Relationship
Relationship
With a big sound, the eighteenth stone fell on the roof of Grandma’s house. Grandma was reading Suprapatham and could not get up. Now, after so many stones fell, Grandma could not bear it. Grandma closed her book and went straight to the Naval tree in the courtyard.
Grandma knew that the stones thrown by the kids at Naval tree fell on the roof.
“Who is throwing stones,” she snapped.
The kids, who knew Grandma’s character, saw Grandma and sang a song and ran away. Grandma was furious.
“Look at their mischievous nature at this age. They will not be good kids. I also raised six children at that time. I have never seen such scoundrels like these children. Children should be raised properly.” She roared.
“Grandma, what do you scold for?” asked Sivagami, the neighbor.
“Sivagami! Look at the work the scoundrels are doing on this hill. They are throwing stones and breaking tiles.”
“Grandma, do you scold the kids today on Friday after reading the Suprabhatam?” she said. “You came to teach me wisdom. It wasn’t your house tile that broke. It was my house tile, then of course you will talk.” She snapped.
Grandma Kamakshi must be sixty years old. Her husband is a Malaysian pensioner. He left this old lady ten years ago. She has six children. The middle son and four have emigrated. Only the eldest daughter is a teacher in Savakachcheri. She has invited Grandma to come with her many times. But Grandma did not agree. She left her alone, saying that she would do as she pleased. She would come to her mother only occasionally, for the grandchildren.
Grandma’s house was a typical house of that time. Grandma lives alone. Those who came to work there were also afraid of her. If they plucked a coconut for ten rupees per tree, she would only give them seven rupees. The only one who was in harmony with Grandma was Annapillai. Because nothing had ever happened in that village without Annapillai knowing. Whatever the matter was, only Annaipillai would know later.
“Annapillai, I asked you to come at seven o’clock. Tell me what time it is now?!”
“I did not think of the time since I was talking to my sister Bhuvanes,” Annapillai said, smiling with her amber teeth.
“What?”
Your front house… that’s where Manik and Somasundaram´s families are all going to Canada.”
“What about it?”
“Those houses were taken by the movement. At first, there was talk of only six people staying there. Now, this is a good and comfortable place. They’re going to bring the movement’s bombs and put them in,” said Annapillai.
Grandma felt a pang in her heart.
“Hmm… If they knew that they’re here, they’ll come and destroy everything with bombs.”
“You’re going to stay here?”
”Why are you thinking of driving me away and destroying this house too” If Grandma starts talking, she won’t stop now.
Changing the subject
“You know something? Someone from a caste has run away from Balasingham. Has run away with the poor boy. The world has become very corrupt.”
“Why do you care who runs with whom? I’ll put all the leaves that I soaked yesterday in the well.” Grandma said as if she made tea.
Two weeks had passed. One morning, Grandma heard some vehicles stopping in front of Grandma’s house and said, “Hey Annapillai, there are some vehicles outside. Take a look.”
“What’s the matter, you’re standing there stunned.”
“The fighters have arrived.”
“Then tell us that we’ve had a bad time.”
“Mom… Mom,” Grandma said,” Who is it?”
“What?” Grandma said a little too loudly.
“Can we borrow your tool?”
“I have nothing,” Grandma said.
The fighter went away smiling.
“Look at her! In my time, in those days, if we girls went out, we would have been with our fathers. These girsl on a bicycle of this age. They are not acting like girls”
“She is a pretty girl, Grandma. She would like pretty with a sari.”
“Let it go and go and buy some oil.” Grandma said.
It was March. It was raining. Grandma, who had locked all the doors and came forward, was shocked when she saw two fighters in uniform walking down the front street.
The incident that had made Grandma’s life a storm came into her mind.
March 1988. Night. It was still raining that day. Grandma’s last son, Aravinthan, had written his final year medical school exam and was waiting for the results. A little distance from Grandma’s house, a gunshot was heard.
“They are burning someone. Aravinthan, turn off the lamp and go to bed,” She said, turning it off and leaving it there.
After a while, Grandma heard a loud knock on the door and asked in fear, “Who is it?”
“Mother, please open the door,” she heard someone’s voice calling out in fear. Grandma slowly opened the door and looked. A young man entered with blood dripping from his hand.
“Mother, look for the door and close it,” he said.
Grandma felt sorry for the young man. “Come in,” she said, and took him into the kitchen, leaving him behind, and called her son, “Aravinth, come.” Aravinth applied the medicine he had to the young man’s wound.
“Mother, thank you. Now the noise has subsided. I´ll go, if not you will be in danger. I will leave.” The young man got ready to leave.
“Be care.” Said Aravinth.
“Oh, brother.”
That night, early morning. A group of traitors entered Grandma’s house.
“What do you want?” said Grandma nervously. “Your son is studying to be a doctor. We need him for a wounded friend.”
They called Aravinthan, “We’ll bring him back.” They said and took him away. Grandma was not at ease. She called Sivagami, who was next door, to help her. After a while, Grandma heard gunfire and began to sweat profusely.
The next morning, Aravinthan was found lying on the bank of the pond with his face disfigured and his skull cracked.
Now, “Have you been to the temple?” the fighter asked.
“Why, don’t you know?” Grandma rushed towards the house.
The next day, Grandma was on her way to the temple when she slipped and fell on the road. Then the fighter and some others who had come from the temple brought Grandma home.
“Have you pain?” asked a fighter.
“What is your name?”
“Bhavani.”
“Which place?”
“Mattacalappu.”
“My child, I´ll ask you something. What kind of child are you? What kind of life is this? Your are girl. Get married and have a good life.”
“Mother, you are from that time. So, you think that getting married and having children is life. We are not a burden to society. The struggle is about the liberation of a country. Only when all slavery is cut off, will it be complete freedom. This is the task of the time. Now, we can stand up to men in all fields,” said Bhavani.
“Because you started some kind of struggle, I lost my precious baby, whom I raised in a big way.”
“Who?”
Showing her son’s picture, the grandmother told the whole story.
“They shot your son for helping the fighter. But they killed my father, mother, and brothers, who were innocent right in front of my eyes. After seeing this, how should I get married and have children. There are so many sufferings in the country. If we want to live in peace, we need land. That’s why we are fighting without any caste, religion, or gender discrimination,” she said.
“You’re right, girl.”
“If you need any help, just ask us, Grandma.” Bhavani said and laughed.
Days passed.
One day, Bhavani called out, “Grandma.” and entered.
“What, Bhavani?”
“I’m going somewhere else tomorrow. I won’t have time tomorrow. That’s why I came to talk to you today.”
“Going tomorrow? Where?”
“For the fight! I need help from you.” she said.
“What, Bhavani?”
“If I die in this fight! From now on, treat the fighters who come here with love, just like you treated us.”
“Bhavani, I am not the person as before. Whether you say it or not, I will treat the fighters with kindness.” She said.
“Thank you, Amma.” she said.
“Take care, dear!”
The next morning, Grandma started praying to her Gods for Bhavani and the other fighters.
When the vehicle in which Bhavani’s group had set off was driving, Bhanavi clearly heard Grandma at the temple near the road saying Bhavani´s horoscope star to the Iyer.
– Sudumalai Ni. Akilan
– Aipsam Aippasi 1995.
– Compiled by: Tamilarasan Abdulkadhar
(Translation by Tamilpriya)
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