Dreamhunt

A. Santhakumar

Kannan I home; ne one-room

This is hyyams shanty is both a
sleeping
and cooking area. 1heyam ornamemtations and paraphernalia can be seen
hanging from the ciothes ine and wrapped in bundles. A single-plank cor.
n a corner of the shansy, daughier Parvati s sewing machine and a wooden
chair. Every article in the room lies scatterea, like parts of a dream that

cannot be read as a whole.

Night time. Smoky lighi from the kerosene lamp that Parvati forgot to
edinguish. Kannan Ihyam lies curied up on the cot, asleep. Daughter
Parvati sleeps, head resting on the machine's table top, having falen asleep
as she sat stitching, because a half-done garment hangs from the machine.
Parvati's thick hair lies loose.

Sofi dreamy music, air, sofi dreamy musie is heard in the

Light as
background. A brightnessfallk on Parvati. She appears to be in some deep
magical sleep. Yes, 1we too are entering ber dream, softly.
A young man in white enters her dream, accompanied by flowers and

butterftlies. He gathers a bunch of her curly locks and takes in its fragrance.
He talks, like one intoxicated.

Tailor
BRIDEGROOM: This is Parvati. Kannan Theyyam's daughter.
Parvati. I... I'm her invisible bridegroom. We are lovers who meet only

in dreams. . ..
She moves towaras him,
music. Parvati wakes up in her sleep.
Omantic
Leans against bis chest.
name is. When
from, what your
AT don't know where you are
upl do not recall your face. Why do you come into
my dreams
KC
and awaken desire in
me of offering you
terrible, that I am incapable
EGROOM: Reality is so

a life in the real world.

Original title Swapnavetta.

 170 DRAMA

who will
neves
for the briacgroom looL.come
cndlessly I'm fed k
PARVATI:
Waiting
curses
cvery day
. . .
up:
(pointisR to
tathers
endless
relief. I w a n t to live as
hearing is my only
machine), this
I l stitch dreams wai the
the sewing turns. T ill then
....

machine
wheel
of this
my invisible bridegroom.
dear tailor girl, stitching
(Smiles adoringby): My
when the world become
BRIDEGROOM

and dreaming at
night,
the daya dream, like music, Tl come climbing the steps of your
beautiful-like
during
for life.
you away
as my partner
home, and take
Don t speak about the impossible and fill
PARVATI: Impossible (weeps).
me with desire.
BRIDEGROOM: Don't cry. Don't let tears tall on dreams. Look Parvati,

dreams-is it not keep us alive:

dreams that (ie comforts her, running his
her hair and takes in its fragrance.)
fingers through her hair. He lijis
BLACKOUT

It is daun. Parvati's head rests on the machine. She dozes in afier-dream

lethargy.
A rooster crows.
KANNAN THEYYAM (Sis up suddenly, cursing the seepless nigbt and spitting
in the face of the new day): Ho! Inauspicious night; couldn't sleep a wink
Oh, you are dreaming! Hasn't realized it is dawn.
looks atP'arvani).
Parvati, ediye Parvati!
PARVATI Jerks auwake. Stares him
at
sleepily).
KANNAN: You needn't sare at me. I'm your father, Kannan Theyyam.
PARVATI
(Lazily, still dreamy, sleepy): Oh! Is it dawn?
KANNAN: The day's
dawned, bright. I'm shivering. I didn't sleep at all
last
night (yells).
Get me a
glass of hot black tea.
PARVATI (Angrily): Oh, have Kannan
Theyyam's curses begun? Iu
you black gve
tea
immediately. (She busies herself in a corner,
annan Theyam turns the theyyam decorations preparing eu
this way and that, relivins
Some glorious event. Parvati takes a cracked mirror
looks at herself, happily expectant. Kannan from near the stove
aa
doing this.) Theyam happens to see
ve
KANNAN THEYYAM: Rotten eyes and saliva
look at that cracked mirror, the smeared face ...
Why uo Ou
at his moment you wake up?
theyam decorations.) (Contmueo to look
 Dreamhunt 171
VATI: Why do you, with your
heaving chest and weakened
Ahos theyyam decorations you can no longer wear?
finger those limbs,
KANNAN 7 THEYYAM: I¢'s a
pleasure, remembering the good
dream. times. It's like
a good
having
ARVATI: Yes. I was searching whether the dream I had yesterday, was
somewhere in the mirror.
here

The tattered theyyam decorations please and comfort

me.
When I look the
dusty theyyam crown the happy past trickles into
at

my memory. (Rhythmic beats on the chenda and sounds of bygone festivas

enter his memory.)

