Corrective

CORRECTIVE
(Short story)

GURAZADA VENKATA APPA RAO
(Translated from the Original in Telugu by Dr A. Jaganmohana Chari)

Gurazada Venkata Appa Rao (1881-1915), popularly known as Gurazada, is the father of modern Telugu literature. He is a path-finder and harbinger of new values and forms in literature. An epigraphist by profession in the service of the Maharaja of Vizianagaram, he wrote with conviction in social 2nd cultural reform, which links him with the long line of such Renaissance Indian thinkers as Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Tagore, Veereshalingam Panthulu, etc.

            Kanyasulkam his first social drama, not only has the unique distinction of being the first great drama ever written in Telugu and that in spoken Telugu, but has the revolutionary impact of legitimizing the ordinary, mundane yet burning social problems as the right topics for literary treatment. This drama is yet to be excelled or equalled in Telugu. His short stories are especially known for the qualities of dramatization, brevity, distinctive characterisation, fitting dialogue, and an engaging mixture of satire, humour and pathos. The Story, “Corrective” a translation of Diddubatuillustrates the point in full.

Knock... Knock ...

The door is not opened. He paused for a minute. 'The clock in the room rang one in the night. “How late I am! I was out of my senses. Should be careful from tomorrow. My anti-nautch self got stuck in the pleasures of a courtesan’s song. It didn’t settle with the song alone. It is carried away by the person too. Well, why should I have sat out the song like a rake? Why sought a moment to have a word with her? Look, I slap my face. I’ll not call from tomorrow for the song. For certain...If I called aloud Kamalini may be awakened. If I could knock the door softly and wake up Ramu, I may yet get on to her side in the guise of a virtuous man.”

The door gave way at the mere touch of Gopal Rao’s hand. “How come this!” surprised he opened the shutters to find no lamp in the verandah. No lamp could be found in his bed-room when he opened its door crossing the front part of the house. He tried to approach the cot walking with noiseless steps to see if Kamalini is asleep or wakeful. But his attempt to make her out was in vain. He lighted a match. She was not to be seen on the cot.

Aghast he shed the cinder - stick to the floor. Darkness quickly spread through the room and his mind as well. All kinds of foolish suspicions and equally specious answers began to arise and die in his mind causing quite a torment. Anger and irrita­tion surged either on his own folly or for Kamalini being unseen. There was neither a maid nor a man-servant within call under the star light in the mid front yard.

He returned to the room, lit the lamp and looked around; but Kamalini couldn’t be seen. As he reached the door that opened into the street, his eye was engaged by the sight of Ramu sucking at a tobacco-roll and watching the stars with lifted head. Anger welling up in him he cried, “Ramu, come here.” Ramu was caught unawares. He threw away the roll and replied hoarsely, “Babu.” “Where is your mother?”

“My mother! She is in our house, Babu.”

“Not your mother, fool. I mean my wife.”

“Oh, you mean my lady-mother? where should she be? She must be sleeping.”

“She isn’t there in the house.”

Worry rushed into Ramu’s mind. As he entered the house, two heavy fist-blows descended on his . Ramu sank to the ground crying, “Don’t you kill me, Babu.”

But Gopal is kind-hearted. The inequity of his action quickly dawned on him and his fury sank to remorse. He helped Ramu to get up, patted his , and took him into the room feeling ashamed of his beastly behaviour.

Seated in his chair in dejection he moaned out, “Look, Ramu, what a fine pass it has come to.”

“It all looks like some maya, Babu.”
“Could she have gone to her mother’s!”

“Isn’t she capable of that? I can’t say anything to merit your anger but what do you think will happen if womenfolk are edu­cated?”

“But Ramu, what do you know about the value of education?” While he held his head in desperate thoughtfulness in both his hands, elbows rested on the table, Gopal’s eyes alighted on a letter written in his wife’s hand; which he began to read aloud.

“Ayya”.

“Has ‘Priya’ given way to ‘Ayya’ already?”

“Is Peyya* on the run, Babu?”

“Fool, keep quiet.”

Ayya! It’s ten days now. I haven’t known your coming home. You said you were attending meetings engaged in movements sacrificing sleep aiming at the well-being of the people. But I have learnt the truth through my companions. You had to utter lies because I am in the house. If I am at my mother’s, there will not be any restraint on your freedom and need for untruths. Isn’t it my duty as a wife who desires her husband’s welfare to keep myself away from your course rather than create an occasion for you to utter lies everyday? Therefore, this evening I am leaving for my parents’ house. Hope you will entertain with kindness whatever little is left of the items for daily consumption.”

When he finished reading the letter Gopal Rao declared. “I am a beast.”

“What is it Babu? How can you say that“

“A beast out and out.”

Ramu tried his best to suppress laughter.

“A lady full of virtues, a treasure of learning, excelling in courtesy, she has made me expiate for my ill intentions.”

“What has the lady done, Babu?”

“She’s gone to her parents’! But how did she go: without your knowledge, Ramu?”

Ramu stepped two feet. “I must have slept, Babu, If you take offence, I cannot say anything, but if, the woman goes to her parents’ house without seeking your permission, you ought to slap her into sense, I suppose. If she takes to writing and scoring like a man, don’t you think it is odd?”

“Oh you fool! the one thing which excels all god’s creation is the gem of an educated woman. Siva has shared half of his body with Parvati. Englishman called his wife a ‘better-half.’ It means a wife is superior to her husband. Do you understand?**”

“I do not have elephantiasis, Babu.” Ramu was desperately trying to keep from laughing.

“Isn’t your daughter going to school? You’ll understand the value of education. yourself. But forget. Either you or me must expressly leave for Chandravaram. I cannot stir out of the town for another four day. You have been a servant since forefathers’ time. Go and fetch Kamalini . Do you know what you have to convey to her?”

“Yes. I know, Babu. I will say ‘Babu has thrashed my . Please come along’.”

“Forget the thrashing. I’ll give you two rupees for that and you should never make a mention of that. Well, don’t say it to Kamalini even by a slip of the tongue.”
“I won’t Babu.”

“I’ll tell you what you have to say. Listen carefully. ‘Pantulu is all repentance. He”ll not call at the courtesan’s for songs. He’ll not stir out of the house in the nights. This is for certain.’ Well, do you know now. ‘He desired me to tell you all this by way of his craving for indulgence. He wants you to take pity on him and return in two or three days without exposing his faults. Each day of your absence is like ages to him now.’ Call up all your skills in conveying this, do you understand?”

“Yes. I understand, Babu.”

“Tell me once what you will say there.”

Scratching his head, Ramu began, “How, now, I don’t know all that Babu. But I’ll say, ‘Well, my lady-mother, listen to me. I have lived a long time. Womenfolk ought to carry on quietly obeying the master. Otherwise, even our master like my older master will keep a courtesan. A secret for your ears alone. A courtesan as pretty as a golden doll is in the town. And my master is out of his wits. Now it is for you to decide.’ This I will say.”

“You idiot!” Gopal Rao all full of anger stood up from his chair.

Ramu shot out of the room like a thin cane.

Then was heard from under the cot a ringing of nectar-soaked laughter and a heart-tingling jingle of bangles.

* Peyya in rural Telugu means ‘Cow.’

** This is conveyed in Telugu by “Bodha Paddadaa”. If the sound conveyed by dhin bodhais not stressed, the word means ‘elephantiasis.’ Ramu pretends to take it in this sense.