Translated into English by Saravanan Karmegam
***
Chapter
32: Cryon
Cryon was on its way to Belewan harbour
sitting on the shores of Sumathra. The moon surrounded by stars was throwing
its tender light in the sky. Pandian was standing on deck, holding its iron
grills, watching the waves that danced with their surges, splashes hitting the
sides of ship under the moon light. The azure skyline in green hue and the surface
of sea that bore a green-yellowish tint got mixed up, rose with a gentle swell
and sang a melodious, alluring song.
Pandian’s right hand stroked his
forehead. “Why have these sea and sky been intimidating the human mind and at
the same time offering strength from the time immemorial? Is it due to the
depth of sea? Or is it due to its power of destruction? Or is it just due to
its purest state of nothing? Why do humans fear? Why does he feel happy? As he
possesses mind, the purest state of nothing is possible. Would that be possible
for other living beings? If there is no mind, there will be no confusions.
Fame-disrepute, known- unknown, feast-starvation- all these differences would
become non-existent. What is the use of mind? Can’t we destroy it? What did
Tiruchirapalli Arivazhagar pray to god for?’
“O! God, give me a state of
purest mind which doesn’t fall into the ocean of relationships holding one
after another’
‘Holding one after another! Ah…what
a foolishness….utter foolishness! Leaving one and holding onto another! …’
‘O! Man, my friend! What did you
lose to hold onto another? Why? For what? O! Man, my friend, I left my caste
and religion and held onto Associations and political parties. I burnt down the
old Puranic scriptures and now am reading newspapers. Despising mythical
imaginary idols of deities, I am now worshipping the human puppets that are very
much visible to my naked eyes. I loathed the saffron clad Sanyasis while
flattering secretaries loitering in different attire. While denying to offer
something to God, I am now paying subscriptions. I stopped attending the temple
car festivals while happily lecturing on dais during political conferences.
Leaving aside wearing Vibhoothi on my forehead, I am now happily wearing some
unknown insignia on my shirts. My mind which had truly understood the falsehood
behind the claims of going to heaven is now in search of boundless pleasure
devoid of miseries. I am a rationalist
who had broken the nexus of superstition, a man of scientific temper. It is
knowledge that ultimately stands by you. It is science that we need to take
refuge into now.
‘O! Man, my friend, you are
cheated. Cheated. What did you leave so to hold onto another? In what way this
is better than the earlier one? In what ways do knowledge, belief and science
fare better than superstitions and religions? It is foolishness. Just
foolishness. Would swimming or not swimming under sea be anyway different?
Would dissecting or not dissecting an atom make any difference? Would your
ability of foretelling fortunes by way of communicating with distant planets make
any difference even if you couldn’t do so? With all these the mind would get
only troubled instead of attaining a life with peace within. Would the falsehood
and envy disappear? Never. Would the pursuit for wealth and fame disappear?
Never. O! The great learned men who have the expertise in magic, physics,
alchemy and engineering! You tell us now would the ascending lines in North and
descending lines in south make any difference in the existence of crescent moon
in the sky?’
He slid his hand into his pant
pocket and took out a cigarette packet. His right hand fingers picked a cigarette
and placed it between his lips. His left hand brought a match box. Right
fingers pushed the drawer in, took out a match stick, rubbed it on side and lit
the cigarette and threw it away half burnt into sea. His mouth puffed in and
his right hand raising up and gently pulled the cigarette. Bhoooooo….the smoke
that went in through his throat, thus made the interiors warm was now coming
out in thin lines and circles. Again bhooooooo… ‘Life without mind- would this act
propounded by the saint Thayumanavar possible? If possible, why do we need this
mind? Why then all these sensory things?’
Perhaps it is quite likely that the
purpose of our knowledge is to attain a life void of mind by keeping all these
distractions alive. An incomprehensible empty confusion…illogical. Humans need
to act with clear mind according to the prevailing realities of life. The state
of doing nothing is death. The state without mind is destruction. Why should
one sit on meditation in a cave on hill top in dense forests to attain such a
mindless state? Why should one jump into fire to attain it? Why should one
control wind to attain it? Useless efforts…utterly useless tasks. Just a
handful of poisonous paste made of oleander roots would be sufficient to see immediate
results. Wouldn’t it?
He looked back with cigarette
still emitting smoke though his lips. Men were sleeping on bed spreads in rows like
docile animals. ‘While thoughts rule, it is still quite possible to have a stomach
fill feast and good sleep’.
He placed his hands on the iron
grills again, and looked afar bending his head a little down. The silvery stars
spread across surrounding the golden flower were twinkling in the greenish blue
sky. The sea chuckled like a woman wearing greenish yellow sari. The gentle
breeze stroked the bodies. ‘Breeze….Southerly wind…Chinna Mangalam. When was that
town born? Since the Sangam period? Is Chinna Mangalam aware of the combined
military campaign of three major kings of Tamil land against Pari, a local
chieftain of Parambu hills? Not sure of it. But the army of Nawabs are aware of
it.’