NAN (Sadly): All the Bhagavathi groves have been turned into
remples it's Ramayana reading and Bhagavata
...

reading . .

theyyam
and theyyam pertormers are ousted. How can this Kannan Theyyam
live, without Bhagavathi groves to
perform in?

PARVATI (Running an urnfinished garment on the machine): Achcha, it's

festival at the lalliupuram grove today. There's mimicry and music at
night. May I go, with Suluchechi from the southward house?
KANNAN THEYYAM (Berwildered): What! Today?
PARVATT: Aa .. yes. Today is the first day of Vrischikam, isn't it?

KANNAN THEYYAM (Appears troubled and sad): I forgot. In Vrischikam

when the mist on Kooman Hill descends, it's festival time in Pallipuram
grove.
ie begins to arrange the theyam decorations with the bewilderment and

axery of having forgotten something important.)

PARVATI: Achcha, you have forgotten everything (laughs mockingiýy), thar
neyyam pertormances in Pallipuram grove were stopped, long ago and
tne
imicry and music are held instead; why do you unnecessarily get
theyyam decorations ready?

tAN THEYYAM (7hrows the decorations angrily): Stop your mockery

He mo touards her, crazed with anger; at the same time be reminseences

UTth
mOstalgia.) Do you know.
when the mist on Kooman
Hi
n
the month of Vrischikam arrives, It was the
cscends, the festival flag goes up Pallipattu
in grove.

Nannan Theyyam became king. He would roar and dance

172 DRAMA

glowing mbers in the grove

embers in t

Gulikan Theyyam,
through the with the chenda
(kavu),
) nt
In
harmony
feling the
cold of Vrischikam. bad,
m o v e to
the front
of the ritual sna

rhythm
Gulikan would rooster... people would watch thi.suck
the warm
blood of the live Kannan
Theyyam ith awe.

full of coins;
ricc, and coconut, the chicken
Then, waist pouch into a bundle, and reach ered
to Gulikan,
I would tie everything home by
dead brother would be waiting tor nne.
dawn... you and your it all: That Vrischit
cxhausted.) Why did you
remind me
of month
descendcd
from K0oman Hill,..
has dawned,
that mist has old memory. Do nor
all
of heart as some touch an
lie in some corner my
Vrischika colad.) T'm shivering with
awaken them. (He shivers in the with cold,
me some
black tea.
edi . . .

get
He drinks it greedily.
Parvati pours hot tea for him.
PARVATI (As though describing a pleasant dream): Mist and chill and the
clear sky of Vrischika month. Ihe month when dreams Hower in the

hearts of girls who have reached the marriageable age. The month when
girls pertorm rites to get a manly husband, who will give them a life.

who will climb the steps of their homes and take them away. From
the dawn of Vrischika month to mid ldavam, it's dream time for us
girls. Once it is mid Idavam, panting like the ldavam wind, ruing the
extinguished dreams, weceping like the ldavam rain.

KANNAM THEYYAM (7hrows

the empty glass into her hands): You are crazy.
Crazy because you're unmarried.

PARVATI (Shaken by his words, she stands immobile for a moment, then
walks towards her
father angrily):
I had an elder brother who went crazy
and died, hanged himself from the
let me ask
ceiling!
Me, I too will go mad. But
you something, achcha. How did ettan mad? Why dia
ettan hang himsell?
go

The daugher's question falls on him like

lightning. Kannan Theyam cu,
his hands
man.
over his ears and roars; then moves toward Parvati uke maa

KANNAN THEYYAM: I
do not know why your ettan committed
dreams reached the suicide. n
Maybe I disgusted sky.
I did not
know any of his drean emben).
him, I Culikan
theyyam in Bhagavathy's Kannan Theyyam, who ena
grove, who climbed the steps at aa* king
 Dreamhunt 173
ster blood
and arrack. But I
of
roHe i down
nurtured him,
grow. (fHe ssits
exhausted. Parvati
goes to watching
him, tries every limb
vATI: Achcha, This is how we talk, isn't it, comfort him.) to

