Itipahan (Burly Lamp) Chapter - 23

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"

Niyathapala looked at Soome with a feeling of love. He felt that he was no longer alone as the son given birth to carried his own blood. Soome, who had not slept and was tired after labouring the child, had a pale face. Her strength seemed to have waned while the child was in a deep sleep. Though Niyathapala wanted to hug the child, he suppressed his urge thinking that he might drop the child. Niyathapala saw Duleena looking at the grandson with great affection. Niyathapala could not distinguish whether it was tiredness in Soome's smiling eyes. Her eye balls had stopped like those of a blind person.

"Son is fast asleep," Niyathapala said as he thought that he wanted to say something about the son. Soome look at the child indifferently.

"I brought Soome a Thambun Hodda," said Duleena taking out a parcel of rice and curry and a bottle of Thambun Hodi packed in a basket that Nanawathi Hamine had lent her.

"Did you bring eau-de-cologne powder for the child?" Soome asked Niyathapala as Duleena poured Thambun Hodda into a cup.

"I shall bring. What else do you need? Don't be afraid I have brought money," said Niyathapala and asked, "Do you also need soap?" Soome nodded her head in approval.

Duleena offered Soome a fresh cup of Hodi whilst Soome was looking at Niyatahapala who was walking out happily.

The ward was filled with various other kith and kin who gathered to see their new born babies. Heartfelt laughter of both nurses and workers was heard from the nurses' room. Soome's eyes were filled with tears, seeing the manner in which Duleena took her grandson onto her lap affectionately. Soome was tired of inhaling various odours smell of medicine, stench of urine and other odours.

"When there is a smell of milk in a house, then prosperity comes to that house," Duleena who approached Soome said.

"I don't know, he is the only one who is employed. I don't know how to bear the expenses in future?" said Soome, and sighed as she glanced at the child. Soome saw Duleena's smile retaining in her face. Soome turned her eyes towards the far corner of the ward as if she wanted to know the crying woman who was undergoing labour pains.

"Now most of them don't bear children. They go for surgery and get babies. Is that a way of giving birth to children? When a child is delivered through surgery, mother would not have a feeling for the child", Soome thought of those words uttered by a strongly-built man in a bus one day, when she was travelling from village to the University. Though she gave birth to the child undergoing labour pains, she got angry still, thinking of that man's remarks. It is only a mother who knows the hardships undergone from the conception to the delivery. She thought that no one should make belittling remarks to make mother's pain and suffering.

Albert's Morris Minor car which was parked in front of the hospital reached the hospital's portico releasing fume. Niyathapala alighted from the vehicle. He opened the door for Duleena to get in carrying a carefully cuddled child. Duleena got into the car with bent head. The child started crying. Soome also got into the vehicle with a down-cast head carrying an umbrella.

"Then, Albert Aiyya, let's go," said Niyathapala who sat in the front as he closed the door with a bang. The accelerated Morris Minor leaped forward and continued, assuming its usual speed. As the child began to cry loudly, Duleena offered the child to Soome who had opened the eyes again. Duleena saw that the child was searching for the nipples as soon as it came onto Soome's hands with accentuated mouth.

"Child is hungry! Puthe, give a little bit of milk," Duleena said. Soome got the child closer to her breast. Since the glasses of the car which ran forward braving the potholes on the road, could not be lowered, drops of sweat oozed from Soome's forehead.

From time to time, Duleena looked at the child. She still could not make out who the child was like. But the hands, legs and nails of the child were like those of Niyathapala's. Duleena reflected that Soome was like a flock of cotton as an infant. She recalled the majestic look of small Soome who looked like a little princess from England put on a fairy-tale like cradle with a lot of exotic toys. Little Soome looked so majestic and Duleena could hardly imagine that she was her own daughter whom she gave birth to. "Duleena, you don't have to do any other work. Look after the child," Government Agent Paxton said a month after Soome was born. Duleena thought, most of the time that Agent Paxton behaved as she was not the Soome's mother but a servant woman who looked after her. Duleena thought that Soome and her child would not experience the same comfort the little Soome had experienced. Duleena was suffering from a tormenting thought that had she allowed Agent Paxton accompany Soome to England, the girl would have led a comfortable life even she had to forgo seeing the child growing up.

