Translated into English by Saravanan Karmegam
***
Chapter 35: Dilton
Pandian was reading a torn, totally worn-out book. The birds perching on the branches of a gambier tree standing tall near the window were chirping. The mutters of some inaudible song sung by the Javanese domestic help and the clatter of utensils he was washing floated through the air from the backyard of the house. Pandian was going through the book flipping its pages.
‘Babur, who established the Moghul Empire in India never celebrated Ramjan festival twice in any place but at the same time, he did never miss celebrating Ramjan. He had swum across almost all the rivers that fell on his way including the mighty River Ganga. As he was always completely immersed in some activities, he had never been mentally troubled.’
His left hand stroked his forehead. ‘I have to keep myself going, fulfilling all my duties as best as I can. If I keep myself busy with work, I will never fall into the trap of confusion. What one must do and what one mustn’t. Whether to listen to one’s heart or abide by the rules designed by the learned men. Learned men? Who are those learned men? The ones who are accepted as learned by the people of this world! Who are those people of this world? Are they those who are known as knowledgeable? How to identify those knowledgeable? With the help of guidelines designed by the learned men of earlier generations?’…
He heard the sound of a jeep creaking in, and knocking at the door.
“Please come in” – he sat straight.
A well-built Dutch youth in full military attire, with sparkling blue eyes entered.
“I guess you are Mr Pandian. Aren’t you?” he asked.
“Yeah, I am Pandian”. Pandian rose from his seat.
“I am Dilton, Major Yohan Kaiser, from security Services. I am extremely happy to meet you”
They shook their hands.
Pandian called out to the servant and asked him to bring tea. They sat facing each other.
“First of all, I would like to explain my visit. It is my personal visit. This visit doesn’t have anything to with my official rank. Do you know lawyer Dilton?”
“Yes, I know him. But not closely.”
“When he was a prisoner of war, you extended a great help to him even by risking your own life. I have come here to convey my thanks as he desired”
“Help! When? I couldn’t get you”
“In Arnemia river front. When the Dutch prisoners were digging sand”
“O! I remember! ‘Risking my life’ and ‘great help’ are more of an exaggeration. It had a tacit permission of a Japanese officer as well. Is he related to you? Where is he now?”
“My father is no more. Within days he got released from prison, he was already on death bed”
“My deepest condolences. He was a very good man. Friend of Tamils. I have heard that he was one of those Dutchmen who extended their support to the demand of Indonesians for self-rule”
Pandian’s eyes were fixed on a portrait of Toba Lake-“An Ocean of fresh water” hanging on the wall opposite. The Dutch major was smoking his cigarette glancing at the back of his left-hand fingers.
“My father insisted me many times to meet you and extend all possible help that you may need. I wrote a letter to Singapore as I learnt that you had joined the Indian National Army. Meanwhile, I paid a visit to Borneo too. It is today morning I came to know that you are here.”
“I haven’t met you in Medan city? Have I?”
“When the war started I was studying in Holland. Once the Nazi troops entered, I escaped to Britain and joined the army.”
“I hope your mother is fine. On the occasion of one new-year day, I paid a visit to your house to greet you all on behalf of our company”
“He died in the prisoner camp in nineteen forty-two”
“I am sorry. I am extremely sorry. War is cruel.”
“I am now more experienced in wars”
“I am also experienced a little”
“Pandaiyaan, I am ready to extend all possible help that may not stand my way to tarnish my duty. It is an order of my father on his death bed.”
“Thank you”
“That said, can we talk a bit freely? I know about your adventures in Malaya. The British Intelligence of the 14thBrigade has informed me this”
“Is it true? Am I that big of a shot?”
“Leave it. I want youngsters like you to have a better understanding of the complicated problems Indonesia is facing now”
“It is my humble opinion that there is no complication in this. The question now we face is not what is good for Indonesians. What do they expect? Within days of their freedom, there is a possibility of internecine rivalry among them and they may die slitting each other’s throats. But it is a different issue altogether”
“It is very difficult to preach the children crying for knives. Right?”
