A survey of marriage

Mama saha Mama
Author: Gunaratne Ekanayake
A Nipun publication

Reviewed by Somapala Arandara

Gunaratne Ekanayake's latest novel, Mama Saha Mama, has an uncommon content and is written in a new style. There are several themes in it. Of them, the main theme is a survey of the institution of marriage. The other subsidiary themes consist of a study of inter-birth existence or the roaming spirit or soul or the mental energy released from the body on the death of a person, a social critique, a review of behavioural patterns of individuals, a perusal of parental and fraternal love versus carnal love, an analysis of rejoicing politicians trying to exploit the situation for their own benefit as against the truly rueful villagers, and an expression of remorse of a son's failure to look after his parents.

My first experience of having read Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera's Gandhappa Apadanaya a long time ago and Kumari Gunaratne's Alokayen Parinamanayawuvo some time ago, gave me an easy access to the rather strange subject matter of Gunaratne Ekanayake's novel, “I and Myself.” The writer presents his views in the first person point of view on various topics in a new outlook. He uses the literary technique called “persona” or a special character created to make room for authorial comments. In this novel, the narrator's other self plays the role of the persona. In fact, the novelty of Ekanayake's work is the persona sustained throughout the novel. It acts as an observer.

Marriage

The novelist makes a survey of the institution of marriage in an objective way. Marriage is a bond of partnership for life entered into by a man and a woman. The three cardinal qualities of patience, tolerance and understanding should be nurtured by the couple. Love is the knot tying the couple together. They should be prepared to share their problems either in prosperity or in adversity. They should think in terms of ‘ours’ and not ‘yours’ or ‘mine.’

Egoism is the enemy of a good family life. They must not entertain ‘secrets.’ They lead to suspicion which is the element that destroys love between them. Out of suspicion springs jealousy which in turn produces anger. Hatred is born of anger and it leads to enmity. Various calamities including bloodshed, suicide and even murder arise out of enmity. It always takes two people to make a successful marriage, but one alone can spoil it through neglect or selfishness.

Happiness

There has been no true marital happiness between Navaratne and Anoma since Anoma is said to have had several amorous affairs with some men even before their marriage. And later, a teenager named Panduka has become her paramour in the absence of her husband Navaratne. This is in keeping with Gandhi's saying that “Lower part of us is still animal.”

Navaratne's duty in the war-torn area does not permit him to go home often. So, according to the adage, “Out of sight, out of mind,” his wife seeks sexual gratification with Panduka.

At this juncture, I remember a humorous definition of woman which I have come across in one of Somerset Maugham's books: “A gynaecologist once said that a woman is a beast that micturates once a day, defecates once a week, menstruates once a month, parturate's once a year, and copulates whenever she has the opportunity.”

Absence

I feel Anoma must have been neglected by her husband Navaratne for long periods of absence as he had been indulging in a sexual relationship with a widow called Kusumawathie. Thereby, she had conceived. She however, did not want to put the responsibility on Navaratne because what she longed for was a child which her dead husband was not capable of giving. Navaratne therefore, breached the bond of his marriage with Anoma by this act of adultery on his part.

The fact that Anoma pays little or no attention to the meals of her two children, which was attended to by her sister shows that Anoma failed in her filial duty. Hence there seems to have been a lack of true happiness in their family life. The writer limits the duration of the action of his novel to seven days. It is in league with the Buddhist belief in rebirth. In Buddhism, the cycle of life or the cycle of birth (Samsara) is a continuous process. So long as one has craving for life, this process goes on uninterrupted. Death is only a disappearance for a short while after which life starts again in another form elsewhere. Buddhists hold that this short transitional period is a week.

During this week, the spirit or mental energy released from the dying body (Gandhabba) begins roaming after the lapse of which period the roaming spirit finds conception. Somewhere, e.g. in the human realm or animal world, or emerges in a celestial abode of form or formless beings or in a hell or purgatory.

Moreover, “Mama, Saha Mama” is a social critique. When Nande's presence at home was essential to take his seriously ill child to hospital, Sergeant Navaratne did not approve leave for him in spite of the fact that he had not availed of any leave earlier. Here Navaratne acts thoughtlessly and relentlessly. As a result, the child dies. A sense of revenge creeps into the mind of Nande. Subsequently at the proper moment of the terrorist attack, Nande shoots Navaratne dead in the dark.

Navaratne, however, had earned the goodwill of the fear – stricken villagers under the purview of his protection. Whenever they had come to him with some problem he had given them the relief as desired. They in turn showed their gratitude by attending his funeral to pay him their last respects. This fact also reveals his knack for social activities. His superior OIC had even noticed his dedication to his duty and he was noted for his fidelity.

The thematic treatment of the novel also includes a review of some behavioural types of people who took part in various activities at the funeral. Among them, Punchibanda and Anula are real social workers full of dedication. Disregarding all their personal chores, Punchibanda supervises the funeral arrangements while Anula leads the party that serve the visitors with soft drinks and tea, day and night.

Even Panduka's friends keep awake at night attending to whatever they could perform. Gamblers, as everywhere else, is a nuisance to the place. They shout out in high tones whenever they lose. Therefore, their presence is a harassment to others.

Fraternal love

A perusal of parental and fraternal love catches our interest in this novel. Contrary to Anoma's selfish love the selfless love of Navaratne's parents and sister rises prominently. They are the real mourners who bear their heavy sorrow silently and they do their duty by their departed son and brother unflinchingly. Although they notice the flagrantly untoward advances of Anoma, yet they never fail in doing their due in that sombre situation.

Anoma on the other hand, falls for the minister's seductive behaviour even while she is infatuated with her paramour, Panduka. Thereby, her carnal love is displayed. She gives assent to the minister's lascivious hint that she will have to stay the night out when she is called for an interview.

The remorse of Navaratne's roaming soul intermittently appears throughout the novel and is proof of his failure as a living being to look after his parents or at least to pay a visit annually to them and his sister. He tries to cheat himself that Anoma was instrumental in denying him any opportunity to do so. Nevertheless he seems to repent on his own neglect of duty to his parents and sister. I have read and reviewed a few of Ekanayake's novels. And I reckon Mama Saha Mama is a masterpiece. The mature novelist in him has emerged with this work.