deedi, deedi..here enters our Malli, jumping..
she carries along with her a garden of flowers,
jasmine flowers mixed with these Maruvam leaves,
didi..your favourite ,know, I know..
See these leaves,I plucked from Andal Auntie's
garden, just show me once again, how you
make a garland so nicely, so quickly ,show me ..
now, I will make this garland, and this half for
you and the other half for my mother..ammaa..
now where is my mother? where and whose
house she is now?? my sweet mother, do
you know deedi, where is she working now?
just once more, I will see my mother,and come
back, mean while Deedi, take out the thread to
tie these flowers, I am now pouring these
flowers in to one heap..
my mother's smile is also so cool,
like these pure white jasmines..
my mother's body smells just like these
maruvam leaves, so fragrant..promise..
God promise, truth it is..
Deedi, you keep your work aside,
leave your work at hands, I will
come back again, just one minute,
I will have a glimpse of mother,
and come back again, in one minute..
I know, I left mother, this morning only,
and she fed me rice,in mouthfuls..saying,
Malli, Why dont you go to school?
you just run around me, as I move from
house to house, working, in those..
why toil like me? why ?
I am there to look after you, for you,
if only you study ,you will escape these.
hardships,why dont you understand??
she spoke to me this morning only..
But I like amma..more than letters..a ..aa lu.
I love my mother so much...
if I leave her for one minute,
it is like one long hour to me,
catching hold of my mother's pallu,
I can go any where, she goes, just catching her.
I never get tired..doing so..
my father..ayya..how can he treat
such a good mother like that, he gives
fistfuls on her back, making her bend,
and Amma in return, gives him food,
wiping her eyes, with her pallu.
she says, drying her moist eyes,
it is the fault of that poison he drinks,
she blames it on the foul drink, he gulps,
we come in an auto, my ayya drives
daily,Deedi, do you know, he drops
my brother also at his school,in his auto,
he is also a better father, do you know..Deedi.
until that drop of liqour falls into
his mouth, he is the Best ayya..says my mother.
that is why,I love my mother,
my cool mother,who is as cool as the moon.
But, who doesnt love their mother ,tell me.
Deedi, you tell me..
the other day,for Kasturi deedi's marriage,
amma kept henna to my hands,
she only pluck the leaves and ground them
into paste, and she decorated my hand,
with a moon and stars, and covered finger tips
too like topis, later, amma saw my red
coloured hands, wondered, how red are
my hands, and she kissed them repeatedly.
Do you know Deedi, how good is
my mother's hand..she is so good
natured,so is her hand..my sweet amma..
for who ever,she keeps henna,
their hands turn red..such a sweet
mother, for every one..
I know her mind, my mother's wish..
Kasturi Deedi got married and had gone,
My mother also wants me to be married,
she wants to see me married like Deedi,
she wishes my hands to be decorated
like Kasturi deedi, and be happy ever,
that is my mother's wish, I know deedi..
I only know, Deedi, my mother's wishes.
after some days...
Deedi..do you know, my marriage..
with my bava..(cousin), from Anakapalli,
deedi, my marriage ..my marriage..
he also runs auto like my father,
but I am not ver happy Deedi,
I cannot leave my mother and father,
and How can I be without seeing my mother??
these rajamundry waters are so sweet,
my mother's words are also so sweet,
amma this word itself is so sweet,
my mouth tastes so sweet, when
I hear my mother's words.
When , my mother calls me
Malli,Malli, I dont answer her,
even if I am near her ..around her..
I keep silent, just to hear her
calling me Malli,Malli,Malli,so sweet
is her call..her call for me.
hands shining , red coloured moon,
forehead decorated with sindhoor,
saree holding her figure, as our
Godavari river twists and turns here,
Her black plait surrounded with
white jasmines and maruvam
combination garland, the feet,
which always floated in air,
a border of red paaraani..(altha),
the marriage in the temple,
all of us are beloved guests..of that marriage.
she tied the knot of her pallu with
her cousin,leaving her mother's anchal..
how young she is? our Malli??
Ganga!! why are you marrying her off,
how could you see her off, when you
love her so much, how could you??
