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ತಲೆದಂಡ
Prajavani, the largest circulated Kannada daily, acclaimed Tale-danda for its brilliant analysis of the ills that plague Indian society today, while Kannada Prabha considers it 'the most significant landmarks since Tughlaq.' The play, on intermarriage in Karnataka in 1200 AD, has been performed in several Indian languages, and this English translation by the author makes it accessible to another audience.
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
10 people are currently reading
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About the author
Girish Karnad
50 books156 followersGirish Raghunath Karnad (Konkani : गिरीश रघुनाथ कार्नाड, Kannada : ಗಿರೀಶ್ ರಘುನಾಥ್ ಕಾರ್ನಾಡ್) (born 19 May 1938) is a contemporary writer, playwright, screenwriter, actor and movie director in Kannada language. His rise as a prominent playwright in 1960s, marked the coming of age of Modern Indian playwriting in Kannada, just as Badal Sarkar did it in Bengali, Vijay Tendulkar in Marathi, and Mohan Rakesh in Hindi. He is a recipient of the 1998 Jnanpith Award for Kannada, the highest literary honour conferred in India.
For four decades Karnad has been composing plays, often using history and mythology to tackle contemporary issues. He has translated his major plays into English, and has received critical acclaim across India. His plays have been translated into several Indian languages and directed by eminent directors like Ebrahim Alkazi, B. V. Karanth, Alyque Padamsee, Prasanna, Arvind Gaur, Satyadev Dubey, Vijaya Mehta, Shyamanand Jalan and Amal Allana. He is also active in the world of Indian cinema working as an actor, director, and screenwriter, both in Hindi and Kannada cinema, earning numerous awards along the way. He was conferred Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by the Government of India.
For four decades Karnad has been composing plays, often using history and mythology to tackle contemporary issues. He has translated his major plays into English, and has received critical acclaim across India. His plays have been translated into several Indian languages and directed by eminent directors like Ebrahim Alkazi, B. V. Karanth, Alyque Padamsee, Prasanna, Arvind Gaur, Satyadev Dubey, Vijaya Mehta, Shyamanand Jalan and Amal Allana. He is also active in the world of Indian cinema working as an actor, director, and screenwriter, both in Hindi and Kannada cinema, earning numerous awards along the way. He was conferred Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by the Government of India.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 9, 2019
Not so good.
I so want to read book on Basavanna and his philosophy. Hope i find authentic book on him.
I so want to read book on Basavanna and his philosophy. Hope i find authentic book on him.
January 4, 2026
ಮರು ಓದು
ಬಸವೇಶ್ವರರನ್ನು ಹೆಚ್ಚು ತಿಳಿದುಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದರ ತುಡಿತದಿಂದ ಹೆಚ್ಚೇಚ್ಚು ಅವರ ಮೇಲಿನ ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳನ್ನು ಓದುವುದರಲ್ಲೇ ನನ್ನ ಡಿಸೆಂಬರ್ ತಿಂಗಳು ಕಳೆದುಹೋಯಿತು, ಕಲಬುರ್ಗಿರ ಮಾರ್ಗದ ಕೆಲ ಲೇಖನಗಳು, ಬೆಟಗೇರಿ ಕೃಷ್ಣಶರ್ಮರ ಒಂದು ಕಿರುಹೊತ್ತಿಗೆ, ಶ್ರೀನಿವಾಸ ದೇಶಪಾಂಡೆರ ಒಂದು ಪುಸ್ತಕ, ಚಿದಾನಂದಮೂರ್ತಿರ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಇವೆಲ್ಲ ಓದಿದಾಗ ಬಸವಣ್ಣರ ಜೀವನದ ಒಂದು ಕಿರುನೋಟ ಕಾಣಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ.
