Rehistoricising of 12th century in Tale-Danda

         The play Tale-Danda by Girish Karnad is undoubtedly the portrayal and re-historicizing of the 12th century history. The play portrays the dark aspect and stain of the contemporary Hindu-society of that century. It re-historicizes the various social, political and religious conditions with great emphasis over the religious turmoil and upheaval that was at peak during that century. The drama further highlights in a subtle way the ignorant conditions of women, regardless of their caste or social strata. And last but not least it also shows the failure of reformative movement due to inefficiency of the volunteers that participated within the movement.

       Karnad uses several representative characters to enlighten the past through them. The major representative character was Basavanna. He’s been represented as a reformer who started a movement named Sharana aiming at bringing social equality. The major issue that has been re-historicized by Karnad is of caste inequality. He has shown all the prevailing castes of that period viz. Brahmans, tanners, cobbler etc and highlighted very clearly and the existing inequality and discrimination amongst them. The opening of the play is amply evident and representative of the prevailing cast inequality during that period when Malliboma a tanner reluctantly brought into the Brahmin colony by his Brahmin friend Jagadeva who even takes him into his house, as a pre-condition of seeing his ailing father. Thus representing not just the caste inequality but also a radical attempt towards its eradication; especially through the Sharana movement that brought in all the caste people together under one group Sharana, making them equal. Moreover, through Amba ‘s helplessness as of her absent son and Jagadeva’s anger on seeing his wife back home, Karnad has also thrown some light over the poor and ignored condition of women in that century.

       Karnad with the gradual progress of the play has presented the more enhanced level of caste conflict which began taking a political turn. The prince of Kalyan develops enmity against the treasurer Basavanna after being failed to prove his deceitfulness. Which develops more after his public mortification by his father and the king Bajjala after his treacherous act. Here as well Karnad has shown the pauper womanly condition of that period through King Bajjala’s rebuking the queen and accusing her of making him (prince sovideva) a spoiled royal eunuch.  King, himself being a diplomatic, favours the Sharana movement because Basavanna respected him despite knowing his being cobbler by caste. But at the same regard them (Sharanas) incapable of solving any issue. Karnad through Bajjala’s words of calling caste being skin on body has shown the extent to which caste was widespread throughout in that century. Furthermore, king’s diplomacy has been shown by his opposition of casteless society arguing that,

       “People will merely sputter about like a fish on the sand and die.”,

showing the political condition of the time.

       The social and political scenario of the century is further re-historicized by Karnad through Jagadeva’s suspicion over Basavanna's spreading rumours of miracle at the treasury and calls him a manipulator; showing mutual mistrust despite being associated with such a great reformative movement. Karnad has further shown the drastic social turn; despite Basavanna’s being the leader of the Sharana movement couldn’t stop the marriage of the Brahmin girl with the cobbler boy. A drastic political turn takes place; the king is overthrown by his son Sovideva and Sharanas refuse to support the king who supported the marriage.

       Further Karnad presents the devastating political and social impact of the caste system and diversions through the violence that spreads throughout the Kalyan city on account of both Sharanas and Sovideva’s soldiers who barbarously kill thousands of Sharanas along with the young couple. In lieu of it, innocent king Bajjala is also killed by Jagadeva who suicides in guilt.

       Thus, through this Karnad has presented the massive onslaught that took place on the streets and houses of Kalyan during the 12^th century because of the prevalent caste inequality ruling the time. He has also shown in his play the probable causes that were greatly responsible for such a mishap to’ have occurred; of which lack of proper leadership in the Sharana movement which led to the mutual-conflict of thoughts, ideas and ideals dividing the group into younger and elder Sharanas. The other prominent reason shown for the movement’s failure in that century is involvement of such volunteers like Jagadeva and Basavanna who themselves had the diving relationship with their family and they went on to attempt leading such a great movement which was obvious to fail.

       All these factors played a crucial role in the future of the reformative movement as shown by Karnad through his play. Hence it can be fairly concluded that Tale-Danda is the true re-historicizing of the 12^th century social and cultural revolution.