‘Thawakkul is an adamant and stubborn girl,’ thought Nisha, ‘and she probably feels that if she unbent even a little towards us, we would persuade her into seeing things our way.’
The chime of the door-bell interrupted this train of thought. Nisha answered the door courageously putting her faith in Allah.
‘Oh, it’s you, Maama! Come in, come in.’ Nisha affectionately invited Abul Hassan to sit down. Her daughters gathered round smiling and Nisha asked them to organize tea and a snack for the visitor.
Abul Hassan was distantly related to Nisha’s mother and ever since her childhood, Nisha called him ‘Maama’ just as her mother did. Nisha’s children too called him ‘Maama’ further obfuscating the connection.
‘It has been ages since we have seen you, Maama. Where have you been?’
‘Now that the fighting has ended, magal, I look after my lands in Ilupadichenai. I return from the fields to my home in the village once in two or three weeks. I seem to have no time for anything else.’
‘How are things now, Maama? Isn’t there danger any longer in those parts?’
He shrugged. ‘We plough our own land and seed it. Some Tamils have occupied lands that originally belonged to Muslims. When the rightful owners return to reclaim their property, some of these Tamils will leave quietly, while others will put up a fight. The latter declare that it is now their land and show fabricated proofs and title deeds. We run from pillar to post to get our land back.’ Again, that shrug and a smile. ‘Hmm…what can we do? How well we lived! Twenty-thousand acres belonged to our people. Perhaps more. Magal, more than three-fourths of all the agricultural land along the Chenkaladi-Badulla Road belonged to us. Now we have to get permits and what-not, and the authorities have declared that one person can own only five acres, not more, as if the politicians were gifting it to us! Forget all that. I have come with some very important and very good news.’
Nisha, despite being a housewife who spent most of her time running her home, was very knowledgeable about the current events in the country, its politics, culture and traditions. She was also clued in about agriculture, knew about Eravur’s new irrigation system and how to raise farm animals. She was aware of the embargo on Muslims undertaking farming activities since the nineteen-nineties. The story of how their properties were systematically confiscated by the Movement was known to her. Although the Movement harassed the hard-working people of Eravur with its economic policies, plundered their wealth and did their utmost to subjugate them, they steadfastly refused to give in. It would be impossible to deny the economic progress they had managed to achieve against all odds. It is very obvious that one of the reasons for the derailment of the LTTE’s struggle against the Sinhala government’s subjugation of their people was the fact that the LTTE in turn tried to subjugate the Muslim minority and loot their wealth.
Although Nisha could have held forth on this topic, her heart wasn’t in it. Besides, as Abul Hassan Maama had said that he had brought tidings, she decided to curtail the political discussion.
‘Tell me, Maama, what is this news you have brought us?’
Abul Hassan didn’t speak until Gulfer, who entered the drawing room at that moment with a laden tea tray, had retreated back into the kitchen.
‘That is your second daughter, isn’t she? I’ve come with a matrimonial alliance for her.’
‘When the elder daughter is still a spinster, how can we talk about the younger one’s marriage?’ thought Nisha, her heart wrenching as Thawakkul’s earnest face appeared before her mind’s eye.
‘I can’t talk about marriage matters when my husband is away? Besides, you know, Thawakkul is yet to clear the line before the younger ones can get married…’
‘Didn’t you tell me that Thawakkule got engaged to a boy in Colombo? It’s my grandson, who has come from Kuwait. He is highly educated and is what they call a Quantity Surveyor or something like that. He has come with a return-visa on a three-month holiday. We would like to see him married before he goes back. Long ago, I had told your Umma that I would like one of her daughters for one of my sons. That did not happen. Now I am asking for your daughter’s hand for my grandson. I hope that at least this will happen.’ Nisha squirmed in discomfiture.
Abul Hassan was appalled when Nisha described Thawakkul’s broken engagement to him, followed up by their ignominious invitation to Sufiyan’s wedding.
