Sindhoora Lakshmana

Scene 1 – House

Lakshmana (coming in): Avva, sister

Dundavva: Anna, did you just arrive? Avva, Anna has come.

Lakshmana: Tangi, I have brought some prasada, take some…and give the rest to Avva.

Narsavva: Lakshmi, when you told me that you were going to Tulasigeri Hanumappa Kartik Jatre…I thought of telling you not to leave the house…still, thinking that it was the Jatre of our family deity, I did not stop you…you are behaving like a stone that is thrown…never returning back…

Dundavva: I very well know my Anna…once he steps out of the house, it is impossible for anyone to guess the date & time at which he will return.

Lakshmana: Why do you think so, Tangi? Am I like the goat & sheep in our house, who cannot find their way back? Avva, I got delayed by so many days only because of some work related to my Tangi Dundavva

Dundavva: Oh oh oh, Anna…why do you have to work so hard for my sake? Do I not know your real colours?

Lakshmana: Oh hello, Tangi…if you know my colours so much, why don’t you share your understanding of the real reason for my delay

Dundavva: I am sure there was a wrestling match set up in the Tulasigeri Kartik Jatre & you would have entered the ring…else, you may have gone to meet my Attige in her native place Nesooru where she has gone for her first childbirth

Lakshmana: My dear Tangi, I had not gone to see her; I did however stay back to see the Kushti

Narsavva: Is this your age to roam around watching Kushti? You have responsibilities now…I don’t know when you will realise that you have fields to take care of…a house to run…a Tangi who has come of age…who else do we have in our house to fulfil these?

Lakshmana: Avva, I stayed back on account of my Tangi only. I have found a suitable match for her. The family is from Hangathrut near Jamkhandi. Right after the first monsoon rains, I will get the marriage ceremonies done. (Looking at his Tangi) Do you know how handsome the boy is? Think that he is Sri Krishna personified…so beautiful, so elegant, so radiant, such is his personality

Dundavva (blushing): Avva, look…Anna is teasing me

Lakshmana: What did I do now? Avva, just look at her, as soon as I started to speak of her prospective husband, he face has become as red as a KendaSampige flower

Narsavva: Leave her alone, Lakshmana – why do you always tease her so much? Listen, I forgot to tell you – Veerayya avaru had come asking for you

Lakshmana: Why?

Narsavva: I don’t know…didn’t ask him

Veerayya: Seeking alms in the fight for our Dharma

Narsavva: There he is…why don’t you directly ask him?

Veerayya: Narsavva, finally your son came back…hey Lakshmana, when did you arrive?

Lakshmana: I just arrived a short while back…please come in Appanore…I heard you had come asking for me…come in & sit on the Kambali

Veerayya: No no, still there are many homes to go seeking alms…come, put your offerings in my Jolagi…ah ah ah…what beauty…Narsavva, your daughter is in the prime of her youth…so ripe; so enticing…fully worth every single Rupee that anyone would spend on her…she is a golden egg in your house

Lakshmana: Oh Swami, you are a holy Jangama

Veerayya: I am very well aware

Lakshmana: We are common people

Veerayya: I am aware of that too…still your Tangi’s beauty is such that it brings water in the mouth & arouses even holy Jangamas

Lakshmana: Do not feel even for a second that I am helpless, do not say such words in our house…and bring shame upon yourself

Veerayya: Narsavva, all your prayers to Tulasigeri Hanumappa at the time of his birth have been answered…you have given birth to a brilliant son

Narsavva: Why do you say so, oh Swami? What has my son done now?

Veerayya: Has he ever done anything worthwhile, this son of yours, Narsavva? If he had, our people would have looked upon him as a hero; but the things he does…are such vile acts that would take him to the gallows…

Lakshmana: Oh Veerayya avare, just because we have given you so much respect in our home, why do you take disadvantage of that & insult me like this…tell me what such vile acts have I done that will take me to the gallows

Veerayya: See see, Narsavva…your son’s anger is on the tip of his nose…can erupt anytime…le Lakshmya, learn to be calm & composed…such short temper can only benefit your enemy; not you

Lakshmana: What has he done now, my son?