“Yes. I am trained in history. You have brought thousands of islands unrelated to each other together and united many races speaking different languages under a banner of one nation. I am fully aware that the wealth, peace and ruling class with no corruption which one couldn’t find in the Independent China were present in this land. But you did ensure that Indonesians were left without any rights in administration. The impetuous mass would only understand the fact found in the second half of the story”
“The impetuous mass isn’t bothered to distinguish good and bad either”
“The question is about what they like and what they don’t like”.
The boy brought them tea and they drank it.
“I believe that the Indonesians and Dutch can live amiably as brothers forgetting their bitter past”
“I don’t believe in what you believe”
Both remained silent for a while. Dilton’s right hand was stroking gently over the table-cloth.
“It is your experience with the British rule that makes you speak like this. The British were not permanent residents of your country. So, they were least bothered about the welfare of India. Here the situation is totally different. Even before the war broke out, there had been nearly two and a half lakh Dutchmen living in Indonesia as its permanent residents. Most of them were born here as its citizens.”
“You consider the Dutchmen residing in Indonesia is a good thing. But Indonesians think differently”
“Sorry to interrupt. Let me tell you something about me. My grandfather went to Medan and settled there. My father and I were born in Indonesia. If then, which is my motherland? Indonesia or Holland?”
“Nationalism is something born out of one’s emotional bonds. Distinguishing languages, races and other differences is the main agenda of it”
“Then what is my duty as an Indonesian whose parentage is found in Dutch lineage?”
“Follow what your heart says”
“My heart yells out to crush the militant Republicans of Indonesia and fly the Dutch flag high everywhere”
“Haven’t I told you that nationalism is born through one’s emotional bonds? Everyone is expected to perform their duty according to the best judgment of their heart. Nothing more than that.”
“So, for every action, we do need an anchor called the judgment of heart. Right?”
“It is just a protective cover not to permit heart hurting oneself”
“With that protection, we can do any damn thing- killing, burning, pillaging. Right?”
“Amen”
Dilton laughed. The layer of suspicion built in him a while ago had now disappeared. As broad-minded young men who gave damn to the differences of race, language and religions, both were calmly smoking cigarettes with an air of possessing gumption to face any situation.
“I have one more thing to say. Sooner I came to Indonesia, I had two important tasks in hand to complete. First, to meet you and extend my thanks. Second, it is to trace out the Japanese man to avenge his killing of my sister”
“Didn’t your sister board the ship?”
“She was with her husband in Brandon. Due to some unexpected accident, she missed the ship. Have you heard of a Japanese army Major Sadavo Yamasaki? He was in Rangoon earlier. He came with his troops in 1942 to Medan city and stayed there for some time.”
“You have anything to do with Yamasaki?”
“He’s the one who killed my sister. I understand that Medan was his last leg. I don’t know what happened to him after that. I couldn’t find any traces of him.”
Pandian was sitting opposite to Dilton, staring at him in singular sharpness. Both of their eyes met and Dilton’s flow got disturbed. ‘Why? Why this look?’
‘He is dead”
“Who?”
“Japanese army Major Sadavo Yamasaki”
“What? Is it true? How do you know it?”
“I killed him”
“What? What?” Dilton rose from his seat instinctively, looked at Pandian intently and asked, “Where? How did you do it?”
“Near Medan city, at Kota Raja Road”
“Why did you kill him?”
“Order from the top”
“Sorry to interrupt you. His death, you killed him- are they true?”
“Yes. We followed him from Singapore. He was staying in your house. I thought of finishing him off there but failed. I had to change my plan. Please sit down”
“Then?” Dilton sat on the edge of the chair bending his torso forward.
“We intercepted his car on his way to Sabang as we were aware of his time of departure”
“Sorry once again. May I know the reason behind his murder?”
“Order from the top?”
“Pandaiyaan, how am I going to repay this debt?” he rose from the chair extending his right hand to Pandian. “My heartiest thanks. Do accept my thanks on behalf of Dilton’s family.”
“Please don’t exaggerate it. It is just an ordinary wartime damage. Innumerable journeys…countless deaths in between”
“Yeah….so many. I thank you once again. My heartiest thanks.”
They shook their hands and stood in silence for seconds.
“I am always ready to help you in all possible ways without tarnishing my duty. I get late. Bye.”
“Bye”
“Will meet soon”
“Sure…we’ll”
***Chapter 35: “Dilton” ended***
Chapter 36: “Thangaiah” will be posted soon.
