Page 224 - DENG503_INDIAN_WRITINGS_IN_LITERATURE

Indian Writings in Literature

Notes APPANNA: Look, I don't like idle chatter. Do as you are told, you understand?
Rani leads a secluded life and then Kurudavva saves her. It is only she who understands Rani's
real problem. Kurudavva gives two small roots to Rani and asks her to mix it in Appanna's food.
It is believed that, by taking the root, Appanna will not go and visit with the concubine again. She
says:
KURUDAVVA: Once he gets even the smell of yours he won't go after that concubine.
The first root has no effect on Appanna. Rani takes a bigger root, and when she mixes it in the
curry it becomes bloody red. She actually curses herself for trying to give this to Appanna. She
says:
RANI: Suppose it harms my husband, what will happen to me?
She spills it on a nearby anthill. A snake living in the anthill instantly falls in love with Rani.
The snake in the myth is believed to be a symbol of fertility. The snake takes the shape of Appanna
and has sexual communion with Rani. It is through the snake that Rani understands the meaning
and passion of love in marital life. When the real Appana finds that she is pregnant, he calls her
a "whore." Appanna asks:
APPANNA: Don't you feel ashamed to admit that you are pregnant, you whore?
Rani is asked by the village leaders to perform the ordeal of holding the hot iron rod to demonstrate
that she is a chaste woman and faithful to her husband. The snake advises her to perform the
ordeal of holding the snake instead. Rani follows this advice, and holds the snake, which spreads
its hood on her head and sways it gently and hangs like a garland around her neck. The elders on
the village judicial committee proclaim her to be a 'goddess.'
Elder 2 says that she is not a woman but she is a goddess.
In the end, Rani gets her husband back and enjoys a happy life. Naga, the snake, who has brought
about such a happy consummation of married love, wants to have a final look at Rani. He makes
the final visit when they are fast asleep. Naga then presses Rani's hair to his body, ties a noose and
strangles himself to death. When Rani combs her hair later, a dead cobra falls to the ground. It is
cremated and her son lit the funeral pyre. Once again, the snake appears and Rani allows it to live
in her tresses forever.
Supernatural Elements

Like in most folktales, supernatural elements play the vital role in Nagamandala. Traditional
beliefs help generate supernatural elements. There is always some magical power in specific roots,
according to traditional belief. Kurudavva gives Rani the magical roots but the root is consumed
by a king cobra which results in very interesting twists and turns in the play. Another belief is that
the cobra has divine power and it can assume any form it desires. In the play, Naga takes the form
of Appanna. It is by the form of Appanna that Rani becomes pregnant. So, in some sense, Rani has
nothing to do with this "unlawful" sexual communion. It is with his supernatural powers, Naga
saves Rani from her pitiable and dangerous plight prove her chastity.
The story of Appanna also has certain interesting touches. It is believed that some witch or fairy
enchanted him away from his lawful wife. Once again, the act of the unfaithful husband is explained
away through the use of some mysterious fairy. The identity of the woman who entices Appanna
away is unknown and it remains a mystery. Are these anecdotal explanations intended to justify
that we as human beings are simply pawns in the hands of the divine, or that these events are
inevitably caused by Karma?
Complexity of Human Life
Girish Karnad uses a magical folktale to reveal the complexity of human life. In particular, he uses
the folktale in the Indian context to reveal the social and individual relations.

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