B.A English Semestervi Core Course Module IV - Kanchanasita

B.A English SemesterVI Core Course Module IV - KanchanaSita

C. N. Sreekantan Nair(1928–1976) was arenownedMalayalamplaywright, probably best known for histrilogy -KanchanaSita,SakethamandLankalakshmi- based on the epicRamayana.KanchanaSitainterprets a story from theUttara KandaofValmiki'sRamayana,where Ramasends his wife,Sita, to the jungle to satisfy his subjects. Itis about the tragedy of power and the sacrifices that adherence to ethics (dharma) demands, including abandoning a chaste wife. The play alsohighlighted the poet and the philosopher in the playwright who tears off the superhuman mask of both Rama and Ravana inthe conventional representations.The mythical heroes are represented here as purely human.The Rama of KanchanaSita risks his individuality in the quest to uphold the principle of the ideal state (Rama Rajya). It also brings out the political aspects of the story through the dialectics between the victor and the vanquished, man and woman, tribal and city dweller, Aryan and Dravidian. The epic is retold from a feminist perspective, interweaving theSamkhya-Yogaphilosophical concept ofthe bond of PrakritiandPurusha,InSamkhyathought,Purushais the Transcendental Self or Pure Consciousness. It is absolute, independent, free, imperceptible, unknowable, above any experience, and beyond any words or explanation. It remains pure consciousness which cannot be attributed to anyone.Purushais neither produced nor does it produce. Prakritiis the first cause of the universe – of everything except thePurusha, which is uncaused, and accounts for whatever is physical, both matter and force. Through its threefoldgunasor characteristics ( Satwa, Rajas, and Tamas) of the physical universe,PrakritibindsPurusha, the self (in the minimal sense of awareness or sentience), which itself is not distinct fromPrakriti.UltimatelyPurusha, here conceived of as the masculine self, dissolves intoPrakriti.

The Playwright employs the technique of interiorisation (antharsannivesam) where relish (rasa), mood (bhava) and purpose (artha)are withheld, overt expression denied or negated in order to draw the reader into deeper and less obvious levels of communication.

KanchanaSita received theKendra Sahitya Academy Awardin 1962.It was later adapted into afilm with the same namebyG. Aravindan.

Plot

The theme of KanchanaSita is the inner conflict of Rama between his conscience and adverse circumstances, culminating in the inevitable tragedy. In its dramatic structure, the play resembles Ibsen’s Plays. It is built upon the events of the Horse sacrifice ( aswametham), murder of Shambooka and the disappearance of Sita (sitatirodhanam) from Ramayana. The pathetic incident of the banishment of Sita epitomizes the poignant plight of women forms the seventh Canto of Ramayana. The intentional deviations from the prototype are for augmenting the dramatic appeal of the play about the tragedy of power and the sacrifices demanded by adherence toethical principles (dharma), including abandoning a chaste wife. If theUttara Kanda's critique ofsovereign power is buried in theobservance of commitments in Rama's life, Nair's play carries a sharply materialistic edge in its critique of Kshatriya-Brahminicalpower. The thematic content is much more directly focused on Rama's inner conflict betweenthe desire for enlightenment or deliverance(moksha) andthe desire for sovereign power(artha).Sita is depicted asprakriti, or all-pervading nature, and the different moods of Sita are shown as different aspects of nature. The crisply-articulated exchange of dialogue is the main feature of the play by which theprakriti-purushanotion inRamayana is made clear.C.N rewrote the final section of Valmiki'sRamayanaas a critique of brahminical privilege and political repression.

There are Four Acts in the play which begins with the journey ofRamaandLakshmanato killShambuka, thelow cast (shudra)who performs penance violating the social norms that forbids the low cast from such observances. But Shambuka's wife pleads for his life, and he is spared. Rama and Lakshmana return toAyodhya to faceUrmila, the spirited wife of Lakshmana. Rama replies to her reproaches for abandoningSitain theDandakaranyaforests, through which they have just journeyed, that the husband of Sita is only a servant of the people of Ayodhya. Considerably deviating from the Ramayana which gives little significance to Urmila, KanchanaSita places her on a high pedestal as the advocacy of the silenced and marginalized fair sex. There are even oblique references to some misapprehension between herself and Lakshmana riveted into the fabric of the play to intensify the dichotomy of the domineering male and subdued female.

In the palace, sages like Ashtavakra suggest Rama the observance of a Horse sacrifice for asserting sovereign power and to absolve the sins. Sage Vasishta, the priest of the clan suggests a remarriage for Rama since, the rites will not be complete without the wife of the performer of the sacrifice. Rama’s weak and futile disagreement is suggestive of the lack of compassion in the precepts of a patriarchal establishment symbolized by the sages.

The First Act etches the psychic dilemma into which Rama is caught up. Twelve years after denunciation of his wife, the sages identify the Horse sacrifice (Aswamedham) as his next objective. This marks the beginning of the dramatic conflict. Rama is rived apart by potent forces – the sages on one side and Urmila and Kausalya on the other. They represent Rama’s own inner selves- Rama as king of Ayodhya and Rama as an individual. Since he is incapable of rejecting either, efforts to balance them ensue.

