A memory called Ammachi ( Ammachi Yemba Ninapu)
A
memory called Ammachi - A short story written by a Brahmin women writer whose
nick name is Vaidehi which is given by Sudha (Kannada weekly magazine) for her
first publication in the literary world. The work has real life narration so
she didn’t want to publish the work but finally publisher gave a nick name and
published the story. As mentioned earlier the writer is from a Kota – Brahmin
community which is widely distributed in Udupi. She is from a large family but
her mother is second wife of her father, which is the centre of attention of
the family (because many guests and relatives often visit her home) it may lead
Vaidehi’s mother to send her often to the Ammachi’s home (Wikipedia) may be
because Vaidehi’s mother didn’t want to hear the comments which has been thrown
on her by the guests and relatives who has been visiting the home.
As the tittle clearly suggests that,
the story is travelling around the author’s narration who spent her childhood days
with Ammachi in the village. The story starts with a girl (Ammachi) child whose
father past away when she was six months old and a boy (Venkappayya) joins with
the family and giving his physical work to family. While grow the boy express
his thought on the girl to her mom that “he wants to marry her”. The entire
story is travelling with these matters. In the meantime author is giving some
narration about the other important people in the village who are also influencing
both the main characters. The author is more or less focused on the Ammachi’s
life and author is recalling particular type of events which is happening in
their life. May be because when Vaidehi grown she might faced similar kind of
restriction and critisim from her relatives or from the family. So this may be
induced author to recall the days with Ammachi who tried these kinds (wearing a
modern blouse, talking in the public, behaving like a man, talkative and restriction
to go to others home etc) revolutionary behaviour even before the author
started.
Ammachi’s behaviour is very unique
in her age girls so other girls are told not to roam with Ammachi but Vaidehi
is a small child so she has been roaming with her. Perception about Ammachi in
the village is so evident in the story like, it’s difficult to tie her tongue,
assertive, Bombay lady (because of hair style), dress and other behaviours as
well. Here three are playing a role of dictating how women should behave one is
Venkappayya, the second one is her mom and final is the villagers. But she didn’t
care about anybody she is on her own way.
In our small group discussion we
read the story together once again to reflect upon the individual incidents.
Why we did? There were difference of opinions came out, whether Ammachi liked
Venkappayya or not. Because both were teasing each other especially Ammachi
always mock Venkappayya and in other end Venkappayya always tell her how to
behave. In our discussion, “Even a bullock used for ploughing is better… the
squint-eyed fellow,” she would say, greatly amused” we discussed this one said
this shows that she has not at all like him. But other said its culturally implicit
because usually who believe to be have a right over marring a girl (maternal uncle’s
son or daughter) they usually tease each other and get fun out of the mock so
the same thing is happening here as well because Settate told her very early in
the age that you are going to marry him so there is no conflict in these
statement against Venkappayya. But in the other incidents while he beater her
for the shirt is more or less having a material perception over the women. She is
mine I have the right over beating her because I’m going to marry her
(Venkappayya). There are many symbols used in the story to show the women, even
though Ammachi changed behaviourally but her interest is more or less on beauty
(Himalayan Bouquet powder, mirror (especially she has been asking for a long
mirror where she could she herself completely), Back button blouse, hair style,
dressing way (didn’t covering her breast properly with sari pallu)) which again
portrayed like women should be beautiful.
The story has a good structure
started with introducing two character who is going to marry but throughout the
story author presented many contrast between the two and there is no option left out
so finally they got married and moved to new place when Ammachi alone comes
back to the village after sometime in the absence of her husband (Venkappayya)
who hanged himself. The final word told by Ammachi and the Eyes of Settate is
the highlight of the story because the women’s laugh and talk is not acceptable
in the society and the second one is Settate’s daughter life also ends in the
same way like hers. In literature this is called Round Plot structure.
It is the literary politics, who is representing whom is it ok for Brahmin writer to write her narrative about an experience with a other caste is it represented in the proper way or it has it own bias as well (same thing happened recently while Arunthathi Roy wrote on Ambetkar). The second one is about openness. Vaidehi also faced similar situation while she grows as an adult being a female but why she couldn't able to express her life situation may be because it has been already narrated by many Brahmin male writer or because Ammachies are so many and it is new genre of work which may get good attention in the literary circle. We as a group we need to discuss these further.
Thamarai Selvan
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