Wow! Indian Elite Has at Last Come of Age!

All those who lamented all along that the intelligentsia of India is more a self-centered lot—for the sufferings of common man, particularly those inflicted upon by the agencies that are responsible for governing the nation, are never an issue to be debated publicly by them (leave aside the over ambition of expecting them to question the authority that is supposed to be concerned with the issue under consideration) so long as it does not hurt them—have something to cheer about. 

For, here is an intellectual called Ashish Bose—a veteran demographer who coined the word ‘Bimaru’ to refer to the Indian states with the worst socioeconomic indicators, viz., Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh—who said in an interview to Business Standard (March 27, 2012) , “There is no denying this [that poverty has finally come down], but it is blunted by food inflation. People are suffering everyday.… Nothing captures this. That poverty has gone down is all humbug. One of our problems is this lame-duck government headed by a fellow who does not take any bold decisions. It is true that without opening up of the economy we would have been ruined. But credit should go to the Chanakya of our times, the late Narasimha Rao, and not Manmohan Singh. The latter was merely drafted by Rao and he blossomed there. The reforms are all this ‘Chanakya’s’ doing.  ... Moreover, the real issue is not poverty but corruption.”

To say that, and say it so unambiguously, it’s not only gumption that is required but also commitment to the cause of fellow beings. And that is what intellect, of course, intellect that is put to public cause alone, can afford, and as the Chinese wise man, Confucius said, so long as the intelligentsia works in that direction, the political forces of the nation tend to be on course, and resultantly, ‘good’ is likely to take roots, making the lives of lesser mortals more meaningful. Indeed, such courage is contagious—ignites many more such lamps.  

That said, let us now take a look at what Prof. Bose said. First comes first: food inflation blunting the poverty alleviation programmes. What matters most today is not appointing another committee for coming out with the best methodology to identify how many people are above or below the poverty line, but to urgently tackle the poverty itself, for it does not augur well for a nation aspiring to be an economic powerhouse  to have unconscionably high percentage of poor. Which is why we need to have growth—economic growth that gives the government capacity to aim at 100% functional literacy, re-skilling of labor force constantly, and getting every eligible labor employed. This calls for a businesslike approach that sets in motion a missionary zeal that drives the government machinery to achieve time-bound results. And unfortunately, as Prof Bose observed, the present “lame-duck government” can anyway do little; but the opposition too is not all that focused on the ills of the nation as much as it is focused on opposing everything that the ruling party proposes—irrespective of it being good and desirable in the national interest or otherwise. 

The next is: “lame-duck government headed by a fellow who does not take any bold decisions”. Examine this dispassionately: A designated minister presents the railway budget to the Parliament. Obviously, it must have had the approval of the cabinet presided by no less than the head of the government, the Prime Minister. And the budget proposes hike in fare for achieving certain stated objectives. It was all well articulated in the presentation to the Parliament.  Now, suddenly, someone from outside the government says that fare hike is not acceptable and it must be rolled back or the minister must be sacked. And, in no time all that wisdom of hiking fares to improve the safety of poor passenger, etc., etc., and the accompanying articulation turn dirt and the Minister is dumped. That’s Ok! One can view it as coalition compulsions, but how to explain withdrawing of the fare hike. If it is not necessary now, it was not necessary at the time of budget presentation too. Or, is it that someone outside the government knows it better? On the one hand, fiscal deficit is going haywire; Indian corporates are increasingly looking outside the country for their growth, while unemployment and poverty are mocking at the nation. All this calls for bold governance—boldness that enables the government to not only say “I need to be cruel to be kind” but also act.  

Last but the most important is: “corruption” and its cruel dance on the face of every Indian. In fact, if there is one politician who has a better chance to hold it by horns and tame it, it is the present Prime Minister, for he is not personally tempted by it—a rarity in the polity of the nation. But to everyone’s surprise, he is just remaining content with himself being not corrupt. But the nation cries: Is it sufficient? For a citizen, it is sufficient; for a statesman, perhaps not.  

Perhaps, that’s what Prof. Bose meant when he gave vent to his anguish. And now, the intellectuals, taking the cue from Prof. Bose, must nudge the government towards doing what is best for the nation.  

GRKMurty

Problem Solved (Theerina Samasya)

 Original in Telugu   -  Dr.Vijayalakshmi Ramakrishnan

 Translator - GRK Murty

Ms. Vijayalakshmi U. Ramakrishnan obtained MA in botany from Banaras Hindu University, India. She worked for a couple of years in Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, India. Later she moved to America in 1969.

During early 60s she wrote stories and novels in Telugu. She is known as an excellent story teller. Her stories mostly dwell on family relations—she presents the dynamics of family relations and its interplay in an altogether new dimension that makes the readers wonder: How true!

Ms.Vijayalakshmi received a Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching from President Ronald Reagan and a Vijaya Lakshmi Day Proclamation from the former South Dakota Governor in 1986.

*****

“Sleep is thrusting itself on me, will you not get up for dinner?” snapping her fingers and restraining the yawn, Kanakamma asked her husband.

“Yes, coming! You serve, I shall come after washing my feet,” said Sivayya.

Spreading the plantain leaf, Kanakamma served the food. Wiping away the moist legs with a towel, Sivayya came in. Sitting on the wooden plank, he enquired, “So! Raghava had his dinner?”

“First, you have your food; why now wondering about his dinner? By the way, scolding, beating is your share; but calling him and feeding him is my share?” said Kanakamma.

Sivayya could well understand that Raghava had had his food. Otherwise, the lady’s style of talking would have been different! 

As he was about to finish his food, Kanakamma served curd. 

“How many more days are there for the big buffalo to calve? Last time she delivered a healthy calf,” said Sivayya.

