Translated into English by Saravanan Karmegam.
The people of Tirunelveli district are not aware of where Vasavanpatti is. Even with an intense scrutiny of the district map, one would not be able to find its name in it. It is a tiny village worth less than the district map itself. There are plenty of Palmyra trees around the village. Even the district port road, which connected the symbol of imperialist advancement of petroleum, must have thought that this village was not worth its standard and hence took a detour around 1/2 mile away from the village. Walking from that road towards the east for a distance of one mile on a bullock cart track, fenced with the overgrowth of thorns of babul tree and aloe vera on both sides, would land you up in a grove of palmyra trees. Even if you go by any of the beaten foot tracks, you could reach the boundary of Vasavanpatti.
The sudden spectacular appearance of a bullock cart track running in between two short dilapidated walls at the end of Palmyra Grove is the indication that the village limit had started. Those two short dilapidated walls run around two “gardens” located on opposite sides. It is a place with an uncontrolled overgrowth of golden oleander, red oleander, and jasmine. In each ‘garden,’ there is a well.
Once going past this, there was an east-facing ornate temple, fully dilapidated with ruined walls and incomplete towers. The street that accommodated the house of the priest and a couple of houses with damaged roofs was the Aghraharam. It took a curve at the distance of twentieth feet, and after running through aloe vera and Portia trees, it became Pillaimar Street. The big house, thatched with flat tiles and tegular with an incline, was the house of the landlord, Nalla Kutralam Pillai. Following it, situated in the subsequent turns were the huts of Kanakku Muthaliyar, Ki. Mu. Sankaralingam Pillai, grocery shop owner Ottappidaram Pillai—Ottappidaram was his ancestral place—teacher Subbu Pillai, and Pillaiyar temple priest Venuvalinga Pandaram. On seeing their huts, one could easily understand that they were not leading a lavish life like the wards of the landlord. All were sustaining on farming the land of the landlord, either by paying rentals or taking them on lease. All those farmers were consanguine to each other in one way or the other. Once we crossed this street, which was full of coconut oil pungency, one could reach the open ground of the village. There stood a strong podium of village deity Sudalai Madan shining with the divine aura of an undisputed king of the forest, erected with cement blocks to the height of a tall tree. ‘He’ was wielding more respect among the people than the God Maha Vishnu, who had incarnated himself as an idol in that dilapidated temple. It appeared that Sudalaimadan was also aware of this. There found some five or six huts of ‘Maravars,’ and in some of the huts there, village watchmen and others were living. Passing those huts, was there a rain-fed lake—that is, a lake that was expecting rain for its water storage? On the right of its bank, on this side, is situated a slum of outcasts. Nearly thirty huts were there.
The veranda of the house built by landlord Pillai with casuarina wood blocks and thatch with palm leaves near the village open ground in Vellalar Street was located just opposite to Ottapidaram Pillai’s grocery shop. It was the place where all village gossips, idle talks, governance of ki.mu, and playing cards took place. Some coco mats, dirty pillows, and cement bunds were found scattered around here and there for the villagers sleeping on the casuarina wood veranda during summer and for some ‘big’ heads of the village taking casual rest. One could buy anything ranging from a ruler and cigarette to mast-wood oil from the Ottapidaram Pillai shop. During Shivrathri and charity given to Sudalai Madan, he would sell bundles of cards as well. He did business not only in grocery items but also had his hands in barter business in elementary school education materials such as pit multiplication and kindergarten books. Sometimes out of excessive enthusiasm, he would read out Madurai Veeran Story and Alliyarasani Malai with dramatic finesse to the ‘Maravars’ who used to assemble in front of his shop. On other occasions, if he happened to listen to some interesting anecdotes from the Casuarina veranda, he would actively engage himself in the discussion, sitting in his shop itself.
The summer season set in; the harvest also started. The beginning of harvest season meant that the fortunes of Ottapidaram Pillai and Isakki Nadar, who was running a toddy shop near the slum, would get rocketed. From five in the evening to ten at night, there would be a bustling assembly of people in front of Pillai’s shop.
The harvest season in Vasavanpatti began. It was evening, and the sun was about to set in. The accountant and Ki.Mu were sitting on the casuarina veranda. Ki.Mu. was busy collecting the taxes. Some government brown-colored papers, notebooks, a lengthy handbag, etc., were lying in front of him. At the edge of the Casuarina veranda, the village watchman Kattaiya Thevan was standing.
“Kattaiyaa, bring some lime. Areca nut is also not available. Go and bring all for a rupee,” accountant Theetharappa Mudhaliyar told him.
“Yes…bring everything he requires. On the way, drag that fellow, Vellaiyan, here. He remains like this always. We have to go to the concert early in the morning tomorrow. Do you remember that?” Ki.Mu Pillai kept on jotting down from the notes as he was instructing him.
At that time, with the dirt of crops still on his body, landlord Pillai came sweating profusely with an umbrella in his armpit, followed by a couple of ‘Maravar’ men who were listening to his talk very politely with their hands folded across their chest. He reposed himself on the casuarina veranda with a sigh of exhaustion.
“What is the matter, Annachi? Is your health alright?” Ki.Mu asked.
“Heck with the health. Leave it aside. Let us stop talking about this dead body. Eii…Andi…Go home and bring me the details of what they need.” He sent a person.
“What, Annachi! It seems that you have started harvesting from the house itself. Can’t you remain quiet for a while? You dead soul! Don’t you see I am talking to Annachi? Even the outcast imbeciles are also becoming more and more impudent these days!” Ottapidaram Pillai scolded an outcaste girl standing in front of him and continued his conversation with the landlord.
