Making a sincere attempt to bring an unimagined and unexplored treasure trove of modern Sinhala literature to the English reading community, Montage is bringing Mahinda Prasad Masimbula’s award winning novel Senkottan translated by
Malinda Seneviratne, veteran journalist, writer and poet. Senkottan (The Indelible), a remarkable creation of literature by Mahinda Prasad Masimbula was his debut effort in his literary career for which he won the State Literary Award in 2013 and short-listed in Swarna Pusthaka Literary Awards and many other Literary Award Festivals in the same year. The book has been published by Santhawa Publishers and ‘Senkottan’ has blazed the trail in the self-publishing industry as one of the best-selling books in Sinhala literature.
CHAPTER 6, PART 3
There was trembling in the hearts of Veerappuli Henaya and the others in the family. They were as yet incapable of determining whether the feelings indicated utmost joy or unbearable sorrow. Malma Ridee felt that it was not theirs to be proud of such things. Veerappuli Henaya’s thoughts strayed to the bo sapling. Nambu Henaya and Baba Henaya were not thinking at all. Only Podina entertained thoughts of seeing with her own eyes the unbelievable developments that Napi Signgno had just narrated.
‘It’s not only the pits, by the way. In addition to the houses and land, there’s the two storeyed gem store that’s in the middle of the row of shops in Ratnapura. Then Tissa Appo’s two cars and the cart he used to go here and there just for enjoyment. It’s our Podi Tissa Mahattaya who uses all these things now. Just imagine! The gem shop is now called ‘Podi Tissa Gem Store’. It took about six months to streamline the operations in the pits and the gem business itself. It was only after this was done that he called me and asked me to go to the village and arrange to bring all of you there. He provided a car as well as a driver for this journey. I left the car and the driver near the Elpitiya temple, came over the e-danda, inquired from people where you lived and came here on foot.’
‘About a week ago, our Maayya and I went on a pilgrimage to Anuradhapura. We passed Ratnapura…a pity…’
The stranger Napo Signgno, had to respond to this.
‘Yes, of course. It’s a pity. Had he known, he would have provided a car for you to make the trip, no two words about it.’
‘How could we go in such a thing? We are not used to such things, you know? I just want to see my son’s face for a little while, that’s all I said.’
Napo Signgno stood up.
‘I was told about the two old people, the elder sister, her man, the little one…and…he mentioned another girl….’
‘She is now settled…’ Malma Ridee interposed.
‘There’s no need to continue this job of washing dirty clothes. This is what Tissa Mahattaya wanted me to discuss, the details of moving to Ratnapura. Once you go there you won’t have to live in squalor like this. You can live like respectable people.’
Veerappuli Henaya was about to say something but Malma Ridee found her voice first.
‘How could we live in such unknown places? Please, unnehe, don’t get upset with us. Wherever he may be, please ask our son to come see us.’
‘Are you crazy? Have you lost your minds? Isn’t this an opportunity to live like supreme royals? At the very least, think of this little boy’s future. For you people the entire world is nothing more than this hell hole and mountain of dirt. You would have to go beyond Ratnapura to see the difference. In the country called Colombo, if you have money you could even capture and command the wind.
I am saying this through experience and because I’ve travelled enough. I owe all that to Podi Tissa Mahattaya. I will be grateful to him until I breathe my last. At least trust me on account of this. It’s because you’ve greatly sinned that you have been forced to wash other people’s piss-clothes. You’ve paid your price and now good fortune has visited your doorstep. And yet, like fools, you are shutting the door on all that!’
Podina had some inkling of what the stranger was saying but neither Veerappuli Henaya nor Malma Ridee had the strength to comprehend anything. Veerappuli Henaya became even more deferential before the stranger.
‘From what you’ve said unnehe, we do understand that you know a lot about the world. We, on the other hand, are not used to any of this, unnehe. We have laundry work to do. How can we neglect all that? People will get agitated if we didn’t attend to matters we have undertaken. And the other thing is, who would do all that if we weren’t there? It’s not that I am arguing with you. We still get kotahalu invitations once or twice a week.’
Napo Signgno became even more angry.
‘Imbeciles! You are bragging about dirty clothes and kotahalu showers. Do you even consider the status that your own son enjoys? That gentleman is one of the four to five most powerful personalities in Ratnapura. Who are you? Nothing! You are like worms. All you do is wash other people’s dirt. Now look at this girl for instance…’
He pointed to Podina and continued his tirade.
‘If she was dressed up in some decent clothes, she would be twenty to thirty times prettier than Ruby Nona, I am not exaggerating. Once you go there all you would have to do is to eat and drink to your heart’s content, sit around in plush chairs and talk. There are four people just to attend to the cooking. Don’t you have any brains?’
His anger made Veerappuli Henaya even more self-effacing. He spoke now in an attempt to placate the stranger.
‘Unnehe, there’s no reason to be angry. It’s just that there’s this great fear in me. I have visited these mansions to do laundry work. When we do that, we just find a corner and just stay there. I have no desire whatsoever to live in such places. However, we need to discuss this matter carefully, I’m sure you’ll agree. And the other thing is that I have to share all this with Guna Ralahamy as well.’
Napo Signgno said nothing. He grabbed the enamel mug from Podina and drank a few gulps of water. Then he left.