“Calf to deer, you remember everything at dinnertime, while I fight out the sleep,” said Kanakamma. Finishing his food, Sivayya got up.

The previous day, Sivayya, being terribly annoyed with Raghavulu, scolded him left and right. It seems that Sivayya asked him to get pedda paleru[1] home; whereas Raghavulu said, “I haven’t heard.” “Yes why do you hear? You have become indifferent! I am watching … you’ve changed! You got tuned to the local water. See, for today, what a loss you’ve inflicted? How do you cover it?”—thus Sivayya scolded him patiently for half-an-hour as the latter stood silently before him. 

Raghavulu might not have really heard it. Doesn’t matter who was being scolded by whosoever, Kanakamma trembles. She got angry with her husband for scolding Raghavulu who was of his elder son’s age. She believed Raghavulu. Fearing that her husband had of late become absent-minded, she thought he might not have said at all—for Raghavulu was not the type who would be lazy to get up early in the morning. “Even otherwise as he is aging, his anger is mounting. In these days, will labor keep quiet if they are scolded? If not acceptable, the alternative is to ask one to quit! Recently, when the brother-in-law of her younger daughter abused a worker, it seems, he gave it back to him. Though days are changing, he is not changing,” felt she about her husband.

After the bashing, as Raghavulu was returning irritably to the backyard, he could see the young calf that had got untethered eating the banana shoot. Unable to hold back his anger, he hurled the shaft at the calf. It must have hit the calf at the wrong place; the calf fell down wriggling, its eyes reeling. Kanakamma, who entered the backyard, seeing all this, rushed to the calf saying, “What’s this?” and held her palms tight against the calf’s ears. Raghavulu felt ashamed to look at ammagari’s[2] face. Luckily, the calf managed to get up, for it was, perhaps, destined to live further. 

Although Kanakamma got angry at what Raghavulu had done, she didn’t express it. She felt it was all the mistake of her husband. Yet, as the he-calf collapsed, she felt very bad. She thought she could not anyway calm down her husband’s anger. But this fellow, Raghavulu, if he shows his anger at the calves, “What is the answer?” wondered she.

Raghavulu moved around, avoiding Kanakamma that whole day. He had heard her saying happily many a time, to many people: “In the last two years, after Raghavulu’s arrival, all our cows gave birth to he-calves; earlier none of the calves of the buffaloes survived, but after his coming, they are all fine.” 

After munsiff[3] garu[4], Sivayya was the rich farmer in that village. Man of ill-temper! But nobody else in that area gave as much salary as he gave. However angrily he might scold or slap the palerulu[5], he would terribly feel unhappy later. Whenever he scolded anybody, as the night hours set in, he would call that fellow into that gray shade, with his face remaining barely visible, and would say, “It’s how long since you haven’t gone to a movie?” If the servant is smart, he would say, “One month,” though he might have gone the previous week. Sivayya, though knew it was a lie, would say, “Shouldn’t you ask then; am I to enquire about your going to a movie too—Hu!” Flinging half a rupee coin, he would say, “Take this, eat food and go.”  Raghavulu was very smart at availing of this benefit. Whenever an opportunity arose, he would always snatch away that half a rupee. There was only one theater in that village. Only Telugu movies played there. Each movie played for a month. His ticket cost only four annas![6] If he wanted, he would pick up some other laborer working in another farmer’s house as his companion, otherwise he would buy four anna ticket, drink a soda and buy a paan[7], spending two annas and if he felt sleepy in the interval, he would drink tea by spending the remaining twoannas.

“Sivayya garu is a kind lord. He gives money to Raghavulu twice a month for movies. Gives daily one anna forbeedies[8]. Kanakamma garu feeds him daily curries,” thus the laborers working under other farmers would nag them. The other farmers of the village used to think of them: “Sons are well settled in towns leading their own life; leading a relaxed life, this old man is spoiling the laborers of the village,” whereas women used to curse them saying, “Showing off too much”; or cuss them: “Fellows destined to ruin themselves.”     

Raghavulu had high reverence for Sivayya and Kanakamma. Kanakamma was a typical farmer’s wife. She would keep on pestering Raghavulu with questions: “You have milked the younger cow fully?” “Asked you to leave a good amount for the calf?” “Brawn-mixed water is still in the tank, didn’t buffaloes drink?” “Have you put salt in the lentils meant for cattle or not?” “Why have you forgotten to water the brinjal plants?” On such occasions, Raghavulu would think that Sivayya—who was sitting quietly reading the newspaper and who would never bother to enquire about his work, except for, at the most, once in a month—was a kind lord. Whenever Kanakamma, despite his saying, “Enough amma[9],” flipped the whole vessel of curd onto his plate saying, “Aren’t we only two, what can we do with all this, should I throw it for cattle?” he would think of her as his “kind landlady”.

Kanakamma, by her very nature, didn’t like to be alone. She never felt happy of her two sons’ getting well educated, except when they were young. She used to think, “Because they got educated, they left the village in pursuit of jobs.” She could not even think of going and staying with her sons, for if her old man was not in the village, who would take care of the farm? Elder son was a mathematics teacher in the nearby town. Younger son was an agricultural demonstrator. Whenever she attempted to pack lentils and give it to her elder son, he would say, “Why don’t you dispose them of here itself? Can’t we buy them there? Why this luggage in buses and trains?” She used to feel, “He doesn’t have any love for the grain that is from our own field.” Once when she, packing avakaya[10], gongura[11] in jars, tried to give it to her younger son asking him to carry home, he said: “Not necessary. This year your daughter-in-law made it.” She, surprised at it, said, “Oh! She had grown up capable of making pickles?” Her son said, “Yes, she made it after reading about it in a magazine.” He hadn’t any concern for the pickle, though it was amma’s preparation. After both her sons left, staring at the packages of lentils and jars of pickles that were turned down by them, her eyes moistened. However, Sivayya said, “They are managing themselves, and instead of being happy why all this worry?” She became terribly angry at her husband. That night she called him for dinner only after she had a nap. 

