n ^ r§ T H T ^ T
H3f H^t % H it 3 # «CTI # E f 3 ^ R ‘3 ^ Ft?T 3TRT # 3TT R ^ F t
Hit g.cicil^ ^ t ^F T I SRT «TTFoT Fteft eft T^t tft% HT 3 f t y i R i 3 flr 3TTft
TTFT^’ jffT ^ a m '^ I ’H-'H'm *CTI eH5% Hit 'Idei <i<ret HT •n ^ d ’i qi<ril 3?fT
HTC 3J|cIKMKT H R } ^ 1 # cT5Hft ^ t * p m 3 H^TST?t ?T5% %
M F R ^ d l + { H?tH feTen? 3FH HHT ^H T ^lIH t H it TRTTI 3
H le^ 'SfRTt HH ^ cTTT itHT tHT 3 R "5fTO ênîei Ft H it •H<*>eil
^■nRm, 3T1H 3Th 2 H N ^ “ HFJ ^ HH> HTH qiFai ^1 ''Jft HT<M?” HTH
3 TJ^T, “ HHT HTH t ^T?” W ^ten, “ 3 R *tH 3RT 3TT HHT t l ^ 1 ^
SFpt % 'TRT Hit 'ETRT t H, ^ l t 'HHF q u i l l ” HTTT 73^ f+ ^ il 2 H>FT,
“ % fT tH T H H T *H T t}? H F H n f 3T5j5t HTH t HHT?” ^'cb ^llH t 2 H?FT, “ 3 R
s r ^ t aftr ^ t f t hh t # t t - ^ ht i s f k h f H it h t ^ eft st t h H5it n t f a i^ t ^
^ t H ?” H I 3TTHHt HtcTT, “ tr r ^ HT$ Hit H i t ^HFf ^tt f M iil ^ ^ t ^TT
W TT t ? ” ^ ^ T P R t ^ ^TFT, “ g ? ra ^TKT ^teTT H it ^TeTTI ^ E R ^ it
^ ! ” fqeTT ^ im t mtl ^T *R ^+ÎIH1 ^ T , “ l^T efN TTeT ^11
^ l " -3T1T eRi "5^ ^ t ^ l t ^ f R ) t 3TpeFr W sftl
q^d^llHI % 'JjTT ^11^ % 3?l% ? R ît d^Rff I^SlJFIR
^FTl <4iHNI f R jl TTRT--PRT ^ ^1T 'f e e R IIÎ ^5R ^ tjtHT «TT eR ^FT
3Tl2-^n2 ^ S<l =t><ell *TTI
f i R cpt ^ f t ^BFHf ^ I lt TTRFa F t TT^tl ^ ‘^ T , “ ^ T HZT ^ t R ^ t

^ T ^ IT 1 3 7 T ? ” ^WWl41 ^ ^ 1 T , g f f Ten H lt 'l” ^ ^ , “ 3 ^ 1 1 ^ ^TPT H it
3?RT He!! eTHTHT ^gTfllT?” eR U H W H t ^teTT, “ 3TF3T Hft ^Tef i t #
# ^TH 3TTHT; ^T fHR ^ ^ I r f t q iK i t l y l R t ^ 5 f l ^ i t HeTT
W \ m ^T fRuTr «HI eR 1 ^' I*R ? t ■^feT H it e fH tl”
cfRt ^1T TJof) T te f ^ 3TR5T 'Ip5I, “ H # H ^?

1M -^T?1 t ? ” eR (WWIHI 2 ^ 1 T , ‘ ‘ ^ 1 ^ f* R t l '^ i^ llH l ^ t
HilTHt 'g:n TU *TTl” eR HtST % 3T1T, “ s f t l, 'qF ^TeT t l F H lt H R
% H lf H>t ^3IF ^ F H lt H R HH HHH HT| % HITT ^ n H H Il” eR
HTFT, “ ^c lK I f^p^l TFen # HHT HFt HHI-HHI ^§T Ateicil! ^ F # 'SRpft ^ F t
■^dl HHTI 3HHHH HHH eft H?tf Ht HitHTl” eR H fel 'HtcTT, T R ÎH 5fl6<
^ t t l H R % eftH HefT ^ F T R i^ t l F H lt H R H 3 R ^TRT H lf
Widow
Gudipat Venkat Chalam
C halam (1 8 9 4 -1 9 7 9 ) w as born in M adras and w as a literary
and social cru sad er. He had an unorth odox ap proach to sex and
m orality and attacked the institution of m arriage and the family.
His iconoclastic, provocative writing and his revolutionary ideas made
him a controversial figure. Influenced by the w ritings of the Bengali
intellectu als of the tim e, C halam tran slated T a g o re 's G itan jali, a
landmark event in Telugu literature. Although a self-professed atheist,
Chalam was profoundly influenced by the G itanjali and his interaction
with Ram ana M aharishi from 1936 to 1950.
Chalam is considered the first feminist w riter in Telugu literature
because he w as outspoken about wom en having a say in the fulfillment
of their desires and destiny. This w as a reaction against the patriarchal
norm s that had dom inated society and literatu re. C halam is also
credited with the development of the spoken idiom in Telugu literature
as well as with bringing to it a realism , which looked critically at
contem porary social reality. This reality w as far rem oved from the
idealistic p ortrayal of Indian society that had ignored inequalities of
both gender and caste. A prolific w riter, C halam has to his credit
m ore than nine novels, a dozen plays, a score of playlets, besides
poem s, a hundred short stories, prose pieces and two volum es of
letters. Chalam's M usings (Random Thoughts) was serialized in journals
from 1937-1957. His major novels include S asirekha (1921), considered
the first Telugu novel of ideas and a formulation of C halam 's doctrine
of free love; A m ina (1926-42) an introspective analysis of the free
love d octrine w ith the w riter him self as the cen tral p ro tag o n ist;
M aidanam (1927) an attack on the traditions of H induism and the
caste system ; and A runa (1938), w here the central ch aracter is an
em bodim ent of freedom and an expression of the w riter's philosophy
about w om en. C halam advocated sexual freedom but the fact that
he did not pay m uch attention to econom ic freedom as a means of
em pow erm ent for w om en, is a criticism often levelled against him.
'W id o w ' (V itantuvu, 1925) is the story of a young, childless
w idow and her yearn in g for fulfillm ent and love. N arrated as a
soliloquy, this sensitive tale is intensely personal and reflects the
consciousness of the protagonist with great skill. The travails of a
widow who is forced into celibate seclusion and the public humiliation
This story is taken from Classic Telugu Short Stories, edited and translated by
Rango Rao, New Delhi: Penguin Books, 1995. pp. 63-73
of tonsure, compelled to renounce all luxuries and pleasures, shunned

as inauspicious and reduced to an object of scorn and derision, and
also prey to the furtive sexual advances of male relatives, are brought
out by the seventeen-year-old girl who tells her story. She longs for
a son as she lies awake without warmth, either human or material.
The shawl given to her by her doting father, and now the property
of Mangamma, becomes a symbol of all that her widowhood has
deprived her of. The interior monologue provides a space for the
expression of the central figure's helplessness and longing that would
otherwise go unvoiced and unnoticed.
(U n til recen t tim es, child m a rria ges w ere w idespread in the
T elu g u co u n try, as in m any other areas o f India. M o re often than not,
g irls w ere w idow ed early; a nd, especially a m o n g bra h m a n s, their
heads sh aven, a n d treated like dom estic slaves, they w ent through
utter m isery f o r the rest o f their lives, unlike in this story o f revolt —
R .R .)
Winter. In this town, somehow, it is colder. Covering herself
w ith m y shaw l, M angam m a is sleeping, probably in a cosy hug
w ith her husband. And here, I feel cold. C annot sleep. As for
covering m yself w ith som ething, there is nothing. These warm
em bers in the hearth keep me som ew hat from shivering. But the
floor has not dried y e t .. . . Som ew here, there are countries still
c o ld e r .. . it seem s. Father used to narrate the story of 'C indrella'
to m e. Exactly the sam e is m y plight now. But then 'C in d rella'
w as a child . . . H ow w onderful it used to be w hen father w as
alive! I did not know w hat hardship w as. If anyone looked
w orried I w ould be surprised. If father w ere to see me now like
this, sittin g all alone near this hearth, how he w ould w eep.
W ould he have ever im agined that I w ould becom e an orphan
like this? Putting m e in his lap, stroking m y head, fondling m y
cheeks, he w ould say, 'N o one is as beau tifu l as m y darling. I
shall get her a husband w ho w ill not allow her to step on the
g rou n d .' In those days, this gentlem an V enkata Rao and such
others w ould put m e in their laps, give m e packets of m ithai,
sw eetm eats, and the m om ent som e little song cam e out of m y
m outh, would be overw helm ed w ith pleasure. N ot yet ten years
since then. The very sam e V enkata Rao, talking w ith annayya
[elder brother] the other day, turned his face aw ay w hen he
saw me.
Look— the child has w oken up and is crying. W hy d oesn't
M angam m a get up? If it w ere I, w ould I have let her cry like
276 / Widow
that? The w hole day she fondles the child. N ot that she d oesn't
love the child. . . . There now , M angam m a has got up . . . has
beaten the child . . . the child is crying. How can they bring
themselves to beating children? Only last evening she was fondling
and kissing the baby so m uch! W ith the sam e m outh she is
heaping all those curses . . . If only I had a child, the w hole
night I would sw ing him in m y arms, and w ithout even blinking
my eyes once, would sing lullabies. Holding like this, the smooth,
soft, w arm little baby boy and putting m y breast in his m outh
and pressing him to me . . . how wonderful it would be! Especially
because m y breasts are so round, sm all and sm ooth. And how
pretty the little b o y 's rosy hands w ould b e ! . . . Now because of
the worry I am unable to sleep, then because of supreme happiness
I w ou ld n 't be able to sleep. . . . There! it m ust be the police
fellows, blowing on their whistles. Into this street they are coming.
These fellow s them selves organise burglaries, it seems. W hy do
they ju st keep blow ing on those w histles like that? To scare
aw ay burglars, perhaps. . . .
M angam m a has a ch ild — M angam m a w ho beats children,
w ho loathes children. That baby is still crying. W hy? D o esn 't
she feel like nursing the baby? That little groping m outh!. . .
That must be a cat! Oosh, get a w a y .. . . Why can't I have children?
If only he w ere alive, I w ould by now have had three or four
children. I w ould not have been a child less w om an. The very
thought of child ren stirs up the pit of m y stom ach like this!
W ou ld n 't I have had children? W hen even those w ho loathe
children have them! W hen that little one pulled h er hair the
other day, M angam m a said, 'W hy w ere you born, you w retch!'
A nother tim e she said, 'Y ou d id n 't die either, it w ould have
been good rid d an ce.' W ith such cute little hands, every hair of
m ine I w ould get pulled out to bleeding.
Isn 't it better than getting m y head shaved by that barber?
. . . They w ill rem ove m y crow n of hair, it seem s. Let it be done.
I w ill be rid of a nuisance. H ave it to please w hom ? G etting my
head shaved w ill be painful, perhaps. But then w hy d on 't the
m enfolk cry? W on 't be painful. And yet thinking of it fills me
w ith fear even now . And not ju st fear . . . W hile shaving my
head, the barber fellow m ight perhaps put his hand on my
neck! The other day he put his hand on annayya. W on 't I get
goose pim ples? D uring the w edding w hen He tied the sacred
string round m y neck, it w as only his little finger that had

touched m e and I goose fleshed all over though, like pouring
cold w ater on yourself. . . the other day, w hen Lakshm ikantam
carelessly touched m y fingers w ith his w hile giving me the keys,
annayya looked sharply at him . Though I had not thought
specially of him earlier, w hen annayya looked w ith suspicion
like that at Lakshm ikantam , I grew interested in Lakshmikantam.
Perhaps annayya consid ers m e K alagni [Tim e-Fire, w hich de-
stroys the w orld at the end] that he has kept in his house. He
looked sharply at Lakshmikantam. But then what would annayya
say if the barber w ere to put his hand on m y neck? . . .
This cat has got very m uch addicted to drinking m ilk co -
vertly. Tod ay it is not able to reach the m ilk. It is clam ouring
frantically. It is hungry. Poor thing, like me it cannot sleep. But
w hy not go after the rats?. . . C overing h erself w ith my shaw l,
M angam m a m ust be sleeping by her h usband's side again. The
w hole night long, behind closed doors, w hat do they do? If
only he w ere alive, w hat w ould I be doing? W ould he have
allow ed m e to sit like this near the hearth! H e w as young, of
course! God only know s how he caught that illness. A t least if
the nup tials had taken place, it w ould have been all right. I
w ould have know n all about it. I know w hat they do. But how
they do it, and how the body feels at that tim e, I w ould like to
know. Som e cry. I feel like asking som eone. Too shy, and afraid.
They w on't tell m e, perhaps. They w ill feel too shy them selves.
Probably d on 't feel so bash ful at the tim e! O nly shy to talk
about it. W hy do you w ant it, they w ill say. . . . Then probably
I w ould even have had a baby! He had fine eyes. The child
would have got his very eyes. My little red m outh too he would
have got. How handsom e he w ould have been! Th en w ould I
have cared at all for this sister-in-law ! W ould I have suffered
having m y shaw l, w hich m y father gave m e, snatched aw ay
and given to m y sister-in -law ? The boy needs it, I w ould have
said. Now getting up to heat w ater for M angam m a's child feels
so taxing. Then for my boy whatever the amount of water wouldn't
I have boiled happily! . . . W hy can 't one be born even now ?
Isn 't there a m ethod by w hich babies can be conceived w ithout
a m an 's com ing in? A ren 't trees bearin g fruit? Or perhaps it
w ill be good if a baby boy can be found som ew here!— N o, not
that w ay. N o. Should com e out of m e. For m y ow n baby b o y 's
sake. . . . O therw ise w hy can 't I have love for M angam m a's
278 / Widow
child?. . . Feeling sleepy. Can only sleep a little, no m ore: the

cold.
My karm a, it seem s. M ust have com m itted som e sin. In my
previous birth I must have murdered som eone's children, I think.
Perhaps I w ill have child ren in the next birth at least! W hat
should be done to have child ren in the next birth, I w onder?
Shall I ask the priest! If sister-in-law w ere to com e to know
about it, w ou ld n 't it be the end of the w orld? Is it w rong to
w ish for child ren? That old w om an, fifty years old, husband
still alive. The one son she had, m isd ieting him in his illness,
with her own hands she killed him. W hen she comes and bewails
her lack of children, everyone consoles her. N ot even eighteen,
if I ask for a child to n urse, to fondle, to play w ith, w hy do
people abuse m e? 'Sh am eless w h ore,' said sister-in -law , 'she
sh ou ld n 't be allow ed to stay in the h ou se.' Sh o u ld n 't say it
openly. M ust think about it at night like this. . . . A gain the
w histles of the patrol. It seem s it is these police fellow s only
w ho arrange burglaries. . . . Just one child w ill do. Even a girl
child I d on 't m ind. N o, no, not a girl child, I d on 't w ant a girl
child. I'll give birth only to a w idow , d estined to cry like m e . .
. I feel like sleeping. But then how can I go to sleep in this cold?
T he sh aw l w ou ld h av e h elp ed . C o v e rin g h e rse lf w ith it,
M angam m a is sleeping cosily. W hy m ust I alone su ffer like
this?. . . If because of their karm a so m any w om en, w ithout
children, are dying out of the sorrow , w hy d on 't m en too suffer
sim ilar karm a? The m om ent one w ife is dead, another is ready.
A ren 't all of us sinners? Perhaps there is a sin exclu sive to us.
The sin that results in w idow hood. The sin that keeps us from
m arrying again. But then other w idow s d on 't com m it it. O nly
Hindu w idow s. The other day the priest w as saying it. All these
religious vow s, w orships, pilgrim ages w ill take us to heaven,
he said. Then for that very same heaven why not everyone become
a widow? Som ewhere, widows are married again, they say. Then
w ill they grow their h air again! W ho are those w ho m arry
w retched w idow s!
W hatever the karm a, I want children. W ho know s, though
I am a w idow I am still destined to bear a child. Bearing that
child in this birth and raising him is, shall we say, because of
the m erit in heaven or the sin I have earned in m y previous
birth? Then w hat w ill all these people have to say? Sister-in-
law w ill sim ply kill me. Annayya w ill throw me out. If I were to
say that is the w ay m y karm a is, w ill they accept it? That I
should be m arried only to that husband, that he should die,

that I should end up like this, all this is predestined they say.
That I should also bear a child sh ou ld n 't be predestined? H ave
they actually seen it, this predestiny? Then w hy be angry w ith
me? Because he w as w ealthy, getting yoked to that sick husband
w as m y karm a. If I w ere to bear a child now , driving m e out of
hom e is their karm a. That all such w om en should cry and w ail
is this cou ntry's karm a. At least pity— not even pity they show.
If som eone is blind or lam e because of the sins of his previous
birth, they show pity. If to m e because of such a sinfu l act. . .
no. . . such a virtuous act, a child w ere to be born, they w on 't
show pity. W ithout that kind of predestiny, tell m e, w ould even
I bear a child? W hen I w as w idow ed they did not show pity. .
. but even for the child they w on 't have pity. A ll these people
are by nature full of pity though; only they d on 't show it to me.
W hy!. . . W ill those rats bite m e also! Perhaps a b u rglar m ight
enter through that w indow !. . . The other day how the young
cow suffered! N oticing her plight, they im m ediately fetched a
bull. W hy! They need m ilk and calves, th at's w hy. Sim ilarly I
need child ren. A ccord ing to m y karm a, m y husband is dead.
C onquering karm a, if I w ish to earn that h appiness, w hy do
they get a n g ry !.. . W hen sister-in-law left for her m other's place,
annayya w as sham elessly con fessin g to Subram anyam garu,
that to live alone, w ithou t on e's w ife, is difficult! If I w ere to
say that I too feel the sam e w ay they w ill behave as though the
sky has crum bled and dropped d o w n .. . . The cold is becom ing
w orse. The hearth too has becom e cold. . .
Everyone eats food. Som e d on 't su ffer the karm a of not
being able to eat, but som e do. And if these few do m anage to
get food and eat, overcom ing their karm a, no one objects. But
then some are destined to be wretched with this kind of wretched
karm a. This m isery is only for end uring, not for curing. . . .
A nim als are beyond this kind of karm a. . . ayyo, w hy w asn 't I
born a cow or a hen! A fter all this, they still say hum an birth is
the best. H um an birth is superior, of cou rse, not the birth of a
w idow . W hen there is no one, not one, to press to her heart,
then w hy live! W hy does God need the birth of a childless
widow ! W hat is this suffering, hope, dream — w ithin me? It can
only be satisfied by a man, perhaps! Som e em ptiness, deficiency.
2
No regret for w hat has happened. But 1 am a little scared, of
280 / Widow
course. If only m y husband w ere alive, by now there w ould

have been celebrations, soodithalu1 and festivities! Now ostracism.
Then, if I w ere to breathe it privately in sister-in -law 's ears, she
would have sm iled and given me a friendly flick on the cheeks.
Now she w ill jum p up, terrified, as though I have scalded her
ear. Then and now it is the sam e, isn 't it? Isn 't it, to begin w ith,
the sam e w ay w ith nature? N ow it has happened once. Then it
would have been ever that o n ly !.. . It's m oving inside. Probably
know s already that I am the m other. A lw ays keeps touching
me gently from w ithin. Perhaps those big eyes, those tiny legs
are g row in g ! W ill I h ave a ch ild w ith b lin k in g eyes like
M angam m a's daughter? Ever w ith a runny nose!. . . I w on 't
look at a m an again. That fellow probably thought that I had
subm itted to him because I w as enam oured of him . Because I
wanted his big eyes for m y child, I agreed. He looked at m e like
a w arrior, like a conquering w arrior, that m iserable w retch!
How m y blood boils at the thought! I feel like retching at the
thought of the liberty I gave him . He thought I had fallen for
his good looks, w as overcom e by infatuation, and unable to
control my passion solicited him . Let him com e near me again,
I w ill spit on his face. But the poor fellow , I feel again som e
indescribable love for him ; he has given me this child, is the
father of m y child. Perhaps that is natural! But I ju st cannot
bear the thought of m y surrender to him that night. At that time
of course he talked affectionately, d ecently enough. But I m ust
have fallen in his esteem . W hy only like this, subm itting basely
to som e m ale, this body, this sacred body, to his coarse hands,
and m eekly allow ing him to use it anyw ay he likes. . . . Chee!
Chee! That spittle. . . horrid . . . unless one is crum pled, why is
one unable to bear child ren, receive the blessin g of a child?
Why impossible? Chee! Chee! While leaving how contemptuously
that fellow talked! The respect these men show is only for show,
false respect! Because they them selves like coaxing, they coax.
But how presum ptuous! Sim ply because I had beseeched him!
All play-acting! In the beginning, d eclaring u nnecessarily, 'I
am there by your side! I shall protect you, rest assured,' and
putting his arm round m y shoulder, as though som e enem ies
were m enacing us, he struck a defiant pose, I tell you! Later the
m om ent there w as the sound of feet, tucking his shirt under his
arm , he sneaked behind the door. It w as all a delusion. If they
stand like that pretend ing to protect w om en, they get m ental
satisfaction. O ne-tw entieth of m y courage he d id n 't have. And
on top of it, he says, getting aw ay, 'D o n 't fear.' W ith a sm irk,
stupid ly, he says, 'B ew are, that V enkatesw arulu has also cast
his eye on you. Even if you ju st look at him , I shall m urder both
him and you!' Just one night, ju st for a half-hour, because I had
surrendered to him , that fellow acquired that kind of authority
and freedom over me! C hee, this w retched life, life of a w om an!.
. . N ow I am really going to have a baby, all right! W ith that
tiny rosy fist, little little eyes closed, w ith that coral m outh,
groping for m ilk, m aking gurgling sounds. . . . Too much!
Som e tim e or other they w ill get to know . How long can I
conceal it like this? Even for the last m enses, I sat out and
pretended i t . . . Sister-in-law will beat me up. W hatever happens
the news should not go out of the house, annayya will say. Throw
her out, sister-in -law w ill say. N o, annayya w ill say. But a
scream ing sister-in -law is som ew hat preferable. K eeping it a
secret for m y sake? O stracized from the caste, w ithou t anyone
to call m y ow n, allow ing people to spit on m y face, isolated, a
fallen w om an— no one bothers about me of course. N or even
for my children— totally innocent, bom to an unfortunate woman
like m e— w ill annayya spare a thought. If in the neighbourhood
or in his office they say that his sister has done such a thing,
the loss of face is all that w ill w orry h im .. . . But then, w hen we
were children and he returned from school tired, I used to pour
my coffee also into his tum bler— all of it I w ould heat and give
him . W hen annayya broke the lustre chim ney of the lantern, I
ow ned up to the crim e, saying I had done it. A ll the beatings I
su ffered . That n ight, pu tting his hands over m y shou lders,
annayya had said, ‘C helli, younger sister, I shall never forget
this. I shall never strik e you .' H ow happy I felt that day! N ow
he d oesn 't u tter a single kind w ord . . .
As if all this w ere not enough, they assign m e to hell after
m y death. M aking m y body so beau tifu l, creatin g n atu rally a
burning desire in m y heart, m urdering the husband these people
had foisted on m e— as if all this w ere not enough, on top of it
all, God w ill send m e to hell! And for giving birth to a boy,
heaven for Mangamma! For child-beater M angamma! For having
m anaged a child for m yself, after desperate trouble, hell! W on't
I dem and an explanation from that God! For sister-in-law , who
has tied annayya to h erself, even keeping him from going to
w atch a play, w on 't there be hell? A ll lies. G od is not angry
w ith m e. O nly to scare m e have they said all this. A lready for
my little d arlin g 's cute little belly, m ilk is form ing. If God is
282 / Widow
really angry, w ill he, planning for the child to com e, prepare
baby fare for his teenyw eeny golden belly? A ll lies. If these
people d on 't know about it, w on 't God at least appreciate my
m isery, m y nature, m y thinking! Those that w ill w ant me for
m yself alone, those that will cajole me, placate me, saying, 'H ow
angry you are w ith m e,' and, holding m y chin, turn me towards
them — such people I should have around m e, I long so m uch to
have such people. W henever any m an looks at any w om an w ith
a loving gaze, I burn from top to toe! ME! W hat about m e? For
me too! cries every nerve in my body. W earing out m y body and
lim bs, labouring hard all m y life and serving those w ho d on 't
love m e, grow ing old and dying— w ho to please w ith all this?
Better, if I give my body even to a fellow who wants me for just
one night. Is it a sin? That m aking coffee for sister-in-law who
rolls in her tape-bed like a lazy lubber until nine in the m orning
will earn me merit in heaven, where, in which sastras, is it written?
Such desires, and there are so m any w idow s, do they all have
them ? N one of them m akes a fuss like m e, it appears. W hy?
They are all virtuous people, perhaps! O nly I suffer from this
evil thought, perhaps! No, from outside I too m ay look innocent,
I believe. From the outside, everyone is like that! In s id e .. . shall
I ask som eone confidentially? If I ask, chee, chee, they w ill say,
get out! W on't I m yself say it? That is the show. Even I, am I not
as virtuous a person as everyone else? Every day I perform the
jaipam [repeating G od 's nam e]. Do I eat betel leaves2 like that
Bu llem m a? D o I sleep on m a ttre sses? I m ake an o fferin g
ritu alistically to a brahm in every m onth. The other day I took
the holy water given by the respected swami. If only my husband
were here, w ouldn't I be a good woman myself? Then, forbidding
this act, not having children w ould be w rong, a lapse. The sight
of these wives, women with their husbands alive, who beginning
even before the age of tw elve and until the age of sixty cohabit
with husbands without a single day's break, why doesn't anyone
find all this unnatural? Does desire too die the m om ent that
fellow is dead? D oes it burn too on that fellow 's funeral pyre?.
. . If their m en w ere to even raise their eyes and look at another
w om an, that w ould be enough; these w om en w ould turn the
w hole house upside dow n, engaging in endless w ailing. W on't
allow another w om an even to step on the threshold; keep their
m en for their ow n use, d on 't they! And m e, w ho has never
really know n a m an, w on 't I feel the sam e way?
If they w ere to com e to know about m y present condition,
they w on 't keep quiet. But they w on 't allow me to go out of the
house. They w ill give aw ay m y child to som ebody and they

w ill get me back to slave again for them . Even if I lead a happy
life som ew here w ith m y beloved child , they w on 't tolerate it.
The right which is theirs, the pleasure which they are enjoying—
they w ill cry as though I have robbed them of it. Being pointed
out w ith m y child as Su ry an aray an a's younger sister-—can
annayya bear it?
But, I w on 't allow it. My beloved son, my little gold, I shall
not su rrend er to anyone. Except me w ho else w ill have kind
feelings for him ? Even one's own u ncles, aunts, grandfathers
d on 't have com passion! W ill outsiders have it? I shall not yield.
I shall brin g him up m yself. W hatever these people do to m e, I
shall create a com m otion, cry, go aw ay. But m y beloved child,
the fortune I have acquired after desperate trouble, I shall not
throw aw ay. C an I m anage w ithout w atching a single sm ile of
m y bundle of joy? I shall nurse him m yself. If my beloved child
w ere to recognize m e and realize that all these troubles, this
ostracism , these reproaches, all these are for his sake, if he can
recognize me, m y face, and recognizing, stretch his hands towards
m e and call m e 'm o th er,' if he laughs a laughter of gem s, if he
show s so m uch love for m e only, w hat m ore shall I need?. . .
W hy should they be angry even w ith m y child? As for m e, at
least you m ay say I have com m itted a crim e. But w hat has this
little innocent creature done? Even if they w ere to allow m e to
rem ain w ith them , w ill I stay? If in his presence they treat me
shabbily, can I bear it? Abusing him, if they make him do slavish
labour. . . . I shall go aw ay som ew here. . . anyw here. If he asks
for his father, w hat shall I tell him ? D ead, I shall tell him . No.
. . I shall say, 'I am your father.'
T ran slated fr o m the Telugu by Ranga Rao.
1. Soodithalu : the cerem ony conducted by a w om an's family,

especially for her first pregnancy. Married women
who have children and whose husbands are
alive are invited and gifts and sweets are distributed
and blessings sought for the expectant m other
and her unborn child.
2. Betel leaves : betel chewing was one of the pleasures forbidden
to w idow s as this w as a luxury, attracted the
attention of men and w as believed to provoke
carnal desires.
fcTSRT
( 1894-1979) g>! ^3RT - q ^ f 3 f3TT «m WlBrM a k TTRT^—

^ N f f t sH ' 3 3TI qRckt-1 + Wl tfl 3ftr ^fd=bdl % W I 3 3 W T^T
^ f e f a M «ni 3^?H q f w r 3lk fa c flf tr 3^lR<* 3TWFT ftrqTl Tjfif *T3T3f?
a k <JdoW> W sblTd'blO fa^kf 3 ^rfsRT «R1 f^HI 3 R^
W f % q'lKrfl Î*'ii1tqAii % do-i ^ Wiftd ffaR ^ ^nk =frt ‘ 'fldMRri ’
^TF ST^qis f^vqn Tnffc^T 3 gfcf ^rr 'l}t«R HPTT W l WMiW "SieR
WMlftd HTftd'+ ^ c=tft^ ‘ indMPd’ 3 3 ^Tft 3 TfmfacT fq;i <pt 1936-1950 %
^kFT W 3! HfW % T!J«? 3=1% TTR^> ^ ’ ft 3=T tR fTfTT 31*!!^ ‘3M I am
TTTffrq «fil M^'rl! ■llO'd'O 'RHT ^j TRTT t l 3PHt Pl^fd ^?t
^<4 ft^fR d >^<.A s k SPHt 5^l3Tf cfit TJTT +<'1 % TT<TO "% R>n1 % SlfiraiR cfft
^ ^ f ^ J d ^sR ^1 * ! f ft^ d lc M '* H N W I’ 3 f* F ! sftl
fe p ft % ^Tf ^ 3T^ cr=B ^ il eio-l rsq^nirH'ti *IHRr('tiai ^ TT^Tf^ra ®[TI 3T^ rTî
■5^ f t g f cRT ^ ftg g f ^Tt f^TH tR f TeFTT ^TffT<, <M=bl TJ?ft fevFpf
t ^ k <Si=hl W q ft7!!I -qcn*^ 37t ^TT ^!c[ 3TT f^TT ^Td! t f^T 3 ^ff^ ct^J
TTiffw ■Wl<rt-^11crl =f>! ^ fR T I ft>*>Rld ft)■hi, ■2TSTT»f^T^ % Ri=t><; eTH? f^RRf
dip+iid=+5 u \m U + ciiwft=t>di ^ t 3 !m N r!? r^ 3 gft ft*rfd ggti
«TRdk t r im % 3K?itft^H 3 ît% s k fcFi 3 ^ s t ^-HMUdisff gfr
3 T ^ # t gft «ftl ^ -crenaf-^fe ugfr! % fty fld afti
^ <rl<ai f t i 4!! I 3^1% Old ^ 9 3 1T^ziro, ^>4i M7 iie=ti, 3T^>
g ife^nt, ^ft ^ 3 ^ r ^ f r f W , 3k gt w i f ^ f ir r a f ’i
^5! ^lR = b ^<31 1937-57 % ^T R ^ gfg=FT3!f ^ ÎTI ^TrW
% ^ 3^R!RTf ' « r « ^ l ’ (1921) ^ft f l i t ft# t l ^ ! WeTI
^ iR s h 3 CR!R! =h6l TRIT t l ^ ff lp d ^ ^ R l^ld ^ t PlWd t l ‘ 3hh I'1I '
(1926) ^=Rf % fe s m ^ i! ti ^ % ^ ra qra % ^
g t i ‘ w m ’ (1927) i f ff^ c iK t g fro a # a k wf?r-^TÊ«n ^ 3hishmui
t o r t l ‘ S T ^ n ’ (1938) -llfaobl 3!?^n Wd'=ldl ^JT TJjf t s k fe ra f %
■^Tt $ dotti % ^^[-i ^ft 3Tho4ftfl t l TtRT: ^!f =b6ct>< Siratg^H gft
'flidl t 3 ^fN tftg «*q«it ^ Tqo^ciT gft ^ 'tiid fl crlfti'i R-^^l %
f T W t ^ l % foTC. 3TTfefe 3TRKf xr 3rfi^7 hm ^ f^ T l
^ m w fo Hlfert, 1995 ^ ^ il : «lfer4

3)+KHl, ^ 88-93
'W N «lP$r4 : 13^ / 285
■f^sraT (1 9 2 5 )-3 1 TJ=F ftrft W # I ^J3T t333T 3ft 3iFT3t t W ft3

3lft asfk 3T33t T EÎ3ft 3ft TjRf 3ft t l 3lkHMI4 4 3 f % 3 1 tRTW^F-
eRSlftt SR^facfr t333T % T7I3 Hlftw>l 3ft ^33T 3ft 3 ^ t 'JVHdl 3 yfdftPHd
3v*ft) t l 3733t 41qi 3i*TT y-lldl f f TT3s? 33f3T oT33ft 33^ f333T 3ft TffeT; '3ft
y.chlTfl'h ^Ti33 jftft 3lfa ÎrHSHl % FdU, 31*3 f3T3T ^M l; y s i 3>7T3)T yief'flpJl'ti
3i h h m ; TT3t TJ?I Tjf33T3Tf ft> c3FI % tcT3 ‘73^T 1373T '3T3T; 37?J3 sjfa
3iH‘ ld cbl(l 331 f^3T >j |H i ; ^ ull sftr t3TT3iTT 3ft 3^5 ft 33?T ■JlMI; 'J53 *l«(P*T3t
3ft 3TFJ35 33 f?T3iK 333T-TT3 ^ *5 3 3 R 3>T<ft t l H l-I^h TTTTft sftr
t flfc13j' TTTsit Tt 3 f3 3 3 ? '533t 'Jll'ldl <.Sdl t 3rk 33) ^ 3 3ft =hlH'1l 3TTft
cTOft t l ^ 133T £13 t^3T 33T W ^ t 313 W 3 T 3ft TTRfft 33 ^ t , 73
7T33>T ycl)<*> 33 '3T3T t f^fft 3*7% ft «5fa t?T3[ t l 33jT3t 33 37T3fT3>
U=bldl4 3^303 3T3 3ft tft?^7T331 sfa 3n3ftW 3ft, 3 t 37^731 3T33rt sfa 3T3ft?ft
T l Ulft, SrfVoirf^l 3H 37337m 3T3 ft3T t l
TT3? 33 'jftfm i ITT Tffcr 3 , ‘3TR =PTf 3 5 ^3131 f | W 3 T ftt t W 3 lk

3>T T7t T it it f t t , <swh f t 3T3-37T7 fct3H 3iTI 31T ^ cfg eFT Tjft t l 3)3
3TTcft 3 ft, 33S3 % t^TC; ^ *5 t 3 lt l IT7 3T3 3i’‘ i)dl % 3TTT «Nrat I? 3t
=tiH<^)4l ^?5 3>3 d Jldl t l cftf3>3 3>?f 3 7 ^ TJT3T 3 lt t —'TffT t f e
^3131 <?? ft^T *ft t l 3Tft 31F %T7T T13T lt3T? 3 3 3 3 'ft PiomI ffTStcTT
3>t3>lR t TfTlft 2|| " ^ t 5l<na 373 ^R t i t t l ^ % 3 f^ s tc il ^ t2 t 3 ^ 3 t *tt
, . . f3c!R t '3 3 «t % 3 3 I 3T^5I T13T «TI! d«bdl'f> 33T t , ^T33t 3 ^ 3 Mtl
3 ftf 73W f^ 3 lf 3531 eft 373^71 lt3 I »7TI f33T3t 373 ^ IT7 37Ttjt TI3 ^
ITT 373t3t % 3TT7 3T%^ 3 ^ # ? '3Tft f3>33T Tt^ft? 'S ^ltft 3 ? ^ T7t3T
lt3T % ^ ITT 371 3731*7 i t ^ W 3 t? % 3 ^ t33T ^FT ftTT 3T 1T«T ^T?)
^ tr 3 M T T lc # -T n c # 3>1^ ‘ ^ t t f¥23T f3 3 3 t ^ T t 3 ftf? ITT % % 3
■^TTT vTS33 eTT3T3T '3t ITT 3 ft ^ h I '1 3T ^T 3 T ^ ft ^ l ’ 33 'ft 33^TT33t
3 % 1 ^3# 3t3 "ft' t33T ?T3 ^ sflT t e l l 3 ft ^fe3T $ 3R f t t ‘g i ^ 'SteT-TTT
3T3T 3T ‘ 3T1! 3T1! ’ 3 ft I75t efHT *tl 3TT TTM ¥ft # 3 lt '# ftl 37^t
3TTlt 3 ^ ^3T ^ 3T3 3>Tft j[ li TTtt ^3i^TT3 ft ^ ^T§ 3tT 'g i '^T t^T3T *31
3 1 ^ 3 t 3^3T ~33 3iT t t TIT t l *HJI*-HI ddol 33t 3 lt? ^ itc ft 3t ft^ft
Ttft ftcft? ^T3 ^T3t ?I3 3 ^ 3 3 ft ^33t-3TS3t T13t t l 3 1 3 lt f3 i T3R 3 lt
t l 3 1 ^ § t - W R T 3 3 3 f t - 3 ^ f t 3 ft 3TTT ‘3T7 ft-3 ^ 3 T Tt TIT t l 3^3T 3ft
■RTTft % % 3 13 % 1T«T Wrft 3 3 ft '%Tt t l W 3 3 ft i t 3 t 3TT 3T1 ^ 3 T it
Mtl TTTt ' g i ^ i t 3 ^ TTTTt 3Tf?T3T—'ftu 3 ftf 3^31 lt3T 3 , 3 t TT3-TI3 ’TT
373ft 17®7t 'ft ^ c ild l T13t, 33 T r*H-1<d 3 ft 3 t 3eT3) 17333^ 3 % eftft 3T3tl
3T 3-3T 3, 3T 3-3T 3 3ffT f3 3 ^ - f 3 3 ) f t 3 ^ f t 3 ft t5Tcft ^ 1 ft 3>T 33T ^ #
i t I f ^ | i i i f 1 1 1
1^
£ ^ t zj^'illfi'
. % l£ Z Z
'Ô
& £ %i
>iib?R iiy. i^b£

