A RAMAYANA OF THEIR OWN: WOMEN'S ORAL TRADITION IN TELUGU
Velcheru Narayana Rao, University of Wisconsin
As is well known now, the Ramayana has many forms and many different texts, both literary and
oral. Educated upper caste men associate the Ramayana with Valmiki and the Sanskrit text attributed to
this legendary author. But for the Brahmin women of Andhra Pradesh the Ramayana is not an epic story
composed by the great sage Valmiki: it is real, it happened.
The events of the Ramayana are sung by these women in separate songs, some long and some
short. The songs are sung in private gatherings usually in the backyards of Brahmin household, where
the men do not usually enter. Altogether, about twenty five different songs are popularly sung. They
constitute a fairly connected story of the epic. Most of the songs are available in print in the form of
sidewalk editions. In 1955 Krishnasri collected and published these in a single volume, Strila Ramayana
Patalu. However, to make a recording of these songs as they are sung is difficult for men.
With the help of Mrs. Kolavennu Malayavasini, Reader in Telugu at Andhra University, Waltiar, I was
able to acquire fifteen songs on tape. Some of the songs were sung specially for taping, but I could not
be present when the songs were recorded. My information about the context of the singing, singers and
the audience comes from Malayavasini who recorded them. Malayavasini herself sang some songs for
me. She learnt them from her grandmother.
Brahmin women who sing these songs are generally aged between thirty-five and seventy. They
come from traditional families, literate but not formally educated. Their audience consist of women from
similar background, usually relatives and neighbors. There are also children, unmarried young women,
and newly married brides visiting their mothers’ house for a festival occasion. Often there is a marriage
or a similar event which gives an occasion for a number of women to gather. The audience does not
include women of other castes. The time of the singing is usually late afternoon, after the mid—day
meal when the men of the family have all retired to the front part of the house.
A Brahmin house is divided into two main areas, the front where the men sit, conduct business,
receive guests or, chat among themselves. Except when they are called for meals or when they go to
sleep men do not go into the interior of the house. If ever men have to go into the house they make some
kind of sound like coughing, or calling one of the women from outside. That is a signal that men are
coming in, and the woman of the house comes into the middle part of the house to receive them. The
middle part of the house is a neutral area where men and women meet together. In the back of the house
are located a kitchen and a verandah opening into a backyard often with a well in it. It is in this part that
women gather. Women visitors, servants and low caste men use the back entrance of the house to gain
direct access to the women.
I said men of the family do not inhabit the back of the house. This is not entirely correct. Male
relatives of the family, especially from the wife's family, have relatively free access into the back of the
house. So, too, does the husband's younger brothers if they are significantly younger than the housewife.
Of the twenty five or so popularly sung Ramayana songs, not all of them are known to all the
singers. Some singers have learnt some songs well. Singers do not need a special training. They do not
consider themselves experts. There is a general recognition, however, that a certain person knows the
songs; such a person is often called upon to sing. Some singers know how to sing but have not learnt the
text of the song sufficiently well. On such occasions the singers use their note book in which they have
recorded the text of the songs. Malayavasini sang for me from the printed book. But she told me that the
printed book is not known to the singers she has recorded. No musical instruments are used in singing
these songs. The tune is simple, often monotonous. At least one song has a refrain, "govinda rama", at
the end of each line, suggesting that it is probably used as a work song. In a work song the lead singer
sings the main text, while the refrain is uttered by the group of women working along with her. In the
recording I have, only one singer sang the text as well as the refrain.
A list of the titles will give you a general idea of the themes and contents of the Ramayana songs.
Here are some of the titles.
1. Several songs summarizing the Ramayana story.
2. Kausalya's pregnancy describing her morning sickness.
3. Rama's birth.
4. A lullaby to Rama.
5. Bathing child Rama.
6. Sita's wedding.
7. Rama's wedding.
8. Entrusting bride Sita to the care of the parents-in-law.
9. Sita's journey to her mother-in— law's house.
10. Sita's puberty.
11. Several songs describing the games Rama and Sita played.
12. Sita describing her life with Rama to Hanuman in Lanka.
13. Incidents in Lanka.
14. Sita's fire ordeal. ~
15. Rama's coronation.
16. Urmila's sleep.
17. Sita's pregnancy.
18. Waking up songs for Sita.
19. Story of Lava and Kusa, Sita's twin sons.
20. Lava and Kusa's battle with Rama.
21. Lakshmana's laugh.
Some of these songs are very short and take about twenty minutes to half hour to sing. But some are
very long, taking several hours to sing. I was not able to acquire sung versions of many long songs, but
they are available in print.