In the village, while all the women of her age were, after the arrival of their daughters-in-law, leading a relaxed life, she continued with her labor all alone in that big mansion. Kanakamma, who, when she was young, used to attend to every need of her husband at his beck and call, today, having become old, not being able to stay alone, is throwing tantrums at every opportunity at her husband and is thus getting solace.

That whole night, Kanakamma was thinking of Raghavulu’s anger. In the early hours, a beautiful idea struck her: “We should marry him off soon.” After all, she, having sons who are leading a married life, can’t but get such an idea! The next day, Raghavulu’s mother came to see her son. Availing the opportunity, Kanakamma broached the idea of marrying him of. Raghavulu’s mother replied: “I am indeed searching for a bride! When the last time he came home for the festival, he had seen a girl nearby. It is me, the stupid, who sent him forcibly. Now he says, ‘I like that girl, you arrange the marriage with her only.’ Those fellows are asking fifty rupees. Why should we go for her, when there is a girl available for only twenty-five rupees in other villages. Ammagaru, you also kindly tell him to see reason.” Kanakamma felt really happy about it. Saying, “This idiot hadn’t said about this even once to me,” she went inside and picking twenty-five rupees from the box, she came out and gave that money to Raghavulu’s mother, and said, “You said you have twenty-five rupees with you, so add this and fix up the girl whom he liked.” Kanakamma felt contented as though a big problem had been resolved.     

Raghavulu thus got married and became a man of his own house. But this led to a new problem. Vexed with his indifference—“Promised to come yesterday, yet hasn’t come till now. Having got used to him, the buffaloes will not allow others to milk them”—Kanakamma was unhappy with Raghavulu.

“Got him married off merrily, now he is going twice a month to his village! You asked for it!” said Sivayya.

“What’s it that I asked for? You think, for the sake of our cows and buffaloes, he would defer his marriage!” said Kanakamma.

“Then why do you rattle like that?” said Sivayya.

“Because you aren’t getting even a feeble idea!”

“How come, what do you want me to do?” said Sivayya.

“The site to our southern side is anyway vacant, let us put a hut there. He will no longer run to the village like this,” said Kanakamma.

Reminded of his youth, Sivayya smiled. “OK, we shall get it done. You tell him when he returns,” said he.

Raghavulu brought Sita and started living in the hut. This had, to a certain extent, driven away the loneliness of Kanakamma. Thereafter, if ever Sivayya scolded Raghavulu, he used to vent his anger on Sita. Although this saved the calves, a new problem emerged for Kanakamma, as Sita in turn vented her anger on the vessels.

Kanakamma’s luck was bright. The problem was solved in the next two years.

That morning Raghavulu had a good bashing. He went into the hut irritably and yelled at Sita. She came out, equally irritably, and tucking in the fringe of the sari, dumped herself in front of the utensils meant for washing. In the meanwhile, her two-year-old son, Ramudu, came; holding her sari and pulling it longingly, asked “Ammaplease give me a kani[12]”. Sita spanked him on his back with that very dirty hand. He cried for a while. In the meanwhile, a puppy came there smelling the ground and stood there. Ramudu, while crying, threw a stone at it. The hurt puppy went out yelping feebly. Ramudu stopped his crying. Kanakamma, sitting in the veranda and picking out weeds from the greens, had seen all this. Calling Raghavulu’s son to her, she gave him a kani. Wiping out his eyes, Ramudu went out. Kanakamma had the last laugh—a hearty laugh, for the kani could save the calves and the utensils.

---

[1] Pedda paleru—senior laborer working on annual contract

[2] Ammagaru—a respectful way of calling the land lady by the laborer.

[3] Munsif—village head.

[4] Garu—word usually suffixed to the name of an elderly person, indicating respect; in some cases it is suffixed to the designation also.

[5] Palerulu—bonded laborers.

[6] Anna—one-sixteenth of a rupee.

[7] Paan—made of betel leaves along with a mixture of spices such as cardamom,  betel nuts, grated coconut and small pieces of candy; usually chewed after meals or on special occasions like weddings or festivals.

[8] Beedi—South Asian cigarette, filled with tobacco flakes and wrapped in a tendu leaf with a string tied at one end.

[9] Amma—a respectful way of calling the land lady.

[10] Avakaya—a traditional pickle made in Andhra Pradesh with mangoes

[11] Gongura—a leafy vegetable; pickle made of this is very famous in Andhra Pradesh.

[12] Kani—denomination that was in use up to 1960; sixty-fourth of a rupee

Union Budget – 2012-13: Of Good Intentions

Here is a seasoned politician, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee. And he is our Finance Minister (FM). Obviously he knows how to steer his way through the maze of the political uncertainty that has encased the Parliament—for that matter, why Parliament, the nation itself. What else can explain his guts in advising the Parliament through the document—Economic Survey for the year 2011-12 presented to the Parliament on March 15, 2012—that “coalition politics and federal considerations played their role in holding up economic reforms on several fronts, ranging from diesel and LPG pricing to FDI in retail” and that the economic slowdown is more due to “pressures of democratic politics.”

