Land of Lime

1. The film, Mayura, contains reflections on the conduct of human beings and kings, which hold some relevance for the present. From the dialogue at the Pallava court which I quoted extensively, let me reproduce two excerpts.

Question: who is a knowledgeable (wise) man?
Mayura: one who can consider all women as mothers, wealth that doesn’t belong to him as mud, all beings as oneself!

Jnani, the term used in Kannada, invokes both knowledge and wisdom. Let us ask ourselves about the three factors referred to here to define jnana (knowledge). Note that greed and covetousness aren’t being addressed here. Mayura doesn’t merely reject coveting what doesn’t belong to him; rather he offers an alternative ideal wherein all women are accorded the respect and love that his own mother deserves. I should point out that in colloquial Kannada, often avva (mother) is used by even old men while addressing young girls. Similarly, wealth and fortune ought to be earned by one’s own effort. When we consider these two factors along with the third - one’s capacity to consider the welfare of all beings (jiva) as that of one’s own - we arrive at radical redefinition of the self that the film offers. Included in the middle of testing Mayura’s character, wisdom and judgment to be a king, this line jumps out and attracts our attention. What also needs to be noted is that legends on exemplary historical heroes such as Kumara Rama (early 14th century who ruled Vijayanagar region just before the establishment of Vijayanagar in 1336 AD) , Krishnadevaraya (1509-1529 AD, King of Vijayanagar) and Ranadhira Kanthirava (18th century ruler of Mysore) are associated with such values. Not surprisingly, Rajkumar has made movies on all these historical heroes.

If above the line refers to all human beings, then the next excerpt refers to the conduct of kings specifically:

Question: for the king, who is like a father to his subjects, who are the relatives?
Mayura: Truth, knowledge, compassion, dharma, and forgiveness.

A king isn’t moved by personal considerations. He ought to recognize honest and loyal followers, as Mayura’s wrestling guru Ranga Jetti asserts in one of the early scenes. This sentiment isn’t relevant merely in a historical context but more so in the contemporary era (which is the main reason for a restatement of this ideal in the film) as an ideal for those who seek public office and trust.

2. If these are the ideals for individuals, the film also seeks to define values associated with Kannadigas collectively, and use Mayura as the ’spokesman’. Here the goal is to depict Kannadigas as peaceful, non-violent, tolerant and freedom loving people. Mayura (and Kadambas) have picked up the sword to establish freedom, to establish dharma (justice), and to liberate the Kannada land, which is being ruled by Pallavas. Yet, Mayura’s goal, as he tells Pallava princess Premavati, is to win his kingdom back without bloodshed. He obviously doesn’t want his future queen to share his fortunes and rule over a kingdom, which has been conquered by killing her father and brothers. He doesn’t harbor hatred towards the Pallavas, which is what the film stresses repeatedly; Pallavas aren’t depicted as evil people. The Pallava crown prince and princess Premavati both appreciate Mayura’s bravery and character. It is only Vishnugopa who embodies the Pallava greed, deceit and oppressiveness, and it is his heart that needs to be transformed. As Mayura tells him at the end, when Vishnugopa tries to kill himself: “What needs to die is not you but the hatred and anger in your heart. ”

The film also stresses on Mayura’s pride and independent spirit. Note that Mayura stands for all Kannadigas. He repeatedly states: “In my arms, I possess god-given strength and in my waist, I wear a sword given by the Pallava crown prince.” He refuses to be a commonder, feudatory or a minister of Pallavas, when the crown prince offers him all these positions. He often expresses a desire to live independently and speaks of the bravery, adventurous spirit and pride of Kannadigas, which will remain constant as long as sun and moon exist.

3. The film also raises a bigger question concerning historical memory and its use in contemporary period. What do we choose to remember about our own past? This is a question I would like to return to once I have reviewed a few more historical films. However, I should note that the quiet confidence that Mayura displays, and the emphasis placed especially on the values associated with Kannadigas is such a contrast to the anxiety and dispair that the Kannada activists appear to embody today. If the movie seeks to reinforce a value or offer a lesson for the present, it is that quiet confidence in one’s culture, values and dignity.

4. Finally some random notes on the history of Kadambas, who as I noted earlier, are the first Kannada dynasty. We know of human habitation from the Neolithic period onwards in the Kannada speaking regions, but the earliest written records known to us come from the Mauryan period (third century BC), in the form of Asokan inscription at Brahmagiri. However, for the period prior to the 4th century, before the Ganga and Kadamba kingdoms were established, we do not have any details about political organization, even about Mauryan or Satavahana feudatories.

With regard to the founding of the Kadamba dynasty itself, two later branches of Kadambas who ruled at Hanagal (north Karnataka, Dharwar district) and Goa, provide in their inscriptions from 11th and 12th centuries, stories about the founding of the kingdom. We do not know with any certainty the relationship of these later Kadamba families to the early Kadambas of Banavasi. The three variants of one such story offer three foundation myths. According to the first version, Trilochana Kadamba, the founder, was born of a drop of sweat from Siva’s forehead after he had killed Tripurasura. The second story has Siva and Parvati at a picnic in the western ghats, where Parvati gave birth to Kadamba, under the Kadamba tree. The third story calls Mayuravarma ‘Mukkanna (one with three eyes) Kadamba’, since he had a third eye in his forehead and therefore even his crown had to be put to his ankle.

Now as I put my historian’s hat back, let me note that Mayura Sharma is perhaps the founder of the dynasty, as referred to in the early Kadamba inscriptions themselves. Talagunda inscription of Kakusthavarma (435-455 AD and perhaps the most important Kadamba ruler) refers to the incidents in Kanchi and the subsequent conflict with the Pallavas. As the inscription itself states dramatically: ” with the hand dexterous in grasping the Kusa grass, the fuel and the stones, the ladle, the melted butter and the oblation vessel, unsheathed a flaming sword, eager to conquer the Earth.”

Still it is not the historical accuracy of the event or Mayura’s life that attracts our attention. Rather, a contemporary representation and the moral as well as political significance of it.