Original
in Telugu – Munipalle Raju
Translated by
– GRKMurty
1
As Esikapatrala Gopanna is going to the southern side farm
with a shaft in hand and the saddimoota [1]hanging around his shoulder, intercepting him consciously,
Sinaramasandrudu of red-wetland[2], asked: “Yeraa [3], Gopuu! You are running down badly?”
Gopanna was about to say, “No mavaa, nothing of that sort…”, but his throat was choked, struggled
for words; lips trembled, reddened; shivering lips stammered indistinct words.
Slipping out of his shoulder, saddimoota has
fallen on the ground. But his eyes have spoken… the tears that streamed down
commenced replying Ramasandrudu, the old man.
“Arey, my dear fool!
Will the dead wife return if you cry? Forgetting the past… you have to start
afresh marital life … …”
Well before Ramasandrudu’s comforting words came to an end, as
Gopanna sauntered ahead, bending down Ramasandrudu handed over the saddimoota.
2
It is in Gopanna’s very tears that his ‘life’ is today. It is from
the tears that his soul is speaking. His heart is wriggling. Two unknown
elements of that innocent fellow are fighting with each other. There, in his
tears, it is not sorrow alone! No. Many problems—the problems of material and
ethereal world that teased seers, philosophers, devotees, philanthropists,
warriors alike. Like Yogi Vemana, Gopanna, there in the southern- field … on
the bund, under the shade of babul tree…plopped himself down on the thorns ….
Involuntarily, touching his cheek with his fingers, he felt, “Yes”,
what red-wetland maava said is right.
Now, there are many similarities between his cheeks and that of Ramasandrudu maavaa’s cheeks.
Ploughed the land till sunset. Yet, Gopanna didn’t feel
hungry. Having slid into the water from the canal bank, the saddimoota drifted along the
flowing water.
3
Ever since Gopanna joined Peddareddi gari’s house as an annual labor, marriage proposals
and conversations about the proposals have gone up. All those like Aariga
Lachamma who had written him off earlier, Tarine Pebandam (Parandhamayya), who
scolded him, “Lazy he-buffalo”, Muttala Narayya, who acquired an acre and odd
farm, Sivaramsandraiah, who recently got admitted in the list of ‘people to be
reckoned with’ in the village, have all come forward offering their daughters
as bride for him. Though wavered in multiple directions at the beginning,
finally Gopanna settled down for marrying his sister Chitaram’s daughter,
Hanumayi. In fact, right from the beginning he had his mind on Ademma, daughter
of Ramasandrudu maava but he doesn’t know … something happened…
whoever might have advised him whatever… finally, he said: “Appa! I will marry
Hanumayi”.
Hanumayi looks pretty slim… a lass glistering in black. Quite
active, a rocket—
* * *
Because of marriage he has fallen into debts—perhaps of the
fellow laborers’ provocations.
“Arey, it is
Peddareddygari’s esteem that would be
at stake! How could a marriage be a marriage without silk-robes?”, questioned
Bhadraiah.
Echwariah, the annual laborer of Peramma, said: “I don’t know
if you have said … but your sister is saying that you promised a gold coin and
a silk sari as marriage gift”.
Many taunted, “Arey,
having promised, if you pull out, you are sure to lose your prestige!”
Gopanna didn’t, of course, care for their words…simply dusted
them off… For, his mind was fixed more on the recently formed band troop in the
village by the sons of Nancharu, the barber. Even… the fellow Venkatratnam too
rejoiced … engaging that band troop for his marriage. Wondered, how come, that
fellow had the wherewithal which I didn’t have?!
4
The two bags of paddy that Reddygaru gave, the annual wages of 20 rupees that he had already collected
on the Eruvaka punnami plus the
30 rupees that he had with him, all have simply vanished… didn’t suffice even
to meet an iota of the marriage expenses.
Finally, it is with the 100 rupees that Seerala Venkataswamy,
the moneylender of the village, given as debt against his putting the thumb
impression on the pro note, Gopanna—the resident of Kottapalem and the annual
laborer of Peddareddy… the young prince from Esikapatarla dynasty… could up
keep the honour of his dynasty—could meet the challenges of the fellow
wage-earners at the marriage along with satisfying his own desire too. At the
end of the marriage, listening to the band music, Gopanna proudly stirred Eeswaraiah
paddling him on the back.
