Hindu Pativratyam

Hindu Pativratyam (Hindu Chastity) Tripuraneni Gopichand

About the Author: Tripuraneni Gopichand (1910-1962), of Tenali, Andhra Pradesh, India, is a Telugu short story writer, novelist, editor, essayist, playwright and film director. His writings exhibit an exceptional interplay of values, ideas and ‘isms’—materialism, rationalism, existentialism, realism and humanism. He is well-known among Telugu literati for his psychological novel—Asamardhuni Jeevayatra (The Incompetent’s Life Journey). He was posthumously presented the Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel, Panditha Parameshwara Sastry Veelunama (Will of Panditha Parameshwara Sastry), in 1963. Radical humanist, profound thinker, philosopher, social reformer and an inveterate votary of truth, Gopichand was a versatile genius, which reflects well in his scintillating stories that are told in crisp language. His stories pose many questions that challenge the wit of readers. His birth centenary celebrations are set to commence from September 2009. Translator: GRK Murty

2

Hindu Pativratyam

As the Doctor and the Pleader are discussing about the inability of logic or discourse to make tamarind fruits drop from the tree, Gopi sat listening to them. Sastry and the Doctor are always inimical to each other. Having brought up in different atmospherics, they do not like each other’s opinion. The Doctor likes western civilization. Sastry hates it. According to Sastry, praising western civilization is an act of slavery. After all, each has its own greatness. Have you ever read what Premchand said? England is famous for business. France is famous for whores. Germany is famous for its soldiers. India is famous for pativratyam — What’s the use of talking without knowing all this? These words have indeed hurt the Doctor. However, without letting others know of it, he says: “I agree with you. But chastity is woman-related. That too of a matter related to a married woman. And in our country it’s not that all women are married! Gloating about the nation’s greatness by speaking of the greatness of a married woman is the art of an inept fellow. That clearly reveals our colonial mindset. Tell me in which the others are great?” Nothing strikes to Sastry’s mind. He cannot think that fast. “Are we keeping quiet? We are protecting pativratyam,” says Sastry. “Hey! What’s that? You have assigned a wonderful work for gents!” says the Pleader. The Doctor didn’t leave it at that. Throwing away the cigarette through window, and turning towards Sastry he asks, “In which way? By eating baked peas sitting quietly?” Sastry is angry. Of course, he loves baked peas so much. Hence, he is angry. But the Doctor is talking continuously without giving him a chance. “Agreed, pativratyam is flourishing in our country. But it only denotes of a work being not done. Therefore, what we need to identify is, in doing what we are great at? Because, it is in doing intended things that the prosperity and development of mankind rests. From this perspective, tell me in what are we great?”

Personal website of GRK Murty: http://karpuramanjari.blogspot.com

E-mail: [email protected]

3

Hindu Pativratyam

“Hey! Are you going to say, in protecting pativratyam, again?” the Pleader warns Sastry. “Why because we have to again munch baked peas.” Gopi and the Doctor laughed at once. Sastry’s anger grows. Starts saying, “Because of people like you, the plight of the nation has come to this…” The Doctor didn’t allow him to continue, stops him taunting, “You said our nation is great!” “In the affairs of women! In the affairs of women!” the Pleader corrects. In the meanwhile, there is a commotion on the road and hearing loud voices, all the four leaving their discussions, run outside. There is a big crowd on the road. Women folk from the neighboring houses are watching the fun. They are enjoying discussing it. In the midst of the crowd, there is an old woman and her daughter. The old woman is crying. Her daughter is bleakly looking around to escape from the crowd. Meanwhile, a jatka comes from somewhere. A man jumps out of it and lifting the daughter forcefully dumps her in the jatka. As she is kicking her legs to get out of the jatka, he pushes her legs inside and climbs the jatka. It moves. And the horse races. In a minute, it disappears. The mother is still crying. “He will not let my daughter survive—will not let her live,” she sobs loudly. All this happens in front of the crowd. No one stops it nor questions. Gopi wonders. It is inhuman. He calls an old man from the crowd and asks, “What is this?” “That man’s wife babu. He has taken her.” “Why then that force?” enquires Sastry. “That girl is refusing to go. It’s all the tricks of the treacherous mother! She won’t send her to the husband.” The Doctor listens to the conversation very attentively. In between he winks at Sastry. Sastry then asks: “What else does a mother need than the happiness of her daughter? Why is she preventing her daughter from going to him?” “She is an impoverished widow, babu. She is using that girl to make money and survive.” Personal website of GRK Murty: http://karpuramanjari.blogspot.com

E-mail: [email protected]

4

Hindu Pativratyam

“Ah!” exclaimed Sastry. The Doctor belches his uneasiness. The Pleader yawns rapping his fingers. “Yes babu. She started a business in the town.” Saying, the old man walks away. Gopi, in a voice choked with pity says, “Oh God! Having taken her away, will he kill her?” “Will not kill. Will protect pativratyam,” says the Doctor. Sastry becomes furious. “Whatever he does how does it matter to you? She is his wife. When he has kissed, hasn’t he? So does he when he wants to kill. Would he keep silent when she is not letting her live with him?” says Sastry. “What is the pleasure he gets living with a wife who has no love for him?” says Gopi. “What is liking? Liking or no liking. Being a wife, how could she avoid it? With love or without love, she is the wife. Even the court says the same.” Saying thus, Sastry’s looks pleaded for the Pleader’s help. Taking it forward, the Pleader says, “Yes, the court decrees the same. Unless the wife proves threat to her life, she cannot live separately. And to prove that, is very difficult. Because, in our country threat to life and loss of life will not happen separately.” “Does it mean both of them must lead a domestic life!” asks Gopi with surprise. “A wife must. But no law can make a husband do,” is the answer. “As the wife is cooking pativratyam in the house, the husband will be purchasing groceries in some other house,” says the Doctor. “No, baked peas?” corrects the Pleader. “What a pativratyam! How carefully it’s being protected in our country? Hindu society!” The Doctor is full of scorn. That is the status of Hindu society. It is putrefying. Hiding this, we are making an attempt to live by cheating ourselves. In Hindu society, there is no amicability between father and son. A daughter and a father cannot live together. Son and mother, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law cannot mingle with each other. Mother and daughter cannot pull on together. Wife and husband do not see eye to eye. Personal website of GRK Murty: http://karpuramanjari.blogspot.com

E-mail: [email protected]

5

Hindu Pativratyam

Nobody can be amicable with anybody. Yet, all these people have to live in the same house and under the same roof. Not to let out the stink, they must sit in the house shutting the windows. ….Winking at Sastry, the Doctor slowly hums: England is famous for business. France is famous for whores. Germany is famous for army. Famous!

Famous!!

Famous!!!

*****

Personal website of GRK Murty: http://karpuramanjari.blogspot.com

E-mail: [email protected]