For that reason, only, ammaa..as my
Malli, she is so young for ever, so naive,
that is the reason ammaa..I am giving
her to her mother in law, to take care..
and she has to go to that house hold,any day,
as it was decided when she was born only,
that she is their daughter in law.
if she is with me here, she just roams
around, along with me,doing nothing.
knowing well that she has to leave,
I adored her so much and made her
the apple of my eye.
she is my life amma..Malli..my life..
when Malli laughs, heartily, it is
like as if moon has shone at noon,
when she calls me..ammaa..ammaa..
it is as if some sugar is poured into
my mouth, she is so pretty, so good ,
from today, everyday is a dark night(amavasya),
and for her in laws, every day it is full moon,
as she stepped into their home,
saying such, as salty tears touching her face,
she took Malli from the sweet watered
Godavaari 's town to the town Anakapalli,
which is near the salty waters ..ocean..
that is her in law's place..
after some more days...
Now Ganga is working in my house,
ammaa..I need two days leave,
my Malli is thinking of me and
not feeling well, and not eating..
no smile on her face..they say.
she doent know how to light
a fire place, what did you teach your
daughter, asking, my sister in law..
her mother in law, wrote a card..
What did I teach her, to make a
garland of flowers, to run along
with me and just help me with
some chores, is all she learnt..
That is all, I taught, what else.
my Malli is so young, what else
can I teach her, saying so,
Ganga..went to bring her Malli.
On the third day, they came back,
mother and daughter..came back.
seeing our Malli,I was aghast.
like the cloud covered moon,
without any shine,a song without
sruthi, as if she is a personification of
sorrow,is it our Malli?? our Malli??
I could smell of burning jasmines
and my stomoch churned..
getting up, I took ker into my hands
and into my heart.. room.. with love.
How are you?? Are you not happy???
these are the questions,I never asked.
As I cannot hear her answer to these
quetions..my ears are deaf to those
answers. when I can see the answer
to my question in her eyes, many ,
many answers, in Malli's eyes. Why ask??
I found answers in her eyes,
with that a deep sorrow and guilt of
not doing enough to stop this.
What could I have done?stopped this,
malli is still a bud, there is still time
to blossom into a flower, give her time,
saying such,I should have convinced Ganga,
Oh, this is just an educated ladies shrug,
thinking,in what way I am connected??
ayyoo..she is just like my own daughter,
Ganga, you keep Malli with you from now,
I ventured..she is not a burden for you,
no,not this time ammaa..you dont understand.
our caste elders ,will not let us live,
she is young, but soon she will mature
to be a young lady, then she will say,
my house, my relatives,..my husband..
I will keep with me for a few days,
teach her some cooking,some kitchen work
and will leave her again at her in law's house.
ammaa..can you adjust for two days,
while I go to leave her?? adjust two days,
I groaned,when Malli has to adjust all her
life, can I complain of adjusting for two days?
When I am feeling so bad, how would Ganga
feel? her heart must be like Ganga now.
my heart felt the sorrow and it was also
in tears along with Ganga..and Malli..
Again started the ceremony of giving off
to Anakapalli, as is the tradition,
the hand dipped in milk,is handed over to
her mother in law, her husband, and Ganga
returned with a heavy heart..to Rajamundry.
The dish filled with food, to be taken by Ganga,
is lying at the door, no fire in their kitchen too,
son..asking ammaa ..feeling hubgry, Ganga answers..
Oh, Malli must be feeling hugry, let me fire the stove,
and cook some food..when son says, ammaa, akka is
not here no..then..Ganga's eyes are filled with
ganga..which our godavari also not able to control..
why did we marry her off?? she is so young??
she is still sixteen, but this is not so young age,
she is eligible to be get married off..
any how, attaa..(milaw) also is a mother,
she will take my malli into her bosom,
Ganga and Malli took place in my heart.
and in my moist eyes...
one day...
as a cloud bursts without warning,
one bad day..came this news..
our young sweet malli, is no more...
forever we lost the shine of her eyes,
she decided there is no light for her
on this earth ,no more happiness for her
in this world for her..
went as an outing to the sea shore,
and then walked into the depths of the
waters, just like she was in her mother's womb
not long before..
the garland of jasmines and maruvam is
forever a paper flower without smell
for me, for ever for me..
and the sorrow of Ganga ..this godavari
only knows, the furious godavari in floods,
the godavari turned salty, with tears of our Ganga..
this is my ..our malli's story..our mallis' story.
this is in memory of real mallis who end their livesm with no hope in unhappy mariage, my request, be brave, be courageous and take help in leading an independent life, but do not end young lives..
Maruvam..is green leaves with nice smell..
rajamundry..on the banks of godawari.
ganga is still there.. she is still living with grief, and to her
my story or verse.. dedicated to all gangas and mallis...
she carries along with her a garden of flowers,
jasmine flowers mixed with these Maruvam leaves,
didi..your favourite ,know, I know..
