Madanna: Well, let’s wait for the feedback.
[Enter: Mallanna.]
Mallanna: They’re all for it peddanna.
Madanna: Now, three of you together put procedures in place. Let it also be known that it’s innovation in planning and daring in operation that decides who climbs up the ladder, and nothing else, gender included. By now all know Madanna doesn’t play favourites.
Narsimma: It’s my word that I shall never try to allow my closeness to peddanna affect my attitude towards others. I shall strive to win the trust and affection of all in every possible way.
Madanna: Mallanna may fetch Narsimma’s sister.
[Exit: Mallanna. Curtains down.]
Scene – 13
[Curtains up: Madanna, Srisailam and Narsimma in the jungle hideout of scene -12.]
[Enter: Sarakka ushered in by Mallanna. Narsimma goes up and takes her hand.]
Narsimma: How is naayana?
Sarakka: Don’t worry; he’s reconciling.
Narsimma to Madanna: She’s Sarakka, my sister.
Madanna: Warm welcome Saroopa. Don’t you like your alias?
Sarakka: Thanks for the welcome and the alias as well.
Madanna: Maybe you’re smart, but life here is tough, tougher than you could’ve imagined it to be.
Sarakka: Didn’t I have a taste of it trekking all the way.
Madanna: Being a single female here, it could be odd even.
Sarakka: And so I’ve come with my companion.
Narsimma: Who’s that?
Sarakka: Let the leader show the green light, and then you could see for yourself.
Madanna: Interesting and intriguing even, coming on recommendation yourself, you have another to commend to our dalam. Okay, go ahead.
[Exit: Sarakka leaving a perplexed Narsimma.]
[Enter: Renuka with Sarakka. Narsimma goes up to Renuka and takes her hand.]
Renuka: I’m Narsimma’s Renuka. Annalu may excuse my trespass.
Madanna: Welcome Renakka. But what brings you here?
Renuka: To seek redress for myself and to serve our cause as well.
Madanna: What’s your grievance like?
Renuka: I’m wronged by my mother and abused by my man.
Madanna: What’s the evidence to prove your accusation?
Renuka: Your friend Narsimma can provide the evidence and my cousin Sarakka can bear witness to my travails.
[Narsimma and Renuka murmur into Madanna’s ears in turns.]
Madanna: Now that their guilt is established beyond doubt, what about the punishment?
Renuka: Death to my mother, and I would like to put my man’s fate in your hands.
Madanna: How do you justify the exemplary punishment to a woman, that too your mother?
Renuka: She knew that I don’t share her idea of dalit life as pandering to the peddollu. Knowing that her brother makes his living by pimping for them, still she coerced me into marrying him knowing fully well that I’m in love with my baava. What’s worse, it’s she who turned her brother into a pimp to serve her ends. Isn’t she an inimical woman, wife, mother and sister all rolled into one. I believe she deserves to die.