History is a witness of many women who were known for their patience and endurance.
I am not sure whether men can endure so much for a relationship or they were so generous enough or lazy or what ever, so as to not to record their feelings. Another aspect to this is although feelings are same for a man and woman, the way they express is entirely different.Very few writers write about the pain of Rama effectively when he sends Sita back to forest again.
Starting from Sita to Damayanthi, Sumathi to Draupadi, pages of history is filled with gutsy women.
One such woman was Kannagi, who is the central character in one of the most widely acclaimed Tamil novel, epic (?) “Manimekalai” (A story related to a bangle). Kannagi is a daughter of very rich father and married to Kovalan, again a rich man, who is in love with a famous dancer of the city Madhavi (Not sure whether Madhavi is the name of dancer or the daughter of Kovalan and dancer). Kannagi doesn’t get any thing out of their marriage except the loney nights and agony filled days.
Kovalan comes back to Kannagi after may be after 10 years when he runs out of money and the relatives of dancer throw him out of their house. During these ten years, Kannagi will sit at the entrance of her door every day and waits for her husband. A housemaid says what are you waiting for? Kannagi replies, “For a glimpse of my husband”. (“Har raat jaage hum, yeh soch kar ki kabhi to hamari mohabbat aapko hamaare pass laayegi”—from movie Gaban)
After 10 years when her husband returns they go to a city Madurai (if I am not wrong).
Pandyas will be ruling Madurai then (Again believing my memory). Kannagi gives her bangle to Kovalan asks him to sell that and start some business.
When Kovalan takes the bangle to a gold smith, there is some thing else in store for him.
Gold smith had misplaced /stolen queen’s bangle which has the same make as that of Kannagi and Kovalan is being held responsible for that.
King gives death sentence to Kovalan for this crime, Kannagi enters the court then and asks King on what basis did he punish her husband. He says it’s an expensive bangle, which had some pearls in it, and she replies her bangle has diamonds in it and if it’s really her bangle then the King is at wrong for punishing Kovalan. Kannagi says if she is right and true then the whole city will be destroyed for doing this mistake.
Kannagi throws the bangle on the steps and diamonds spread over from that. (I still remember that picture of a woman with loose hair and anger in her eyes, challenging the King). It goes with out saying that her words about the city come true.
I remember a small book from “Bharatha Bharathi Sampada” (a government publications), which my aunty had got from her school and the cover of a beautiful lady on it. Since then I have searched for a detailed version of the story, but it’s a vain attempt so far. May be I was in 4th standard then and this remains my most favorite love story till date.
Epics like this are salute to the patience, affection, trust, love and all the feelings of a human being, which makes the life more beautiful.
I have thought imagined the story many times but never narrated it to any one.
It gives me immense pleasure to narrate this, since narrating it means remembering the days when I read a book a day, ‘Ajji’’s (grandma’s) place near railways station, magnanimous sky to watch and delicacies from ‘Ajji’ to eat J
“Tum se pehle duvaa karte, thak te nahin the haath,
tumhaare baad to yeh haal hain, ki voh bhi de te nahin saath”
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