Having thus created the right ‘atmospherics’ for his budget presentation, Pranab Mukherjee  has gone ahead with his mission: “I have made a determined attempt to come back to the path of fiscal consolidation in the budget for 2012-13 by pegging the fiscal deficit at Rs 5,13,590 crore, which is 5.1% of GDP”, by hiking excise duty across the board by 2% to collect an additional amount of Rs 27,280 crore and widening the service tax net to cover all services, except 17 categories in a “negative list”, to collect an additional amount of Rs 18,650 crore, in the process, inviting no wild reaction from any quarter for his Budget 2012-13 which he presented to the Parliament on March 16, 2012. Additionally, he has budgeted Rs 60,000 from spectrum auction and Rs 30,000 by way of disinvestment of state-owned companies (as against the current year’s achievement of Rs 14,000 crore), besides capping the outgo on subsidies to 2% of GDP to ensure that the targeted fiscal deficit remains at 5.1% of GDP. 

So far as the intentions are concerned, the budget sounds alright. But the big question is: Can the FM retain the outgo under subsidies at 2% of GDP? A peep into the provisions made under the head subsidies in the current budget does not encourage one to back Finance Minister’s expectations. For instance, the provision towards petroleum subsidy is Rs 43,580 crore against the revised estimate (RE) of Rs 68,481 crore for the fiscal 2012, while the international crude prices are already up $110 per barrel with no likelihood of its fall in the near future. Similarly, the provision against food subsidy, which stood at Rs 75,000 as against the RE of Rs 72,823 for the fiscal 2012, may not be sufficient, particularly in the light of the UPA government’s ambitious programme under the proposed food security bill. Same is the case with fertilizer subsidy, for the budget provision has been pulled down from the RE of 2011-12, Rs 67,199 crore to Rs 60,974 crore, while the international prices of urea are increasing. That aside, the overall demand for urea is increasing across the country, which indeed is set to rise further with the proposed increase in the bank’s lending to agriculture.  

So, what all this means? The answer is simple: the decline in the budget provision for subsidies from Rs 2,08,503 as in the RE of 2011-12 to Rs 1,79,554 crore for 2012-13 is sure to turn out as under-provision, unless the government, as the PM said in his post-budget address to the press, is willing to “bite the bullet” to reduce the subsidies. As the Prime Minister rightly said, “There is no other way in which you can reduce subsidies.” Still, what remains to be answered is: Does the government have the gumption to act in the right direction, particularly with coalition partners like Mamata Banerjee around? 

The other objective that the FM pursued through the budget is: accelerating economic growth. To give a boost to investment in infrastructure projects, he has allowed issuing tax-free bonds of Rs 10, 000 crore by NHAI, Rs 10,000 crore by IRFC, Rs 10,000 crore by IIFCL, Rs 5,000 crore by HUDCO, Rs 5,000 crore by National Housing Bank, Rs 5,000 crore by SIDBI, Rs 5,000 crore by ports, and Rs 10,000 by power sector. To encourage public-private partnerships in road construction projects, he has allowed external commercial borrowings (ECB) for capital expenditure on the maintenance and operations of toll systems for roads and highways, so long as they are a part of the original project. He has allowed ECB to part-finance rupee debt of existing power projects. To ease the financial crisis in aviation industry, he has allowed ECB for working capital requirements for a period of one year, subject to a total ceiling of $1 billion. The current budget allows ECB in low-cost housing too. Incidentally such inflow of forex is also hoped to ease the market volatility of rupee.

Amidst these good intentions, the real provisions in the budget that can give a boost to domestic production are: allocation under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund has been increased to Rs 20,000, with an exclusive allocation of Rs 5,000 crore for creating warehousing facilities; and capital expenditure has been increased by about 30% to Rs 48,000 crore. Of course, a greater chunk of it goes for defense and other obligations towards IMF, meaning little for boosting domestic demand. There is thus little in the budget that can fuel growth.

On the other hand, revenue expenditure is rising by about 11%. This, coupled with the rise in the government borrowing from Rs 5 lakh crore last year to Rs 5.6 lakh crore for fiscal 2013, which the government intends to raise from the bond market, is certain to harden interest rates. Nor can the Reserve Bank of India do anything under these conditions to moderate interest rates. Should this happen, private investment, including investment under infra projects, will get hit. Obviously, this is sure to derail the anticipated growth of 7.6%. This in turn derails the budget—to be precise, all its good intentions. 

That said, we must give due credit to the FM for his focus on getting the finances back on the rails by raising the scope for increased tax collections and, particularly, his desire to cap the subsidies at 2% of the GDP. Let us hope that the optimist in him will finally succeed, for he is sure that “Nobody wants mid-term polls.”

GRK Murty

International Women’s Day

As a happenstance, an interesting caption popped up on the net: “What is there to celebrate around the world on International Women’s Day?”—an interactive conducted by The Guardian, UK. More than the caption, what one finds interesting are the responses some have posted under it: “Nothing because it all goes back to being the same on March 9”; “Nothing from our antipodeans?” 

Interesting, aren’t they? 

This predicament raises an open question: Can we [man and woman]not see each other as human beings, rather than seeing as the other? Should this happen, the scope to appreciate the underlying commonality between the two—'humanity'—increases. This, in turn, is more likely to make men look at women more appreciatively and vice versa. This is sure to open one’s heart to the other, rather than riveting it to one’s own kind.  

Once we start looking at ourselves as human beings, we tend to open up to a variety of experience, which is more likely to enable us to shun stereotypic behavior. As aping the past is forgotten, the chances of our becoming what we want to become stand increased.   

This needs to be thought over … certainly not as what Edward R. Murrow said, “many people think they are thinking when they are really rearranging their prejudices”… more importantly needs to be given a sincere try. And male or female, no matter who one is, what such thinking calls for is: “spirit of motherhood”.  

