Locked Out A Telugu Women’s Song of Sita  V. Narayana Rao

She is born of Earth and raised by a belt of gold with bells on it, says, . bracelets with sapphires inlaid, “If you lose sleep, what do I care! She serves her in-laws with devotion. and a necklace of precious stones. The lamp standing here keeps me Her loving husband calls her, but she She brushes kohl along her lashes company. does not come. and looks at herself in the life-size If you stand out there, what do I care! Flowers in his hair, perfume on his mirror. Flowers and bukka scents keep me body, her husband is in a joyous mood. Pleased with herself, the woman smiles. company. Looking for her, he waits and waits. She eats her dinner – If you stand out there, what do I He is impatient at the time she takes. five different courses, sweets and all – care! “Why doesn’t she come, what is taking then washes her hands. Sandal and musk keep me company. her so long?” She covers herself in a golden shawl, If you stand out there, what do I The solar hero1 is upset with her. takes water to drink in a jug of gold; care! He closes the door and bolts it. betel leaves, areca nuts, perfumes, The mattress and pillows keep me “You and your chores, Daughter of sandal paste, jasmine water, company.” Earth! fruits and snacks on a platter of gold. Upset at Rama’s words, Sita quickly You have grown too proud,” he says She wears jasmine and jaji flowers in runs to her mother-in-law’s house. shaking his head. her hair When she hears it all, Kaushalya Deluded, he lies down on his bed. and arrives in joy to meet her husband. comes to Rama’s door. Sita comes rushing. “Lord, my hero, I brought you flowers. “You are the son of king She quickly presses her mother-in-law You never bend before any rival. , Kaushalya’s feet, You are the one that humiliated married into the house of the great gives betel leaves to her father-in-law, the other Rama that challenged you. Janaka. Fans Kaika and Sumitra2 too, You are my lord, my Kakutsa3. Earth gives her daughter to you. and makes the bed for Kaushalya. Can I bear your anger? You closed the Have you lost your sense? Then she takes her bath with turmeric, door. What did Sita do? wears a sari with golden flowers, My feet are aching, my hands are tired. Tell me my little boy, combs her hair and ties it into a bun. Open the ivory door, my lord, if something is wrong.” She puts on her jewels – it is beginning to rain. I am getting “Mother, if you pamper your a tamarind leaf of gold in her part; wet. daughter-in-law, a drop of pearls crowning her Open that golden bolt, my handsome. will she ever care for me?” forehead; It is raining hard, my sari is soaked. says the hero of the house, a spread of gems around her bun; My emerald young man, open the door. as he opens the door with a big smile. earrings worth a thousand, It is the fourth wake, lord of my life. “Mother, my father-in-law is a gold chain worth two thousand, I will give you my necklace of precious waiting. a nose ring worth three thousand, gems. You go to him, he is all alone,” says a choker worth some four thousand, Let me lie at your feet, to get a little Sita to Kaushalya and a pendent worth ten thousand; sleep.” and Kaushalya leaves.

26 MANUSHI When Sita goes shyly to her husband, we expect from a well-written poem. lengths of the syllables are manipulated the lamp laughs with joy. On the surface, the song looks not only by one’s voice inflections. In fact, Fragrance of betel leaves all over the simple, but also defective. The meter oftentimes if the written meter exercises bed. does not run smoothly, and some of every syllabic rule, the singer feels Fragrance of betel nuts all over the the words appear to be wrongly suffocated in her ability to apply bed. placed or repeated unnecessarily. One musical style and innovation to the Fragrance of flowers all over the bed. may easily assume that this defect is poem. Editor Sripada Gopala Fragrance of musk all over the bed. due to the composer’s lack of linguistic Krishnamurti (1955) makes note of this sophistication, an all too common feature in his introduction, but Fragrance of bukka all over the bed. assumption of learned critics. But a apparently the publishers did not Who knows how angry Sita is? careful reading proves otherwise. indicate musical notations on the Rama turns to the other side. printed page. Thus, one must view the “Just how long it takes for butter to Written to be Sung Let us study the meter first. The meter’s purpose in the context of a melt when it is near fire, meter is quantitative. Telugu metrical song, rather than that of a written text.6 is how long a woman’s anger lasts,” texts label this matra chandassu, in Structurally, the text itself is says Sita and moves swiftly to Rama, which a short syllable counts for one organised succinctly, without padding to make love to him. matra and a long syllable counts for or uninteresting repetitions. The Rama enjoys the games of pleasure, two. Each line has sixteen matras that language is layered exquisitely and the and lives in glory and honour. are broken into two halves of eight diction is subtle and nuanced. The first Women who sing this song on earth or matras each. However, the syllables printed line begins with the customary listen to it will live in riches. in the printed text above do not auspicious syllable “sri”, to ward off A Haunting Title conform uniformly to this number, bad luck. However, the word that The title of a song that my mother thereby appearing to represent an off- begins the song, “Srirama”, is sang intrigued me. Sita Gadiya, which meter. However, while singing, the syntactically unconnected to the rest I translate as “Sita Locked Out”, has haunted me ever since I heard the song as a young boy. Literally gadiya in Telugu is a bolt or a crossbar that locks a door from the inside. The song describes what happens when Rama bolts the door from inside their room and locks Sita out. If it is indeed Rama who bolts the gadiya, the phrase should read Ramuni gadiya, not Sita gadiya. Significantly, the composer defines the gadiya as the one that Sita caused to be opened, rather than the one that Rama bolted, and even deviates from the conventions of Telugu grammar to make the striking title, quietly foreshadowing the unusual events that the song sings of. Telugu women sing melodious songs based on the and on other mythological themes.4 For more than 200 years, literary scholars treated these compositions as simply women’s songs not worthy of a second look.5 Once we delve further into this particular piece, we discover its nuances, ripe with the subtleties of