PA hurl s
stinging words at cach other and curse.rambling aimlessly. Finally
I reminded
wanted forget. to You
forgive me achcha.
must you of what

wANNAN THEYYAM: Cannot forget anything. The

hrother hanging. his eyes staring. upward, towards thesight This
of your elder
Theyyam has not slept since then. sky. Kannan

PARVATI: I too remember. The rope

hanging from the ceiling, rwisted
around ettan's throat like a dream creeper
climbing towards heaven.
KANNAN THEYYAM (Cannot bear in): Stop. All you can talk of is dreams
life is not like that. Life is frightening, like the
rope from which your
..

clder brother hanged himsclf.

PARVATI (Hands over ber ears, upset): I do not want to hear anything that
frightens me.

They stare at each other.

BLACKOUT

The scene is depicted in a manner that makes it difficult to distinguish

whether it is real or a dream. A rope hangs from above. Kannan Theyyam

and Parvati stare at it aghast, as it

suingsfrighieningb
Didn't you hear what
KANNAN THEYYAM (As though asking his dead son):
your sister asked?
the rope as though at her brother): How did
PARVATI (Speaks, looking at

you go mad, etta? Why did you hang yoursel ?

told no

KANNAN THEYYAM: Son, Prabhakara, you suppressed everything,

one anything... why did you leave us
shelter. why did you end
and our
You were our support
ARVATI: Prabhakaretta:
verything on this rope,

THEYYAM: You must nor question him like that. Everything..

NAN
Achan's fault.
mistake .**

made a
realize you
ARVATI: At least now you

(They quarrel again.)

 74 DRAMA
in those prosperous times, when
Yes, cdi, withour
...

THEYYAM:
KANNAN
trance, in Bhagavathy's
when I danced lIke
one
in a groves...
sleep, I forgot life.
children, . . .

forgot my
you climbed down the
PARVATI:
Your dance
over,
when steps o
back once, and prayed to

grove,
could you
not have turncd
hagavathy,
. . tor u .

KANNAN THEYYAM:
This Achan. forgot everything, edi.
PARVATI: How could you not forget: Once you descended thesteps of
could think of was arrack and loose women
thegrove, all you
KANNAN THEYAM (Upsei) Edi, what is this that you are saying? Don't
bring up things that I m trying to torget... (LooRs at the rope sadly). Did
you hear Prabhakara, .. what your sister said? Did you commit this
horrible act because you hated me that much?

(He is ehausted; holds the rope to prevent himself from falling bows his
head and weeps.)

PARVATI (Looking at the rope): Like a dream creeper spreading out to

heaven. ettan had many dreams, isn't that so? Big... big dreams.

Prabhakaran appears in their

memory
PRABHAKARAN (Breathing heavily, tired): This Prabhakaran had some
tiny dreams-a secure job, a small house, Parvati's wedding; then a lite
with the girl to whom I had given my heart. But who was it
who
insignificant dreams of mine? Yes, I remember.nu n
down even these

nughtI inthrashed about on the rope, from the ceiling. The night
death scarch of my lost dreams l entc
asleep, exnau
...
Achan was
dreaming
was
of Gulikan
Theyyam and chicken blood. As tor Para
tlirting with her yet-to-come
bridegroom in her dream.
he light goes out, then slowly comes
oerng the wick of the lantern. Parvatiagain. Prabhakaran ruDs ana
on s

is asleep, her head

eung machine a table. Kannan resting yam
adornments. Theyyam lies curled up among e

4man comes, holding

Prabhakara. carefully
u
a
wrapped sketch.
y wrapped sketch. He calb sofiy
Prabhakaran looks the at
visitoro
h who has entered
enterea at
ar
a unearthly Dou
an
 Dreamhunt 175

RAN:
PRABHAKARAN: Oh! It's Sivadasan. I was
expecting you, though it is
very
ate.

Achan and sister?

sVADASAN: Your
PRABHAKARAN: They are asleep.

sVADASAN: Ihen do not wake them.

PRABHAKARAN: No, I won't. Let them sleep.

VADASAN. Look, I drew the

picture you
wanted. I spent the whole
day,
SIVAD.

drawing this picture for you. Your Sreedevi's picture.

