The Expendables

Newspapers have a unique quality of swallowing up people. Not for those who think they can be better used for wiping something or wrapping up. But to Raman Nair Newspapers came as a blessing. With the passing away of Bhargaviamma, his ‘Bhavi’, a total vacuum had surrounded Raman Nair. Although Bhavi had given him eight living children, he couldn’t find solace in anyone’s company. That’s how he got himself busy with newspapers. He started with one. Now he reads three newspapers, two in Malayalam and ‘Hindu’ in English. And he started loving the cryptic crossword of Hindu too.

One day, after finishing the Malayalam newspaper ‘Mathrubhumi’, he just got up from the easy chair to straighten his back. Suddenly he saw a female figure moving towards servant Kesavan’s hut. He knew Kesavan’s wife Chodha and his two children well. So seeing another grown up girl near his hut looked unusual. And Kesavan never mentioned about any visitors to his hut too. Raman Nair waited till evening when Kesavan came to keep the implements in the backyard. After usual enquiry about the day’s activity in the field, Raman Nair mentioned about the girl seen near the hut. Kesavan became pale. He started fumbling something. Raman Nair assured him it is okay to have a guest, but he should know who it was. Kesavan got his breath back and narrated about the girl.

Radha was the daughter of a distant cousin of Chodha, Kesavan’s wife. She was born out of wedlock. Her mother Neeli was a good looking girl living with her mother in her teenage. One day three upper caste men forcefully took her in a jeep to a secluded house and raped her throughout the night and left her bleeding there only. She did not know who the men were. With great difficulty Neeli staggered back to her hut. She narrated what had happened to her to her mother who sat like a stone. Her mother told Neeli to keep everything to herself and forget about what had happened to her. Later it was revealed that she was pregnant. She remained confined to the hut throughout her pregnancy. On a day towards later part of eighth month, she started getting getting labour pain. Being poor and without any help, she couldn’t be taken to a hospital. Her mother only helped her in delivery. It was a very difficult delivery. A beautiful girl was born. But Neeli breathed her last just after seeing the child’s face.

Radha was a beautiful child with chiselled features. She was fair too. Everyone loved the child for her looks. But no one was there to take care of her being an illegitimate child. She was brought up by her grandmother whatever way she could. Radha is seventeen now. Recently her grandmother expired. She had no one to support and no where to go. That’s why Chodha brought along with her to the hut.

Hearing about Radha, even Raman Nair’s eyes became moist. Without exhibiting any emotion he agreed to her stay in Kesavan’s hut. She could also work in the backyard and do some errands for the servants. Two conditions were put across. Firstly she should not come to the courtyard or inside the house. Secondly she should leave before sunset. Kesavan touched the ground in reverence and thanked Raman Nair for his benovalence profusely.

Radha soon became accustomed to the house. She was a great help to the other servants. She was a vibrant girl, young, beautiful and attractive. Since she was fair with good features people even mistook her for a Nair girl. Raman Nair was so engrossed in the newspapers that he seldom noticed anything that was happening in the backyard.

Vikraman Nair, Raman Nair’s second son was a Clerk at the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. He was married and lived there with his wife and a son aged six years. When Bhavi was alive all married children used to visit at least once a month. With Bhargaviamma’s death such visits became rare. So when Vikraman Nair came with his family Raman Nair was very happy and asked them to stay for a few days. While going back after three days they expressed their desire to take Radha along with them as a servant to which Raman Nair did not agree. Thereafter Vikraman Nair’s visits became frequent, some times with his family and sometimes he alone. But he always stayed for two to three days. Raman Nair was happy to note the concern of his son for him.

A few months passed. One day while Raman Nair was busy solving a puzzle from the newspaper, he heard shouting and crying from Kesavan’s hut. Sound was getting louder and louder. Then he called for Kesavan to enquire about the commotion. Kesavan came running. He did not say anything. Just started crying holding his head. After a lot of persuasion he opened up. Radha was pregnant five months. All these while she didn’t tell anyone. Today while changing her dress Chodha noticed the bump in her tummy. Radha is very happy to get love from the landlord’s son. Soon she will be blessed with a handsome son. And she named Vikraman Nair as the father of the child.

Land was slipping from under the feet of Raman Nair. For a moment everything became blank. After a while he regained his composure and yelled “Just shut up”. If a word is let out, entire family will be eradicated, he warned. Raman Nair could not sleep the whole night. Early morning, he went to the Post office and booked a trunk call to the Secretariat and spoke to Vikraman Nair. After much yelling he confirmed that he was responsible for the pregnancy.

Raman Nair was a broken man. The position and respect he and his family enjoyed for centuries seemed crashing down. He was now the Patriarch and he couldn’t allow such a thing to to happen. After a lot of thinking, he sent for ‘Naniamma’, the famous midwife of the area. She was an old lady and expert in delivery as well as abortions. She came. Raman Nair told her what to do. She refused saying abortion is very risky in fifth month of pregnancy. Raman Nair pleaded to no avail. Finally he brought a thick bundle of 100 rupees notes and kept in her hand. Very reluctantly she took the money and left the room.

Next Friday was a dark night. Naniamma came to Kesavan’s hut about 11 pm with a bottle of medicine personally prepared by her. Kesavan was sent on an errant in the town. Naniamma with the help of Chodha poured the medication down the throat of Radha. She was yelling with pain. Soon she was writhing in pain and there was heavy bleeding. Chodha was worried and was shouting for Kesavan. But Kesavan was nowhere to be seen. Radha was rolling, and yelling and jumping with pain. After sometime she collapsed. Naniamma declared that the abortion has happened successfully. Chodha slowly tried to wake up Radha. She kept shaking her. By then Radha had passed out. Unlike Neeli who died while delivering Radha, she died even before delivery. It was already three o’clock in the morning. Some where around that time Kesavan also arrived.

Naniamma came running to Raman Nair’s house and knocked on the door. Soon Kesavan also came running. The matter was discussed. Raman Nair was aghast not knowing what to do. Naniamma came to his rescue and suggested to hang the girl’s body from a nearby tree before day break. After a lot of persuasion Kesavan agreed. Kesavan, Naniamma and Chodha together did the needful before 5 am. A similar bundle of notes was thrust in the hands of Naniamma and a small bundle was given to Kesavan too.

Some passersby noticed the hanging dead body in the morning and informed Chodha. Chodha did the customary wailing soon followed by Kesavan and his children. Head constable ‘Kuttan Pillai’ came from the local police outpost and certified from his vast experience that it was a clear case of suicide and no post mortem was required. Very soon Radha’s body was cremated.

Before leaving the place Kuttan Pillai had gone to Raman Nair’s room. God only knows what he was carrying in a bag.

Colonel Ramesh R