ಆದರೆ ಕಲ್ಯಾಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಆದ ಕ್ರಾಂತಿಯ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಗಿರೀಶ್ ಕಾರ್ನಾಡರ ಈ ನೋಟ ಆ ಕಾಲದ ವಿವಿಧ ದೃಷ್ಟಿನೋಟಗಳನ್ನು ತೆರೆದುಕೊಡುತ್ತದೆ, ಇತಿಹಾಸದ ಘಟನೆಯಾಧಾರಿತ ಸೃಜನಾತ್ಮಕ ಕೃತಿಗೆ ಆ ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯ ಇರುವುದರಿಂದ ಓದುಗನ ಅನೇಕ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಸೂಕ್ತ ಉತ್ತರಗಳು ದೊರೆಯುತ್ತವೆ, ಉದಾರಣೆಗೆ : ಬಿಜ್ಜಳ ಜೈನನಾಗಿದ್ದರೂ ಶರಣರಿಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟ ಕೊಡುಗೆ ಅಪಾರವಾದದ್ದು, ಇದರಿಂದ ಆತನೂ ನಂತರವಾಗಿ ಶರಣನಾಗಿದ್ದನೋ? ಮಧುವರಸನೂ ಹರಳಯ್ಯ ಸಾಮರಸನಾಗಿ ಶರಣನಾಗಿದ್ದರಿಂದ ಆತನ ಮಗಳನ್ನು ಹರಳಯ್ಯನ ಮಗನಿಗೆ ಮದುವೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಡಲು ಒಪ್ಪಿದನೋ ಅದೇ ಒಬ್ಬ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣ ಶರಣನಾಗಿದ್ದರೇ ಮದುವೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಡಲು ಓಪ್ಪುತ್ತಿದ್ದನೇ? ಈ ರೀತಿಯ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಸೃಜನಾತ್ಮಕ ಕೃತಿಯಷ್ಟೇ ತೆರೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಸಾಧ್ಯ, ಆ ರೀತಿಯ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗಳು ಗಿರೀಶರ ಕೃತಿಗಳು ತೆರೆಯುವುದೇ ಅವುಗಳ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಗುಣ, ಈ ಕೃತಿಯು ನಾವು ತಿಳಿದುಕೊಂಡಿರುವ ಇತಿಹಾಸವನ್ನು ಸೂಕ್ತ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗಳ ಮೂಲಕ ಇನ್ನೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಓದುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆ
ಬಸವಣ್ಣರಿಗಿಂತ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಸುಂದರವಾಗಿ ಬಿಜ್ಜಳರ ಪಾತ್ರವನ್ನು ಕಾರ್ನಾಡರು ಬರೆದಿದ್ದಾರೆ, ಆತನ ಸಿಟ್ಟು, ಆತನ ಮೊಣಚು ಮಾತುಗಳು, ಆತನ ನಿಸಹಾಯಕತೆ ಎಲ್ಲವೂ ಸೊಗಸಾಗಿ ಮೂಡಿಬಂದಿದೆ. ಈತನ ಪಾತ್ರವು ನಾಟಕದ ರಂಗರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಆಕರ್ಷನೀಯವಾಗಿ ಕಾಣುತ್ತದೆ, ಬಸವಣ್ಣ ಮುಖ್ಯಪಾತ್ರವಾಗಿದ್ದರೂ ಬಿಜ್ಜಳನೇ ಈ ಕೃತಿಯ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಆಕರ್ಷಣೆ.
ಬಸವೇಶ್ವರರನ್ನು ಹೆಚ್ಚು ತಿಳಿದುಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದರ ತುಡಿತದಿಂದ ಹೆಚ್ಚೇಚ್ಚು ಅವರ ಮೇಲಿನ ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳನ್ನು ಓದುವುದರಲ್ಲೇ ನನ್ನ ಡಿಸೆಂಬರ್ ತಿಂಗಳು ಕಳೆದುಹೋಯಿತು, ಕಲಬುರ್ಗಿರ ಮಾರ್ಗದ ಕೆಲ ಲೇಖನಗಳು, ಬೆಟಗೇರಿ ಕೃಷ್ಣಶರ್ಮರ ಒಂದು ಕಿರುಹೊತ್ತಿಗೆ, ಶ್ರೀನಿವಾಸ ದೇಶಪಾಂಡೆರ ಒಂದು ಪುಸ್ತಕ, ಚಿದಾನಂದಮೂರ್ತಿರ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಇವೆಲ್ಲ ಓದಿದಾಗ ಬಸವಣ್ಣರ ಜೀವನದ ಒಂದು ಕಿರುನೋಟ ಕಾಣಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ.
