Review: Chandalabhikshuki (ചണ്ഡാലഭിക്ഷുകി – കുമാരനാശാൻ)

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Chandalabhikshuki by Kumaran Asan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Summary:


Written by Kumaran Ashan, one of Malayalam’s most influential poets, as well as one of the ആധുനിക കവിത്രയം (Modern Poet Triumvirate) , Chandala Bhikshuki ( A women belonging to the Chandala race, to deal with disposal of corpses, and live by begging for alms) is considered one of Ashan’s most influential works, precisely because of its subject matter, and undertones.


The story, as many of Ashan’s other works is based on a Buddhist tale, of the Buddhist practitioner who asked for water, from a woman of the then Untouchable caste. His actions and words of ignoring her caste and treating her like a human being, caused an enlightenment in the women, who then proceeded to follow him to the Sangam, renounce her previous life, and get inducted as an Ascetic.


A devout Buddhist and ardent disciple of the Late Sri Shankaracharya, Ashan uses his pen to write a scathing critique of the bloated and despicable caste system prevalent in Kerala at the time. The same inhumane and barbaric treatment of fellow humans, which caused Swami Vivekananda to proclaim this land as an 'Lunatic Asylum’ as well as a ‘Mad house of Casteism’.

 

Through his verses Ashan proclaims the evils of casteism, as well as proclaims the universal brotherhood shared by all men. Men have taken a thousand lives, as insects, as plants, as rabbits, as wolves, to finally culminate in the human form. We must not revert all that we achieved by forming boundaries and building walls between us.

“അല്ലലെന്തു കഥയിതു കഷ്ടമേ! അല്ലലാലങ്ങു ജാതി മറന്നിതോ? നീചനാരിതൻ കയ്യാൽ ജലം വാങ്ങി— യാചമിക്കുമോ ചൊല്ലെഴുമാര്യന്മാർ?”

How could you, a noble ascetic ask water from a woman of wretched birth such as me? Has your plight made you forget the established practices?


The ingrained oppressive caste mentality is strong in this one. It is not just the upper echelons who were the proponents of their own perceived superiority, but the oppressed were groomed through generations of indoctrination, to believe that, despite all the atrocities committed against them as a collective community, what they were subjected too, was deserved, a product of their actions in the past life, and inferior birth in this one. Which is sad to take into consideration.

ഓതിനാൻ ഭിക്ഷുവേറ്റം വിലക്ഷനായ്: “ജാതി ചോദിക്കുന്നില്ല ഞാൻ സോദരി; ചോദിക്കുന്നു നീർ നാവു വരണ്ടഹോ! ഭീതി വേണ്ടാ, തരികതെനിക്കു നീ.” എന്നുടനേ കരപുടം നീട്ടിനാൻ ചെന്നളിനമനോഹരം സുന്ദരൻ; പിന്നെത്തർക്കം പറഞ്ഞില്ലയോമലാൾ; തന്വിയാണവൾ കല്ലല്ലിരുമ്പല്ല. 

“I ask not caste, sister. Asked I water to soothe my parched tongue; fear not, please give it to me”, said he, the luscious one extending his outstretched palms, and she didn’t say any objections.


No other few words have influenced the collective consciousness of the Keralite people, only perhaps '' മാറ്റുവിന്‍ ചട്ടങ്ങളെ സ്വയ,മല്ലെങ്കില്‍ മാറ്റുമതുകളീ നിങ്ങളെത്താന്‍....'' from Ashan’s other masterpiece ‘ദുരവസ്ഥ’. In particular, “I ask not caste…” this phrase could be considered almost revolutionary in a time, when everything from one’s career path, education, marriage, all the way to the grave rights, could and would be decided precisely by ‘asking caste’, or which caste one belonged to. A few words, phrased just the right way, was all it took to hammer in the point, ‘I ask not caste, for it matters not’

ഇന്നലെചെയ്തൊരബദ്ധം-മൂഢ- ർക്കിന്നത്തെയാചാരമാവാം; നാളത്തെശാസ്ത്രമതാവാം-അതിൽ മൂളായ്ക സമ്മതം രാജൻ എന്തിനെന്നുമെങ്ങോട്ടെന്നു-സ്വയം ഹന്ത! വിവരമില്ലാതെ അന്ധകാരപ്രാന്തരത്തിൽ കഷ്ടം! അന്ധരെയന്ധർ നയിപ്പൂ

“Yesterday’s mistake can become a custom for fools today; it might be the science of tomorrow. Why do we all keep going down a procession of the ignorant, where the bling lead the blind”


Customs, practices, social norms, even well intentioned to begin with, with time, generations and ignorance, can turn to detrimental shackles which enslave countless millions. Something innocuous, innocent, can over time grow into a tumor that is draining the lifeblood from the society. We, as the denizens of the now and present, should have the wisdom and discretion to reform ourselves, as well as our worlds, for a better future.

And what solution does Ashan, and Buddha offer up, to cure men of the affliction of casteism? Much the same which Victor Frankl offers up, in response to human suffering and the cruelty we are capable of inflicting. Love, and forgiveness are the way to go, he proclaims.   

മോഹം കളഞ്ഞു ജനത്തെ-ത്തമ്മിൽ സ്നേഹിപ്പാൻ ചൊൽക നരേന്ദ്ര!‍ സ്നേഹത്തിൽ നിന്നുദിക്കുന്നു-ലോകം സ്നേഹത്താൽ വൃദ്ധി നേടുന്നു സ്നേഹം താൻ ശക്തി ജഗത്തിൽ-സ്വയം സ്നേഹം താനാന്ദമാർക്കും സ്നേഹം താൻ ജീവിതം ശ്രീമൻ-സ്നേഹ- വ്യാഹതി തന്നെ മരണം; സ്നേഹം നരകത്തിൻ ദ്വീപിൽ-സ്വർഗ്ഗ- ഗേഹം പണിയും പടുത്വം അമ്മതൻ നെഞ്ഞുഞെരമ്പിൽ-തങ്ങി ചെമ്മേ ചെഞ്ചോരയെത്തന്നെ അമ്മിഞ്ഞത്തൂവമൃതാക്കും-മൈത്രി നമ്മോടതോതുന്നു രാജൻ!

Discard desire, Narendra and teach the people to love each other. For, from love rises the world, and by love it prospers, love is the universal power, love is the extreme bliss, love itself is life, lack of love is what causes death. Love, in the island of hell, can built a heavenly abode, the love which is present in a mother's veins, which makes her give the nectar of life to the sucking babe, love and comraderies whisper to me thus, oh King!

As usual, the flow and rhythm of Ashan’s meaningful lyrics are impeccable. So much so, that one wonders how he is still called a notice in Sanskrit verse composition by established experts. Melodious verses, with a noble ideal, with impeccable romantic undertones, Ashan’s writing has it all.