diction and the ironies of meaning that Ebenezer

No.139 27 of the lines. “Srirama” hangs When she finally goes to Rama, Sita awkwardly, without any connection or Sita indulges in a calls out and says she has brought him continuity with subsequent verses, as leisurely dinner of five flowers and, in a calculating manner, if it is uttered merely to fulfill the courses and sweets and boosts Rama’s male ego by recalling requirement of the first syllable and to also takes the time to that he never bent his head to another pay respect to Rama’s name.7 This warrior. When Parasurama, an equally admire herself in a life- feature is a common façade; many powerful warrior, challenged him, Rama women’s songs in this genre pay size mirror. Clearly she deflated his pride. Reference to Rama’s homage to Rama initially but, as the is in no rush to go to her past heroic deeds uplifts his sense of song unfolds, they are very critical of husband. She is in his manhood and evokes the Rama and give Sita and other women charge and will go to atmosphere for the lover’s role that Sita wants him to play soon. Elite in the narrative far more agency and meet him in her own initiative than the text allows.8 Aamkarasastra texts in time. Sita as a Housewife instruct poets to combine vira, the heroic mood, with sringara, the erotic, Sita Locked Out is built around to enhance the latter. The composer(s) several strategically orchestrated Sita as a Lover of this song utilised the heroic moves. The first two lines In the next stanzas, one learns of suggestion not only to enhance the demonstrate Sita’s devotion to her another layer of Sita’s personality. aesthetics of the poem, but also to mother-in-law and father-in-law and She takes her time to bathe, comb assure its listeners of the success of her uncanny attentiveness to her her hair and dress herself with all the heroine in achieving her sexual elders’ needs; for a good daughter- her finery. This section of the song in-law gives priority to her parents- takes its time describing each goal. in-laws’ needs over those of her ornament in detail, even detailing Now we enter a more difficult stage husband. Next, Sita is confronted with how much each item costs. Sita in the narrative. Rama bars the entry a problem. Rama calls her to bed but indulges in a leisurely dinner of five door. The song does not suggest that she does not show up. All dressed courses and sweets and also takes Sita is surprised or unprepared for this up and eager to have his wife in bed the time to admire herself in a life- gesture. Instead, she very skillfully with him, Rama is angry at the size mirror. Clearly she is in no rush enacts her scheme of talking Lord Rama attention she gives to her chores to go to her husband. She is in into opening the door. She pleads with around the house and at the way she charge and will go to meet him in him that she is no match for his anger, neglects him, so he bolts the door. her own time. The song’s pace that her feet and hands are aching, that Determined to teach her a lesson, he switches from the fast-paced it is raining and she is getting soaked. pretends to be asleep. The song narrative that precedes and follows (Clearly the claim of rain is a lie, since maintains he misunderstands her this section to one that is relaxed, there is no mention of it after the door intentions. However, the ambiguous comfortable and ornate. The words is opened.) She praises him, cajoles word used to indicate this chosen and the space absorbed, 24 him and even tries to bribe him. misunderstanding is “bhrama”, which lines in a song of 102 lines, indicate, Trying to bribe a husband with the possesses a range of meanings from a in no uncertain terms, that Sita is in gift of a gold ornament is fascinating simple misunderstanding to total full control of the situation. indeed, as this manoeuvre is delusion. Sita is then described as commonly utilised by men in most rushing to complete her chores so she societies. Sita takes a rather The next weapon in can join him without delay. She quickly aggressive role in this negotiation. attends to her parents-in-law. A Sita’s hand is her Rama, in the act of locking Sita description of her duties subscribes mother-in-law...The out, locks himself inside. The next few merely two lines, which concludes this song imagines a lines imply that while Rama protests short section. Thus far the song different alignment in he is not alone and that he does not describes a dutiful, obedient and family politics, with the need Sita, he is actually desperately devoted daughter-in-law, who lonely. Rama has the lamp stand, the prioritises service to her parents-in-law mother supporting the sandal paste, the musk, the mattress above her own pleasures, but who is daughter-in-law as and even the pillows to keep him also looking forward to being with her opposed to her own son. company. The list is pathetic. If husband for a night of pleasure. Rama thinks he is humiliating Sita