“Yes…Yes…Nothing as such is problematic except only one issue. I had gone to the court last Monday. Rice in the ships keeps coming load after load. Pettai Pillai told me. But how about this place? Even if you hit the land with your head, nothing comes out. Is it Maruthi standing there? “Eiii…stupid girl! Go to the cow shed and feed them some straw.” He ordered her and turned to Pillai, telling him, “If Andi comes, tell him that I have asked him to come to the ‘garden.’” He took a short route and left.
“Hey girl! I came to understand that your husband has owed some amount. Was the landlord angry about that? Wasn’t he? Whatever it may be, is it right to antagonise the rich people?” The shop owner started his conversation with Maruthi.
“Yes…master! My husband had borrowed some two hundred rupees from the landlord. If the rich and wealthy people of this village start troubling us like this, what else can we do, Master? We bought two bulls and a cart with that amount…Now those bulls too were taken away… Only Sudalai Madan can be of some help in this! If they pressurise us like this, where will we go for that amount? Master! Give me this much palm sugar and tobacco leaves. Let me go to the cowshed.” She was blabbering whatever she knew and walked towards the cowshed.
Actually, we can’t afford to assume that Maruthi’s husband had borrowed that amount from the landlord with the assurance of giving it back. He must have borrowed the money with an idea that he would use those two bulls till they became useless and would prostrate before the landlord begging him to relieve him of the debt from giving it in the form of cash. But his master did not seem to be a softhearted person to relieve him of the debts on seeing his fake salutations. Further, what else could he also do? There was an unending scarcity of money everywhere. It seemed that he wouldn’t be able to pay tax too. In order to avoid the government flag being planted in his land, he was slightly harsh (due to the fear of government) with the persons who were willing to pay but couldn’t. Finally those bulls became his property. That much only he could achieve. Following this, there was a big commotion in the outcast slum. Vellaiyan and his wife were yelling with grief. Vellaiyan was defiant. He was beaten.
The landlord just despised them, “Outcast fellows! Fake fellows!”. His mind was preoccupied with bitterness towards them as he thought they were not grateful to him despite the help he had been extending to them.
Vellaiyan did not return home for a long time.
The next morning, when the landlord went out of his house, he thought of having a look at his cow shed and entered there. Only those frail two bulls of Velaiyan were chewing up; they got up at the sound of a man’s presence. But those grey-colored bulls were not there. Immediately, he showed the shed to Ki.Mu and informed the matter to Village Watchmen Thevan, who was sleeping near the Casuarina veranda.
The village watchman, Thevan, had a strong suspicion of Vellaiyan. He went to his house to meet him. But he found only Maruthi at his house. She was frightened to see three persons simultaneously inquiring about the whereabouts of her husband. She told them a lie that her husband was staying at the home till then and he had just gone away.
The village watchman, Thevan, knew only one way to know whether she was telling the truth or not. All at once, he caught her hair, pulled it, pushed her down, and started kicking her. He found an enigmatic pleasure in kicking Maruthi.
In spite of her fervent appeals and crying, Village Watchman Thevan’s beating did not stop. Within a while, the entire slum assembled there. The news of the theft had also spread. Someone in the crowd said that Vellaiyan was found near the toddy shop for a long time in the night.
Then what could have happened next? All Maruthi’s noisy grouse did not leave any impact on others and went in vain. They had found Vellaiyan in Palmyra Grove in a drunken state. Will they leave him if they had decided to fix him anyway by sending persons in search of him even if he had not committed any theft? Very soon the case went to police, and Vellaiyan was put in prison.
As he went to the jail, the entire village was in a sort of celebratory mood. To talk endlessly and gossip tirelessly, the villagers had sufficient stuff in hand. Despite all his conceivable efforts, the landlord Pillai could not bring those two bulls back. But he was not ready to leave Vellaiyan just like that. He must at least go to jail for the cheating he had committed, he argued.
Only amidst all these commotions was Maruthi pregnant for two months. When she got married to Vellaiyan, she started her life with him happily anyway, as per the comforts available in the slum. If it was her destiny that their life would go for a toss when the newly married bridegroom Vellaiyan bought a cart and two bulls enthusiastically, what could she do about it? Of course, she loved him very much. Though they fought frequently after drinking toddy together, both of them commanded the love of their slum. It so happened that Vellayan was sent to jail, and Maruthi went to her father’s house. What landlord Pillai got was nothing other than abuses and uproars. However, he found a sort of happiness in Vellaiyan going to jail even though he did not get his money back.
What would she be getting other than just affection and support even if it was her own father’s home when there was scarcity of money everywhere and the lands had become dead dry? The condition would be worse when he was a poor outcast man. Wouldn’t it be? Only at that time did the government lay red earth on roads. Maruthi and her mother got some menial jobs. They had started having some money in their hands. There was no pressing worry for them other than the unjustifiable incarceration of Vellaiyan.
However, the district board was not a mad organisation that they would keep laying the red earth on roads for the rest of their life. Was it? The wheels of financial troubles started hovering around them again.
During that time, one agent who recruited labourers for tea estates came to the village. The job in the tea estate appeared as a final bliss of life for outcast people in the slum. It was said that one had to travel across the oceans and bring the wealth. For that, one can mortgage one’s freedom across the oceans. Can’t it be done? At least one could bring some volume of wealth at the end.
Maruthi and her mother set off on their journey along with the Kankani (tea estate superintendent).
Rishi Vishwamithra and Veda Viyasa undertook an expedition on hills for some reason. The reason for Mr. Stotart, I.C.S., going to the hills might be a different one. But if Mrs. Maruthi Ammal went to the hills, there must be a reason for it too. It is said that it is grossly indecent to scrutinize the previous stage of life of an ascetic. Similarly, we should not scrutinize Maruthi Ammal’s life in the mountains.