See these leaves,I plucked from Andal Auntie's
garden, just show me once again, how you
make a garland so nicely, so quickly ,show me ..
now, I will make this garland, and this half for
you and the other half for my mother..ammaa..
now where is my mother? where and whose
house she is now?? my sweet mother, do
you know deedi, where is she working now?
just once more, I will see my mother,and come
back, mean while Deedi, take out the thread to
tie these flowers, I am now pouring these
flowers in to one heap..
my mother's smile is also so cool,
like these pure white jasmines..
my mother's body smells just like these
maruvam leaves, so fragrant..promise..
God promise, truth it is..
Deedi, you keep your work aside,
leave your work at hands, I will
come back again, just one minute,
I will have a glimpse of mother,
and come back again, in one minute..
I know, I left mother, this morning only,
and she fed me rice,in mouthfuls..saying,
Malli, Why dont you go to school?
you just run around me, as I move from
house to house, working, in those..
why toil like me? why ?
I am there to look after you, for you,
if only you study ,you will escape these.
hardships,why dont you understand??
she spoke to me this morning only..
But I like amma..more than letters..a ..aa lu.
I love my mother so much...
if I leave her for one minute,
it is like one long hour to me,
catching hold of my mother's pallu,
I can go any where, she goes, just catching her.
I never get tired..doing so..
my father..ayya..how can he treat
such a good mother like that, he gives
fistfuls on her back, making her bend,
and Amma in return, gives him food,
wiping her eyes, with her pallu.
she says, drying her moist eyes,
it is the fault of that poison he drinks,
she blames it on the foul drink, he gulps,
we come in an auto, my ayya drives
daily,Deedi, do you know, he drops
my brother also at his school,in his auto,
he is also a better father, do you know..Deedi.
until that drop of liqour falls into
his mouth, he is the Best ayya..says my mother.
that is why,I love my mother,
my cool mother,who is as cool as the moon.
But, who doesnt love their mother ,tell me.
Deedi, you tell me..
the other day,for Kasturi deedi's marriage,
amma kept henna to my hands,
she only pluck the leaves and ground them
into paste, and she decorated my hand,
with a moon and stars, and covered finger tips
too like topis, later, amma saw my red
coloured hands, wondered, how red are
my hands, and she kissed them repeatedly.
Do you know Deedi, how good is
my mother's hand..she is so good
natured,so is her hand..my sweet amma..
for who ever,she keeps henna,
their hands turn red..such a sweet
mother, for every one..
I know her mind, my mother's wish..
Kasturi Deedi got married and had gone,
My mother also wants me to be married,
she wants to see me married like Deedi,
she wishes my hands to be decorated
like Kasturi deedi, and be happy ever,
that is my mother's wish, I know deedi..
I only know, Deedi, my mother's wishes.
after some days...
Deedi..do you know, my marriage..
with my bava..(cousin), from Anakapalli,
deedi, my marriage ..my marriage..
he also runs auto like my father,
but I am not ver happy Deedi,
I cannot leave my mother and father,
and How can I be without seeing my mother??
these rajamundry waters are so sweet,
my mother's words are also so sweet,
amma this word itself is so sweet,
my mouth tastes so sweet, when
I hear my mother's words.
When , my mother calls me
Malli,Malli, I dont answer her,
even if I am near her ..around her..
I keep silent, just to hear her
calling me Malli,Malli,Malli,so sweet
is her call..her call for me.
hands shining , red coloured moon,
forehead decorated with sindhoor,
saree holding her figure, as our
Godavari river twists and turns here,
Her black plait surrounded with
white jasmines and maruvam
combination garland, the feet,
which always floated in air,
a border of red paaraani..(altha),
the marriage in the temple,
all of us are beloved guests..of that marriage.
she tied the knot of her pallu with
her cousin,leaving her mother's anchal..
how young she is? our Malli??
Ganga!! why are you marrying her off,
how could you see her off, when you
love her so much, how could you??