'f P £ & (T P- - £<& J r | .p .%
l i f t If : f U ♦ 15
& * H s* f
| « #S t*• & i ^ c| Iff H6- “ > i f
£ik ih. Mtli-kkii iiR). % kii

p i !
P i 15
ii it £
1E
<V. ffr ^
fr
'/fio
h &
8) I?5’ 5 t
T? t ~ I If ^ e
r i
^ ^ ^= h'
Is «'"' c* i®I5 5=W1E _ A—t —
V '4& ^
i^ fr
\b
^ "1^ ^ ^ ^ it <£ J5;
% 0- I? • €■ -
^ ^ ’ !? 'E f'- j V „£ l * ? Sr
Z *
‘5= Z lr‘
| |f H 15 % f J H ^ 15 _ * .B
^ -. I
$
■Bit*
% -**
*» -^ ^ ^ n 1 17 ? % *6=; 1C-
i f |«« i p P f * i i s 5
h^bj ^ êlbJsk). intSlts

ft Jc w
II -tr Eft r
£ i b
<v.
•jfr 1x
' t '- ■ ? Iff
i f f ? 15 ' E -Jtic/
*
' E
K s s p _ -F £
RE
T$ ‘fc'jg c ^ f #
£ ,ff ' * * Z .
I i ^ r.
r^. 15
E/ ^flD !
to
£
IS -f
CD 15 lO
00
OJ 'P- |c IE [C H 5 ^
15 4fr
t?
^SJ s? & & J I 5 * 1 * ? - * * * H l * f i * « i lffc f *ff = i| ** g
s 14 ^
■ftio
~ I 1'
1 1 |s g f * I P ! i£ ** ?? ? f p ? i 5 f ^5T
s
cff fK Jte
15
^ | ® l s
P -stlC/ g.
& fa
i
p. 5-
I I | | B r. 15
w 1„ - 1 g ________ .S ? ; « n *
I
i l l E & 1C
■= * - E * I " f *s * ^& g t e f &
I i - p f f t
S ' f ? i Sf ' g ^ .f f * t I
i t
I.I*P iJin
^ b l ft | s i f
_ Iff <tio "jfr '15 I I ^
■f lf if*# |i
<tio
5 E
"tic^
1 ^ ^ [? Z % B *- '4r
tr ff ^ - 1 5
r
Lc. ''I*'
*5= 1 •yfic'
p r 1 H f ! f ■* ■g ff
Hfr “ Iff ^ <t= i£ ¥ t | t ^ g
* - ? 1 | S |
Iff £ cfc ■-
* ^ *5= 'tr
W ^ rft" f'“ ^
* f _ * fff f ; i f 6 tP! i » i ; t ^ f 1 * 1 5 [LC/
♦i £ 5
_
15
•f-if I
ff 15 Hfr ^ * I? ; ^ l £
1C H>t > ^ |ff ^ ^ r l i? -p-
5=
? i : I 'iff Jff
15 1? " %
. -_r ^ <= <= <= • u
ff
p- : |
$• ^ f fr *»■
■*
$5 15 ■fT tp -fr
'(r- -4i&
- • -s
-sfio '^ V
-Jpr F FP" F -H'C' Z
P" -ifto E . <5 . t\v If f IE 1 -
288 / fairer
fRT* fTRt TTT TTt T it TT ^T#? ■y-ll t , ^ s l s)qi3Tt T?t jqm RT# Ft TT#
t l TT T fTR ft «lld «(<oicfl si'll? IT <isl ft RT# ch<r) TTR 'JlH T>R lt^
# t|
t ^ p r TT1 ^fTT i t I g£ T^TT TTfiri fTTTT i t t r Rt t ^ t t RTR
Ft 5'IN'a "RT^t Tf Ri<9I Ftl 3R sp5Et Tit Iff "SFR T RT TR HlCt^ TT g'JT
TT TR w RR 3 * H %TT Ftl TT if RT eftrr TTT T # t? TT#
■RR5Tet#l ^TT RR ^ tl T l TT|/% . RFT 3 %TT fRfR t , ^ TTT T ^ '
# TT^t? T ^ t fT> 3ftt RTT# ft itfT fTTTl itR , TfT TT TfR, itfT IfT
T fl ItR , RT RFT ^ %?§T ITR! t l TIT TTt -TFt fdtell Ft •Hchdl fTT ^ T^T
Tft TT si'j'fl? ^ RFT T^T TR 3TTQ| t? 3TT dnH< TffTT TTt? ^ qidl «TT,
Ff#nr 3R RftTT Tt TTTT RRT ^ RFT 3 &TII T^TT R g # g# ftTHR TT1T
TRR IT % RFT 3' t l fT TfF RRt 3Tkcff TTT ftR -TtR sRT #T % RFT
3 t i Tt^t ttt ■# t f ) f r ^ i Titf f q ^ r r % t r ^ st t t Ft r t t , r
qr t st Ft r r ?ft t r 1t r t T t i g?t 3R t r . . . T F t. . . g ^r ^ ^
Ft TR Tt TR TFt kom,') I ^fTT Ri<gi 1|3T T Ft eft g?t # ^^1 %ft
ItR ? fTTR lt2 ft i f IR Tit TR TFt 3TT#! IT Tit TvR ^ ■grR' TR ^TT
3TRTt Ft, ^F Rt TFt FtcTT! ^ ^ M T t l ^ R 35? ^R T# Rfell^ll ^
=prt?. . . -^ ^ 3?r Rt ^n?n # T it't? w f e ^ t ft ^ tr # t ^ ' ^fT
3TTQ7TT?. . .Rffn TFT TfRT ^ if f^RTt %5CTHTi ®Tt? ^R 3T crll'll 2
T^tfT fTTl RT^FTT «ni T^ft? 3T ^ t 3ftf «ttk ^PdU,! 1TR "g#
M-^ll ^gjflTTi c(14,+»cl % 3TJ?TR 3TKRt -îtrll TTII TiFcft ^ 1% TrtfRTR
îtFfT ^R TR '^ 3 TT FlffM TiWft, rff IT "^t ^tH TTt TJfRT 3TRT t l
. . ,qj?Tt RFt% T f rR ^ T ^ 11 ^R Tt F f t ^
■% % ^ t f 3T%R fFTI 'gf^cT t l T il 1% g ^ Rt 'CRT! Ft cFT flT t ,
eft ^#t 3TRRR ^rt-'g T T t i t TR fTf R5T i t I 35 ^ c ft ^TT f it
t l 3FTt3t Rt 35t R5 Tf t l. . . fR eftT f3FTT 'QTT t '^>^5 RFTt T7t i t 'SFTT
RFT ^ %Q'I T it itTT t l ^ IT RFTt 3R Tv^RTR T?t 41cl TR <2(HI <3ld
t eft Titf ^ 5 T it T>ini RfTR ^t5 RFTt TT RFT ffT T fl d d i TTTT t l
T l TfeT fTl^ i t TRT Tft t , ^ f TR^ T?f Tit. . .T?]3Tf TT O.'HI '^Rf’T itcTT
TFt I ITT ^! ^f TTT TT g rt i t TR ^T TTt T it ? fRR Rt T?l^ t % T g ^
TT ^FR ?tM t l Rg^T TT T^T eft 5T^ t , Rl%T fTTTT TT "5FR T ltl ITT
■% fTT®T RTT RT % f^TTT ^fT T^tf T i t TT 'TtTT fTRTfR^? TTf T^Tt %
fTTTT-^FR ^ Tit TTT RTR t l ^ 3TTT RT^ %Rt Hl-SI, ■3TT9TT 3ftf
■RTTT t l 7TTTT R^ ^ ^ ^ lt^ it ! TTT ^fTT '?J7T t , %fTT 3TRTT t l
$ %M I ai 2t3 S | al f * J f l > ? i i i M af
% 3 __
fl ^ ft ^ ±p
* # 2 %
1 1 * 8 .4 j,#
« f t * * 4 *31
± ±t> .2
AHill
a
§ A g | S i , I , J * _
& 4 ^}' i i 5H - *fc J I
&
i i
a ^ oit* (V g 5|
^
-U 4 . 3 31, 5
■v)
a
ft £ i 111
»5
• ■ _Lp
j» t j i i
u
I = U * * i I * J 3 3 *31 i | i a * * 2 S ; a a j * ^ $ |
'£
ii .* s. ft I a I I a a I a « i * 4 k a i * I a % a - a I a 1 1 * * f I a- 3
290 / fatrar
f^FTtr, f iid - ts k l 3TRI tjff ^ Fem, edldd t[tr f

. . .% . . ^ n 5[3it, -^n ti
n eifrft ^rt ^F’ft ^ cF’ft qcll ^ Ft TTC7TTI fi^T ffT cRF fe q i
fT^pft? f t s ^ *ft, ^TFT ^ 3 Hl^ciid ^TT 2 1133? f^ T I. . .»Pft
* l M l ’W ^Js5 ’ft Ft, ^flFf f o f t t ^ t 'CRTT eRRT ^T#f •îfFÎ ^W t
cbs?JFl—’ER f t Pflchlel ^ tl ’W TR! <+il<ll d fe -l '*<■-1 TIcrft ’TT’ft
Ft % cR t l ^ %TT T<T T # t =RT? Tlfc! 3 f W lf a d Ftenft, % ^
3T^RT "^T^t FtrTT, eft7! '^Jff t H[ * J ^ ff, ^ 3T%eTf 3Tfc F f cRF f t «l«lk Ft 'J ll^ 'il ,
dP^H 'SR ^ it 4<1 f^FcTT 'IFt Ffrftl ?f! 3TRTpH f t ^<\l Ft2 clld Pi^lH 3ftf
M F ^ ^ 5 # % T lf 3 ’ft 3 ^F f # ^ \ l 3T5tfT--q^tfr 3 , ^TEtFCt 3
^ '1 1% ®iR>h 2 f^ n f°fnn ?ft 3-1 ^ ft yRi^di - i^ Ft TrQjft,
^ F t TJ=F f^RTT 3H ^ t # fT tl ^ F R f f fs fc f 3 W l ’k l ?cTTR w t
?ft afk STRt ^Tfqft sft 3 ^ % frTRRT i f 5 M TTTft 3 F f ^ t 7R7T ^R%
%ft *ftl f^FR t ^ t "3^Ft2 31m l ^ f t dl-S f^TT eft 'J1I5 3TT^ tfR et ^>7
fTRt *IR 2 13!^ «ftl 3H TR ^ ^ TR ^ ftt FT*T W ^R 3 F f t ^FT «TT,
'T f^T ! ^ F ^ ’ft W f ^cX^TI 3TFt ^ ’ft <p ^ t ^TFf Tnîm ’ ^ cp^r
reel'll «ftl ^ 3R “gF ^ ^TT ^T ' f t HFt Pl=hl<rl'l I
TTf^ % 'IW »)H ^Tcft ffft fR fT ^ -TFt 3TRft I ? lftf ^ t
fcRI ^ ^ 3^TT ^ ^ ^ xff% ^ Tfjf
^)T, 3TCR ^ 'H'MH ^ H<«+ ’fsfTTJ? h j I*-HI ^TT ^31 ^3TT t , f f r f ^ f^ f
1h<tIj ii! s t ^ l ^ ft HK'l ^Tcft HJl4-Hl ^ft! cRfT-clffT Wf., oêfhF §ldH %
^ ^ ft Hldn eft 'TfSR! Bf? ’ H'MH ^ ' ^ ' l l *16l ? T t ’TT’ft ’Jf ITT ^ t lldcti
cRT T R ':TFt ^cff 3ftf FT TlrT 3 1 ^ ^ ^ f t l d dl t , 3fT % Rrl <4, 'i<=h
"ÎFt Ft7!!? ^3 t l ^ t "5fl XR 'JffTI "TFt t l ^ 5Tl2 % 'feTJ, ^fTT
■^F^ t l 3T*ft ^ 'T F - ^ - l % % Rriy, d 'li t l ^FRTR ^ft
TJffn FtcTT rft ^ 1 p i'll, ^ fftT ^F ^ Ft 3 f! ffl2 % %
fefir ^ft^FT ^ !R ^TfcH? f R ^ 3 t l ^T :Rlep ^ eft ^TI fft ^ f t
Tftei, '^ fi aftr fff t f f t ^ % T if ^ w t t pt c t i ? ^ dd=h 33?ft t
1% ^ Ft T1F2 ^ Ft tzTR '*><.'■1 qicrl. "55! ^ pH'-id =h<<^ rll4 ^ ^fF
^F ‘ el'll 'jWHl t l ’ dl-sl HcbS 3!xpf| 3fff q id Ft^
eft f^n R I 3T^T FfcH! ^ft^ *ft ^ 1%flt sj'kcl ^ fl «HK ^ ^<9cl I t , eft ^ M,sl
^ftcft cf^> <HC1 ■idcil ^ ! 'TO-'TO ^l<sl ddcll t , *'5^ ’ft! "5^ ’f t i ’ '5?! ^
f^R ^ fl 13[R 'HFt t , «T^T cfte ^ ft ^ 1 ^fc^ll Ft tR
'Jlldn'lt eft et!’! Ft ^ fl? 3 =h<<^> ^ ^ Tic! % RrlU, Ft W t ,
^ "5[1f 2 ^ t 3TTRT ^ \ eft WT Ft7!!? f e f ! W 5 f ft feTSI t
t^T Tf ^ «T^ cRi fR -M ifch XR qS'tidl-^d'+icfl ’ TT’ft % fdU, ^ T f l ^'TRI
■y^t ^TT ^TR t ? '?cRt f llf t 1%i|c|m, t , O.'HI §-^5iy, 3^! TR ^ ’ft F fft?
<5= 15 Cc
ir E ff
^W
%t^
K ^ S’ <£ P 15
- ST
ic IE
&s
'Iff
£ <5= IS If £ r f i r - '" ; t g - II ||p c Iff j | 1P H • j|! g _
I ! { I !* !il| ;| *r
= * r US ^ J
f i ,ff Hff ^ ^
ir ?. i f j ® v
4 ! t p i f p C9
f I f * '
nUuni
' lO § t ? 15 t f
ff ■s||^ ^ ' ^ l i S l
|^|e||I. *?Kl
T$> ho
IUF)' 15
Ifif
*K?\^
P i
,- 1T ._ OJ J_.
I
£
'Jfr ^ 1P ^
™ -^- h = IF
^ 2:
T
u
■pfe * z f | | f i f i f * | J
t | P | !f | i| l
I Iff 15 | . | E-p«E. | I :g f $
6il t
r^.
M
cf
■E
H-d*
-
¥It^
T ^ ip I Iff
Le
(f
'V K? P> > lff f f %i 1 ^
The Journey
Indira Goswami
Dr. Indira Goswami (1942-) better known as M amoni Raisom
Goswami to Assam ese readers, has been a cham pion of the oppressed,
p a rticu la rly w o m en , th ro u g h o u t her c a re e r. B orn in 1942 in a
conservative Brahm an fam ily, Goswami has never stuck to the diktat
of social norm s— w hether in personal life or in the w ay she w rites.
Goswami researched the R am ayana for her Ph.D. from the Institute
of Oriental Philosophy in Vrindavan. She has written 18 novels and
over a 100 short stories. At present she is a Professor in the Department
of M odern Indian Languages and Literature, Delhi University.
M oved by the plight of w idow s, she w rote her first novel,
Chenabar Shrota (The Course of the Chenab) in 1972, and then Nilakanthi
Braja (Blue Throated Braj) in 1976, in which a w idow confronts the
atrocities society heaps upon her. In D ontal H atir Une K how da H ow da,
(The Moth Eaten H ow dah of a Tusker), 1986, the protagonist once
again is a y ou n g B rah m in w idow w ho e x p o se s the co rru p tio n
surrounding her. Tej nru D hulire D hurarita Prshtha. (Pages Splattered
with Blood and Grime) deals with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Goswami
displays great em pathy and com passion in her w ritings, be it the
tough social issues of urban life, the harsh lives of labourers, or the
plight of w idow s in V rindavan and A ssam . She w on the Sahitya
Akademi A w ard in 1982 for her novel M am are Dhnrn Tarival (The
Rusted Sw ord, 1980). H er candid autobiography, A dhalekha D astaveja,
(Unfinished A utobiography), 1988, and its English translation, Life is
No Bargain, have w on critical acclaim in India. In 2001, Goswami
w as honoured with the Jnanpith A w ard.
C ontem porary A ssam ese literature grapples with the problem s
faced by com m on people, and the inequalities of opportunity in the
new social and econom ic environm ent. It show s a concern with the
problems of the middle class, peasants and labourers, and the problem
of m ilitancy in the area. This story, like m any others w ritten by
Gosw am i, is set in Kam rup, Assam , and deals with the problem of
m ilitancy and violence that has plagued this region for m any decades.
M ilitancy form s the backdrop for the hum an dram a and the conflict
of a tense present against an idealized, perfect past. The old m an's
yearning for bygone days, and his w ife's sharp contradictions of his
'm em ories' highlight this. His soulful rendering of a female Vaishnava
poetess' com position contrasted with the harsh treatm ent meted out
This story is taken from The Shadow o f Kamakhya : A Collection o f Stories by

Indira Goswami, Delhi: Rupa and Co., 2001. pp. 1-12.
to his daughter brings into focus the decay of his surroundings, and
times. The m oral, ethical and social upheavals brought about by the
situation are presented deftly, w ith a realistic and poignant touch.
This area falls in the territory of the m ilitants. It is entirely

covered by thick forest. Professor M irajkar and I w ere returning
after a visit to the K aziranga N ational P ark .1 Both of us w ork in
Delhi U niversity in the Departm ent of M odem Indian Languages
and L iterary Stu d ies and had com e to attend a con feren ce
organized by the students of A ssam . W e w ere anxious to reach
Guw ahati before dark. M irajkar was not afraid of w ild anim als,
he said, but he w as definitely afraid of terrorists. O ne of his
best friends had been killed by the extrem ists in Punjab. He
kept asking me, 'H ave you been able to control terrorism in this
beautiful land of y ou rs?' I really did not know w hat to tell him
especially since on our w ay w e crossed quite a few check posts
w here we w ere exam ined and had torches shone on our faces.
I sat in the car, looking out of the window, trying to imagine
m yself back on the verandah of the K aziranga tourist lodge,
listening to the wind rustling the thick clum ps of bijuli bam boo,
as if it w ere m uga silk. I rem em bered the m oon spotlight a huge
owl that sat on a chatyan tree, its head disproportionately large,
like that of a newborn baby. Mirajkar sat worrying about terrorists.
Som eone had told him that terrorists owing allegiance to Babbar
K halsa and the JK L F2 had m anaged to in filtrate the ju n g les of
A ssam to join local groups of extrem ists.
W e w ere speeding along the N ational H ighw ay. On either
side w ere d istant hills. The paddy fields w ere a riot of brilliant
colours, flaunting gold; then they would grow m odest and hide
in Buddhist ochre, or shrink and fold into darkness. Every now
and then M irajkar w ould jum p up, strain ing his ears for the
sound of gunfire. Then h e'd lapse into a reverie again, looking
gloom ily out of the window at the fields or at forests that teemed
w ith cotton, khaira, sisoo, holong pom a, bogi pom a, bokul and
teak trees. Evening w rapped the teak in shreds of silk that the
stip pling sun seem ed to turn m agically into deer skin.
The driver broke the silence. 'Last year, this road was smeared
with blood. There was always crossfire of machine guns, exploding
grenades. Now it's all quiet. No one is seen w ith a gun anymore.
Yes, no guns.' As if a soft carpet covered it all— the blood stains,
the dum ps of arm s and am m unitions, the sm ell of gunpow der.
294 / The Journey
M irajkar said, 'M aybe we can 't see firearm s, but didn 't the
officer of the forest departm ent at K aziranga, Mr. A hm ed, say
that the poachers w ere carrying foreign arm s— 303s, 500 double
b arrels and 470 U S carbines; that som e sm ugglers had been
caught at M ori D iphu; that two poachers w ere shot dead?'
M irajkar had m ade a serious study of firearm s and now started
telling us stories about the First W orld W ar. R am akanta, the
driver, also becam e eloquent with various tales of poachers from
the bord ering areas. He w as a m iddle-aged m an w ith a N epali
cap to protect his bald ing head from the sun. He was sturdy
and short w ith a neck that disappeared into his shirt collar. He
had sm all eyes, like the other B od os3 of the valley, and a thin
m oustache. He w as a good driver; he rarely used the brake or
the clutch.
But m y mind was elsewhere and I did not pay any attention
to the talk of guns and terrorists. I w as w atching the forest flit
past outside the car window. I saw the grand veloe trees draped
in m oss that grew like hair on the legs of long-tailed m onkeys.
There were many different trees, some with wild creepers twining
them selves around trunks of m uga silk. Som e trees looked like
m ajestic ruins dressed in shim m ering gossam er. All around was
m onochrom atic green, ranging from the richly succulent to those
that reminded me of puthi, the tiny fish. Some leaves were round,
like the heavy silver coins w ith Q ueen V ictoria em blazoned on
them . And the birina trees w ere sm othered in w hite blossom s
that looked like clouds flirting w ith the earth.
M irajkar w as still staring out through the w indow . The
sound of gunfire here? No, im possible! Com pared to Delhi, this
was heaven! Delhi, ah, who can live there any more? The bountiful
Yam una of the Afghan and Turk Poets has turned into a stinking
sew er. Sadar Bazar, w ith its teem ing crow ds, is a battlefield.
G ently, alm ost invisibly, the su n 's rays turned m ild, as if
a huge python had shed its glistening skin and w as slipping
aw ay into the darkness.
. . . H rr, hrr, kut, kut, krrr! The car jerk ed to a h alt in front
of a thatched shop by the w ayside. Ram akanta jum ped out of
the car. He opened the bonnet and then cam e to tell us that the
radiator w as leaking and all the w ater in it had evaporated.
N othing else to do but take the car to a garage.
M irajkar and I got down from the car to w alk tow ards two
small dim ly-lit shops that sold tender coconuts and tea. Mirajkar
said, 'It'd have been terrible if the car had broken dow n in the
forest. Look how dark it is alread y .' I nodded in agreem ent,
w hile R am akanta paced up and dow n and in and out of the
sm all roadside shops m aking enquiries about a garage.
A ll of a sudden a scraw ny figure cam e out of a shop a
little further dow n the N ational H ighw ay. He held a kerosene
lam p in his hand and w ore a loose kurta and a dhoti that
stopped at his knee. I cou ld n't m ake out if he w ore slippers. He
cam e up to our car and stopped. He looked old and feeble.
R aisin g the lan tern he said , 'Y ou h ave a b reakd ow n ? The
w orkshop is seven m iles away. W ait, I'll stop a car for you. The
driver can go and fetch a m echanic, w hile you w ill sit in my
shop and have a cup of hot tea— m aybe som e betel-n u ts, too?'
He stood right in the middle of the road swinging his lantern,
his hairknot loose on his shoulders. In the flickering light, he
looked spectral.
M irajkar and I w alked into his shop. O ne hurricane lam p
hung from a bam boo pole. Its chim ney w as cracked and dirty.
U nder a w ooden bench we could see an old stove, som e rusted
tins. O n the m ud w all w as a calend ar w ith the picture of a
w hite w om an sm oking a cigarette.
W e sat on the bench. An old w om an em erged from the
room inside hold ing a lam p. She said, 'T he w hole of today
w ent by as if w e w ere fishing at sea. . . not a soul in sigh t.'
'N o cu stom ers?' I asked, surprised.
She said, 'T h ere are m any shops now on either side of the
road. They know how to attract customers. They even play music!'
She sidled up to me and w hispered. 'T hey sell evil stuff. But we
are B h aktas.4 Even that picture there. My husband and I had a
bitter quarrel w ith our child ren about it.'
She then took a kettle and shuffled out of the room to fetch
w ater for our tea. In the light of her lantern we could see her
torn blou se. She w as w earing a cotton m ekhala and an old
em broid ered ch ad d ar5 stained w ith b etel-ju ice. She cam e back
and lit the stove. Perhaps it had no kerosene and soon a pungent
sm ell filled the room.
I felt bad w hen I saw the old w om an arranging the glasses
and p o u rin g the tea and the m ilk w ith q u iv e rin g h an d s.
'G ran d m a,' I said , 'Is there no one to help you ?'
'M y daughter-in-law used to, m y elder son's wife. He died
during the floods last year, of some unknown disease. We couldn't
296 / The Journey
get any m edicine for him . The doctors have turned dacoits. She
w as pregnant w hen he died and now she has a son. Sh e's very
w eak . . . can 't even stand on her ow n feet!' 'Is there no one
else?'
'I have two sons and a daughter. They used to go to school.
O nce. Ah, things are d ifferent now. The girl fell in love w ith a
sold ier in the Indian arm y w hich had com e here to flush out
the terrorists. The local boys beat her up. S h e's lim ping back
to norm al health. The last seven years have been hell, daughter!
The treacherous river has eaten up our land. N ow there is no
rice to'. . .
The old man returned, still holding on to his lantern. Perhaps
he had been successful in stopping a car and sending the driver
to fetch a m echanic. He called out to his wife from w here he
stood. 'A i, m other of N irm ali, don't bore the guests with your
sad tales. They're tired. Get some tea'. . .
The old w om an got up abruptly on seeing him. She w ent
to him and w hispered , 'M anohar and som e others have seen
him near the railw ay tracks today.'
The old m an froze for a second. Then, 'Last time too, some
people said they'd seen him near the railw ay tracks. D on't listen
to such ru bbish!' he said. 'G o and get the tea for our custom ers.
T h ey're returning from K aziranga and m ust be very tired. Are
there som e b iscu its?'
'B iscu its? A ll the m oney w ent into buying sugar and tea
leaves last w eek.'
M irajkar and I cried out together, 'N o, no d on 't bother.
Even black tea w ill do.'
The old w om an m um bled to h erself as she prepared the
tea, 'G od alone know s how I run this shop. O ver the last seven
years, the river has sw allow ed up so m uch land. That Flood
R elief C om m ittee set up their office by the roadside . . . and
stopped the m ouths of us people w ith a m ere on e hundred
rupees.'
The old m an shouted, 'H old your tongue, you old w om an!'
She continued as if he had not spoken, 'T h is old m an feels
asham ed to touch the feet of those officials, w ho have gobbled
up the m oney sanctioned by the governm ent for flood relief.
Oh! W hat h asn 't happened to this fam ily in the last seven years
and this m an stru ts around, his head stuffed w ith past glories.
So w hat if there w as a Borbarua in the fam ily w ho w ent about

w ith a gold-tipped w alking stick and an um brella w ith a silver
handle, w ho sat on a m agnificent couch . . . so w hat? I prod
him constantly yet can't get him to go see the government officials
. . . and so w e'v e been su ffering for seven years . . . Please tell
the governm ent about our pitiable condition. W hen you . . . '
The old m an looked angrily at her. Turning to us he said,
'P lea se ig n o re h er. She starts b a b b lin g w h en ev er sh e sees
custom ers. She'd rather have tourists go see the w retched flood-
affected people w ho live like anim als than go to K aziran ga.'
He glared at her. 'G o, get the tea, fast. D o n 't forget to add
crushed ginger. If th ere's no ginger, put in one or tw o cassia
leaves.'
It was at that moment that I caught sight of a dotara, hanging
from the w all. I had not noticed it till then because it was behind
the bench on w hich we sat. I w as surprised to see it in the
m idst of other odds and ends like sacks, tins and coconut shells.
The traditional tw o-stringed instrum ent had carvings on it and
looked w ell cared for.
'W ho plays this dotara, d ad a?'
A beatific smile spread on the face of the old man. I couldn't
have im agined a little w hile ago that he could sm ile like that.
He said, 'A ll the people visiting the N am ghars6 on the bank of
the D ipholu7 w ere fam iliar w ith this instrum ent of m ine. Alas,
the river has swallow ed up many of the Nam ghars on its bank—
A rim rah, H olapar, K ohara, M ihim ukh . . . people in all these
places knew m y dotara. W hy, even the people of Behali, beyond
the Brahm aputra, appreciated m y songs.'
The old w om an had finished crushing the ginger. She said
peevishly, 'The old man will now start bragging about the carved
and m irror-stud d ed palanquin . . . The lad has been gone for
tw o m onths now and m ight be w aiting near the railw ay tracks,
hungry and em aciated. This fossil d o esn 't w ant to hear about
that!'
The old m an snarled. 'Shut up, you old hag. Taking aeons
to m ake two cups of tea!'
Professor M irajkar spoke up. 'I'd like to hear you play the
dotara.'
'S u re,' said the old m an as if h e'd been w aiting for such a
request. 'Y our m echanic w ill take som e tim e to com e. A ll these
w ho com e here for tea listen to m y son g s.'
298 / The Journey
'C u stom ers? No on e's com e here for the last m any days,
though so m any cars w ent past.' grum bled his w ife. She turned
to the old m an and said, 'W h ile I give tea to the custom ers, go
to the railw ay tracks w ith the lam p for a look. God know s you
w on 't get up if you sit dow n to gossip and sin g .'
'I'v e heard this story before. Som e m onths back, d id n 't
we hear the sam e ru m our?' The old m an m um bled as he took
the tw o glasses from his w ife and handed them over to us
respectfully. Then he said in a relaxed tone, 'H ave your tea,
please. I'll sing n ow .' Suddenly a young girl entered the room ,
lim ping, she could w alk only w ith the help of a stick. She had
long silky hair. It w as unattended. Seeing her the old couple
shouted, 'W hy have you com e here, you b itch !' We could at
once guess that this w as the girl w ho had an affair w ith the
sold ier from the Indian arm y, w ho had com e to flush out the
m ilitants from this area.
The tea w as excellent. The old m an brought the dotara.
As he started tuning it, he said, 'D id you have a chance to see
tigers in K aziranga? People say there w ere only tw enty tigers
there in 1966. N ow there are about sixty. Rhinos have grow n
in number from three hundred to one thousand and five hundred.
There are som e five hundred elephants too.'
'W e saw some elephants,' I said. 'D o they come here, ever?'
'N ot these days, because of the traffic. Earlier, before the
floods, they w ould descend on our paddy fields and all of us
farm ers w ould w ork together to drive them away. But tigers
do com e. Do you know w hat happened ju st the other day?
D im uiguria M anam a's elephant w as tied to a tree beside a
roadside pond. The elephant is very gentle. W henever he's taken
for a bath in the D ipholu, he plays w ith the boys and girls
there. He w as lying by the pond that day w hen a tiger jum ped
on him and tore aw ay a w hole chunk of flesh from his back'.
'O h G od !' W e cried out in horror. 'A nd then?'
'E lephants are om niscient creatures. Did you know that
our Moamaria8 revolution where the Vaishnavites fought against
the A hom 9 kings started because of an elephant?'
'A n elephant?'
'Y es. A thin and tottering elephant. It happened, during
the tim e of K ing Lakshm inath Singha w ho cam e to the throne
only in his old age. He w as very friendly w ith his m inister,
Kirtinath Borbarua. Tw o friends. Now, am ong the Ahom kings,
Lakshm inath and Gaurinath Singha were the m ost ugly. Opium
eaters, they could barely keep their eyes open. Gaurinath fancied
a fisherw om an w ho lived on the banks of the D ipholu. His
palanquin w ould w ait and w ait outside her place w hile . . . '
'W h at about the elep h an t?' I asked.
'K irtin ath the Borbarua had a tussle w ith the M oam aria
m ah an tas10. There w as this law that said that the m ahantas
m ust m ake a present of elephants to the royal cou rt as tribute
every year. O nce these m ahantas gave an old, sick elephant to
Borbarua. A m ahanta w ent w ith this tottering elephant to the
Borbarua. W hen he saw the rickety old anim al the m inister
w as w ild w ith rage. He cut off the m ahanta lead er's ear.'
The old w om an interrupted him im patiently. 'Lopping off
ears indeed! Old m an, for G od 's sake, take the lamp and have a
look around. The boy m ight be lying som ew here, hit by m ilitary
bullets.'
The old m an continued as if she had not spoken. 'In this
m on th of A gh on , n in e tho u sand M oam aria so ld iers m ade
K irtinath a prisoner w hile he w as on his w ay to Rongpur. And
all because of a deform ed elephant, as I said !'
W e sat there sipping tea and listening to the old man.
Ram akanta dropped in for a w hile, had his tea and left. He
said, 'It'll take at least one and h alf hours to finish the work.
The m echanic has taken the radiator to the w orkshop.'
The old woman approached me. 'O nly a couple of customers
have com e today. D aughter, take one m ore glass of tea each.
T h ere's su gar and tea leaves.'
W e asked for two m ore cups of tea. M eanw hile the old
m an w as tightening the two strings of the dotara. 'I barely
m anaged to save this dotara from the flood. T h ere's no one in
this area w ho can m ake a dotara like this anym ore.'
The old w om an prodded him once more. 'I'll look after the
custom ers. Take the lam p. Go to the railw ay tracks. W ho knows
. . . w ho know s.'
The old m an explained , 'I'v e gone alm ost blind and this
w om an w ants m e to go in the dark looking for the boy. The
other day I fell down near the railway tracks when I went searching
for him and m y knees are still aching and bruised. My chest
hurts too . . . Listen d aughter, we w eren 't alw ays like this. It's
the floods. It's a pity that we have had to take sh elter by the
300 / The Journey
h ig h w ay and w ait for cu sto m ers day a fter day! We w ere

respectable people. W e had two granaries, full of paddy. Even
strangers w ere sure of a m eal w ith scented rice and kaoi fish.
We com e from a Borbarua fam ily who had the pow er to punish
crim inals by crushing their kneecaps. But m y father w as kind-
hearted. If this had been daytim e, I could have taken you to my
house and show n you the cerem onial hat which I have m anaged
to hold on to, his um brella and silver vessel; a decorated couch,
the silver betel-nut holder. But our paddy fields, w hich w ere as
dear to m e as m y own flesh and blood, producing gold and
pearls, are no m ore.'
The old woman was furious. 'W hy are you digging up those
old graves? I'll m yself go to the railw ay tracks to see . . .'
'Sh u t up, old w om an. How m any tim es have we heard
this talk of his com ing back? But nothing! He d id n 't com e back
or show his face to us. These two good people have com e to my
shop today. I must serve them well, m ake them feel com fortable.'
The old m an started to sing a song com posed by P adm apriya11
the Vaishnavee:
This w orld is futile
Like drops of w ater
on a lotus leaf
Fate w ill m ake us
a heap of a s h e s . . .
This life, this youth
is all a fleeting dream . . .
I could see the criss-crossing lines under his eyes. His
teeth w ere m issing, his cheeks sunken, m aking his nose look
longer than it actually w as. He sang as if the songs w ould
never com e to an end. A fter Padm apriya's com position he sang
several other songs com posed by the V aishnava saints. I felt as
if I w as sittin g on the bank of the D ipholu, w atching the m oon
playing in the w aters.
W e listened to his songs for about an hour, punctuated by
his w ife's restlessness. She sat m uttering, 'P eople cam e to say
that he w as seen near the railw ay tracks . . . Even if the lad falls
a prey to arm y bullets, he w on 't care.'
Sud d enly the old m an stopped singing. M irajkar hastily
pulled out som e m oney from the pocket of this coat and placed
it in the b etel-n u t tray in front of the old m an, 'O m other of
N irm ali/ the old m an called out. 'K eep what you charge for the
tea and return the rest.' Tu rning to M irajkar he said, 'W h y did
you give so m uch m oney, m y dear sir. M y songs are an echo of
the songs of the saints. It hurts m e it anyone pays me m oney for
it. N o one und erstand s m y feelings! N o on e!'
The old w om an w as staring at the m oney. She d id n 't touch
it. She d id n 't speak.
At that m om ent, w e heard a b ig bang from outside, as if a
bomb had exploded! W e felt as if we were being thrown violently
to the ground. From the shadow of a tree nearby someone emerged
and w alk ed slo w ly tow ard s the sh op to stan d b e fo re us.
E verything had happened in a fraction of a second and seeing
his face now m y throat w ent su d d en ly dry.
He w as a young boy. A cross his cheek ran a deep gash,
from eye to lip— m ade by a bullet or a sharp knife. There w as
blood and pus in it. The flesh under his lip looked as if it been
ripped open and we could see his teeth in the quavering light.
I went to the old woman and took her hand in mine, gripping
it tightly. W e w ere both shivering. The boy w as w earing black
jean s and a khaki jack et. And w hat w as that in his hand? A
revolver? Even in the smoky light of the kerosene lamp the barrel
shone. The old w om an burst into a h ysterical cry.
'O h m y K anbap, m y son! I told your father a thousand
tim es to bring you from the railw ay track. O h my son, what has
happened to you? W hy are you bleed in g like this?'
Suddenly the boy's eye fell on the girl. Sitting in the corner
and trem bling w ith fear. H e sped like a bu llet tow ards the girl
and grabbing her hair, rained blow s and kicks on her stom ach,
shouting: 'I w ill sm ash your w om b! I w ill kill the bastard child
of that sold ier you are carrying . . . M aking love w ith an Indian
soldier, d irty bitch! Phooh! P hooh!'
He kicked her viciously on the stom ach 'O h m y, O h my!
He w ill kill the g i r l . . . ' The old parents tried to pull aw ay the
enraged youth.
The boy d id n 't even look at his m other. H e stared at the
m oney lying before the old man. He pounced on it like a vulture.
The old m an shouted. 'T h is is not m y m oney, son. G ive it
back to our revered custom ers . . .'
The boy ignored his father's words. He spoke as if to himself.
'T h ose poachers are selling a U S carbine. It's an old gun, but
sturdy. W ith this m oney.'
302 / The Journey
He had com e like a cyclone. He d isappeared as sw iftly,

like a flash of ligh tn in g in a dark, still night. W hile w iping off
the blood running out of the w ounds of the girl, som ething
like a sm ile hovered on the lips of the old m an. I had never
seen such a painfu l sm ile in m y life.
. . . M irajkar and I resum ed our journey towards Guwahati.
N either of us spoke. It w as as if w e w ere traveling through a
dark tunnel, endlessly.
1. Kaziranga A national park located on the banks of

the Brahmaputra and covering 430 sq. km.
It was declared a sanctuary as early as
1940.
2. Babbar Khalsa,
JKLF separatist militant organizations.
3. Bodos One of the tribes in Assam , also known as
the Bodo-Kacharis. The w ord 'Bod' means
Tibetan. They are believed to have resisted
the Ahom invasion in 1228.
4. Bhaktas Inmates of sattara or prayer house.
5. Mekhla chaddar The sarong-type skirt and stole w orn by
wom en in Assam.
6. N am ghars Also known as kirtanghars; literally a house
where congregational prayers are held.
H ere a Vaishnava prayer house.
7. Dipholu A tributary of the Brahm aputra river.
8. M oamaria A militant sect of the Vaishnavas that resisted
the Ahom royalty in the late 18th century.
9. Ahom The branch of the Tai race which settled in
the gave its name to Assam . They entered
India in the 13th century under their leader
Sukepha and gradually extended their rule
westwards down the Brahmaputra valley,
which they dom inated till the early 19th
century.
10. Mahantas A head of the math or religious institution.
12. Padm apriya the
Vaishnavee 17th cen tu ry V aishnava poetess from
Bhavanipur, Assam. She composed devotional
lyrics and is one of the few female poets
of the Vaishnava period.
'ilw iH l w t t ’w t % Trgs 3 aft *mff t i 1942 3
t\. 'ilw in l i p ^ araftpn ^ h P ^ i t i s r t P r f Mmt f # ^trM * T iF k r
'ilw in l ^ 3 ^p m t i ‘ flw u fl ^ t t j r t t^fr mkmR+ st^m Trft^TT 3 fs n i
3N^ 3 o!im ^fa<=ii<0 *h<*>kT ^ t t r t M « r forqri W R if^F
% WM 1 eft 3 m t t^RTTt 3 3 k 1 ^<3^ 3 ^FTT -q^c t^rqil
3^ t e r t ^ 4 3 3 ^rrc; p ; # q f , T=rf%cTT3^f ^ -5 ^ -w fc F T ft t i
% 5«1<^j <; 3flqr d f W w i f'fRmtTSf) ^ d*t>l^ qtq^. -^xnfKf XTRPFT
qr f ^ n «ni sra ^ w *t r t s k ^fl 3
^ t l ^rPErf?T ^T. ‘ llw iH l f^W ^lIR P T % 3TT*JPpF *IR<ftT «rmTtr s k
^rTfBT^T faiTFT 3 sfl^^K WZ qT ^ F fc l t l
? P ^ t <ftwi41 3 3 i w w o n d ^ r a ‘ ^ r a r o m r ’ ( # r r a ^ <f t i k r ) ^
1972 3 y+lRfld ^RFTTI F R ?T5p£a cfft xfrsr ^T 3T3R t l 1976 3 y^blRfld
‘ 41ci<=r)tjl sfsi’ *f hhw gRT f^FTtr jfi 3ir4mi<) ^'t>i««ni «*><dl t l
‘ ^RTra ?TffR Tjan F 3 ^ l’ (1986) <J>WJW 3 'JEfT fa*T*n
3TO-qm w te tr ^ t ^dm i t i *^st m « { f^ «£FTfcr s * * t’ 3 1984
% f*T73 M * f t ^Tf ^T f^TJT t l ‘TOeTI ^ ?IF7T ^T 4>fcHli <PT t t , Slfofjf
^>t ^ S ^ R t PrK'fl ^F>T ?t *TT 3RRT 3 k <îq-i ^ fa«raT3Tf ^>t '<^?Ti ^>T t t ,
'iiw in l 3R ^ 3 f t tt^ % Trfir ( K ^ f d 3 ^ w < ft t i ‘ irr>rt w
cREIM’ (WT ^ ra R , 1980) % fe ir 1982 3 P lfew 3 T ^ if t ^< f^K
fa n i F T ^ K t anciRTm '3?«^f^n§T ^ =pt « k t w ra r
^ 1 ill ^ 3TTriT^8TT 1988 î ^ «ftl ~S\. 'llw iH l ^ cRHT %
s tM s k *?fFa *tra ^ *nqr3 if 3 -p; t i ^ i r f 2001 3 ^
TT»TH ÎHMlcJ ^ WSJT TFTTI
TT^ arf^tRTIT^T -qraT: ^ T H 3TOfH«fl 3THT # T f Tf^HRf ^
w n a ) ' ttstt ^ w it e s k snTsfe graw ui ^ 3 t^? r ^WHHdiaff ^k ft
fe rf^T f ^ "5 QTT^ t l m W flrq iTWTEFf, f e l R 3 k IT ^ T ^ t^ c jf %
^n*T-^n*i ^ ^rraK ^ ^FR^rsTf % -g% ■hihiî<+. fWm ^ri oz^t w i tft
t l W l ■H'=hRrld T^TT ff^TT ‘ IIWIHl ^FRt 3T^J T^T3Tf fR? 3TOH %
=t>m^4 ^ q r % f e r t s k f t ^ ^ ^ t m f f s r ^ ^ ^r r ^tt
^T 5TO ^R?ft t l FT T^TT î 3T R # | k T s k q f t ^ f 3Ttft?T %
^TF “henl 'cTM iiM=ri ^TUB' ^ ^ tl f<«rfl: ÎRcft*? 'iTH'ite

