Oddiyanam (4)

1926 - 1930.    

        A beautiful girl baby with a full head of long hair is born to Jayamma . Jayamma is in the seventh heaven of delight. For the past few months she has been here at her parents house at Kanchipuram. She has been made to feel special. Mother has been making delicacies just for her.

            The house is filled with the pitter patter of her  younger brothers’ feet. The three brothers are at ages 2 to 6. Most days the younger  two disappear suddenly. Where do they go. Amma rolls her eyes. They eat at a neighbours house she says. They like to feed your brothers . Why don’t I see those neighbours here in our house she questions. Some one lets her into the secret .The women belong to the class that we do not mention in polite society. 

              That family however has a traditional knowledge of secret ingredients for making a baby girl’s  bathing powder. Reluctantly Amma takes a gift of that powder from them. Oh how sweet the baby smells after her bath. So the baby becomes Sugantha the sweet smelling one. 

             More than 50 years later , when I first heard this story, and was there in Kanchi , I went looking for this house of ill repute. Eyes down, afraid that some lewd person would wink at me , I probably missed that house. I stopped and returned when I came to a board that proclaimed House of C. N.Annadurai. Former CM of TN. Don’t read much into this info. There was a boarded up house too near by.

                 

               Returning to Mambalam  with her new born , Jayamma  finds the house under a cloud. 

    

                Business is on the decline. The almost retarded brother in law (I don’t know the truth of his mental capacity) is getting married to a girl from the village.  The two girls may be from different backgrounds but living in the same house with a common enemy,  their autocratic inlaws  and extended  inlaws overflowing from the two houses next door, they live in a sort of truce.

                  Business is completely wiped out. ( I guess the decline was due to the riots and disturbances in Burma. These people were dealing in Burma teak) . Jayamma’s husband Srinivasan takes up a job as a clerk at the Saidapet treasury. Most properties are sold. The three elders however hold on to their 3  Mambalam properties.

                    1929.One more blow. Father in law passes away. Whatever property is left is divided between the two brothers. The younger brother,  gets the Walajabad house with fertile lands. Jayamma ‘s husband gets the Mambalam house and a huge list of debts.

                      The huge mansion type house with its outhouses is partitioned  and let out to rent to about 6 families.

                       Mother in law alternately  lives with the two brothers. Now she 

has just returned from one  such a visit  from Walajabad and daughter in law is prostrating before her.

          When she gets up Ma in law gives her the Oddiyanam and says, “I am happy that these 2 years of scrimping and saving are over. We have come out of our debt. Srinivasan has bought you this to replace so many properties and gold that we have sold. Let us pray to God for a peaceful life.”

                        Now there is this new tenant a young boy called Bhashyam. Jayamma hangs on to his every word.