Reviews

Vulnerability-the winning stake

by Aditha Dissanayake

"He has not hidden anything from the reader. It is this openness that makes the story so cherishable" says Prof. Walter Marasinghe in his preface to Dr. Basil Mihiripenna's "The Princess Unborn" (Sugandhika Kumari).

Though his bold assertion, "the book will steal the hearts of every reader", is a point to be debated, here is a novel which will no doubt be of interest to anybody who cares to know about a youthful tryst between the author, a renown maestro in dancing, and an Indian Princess in the middle of the last century, in Kerala, India.

The book begins with the adventures of the writer at Piliyandala Maha Vidyalaya, where he plays the role of King Rama when the school stages the Ramayana. He sees the role as his baptism through fire after which he cultivates a terrible phobia for women.

This fear that the evil-eye is on him, follows with him to India where he is further tormented by the suspicion that a beggar woman casts a spell on him. The "spell" appears in the form of a modern-day princess called Sugandika, a law student studying in England, but who is home for a short break and is given lessons in dancing by the author.

His life as a student, having a bath at the Khovil long before the sun rises, breakfasting on porridge and practising the intricate movements of Katha Kali throughout the day, changes as he begins to move among kings, queens and princesses. During one memorable meeting she asks him "What do you like most? A palace, or a beggar's hut?" to which he replies "I like flowers".

"Isn't it sad to part from your loved ones" she asks him when she realizes he is about to leave her and India, altogether. "Meeting loved ones is also sad" he reminds her. And, at the end of his studies, when it is time to leave, does so with an iron will - breaking away from the Princess, who is so obviously in love with him, to begin life anew as a teacher with a monthly salary of Rs. 150/- at Malayadeva Boy's College, Kurunegala.

Leading a life of paradoxes, hunting in the forests, observing sil on Poya days, he manages to come to terms with the grief of the separation till, in 1956, he returns once more to India to meet his Princess and enter into betrothal. What ensues has echoes of Ophelia's death in Hamlet in an essentially Indian setting.

Perhaps because the story is based on excerpts from a diary maintained by the author, while in India, the portrayal of the Princess, as a girl with a simple heart, a girl who can laugh, just as easily as she can cry, is remarkably realistic even in the fairy-tale setting of huge mansions and good living, equipped with all the impediments that go with royalty, including, even, royal messengers.

Having already dazzled us with his dancing prowess on stage, as a writer, in the "The Princess Unborn", through the memories of laughter and tears, through the days when he had looked as unconventional as possible in his appearance with his hair falling onto his shoulders, making his friends compare him with Lord Krishna, Dr. Basil Mihiripenna wins us, with his vulnerability. Both are equally enticing.

*****

Of long stories and riddles... Certainly better than daffodils

The Cross
Connections and Other Stories
Author - Kamani Jayasekera
Publisher - S. Godage and Brothers
Price - Rs. 300/-

The moment I read the title "The Cross Connections and Other Stories" by Kamani Jayasekera, I thought, if I had written this book I would have simply called it "Cross Connections". But then, I didn't write the book, and I am glad I didn't because I would never have managed to contrive the kind of stories Kamani contrives in this slim volume of fifteen stories.

And 'contrive" is surely the best word to use, because they are, as she insists in the Preface, strictly fiction - "Dear Reader, please do not believe that all the experiences in the stories are out of my personal diary. If it was really so my life would have been rich and spicy indeed." writes Kamani.

Considering paragraphs like the following extract from the story titled "The Socialite", one realizes why Kamani insists that the stories are not from her "personal diary" - "It was an ideal marriage if not for the thing that they never discussed.

How could they even refer to the utter humiliation that he experienced? She felt dejected and rejected and hurt when she felt his dead weight on her after the futile struggle.

He felt frustrated and angry at the humiliation... that threatened the very foundations of his ego. Each time he vowed to himself "never again". It was better not to try at all than try and fail again. He tried to console himself that it was only with her that he failed. But deep in his mind he knew it was not".

As with her three other collections of short stories 'The Balloon Factory', A Dog's Life and 'A Gambler's Game' so in the Cross Connections too, Kamani holds the attention of the reader from the opening sentence to the last word - or rather to the lack of a last word as in the last story, "Tsunami" which ends "The media offered to run the advertisements for finding missing persons free of charge..." The most intriguing is surely the one called "Songs Unsung", in which the protagonist finds fulfilment in an ideal relationship - "He was tall, lean, fair and had a careless manner, dressed in simple faded denims (not the expensive sort) a colour- less t-shirt and worn out sandals.

He had wavy hair that almost covered the thick glasses... Exactly when he had started to pay special attention to her, she could not remember... Life with him proved to be easy as she had expected. It was the freedom she most cherished. The freedom to eat, drink and make love any time they felt like it..." Whether this dream-like situation continues or turns into a nightmare is best left to be found out.

All fifteen stories are very short and ironically the shortest is called "A Long Story". Here is how it goes "He looks straight into (her) eyes..."Did you?" (she) asks... "Yes, I did" There is no hesitation. "Do you?" (She) asks almost in a whisper. (She) had to know.

"Still?" He nods his head slowly, and affirms..."Yes I do" another statement. "Would you?" now (she's) desperate. "Who knows?" he answers. (She is) at a loss". So am I. Is she asking him if he has slept with someone else? If he is still sleeping with her? Who is "he" in the first place? Her husband? Her lover? I wonder if even the Sphinx could unravel this mystery. Here is surely a story one wishes should have been a bit longer.

One or two words more and the riddle would easily have been solved. Or could it be that Kamani had no intention to let the reader know what she is talking about?

This story, together with others like "In-dependence", fulfil her intention of making "someone, who may, (to) stop, think and consider". All in all, though short, Kamani's stories provide a breathless read and leave an indelible mark on the mind and are great to be recalled in tranquillity - definetly better than daffodils.