‘Allahu Khair, may Allah bless you!’ he exclaimed wringing his hands, his forehead creased in worry. ‘I didn’t know about all this.’ He sat quietly and seemed to sink into a brown study.
‘Anyway, when Thambi comes home, do tell him what I had come for, magal,’ he said rising. ‘I’ll come again to meet him personally. I still wish to take your younger daughter, Gulfer, into our family.’
Gulfer started screaming and shouting as soon as her Umma came back in after seeing Abul Hassan Maama off.
‘Umma, is this man mad?’ ranted Gulfer. ‘It’s a good thing he came when Raththa wasn’t around. She would be terribly hurt if she heard this. I’m telling you here and now the first wedding in this family will be Raththa’s.’
Nisha was taken aback at the vehemence with which the mildest of her four children expressed herself, and was impressed with the love she had for her older sister.
‘Magal, we cannot blame Abul Hassan Maama for this. It was common knowledge that Thawakkul was to marry a young man from Colombo. Anyway, let Vappa come home and we’ll all discuss it together.’
Theivanai embraced Thawakkul as she came in.
Thawakkul was relieved at the calm that reigned in the house once again and the cordiality with which Umma and her sisters were talking to Theivanai.
Recalling how her Umma had asked her the day-before, ‘Is Theivanai your sibling?’ she had been worried that perhaps Umma would ignore Theivanai when she came in. But she had consoled herself as she knew that Umma’s heart was free of malice.
‘Theivanai, do you know how much money you are going to get?’
‘Yes. Amma told me, Akka … fifty thousand!’ replied Theivanai, beaming. Her sister, who had accompanied her, was also smiling gratefully.
‘You have to plan now, Theivanai, on how and on what you are going to spend the money. You have to be careful to retain the bills for every item you buy. At the end of the year, you have to submit a report along with the bills to Colombo.’
‘Akka, I’ve never done this before and I’m not sure I know how to go about it. You don’t have to give me the money, Akka. You decide what has to be done and how – and do it. I have immense faith in your ability’
Nisha was thrilled to hear Theivanai’s clear-headed reply. ‘How very ennobling is Theivanai’s trust in my daughter’s ability,’ thought the proud mother amazed at the fruit of her loins. However, the worry at the back of her mind wouldn’t go away.
Thawakkul and Theivanai put their heads together, planning the business venture. The sisters too joined them, offering a few suggestions from time to time. Theivanai was determined to establish the business in her sister’s house. She prepared a clear budget estimate to procure the necessary equipment and set up an office – a computer, a printer, book-binding tools and office furniture.
Theivanai was excited to find her dreams transformed into reality so quickly. Thawakkul picked up the files with the documents and went into her room, indicating that the business part of this meeting was over. Her younger sisters closed in on Theivanai.
‘Theivanai Akka, you can’t get away this easily. You have to invite us all to the inauguration of the shop and make sure to give us sakkaraipukkai.’
Theivanai kept pinching herself, wondering whether this was reality or a just a dream.
‘Theivanai, don’t listen to them,’ said Nisha. ‘Open a savings bank account at once and deposit your daily receipts into the bank. The shop should grow and expand to become the best Desktop Printing Centre in your village. Theivanai Desktop Publishing Centre should become a byword in town.’
; Nisha believed that among her good organizing qualities the most important one was her ability to save money. As she was giving advice on how Theivanai should manage her money, Theivanai’s eyes overflowed with tears.
‘I’ll do as you say, Amma. Thawakkul brings so much luck. Ever since I met her, everything good has been happening to me. All the fears I had about the future are gone. I now believe I can live in this society with my head held high.’
Theivanai’s voice, overcome with emotion, cracked up completely. Theivanai’s sister Jothi seemed lost for words and just smiled. But it was obvious she was also very moved.
‘Umma,’ called Thawakkul as she came back into the living room. ‘A girl called Siyama and her Umma had come. I had asked for her CV. Did she come and give it to you?’