5
Elated by the hope that he would be blessed with a son and not
being able to hold back his pleasure, he said: “Hanumayi, we shall give the kid
my father’s name.”
Hanumayi, smiling at it,
wondered if anyone knew what is in store in the future? Time, like a jealous black
cobra hidden in the bushes…
Undergoing great strain, Hanumayi delivered a girl-child.
Though the midwife could succeed in pulling out the dead child from the womb,
Hanumayi, overtaken by the tetanus…within three days joined her child.
Gopanna cried and cried. No male-child. Even Hanumayi is no more
with him. Cried again. Without affecting
Reddygari’s farm works cried for
months and months.
6
Wondering if Gopanna, reminiscing on Hanumayi shedding tears, Ramasandraiah
who is still to perform his daughter’s marriage, attempted that morning to comfort
him.
But his sadness at the death of Hanumayi is still haunting him
as a nightmare, though ten months have elapsed. As the time is healing the wound, carrying the
burden of that sorrow; narrating the woes of his heavy heart to the mother
earth while ploughing the farm alone; like trees shedding leaves and sprouting
afresh after withering for a while; sitting at the winding lane between the
fields and crying out loudly—have all now become a petty routine affair.
* * *
Now, the pain is not in the heart—it is in the soul. Sorrow,
sadness—all these are not in the mind,
but in the soul. Soul!
Now, he is withering. And no longer sprouting afresh.
At the turn of the farm-lane, his own shadow is haunting him.
He became a Gopanna who could no longer believe his own lips. His own shadow
has become an enemy of him. Wonder if there is old Gopanna at all! Right now he
became a new Gopanna—all has become a battlefield—become a battlefield for intra-conflict.
Yes. Yes. Yes. How it all happened?
Yes. Yes. Yes. How it all happened?
7
Komati Venkataswami’s
pressure has multiplied.
Having taken interest four times without accounting for it,
Venkataswami now accuses him: “Being so
an incapable fellow to repay the debt, why at all printed your thumb impression
like a blind-bull?”
“Look Gopanna! Doesn’t matter if I were to even lose 10
rupees. I shall call head constable; the rest is your choice. No use saying
this and that. Remember, it’s no other than head constable who imprisoned
Merigela Venkanna. Be warned. When I say shell down my money, you must—that’s
all.”
Gopanna never spoke to police in the past. Whenever he went to
Vadarevu to fetch casuarina logs, on the return journey he used to always haul
his bullock cart through interior roads just to avoid the police of Bapatla
town.
Accusing Merigala Venkudu that he trespassed into munsif’s
house… he had seen that scene… He might not have beaten even the dozed
he-buffalo of Sayamma like that. My god! His whole body became a wound. Wondered
if he is talking of that police? Yes, why doubt? Where is the room to doubt?
Fear has overtaken Gopanna. It chewed him. Swallowed him.
Could not sleep for weeks together. Bad dreams haunted him. Got fever. Drenched
in rain. The principal along with the interest had in all become 380 rupees and
13 annas. Where from he would get it? What is the way? Didn’t eat.
Swallowed his fear within himself. Shivered with fear. Avoided people.
Meanwhile, Peddareddygari’s elder son
came home for holidays.
“Gopi, you have a fine name!” said he. Such is his heart—as
soft as the butter.
“Gopi, I shall come to orchard tomorrow. Our lunch and
everything there only. We shall spend merrily… with beehives, toddy palm fruits…
that’s the only work for tomorrow.”
* * *
Pulling out his coat in the garden, Abbayigaru asked him to hang it to the lemon tree. Coat was heavy.
He checked the pockets. There was a watch along with chain in one pocket. In
the other, there was a leather wallet full of currency notes, money!!!
That very thought drenched him in sweat. He cursed himself… He
would rather die than doing such a misdeed!
***
After his returning home, the money lender sent a word for
him. He went… to listen that the police head is coming tomorrow.
Gone to the canal to commit suicide … but somehow Gopanna returned
home.