PRABHAKARAN (Takes the picture eagerly; he looks at it, smiling sadl): The
gift my artist friend gives me, tor the first and last time, a sketch of my
Sreedevi, the girl I loved (starts laughing hysterically)
sIVADASAN:Why were you so adamant that you wanted it this
very night
PRABHAKARAN (Looking at the
picture): Sreedevi, you forgot me, forgot
my love, you are getting married tomorrow. You leave me to become the
wife of some bank ofticer.

SIVADASAN: She'll have a secure life, like gold ornaments secure in a

bank's locker. Could you give her that?

PRABHAKARA (Addressing the picture): This night when you became a

stranger to me, I want to sleep, kissing your picture.
SIVADASAN
(Contemptuously): Oh! Was it for this, that you wanted the
picture? You and your pulp dreams.

PRABHAKARAN: Stop. Everyone has their pulp dreams. What about

the dreams we shared as
we roamed the roads, in sunshine and rain,
in search of work? A secure job, life with the girl we loved. (Sivadasan
looks irritated, tries to leave. Prabhakaran stops him. Desperately.) Those
nopeless cvenings when we lay on our backs staring at the sky, what all
rcams we saw! (Sivadasan looks away. Prabhakan turns it forcibiy towaras
, ) Did we not sit in bus shelters, late at night, weeping silently over
our dwindling youth?

SIVADASAN: Yes. It is all truc.

PRABHAKARAN: Then why do you blame me:

PodNAngrily): I am disgusted-with myself and with you. We are
Sood-for-nothing chunks of tlesh.
176 DRAMA

(He thrusts
aside Prabhakaran's hand and leaves.)
PRABHAKARAN (To himself ): What Sivadasan said is so true! Vithout

without income, just a good-for-nothing bit of flesh. (Loob s at his

job,
then at Sreedevi s picture. With self-loathing)
body with disgust,
Sreedevi, and yet ... why did 1 desire you: Why did my veins thr

for you? A useless heavy as the mountain, its death is as sof

lite is as

a bird's feather. Why should this good for nothing bit of flesh thrash
about on earth? (Despair and sorrow mingie m DiS Smile. The rope swine

before him. His trembling hands move towarás the rope. Kannan Theyam
is asleep, exhausted, the theyam addornments lie around him. Parvati i
flirting with her dream bridegroom. In her dream she is seated at a machine
sewing a garment.)

BRIDEGROOM: Can't you stop this stitching, at least in your dreams?

PARVATI: What else can single girls do? Stitching a beautiful garment is
as pleasurable as dreaming.
BRIDEGROOM: My darling tailor-girl, with the scent of new clothes.
(he kisses her thick curly hair passionaiely).
PARVATI: When will you stop this dream
love-making and take me into0
life When will you give up your supernatural form and come to me
as a human being?
BRIDEGROOM: Real lite is not
possible for me. Isn't that why I come to
you only in dreams? ... To love you without taint, to kiss without the
taste of sourness;, that is
possible only in dreams.

(Hepreses hisface into her thick hair and kisses it. Meanuhile, Prabhakaran
Can be seen staring at the deadly noose he has prepared for himself. He loks
at his lover's
picture and speaks his last words.)
PRABHAKARAN: Sreedevi, these sunken eyes of mine, hollow cheeks,
body, cternally empry shirt pocket, I do blame ica
you for not
hating n
and seeking a
secure refuge. You
and fortunate. But D
are smart
ic, must tell you at
least, what I wanted to tell
the world. This so
which is out to grab everything-if1 had
pockets full, I would
were emerged first in its racc "
not have lost
Hmm. This you tonight (with self
want it? But
wasted youth of
mine, discarded co
these dull by society. why shou you
eyes have seen
many dreams.
 Dreamhunt 177

He sobs, kisses Sreedevi's picture. He lies down beneath the rope, embraces
the picture madly: finaly exhausted, panting, he tears it into bis and scatters
the pieces. As he slips his head through the noose, Parvati and her dream
bridegroom are lockea n apassionate embrace
The light dims then brightens again. Kannan Theyam and Parvasi look
worn ous, scorched by memories of Prabhakaran.

KANNAN THEYYAM (Sadly): Many more scorching things remain to be

seen and heard. T hen why did we remember this? (Parvati remains silens,
impassive). You' re still lost in dreams.
Isn't because his dreams burnt out, that
PARVAT: Yes, I'm dreaming,from it that rope? Why did you give us life at
ettan died. thrashing about
all, Acha? 1o thrash about?