It was a very strong opinion of Sir Joseph Fidge Martin Crown, the present owner of Crown Tea Estate, that “Water Falls” was created by God in Sri Lanka just for the tea estate. The most interesting fact in this narrative was that Sir Joseph had never left his country even for a short period. His family doctor in Harley Street (where the famous doctors were living in London) had told him that the country, where English beef and English bacon were not cooked in front of his eyes, was actually not suitable for his body. So if anyone agreed to compensate for his discomforts caused by malaria and the heat of the sun with 200 pounds per year, he would give the estate administration into his hands.
Mr. Patrickson Smith, the one who was running the administration in “Water Falls,” now was a bachelor. He knew about two things beyond any doubt. One, what it meant to be a bachelor in the tea estates of Sri Lanka. Second, how one should behave with the Black men in the production process of tea. Moreover, he knew the language of Black coolies.
The Black men called the “Water Falls” as “Water Bridge.”. As it was located near a waterfall on the slopes of Sri Lankan mountains, it got its name. The estate was two miles long and three miles wide and spread across the slopes of the mountains on both sides of the waterfalls. The bungalow of the Englishman had been constructed on a path above the waterfalls. Just opposite to it, on the other side of the nameless wild jungle river, were the makeshift huts of the coolies, looking like hen coops. At some distance, there was a hospital and the Black officers’ residential area. They were exactly like Englishmen in all aspects of their character except their skin color. If anyone stayed there, they would inculcate only two types of characters. One, he would carry the characteristics of Black officers. Second, getting the people prepared to be imprisoned. There was a third character also. It was putting the full stop to one’s life.
Halted at Thattaparai, they boarded the ship. Till they reached the mountains, Maruthi and her mother were enthusiastic as if they were going to unearth a big treasure. Once they arrived at the “Water Falls,” its salubrious weather and makeshift huts given to them attracted them. They were given a wool to cover their head while plucking out tea leaves. Salary on hand once a week. Everything went well, and we were comfortable. The rancid odour present there was a bit more than in the Vasavanpatti slum. However, they became accustomed to it in a few days. Due to the severity of winter, they could get up from the bed only at seven in the morning. Then they would boil gruel, drink it, and leave for plucking out tender tea leaves with a basket on their back. They learned the art of plucking it from their neighbours. They were happy during the first couple of weeks. But they did not like the talks and behavior of female coolies working with them.
During the third week, the old lady got infected with mountain fever. She was visiting the hospital for medicines. Maruthi used to accompany her.
At one such instance, the store manager saw her in the hospital. As she was a ‘new item’ there, she couldn’t understand what he meant by ‘go, take a bath, and come.’. She could understand it as a customary practice of coolies only when it went out of her hands. The old lady was petrified at this fact as if her stomach was thunderstruck. While inquiring about it in the neighbourhood, she understood that it was a very ordinary event, and no one made any big fuss out of it. After that incident, she never looked in that direction. But the store manager was a full-fledged lecher and was totally addicted to this debauchery. Without any other avenues to escape, she had to yield to his advances. She was shedding tears thinking about Vellaiyan. Had Vellaiyan been here….?”
The days passed by. Maruthi gave birth to a baby. It was a girl baby. Once she came to know that it was a girl baby, Maruthi sank into uncontrollable despair. Once the baby became a grown-up, his condition would also be the same as hers. Wouldn’t it be?
Since the old lady was staying with her, she felt it was comfortable as the baby could be safe in her custody. What was the use of comforts in that malaria-infested region even if it was available? There must be an indomitable urge of living in every pulse of the soul. That baby girl had it.
If the tea plants started sprouting, it meant that the Malaria Angel became hungry. The water in the falls would also go dry. The workload would be more. The coolies would die like mosquitoes taking birth countlessly. Even if a tiger ate some of the coolies who had been living there for long, it would die of malaria. What could such a feeble body of the old lady do in front of such a powerful malaria? She died, leaving Maruthi and the child behind. The death of the old lady left Maruthi without any supportive strength and amplified the magnitude of her loneliness. That said, if she did not have any other means, she wouldn’t be able to do anything about the problem, however dreadful it might be.
The mercy of God had not gone that bad in her life. Even when her destiny snatched away her eyes, at least it provided a supportive stick to stand. The store manager must have come from the pedigree of Kannappa Nayanaar. He would submit the items to his favourite god only after he tasted it fully. Mr. Patrickson brought them for work as if he had brought them accidentally. The taste of Mr. Smith was not that bad.
Maruthi started her work as a gardener in his bungalow.
Two years passed like that.
Sir Redmond Crown, who established the prestige of the family line before the third generation of Sir Joseph Fidge Martin Crown, possessed the true British character with which the British established their empire. He used to trouble his father, who was working in an unknown bank as a clerk, boarded the ship with the name of Family Vagabond, earned name and fame in the Sri Lankan tea business, and married a lady from a rich British family of nobles.
Sir Joseph’s only daughter, Mrs. Matt Crown, had possessed all the character and courage of that third-generation family. As per the English custom, her beauty was something that made everyone besotted. There were no such naughty things that she missed at their place. Suddenly, she wanted to undertake a ‘round the world trip’ in an airplane. Then what? She had to alight in Sri Lanka on the tenth day due to some technical snag in the aeroplane engine.
A telegram flew to Mr. Patrickson. He picked up his motorcycle and went to Colombo immediately. The first two days, they were merrymaking in Colombo. He understood that Ms. Crown was a very fun-loving woman.
Being a woman who wished to have new experiences, Ms. Crown loved it all. Both of them set off on their journey to the tea garden.
