International Women’s Day turned out to be a day of revelation for Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah and hundreds of invitees who turned out for the release of a book on Andhra Pradesh, a State in turmoil following its bifurcation to carve out a separate State Telangana.
Telugu Talli, Her Unknown Side, a book authored by DK Hari and Hema Hari, the Indologist couple has portrayed the hitherto untold and unheard history and facts about Andhra Pradesh. Talli is the Telugu world for mother. The authors have some interesting and out-of-the- box facts and figures which substantiates the writings of Angus Maddison who found that in 1800 AD, more than 20 per cent of the Global GDB was commanded by India. Andhra Pradesh, or more specifically the Telugu land and women in the State played a major role in sustaining India and an economic super power, according to the authors.
The fertility of the Telugu land was ensured by women, write Hari and Hema. There were more than 53,000 lakes and ponds which were built over more than a thousand years ago in this region of the erstwhile Madras Presidency. Women had a role to play in the fertility of the Telugu land. These lakes and ponds, known as cheruvus, were dug and maintained by women. “While it is not considered an easy act for women to part with their jewellery, the women in these parts of the land, through the generations, have happily given away their precious jewellery to meet the cost of construction and maintenance of these water bodies. Almost every family has stories of how their grandmothers and grandaunts donated their jewellery for irrigation workers,” write Hari and Hema.
The responsibility and authority of women went beyond harnessing of water. The women controlled the seed banks. They also had full rights over cattle and cows. It was also the birth right of women to own land. There were legislations to safeguard the interests and security women.
“Property that was held by women could be transferred only to other women in the family like daughter and daughter-in-law or granddaughter. The women could not transfer or bequeath their land and wealth to their husbands, sons or grandsons. Only in the absence of any female heir could the women give their land and other assets to a male member. This law and practice ensured that there were always land and assets held by the women of the family.
The control of women over water, seeds, cows and, land formed the Stree Dhana of women. The women of the house were called Griha lakshmi. When the women held water, seeds, cows and land in the society, it was but natural that they also held the respect in the family from the male members and the society at large, says the book. The authors say that during the British rule, the water rights and land ownership rights were taken away from the women forcibly. “This led to the women losing their economic independence in the family and society,” said Hari and Hema.
The book gives a kaleidoscopic view of Telugu society which makes one feel proud of being born a Telugu. The Telugu land was home to the world famous Wootz Steel, a unique steel containing high carbon content. “Metallurgy was part of the Telugu land. They had exclusive knowledge to produce high quality zinc and indigo,” write the authors. “Maa Telugu Tallikki, Mallippoo Danda” (Jasmine garland for my Mother Telugu,” said Hema Hari, a software engineer turned Indologist when asked about her 14-year-long research which culminated in the book.