2004, 1JM -HOMI 54-64
304 / TT3? 3rfBR*RuiT«i ^rrsrr
■#3R 3ft Hld+lildl 33T ctnqûj 3cfaH 3ft 'HTToTR £RT f^fif?T 3 M 33
t3)3T 331 t l ^<o 3[I^Rt gRI ^J3t l^ f t 3iT 51011 3Ttf 3cft gRT ^33 *3 K t'
33 3ftsTT f3 ft3 f f l l«is«l'll'jyf qcfnil 3ft '33R3 t l '03’ O T ^W i3 3T3f33t %
3T3t 33 3T33 3}fa ÊRt tlW ^<ft % 3f3 'J^fqSK '3fT h R ^ I 3rtf ^3 3 ^ft fTSIKf
3ft 33IFK 3R ^ t l 3Wf«tf33f SRI f^TT 3 3 ^focjr, HJ3t3 3 ^ ■HIHlf^l=h
3ft 3<3|T fR3?f % fTf*T 3 ^ 3ft?Tci f t "3%3 33T t l
3f3RR h U w -M 3?fc 3' + N l< Jll TF3t3 3W=T 3 cffe f t *tl 1 3 cpgf
^ 3^ ^| <^ff f3?3f3eJM 3 % W t 3 3T3T t3 3 R 3 3 3 3 3 R ^
t 3 ftf 3RRT % ^ i f IRT 3TT3tfT3 3=F fR ^ c R 3 W fteT i f t % fa r* 3RRT
3^ $\ l3 3T % i f t 3 3 I H T p w t 3 f 3 3 3 ft T e 3 t *ftl hUm<*>< 33
3TI3T «n s 4 ' W i t T R 3 tf 3 5 f W l , ^ tf3 R 3TT33T3Tf33f 3 3 1
PlR-qo ^ 3 f t ^RT’TtrT f l ^ t l 3 3 % 33> «(§d t t Tzn t «0*<1 3 ft 3TT3 t f i ^ t
3TR3T3Tf33f ^ W T 3R t33T W I 3 g?T^ 3 R -3 R ^ f t Sf, “ 33T 333 3T3^
^ 7 f 3 f 3t?T 3 3Hld'cbc||< t r 3pft 3 T T W f i t t ? ” ^f TRlfT 3 l t 3T
f i t «ft f3T 3 ^ t 33T T3T3 \ , 33ff3> TR^ ^ f t 3 i | ^3>3t73t 3 f ft3 3 33T
2JT 3?tf TT3 3>f3 % Rnj, IRT^ ^5<l 3 f il-4 3 ft O il'll ^tt 5Teft 3 3 t «ftl
^ 3TR *¥ ^dl ftas<*>l f t '3Tff t^ 3 f t t ®ft, e tfe 'i i t f l TR WRT
cbN lO ll' % 3 4 ^ % # R $ fa^R fIT T i t ^ f a f f f t 3tfT %
^ 3 ^ Ic ft 35t fR fR IFE f i t sftl jjTT }?PT 37T TTgfTRf ^
f i t *ftl ^ 3>t T T ^ft ^ ^ 1 fq W m iR T ’t t R<s( fIT Tt
TZ33 3 f ^HT 2TT 3 ftf t ^ F T fR 3fT% t ( 5 ^ T 5 lf ^ 3 f I T S T T , ^ f T T f e
-T ^rm t?RJ 3iT itcIT t l 'rftfTT3if 3 ft 3TT33J3rf^3t 3?t f^RTT i t f3 I^ TT
fit «rt I f3ifTt ^ 3 fR t 3 > I f^ 3 I *1T f3T 3 T R % T ^f f3TeRTI 3 tlf
T ^ - ^ f t t f % T . %. Ti^T. TTqr.2 ^ T i 341d=h<=ll<0 3RRT % T 7! # ’ '^fT
3TT^ f aHf 3IT' % fs1Ht3 7p t ^ file r 3 3 t l
IR f ^ t 3 RPf 3 f M ^ 31Rt 3 5 f t «tl W f % 3f3^, ^
3TOH 3 f 3 IT f53t «ffl KIR % ftc f 3 R ^ Tjt ^ S R ^f «tl 333TT ^ 3 IW q 3 fft^
3>t ^TR ^ f U 2JTI 3 i l t - 3 ) l t ^ 3 5 f q i y *Tt R<s(d «t, ^ f t 'fe ^ f e t % ^ t ^
TtqH f t 5 % i f 3T 3T^tf 3?t T U I ffRT33)f fe 3 TPTl ^3TIct i t I f I - f I 3 R
1ttfTT3)f "4f37 T R , ■'fl'HI 3 i l t Tfteff "3cl f i t i t I t3Tf 3 1 3 R ft fP R t ^ 13t
TTct, eicilTqi 333?t 3^RT 3 T ^ 3>R 3>t ft3 5 3 ft ^ 3 T If 3 3 f ? 3 fit
fi'ld i, T IT ficT 3T W 'ld ^ s ftf T ^M t ^ 3T3RT, < l l l , tfRJ^, itctt'T TTtRT, T tnt
TttRT, q i'jc i 3Ttf ^ i] s; ih % ^ 5 ^1 fR^TT 3 3 fRT3 i t ^ % qii<ui TftWT t?T3
3 ft M ^ t f ^ I W T t^33T 3 ftf ^ 3 1 T^fTT eRRT ^ fJ fT 3 ^ t 3^T53T ^3TI
'HKtita ^ s ftw i / 305
TFT Ft ^T T cTTF RR-M l' ^fif ^ T IM 3 Mfwftfd W t TFT

Ftl
§i^q< ^ F t "5°Tt eftst, “ [ h ®<^ TTTcrT ^ TTs3> T f^ T^ THt TFtl P^TT
■*TFT ^ f t elW Tf HSfil'i'l^ ■cida) *ff 3Ttr F'?TTft^' T^ % ';5n^ *f I 3 R '*TFT ^llPel
t l 3T^ foTTt % FT«T 3 f^ § e ffl TT3 TFT ^ l ”
^TT^T—'JTTcr Jl d l^ % TTW ^>*5 ^ iFTT «TT—T^T % *T ^ ,
^TT^f-STT^ % ^T , ^T?^ ^>f TF*TI
TTtTT5f^R «ftc^, “ F ^ Ff^TTT T^TT 3TT T t, crt^M 'fcM'U'll ^f
^ T fa^TFT % S T f^ iH t ^ F ^ ^cfRT I F f ®TT % TTT?T
FfsPTTT t 470 $m <t¥t t f ^TTftcT t ? ^ F f t ^TF ^
kTcTPTI ^ clT^FT TTftt fe ’f tf W i ^ *f 3?tT ^t ^ - ^ f t r f ^ -qiT
^t fTZTtl”
TTkra^T ^ W r-3TT 5jf ^ T TTF^T 3T«^PTT f^ T T t , 3?tT 3PT ^ F W T
T ^ R f S 3 TT^t^TcT % F R TfTT T t $\ ^*TT M I " f l^ R I W R 'Rf # R R T
sN f 4' TT?J-^tTf % % ? R T f l t f oTfTTI <H I+W ^ TR ^Ffl 3TT^Tt «TT 3Tk
Ft T t 3PT^ TTT ^ ft TJT^ Tf «1^H % Rm, ■^Hl'rTl 'Sf'Tt HS'l ^ *TTI W
^ c?^ g?r «n, ■qr it ^ t «t t i TOT^ft ^ 'STraff ^ n r to % ^f m t 3 ft s it
1 ^ «ff I WSt % 3RT Wt^t effnf ^ t 3TR3t ^ ft efTF '3TT3>f 3TTTi ssldl *ff I '*j?5
M c^xrl ■'Tcfeftl ^f^TT ^TfcfT »TT ^TFI ^TT eft ^ ' R f - ^ f t t f ^ H l d
^ t TcTT 8TTI
c^R ^TT ^ T ^ F t' 3 ^ «TTI TiteTT-'^T^ ^TT 3 T R f ^ lf ^ jf m
hc^xn ^TFt f^TTI ^ ^TR g ft fe5=BT % ^TFT iTFT-WT 3TMM %
TTT«T i t # ^ M ^T§ TFt Mtl ^ % T f % S'llH^K M ^ t ^ 3 TFt »Tt
^ft ^ cRF '5% c^t ^ ^ T ^ «1'<a<1 ZFf ^Teft ^ ®Vl
TFcft t l w^>K % fs n g ft ^ ij^T ^ F f ^ t 3PT^ (?T^ sftl ^>?5
^ 3TTFTt?TFT o s ^ O ^>t r(TF Tt ^TFT ^ ^ fT=F^t %
r^ d rH rt ^ TF^ t l ^TTf rTT'F FlTTTTcft sft, ^ F f ^ 5 ^ f t , fjRTH ^
^TFt TJ«ft TR jdt ^ f t ^ Ff OTcftl ^ F t'- ^ F t' TTB ^ ^ ^ ^ t HFKUl
f^Rtft*TT W T 'arT^ ^ K t % TTR% f3TT ^ T ^ «fl sffT fsrfnT % % eft
TT1^ i j # ' ^ TTTRtT ^ «i. ^ ^T^T «Traf ^ 3T3W^TT ^ T T t Ft'l
+ < 3T^ q t fe4=hl ^ « ^ 3 T t «fl ^TFT ^TFT *TPT,
TFt, STTn1^ ! f^crTt % yttnqcrl eft ^TFT w f t l Rrerfl ^ 3T^ TF T w m
t? 3TWTH sftT ?TPTTf ^ TTT§f ipJiT ^F T , ^ F 3 R TTT? TJî
^ f^ T ^ e T ':TMT q -iq ^ TF 7FTt t l TT^T «i m k ! eft^T, effal! ?cHt ’ f f s , ^
^7T F fl
306 / w
s n fW - s n fw M , i t f w ’ tt ^ 3 fk t j r ^ ft t w f * r ir f d t
7FTt, *f8 ^?tf 3T5FR s rm t <^-g,crtl ddTWT 3T%tt *t Tsfl TIT i t I
f t . . f t . . ^>3...^>3...% t 3TTqh5i ^n^ft ^5R ^ i t TTT^ ^f TJ^T ^ I h s I ':lTTt
% TTWt % TITO T ^ ftl (HlchW d4=b<*)< ^TIT fT ^ e fl 3?It
^3teT f^TTI f t R 3TT^ 1 ^ ^cTPTT \ TFTI t sftT d^chl TTKT TTpft
it W t l 3 R % tf "3TTT ^Tlt 8TT, fa q n % TTT5t %t feRTt PH'Mi
^ ft f^ P T T ^fTTTI
H k M 'M aftT *t TTTSt Tt 3cTT 3TT*tl ^ IT 'OTt <RI W t '^>*5 ^ftT J chl'l
*ft *Tf PouM ^|TT ^TT <WHl Mtl cfir qvE^T -iiRq<rl 3ftT "3RT T it *ftl
‘TtTwfR 'Mid, “ 3RR ‘ lis t W‘ 101 3 <§TR i t 'STRTt eft i t <>lldll ^ 3 t ,
3T*ft 3 %cRT 3T%T i t TRT t l ”
U ^P d 3 fTR tlcTT t ^ T 3?lT W T R T W t ^ F f f t 3 f t ^ t t % ^
i t TpJcTM îTTt cRTTI
U.'+iHJ.*, «tteT ^ , TTcp ^ TT^7 < £ 5 f# -W T t ^FTT ^TIT 3TFttl
^ i t t cj t «7T fa rr% iiK f 3 f e 2 t % ^ t ^ ft d id i n *tti ^ i ^t?n
cT^tT Mtdt 8TTI * M yR'chd Tt 3TT% ' 5 ^ ' c l^ i t TTf^ 'RT T it *ttl
^TI ^Tlt ^ TTFTt 3TT^ 'cl M *t ^ 5 'TIH TT§T t ^TT W t l ^ 1 ^>R %
3TFFT ^ TT3TTI 3T?% W T eT ^ *t 3Tfc 3TT^ ^ t ?T3rT 3
WT ®TTI ^J5T ^>t 3TtT ^ T TIT «TTI ^ 1 13=P ^ST *TT ^ft w F t
^R T T TIT ®TTI
oTrd'^H 8Tt¥t‘3 5 ^ t ^ T ^ ^ ^ I ^ n , , , ’ TT5t <aTra I t fFTt t ? TTO RteT
^T T33> Scf)N t 1 <*I=t>y. ^[ 3TFT% f e r t t ^5R % t <lqidi ^1 fT fq T " 3 ^
^ IT ^ f t r # %t eTT TT^k TT t l 3TN ^T t ^ ^ fe tr sftT trt T-W T
^ f t ■qtf^rtri ■qR q t fir^T ^ t t t i ”
^ 1 TTS^> % # ^ M N T§5T 8TT sftT 3 m t d ld ^ H IgcTT TIT «TI 3TT%
^Tctt °FT ^5 T "5TT% ^ * t t TR TTW 3TRTT *TTI Tt^pft ^ ^ 1 ^cT—TTT
TIT KITI
HUMcm sflT ^ "STTît JobM ^ ^1 ^RT % T3î ^ t3=F sftT
d ld ^H eT3^ T it «tt F*W=h) t w f t ^ t «tt a ltr T R t «ft i t T it «ttl
d ^ s l ^>t 13^ ^ % lV -1 ir ^ i 'JTPTT T3t^ XTST «TT sftT '5>t5 WT t% ^
*lt «tl ^ ? ^ t ^ R TR T3^ % ^J S T e l^ F TIT «TT f3Rm' TJ=F T^TFHT ^ T
aTTI ^dM IH I fTFTfe i t T it «ttl
I 1! ^ ÎT ^Ftl ^ftcTT ^>t %t3Tt ^ T3,^> nflciT 3TFTtl ^ 1 ^ s t
*tt aftT 3 T ^ IT«T TJcF sftT d ld ^ H «ftl ^ 1 ^ t # , “ TTRT f^T
: TT^T -qfrÎ / 307
7PTT ^ ^ ^ -q^fFR i W 5 T t t f I ^ oqf^T ^<3^ 3

TFT 3TPTTI ”
"^ F tf TIIF ^ ^ F f 3TRT?” ^ 3 TJSTI
“ TP5^> % ^ f t cR’Ti 3 R ^T-TITTt t , ” ^ F ^Wft, “ '3^t TlTF35t
^ 3FRt 3ftT d l ^ l l 3TTefT t l ^FT 7THT ’ft W t l ” f'T’T ^ F 3^ f e i
3TT rR t sftr WTt, “ 3 T R ^ t l F*T meT t l ^TT
err^tr ^ t cfo>T ’ft Tfn ^rirr ^ t F^nt Tt cni^l ^f t s t i [3t t i ”
■ 3^ 3M <^>cicril d d iq l 3ffT % t^TTT xrpfl' ^ ^TFT ^ c f t 7FTtl
3 T ^ t d ld^H Tf^FTt *t' F*T 3^ ^ W T «r)l<M ^1 ^Tf%
% T T ftq n Tjefl * t s ft r 'jT F ft ^ > ^ t t tt ^ t h ^ fit % Pi * i m * t i
% e u ft 3 ^TFTt ofo>T e iW q H ^ T l^ T ^ fa ■Jicni^ ^ t l T ^ fa ôT
?TFR TFT *TTI ^ P d lJ . ^ t o T t T T ^ e f M ?F*T 3 «R ^ 1
g.fe'MI 3 T ^ ^Tne) ^TKTY Tt ^ F f % Pl<ni<rl] ^ t Bfaf Tt ‘5FTT TFt *ftl 'g^t
ST6I5T ^Ft' cTHTI “ 5FRT” 3 PH^MI, “ 3*tT ^ TFf t <3*FTTT FT*T
^ ?”
“ ■^ft «T^, ^ ^ t ^ N t , *tTT FT*T «ldia1 * lt l f 'T S ^ T I M 3TR t
eit % r f t ^ ffa rc t 3 ^ = tttti f * t ^3TFFt ^ t t - ^ ’ ft ^ ti% i
eft 3Tsf ^FJT «R ^ tl ^cT eft ^ f f t < M ^ 2 3 *ftl 3T«f
"3^% s[3TT t l ^ F ^ c T ^H ^ IK t . . .3 T ^ ''t M xR ^ s t ’f t W t t t
TT^c{tl”
“ 3 fk ^ ■=Ttt'?”
“ * ft ^ t ^ 3 lk ^S t t l ^ ';3TFn =Fi^ ^ Rt>yl ^ e T I
SR eft ^ iU ^ c T iTZTT t l ^ ? t 1T f fFTtl ^ ^ft7!
■JM 31ldch0llR i lT ^TT W T 3 ^ 8^1 -q ft % r l ^ T ^ ^T^FT f e l f
^ tl 3R H t ^ t t T tt t . . . ^ T «<dldn, ^ t , f'T w t T M Tlleff ^
W t T R -qciai 3n tb t t l ':R^> ^ T 7F ft t ^ f^ F ^ f tl ':T^t îT =Ft|
«Rkn w t 1 FRRt Tnrt ■smkr ^ r. ^Fft t i 3 ^ eft ?eRT ’ f t ^gT î
f e ..M
^ 5 T 3 R ef^> e ffe 3IFIT s jjl 3 r ^ F T ^ ^ " 3 ^ t eHF c iic ii d f ^

*7TI ÎN< ^ F f t ^ t fcT^T cTR % f ^ ^ i^ q i ^?t ’T3H TFnci TFT *111
^F ^ 5 1 8n, ^ F t Tt '3TT^ 3TTft 'cF ft =Ft Ji'hKl, u 3Tt Pi4<rtl ^ ft 'RT,
UTF^f ^ t 3 m j 5® «Rt <=h^lfH<MI ^TT-yHI=h{ Tlt?TR H ^ T l ^ «T% |TT t l
^5^t ^FT ^ l M
g,Ic"Hi STT^ 31KH I =Ft ^<aqi< ^ "33 l § 5 t ^ 5 3?tr f V T '3TT% Pi=hd
^ T T 'JTTJTTFft, “ tT % T sftT ^ 3 ^ e fW ^ 37R ^ ^ W % W
«TTl”
308 / W3T
STR % firF* eft ^ F ^ T ^ f t ^JeT ^R RRT Ftl tin : ftt^TT, “ 3RRft

«llcl) ft *TeT 3TT3ftl fWoft ^R ftt eft RFt <*)3l *TT 3 f t terfft d l ^ l % HH
f t M t l. . . F # "RTR ^t? ft ch nH 0 11 f t T t t l RRRft *1% F tftl ftt
^ t ^r f t % TTFTl”
“ fs l^ jx i? oft ^ 7 Tt 'HRI ftTTT eft 1 W ^ FRet fttftt 3?tT 'RTR Rft Reft
R ift 3 FFT RRTI''
h U m < M 3?tT f t R^> TIT*T F t f t t R 3 f t , “ R F t, R F t, R ft f ^RFTeT R F t
U^di R ftl % f^T T R t "RTR " R ^ f t t l”
^fe^TT "RFT eft ^RR RR TFt f t t , RT 3TTft^ ^ F f t ^ 3 R * P ftt fRR^R
TFT KIT, “ 'H'MH F t WTrfT t , ft RF ftift êllell l£l fR3c^ -Hlei TTTRt
f t R^t FRTTt TTlft ^h1i FFR ^RTtI RFT TTsRi % fa r lll Rra-TTFR ^le ft ft
3Tqft cFêFTTft ft... RTT, RRT Tit W 1 ftRR F T cftftt RR ftF R ^ RR f^TT l”
^ST facerlM!, “ ^ f e 4!!, <j|«im Rft eri'HH ftftt 1% R ift? ” e^Rri
RR 'J 'r ^ M l R ^ 'TFt s|3RI RF R>FRt RRt, “ ?TT ^<o3> Rft 3Rft> RTR ^ ?Tft
3TTeft t l TRRRT ft TTFR % t^TTJ "ftt ftnT 1RRT RT, 3 f t ft F t 7RT TTftl FFT,
■fftuft flirt ■Hldl f t RRT eft? -TFt ^3TT FRlft TTTR, sftr RF 3TRftt 3TRft R.HMI
ft' g n ft tftnJT RTct ?RT-3RT ^ ^ + d l IftRcTT t l 3FR RftRR f t R ftf R^RT>3TT
(S tF tft TF*R RR H<hI ) 1[3R ftt, fRTTRft « s l RR fftTT ftt^ ft MCI TFRT RT
3TtT jJlft ^T t ^ e T ^ K t ^ T FteTT STI 'JTT ^ft T ^ W R R ^ F T ^R ^T3eTT «TT,
eft ITRT ^TT f3TT?...ft ^ R - ^ R f f t ^Feft TFftt \ , f t f ^ R ^TF t % % ftt
c h ^ ^ k l f t ffteTeTT F t ^ ' . . . 3flT ^ ftt ^3TF f t FM f q i j f t TTTeT TTTcft f t W I
’JITeT T t f . . . ^ T cti<<=h TRoFiR %t «lell$y, 1ftT FRTTt ^TT FRFT Ft TFt t...'3T^
ftt ^ r ftt...”
■
5 5 ^ ft g r f t f t 3TT^ft 3ftr ^3TI 1ft>T F ft TRfttf^TeT =h<et ^ ftteTT,
" 3TR fTTO W T M ^T ^ f t l ^ ftt ‘^TFT TTTF^ 3TTft t , ^ f f t t eRF ^S^STft
WTeft t l ITT^T ^TT ^ ftt ^F ^ftT^ # ftt %t +n1ÎI % ^RFT WZ ft
«R^K ^ cftftt f t fnenqi'i f t ^n ftl f t hci<j>ei ^ a f t ^ ft cRF TFft t l ”
3T«f 3TTft 3Traft sftT >^<=h< ^1T 3ftr 3TT^?T fteTT 13TT ft t w , “ 3cft, w f t
^FT ^t l ^FT f t 3 T ^ ^TeRT ^ ^?RTI 3FR 3 ^ T ^ ^TFf t ftt
ft^FTTeT ^ t T^-TT^ Rftt ^TR ^tl”
Bt^? 3 ftt TFFT ftft IftW ^ R ft e-Mêi êTTTI RT R ^ tl ft eR eW
3 f t W t ft^3 RFTt aft, cfF 3TT f t i f t t ^ *TT f^RT RT FR ftft ft l ^FT,
^ R f t TTHt, 3ftT ftt ^ fe T -ftt f t t f t f t t - f t t f w , 3Ttr 'TTftR^T % #c=n
3 = t ^<aqr< t m t ^ f l ^terft RT W R ft R ^ iT ^ ft % t ^ fttl d ' l l , <s<Hchl
ft^R TH 31^) F t Ftftt t l
’TRcik UlferM : T rit^ / 309
“ ^TT ^tn} Tft TitT «Mldl t , ^KT?"

^ «rf3T % ^FT TT, TF T?T TfT^ Ft fpT^T 3TT TTtl ^TR^ TF$ ^f
TF W R1 *ft T#' TTT TTTnft Tt TF fT TTF gTTTTT TTTTTT t l TTF^ cRTT,
“ fe T ^ T ^ % T3 TT Tt #fT TRTTT4 3TT^ *t, ■# ^ ^TT T^T 3 iRRd
*tl ctfTTT s m ik l % TTt 3TT^ ciz TT T^ T if HIHM ^ 3 %TT Tf ^>*5 ^ khFm Tterft, “ TF ^5T
3TT 'I'Wis'fkK ?ft?ft T5t Hl(rt=bl T>t TfT TI^TTI T>t T^t ^t TFt^ Ft Tt
t l TF ’JOT, ^FTeT T>t T3Tt % TRT T)"Ff FRTTI 5-a^K ^FJTcTTFWTI TT TF
eft "5TT% TTT *f TJdTT Ft TFt TTFTTl”
^ ^ R T 3 ?TT TT l ^ t TTt, “ TT7TRT Wl, ^f%TT! Tt T?T TTT
TTH ^ cj*t TTT^ff cTT T^tl”
tf. TtTTTTR Tta T i, “ ^' < jfrt TtTRT t r t t i ”
“ TTt TFt?” ^51 eft ^Rf TFct Tt Ft ^TTT TTl" 3TTT% fTTTt T?t 3TT^
cpj5 TTT eft ci'Vll Ftl Tt ?ftT TFT TTT Tt^ 3T# t , ^ TtT TT^T TpTT
t l"
“ TTF^t Tft TTT TTT Tt Ft? ftw t T ^ f^ ft 3 TFT TT1 TTt| TTFTT
3TTTT t? TH^' Tct Ft iJTTti " ^feTT TT TSTgTT TTTt *TTl" “ 3 UTF^t'
Tit TTT TTT %ft sT| TJT te! T>t THTt TT ^fT3Tt 3rk t ^ t l d ld il TTT*T ^
^fT3ft| yFTTT TTT t , ^T Tt TT> TR T1^ FTT)^ sftT Tt?T ydT^ ^3 T^ eft ^
Ft TWtftl”
“ ^ TF T>FFft TF^ Tt T^T ^TiT ^1 TTF^ TTT fTTt TTF Tft
3TT?TTF TFt ^ it T tl” ^ T 3TT% FTTf ^ TTT % fSToiKT sftT "3^
3ik <44+ Fî Trfa^ fq; yfd^K trrzni fv r T^t t t t ^ # ^ Tt^n “ a m t w r
#fTTT| 3TTt TiTfTT ^ l”
U.'hUi.'t) T=F ^Tcft, WTSTrft ^f-TTt, TFT 3T T^Ttl TF T5t 'gf^TiFT
^ f t % TTFTt, TcT TT TFt Ttl ^3TT% TM ^Rft ^1 "3^ T^3T Ft ®[5T
3Tk ^feTT 3TT TT fTcrTFt, “ TTt 3TlTt t 3TT TFT, ^TTT?”
FT TTTT TT5 T^ % TF TFt cTsTTt t fTTTTTf TTTeftT TtTT % TT’
# T ^ % TTTT TTTR TcTT TTI ^ TTfTT) ^TT ^TT% STTTTJTl^Tf T7T TTTTTT
TR^ 3TT^ ^1
TTT TTT^ TfeTT «ftl ^ ^ 3TTTT TtcTRl 3TR1 3Tk ^TTT^t TTT
TTTT^ ^ TteTT, “ TTTtTTT ^ 3TTTTTt 7R T?t fTc^? ^ftnt ^T TiFTT t
3 1 0 sTfawsfta
TT^ 1966 3 # F t ?tT »tl 3 R Tfl3 % *R fa t l TT?M fTT’fr # T

T?t 8*1 3T*T TJcfT F*TR W T?t Ft ^ tl ^ Trt % * R R FT*ft # t l”
“ F^ ^ FT*ft ^ ffcfel ^ ^ ,” ^ ^F T , “ 'FIT 3 ^F*1R
■JTFT «lt 3!T ^ t? ”
“ 3 R HFt' 3TTt, iTTfeqT ^FFFt 3TT#-^T# T F # t l ^ 3T# 3
^F ct # 3 F R lt ^TT-T % # # T t ' q t ^ 3 r # ^ 3 T t T F R T r e t^FTTH f*M F T
■ ^ t *rn tf *p ^ i ^ tr 3 ^ q t an ^rm t i a n w t -qcn t , ^ 5 F t Tta
W e t ^ T pTT? R ^ J jf e ^ l R F # ' ^FT FT«ft TT^F f a r # % T*F <TM % # *F Z
TJ=F % 3 ^r*TT ^3TT 87TI ^ F «HpT Ft ^TT^F «TTI ^ cfT# ^ 3
^FciPt % %T^ W*TT ^TctT, ^ F ^FT d s ^ - e i s f o i ^ l Tt <s!<n<ni TFcTTI ^ F 3TT
f^T cITeT % “TRT #3T 1>3TT «TT fa> YR '3TT RT SHC1I Wld R^ll 3ltT <5'H<^>
fnw rt 1FTTT Tt ift^rT ÊpT ^ST J 'b s i # iR U l”
“ t W J F T !” FR R lt «PT % f^ e rT T ^ 3 , “ f<FT *FTT ]|3TT?”
“ FT^ft # T ^ f w i t t -t i a rm rt f r t } r f t ^ t T jta m rfW » n f# %
^ R *t TTrn F t "gtrnT ^TR <Wiql *t 3TFtR TraT3Tt % f<g<rti'+i f^h4!! *JT! RF
RRT FT«ft % RHT^ f [ ]|3TT «TTl”
“ FT«7t?”
“ FT', R=F p - T O I T , ^W M T-TTT FTRtl RF TRT F T F m fW % ^ R #
^ t RTR t l TRT ^ T 87T. #f*FR r f # fTTFTTTR RT «t3T «TTI 3 T # R # t Rt M r IR
RSRTJSTT ^ 3TTR?t ^ F F t R T # sft| ^r1LhI=h ^ 3TFTR TTRTSit' R ^ff#TT«T 3TTT
TftrkTT«T «f^?T F t sKtj'W »tl ^ 3TcFtIT #' ^ t »tl ^ T # R STT# 3 ^ '
^ Ft T p ft TT3 t TT^ *tl ^ftft^T«T ^ t 3TR§ ^ ^STTft^T ^T aft I fT^3TTft^
^ 7 ^ # q ti srcf# 4Mchl ■stft ^rraT 3?k w t ^ f t
^T t% W % ^TFT F ^ T R ^TcTT TFcTT, ^ F ...|”
^Tcrft W ^TT g q i ^3Tf?” ^ ^ 1
“ '+1R?HI^ ®r$^T>3TT ^ ft "RtSTMftqi % TTF^r ^ W T # 8^| 7T5
<+)6cll ÎT 'fe "RF^# ^ t FT T IM TM W K i f FT^ft ^7T^ ^TfFÎ 13^ ^ R
^ R F^# ^ ^S^?3IT ^7t TJ^T ^tH R FT*ft ’fe ^ ^ f^TTI FT«ft d ^ te l^ l TFT
81TI RF# ^ ft ^ F t 3TT ?5t^ sftRR ^T ^RT H ^ t, ^ F «(1<acii :33TI
FT^ft % TU«T 3TPt H6^1 % ^>R ^>TH f ^ - . l ”
^f<SÎ ^ ^TF TTF^T 'IF t ^3TIT ^ F ^ Ft q it , “ ^ "R Iw t?
^ ^RT^PT % 3 1 7 # M lc l i'l d<J|3ft 3ftT ^fT3Tt ^<sft... ^ F t ^ F
^R T fH fcicp ^ t J|1Rrl4t ^ W ^ TTST F t l ”
oqfcta ^ S T q # ^RT ^ r f t TTsfl , 1% 3TT^ gfeJTI ^ t yHT F t ^
F t , “ 3TTFT % ITT R F # 3 ^ F ^ IR R tS TTR lfW # T W f % ^ t ^ t
n
1 b»K % i <
•>h£/ £ 'R? :_
ficfl I f f I« * i1 T
5=
io
«tr
^
'H
15 I * « s - s <s ■*■ E
-z ff -fa
$5 -
'to l° tr ^ ll& -JtlC/
*5 ^FIf
ff f i t 1 1 6
&
el«f* -*
H If
v
ff - ^ - M
IE?
f f
le
"fS
%
MJ* Hr-
I*
ft 7 H T I Iff | eg:
1* ihi:
i ji f ' 15 * - I £ | *£ i g ^
IS
IE ■ “
jp 1^ O•
E^ i £ ^
P
e
e s Iff
? •si *(5
! | | t 1 5 #
& & | l| l-i I S K w S i l ? * *
I f >p
p If B-*|l? <1G 5; £ ;t^ ^ E rC:'C
ff 55
&
:=
£
?7> Rj
£ i-F i w
til* lbt ill l = *!*•! -slio . 1 1 -i t e . *
i ill ;^|||i!
^ ^ W tr
Sg
’*t* z I 'jE
III ✓ ‘TV' 'Ato '"H^ I %
312 / -qra
^ oqfar ^ s r t ^ f i k r ^ th t ^ f t f ^ u *ni ■q^rfsFTT7 ^ r a t

