Kattaleyalli | Kayakave Kailasa - Bhakti Republic OST | M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani

If I am a thief at night That would be a shame To the master who gave me the picklock If I enter houses When people are forgetful That would be a shame To my expertise. I wake up the forgetful, Show them their riches Then bring out my own riches, O Father Lord of Mara, the love god Foe of Mara. Poet: Maritande Translator: H.S. Shivaprakash Source: I Keep Vigil of Rudra, Penguin Classics Performed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee Mani For Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole Radio Azim Premji University, 2023 Maritande, a professional burglar known for targeting the houses of the affluent, sustained his livelihood by pilfering and spending the loot until he was apprehended by Bijjala's security guards. Around 1160 AD, during the time of Basavanna, the transformative figure in Maritande's life, Basavanna advocated for leniency on his behalf. This plea led to a change in Maritande's life as he transitioned from a burglar to a devoted Sharana. Influenced by this attitudinal shift, Maritande began writing vachanas, with only a few properly attributed to him. Notably, his vachanas drew on the imagery of his former profession, freely incorporating elements of burglary into his poetic expression.