“The Purpose’’ By T.P.Kailasam

“The Purpose’’ By T.P.Kailasam

 Introduction :-

This play “The Purpose’’ is written by very famous and well-known playwright T. P. Kailasam. His real or full name is Thyagaraja Paramasiva Kailasam. He was born in 1884 and died in 1946. He was a playwright and prominent writer of Kannada literature. His contribution to Kannada theatre comedy earned him the title Prahasana Prapitamaha, "the father of humorous plays" and later he was also called as "Kannadakke Obbane Kailasam" means "One and Only Kailasam for Kannada".

We study about Indian writing in English to Indian writer like T.P.Kailasam. He was written at different and post colonial thinks in portrayed Ekalavya character. The Purpose by T. P. Kailasam is a drama in two acts. The story is based on Adiparva from ‘The Mahabharata”. As we see that in the story how Kailasam given margin and criticize to Arjun and Dhrona Characters. The story moves around Ekalavya and Arjun and their purpose behind learning archery. Both want to learn archery from the great Dronacharya. But we see post colonial thinks in Ekalavya characters are center and periphery to Ajuna’s character. When the story goes that ancient time in only for Brahmins teaching to Shatriya, not any other caste person. Ekalavya was lower caste person and he was learning to Dronacharya. He was teaching to great Raja and his sons.

We see in the story of Ekalavya that Dronacharya teaches archery to Arjuna but cannot accept Ekalavya proposal because of his promise to Arjuna. Arjuna wants to become the great archer of the world. And Ekalavya explains that he wants to learn archery to save lives of innocent animals. Arjuna’s purpose behind learning archery is self centered while Ekalavya purpose is noble.

But we see that Ekalavya purpose was diffenrt to Arjuna and how Kailasam given image to Drona was bad teacher and only selfish to his economy, politics and love of Arjuna. We see in the 2nd act Ekalavya is far ahead than Arjuna in archery. In anger Arjuna says that he will tell everyone that Guru Drona has not kept his vow. To save his Guru from social criticism Ekalavya gives his thumb as gurudakshina. After giving his thumb in gurudakshina Ekalavya realizes that his purpose behind learning archery was to save lives of innocent animals but now he cannot look into the eyes of the animals. The drama ends with Ekalavya crying. How we see colonial thinks in Ekalavya was center and how his voice against to society. The readers are looking at one story from different perspectives and that are of the writers.

Kailasam created truths in their individual perspectives. Their individual perspectives are contradictory. The Mahabharata is the story of kings and prices and in The Purpose T. P. Kailasam has given voice to a marginalized. Kailasam has given different point of view and he was center in The Purpose but The Mahabharata marginalized character and Arjuna becomes hero and center to tem. When time goes ahead Kailasam portrayed post colonial thinks and subaltern can voice to society. In this story we see to Ekalavya was hero and only for fault of Dronacharya.

So we can say that post colonial thinks and center became periphery and periphery became center in the story. We cannot prove Ved Vyasa right and T. P. Kailasam wrong. So the reality presented by the writers is just their individual perspective not the truth.

Deconstruct the theory of myth in The Purpose.

Here ‘The Purpose’ is a mythical play that deals with past and its show us many things like culture, religion and the ancient time of India. ‘Mythical story is always a fable of people’ it’s like a tell that spreading our culture and its value. By the time of king’s rule we can say that some people are creates a kind of view towards it. But in the way myth is;

“By a myth ... I mean primarily a certain type of

story in which some of the chief characters are

gods or other beings larger in power than humanity.”

~ Northrop Frye

Kailasam’s plays have a Uniform technical excellence and for this, C.R. Reddy has said that,

“Greater than any writer I have known is Kailasam in dramatic technique.”

Kailasam tried to high-light something which in original myth was neglected. Let’s see how the play Wright made changes in original myth and the reason being behind it. To know about all the things first of all we have to understand this both the Characters. It is very important to understand the play deeply.