SRT TfeT *TT :
“ W TRTR f*FTTt ^FRT ^FT
Tfi^ff % ^d^d l ^>t cRF t
^ft cbHd % Wt TR pKd t
UR3*} fch<nl ^)T TftU I Wt WtecTT
<5F ■H’sf't)! TRsf ^T 'ST ^T I t^TT t...
W >»il<=H, W 'Jiqi’f l ,
T R TTtR % ■H-HI*1 t ^ft ^tcT 'J ll^ 'lI"
TJ?t d m f t 3TR3t % ^fNt 3Trst-Rl<wl {<314, I f far§ TFt *ff| 3TT%
t f® TTFR *tl W 3TT#T ? # p ; 5^ fs n ro W t ^TFF 3fR W ^ft fa ®
TFt aft I W 3Mq<a T ^ Tf "nkt -sn - ^ j «jj| jflcfl ^ T 3T^T F t H *TTI
H'vHpy^l ^ ft T^TT3Tf % IJTT^ ^ 5 ^ T k (W iq TF^ft % fftn 7TTÎ g f t WTT
"^Tt fa> ^ fa^Fc^ % f'fc'IK ^ 3 fk ''TRt Tt 3T3TltfaPTT ^T<7 Wt
TFt t l
oTfT^FT TJî ?W TTT^ îT W «hl4shH -qcidl TFT I Tf
T rre ft ^ ^41 ^Hcfti ^ r ^ F t t * f t t j z « rt,“ # fi y i ^ { w f 3tt^
f a W Tef ^>t 'Ttkt % TTTT t. .. "STf ^TF fM l % d l'l Jflfcl-Ml Tf «<rtdl
i , FT ^R ^ 3RTT W f FklT...”
M«t>!<<<*) ^ «rfac[ ^t j imi ^ r Rîi I HkM°h< ^ '>i<r<0 Tf 3 7 ^
^t ^ Tt ^Tt P l'h ld 3 rk ^ t ^3TT% TTRT^ ^PSt ^Hl<l ^Tcft *TTcTt 3 TT3
fa^TTI
“ s k f a k # ^ t fTT!” ^ ^Tfa?T 3 *ft£ ^ k 3 ^FFT, “ FTCf ^ ^PT %
'5FiT2 cTt s lk «H<tO !r% ^FRT =FT ^ t l " faiT Hl<N«b,l ^ t cRTF
■^tcTT, “ 377^ ?cT^ ^ oRTt T î, f^ T ? Tft?T eft TRTt % "ntcft °F)t Tpl tfT
t l 3RR dd<+ <+>l| ^RT rft d'hdl'+i ttc ft t l 'h H ^ t ’ Hiq-ll H tt
^ H ^ d l, ^ t f W t l ”
®[f^TF ^ f t ^ t ÎT TFt aftl ^ T R ^3TT cT^ -Ttt, *T F t
<J%S q ld l I
Ic R t t r ^ tf t fcwichi ■g:rrf TT5Ti ^ far ^ r w r
t t l F1^ eRTT fa r FR 33T=FT >j |41h ’TT 'tT^> fa ^ ^ t t l TTRT F t %
■^ft 3TT? ^ ^ ^ f t | o^lfarT 3T3TJ ^3TT s fk f t R ^3TT 5=hH ^ F ^ k TTRH 3TT
T35T f3TTI TT®f ^ 5 &1UIRI ^ 'gaTT *TTI dTT^ ^TT TTcTT TJ^ TFTTI
W T33> W T cTSîT *TTI <J«I+ TIT5T ^TT TJoF 'tTFTT ^TR *TT—3Tra ^
^ fa T F fe ^ 1 W T ^TRR 7fM t cFTt *ft, i(T ^5T ^ T ^ ^ aTW ^FRT far^TT *TTI
VHdk ■HlPerM : / 313
^r 3 t ^ t f a r tft «ni 3 t t % Ftet' % ^ ^ t w s r r t^§ ? n *t t ,

dld^H %t w i i Ttwft 3 3tt% TO Tt *ti
■^f 3TT ^fe*TT % Ft ^Fftl 3TRH FTC 3 R ^ FT*T 3 ^ f^PTT
3Tfa 3Tt w k *TTT fcRTI F T ^ f t ^TT TFt *ffl ds=ni ^TMl aft^T 3?tT
Ol^hl ^=fid T F ^ *TTI TT 3TT% FT^f ^ ^ 5 *HI ftqR qT ? ^FT Xl^lHl TITTT rft
^Ft' «ft, fTR T t R<=ll<rc|{ g F t ^ 3 TFT «fTI ^fe^TT T R # ’ ^ ft cTTF f ^ T T ^
e rrt, “ art ^ rft y F R w t ^ ft Tit ^ it ^ f t ^T^ft 3Tt ^ a t , ^ f
T3Tt % 'RTTT F tn i 3TT 37T! W *>3TT rjft? fTT <TTF T^T ^ f t ^ F
TFT t ? ” 3TR7T ? rftr 3 R ^Tt rTTF TFT *TT affc ^ fTTR) TFt «ftl
^qin^qi cTs% =Ft -RfT 3TT cTs^fl TT T S t ^ft ^ ^tcft T T % TT^
^>TT TFt sftl ^ F 7ft^ft ^>t cTTF 3TT TT 33TI 3TT^ 3Tt "^TcTt Tt T^vS firR I 3?tT
3TT% ^ Z TT ^TTTT^ WTT, “ ^ : t f t STT ^ ^ "RcfNT ^RT ^TTI W
*¥ 3TT '+))41 % t^TTT FTTTt f t r ^ t ^ it TTRrT TFt F t, 3Tt T t <3cH °FT 'ÎTTI...3Tt
•rj^t ^J^RT, TRT TTCftT tTRTFt 3 ^ T T ^ R t F t! *& ..*£ ..!" a fa cJF 3TT%
'fe TT 3 R qTTTT TFT «TTI
qfRTITI 3TRH T*R frfsP T ^JT cRT ^ ^ ^TFT t^R^T T5T «TTI
“ a tf^ T R ^ T T F c ft^ T R F t ^RfTTl” ^Rt 3 ^ ^ 3 1 ^ fq;
3*R7 ^Tt ^ ^rT^ ^ t *ir*m ^ftl
^q = h ^ 3TcFTt ■RT-sTR ^ f t ?TTr F> ^ O T ?R ) -TFtl f t R "5 T R ft -1^< S R ^t
^ R % TTR^ ^ ^TTt ^ t 3TtT T R t 3ftT ^ F "3 ^ 1TT TRTTTRT <rtH«hll
^5T f^ rT R T , ^ ^TFf t , ^ ! 3 ^ TTTF^t % t l F F c^ST
^tl”
•^qqi ^ ^ R ^ t ^RT TR =hl| *^TR -TFt f^^TT I W 3R ^ ^ =ti6 TFT
*?t , “ m n < cfnr t r t 3TRtt^ft =t)K«ii5'i i t t i grpft rft ^ f ^t^ t t , xit
t TT^cTI ?TT ^ ^ ^ :... ”
■pTR F ^ ■HHIRr ^ i T^ ^ «ftdl, “ 3TR STTTTPTt ^ 3>» 3Tk T^Th ^
TR^ t eft e i l ^ , f=Rnf^R I W W ^TFt t l ”
F T R g 5 - ^ TR) ^TTt 3Ttr ^ 3 ^ W tl
qF 3T^*T5 ^Fft rfTF 3TRT 3Ttr 3T^%T5 ^ ft n<6 F t 'flH ^?t ^3fTI ^TT
^ r a t , sff^RTft TR ^1 M^RH T O F tl
^ % F t 3 t TIT 3 R TRT 3RHT ^ t ■ g r^T IF 2 -T T t fP Tt «ftl 3 R ^
^ ^ TF^ ^ t %Tt ■gT^TTFZ ^TFt ^7§t sftl
■RtTRRR 3Tk ^ 3 R ‘^ T F R t ^ f t 3TtT ^ T t « tl F T ^ ^ % t^ ^ 1
sftcTTI ^RT 1% F T SRTFl^T, sff^R T T t ^ IpT T T t F t l
i. <1^1'M?SIFT aft ^ % faHl} 3RW TF3^T ft’
tl
2. «fktc a w « i ,
%. ^Ti Tji(chd=)l<0 311d+cll'O #T^TI
3. '=Tra^n: ^rtft^rc, t^Tq h ^mh T^-mT ^T *TcRI
4. 3#H afrfcf % TJî W i aft 3TfR ft IT?
afk pT <N<) ^TTT f^TTI ft FT ^TT? ftf
ftg?5j ft ftrgftf wrsft 3tttt 3ftr d^R 'srem:
3t w t i^ t s f V 3Ttr wgrp 'Errst cw ^ t
frprn dH)y41 ?iai«{i <T3T ^h + i q-4*q t ? ti
5. H6î h pt o gferari
6. TTt3HIMlR-MI «rt Tjcf? u h k i -4
7. 17ftt' *Kt ^ tiSiTq ^Tqfeft ^ $ m t ^ , 3T5TIT ft
ft^T i f 8ft I
Kalahandi
J.P. Das
J. P. Das (1936-) is a well-know n O riya poet, playw right, fiction
w riter and art historian w ho w rites in Oriya and English. He w as a
m em ber of the Indian A dm inistrative Service until he decided to
devote himself to full-tim e research and w riting. Das lives and works
in New Delhi.
Das's first collection of poem s Pratham a Purusha (The First Person,
1971), w as in O riya; this has been follow ed by m ore than eight
collections of verse in Oriya and English, prom inent am ong which
are Love is a Season (1978), T im escapes (1980), D iu rn al R ites (1994),
L onelin ess: P oem s o f L on gin g an d D espair (2001) and D ark Tim es (2005).
His poem s talk about love and loneliness and exp lore existential
themes of mortality and despair. While his early poems are melancholic
and pessim istic, his later poetry celebrates love, life and death in the
past, present and future. An interesting contribution by Das, is A li
M alika (O dds and Ends), a collection of poem s for young readers.
Das has also translated his own poetry and that of others into English.
He has also scripted a num ber of plays; Sundardas (2002) is about
the activities of the first Christian m issionaries in Orissa betw een
1826 and 1832. The play d ram atizes the conflict betw een Christianity
and Hinduism in the context of colonialism and is interesting for its
exploration of the them es of subjugation, belief and identity.
D as's five collections of short stories include The Pukka Sahib
and O ther Stories (2001) and D ear Jester an d O ther S tories (2004). His
stories essentially deal with the complexity of relationships and ordinary
people cau gh t in the v o rtex of ev ery d ay life w ith its h opes and
disappointm ents. The basic conflict in D as's stories is betw een the
illusions that people have about life and their inability to cope with
reality. In his stories Das show s us vignettes of the ethos and m ores
of contem porary Indian society—poverty, untouchablility, d ow ry and
the position of w om en.
Orissa com es alive in all his w riting, as he uses its folk traditions
and religion, and its econom ic, social and political milieu as a location
for his literary expression. By using a skillful blend of Sanskrit and
the local idiom , Das has given to O riya, elasticity and a rhythm that
facilitates the expression of a w ide variety of themes. Das has also
contributed to the understanding of the culture of Orissa by writing
This poem is taken from the collection Dirunal Rites, New Delhi: Sahitya
Akademi, 1994, pp 77-79.
316 / Kalahandi
about its art and architecture. His book on Palm L e a f M in iatu res: The
A rt o f R aghunath P ru sti o f O rissa (1995) is an effort in this direction.
'K alah an d i' w hich appeared in his collection D iurnal R ites, is a
passionate indictment of the social and political apathy that marginalizes
and neglects that segm ent of the population, which is already the
victim of poverty and natural disasters. The plight of the people of
Kalahandi is portrayed in heart-rending im ages that are nightm arish
in their brutality and m ove the read er to pity and terror. The poet
m oves from the p articular to the universal as this location and its
inhabitants becom e a synecdoche for suffering and privation across
the land. The w orst outcom e of decades of m isery is that individuals
are dehum anized as they becom e statistics in governm ent records,
the subject of sem inars and headlines in the national and international
press.
Put aw ay the road m aps now.

To go there,
you do not need
helicopters any m ore;
w herever there is hunger,
there K alah an d i1 is.
The god of rain

turned aw ay his face.
There w as not one green leaf
left on the trees for supper.
The w hole village a graveyard.
C racked ground,
drab river sand.
A ll the plans failed;
the poverty lin e2
receded further.
W herever you look,

there is a K alahandi:
in the sunken eyes
of living skeletons,
in rags w hich do not
cover the frail bodies,
in the utensils
paw ned off for food,
in the crum bling huts
w ith u nthatched roofs,
in the exclu sive prosperity
of h avin g owned
two earthen pots.
K alahandi is there everyw here :

in the gathering of fam ished crow ds
before charity kitchens,
in m arket places
w here child ren are auctioned off,
in the sighs of young girls
sold to brothels,
in the silen t procession
of help less people
leaving their h earth and hom e.
C om e, look at K alahandi closer:

in the crocod ile tears
of false press statem ents,
in the exaggerated statistics
of com puter print-outs,
in the cheap sym pathies
doled out at conferences
and in the false assurances
presented by planners.
K alahandi is very close to us:

in the occasion al contrition
of our souls,
in the u nexpected n agging of conscience,
in the rare repentance
of the inner self
in the n ightm ares
appearing through sound sleep,
318 / Kalahandi
in disease, in hunger,
in helplessness,
in the abject fear
of an im pending bloodshed.
How could w e then w alk
into the celebrated portals
of the tw enty-first century,
leaving K alahandi behind ?
Translated from the Oriya by the poet.
1. Kalahandi : A district in the state of Orissa, that has witnessed

m ore than a century of suffering ever since the
first drought hit in 1865. Since then Kalahandi
has been at the receiving end of a drought with
alarming frequency and has become a metaphor
for hunger and suffering. Sociologists and economists
use the term 'Kalahandi syndrom e' to refer to
any district that needs state intervention in the
form of food and money to com bat the effects
of natural calamities like drought and famine.
2. Poverty line : The level of income defined by the State as
separating the poor from the rest of the population.
The W orld Bank's definition of the poverty line
for underdeveloped countries, like India, is US$
1 /d a y /p e rs o n or US $365 per year. As per this
definition, m ore than 75 per cent of all Indians
are, probably, below the poverty line! As per
the Government of India, poverty line for the
urban areas is Rs. 296 per month and for rural
areas Rs. 276 per month, i.e. people in India who
earn less than Rs. 10 per day are considered
poor. As per GOI, this amount will buy food
equivalent to 2200 calories per day, enough medically,
to prevent death.
w f jw m m w
3 . ''ft. ^RT (1936 ) HI-i+'hK ^STlcfiK afR

^ n -W F ra ^ R t i % ^rr«T a r M 3 fc r a t t i ^ r t i r a h 3 m re fW
3°(T 3 T% tl ^ t 3?R ?fHl cTOT cR^T % TTfcT ^ cRF y^Wd
ti
^rt ^ ra isff ^ w 1w t ■ j r ’ ( 1971 ) 3 -sraiftici iran
8TTI <1^ <S-l4> 31T3 w - W dPs'MI 3fk 3RMt ^ t l ^T*t 'R S T ^ t —
'clcr ®r # 3 R ’ (1978). eifi? ( 1980), (1994),
‘ efaefrftl: Rt^FB 3 W ?#F1 ’ (2001) afR ^ P f ’ (2005)1
^ fe n s ff <f i f s m 1 3*1 3?R 3 ^ d i m i ci? f t w i % s ife w r a
TJT^ 3ft cltrllVI t l •iH'tO ?J^3TRTt cbfadlU, f ^ i ^ R TJ^ pKl^liqi^l t
^ =Ft =hftrlliJ SiFffi, 3TcTtcT 3iR qdH ll 3 ^ftcR, TJcg cf =FT
tRRft t i îoT % fen* ‘ s it # mR'i'hi’ (faf^m t ^ m ) =ft«t w ^ rt
^ r tFert w n îpti w ti tft. ^Ri 3 s m \ ?i*n êR w h i+ kT
=f t 3t M 3 3TJ3R f^ n ji t i 3 ^ r w i ■qs^sn Rt f a # t i
^T=FT ’ (2002) 1826-32 % #S | 3SRlT | ^ l | fR^pRfa
% ^R R' t l ^ TO^F <S4fH^MK % W l 3 f F ^ R % *T«T d<MI*t aprft isrfa % ^ t t ui
*nr ^ra i t i 3 . Tft. ^ r t % ■qra ^ i p f t R n f t fa^rR' w f t Tnf^sr ^
3W (2001) cTOT ‘ fe*R ^ 3RT ^t# 3 T ’ (2004) ÎTfteT t l 3 ^ 1
■ ^ W W ^§qci: ■ ? n îf ^ ff ^Pdddi sfR s m t cr«n % ^ tt «t Ttswrf
^ f^ T t ^ # T f ^ i w i ^Rcft t i f ^ f f t % ^R # rt % w alR w « f
^ Ttra -qr^ ^fft sRTRsfm ^ r t ^ft + s M ^ t ^PiîO ??5 t i ^ra ?^R
^R î ■HH^.icfN w Rt TPrra % d l+ N K 3t R w R r «w>i<T-^Rstfn, a fR ^ra r,
■^t^T IS8?! cT8?T fe p ft «i>t ^?TI îT ^T t l ‘3TT% (rlo i ^ <s-slfll
^kcT Ft 3331 t ^ T % ^ ^ i f dUl<4<l3rt', MTf% 37lfsfe, W i l t a ,
(N H lfd * MK^V'^ ^ft 3PRt H f g l ^ SlfqozrfÎ ^T 3TmR t l '^R^k T 3lR
7TfRT¥R ^ Tft. ^RT ^ 3 f^ q i ^ t 3fR oTO -5RH ^ft
t '3ft «=hK ^ ft ^Fg3ft ^ lt 3Tfqolrf^T ^ t W 3 i ^ i l %l d s lfll ^ t
sftr ^ ^ n w i % ^R Rno=t>< ^ r t ^ fR qfct ^ t ^ft f R f i R
^T? =bf^dl ‘ ^lftH'<*'’ TTOi R w R «'=Kfeit1 t l ^fsr ^ 'qt. ^ra, ■=!? fe r ft: îfwrq 31+KHi,
1993, ''JM M 66-67
320/
41'K m fa^TT t l ‘ 4IMdl4) ^ 3*t2 W T^n«T 3jfeT s ffc

T g re i’ (1995) f t f f am 3 wra tl
‘WHT FT^t’ (1 9 9 4 ) *t. Tft. ^TCT % ‘^T?3R^T TTf^T’ TTUF 3 W<*>fdd W
^FftcU 3*T U IH lfa * 3 k <i«ltlHdl ^ iTTpfer 31T#ERT t 3R W I
% ^R? fs T ^ ^ ^8JI 3 ^ eiRfin, ^ ^TeT f ^ T t Tt? ^ ^ F t <iRsai cTSTT
Hi<j>fd=h 3TTCR[3Tt’ ^>T Rd=tm t l 'K iw iei^l % cfWf ^ q ^^TT pq^l
fq ^ K ^ ^fsraV srcr t ^ n w t # 3 m t stôi 3 «r ^ k I t s k Trra ^ ^ t 1W ^ r t
^ ft t i f¥ ? p e 3 *tF f*k r a k ^rax *rw i -|3tt cfifa ^ ^sTFT-fsrefa 3^k
F-1ÎHh •mi 3Tt ^Tftt ^Hdl % ^ 2 s k St^TM ^tc-T^ c k ft ^T H*?f<? ^TT % tt t l
# *t T O # ^T ^c|ff«W «£T mR«IIH WWft' 'FT SRH^TW | iRtfa 3
*U=blfl <WI«M 3 3Tfspi, H'iirw41' % ^ T 3 k TPefa <TOT $RRTT^k fc r %
<!1'f,=b ^T *T^ t l
HUf^M ^
^FT % feTT
H tf t t f ^ m ?Bt
^TFT *ft 3^FTd t
cf^' t <*>ldl$teV
T* % ^ F %T fc p fl ^FT ^
iF t TF T§1 F t ^Trt
*TRT VH?IR ®R fF n
^ ih Ii tfrZf ^ qTt tcf *ft ^ a t
tt ^ 3T^P?M i|l^j|'iiyi
^ftsOT 'fera^Kft TRTt «1h i < « i
ebldlSki) t *TFT *ft

W g ft F f ^ f f 3
*ra t s r i^ f % ^ t e i f 3
tF % STWTzj ^t*T5T
''Tt % qrf'il ^
^ W\ ^'14 fe Alt' 3 3 V t w * r ti $
ft^st % FTfe^f % ^ c r
W n F T S t t FT "SPTF
■g'TcT '5RF =r>=hidl % ^
'MKdl'M «ifWcM : ^ mR^*! / 321
oTFt % T m t t t t 3 ^ FTS-'STRTTf 3
T ^JeR 3 f ^ t
f^ ll( l 3TriTTt' 3
TTR ^>t ■'TTSl' t?te Tt ekft
■yRpr w r tfm f 3
3 ^ r *ft 3 ^ =bM iî4t ^

^ 3 cicwoiii', ^ l ^ d l ^ m r s T i A
a r f ^ T p f h r w i f % ^ f e w t 3rig3tf 3
^ r r o j^ t W p T ^ 3 R ftq t ^ T T ^ ' 3
TFêR % iT ^ W , TTT^t 3
3?fr #3RT3qf % 3IKf#T 3 f^ eJPKf 3
^neflFTSt F # lic f^ T f-
SfTrqT ^ y m ftc b cTT^TT 3
% 3 T ^ q i^ ^ T 3
3fcT:^TnT % ^ T t T N 3
^cT % ^ iT ^ T Tt
3RTFFim, »£® 3 ^ WfRTTt 3
7^T-73TR ^ 3TTTFT Ô flE R iatf 3
i^F T T R f' Tl^t TPJS TpTT cPF

F*F ^ T ^ 1T ^ TT3ui t
=hl<rll^l^l Tl t ^
1. 'tiidisisl : dslîi TF3*? ^TT T!3> «it T^ ^ STp^ ^ *PT3iT

3t =f m afa *prat) ^ t ?t t i
2. : ^3?IT3Tf % TT5TT, % TqRl, fF^ '5 ^
SFpiR ^FfT % ? R t ^TTRT FWt %TT5TT Ft ^
tl
3. FTSt : 3TT ^Tcff, 3RR ^T«TT *ftsR
FtcU t l
Joothan
Omprakash Valmiki
Omprakash Valmiki (1950-) is a prom inent figure am ong Hindi
Dalit writers. Born at Barla, M uzaffarnagar, UP, Om prakash Valmiki
has a m aster's degree in Arts. He is a forerunner am ong w riters who
laid the foundation for Dalit literature in Hindi. Am ong his m any
published works so far, Joothan, his autobiography has been the focus
of critical appreciation and debate. Valmiki has enriched Hindi literature
with his collections of poems Sadiyon ka Santap (1989) and Bas Bahut ho
Chuka (1997), his short story collection Salam (2000) and G huspathiye,
and his critical work on the aesthetics of Dalit literature— Dalit Sahitya
ka Saundarya Shastra (2001). Valmiki has the image of a writer who
dared to swim against the tide and has also m ade pioneering attem pts
to create an attitude of self-criticism am ong the Dalits.
The caste system is a burning reality of the Indian social system
and has m ade a large num ber of people the victims of inhuman
exploitation and persecution. Dalit writing aims at eradicating social
discrimination and ushering in an egalitarian and dem ocratic society
and Valmiki's writing is a powerful thrust in this direction. He poses
very simple but hard-hitting questions and this spirit of interrogation
imbues all his work. In one of his poems he asks 'w hy is the soul of a
Chuhra or Dom— the lowest of the low in the Hindu caste hierarchy—
not a part of the Brahma (God)'. He says that that he does not know
and asks the readers if they do.
J o o t h a n (1997), besides being the autobiography of an individual,
is also the tragic tale of the comm unity into which the writer is born.
He talks of the m any pressures, internal as well as external, that
initially inhibited the telling of this story. Yet Valmiki fights off all
these pressures and goes ahead with his plan to tell his story. While
establishing the authenticity of his narrative, the writer says 'the pangs
of Dalit writing are irresistible and painfully empirical. These are
experiences that have found no place in any literary genre. W e have
opened our eyes in a social system which is very cruel and inhuman,
insensitive tow ards Dalits. . . '
This extract from Joothan shows how Dalits are reminded of their
lowly social status at every step. It is hard for even close and intimate
relationships to escape the shadow of caste prejudice.
This excerpt is taken from Joothan: A Dalit's Life, translated from the Hindi by
Arun Prabha Mukherjee, Kolkata: Samya (an imprint of Bhatkal and Sen),
2003. pp. 87-99
It w as the evening of 8 Ju ly 1970. I had arrived at the

hostel of the Ordnance Factory Training Institute with my meagre
belongings. The In stitu te's van w as stand ing ou tside K alyan
station. M any others had also com e from Jabalpu r. The hostel
w as at a scenic spot, at the foot of A m bernath hill. A m ong the
ordnance factories, this Institute and its hostel hold a special
place. The technicians trained here are counted am ongst the
best technicians and draftsm en. The evenings w ere lively in
the hostel. A long w ith gym nastics and indoor gam es' facilities,
the hostel also had a sw im m ing pool and a library. I was greatly
excited w hen I saw the library. It w as in this library that I read
Pasternak, Hemingway, Victor Hugo, Pierre Louis, Tolstoy, Pearl
Buck, Turgenev, D ostoyevsky, Stevenson, O scar W ilde, Rom ain
Rolland and Em ile Zola. It w as here that I read the entire works
of R abind ranath Tagore and K alidasa.
There w ere ten students in each room in the hostel. W ith
m e w ere Su d am a P a til (M a h a ra sh tria n , B h u sa v a l), V. K.
Upadhyay (Kanpur), P. C. Mridha (Bengali), K. C. Roy (Bengali),
D ilip K um ar M itra (Bengali), B. K. John (K atni, M .P.), Gaur
M ohan Das (Bengali, C alcutta) and G ulati (Sikh). Sudam a Patil
and I soon becam e fast friends. He w as also a con n oisseu r of
literature. He loved theatre. Every Satu rd ay and Sunday, both
of us w ent to Bom bay to see plays. O nce in a w hile, if there
w as a good show in the m iddle of the w eek, then we had to
sneak out quietly. The hostel w as locked at ten every night.
O ne could get caught w hile scaling dow n the w all. M any a
tim e we got into the hostel through the path by the drain.
O ne day I happened to chance upon the gate key. I w ent
to the factory and cut m yself a spare key. As soon as we had
the spare key, our problem w as solved.
But w e w ere caught one day. The guard used to go to
sleep by m idnight in the veranda of the library. W e w ould
unlock the gate quietly and get in. O nce inside, w e w ould lock
the gate again. That day, the guard happened to be aw ake. He
shouted when he saw us unlocking the gate. The lock had already
opened, and w e w ere inside.
He threatened to com plain to the w arden. I asked him ,
'W h at w ill you com plain about?'
'T h at you cam e in from outside after u nlocking the gate/
he said.
324 / Joothan
I scolded him. 'We did not come from the outside. We were
inside. You had forgotten to lock the gate. Now lock it.'
We began to argue heatedly. The warden, Upadhyay, heard
us, and he too came to the gate. When he saw me, he said
'Maharshi, what are you doing here?'
With great self-assurance, I said, 'Warden Saheb, this guard
forgot to lock the gate. See, the lock is still open. I was trying
to explain this to him but he doesn't agree.'
That day we got away with it somehow. Bur the warden
suspected both of us. We had to put a halt to our activities for
the time being.
Shreeram Lagoo was acting in a play staged at Ambernath's
.Gandhi School. We had managed to get the tickets for the play
after much running around. Shreeram Lagoo's role as nat samrat\
was on everyone's lips. We left the hostel quietly after eating
dinner in the mess. The play started at 9.30 p.m. and it was
already 9.15 p.m. Patil and I were rushing along the road to
the station. Suddenly we saw Upadhyayji coming from the
opposite direction. He had seen us.
'M aharshi, where are you off to at this time?' he said
reprovingly.
We looked at each other's face. Suddenly Patil spoke up.
'Sir, I have a headache. We are going to the station to have
some tea or coffee. We will be back right after drinking a cup.'
'W hy, don't you get tea and coffee in the mess?'
'W e do, sir. But today there wasn't any milk in the mess.
That's why we are going to the station/ Patil improvised.
Upadhyaji said, 'Come with me, I'll get you some coffee.'
He brought us to his home. The tickets for the play were
squirming in our pockets. We couldn't work out how to get
him off our backs.
After seating us in the drawing room, he asked his wife
to make the coffee and sat on the sofa across from us. I looked
at Patil from the corner of my eye. He was smiling.
As soon as Mrs. Upadhyay entered the kitchen, I got up
and said, 'Ammaji, Warden Saheb is bothering you unnecessarily.
I will make the coffee.'
She was pleased to see me. 'Maharshi, you go sit . . . I
will make it.'
I went up to her and whispered. 'Ammaji, both of us were

going to the Gandhi School to see a play. Warden Saheb waylaid
us and brought us here. See, here are the tickets, but he doesn't
know anything.'
Ammaji examined me from head to toe. 'I see. Is it a good
play?'
I said, 'Ammaji, it is very good.'
'Then why don't you go,' she said with a laugh.
'How can we go? Warden Saheb won't give us permission,'
I whispered.
She came into the drawing room. 'Listen, what kind of a
warden are you? Why don't you let the children go and have
some fun? Go, Maharshi, but don't be too late.'
Upadhyayji had not been allowed to put his foot down.
We both ran out and didn't stop until we got to the Gandhi
School. The play had already started. It ended at 1 a.m. The
guard had gone to sleep, leaving the gate unlocked. Sudama
locked the gate, proclaiming, 'Jai Ammaji!'
During those days, we saw Vijay Tendulkar's Marathi plays,
Sakharam B in d er, G idhare, K ham osh! A dalatjari H ai. The Theatre
Unit's H aivadan and A sh a rh ka Ek D in had been enlivened by
the acting of Amrish Puri, Amol Palekar, Sunila Pradhan and
Sulabha Desphande. We also organized a drama group in the
hostel. We started rehearsals. We staged our plays in many
venues in Ambernath.
In the meanwhile, the Ganwai Brothers incident had taken
place in Poona. In a village near Poona, some upper caste people
had blinded the Ganwai brothers, and there was much tension
in the Bombay-Poona area. The Dalit Panthers2 had started their
activities. Making the Ganwai brothers my starting point, I sent
an essay on the problems of Dalits to N avbharat T im es, Bombay,
and they had published it. This essay aroused a lot of controversy.
The government employees who were Shiv Sena supporters
complained against my article to the principal of the Institute,
Shri Desai.
The principal called me to his office and put the copy of
the newspaper in front of me. 'You have written this?' he asked.
'Ji.'
He asked a second time, 'Look carefully. This article is by
you?'
326 / Joothan
'Ji, it is mine/ I owned up.

'You are in a governm ent institution. There could be
disciplinary action against you on the basis of this article.'
I kept quiet. After a while, he spoke again. 'D on't do all
this during training . . . You will be thrown out. Go now. Be
careful in the future.' He had let me go after giving this oral
warning. But the behaviour of some of the students changed
towards me after the publication of the article. Because I had
shown empathy towards the Dalits, they had begun to research
my 'caste'. To show sympathy to Dalits was a crime in their
eyes.
Sudama Patil translated Acharya A tre's M arathi play,
M a ru ch i M avshi. I was given the lead role in it. After the first
performance of the play, the people of Ambernath began to
recognize me as an actor. Instead of calling me Omprakash
Valmiki, they would call me by the character's name. I was
beginning to feel a stirring inside me. While working on Atre's
play, I became acquainted with Ambernath's Marathi theatre
personality, Kulkarni. We soon became close friends. I got the
opportunity to work with several well-known directors.
While I was groping to work out a path for myself, Pitaji's
letters repeated the same message; I am anxious about your
marriage. I used to send a fixed sum to Pitaji every month out
of my stipend. After paying my mess dues, I had very little
left for out of pocket expenses. We got theatre tickets at student
rates, and we had learnt ways to travel ticketless on trains. We
had devised many formulas to trick the ticket checkers of Dadar,
V.T. and Churchgate. We toured around Bombay without
spending much money.
It was during these days that I was introduced to Marathi
Dalit literature. Dalit writings were changing the face of Marathi
literature. The words of Daya Pawar, Namdev Dhasal, Raja
Dhale, Gangadhar Pantavane, Baburao Bagul, Keshav Meshram,
Narayan Surve, Vaman Nimbalkar and Yashwant Manohar were
igniting sparks in my veins. Their voices exhilarated me, filled
me with new energy. My reading of Dalit literature was beginning
to change my notions about what is literature. Sudama Patil
was my helper and guide in this quest. My knowledge of Marathi
was gradually increasing.
Govind Maurya arrived from Jabalpur in the next batch
of students who were accepted at the Institute. Now we were
a threesome. The three of us together combed through all the

bookstores in Bombay that carried Hindi books. I had become
friends with the owner of Hindi Granth Ratnakar. We went to
Hindi Granth Ratnakar at least once a month.
Vijay Shankar, Narendra Gogia, Amit Aggarwal and Rajesh
Vajpai had also joined our group. Along with the technical
education of our training, this new world of literature was filling
us with a new consciousness. We experienced the bitter and
insurmountable realities of life even during the fun-filled days
of hostel life. Our classmates ran off to the cinema and picnics
as soon as the classes were over. We spent long hours debating
life's serious problem s. We joined all those activities that
accelerated social transformation. Often Vijay Shankar would
say, 'Hey, fellows, you don't seem to have ever been young.'
Youth had a different connotation in the hostel, and we
did not fit into it because useless things like literature had
deranged our brains.
Patil had a friend named Ramesh who was also from
Bhusaval. He had introduced us to Kulkarni. Vinayak Sadashiv
Kulkarni lived in a flat in the colony. He was at the centre of
all cultural activities that took place in and around Ambernath.
We had become close after only a couple of meetings. Often
we would go to his flat in the evening. Kulkarni was fond of
eating meat and fish. It was impossible for him to cook it in
his own kitchen, and he would therefore often come to the
m ess to eat the m eat cooked for Sunday lunch. He was
considerably older than us. His younger daughter, Savita, who
was a college student, was the same age as I.
Because Kulkarni ate at our mess every Sunday, Patil's
and my mess bills went up. I had to send money to Pitaji out
of my stipend. Patil's financial situation was quite similar to
mine. Although he was slightly better off than I, he had two
younger brothers studying in college and he needed to support
them. Both of us lived quite frugally, and yet we were always
scrounging. I was also short of clothes. Kulkarni's meals in
our mess every Sunday were a drastic blow to our finances.
Sudama Patil bemoaned one day, 'This Brahmin invites himself
every Sunday!'
We spent our evenings at Kulkarni's house but we always
ate dinner at the mess.
328 / Joothan
Sudama Patil believed in prayer and fasting. He went

regularly to the temple. Ambemath has a beautiful ancient temple
of the god Shiva. Patil would go to this temple twice a week. I
had no interest in religion. Ambedkar and Marxist literature
had changed my consciousness. I would go with Patil up to
the temple and sit on the culvert's ledge. The temple complex
and its quiet surroundings were pleasant.
Often Mrs. Kulkarni came to the temple with Savita. Many
a time we came upon them in the temple complex. Once day
Savita came and sat beside me on the ledge. Mrs. Kulkarni
had gone inside the temple. 'Why don't you go inside the temple?'
Savita asked in a light tone.
'I have no faith in these stone idols.' I replied frankly.
She was sitting very close to me, and I felt a strange
sensation. She insisted, 'Come on, let us go in the temple. Sudama
Dada is in there too.'
'Yes, Patil is inside. You go in as well. I am fine here', I
tried to stall her. She became very quiet. After some time, she
asked, 'Why are you so quiet all the time?'
'I like listening,' I replied jovially. She burst out laughing.
Her laughter was like the tinkle of temple bells. All of a sudden,
she asked, 'Do you see films?'
'Yes . . . sometimes.'
'W ill you come with me to a film ?' she asked, wrapping
her arm around mine. I replied in a noncommital way that I
would let her know after asking Sudama Patil.
Savita became upset, 'Why? Can't we go by ourselves?'
That day I had heard a waterfall's gurgling somewhere in my
heart. I was a reserved person and my family's conservative
values ruled me. I had not even dreamt of a romantic relationship
with a girl like her because there were so many barriers between
us to hold me back. There had been many such small incidents
that signalled to me that she was attracted to me. She had started
to visit us in the hostel as well. Sudama forbade her from coming
to the hostel. Sometimes he even scolded her. But Sudama's
prohibitions made no difference to her. She would go around
looking into my books when she came to our room. Sometimes
she would pick up the books scattered around the room and
arrange them neatly. She did not care for the mess food, being
a vegetarian.
A day before the Deepavali festival, on chaturdashi3, Mrs.

