A GLIMMER IN THE DARK / Short story by Kadayam balan /

A GLIMMER IN THE DARK Short story Translated into English by Mini Mohanraj

கடையம் பாலன் எழுதிய இருட்டுக்குள் வெளிச்சம் என்ற சிறுகதையை சகோதரி மினி மோகன்ராஜ் ஆங்கிலத்தில் மொழிமாற்றம் செய்துள்ளார்.

30-7-2020

“ Father…….I’m not going to school today.”

“ Why dear………”

“It’s my birthday today…… Normally on birthday’s children wear colour dress to school and the teacher also allows it. That is why I too wanted one ….. but …. mother refused to buy me a new dress.”

Ramakrishnan was speechless and couldn’t answer to his daughter , Kanishka’s complaint. He felt depressed. He wanted to console his daughter by telling, “ why should you tell your friends, that today is your birthday “. but , he could not . Instead he tried to convince her by telling unrelated matters.

He then continued, “ If you don’t attend school today, your mother will beat you to death….. fast…..go take bath and get ready …..it’s time for your mother’s arrival. Ah …don’t forget to wake up your younger brother Vikas also. “

Ramakrishnan would wake up early, before dawn and sweep the front entrance, sprinkle water and draw Kolam . This happened to be his regular practice for years together. Then he would prepare breakfast, followed by lunch to be taken to school by the children. Most of the days in the morning and evening the family would partake the same dish, prepared by him in the morning itself.

That day also he had finished all his household chores, cooked food for the children, so that they could take it to school. He was then in the process of heating water for his wife Muthammal to take bath, as soon as she returned home from work.

Suddenly there was a flutter in the house……. Muthammal had reached home. They had the ability to sense her arrival through the perfume on her body and the sweet scent of jasmine flowers , which she had pinned on her hair, the previous night. The children were suddenly seen to be hyperactive. Immediately the younger one Vikas, neatly arranged the vessels that lay scattered in the house and Kanishka took the broom and started cleaning the house.

Muthammal entered the house. Her gorgeous silk saree made her little daughter Kanishka, become green with jealousy and the purse in her hand made her son , Vikas yearn for it. On the other hand, her glossy red lips transported her husband , Ramakrishnan, to the past memories.

The tiredness of having spent a sleepless night,.. the smeared eye kajal that couldn’t be wiped away, … the Kumkum that had spread widely on her forehead …. were all very clearly visible on her exhausted face. Even shreds of hair had come out of her neatly braided hair.

Ramakrishnan sensed an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach on seeing his wife in that condition. But he controlled his feelings because of his inability to react to such situations. Suddenly he was awakened to the present situation when he heard his wife calling him…….. “ Is hot water ready for my bath? “ “It is on the stove “ said Ramakrishnan. She continued, “ Do we have tomatoes ?” “ There were only three tomatoes but I have retained it for you by not even using it for the curry “, said Ramakrishnan.

Muthammal crushed the tomatoes in her palm and applied it as a pack on her face. She instructed her children to get ready to school. Ramakrishnan sensing her mood, hesitantly told her, “ Muthamma ……. we have to pay the school fees for the kids. Do you have money with you?”

“I do not have any now … you go to the temple trustee and get Rs. 200/- from him.” “Will he give ?” enquired Ramakrishnan.

“If you tell him that I want it, he will definitely give you the money “ said Muthammal.

Making use of this opportunity , but with hesitation, Kanishka asked her mother, “ Mom …. , students are going on a tour from our school ….. shall I also ….. ?”

“We don’t have any money now for such purposes. You can go another time.”

Now it was Vikas’s turn. He said, “ Mom … I need a new shirt. There is a tear in the bottom of my shirt near the button hole.” But his face fell in dismay with his mother’s reply. She said, “ Normally, you will tuck in your shirt when you go to school, isn’t it ….? I will buy you a new one after some days.”

By that time Ramakrishnan reached home with the money and handed over the required fee amount to the children. His wife asked him, “ Why can’t you go and pay the fees ?” “ You know very well that I am unable to do it ..” said Ramakrishnan with a pain in his eyes. “But you can atleast do some simple jobs ….. if you don’t do anything like this, you will end up as a cripple only,” said Muthammal furiously.

How can you say like this Muthamma ? Don’t you know how hardworking I used to be once….. my ill fate ….. it is God’s will that I should be incapacitated like this” replied Ramakrishnan. But, Muthammal did not bother to llisten to his woeful story. She went to the bathroom for a bath.

Ramakrishnan sat there deeply immersed in thoughts. He travelled down the memory lane …… ten years back….. His was a love marriage. Having been mesmerized by Muthammal’s beauty, he had fallen head over heels in love with her, which resulted in their marriage.

Ramakrishnan, in those days , was a very industrious young businessman. He bought goods from whole sale traders , carried it in his bike, and sold it to retail shopkeepers. He earned a lot but probably , he was destined to lose all. He met with an accident. All his earnings were spent for his medical expenses. His recovery was at a snail’s pace and to top it all, he strictly followed his doctor’s advice of not to do any hard labour in future. Thus , he had to entirely depend on his wife for financial aids . Years passed and of the recent days, her income had also started deteriorating. She was ageing…….