There was a separate room arranged in the bungalow for her. Maruthi was appointed as her servant maid. Ms. Matt was not an ignorant lady. She knew how the so-called bachelors would treat the Black women in the gardens. Despite knowing this, she was enthusiastic to have friendship with that ‘rogue.’.
The western people opined that the tropical countries were the royal court of Kamadeva. Hence, there was no wonder when Mr. Smith and Ms. Matt Crown became lovers.
That time…
…..
After getting released from the jail, Vellaiyan did not go to his village directly. He straight away went to his father-in-law’s house. He was greatly disappointed to see Maruthi was not there. While coming from the jail itself, he was heartbroken. Only the thought of Maruthi was something that had made him remain intact.
He borrowed some amount from his father-in-law and left for the tea garden to meet Maruthi.
Just like his father-in-law, he too was thinking about Tea Estate, the place Maruthi had been destined to be, and left.
The only motor bus plying to Water Bridge would come there in the evening.
After getting down from the bus, he inquired of the passersby standing near him. With an inscrutable smile, they showed him the hut near the bungalow.
When he was walking straight towards the hut, a white man and his wife were laughing, walking in the dim light, hugging each other at the waist.
The thought of Maruthi engulfed his mind.
Reaching the hut, he knocked at the door. A feeble voice was heard from inside, “Who is that?”. A voice that was completely broken; Vellaiyan could not make it out.
“Is it Maruthi?” He opened the door. Maruthi was lying on a black woollen rug. The child was sleeping beside her.
A tin lamp was emitting smoke in the niche on the wall.
Vellaiyan was aghast. Maruthi was frightened as if it was a devil. Even if it was a devil, as she thought it could be her husband’s, she sat and asked him, “Is it Vellaiyan?”
“Yes…I am Vellaiyan.” He moved towards her to hold her hands. “Don’t touch me. Here you see the scars on my back.” She showed him her back and hands. Her body was full of bruises, the firangi bruises.
Vellaiyan felt as if he was beaten with a sledge on his chest.
“This is the custom here.”
Vellaiyan remained silent. “It is ok…Let us go out from here,” he told her. “I can’t come. Take this baby and go away from here,” she told.
When he thought it was his baby, he loved it. When it came to his mind that it was someone else’s baby, he became jealous.
“It is your baby,” she told.
“Promise?”
“Yes...promise.”
“The old lady died only last year.”
Vellaiyan did not reply.
Maruthi picked up a tin box from the ceiling. There were 200 rupees in five-rupee notes. It was given by the Englishman as and when she needed.
“It is my salary amount. Take care of the baby.” She stretched out the money to him.
They did not sleep that night.
Before they completed their conversation, it was dawn.
“Here she is…” she gave the baby to him. “Its name is also Vellachi.”
Till Vellaiyan’s head disappeared, one figure was standing on a boulder and kept watching him.
“Our village is in that direction. Is it not?” it kept telling, looking at the horizon.
A smile—a sigh!
…..
At Vasavanpatti, the landlord Pillai was sitting on the Casuarina Veranda, talking about ‘court’ affairs. It was getting dark. No one could see the person standing in front.
That time, a silhouette of a man came there and stood at the corner of the street.
“Who is that?”
“Sami…It is Vellaiyan…”
“When did you come? Be with good sense, you dead soul! What is in your hands?”
“Baby…Sami”
“Where is she…I mean Maruthi?”
“She is dead, Sami…Samee.”
“What else?”
“Your money…”
“It is okay…You bugger! Keep it with you. Have a life with the good senses.
‘Good senses!!’…
5
There were many incidents that happened ever since Vellaiyan arrived and left the Water Bridge. The tiny attachment that Maruthi had with this world had also left her and gone afar. Her thoughts were hovering around her baby frequently. She had given the baby the name Vellachi. The destiny had performed its role perfectly, at least in this matter. It had taken the baby to Vellaiyan.
Before the Englishman left along with his new English lover for England, the gift he gave to Maruthi was those Firangi wounds. Now it had started spreading faster.
Once the next Englishman came, he was mad after hygiene. Maruthi lost her status as a gardener and was thrown into the tea garden as a coolie again. But, unlike before, no big gods of the estate ever looked at her. She used to receive a lot of abuse instead. If she did not get them, it was her sheer luck.
The situation had so become that some of the coolies there had to give her toddy to her for her favour in return.
Sometimes, Maruthi thought of going back to her village. If she were to go there, she would have to stay only at her father’s house. Even though her mind was filled with a desire to stay with Velaiyan, her mind was not ripe enough, for no reason, to entertain that thought of going to him.
Within a short span of time she came there; all youthful appearance and her attractive appeal had withered away. Now she was not old Maruthi. Her cheerful talks and mirthful laughter in Vasavanpatti had all become just age-old stories.
The view of Vellaiyan carrying her child that morning had kept coming over mind very frequently. My child…my child…the thought of her child only dominated her mind. What could Vellachi be doing now? Could she have learnt how to read? -They were her only dreams.
Once such intense thoughts started to eat her up from inside like insects, what could her frail body do? Her death, when it occurred, must take place only in Vasavanpatti, she thought. This desire has gained momentum of late.
Maruthi developed a lot of sores in her legs and hands. Along with it, a sharp cough too. She took a lot of liquid medicines from the hospital but in vain. The doctor advised her on a medicine injection. That treatment was continued at the mercy of Kankani Subban. Apart from that, her neighbor Pechi also helped her in this.
Whatever her conditions might be, attendance at the tea garden to pluck the tea leaves should never stop. Kankani Subban was very strict in this matter. Kicking, beating, and expletives were just ordinary punishments. The cruelest punishment among them was imposing a fine and deducting it from the weekly wages.