Kulkarni invited me to their home. That, too, at four in the
morning. When I asked Patil about it, he had burst out laughing.
I had not understood the reason for his laughter and when I
demanded an explanation, he said, 'Enjoy yourself. Mrs. Kulkarni
is going to bathe and massage you with fragrant oils.'
'W hat?' I asked, utterly surprised.
P atil told me about the traditions of M aharashtrian
Brahmins. The women of the family massage and bathe the
male family members in the sacred morning hour on chaturdashi.
I asked him if he was also going. He said that they hadn't invited
him.
I slept fitfully that night. On the one hand, I had to get
there by 4 a.m., on the other, I had an argument raging inside
me. The Kulkarnis' overtures were attractive to me and, yet, I
was hesitant due to my family circumstances.
Three low stools had been placed in their veranda. Kulkarni,
Ajay and I sat down on the stools. My mind kept remembering
the stifling atmosphere of my village. Mrs. Kulkarni massaged
the three of us with a fragrant herbal paste and oil. The oil
had a wonderful smell. I had wrapped a towel on top of my
underwear. Mrs. Kulkarni told me to put away the towel. I
said I felt awkward. Mrs. Kulkarni snatched the towel away
from me. She said, 'You are like my son, Ajay. Why should
you feel awkward?' At that moment my heart had filled with
emotion. Unbeknownst, I remembered Ma, who had been ill
for some time.
The soft, maternal touch of Mrs. Kulkarni's hand reminded
me of the touch of M a's calloused hands. Sitting by my pillow,
when Ma ran her fingers through my hair, I would drop off to
sleep peacefully.
Mrs. Kulkarni bathed me in hot water in the bathroom. I
was besieged by a fear: what would happen if these people
found out that I was born in the untouchable Chuhra caste?
The blinding of the Ganwai brothers near Poona was in
the news. The Dalits of Bombay-Poona area had risen up in a
powerful protest.
The Kulkarni family had given me unstinting affection.
They never made me feel like an outsider. But Savita's attraction
330 / Joothan
towards me was making me fearful. I felt unsettled whenever I

met her. The closer Savita tried to come, the faster I ran.
One day, I met Professor Kamble at the Kulkarnis' place.
Kulkarni and Kamble were deep in conversation about Marathi
plays. Patil and I were listening to them quietly. Mrs. Kulkarni
came in with the tea. While drinking my tea, I noticed Kamble's
cup. It was different from the cups offered to the rest of us. I
asked Sudama Patil who nudged me to be quiet. On our way
back, I asked him again. At first he tried to be evasive, but
finally he said, 'Maharashtrian Brahmins, that too, from Poona,
they don't allow Mahars to touch their dishes. That's why their
dishes are kept separate. Mrs. Kulkarni had come to take the
used cups of everybody else, but Kulkarni had taken Kamble's
cup inside.'
As I listened to him my ears started to boil as though
someone had poured mercury into them. 'Do they treat all Dalits
like that?' I had wanted to know.
My village was divided along lines of touchability and
untouchability. The situation was very bad in Dehradun and
in Uttar Pradesh in general at this time. When I saw well-educated
people in a metropolitan city like Bombay indulging in such
behaviour, I felt a fountain of hot lava erupting within me.
'Yes, that is how they behave with all Dalits,' Patil replied frankly.
He respected Babasaheb Ambedkar and supported Dalit protest
movements. Despite being an uppercaste person, he was not
narrow-minded. A storm was rising inside me. The incident
had unsettled me deeply. I asked Patil, 'Do they know about
me?'
'Perhaps n o t . . . perhaps they think Valmiki is a Brahmin
surname. May be that's why they invited you for the Deepavali
bath.' Patil was becoming somewhat serious.
'You never told them?' I asked heatedly.
'W hy should I have? Is it a crime to be a Dalit?' Patil had
retorted angrily.
'W hat if they find out tomorrow?' I objected.
'So? How are you to blame? If they didn't ask you, why
should you get a drummer to announce your caste? Yes, if they
had inquired and you had lied in order to be admitted to their
circle, then you would be worthy of blame,' Patil replied firmly.
I cou ldn't get back to norm al after this incident. My
restlessness tormented me. I find it difficult to survive in such
stifling environments, where everything seems false. My inner

torment was not hidden from Patil, who tried to talk me out of
it. 'The entire value system of the Brahmins is based on lies
and deception. Forget about it and have fun.'
I did not crave for love and respect gained on the basis of
a lie. I remained mired in turmoil. Lost in my inner battle, I
did not visit the Kulkarnis for several days. Savita had come
to the hostel after having waited in vain for my visit. I wanted
to talk to Savita frankly. But it wasn't possible within the four
walls of the hostel. I said to Savita, 'I need to talk to you . . .
Alone.'
'Alone . . . W hy?' she had replied mischievously, her eyes
dancing.
'Hm ...'
'Let us go to the temple tomorrow.'
'But won't your mother be there with you?' I objected.
'No, I will come alone,' she assured me.
After Savita left, I told Patil that I was going to let Savita
know everything. Patil tried to stop me; he said, 'No, don't do
that. It will cause a storm.'
But I had come to a decision. Things should be cleared
up. I would face whatever happened.
Savita met me near the Upkar restaurant at the Ambernath
train station. She wore a white skirt and blouse outfit which
greatly suited her milky-fair complexion. Her eyes were sparkling
and her walk had a spring in it. She talked non-stop as usual.
I was replying briefly with 'ohs' and 'yeses.' I did not know
how to tell her, where to begin.
Suddenly Savita made out as though she had remembered
something. 'Oh, I had almost forgotten, w eren't you going to
tell me som ething?' Her eyes grew large as she gazed at me
steadily. For a moment I felt I wouldn't be able to do it.
Gathering my courage, I said, 'That day when Professor
Kamble came to your place . . .'
Before I could finish Savita interrupted with, 'That Mahar
. . . SC?'
The way she said it made me flush with anger, 'Yes, the
same . . .' I replied bitterly.
Surprised, Savita asked,' Why are you thinking of this today.'
332 / Joothan
My voice hardened, 'You had given him tea in a different

cup?'
'Yes, the SCs and the Muslims who come to our house, we
keep their dishes separate,' Savita replied evenly.
'Do you think this discrimination is right?' I asked. She
felt the sharp edge in my voice now.
'Oh . . . why, are you mad? How can we feed them in the
same dishes?'
'Why not? In the hotel. . . in the mess, everyone eats together.
Then what is wrong in eating together in your home as well?' I
tried to reason with her.
Savita defended the discrimination as right and justified
by tradition. Her arguments were infuriating me. However, I
remained calm. According to her, SCs were uncultured. Dirty.
I asked her, 'How many SCs do you know? What is your
personal experience in this regard?'
She fell silent. Her bubbliness subsided. We kept sitting
on the ledge for a while. Then I asked her, 'What do you think
of me?'
'Aai and Baba praise you. They say you are very different
from their preconceptions about UP people,' Savita cooed.
'I had asked for your opinion.'
'I like you. 'She leaned on my arm.
I pushed her away and asked, 'Ok . . . would you like me
even if I were an SC?'
'How can you be an SC?' she laughed.
'Why not, what if I am?' I had insisted.
'You are a Brahmin,' she said with conviction.
'Who told you that?'
'Baba.'
'He is wrong. I am an SC. I put all my energy into those
words. I felt that a fire had lit inside me.
'Why do you say such things.' She said angrily.
'I am telling you the truth. I won't lie to you. I never claimed
that I am a Brahmin.'
She stared at me, totally shocked. She still thought I was
joking with her.
I said as plainly as I could that I was born in a Chuhra
family of UP.
Savita appeared grave. Her eyes were filled with tears and
she said tearfully, 'You are lying, right?'
'No, Savi . . . it is the truth . . . you ought to know this.' I

had convinced her.
She started to cry, as though my being an SC was a crime.
She sobbed for a long time. Suddenly the distance between us
had increased. The hatred of thousands of years had entered
our hearts. What a lie culture and civilization are.
On the way back, we were both quiet. Immersed in the
uproar that was going on inside me, I could feel that the tension
inside me was dissipating. As though a great burden had lifted
off my chest. Crossing the railway line near the station, I said
to Savita, 'This is our last meeting.'
'Why? W on't you come hom e?' She sounded surprised.
'No, I w on't be able to come anymore.'
She came to a standstill. She said, 'W hether you visit our
home or not, don't tell Baba if what you told me is true.' She
looked as if she was going to cry. Her voice broke.
'But why not?' I wanted to know.
'Prom ise me you won't tell him ,' Savita's eyes entreated
me.
We never met again. After some days I was transferred to
Chandrapur, Maharashtra. I left without visiting them. Suddenly
all links had snapped. After the training, I was appointed to
the Ordnance Factory, Chanda (Chandrapur).
Translated from the Hindi by A run Prabha Mukherjee.
nat sam rat king of dram atic performance.

The Dalit
Panthers The South Asian branch of the Black Panthers
of Am erica and a group of people who fight
against the practices of untouchability and caste
discrimination.
C haturdashi The fourteenth day of the m onth of Kartik and
the day before Diwali. It is believed that on this
day Krishna returned triumphantly to his village
after slaying the demon Narakasur and the women
of the village massaged him with scented oil
and b ath ed him . On this d ay , trad itio n al
M a h a ra s h tria n s b ath e b efo re su n rise to
com m em orate this legend of the victory of good
over evil.
fNt % 3fri3 3 ^trswisn 3*p§ fwiw ti 30 *j3 . 1950
3ft 37M TpTTOT33t, ZxR 3^3 3 ^ 333333?! c||<rHir+ 3 33030 cW%S3
333 =Fitl f3R cf<I3fl ^ 3 3TT«jf^T 3^13 HfW^T 3ft 3fa T # , 3Te3tf3T
33PJft t l 313 337 ^333 3 ^ H=hlfVM f t t l ‘ *J33' (3?T?33^ 1997)
^t [qsf'h 33f *t’ Sim; cn<r*flfai ^ '"flf^jt 33 ^RTTC', ‘33F3! 3^3 Ft (et,l°*l
W 1997), ‘ '^TcTFT’ (2000) ‘ ^ f e q ’ (3 ? S 1 3 t-W ) *3^13 *(rftT3 3TT ^t=33
W 3 ’ (2001) ^ft <ff33t% 3Tftq;f^t 3fa3 3fi f^n ti
3ft tsfa t5rt^r 3ft t '3t tiRi % f^ s ^ 3nw f^§mi ti
% *ft3T 31lrHWl^H 33 3T^3I % 3R^ 3?t 3ftftm ^ cfeiRT
3 ^ t i ‘ ^ 33’ f t # ^333ft 37333^ 3# t , 3 ? Tjt 3fa3 frq^ra 33 ^ft33-f3
t i 3T?3t% 3if33T3tf 3ft q ^ itq; ttcf 3T3 1 ? 3 ft qr 3te 3ft w "B3Kft t
3 3T3 333^3 3 ^ ifa d 3Ff t i 3333 airefra ^ T 3 ift3 , W rm t i 33 %
3^T3t W l 33 3% 3 ^HFSl 33 3WTT 3^T ÎT ^33311 t l MWI^)'* 4R<^H 351 ^
333ft w W 3 3^73 ^3 3 '33131 t l SITfsfe sfk <Hl'4-i>fd<+. STERtqf 3ft 3R
f373 ftR i c(iwr=i* ■qfacN w i 3Ff t , ^ ?iP ivf f a 3T3 3?t sfa
w t tl
^Tfa-331 3R3t3 ^TRufsfcf) 3fr ti w 331 3
t r r % 3i ftrw 3ft 3 c3t§3 afa 3T3T33f33i 33 fen 33M ti ^fcm-^sR
3 3 # 3(T T f t f H % ^R R R t 3 3 3 T F t cT^n ^ » T ft# T . *1 3 3 3 ^3 ;
'sH d lT =l<ti W 3 T 3 fT c=TÎ ^ 3 R ^ t l S P ^ f t ^ % ? T t' % Tn«m ^
cT8i3 3T t 3TP t 3 iT y ^ lW ct i< t t t l ^ y d lW C t e r f ^ ^ R ? T c r lf q r l R ld f i| < n i
^ 3Tc^ < H q id 3R ^ t l H¥ -1 9 1■ 'W e ll ' 5 ^ 3 f t <*)<g41 ^ T ^pi t l 3T^R t 1337

3 r f3 3 T ^ ^ ^JsJ^ t ; ‘" f f t ^ ^ 3 f t 3TTc*TT 3 ? H 3 fT 3T?1 3 3 t 3 ? f t l ^ IP m il
Y IR R 3?Tq ^ T H c t f t l ’
■^S5!: ‘ ^ 33’ T33^ °3f3cT 33 3TT?R3fSTl Ft^ % ^T«f 3ft oZjan-^fKfi

*ft f , f«RT^ ?t^3) ^31 ^3TI ^1 H<sl3) qR 3T33t 3T«TT 3 Ri<aA % 3T^ 33T3
3T?Tt 3lk 3H3ft3i 3t3t 3R? % st--^ 33T3t ^ 3iT3I ^3^1 <r)<aH 3HTr33?*JT
ftR33I t l 313^1 33 3ftf3?q 331^ fTi cTO3T 35F3T t , “ 3f^3 ^ft33 3ft
3tFT3 3RTFfl3 afk t l ^ 3T^q3 ^ft iTtf!R337 3rtwrf333l' 3 W R
3 ft 31 33^ ^Pft Hh m ^T3?*n it f3 3 73^ eft t , '3t 3 f3 3?ft 3T3T33t3
t l 3fa3t % 3f3 3H^<HS»lld...”
q? 3T?T S JC T ^stn ^ fe3I 33Tt l c ^ T : 3^M«=hI!?l o|<r4ir+, ' f e r f t : 3 t? T ^ I
M+miH m fe. 1997, ^ 106-120

lUTcfa ^ft^? / 335
tt 3T?T ^ i f a i t Îtrlfl) 3>^l-=fi3TT ^T <5-1't>1

«IHlfa + tftFTrT ^T *JR ^F T T «trai t l 3TWT SlTtqfa ft? 3 *ft HHftM>dl
<tildl t5 M t t ^ W t ^ ift t l ^Tgqi tRT3t 'Jirl=h,JlT 4RqK % *Ih4> ft
3?rai t i g>d<*uiT T#gn: ^ t TTfarTT e fe F ^ ft 'F B ¥ t i ^ ^sre> 3 t o t o ! t i
^115^1 «iel<=h< <rl<a=b ^ îfadl STC^Tt ^Tlftl «<dldl t rtf ^ F *t<=bl-i HFt W t
t l 31% wrf^T ^>t $RTEq 'iftqR ?t WTrft t l
8 ^ n f , 1970 ^ ft ?TFT 8ft I 3 3FTft TTRTFT % ^TT«T 3TTf^TT

tf tn TTT^, 3RT^T8J % WsPTTTT 3 t T^^T 8TTI Cho-Miui ^ t £?FT
qr t t t st f t *jft ir r s t «fti '*t«ici^< 3 3 ik «ft ^ sms; $ i
w s rra ra 3T^FTr«T *jft w r i t c i^ t 3, ^«rqj<T w i q r «m
snf^r? 3 ft t 3ftr s s u mw ^ft ir^ t s r f ^ -q^n «fti
W T 3Tf?I%T d«b'ftR?l<TH, j f l 't f f f l f o ’TOT % f a 3 c f c F f t lw f t a ftr
sJM idm 3 y p t ^ ^fN?T F trft «fti t w n f e ^ , jz f o t t e r
3TTR sfft TjfaqTsft % TTT8J w l W 'l g e l T?or g ^ T ^ P T , c|NHM<4 ’ f t ^ 1
%J|5||e|W 3TT g ^ T ^ P T ^ F T <lHfpc4d F t ^3T m ^ f t ^W=bl<rM 3
m w H i= h , F f t 1^ , ijft t , f q ^ c $ , j m o t , ^ r , gftft^r,
<Twly.=l^bl, «1<& H , 3TTT<FT tt« m M T , TTpM ^ T T <?ft «?TI W f
TFft p ; T%=n«T M r , <=hiRri^m Tfgyf <?f ^ f t ^ra ii
d u ra m % ^ ^ t-^ i ^ r *î ^ r« f ^ -5 ^ 1 q ife ^r
( f R is t , g ? n ^ T ) , ^ t. % . ( ^ T R g r ) , i t . Tft. g ^ T ( ^ j ^ f t ) , ■%. # .
TFt (^PTTcft), ■ feftq ^ T R f w ( « P i r # ) , «ft. % . W R ( ^ f t , T T . ' 3 . ) , 7ftT
^ r a C^TTT^ft, + d = h T ii), 3#k g e re t ( f e r a ) i
■gsoHi ■qife^r ^ :3 i ^ # * s in ^ afti ^ qf # i ? «fti
w i qt t r «m
T lr ^ T ?'lfTetR, ^ ‘:TT3^ ^ ^ ^1
3 7 ^ - ^ T tw % ^ ^ STSÎ -g^PT H31T rft l i w ^
ÎHT H-Sdl 8?ti ^ T ^ TRT ^f W^RTTT % f t s T1T cfTeTT eFT Jlldl 8m <{|qi<
»dl'l=h< 3TT% Tf 3iT 'ST TFrTT 8^1 % T ltft FR cff7!
^ T3nft 8^|
T?3 > Tf^f f ts % cTTc% ^R t ^ FT8T W T ^ 8ft| 'H^ft 'ft^T T^ft
■R -Jllcti< T^T -qiql «HT eft 8ft| ,;g T it ®Pfft ^ t 6MI<1 TFTPTT3ft 3Tf TRTt^R F t
TRTT «TTI
ctf^R T^> Ttsi FR ^ f i t g ^ F t TFT ^1 TRT ^TTF ^ rt^ i q i^ i- i
gT<T=RT5FT % ^ < ih ^ ^ TTt ■^TTcTT 8TTI F T :g cT % -^ T % ^ d fd l 'T§ftc7=F>T 3KT
336/
3TT ^}T?) i l 3RT 3TTSRT tin i cTktTT 3>T i l 'STT tfa W h ^rrn TFT
ani F i WTcTT <glcld ^ F R 'rdW II cn^TT TpT "g^>T ^ ^1
^ T li ^T î i Rricr>i«Hci *W 3i ^ tl i i 3TTi 'Js5l, "q*n
f?raii*ra ^ T ti? "
“ j p e k l rfMT olcri'M ^TFT i 3T<aT 3TTT3; F tl" '5^PT i 3TFII
i i p *FFT, ‘‘ FH *TTF* W f, 3T<R Ft i l <£T cTTeTT rFTPTT Ff
g?r ^rq; Ftl ? i ^ * F il"
^ F F t TTRfnif Ft n^ Mtl F t-F crn T pFT ^ T W«TFT ^Tt ^ T «TT TTTT
i l ■g?t ^T3i Ft i t i , “ w f i , jp r *TFT ^TT T t F t?” ( i g?t ^ i t ';TFT ' i
«£?ni i l )
i i ^ 3 H ? q f^ r o 3 <FFT, “ ^ T TTTF«?, i W <IMT ^ ^TTT ’p
w t i ^ t , c imt Tgoff fs n 1 3 ^ it t ^ f i w t ^ Trq?rH ^ t ^ tf?m ^f t t f t
ani W ’TT'THT Ft w f t l "
3TT Tt^T R)^l cRF Hlêil WT-^FT Ft 7FIT ani df'fci q i^ i ^rt F*T
^Nt ^T ?T3) am F *li i t 'JsJ TFR % 3Tît 'iRlfqfa^TT T*rfic[ ^TT ^t
«fi I
3Rm8T % TTfsjt 37T^TR 3 «tTPT BT^ % 3Tf^FftcT TC*F ^T t r r «TTI
TC^F % Ft - g f ^ T 3 ^1 *TC T M Z ’ ^ t ^jfi^FT i 9rtn*T
?TTî *JJTW ^§T aftl WRT W F*T # n ^57 f ^ f 3^
atl Tfl£ i t ^ i ani 3 TT ¥ R TM i t «T5T i l -qifer s k 3
jj^<1 -'j|cr<l "STHcfl# TT5°F i ^TT T t i l 3TcfH^T TTFTi Tt '31TT«TR 'it
3ni f ^ u f q tl ^ F H i t F^f ^ 3 f^PTI *TTI
“ ■RFfi, ?TT 3>FT ^ ^ ? " i-e 'll ^ 1JSTI
F R ^ f T ^ i - ^ 3TT ^ F ^ 0 T t «^l 3TgR^ qife^T ^ T W , “ TTT,
fa r 3 ^ ani t ^ b -m ^ t Tt t , ^ n ^ t it ^ r s rit 3^ 1"
“ sprf, ^TT i ^FT-W Ft w t fie # ? '’
“ fie rat i t t TTT, 3TR -gsr w f ^ T l ^ylRrlU, t ^ r w ^tt T t
t l " q ife r i ^FRT RTTi ^ t chlHjUJI ^ tl
^tfTKqFTit i 3TFT, “ 3TT3Tt i t TUa?, i 35TOt fc lO T I ” i F i T t ^ T
3Tqi qr ^ snî 'iie.'+i % f i^ i Fnri ^ i ^HyHi Tt i i ttr^t i
HFt 3TT TFT a^T, F T i it e r WTT’l
F i 5TsFi i ^cJl=t>< ^ F li 3PR t TI?ft ' i ^13 ®RT^ ^ t 3iFT 3?k
T T Fli T lti) qT 'fe Tt^l i i H ifiei ^ t 3TtT ^ R fe it ' i ^0TI ^ F 3T^T-Ft-3T^T
■gr^rr t f t an 1
w ta / 337
mo ) f t -îN % Rim , TTTt^ ^ *j*n, ^ <5<3^ Ft

^>FT, ‘‘ ■SFRT ait, cll'^'l <Hl6«t 3 3TTWt d<*>cril'+> ^ T t t l Qll^y,, "3FT
3 «Rrar ^ i"
^ Tjpt ^<9^ F t T|?I Ft , “ R Ff^! <JR 3TH3; F t, ^ 3 t- ^ 3 t'" ^ f ^TTm ^
Miy 'Jii^<. Mft T^ =FF1, “ sprn '5ft, 3TT5T FR ^Nt RTsft

3 ^!sR ^fT T t ^1 TTHR ^T^TT ^TFT ^ 3ITTT| 3 ^ § t fefiHI c^FT
Rm RFt' t l ”
3FRT ^R T Tt r H ^ ft ^tefl, “ 3T^5T, -IK'*) t ? ”
^ 3>FT, “ 3PRT, «*I|cT 31^51 t l ”
“ ett^ ft RFt?” 3 FTffl t*^ ^t<rftl
ÎTTT, ^ R TUF^ ^TFSTrf RFt ^ ftl" ^ W RT tt^ T ^FTI
3 ^ T R f? T FR 3 3fl R^l “ 3^ ^ ^ R Ft! «H^t ^fit
’Tt RFt ^'"sITsft H5R""c^Rh'i Ft cffe 3IIRTI” '3RT%znR '^ft ^ 5 ^tef
RFt RH3; «tl FR # rt ^ft ci'H^, Tft*} Tn'sft *<^>cn ^ 31MT Ft ^R t^PTTI
"iK=t> Ft *?II Tra TJ^7 '3T^ ?ft s|21 *TII FTTSoT îT cTRrTi T|<ilT
%$U=K ^T3IR Ttt^TT ![31T KfTI T£tfRT 3 cTT^TT ^ ^ ft* ^FT, ’*3R 3FRT
■3ft! ”
3R f ^ f f FR ^ f w % e r a r % RTT3t RTC^ ‘ TRITTTR ^T?5T’ , ‘ f r o i i ’ ,
‘ HTRt?T 3?^RT W f t t ’ ^ t «tl ^
f ^ r ’ , 3nf^ 3 3RrkT grt, arrrteT r t ^ t , ^fte n
t t sf t o , t j ?t r t ^ n f t %
srfRRR ^ i|R rndctil ^rt T-rsft^ om M i ®ni
toi^Tqiy ^f *ft FR^ ^ TTT3^T-'êT Rfc5?T ^?T f^RT ^TTI Rleît îT
TJ^fsRTTT =FT «ni SRT^*? ^f ^ ^FTF FR^ R^^R *ft feTT «tl
fTft ^ t^ 15pT 'R îtS FT 7FJT «ftl gHT % RTTf T^> Trf^ ^f
TTqît ^ Tfsrf ^ 3 j) : efft 3Tni' ^rte <$ *ff I fR ^ ^ --< p 3
W STTl ^m -^S IT 1 ^ t ■gRfRTFH ^ Ft "5^t sftl ^TT ^ t RT?4 $
TQ^T ^ TTRFTTsff RT TJ=P ^R3 ^RRTTci ZT^T? ( ^ ) ^ t ^ «TT «jt
^ f t ^ ^ R 7 R T * n i ^ I ^ R T ^RT^H yldfsb-MHi ^ «ffl #n %
"RR«fe TTT^FRt +4^1^41' ^ ^ ?TT ^ ¥ t f^F R T TfT«TR % fiffW f «t
^TTT^ ^ ^ t «ft |
firfeRR ^ ^ s M ^FlfeR ^dl+< HCTRIT3 BIFR ^ t ^F 3lfiT
TITR^ T^§ ^t 8ft, “ ÎF fR ^ f?niT t ? ”
“# l”
3^Ft% '^TTl “ HfaT ^ ^3 ^ T ^TSfr, ^F cfe ^FTTI t ? ”
338/
“ 'ftt, ft n Ft I , ” 3 ft wl<*>K fft^TTI

“ cJR ftramT f t F t, ITTft? 3TT*IR RT giFTt
ctii4ctie1 Ft TRT?rt t i ”
ft TFTI ftlft ftT ft ftfft, “ fPift % sfTH ft TR ^tt....
Pl^lol Ry, P is to l....'5f!3n.....3TTR ft «SMH” "S^Ftft H lfa * x|d|o|-fl
ft^T gft tfts f^TT am 'ftf^vi ITT ft® ft? ctiKui ow iqm ft TTTfarftt 3?T
^qF R RRT ^TTI f t f t f t ‘ ^nfa’ cftt ft, ^ftffftr ftft ^firldl ft? 3Tfft
arRftt f t f t ^ n ftt "ftt f t ftrr s i w m
i f t t ftfa TpRT RTfor ft 3TFrTft apft ftn ic F r h c j ? ‘ w ^ t ^ t
fgftt 3TJ3K ^ T ^M T «TTI 3TTft TpR ^ fft^ T f t f t F t Mtl RT23? ft? RSR t ^ R
% SPRRTar % # r i g f t ^ T R ^ftf ft? fttT RT RF^TH^ w t ftl
3^HM=hkl oTRrfttfft)' ft) ^5fFT ft "3TT xrT5I ft) RTR f t g f t ^«bKtl f t l f t 3TRft
RtcR ^cTTTF RFTJR 3R ft WRT 8TTI i f t t ^tTTR 3TRTRT8T ft? RTlftt TRR?ftf
'J d + uff f t RfTRR 1T3TT «TT ^5ft STTft ^ld=M. Mpl^cJdl f t «PM RRT «TTI ^
"Rfftfl fH ^ I'+ l ft? TTT8T RRR R?T^ RR 3TRTR ftt fft^TT «JTI
"SIFT 3TR ft SPPt fdU, TTOTt R)t RdT?l ft R'JRi' TFT 8TT, w t RR-RR
fftcTTsft ft? RR 3TT Tt ftl ft ftft ?TKt RTT^ ft? M u ftl g ft 3lfft$PR ft?
ÎTTR ftt ’*TrTT ffteT TFT ^TT, ^Tfft ft ftTT RR ^§ft Pl<*ld<M FT ftf^RT
Tlfft fRRTftt Rft ft^T ftcTI atTI FT8J ft' ftt RRR ft, RTT "3Rft Ft T§ft "RcT TFT
afTI iii't ) ft? id<ti(i ft Fft ^2 fftd '^TTcft" aft I IftSTTajf frft ^TT ?PT FT rfdlcl
ft, tcT ft IftRT fese RTRT ft? Fa?^t FR^ ftft§ ftl ^KT, ftt. Zt.
ft? f e r e ftR?ft R?t 'rr v rt ^ ftr r t ^ w j f t FRft ^ t k t # fti
■^TR-ft-^rq y -rj 1^' fTJ ^FPJT W ftl
F F f f N f ftTT ■qfftER ■HTTHt ft? TTTil^ f t f3TT am ^ R T TTlfF^T
^ ft T^TTft "qTBt-TTTf^T TJ^? M TTF^R ft TFt ftfl ^TT ft^TR, :=TTW
^TTM, TMSTft, ■nftT^TT 4HdNu)t <MI^L|e| ^pjeT, f t ^ ft^TTR, HHIûj
TFH P R T^B T, ^T?RRT 11%T ft? ? K T^ff f t f^ftTTt RT T# f t l ftftt STfft^Tf^T
‘f t ftRtfftcf of>T T^f> ^ “3 ? ^ f t RT TFt afti
f t f t f t - f t f t ^T?T TTTtF^T ft? TTRft? f t 3TT TFF afj, f t t TTTIf^T ft?
3Tft ^ e T T# ftl TJ^TRT ^TfeoT ft f ^ f f ftf t ^ffT ^ gft sftl ftTT RTTHt
3?T f t f t - f t f t Ift^fftcT Ft TFT am
W iy f t fttfft^ fttft Rt ITT TTTSTR f t 3TWf f t 3TT W am 3 R
FR ^ t f t ftPT F t R ^ ft I FR cftftt f t fRm?T ftsTI f t cTRTR W T sTcft
aft, 1TFT tFft iJRTft? ftTePlt t l ftTTRlft ft fF^t Tift TrTFFT ft? fn fe F ft
fR5RTT Ft R f aft I J # f t ^ R -ft-^ T R T3^? =TR FR fF ^ t Tfft T R I^T 3 T ^ T
^nft ftl
o>
CO
CO
I
340 /
if e i ^rraT «ni tt ^ *fti 3H£<+k sftr mi^ kI
ft i i t -ifa ^ r 3t «rti -qiferr % ft«t if c r w z wdr «tt

aftr gfcRTT ^R ^ 3 'îiai ^ni ? M ^ rtf ■'R i f e r h R * k h W<*> ci'ia i ®rri
3 T O fa 3 *r ^ d ^ if % tit«t i f a : ^n# «ffi «tr i f t r
^TfeR i FR # r j ^ ^ s^|
TJ=F ^ 5 f g ^ gfcRn TR ^ f n ; TTfacfT i t ^ F f ^ 3 ^ «ftl
^ o i+ 'iiT i f e i T ]f «ft'l " 3TFT ife i <pft ^ ^ r f t ? ” TTf^TT ft
W ^Kil ^ g^T «TTI
" ^ T TTreR gf^TT ft' f t f t 37R81T ^ t l ” 3 ft t R ^fft
^ F ^t Mt I
^ f g?rd ttz^ tr ^3t *fti g # arsfa-^ T s if t t r t g ^ p r t f t *tti
m ^ f t WTt 8ft, fff^T i t l ■g^lHl ^KT (* r£ ^TT)
3T^T t l ”
" f t , Tn fe r 3t^; t i 3M i t ^nafti 3 ^ Ff ^ i” 3 ft 3icRT
^TFT «HI ^ F "gWPT g f^T T TR ^ 3 T lf i t l 'g ru % 'g a ft % ^tcrft,
" 3 ? n t r t "gq ^pft TFft t ? ”
" g ^ TfHT 3T^ r W RT t l ” 3 ft 7TF3T «TT^ 3 W 87TI
^ F fed H sid l TT5t 8ft| FTHT i f e ¥ t ^Tfeftf ^TTT 8fil
^rrft ^ f t , " a m fq>c*T t? ”
" F T . . . . - ^ it - ^ it . . . . ”
" f ^ ttt 8j ^ r t f t ? ” ^ n ft 3 ft ^ t f sr^ftt ^ t f 3 crfts f^Rn sni
3 ft ZTefft ^ ft 7T^ 3 ^ F f^TT 871 ^THT TnferT ^ g*53R *T?TT3RTTI
TTfacfT W 5 I F t M 8ft, “ eRtf, 3TFT i t FT8T ^cT F ^ ? ” ^5f
^ f tr i ?R7Tr ¥ t ^ t-^ t TT^t «fti W H t î
m RciiR-* TTft^T RchIRhmi ^ r F T it 8^1 s tfb rt ^ t w ^ it
enft w f ^t 8ft f*t ^Nf % ^ ^ <tcf % ttto ^ $ . ^ r t m r
g^ t t ^ 8î
^5ft sjtHt-itst 'Mti-im, ^ ^R ^ 8ft' ^ft ^ r ^TcT ^tT <H<â 8ft ■%
i r t 3ftr ^ TFT t l ^ F FRe^T i i t 3TP^ w f t 8ftl ^ W I ^
FRScT 3nft ^ tt^KTT 8TTI ^ r i t - ^ i t '5fS i t %TT 8fj| ^ t ‘5T3
^T -CR ^ HFf TTfcn 8TTI F iW i ^TF i t t fedM ! ^ ^ H -g ? T ^ R
■^§cft 8ftI ^ i t - ^ i t ?»R-3VT RbdN)' ^ ff ^ T t^ ^ TTSfT % ft 8ft| ^
^T 73PTT ^ TRR •RFf 8711 ^F TTRiTFTft «ftl
<0M|c|<H) ^ T3^ t^T TF^ g^F RT^5f giFRHiff ^ 3Tq^ ^R
gcTRTT 8ti i ^ f i t ■g^F ^ r ^ i Hifiei ^ g ^ i eft ■g=reR ^ f f h ■t f t st t i
WlferM : / 341
3 r t RR5? 3 •Tfft 3TFTI ^TT M llid % F R ^ 3>T cbKuil 3% RtT g%5T

sfkrr, “ r r t <*><1, fRTtR g^tn^îT ^ 3 d sftr j r ^ r Tt 'is e n ^ fli”
“ RcTdR....?” ^R 3TWR*f 3 g^TI
■qrfei 3 r c t t r t «t t 1% R F m f ^ r r t f m * t t r r ti r t ^t
T ^t qftcnr % g rR ^ a rk r # tr r t r Rro?ft t
r i^ 3i
d<Hct)l RT?T yi°t»< 3 3 dRTt g*5T RT f ^ i g*T RT3Tt3l ^ R ^ R R 3?T f^TT
8TFI TTT2T F t 3>FT Rt ^TT f^> •TFt gdFTT t l
3 R TTcT 3 3 fa i t t R t W t ^FTT RTI TJî eft TJ3F RTT R ^ dd=b< RFTT
«ni ^FTt, 3 R3T 3TRtR-3 3Tclf5 3 R>RT 1T3TT RTI qft=ITT 3Tt
^ IrM k d l g ^ 3TT^f% Rt RR TFt Mt, f^R Rt M lR ^lR * ttR ftF lt' % R7TTR
TrertR «TTI
3' # T ^ffaTRT T®t afr'l ^ d + u ff , 3TRR s ftr 3 ’ ^ r = M f RT
TTTT «tl 3 R R^T g ^ TF-TF 3TT 3 ^ 3 RT-RF? 3)1 ^ R T ^ ^ la iq ^ i R K 3TT TFT
RTI
f R ^ f ^ d ^ u f f 3 RTtt-RTtt 3 FR # 3 ^3 3RCT sffc 3 d eRTR RTI
3?T 3 RtF^F T[3r 3TT TFt Mtl 3 3 3T53 % dtfd^l eNe TT3T RTI f3#5f
g im TR f 3 alfom. ^3 STeFT TTI 33 % f d ^ R>FTI 3% R>FT f3r g f t Tr 3r
FTcTT t l M r g>c!iqiuif 3 a ITel î ^ R>FT, “ g q 3 t R2 3}RR ^ Ftl
f*R RT 3 %Rt ? rf! ” 3R STR 3 r RH RFpFcTT ^ RT R3T RTI RTRR 3T^3t
Rt 3ft RK 3TT ^ Rt, Rt fM f Tf RlRR Rfl
fq ^ R 3 > d *u ff % FTRf % ^FTTRcT, RTcRoRgyf RT^f 3 g ^ 3T^Rt
RT % ^<5< TR^t 3 ft R K feTT ^ t *ftl fRTFT^ ^TR RT RTdt R
3'ifdrai' "girrat «rt. 3 r t ^ cpt t ^ ^ 3 it r ^ 3 ’ r r t ^rrat »fti
ftR ^T $ d + u IT 3 gRcTST^ 3' i r f q n t ^ H^dWI RTI g ^ d'nidK ^
ST^TTcT RR R?TT TFT RT Rf^ ?R t R3cT qnT R ef RF3; f t i 3 r R^R TJRi
3H|cT RT1r ‘ ^5S I1 3 ?>3TT t eft 3TRTR ^^TT Ft^T?
"S^Ft t ^ t t gfTT 3 R R f R^3Tf 3>t 3t M TF fe ^ t R^ R t, 1R ^ <r)=h< < id d
RRTR 3 R^f-g^TT 3 ol«(<^Kl 3TKIFR 135T 3R f^TT RTI
^ d + u f y q f e R 3 g ^ ^ T F T ’RTT 3 ^ fR^RTR iRcRI RTRt LRm,MH RTf
"QF^TTR W f I^TTI Rf^cH 37T 3 f t 3TtT RRT g?f W ftc T 3R TFT
RTI 3 ^ ^KTf 3' 3TRFR Ft RTRT RTI R fe n fRRR 3TTTR 3TTcft, 3 RFT^ 3?t
RTtfirm RiTcTTI
T3^ TtR $d'+)U|f % RT qT«Tm)' RTT^ 3 $ Z ^ f l ^dcb uff sftT
3 T T ^ 3' RTIBt ^TTe^t RT RRtT RRt RcT TFt Rtl 3f 3^T qTfec7 IR RRf
gft ^R R N 1=T T t *tl
342/
??ft f3 3 w "EIFT ?^BT «ffl "EPJ 3 t3 -3 t3 3TT K?H

=hNirl % TZfI^ TTT 7TzfII d-lî wHidT F T k ^lei) 3 3T?R «TTI ■y'rlHI
hi Feci 3 ^si i 3 t t 3 *Tk=t>< u?t ^ r <
m i M i *t ti
TTTT 3 3 13)T ^ F t W ^ t , T F ^ 3 t ^ F dlcm i TFT, 3TTfTgT

3 T l3 ^cTT F t f^TT, "'*R T3l SH£IUI ^ F 3 t 1j3T % WIFP1! TFTTl ^ 3 3TT3
sg3 33 Ri m , 333> 3t ?f t tt3 i?i ^ f3 3 ^ r
■êrarwf 3 3 i3 s rrf *ff, <nr=t>*i ^ t r c ^ ^ t t ^ t t 'jic i^ u h <icJi'b< ^ 7f t t * t t i ”
t f t r T p r^ r 3 3 ^ F rq f^ rf t 3 Ft ^ «ff, ^ t 3 f c r 3 3 t 3 t t t t 3 t ? r
R ill Ft I
“ *f t t Tr3t ^fa 3 t' % T T T 3 3 3 rr c* r f t t t ^ t t f t t ? ” 3 3 T T fc r 3
■3TR3T ’ÎTFT *TTI 3 } TTR 3 s|3TT^cT ^T 3 ^R F f *TTI 3 3 f^ 3 f 3FTP£T 3 lk 3.
3T. ^ ft frsrfo 3t 3 ^t 3 i t o t § t r Mti ^ ^ 3 t f r t t 3 T 3-f^ret # 3 f 3
3 rft f?®3% ^ 3 '^trH'ii 3 Ft 3 t 33rc t^ ~ 'rtf ctt3 ^>t ■yin 1j>3^ ctht ^tii
“ f t , 3*n Tmt % ttt*t f i ” TrfeeT 3 TTRrrtf 3 ^ f t i T if^ r % T 3 3
T #5f SpteFT % TfiT 3TT^T-qR 8TTI ^ T 3 3TF3cR % Tfo 3T?% T3 3
w i 3t W aftl ^ F T w 3 Ft3 f q 3 t # i f TFt «TTI
3 s r 3 t r 3 3 3 3 ^ t s r ^ 3 -qF^TR ^ «tti ^ ^ 3 T ^R fr« ra
^ T TFt »3l
3 3 TrfecT 3 t j st *t t , “ 3 t ^ 3 3 3 « t? ”
“ ?TFR 3Ft'...cfl<r41Rt> TTT3T 3 W T^ ^TFFT TTT?T3 t'l 33t 3t 3TT Tfa
<Om=Ml TT T-TR % %TT sjeTTTT *TTl” TlferT ^ 5 - ^ 5 3 3 k Ft3 eRTI
“ cpR 3^F sRKTT HFt ^ * 3 . . . . ” 3 3 dfeH dl 3 ^pT «7TI
“ ^ 3 f ^ R T ? . . . . ^ m f 3 tt 3r t t n t ? " 3 ^ 3 3 ^ ft i
“ ■^Tei 'irf^ 3^3 w r w ti....,3 t.....? ” 3 3 ?f^n o ^ c ki ^ 3 i
“ 3t ^ H t 5 1? %TT Ft .....3^Ft3 3 t 1p5T 3Ft....3t F T 37^3 33t 3
fe s k r 3t^? f t , ^ 3 3fo f R ^ 3 3 t e m 3 # r ^ p k 3 w f3 e r Ft ^ tt 3
cR g iF ra ^ f RRT ^T TT^ cTT 8TT....^F 3 t ^ 3 3 td ^ ^ T l ” m f e i 3 3
^FTI
?TT ^ T i % 3 TTF^ 3F t Ft "'TPTT STTI 3 3 3 R 3 t 3 3 3 t
TFt 3tl 3 3 Hl^lol ^ft 3 TTFH -IFt îT TTRTT ^1 T R ^ 5 |J3 eFRT f I
■qrfteT 3 3 3 3 3 3 t % 3 t 3Ft' Mti 3 t t 3 t r t t 3 ^ 3 ^ n f? m ^ 3 3 ti
“ ^ ro 3 f ^ t t j t t F t ^ 3 sftr 3 n i t t 3TT«^Tfer t . . . . ^ r ^T33 a fk
t 3 ^ k ti”
3 3 Tzn r s 3 t t t r r ^ t 3tt ^ t t ^3 3 ■;TFt ^ 3 t ^ 3 % t t f 3 f 3 ^ i 3 Tnk
3TcT^ 3 ^JSTT TFT ®TT 3 3 t ^ t t l
»nrdk ’rfrsn / 343
ir f t r # ^ t 3 f c r Ft m . at - ^ r a ^ f f % w m , f ^ i w m
t i ^ t t 3tt fyf s>ft ^rcecT 3 i 3 TifocTT 3 <gd+< w 3 ^ ■^TBcn *ni
F f e ^ 3 3F T m w f «ui 3 ft T?t33T 3 35ft, <pr3 ^ 3 R 3n?ft
t...3T% ^ 3 ....”
“ 3T%^ 3... 331 3TcT t ? ” ^TTTTef T^ 3TRI -iîd ^ t j ^ II
14 tt
“ 3 M ?TFT 3?t ' 3 ^ t....”