Three of them alighted from the Morris Minor which stopped near the gravel road, raising a cloud of dust. The road from the gravel road to the house ran through the plot of rubber. Niyathapala, who took the umbrella in Soome's hand, led the way.

"Be careful child," Duleena said when Soome angrily disentangled her cloth from a branch of Eraminiya. Soome walked tucking up her long chintz cloth. Magilin who came through the plot of rubber stopped on seeing the trio. She gave a hearty smile.

"I heard that Soome had a son," Magilin smiled. Niyathapala quickened his steps with a mild smile. Soome stopped for a while and looked at Magilin.

"Yes, it is a son", Duleena said proudly.

"Duleenakka, then you are now a grandma!" Magilin said this time with a crackle of laughter. Duleena too smiled.

"We have to go," Duleena got ahead of Soome.

Niyathapala spread a white sheet on the bed and waited till the son was brought into the house. When the son was brought into the house, Niyathapala had a strange feeling. Niyathapala said that it took very little time to pervade the smell of milk throughout the house. Niyathapala was so elated that he thought of shouting out "Kirikati Putha Ko-Ko." Duleena put the child on the white-sheet- like offering flowers before the alter.

"See that the child brings its finger closer to the mouth? Very cute, it must be hungry. Give it some milk," said Duleena while going to the kitchen to boil water. She thought that she should immediately make something for the girl to drink.

"The Child took the nipple into the mouth as soon as Soome turned onto a side on the bed and loosened her jacket. Soome, who looked at the child sucking milk with closed eyes, stroked the tender forehead of the child. Niyathapala watched the child and Soome smiled.

"Child is too stubborn," Niyathapala said while touching its white legs. Soome smiled.

"My milk would not be enough for the child," murmured Soome.

"When you eat jak and young jak, it generates milk. Breast feeding is the best," Niyathapala said stroking the child's ear-lobe.

"If there is milk, I can give. At the same time, we will have to give powdered milk. Otherwise, the child will be hungry?" said Soome as she closed her eyes. Soome thought that she could sleep for hours on the camp bed as intense pain of labour and tiredness had not yet subsided.

Niyathapala felt sad for Soome who had closed her eyes. Suddenly, Niyathapala realised that Soome was like a toddler though she gave birth to a child. She behaved like a child. Niyathapala thought since she had her own child, Soome would change and behave like a matured woman. He could not be happy with Soome's idea of feeding the child with powdered milk.

"I came on hearing that Soome had come home after relieving her burden," Nanawathi Hamine said. Till she stepped in, Niyathapala lay on corner of the bed while engrossed in various thoughts. Hearing Nanawathi Hamine's voice, Duleena came leaving the work she was engaged in. She smiled and Duleena went to the bed where the child and Soome were sleeping. They were huddled together on the bed. Niyathapala stood by Nanawathi Hamine and looked at the child and Soome.

"Still I cannot say who the child looks like," Nanawathi Hamine said smiling at Niyathapala. She put the parcel in her hand, containing two cakes of soap and powder, on the bed.

"Duleena, was it very painful?" Nanawathi Hamine asked Duleena when Niyathapala had gone into the compound.

"Hamine, sit on the side of the bed," said Duleena addressing Nanawathi Hamine who was up to then, standing and talking. Soome opened her eyes hearing mother's high pitched tone.

"Soome, I came to see you and the child. Mother told me that you were in lot of pain," said Nanawathi Hamine with a sympathetic smile.

"It is unlike in the past. When a woman is pregnant, she does a lot of work? Pounding paddy on the motor is good enough to make hips flexible. When engaged in household chores such as sweeping the floor, then the body gets used to an easy delivery. Now, look at this child is big. Why is it? Duleena fed Soome and didn't allow her to work. Then, how could she go through an easy delivery? "Nanawathi Hamine gave a detailed description when neither Soome nor Duleena answered her question.

"How come Nanawathi Hamine knows all these things without marrying or bearing children?" Soome asked without a smile when Nanawathi Hamine stopped talking. Soome thought that Nanawathi Hamine had come to find out shortcomings.

"Hamine, I will pour a cup of tea for you," said Duleena and went into the kitchen. Nanawathi Hamine stroked the child's leg as if she did not hear Soome's question.