For that reason, only, ammaa..as my
Malli, she is so young for ever, so naive,
that is the reason ammaa..I am giving
her to her mother in law, to take care..
and she has to go to that house hold,any day,
as it was decided when she was born only,
that she is their daughter in law.
if she is with me here, she just roams
around, along with me,doing nothing.
knowing well that she has to leave,
I adored her so much and made her
the apple of my eye.
she is my life amma..Malli..my life..
when Malli laughs, heartily, it is
like as if moon has shone at noon,
when she calls me..ammaa..ammaa..
it is as if some sugar is poured into
my mouth, she is so pretty, so good ,
from today, everyday is a dark night(amavasya),
and for her in laws, every day it is full moon,
as she stepped into their home,
saying such, as salty tears touching her face,
she took Malli from the sweet watered
Godavaari 's town to the town Anakapalli,
which is near the salty waters ..ocean..
that is her in law's place..
after some more days...
Now Ganga is working in my house,
ammaa..I need two days leave,
my Malli is thinking of me and
not feeling well, and not eating..
no smile on her face..they say.
she doent know how to light
a fire place, what did you teach your
daughter, asking, my sister in law..
her mother in law, wrote a card..
What did I teach her, to make a
garland of flowers, to run along
with me and just help me with
some chores, is all she learnt..
That is all, I taught, what else.
my Malli is so young, what else
can I teach her, saying so,
Ganga..went to bring her Malli.
On the third day, they came back,
mother and daughter..came back.
seeing our Malli,I was aghast.
like the cloud covered moon,
without any shine,a song without
sruthi, as if she is a personification of
sorrow,is it our Malli?? our Malli??
I could smell of burning jasmines
and my stomoch churned..
getting up, I took ker into my hands
and into my heart.. room.. with love.
How are you?? Are you not happy???
these are the questions,I never asked.
As I cannot hear her answer to these
quetions..my ears are deaf to those
answers. when I can see the answer
to my question in her eyes, many ,
many answers, in Malli's eyes. Why ask??
I found answers in her eyes,
with that a deep sorrow and guilt of
not doing enough to stop this.
What could I have done?stopped this,
malli is still a bud, there is still time
to blossom into a flower, give her time,
saying such,I should have convinced Ganga,
Oh, this is just an educated ladies shrug,
thinking,in what way I am connected??
ayyoo..she is just like my own daughter,
Ganga, you keep Malli with you from now,
I ventured..she is not a burden for you,
no,not this time ammaa..you dont understand.
our caste elders ,will not let us live,
she is young, but soon she will mature
to be a young lady, then she will say,
my house, my relatives,..my husband..
I will keep with me for a few days,
teach her some cooking,some kitchen work
and will leave her again at her in law's house.
ammaa..can you adjust for two days,
while I go to leave her?? adjust two days,
I groaned,when Malli has to adjust all her
life, can I complain of adjusting for two days?
When I am feeling so bad, how would Ganga
feel? her heart must be like Ganga now.
my heart felt the sorrow and it was also
in tears along with Ganga..and Malli..
Again started the ceremony of giving off
to Anakapalli, as is the tradition,
the hand dipped in milk,is handed over to
her mother in law, her husband, and Ganga
returned with a heavy heart..to Rajamundry.
The dish filled with food, to be taken by Ganga,
is lying at the door, no fire in their kitchen too,
son..asking ammaa ..feeling hubgry, Ganga answers..
Oh, Malli must be feeling hugry, let me fire the stove,
and cook some food..when son says, ammaa, akka is
not here no..then..Ganga's eyes are filled with
ganga..which our godavari also not able to control..
why did we marry her off?? she is so young??
she is still sixteen, but this is not so young age,
she is eligible to be get married off..
any how, attaa..(milaw) also is a mother,
she will take my malli into her bosom,
Ganga and Malli took place in my heart.
and in my moist eyes...
one day...
as a cloud bursts without warning,
one bad day..came this news..
our young sweet malli, is no more...
forever we lost the shine of her eyes,
she decided there is no light for her
on this earth ,no more happiness for her
in this world for her..
went as an outing to the sea shore,
and then walked into the depths of the
waters, just like she was in her mother's womb
not long before..
the garland of jasmines and maruvam is
forever a paper flower without smell
for me, for ever for me..
and the sorrow of Ganga ..this godavari
only knows, the furious godavari in floods,
the godavari turned salty, with tears of our Ganga..
this is my ..our malli's story..our mallis' story.
this is in memory of real mallis who end their livesm with no hope in unhappy mariage, my request, be brave, be courageous and take help in leading an independent life, but do not end young lives..
Maruvam..is green leaves with nice smell..
rajamundry..on the banks of godawari.
ganga is still there.. she is still living with grief, and to her
my story or verse.. dedicated to all gangas and mallis...
No comments:
Post a Comment