Itipahan (Burly Lamp) Chapter - 15

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"

Duleena stepped into the front yard and told the women who were carrying Lusi Hamine's hay that she had not heard such a lot of crackers being exploded at once, on one single day. Duleena who had harvested mushrooms on haystack as she gathered them onto her lap lent her ears delightfully to the exploding crackers from here and there.

"Mathini has merits to be a queen again. Even if a woman has merits, no one can overrule her fate", said Lusi hamy looking at Duleena's lap that was full of Piduru Hathu.

"All the males have been kept under her control by this single woman. Dudley Hamu had to yield. Now only, the value of women have come into the surface. Isn't it Duleena?" asked Lusihami again. Apart from Simon, all others who carried stacks of hay bundles in a procession were women. Duleena watched Somawathi, Karunawathi, Dailin, Kusumawathi, Malini, Siriyawathi and all others, bending to the weight of hay and stepping out of thrashing floor in a certain rhythm. A thin layer of happiness seeped into Duleena's mind.

She thought how many time had she walked up and down along the Niyara.

Always, as a habit, though she washed her feet at Wakkada in the middle of the Niyara, mud soaked her feet again as soon as she came out of Wakkada.

Duleena thought that no one could remain in Wakkada forever without getting mud stuck into his or her feet.

"Lusi Akke, I am going to make a stand to put the curry pot on", said Duleena who had gathered hay and got out of the thrashing floor onto the Niyara. Lusi Akka did neither say 'yes' nor 'no'. As Duleena reached the middle of Niyara she was very pleased to see the familiar Wakkada. As usual, she could wash her mud-soaked feet. Duleena, who washed her feet and got on to the Niyara, and remained there to listen to a distance shout-out,

"This time - we have hit hard

Dudley Hamu - wipe out"

Duleena thought that shout-out came from village council's road. For a moment, she listened to it. Duleena walked across Liyadda thinking that she could take Pol Athu, which had been put into a pit near Dan tree to be soaked. Duleena knew that the Pol Athu were soaked by the odour of the pit.

With her lap full of mushrooms, a pile of hay to make a stand for the pot, Duleena walked through the rubber estate dragging Pol Athu. From a distance, she heard the chatting of few people inside the hut. Surely, they should be Soome's friends, she thought. Daisy, Lal Malli and others looked in the direction from which Duleena came on hearing the sound made by dragging noise of Pol Athu.

"Mother, today we want to eat", said Lal Malli and smiled. Though Duleena did not talk with anyone who came to meet the girl, she thought of preparing meals for them today. Though there was rice and spices, there were only mushrooms to make a curry.

"Nandasiri, go to the junction and bring a tin of salmon and some Dhal," the girl said without any fear of addressing the boys. The boy went away by order but the girl did not give him money. Crackers exploded into the late night. The girl talked on diverse topics with the boys that lasted until late night. Above all, her voice was prominent. Kumatheris Aiyya who visited, also tried to join the conversation. Duleena laughed at herself thinking that Kumatheris Aiyya's knowledge was limited to what she knew about the affairs of the country.

"Duleena, can't you control that girl? I have not seen a girl of her type until I met her. Besides what does she have to talk with these boys late into the night ..." Kumatheris Aiyya who got up to leave, asked Duleena after calling her into the back of the hut. Duleena got scared when she heard the sound of dried up coconut stems falling onto the backyard.

"She knows the affairs. She associates with them as brothers. I trust them more than I trust my daughter," said Duleena. Kumatheris Aiyya cleared his throat and spat. Duleena went into the hut after Kumatheris Aiyya who spoke not even a word and disappeared into the darkness of the rubber plantation. Four or five of them were still in discussion. Neither the girl nor the boys sensed the midnight or sleepiness. Occasionally the sound of a cracker could be heard.

Duleena who stood by the door saw a big gecko, which is thought to have been living from Heenappu's days, preying on a small insect.

"Mother, it would be great if we could have some tea," the girl said inconspicuously. Duleena thought that they wanted tea in order to chat on.

Everyone had said that the girl was brought up like a boy. Although Nanawathi Hamine blamed her for the girl's inability even to pour a cup of tea, she could not allow the girl to take up any burden, thought Duleena.

"Soomakke, Mathini's victory would not solve these problems. Party worked hard for Mathini's victory because of an urgent need ...revolution is ahead," Lal Malli explained the facts further. Soome thought that Lal Malli's voice carried a strange urgent tone. Teenager Wasantha accentuated his long face as if immediately to take part in the forthcoming revolution.

