Wanderers in Eternity – Chapter 1 (Page 11)
Where the shed was now only ruins remained. On seeing this Janaki cried out loud. Sobbing, Thangamani covered her mouth from the sash of her sari to stifle the stream of sorrowful anger. The tears that ran down her cheeks fell on her jacket.
Ranganadan was sleeping on her bosom from hunger. Janaki walked among the ruins not knowing what she was searching for. Everything was a pile of ashes. Because of the drizzle a smoke was rising from the rubble. Pots and pans and bangles had all disappeared. The beautiful dream world that Sundaram had built was only a heap of dust and ashes.
Placing the boy on the ground, Thangamani started to claw the earth like a mad woman in a trance. Janaki crouched on the canal shore and stared at her mother through tear misty eyes. In the darkness Thangamani’s sari glimmered in white. Like a bitch she clawed and muttered. In a little while her fingers struck on something. This was the clay pot of money which she had buried under the bed. Making sure no one was around, she unearthed the till and with the fingers still covered with wet black earth, she counted the bills and hid it all quickly in her bosom.
“Sundaram, you will gain a lot of merit… Sundaram, thank you, thank you…” she jabbered on and on.
“Janaki come on. Let’s go.”
Janaki hugged her books and the bundle. Picking up Ranga and holding the girl’s hand, Thangamani walked towards the village meeting hall. The darkness all around was welcoming. But the drizzle was not a consolation. The annoying raindrops kept on falling. The vehicles that went splattering muddy water with their turning wheels were countless.
Thangamani did not stop until she reached the shade of the village meeting hall. Suduhaminay was waiting for them to show up. She held a packet of rice that she had begged from someone.
Thangamani who came near the old woman did not sit down, but she fell on the floor. She leaned against the wall as if she had saved the last of her strength for that single movement. By the stale smell of the rice, Janaki’s hunger was awakened.