That day, she was late for plucking the tender tea leaves as she had gone to the hospital. She put her basket on her back. Leaving aside the regular route taken by Kankani Subban during his routine visits, she wanted to move to some other area to escape his eyes. She went to the upper side of the garden and was plucking the tender leaves with fear. The tea plants were found fully grown and taller that side. She did not notice that Pechi, the one who helped her and Kankani Subban, was lying there. Their compromising position was nothing new there anyway.
But Subban saw her standing there. He thought that she was spying on him and got frightened as the matter could become worse if it reached the ears of his English master. It was just a basic instinct of an animal to pounce upon its enemy to save its life. Wasn’t it? Subban was also just an animal.
Subban pounced upon her, shouted at her, and started kicking her.
Maruthi got stunned for a second, wondering whether she had faced any demon. She stood like a stone.
Subban snatched away her basket, flipped it with the leaves on her head, and gave a kick on her chest. When he found that the leaves in the basket were mature leaves instead of tender ones, his side of justification got strengthened. He beat her up severely with the stick in his hand; he marched straight towards his office to impose a fine on her.
Pechi wanted to stop all these. But she was terribly afraid of Subban. Further, she was not ready to damage her relationship with Subban, who was good to her till then. She was hiding behind the bushes. Once he moved out of the place, she came to Maruthi.
Maruthi was lying there, totally unconscious. Pechi brought some water from the nearby stream and sprinkled it on her face and brought her consciousness back.
Once Maruthi became conscious, she released a cough. Three drops of blood fell along with it.
Arm supported, Maruthi was taken to her hut caringly.
6
From that day, Maruthi lost all her energy even to walk. Sometimes, due to the generosity of the disease, she became mentally unstable and talked to herself as if she were prattling playfully with a child. A glow would appear on her face that time, which was found in her early, happier marriage days.
If she became conscious once again, her face would carry the dull eyes and gloominess of a broken heart’s inability to do anything.
Pechi had an idea. She told Subban that a letter should be written to the village. A postcard was sent to Vellaiyan that he must arrive there treating that card as a telegram.
Within four days the card was sent; the new English master thought of reducing the head count of the coolies. Removing the persons with diseases by settling their dues was the focal point of his intention.
Marithi’s name was also added to the list.
When the news reached Maruthi, she became conscious. Whether it was the hope of going back to Vasavanpatti or anything else that gave her strength, she was able to move around a bit. But her weakness had not reduced much.
On Wednesday, a ticket for the ship and her final settlement of salary were handed over to her.
7
The severity of Friday afternoon’s heat indeed made Hitler look better. Marithi was limping along the embankment of the pond towards her slum. No one could identify who she was in her present appearance. A supportive stick in hand, two bundles on her head and waist—some four or five plantain fruits and two pairs of bangles—all for Vellachi.
The sounds of drums and other small drums from the slum fell on her ears and increased the speed of her walk. Turning at the corner, she would be able to find the village's plain ground. After that, at the corner was Vellaiyan’s hut. Yes…She reached the podium of Sudalai Madan.
With ostentatious drumbeats, a procession was moving in the midday twelve o'clock scorching sun. In front of it, a silambam showcase with drum beats, and next to it, a man and a woman sitting in a single horse-pulled chariot.
Maruthi went near and looked at it intently. Her eyes got dazzled. A person was sitting with flowers on his turf, sandal paste smeared on the chest, and an embroidered cap on his head. - It was Vellaiyan. How majestically he was sitting! She felt as if an intolerable burden had been removed from her heart. No one identified her.
Maruthi coughed forcefully due to the sharp cough that came suddenly at that time. She spat it out. Two drops of blood were there in the phlegm.
8
“Eii…You are useless! How much does this grass bundle cost?”
“Six anas sami...if you like, pick it up.”
“Tell me the single rate, one and all.”
“Only one rate…Six Anas… Where should I bring it?”
The person who was standing there was an official servant. He was an official servant of the Palayamkottai Sub Registrar. The one standing in front of him was Maruthi. She was trying to get the happiness in Palayamkottai, which she had dreamt of having in Vasavanpatti. The villagers in Vasavanpatti did not know when she had come there and when she had left. Since there was a hospital in Palayamkottai, she thought of going there to avail medical facilities and was hopeful of getting some menial employment there for her sustenance.
The money she got by selling grass during the day seemed sufficient for satiating her hunger. As said, due to the nature of Thamira Barani river water, it became evident that the severity of her disease, that was to say, the sores erupted on her skin, had gotten dry. Even though the glossiness of pus caused by syphilis and the black scars still remained on her body, Maruthi did not become that weak.
She agreed to bring grass to the sub-registrar’s house regularly. As she was doing this regularly and there was an assurance of getting the price on hand, she felt four anas were sufficient for her daily needs.
The needs of Maruthi did not increase, though. Due to this, she was able to save something out of that four anas.
Her craving to meet her baby had been getting more intense day by day. How to go there to meet her? That too, without the knowledge of Vellaiyan…”
“My child…my child”—this was her daily meditation.
As the registrar went to a nearby village, she had a respite from cutting grass for a couple of days. Why shouldn’t I try going to Vasavanpatti?” she thought.
She collected the two pairs of glass bangles she had bought for Vellachi from Colombo and left.
Till she started her journey, the question of how to meet Vellachi did not trouble her. But on the way, that question was bugging her mind. How to meet my child?’
Once she crossed the village, Marithi hugged the bundle and walked fast. On her way, she kept on dreaming about each minute about how tall she might be and how sweet her speech would be.