"Madam has no vision. Our party will get maximum advantage of that. Within six months, our party will win the second Bolshevik Revolution, said "Lal Malli with full of hope.

"be victorious!" one said enthusiastically.

"To die standing on one's feet is better than living on one's knees. These are profound statements, "enquired Soome, listening to the sound of spoon stirring the jug as mother prepared tea. She heard one or two dogs barking from a distance.

"Only after attending The Five Classes, I learnt the need for a revolution in this country. The only salvation for the down trodden in this country is a revolution", Soome said in a determined voice. Duleena put down a jug of tea and couple of glasses.

However, Soome learnt that comrade leader as a strange person. She recalled of a mass meeting held at the junction to welcome N.M. Perera before the election in which Dudley Hamu won. There was a large gathering to meet and welcome N.M. Perera. The junction was filled up with people, and it was difficult even for two bullock-carts to pass by or a bus to turn around. The crowd was eagerly waiting for N.M. and their faces were in scripted with curiosity suggesting: "Will he arrive now, will he arrive now."

N.M. Perera came in a parade of three cars but one hour behind the schedule.

There was a jeep without a hood and he wore a red shirt and red garlands around his neck, smiled and waved.

"Now arrived in our village, is N.M. Perera or our comrade N.M.", one in a black Morris Minor shouted out using a loud speaker.

"be victorious!" the crowd made a thundering yell. Pabilis Signno of the Village Council offered another red garland. Though N.M.'s head was bent due to the weight of garlands, he lowered his head to receive Publis Signno's garland.

"Whoever, he is, he's an archarya", said Rosaline Akka who talk about his doctorate.

"Those reds are like that. They have no proper birth. Can we hand over the country to them?" asked Publis Aiyya confirming Rosaline Akka's opinion.

That day she had no knowledge to tell Rosaline Akka that Doctorate was a qualification rather than a cast. However, Soome could remember that she did not like their remarks about Dr. N.M. Perera. Now does the Comrade leader trying to provide a new interpretation on N.M. Perera?

"I have not yet seen the Comrade leader in person. Since attending the Five Classes, I have a great desire to meet the Comrade", said the teenager with a bristly face.

"Drink", said Soome after pouring tea into two glasses. The first two had to finish drinking fast so that the rest could drink tea.

"Then, the Comrade should come out of the prison. Unless how can the party move forward? Now, the senior Comrades of the party should consider that?" said Soome. She thought that the leader Comrade was the star of the organisation around which the party's strengths centred on. He was the one who led the theoretical work. It was leader Comrade who had mustered strength, and as a result, he had won the respect and admiration of the Comrades.

"Comrade Uttamasinghe says that we could get leader Comrade freed on the next day of the trial," said Lal Malli. Duleena laid the mat near the wall in the room. She wanted to lie down even if she did not fall into sleep.

"When is the next day of the trial?" teenager asked. Soome thought that there was an impatient voice in that tone.

"July 7, before that we have to organise some posters", said Lal Malli changing his sitting posture.

Duleena saw Soome had fallen into sleep by the time the group left in the morning. Duleena picked up the newspaper from the floor with a picture of Mathini. Duleena looked at Mathini's smiling face, which filled up a bulk of the page.

As per a message received, Daisy went to meet Comrade Uttamasinghe. Daisy understood that he knew that she had feelings for the down trodden.

"Comrade Sister, we will execute a plan to free Comrade Leader. One step of this is to say his value through the posters", Comrade Uttamasinghe explained. There were couples of Comrades present but Daisy did not know them. She did not have an urge to know them either. She thought there was no point in getting to know people.

What everyone should do is to perform the role allocated to them. A woman came out of the house with a tray carrying glasses full of king coconut juice. Though it was inquisitive to receive a glass of king coconut juice from a place, which never offered even a cup of tea. Daisy, listened to the conversation controlling her curiosity. She thought that the woman who brought king coconut juice did not smile. Like a mysterious person, she sat by Daisy and listened to the conversation.

"Lenin to Russia - Wijeweera to Sri Lanka", she wrote in big red letters.

Daisy had a clear image that was larger than life image of Lenin by her reading of books on 1917's revolution. Daisy thought that Wijeweera would salvage her small country from oppressive rule and dire economic conditions, like Lenin salvaged Russia from the rule of Tsar and the oppressive socio-economic environment.

Daisy was convinced that she could consider Comrade Rohana Wijeweera as the founder of the revolution. She thought that still there was no leftist leader who could challenge Boothale Walauwa and Horagolla Waluawa.