KANNAN THEYYAM (7rembles as he hears her words): \What did you say?
PARVATI (Loudly): Why did you bring two worthless bits of flesh into
the world?

KANNAN THEYYAM: You daughter ofa dog! (Slaps her hard.) How could
you ask that: (Weeps, penitens, Parvati tries to console him.)

PARVATI. Acha ... it is question that all children whose youth is over,
a

ask; only theirs are silent questions. I said the words out loud.
me. let me live in my dreams.
Forgive
She walks towards her machine, head bowed. Begins to stitch the rest of the
clothes. The grating sound
towards her.
of the sewing machine. Kannan
Theyam moves

KANNAN THEYYAM: This old man does not have

for. (She hears it, but continues
a
single dream to live
to stitch without
about like responding. He moves
a
caged civet cat,
muttering) sleep even, dream. No to

{Parvati continues to
stitch.) Stop it. Your blasted stitching! You said this
that to tear
and my heart. I too have something to say. (He
prevents her
Jrom stitching and pulls her up, querulously.) What can this father dream
out you, daughter past the marriageable age, who fills the house.
a
What dream
can I have, of a son who
hanged himself?
ARYATI: Acha,
stop it. Let's not
quarrel and hurt each other with
Scorching words.
178 DRAMA

No.
We will. You will again say
ay ings that break
THEYYAM:

KANNAN

my heart.
sinks, I
somehow
say those things
ngs. **
When the heart
PARVATI:

them again, T'll kil you.

THEYYAM: If you say
KANNAN

stare a t
each other.
They
BLACKOUT

It is night.
ver appear. The
oriaegroom to
Parvati is fast asleep, waiting Jor areanm
This is followed by
the chenda from alipatu grove.
riythmic pounding of Kannan l beyam turns this way ad
rouse the theyam.
the thottam song to
that, unable to sleep. Finaliy he sits up, cursing

KANNAN THEYYAM (70 himselj ): lt's festival time at

Pallipattu grove.
Rooster's blood. Ho! If I could forget
Mist, chill, Gulikan theyyam.
my heart would cool a bit. (He take up
myself and pertorm just once,
Kannan Iheyyam. But I want
theyam adornments.) Nobody
wants
the
and TI dress up and perform in
GulikanT heyyam's dress
crown.
this
my own courtyard.

In the backgrouna, the thyam song reaches 4 crescendo.

KANNAN THEYYAM (Dons the theyyam costume in a mad frenzy and look
t bimseif in the cracked mirror): Magnificent. Let me dance my l l h s

Vrischika night without chenda, chenda artist or audience. (Ponaen

does not
over something then with the same mad frenzy.) This Gulikan
need rooster blood to drink. (Looks at Parvati with bestial gle.) 1he
is this good-for-nothing being that I gave life to. (Moves towards her i
Juary, and tell the sleping Parvati.) Never again must scorching questio
come
from this throat. No unfulfilled dreams should appear betoreo
cyes again. And that is this father's last dream. To become
Iheyyam and pertort
n my courtyard. Let it happen by drins
blood from
your throat. The rooster offered to Gulikan, ItS
I hat's all e
vain. you need to think about. At least
in that way iet
De sanctilied. (He bends towards her neck, his lips, teeth, anaJace furous
e rhythm of the Thottam song becomes her ba

hrashes about. Kannan faster; Parvati cri

Theyam's roar. Sound of things ng)
At dawn when the light
brightens..
 Dreamhunt 179

The bloody unconscious form of Parvati. Kannan Thoyam scatters rooster

fathers in the air, then bous his head into his theyam adornments and
weps.The unseen bridegroom enters Parvatis dead dream with love-flled
ges.... He
looks at her unconsciousform, then kisses her curly tresses. He
looks at her half-closed eyes.

BRIDEGROOM: Even in death, you dream with your half closed eyes. Your
tresses still have the scent of dreams. Words of love still tremble on your
lips. As you lie underground, with dreams that death cannot end, you
must call out, call from your grave, ask who hunted down my dreams,
why did boiling youth wither and die. ask, aloud! Ask!
He kisses her passionately, presing his face against her hair.
CURTAIN

-Translated by Catherine Thankamma