9
When Maruthi entered Vasavanpatti, it might have been 11 o'clock in the noon. She walked along the path outside the village where human activity was bare minimum. It must be her good time. Not even a single known person came in front of her.
She reached Vellaiyan’s house. There was not much of an outcast people's movement there. Were they Jamindars to sit at their house during daytime? Were they? Or else, didn't they have a stomach? Did they?
A dog was barking outside.
Suddenly, a sharp scream of a child was heard from the hut. Followed it, repeated sounds of beatings! Further, “You boob! You have flipped the porridge pot! Now what the heck will you drink? If your father comes, will he eat sand or what? Will he? Why didn’t you get lost along with that whore? You bloody dead soul…dead soul!” – Angry words of a woman were also heard.
Maruthi’s blood started boiling. She went inside forcefully. She scooped up the child, who was beaten, in her hands and gave a tight slap on the cheek to the lady who was beating the child.
Does anyone keep quiet if an unknown person enters the house unexpectedly and starts beating a person?
The fight started with all its beauty. They beat each other one after the other. Maruthi started bleeding in her chest and face.
As those two women were fighting with their high pitch of abuses, the child too started crying. All the women of the slum assembled there.
Half of them were in support of Maruthi. Some of them were in favour of Vellaiyan's second wife. Even now, no one could identify Maruthi. Maruthi too did not reveal to them who she was.
Would they witness silently if a woman entered a house unknown to her and beat the inmates? Would they? Maruthi received all the abuses and beatings of the slum. She was chased away. That evening, the child Vellachi was missing from the house.
Wouldn’t the child who had been frequently beaten and ill-treated on a daily basis agree to go with the person who brought her some roasted grams and eatables? Would it?
When Maruthi came to Palayamkottai, it was nine in the night. She was afraid that if she stayed at Palayamkottai for long, they would find her out.
She went to the railway station and slept there. She decided to go to a distant place—a place that was very far from the villagers.
Who could say that luck was not in her favour?
She met Kankani Subban at the railway station. He was looking opulent with silver waist wire and a white dhoti.
“Eii…Maruthi!....Where are you going?
Then what else next! She understood that Kankani was going to Water Bridge. He asked her to come along with him. She said ‘yes.’
“Who is this child?”
“My daughter”
“Why are you bringing this dead body?”
“Even if it dies, it must die with me.”
10
Fourteen years passed.
Maruthi, who went along with Kankani Subban, had spent all those years at Water Bridge itself. Now, the status of Maruthi was not that of a coolie in the tea garden. She was called as Subban’s wife. Was it wrong for her to ascribe herself a status as his wife after submitting her life to him for fourteen years?
Maruthi—now she was looking slightly fat and emaciated. Two teeth in front had fallen off. Her hair became grey on all sides in chunks. The coolies used to talk among themselves whether Maruthi had given Subban any medicine. Because, irrespective of Subban’s philandering ways of living, if anyone picked up any reference of Maruthi, he made their life hell.
Vellachi—she was the only one small lamp that had bound Maruthi to remain attached with this life. If someone spent fourteen years at Water Bridge, no one could expect that they would be chaste. She knew how to emphatically substantiate her points in all the matters related to that place. But all her talks were just an expression of playfulness. One could not find silence wherever she was. If the sounds and laughter were heard, one could easily infer that Vellachi was somewhere around there. Vellachii had become a fully grown-up girl. She was looking with all the physical attributes of Maruthi when she came to Vasavanpatti for the first time after her marriage. Maruthi wanted to get her married to a good prospective bridegroom. She was safeguarding her from roguish “Water Bridge Guys” as if she was “safeguarding dry fish” (Maruthi used to tell it like this). Vellachi did not wander uselessly without any task. She was also going to the tea garden and earned some amount for her. Of course there was no need for Vellachi’s money to run the family. But if she had saved all her wages…!
Subban was working as the chief kankani there now. As a result, he was getting some more wages. After spending it on Maruthi, Vellachi, and himself, the balance would be sufficient for all three to sit and drink. Subban was an experienced person, and he knew how to adjust with his superior officials.
That said, he had been a close confidant of the store manager for a very long time. He was above fifty now. Due to his behavior in Water Bridge, he had gotten affected by some diseases too. He would be sent off by the company with the gratuity in a year. But he wanted to appoint a person known to him at his place. In order to fulfill this task, he wanted to get his only daughter married to the son of his sister and had brought his sister’s son, Thamodharan, there.
During these developments, an order came from the owner of the company that a school should be established at the ‘Water Bridge.’
In response to this advertisement by the company, Rama Chandran sent his reply. The company also appointed him as the teacher of the school at “Water Bridge.”
When Rama Chandran was coming to “Water Bridge,” the daughter of Store Manager Maragatham was also traveling in the same bus to spend her school vacation at her home. Maragatham was a very beautiful girl.
11
The school was nothing but a small hut in the teak wood grove situated just opposite to the store manager’s bungalow. A table, a blackboard, a fibre cot of Rama Chandran just behind them, and some bunds in front of them for students to sit—all were arranged for that school. Wasn’t it enough for the children of coolies?
On the right side of the table, some four or five chairs were placed for the wards of tea estate officials.
The total count of the children would not go beyond twenty. Two daughters of the doctor, three boys of Tea Garden clerks—they would all be taught alphabets only thenceforth. Fifteen children of coolies. All were not above six years old.
Rama Chandran was mad at the profession of teaching. In addition to it, some nurtured ideals he had also got him as a troubled man. Otherwise, why should he leave a stable job he was to get with the recommendation of his father after completing his B.A. and come to this place?
Rama Chandran was a very handsome man.