As Ramakrishnan was lingering in his painful memories, the bathroom door opened …. and there she came out ….. black dazzling hair strewn all over her, like a fairy ……. so beautiful …… . Now , eventhough her face revealed her exact age, even that was also mesmerizing …. . He forgot himself …. He was drowned in her beauty …… .

She had her breakfast ….. .

“ I did not have a wink of sleep last night ….. so do not wake me up ….. but do wake me up if I get a phone call,” saying so Muthammal went into the bedroom and lay down , without waiting for his response. Ramakrishnan went to the hall and rolled down a mat on the floor and and sat down. Then, leaning on the wall, he took a short nap.

That evening , when children returned home from school, they were surprised to see their mother relaxing at home. That meant, they could not play or enjoy the day, as such things were banned in her presence.

Normally , when children returned from school, Muthammal would have gone out of station or would be getting ready to go out. But that day, unusually, she was at home. So , the children thought it should be a holiday for her.

At that time, the chit fund collector came there. He said, “ Sister, this week’s chit fund amount is for you. I have brought the money,now.” Muthammal greeted and welcomed him inside and enquired , “ How much is the amount?” He replied , “ It comes to around Rs. 24,600/- , after all the reductions, etc.,” and then he counted the money and handed it over to Muthammal.

Everyone in the family was wrapped in happiness. The children thought to themselves, “ we have never seen such a huge amount in our house …… “ Immediately everyone started building castles in the air. Vikas thought that his mother would get him a new shirt as she had promised. Kanishka thought,” I should tell lies to my friends at school that my birthday falls tomorrow.” Her thoughts did not end here. She even thought that her mother would pay her the money for the tour also. Ramakrishnan was no exemption to this. He requested his wife, “ Muthamma ……. Will you buy me a second hand moped …… I will slowly practise to ride it.” Muthummaldid not reply but her lips broadened into a curve. No one understood the meaning of that expression.

Muthammal left home with the money and returned only by 9’ o clock at night. She carried very big covers and some small parcels in her hand. Not only the children but her husband was also happy to see all those things. They helped her carry all the covers inside. She opened the covers one by one. The biggest one she opened first consisted of varieties of silk sarees in different designs and colours. All were very attractive to the eyes. Father and children were anxiously looking with the hope that something good would have been bought for them by Muthammal. But everything in that cover was for Muthammal.

The next bundle was opened and out came modern dresses like churidhar, middy, skirts …. etc., Kaniksha said, “ This will be too big in size for me , mother …. You could have taken a smaller size for me ….” Eventhough no reply came from Muthummal, Ramakrishnan convinced her by telling that, “ Kaniksha, you are growing up,so you can wear all these for many years. Next she took out T Shirts and Pants. Vikas thought it would be too big for him. She tore open the next parcel. It contained lipstick, eyebrow pencil, rose powder, foundation cream, varieties of nail polish etc., all luxury items.

Muthammal , in order to check the quality of those beauty products , tried it on her daughter, Kaniksha. On seeing her own beauty in the mirror , Kaniksha was dumbstruck. She felt happy and proud . After that, Muthammal tried all those beauty products on her own face. She looked enticing. Then one after the other she draped all the sarees and told her husband to take her photos on her cell phone. He took beautiful photos of his wife. She was elegantly dressed . He even took many snaps of his wife in modern dresses.

His thoughts travelled back lane to his wooing days, when they were young lovers. Everyday she used to dress herself beautifully in different types of dresses and now , that day, she exhibited her entire beauty within a short span . He reflected that even on the day of their marriage, she was not this charming but now, even at that age , she was bewitchingly beautiful. He couldn’t stop himself from being proud of his wife’s glamour.

Finally …….,

After instructing her children to study, she took her husband into a room and locked from inside. Then she wore a dress that was revealing and told her husband to take her photo shots in that attire. He obliged. Later , she came out of the room casually dressed in a saree and she forwarded all the photos taken, through whatsapp to many people.

Within few minutes …… her cell phone started ringing ….. many calls …. one after the other. She answered the calls …. “ Yes sir…. It’s MokhamMonisha speaking ………. It’s me sir ……. What sir ….. can’t you believe it ……. The photos were taken today only sir …….. you can come and see me in person also , sir … if you don’t trust the photos role on the stage sir …….. I will act very well. I even know to dance well for old as well as new songs , sir…….”

“ Ok , sir ….. thanks sir ….. you can check my performance in acting and dancing on every stage , sir …..”

Muthammal was very happy …… in the seventh heaven ……. Every phone call that came there after gave her new opportunities. She felt that all the nights to come would definitely enlighten her livelihood. After attending all the calls, MokhamMonisha became the original Muthammal once again.

She looked at her children and husband ……. “ Sorry, I couldn’t fulfil your desires. This is an investment for the business ……. I will get more income here afterwards …… then all your desires …………….” Words failed …….. tears filled her eyes. Though the tears rolled down her cheeks, the make-up on her face did not dissolve. It echoed her future………..

Translated into English by

Mini Mohanraj