28 MANUSHI by equating her with these inanimate items, he has not succeeded. The next weapon in Sita’s hand is her mother-in-law. Sita knows that Rama will not disobey his mother. She quickly brings Kaushalya who scolds Rama roundly. The words that Kaushalya uses to admonish Rama express both the mother’s power as well as her affection. Only a mother can simultaneously scold her son with words such as “buddhi ledatara?” (have you lost your sense?) and then show affection in the next sentence by addressing him as nanuganna Ebenezer tandri (my little boy). Rama opens the door with a big smile, intended, actually carry a suggested meaning, apparently coming from Sita’s sari of course, to show his mother that distinct from the surface one, as well as Rama’s clothes. Sita must he is not really angry. He complains whereby they obliquely mean: your have placed the platter somewhere sheepishly, however, that if she son wants to be alone with me, leave near the bed without offering it keeps pampering her daughter-in- me free to attend to him, and leave lovingly to Rama. Clearly Sita is not law, he, as a husband, will lose us alone. pleased by the treatment meted out control of her. In effect he is asking Sita as a Spouse to her by her loving husband. his mother not to support Sita and Now Sita is with her husband. Furthermore, Rama is still angry, to join him in his efforts to discipline In five lines, the song describes the despite his smile for his mother. We her – a reversal from the usual story fragrances of various items, coming can imagine him returning to his we hear in traditional joint families, from the bed. These lines appear sullen mood as soon as his mother where the mother asks her son to intriguingly unconnected to the has left and he is alone with Sita in join her and not take sides with his preceding text, especially the line: the bedroom – turning to the other wife. The song imagines a different “Who knows how angry Sita is?” side on the bed but wondering how alignment in family politics, with the One may attribute this discontinuity angry she really is. mother supporting the daughter-in- to the author’s sloppiness and Rama, then, is left to choose his law as opposed to her own son. indifference toward the smooth flow next move, as Sita succeeds in When Rama opens the door, Sita of the text of the song. However, a making him feel it was his decision adopts a delicate strategy to send closer examination indicates that the to lock her out. While she shows her mother-in-law on her way. gap in the text is deliberate. The him that she is in no mood to offer Dasharatha, Sita’s father-in-law, is fragrances listed match the items him the items she has brought, she alone, she says, and Kaushalya, his Sita brought in with her on the does not give him any easy hint to wife, should go to him. It is golden platter. The only additional gauge how angry she is. The significant that Dasharatha is fragrance is from bukka, a fragrances are maddening, as is the referred to here as ma mama, my substance used to perfume clothes, closeness of his wife’s body. Still, father-in-law, stressing Sita’s Rama is not sure if he could turn affection toward him. These toward Sita to make the first move, carefully chosen words hint at the While she shows him that as if nothing has happened. Since active sexual life of her in-laws, and she is in no mood to offer he is too proud to admit that what that Dasharatha prefers Kaushalya him the items she has he has done is wrong, he faces the to his other wives – a hint that both brought, she does not other side of the bed, away from Sita. enhances Kaushalya’s self-image Once again, Sita knows what to and is something only an truly give him any easy hint to do next. She confesses that a affectionate daughter-in-law could gauge how angry she is. woman’s anger does not last any talk of in a joint family. These words longer than butter near fire. This