Even a cursory look at the title of the songs will indicate female interests prominent in the
themes. Together they make a very different Ramayana from the one we are used to form the Valmiki
version or other literary versions. Significantly, these songs do not mention many of the Ramayana
events that we are used to. Dasaratha's glory, the rituals he performed desiring children, Visvamitra's
role in training Rama as a warrior, the Ahalya story, events in the forest leading to the killing of demons,
Rama's grief for Sita, Rama's friendship with Sugriva, killing of Vali, search for Sita, the exploits of
Hanuman and the glorious battle in Lanka — none of these incidents receive attention in these songs. On
the other hand the events that are of interest to women receive detailed attention here. Pregnancy,
morning sickness, childbirth, tender love of husband, affections of parents—in—law, games played by
brides and grooms in wedding rituals — these are the themes that are prominently portrayed. To the later
half of Ramayana, the Uttarakanda, a lot of attention is given. Some of the longer songs in this
collection relate to the events of the Uttarakanda, especially Sita's abandonment and Lava and Kusa's
battle with Rama.
II
As the saying goes among men in Andhra, the news of the birth of a son is pleasant but not the
process of the birth. Literary Ramayanas in Telegu describe Rama's birth in glorious terms. They
describe how the king was happy, as was his kingdom, at the news of Rama's birth. The festivities
celebrated all over the city of Ayodhya and the gifts given to Brahmins are described in rich detail. Only
in the women's Ramayana do we have a song describing Kausalya in labor, graphically depicting the
process of delivery and the pain associated with it. Attention to ritual is common in many Ramayanas
but those rituals are the Vedic rituals where the Brahmin priests play an important part. Rituals in the
women's songs are of a different variety. These are the marriage—related rituals, where women are
prominent. The only man present is the bridegroom Rama. In all the ritual games played during the
wedding, Sita comes out the winner. But as a courtesy she always surrenders at the end and gracefully
accepts defeat.
Thus while the content of the songs is feminine, it is also feminist. Nearly every song begins
with honor and respect paid to King Dasaratha and King Rama. But what is described after such ritual
opening, is quite different. There are polite but strongly made statements questioning Rama's wisdom,
propriety, honesty and integrity. However Sita, herself, never opposes Rama. Criticism against Rama is
leveled by women who have the authority to do so, like Rama's mother, Kausalya, or his elder sister - a
mother surrogate — Santa. Other people who criticize Rama include his young sons, Lava and Kusa.
Rama's brothers' wives question Rama, too. But in order to do so, they need the support of Santa, and
they stand together as a group.
After abandoning pregnant Sita, Rama intends to perform a sacrifice. Ritual prescribes that he
have a wife present to perform the sacrifice." He therefore has a golden image of Sita made to be seated
by his side at the sacrifice. The image has to be bathed. The person to perform the bathing has to be
Rama's sister, Santa. When Santa is called to perform the bathing, she refuses, because she was not
consulted before Sita was abandoned.
A song entitled Sita Gadiya, (Sita Locked Out) describes an event when Sita was delayed in
going to bed because she has things to do in the house. Rama waits for her, and being impatient, closes
the bedroom door and locks it from inside. Sita arrives and pleads with him to open the door. He
stubbornly refuses. Sita quietly informs Kausalya. Kausalya comes, knocks on Rama's door and
admonishes him for locking Sita out.
A more poignant situation occurs when Rama finds his sacrificial horse captured by Lava and
Kusa in the forest. He does not know that Sita is still alive nor does he know that Lava and Kusa are his
sons. Appeals by Lakshmana and Rama to the young boys fail to get them to surrender the horse. They
will not even reveal their identities. In the inevitable battle that ensues, all of Rama's strong men
including Hanuman and Lakshmana get killed. Finally, Rama himself goes to battle and even he is
killed. When Sita comes to know about this she is angry with her sons for killing their father and their
uncle. Valmiki, of course, comes to the rescue and brings everybody back to life. Even then, the boys
insist that Rama bow to their feet before he got his horse back.
Is he not the cruel husband who has banished a pregnant wife? Rama wants to see Sita. Sita gets
dressed in her best jewelry to meet Rama. But Lava and Kusa stop their mother from meeting Rama.
