Historical Fiction
Nangeli was beautiful
beyond comparison. She flowed in the
veins of lustful men’s dreams like an intoxication. Even her marriage to Kandappan did not diminish
the number of her admirers.
“You are the pride of the
Ezhavas,” Kandappan murmured in Nangeli’s ears as he lay fondling the shapely
curves of her youthful body.
Kandappan and Nangeli
belonged to low caste of Ezhavas. They
were untouchables. But even the most
aristocratic Namboothiri longed to fondle Nangeli’s teasing breasts. The people of Nangeli’s caste were supposed to
stand at a distance of 36 paces from the higher caste people. But even
the men of His Majesty Sri Moolam Thirunal, King of Travancore, slept with Nangeli
in the darkness of their dreams.
When Nangeli walked, the
wild roses on the wayside blossomed and emitted the fragrance of musk.
“Kandappa, Kandappa,”
called Neelan through his gasps.
Kandappan stopped ploughing the field and asked Neelan what the matter
was.
“Nangeli...”
“Nangeli! What happened to my Nangeli?” Kandappan abandoned the plough and bullocks
and rushed to Neelan.
“Nangeli is dead,” cried
Neelan.
Neelan was one of the
neighbours who had watched His Majesty Sri Moolam Thirunal’s Pravarthiar, village
officer, speaking to Nangeli outside her hut.
Pravarthiar had come to
demand the breast tax from Nangeli.
His Majesty the King, in
connivance with the Namboothiri priests, had imposed a tax on the low caste
women who refused to expose their breasts.
If the women wanted to cover their breasts they had to pay the breast
tax. The gods had decreed it, uttered
the Namboothiri priests solemnly. The
King could not overrule the gods.
Nangeli had refused to
expose her breasts to the ogling men.
She also refused to pay the tax.
“How can the King and the
Namboothiris decide which part of my body they want to see?” asked Nangeli when
Pravarthiar demanded the tax.
“The King rules over the
earth and the Namboothiris control the gods who rule over the heavens,” said
Pravarthiar as if that was an axiomatic truth.
“It is the King and the
Namboothiris who should pay me a lust tax,” declared Nangeli vehemently. “They make rules for their own pleasure and
convenience. Today it is breast
tax. Who knows whether they won’t impose
taxes on other parts of my body tomorrow?”
“You dare to challenge the
King and the Namboothiris!” Pravarthiar
was scandalised. “They are the gods on
the earth, your visible gods, you blasphemous wench.”
He threatened her with
capital punishment. But he was ready to
forgive her provided she offered him a vision of the pigeons that fluttered beneath
her breast cloth.
“Wait,” said Nangeli as
she walked into her hut. Soon she came
out with her sharp sickle and pulled off her breast cloth. Before Pravarthiar realised what was
happening, Nangeli’s breasts lay at his feet in a puddle of blood.
“Take them,” spat out
Nangeli. “And pay the tax yourself.”
When Neelan managed to
narrate what had happened, Kandappan sank to the ground with a sob that
reverberated in the heavens.
When Kandappan stood up
again, his cheeks were firm. He walked home
with steady steps.
With equally steady steps
Kandappan walked into the flames that engulfed Nangeli’s corpse. The fire spread to the heavens and burnt a
file in His Majesty Sri Moolam Thirunal’s palace.
Such an interesting post. I wonder how much of pain women all over the world forced to experience in the name of religion...
ReplyDeleteRicha
Women have been repressed by most religions. Look at the scriptures and canons of most religions: women are portrayed as embodiment of evil, as sirens created by god(s) only to tempt men! Were men so weak at heart?
DeleteWhen religion and politics join together, it becomes a deadly concoction - as in the case of Nangeli, for example.
Really really nice story one which has been recorded in my brain :)
ReplyDeleteTruth can be stranger than fiction, isn't it?
DeleteThanks, Manu. I'll be visiting your blog soon.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this legend. Last Onam, I'd come across a song called Nangeli Naadinde and I had done some search on it, hoping to get some historical background and ended up disappointed.
ReplyDeleteIt feels like mystery solved, now. :) Thank you telling us the story. It's nicely written too. Have a great week.
Let me give you another relevant link which also gives you some pictures of present day Nangeli naadu:
Deletehttp://ajaysekher.net/2012/08/28/nangeli-mulachiparambu-breasttax-travancore/
Thank you so much. I'm on my way there.
DeleteLegends and kings exploited mankind under the name of Gods....and this one is utterly sad....I did run up some Google after reading through ur post and I was amazed...thank you so much...for this post...
ReplyDeletePeople always find ways of exploiting other people. Religion is a good handmaiden to such people. Glad you did some research too.
Deletewonderful story (y)
ReplyDeleteThank you, friend.
DeleteI had never heard of this legend.Thanks for sharing it in your own inimitable,powerful yet touching manner.
ReplyDeleteGlad to be of service. Thank you.
DeleteIs this based on history? I know you have written "fiction" on the top of the post, but it seems real to me.
ReplyDeleteThe characters are real, Pankti. But I had to imagine the dialogues and certain other details.
DeleteThere is some history disconnect in this story. Sri Moolam Thirunal ruled Travancore between 1885 and 1924 and Nangeli's story took place in the early 1800s. Correct?
DeleteThis is where it is mentioned that Nangeli's story happened in 1803. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/200-years-on-nangelis-sacrifice-only-a-fading-memory/article5255026.ece
DeleteSreejith, I was inspired by the following link:
ReplyDeletehttp://ajaysekher.net/2012/08/28/nangeli-mulachiparambu-breasttax-travancore/
I really didn't do much research on the issue since history was not my focus. I wanted to bring the discriminatory practices to reader's attention. Is Nangeli really real or is she a mere legend? I'm not sure. But the breast issue was real.