Itipahan (Burly Lamp) Chapter - 22

By Sumithra RAHUBADDE

(Translated by Ranga Chandrarathne and edited by Indeewara Thilakarathne)

"I am a lamp burning on both ends

Known well that I cannot pass the night

Yet

See my friends

Foes

How powerful light

Burnt

To dispel the darkness"

Soome was pleased in her subconscious mind that Niyathapala happened to be a gigantic person. On the other hand, Soome realised that a household should have strength of having a male. She could now go on a journey, which she would go earlier with either Lal Malli or another person with Niyathapala. Everyone would turn back and look at them when black and, well-built Niyathapala walking with white skinned Soome. She now considered Niyathapala who had been excommunicated from his family because of their marriage, as her own relation.

"Soome shall we go to see a film? A superb picture has come to 'Empire' cinema," Niyathapala asked Soome in the morning.

"In this early morning?" Soome enquired accentuating her forehead.

"Let's go for ten-thirty show. Otherwise, we will have to watch two-thirty show. But we cannot depend on buses at that time," Niyathapala said as he got up from the bed.

"What is the film?" Soome asked with a disinterested tone.

"Abhiman", a superb film! Let's go?" Niyathapala got up from the bed holding the cup of tea that Duleena brought. Soome took the cup of tea brought by mother without showing any interest. Soome thought of sleeping over as she thought it was too early to get up.

"In Hindi films, boy and girl would dance around trees. There is a villain against the boy and ultimately the boy would win defeating the villain. I don't like to watch Hindi films." Soome did not like the idea of going to watch a movie. She thought that by watching a Hindi movie, she would only trap, for two or three hours, in a make believe a fairy tale-based world. She thought that there was more important work to be accomplished than to be trapped in such a world. People suffer. She was also not enjoying the comforts of life. The remainder of Niyathapala's salary deducting for that and this, would hardly cover the monthly expenses. Even after marriage, she could not salvage mother from slavery. She thought the answer lay only in a social change. She thought there was no point in watching Hindi movies in an uneven society.

"Soome, there are endless problems in the real world. Then should we go to cinema to watch the same? Even if it is a lie, we can be happy by watching a Hindi film. Let's go," Niyathapala invited again. Soome accepted the invitation, as she could not decline it.

There was a long queue for "Abhiman". Neither Soome nor Niyathapala intended to waste money on watching the movie in the balcony or in the O.D.C. Large portraits of Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bhadur, who were the actors of the film, were displayed in the cinema. There were a couple of women loitering around a huge Nuga tree in front of the cinema. Soome watched a middle-aged man discussing something with a girl with a ponytail wearing a white cut-worked blouse and blue-fleated skirt. They approached a Morris Minor taxi as if they had come to an agreement. The couple got into the taxi and were whisked away. The other women turned on to look at the fleeing woman.

All entered the hall, with the "trieen" sound. It took a long time to commence the film because of various advertisements displayed prior to the movie. Soome experienced a strange sense of feeling, seeing Amitabh Bachchan and Jay Bahadur dancing on the screen. Love was such a magnificent thing. It is as fascinating as a song. The birthplace of love is the inner mind. Fragrance of flowers, different fauna and flora, birds and their melodious tunes, are also parts of love. Even the breeze in the morning would bring fragrance of love to the heart. Soome looked at male lead actor's actions filled with jealousy of the fame of the female protagonist without even flickering her eyes. Soome thought could there be such a competition in love, affection and romance.

"How was the show?" Niyathapala who got into a bus enquired Soome.

That man was full of jealousy of the woman. People in these countries would not like women to come up in life. That man was jealous of his wife's fame," said Soome.