How could she go to a husband who has treated her so cruelly? All the Gods appear at the scene to
resolve the problem. Brahma, Siva and Indra come with their wives. The Gods take Rama's side while
their wives support the boys. Parvati advises the boys, not to surrender. Sarasvati gets the boys to insist
that Rama should bow to them first. The Gods advise the boys to accept the arbitration of the Sun god.
The boys reject. Rama belongs to the dynasty of the Sun. So, Sun will not be impartial. How about
Moon god? No, Vishnu saved Moon when Rahu and Ketu swallowed him. Therefore Moon's arbitration
can not be trusted. Indra will not be an acceptable arbiter either. He owes favors to Vishnu, who cheated
the demons of their share of ambrosia and gave all of it to Indra. Valmiki's name is suggested. The boys
reject him too. He wrote the Ramayana praising Rama. Brahma, Siva and Rsyasrnga all are rejected one
after the other. Rama has no choice. He decides on fighting the boys. Parvati is against this idea. She
suggests that Rama leave Ayodhya to the boys and go to the forests. Finally, Rama is advised that he
could bow to the boys intending the bow to his parents. Rama agrees to this and bows to the boys' feet
uttering Kausalya's name. Thus the dispute is resolved. Finally the family is reunited and Rama
embraces his sons. But even then the boys refuse to go Ayodhya. They can not trust a father who
planned to kill his sons while they were in the womb. At last they agree to go. Soon after they reach
Ayodhya they want to see the 'grandmother' who had banished Sita to the forest! They announce that
Sita is under their protection now. Nobody could harm her anymore.
Lakshmana receives a very kind and affectionate treatment in these songs. He is closer to Sita,
understands her problems, supports her and even protects her in her troubles. Rama in Valmiki version
banishes pregnant Sita to the forests under a pretext of fulfilling her desire to see the hermitages.
Lakshmana is instructed to leave her in the forest and return. According to the women's version Rama
instructs Lakshmana to kill her. Lakshmana takes her to the forest but, realizing that she is pregnant,
decides not to kill her. He kills a hare instead and shows its blood to Rama as evidence that he has killed
Sita. Rama prepares for her funeral ceremonies and asks Lakshmana to invite sages' wives to the
ceremonies. When Lakshmana goes to the forest Sita asks if it is her funeral that Rama is preparing for.
Lakshmana tells a lie that they are performing a special ritual to rid the palace of evil influences. Urmila
protests against Lakshmana's cruelty in killing Sita. She demands that she be killed too and so does
Santa. Lakshmana tells them the truth; Sita is alive. She is pregnant and will deliver soon. Lakshmana
goes to the forest to visit with her when she delivered.
An interesting song in this collection is about Urmila and Lakshmana. Valmiki's Ramayana
barely mentions Urmila, Lakshmana's wife. What happens to Urmila when Lakshmana leaves her for
fourteen years to go along with his brother to the forest? According to the women's version Urmila and
Lakshmana make a pact. They trade their sleeping and waking hours. Urmila sleeps for all the fourteen
years and Lakshmana keeps awake, so he can serve his brother without sleep. After they return from the
forest, Rama is successfully reinstated on the throne while Lakshmana, Hanuman and all the rest serve
him in the court. Sita reminds Rama that Lakshmana should be advised to go visit his wife who has still
been sleeping. Lakshmana goes into Urmila's bedroom and gently wakes her up. Urmila does not
recognize Lakshmana and thinks that a stranger intruded into her bed-chamber. She questions him and
warns him about the sin of coveting another man's wife.
Who are you and why did you come to commit this crime?
Lurking through narrow paths and lanes
you came to commit a sin.
If my father Janaka comes to know about this,
he will punish you and will not leave you.
My elder sister and brother—in—law
will not let you escape with life.
As proper wife she does not even mention the name of her husband. Instead, she refers to him indirectly
and says:
My elder sister's younger brother—in—law
will not let you live.
Then she tells him how in the past men who molested others' wives suffered for their sin.
Did not Indra suffer disfigured body because he coveted another man's wife?
Was not Ravana destroyed along with his city because he desired another man's wife?
It is immaterial that sleeping Urmila could not possibly know about Ravana kidnapping Sita and his
eventual death in Rama1s hands.
Lakshmana gently identifies himself and gets her to realize that he is no other than her husband.
