TRANSLATED FROM POPULAR “JANAPADA”, FOLK POEM
1
Kallana Kere Mallana Gowda, harrowed a colossal lake
That mere had merely a handful of water, “Alas!” All saw and spoke
And when such fixes nature cursed, one sought counsel in predictions,
Of tellers of fortune and scripts of future, their words and premonitions.
2
“Not God, not ghosts, not demons, not devils, none of them shall do
Must sacrifice the eldest sose or curse shall stay in lieu
Offer her as a feast to the mere and wait! For when this shall happen
Water will rise to the highest of shores and soils of these banks will dampen”
(sose: daughter in law)
3
Gloom struck Gowdas, great lake makers, “now what must we do?
Oh to let go of the dearest, the sweetest, the brightest, the eldest Bahoo!”
“If sose the eldest is gone,” they pondered in worry, “Who shall head the command?
Who shall the children love and listen to, who shall the elders reprimand?”
4
Hence it seemed the only way that some other faced those hours at hand,
”Bhagirathi, the youngest daughter in law”, so the eldest kin devised and planned!
And hearing thus, obedient Bhagirathi expressed to visit once her parents
“Go now and come back soon,” she was told, the reason clear and apparent.
5
Thus, when she reached her Amma’s mane, her Appa first she met,
“Bhagirathi!” he supplanted a smile, as derisive as one could get,
He claimed, “You never come to see us, what brings you to us this day?
Your face is dim, your eyes hold tears, such a stark dismay”.
(Amma’s Mane: Mother’s house, Appa: father)
6
“I weep because My Atte and Mava have resolved to separately reside”
“So let them go their ways disparate, to you I shall a house provide,
Live your life on the banks of the river as merry as you can be,”
But before she could compose a reply, her Amma joined the colloquy!
(Atte: mother-in-law, and Mava: father-in-law)
7
‘Bhagirathi, my sweet one!’ she smiled but then a glumness dressed her face,
“Tears glitter your eyes”, she gawped, “What brings you to our place?”
“Atte and Mava’s resolve of parting is the reason for my harrowing”
“Why worry! let their bearings be, Look! Let me deck you up with these earrings!”
8
When your kin on hearing your woes have worldly solutions to admire,
Wouldn’t one say as Bhagirathi said, “Pltch! Throw these earrings into fire!”
But before she could walk away in vexation, her sister appeared and gloated,
“You bear a visage as sad as the night! which grief have these tears toted?”
9
“Sister, my mister’s Amma and Appa have pronounced to part their ways”.
“Ayyio papa! my sister, don’t worry! These things are common these days!”
I am going to send you my children to play with,” was her phoney advice
“So, what if they are company, Will, for sadness to sink that suffice?”
10
She left her Amma’s mane in search of a close one, for a fresh start
Who else could it be but a friend from those days of girlhood nearer to heart?
And so, she walked to knock on the door of the pal from the early years
On seeing her, the friend asked, appalled, “What brims your eyes with tears?”
11
“Shall my words reek of regret and despair why my heart aches with sorrow?
Or shall I fear and kill my courage, for there seems to be no tomorrow?”
“Oh Bhagirathi, my bosom friend, my shadow, companion and confidante
Fear not, and tell me everything, you know there is nothing you can’t!”
12
“My Atte and Mava have decided to offer your friend as an oblation to the lake
Such sacrificing will get water rising as cycles of bad luck shall break”
But as it happened, her tears are witness she was given an advice too hollow,
“This is our fate, oh biddable playmate, what in-laws say you must follow.”
13
And so, like a dutiful daughter in law she returned sooner than expected,
To sifting; shaking then lifting the lentils, as crystals her eyes rejected.
On seeing so, her Mava inquired, in a tone unascribed to his usual air
“What makes you shed tears, for your propensity, it is rather almost rare”
14
‘“These tears are few, less than drops two, merely a minor irritation
A flint from sifting of lentils might have caused this decantation”
And later when the grains of rice were needed to be sieved,
One saw tears of pain and fear, or was she much aggrieved?
15
Atte came to notice and looked straight into Bhagirathi’s eyes across,
She asked the old immortal question, “What caused you this chaos?”
“A flake might have flown into an eye, that has likely engendered this piquing.”
All eyes in the kitchen are prone to tears, well traditionally speaking.”
16
As rice was poured into piping water, its levels began to ten folds rise,
And sweet milk rose, on pouring shavige, its crow-science, no surprise,
“Oh, Ningawa take bath, Oh Nilawa take bath” were asked of those two.
Ningawa, said, “No”, Nilawa, “No No”, in chorus, “No, thank you!”