The Second Act is set in the Royal Court. Reverberations of the remarriage suggestion had not abated. Urmila appears with justifications for Rama’s reluctance for another marriage while Vasishta plays the role of the defender of the majesty of Arya Dynasty. Kausalya also comes forward with her own views against the remarriage. It seems that only Lakshmana realizes the heart rending conflict in Rama and empathises with him. The conflict intensifies on the entry of Bharata, a brother of Rama who had left Ayodhya twelve years ago. He objects to Rama performing theyagawithout Sita. Their argument culminates almost in a physical fight which Kausalya the Queen averts by her intervention.

The Third Act is placed in the forest beside Valmiki’s hermitage (ashram). The opening scene juxtaposes Rama's sons LavaandKushafor a comparison of their character. The former is valiant and the latter composed. The Sacrificial horse strays intoValmiki'shermitagewhere Lava stops the horse. Here the play takes a pivotal turn when Lakshmana finds the boys and recognizes them as the successors of Rama. Mixed feelings stifle him as Lava is ready to fight him (as theyagademands). But Valmiki intervenes and orders that the horse be released. Strongly moved by what he sees, Valmiki decides to meet Rama in his palace and in ecstasy begins to compose theUttara Rama Charita– the story of Rama.

Act Four proves that Rama’s encounters are not yet over.The horse is led back to Ayodhya, and the ritualistic second stage of theyagastarts. Just then Rama receives the news that Shambuka has resumed his penance, and Lakshmana is dispatched to slay the erringshudra. The turbulence in Bharata’s conscience has not yet subsided. Even though convulsed with excruciating constraints, Rama manages to put on a sober countenance. Shambooka’s wife storms in to the sanctified chamber to hurl curses and sprints out. As the ceremony nears completion, the recital of Rama’s story reaches his ears. The sheer glee of fate in turning down the success story of the Arya dynasty paradoxically into the tragedy of Rama! Kausalya, Urmila and even Vasishta turn pale. Hanuman enters chanting “Jaya SitaRama” when Rama is at the verge of collapse. The dialogue between Rama and Hanuman that ensues is the most emotionally intense situation in the play. Even Hanuman’s immense strength turns futile in breaking Rama free from the fetters of statecraft. On Hanuman’s exit, Valmiki arrives with Lava and Kusha, whom Vasishta first stops from entering thethe sanctified chamber. But on Valmiki’s polemics highlighting human ethics over statecraft, he yields and exits. Rama recognises Lava and Kusha as his sons, and takes them to his heart but insists, though with extreme pangs, Sita to vouch once again “for Ayodhya” that she is pure. Unable to withstand this heart rending insult this time before her children, Sita pleads mother earth to crack open and protect the women’s pride which happens with frightening turbulence and shocking everyone. The play ends with Valmiki’s proclamation that Sita does not perish as she is Nature herself.

Significance of the title

The title alludes to the golden image of Sita that Rama sets by his side while he performs theAshvamedhayaga. Theyaga, observed to assert absolute imperial power, requires that the king who performs it be accompanied by his wife. Since Rama had abandoned Sita twelve years earlier, thefamily preceptor (kulaguru) Vasishta, advises that he place a golden image of Sita at his side. Meditating in front of the sacrificial fire, the golden figurine appears to Rama as enveloped by flame, to be fire itself since she remains unscathed by it. Enveloped by fire, yet transcending the flames she is at once Rama’s conscience and the life force within that fire symbolizes. She is the fiery means as well as the end of his enlightenment.

Differences between the play andRamayana

Uttara Kanda, the seventh and last book ofRamayana concerns the final years of Rama, Sita, and Rama's brothers,and is regarded to be a later addition to Valmiki's original story. A reworking ofRamayana, the play is about the tragedy of power and the sacrifices demanded by adherence toethical principles (dharma), including abandoning a chaste wife. If theUttara Kanda's critique of sovereign power is buried in theobservance of commitments in Rama's life, Nair's play carries a sharply materialistic edge in its critique of Kshatriya-Brahminicalpower. thematic content is much more directly focused on Rama's inner conflict betweenthe desire for enlightenment or deliverance(moksha) andthe desire for sovereign power(artha).Sita is depicted asprakriti, or all-pervading nature, and the different moods of Sita are shown as different aspects of nature.Nair rewrote the final section of Valmiki'sRamayanaas a critique of brahminical privilege and political repression. Nair's crisply-articulated exchanges of dialogue is the main feature of the play by which theprakriti-purushanotion inRamayana is made clear. In the end, the conflict between the desire for enlightenment and the desire for power vanishes and the significance of the Horse sacrifice shifts from assertion of absolute sovereign power to attaining deliverance. The quest for absolute power through material conquest ends up in failure, revealing the ultimate goal as enlightenment.

Character analysis. Rama

The characterization of Rama is the most challenging. If he had been the epitome of an ideal human being in every respect, there might not have been much scope for a tragedy of this magnitude. So only the basic virtues are attributed to him. It is a striking paradox that Sita, the very instrument for the slaying of Ravana becomes pivotal in the mishaps in Rama’s life. Rama enters a series of ethical dilemmas – the beheading of Shambooka, the arguments with Bharatha and Urmila over the relevance of the Horse sacrifice, the challenge from Lava and Kusa to recognize them and to accept them as they recite songs relating Rama’s life.