The rest of the song relates in beautiful detail how affectionately they embrace each other. Kausalya
receives them, bathes them and feeds them a sumptuous meal. Lakshmana and Urmila sit side by side - a
rare occasion in conventional Brahmin families - and the members of the family tease them. When they
are sent to the bedroom Lakshmana combs and braids Urmila's hair skillfully. Urmila asks him about all
the events of the past fourteen years. She wonders how when a man like Lakshmana, courageous as a
lion, is present Ravana kidnapped Sita. Lakshmana relates the story of the golden deer. He tells her,
how Sita spoke harsh words to him and forced him to leave her alone and look after Rama. All the
events have thus been narrated briefly and the song ends wishing all the listeners and the singers a place
in heaven.
A related song of great interest is also about Lakshmana's sleep. When the goddess of sleep visits
Lakshmana in the forest he asks her to leave him alone for fourteen years and go to his wife instead. The
goddess could come back to him fourteen years later when he returns to Ayodhya. Sure enough, when
Lakshmana was serving Rama in the court hall after their return from Lanka the goddess of sleep visits
him. Amazed at the punctual return of the goddess, Lakshmana laughs at her. Lakshmana's laugh in the
midst of a serious court hall makes everybody wonder. The song describes in great detail as to how each
person in the hall interpreted Lakshmana*s laugh. Each of them thinks that Lakshmana laughed at him.
Siva who is present in the court thinks that Lakshmana laughed at him because he brought this low caste
fisher woman (Ganga) and put her on his head. Sesa, the ancient snake, thinks that it was him that
Lakshmana was ridiculing because he served Vishnu for a long time and now he is« serving Vishnu's
enemy Siva. Angada assumes that Lakshmana laughed at him. Angada joined the service of his father's
killer, Rama. Sugriva has his apprehensions too. He had his brother killed unfairly and took his
brother's wife. Vibhisana revealed the secrets of his brother's kingdom to his enemy Rama and caused
the ruin of Lanka. Hanuman is bothered by the fact that he was caught by a young warrior, Indrajit.
Bharata and Satrughna, too, have something to be ashamed of. They got the empire as result of their
mother's trickery. Even Rama thinks that Lakshmana laughed at him. Rama's problem is that he has
accepted a wife who lived in another man's house. Sita thinks that Lakshmana laughed at her. She has
lived away from her husband. She was responsible in forcing Lakshmana away from her with harsh
words, causing a chain of events leading to the battle of Lanka.
Everyone in the court has some anxiety or the other and Lakshmana's laugh causes all of them to
bring their insecurities to surface. In a skillful way the song presents that there really is no character in
Ramayana free from blemishes.
Rama gets angry at Lakshmana for his improper behavior of laughing in court. He draws his
sword to cut Lakshmana's head off. Parvati and Siva intervene. They suggest that Lakshmana should be
asked to explain his reasons for such irreverent behavior. He is a young boy. He should not be punished
harshly. Rama withdraws his sword and asks Lakshmana to explain why he laughed. When Lakshmana
explains why he laughed Rama is embarrassed for his rash and uncontrolled anger. As a proper king he
asks Vasista how he should expiate his sin of attempting to kill his innocent brother. Vasista suggests
that Rama should press Lakshmana's feet. So a bed was made for Lakshmana to sleep on and Rama like
a dutiful servant presses his feet, when Lakshmana was in deep sleep.
Surpanakha's role in the Ramayana songs is especially worth discussing. Rama and his brothers
live happily in Ayodhya when Surpanakha happens to see them. She desires to avenge his brother's
death. But she is a woman. If only she were a man she would have avenged his death. But as woman
she could only disrupt Rama's happiness. She decides to separate Rama and Sita. She takes the form of a
hermit and goes to the palace. She asks to see Sita. Sita is surprised that a hermit from the forest came
to see her. She hesitates to go but after some persuasion consents to see the hermit. The hermit asks Sita
to paint a picture of Ravana. Sit says that she had never set her eyes on the demon's face. She only
looked at his feet. The hermit asks Sita to paint the feet. Sita draws a picture of Ravana's big toe.
Surpanakha takes the drawing and completes the rest of the picture herself—strong ankles, thighs, and
everything. She takes the picture to Brahma the creator god. She asks Brahma to give life to the picture
so that she could see her dead brother alive again. When Brahma does so, Surpanakha brings the picture
back to Sita and drops the picture at her and runs away saying "do what you want with this picture”
Ravana in the picture starts pulling at Sita asking her to go to Lanka with him. Sita gets perturbed.
Urmila, Santa and all the other women try to get rid of the picture. They make a big fire and throw the
picture in it. But it does not burn. They throw the picture in a deep well. The picture comes back. By
no means at all they could lose the picture. Finally Sita utters Rama's name which subdues the picture.
