Water: A Key to Understanding India?
(Extracted from "the Rains of Estrangement," Contributions to Indian Society, Dr. Susan Wadley, 1983, Vol 17, pp.78-82.)
This poem is an example of popular folk poetry. It draws upon the climatic and cultural
calendars to tell a tale or an emotion. The underlying belief is that the human year is formed
and joined with the climatic year.
In the light half of April and May,
... I was filled with sorrow:
My father married me to a young boy,
For wealth alone he fell into wickedness
And never thought of me. He did me such an injustice...
How can my boat of life cross over?
Sister, how can I live with such a young husband?
The months of May/June began, ...
We seldom leave the house.
Everything is desolate,
But sister, he doesn't stay home for one minute.
He runs off to the garden,
And doesn't listen to what I say.
Quickly he climbs the mango tree...
His body is covered with dirt...
Sister, how can I live with such a young husband?
June/July come, masses of clouds appear.
Thunder, the clouds rumble: the earth shakes.
When the husband sees the lightening,
He flings himself hither and yon in the dark house.
He can't speak properly;
He is so afraid.
He trembles like a stalk of grass;
He breaks all of my ornaments.
My mother-in-law and sister-in-law scold me:
I am dying from shame, But he doesn't listen to anyone.
Sister, how can I live with such a young husband?
July/August begins.
But my heart is filled with sorrow...
For whom shall I ornament myself?
Now my husband is only twelve years old!
My father has put me in a well.
He married me when young, But the wealth is worthless as dust.
My mother also sat silently...
Sister, how can I live with such a young husband?
August/September arrives...
...Waking he got up and shouted for bread.
I can't understand the way of the world...
Only with difficulty can I manage him
Sister, how can I live with such a young husband?
September/October comes, the cold affected the husband...
My heart is very troubled.
...Oh God, have mercy on me:
Give help or I will take your name and do as I like.
I will throw everything in the well.
Sister, how can I live with such a young husband?
October/November arrives.
...Divali has come with great vigor.
Sister when I was going to bring water.
The small husband followed after, crying-
...I was very angry and beat him with a rope.
Sister, how can I live with such a young husband?
November/December came;
I was constantly laughing.
...my mother-in-law went to the shaman...
Sister, it is useless; my husband is only twelve years old.
How can I have a son, friend, tell me.
The boy doesn't know anything.
Sister, how can I live with such a young husband?
December/January came: The cold was intense.
... A great sorrow is mine, friend.
How to escape from the cold-
It is my fate that I have such a young husband
...Now I know there is no one in the world for me.
... My father has killed me with a stone...
Sister, how can I live with a such a young husband?
January/February came, I suffer from love-sickness.
I am young:
Adorning myself I went to the well...
Upon seeing me, tears flowed from the sorrowful one.
He looked at me with eyes full of tears.
Sister, how can I live with such a young husband?
February/March came, the husband was very happy.
He fought with his parents to get a water pistol.
Then Holi came.
Old and young, everyone was mad with joy.
People laughed and joked-
No one for me to play Holi with
...I was upset. But he had no shame.
Sister, how can I live with such a young husband?
March/April came.
The husband did not speak.
I was like a mother; he played at being a boy.
My heart was burning.
I spent the days crying...
The world considers me lazy and bad;
They can say whatever they like-
My small husband is worthless.
Sister, how can I live with such a young husband?
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