കുടകിൻ്റെ മകൾ

This poem, Kutakinte Makal (Daughter of Coorg), mirrors the reflections of Lopamudra, wife of Sage Agastya. According to ancient Vedic literature, she had secured a promise from the Rishi that he would not leave her by herself for prolonged periods of time. However, once it so happened that he continued to be engaged with his disciples for long hours even after he had completed his discourses. Disappointed with her husband breaking his word, she disappeared into the earth as River Guptagamini, only to reappear as Kaveri at Bhagamandala and continue eastward to merge with the ocean. The story up until here is implied in the poem.

The ancient legend of the river, along with its divine significance through the ages and its current plight which is the stark reality of the day, becomes the inspiration for the poem. The short narrative of the poem flows quickly through time, like a river. The protagonist of the poem is, of course, River Kaveri.

Relishing the harvests and revelling in the Sankranti, Lopamudra is the daughter of Coorg and the beloved child of the Sahyadri. As wife of Sage Agastya, one day she furiously walks away, or rather, flows away, from her husband following his failure to keep his own word. As a river, she re-emerges to feed and nourish "her children" who – alas! – mercilessly contend with each other in contaminating her. And this leaves her with no choice but to die away slowly, gradually sinking into the lap of the earth where she would rest in peace.

Here’s a rendition by Smitha Keeran Warrier, echoing the pathos of Guptagamini who journeys through the ages, right from the hills, down the vales and into the ocean, all the while anxious that she may have to lose herself all over again.

SW · Kutakinte Makal | K. T. Krishna Variar | Smitha Keeran Warrier | PC: Bishnu Sarangi

കുടകിൻ്റെ മകൾ 

'പുത്തരി', സംക്രാന്തിയും 

     നുകർന്നു കുടകിൻ്റെ 

പുത്രിയായ്, സഹ്യാദ്രിത-

    ന്നോമനക്കിടാവായി,

ലോപാമുദ്ര ഞാൻ, പിന്നെ 

     ഗുപ്‌തഗാമിനിയായി 

നാഥനാമഗസ്ത്യൻ തൻ 

     വാഗ്ദാനം ലംഘിച്ചപ്പോൾ,

പിന്നെയും കാവേരിയാ-

     യവതീർണയായ് നീറും 

പൊന്നുമക്കൾക്കായ് നീരും 

     കുളിരും പകർന്നേകാൻ.

ഇന്നെന്നിൽ വിഷം ചേർത്തു 

     ക്രൂരമാനസർ മക്ക-

ളന്യോന്യം കലഹിച്ചെ-

     ന്നുണ്മയെത്തളർത്തുമ്പോൾ,

ഗുപ്‌തഗാമിനിയായ് ഞാൻ 

     മറയുന്നിതാ വീണ്ടും 

പൃഥ്വിതന്നടിത്തട്ടിൽ 

     ശാശ്വതശാന്തിക്കായി!   

© 1991 KTK