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

Poet: Sule SankavvaTranslator: Susan DanielSource: Women Writing in India, edited by Susie Tharu and K. Lalitha, Oxford University PressPerformed by M. D. Pallavi and Bruce Lee ManiFor Bhakti Republic with Amit BasoleRadio Azim Premji University, 2023______________________________________________________________In my harlot’s tradeHaving taken one man’s moneyI daren’t accept a second man’s, sir.And if I do,They’ll stand me naked andkill me, sir.And if I cohabitwith the polluted,My hands nose earsthey’ll cut offwith a red hot knife, sir.Ah, never, no.Knowing you I will not.My word on it,O Nirlajjeshwara______________________________________________________________Sule Sankavva, a distinctive figure among the Kannada vachanakaras, represents the sole recorded instance in this tradition of a sex worker who embraces the Bhakti path. She transcends her experiences in her profession, using them to convey transcendental mysticism through the lens of her worldly endeavors. Sule Sankara is recognized by her vachana signature in which she addresses Shiva as "Nirlajjesvara", the Lord Who Is Without Shame. Stressing the significance of loyalty to one's Kayaka (vocation) and vows, she places their importance on par with other moral principles. Emphasizing honesty as a crucial virtue, Sankavva advocates for the pursuit of one's Kayaka, irrespective of societal judgments, with an unwavering commitment driven by purity of heart and mind, free from fear and doubt.