He did not treat the children differently. Sometimes the children of the coolies used to provoke his anger with their stupid behavior. But in the evening, they never went back to their house without playing with their beloved ‘sir.’.
The children liked to listen to stories. That too, if their ‘sir’ narrated stories, they would sit without getting bothered about time.
Rama Chandran wanted to plant some ornamental flower shrubs in front of the school to give it an aesthetic look. Rose plants were aplenty in the forest region. Hence, there was no dearth of rose plants. Other varieties of saplings were available in plenty in the store manager’s house.
Only in this backdrop did Rama Chandran get an opportunity to develop a friendship with Maragatham.
12
Rama Chandran was watering the saplings planted in the pan. As the school was over, all the children had gone to their home. There was a silence everywhere.
His mind was delving into a thought again and again. Maragatham! He reminded him frequently that developing a close relationship with Maragtham was actually wrong. Apart from the innocent talk with children, he wanted to talk only to Maragatham.
Vellachi came there at that time.
“What is the matter?” he asked her. He had seen Vellachi earlier. But had not spoken to her.
“I want to study. That is why I have come here,” she told.
“You want to study? Then come here during the school timings.”
“I can’t come like a wench at that time. I feel shy. Why can’t I come at this time?”
“People might think about us differently. Won’t they? “Are you with me alone?”
“Who has that much guts to speak about me? Won’t I break their teeth?” Vellachi told him. Her facial expression and the restlessness found it brought a smile to Rama Chandran. Very courageous and immaculate character! He decided to teach her.
“Can we start now? Rama Chandran asked her. He did not expect that she would sit immediately.
He taught her the alphabet in order.
Half an hour passed.
“How long will it take to study like Maragtham Amma?”
“It seems your desire is so big,” Rama Chandran laughed.
“It is enough for today. You can come tomorrow,” he told her.
“Ok…” She got up.
Maragatham came there laughing, “Teacher Sir.”
She stopped at the entrance after seeing them both alone.
Rama Chandran laughed and invited her inside. She is my new student. She wants to study like you,” he told. The tenor of his voice removed the doubts Maragtham had.
“Vellachi is a very greedy girl. She is very naughty,” Maragatham told him.
“I am also going to get educated like you,” Velachi told as she ran out from there.
“Today my brother-in-law has come. Can you come to my home?”
“What is my role there? All this cooked food will be wasted,” Rama Chandran told.
“It is not an issue. If you need, I will prepare it tomorrow for you. Please come. Let us go,” she insisted.
“It won’t be looking good if I come when there are strangers. Anyway, I will be meeting them soon. Won’t I? I will come tomorrow.”
“Will you listen to me or won’t you?”
“If you are adamant like this!….”
“Then how should I be?”
“Ok…Let me draw a consensus for both of us. Now it is getting dark. So I will drop you halfway.”
“You are trying to justify that the rabbit you caught has only three legs.”
“No…it is three and a half. Because I am listening to you, half of what you said.”
“It is alright…You don’t have to listen to me. Get lost!” Maragatham went out angrily.
Rama Chandran called her and ran after her. He stood in front of her. He saw her eyes swollen with tears.
“How could you cry like this for such a silly thing? It is alright. I am coming with you.” He left along with her.
Halfway through, she asked him, “Do you know why my brother-in-law has come?”
“Why?”
“To marry me”
“O! I see! I am happy about it.”
They did not talk after that.
13
Vellachi’s study was in full swing. Now, she could reproduce vowels and consonants without seeing the book. She could also write with some difficulties.
Rama Chandran started feeling that he was falling in love with her. He found an inexplicable pleasure in her talk. Sometimes, he found that her heart was so pure, infused with the words of a seasoned old whore.
After her studies, she used to narrate the lives of coolies to him, mixing it with her opinions.
If you do something without anyone’s knowledge, it is not a sin anymore—this was how she argued.
Rama Chandran tried his best to change this view but could not succeed. However, after she came into close contact with him, Velachi had learnt to keep herself clean.
Maruthi did not like her daughter to be friendly with the teacher. Despite her repeated warnings, Vellachi did not heed her words. If she picked up any conversation about the teacher, Vellachi would become so furious and fight with her.
Actually, Maruthi wanted her daughter to get married to Chinnan, who was working as a stable keeper at the Englishman’s house.
Kankani Suban too agreed to this proposal. The matter was still at the discussion stage. It was understood that the stable keeper, Chinnan, too, wanted to marry her.
Velachi came late for her studies that evening.
Picking up the kindergarten lesson books in her hands, Rama Chandran asked her to come near, “Come, Vellachi… Sit on this chair. Why are you late today?”
Vellachi did not reply.
Nothing that Rama Chandran spoke went into her ears. She was heaving a big sigh.
“What Velachi... it seems you are not interested in studies today. We can do it tomorrow. Why are you looking weird? Any fight at home?”
“As instructed, I am not supposed to come here. Aren't I? And they want Chinnan to get married to me.”
“O! It is good anyway. I told you earlier. If not today, they will suggest this one day or the other. Listen to Maruthi.
“Shouldn’t I come here? Should I? I don’t like that Chinnan. Then, what should I do?”
“You must not worry about the turn of events. Just listen to Maruthi.
“No…I will keep coming here like this. They told me that they would stop me from coming here by telling this to the store manager. Why do these buggers have a problem with my studies?
Rama Chandran did not know how to explain her. Her stubbornness was akin to that of a child.
Rama Chandran felt that it was better to send her by convincing her somehow. But he didn’t like to chase her out in that manner.
He had an idea. A sort of stupid idea! Why shouldn’t he marry her? Her childlike behavior, her stubbornness, and a sprouting love from her heart—all attracted his attention. But she was an outcast! Will that be alright?