"How is Amitabh Bachchan's acting role and the songs? Marvellous, I feel watching it again just to listen to the songs," Niyathapala said. Thereafter, neither Soome nor Niyathapala did speak about the film. The bus moved passing the paddy fields. The male and female protagonists in "Abhiman" began to haunt in Soome's mind. Both of them got down at the gravel road. From a distance, Niyathapala saw the bus conductor Chulasoma was waiting for a bus bound for Colombo. Niyathapala guessed from the uniform Chulasoma was wearing, that he would be going to the depot to take up his roster. When Niyathapala and Soome closed in, Chulasoma tucked up his sarong and began to urinate. Infuriated Niyathapala stopped before Chulasoma. Chulasoma frowned at Niyathapala while urinating.

"Why?" Chulasoma asked Niyathapala.

"You devil, there is a decent way even in urinating. Which devil would tuck up the sarong to urinate when a woman walks in?" Niyathapala shouted out with red-eyes full of anger. Soome thought that Niyathapala would slap Chulasoma at any moment. Chulasoma began to laugh loudly.

"This woman would have seen hundreds of these things. You should not be perturbed." Chulasoma spoke in a sarcastic tone. That tone gave Niyathapala a sudden trance-like impulse. He leaped forward to hold Chulasoma by shoulders tightly.

"Say it again!"

"It is the same even if I tell it many times. Even in the army, you took this burden up. Which fool would take, up a burden like this? Your woman and her mother are the same. You don't know them, but theirs are registered jobs." Chulasome shouted out though his shoulders were tightened up in an iron grip. Niyathapala walked ahead in a calm manner. Soome who spat a mouthful of saliva saying "Thuu" near Chulasoma followed him. Soome thought that she had not seen Niyathapala in such an angry mood.

"Why did you get into an argument with that man? Should we bother whether he tucked up his sarong or not? You create problems for nothing," Soome said to Niyathapala who was walking ahead. Niyathapala walked as if he did not hear anything. Niyathapala did not talk to Soome even after they reached home.

"I will kill Chulasome," Niyathapala who did not sleep in the night told Soome.

"Then why did you let him go, after telling such a bad thing," Soome asked as if joking.

"Then are you telling me to commit a murder?" Niyathapala asked her like a hungry leopard.

"Then why did you say that you would kill him. You don't have to kill him but hit him once or twice. You could have broken a tooth. The man, who failed to do that, is now talking about killing. I know what is to be done if I had your body," Soome said in a high pitch. She had no fear of Duleena hearing what she said.

"Are you a wife? Was that something that a woman would tell a husband? You bitch; it is up to me to decide whether to break his bones or kill him. Is that the way a good woman address a husband?" shouted Niyathapala with a thundering kick to the bed.

"Would a good man let that fellow go, after abusing his wife? Give me your uniform to wear for a day. For I have a strong spine," said Soome sitting on the bed.

"What did you say?" asked Niyathapala getting up from the bed and dragging Soome towards him.

"Why! Are you going to hit me?" Soome asked shivering with anger. Duleena came into the room from the kitchen, as she could no longer bear it up.

"What really has happened to you? What are you quarrelling for?" asked Duleena looking at Soome who was shivering with anger. Niyathapala left Soome and turned to Duleena.

"You are as same as your daughter. Get out of here. If not I will cut you into pieces," Niyathapala thundered violently stamping his foot on the ground. Duleena looked at her daughter and son-in-law and went into the kitchen. She heard Soome scolding in a high pitch and Niyathapala retorting them. Duleena remembered that she had never quarrelled with Heen Appu in this manner. She thought it was not good for man and the woman at home to quarrel in such a manner over any matter. Soome could not shut up. Duleena could not understand why they were fighting over Chulasoma, the bus conductor. If the girl had a relationship, that was only with Sirinatha. That too was a friendship during their childhood. She knew that Soome did not even look at Chulasoma, the conductor. Sitting alone in the kitchen, she thought, therefore, what this matter over Chulasoma was?