“ <?ff373 3TTWt Tfl TTT«T F f f i? ” 3 ft W ‘SRTTfI
“ -TFt, 3 3 }% ft F t 3lldnJfll” 3 T ft 3ll?q«1 f3RTI
<nlqai % c fc :^rft % 3 K 3 ft qife ci Tt 3JFT fo r 3 TTf3?ll Tt W F - W F
3?f f i n ft TfaRT “ w t, 3F 3Rmr R3 =FTti 33?n tsst
Ft '■JlliyiM”
d fe 'i 3 ft "3TT ft^T cR ct)< fci4)! ®TTI *Min TIFF Ff '’ll’ll '3TftPÎ ^5ft *ft
FtTT, ^3T 'J ll^ lll fcftt 3 3 ^, 1JTT 3 ^ F T -3 T T ^ R ^ftrt TTT am
tt13ctt ■gif 3 f^ T « r t& ? h r t ‘ t o r 1 t r e f c % -qra ^ «fti
3TTft ■H'+k Tft 3>T T3^-«ni<i'3i 3F3 T®T an ^ft d«<+) ^f*RT Tft RT T |3
TFT am 3R 3ft 3TT®f 3 fttF3KTT RTt f f aftl W 3 ’ 3 R F ^ n ani 3 F 3 m t
3TK3 % 3FJTTTT 3 fc l3 t F f *H TFf aft| 3 fTlft? \ \ ‘ F i ’ 3 ‘SRR
^ TFT ani ^T3fTTcrT 3 cR W t 3iT RT TFT ®7T % 3T3 3>FT T-t 3ftT %Tt
°FÎ
3T3FT37 TTfacTT 3ft ^ fft ^ 5 3 R 3TT TRT, “ 3T} 3' eft ^ Ft ^ aftl
3TFT «f>?5 3TcT <*)<Aqiei at?” 3TFT 3TTCf ^ s t-« rs t 3>T% f tf t 3ftr t®TI SiT^T
RT 3?t W n an ^ 3f ^ F W t qranTTI
TTTFTT p 3% 3JFT, “ ^JFR ^ 3TT Tf^T ^ -SITt2TTW ^ R ^ 3TTti
a^.... ” 3 rt 3 m TJTt «ft W f aft, TTf^TTT ^ 3RT 3H3 ^ tl
“ 3F ■RFK...T3TT. Tft.” ITT 3T^T ^ Ft ^ t chHMfiAll i r f Ft ^
aftl
“ FT.... 3Ft.... ” 3 ^ T ^ ^FT «TTI
“ 3TR 3T3PR7 3TT35T T I3 M ^ 3TT TFTT ‘3TT 33eTl” TTfêTT ^ tr p ft
^ ’pJTI
"3 ^ 3M>T 3cNf 3 fte n f aft?” TT®T ?TF^ 3 ^ 1
“ FT, W 3 fs R tf *ft tttT. Tft. sftT y y d ^ H 3TT^ f , -& TR% f^TTT
STcFT 3#T TT^ P t l ” TTftcTT ^ TIF^T RR Tt 35FTI
“ t r gj#' TTFt HTrTT t ? ” TJ3TI 3 } T K f % d t^ m 3Jt
3TT# RFTJR 3R f^RT 8?TI
344/
“ 3Tt...cJR 1KM RRt Ftft Ft?....^?^ 3TR^ Reftt ft’ ^ T t Rg<rii ^ d

t? ” R?R tRTRTI
‘ ‘ RRt RF? -fecTT TTR^t?....Fte?T ft....ftTT f t ftt TTR W P T§T^ t l tRR
■er f t r r i d '+ id l^ t ? ” 3 ft r ^> fcRfi
^Tf^rTT TT f t * W R^t TTFt 3Tfc * H ^ ld RR fFTTTT "RFT TFt Mtl BTT%
cT#T d # 5 R i RTT T t 8^1 fRR ftt 3 RTTRft TTRR *TT ^3TT ft^H BTTRR RTFRT
8R, R^T. ftt. (3TTFR) t f t t l ft^ T?ft t l
3 ft BTlft 'tJs5T, “ eJR ft f t Rtid-l cftftt RTt ^ < i '4 f t ^ i ia l Ft? TT fRRR
f t g*FR o^Rkl'ld ST^RR RRT t ? ” RF "fR Ft R^ fttl 3TTRR RfTRR ft ft
% f t t <5RfRR f t w f KfTI fRTT Rt RTfTRtfTRT TJRfrj^ ^ R RT FTRt f t l BTTRR
'tie 'll ^TT, 3TTf (R T ), RTRT (fRRT) ft RRTRTI RFTt s l^ ll ^[R ■qft ft
f r r w n ^ffcn t r t t ftt. f t ^ r t Rrfti
RF I R Ft R^ ftt, BTTRft -TCefcTT Rt W fttl c j ^ ftT FR ^jfaRT RT
f f f l ftft T tl 3 ft 'STTft ^ 1 “ f t } Rft f t ^ F K t RRT TFT t ? ”
“ 3Tff, RTRT TJJFTTt aTTtRT RT^ft t . ...RiFR t , Rt. ^Teff % iftR ftt
■S’l'tD RFRTT ftt, "STTft 3RTR Ftl ^ t 3T^JT Hlict t l " ^1fold I ft 'RFRift
RTFTI
“ 3 ft c^FTTt TFT i jg t f t t l ”
“ 3 T ^ eFTcf ^ f | " t( ^ tr ; gjTFft ^Tftr RR RTT "STcT f^RT *TTI
3 ft ^ f t ^T F3TRT 3?R R^T, “ STStJT, Rfc 3 Q^T. TTt. ^....ftt ftt....”
‘ ‘ ^ R T3^T. TTt. % f t F t TTRTct F t? ” TTT# I3R TR R R ^TI
‘ ‘ spit? R ft ^3TT eft?” 3 ft fttT ftRTI
"g R eft sTIFFR F t l ” ‘J S ft ^ T f t RTFTI
‘ ‘ ■RF cJRTt fRiTFt R>FT?”
‘ ‘ ■RTRT ^ l ”
“ Rem R7FTI R: IJTT. TTt. \ ...” ^ ^ ?TfeT 3 R?FT *TTI ^ RtefT ^
^ 5 TFT ^TTI
“ t ^t t t ^ t t ^)F?t t t ? ” ‘?rr^ TJTTTT R o n ii
TT^ R5F TFT W ^ ^JR TI R ^ ^TRt RTFT % ^ W

^ l ” 3 ft ^ TTRfTFR "RTFTI
RF 3TTêf J ^ f t n ^ F R T R T T F t * f t l^ W T T F T » T r , 'RSflRi ^ T
TFT RiT TFT ^1
3 ft TTTR> ?T ^f f t RTF f^RT 87T % ftft TRT R ^T % ‘ ^FST* RftRTT f t
-al-H f^TRT t l
Tjftqq / 345
Trf^cd ftftk i\ ^ «ftI '3^fft 3ft#' tfdtfdl 3nf| 3*ift *3ftftt FT^TT
eFFT, “ ^ 3 ■T?”
“ w f *?fa...W ^ t.... -ft c f# ÎFT #TT ■^rffTj;..... ” 3 ft 3 f t W f t

tWTT 8^|
ftft w f t 8fti ftrr t j t i . ^ft. FfaT '^ f t s p r in t am ^ ^rnrft
■gîcft T^tl «ffa sraHî tfRMT ^ iFfT 8TTI ?Rlft TFM TTIcT
FRT^ fe ft ft *R '•Tf *ftl ^3 tFlft 'RR R m ajj|
FR cft»T W T O t f t WT*PT ^ f tl ftk r % -fcldlScrt f t
P . . .3 3TT ^nra-g^tT F^ ^ iT *111 *tft 1R 'ft RTft ftt?l 3?R

Ftl
1. ^Tci ftsR : 3Tftft^T % ‘^ F ft«R’ % 3^jcb<u| t r h SKI^ %

^T TFl^l SFfft % ft W TFIOT ^RT sftT
■dlKK ft <tfWT <Sc4kH % ^ 33TO;i
A Suitable Boy
Vikram Seth
V ikram Seth (1 9 5 2 -) w as born in C a lcu tta . A fter his early
education in India, he left to study at O xford U niversity, England,
earning a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Econom ics. He w as a
W allace Stegner Fellow in C reative W riting at Stanford during 1977-
78. During 1980-1982, he studied classical Chinese p oetry as well as
different languages at Nanjing U niversity, China, w here he w ent on
fieldwork for his doctorate in econom ics.
For m ore than a decade before and after Seth published his
first novel, he contributed poetic works that include M appings (1980),
A ll You Who Sleep Tonight (1990), and Beastly Tales (1991). From H eaven
Lake (1983) is a travelogue about a hitchhiking trip through Nepal
into India, that Seth undertook while studying in China.
Seth has w ritten three novels. The Golden Gate (1986) is a novel
com posed of 690 sonnets, describing the life of young professionals
in San Francisco. Inspired by the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice,
Seth w rote A n Equal M usic in 1999. Set in London and Vienna, it tells
the story of the ill-fated love betw een two m usicians, and requires a
delicate and nuanced understanding of classical W estern m usic in
ord er to be ap p reciated . In 1994, Seth w as com m issioned by the
English National Opera to w rite a libretto (a m usical d ram a) based
on the Greek legend of Arion and the Dolphin.
A S u ita b le B o y (1993) is the only one of his novels to be set in
India and Seth laboured over this w ork for alm ost seven years. It is
set am idst the political turm oil and realignm ent that ensued during
the post-Independence, post-Partition decade of the 1950s. The novel
spans the stories of four families, the Kapoors, M ehras, Chatterjies
and the Khans. The novel opens with Mrs. Rupa M ehra's search for
a suitable m atch for her younger daughter Lata, w ho is well read,
independent and rebellious— and in love with a M uslim boy. Seth's
w ritings have not been seen as typical exam ples of Indian Literature
in English, but it can be argued that he represents the cosm opolitan
ease of a post-Independence w riter from the English-speaking m iddle
class, w ho can claim not just a know ledge of his ow n culture and
traditions, but also that of W estern and European traditions.
In a lighthearted m anner, this excerp t reveals to the read er
L ata's w orld— with its m etaphors, idiom s and influences draw n from
This excerpt is taken frcm A Suitable Boy, New Delhi: Yiking/P*>nguin Books
India, 1993. pp. 137-149. "
two languages. The Bhagavad Gita, Shakespeare, cricket, Indian classical

music, the Krishna-Gopi and Arthurian legends, are all fused together
effortlessly.
3.3
'N o talking, please,' said the invigilator.
'I w as just borrow ing a ruler, Sir.'
'If you have to do that, do it through m e.'
'Yes, Sir.'
The boy sat dow n and applied himself once m ore to the
question-paper in front of him.
A fly buzzed against the window-pane of the examination
hall. Outside the w indow the red crow n of a gul-m ohur tree
could be seen below the stone steps. The fans whirled slowly
around. Row after row of heads, row after row of hands, drop
after drop of ink, words and yet more words. Someone got up to
have a drink of w ater from the earthenw are pitcher near the
exit. Someone leaned back against his chair and sighed.
Lata had stopped w riting about half an hour ago, and
had been staring at her paper sightlessly since. She was trembling.
She could not think of the questions at all. She was breathing
deeply and the sw eat stood out on her forehead. N either of the
girls on either side of her noticed. W ho w ere they? She didn't
recognize them from the English lectures.
W hat do these questions m ean? she asked herself. And
how w as I m anaging to answ er them just a little while ago? Do
Shakespeare's tragic heroes deserve their fates? Does anyone
deserve her fate? She looked around again. W hat is the m atter
with me, I w ho am so good at taking exam s? I don't have a
headache, I don't have a period, w hat is m y excuse? W hat will
Ma say—
An im age of her bedroom in Pran's house cam e to her
mind. In it she saw her m other's three suitcases, filled with
m ost of w hat she owned in the w orld. Standard appendages of
her Annual Rail-Pilgrimage, they lay in a corner, with her large
handbag resting like a self-confident black sw an upon them.
N earby lay a small square dark green copy of the Bhagavad
Gita and a glass that contained her false teeth. She had worn
them ever since a car accident ten years ago.
348 / A Suitable Boy
What would my father have thought? wondered Lata—

with his brilliant record—his gold medals—how can I fail him
like this? It was in April that he died. Gul-mohurs were in
bloom then too... I must concentrate. I must concentrate. Something
has happened to me and I must not panic. I must relax and
things will be all right again.
She fell into a reverie once more. The fly buzzed in a steady
drone.
'No humming. Please be silent,'
Lata realized with a start that it was she who had been
humming softly to herself and that both her neighbours were
now looking at her: one appeared puzzled, the other annoyed.
She bent her head towards her answer-book. The pale blue lines
stretched out without any potential meaning across the blank
page.
'If at first you don't succeed— ' she heard her m other's
voice say.
She quickly turned back to a previous question she had
already answered, but what she had written made no sense to
her.
'The disappearance of Julius Caesar1 from his own play
as-early as Act III would seem to imply . . .' Lata rested her
head on her hands.
'Are you feeling all right?'
She raised her head and looked at the troubled face of a
young lecturer from the Philosophy Department who happened
to be on invigilation duty that day.
'Yes.'
'You're quite sure?' he murmured.
Lata nodded.
She picked up her pen and began to write something in
her answer-book.
A few minutes passed, and the invigilator announced: 'Half
an hour left.'
Lata realized that at least an hour of her three-hour paper
had vanished into nothingness. She had answered only two
questions so far. Activated by sudden alarm, she began to write
answers to the two remaining questions—she chose them virtually
at random—in a rapid, panic-stricken scrawl, smearing her fingers
with ink, smudging the answer-book, hardly conscious of what

she was writing. The buzzing of the fly seemed to her to have
entered her brain. Her normally attractive handwriting now
looked worse than Arun's, and this thought almost made her
seize up again.
'Five minutes left.'
Lata continued to write, hardly aware of what it was she
was writing.
'Pens down, please.'
Lata's hand continued to move across the page.
'No more writing, please. Tim e's up.'
Lata put her pen down and buried her head in her hands.
'Bring your papers to the front of the hall. Please make
sure that your roll numbers are correctly inscribed on the front
and that your supplementary booklets, if you have any, are
arranged in the right order. No talking, please, until you have
left the hall.'
Lata handed in her booklets. On the way out she rested
her right wrist for a few seconds against the cool earthenware
pitcher.
She did not know what had come over her.
3.4
Lata stood outside the hall for a minute. Sunlight poured
onto the stone steps. The edge of her middle finger was smeared
with dark blue ink, and she looked at it, frowning. She was
close to tears.
Other English students stood on the steps and chatted. A
post-mortem of the paper was being held, and it was dominated
by an optimistic and chubby girl who was ticking off on her
fingers the various points she had answered correctly.
'This is one paper I know I have done really well,' she
said. 'Especially the K in g L ear2 question. I think that the answer
was "Y es".' Others were looking excited or depressed. Everyone
agreed that several of the questions were far harder than they
had needed to be. A knot of history students stood not far away,
discussing their paper, which had been held simultaneously in
the same building. One of them was the young man who had
brought him self to Lata's attention in the Imperial Book Depot,
and he was looking a little worried. He had spent a great deal
of time these last few months in extra-curricular activities—

particularly cricket— and this had taken its toll upon his
performance.
Lata walked to a bench beneath the gul-mohur tree, and
sat down to collect herself. When she got home for lunch she
would be pestered with a hundred questions about how well
she had done. She looked down at the red flowers that lay
scattered at her feet. In her head she could still hear the buzzing
of the fly.
The young m an, though he had been talking to his
classmates, had noticed her walking down the steps. When she
sat down on the far bench under the tree, he decided to have a
word with her. He told his friends that he had to go home for
lunch— that his father would be waiting for him—and hurried
along the path past the gul-mohur. As he came to the bench, he
uttered an exclamation of surprise and stopped.
'Hello/ he said.
Lata raised her head and recognized him. She flushed with
embarrassment that he should see her in her present visible
distress.
'I suppose you don't remember m e?' he said.
'I do,' said Lata, surprised that he should continue to talk
to her despite her obvious wish that he should walk on. She
said nothing further, nor did he for a few seconds. 'W e met at
the bookshop,' he said. 'Yes,' said Lata. Then, quickly, she
added: 'Please, just let me be. I don't feel like talking to anyone.'
'It's the exam, isn't it?'
'Yes.'
'D on't worry,' he said. 'You'll have forgotten all about it
in five years.'
Lata becam e indignant. She did not care for his glib
philosophy. Who on earth did he think he was? Why didn't he
just buzz off— like that wretched fly?
'I say that,' he continued, 'because a student of my father's
once tried to kill himself after he had done badly in his final
exams. It's a good thing he didn't succeed, because when the
results came out he found he'd got a first.'
'How can you think you've done badly in mathematics
when you've done well?' asked Lata, interested despite herself.
'Your answers are either right or wrong. I can understand it in

history or English, but . . .'
'Well, that's an encouraging thought,' said the young man,
pleased that she had remembered something about him. 'Both
of us have probably done less badly than we think.'
'So you've done badly too?' asked Lata.
'Yes,' he said, simply.
Lata found it hard to believe him, as he didn't appear
distressed in the least.
There was silence for a few moments. Some of the young
man's friends passed by the bench but very tactfully forebore
from greeting him. He knew, however, that this would not prevent
them from taxing him later about the beginnings of a grand
passion.
'But look, don't worry . . . ' he went on. 'One paper in six is
bound to be difficult. Do you want a dry handkerchief?'
'No, thank you.' She glared at him, then looked away.
"W hen I was standing there, feeling low,' he said, pointing
to the top of the steps, 'I noticed you here looking even worse,
and that cheered me up. May I sit down?'
"Please don't,' said Lata. Then, realizing how rude her
words had sounded; she said, 'No, do. But I have to be off. I
hope you've done better than you think.'
I hope you'll feel better than you do,' said the young man,
sitting down. 'Has it helped to talk to me?'
'No/ said Lata. "N ot at all.'
'Oh,' said the young man, a bit disconcerted. 'Anyway,
remember,' he went on. 'there are more important things in the
world than exams.' He stretched backwards on the bench, and
looked up at the reddish-orange flowers.
'Like what?' asked Lata.
'Like friendship,' he said, a little severely.
'Really?' said Lata, smiling a little now despite herself.
'Really,' he said. 'Talking to you has certainly cheered me
up.' But he continued to look stern.
Lata stood up and started to walk away from the bench.
'You don't have any objection to my walking along with
you for a bit?' he said, getting up himself.
'I can't very well stop you,' said Lata. 'India is a free country
now.'
'All right. I'll sit on this bench and think of you,' he said
melodramatically, sitting down again. 'And of that attractive
and mysterious ink-stain near your nose. It's been some days
since Holi.'
Lata made a sound of impatience and walked away. The
young man's eyes were following her, and she was aware of it.
She rubbed her stained middle finger with her thumb to control
her awkwardness. She was annoyed with him and with herself,
and unsettled by her unexpected enjoyment of his unexpected
company. But these thoughts did have the effect of replacing
her anxiety— indeed, panic— about how badly she'd done in
the paper on Drama with the wish to look at a mirror at once.
3.5
Later that afternoon, Lata and Malati and a couple of their
friends—all girls, of course—were taking a walk together to the
jacaranda grove where they liked to sit and study. The jacaranda
grove by tradition was open only to girls. Malati was carrying
an incongruously fat medical textbook.
It was a hot day. The two wandered hand in hand among
the jacaranda trees. A few soft mauve flowers drifted down to
earth. When they were out of earshot of the others, Malati said,
with quiet amusement:
'W hat is on your mind?'
When Lata looked at her quizzically, Malati continued,
undeterred: 'No, no, it's no use looking at me like that, I know
that something is bothering you. In fact I know what it is that's
bothering you. I have my sources of information.'
Lata responded: 'I know what you're going to say, and
it's not true.' Malati looked at her friend and said: 'All that
Christian training at St Sophia's has had a bad influence on
you, Lata. It's made you into a terrible liar. No, I don't mean
that exactly. What I mean is that when you do lie, you do it
terribly.'
'All right, then, what were you going to say?' said Lata.
I've forgotten now,' said Malati.
'Please,' said Lata, 'I didn't get up from my books for this.
Don't be mean, don't be elliptical, and don't tease me. It's bad
enough as it is.'
'W hy?' said Malati. 'Are you in love aired dy? It's high
time, spring is over.' 'O f course not,' said Lata indignantly.

'Are you mad?'
'N o,' said Malati.
'Then why do you have to ask such astonishing questions?'
'I heard about the way he walked familiarly up to you
while you were sitting on the bench after the exam,' said Malati,
'so I assumed that you must have been meeting off and on
since the Imperial Book Depot.' From her informant's description
Malati had assumed that it had been the same fellow. And she
was pleased she was right.
Lata looked at her friend with more exasperation than
affection. News travels much too fast, she thought, and Malati
listens in on every line.
'We have not been meeting either off or on,' she said. 'I
don't know where you get your information from, Malati. I wish
you would talk about music or the news or something sensible.
Even your socialism. This is only the second time w e've met,
and I don't even know his name. Here, give me your textbook,
and let's sit down. If I read a paragraph or two of something I
don't understand, I'll be all right.'
'You don't even know his name?' said Malati, now looking
at Lata as if she was the one who was mad. 'Poor fellow! Does
he know yours?'
'I think I told him at the bookshop. Yes, I did. And then he
asked me if I was going to ask him his— and I said no.'
'And you wish you hadn't,' said Malati, watching her face
closely.
Lata was silent. She sat down and leaned against a
jacaranda.
'And I suppose he would like to have told you,' said Malati,
sitting down as well.
'I suppose he would,' said Lata laughing.
'Poor boiled potatoes,' said Malati.
'Boiled—what?'
'You know— "Don't put chillies on boiled potatoes.'" Malati
imitated Lata.
Lata blushed.
'You do like him, don't you?' said Malati. Tf you lie, I'd
know it.'
Lata did not respond immediately. She had been able to

face her mother with reasonable calmness at lunch, despite the
strange, trance-like event of the Drama paper. Then she said:
'He could see that I was upset after the paper. I don't think
it was easy for him to come up and talk to me when I had, well,
in a way rebuffed him at the bookshop.'
'Oh, I don't know,' said Malati casually. 'Boys are such
louts. He could very well have done it for the challenge. They're
always daring each other to do idiotic things— for instance,
storming the Women's Hostel at Holi. They think they are such
heroes.'
'He is not a lout,' said Lata, bridling. 'And as for heroism,
I think it does take at least a little courage to do something
when you know that your head can be bitten off as a result.
You said something to the same effect in the Blue Danube.'
'Not courage, boldness,' said Malati, who was thoroughly
enjoying her friend's reactions. 'Boys aren't in love, they're just
bold. When the four of us were walking to the grove just now, I
noticed a couple of boys on bicycles following us in a pathetic
sort of way. Neither really wanted to brave an encounter with
us, but neither could say so. So it was quite a relief to them
when we entered the grove and the question became moot.'
Lata was silent. She lay down on the grass and stared up
at the sky through the jacaranda branches. She was thinking of
the smear on her nose, which she had washed off before lunch.
'Sometimes they'll come up to you together,' continued
Malati, 'and grin more at each other than at you. At other times
they're so afraid that their friends will come up with a better
"lin e" than they themselves can think of that they'll actually
take their life in their hands and come up to you alone. And
what are their lines? Nine times out of ten it is "M ay I borrow
your notes?"—perhaps tempered with a lukewarm, feeble-minded
"N am aste". What, incidentally, was the introductory line of
the Potato Man?'
Lata kicked Malati.
'Sorry— I meant the apple of your heart.'
'W hat did he say?' said Lata, almost to herself. When she
tried to recall exactly how the conversation had begun, she
realized that, although it had taken place just a few hours ago,
it had already grown hazy in her mind. What remained, however,
was the memory that her initial nervousness at the young man's
presence had ended in a sense of confused warmth: at least
someone, if only a good-looking stranger, had understood that
she had been bewildered and upset, and had cared enough to
do something to lift her spirits.
3.6
A couple of days later there was a music recital in the
Bharatendu Auditorium, one of the two largest auditoriums in
town. One of the performers was Ustad Majeed Khan.
Lata and Malati both managed to get tickets. So did Hema,
a tall, thin, and high-spirited friend of theirs who lived with
innumerable cousins—boys and girls— in a house not far from
Nabiganj. They were all under the care of a strict elder member
of the family who was referred to by everyone as Tauji. Hema's
Tauji had quite a job on his hands, as he was not only responsible
for the well-being and reputation of the girls of the family but
also had to make sure that the boys did not get into the countless
kinds of m ischief that boys are prone to. He had often cursed
his luck that he was the sole representative in a university town
of a large and far-flung family. He had on occasion threatened
to send everyone straight back home when they had caused
him more trouble than he could bear. But his wife, Taiji to everyone,
though she herself had been brought up with almost no liberty
or latitude, felt it was a great pity that her nieces and grandnieces
should be similarly constrained. She managed to obtain for the
girls what they could not obtain by a more direct approach.
This evening Hema and her cousins had thus succeeded
in reserving the use of Tauji's large maroon Packard3 and went
around town collecting their friends for the concert. No sooner
was Tauji out of sight than they had entirely forgotten his outraged
parting comment: 'Flowers? Flowers in your hair? Rushing off
in exam time— and listening to all this pleasure-music! Everyone
will think you are completely dissolute— you will never get
married.'
Eleven girls, including Lata and Malati, emerged from the
Packard at Bharatendu Auditorium. Strangely enough, their saris
were not crushed, though perhaps they looked slightly dishevelled.
They stood outside the auditorium re-arranging their own and
each other's hair, chattering excitedly. Then in a busy shimmer
of colour they streamed inside. There was no place for all of
them to sit together, so they broke up into twos and threes, and
sat down, rapt but no less voluble. A few fans whirled round
overhead, but it had been a hot day, and the auditorium was
stuffy. Lata and her friends started fanning themselves with
their programmes, and waited for the recital to begin.
The first half consisted of a disappointingly indifferent
sitar recital by a well-known musician. At the interval, Lata
and Malati were standing by the staircase in the lobby when
the Potato Man walked towards them.
Malati saw him first, nudged Lata's attention in his direction,
and said:
'Meeting number three. I'm going to make myself scarce.'
'Malati, please stay here,' said Lata in sudden desperation,
but Malati had disappeared with the admonition: 'D on't be a
mouse. Be a tigress.'
The young man approached her with fairly assured steps.
'Is it all right to interrupt you?' he said, not very loudly.
Lata could not make out what he was saying in the noise
of the crowded lobby, and indicated as much.
This was taken by the young man as perm ission to
approach. He came closer, smiled at her, and said:
'I wondered if it was all right to interrupt you.'
'To interrupt me?' said Lata. 'But I was doing nothing.'
Her heart was beating fast.
'I meant, to interrupt your thoughts.'
'I wasn't having any,' said Lata, trying to control a sudden
overload of them. She thought of M alati's comment about her
being a poor liar and felt the blood rush to her cheeks.
'Quite stuffy in there,' said the young man. 'Here too, of
course.'
Lata nodded. I'm not a mouse or a tigress, she thought,
I'm a hedgehog.
'Lovely m usic,' he said.
'Y es,' agreed Lata, though she hadn't thought so. His
presence so close to her was making her tingle. Besides, she
was embarrassed about being seen with a young man. She knew
that if she looked around she would see someone she recognized
looking at her. But having been unkind to him twice already
she was determined not to rebuff him again. Holding up her
side of the conversation, however, was difficult when she was
feeling so distracted. Since it was hard for her to meet his eye,
she looked down instead.
The young man was say in g :'. . . though, of course, I don't
often go there. How about you?'
Lata, nonplussed, because she had either not heard or not
registered what went before, did not reply.
'You're very quiet,' he said.
I'm always very quiet,' said Lata. Tt balances out.'
'No, you aren't,' said the young man with a faint smile.
'You and your friends were chattering like a flock of jungle
babblers when you came in—and some of you continued to
chatter while the sitar player was tuning up.'
'Do you think,' Lata said, looking up a little sharply, 'that
men don't chatter and babble as much as women?'
'I do,' said the young man airily, happy that she was talking
at last. 'It's a fact of nature. Shall I tell you a folk-tale about
Akbar and Birbal4? It's very relevant to this subject.'
'I don't know,' said Lata. 'Once I've heard it I'll tell you if
you should have told it.'
'W ell, maybe at our next meeting?'
Lata took this remark quite coolly.
'I suppose there will be one,' she said. 'W e seem to keep
meeting by chance.'
'Does it have to be by chance?' asked the young man. 'When
I talked about you and your friends, the fact is that I had eyes
mostly for you. The moment I saw you enter, I thought how
lovely you looked— in a simple green sari with just a white
rose in your hair.'
The word 'm ostly' bothered Lata, but the rest was music.
She smiled.
He smiled back, and suddenly became very specific.
'There's a meeting of the Brahmpur Literary Society at five
o'clock on Friday evening at old Mr. Nowrojee's house— 20
Hastings Road. It should be interesting—and it's open to anyone
who feels like coming. With the university vacations coming
up, they seem to want to welcome outsiders to make up the
numbers.'
The university vacations, thought Lata. Perhaps we won't
see each other again after all. The thought saddened her.
'Oh, I know what I wanted to ask you,' she said.
'Yes?' asked the young man, looking puzzled. 'Go ahead.'

'W hat's your name?' asked Lata.
The young m an's face broke into a happy grin. 'A h!' he
said, 'I thought you would never ask. I'm Kabir, but very recently
my friends have started calling me Galahad5.'
'W hy?' asked Lata, surprised.
'Because they think that I spend my time rescuing damsels
in distress.'
I was not in such distress that I needed rescuing,' said
Lata.
Kabir laughed. 'I know you weren't, you know you weren't,
but my friends are such idiots,' he said.
'So are mine,' said Lata disloyally. Malati had, after all,
left her in the lurch.
'W hy don't we exchange last names as well?' said the
young man, pursuing his advantage.'
Some instinct of self-preservation made Lata pause. She
liked him, and she very much hoped she would meet him again—
but he might ask her for her address next. Images of Mrs. Rupa
M ehra's interrogations came to mind.
'No, let's not,' said Lata. Then, feeling her abruptness and
the hurt she might have caused him, she quickly blurted out
the first thing she could think of. 'Do you have any brothers
and sisters?'
'Yes, a younger brother.'
'No sisters?' Lata smiled, though she did not quite know
why.
'I had a younger sister till last year.'
'Oh— I am so sorry,' said Lata in dismay. 'How terrible
that must have been for you— and for your parents.'
'W ell, for my father,' said Kabir quietly. 'But it looks as if
Ustad Majeed Khan has begun. Maybe we should go in?'
Lata, moved by a rush of sympathy and even tenderness,
hardly heard him; but as he walked towards the door, so did
she. Inside the hall the m aestro had begun his slow and
magnificent rendition of Raag Shri. They separated, resumed
their previous places, and sat down to listen.
1. Julius Caeser : a play by William Shakespeare (1564-1616), based

on the life of Gaius Julius Caeser (100-44 BC), a
Roman general and statesm an, who laid the

foundations of the Roman imperial system . He
extended the realm of the Roman Em pire and
w as declared dictator for life, but w as later
assassinated by senators. Shakespeare's play,
performed for the first time ca. 1599, was inspired
by the em peror's story.
Written by Shakespeare, this play was first enacted
in 1606. It tells of the tragic downfall of King
Lear, due to his own arrogance and folly. Flattered
by his two elder daughters, he divides his kingdom
between them, depriving his honest and plain-
speaking youngest daughter of her share. King
Lear suffers greatly for this lapse in judgment,
as he is then mistreated by his elder daughters.
A brand of car, popular in the early twentieth
century. It was associated with power and glamour
as many Heads of State, royalty and movie
stars owned this car.
Though both are historical figures, they are also

part of the folklore of India. Birbal w as a good
administrator, and good soldier. He wrote under
the pen-name, 'Brahma'; a collection of his poems
is preserved in the Bharatpur m useum . Birbal,
whose real name was Maheshdas, is believed to
have belonged to a poor Brahmin family. It was
only by virtue of his sharp intellect that he
gained fame, which drew him close to the Kings
of Jaipur, Rewa and, ultimately, to Abdul Fateh
Jalal-ud-din M uham m ad (born 1542) at Agra,
later known as Akbar. Birbal w as recognized as
one of the N avaratnas at Em peror Akbar's court
(1556-1605). There are m any stories of witty
exchanges and hum orous interactions between
Akbar and Birbal, that have survived and are
popular even today.
a knight found in the legends surrounding King
A rthur and the Round Table, in Britain. Stories
about A rthur and his knights have been found
as early as the fifth century but the literary
A rthur belongs to the M iddle Ages. Galahad is
known as the 'Perfect Knight'. He w as 'perfect'
in courage, gentleness courtesy and chivalry ,
renowned for being handsome and pure of heart.
3 5 ^ 3T3$T-*TT ci^cbi
feC T ^ 3 ^ +<r1+dl 3 TT^ 1952 3 ^3TI *(TI *[R<T 3 m fa=F fasti

% ^ -J5E( f?i^T % fair 3 3UWFT5 ^ i R k l , ' f ^ ^ 1 iffl ‘3^ft ^#T,
<MH)Ri 3qfk 3?«ftlR5I 3 f e l t W ^ 1 3 T ^ W t^ 3 1977-78 % # !H WHIcH<*
H o i % fa ti triM-K + d l T^l 1980-82 % 8 ^ ^ft-f %
3 =kHirw+ ^fifacTT 3lk M r r 'RTWff ^T STK^H fe lT I ^l=Ft
'5f^T-';!7T5IT 3TÎI<r^ 3 T ft-T ^ o ^ o 'tiV sq cfi % R lO lR ^ 3 '5? *ftl
sptf w t ^Rira % y+miH % ^Tf^t affr % ciw t tj=f <^r
3 ^ 3 ^ 3 ^ ^ c m T fa w fi ife % ^Toir w t ' 3 ‘ 3 f w ’ (1980) ‘ sifa
Tcfl^T 3=TTf£’ ( 1990) 3 ^ ■41'W dUc^’ (1991 ) ?TTfo?T t l
f e q ^3 ■} cjfa TtRira fadt t l 690 TTT^jf 3 fa^3T W Tffcgn Tfe’
( 1986) #=T !MThW>1 3 Tf} ^fa ^ <^|cWlRl<*)T % ^ 3Tr%TtfT?r t l Tlt^T
firs? ‘ 3TRfrpra 7-{frsT fl' ^ f te R % ^ 1990 3 ‘ tjtt ? ^ c t **jfa=F’
f a ^ II d 4 ^ w <^t ef^T 3 ^ fa^Rl ^ t t l ^t WftcT^Rf %
w ^ r fEpm t i 4 t^ H l w s f N TRita ^ R tfe ri ^ft ^ ih + kI % ftRT
■3H"4I<H ^ 1JTt TRf TR^TT ^ f t ■'in W^dll IqstiH ife 3^t fffa ? I 3fl%I ■gRI
T35 ^ ^ffa T R ’ % Tlfe tR T3=F ^TaT-^srr f a ^ % fan, 1994 3
srftrjrrf f^RTT TTEfT am
3TE0T W H ^cbl : 3TOT 3TRTRT t ^ *IR<T ^
faâT w t i ^ 3 ^ spt^ ^ t r jr ? ^ w m w f l 'b m ^ fe n «?ti
Wd'sTdl TTTfccT 3ftT ^ t fETRFSR % 1950 % % ^RH iNHlfdch WTFTPlt
3?k <NH1R|'+> -HHl^ûi (J4-4IH eFt - ^ 3 ^ tl W ^T ^8?PT^
%CT, 3?k ^ 3 R -^ R ^RcIkT 3 ôTl fSH t l J U K I
■^qi %?:i ^ tra m ^ tlr f t t , ^ ^ s n iit -q c h -f^ c fl, a fk 'f e it f t fo rw
cTS^T -q^T ^ d H IH cTS% % 3 ^rgt cRTT % % fa ti cfR
T ft t l
t a ^3 ^T cTSî *IRak 3tM •HlftrM 3 TIM^T d<|g<u| % ^T tr -^ff
Hni TRT t l dRh-i, fcRT ^FI '311 ^=t>dl t ^ ^TRcf % sf^sft 'R ^T ^f %
■^N ^ W n^m % T33> ^ <Ho't> ^>t TIT^vfrtTRT ^gMicii îT y fd P ife ^
t ^ q c l 3lHi1 T T fffil s ift H<H<l3Tt MiMchlO f t - Iff « 9 d l, ^fc^b ’T f^ n ft
3TtT -jjitMl-M TRTRTSff ^ ’Tt 'qfTO ^ -qftfatT t l
3171 ^ arm W rl4*l ^ ferar W t l SôtK: Tjftjti ^ W>ft Sf^TT^R
1998, ^*3 H®!IT 179-187
*irc<lfa / 361
TOJcT 3f?F F f f t '- 'J e f t i d<i<^> f t Hld<*il % RTRft cTrfT Rft ^P l^l R>T <%dl«l
t i M sr t T^rRft a k T ^ ftf ft R=ft w ^fRRT * n w r t a i, ft c r a f w , % % h ,
RTRtR viiwli) TRfR. ^T-Rfftt ji t r afa 3ns|ftJR Tn«?T % t o r t ^rtr ft
3r=iFTra 3 ^ r t f t f t *nRt t i
SfklSH ^RR TFT «UI