‘No,’ said Nisha with some reluctance,
‘When I had gone to get quotations for Theivanai’s computer, I found that there was a vacancy in one of the shops. We should send Siyama to be interviewed for it.’
Thawakkul’s brow furrowed as she wondered how to contact the girl because she hadn’t taken down any contact details from Siyama and her mother.
When she told Theivanai about Yoga, the girl she had met in Mavadivempu, Theivainai replied marvelling at her comparatively good fortune, ‘Compared to Yoga, I should be so grateful to God for my life. But in Yoga’s life too there will be light soon. It isn’t a question of money, Akka. Yoga will gain new confidence in herself now that she has met you.’
Theivanai left soon after lunch.
Nisha’s uneasiness had dissipated for the most part by this time. She was filled with remorse for having had doubts about the positive results of her daughter’s job, especially now that she had witnessed Thawakkul’s projects come to fruition.
‘Thawakkul, forgive me, magal.’
Thawakkul, leapt up from her chair, and moved to put her arms around her mother. ‘What are you saying, Umma? Where is the question of my forgiving you? What has happened to you?’
‘I was really scared when I saw that letter and said things I didn’t mean. I’m sorry.’
‘Why Umma, don’t you have the right to scold me or say anything to me? I’m not angry with you. Your concern is justified. I’m lucky to have a caring mother like you. If a man had accomplished what I have, any family would have celebrated him. But I was unfortunately born a girl. Other than the people in this house and you, who will celebrate me? Your love and affection is what gives me the courage and strength to swim against the tide.’
She could not utter even a word after that. Her eyes went red and wet with tears. Her voice faltered. She hugged Umma and sobbed. Nisha hugged her as well and patted her on her back and ran her hands through Thawakkul’s hair.
Ever since Thawakkul started working as a social-worker, upheavals of this kind would happen from time to time. Moving from tension to normalcy would subject each and every one of them to all sorts of internal turmoil and pressures. All these unexpected problems, unsettling news, challenges took their toll.
Ever since Thawakkul started working for the society, upheavals of this kind occurred from time to time. Restoring normalcy after a period of conflict took its toll on every one of them. It was ages since Thawakkul had rested with her head on her mother’s lap. Phantom walls had risen without their knowledge in the spaces that had been formed between them.
Nisha knew that her daughter was innocent, honest and always stayed within her limits. However, as a mother, it was her lot to worry about ensuring a safe and secure future for her offspring.
When Habeeb returned from work that evening, he pleasantly surprised to see that the situation in the house had returned to normal. He was relieved to see that his wife who had been staring at the ceiling with a taut face in the morning was now laughing and the girls were behaving in their usual manner.
‘Only this morning you were all moping in your corners, so what happened while I was out?’ With a big smile, he looked around at their faces.
‘We have decided, Vappa, that we will not open any anonymous letters and we won’t talk to anyone who does not give his name on the telephone,’ declared Sano cheerfully, snapping her book shut.
‘Really, do you mean that none of you will worry no matter what happens? You’ve become brave enough to face anything…’ Habeeb was looking pointedly at his wife.
‘What can we do?’ she shrugged nonchalantly. ‘Someone writes an anonymous letter, someone phones and threatens … and for that we rant and rave at our daughter. How can that be right? Our daughter is a nemat to us from Allah; can anyone raise a daughter as wonderful as ours? She is not what she is because of any effort on our part or because we poured money on her upbringing; she is a blessing from Allah Himself. Allah has given her the will and the strength to do something good for a few people in this world. We should not worry about those people who wish us ill … Allah will never forsake us!’
Habeeb knew that, more than him, Nisha had taken greater responsibility in nurturing Thawakkul. Nisha had given her a great deal of freedom even when she was little and had indulged her every whim and quirk. Nisha, as a mother, was very aware that of her four daughters Thawakkul was unique and had a sense of purpose, a level of understanding and a feeling of responsibility that was well beyond her years.
Nisha was very particular that her daughters get an education, unlike herself, and didn’t want them to be confined to the kitchen. She gave them a lot of freedom and fulfilled their reasonable demands. Although she had dealt with all her four daughters without any bias or prejudice, Thawakkul had grown up with her head held higher than the others.