Philip Gunawardene did a lot. N.M., who was also known as "Parippu Mahattaya" had also accomplished a lot. They were all rebels against White government (Colonial rule) and were imprisoned.

"Rise up those who suffer from hunger."

"It was the song that giants of the Left always sang. The notion is obsolete. Suppose that those who suffer from hunger got up but they did not know what is to be done after that. That was what happened at Hartal," Soome could remember Comrade Uttamasinghe was stating the views of the Comrade Leader.

"Excuse me, if I ask a different question. Isn't there any exaggeration in those statements?" Soome asked openly. Comrade Uttamasinghe accentuated his gaze. He thought that this young woman was different from all the others.

"We should not be-little the leadership," Comrade Uttamasinghe said. Daisy looked silently. Daisy had many ideas struggling in her head. She could not think that Comrade Uttamasinghe who attended to party work throughout the day had a mother, father, wife or brother. Dirty clothes was part of his life.

There were Comrades like him in the movement who did not know from where they came and to where they were going. Did the movement gather the lives devastated by the economy? The lives that had not receive any one's attention. Soome thought Comrade Uttamasinghe was a selfless sage. For him, there was no life outside the party.

Soome imagined his mother living in a small hut. She imagined that old woman who came out of the hut, bowing her head and smiled her with folded hands. Soome thought that she should find out the family background of Comrade Uttamasinghe. Soome understood that she could not find out his personal details, as the party's internal communication structure was secretive in nature. However, she felt that her respect for him grew intensively.

"Comrade I did not be-little the leadership. I do not like to keep any doubt over anything. It is little bit difficult for me to accept views without questioning them," Daisy said. Uttamasinghe looked on.

"We should gather facts until time is ready for questioning. We have lunged into a ditch. Though we were trained to think that we have won after the independence, we are going down to the bottom of that trench." Comrade Uttamasinghe said, as he could not think of anything else.

She enthusiastically looked at the posters with different handwritings. She knew that these posters would be a fraction of a public opinion of tomorrow.

Daisy saw on her way to the university, that hand-written posters by anti-colonial boys and girls had been pasted in every corner of the country.

Like comrades who sang a song without missing out tune, all had done their individual duty.

Daisy felt a warm feeling that stimulated her body and mind when she saw a huge billboard carrying the slogan, "Rohana Wijeweera, the torch of revolution in Sri Lanka," hung at Wijerama Junction, at the turn towards the Vidyodaya University.

Daisy who got off at the bus stop at Reid Avenue, walked towards Art Gallery.

Daisy stopped by Gamanayake who was speaking with a group of students near the Art Gallery. Daisy smiled as if to welcome Gamanayake whose smile emerged from his reddish eyes. Daisy thought that Gamanayake, who clad in a red shirt that match with his red eyes, had a body, which was ready made for the revolution. His long nose was like a canon in a battlefield. Daisy thought the thick beard in a black face and the two ears spread out of his face as characteristics with which Gamanayake could be easily distinguished from others.

"What's the news?" Daisy asked Gamanayake who was speaking with couple of Comrades.

"News is good", Comrade Gamanayake said in his usual rough voice.

"Has the leader Comrade been freed?" Daisy asked hurriedly. Gamanayake confirmed by nodding his head.

"The entire Country talks about our posters. Cotta Road and Union Place have got scared a lot. Hereafter they cannot represent the Left", said Gamanayake and laughed loudly. She thought that she could also laugh not because of the excitement due to the poster display. When leader Comrade was in prison, party did not have any strength. Strength was centred on the leader. Daisy silently enjoyed the release of the leader from the prison.

Footnotes:

Piduru Hathu - Mushrooms that grow on hay

Niyara - A bund that is designed as a small footpath along paddy fields.

Wakkada - Is a small stream (creek) that flows along paddy field.

Liyadda - A liyadda is encircled by bunds (around paddy fields) and to retain water at a uniform depth.

Pol Athu - The Palm trees with green leaves

Dan tree - Blue berry

The Five Classes - These classes are the basic teaching under five main themes that presented a Marxist approach to the causes and resolution for Sri Lanka's socio-politico-economic problems according to the Janataha Vimukhi Peramuna (People's Liberation Party) in the late 60s and before the uprise of April 1971.

Parippu Mahattaya - The gentleman who provided (fed) people with lentil.

Hartal - Refers to an islandwide demonstration held in Sri Lanka in 1953. It was organised to protest against the policies and action of then ruling, United National Party and its incumbents.

Archariya - People mistook N.M Perera for a person of low cast.