Panduga Sayanna Katha
Kama Digitls. Mehaboobnahgar.
Orange Media EntratainmentK Sries
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uwhURwnRrQ
Sphoorthi Theatre
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Friday, September 21, 2012
Telangana Robin Hood-Panduga Sayanna
http://sphoorthi-theatre.blogspot.in/2012/09/telangana-robin-hood-pandugolla-sayanna.html
“Unnolani Kottindu,
Lenolaku Pettindu
Pandaga Sayanna Vadu
Rajulaku Monagudu”
------------Telugu Verses
“Grabbed from the haves
Distributed to have-nots
That is Pandaga Sayanna
Greater than Kings”.
He grabbed, seized, robbed and looted the wealth from big shots and distributed equally among poor, deprived and have-nots. He along with his gang blocked the highways and looted the wealth. Who is he????
These are the first four lines of the first stanza of a heroic ballad on Pandugolla Sayanna sung by Dakkali folk artist using Kinara Instrument. Pandugolla Sayanna or Pandaga Sayanna belongs to Palamooru also known as Mahaboobnagar District, Telangana Region, Andhra Pradesh.
He was Messiah of the poor. But for Pandugolla Sayanna “The Poorest among the poor is not one”. Again, he called “women as the poorest among the poor”.
A Century ago, many poor could afford for two full meals. Forget about the marriages and other expenses. Those who could not afford for " Pustalu” (Pustalu means Mangala Sutra considered as sacred thread with gold plates kind which is tied by the bridegroom around bride’s neck for culmination of marriage). Pandugolla Sayanna got “ Pustalu-Mangal Sutra” and “ Mettalu-toe rings” done for marriage ceremonies and also borne marriage expenses of the poor in fourteen villages. Those days girls were married off at a very young age to protect and safeguard against the wick eyes of the landlords and rich merchants (if any family failed to marry off their daughters at appropriate time i.e., after attaining puberty), they would fall as prey to evil landlords and Patels. Marriages incurred huge expense too. So, Sayanna extended financial assistance to them.
Few Scholars called Pandugolla Sayanna as Social Bandit. Others called him as Robinhood of Telangana. Few others went to the extent of calling him as Revolutionary Hero.
Who was this Sayanna?
Common people opined that Pandugolla Sayanna was neither a thief nor a bandit. He was “Hero” of the poor people. He was a brave and heroic man who saved and reinstated poor people’s health, wealth and lives. They considered him as a their own “blood relative”.
Pandugolla Sayanna was born in a Meruginipalle village in Mahaboobnagar district. He was born in a “Tenuga” family. (Tenuga meaning person engaging in maintaining gardens, gardening work and related works) on Muhorram day. His parents could not afford to send him to school due to acute poverty. He was thus engaged in the family occupation.
He also got himself trained at “Samigaridi”-Country exercise learning center. His passion and commitment made him to excel in more than one sport like weight lifting, other physical exercise Sayanna had six “dosts”- Friends and together they formed a ‘Gang’. All well with good physique regularly practiced at “Samagaridi”.
How did Sayanna look like?
Unfortunately, no picture or photograph of Pandagolla Sayanna is available till date. But yes, a per the Dakhali folk artists narration, it is believed that Sayanna was 6”feet and had the strong build physique. He had long and sharp nose, dark bushy moustache that he used to curl it and extend till both ears. In due course Sayanna built up relationships with Telugu Narasamma, a beautiful woman who became his companion too. She fell for his “Pedikadu nadumu” meaning, his waist measured one fist- to say, he had slender waist and broad built up shoulders measuring three fists. To say, Pandugolla Sayanna was well built and handsome.
Just the mention of his name sent cold shivers to Nizam rulers and district officials. In order to capture Pandugolla Sayanna red handed “qufiya police” became shadow followers.
When Nizam ruler declared and passed GO-Government Order to observe Muharram festivity in Nizam State, coincidentally this also marked Pandugolla Sayanna’s birthday too.
It is also said that Sayanna’s mother’s did not have issue for long, so she vowed during “Phir” (Phir is the muslim fair) and Sayanna was born on Moharrum day. So the practice of preparing “Kandura” on Muharram day began. He kept this ‘Riwaj’-practice preparing Kandura for Moharrum day till he survived.
In order to prepare “Kandura” that implies sacrificing of sheep and goats, he blocked the Tandur route and robbed twelve bastas (bags) of rice and six sheep flock from passers by Golla Chennaiah. Golla Channaiah fell at his feet, placed his head in the Pandugolla Saunas belly and pleaded to return the same as he was a poor man and had a large family to feed. This sends a kind of hunger churning feel inside is stomach out of ‘daya and jali’. -As he could feel the hunger cramps of the poor, so Golla Chennaiah was spared and his flocks were returned back.
So, he then robbed the sheep flock from Venkata Reddy Jamindar (Landlord) of the town and prepared Kandura and and arranged a grand feast for the poor. Sayanna use to think ‘how that big landlords and well-off are able to accumulate wealth, where as, poor tend to remain poor. Struggling to eat two mouthful even on festival days’. He often discussed the differences of acts and possession of haves and have-nots with his dosts and would discuss the strategies and remedial measures to the upliftment of the poor. According to Pandugolla Sayanna the only remedy for upliftment of the poor was to “snatch from the haves and distribute to the have-nots”-thus he sought as natural justice. Pandugolla Sayanna common poor representative was kind and generous towards them. He condemned hegemony of rich and revolted against the hegemonical atrocity.
Jamindar Venkata Reddy built up enmity with Pandugolla Sayanna and also intended to take revenge for his act.
As the Dakkali’s narrate: It was a kind of hide and seek game played between Pandugolla Sayanna and the Police.