As any mother would do, she did worry about Thawakkul’s future and whenever conflicts arose she would agonise and tell Thawakkul that this sort of work was not suitable for girls and scold her. She could, however, never rid herself of her own innate forward-looking attitudes and noble views; so such reactions were never long-lasting.
She wanted to talk to her husband about Abul Hassan Maama’s visit. She decided to do it when Thawakkul was not around. She peeked into Thawakkul’s room and was taken aback to find that Thawakkul had gone to sleep.
She had assumed that Thawakkul would have been catching up on her paper-work in her room. It wasn’t even nine yet but Thawakkul seemed to be fast asleep. Yesterday she had gone into her room angry and had slammed the door shut; she probably had not slept soundly last night, thought Nisha. Her love for her child overflowed and she softly caressed her daughter’s forehead and stood there for a while. Some unknown fear and discomfort filled her heart. She could not get rid of an image that loomed in her mind of her daughter’s future being dark and frightening.
She covered her daughter and sighed with the sheer hopelessness of it all. As she emerged from the room Habeeb appeared in the corridor. ‘Why have I not heard my daughter Thawakkul’s voice at all today?’ he asked her.
‘Hush, not so loud,’ said Nisha softly, placing a finger over her lips. ‘It’s a very rare event that our daughter is asleep this early. Come, let us go and talk over there,’ she whispered and drew him into the front hall. Bright moonlight was streaming in. In the yard the sunflowers had closed their petals but they seemed whispering to each other excited by the touch of what seemed to be sunlight and were swaying and dancing. The breeze wafted in the fragrance of frankincense that a neighbour had lit for some reason.
When she told him about Abul Hassan Maama’s visit and about what he had said, she was very disappointed that there was no change discernible on his face.
‘But, when our elder daughter is there, well, you could have told him that…’
‘You think I did not? But listen, I have an idea. What if we ask for that boy for our Thawakkul?’
He did not seem to heed her suggestion and sat there quietly. He looked at the coconut-palm leaves that were fluttering in the wind. The palm leaf seemed to have divided the circular moon that was shining behind it into two equal halves. The blue clear sky had a look of being recentl
y washed and wiped while the few clouds that were there looked like air-filled white balloons that were floating in it.
She did not want to interrupt his thoughts. She just kept praying that he would agree to her suggestion and kept looking at his face.
‘That is a good idea. But they should be agreeable to it. There is only one way, we should go to their house and talk about it.’
She felt it was a good omen that he took this view about it. If he had disagreed at first, it would have been a very difficult task to make him agree. Having said that, there had been a few occasions when he had taken an accommodative position: ‘I don’t agree but if you think that is right, please go ahead and do it.’
‘Thawakkul is going to Anuradhapura in two or three days. Shall we go to their house then?’
Still deep in thought, he nodded his head as if to say yes.
6
‘Theivanai, write a letter on this sheet of paper to declare that you have received the following list of articles and then sign beneath your statement,’ said Thawakkul handing her a foolscap sheet and a pen.
Theivanai chuckled, ‘Why do I have to do this, Akka? Am I going to abscond with this stuff?’
‘No, Theivanai, this is serious. This money has come from the Widows Rehabilitation Centre. You have to address it to Wanasundara Bandara, put the date on it and sign it so it becomes official record. Here are the bills for all the items bought. Please recheck to make sure it all adds up and our accounts are correct.’
Theivanai’s face showed her disappointment. ‘It worries me when you talk of bills and accounts, Akka. You know I trust you, don’t you? Don’t you trust me too?’
Thawakkul smiled gently at the sadness in the girl’s voice. ‘Listen Theivanai, there are rules and protocols for these things. People have contributed for this loan and they have a right to know that the funds are being used appropriately. This is standard business practice also, you will learn more about it as you progress in your business,’ she rolled her eyes expressively, still smiling.
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