17
“Hey Gangama take bath, hey Gangava take bath”, those two were requested too
Gangama said, “Illa”, Gangava, “bekagilla”, in chorus, “dhanyavadagalu!”
Then light from all eyes fell on Bhagirathi, the youngest sose of all,
“Oh dear, namma Magalu, why don’t you bathe, someone should afterall.”
18
As Bhagirathi agreed to tread the path, the one that no one would take,
Filled up golden basket, with flowers in casket, she walked for family’s sake
And while her feet her body progressed, her hands nimbly tied her hair
She curved her locks into a bun while all others followed close to stare
19
Chanting, repeating and crooning in chorus hymns to Ganga they prayed, with pride
Greeting, adhering, offerings were gathered, every ritual well obeyed and complied
A saree with blouse, as if to espouse, were fruits and flowers presented
Food on the house and sweet milk to douse for all the guests who consented.
Rice on the house, and Paysum to douse for all the guests who consented
20
Much after this drama, Oh Rama, Rama, they forgot something at the site,
“All baskets check, leftover food check, we left the golden bowl reminders despite”
“Gandhava, you go! Gangava you go” but both cried out, “ No no no no!”
“Ningava, you go! Nilava, you go!” but both replied, “This just can’t be so!”
21
All eyes once more, were off the shore, lit up on the youngest one,
“Bhagirathi, only you must get back the bowl, be quick, run, run!
Mild and docile, meek and ductile, how could she dis-agree?
Down she climbed and picked up the bowl, as per familial decree.
22
Climbing up, when she put her first foot forward water caressed her heel
On the step second, as she reckoned water her ankles could feel
Step third on the stair, through shins up to where only the knees were evaded
Water oh water, it rose and rose, while Bhagirathi wildly waded.
23
On the fourth one, the soaring waves had submerged her buttocks to waist
And on the fifth, engulfed Bhagirathi! Oh Water, why such haste?
Thus, there rose water, in the lake aplenty, much more than desired.
And seen adrift, the golden bowl, sans Bhagirathi, as conspired.
And floated just the golden bowl as it was conspired.
24
Far at a camp on warrior’s duty, when Mahadevaraya lay on his bed
The dream of his wife’s endless beauty, was swapped for a nightmare instead.
Such is the heart that a hunch or suspicion of someone you love in pain
Can cause severe worry, discomfort and fury, all bravery and courage in vain
25
He saw a pyre set to fire, the sapphire Sky turned to blood- rust
And in his shire, he saw his palace collapsing, drawn almost to dust.
Who will not act on such intuition, who will not heed to one’s own gut
He bridled his horse, without its saddle, rode homebound, cluckutt! cluckutt!
26
At an early hour, fretful and sour, his parents had seen him looming
Un-climbing the horse, gushing with full force to see his wife he rushed vrooming
“Gangama, get water, Gangava get water” ordered his kins in a quaver,
Why should anybody else fetch me water, where is my wife, my fragrance and flavour?
27
“Bhagirathi is at her Amma’s place, she must be safe, why bother?”
She will be fine, come let us dine, won’t you, with your mother and father?”
He climbed on his mount, before one could count till ten, he was chez in-laws
Gaping from a distance, their Aliya riding, they readied the house for his pause.
28
Ningava, get water, Nilava get water” ordered his in-laws, timorously,
Why should these men get me water, why don’t I see Bhagirathi, my lovely?
“Son, she left for her best friend’s Mane, you will find her there for sure”
And so, he rushed to the aforementioned spot, to find his aching a cure.
29
Riding the gale, oh distraught and pale, he reached her friend’s accommodation,
Seeing him advancing, altering her glancing she called for a welcome- libation,
“Bandava, serve water, Basava serve water, I have Devaraya to attend”
“Bandava, Basava, please don’t bother, Is Bhagirathi home her friend?”
30
Much like how before the storm, there is an unnerving quiet
She gathered words to suit her thoughts, like arms before a riot.
“Your parents in a dire act have sacrificed my friend and your wife
But the lake now is thriving with tides, Oh Devaraya, this is life.”
31
His horse one last time he decided to climb, as his grief knew no bounds.
He rode and rode in consternation, until that lake he found,
Jumped off the ride, he cried and cried, downhearted, depleted, defrauded
He sobbed and sighed till his eyes dried, robbed off his love, he was eroded
32
“Even if I am granted one thousand coins, I still won’t get to see you dear one”
Look, I brought you these pearl earrings, why did you leave? It’s unfair it’s not done!
Whoever wrote that in love and battle all’s fair, must write this too
Here I go into the waters that took you, to eternally unite with you!”
Also, read The Fort and The Sea by Mavji Maheshwari, Translated from The Gujarati by Heli Vora and Manoj Chhaya and published in The Antonym
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