:W - 'W c r a te r -CRT t i ” M ^ t r t ft t f s t
3TiqT3f affT <*>cik 3 K I % TRa} R^?TI
“ TIT, 3 fft% ^ T T RFT TFT * R l" R 5 % ^ TTRRf ^ tl
“ 3TRT RTRRT-RRl Ft eft f t t ^ 1 * 1 ”
“ *lt, TTT!” e is q il 'J fT T -'J ^lt ^TTT fT R 3 RRT s ftr SPtft TTFfft T #
yynq^ r t R k RRft r r t i
R tt^ T - R ^ Rft R K fe S R ft % RTFT TT^ R W t fRRfRRT TFt aft, 3?tT
3T?% f t t# "g^fttFT RR R=F RTR-TJRFTT RFR 3TRRt 3 l t 3TTR 7R®T «TTI
R>*ft f t 11131 R5TT TFT *TT, 4 f t fR rftt R eKR Rft ®TT*TTT TFT F t, FRT
Rft RFf I #cT F R ft T t ftW R R RRTT-RT-RRTT ftft f t l 3=1% f t * ftr ft
Rft TTRi, % ftt# RRT, 3ftT shMi-sj RT fa>Tft m 3R % FT^T RR> ft> ftt#
R=F 4 f t ?TT lf*R F R Rft R t RR Rft ft, ftrft RF f^ R ft f^ R ft F t 3TRR-3TRR
3TRR-3TRR 3 w ftft aftr fttRRTR TTRT R f Ft'l R ^ f t f ft TRIFt W T Ftftt,
R ft RTRt sftT fa»T TRcR Ft RTRfl R K -R T -^T K f^RTR Tt, RTRR1?R Tt,
R3R-RT3R ft 3RTRR 3R R ftt chl'j'Jil RT "Re^ 'Rift. . .
R ftf cnsqol 3TRRt ft*T-^>Tff f t 33RTT RTRfft % RTTT TTRt TJTTFt Tt RTRt
fttft êTTI R ftf sftT aTRrRR 4 f t - 4 f t F t 3TRSTf ^ tft RRTI 3FTSTf *PRf f t
W T t 3^tT ftH f %RTft ^ 3TTF f t TTRT R f I ^TT T R ft c p fa 3TM RF^
cTcTT ft fcnoi'l I R K RR f^RT 8U affT cR f t 3TR cRf 'W 3TRft 3rR-R5f % t
^ TFt Mtl R5 RFt TFt Mt, q fW i 3TT%t 3TR3 fR ® ^ R R t RT tt% t
el=h< ftt 3 ^ t ^T§ RFf TFt Mt'l W Rilft TFt aftl T T ^ M -^ra T R -'^^ ftt-TTR^T
RFf RT TFt «ftl 3TT%t Rfft' R ift FT ^ f t aft 3TR RTft RT RTTtft % t
3Rf affl ^ 1% 3TTTT-RTTT ^ 3 t ft RF TTR RFf ft®TI f t % ® r f f t RRR
aftl RRT 3 ^ ' RFRR RFf TTRftl f t R?R RTF RRT T t t , RRT T t t ? 3rftt
^ 1 5 ftT R F ^ F t f t ^ t % ft TTRfT TFt aftl RT SIR RRT Ft RRT t ? f^RFT
^ t [T 4 f t RRfRRR-RTR1 f3TT Ft I ‘ RRT YtRTTfRRT % RTRt 'ft 3RRR 3TRR-3TRR
fRRfft ft ^RTR f%RT t ? ’ RF RTR aRI ^RTR f%RT t RT RFt? RRT fttR
f t RS R f I tRRTRft tRRfft '=RTR RR?ff t ? 3^k 3FRTR t RRT? 3Tlft 'RTft
362 / ^ a r^ i-'fli cT5^t
s tti ^ it i m f t FTîft' TFt *rfi ft F**Fft « rtt sfti f *it «jt f t ? erar
ft WT 3 TJSI-î Ft WT: ^fiFFTFf ft' 3T^jf <*lfM4Ml FTftm W TFT \,
3TTF F t F F 3 ^FR t FR % 3 n | ^ , F T ‘g ^ F t F F T F F T t ? F ' g f f f * R ^ I ,
F HIScm) F?T ^ t'F F T F*IF t 3 ST^FT-lft F f ^ ? FT FFT F*#ftt?
^ F ft FFT FFTFT
FTFT % R h i 'I ft FF> F F T t-W F -^fqcll F>T FTI F llft <JW=bl 3FRT
ct)H<l I FT ^ #1 F t F F ft «s! T|l^ f | i'l*^ FT Fit « al c ih ih ^1 ,
<H*-h It 1 1?I d-lqil qiRta %eT-^Tr3T3Tf % f ^ 3TTFYF°F qKJH TJF> Fftft ft 77§t
^ l l ^ I F F % F tF FT FF ■§■, (<*>*fl 7FTF F F % FFFT, FTF>t F t^n
FT feFiT IT3FI 'TITT F t Viqq^ fttFT 3?t FFT Ffcft "STf^TI F F '+T1<^» F t TF Fft I?!
<itW>1 FF<?T ftf FTciRT t \ I'Ji'H^ <sti^» -i=t>cil ^RT TT3 I[F |f | F F FTF
f[f teT-^4<i'ii FT F K FF? *i=hd1 FTcft F>t 'J|^<a F F t *ftl FT3TtFt FFT
<*>sd? FT3hI<i l , f^FF §<n fi^ q f ^ n FF?ft? ft' % ft <4-ichi
-HlH-ll ^tTcTTI FfSTH f t w i l 4 £ lf l ^ 3 F sqri cTW ”RT ‘jW Hl6< 1^ T i t FI ^
F F% W T^FT FR FFTFtl ^ f^FTF Fit fFF^FF ^ H #TTI F F «JH
FFTFT F tF T ...tF T F ....^ Ft FFT t *JfL-FT 3TF W F f l ^TFt FT%F, t w i 'R
=hl«^ «sHI ■c(lfpi<...^ll'tl Ft 'îl-ll -qifeyj FTTF ot ^T5> eft ff«( FI >j|ihmi,
IR t dl=h...
cWT 3 7 ^ [q-c(Kl 'R T ^ l ^TfT f^Rf^HTTi JtT TFt *ftl

<s<H'+0 h 40 ^la< ’TT ♦i'll ^ <ri=t>ai *ftl
‘,JiH'JHHI ^RT t | ” ^ >Tdl^Hl ^ tl 3rgRgT r H ^ 1 OTT %
m WT TpFpTT TFt t l ^f, ftPT m...3!W STRT-W ^
«5T^ 3TtT ^73 T^t «ff-HKN^n afk ^ ^1 fRR 3 ^ t R - ^
''R T O % 7 SJchNIl ^ F R 3T%fT ^731^ ‘ Id^fC lH tc T H T W - ^ R t
" ^ ft ^T TFl *ft"l
“ 3RR TfFcft ^ R 37FRTR TFt' ^ . . . ” eTcTT 3TRt ^TI 3ft STigR
d d l ^ <Jtl<-^r«i=hi 3TI Ts«>crll TT=TT H d i l ! ^ ^<rsl—-j J<r<l TT5^ rRlti

^R 3T3 ^ fR ?? ^T?t 3TT TFT «TTI '3^fl 3iT fclOl 3 # % %TT
3T1R^ ^ 7T3T «TTI ‘-^ R R T ^frjfT 3RR 3TO F t H R % 3 T£R
Ft ^m n t Ft ^ ft ^q?r^T3 t.... ’ F a r ft ftR f t «t t f t 's ^
Rh ^ ii
“ 3 m 3 t^ Ft t ? ”
cl ell ft f?R ■icJNI FI 'pT'cFFTft FiT TJF’ FTFFTT "5HFft 3TtT r^-cll
■ft F73 TFT *FI ^ «ft tftft^ 3 i FTF 3 F ft-« fR FFT «FI
364/ 3T5@I-H
3TTt ffeTFH 3 4 3 ^ 3RT W3 nt cTeTT W N qR

T t *tl ^ T qft Ft TFt ^ftl qqr cTS^t 3
a m t t M - f M apjfaqf 3 3tt^ Titt w r ; ^ t TFt *fti “ q F ^ to r
t 4 t, 3 ^ q tt£ 3 q?F TT^F# f , % 3for form t l Ft q tf, 31^51
foqT t l Ipra^R W 'f ^ T f ^ R R ’4 cTTeTT T R M qt ^tt?T qfeqT TFTI ^ T q .if t
TpTeT 3 ‘FT’ 3 Ft *TT ” sppt ? T 5 % -d 4 r* iH ' 3^RT qT ^ ^3R 3TT T t «tl
T R fTT WT?I qT «t fo? M e l *TTRq ^ fT R I #<=M *tl *RT ^T fF ^ fl
% ^ 5 W ?f qq q^> qqT f3TT «fl| 3 tft SPT^ % IT qft WI1«fh q R T t
*ti ^qqrt ■qfteî nt 3t M t o r % t t t st -t t w ^ tt T F irm 3' ^ *rti
3 # ' 3 qq? ;f l W - l q t t «TT ^ $uflR<4d fe q t 3 W ^ f t 3TT®t
3 3f^?T qT "^qq ^TTI ^ F *Tt fq fo ia fo ® TFT «TTI '3TT^ fM ^H q ^ T F t^
?*r -3%r % qrpff 3ftr foqtq-îRiqR % % i- 3 foqTq $ i fq q q q'qrq
3TT% i f w n qT W TT Ft «ni
oTcTT ‘j c ih I6< % qNt q^t ■*N qqr q f, ?nfo> '^f t fq-qn.1 aftr
TTHfe^F) TTT ^ 5 TfT TT%I q F ^ H r f t aft fo r e fq qT q f E t f
3 F^rtf t r t # ' qq TrmqT qRqT q iq T - to r 4 r it t f t , foi* qq ttc rt 3
1J[T q R TTqff 'JIT WL.eRTT 3 ^ mI h qT q ^ ■JeWtFT % ‘'JTeft q rt ^ § T I 3TT%
form 3 ~m q t ^ f *r# m Tppgt faqfaqrc; ^ t T t t «fti
3Tq^ qR-% qf 3 W^tcT 3 ■RTT^f TF^t fH *tt, 3TT H^dcf, % cTcTT
qrt f^FTT *11, Titfeqt Tf ':Tt^ da<e) 3tR ■qs % qra -Jiichi ^ qT
1^1 " 3 ^ eTcfT % qra dfi^l ^RT =b<A ^)T 1 w ^ H+>■MlI 7§H qT 'ER
^T W R T ^TTcl p 3 ?^ STTTt HuSdl ^ HlHil HFlt—‘3rt F ^ T R t Ft
Ttt Ftnt, srtr Tft^ "êmtFT % ^ ^tt qf^Ti fqR w f , ^ % qra ^ r t t
^t)q>i=h sflT t r n t ^ t t o ^ t ^ tt, “f# !”
eTcTT ^ ftR 7573TSRT ^7§T aftT q F9 H ’ft f^RTI ^TT ^T?T qT TTFTTT '?t3
tTFTJTT f f TTTF^ ^ fTT foêT 3 foRT t l
“ snq^ w q ^ "g^ qF^RT q tt Ftqr....”
“ ^t q tt qfrgrq 1 w ! ” erar ^ ^ ^ fti
“ ■ ^ffq 3 ^ i”
“ ^ t, t i 3 R snq ^ r q q i ^ ft q t % i i^ tt f o r r t ^ nf w ^ r q qst
?w t qtt t i ”
“ q^FT t o r ^ tt qqT?”
“# i”
“ ^fq?gr T ft^ ” , " 3 ^ q M , “ s t r ^ qrq TTTeT 3TTq
’fcT w f t i ”
^Kal'H 'Hiferq : wRqq / 365
oTcTI "1KM I 37N^t TR?T ^TT TTIT t : ^ T ^ ff 'it t ftcTT?

‘ ‘ 37^7 (ft Tjferi f% ?7f ^ ? w TT^Tcn t ? ”
oTcTT cTT^pRT ^ T f# Mt, ^T WHTI off fcnfc T**TRT ÎTf# *ftl ^T ^ if
sfcraT t ? t , " ’ j r i * jt T^raT t ft7....Tjftre;, ^ q r f ^ ^f t t ?=f t ^ s
«7TI 3^T ^ 3 H f^PTI fe> ^ f FT^qiot f l ^cRT w T R ^371, ^ R T

Hdltrl 1% Tg^T?ft cti<-^ 3 t f f , <g5<3>5(fl | <sjî 357 etna- d I<9 ?J95 1%
■si'll®! 3 <tal c f « R h^l ^Tft, ^TRt> 'Jii'ifll t 37F7, • Id l^ l %T(T TfT ®TT?
3?TRT 3 W fTt* *t TlTf^, ^ 3 l”
3 3FR [ch^l 3 T ift ^tq|s| t <ft ‘^Tf H ft 3>fT ^5TT
y=tidl fe i sJTT 7RTT t l " eTcTT ^Tct 3 fisTE! f t ^ ?7t, “ ^7 rit ■*|e||«l TTFt
I , *n tt ^ r t i y r t % fR ii 3 * t t 3' w i f ef f t ? f f , f? r s tt ^ ? fw 3' x^n f t
TRhTT t ....
“ '--(Riu, 3 7 ^ ^TT H|oh|[«ld 3 ft ^>*5 <ft flTFRT f ^ T i. . . f t T R k TT t FR
# f t % ^TT f t Pi3)R 3TP3J ” 3Tt ^T7 Tt ^ t f ^ Tg?ft f t T ft Mt
RcIT ^ T TI% ^ 3 ^ 5 W T I cTTRtfH f t <ft fa sF f37T «TT «pFWT 3'
^ 7 % 3«TT 3TTI
^7T 37TW «ft WTcTT t 37TWI ^7T 3^7 I3IT?”
“ # l ”
cTffT ^ t 3TT ^ ■ q ^ T ^ R T yfe<*>d f t TFT «TT, 3T*R fO
■^FTI t eft ^ f t ''R =hU tft R;ich'i e l'll ^sflff^l ^ F ■HI5«( eft -ciH=h T t t l
i j ! 5 ^c7 '{i'll ^ 7 T tl f*RTI % 'js J "3T? cRTTi' Tt 7pTT s ffr ^ t
^3^ ^ f t ^ t l t IT d-e'H ^ c T of>l^< ^ f t TIFft?ft ^Tm; T ^ltl ^ ifT - fft
37^ ^ t , *T '3TTTf 3t M f t "ETR 3ftI fT , 'JTf cRT W ^T f^ T T H ^ l^ ^ ft
3 T3^T # W ^ T tl
3TFT f ^ 3 U *7t -T ^ ' ” , Ren ^ t ’ RtTTI “ s5f ^TTt
3 37^ "SRI fVTTR *ft TRT eft ■d<H^ <am l f)4i 'Ttt MS'Iqicrll I ’ ’ f*+><
^ t ^ fT ^ rt ^ Tjgi, “ ^ n 3 7 iw t qW snraf % % t i 3' ^ Tpr ^?i
^ T T ^ k TT ^ ? ”
“ ^ f t , ^ t f ^ R c T q f f l ” R ‘d T ^ ^ T 3 ^ ^ riT % fR tr^ T T sftr PFTTf XPT
#1
37Tq ^Rcl *TcT 'TWfÛ.1 # 3 fH % H«l ^ qi^TTt
qfTJTT ^ T T fl «1T, cR 37TWt ®k «ft ^ IR I qRJTT6 ^ IT I ?Tf^ 3 rt rT^Tf
^ 7 ^ f....^ 7 I 3 ^ 3 TT^cH ^,?”
“ ^ft ? ^ft T ft I ” ^ f 3 7f^ f t ef?TT =fii crlJll f^FT W R TTR ^q^T f fT7
o^f^T ^T 37^KT f^ T I f , “ ^ f f , HfT, ^Tr q?TR^ t 37N ^ F T ^ ' , ^T
366 / ^ 3?wr-*n
3 R H H I t t TTT....'^Tf 3TIWT >}h < ^ t *S>I t t TTjn eVlll 3TTC ^<HI ■

h 'N cI t ,
T tfl”
TT ^ t t W l “ 3 T ^ I, <Mde11îJ., fTT «(W^1d % "oft ^ ?e^T
f3TT ^ t t fa? W t ? ”
“ w f , *RT *ft W f l ”
“ 3 ^ !...^ , ^ ^T?T W fl 3TR TTT W T fe ^ % 3
% 3 Id N I 3^k ^ t t, ^ 3ftr 3T?R ^Tft t , ~%>i...” 3 lJISI^
e ft p 3FR TJemtwr % e l M - ^ t ^ 3 ft 3 fk f t w ^ M 1
fa?..?”
“ "'fccTt” w i "^TT 3 R ^>*5 TRST t t "qefl am
“ c fT ^ ? ”
“ qicf>^” , ^rft TRgft «rt q ; p ^ten “ 3?rot
3?T ^t?r ^?q f3TT t i
5 R eRIT 3 3 ! 3Tfc -qei^ eFltl W ’ ft ~53 <asi fSTTI
“ ^RT 3 cjru 3TF(% *n *l ^ e l TRkIT %?”
“ s rm t 3 tfa? T R ^ t f ? a fk r ^ w H eft 3THTKt ■qT t t
t l”
“ 3T^5r eft 3TFT ^ n t I " c |f Tpm
“ 3f w t 3T N ^t ■JfK 3 ^ T Tf^T! 3TTWt ^ 3f, sftT 'HTf
■grrN 'PTltt % ^ ft 3 jft 3?TWt ^TR? % M f3TT t l ?tcft
^ f^T ? t ^ t l”
eRTT 3 R qqiqi<H Tt fq ci'ye i fT^ sftl W ^TeTcft ^ f t l qT ^Tt
HiejH ajT fo r o ff iqtj_qqi ^ ^ T lt t , 3 T R ft 3TM '3TTR <J*ich| T f^ f ^TT TFt
t i eraT *rc*ftcr KfT aftr s r ^ ^ q ti 3 swfeiu % 3 t r ^t
^T ^ 3>s?T t t , 3Tt W t5t2t-TTf yeii=r>m 3T^5t eFlt ®ftI W 5<^l>=f)a *ttl ^
tM S'+lcfrdl FT WTTeit 3 eTcTT % f R ^ ? f e r ^ t fe m T ^ t Phel^lel
F2T t t t^TT sftT dtlcbl '^FTf, f^ T tt 3TT^% 3 —d'Hl ^FT—ST1^
ePt Tm ^t % ^Ft ^ ft -qiâ <h j ii ^ t l
3, 3TT ^tW T, et?TT sftr RR^dt 3TTTt ^ T T tf^ ff % TTT*T Z f e f t
f t i 3TT ^ T t ^ t 3TfT ^ e ff, ^ t ' ^ W T: ^ ^TTeft aftl W W Ie T ^ ^
W «rft nfteiTaff % ^t ^ aftl Hieidl ^ tTTst fe a iq TT’ TI^
fc r aft, nr W R W ct>5'ii T ftt t t ^ f a Afs^het ^ ft 3TT fa o iq 3 Hieial
t t ^ S T f s n am
w fa : TK* / 367
W T t *ftl FT«T 3' FTC ^ 3st' % # 3 ^T?ft TFtl TTF%3T *?t

^ f f *fti ^ -t * r 3teT-eftfF3 ^ ftret ■jffeqn ^ 3 gf33 - q ^ fo;
t t ■RTeRft ^ effiT 3 ^ F , “ 313 33T t ? t^RT # 3 3 ^ t F t? ”
^F3 er!3T ^ ^T? 3T73 3T ^>*5 3TTF3^-TTF 'jmiî rft h ic io I «fleTt, “ ?TF
3TF 3 rt 3TtT Tl 3 ftf WT^T 3Ftl ^J?t HlejH t f3> 3*T Rt)’«1 f3^3T 3f
Ftl Ft 3Ft? TT3 33T3ftl afa ^ 3F 'RFeJ*? t 3F f3^FT t 33T?
t , jft ■g?t t §3 t ^3 tf ^ ti”
Qffir 3teft, ^FHcft t ^ l 1^ 1 7T^ r
t l”
“ 3 s # w n 3 3 rrit tf3>t, cF3r, <pr ft^ s t 3ft fosj^t t f 3 fi 3 f3
^ rt 3 tf ^js 3fci3t Ft jp ri”
<rtdi *TTF ^1chi I
“ ■qpff ^(3 *ft ^J3 3ft °htfyi^l 3 * 3 t Ft tit 31pT sJTt 3TF 3Rcft
Ftl ^FRT ^ 3 TFFf-TFFf ?J3T cTTtTT t l ”
“ 3T5Î rft 3>Ft 33T 3TF3T ^3TF3t *ff, e p ? ” W ^ TT^TcT %3TI
“ 3m 3' »JeF 3^ ^ l ”
% f^ 3TF3T 3' f373T3 W537T 3FT 3 # ' 3FTf \ l 3T3 W 3 T
TF^ ^F, ^ft 3>F3T 31 li» 'li qTFcft Ft, 3F TTt*t 1J?5tl 3F3t 3ft 3f5t-H<isl
3 F fi”
“ eft f*FT ^ 5 f M 3 W Ft 3 f 3! 7 9 q t t l 3 ^ F 333ft 3F^t W T T
"3TfF^ ^FT, 3TRT 35t 3 f t 31TTIT I3TTI”
“ 33T 33^FTT? 3R TFt Ft? TTFM eft 3Ff Ft 3^?”
“ faerl^d 3Ft'l”
“ eft f o r 3FfF3F3 TraTeT 33f ^ TFt F t? ”
“ ^T ^FTJTT 3 ^ t-f3 T 3F ^ F T t W ^ -qf3T s fk ’'TRT Ft ^ 3 1TT
^FT ^ 3 II ^FT % 3 K I $<Hfcm, 3tF 3TyTH t f3> i^ lR ^ ld ^ 3 i fsn lq ieil
ydl<=fila % 3 K ^ F ^ N t fncirl T t F t^ l” Hicial % fTT 3>«H ^
3F TF^F %3F «FT % ‘ 3F ’ 3Ft sfk W ^ ‘RTeTcft 3ft ^ t t
Ft ^ 8ltl
eTefF 3ft 31^g3 f31T 3^tT 'JHTT ^tt 3TT3TI 'S3T foaHl ^<Kl 4<na1 t l
^ Tt ^33T *Ft, "^ft 'S3T F t ^FFt t , 3Ttr Hlddt FT ‘ 3TF3)T?F^M’ 3ft H<^4 %^t
tfe 3 t 3 3t ^ t l “ ': TFt” , eFcFT ^ T=neFcft ^ 1 TFW 3T, “ F B «ffa 3
T t, 3 ^ F 3)FT-3>FT ^ T33^ 5=h<di 3iT êft F tl H icial, %Tt <gl<s(dl
3Tcff 3ft I5t5 ^tl ■H'ila % 3 lt 3 '^>t5 3?F3t 3 , 3T (q<?i % h I^ i FTeFFcF
368 / 3T53I-T?!
% rtt 3', rt HHNdi'O fsr^nrf % R it 3 t t TTtti *r t r 3 T jft afo

i|<=hli RTRl 3 3TTtt 3TTR 'RR ftd l-R T R F ^RR RFT 3TRTT, 'RFI 3 ^3t Mt—rft
r f ftnfc ^ a tt y,di=f)id afti ^ H irw d % r k s i r r f # r t t f t # f 3 tt3 i
r t r Rt R tt r t ? j r ^ t t r r i w r i t I w i t i t t r tRTRT fa n t i W 3ft, a m t
Rt>dl=l ^ tl «tcft t ?RT ^TOI TTT? $pFltt Rticiiq t t R<SRl f , "5ft t lt t TTRfT
3 « Ffftl afk RR WRR 3 n TJ5 feRH^ 3TTRRTI”
“ rrt ? rtr Rt R tt ^H R f <pr?” W R ft ^ ?t r t Rft ^ ^ a i, ^ r f
chlf q W t t t RT fRR H'ldl I

“ 3ftT RRT RF '’ft R t f ? ” RI^Tclt 3 TftR ^ 1
qRcTT <9h W i Ttt I fRR ^d<*>< RR7 'jich<< RT STR^ Rfe 3Rftl "5TT%
RRoT 3 sfeft p RToicft 3 RTR 3Rft «(<5lf I
“ R tt Rt RsJRTRT t f TFT FlRT-RRt? - 1R> 3TR=TT RTR <pt RRTRT RRt
R tf? ”
“ f t ', w k i ”
“ srt, ^ R lt 3Rc=t 3RcJJ”
“ RR3 RRT?”
“ 3R^t 3Tig3ft RT RRR?-fR^ R f o S W ” RT^TRt 3 cffiT Rft RR^T
=b{d p R>FTI dRI RR "^FTT d id Ft RRTI
“ cp t RTTK 3TTRT t R RF? 3TRT ?J3 R t# Rt 3 RFRTR ? jf t ! ”
qTRT 3 ^ TTRRTT ^TRT ^TRTR R tt f^RTI ff*RFTR % RK RT effZRR RT?3
RT' RR TTTRRT fRRft R fRRft RTF RR t t fcTRT RTI ^ T % 3T^ftR sftT
■5TTRR-tt 3qgRR % RK Rt RT 3 ® t3 RiT RRR fRRT fRRff SIR*) % R>3 Ft
RRT RTI tRR R t# , “ RTT^ RF *1M fd ^ l RT tRT 3TT RRT tRR^ RRT t l sffT
fRR RF RTTT 3TTRTI ?TT3 3TT^ ft^RR fo®T^ aft, RRffRT ^RiVIR 3’
3R% 3rRTF TR tRFTRR 3 ^ RFft ^TcR am”
“ RF TTR ^FRT "gf^RTFT t , R R # !” RM Rt % TTFR RTR 3 RTFT,
“ eTS% ^ t t TTTTTRt t t ^ t l fRRft aftT 3 ^ t FtRt-3TRT ^TT^T 3TT
d s q il ^ RTR RiT% rft 3R! -37tr RR! f3|T R fR t ^ t rp F lt RTTTI FTT3eT 3
PT RF TTR R p "S[% t l t t # % RRR FRTt FfeeT RT RTRT R te ft 3R
R fR ^1 FT', ^ RF ^ T TTTR^ t fR> R ^ TTR-RFT^T t l ”
w fa / 369
“ =IF ?RRcTt t ” , rRIT ft sT^Tcf 3' W “ afrc *IFT W ^T

yqurt t , fTT ^T?T 3 ®15I^<1 ^ 3 ^ t f a ^ft STI^R ^ ift WT. i , '*l«lf'+)
ctF W ffiT t f a ^ W 5FT £ fH lg fl » t ^ ? T ? I T T ^T t l ”
■rm# ^ emi yRifstiî 3 ^ ^ tt an m «ni ^ ',
^>Ft eis=nl 3 T^nr-Hle^n HFt, f t # sldM'ii FteTT t l ^ it? 3T*ft ^ tru
^ ftt 3TT Tift *ff, TJ^-^t 3MRI <rT5% îf'+xrl 1TT Fhki 1ft?5I ^n ft ^ft
cblRfW ^ T# «tl eTTTT 3TRTT t ^ T^fft tTTI ^ ftlelft ^ft fF**TcT ftt t
?"T 'f k s l 3 , elRh’l StTCrftl 1Ttel "3I?R ^ f t l {TR 'zr^T ^ ftt
3 Tl i ^ 7Tf TW '5)|tti< ^ 3 n ft TTTft ^ l "
trffiT a tl ^>*5 % ^ F ft? % fttft eife fTf I T T fa t h'115 ft ? ^ ft
facnft Ft dsFwT ^ft m ^fRftt ^ 3 t^ t ft' *ncR w t 31ft -srfat hIRhhi
^ ft 3TCft *n ft eFltl ^ ^ F F flF t ^>T *T ^ I '•ft ^ 3TFJT, f a i t 'STift
ÎF T % H lft 3 *ft ^Ten a il
“ ^T’ft-'^’ft W Hlell^ 3n^KI eftt TJ=F TTT*T, T3=F ^ ft SIFJR ft*
e ft t ” , TTTeTcft 3T}ft 3^*[cJ ^ T ^ I f t l ftftt TFt, “ s fk 3TFTTT 3' T ^ -^ F R ^fft
<<a=h< ^ f t fa ^ le ld TFft t , s fft f a r ^ 'f t t - '^ 'f t t 3 n ft W fa ftt ^ ft TI'RTfaeT
^>rft % *ft ^>Tft t i 3 i% ^ s rft t eft fttft k i I- j i ,
^ T 3' 37N% i\ TRnn ^ 7 - ^ 1 f a r fir

^ jf^ t , g ^ i ”
f a r ^H=hal f f 3TH3t ^ Hicial 3 1JST, ‘ 3T^5T ^cTT F ^ ft 3TIe^
^TfF^ ^ fa^T elTF ^ t ? ÎnPl'l elT?^ 'PTT sft? ”
eTclT 3 Hldell e i'IN lI
‘ TflTt! TTRt! STT^TTTfF^ W f, ^ ^nfF ^, ^fteT-TTetcl, enoT-Hrar ^ ! ”
''R eRTT 3T^ Tpsfa '’Tf I T[f Wra? ^T I ^ vJ«<^ T?F^
y r^, ■ g^r? crar 3 t r ^ 4 f s n i F m ffa y,<Hi=fia ^ Ft w f r f ^
“Fit t , 'CR ?cRt F t 3 ^F ^ tl ^ ^TeT cTcTT *ft "^Tgt ’ Jcft *ft.
^ F a t T E fa t "EROFH, ^ W IF H ^ t 3 ‘R F ^T ^ f t *ft,
31^ 3raRcF ^351 ^ T I «TTI TTT8? F t ^F
^ r a if ît Mt I 'EraTTFH ^ ^ f^ ( t F t TJ^ ^ ,;nqî ^ ^ t ®ft I
^ F *PHT ^ c ^ t ^ «ftI ^ftFlsf «IT, fTcT5Rn «ft....T3^ 3T^FRt A, T33r
F # T SFSmt 3 ^ f a t 3 ^ R ft W 3TJcR, -3TT% fteT
3TOt F ^ t s r n t F ^ f w t 3 . # e n sit I
if fa r to 3i TTcfT WTtcT-lTORtF STFTt^R 'g3TTl -H'JDrl<=bKt

3' S S 3K HT TnfF^ W «tl
370 / ^ 5T5j5I--ffl eTSSFTI
?13T 3 ^ Hi<not 3ft Tlt3F3 Tt 3t ffcr^T “Tf I d'l'hl T tt# t3T 3ft
3tl t3T ?3 3 t-3 3 # , # ! - f e t 3tT3 *ft, fora% WfTF5T % 31T13T3 -er ^
^ "cp^-TF^ 3Tf-3F3 Tjft î 3F TT3, <ns4>-<ns<:t)1,4aidn^ ’ % TFT Tt
yPdPkid 3 =F Rs»cKK 3ft ft3T13t 3 333 Tt ^1 3T3^ft <ft 3F Rd^<|<l
f a # f f sff fer ^§t fo> 3T 3>t <n-sfo4l 3>T 3T3-3>T3 3}3r#3>3 Tt 3?tT
qT5% fo?TTt îftt 3 3 3i'l 3ftt' gR>+d 333! 3T3v3ft cfr'qt-cfr-qt 3rft 3F3
3ft 3ftrm ^ for 3 3 3T f t 3T#T3 3 ( sftr m *ft f t ^f^f-yil-^nr
3 ) i^ttt 3rf3c3 3tt 3§t t i 3?k ^ttt 3>^ 3tt tt "533 *tt> ^ ^3
cTT5T3ft ^ 3=T itHad' 3ft T*£eT-33#5T 3 fo^T^R Tit*} 3T ’’ftf ^ <ft
333ft t f aftl 3T 3c3t, 3Tf3t, f^lfo 3ft TT3M 3tl 3Tf# Tf^
3 r i 3 ^ IW H 3 3 s t f f q f, 3F 3 t f -3TFTt 3 f for 3 cTSforqf 3 t 3TTt
=hdlwi 3ft 3T5^ra 3^1 *T3 373t FT <H4fo>4 3?t 313 3 tt' 333t 3t 3 l f #
3Pft -qicj4 ^ 3Tt 333T ^3tl
FT ?TT3 t3T 3ftT <5■«'*>! ^T-3TTT 3ft 3F^ft ^ cil<s^1 3ft 3 ^ t *t33t 3Tft
FtfTIeT 3iT # t 3 tl FT3T 3F *TT fo? FT 3TT-^TTt ^TTSt 3ft 33T % 3 1 ^ 1 -3 ^ 3
3 ftft 3 cfcctt' 3ft Ff>'£31 3R, TT3ft-TT3TTtt? 3 f t "3131 ^ 3 T I ^ tt
ft3 7 cft 33 TI33 3?^3 3TT3T, ^ t t 3 T 3 ^t 3ft TTTTt % I 3 f W 3T33I 3 ^ f t
f3 e v lft f t * 3?FT 3T: ‘ Ff, FT', *TT3?t TFTft T f f t l t ^ f t ^T3T, 3 f t M t^ !
<33T3Tt, cTnTSTT 3 1 # ^ ''JurT! 33T TTT3<t # 3 ? % fo3 t l fomT3t ^f
3 ^ TF3T ■qiley, ^ TT33 ^fl i t l , HMri t t 3 t t , 3TW33?I TT3-^T3 % -qet
fo ^ ft it3m t3T 3PTT-33T3T cTSfoT3f 3 r tf 3ftl 3ft# “^ft
^3-^fTT3t' ^ ?TT3t 357^ 3 ^ t 3 t f 3TF33T, W3T^Rl'
^T 73TTF FTSforqf-FmT sftr WTcft T rt3 —F T 3 ra t ^ « T R ^ -^ 3 3
% 3FFT 3 33Tfl T3RF! 3T3T3 3 ft 3 m Mt fo? 3Trt fo ® t t f t 3T 3 t 3 3 3 ft
TTTfeft ^ Mcnq^ 3 t t 3 S t *ffl 3TT TT33 Tt3 3 ft TI3 3T?T l ^ s t T tt,
cfft %Î-TF3TT 3ft TT3TTcft f f , W f f t t , 3 F 3 m t f f I fo R fo ^ ft % TT%3 3T
TT3 3 ft TT3 TT3ft-3TTT % TTRT3 ^733 ^ 3 f 3 ^ f f I ^ftTTT TTT*T ^ 3 ^ 3ft
TF3T33T 3 tt' «ftl 3 t-3 t # T - # T 3 ft ^ftfe3T 33Tf 3 f , 3Tk FT 333T ^
9ftcIFIR 3 fo ^ T 3 f l l f t 3 T ^ 3 ? F fe 3 % 3 fo 3 3 3 ft 3TTgT3T ^ 3 3 3 ft
"3F3FTF? 3 ft 3 )3 3 t t foT3TI
3T3T 3 # ^ f t 3?t tiT m $ ^1 fo3 3>T3ft 3T3 TFT *3 3^tT
TT3T3TT 3 33TT aflT ^ 3 3 3 ^ t ^T T tt «ftl eI3T 3?tT 3TT3ft T#^T3T 3T3^
3333ft 153 3t3T3 ^ 3 ® t f p ( ^ 3 f t t 3 3 3 t t TT3^ 3TF3 3 3 3 t3 W t)
qii4stm 3 ft ?J^3TT3 3 ft 33t^T 3TT3 c ft tl
îPprq : T33T / 371
TFtft-TTRTTtf R f? n r h t *tt T i^ 1 W im = m i+ k ^ t t w R - 's n ^ ii

erfti farm ft rtti ^ Rt ^ R t-^R t ^f t r w f ^rmi
■RWTRR ^ T a fk ^TTeftt «TIfT % RTTT T ^ ft f f *ff, ^ T ^
3Tl^TTrff«r 3TtT ^ îTT 3TTTTI TTMtft ^ W l ^311 f t cTcTT
^'lfeHl t f ^ f t fq ; ^sjftft, “ ^ R t p w ^ K = h f t l 3' Rsl-tlebdl ^ ^ f T
3 l”
emT R f t t - R f t t f t R f , “ 'RTcftt 'c# t T! ^ ^ T a fti”
“ HcTT "gffRT spftl Ttr^ft * p ftl”
^ f w f r 3 s rrt ^ tft «t t i
‘‘^ f t %T3sf Tit w f tft % ?” ^rft vW t*tt 3: w i #R f % ?ftr
3 crltTT <5<H=t>l ^TcT TfT ^T I vS^î FT*T % TT35a Tt ^ "3R1FTTI t r lf o i ^
^ r f t w a ^ ^ t s r g R f t t t r p a r k ■ g ^ r m f o ; ^ t , “ ^ f t , "3 ^ t h t
«n f a ^ n 3' 3t t r % rttt a i m fere«f ^ t tffk Ti f ? ”
“ 3f tft i^tT ^>*5 Rt R ft ^>T T ft f a 3TT*t <aFm XT5 T1%l” offiT ^T(
fte r •ScflTt 3 iTS^T TfT «TTI f a s t "tr^ T T £R ^ R ft 3 l
“ 3nq% p m t ' 3 Rt f t ig c M r ^ t t 3 kt t t i ”
$HT Rt R#' % T3RT#' ^ t ^T<o 3TT Tft f t l ” cTcTT % W eft ^ t
"3TT ^TcT ^ t RK faRT—^Tt ?fTf ^ 3 qld^qicil RTcT R^l eRTT RR ^6<l 3if
RTf ^ t WTTsft, ^Pd4 3 cTTef f f t wni
“ W f t RTRt f offT 3 f t r ” , RF R^TT, “ RT RFT Rt ^ RTR RFt'l”
cWI ^ TTFRft 3 f*R fFeTTRTI 3 R ^gfFRT \, 3TTR #RT, 3rfc R ?TT^tl
3 't t ^ K i 7
“ TiftFT ?TP^TT 8Ul”
“ ^ t l ” cTOT ^ 1%T T T frrft ^ t, 3 T l^ t TFT ftT c n T -^ T
f t r m F R ^ TfT «TTI
R te ®Tt, 3fR 3TFRT 3f ^TcT fTT% 3TwqT ^ ? tf ^TTI ':T ft *TT
fa> ^ % r=»cigici ^Tt^ TI^ T^l cmT ^TTt ^ 3TTTf^f 3T^«r^
^ T T ft «ftl TT^ 3 T 5 R ^ t - ^ T 3 T 3 T ra t-'3 ^F % TTT«T ^ T f ^ 3^T ^
R<g^ ^ ^ f ^RTT T ft ^ftl c ff vslHcfl *ft 1% 3FTT 3 T ft ^ ^ ^ IF T
fc rrt ^ ft- - q r g ft s r f t t sftr ^ 3 ^ ( ^ !) w f t i t t t cTcn ^fr ^ ft
STfTTRT «TT % f o ^ f t ^ f t f ^crfI<=bIdl‘ 3' ^ ( f ?TT^ T ft *Ttl ^TT «ITT, eTm