Veerayya: What has he done now? Your son, instead of enjoying the Kartik Jatre without troubling anyone, has instead created a ruckus in the Church at Kaladgi. He got into an altercation with the Father himself at the Church. The European Saheb has received a complaint on this very son of yours, Narsavva

Narsavva: Aaa…really, Lakshmya?

Lakshmana: Avva, don’t worry. The Swami is making a mountain out of a molehill. He is an expert in such things…he never does any good; instead is a past master at creating fear in order to benefit him…such is this Jangama of ours…breaking minds & homes wherever he goes

Veerayya: Le Lakshmya, what are you saying? Is it not a fact that you went & had an argument with the Father & created ruckus there? Am I telling lies here?

Lakshmana: Why will I create a ruckus? He was the one who started it all…in fact, I have been very patient in this whole episode

Narsavva: Will you at least tell me what actually happened there?

Veerayya: See Narsavva, you know that the Father in the Church is revered as an incarnation of God by the Parangi Sarkar; so revered is he. This Walikar son of yours has insulted such a person & got into an altercation with him. He behaved like a rampaging bull in a china shop at the Church. The Father & his people will not leave him…they will come here…put iron chains…take him away…make him break stones…understand

Lakshmana: This Lakshmya am not afraid of any such Father…I lead a life of Dharma…I do not fear them or their God. Listen Avva, you know in the Kartik Jatre, Kushti is organised…our Dundya was about to enter into the ring to fight…

Narsavva: Dundya…means…

Lakshmana: The boy…you remember…the one who came back with us after we attended the Kushti at Jatti Jatre

Dundavva: Isn’t he the same boy, Anna - who ate outside in the courtyard – saying that he was a Holiya?

Lakshmana: Yes, Tangi. The same one…he participated in the Tulasigeri Kushti. There, he was badly beaten & insulted by the upper caste people…making an excuse that the sanctity of their caste was sullied when this lower caste Holiya boy’s leg touched them

Veerayya: Knowing that he was a Holiya, why did he have to cross legs with those of the upper caste men? Didn’t he know that they would never tolerate if he did so?

Lakshmana: Why did they enter the Kushti ring with this Holiya in that case?

Veerayya: Only they can answer that…

Lakshmana: There you go…now you do not have words to say…just keep quiet in that case. I was there that day…I could not see Dundya getting beaten badly…I stepped in & rescued him…feeling badly insulted, he told me – Anna Lakshmana, instead of being ill-treated daily & suffering a life worse than dogs, it is better to accept the faith of the Father…at least there, I will be treated as a human being & not an animal…saying thus, he went away

Veerayya: Where?

Lakshmana: To the Church

Narsavva: Who? Dundya?

Lakshmana: Yes, Avva. I could not bear to see his mother crying aloud & beating her breasts in grief. I went to the Church, convinced him & got him back to his mother. It was at this time that I had a heated argument with the Father. I told him – listen, let everyone follow their own religion…do not interfere in other’s religion…let them live in peace. Tell me, did I do anything wrong?

Veerayya: I agree, Lakshmya…if what you have said is true, then you are not at fault at all. But tell me, in that case, why did the Bijapur S.P Garmin Saheb write such a damning report on you? Is he jealous of you?

Lakshmana: No, he is not jealous; you are…let us live…do not interfere; else, how can we live

Veerayya: If you can’t live, why do you all end your lives? People like us are there to teach Dharma; people like you are there to mutely follow our every word

Lakshmana: Very true…you are absolutely right…as long as you are leading us on the right path. Here, though, you are deemed great even if you lead a sinful life

Veerayya: What are you saying? Do you realise the gravity of your words? The other day, it is because of such similar words of yours that got you in trouble with the village Gowda. Are you even aware of the power of Sindhoora Police Patil Bheemana Gowda? Even the most vicious & poisonous snake will hesitate & slink away if it crosses his path

Lakshmana: Is it? I saw one such example in the Jatti Jatre

Veerayya: What did you see?

