Seven

The fishermen waited expectantly for the Chakara season. When they had nothing else to eat but rice soup and vegetables, the prayer in every home was, “oh goddess of the sea, when are you going to give us a proper meal? Let the Chakara season come.”

When the man in the teashop would give them no more credit, the fishermen said, “the Chakara season is coming.”

The women’s clothes were in shreds but their husbands said, “When the Chakara comes, we shall get fine clothes for you.

All their hopes and needs had to be realized with the Chakara season.

Karuthamma, too, had an idea which she described to her mother. During the Chakara they must somehow scrape up some money. In addition, they should appropriate a share of whatever Chemban Kunju brought home. Thus they could repay Pareekutti. Chakki also hoped to procure a little gold for her daughter’s wedding.

“I don’t want any gold or finery. All I want is to see that Kochumuthalali’s debt is repaid,” Karuthamma said.

“But it is your father who should repay that debt, my child,” Chakki said.

“Father won’t repay it.”

Chakki had to agree. Karuthamma began to make her plans.

Pareekutti, too, had hopes for the Chakara. Abdullah had mortgaged his house and land to one of the big traders, and had given Pareekutti two thousand rupees to work with. He planned to trade carefully, repay his debt and give away his sister in marriage.

While everyone waited expectantly, the early monsoon came on. The sea grew rough. Judging from the current that followed, it seemed certain that the Chakara was to come to their seafront. The eyes of the fishermen shone with hope and happiness. In a little while the seafront would become a bustling little town. On either side of the beach little huts began to crop up to house teashops, tailors shops, clothiers’ shops and goldsmiths’ shops. Even electric lights would be set up with a generator.

Boats began to arrive from distant places. The rains came pouring down. The wind rose. But the sea grew calm like a pond.

On the first day the haul was small. The fish were slowly finding their way to the calm waters. All the boats were on the sea, but Chemban Kunju, even then, had the biggest haul. Ayyankunju thought that that was because Chemban Kunju went out earlier. But Ramanmuppan was of another opinion.

He has bought the good fortune of Pallikunnath along with the boat,” he said.

Chemban Kunju was a challenge to all the boat owners on the seafront. They determined to try to match his hauls.

Ayyankunju got together his men.

“Don’t make me have to call you. You must all come on your own at the appointed time. We must have a will,” he instructed them.

The next day they assembled at the seashore even earlier than usual. The teashops began their sales early. Chemban Kunju’s boat was not the first one to go out because he hadn’t realized what the others had planned.

By the movement of the boats it looked as if there was a big haul in store that day. The traders and curers assembled on the beach. Pareekutti was restless. It was getting late and Pachu Pillai, the moneylender’s man who had promised to bring him money, still hadn’t come. Pareekutti had very little money with him. It was a good day in every way. There were fish in the sea. The sun was shining, which meant the boiled shrimp could be dried the same day. He could make money that day, but Pareekutti feared that even the beginning of the Chakara was going to be difficult for him.

The boats turned toward the shore. Pareekutti was in serious trouble. The other traders were waiting there with their money ready.

On the beach the cheers went up. In the restaurants food was being prepared. In the curing yards the pots for boiling the fish were ready. There wasn’t a minute to be lost. Pareekutti’s workers were also standing by.

Chemban Kunju’s boat approached first. As usual, it came speeding and dancing. The boat reached the shore and it was full of chemmeen. Every nook and corner was full of the shrimp.

Pareekutti forgot himself and ran to Chemban Kunju. He had forgotten what had happened earlier.

“Chemban Kunju, give me your day’s catch,” Pareekutti begged.

Heartlessly Chemban Kunju looked Pareekutti in the face and said, “Have you money? If not, go away!”

Before Pareekutti could answer, Khadar arrived. Pareekutti now felt certain that he could not get the catch in Chemban Kunju’s boat. He ran in search of other boats. He bought a third of the catch of another boat, all he had money for.

As usual Chemban Kunju had the biggest haul and led the sales on the seashore. He kept back his expenses and gave his boatmen their share of the takings. Then he had an idea.

“Did you see the richness of the sea? Lovely sunshine and weather. Today is an ideal day. Our net is a good one, too,” he said.

His boatmen could not understand what he was driving at.