“They would search in the nook and corner of the villages,
He would be hiding behind bushes,
They would search in hillocks,
He would wander freely in the streets,
If they would search in the villages, hillocks or streets,
He would be floating in the air, behind thorny spines of palm tree”.
His dark curly moustache and bread would get camouflage with the palm leaves.
A Century ago, the Nizam rulers, Patels, Karanams and Patwaris came together during “Milaqat”- common understanding / agreement of squeezing people with the extra burden of taxes under the name of “Nizam Farmana”.
They started issuing “Dandaga”-simply looting common people and peasants. Common people and peasants were living in poverty, in a helpless state. So, youth like Sayanna revolted against this practice. As a consequence they were captured and remanded by Police.
Poor Telugu Narasamma was threatened and also taken into confidence by Police, landlords to capture Sayanna. Sayanna born in a poor family and grew seeing poverty had great sympathy for poor and deprived. Poor people called him “Dharmatama” for his kind attitude and supported his act.
Poor Telugu Narasamma was threatened and also taken into confidence by Police, landlords to capture Sayanna. Sayanna born in a poor family and grew seeing poverty had great sympathy for poor and deprived. Poor people called him “Dharmatama” for his kind attitude and supported his act.
As the Dakkali’s sing the song during narration “Papamedi chayaledu Pandugolla Sayanna” meaning “Pandugolla Sayanna did not commit any sin, it is the rich and landlords who kick our belly during the day and night”-they are wicked and not Pandugolla Sayanna.
However, one fine day Pandugolla Sayanna was captured by Qufiya police with great difficulty with the support of landlords, and other wealthy people who intended Sayana’s captivity and remanded him in an Iron cage. Even after capturing and deploying him in an iron cage, police feared to touch or go near Pandugolla Sayanna.
Hearing the news of his capture, people from fourteen villages staged protest around officials and police stations. They cried, wept and fell at the feet of police, landlords, wealthy people to release him.
“Pedolaku, coolilaku,
Pellillu chesindu,
Papamedi cheyaledu
Pandugolla Sayanna,
Veyilakodi rupayalu
Meeku estham, sarakaralu,
Desham meda undale
Pandugolla Sayanna”
----- Telugu Verses
(An imaginary picture of Pandugolla Sayanna based on Dakkali's Folk narration)
Rani Shankarama (1840-1912) of Vanaparthi Samasthana with soft corner was ready to pay a sum of Rs 10, 000/- (amount equivalent to the looted amount by Sayanna) to the police.
However, not much of literature available about the political administration and understandings of Samasthanas, Nizam rulers, police and landlords of that period and the exact mission to kill Pandugolla Sayanna. The officials and police were unable to answer and failed to manage the crowd and said “Sayannani champakapothe, Desham dakhaniyadu, Pandugolla Sayanna, Rajyam dakhaniyadu- if Sayanna is not killed, he would not allow the Country to prosper”. So, in order to behead Sayanna’s head Thalagondala Venkanna was called.
Sayanna mother’s cry fell on deaf ears of the authorities and rulers. Sayanna consoled his mother saying “Mother place my bust size statue near the well used for drinking, I shall still protect my people”.
Even in the iron cage nobody dared to go near Sayanna. So, Sayanna himself called Thalagonda Venkanna and shared the secrets of his death
“Na Pikalu Chirura (Tear off my calf muscles)
Rekkalu Chirura, (Tear off the backside of upper arm)
Aapudaithe Pothadi, (Then shall I breath last )
Nadi pranam Venkanna” (Oh! Venkanna)
Dakkali folk artists beautifully narrate further that
“Muppairendula Tavizalu Egalaleka lechi paye” (32 Tabiz flew like a comb of houseflies flying away)
“Muppairendula tavizalau garuda pakshilula yegiraipoye” (32 tabiz jumped high in the air like “ bird Garuda-belonging to eagle’s family”.
Then, Sayanna’s body fell on the earth kissing the dust of his motherland. Though, government officials, police all had captured him still prayed towards the dead corpse of Sayanna saying:
“Annara Sayanna, O! Pandugolla Sayanna, (Oh! Brother Pandugolla Sayanna)
Padiyatala Pala Bheeyam ( 10 quintals of quality rice)
Yeta yeta Kandura Chesthamu, (Shall prepare Kandura)
Bhakthithodaneeku (With whole heratedly shall serve you)
Ma Kutumbani Rakshichu, (Protect our families)
Chedayemi Cheyaku” (Don’t cast wrath on us).
Consoling his mother, came the words in the air
“ Adarodu thali Sayamma, (Don’t be scared Sayanna’s mother)
Bedarodu thali Sayamma, (Do not panic oh! Sayanna’s mother)
Niyanakane Untannu, (Shall always be remain with you)
Apudu enka Sayanna devodainilichadu” (So, saying he ever lived like a God)
Even after 125 years, when Dakkali Folk artists narrate the heroic tale of Pandugolla Sayanna still reverberates and echoes in the villages in Mahaboobnagar and one can visualize Sayanna before them when the Dakkali folk artist narrate the story using Kinara instrument.
Today, due to the sudden demise of Dakkali folk artists due sickness, illness the “Sound Picture” of Sayanna is fading off.
There is a need to reward these folk artists who are still preserving and safeguarding these kinds of heroic ballads and narrations through folklore medium. Unfortunately, they are neither recognised or rewarded till date! Will they be??????
PS-(This post is based on the article Published in Andhra Bhoomi Sunday Special by Prof. Jayadhir Thirumal Rao (Emeritus Fellow, Retd from P.S Telugu University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh) . I have tried my best to translate into English and share it with you all. For all the queries kindly contact Prof. Jayadhir Thirumal Rao.
Panduga Sayanna Katha
Orange Media Entratainment
K Sries
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uwhURwnRrQ
