Transformation of Symbols in today's poetry!
Rao Veluri (rveluri@smtpgate.anl.gov)
Thu, 24 Oct 96 18:06:32 CST
Transformation of Epic Symbols in Modern Poetry
Dear Friends:
I have posted some time ago two poems by dalit writers.
One by Salandra and the other, I think by Satish Chander. It is
about time to resume posting feminist and dalit poetry!
Here is a poem, titled paMcama vEdaM, actually the anchor poem
of the collection "paMcama vEdaM" by Satish Chander.The collection
was published in February 1995. Satish Chander, before becoming
the mouth piece of dalit movement through his poetry, wrote
quite a bit of 'ordinary' poetry. He is one of the leaders of
prajaa raciyatala samaakhya.
His poem, paMcama vEdaM must be read in juxataposition to nannya's
piece from the mahaa bhaarata about Ekalavya.
nannya tells the entire story of Ekalavya in eleven poems and five
small prose pieces. For most of us, Ekalavya's story was taught as an
example of unflinching obedience to the teacher. Never the rationale
behind the treatment meted out to Ekalavya by drONa was questioned. He
remained a symbol of perfect obedience. Such obedience could only
match with the factual account of the thirteen year old boy Giacomo
Jocante, son of Louis Casbianca in the battle of Nile in 1798.
The same Ekalavya is our present hero. Only the symbol got tranformed.
Picking symbols from the epics,-- some very revered and some not so
revered --, questioning the rationale and transforming them to
represent a different yet more powerful symbol in the present day
poetry has been successfully done only by two poets I know. One is
Jayaprabha and the other is Satish Chander.
First, from nannya's aadi parvaM, paMcama aSvaasaM (accidental,but
how aptly befitting!), I would paraphrase very briefly.
Ekalavya was the son of hiraNyadhanva, an 'erukala' king. He heard of
drONa and comes to him to learn archery. drONa refuses to be his
teacher because Ekalavya is 'nishaada putra.' Ekalavya goes away and
makes a clay 'sculpture' of drONa. It appears that drONa permitted it.
(vaaDunu drONu nauj~na vaDasi....etc., is the vacanaM) He obediently
prays this effigy and becomes an expert archer. One must remember
though, that karNa (soota putruMdaina raadhEyuDunu dhanur vidyaa
kauSalaMbuna arjununu tODa maccariMcucu ... etc.) was with the kaurava
and pandava gang with drONa as their teacher.
One day, a dog belonging to one of the soldiers of the kaurava-pandava
retinue escapes, reaches, Ekalavya, and he manages to send it back
with seven arrows at once on its face. They find out about Ekalavya,
who tells them that his guru is no other than drONa. arjuna gets
jealous and finds drONa alone, and tells him about Ekalavya.
They both go to Ekalavya, who prostrates at the feet of drONa and
tells him that by 'praying your effigy' I learnt archery. drONa asks
for his tuition fees (he never taught him anything, though), which
happens to be the right thumb of Ekalavya! Ekalavya obeys!!
Here is the clincher!!
ka. nemmini nee dakshiNa ha
stammuna penu vrElu dunimi dakshiNa immi
sTammidi naa kanavuDu vina
yammuna vaaDicce daani naacaaryunakun
tE: dakshiNaa gusthamicci daana jEsi
baaNa saMdhaana laaghava bhaMgamayina
neruku viluvidya kalimiki heenuDayye
paarthunaku manOrujayunu baase naMta
droNa did not even think about the kid Ekalavya, his parents,
how the kid can later manage without the right thumb! None
what so ever! This has to be reiterated to get a better feel
of the following poem, 'paMcama vEdaM by satish chander. The
poem has five stanzas. I am going to post the first and the
third one only. The rest of the stanzas, in my opinion,
dilute the strength of the message!
paMcama vEdaM
by
satish chander
noorELLakee padihEDu maarkulE vEsi
jeevitaM lO tappiMcina gurudEvulaku
cEtulu jODiMci vraayunadi.
'neeku caccinaa arthaM kaaduraa' - ani
meeru tiTTukoMToo ceppina vELLa meeda lekka,
naaku caccaakanE artha mayyiMdi.
nEnennisaarlu lekka peTTukunnaa
naacEtiki naalugu vELLE vuMDEvi.
naannaki kooDaa ayidOvElu lEkanE
meeru guMDu sunnalu cuTTina prOgresu reporTu
meeda
yeppuDoo vEli mudra veyya lEdu.
pucca puvvu laaMTi vennela rOjuna kooDaa
aa vElu lEkanE -
amma gOru muddalu tinipiMca lEdu.
nEnu tella mukhaM vEsinappuDellaa
meeradEdO amruta bhaasha lO tiTTEvaaru.
naakannaM tappa amrutaM sayiMcadu.
nijaM ceppaMDi
paMcamu DaMTE ayidO vElu lEnivaaDanEnaa
arthaM?
maa muttata EkalavyuDu ceppaDu.
***
maa klaasu lO paMDavulnee, kauravulnee
aDiginaTTu ceppaMDi
kottagaa kaastu sartifikEtu teccukoni
klaasu lO cErina karNuDiki
naa saanubhootini teliya jEyaMDi.
pratibhaavaMtulu vaaLLu
mee SlOkaalaku cappaTlu koTTEvaaru.
naaku maatraM avi tiTlulaa anipiMcEvi.
nijaM ceppaddoo
manu dharmaalu, vaatsaayana kaama sootraalla vinipiMcEvi.
dEvuDi naalugu Sareera marmaaloo
aSleela bhaava citraallaa kanipiMcEvi.
naa janma rahasyaM mee SaastraallO raayanaMduku
nEneppuDoo krutaj~nuNNE.
nannEvagiMcu kOvadaaniki mee nighaMTuvullO
saapa naarthaalu doraka nappudellaa
naa talli maaTE mee nOTlO naanu tuMDEdi
pOneeleMDi, dooshaNa lOnainaa naa tallikE
nEnu puTTaanani kharaaru cESaaru.
mummaTikee meM talliki puTTina biddalamE.
ammE maaku daivaM
goppiLLu veli vEsina kuMtemma nayinaa
maa iLLakostE goMtemmanu cEsi kolcu kuMTaaM
EkalavyuDu dEvuLLaku kaakuMDaa
tallikE puTTaaDu.
_______________________
I am sure you get what I meant by the transformation
of the old symbols!
Enjoy it.
Regards.
-- Venkateswara Rao Veluri