For, such spirit alone helps human beings in maintaining social relationships that are essential to keep the life going alright on this planet. It is essential for both genders to realize that they have to negotiate their way forward with the active support, that too emotional support, of each other. This becomes a reality only when they have mutual concern and love—in fact, it matters more than mutual respect. Indeed, a fair percentage of population does practice this philosophy. It is the aberrations in this practice that are causing all the heartburn and at times social outcry. If we do not break away from these aberrations, cannot make this number miniscule, they will continue to haunt mankind. There is a need for attitudinal changes in the society, which is possible only through proper education. 

All this reminds me of what Maya Angelou once said: “We cannot change the past, but we can change our attitude toward it. Uproot guilt and plant forgiveness. Tear out arrogance and seed humility. Exchange love for hate—thereby, making the present comfortable and the future promising.”

Else, as stated by someone above, tomorrow becomes yet another 'today'  --  same day. That certainly, makes no sense.

So, let’s give it a try.

  

*   *      *       *

On this occasion, a story originally written in Telugu by Volga (a.k.a. Popuri Lalitha Kumari), Telugu writer — Vimukta (The Liberated)—is posted here in English.

‘Volga’ is the pen name of Ms. Popuri Lalitha Kumari. She was born in Guntur in 1950. She took her Master’s degree in Telugu Literature from Andhra University. She had her share of political action: for sometime as a member of the Students Federation of India (SFI) and later as a participant in the naxalite movement.

 From 1973 to 1986, she worked as a Lecturer in Telugu at VSR and NVR College, Tenali. Currently, she is the General Secretary of Asmita Resource Centre for Women. She is a member of the editorial collective for vanTinTi masi (Soot from the Kitchen), a feminist publishing house, and is also a member of the Telugu advisory panel for National Book Trust of India.

She has to her credit three collections of stories—Rajakeeya Kathalu (Political Stories), Prayogam (Experimentation), and Bhinna Sandarbhalu (Varied Contexts)—seven novels, and two compilations of literary essays.

Indeed, it is her novel, Svecha that made her a name to reckon with in Telugu literature, besides winning her the prestigious Chatura Award in 1987. She has been exploring the feminine experience in her writings. She is today in the forefront of women’s movement. 

Image - courtesy: flonnet.com  

Vimukta

(The Liberated)

Original story in Telugu by Volga

Translator GRK Murty

Having finished the fourteen years of exile in the forest, overcoming in the process innumerable difficulties, and crossing the vast ocean, when Sita, Rama and Lakshmana returned to Ayodhya, the whole palace turned out to welcome them.

Except Urmila! 

The eagerly searching eyes of Sita could not find Urmila anywhere. The hug of mothers-in-law, pleasant enquiries, the friendly words of Mandavi and Sruthakeerthi, their services—none of them could enter Sita’s mind.

As quietness returned a little later, drawing Sruthakeerthi nearer to her, Sita whispered, “Where is Urmila?”

Sruthakeerthi’s face turned pale. On seeing her face, Sita became anxious.

 “What happened to Urmila? Is she all right?” 

Though she understood her anxiety, Sruthakeerthi didn’t know what to say. It had been fourteen years since she saw Urmila.

“Why do you stare silently? Where is Urmila?” Sita asked anxiously.

“I don’t know how Urmila is. I haven’t seen akka[1] since you left.”

Sita could make no sense of it. Wondered she might have heard wrongly. Said loudly again: “Sruthakeerthi, I am asking about Urmila.”

“I too am speaking about Urmila. After you people left, she didn’t appear before anybody. She didn’t come out of her chamber. Nor did she allow anybody in.” 

Sita was stunned.

“You mean none! Mothers-in-law too?”

“Didn’t allow anybody. Maid servants were, of course, going in and out. Entry into her chamber is granted only to Charumathi. She kept us posted about her welfare.”

Sita felt breathless. 

Without talking to anyone—without seeing any of her kith and kin, that too, for fourteen years…. How could she.... How wounded her mind might have been when she decided to stay like that? Fourteen years! Will she pardon Rama, Lakshmana and me?

“Did Urmila know that we were coming?”

Sruthakeerthi put down her head.

Sita made an attempt to immediately go to Rama but realized it was impossible to reach him for he was surrounded by ministers, brothers, and prominent personalities of the town.

In the meanwhile, Sruthakeerthi brought a lady to her.

“This is Charumathi.” Sita didn’t delay any further.

“Let’s go amma[2]—go to Urmila.”

“She won’t see anyone,” said Charumathi matter-of-factly.

“If she comes to know that the very persons, because of whom she had secluded herself, have come, she will definitely come out to see. Let’s go.”

With her eyes, Sita directed Charumathi to go. It appeared to Sita as though Urmila’s chamber was miles away. Despite her walking for long, it was nowhere near.

*  *  *  *  *

All through her exile in the forest, Sita constantly wondered how beautiful it would have been had Urmila too been with them along with Lakshmana. Sita used to feel that as Rama and Lakshmana wandered in the forest busy with their engagements, she and Urmila would have together enjoyed the beauties of the forest.

Why didn’t Lakshmana bring Urmila with him? Whenever she raised this topic, Lakshmana maintained a studied silence—never opened his mouth. 

It was all pell-mell when they were going to the forest. It was full of confusion.

Dasaratha’s ill-health, Kausalya’s sorrow—the whole palace was chaotic. Getting the consent of everyone to her going to the forest had in itself become a big task. It was only after crossing the Sarayu river and when her mind had relaxed a little, it dawned on her that Urmila hadn’t come with them. When Sita realized that Urmila hadn’t intervened in this whole affair, nor come to see them off, her anxiety increased. 

Driven by it, she used to repeatedly question Rama.

“Didn’t Urmila say, ‘I’ll come’? How sad she must have felt when Lakshmana was coming alone. Did she feel life in the forest would be frightful? If it was true, it would have been right if Lakshmana stayed back in Ayodhya; is it fair of him to come with us—for our sake—leaving her alone?”

