P. Lankesh's “Mother” - Essay

 

P. Lankesh's poem “Mother,” translated from Kannada by A.K. Ramanujan, presents a powerful and unflinching portrayal of the speaker's mother, who embodies the harsh realities of rural life and the immense strength required to navigate it. The poem offers a stark contrast to idealized depictions of women in Indian mythology and culture, presenting instead a raw and realistic image of a mother whose life is defined by toil, resilience, and survival.

 

The poem opens with an earthy metaphor, comparing the mother to "black, prolific earth," emphasizing her connection to the land and her role as a life-giver. The imagery of "a green leaf, a festival of white flowers" suggests that, despite the hardships, she remains a source of growth and beauty. However, this beauty is not without its scars; "with every burn, with every pang," she becomes even more "earthier," indicating how her struggles have deepened her connection to the land and shaped her character.

 

Lankesh portrays the mother's life as one of relentless labor. She works tirelessly in the fields, raising "a hundred measures of millet" to please her husband and earn a bracelet—a symbol of both her efforts and her desire for some recognition or reward in a life otherwise marked by sacrifice. The mother's life is rooted in the practical and the immediate: she "ploughed with her hand," "swilling water for each clod of earth," focused on the daily grind of survival. The poem underscores the physicality of her existence, with her "limbs thrilled to children's kicks," a visceral connection to the life she creates and sustains.

 

The poem also acknowledges the mother's mortality and the inevitability of death. The line "She died, she did" is blunt, reflecting the matter-of-fact acceptance of death in a life where suffering is commonplace. The rhetorical questions that follow—"What's the age of a hag bent double? / How many New Year moons, how many festivals of sugar bread over the live coals?"—suggest that her life, though full of toil and hardship, was cyclical and repetitive, marked by the same struggles year after year.

 

Lankesh's mother is contrasted with the traditional, idealized images of women in Indian culture. She is "no Savitri, / no Sita or Urmila," rejecting the notions of passive, idealized femininity. Unlike the wives of Gandhi and Ramakrishna, who are remembered for their devotion and tranquility, this mother is depicted as fiercely independent and pragmatic. She does not engage in religious rituals or wear the symbols of a dutiful wife, such as vermilion on her brow. Instead, she is likened to a "wild bear" or a "hurt bitch," symbols of raw, untamed strength and fierce protectiveness.

 

The mother's "rule" is simple and primal: "whatever raises a family." This line captures her single-minded dedication to her family's survival, even if it means resorting to aggression or "mean, crooked" behavior. Her love is fierce and unyielding, evident in the way she would "burn and flare" if her son went astray or her husband was unfaithful.

 

The poem ends with a recognition of the mother's sacrifices and an acknowledgment of her quiet departure from life. The speaker offers "admiration, tears, thanks" for the life she led, "for living in mud and soil" and for leaving the world "cool as usual, / in the middle of small talk." This ending suggests that her death, like her life, was unceremonious and pragmatic—she simply moved on as if leaving for the fields.

 

In conclusion, Lankesh's “Mother” is a tribute to the unsung, unglorified women whose lives are marked by hard work, sacrifice, and an unbreakable connection to the earth. The poem challenges traditional notions of femininity and heroism, offering instead a portrait of a woman whose strength lies in her ability to endure and provide, even in the face of relentless hardship. It is a powerful acknowledgment of the realities of rural life and the often-overlooked heroism of ordinary women.