Lakshmana: A dead one. Am I a snake to fear & run away? Just like the Gowda, even I am a Government servant. If he gives me any official work, I will do it with complete diligence. However, with his arrogance of his position of the Village Gowda, he orders us to do his personal work – menial work like washing his dirty clothes, bathing his horse, washing his utensils. How can I stand such insults? How can I keep quiet? I will surely retaliate

Narsavva: Lakshmya, how can you utter such words? How can we live in this village if we gain the enmity of Gowda? The village women taunt me saying that Narsavva’s son has a very loose tongue & gets into a fight with everyone

Veerayya: Very true…Lakshmya, control yourself…don’t form a gang mafia with those ruffian friends of yours. Listen to your mother’s words & live a peaceful life…and let others live too

Narsavva: Don’t talk of violence against the Police Patil Gowda. Don’t cross your limits…he is a respectable person in our village. Another thing, behave properly with Veerayya avaru – for us, he is a very respectable person, a Jangama, literally a personification of God.

Dundavva: True, mother. There are many types found in the pantheon of Gods…Indra, who chased others’ wives & developed eyes all over his body is a God too; so is Chandra who had relations with his Guru’s wife

Lakshmana: At every possible occasion, he indulges in sinful acts & people honour him with their chappals – this Jangama, Veerayya….and our mother thinks he is no less than an avatar of God

Narsavva: Haan…he has got beaten with footwear? Veerayya avaru?

Dundavva: Yes, mother…it is true. Ask him

Narsavva: Is this true, Veerayya avare?

Veerayya: Yes…no…yes…are you talking of the episode in Jatti Jatre?

Lakshmana: Yes, that very one…listen, mother, some people from Athani had come to the Jatre

Dundavva: One woman in that group suddenly started to suffer from severe cramps & stomach pains due to menstruation. Then, they called our Veerayya Swami and showed her to him, asking him for a cure

Narsavva: He has knowledge of medicines, that is fine…what happened next?

Lakshmana: What happened? It was like bringing a rabbit in front of an eagle. That girl was so beautiful that she could put any Apsara or other divine beauties like Rati, Rambha, Urvashi to shame.

Dundavva: Yes, mother…she was a very beautiful girl who had just come of age…seeing her, our Jangama started to lose his emotional control. Instead of checking the girl’s Nadis on her hand, he straight away went & pressed her stomach…and moved his hands up on her breasts. Having done this, will people leave him?

Lakshmana: They beat him black & blue with their chappals

Narsavva: Shiva…Shiva…is this true?

Veerayya: All wild allegations, Narsavva. It was a bad moment written in my stars. Just two days prior to this, my left eye started to twitch and my left shoulder started to shake. Also, forgetting that it was Ganesh Chaturthi, I looked at the moon that night…hence these allegations on my character. You very well know that not even Sri Krishna could escape these allegations, having seen the moon on Chaturthi day…then how will mere mortals like me escape?

Lakshmana: Ah…ha…ah…so, you are now comparing yourself to Lord Krishna? Swami, what I mentioned is not mere allegation; but real fact. Remember you did not come out of your house for 15 days after the incident…such was the beating that you got…your face was swollen bad and blood clotted…you couldn’t bear to show your face to people

Dundavva: Because you are a mere mortal

Veerayya: OK…OK. As soon as I reached home, I contemplated on how did a pure Satvik minded person like me lose control of his emotions & yielded to his baser instincts. I studied this deeply using Ramala Shastra & finally found the reason

Lakshmana: Pray tell us as well, please, Swami

Veerayya