Whenever Sita spoke in that vein, Rama used to console her with appropriate explanations. Urmila should stay back in Ayodhya to serve the mothers-in-law. Else, who would take care of Kausalya? Instead of staying back and taking care of Kausalya, who had been widowed and deprived of her son’s company, Sita had come to live in the forest. Who else did she have other than Urmila? For three mothers-in-law, shouldn’t there be at least three daughters-in-law? Importantly, someone must always be around to care for amma[3], Kausalya. 

Rama used to offer many such explanations.

There would be so many duties that needed to be attended to in the palace. As a queen, Kausalya used to execute them efficiently. Now, Kausalya had neither the strength nor the interest. Who could shoulder the responsibility, if not Urmila? 

“Sita, tell me—in this regard, isn’t Urmila more efficient than you? When we were in Ayodhya, didn’t amma assign more responsibilities to Urmila than to you?”

Saying “Yes,” Sita used to contemplate. Urmila was efficient in such public affairs. She could command with a mere stare. She knew all the duties of the palace. In this regard, even father used to praise her.

Father used to say, “You don’t have the kind of interest you reserve for archery and strolling in gardens, for the rest.”

True. Sita had no liking whatsoever for the duties associated with the palace and their execution. Playing in the gardens, practising archery, relaxing in the lap of nature—that was enough for Sita. Even after coming to Ayodhya, Sita did not evince any interest in taking over the responsibilities from her mother-in-law. But Urmila used to hang around Kausalya all the time.

For Sita, forest-dwelling proved to be better than living in the palace. Here, one gets people only to be friendly, to be courteous, but not to show off power. And that’s what was dearer to Sita’s heart. 

“It’s not necessary that what’s dear to you must necessarily be dear to Urmila. You are the child of Mother Earth. You are a nature-lover. Urban-living and exercising the power of palace might be dearer to Urmila.” Despite Rama’s best efforts to console her, Sita used to worry about Urmila.

After all, isn’t coming to terms with the separation from one’s husband the most difficult? 

Sita understood it well during her forced stay in Ravana’s custody.

Knowing that Sita is a lover of nature’s beauty, Ravana kept her in the Ashoka garden. Its beauty was beyond description. Such a beautiful garden could not be found either in Mithila or Ayodhya. Ravana could at the most yell at Sita madly, but daren’t stare at her face. He was most inconsequential to Sita.

Yet, having been abducted, sitting quiet, waiting for her husband to come and rescue her, became hell for her. 

Rama will come. He will kill Ravana. Sita had no doubt about it. But what she found most distressing was her having to sit quiet, doing nothing, refraining from using her ability to protect herself.

Once Sita asked Rama, “What is it that you like most in our relationship?” 

“To protect you always, just as the eyelid protects the eye. I alone should remove even the thorn that gets stuck in your foot. I must kill the wild animals that attack you. The very thought of my protecting you gives me more pride and joy than even my lordship over Ayodhya kingdom,” said Rama.

“I can protect myself. I am no inferior to you in archery,” said Sita smilingly. Rama’s face turned pale.

“So long as I am alive, there arises no need for you to protect yourself. Shouldn’t arise. You must look to me. You must look forward to the protection of my strong arms. If you can protect yourself, what am I for then? Promise me not to do that ever.”

Holding Rama’s palm in hers, Sita promised him.

Upon abduction, there was no other way for Sita except to wait helplessly in the Ashoka garden. Then, in that agony of separation from her husband, Sita often used to remember Urmila.

“How could Urmila endure it? My dear sister, why have you stayed there?” 

“Why that attachment to the palace?” She used to thus take Urmila with her in her agony.

Finally, Ravana was killed. The ‘agnipariksha’[4] was also over. 

When Rama said proudly, “Ayodhya is awaiting the arrival of Rama and Sita,” Sita’s anxiousness to see Urmila heightened. 

“How happy Urmila might be. How beautifully she might have got her chamber decorated! How she would adorn herself for that minute when she would be in front of Lakshmana! After reaching the palace and saluting mother-in-law, I will go to Urmila along with Lakshmana. Handing over Lakshmana to Urmila and watching their merriment—even if it is an intrusion into their privacy for a while, I must first go to Urmila’s chamber, and only then shall I go to my chamber.” Imagining that scene again and again, Sita was enjoying herself immensely. And seeing her—

“Glowing with joy, how beautiful your face is, Sita,” said Rama.

“The very thought of Urmila’s joy made my mind, feel happy,” said Sita with a sweet smile. 

Rama too shared Sita’s joy. Seeing Lakshmana, both cast a smile that was loaded with meaning.

Seeing his brother who, for his sake, had put up with the separation from his wife for fourteen years, Rama’s heart swelled up in pride.

Drawing Lakshmana closer, Rama hugged him to his bosom.

Lakshmana was thrilled by the sweetness of this unasked-for-hug that he got from his brother. As Ayodhya was nearing, the hearts of those three turned into the sea at night that soared high at the rise of the full moon. 

So many thoughts, reminiscences—with amazing experience, with emotional upsurge, when she came to hug Urmila, she was not to be seen there. 

The news of the self-imposed exile of fourteen years by Urmila was heartrending!

*  *  *  *  *

All around, outside Urmila’s chamber, it was well decorated. But the doors of her chamber weren’t opened. Charumathi knocked gently on the door.

“Amma—your sister Janakidevi has come to see you,” said she.

Sita’s mind was not in its place.

“How will Urmila be? What will she say? What will she ask me? What should I say?” Doors were not opened.

Sita herself called out.

“Urmila—It’s me amma your akkayya has come. I will tell you everything. Forgive us and open the door.”

The doors of Urmila’s chamber opened.

