Dilapidated House

Raghavaswamy’s mind has not been all right for some days now. Always there is some agitation, turmoil, some unknown agony.

To tell the truth, ever since he got separated from his younger brother, Sri Swamy was destroyed mentally. The whole town was greatly astonished when the brothers, who were like Rama and Lakshmana, were separated. Everybody said “We never thought Narasayya’s wife is that crafty”.

At the time of distribution of property, paternal house went to Narasayya. With no other go, Raghavaswamy, after handing over the house to his younger brother, went into a one room tenement and sat there shedding tears like a small child. Those coconut trees, those red oleander plants, that almond tree in the yard, the worship corner, the idols of Rama and Lakshmana in there, one by one, all are recurring in Raghavaswamy’s mind. He is not worried about brother enjoying the house. Even if his brother wanted the entire property, he would have left it to him and come away. But that house .... the affinity between that house and his soul .... who will know? How would it be known?

Days are passing by Raghavaswamy’s elder son, second son, wife, all are leading their lives as usual. But some loss settled in Raghavaswamy’s life. A loss which no body can fulfill!!

Diwali festival came. Narasayya had lime stone brought. Cart brought the limestone and is heaping it in front of Narasayyas’s house. The rattling of the limestone could be heard. But no one played special attention to it excepting Raghavaswamy. Raghavaswamy could sense that limestone is being brought for white washing the house. - ­Raghavaswamy called his younger son “Ask mother whether or not soap nuts are there in the house”.

Son came and said “NO”

At once he sent him to market for getting all the things needed for taking an head bath, he called his wife saying “Give me head bath, it is long since I had head bath with castor oil on the head”. His wife’s eyes became moist. Yes, it is many years since he has traditional head bath. Her eyes, which shed tears like jasmines that fall from her fancy hair knot, also blossomed that night.

On the festival day a feast was cooked. Raghavaswamy first sent “Pulihora” and “Payasam” to his younger brother’s house. Younger son gave it and came. He came and said “Mother, aunty said - do you think we have not prepared ourselves for you to send these?”

Raghavaswamy laughed. Along with that laugh saying (abba) oh! he held his heart ... Elder son helped him and laid him on the cot ....

Winter is horrible. Wherever you see, sore throats, bonfires - humans, animals, inanimate conscious, all are shivering with severe cold. Raghavaswamy felt as though the ancestoral house, getting wet with dew, is asking help for warmth ­-

For him, coal stove is there near the cot, giving warmth. He is looking at the house through the window. House top is not seen properly  ... So eyes are becoming defective nowadays. The tiles on the roof are scattered. Dew drops are falling down the eaves. A crow, its beak frozen due to cold, is rubbing it this way and that way against a tile. In the yard, marigold, like an unmarried woman, like a snowball, stood dumb without flowering, looking innocently - from inside the workshop corner a song is heard - some utterance on Raghavaswamy’s lips also.

Raghavaswamy was looking at the house the same way.

What a house this is!!
Wonderful house ... crumbling house, decaying house -­
house with the roof top scattered ... house that became old

Sun has come up. Sound of a cart is heard in the yard. Getting the tiles on a cart, younger brother is covering the drizzle shower. Doctor came inside to give an injection. Raghavaswamy came into this world by his call, he gave an injection and went away. Again, Swamy started staring in the direction of the house.

... One day the elder son came and said “Father, uncle is thinking of selling the house because of difficulties”. Raghavaswamy felt as though his bone were broken - he felt as though some one were selling him off putting him in the middle of the road. There - Kasi - is coming to buy Veerabahauvu - unknowingly he shouted ‘cannot be sold’.

That same night Raghavaswamy mortgaged his land and gave the money to his younger brother.

Elder son did not like this. Still he did not say anything. Narasayya’s wife was surprised.

Raghavaswamy begged his younger brother, saying, ‘Brother never in life do you say that again’.

Summer arrived
Sun is breaking the land.

Hot winds are boiling mankind. Raghavaswamy’s health got deteriorated. The two sons are becoming anxious - arranged for cool and shade all around the room with khuskhus.

Raghavaswamy still keeps looking at his house through the window.

‘What is this’ madness father’, elder son asked one day.
‘What is this attachment for that old house’.

‘What a statement you made, Sowry! Which is a old house! Isn’t your father an old man! Proper roof top is not there. bone which is the main pillar is bent. Dust is falling off from the walls. Rats and bandicoots of disease are digging holes in the body. In that house are living beings, in this house is God - Sowry - what do you know, what do you know -” he could not speak further in that excitement.

“Body is meant to be God’s abode ...” chanting some sloka unknowingly.

That same night a terrible incident which should not have happened, happened. Catching fire, the house got burnt ­Narasayya’s family was forced onto the streets. Fire engines made unsuccessful attempts to put, off the fire. Raghavaswamy did not utter any words. Remained detached. At dawn, Narasayya came and said “Elder brother - the house got burnt”.

Raghavaswamy said “Yes, dear, getting burnt is its nature”. All were surprised. With that reply, again Raghavaswamy said “We got two properties from our father - that is immovable property - this is movable property-”. Coughing loud in succession he said ‘Time alone destroys the constructed house - that is natural. But from these fires, lamps also got lit, Narasayya - that is the gift we give to Time” Raghavaswamy looked at his two sons.

These people are unable to understand his words.

An unknown fear enveloped them.

By ten in the morning the elder son lit the fire for another old house in the outskirts of
the village.

(Sithilalayam - a Telugu Story Translated by Dr. Usha K Srinivas)