“Vellachi! Are you ready to marry me?”
Surprise, love, and overwhelming happiness all rose up like waves on her face.
“Why this marriage?” she looked up to him. Her love and, beyond that, the fear of obstacles existing between them were all found mixed up in her look.
Rama Chandren could understand what was going on in her mind. She was the type of girl who could mortgage any damn thing for him.
“Vellachi…I am not joking. I am asking it seriously. You marry me,” he told her.
She said, “Yes,” and came closer to him.
14
Even though the store manager was more than fifty years old, his mind and desires were still not diminished. All his escapades were executed without anyone’s knowledge. Chinna was his trustworthy confidant in all these.
The store manager was eyeing Vellachi for quite some time. Considering the present prosperity, one could easily say that Maruthi and Kankani Subban could not be taken for granted. Moreover, the whole of ‘Water Bridge’ knew about the character of Vellachi. But does the lust leave someone keeping quiet? Does it? The stable keeper, Chinnan, understood this matter. He had also been eyeing the post of kankani for a long time.
The garden was sprawling around about two and a half kilometres down the waterfalls. On the other side of the falls, the human activity was very rare. Once you crossed the boundary of the estate, there were “undestructed reserve forests” lying ahead. The stream that sprang out of the falls was flowing through the boulders over there.
The girls who used to wander about the area with Vellachi were paid some amount to coax her to come to that spot.
Those girls were the periodical beneficiaries of Chinnan’s courtship. They were also exalted to help him have Vellachi, who, till now, was not conquered by anyone. Everything went as per the plan. Chinnan came there along with the store manager. The girls, accompanied by her, silently slipped away from the spot, leaving her plucking the tender tea leaves.
What else is there to explain further about it? The stable keeper forcefully tied her up with the tree.
No one could hear her scream for help, and there was no one to extend help to Vellachi. As luck would have it at that time, Rama Chandran came to that spot accidentally.
At the distance itself, he could see the condition of Vellachi. At first look, he could not understand that it was Vellachi.
Once he came nearer, he understood it was Vellachi. At once, he pounced upon them both and started punching them.
Chinan was a rogue. Will he keep quiet when Rama Chandran beats him? He snatched away the stick from him and beat him in return furiously. Rama Chandran fell unconscious.
When he regained his consciousness, he could hear only the voice of Vellachi. He rose up slowly and untied her.
Vellachi hugged him and began sobbing. Sometimes she would scream with a thundering sound like indignant Goddess Kali.
Even when the pain was unbearable for Rama Chandran, he could go home only when someone was brave enough to take him there.
Both of them reached Maruthi’s hut.
The news about the incident descended like thunder on Maruthi.
She got further infuriated at knowing that the man she thought was her ‘would-be’ son-in-law was none other than the close accomplice of the store manager who had spoiled her life earlier. With the huge hue and cry, she ran to the store manager’s bungalow. Only at that time was he standing there outside after his meals. Maragatham and Thamodharan were standing beside him.
Running towards him, Maruthi threw expletives at him, “You scoundrel! You spoilt my life. Now you have spoilt the daughter’s life too.” She picked up a stone and threw it at him with brute force. It hit his temple and took away his life at once.
Thamodharan beat Maruthi up severely. She fell unconscious.
Maragatham fell on her father’s body and cried. The servants came and took the old man inside.
The news spread fast among other coolies of the slum. They came running with sticks and rods towards the Englishman’s bungalow.
They believed that Chinnan might be hiding somewhere there. The Englishman, who had just gotten up from his sleep, came down with the gun in his hands. The crowd seemed to be uncontrollable.
He went inside and summoned the Colombo Police through telephone. He fired a shot at the crowd. The crowd set ablaze the hut of Chinnan. But Chinnan was not a fool. Before the crowd reached there, he sneaked out somewhere.
The crowd of coolies, then, turned its attention towards the house of the store manager.
Rama Chandran got frightened more as the agitated crowd was making advances and protesting. He was worried about Maragatham and her housemates as the crowd might harm them.
He explained everything to Vellaichi. First, she did not agree to what he said. Later, just to gain his love, she agreed. Only after going there was it understood that the Englishman had already taken Maragatham and Thamodharan along with him to his bungalow.
Vellachi was standing guard to Maruthi. The crowd was coming towards their house.
Velaichi possessed a raw courage. “The old fellow is dead now. Now we don’t have to do anything more.”
Most of the persons in the crowd did not align with what Vellachi said. But the initial fury had subsided. All of them returned silently.
Maruthi became conscious, but still with blurred cognitive ability.
Rama Chandran explained everything to the Englishman. In these matters, the Englishman was an experienced chap.
As he understood that the officers of the company were at fault, he found no other way than to convince the crowd. He did not like his company’s name being dragged into newspaper columns.
In the morning, a platoon of police arrived there.
The Englishman was only responsible for settling the matter smoothly. He hushed up the murder skillfully. His only worry was that this matter should not be published in the newspapers.
Even now, Maruthi could not regain her cognitive ability. All three, Maruthi, Velachi, and Rama Chandran, left that place for somewhere unknown.
“Water Bridge” became calm again. It forgot itself in the process of tea production.
Maragatham was also not seen in ‘Water Bridge.’
It was understood that Thamodharan was working as a teacher somewhere near Nellur. As we saw Maragatham living with him, we had to assume that they were married. Everyone says so.
Translated from Tamil: Saravanan. K
Source: The collection of Puthumai Pithan short stories (புதுமைப்பித்தனின் சிறுகதைத் தொகுப்பு) by Veda Sagaya Kumar, Puthumai Pithan Pathippagam.