Urmila was in front of her. For a minute, Sita was stunned. It was not the same Urmila whom Sita had known. Previously, there used to be innocence in those eyes. Also a little royalty reflected in them. Her posture looked splendid and queenly. Now what was glowing in those eyes? Now there was an unknown harmony, grandeur in her body. What was that luster in her face? As Sita was recovering her senses, Urmila came forward, bowed at akka’s feet and comforted her by making her sit on a divan. 

“Urmila—I have been thinking of you for the last fourteen years. I have been grieving,” Sita’s eyes welled up.

“You might be angry with us.”

Urmila smiled lovingly and deeply.

“I am not angry with anyone.” 

“Then why do you stay away from everyone like this—if there is no anger, will you get locked up like this in a room all by yourself? Express your anger. Vent your fury. But don’t cut yourself off from everyone. Tell me what exactly happened, why are you doing this?” 

Urmila smiled.

“Shall tell akka—if not you, who am I going to tell? Except you, none can understand it. That’s why I kept silent.”

Sita looked forward eagerly.

“Akka, at the beginning, I shut the door as I was angry.

“Without telling me, with no concern for my decision, not realizing that there was an entity called ‘me,’ my husband, thinking that his brother is everything for him, went away. I was flaming with anger on that day. I felt like revolting against the palace and turning it upside down. 

“Everyone was weeping for you three. None to care for me. Helpless anger—I didn’t want to see anybody. Started a non-cooperation movement.”

Sita’s mind tried to capture the Urmila of that day.

“When I started, indeed, it was with anger—but in due course of time,  it became a search for truth within me, by myself. Why so much anger within me, that too, one which could consume me? The all-destructive, all-consuming rage... Why this sadness? Of course, I know the reason. But without my knowing, I became anxious to look into that reason, deep into it. What is anger? What is sorrow? Why happiness? What is the relation between my body, its emotions and the anxiety that it generated within me? Like that so many questions—they engulfed me. I started watching my body, watching my thoughts and the anxiety that they generated. Even at the slightest disturbance to this observation, I felt restless. That’s why I sought solitude. Not loneliness, but solitude—solitude wherein I can converse within me, converse with myself.

“That conversation put me and the people related to me opposite each other. It showed the relations torn open. Every relationship, our father, you, Lakshmana, Rama, Kausalya, this way I dissected open every relationship, with everyone, to understand the sum and substance of it all. 

“When I loved you as akka, leaving me behind, when you went away with your husband, what kind of change was it that crept into our relationship—why did it happen that way? What is the basis of that chemical reaction which changed love into anger?

“Envy, hatred, love, courteousness—what is the difference between them? 

Is there really anything or is it the difference only shades of the same? How is shadow penetrating into light, and light into shadow? Which is light? Which is shadow?

“As one question after another emerged, I was overtaken by a kind of fighting spirit. I heard that our husbands waged wars to kill demons. I do not know if it has brought peace or will bring peace. But, from the war I waged against these questions, a great peace, joy emerged.”

That peace was clearly reflecting on Urmila’s face. Watching Urmila in amazement and listening to her words, Sita could well imagine the war that Urmila was said to have fought. A kind of distress set in Sita for Lakshmana.

“Urmila, Lakshmana had love for you—with him—”

Urmila interrupted Sita’s words.

“Going to meet after fourteen years. We both—don’t know—I have certainly changed a lot. Change is the indicator of life. It is the value that he gives for it that determines the future course of our life.

“I have acquired enough wisdom to question—of course, without hatred—about justice. My relationship with Lakshmana depends on ‘how he understands my wisdom, how much he respects it’.

“Will he, without renunciation of other rights and submitting himself to them, forego his right over me—don’t know—can’t say. Whatever might happen, my peace will not get disturbed. Now the issue is, whether the other man wants peace or not.”

Urmila could well understand the anxiety reflecting in Sita’s face.

She wanted to try—if revealing herself more on her own would calm down her anxiety… 

“I felt as though I understood everything when I recognized the authorityI had in every relationship of mine with people around me. For all ills, the path is ‘power’, akka—do you know another wonder? We must acquire this authority. And give it up. I won’t bow to anybody else’s power. I will not bind anybody with my power. Then I feel that I have liberated myself. Then all I have is only joy. Great peace. Immense love. Sympathy for everybody. 

“Pity, getting entrapped in the wheels of power—how people are crushed; not knowing the path for liberation, rotting with no peace, sorrow, hatred—

“Felt like telling everyone about the secret of this peace. 

“But who will understand this? 

“Will they, who understood my fourteen years of penance to find the truth as mere sleep, understand my words?

“They think that I slept. Do they know the difference between sleep and remaining awake? 

“Did they ever sleep peacefully? Were they consciously awake?

 “If they listen to my words, they might label my penance as sleep, madness.”

“No Urmila, your words sound beautiful. Really you did great penance.”

“I know akka that you will understand. That’s why I opened my mouth today. But akka—in your life, if you get a testing-time like mine, try to protect yourself from that test pushing you into ‘ordinariness’, into murk, from burning you with hatred and anger. Take the power over you into your own hands—give off the power over others. Only then will you remain for yourself. To retain ourselves for ourselves is not a joke—believe me.”

As Urmila was talking, a sort of calmness crept into Sita’s mind. Sita felt that she could not understand these many years of Urmila’s life in just one day. She told Rama about Urmila’s words. 

 “I only hope this power will not result in pain for my brother,” said Rama.

“It looks as though by merely watching Urmila, all sorrows would evaporate,” said Sita. Watching Urmila now and then, Sita was enjoying her words, her smile, her peace, her glow, her everything.

*  *  *  *  *

After Lakshmana left her in the middle of the forest, and when she felt as though in the middle of an ocean, Urmila flashed in her mind.