In the early hours of morning, Niyathapala dressed up and set out. Soome did not get up. Though Duleena poured a cup of tea and left it on the table, Niyathapala went out ignoring it. Duleena took a deep sigh behind the curtain of reed, looking at departing Niyathapala. She looked at Niyathapala walking with downcast eyes, until he disappeared from her sight. Afterwards, Duleena approached the bed where Soome was sleeping. Duleena noticed that Soome was not sleeping though she pretended to be.

"Soome," murmured Duleena and patted on her head. Soome opened her eyes slightly and closed them eyes again.

"Why that child has got angry?" Duleena asked after stroking Soome's head for a while. Since Soome was silent for a little while, Duleena thought that she would not get a reply.

"That Chulasoma, the conductor yesterday made some unwarranted remarks. He said that mother and I are prostitutes." Soome said while still closing her eyes.

"That's not a new story? These stories started even before I came of age. I still hear these tales. It will be the same until I die. It will be same for you!" Duleena said wiping the watery nose with the border of the chintz cloth.

"I did not engage in any immoral acts. Thunder should strike on those who utter such tales," Soome said immediately. Duleena smiled like a person who could not afford to cry. She felt she had no strength even to respond to Soome.

"Now get up and wash your face. You should not respond to those tales. You should not fight with that child," said Duleena and went into the kitchen knowing that she had to go out to tap rubber. Duleena who got two pails, rubber tapping knife and took the cloth that was to cover the bust and up to her hand, set out.

Soome got out of the bed on hearing descending footsteps of mother who set out from the backyard. She thought that loneliness was better. Soome recalled with disgust, how the conductor Chulasoma's indecent act and how he abused her. Sadly, she thought that she hadn't intended to lead a good family life. She could not understand why Chulasome behaved in that manner and what she had done to offend him. Villagers would have been expecting to see her gradual destruction. They would have thought that she would be destroyed after the imprisonment. Villagers could not tolerate the life she led with Niyathapala even with hardships they underwent. She could not help drifting her mind to the past due to these incidents.

Niyathapala was furious because of Chulasoma's action and utterances. Soome thought that nothing could be expected from a person like Niyathapala and nothing would be expected even from her. Could she ignore Chulasoma's utterances? Did she get angry with Niyathapala for not delivering a blow to Chulasoma? Soome stepped onto the courtyard and looked at the plot of rubber which was engulfed with a wretched darkness. She who went to the bathing well through the courtyard, bent down to the skirt of the well and took some smooth sand and began to brush her two rows of teeth. She sat on the skirt of the well. She washed her face with one hand, while the other placed on her hip. Soome looked at a water snake swam to the surface and reached the skirt of the well.

"Why Soome, have you thought of jumping into the well?" Soome got up suddenly on hearing Sugathapala's voice.

"Why should I jump into the well? If you like, Sugathapala can jump into the well?" Soome got out of the skirt of the well.

"Now, if I jump, it I would be one and half, so you, should not jump at all," Sugathapala said looking straight at Soome's stomach. Soome frowned at Sugathapala and he smiled as if he had totally ignored it.

Soome thought that it was a very sarcastic smile.

"Why are you so thick? Since we are also people who eat and drink well, we also think of eating and drinking. All the villagers treat your mother well. We will also treat you in the same way," Sugathapala approached Soome and she quivered.

"Sugathapala if you touch me, I will kill you. Don't touch me," shouted Soome. She stood up with a stone in her hand before Sugathapala.

"You are proud only before us," said Sugathapala and went away. She sat on the skirt of the well and grieved of her femininity. She felt a lump in her throat and fears oozed. She recalled that she had not had such a pain even when she was imprisoned. Soome recalled Kumatheris uncle who surrendered mother throughout her life and other group, including Kandegedara Mahattaya who forcibly tried to rob mother's femininity. Was not this group including Sugathapala and Chulasoma, now trying to rob her femininity as well? Mother faced that destiny as an uneducated woman. Soome thought despite her good education unlike her mother, was it not the same destiny?

Footnote

Nuga tree - A huge tree