No.139 29 comment gives her an excuse to turn To sum up, Sita Locked Out study of women’s Ramayana songs that I to Rama and make love to him. represents the concerns of women in began with my “A Ramayana of Their Rama’s anger is gone like fog in the pre-modern, Andhra, upper-caste Own: Women’s Oral Tradition in Telugu” sunlight. He turns to her happily, families. Here, a woman’s main in Paula Richman, Many :The Diversity of Narrative Tradition in South playing along in the games of love personal security was the gold she Asia, Berkeley: University of California (keli-vilasamulu). One wonders who owned in the form of jewellery. Press, 1991, pp. 114-136, in which I is the butter and who is the fire. Considered as bride’s wealth, stri- made a reference to this song. Interestingly enough, Sita’s dhanam, this property is sacred and My thanks are due to Professor K. statement reverses the well-known cannot be appropriated by the Malayavasini, and Ms. Bhavaraju Lalitha analogy stated in many religious husband’s family. This ensures a Devi, who discussed these songs with me and clarified the meaning of several words texts, which compares woman to fire woman far better security than the related to items of women’s ornaments. and man to a pot of butter in order to love of her husband who, after all, 1 Rama is born in the , one underscore the sexual vulnerability could take another wife at any time. of the two dynasties of in Hindu of man. Another profound, underlying mythology. Describing Sita’s move towards theme of the song is how the women 2 Kaika (also ) and are Rama, the song uses an intriguing of the household stand by each the other wives of Dasharatha and therefore are mothers-in-law for Sita. verb: “kalisenu”, literally meaning other. Contrary to the stereotypical 3 image of rivalry between a daughter- Name of Rama’s family. “met”. This is a euphemism in 4 The songs published as well as the ones Telugu for having sex, but is usually in-law and a mother-in-law and the ill I collected are sung only among upper- used for a man making love to a treatment the former is supposed to caste families of Andhra. woman, or, in the plural, for man and be subjected to at the latter’s hands, 5 There is no definite evidence to date woman making love together. It is this song portrays a very affectionate these songs. But Sripada never used in the singular with a and gently supportive relationship Gopalakrishnamurty cites a line from Tyagaraja’s song which refers to a game woman as the subject. It indicates between them. Normally we hear of the mother-in-law pleading for the of vamanaguntalu Rama plays with Sita. emphatically that in this situation The game is described in one of the Sita is the one who takes the support and collusion of her son in women’s songs, Sita Vamanaguntalu, and initiative, a very bold usage, disciplining the daughter-in-law, Gopalakrishnamurty persuasively argues considering the conventions of because she, as mother, has higher that Tyagaraja (1767-1847) refers to the shyness which women in most claims to her son’s loyalty. The song women’s song when he mentions the game societies are expected to observe. depicts a reversal of the situation, in his song. This indicates that at least some of the songs that women have been Priorities Reflected whereby a mother-in-law supports her daughter-in-law against her son. singing for some generations now date at The poem concludes that Rama least as early as the late eighteenth-early This song depicts the world of lives a life of power and luxury nineteenth centuries. women who possess an unspoken 6 (vaibhoga padavulu). This The meter here is 8+8. To illustrate this understanding of one another’s information takes the listener out of with an example are two lines that begin feelings, and together they know the song: the bedroom and into Rama’s public how to handle their men. sri ra ma bhu sa ti ki – ce de yai bu tti life, telling listeners that a husband ku rmi to ja na ku ni – ku tu rai pe ri gi who lives happily with his wife has a Endnotes Each line has eight plus eight matras and successful career too. As a During the last century women’s songs the first syllables of each half (sri and ce, customary benefit (phalasruti) to received scholarly attention as a result and ku and ku respectively) are singers and listeners, who happen of the efforts of savants such as Nandiraju phonetically harmonious. This feature of the harmony of first syllables is called to all be women in this case, the song Chelapthi Rao, who published them in 1899, and Mangu Jaganandha Rao, who in scholarly metrical literature, and offers a life of riches. It is very published Nuru Hindu Strila Patalu (One is strictly adhered to by all poets. Here, interesting that women place such a Hundred Hindu Women’s Songs) in 1905. the composer/author follows the heavy emphasis on wealth and not, In 1955, Sripada Gopala Krishnamurthy convention when it flows naturally, but as one would expect, on love. The wrote an introduction to a collection of does not mind when such a harmony does song’s description of the ornaments’ songs entitled Strila Ramayanpu Patalu not work smoothly. 8 See my “A Ramayana of Their Own,” in price tags, the expensive clothing, (Women’s Ramayana Songs), published by Andhra Sarasvata Parishattu, , Paula Richman, ibid. and the sumptuous and luxurious making a passionate plea to treat them dinner Sita enjoys indicates women’s as poetry. These translations are an The author is Professor, Department priorities as expressed by upper- attempt to present one of the songs from of Languages and Cultures of Asia, caste Telugu women. that book. This is a continuation of the University of Wisconsin, USA.

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