“The Musalman is beating the
drums in Mettupatti
He is chasing us and catching us,
the horse man!
We are women. What could we do?
Our men have run away…eunuchs!
The Musalman has come….aiyo
The Musalman is here….aiyo
The Musalman is beating the drums
in Mettupatti.
He throws us into his cart, the
horseman!
We are women. What else can we
do?
Our men are eunuchs and abandoned
us? “
Taking advantage of the conflicts
among local chieftains, the armies of British and Maruthu Pandiayars were
camping in Chinna Manglam one after another. It was Chinna Mangalam where the army
of Colonel Spray, which conquered the Pran Hill fort once held by Maruthu
Padiyars, was camping on the day before their last war. Before that Maruthu
Pandiayar had stopped and chased away the army commanded by the General Innes in
Chinna Mangalam. The pillar to which Oomaiyan (Brother of Kattapomman), who was
hiding in Pran Hills, was tied by Muthuvairavan Servai, the servant of
Pudukkottai king Thondaiman, is still standing in Chinna Mangalam Perumal
Temple. The people of this town had stood united irrespective of their caste
and creed against the oppressive tax collectors Natham Linga Nayakkan and
Sivagangai Udaiyar Devan who employed all their nasty tricks in the name of tax
collection against them. Ettappan’s
secret agents and Thondaiman’s troops who came there to capture Oomaiyan had had
stolen the agriculture produces, cattle and money from the local people.
Komandan Sayabu, born as Marutha Nayagam, who successfully kept the robbers
claiming themselves local chieftains under control with his frequent ferocious
campaigns against them, and later took an avatar as Yusuf Khan alias ‘Khansa’
had led his army through the lanes of this town.’
It was very recent Chinna
Mangalam had stepped into the world of modernity. He could vaguely remember
Daniel Master brought from Suvisheshapuram teaching English to the children
traders in the market street, sitting on a rope cot in front of Nallan pond. It
would be dreadful to see him walk with his reddish dove eyes, and Khaki shirt
with elongated collars. There were umpteen women who fell in love with him
seeing his ‘Police’ shirt with big sized buttons and half trimmed moustache.
The fathers of the village would
quiz the children from Nadar Street who were learning English from him with
their stupid questions.
“Dei…how do you call my name in
English?”
“……..”
“Keluthi meen?” (Cat fish)
“……..”
“What stupid English are you
learning? Engiileees! You rotten eggs! Yonder, comes the son of Valavanthaan.
He is a studious guy. Dei…Mariyappa….come here. How do you call your name in
English?”
“Vaccination”
“Keluthi meen?”
“Ai toppa”
After throwing away answers in
lightning speed, Mariayppan was standing, intently staring at them, shivering
with fear as to see what would unfold at his answers.
“He is born to a tiger. Isn’t he?
Ah…ah….ah…” Mariayappan’s father Neer Kathalinga Nadar gave out a loud
appreciative laughter at his son’s performance in English. Other fathers watching
it swung their palms across their sons’ back as much as they could exercise
their strength.
“You, fool, born to a fool! Why do
you have to learn English? You better herd the cattle. See Mariyappan,,,he is
also a boy like you. You only know how to catch the golden beetles in
Avarangadu. Don’t you? Or are you going to swing in the banyan tree?”
“Children of dupes. See how
Panjangam Aiyar’s son reads English! The same teacher teaches him too. Doesn’t
he?”
“One has to be seriously interested
in studies” Neer kathalinga Nadar laughed again. “How could they learn English
if they spend their time playing and swimming with buffaloes in Kanakkan pond?”
Some traders in the market
sitting on the carts pulled by mules, picked up whatever came on to their hands,
be it rope or sticks, and thrashed their boys mercilessly.
“Aiyaiyo….don’t tharash me….I will
never go out to catch Golden beetles anymore! Aiyaiyo….I will do better in
studies hereafter….Aiyo….Amma….I am dead….I am dead…”
Their mothers who were battling
with smoke from ovens, came running to them, received a couple of thrashes on
their bodies, and somehow managed pulling their wards out of their fathers’ merciless
hands.
***
A big white fish jumped out of water amidst the dance of waves. ‘Would the fishes sleep?’ He glanced at his left hand wrist. It showed 11.17. ‘Time to go to bed. While thoughts rule, it is still quite possible to have a stomach fill feast and good sleep. O! The handsome man who lured the queen! While thoughts rule, it is still quite possible to have a stomach fill feast and good sleep’.
***Chapter 32 Cryon ended***
Chapter 33: “Medan” will be posted
soon.