ಆದರೆ ಕಲ್ಯಾಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಆದ ಕ್ರಾಂತಿಯ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಗಿರೀಶ್ ಕಾರ್ನಾಡರ ಈ ನೋಟ ಆ ಕಾಲದ ವಿವಿಧ ದೃಷ್ಟಿನೋಟಗಳನ್ನು ತೆರೆದುಕೊಡುತ್ತದೆ, ಇತಿಹಾಸದ ಘಟನೆಯಾಧಾರಿತ ಸೃಜನಾತ್ಮಕ ಕೃತಿಗೆ ಆ ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯ ಇರುವುದರಿಂದ ಓದುಗನ ಅನೇಕ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಸೂಕ್ತ ಉತ್ತರಗಳು ದೊರೆಯುತ್ತವೆ, ಉದಾರಣೆಗೆ : ಬಿಜ್ಜಳ ಜೈನನಾಗಿದ್ದರೂ ಶರಣರಿಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟ ಕೊಡುಗೆ ಅಪಾರವಾದದ್ದು, ಇದರಿಂದ ಆತನೂ ನಂತರವಾಗಿ ಶರಣನಾಗಿದ್ದನೋ? ಮಧುವರಸನೂ ಹರಳಯ್ಯ ಸಾಮರಸನಾಗಿ ಶರಣನಾಗಿದ್ದರಿಂದ ಆತನ ಮಗಳನ್ನು ಹರಳಯ್ಯನ ಮಗನಿಗೆ ಮದುವೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಡಲು ಒಪ್ಪಿದನೋ ಅದೇ ಒಬ್ಬ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣ ಶರಣನಾಗಿದ್ದರೇ ಮದುವೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಡಲು ಓಪ್ಪುತ್ತಿದ್ದನೇ? ಈ ರೀತಿಯ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಸೃಜನಾತ್ಮಕ ಕೃತಿಯಷ್ಟೇ ತೆರೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಸಾಧ್ಯ, ಆ ರೀತಿಯ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗಳು ಗಿರೀಶರ ಕೃತಿಗಳು ತೆರೆಯುವುದೇ ಅವುಗಳ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಗುಣ, ಈ ಕೃತಿಯು ನಾವು ತಿಳಿದುಕೊಂಡಿರುವ ಇತಿಹಾಸವನ್ನು ಸೂಕ್ತ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗಳ ಮೂಲಕ ಇನ್ನೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಓದುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆ
ಬಸವಣ್ಣರಿಗಿಂತ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಸುಂದರವಾಗಿ ಬಿಜ್ಜಳರ ಪಾತ್ರವನ್ನು ಕಾರ್ನಾಡರು ಬರೆದಿದ್ದಾರೆ, ಆತನ ಸಿಟ್ಟು, ಆತನ ಮೊಣಚು ಮಾತುಗಳು, ಆತನ ನಿಸಹಾಯಕತೆ ಎಲ್ಲವೂ ಸೊಗಸಾಗಿ ಮೂಡಿಬಂದಿದೆ. ಈತನ ಪಾತ್ರವು ನಾಟಕದ ರಂಗರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಆಕರ್ಷನೀಯವಾಗಿ ಕಾಣುತ್ತದೆ, ಬಸವಣ್ಣ ಮುಖ್ಯಪಾತ್ರವಾಗಿದ್ದರೂ ಬಿಜ್ಜಳನೇ ಈ ಕೃತಿಯ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಆಕರ್ಷಣೆ.
