Date: Thu, 10 Jul 1997 07:11:16 -0400 (EDT)


 calling up the spirit
of
ekalavya

		tired and exhausted as her numbed
fin
gers
	fumble at the keyboard
typo after typo

the voices keep calling from behind
interruptions

inter
up
tions
		(trying to hide the screen by changing the contrast
levels on the display panel - seeking a window of contact, of privacy
away from social norms - should dos or elses..)

		is this just in a woman's life?

does she not have the
right
to summon the Gurus

to discuss as equal
to argue
and learn

	must she -forever
behind a social
veil
pre
tend
to 
	be

domesticated

		the inter
uptions
from the voices of social
authority

	aborted her
attempts

	(for the time being)
(for the time being - rest assured - for this is still a voice of 
priv
ilege
- ironically
tho it may not feel like it is
some
times

		it is far more
pri
vi
leged)


to 
connect
to 
ekalavya
			as she transformed into Surpanakha
			Sita -
				reaching for chocolate for comfort
			hiding in the kitchen

			acne covering her face
			as her skin reacts to stress...


ekalavya -

		the man from a lower class/caste
who knew the effort,
the exhaustion
involved 

in trying

to learn from makeshift

Gurus...

		gurus with clayfeet

perhaps.
_______
{to be contd)
Radhika Gajjala - July 10th, 1997

********************************************************
homepage::  http://www.pitt.edu/~gajjala/

********************************************************