“You idiots, this is the time for making money. Have your food and come back. I am going for another haul,” he said.

Achakunju, standing nearby, overheard him. Though Chemban Kunju hadn’t spoken to him, he said, “since I heard this, I must give you my opinion. You can’t empty the sea just because you are making money.”

There was no precedent for such a thing. No, he must not do it.

“Think of it,” Chemban Kunju said to his workers.

The seashore was bright with prosperity. The curing yards looked as if they had been sown with gold where the boiled fish had been spread out in the sun to dry.

After he had eaten his food Chemban Kunju went back to the seashore. None of his boatmen had returned.

That evening a number of boats from Cheriyazhikkil, Trikunnapuzha and other places arrived. It rained heavily all night. Only after day dawned could the boats go to sea. Chemban Kunju scolded and shouted at his boatmen for not launching the boat earlier, but even then Chemban Kunju was the first to leave.

Nearby there was a boat from Trikunnapuzha with a young man named Palani at the helm. Chemban Kunju’s boat and Palani’s boat went out head to head, racing to see who would get in front. Both parties rowed with all their might. The helmsmen pushed hard. It was a great sight.

From the shore it looked as if Chemban Kunju’s boat lagged behind, just a little.

The boats also returned in a race. If the boat’s got too close, there might be a fight. When the two boats closed in on each other for a second, everyone felt nervous.

“Why is it, Mother, that Father is having such a race?” Karuthamma asked.

Chakki was anxious also. Why should he race? Chemban Kunju was not young. Anything could happen if the boats collided.

Every moment then became an interminable age. Thank God. There were cheers on the seashore as the two boats came on shore simultaneously.

As Palani jumped ashore with his big steering oar and turban, Karuthamma looked at him carefully. He was a strong young man. Chemban Kunju embraced Palani.

“You are a real seagoer, Son,” he said.

Palani said nothing.

All the boats had plenty of fish, but that day, Palani did a little better in his sales than the rest. It was a mild defeat for Chemban Kunju.

“What is your name, Son?” He asked Palani.

That strong youth was shy by nature. On the boat he stood upright at the helm with an enormous steering oar in hand, his eyes fixed on the horizon. Now standing in front of Chemban Kunju he was transformed into a boy.

“My name is Palani,” the young man said.

“You know your job, Son. If you are born a fisherman, you must know your job on the sea.”

Palani said nothing.

“What is your father’s name?” Chemban Kunju asked.

“Vely. He is dead.”

“And your mother?”

“ She is dead too.”

“Then what family have you?”

“ None.”

Surprised, Chemban Kunju asked one again whether he had no one in the world, Palani was silent.

When he reached home, Chakki chided Chemban Kunju.

“Even if you are keen on getting back your youth, is this the way to be young?” She asked.

Chemban Kunju pretended not to hear it. He would have liked to tell her how he forgot himself while standing at the helm of his boat, but just now that wasn’t what was in his mind.

“Did you see that young fellow at the helm of that boat?” He said.

“Yes, I did.”

“Very smart chap, wasn’t he?”

Chakki, too, had admired him. Not only she, but everyone on the seashore.

“What is it?” Chakki asked.

I would like to get him.”

Chakki said nothing.

“I spoke to him. He has no one. What does that matter? In a way that is good,” Chemban Kunju continues.

“In that case you could have asked him home for some food,” Chakki said.

“I didn’t think of it.”

Chakki felt relieved. Chemban Kunju had found a boy for his daughter. It means that he still remembered.

That boy was a good one. Someone or other might snap him up. Chemban Kunju also was afraid of that possibility. After food he went out to the seashore.

Palani and his mates were resting in the shade of the coconut palms. Chemban Kunju couldn’t talk to him that day. The next day there was another race on the sea. Chemban Kunju lost. Palani got the bigger haul.

Chemban Kunju’s boatmen felt the challenge.

“There is no need for them to show off on this seafront,” Karuthamkunju said. He wanted to bring about a collision with Palani’s boat. Then there would be a fight.

“What is all this? Are you envious of young fellows who work hard? Why? If you want to beat them, you must work harder and better,” Chemban Kunju said.

Chemban Kunju’s mates were still resentful. If they couldn’t fight on the sea, they must fight on the shore. Velutha opposed the idea.