May 20, 2018
Tale-Danda, Girish Karnad
A play about the Virasaiva movement under Baasavanna
“…the elementary fact that a hierarchy which accommodates difference is more humane than an equality which enforces conformity.”—what a problematic line! It is extremely difficult to reconcile with the verbs ‘accommodate’ and ‘enforce’ as used in this sentence. Does hierarchy really accommodate difference? Or, does it simply establish norms, naturalising the layered structuration of power? If yes, this cannot be termed as ‘accommodate’; it is prioritizing one over the other. Similarly, does equality ‘enforce’ conformity? If everyone is equal, everyone conforms, albeit willingly. Unfortunately, though the line resonates with meaning in the context of the play, it remains politically incorrect. One can argue that Karnad intentionally wants this sentence to be politically incorrect. Political incorrectness is the backdrop against which the play is framed. In sharp contrast to the politically corrupted ambience, Bijjala and Basavanna stand as stout pillars who embody idealism. They often contradict each other, but contradiction does not lead to negation. They understand each other’s ideals. Hence, the king consents to the inter-caste wedding and Basavanna decides to fight for the king against the usurper. The idealism, however, of a saint who envisions a casteless society and a king who supports his true subject gets overshadowed, in a sense subverted, owing to the presence of characters like Jagadeva and Sovideva. Idealism without vision can corrupt the crowd. Hence Basavanna observes: “…in the cacophony of the crowd, we do not even hear the Lord’s voice. One needs to go back again to where there is silence—where one again becomes an itinerant.” An itinerant is someone who travels from place to place. An itinerant here is one who travels to search for meaning for s/he understands that idealism does not end when an order is establishes. After all, the inter-caste marriage was the initiation of a new order for the sharanas. Establishing an order is just the beginning. Karnad’s plays are appreciated, and widely read, because of their unmistakable allegory concerning the politics of the age which they depict. Tale-Danda is not an exception in this regard, but it sends a message to those fighting for the cause of equality—power is difficult to understand, even more, difficult to handle
A play about the Virasaiva movement under Baasavanna
“…the elementary fact that a hierarchy which accommodates difference is more humane than an equality which enforces conformity.”—what a problematic line! It is extremely difficult to reconcile with the verbs ‘accommodate’ and ‘enforce’ as used in this sentence. Does hierarchy really accommodate difference? Or, does it simply establish norms, naturalising the layered structuration of power? If yes, this cannot be termed as ‘accommodate’; it is prioritizing one over the other. Similarly, does equality ‘enforce’ conformity? If everyone is equal, everyone conforms, albeit willingly. Unfortunately, though the line resonates with meaning in the context of the play, it remains politically incorrect. One can argue that Karnad intentionally wants this sentence to be politically incorrect. Political incorrectness is the backdrop against which the play is framed. In sharp contrast to the politically corrupted ambience, Bijjala and Basavanna stand as stout pillars who embody idealism. They often contradict each other, but contradiction does not lead to negation. They understand each other’s ideals. Hence, the king consents to the inter-caste wedding and Basavanna decides to fight for the king against the usurper. The idealism, however, of a saint who envisions a casteless society and a king who supports his true subject gets overshadowed, in a sense subverted, owing to the presence of characters like Jagadeva and Sovideva. Idealism without vision can corrupt the crowd. Hence Basavanna observes: “…in the cacophony of the crowd, we do not even hear the Lord’s voice. One needs to go back again to where there is silence—where one again becomes an itinerant.” An itinerant is someone who travels from place to place. An itinerant here is one who travels to search for meaning for s/he understands that idealism does not end when an order is establishes. After all, the inter-caste marriage was the initiation of a new order for the sharanas. Establishing an order is just the beginning. Karnad’s plays are appreciated, and widely read, because of their unmistakable allegory concerning the politics of the age which they depict. Tale-Danda is not an exception in this regard, but it sends a message to those fighting for the cause of equality—power is difficult to understand, even more, difficult to handle
September 18, 2017
GOOD ONE LONG BACK I READ
June 29, 2019
An exquisite playwright’s brilliant storytelling is what we read. Beautiful story
May 12, 2022
Nothing by Grish Karnad disappoints.
July 2, 2022
Nice book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2016
Play about the Virasaiva movement under Baasavanna. I wish i could have read it in kannada, because Im sure that given the intense focus on caste and class, that the different dialects would have been really important. Dunno how historically accurate this is, but it surely is informative as to how Bhakti and Virasaivas in particular are perceived in modern times-- anti-castesist revolutionary forbearers of Ambedkar. The play centers around an inter-caste marriage which takes place in the Virasaiva community, and the often violent social and political rippling effects which it has.
November 4, 2019
Tale-danda is a highly thought-provoking play, especially in a country like India. It captures the insanity of religious and cultural fanaticism and its ability to destroy a nation. It shows the poor perceptivity of the common people and the careless decisions they take.
June 19, 2013
The english translation from Kannada din't loose any essense. I felt as if it was originally written in English. Very Nice
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews