Rustic Love Expressions of Maharashtra

Author(s): Nalini Joshi
Publisher: Nalini Joshi

Page 3

At the very outset, a rasika gets thrilled with the beauty of imagery used by the compiler (i.e. Haala) as an apt benedictory expression for this anthology!
The fourth verse of the first chapter is oftenly quoted in the books of poetics by the Indian rhetoricians. The purport of the verse can be summarized like this -
""Look here!, the female crane appears splendid while sitting steady and motionless on the lotus-leaf, just like a conch-shell placed on a spotless vessel made of emerald." (1.4)
Actually, it is a beautiful description of nature but the commentators say that, here, a "meelanotsuka naayikaa' is suggesting to the hero that, "this place is safe and suitable for our secret meeting.
In another verse (1.19), the romance of a newly-wed couple is described. The husband is wondering when he observes the two different moods of his newly-wed wife - the most romantic mood at night and the most obedient daughter-in-law among the elderly family-members at daytime. He exclaims -
"'"The beloved lady, who with her cheeks blooming with joy, gave in that way hundreds of directions to me at the time of dalliance during the previous night, could not be believed by me the next morning to be the self-same lady with her down-cast face." (1.19)
The relation between the young lady and her husband's younger brother (devara) is one of the favorite subjects in this anthology. The flirting of the devara is oftenly mentioned. The different reactions of three different young ladies are quite amusing. One lady encourages him, another lady bears him with great distaste and the third one instructs him properly by showing the pictures of Lakshmana, so devoted to Raama, recorded in the paintings on the walls of their house. (1.20)
The sentiment of love is so subtle that in different situations, it appears before us in altogether new manner and mode. A young lady who beloved is going on the long journey next day, expresses her feelings - ""It is reported that my tough-hearted beloved husband will go abroad tomorrow. O Lady Night, I request you to so lengthen yourself that "the tomorrow' does not at all come into actuality." (1.46)
Some of the couples live together with certain adjustment and patch-work. One of the poets of this anthology aptly says -
pemmassa virohia-samdhiassa paccakkha-dittha-viliassa &
uaassa va taavia-seealassa viraso raso hoi &&