As her heart was crying in wilderness about a life full of separations and accusations, she was reminded of Urmila’s words. 

Without telling Urmila, Lakshmana went to live in the forest with Rama. 

Without telling me, Rama used Lakshmana to banish me to the forest.

Urmila, by practising ‘noncooperation’, penance or some such thing, saved herself.

“Own the power. Disown the power. Then you would belong to yourself. You would be left for yourself. We must remain for ourselves.” Umpteen times Urmila said these words in varied forms again and again. Those words have only relieved her anxiety about Urmila. That’s all.

Should she start a satyagraha[5] now? When will anger calm down? When will truth dawn? How—Immeasurable attachment to Rama. Love. How to get liberated from that Rama?

What kind of a test is it! What, after all, the agnipariksha is before this—she did know all kinds of archery. Never raised a war against anybody. Now she has to raise a war against herself.

War has started. How long would it continue?

*  *  *  *  *

“Ramachandra is doing Aswamedhayagam[6] amma. Sent the invitation. I shall go amma,” said Valmiki maharshi. 

Sita didn’t know that maharshi, after waiting a while for her answer, finally left. She was not in a state of noticing anything. 

“How could Rama perform Aswamedhayagam? Without me by his side, how?

“Who would sit in my place?” 

A blaze rose in Sita’s mind.

“Whoever might sit how does it matter? What way does it relate to you?”

Speaking thus, as though she read Sita’s mind, Urmila entered with a smile.

“Urmila – You!” Sita exclaimed.

“Yes, it’s me! Lakshmana told me that you are here. And I do know that the news of Aswamedhayagam would reach you. I could well imagine what kind of tremors it could stir in your mind. I came here to ensure that you will remain as ‘yourself’.”

Hugging Urmila, Sita made her sit by her side. After a long silence, and after several conversations flowing through that silence – 

“Is it Sri Ramachandra who is doing yagam,” asked Sita.

“Who else will do? Isn’t it emperors who have to do it?”

“Without me… how—”

“Why should that question come to your mind? Should it at all have arisen, it should have struck Rama? It should strike those who are getting the yaga performed. Isn’t it unwise to get disturbed by irrelevant questions?” said Urmila as though she were elder to Sita.

“You know. Tell me Urmila, who is sitting by the side of Rama?”

“I haven’t come either to suppress your blaze temporarily or to blow it up further. I came here to tell you not to crucify yourself with irrelevant questions.”

“But I am unable to swallow anything.”

“Don’t swallow. Indeed it should not enter your mind at all. You should get liberated from Rama.”

“Urmilaa—”

Sita sobbed inconsolably.

“How many tests, Urmilaa?”

“Every test is to liberate you from Rama. To restore you to yourself. Wage a war. Do penance. Look into yourself, peek till you see the ultimate reality of ‘you’—”

“It is too difficult amma.” Thus uttered Sita with great difficulty.

“It would be joyful too akka. Make an attempt. I shall leave akka,” saying this Urmila got up.

“So soon? Don’t you want to listen about my children? Won’t you see them?” 

“If they come to me, come to see me, I shall definitely see them.”

*  *  *  *  *

Urmila left as suddenly as she had come. But the blaze in Sita’s mind didn’t die down that suddenly.

The sparks of fire that were hidden somewhere deep in different corners, all those cinders suddenly started burning fiercely. As Sita was getting used to experiencing the pleasures of that fire, she learnt that they were to be put out.

It’s all fuzzy: her mind was tossed with conflicting questions—whether loving Rama is a joy, or being angry with him is a joy. 

It is not easy to catch hold of the joy that appears as pain in igniting one’s own anger, and blowing its flames. 

Nor is it easy to put up with the pain underlying the pleasure that comes out of loving Rama. The effort in getting liberated from Rama by overcoming these two too had become more of a torment to Sita.

Yet, Sita did that penance. 

She continued her churning till the stormy sea became peaceful. 

Slowly that peace overtook her fully.

Sita’s mind had become quite calm by the time Valmiki returned after attending the Aswamedhayagam.

Even after seeing Valmiki, it didn’t strike her mind to ask, “Who sat by the side of Rama in the yagam?”

After a few days, Valmiki came to Sita to tell her about a development.

“Rama accepted both Lav and Kush. Accepted Sita too. But Sita had to come to the king’s assembly and announce that she is innocent.”

Sita heard these words calmly. Heard with a smile.

She simply said, “Do you think it is that necessary?” 

Relieving herself cheerfully from even the bondage of children, she left for the abode from where she had come. 

*****

---

[1] Akka—elder sister.

[2] Amma—respectful/affectionate way of addressing.

[3] Amma—in this context, mother.

[4] Agnipariksha—test of fire. In the Ramayana, when Sri Rama proclaims his resolution, “Which man descended from a great family can take back with confidence… a wife who has gone and lived for about a year in another man’s house?” leaving no room for Sita’s remonstrance, Sita turns to Lakshmana and says, “Build me a pyre, I pray you. Suspected and cast away by my husband,

I cannot, I will not, live any longer. Fire, consuming fire, is the only remedy for this woe!” and once the chitaa (pyre) is made ready, she walks into it. When Sita plunges into the sacrificial fire, Agni, the lord of fire, raises Sita, unharmed, to the throne, proving her purity.

[5] Satyagraha—a form of non-cooperation.

[6] Aswamedhayagam—Horse sacrifice. The king alone should perform the sacrifice. Its object was the acquisition of power and glory, declaring sovereignty over neighboring provinces, and for general prosperity of the kingdom.

---

* Vimukta, a Telugu story published in Andhrajyothi (Sunday) on March 7, 2010. 

Copyright permission for the translation has been obtained.

 Keywords: Volga, International Women's Day, Telugu story in English