"Soome, what is the child's name?" Nanawathi Hamine asked still stroking the child's legs.

"Hamine, I cannot remember, Niyathapala had put something in the birth certificate," Soome responded. At the same time, Duleena offered a cup of tea to Nanawathi Hamine. She gave an innocent glance. Duleena was scared thinking that Nanawathi Hamine's feelings would be hurt.

"Why the hell, you don't know the name of the child?" said Nanawathi Hamine. The child woke up and began to cry. Soome cuddled the child to her breast.

"Breast feeding is better for the child. There is a view that children who are fed with powdered milk would not be grateful," said Nanawathi Hamine and looked at the footsteps that came from the verandah into the house.

"Whatever it is, now buying powdered milk is a kind of a war. The child's birth certificate should be produced to the merchant. One has to be in the queue even to buy a packet of powdered milk. Hamine, this is a strange time!" said Niyathapala who came into the house placing his heavy steps on the floor addressing both, Nanawathi Hamine and Soome.

"It is not only milk but also rice and sugar. What a struggle to put on to buy essential provisions?

We don't feel anything because we have plot of paddy. Mathini has never done such a thing. Sriyadari Nona had written that she had trouble without milk for her two children," said Nanawathi Hamine retrieving two rupee note from Hambiliya which was hidden in her hip.

"You grew up playing with our children. I brought you soap and powder. You take this also..." said Nanawathi Hamine. She folded the two rupee note and gave it to Soome. Soome put two rupee note aside and smiled with Nanawathi Hamine.

"Now, you have become a mother. Try to act responsibly. I know the troubles not because I bore children of my own and but because brought them up," Nanawathi Hamine said and took the baby into her hand and kissed.

Soome had enough of mother's Thambun Hodda and inhalation of Kohomba leaves. While tapping rubber, mother attended to all household chores without allowing Soome to do any work. Mother washed the child's napkins. It was she who boiled Kohomba leaves for Soome to have a wash. It was she who cradled the child when it cried at night.

"Mother, you don't have to smoke Kohomba. That is nonsense," Soome said as she could not tolerate the smell of it further. Duleena behaved as if she did not hear them. Duleena had an immeasurable pleasure hearing the child crying and it pervaded throughout the house. She was enticed by that jubilation and would want to envelop in it. Duleena used to smell the child's fragrance that spread all over the house. She was fond of smelling the cloth wrapped around the child. Soome would like to have a sound sleep throughout the night and Duleena would take the child from Soome's hand by midnight and would cradle it singing lullabies until dawn. "Niyathe, today, our comrade has sent a letter," said Soome after mother took away the child into the kitchen. Niyathapala took the cup of water on the floor and poured it in right down the throat.

"Who? Comrade," Niyathapala asked raising his head a little.

"Yes, a comrade. I also think that there is no point in hiding this manner. We should do our duty. It is an act of cowardice when we hide and wait till others fulfil the duty," Soome said changing her sheet of cloth. Niyathapala focused his small shining eyes on Soome. In a moment he stood up as if he had regained consciousness.

"Soome, now you are a mother. There is a child for you and me to bring up. We are a family. A woman in a family should not think of this nonsense. You should think about your family. I married you thinking that you would abandon all the nonsense and lead a good family life. Don't think of me but think of that child," Niyathapala said placing his hands on Soome's shoulders while she was sitting on the bed.

Soome thought Niyathapala as a common man who did not know anything about responsibilities. She could not remain as just a woman. She concluded that it was a fudging her responsibilities.

"Even a soldier knows only to pull the trigger to someone else's orders. How many things are under the sun to think about? "Soome said removing Niyathapala's hand from the shoulder.

"This woman forgets her time in prison," Niyathapala said getting up from the bed.

"I will not regret for being in the prison. I did not go to prison to earn a wage,' said Soome and listened to mother's lullaby.

Footnotes

Thambun Hodda - A spicy gravy drink that builds the appetite.

Eraminiya - A thorny bush

Kirikati Putha Ko-Ko - A line from A Sri Lankan lullaby and reads "where is my dear infant son".

Mathini - Madam Sirimawo R. D Bandaranaike Prime Minister

Hambiliya - A pouch where money is kept.

Kohomba smoke - Smoke inhalation using Kohomba (Margosa) leaves