“Today they have come to our seashore. Tomorrow we shall have to go to their seashore.” He said.

That was very well, but they had to do something. Everyone was making plenty of money. They didn’t care even if they were likely to clash with the police.

Chemban Kunju worried when he heard about their plan, but his men were not alone in the jealousy of Palani and his group. They did not have to show off so much, the other boatmen said. At the same time a number of people were opposed to the scheme.

Two or three days later a fight broke out among the boatmen of the seafront. Two or three people had their heads broken. That day and the next none of the boats of that seafront went to sea. Everybody was in hiding. The police descended on the seashore and arrested all sorts of people. The Headman interceded on behalf of the fishermen and they were released.

One by one they went to see the Headman and took him gifts. Then they raised a collection. Thus the case was hushed up. But all the money they made during the Chakara season was gone. Chemban Kunju lost a week’s haul. For a fine season it meant a lot of money.

When work on the sea was resumed, Chakki asked Chemban Kunju every day to bring Palani home. Then one day all the boatmen took a day off to go to Trikunnapuzha, and Palani did not go with them.

“Why didn’t you go, Son?” Chemban Kunju asked him.

“Where am I to go?”

That was true. He had no one to meet at Trikunnapuzha. Chemban Kunju invited Palani to go home with him.

“Then come home with me for your midday meal,” he said.

Palani accepted the invitation. In Chemban Kunju’s home Chakki prepared a sumptuous meal.

Palani was a son of the Trikunnapuzha waterfront, not of any home. He had no memories of his parents, When asked how he was brought up, he could only answer that he just grew up. Nobody had sung a lullaby for him. When he was a little boy, he had been taken to sea to hold the ropes of the nets. In a sea infested with sharks and other dangerous fish, no living being had worried about him. As he grew older he began to earn good money working on the boats. When he had the money, he spent it as he liked. When he had no money, he managed somehow. Did he have his dreams? Perhaps he had them. No one had ever worried whether he had eaten or whatever he had enjoyed the food. In fact, he had never before been in a home where anyone was concerned about him.

Today someone had cooked for him. A women was standing by and serving him, seeing to it that he was eating well and happily. It was a wonderful experience for him. Chakki soon found the dish he like best. She gave him repeated helpings of it.

“How old are you, Son?” Chakki asked.

“Well”

He did not know.

This make Chakki uneasy. She should be careful of her questions, she thought. Of what caste was he among fishermen? She had to know that.

“Where are you staying, Son?”

“I have a little hut now. Over there.”

“What do you do with the money you make?”

“ What can one do with it?” Spend it.”

“You haven’t any family, Son. Should you spend everything you make? What will you do if you get ill for a few days?” Chakki advised him.

How lightly he thought of it! His survival was a miracle in itself. Was it so extraordinary then that he might get ill in his old age?

Chakki sat down, momentarily silenced. He was a tough one. Not a bad one. He drifted alone.

“Is it all right, Son, just living like this?” Chakki asked with real concern.

“Why not?”

He had never thought of an aim or ambition in life. Nor had anyone else thought of it for him.

“But that won’t do, my son!” Chakki said. “You can work hard now, but all that will change. One day you will not be able to work. And then - there are certain things a man should have. There must be someone to look after you. You need that, Son. You must have a home where someone should keep your food waiting. Wouldn’t that be good?”

Palani said nothing.

“You must marry, my son.”

“ Well”

“Then shall I arrange it?”

Palani agreed quite casually.

“Don’t you want to know the girl?” Chakki continued.

“Which one?”

“My daughter.”

Again Palani agreed.

Though the proposal had gone that far, Chakki still had some reservations. There were some points in his favor. On the other hand, Palani had no kith and kin. If you gave a girl to someone like that and he behaved badly, what could the girl do? To whom could she complain?

“But he is a good boy,” Chemban Kunju said.

“What will you say when people ask you where you have sent your daughter?”

“He will make a home for her.”

One thing worried Chakki above everything else.

“What is his caste?”

“He is a man. And he toils on the sea.”

“ Our relations will disagree.”

“Let them.”

“Then we will stand alone.”

“All right, I am going to give her to him,” Chemban Kunju said with determination.