The most striking aspect of Rama’s character is his ethical commitment. In his opinion, those who are destined to define the ethical precepts are the Brahmins and the Sages like Vasishta. He is often daring enough to risk his pleasures for the sake of conformity to ethical doctrines. The impassive adhesion to scruples shown at the abject denunciation of Sita is replicated once again in his refusal of remarriage. It is not only the practice of monogamy and his special affinity for Sita but a strong feeling of guilt in banishing Sita also motivates him to resist the suggestion for remarriage. But he seems vacillating and undecided in his remark to Lakshman whether he thinks that his hands could ever touch another woman. Again, Rama seems not to disagree with Vasishta inviting the King of Kasi along with his beautiful daughter for a visit to Ayodhya. In Act II also, from the reiterated dissension about Rama’s remarriage by Kausalya and Urmila it is overt that he has not taken any final decision in that matter. Thus he appears a weakling, easily pliant to the priestly dictates. The humane and daring tragic hero has to succumb to some flaw which brings about the tragic fall. On the other hand, if Rama had been portrayed a true ethical icon, a flawless gem of a man it would have generated only awe and empathy, not pity and fear which tragedy should evoke. Tragedy should sprout from the very character of the protagonist. It should not be the consequence of mischievous fate. So every tragedy is the story of gains and losses. The same event, interpreted in different perspectives creates different impressions. Rama, selflessly committed to the people of Ayodhya, seems not that committed to Sita or even to himself. However, he fails to do full justice to either. It is this dilemma that induces pity and fear, the tragic emotions, thereby effecting catharsis or purgation of such emotions among the spectators. Rama, the luminary of the Arya Dynasty appears weak and pathetic, revealing the human element in him and thereby inducing compassion in the audience. When Ashtavakra flatters him as divine incarnate, Rama amends it defining himself a Kshatriyadestined to serve the Brahmana. Unlike the legendary infallible, super human epic hero of Ramayana, Rama of KanchanaSita is a tragic hero, at once a gallant and a coward, who terribly suffers for the shortcomings of life.

Sita

Sita is presented in the play as the animating principle of Nature(Prakriti)conceived as female. Her physical absence liberates her from spatio-temporal limitations to permeate the narrative as an all pervasive presence of the Cosmic Life Force. Thus she is even the instinct of creativity of Valmiki to compose Ramayana. In the form of prakriti, she is a guide to ethics (Dharma) for Rama, signaling the mode of action to be adopted. Forewarnings from Nature (prakriti) in the form of music and movements deter Rama from slaying Shambooka at first sight and from fighting with Bharata on another instance. Likewise, the turbulence in Nature seems to forbid Rama from certain sacrificial performances intended to assert his sovereignty. In spite of her scanty appearance and very few dialogues Sita is the most endearing character of the play. The tragic figure of Sita lingers in everyone for her sovereign heart, emblematic of the title of the play. The words she utters ingrains her selfless love towards her husband Rama, speckles love towards Lakshman, reverential love towards Valmiki, and fond love towards Lava and Kusa, her children. Like a dream of celestial charm, like the psychedelic twilight, she flicks at Valmiki’s hermitage and later in the sanctified sacrificial chamber. No trace of hatred or rancor as possible remains of the ardour she had to bear with taints her innocent radiance. Hence in spite of the dearth of her appearance on stage Sita remains an asserting presence throughout the play.

Valmiki

The sage poet Valmiki epitomizes the tender feelings of the human heart. He worships the pristine beauty of Nature as well as the charm of blemishless heart. Envisioning the vagaries of futurity and soaring heights of poetic fancy, he provides an engrossing picture of the great journey of mankind. He states: “the occult and exquisite inner springs of human life sensitise even senile sensibilities”. The magnificent stream collates thousands of tributaries heading towards the centre of the Cosmos. The mornings and evenings melt and merge to make it colourful, the birds create a musical ambience and the forests bestow floral offerings with Nature witnessing these in mixed feeling. As the stream of Human race moves on, Valmiki, the visionary gapes at it like an infant.

Valmiki- Vasishta conflict is inevitable because the former is purity and selflessness incarnate, capable enough to hook the love of all. On the contrary, Vasishta advocates statecraft and closely follows the compendium of doctrines inevitable for strengthening the Arya Dynasty. The relentless striving for ‘progression,’ has dried up all the springs of compassion in man. This sage duo represents the dichotomy of two significant traditions in Indian Thought which is beautifully etched out in the episode of Sita’s banishment. The ascetic-aesthetic blend in Valmiki’s character is brought out through his comment on the golden figurine that the presence of such a ridiculous soulless thing is not needed to assert the mettle of Arya Dynasty. He adds that for this comment he may be disdained a brigand or a barbarian but the divine radiance is manifest equally in the Lord and the layman, the bird and the beast. Valmiki realizes the nobility and merit of the human race above all other creations and in that revelatory elation versifies the story of humanity for posterity.