^ 3 T ft 3TFT ^ q N ^ i ftrqT f e ^ f ^TTT ';Tft f f t ^ f t l 'TT ^ f t qiT^T Rt <^>^1
«TT! sftr 3Tf#' ^ 3T17i p H d H I - a R m i CWT ^ ^ t ^ t 37tT ^FTT f t n t ii
^ f # ? t ÎT TfT «TT, 3 ^TfT ^ c f ^T^t 3TRTT \, ^TR f t 3TTcTT f l 3TFT?”
372 / 3r^5I-^T ?T5^T
^ P f ? rjt ft h t r t c i TfTi *u aftr t t 3 t t w m f t t f ^ *Ft ^ncft ^tt

P^tT 8(T, l^lfdiJ, W t t T ttl
“ sift w ft? r t i ”
‘ ft s p^ t teiih! 4!i t t w f f ” , ct ot ft ^f ft , “ s r^ i t f cj t t i”
“ # W f, ftftt HFf t l ” 3Tlft eTcFT % ^ tP ^ F =Fit 3TT#FTT
W l f^TTI tn ft P sticrll, ‘ ‘ 3TR 3ftr 3HIH=hl Tftt^TT 3KT 3Tlft p eft W 'ltl
ft^ F?f ÎF3FF T tt *ft, 3 lk 3TN ft ft ^ ftf tT*T ’ft sfteTtft
T tt, ^3R tTRlR ■5FT5TT ^T T?T *?Il"
oTOT ft ft3 t ?kftt ft ^ te t- ftt 3ftT5lf # , “ cRI 31N T R ^ t t PF fftft?
4 rft t t ^FTtft t , t o ^ F f? ”
W ftF ^ f3TT for " 3 # sllrH Id ftt ffl
“ aft FT, ft ^ t t T F W f l 3TFTft TTtt ''TTRpTFl ” 3TFFt f t t # 3 3 ^ c|F
F ^ lf '?g?Tt sftr 3TRiF^ offt c ^ T ftt aft TJtftT % <JSH ’ TT # t t fT Ht1'l«lM ft
3TT ^flftt t l “ ^KTcft F ^ F t T t ^ F l f t 3TTWt 3F F< JT -fttT ^ <fft T*F ^FFTftt
TfTmr %i ? t t ft ^ f 3 fo r ctt ^ f T ® it t i ”
“ 3TrT 'g;TT •^<+‘1 tM ft 3TPrat sRRTTSiTft fo? ^F ■y-lH ^1W<1> *ft
^1 W f l ”
“ tit, ?TFK 3FT# TJeTFFTtT ’TT?”
■^TcTT ft fTT TJ5?ra ^ t 3 ^ t fSTTFT 3 p Tpi
“ t t TI^FtH t , TpFFM t t ” , cTtTT f t t # , “ 3 R tFF tft FR ftPFT^R
tftefit 3TTC; t l ”
“ ^T I W ^ T t t PF FR f t f t t t ?*TT-3NT fft^ fft T t? ” ^ F ^ ft3T,
“ ftfel?;, ftft ST’ft-ST’ft 31TW sftT 3TTq^t T ? t f W ^FT p5T3? fo^TT tit 3
^T3TTT?T, ftn W R t , 3f W TT ^ F ^TF TFT «TT for 3 tM sftft 3 **TKT
3TFT t t ^rt ^ 5 T tt *ff, aiq 3TFT 3TKT 3TTf, ^TT TTKt FTt TTFSt f t , fTT'ft
TrftK gcira ^ r ^ f m f t ermri ^ ^rft TftETT-fortFrt ^ f | / d w t T tt t
3TTT, foTcRt ^TKT 7|^TJTtT...”
eTtTT % f ^ ‘ sftrt 'ft ^ K l ' % 3TFTM ^ r t TT^ qTqft T k 3FJtf
®ti w "g r^ rrfi ^ f »ft 'g^TFTT aftr "gT^TTft % ■ ^ r ^ 3trr w r
n t T0T, “ !^*C|K ^Ft 4 f t # TTTIf ^ % m - 2 0 t f e 7^ f t ^ - W J T f ^ f t

Trtrrr^t fttfeT t , w r % w ^ i "r ^ tt T tftti ^rt ^ r t 3t t Tmrar t
sftr 3T^ ^fHelWdl ttft=IT# ^ r < ^ l % TTT8T f t Ftft 3FR ^ ^
ftt fo ^T f f t l ”
‘jp iq W d s|fd<iq| Pal* '^ :Tft Ft eTtTT ^ ft <si'Hi<n 3h n i —VIIAi^
‘UiFtfrM : ^ / 373
3?T^T y<rll«+ld # ^ f t ! Tft ^ : ^ P T t «UI “ i f ” , ?ft ^ ^

3TT W f a 3' 3TN^ ^FTT T J ^ I W d t « ftl”
“ 3T5ST? T jfe ^ i”
“ 3 IT W ^T t? ”
^)T êRT f e e l '331, “ 3Ttl>! ^FT TffaT ^TT 3TN ^>*ft ^ ‘ il f t
•^1 ^ t l t r 3T*ft ^ 3 ^ im Jld l^ K 9 % 'TFT 3 ^ T H
?Ft t l ”
" # -R t? ”
‘3 t f a 3' sFten f a # -r f a # a rkd ^ * ik t R * * d 3
^>t cTT^T 3f T(?tTT f j ’ ’
“ 3 fa # RcMid 3' ffa w m *jra>'i”
“ 3 ^ffdT \ f a 3TR R f+ d 3' m t t , 3TFT # *THdt t f a 3TR W f
t; ^ ^ ^ T R T JR I t , TJR3I ÎT hiqjH ?”
# 1 ” ?rm ^ ^ ^ p -a fk cj^n s n f ^ - q ^ f t 3
F t fa lT t i
" r it f a r m 3 m T -3T W TJTT HTq # *FTt' 1 3?”
eTcfT % f a # #cRt 3T^f?T ^ 3>FT—'TFt, ^ t f 'TFtl f^RPTT
■^vgrr-^^TT t , Ct)i'+>1 t l eTcTT ^ t MW-< 3TRT *n s fk '3fF ^TFdt ®ft, ^ f d
■qisol *ft, T?kt faT 3?k fncitil x t TR . . . ^ T . . . 3TPt TTdT
*ft h FT^ c# eft? # ^T ÎRT IR % t^ t^ ^ 3TFTTI
“ is f, ^tfaî” rrar ft *rk 3 ^ ti fa r D,«t>meb '3^ wt t , w
T T f# F fl SPRTiT-sftiT 3 <=hl<rMfH«=b ^ ts t r tr^ t? WTlft
% %Ti TJST, "3T . . . 37n% q i f - ^ T t? ”
“ *rt, ^ te r *n f t i ”
“ ^?ft?” eTcTT ft y f^ R t m TJ3TI
"Mt ^ #tzt ^ r , fq®^ t o <ren”
"3TtF! w cb1Rm.J|ll tj^ 77 anxfat dcbdlHi T f f ^ l
facRT fs n f f a 31TWt-3IFi% -qmT-faTT ^ t . . . ”
“ ■3ft . . . 3 } 3T*n =Ft . . . ” 3 ^ T , “ eFM t
■ q^ ^ TJHI cR ftq r t l 3T^T ^ R T ^ ife n i”
^ Tnftcnffa ^ t ■g:^ R w n % 3 ^t
13^ n=IJ#ll«n ^TIT ~53 ^?arst f f «ftl 'OT ÎFT % ? ik ^ cTdT % ^ H t ^ t *R
fa r n ^s? 3 R 3qk ^ 5 ^ ? t ^ T ft Mtl ^ ft ^ k ^ ft 3TtT
374 / 3T5®I-Tn
o^nTT, eTcTT xffs£-1fr ^ 'ftcTh 3TKT, TI'RFTTT ^f, <4Kti^ Hafl^ T3T TTTfFq
3 t ft *i i w ( i «j5jf 3frr ^ ^ t t f ^ n «t t i cmi sftr ^ f t r
*flciT a)|chi 3i h H I-3 h HI *fl<i) TTT TTÎ
1. ■=113^ 3 ^ 3TT fnTHT; TST^fal

2. #5R fofcWR ^ T rfto T ( 1564-1616) 3KT ftffe d TC3T <ST
•TPT^v I TfrjR (100-44 f.TJ.) TfcR ^HHKl=h
3k STllTl^r «ni TfiPT ?yftftzr^ oqcRSH 3?t ifa
^ id l 3TlT TTcR TtTEfl^T ^TT ftw K PtJî I Tlt^R
ciTOUf ■Enfei form w 3k ^ 3 Tft^f ^ 3T^ft
irq r =ft # w fw ^ t w t o ■q?# ®[R 1599 3
fTf^T fSTTI
3. fo fo f ^R1
4. for7l fePR ^foalw mi t3=F :=iT^r, fay+i w ^ ic ft sir tt^
1606 3 fs n i 1 W ^ R % w i ^rt m ip it
^r?t TTf ti
5. ozrra
6. ■s^rcn
7. T^ft ^ TITFt, % SU^hR-ychR ^TcTI T>^r 'SlFTt
farfo? ?rrtr ^ w if t ti
■sFTcTt qa;ft
9. fo^l % for^T 3H«k s k TT35 ^crf % c-ll-^S ^ URf
■q^r ^jTcfm 3rrsfr a k 3^for ^ f t r f ^ft ^rfifo q f w f T
3 Ft cTTcft t cTfoB TUf?c?T ^FTcT 3 StTsft
■qtzryi ^ t t i ' ic iis i 'a ^ ‘ nR ^jf sj^qR’ ^nn îcii t i
‘ LiRûtdi’ TUfn, fcnydi ak 3
Klti ^ 3W=ft TprcTi a k f o ^ r ^ l f ^ l ^ r fcTTi Ts TO
ti
Folk Songs
Sitakant Mahapatra
To understand the literature of India, it is n ecessary to look at
the w ritten classics, and also the oral traditions, of which folklore is
an integral p art. Verbal folklore is m ade up of oral traditions with
specific genres like proverbs, riddles, lullabies, tales, ballads, prose
n arratives and son gs; nonverbal m odes like d ances, gam es, floor
and wall designs, artefacts and toys; and, perform ing arts like street
m agic and theatre. All of these expressive folk form s w eave in and
out of every aspect of village, small tow n and city life. A m idst all
the variety of languages, cultures and religions of India can be found
a large stock of shared folk m aterials. These m aterials not only travel
across the cou ntry, but can be found across the w orld and com m on
motifs surface in folk practices across regions, states and countries.
Folk tales and songs are told and sung in different con texts
and function in a variety of w ays depending on the te lle r/sin g e r(s),
th e tim e an d p la ce , an d th e liste n e r(s). The sp e a k e rs are b oth
professional and dom estic—singers and troupes, m others, aunts and
grandm others and others. Songs are sung at festivals, while w atching
over crops o r cattle, w orking in the fields or at hom e, and as p art of
calendrical rituals, and also dom estic occasions that include m arriages,
births and deaths. The antiquity of folk songs is as am azing as their
m obility and yet they rem ain current as variants and parallels are
generated every day in countless streets and homes across the country.
W hile the variety of songs is infinite, some prom inent categories
of folk songs are: m ale-centred songs w ith heroism and adventure
as the prim ary m otifs; fem ale-centred songs with dom estic motifs
and also the p ortrayal of an alternative w orld view that questions
all kinds of traditions and hierarchies; songs about family relationships
w ith bonds of affection, rivalry, incest, betrayal and cruelty; songs
about love in all its dim ensions; songs about fates, gods and dem ons;
hum orous songs; songs about the environm ent and, m ost im portantly
p erh ap s, songs about the com m un ity an d its cu ltu ral and social
practices.
These songs are taken from Painted Words: An Anthology o f Tribal Literature,
edited by G.N. Devy. New Delhi: Viking Penguin Books India, 1993. pp. 170-
171 and The Endless Weave by Sitakant Mahapatra, New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi,
2004.
376 / Folk Songs
Both the Santhals and the Ho tribes belong to eastern India,

and are found m ainly in Bihar, Orissa and W est Bengal. They speak
a language that is from the M unda family. Their main occupation is
agriculture. These tribes worship nature and propitiate their ancestors
for well-being, as is evident in the Ho song. The Santhali song is a
comm ent on the traditional preference for a son and also acknowledges
the contribution of wom en in daily life. The songs express a celebration
of both life and death, and the cerem onies associated with them.
A S ant hal i S on g
If it is a daughter, she will at least put out a

bucket of water.
To wash your tired feet.
If a son, he will perform all the funerary rites
And carry the bones to Damodar1.
A Ho S ong
Where do you roam, dear ancestor,

The long day and the endless night,
The high noon on the rocks,
The rainy months in the forest?
Come back today and receive

Our meagre offering:
A piece of meat, a morsel of rice,
And a cup of rice-beer.
Witness our rejoicings,
Witness the ancient events,
The celebration and the joy.
1. D am odar : A river in eastern India.

f
$
|S<g
378/ dW fld
T T m # -nhr
3f r fsifi'Hi irf ^nr ^ ^t r *rc dm,'D

'Hpfl
<p?R xira *TR
3FR ^di |T3TT eft q-A'ii mK fsb<Hl-':ti4
^ ^ ttt s rfw q f g w 1 ?RT
f t iftrT
=F?f ^d=nd # 12nT ' 3 ^

<rf^ fa r 3rk w 3i
*Rt W T T 3' ^ Z r T TT
=1«ai % ^^FTci 3?
?fte 37T3rft 31M 3TR HqUI îTt

6HI<1 ef^5 ’fe
"RRT T^> *n?T ^T TJî R q id l
f f e ^ f ^>T TT?> ^ I d i
TlTSTt ^ f t sTRl} da>l£ %
TITSft si'll f?f ■JTRR ^ %
W TcTR 3?fc f S %l
37^3# # fw rft fwmt
i.
2. Ffe^T ■'twcl 3)t
Bibliography
Ali, Agha Shahid, ed. Ravishing Disunities: Real Ghazals in English. Hanover:
Wesleyan University Press, 2000.
Asaduddin, M. Ismat Chughtai. The M akers o f Indian Literature. New Delhi:
Sahitya Akademi, 1999.
Basu, Tapan, ed. Translating Caste. New Delhi: Katha Publications, 2002.
Bharati, S. Vijaya. Subramania Bharati: Personality and Poetry. New Delhi:
Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1975.
Chakravarty, Amiya. A Tagore Reader. New York: Macmillan, 1961.
Chaudhari, Amit, ed. Picador Book o f Modern Indian Literature. London:
Picador, 2001.
Dandekar, R.N., ed. The Mahabharata Revisited. Delhi: Sahitya Akademi,
1990.
Das, Chittaranjan. A Glimpse into Oriya Literature. Bhubaneswar: Orissa
Sahitya Akademi, 1982.
Das, S.K. Editor. A History o f Indian Literature 1 8 0 0 - 1910: Western Impact,
Indian Response. Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, 1991, 2000.
---------------- A History o f Indian Literature 1911 - 1956, Struggle fo r Freedom:
Triumph and Tragedy. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, 1995.
Devy, G.N. After Amnesia: Tradition and Change in Indian Literary Criticism.
New Delhi: Orient Longman Limited, 1992, 1996.
Garg, Ganga Ram. International Encyclopaedia o f Indian Literature. Vol IV
and Vol VI. Delhi: Mittal Publications, 1988
George, K. M. Survey o f Malai/alam Literature. Bombay: Asia Publishing
House, 1968
---------------- ed. Modern Indian Literature: An Anthology - Volume 1: Surveys
and Poems. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, 1992.
Hawley, John Stratton. Three Bhakti Voices: M irabai, Surdas and Kabir in
Their Times and Ours. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2005
Kailasapathy, K. On Bharathi. Madras: New Century Book House Pvt.Ltd,
1987.
Kamal, Daud. The Unicorn and the Dancing Girl: Poems by Faiz Ahmed
Faiz. Delhi: Allied Publishers, 1988.
Kanda, K.C. Firaq Gorakhpuri: Selected Poetry. Delhi: Sterling Publishers,
2000 . ‘
Kuruvilla, M.I. From Komorin to Kashmir: An Anthology o f Malayalam Short

Stories. New Delhi: Navrang, 1990.
Lai, Mohan, ed. Encyclopaedia o f Indian Literature, Vol V. Delhi: Sahitya

Akademi, 1992.
Maini, Darshan Singh. Studies in Punjabi Poetry. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing
House Private Limited.
Malhotra, R.P. and Kuldeep Arora, eds. Encyclopedic Dictionary o f Punjabi
Literature: Volume 2. Delhi: Global Vision Publishing House, 2003.
Meenakshisundaram, K. A Study o f the Poetical Works o f Subramania Bharati.
Madras: Paari Nilayam, 1965.
Mirza, Mohammad Wahid. The Life and Works o f Amir Khusrau. IAD Religio-
Philosophy Series No. 3. Delhi: Idarahi-I Adabiyat-I Delli.
Nandakumar, Prema. Poems o f Subramania Bharati. New Delhi: Sahitya
Akademi, 2004.
--------------Bharati. Makers o f Indian Literature. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi,
1978, 1987.
380 / Bibliography
Narang, Gopi Chand. Urdu Language and Literature: A Critical Perspectwe.

Delhi: Sterling Publishers Private Limited, 1991. New Delhi: APH
Publishing Corporation, 2000.
Niazi, Sarfaraz. K, Tr. Love Sonnets o f Ghalib. Delhi: Rupa and Co., 2002.
O'Hanlon, Rosalind. A Comparison Between Men and Women: Tarabai Shinde
and the Critique o f Gender Relations in Colonial India. Delhi: Oxford
University Press, 1994, 2000.
Omvedt, Gail. Dalit Vision. Hyderabad: Orient Longman, 1995.
Paniker, K. Ayyappa, ed. Medieval Indian Literature: An Anthology, Volume
1. Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, 1997.
Prema, S. Bharati in English Verse. Madras: Porunai Publishers, 1958.
Raghavan, A. Srinivasa, ed. The Voice o f a Poet: Being English Renderings
from the Tamil Originals o f Poems by Subramanya Bharati. Calcutta:
Bharati Tamil Sangam, 1951.
Rahman, Sarvat. 100 Poems by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. New Delhi: Abhinav
Publications, 2002.
Ramakrishnan, S. Bharati: Patriot, Poet, Prophet. Madras: New Century
Book House Pvt. Ltd., 1987.
Ramanujan, A. K. Collected Poems. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1995.
-------------The Collected Essays. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1999.
-------------Folktales from India. Penguin Books, 1994.
Rao, Ranga, ed. and tr. Classic Telugu Short Stories. Penguin Books India
(P) Ltd., 1995.
Robinson, Lillian S., ed. Modern Women Writers - Volume 3: McCarthy to
Sagan. New York: Continuum, 1996.
Russell, Ralph, ed.T he Oxford India Ghalib: Life, Letters and Ghazals. Delhi:
Oxford University Press, 2003.
Russell, Ralph. The Pursuit o f Urdu Literature: A Select History. Delhi: Oxford
University Press, 1992.
Sadiq, Mohammed. A History o f Urdu Literature. Delhi: Oxford University
Press, 1984.
-------------Twentieth Century Urdu Literature: A Review. Baroda: Padmaja
Publications, 1947.
Sharma, Ramachandra. M asti Venkatesha Iyengar: Short Stories. New Delhi:
Katha, 1990.
Sharma, T.R.S. ed. Ancient Indian Literature: An Anthology - Vols. 1-3.
Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, 2000.
Singh, Khushwant. ed. Amrita Pritam: Selected Poems. New Delhi: Bharatiya
Jnanpith Publication, 1982.
Singh, Nagendra Kumar, ed. Encyclopedia o f the Indian Biography. Delhi:
APH Publishing Corporation, 2000.
Sudarshanam, R.S. M akers o f Indian Literature: Chalam. Delhi: Sahitya
Akademi, 2000.
Sukthankar, V.S. Epic Studies. AVORI. Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental
Research Institute, Pune, 1946.
Swaminathan, K. ed. Subramania Bharati: Chosen Poems and Prose - English renderings
o f a selection from the Tamil writings o f Subramania Bharati. The All India
Subramania Bharati Centenary Celebrations Committee, 1984.
Tabassum, Sufi. Do Goneh: Translation o f Amir Khusrau's 100 Ghazals in
Urdu Ghazals. Delhi: Kitabi Duniya, 2005.
Tharu, Susie and K. Lalita. Women Writing in India: 600 BC to the Present-
Volume II: The Twentieth Century. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1993.
Viswanathan, Gauri. Masks o f Conquest: Literary Study and British Rule in
India. London : Faber and Faber,1989.
‘ 3TR gn *TTT?Tfa TTTf^T’ , (TT.) S*(FFT TT*TT TT.#. dkW K H , T T lfM
3W>KHl, ^ '5T.TT. 1978
‘ ^ T T STfeTB’ , TOTTER, f F ^ t 3 T ^ K H^<rl^-fl, TTTfFc^ 3T=h'KHl, ^
f ^ f t , TJ.TT. 1969, ^-i*4RU| 1983
‘ 3rTTt ^T TRT WTTT’ , M^J<W ^ 4 < { l, *TTT?ik *TSR, $dlSM K, 1972
' ^ T s TTTfe^T cffl ^RlÎ-H', TRT. * j n # , ^ j= IK < + i- fH 5 TTTTO, TTTWriT 3T<*KHl,
1971
‘*pftr\ l^TTTt M fg^t, <N+Hd U+MH, ^ fevit, 2002
^ T tT T W t’ , 3TTJ3TFT, FTT W 7 F T , $ rll$ M K , 1976
‘ ■ t t ^ r sflr frrra T ’ , fâp=rc t ^ t r to r h , ^ 2000
‘ T ] T f ^ ’, ty W K 3 T ^ R - T % 4 § , TTTfe^T 3T<*>KHl, ^ 2002
‘ cTpTcT TTI%c^f ^T if?TW’, TJ. =)WHH, 3T^K—TJ^T. TTTtM 3T<*k 41, ^
Rcrtrtl, 1994
‘ ^ R T t^ T ? f 'Sjfir^rr', ^TTTcft, ^TITTT y + M H , ^T T F M ^, 2002
^fcTcT TTTH^T ^T # ^ 4 ?(TT?\ W ?T ^ I r H lfe , T M ^ T y + l? H , ^
^ c r f f , 2001 -
‘ ^ r n ^ r ’ , "RTWThT^T ^ l y y , f F ^ t st ^ t k - 's iw t T trf^ r 3 I W ,
4 ,H ^ d T T T ^ T 1999
‘ t o ^ ’, ycblVN'^ T 3 - FT%?q 3T^KR t, ^ f t ? # , 2004
^ TTTWr^ M ^ t ', ^ •i.N+Mcrl w ? h , M ftc # ,
2000
sffc ■gn’ , TPTfôTTTT ?RTf, TT^FTcT y<*l5fH, 1976
‘ ftTg^TT TTTfF^T ^T ^ftFTTT’ , # T , 3R.-fT*fcTT ^ N , TTtf?^T 3T+KH1, ^
fto r lt, g. TT. 2004
‘ w t ’, tor ^ ^ rr, ip ctPtct 3 fF*3 3rpK-TprftT st^tt, Tnf^r
3T+KM1, ftc r ft, 1984
‘ ^TTTtTk 3 T M TTTfM ^T ^faFTTT', T^T. ^ F , 3Tg.-t*TER TTFTt, TTlfl^T
3T+KH), 1989
‘ W P T TTTfg c^T: fa fa q mR ^ ’ , ^T. fa^T T F^T t^ F T , TTlfeq TTFFK, 'f e r f t , 'ST.
TT. 2000
‘W h TTlff^T ^T T r t f ^ T ifWTTT’ , T M ^ T -^ T . ::m ^ , f F ^ t ^TTSER ^ p r f ^ T
fa ^fT M q , I ^ W ^ I T m , ^T.TT. 1989
382/ 'jfeST
‘ 'RKcffa TJTfe*T: W W i sftT a T ^H T ir’, %. T T f ^ H ^ i, ff. ^HlPH<+l,

y=blVH, ^ I w t , 2003
‘ ‘H k c T I ■ H i f e r q % ff? r ? r a ^ ■h h w i u , ' , T F T fa c T R T ? R f, q i u i) u ^ r t r , ^
f e r f t , 1995
‘ -q s im d fa y ifo l^ fo ^ l, SHrHIIH ^ TTTT, 1963
‘ HdiJIdH ^1 ^ftSTTT’, q t.^ . W I? 5 rR ^TFTT, 3FJ.-TTt. 3TR W I T ,
TTTfe*T 3T=bKHl, 1968
‘ # T I ^5T ^T ^T ’ , fw m iS T f w s t , ^ F lt M T W , ^ 1998
‘ hUmi^ w r ? i t ’ , ■ ropm ^ g ^ t , T n fe q t t # ? b , ^ w f t t ^ , 1973
‘ d M f llV , t f t , fliftc q s r w f t , ^ f ^ r f t , -3. tt. 2003
^T 3TO ’ , 3T O ^(, y+'I^H, f e # , 2000
‘ ^ T M ^pFT ^ #FTT’ , TT. JHRsJHÎ , <iî=hhw W ? H , H f TT. TT. 2000
‘ TFFJkT ^F*T«TTTT’ , TIpT TTTf^TFH, facTFT TTSef, |3 T ? R K , 1958
‘ TR^kT TTlfe^T ^T ifWTTT’ , 3TT. ^ T ^ T ^W TFT, ^TTPTOt, 1978,
HH^PsW 1994
‘f ^ t HTT3) TTcff ^ T 1, 3TM4 faFT ‘TTsFi ?FTf, fafTT TF?^1M h R1
^ ,
XR3T, TT.TT. 1957
TTTW^T ^T if?TWTTT’ , 3TT3Ff TR^TS ^pRT, 'TFITt *5Tgiftof) ^ *n , ^TTTTOt, TT.
2049 fa.
‘ t t ^ TTTfM ^T fRTfTTT', TT. "ST. W H , MfWlftm FT3TT, H f f e r f t , 1976
Copyright Acknowledgements
The editors and publishers gratefully acknowledge the following for
permission to reprint copyright material:
Bharatiya Jnanpith, New Delhi, for 'Andhe ki Dhanyata' from Mangalsutra:
M alayalam Short Stories by Thakazhi Sivasankar Pillai; for 'To Waris
Shah' from Amrita Pritam: Selected Poems, for 'Waris Shah Nu' from
Amrita Pritam: Chuni Hui Kavitayen; for 'Venkatashami ka Pranay'
from Parkaya Pravesh: Kannada Short Stories by Masti Venkatesha Iyengar;
for 'Ek Asmarniye Yatra' from Lai Nadee: Assamese Short Stories by
Indira Goswami;
Motlilal Banarasidas, New Delhi, for extract from Mrichchhakatika of Sudraka,
edited by M.R.Kale; for 'Baaji Rachee' and 'Tujh Bin Kyon' from the
Hindi Padavali o f Namdev: The Songs in Hindi; for 'You Have Put Up
a Show' and 'How Can I Live' from The Hindi Padavali o f Namdev,
translated by Winand M. Callewart and Mukund Lath;
Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, for 'Mere to Giridhar Gopal'by Mirabai
from Hindi Kam/a Sanghra: Adikal se Chayavad Tak, edited by Balkrishna
Rao; for 'Kabuliwallah' by Rabindranath Tagore from Rabindranath
Rachna Sanchayan, edited by Asit Kumar Bandhopadhyaya; for 'Shah
Jahan' by Tagore from Rabindranath Ki Kavitayen, edited by Dwivedi,
Dinkar et al; for 'Vidhva' by Gudipat Venkat Chalam from Samkaleen
Bhartiya Sahitya, translated by J.L. Reddy; for 'Kalahandi' by J.P.
Das from Diurnal Rites and from Aahik; for 'If it is a daughter' and
'Where do you roam' from The Endless Weave by Sitakant Mahapatra;
Indian Press for 'Eklavaya Prasang' from Sachitra M ahabharata (Complete),
translation based on the version by Nilknath Tika;
University of Madras for an excerpt from Ilango Adikal's Cilapattikaram
(in Hindi), by Dr S. Shankar Raju Naidu and Dr S.N. Ganesan;
Neelabh Prakashan, Allahabad, for 'Santon Dekho Jag Baurana' by Kabir
from Kabir Bijak, edited by Sukhdev Singh;
Oxford University Press, New Delhi, for 'A Comparison Between Men
and Women' from Tarabai Shinde and the Critique o f Gender Relations
in Colonial India, edited and translated by Rosalind O'Hanlon; for
'The Chess Players' from The World o f Premchand, edited and translated
by David Rubin;
Professor Swapan Majumdar for 'The Cabuliwalla' from A Tagore Reader,
edited by Amiya Chakravarty;
Penguin Books India for an extract from Raag Darbari: A Novel by Shrilal
Shukla, translated by Gilliam Wright; for an extract from A Suitable
Boy by Vikram Seth; for 'The Simple State' from Kabir: The Weaver's
Songs, edited and translated by Vinay Dharwadker;
Penguin Books Ltd. for the poem 'Shah Jahan' from Selected Poems:
Rabindranath Tagore, translated by William Radice;
Columbia University Press, New York, for the excerpt from Ilango's
C ilapattikaram , by R.Parthasarathy. Copyright ©1993 Columbia
University Press. Reprinted with permission of the press;
M. Asaddudin for 'Touch-Me-Not' from Lifting the Veil: Selected Writings
o f Ismat Chughtai, Penguin Books India;
384 / Copyright Acknowledgements
Ranga Rao for 'Widow' by Gudipat Venkat Chalam from Classic Telugu
Short Stories, Penguin Books;
Princeton University Press for the extract from Valmiki's Ramayana, Lefeber,
Rosalind; The Ramayana of Valmiki © 1994 Princeton University
Press. Reprinted by permission of Princeton University Press;
Radhakrishan Prakashan for the extract from Raag Darbari. Rajkamal
Prakashan: Patna, 1968, 2002;
Rajkamal Prakashan for 'Chu-Mui' from Ismat Chughtai: Pratinidhi Kahaniyan;
Munshiram Manoharlal for the extract from the The Mahabharata ofKrishna-
Dwaipayana Vyas, translated into English prose by Kisari Mohan
Ganguli; for 'I Only Know Krishna' from M irabai and her Padas,
translated by Krishna Bahadur;
Rupa and Co. for 'Hazaron Khwashein Aisee' in Hindi and English from
The Lightning Should Have Fallen on Ghalib: Selected Poems o f Ghalib,
translated from the Urdu by Robert Bly and Sunil Dutta; for 'The
Journey' from The Shadow o f Kamakhya: Stories by Indira Goswami,
translated by the author and M. Asaduddin;
Samvad Prakashan for extract from Stree Purusha Tulana: Nari Vimukti
Vimarsh, translated by Jui Palekar;
Vani Prakashan for extract from Koi Acchha Sa Ladka by Vikram Seth, a
translation by Gopal Gandhi;
Shrimati Anita Rakesh for extract from Mrichchhakatika by Sudraka, translated
by Mohan Rakesh;
Radha Krishna Prakashan Private Limited for the excerpt in Hindi and
English from Joothan by Omprakash Valmiki;
Khalid Hasan for 'Do Not Ask' by Faiz Ahmed Faiz, translated by Daud
Kamal;
Kitabi Duniya for 'Viyog' from Do Goneh: Hazrat Amir Khusrau ki Sau
Ghazlon ka Urdu Manjum Tarjuma;
Idarah-I Adabiyat-I Delli for 'Separation' from The Life and Works o f Amir
Khusrau. Mohammad Wahid Mirza;
Sterling Publishers Pvt Ltd., New Delhi, for 'Shaam Bhi Thi' and 'Sad
and Weary' by Raghupati Sahay Firaq from M asterpieces o f Urdu
Ghazal: from the 17"' to 20"' century, edited by K.C. Kanda;
M.I. Kuruvilla for 'A Blind Man's Vision of Fulfilment' from From Komorin
to Kashmir: An Anthology o f Malayalam Short Stories;
Katha; 'Venkatashami's Love Affair' by Mast Venkatesha Iyengar, translated
and edited by Ramachandra Sharma, was first published in Masti:
Fictions in 1995 by Katha, a registered, nonprofit society devoted to
enhancing the pleasures of reading;
G.N. Devy for 'A Santhali Song' and 'A Ho Song' from Painted Words: An
Anthology o f Tribal Literature;
Every effort has been made to contact copyright holders. Any omissions
brought to the attention of the publishers will be rectified in future
editions.

University of Delhi - Indian Literature - An Introduction-Pearson Education (2005) PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

University of Delhi - Indian Literature - An Introduction-Pearson Education (2005) PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

PEARSON

1. Professor Rajiva Verma, Department of English - Convener

sft.TT <fcl4s*>M FftrfrT, fecr-fl fav<*re(€ilH4:

1. TRffa cprf, 3TM fcWFI - fWM'h

^nrr fasrct fagitt

Copyright © Registrar, University of Delhi 2006

‘ 3?h' ‘'3?T fa-1 ^Tt’ 96

^ <ft fTRtR 105

8. A m ir A bul H asan Khusrau

9. A sadullah K han 'G h alib '

10. Firaq G orakhpuri

11. Faiz A hm ed Faiz

12. Subram ania Bharati

13. Tarabai Shinde

14. R abindranath Tagore

15. Prem chand

16. Sh rilal Shukla

17. Ism at C hughtai

18. Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai

19. A m rita Pritam

20. M asti V enkatesha Iyengar

21. G udipat V enkat C halam

22. Indira G osw am i

23. J.P. Das

24. O m prakash Valm iki

25. Vikram Seth

26. Sitakant M ahapatra

C opyright A cknow ledgem ents 384

*FTT?fa SflffiRq -iTfga ftc rrt % ^cffa afa

The earliest w riting in India w as in Sanskrit, Pali, P rakrit,

The central m otif in the V edas is that of the sacrifice or yajna

of dram a as the d estiny of m ankind unfolds and the listener/

by dharma that is a given and is not open to debate or opposition.

rhetoric, gram m ar, language and prosody, and also contains

The Past and the P resen t— Identity and D ifference: The

for the com m on folk w as K hariboli and this later developed

In the early days of the Em pire, the B ritish felt it w as

The nineteenth century was also a period w hen m any social

con cern s and m usin gs on the 'In d ia n w ay of life ' b ecam e

W riters and readers in creasin gly tended to be from the

A N ew C h ap ter B egins: Indian L iteratu re took a new

The first fifteen years passed in anticipation of the fulfillment

the m edium of their w riting. Diaspora w riting has also added a

This brief survey of Indian Literature is intended to arouse

kRTR 3TTfc % fa m RTRRT R1 3T^^T RRRT «TT f a 3FR R1 f a k t

‘ y W M ’ t , t f a f *T3R 3 ^ W H K stfl ?R*RT TTT«T-*rt«T fa+R-ld

g^°q tnrqn 3 *t afa ■g^RFir ^ afa ^ g grf g*M ^i ^g '^ansff

g ? t ^ iR g r ^ ^ iq Tffrt ■gro g i g g g g fg g g tg t % fg^TRrf ' H g t g g ^ fn P I d

s f t g g f g it g *g *«?g T % fo rte g it w i 3 g g ti g cg gr g g?r g tfg

3 g rt ggr o iiR w iw ^ gaT g it aggggi gR ?n ti ^ ig it w m * g T ^ n g -n g r ,

^ i^ K c h k l. ^ n ftcb t sfk 3g ?g cT^n dTW ‘ ^ g ’ % w ? g rr s f ^ f t

Tjirf^gj ^ T f fuf^rM: urgtg gng % Tnf^g grr gfrf “jft gftgg

W T ^ lrfh T ^TTTrfm ^ F t F*T ^ST 3Tt J-MK^cfl' WTT^t 3

W T ^ST TTqR ^ ^?T ^f fofTOT ^TOSTf ^ ^gt TH5TT^ "ntcft sftT

3 afk h t ^ i , tg g 3 "g ^ rn t a ftr

% h r TPjra t i t r t «F fo tf srcr *nf$F s irstt -q ^ htt ■gFR} 3

Tsnfaa fa n i t r t ^fo^fr % alk M H^idi % t t % t shr, w n aftr

W f^RT TJcfr fo*JT ^ T f o ^ m ^ f3TT cfF ®TI 3 ^TcI^tI eTQHI ^3 T

■EFTsq- fo?3Tf ^ 1 t l TF^f 3^T ^WTf T*IFRI ^ d ^ + 1' afk <+icil4)KT

fR ifttt -g f e w #TT3#, 3TT?mt', t j M ' , -strrm M , •^nf^Tf

WlfefrM‘*> HTWRTTT ^ r STTTT ^1 ^f?RT aftT grt^T ^ W t fof^FT ^ T # T ,

im h F i afhc yiPsr^<+> arfq^TFoRi % ttt^ tr % ^ q 3 ^ rm n qrai

3 ffaR fSHI ^F mcT 3T^T W cR 3TSRT TJcF-^k <FT

sft.TT <fcl4s>M FftrfrT, fecr-fl fav<re(€ilH4:

‘ y W M ’ t , t f a f T3R 3 ^ W H K stfl ?RRT TTT«T-*rt«T fa+R-ld

g^°q tnrqn 3 t afa ■g^RFir ^ afa ^ g grf gM ^i ^g '^ansff

s f t g g f g it g g «?g T % fo rte g it w i 3 g g ti g cg gr g g?r g tfg

■HIHlfach 3 f R T T R ^ f c R ) * t « a <>■(. t fRc-T T 7 % l ?T7 T7TJF %

w W Ft ^ ^ ft ^ (F TFT TTRT ^ T t , ^ <ft ^ R Ft

3TlfTRT 3 f t r fFcTT^TRT ^ t g ^ ? f q i d k ^ > F t , STTStT f ^ T T , c R ^Tcff

chfJcfK -f|-| P q i'K .S fS S c jl d l ^ t ^JU lH ’ ^ ' j f l ^ t r f , 3 7 1 3 f t l 8 ^ ^'J11 Tf

( 5 lt TTR ^ - ) =TPR ! 3T «f, ^ F T sfk W ^ R ^ eft gT

' tTRTrTT TRT RtT ^ g*^t ^ T W T ^ t l ^ T T ^ R t , M l cT®TT