8
The elder son of Reddygaru
lost his leather valet that he used to keep his money. That very day Komati
Venkataswamy received 200 rupees from Gopanna.
“Where have you stolen, Gopanna!” asked the money lender,
while passing on the money to his wife for its safe-keep.
Gopanna shuddered at once. He felt it’s over. Cursed himself,
“Why haven’t I jumped into the canal yesterday itself?”
“No sir… borrowed it from my lord…”
Money lender hadn’t questioned further.
“Then…pro…promissory… note”, stammered Gopanna.
“Shall check the account tomorrow … go! Let me see if anything
is still to be received …”
* * *
As he returned home, everything looked pell-mell. Imagining that
Reddygaru beating him commanded to get the wallet back, joining the scene, munsifgaru tying him to the Neem tree,
villagers spitting on his face… visualizing all those scenes, Gopanna having come
to Reddygaru’s cattle shed, peeped in. There is however no
such commotion. On the other hand, calling him, abbayigaru ordered, “arrange for toddy palm fruits tomorrow too.”
* * *
Ramanareddy ate toddy palm fruits. Laughed as usual. Played
with the he-calves. Worked on yatham [4] for a while. But didn’t enquire him about his money
purse.
With it ‘fire’ overawed Gopanna—the fire that would burn him
out.
His own shadow had become an enemy to him.
War started between the gods and the devils that are
within him.
Gopanna gave up eating. He is praying to gods. What? What for?
Why? He himself didn’t know. The fire—that invisible fire—has slowly started
burning out Gopanna mercilessly. He could not understand its meaning.
9
Becoming a mad chap … he roamed along the lanes between the
fields. Aimlessly ran on the field bunds. Hugged Eechyarayya abruptly. But no
one could explain him about the fire that is torturing his soul. Stood silently
before trees, before the village deity, in front of the goddess Ganganamma, in
front of the Dwajasthambham, in front of the ash of the funeral fire that
burnt out Hanumayi, for hours together. Yet, no answer dawned. But then, answer
for what… to which question?
If only Ramanareddy had scolded him, “You bloody cheat!” how
nice it would have been? If only munsifgaru
had inflicted punishment, how relieved I would have been? But not being
able to put up with this benign smile, this silence, the affectionate calling
of this urban youth … Gopanna spent sleepless nights … as though each night is equal to thousand
days.
* * *
To see off Ramanareddy, Gopanna hawked the bullock cart to the
railway station. Carrying the luggage he came in and stood on the railway
platform—stood on the long Nidamolu platform.
Train is coming … still far off…Ramanareddy patted on
Gopanna’s shoulder.
“Gopi! Is that money sufficient? Next time, if you need any
more, ask me.”
That’s all! Train arrived. Smilingly boarding the train and
waving his hand, he went away.
Recovering from his frozen state, Gopanna ran behind the
train. But by then, it had travelled far off. He strongly felt like falling at
his feet. He then falling on the track and facing himself in the direction in
which the train rolled off, he offered his pranamam
(salutations) to Ramanareddy. The tears
that swelled up in his eyes, that heaviness in the heart, that inferno in the
soul … they all have revealed new shapes, new truths, indeed new universes.
Thereafter, Gopanna is not seen in the village.
10
After almost a year, one day, the red-wetland Chinarasendryya
asked Peramma’s cowherd, Eechyara: “What Eechyara! People are saying that our
Gopu had joined the sanyasis.”
“I don’t know Chinnayya! He is a very tender-hearted fellow.”
“Haven’t we all thought of celebrating his marriage with our
Adi?”
“In the last Sravan month, it seems Sayammagaru had
seen him at Bemmamgari monastery! So Chinnayya,
you still think of marriage for him?
* *
*
[1] Saddimoota—Farm laborers, including
farmers of yore, known to pack the leftover of the last night’s food and carry
it to the farm for eating as brunch.
[2] & [3] In the
country-side people are often identified with reference to the location of
their house, or its uniqueness—say for instance the owner of the house next to
the tank—or by the kind of land-holding he had, i.e., Sinaramasandrudu of
red-wetland or the kind of cattle that one tends; or the referring to the
peculiar features of their physique.
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