Suddenly Rama enters the house. Not knowing what to do with the picture Sita hides it under the
mattress. Rama affectionately approaches Sita and embraces her. He tries to make love to Sita and
unties her blouse. But Sita appears distracted. Rama does not understand and tries to show his affection
to her by describing in many words how he loves her. When he takes her to bed Ravana's picture under
the mattress throws Rama off the bed. Rama thinks that Sita threw him off the bed and is angered. He
turns around to see Ravana's picture. So Sita is really in love with Ravana. Women are unreliable. He
decides to send Sita off to the forest along with her picture. All the women of the palace protest. They
explain to Rama how a certain hermit made Sita to draw Ravana's picture. They tell him that Sita is
pure. But Rama does not listen. He orders Sita to be taken to the forest to be killed and leaves the house
for the royal court. Urmila, Mandavi and Srtakirti, the wives of Rama's three brothers go to Rama in the
court and tell him that Sita was not at fault. They protest at the unfair punishment Rama gave to her.
They say, "You think that Sita is in love with Ravana. All of us are in love with him, so send us all to the
forest. Because we are women in the palace all your actions against us pass without question."
This united front does not make Rama change his decision. Sita had to be sent off to the forest.
III
After this rapid summary of several of the Ramayana songs sung by women, I shall attempt a
brief analysis of the songs. As a structure each song resembles the construction of the Brahmin house.
In the front, it is the men who dominate. All the conventional male dominated values of the house reign
strong at the main entrance of the house. But the interior of the house, especially the back part of it, is
women's domain. They are relatively free in that area, free from the censuring gaze of their men. They
control their own life in that area, and men are ridiculed even for entering that area. The song structure
precisely replicates this design.
Each song respectfully begins with a tribute to Rama, the king. Rama in these songs not the God,
as in the bhakti Ramayanas. He is rather the yajamani, the master of the house, a Master who is not
really in control. Once the opening is properly made, the songs move with great freedom. People who
inhabit the interior of the songs are mostly women. Men who acquire the same freedom as the women in
this area are Lakshmana, the younger brother-in-law, and Lava and Kusa, the young twins.
Despite the freedom, the language of the songs is very gentle, properly feminine. No harsh
words, no strong language. Everything is very refined and appropriate to the occasion. Women take great
care to observe the conventions of behavior in addressing mother-in-law Kausalya and sister-in-law
Santa. However, both the affections and the tensions of a joint family come out clearly through these
songs. Underneath the apparent calm of the house, joint family women suffer severe internal
tensions. Movements from one room to the other and contacts between one person and the other are
closely observed and carefully monitored. Every one spies on the other. The songs reveal a similar
atmosphere in their use of language. The general style of the language is deceptively gentle; the
syllables blend harmoniously. With very few Sanskrit words used, the choice of soft Dravidian words
lend to the texture of the songs an idyllic atmosphere of calm and contentment. But the underlying
meanings reveal an atmosphere of subdued tensions, hidden sexuality and frustrated emotional
fulfillment. On occasions, words burst forth like sharp darts and hit their targets with precise aim. Under
the pretext of family humor every character is lampooned. No character is clean and no person really
loves the other. Even Sita's ideal chastity is open to doubt. The picture episode suggests the hidden
desires of Sita to sleep with Ravana. Her drawing of Havana's big toe is a veiled reference to his sex
organ. The daughters-in-law of the family claim, under the cover of protesting Rama's banishment of
Sita, that all of them are in love with Ravana. This is Sita's desire expressed through surrogates. The
final picture that emerges is not one of the ideal Ramayana with an ideal husband, an ideal wife and ideal
brothers, but one of a complex joint family where every one suspects the other, lies to the other and lives
a constant life of tension and fear, coupled with love and affection. In a way, the Ramayana songs are
also a statement against the public Ramayanas, the bhakti Ramayanas, where the accepted values of a
male dominated world are glorified. Here, in these texts, the minor and lower characters come out as
winners. Urmila, Lakshman, the twin sons, Santa and even Surpanakha, have a chance to take their
revenge. Sita alone does not fight her own battle. Others fight it for her. She even enjoys the freedom
she acquired by the news of her death. For once, she could exist without existing for Rama. As Rama
prepares for her death ceremonies, burdened by the guilt of having her killed unjustly, Sita quietly gives
birth to sons and waits for her final victory over Rama, won through her agents, her sons.
In the final analysis, this is her Ramayana, a real Sitayana.