Excerpt – Silent Transgressions
Walking back alone, the way seemed long to Diravi. With Sasi around, the way had not seemed so long. But he did not feel tired of what his Aachi had told him about it all. Diravi’s mind suddenly flashed to his sister’s sorrowful face in his mind’s eye. “Why had Brotheer-in-law cast Nagu Akka away?” was the question that occupied his mind.
A red bus from Nagercoil and overcrowded to the full passed on. Diravi crossed the road. At East Street, passing the Singa Vinayaka temple, Diravi raised both hands, bringing them together before his face in obeisance.
The street was crowded at that time. Unnamalai Aachi was standing in front of the house, worried that her grandson was late. When he came near enough to hear, she said, “Eh, boy; where did you go after school. Even at noon, you did not eat….”
Diravi entered the house, saying “Sasi took me to his house.”
Father was not at home. Nagu Akka still lay face down on the platform. Some women from the neighbourhood had gathered round, trying to console her in a babble of voices.
Salam was playing with some friends in the courtyard.
Aachi went as far as the courtyard and said loudly, “Eh Kuttiamme, give the boy his food… He is hungry.”
Diravi went into the kitchen and sat down to eat. He looked up at his mother, as she asked him where he had been so long after school. Her face was dark with endured sorrow. She was not her usual self. He told her the tale of how he went to Ammachi’s house in the garden. “Where is Father?” He asked.
“He went to see the town’s trustees. They are going to discuss your sister’s case, you know?” Diravi too was stricken with sorrow seeing the agony in her tone and manner.
Aachi was engaged in sweeping and cleaning the front of the house. As soon as she swept it, Mother washed it with water. Mother washed her face and marked her forehead afresh and looked a little better than she had some time ago. She looked at her daughter, and said, “Eh Nagammai… How long will you keep sobbing like this? Don’t be stupidly obstinate. If you lie on an empty stomach like this, you will be more upset. Father has gone out to see what your fate is to be. Leave it all to God and attend to the ordinary business of the day. Come on, it is dusk. Go, wash your face, and at least, take some palm-jaggery water… don’t lie prone like this at dusk.”
Half heartedly Nagu Akka rose and went to the well. Aachi too had washed up, taken sacred ash from the vessel hanging from the rafters of the inner verandah and applied it to her forehead saying, “Oh Lord, Velayudha, my God.”
Diravi was impatient at the thought of staying home, doing nothing. He felt burdened within, weak and restless. He didn’t feel like reading either. Where could he go?
Suddenly, he remembered Ammachi’s message to Koonangani Paatta. Let me go and see if he is at home.
It was dark in the street illuminated only in patches by light from the lamps lit inside the contiguous houses. It did not dispel the darkness, but made the shadows darker. Those in the street and those sitting on the front platforms, talking, looked at Diravi with pity and commiseration, or so he thought; though he knew that the feeling itself was illusory. He crossed the street to reach Koonangani Paatta’s house and went up the steps into it. The outer door was closed, but it opened when he pushed it. He couldn’t see anyone inside. On the fore platform, a single light burned, shedding a faint light. From the kitchen came rays of light that dimly penetrated the outer hall. To the left was a small room, from which he thought he could hear two persons whispering. He peeped into the room and was surprised by what he saw. Aunt Nilappillai’s son, Chidambaram, was dozing, book in hand. Chidambaram’s teacher Kumaraswamy, otherwise known as Korami, was sitting in a chair close to him, almost on his, was Nilappillai Aunt. A sooty hurricane light was their only witness.
When he took in the scene, Diravi started perspiring all over. He withdrew from the doorway and tried to hide. What a shameless hussy she was, a widow… She…
He stood still for a little while and grew alert again at the loud laughter of two persons from within the room.
