Fiction: Caste A Long Shadow

It was at this point that Kitta began running errands for the priest바카라™s household. The women there, who did not fit into the 바카라˜fair and pretty바카라™ standards of the neighbourhood, did not avoid him like the village girls. The daughters found his looks and swagger attractive, and he returned the attention by flirting and canoodling with them. They would perch themselves on his bicycle and ride to the neighbouring temples. The family also fed him well, in return for which he fed the chickens and pigeons, washed the cows and calves, and made himself useful around the household.

One of the priest바카라™s daughters, Neela, was married to a wealthy man in Kuthalur. He was the supervisor of prosperous temples, and responsible for managing the cultivation of temple farmlands. He flaunted a dandy바카라™s accessories: gold bracelets, rudraksha pendants hanging on a thick chain around his neck and diamond studs glinting in his ears. He bought his wife many fine pieces of jewellery and would make a grand entrance on his bullock cart whenever he visited his father-in-law바카라™s home in Thoppur. 

Despite his prosperity, the man from Kuthalur wasn바카라™t good-looking. He was sickeningly lean with a scrawny face. The bones jutted out of his face, highlighting his hollow cheeks and the dark circles around his eyes. His teeth were stained from years of chewing tobacco, and he had a shock of hair that stood on its end, lending him a comical look. He wore it in a prominent tuft, but it failed to give him a devout look. His forehead was streaked with vibhuti and a vermilion dot. 

Neela was equally lacking in the looks department. She was stocky with a face ringed by jowls, small eyes and prominent teeth. A regular visitor to her parents바카라™ house, she would be dressed in tasteful saris, wearing her thick hair in a neat bun with a piece of ribbon and flowers. She did, however, carry herself with a certain elegance and grace. 

Kitta would be excited when Neela came to visit. He would busy himself with errands and act attentive around her. He would drop her driver at Thoppur and take over his duty, riding the bullock cart with her to Kodavasal. She would speak to Kitta with great familiarity, but he would always address her respectfully. 

Kitta was not handsome, but he was a big bull of a man. When visiting, Neela would find excuses to go and see her tailor because then she could ask Kitta to come along and spend the day picking fabrics at Ibrahim Textile Shop. She would drag Kitta along to make an appointment with the tailor another day. She would yet again make him accompany her while visiting the tailor바카라™s shop. She would complain that the tailor had not done a proper job and make more than three or four trips, all with Kitta. She would pout that the tailors in Kumbakonam were better, telling Kitta to consider a trip till there. 

Neela바카라™s bullock cart driver, meanwhile, would enjoy a holiday in Thoppur with good food and rest. His mistress would tip him generously and leave him at home. She would set off at three in the afternoon with Kitta, on her visits to the tailor in Kodavasal. The route was fanned by paddy fields and thick groves. By the time they returned, it would be dark. 

On one such trip, Kitta bought some hot pakodas in a paper packet for Neela. As the cart went down a lonely path through the groves, Neela opened the packet and urged Kitta to stop. He halted the cart. She offered Kitta the pakodas, saying, 바카라˜It바카라™s steaming hot.바카라™ And then, in a flirtatious tone, she added, 바카라˜As they say, fair and lovely, hot and tasty.바카라™ She placed the packet in his hands and drew closer so that her breasts grazed against his chest. She longed to feel beautiful in his eyes; he ached to touch her. 

 

One evening after a trip, Kitta dropped Neela home and went to the backyard. He loosened the oxen and was feeding them when her husband strode in angrily, flashing a torchlight. He ignored Neela who was behind him, nervously asking when he had come, and how. He shrugged her hand away and growled at Kitta. 바카라˜Hey, who do you think you are? I바카라™ll chop your hands and feet and feed them to the crows! I don바카라™t want to ever see you here, you dog! If my brothers-in-law in the army get to know of your shenanigans, they바카라™ll tear you apart! Scoundrel! Get lost!바카라™ He then pushed Kitta who was boiling with rage, more so because Neela hadn바카라™t spoken up for him. 

Kitta walked home fuming. He found Cheeni Iyengar on the thinnai, with Balambal standing at the doorstep. 바카라˜Your boys have turned out to be losers,바카라™ Iyengar told a shamefaced Balambal who had covered her mouth with the end of her sari. 바카라˜Will anyone sane enter that priest바카라™s house? If he is eating at the priest바카라™s house, playing driver to that woman, then Kitta must be working for tips and is up to his tricks.바카라™Â 

Iyengar suggested to Balambal that she send Kitta away from the village. 바카라˜Even if it is to earn a living as a labourer, carrying sacks of goods, it doesn바카라™t matter. If you let him stay, he will blow up the little money and land that you have managed to save. He바카라™s grown into a big oaf who doesn바카라™t want to shoulder any responsibility. Tell him strictly that he will be fed meals at home only when he brings back money from doing honest work. With Savitri바카라™s poor health and this rascal, your woes seem to be never-ending. I am off,바카라™ he sighed, preparing to head home in the dark.

Kitta was livid when he heard Iyengar바카라™s diatribe against him. Smarting from all the insults, he yelled at Iyengar. 바카라˜Oye! Who do you think you are? You are a mischievous fellow yourself, acting important, as though you work for the prime minister. You manipulate these old women and widows in the name of helping them! You act superior because your sons are educated and well-placed; you meddle in other people바카라™s businesses. Don바카라™t try to drive a wedge between Amma and me. From this year, I will cultivate our land myself. The neighbour from Poona has written to me saying that he will loan his lands to me,바카라™ he lashed out. 

Iyengar was not one to cower. 바카라˜You know nothing about farming, cultivation or irrigation! This is not the same job as washing Neela바카라™s saris! Don바카라™t pull this rubbish on me, that you are a farming expert!바카라™ he said. 

Kitta threatened to rough up Iyengar if he didn바카라™t leave. Iyengar, however, turned to Balambal and barked, 바카라˜Did you hear your son바카라™s abuses? Don바카라™t come to me with complaints about him. I have had enough.바카라™Â 

Kitta reacted by abusing Iyengar again, which is when Balambal intervened and sharply told him to apologize to the older man. 바카라˜I have been able to hold on to this land and some money thanks to Iyengar. If you don바카라™t fall at his feet and ask for forgiveness, you have no place in my home. I never want to see you again.바카라™Â 

Buoyed by Balambal바카라™s support, Iyengar launched himself at Kitta again. 바카라˜Don바카라™t you have any shame? Ogling the priest바카라™s daughter? I would consider you more dignified if you joined Muthu, the cook, to earn a rupee or two by being productive!바카라™

바카라˜Don바카라™t waste your energy on this despicable fellow who can바카라™t understand a thing. Please don바카라™t feel bad. He바카라™s a cad,바카라™ Balambal told Iyengar.

바카라˜There바카라™s a limit to my patience. I will fix you,바카라™ Iyengar muttered before walking away, plotting to avenge the insults Kitta had hurled at him. Kitta바카라™s mind, however, was made up. He had had enough and would not stay in that house or village any longer.

(Excerpted from Hungry Humans by Karichan Kunju, translated by Sudha G. Tilak (pp.288, Rs 499), with permission from Penguin Random House India.)
Karichan Kunju was the pen name of R. Narayanaswami (1919-1992), a Tamil short-story writer and novelist who wrote mainly on historical themes.