Ponnagaram (பொன்னகரம்) by Puthumai Pithan

Translated from Tamil by Saravanan Karmegam

 

Have you heard of Ponnagaram? It is a place having no semblance of the world fantasised by our Puranic storytellers. People often refer to the philosophy of Poorva Punniyam, defining the present as a result of noble effects in the past. Don’t they? It is the place destined to be justified by the tenets of the said philosophy. Isn’t it? For the “human bees” who are destined to sacrifice themselves to provide the comforts of this life to some rich people, it is a golden city anyway. 

You would find a lane there connecting a liquor depot, passing along the railway track. Wouldn’t you? It is the main road there. If no vehicle comes in the front, four persons could walk comfortably holding each other’s hands. There are many curves and bends to this lane, like rabbit burrows. If someone wants to enjoy the scenic beauty of this land, they must visit it when it is drizzling to have an enthralling experience! The road is full of puddles of bogs! Municipality’s ‘Ganga’ river along the road—No...It’s not Ganga. Yamuna River is only blackish. Isn’t it? It must be Yamuna. An iron fence after that. Then, the railway track at a height in a short distance from it. On the other side, a stretch of human “nests’ clustered together in a row—of course, it is for its people there to live in! Are water taps available there? Yes…they are available. What about electric lamp posts? Not sure whether they are available. But, won’t it be enough to light an ordinary oil lamp during Krishna Paksha when moonlight is not available? The children of Ponnagaram love fishing. But how could they find fish in these muddy waters of the municipality? Sometimes, some rotten fruits or stale vada and things alike from the houses of some unknown rich men come floating. The children of Ponnagaram know about this secret. 

Playing near the railway track gives children an inexplicable pleasure. Doesn’t it? There is a fence too. Do the children know that there is a rule that prohibits people from going near to it? It doesn’t matter. If only they ‘go’ near to the railway track for playing, their parents can free themselves from the burden of their children. Moreover, those children are not well fed with nutrition that they wouldn't be able to sneak out of the grill fencing of the railway track. Are they? They found an immense pleasure in waving their hands, shouting ‘good morning sir’ at the train, a moving symbol of iron civilization, emitting smoke. It is the first English lesson they get. 

Only after five in the morning will the town become alive and bustling. Only after that would the women start their daily chores. Liquor-laden carts, the women assembling to collect water! Collecting water is almost akin to the battle of Kurukshetra.

The sponge-like hair, which had become grey at an early age, and eyes with defective eyesight—watching an electric spindle throughout the night continuously will render one’s eyes with defective sight, won’t it? Eyes are not made of iron. Are they? The chiselled, attractive body resulted from sweats of manual work! Is it a healthy one? If then, from where did it come? Bacteria, poisonous germs, cholera, etc., are all being produced from there. Aren’t they? Everything is possible if one has the willpower to keep himself alive. In ancient times, man was living in the caves along with tigers and lions. They killed him, and he also killed them. In this tussle, he never lost his strength and died without reproducing his progeny. Did he? Life itself is a big hunt. Isn’t it? A black thread on the neck—a symbol of worshipping life. However, no one pays any attention to it. Sirs, it is a different world altogether. Its ethics are totally different.

Ammalu was working as a coolie in a mill. She must be about not above twenty or twenty-two years. Her husband owned a Judka cart. Their family consisted of six members—Ammalu, Murugesan (it is her husband), his mother, his brother, and his horse. All were fed with the help of wages of these two. (It included the fodder for the horse too.). Paying house rent, bribing the police, and meeting the expenses of illicit ganja consumption of Murugesan’s brother—everything had to be looked after with their wages only. All were class drunkards. During off-seasons, there were no means available to them other than taking drinks to forget their hunger. It was hunger, sir…hunger! You could very well sing, Once hunger comes, even the remains of food sticking to the utensil would disappear, without having it under your belly. If you stayed there for one day, your stomach would teach you the meaning of hunger.

That day, Murugesan was in a happy mood. He and his horse were drunk, and he drove the Judka at racing speed. The cart got tumbled, and its axis was broken. His horse sustained serious injuries, and Murugesan sustained internal injuries. When he was brought to his house, he was lying unconscious. It was his good luck that he was drunk, that he didn’t feel the pain of injuries. Ammalu applied some herbal paste on his swellings. He was able to speak only after that. He said he needed some milk porridge. Still two more days to go to get her wages. No money at home!

Ammalu goes to the water tap to bring water. As per the prediction of the almanac, the moon must appear in this ‘darkest’ night. Mustn’t it? What could the municipality do for lights if the moon prefers to hide itself behind the clouds?

Municipality water tap is chaotic as usual. Somehow, she could manage collecting water. Now she is on her way to her home. A man is standing near the lane—the one who has been eyeing Ammalu for a long time. Both of them disappear in the darkness. Ammalu could earn three quarters of a rupee. Yes! It is for giving milk porridge to her husband!

You, folks! Aren’t you always so much concerned with chastity? Now see it for yourself. This is what Ponnagaram is!