Mallamma: Don’t they say woman is woman’s enemy. Let’s hope Renuka’s fate prevails over vadina’swhims.
Yellaiah: How I wish that happens.
Mallamma: I’m quite hopeful, more so as times are changing.
Yellaiah: Wish I’ve your strength of belief Malli.
Mallamma: Maava, if you want change, you’ve got to dream about it.
Yellaiah: How’re we to dream Malli, when life itself is a nightmare? Oh, how the peddolluhave reduced us.
[Enter Sarakka with a slate and a few school books, and collapses in front of them.]
Yellaiah: Malli quick, fetch some water for Sarakka.
[Even as Mallamma brings in some water, Yellaiah takes Sarakka in his lap. After the mother sprinkles some water on her, the girl gets up and greedily drinks from the tumbler.]
Mallamma: What happened to you my child?
Sarakka: I felt thirsty on the wayamma. But they didn’t allow me to drink from their well.
Yellaiah: They refuse water to a thirsty child! Oh, how lowly are these peddollu.
Mallamma: Well, their well is full of frogs, yet they think it gets polluted if we drink from it. What an irony?
Yellaiah: Why, being a frog in the well is better than the bane of being a dalit.
Mallamma: Oh, why did God make it so inhuman for us?
Yellaiah: And see their gall; they say its God’s own will. Isn’t it like rubbing salt on our wounds?
Mallamma: He must be a cruel God to say that. But did He say that?
Sarakka: We’re dearer to God, that’s why Gandhiji said we’re harijan.We’ve that lesson in our class.
Yellaiah: If only Gandhiji lived long enough to make it true for us.
Sarakka: Maastaaru says God helps only those who help themselves.
Mallamma: Who knows another mahatmamight be waiting in the wings to pick up the threads?
Yellaiah: Having made us anguthachapsall along, mercifully, they’re letting our children study these days.
Mallamma: Well, grudgingly. Whatever, it’s going to be the turning point for us.
[Enter a tired Narsimma with his schoolbag]
Yellaiah: How our poor Narsimma has to walk all those miles. If only we’ve a high school here.
Mallamma: Why’re you so dull my boy?
Narsimma: I couldn’t go to school amma.
Yellaiah: Why what’s the matter?
Narsimma: I was crossing the gadiand the dorasaniheld me. As their Maali fell ill, she made me work all day in the garden.
Mallamma: Why, when it’s julum on us, the dorasanluscore no less.
Narsimma: And all the while she was yelling, Narsiga, Narsiga, Narsiga. It’s as if she can’t get my name right.