Golden Age - English Version

Almost 40 years ago (may be around 1970s), I wrote this drama script in Tamil and sent for publication to then leading magazines like Vikatan, Kalki, Kumudham and also to DD. But, none touched it with their longest of long poles. The crumbled pieces of the manuscript of the drama are still in my possession waiting to be read. I felt my Blog is the only way I can share it.  Last week the  Tamil version of the drama was posted in my Blog. The English version presented now is for the benefit of those who do not know to read the Tamil version. The first page of the crumbled script is presented to know its age!

The situations brought out were almost prevalent then during the period of writing of this drama. So, I have retained the contents without any modifications to the original script.

Komacha (Santhanam)

18 February, 2019

Actors:

1.     Kanakaraj and his wife Thangamani

2.     Bhaskaran and his wife Ponnammal

3.     Pattammaal- Friend of Thangamani and Ponnammal

4.     Sundari – Another friend of them

5.     Rowdy- Thief

Scene-1

Place: Kanakaraj’s House

Thangamani was in her make-up room dressing herself to go out with her husband. She was putting the jewelleries in a long tube like cotton bag matching with her saree colour. She tied it along her waist and over that wore her petticoat and the saree. Then, she was almost ready to go out with her husband and was coming out of her room.

Kanakaraj: “Kya (in Hindi), all dressing and make up are over ? Shall we go?”

Thangamani: Slowly rubbing her waist and feeling confident that the jewelleries are safely in place, “Han, I am ready. Let us go.”

Scene -2

Place: Bhaskaran’s House

Ponnammal unzipped an inside packet attached to her petti-coat and thrust the jewelleries in it. Outside the room, her husband was hurrying her up and asked her if her dressing was over.

Bhaskaran: “Is the dressing over?”

Ponnammal: “Just a minute, I will be ready.”

After a while, she emerged from the room wearing a simple saree and without displaying any jewellery as normally any woman would like to show off.

Ponnammal:  “Ya, I am ready…. Shall we go?”

Scene-3

Place: Busy Pondy Bazar area in T.Nagar, Chennai

Thangamani, her husband Kanakaraj were walking down the street near Panagal Park. They have come from Delhi on  a month’s leave. Thangamani appeared with a very simple saree though she has a lot of jewellery to wear and show off.  There were no golden bangles in her hands and no gold chain too on her neck.

From a distance, Thangamani saw her friend Ponnammal and her husband Bhaskaran  coming in the same direction where Thangamani were also walking. On seeing them Thangamani observed to her husband Kanakaraj……

Thangamani: “Is she not Ponnamma! It appears that she has also come on occasion from Kolkata.”

Kanakaraj: “Yes, Yes, it is your friend Ponnamma. As you say, she might have come on vacation too. Her husband Bhaskaran is also with her.”

Meanwhile, looking at Thangamani and her husband, Ponnammal waving her hands started coming towards them.

Ponnammal: “Hey, Thangamani, how are you? How is the winter in Delhi.”

Thangamani: “We are fine,  but not so comfortable. Of course, the winter in Delhi     is not so bad  this year.”

Ponnammal: “I find some changes in you. Ya, you used to be fond of wearing gold jewelleries all the time. But, now I find that you seem to have become a modern woman and wearing nothing on your neck. Since when is this change!”

Thangamani: “M…M… there is nothing specific. She seemed to ignore responding Ponnammal’s observation on her.”  

Bhaskaran: (In a low voice that can be heard by Ponnammal only) “Don’t cause embarrassment to them. They may have their own problems. Don’t make them feel bad.”

Kanakaraj:  (In almost similar fashion in a low voice that can be heard by his wife Thangamani only) “Why? Do you feel shy of sharing your experience? She is your friend after all and she can also be cautious in future.”

Thangamani: “M…M… Nothing specific. It is more out of compulsion. But, I also want to ask you the same thing. Why are you wearing a simple and cheap quality black beaded chain. I know that you are also fond of dressing up yourself well with jewelleries suiting the occasion. Last time when we met here in Chennai, you also showed me the eight sovereign chain purchased from V.B.V Jewellers.” 

Kanakaraj: “Why are you hesitating and feeling shy?  Okay. I myself will narrate the incident. About a few months back we were returning home after visiting Uttar Swami Malai Temple. On our way back home, two thugs suddenly appeared in front of us and threatened  with sharp long knives and demanded gold jewelleries. Out of fear and anxiety to protect our lives from the thieves, she gave away the jewelleries and we rushed back home. That was the last day Thangamani wore golden jewelleries whenever we went out and travelled outside Delhi. Of late, Delhi has become unsafe for ladies to go well dressed. Since then, as advised by her friend who encountered similar experience earlier,  Thangamani used to put the gold jewelleries in a long tube like cotton material matching her dress and tie it around her waist. So, whenever we go out, she follows this practice. In those days, we used to tie a thick chain (Aranaa kodi in Tamil) to our kids either in silver or gold. Of late, even women of Delhi have also started following similar way of dressing up.”

Bhaskaran: (Looking at his wife Ponnammal) “Now, are you  happy? Now, should you not tell your story to your friend Thangamani? Oh! You also feel shy of sharing it. Okay, I myself will narrate it. As in Delhi, Kolkata also is notorious for day light robbery and  murders more frequently being heard now ever before. On such a fateful day, she was going out nearby to meet her friend. Just then, one stout guy sitting on the pillion of a motor cycle was slowly following her from behind. When he neared her, he snatched the gold chain from her neck and darted with his friend accelerating the motor cycle. It was pretty heavy, may be 7-8 sovereign of gold.  Unfortunately, she had included her mangal sutra also which also went along with the other gold chain. Now a days, most of the women fearing of losing their valuable gold ornaments particularly the Hindus wearing Mangal Sutra started keeping them in safe deposit lockers or hiding them on their own body. Instead they are wearing an yellow thread with a turmeric stick tied  to it. With the price of one sovereign of gold selling at about Rs.170/-, it becomes risky to wear any jewellery. Instead I carry them in a packet specially stitched to my petticoats. Particularly during our travel outside. So, nobody will be aware that she has gold ornaments with her and it is also safe from any theft or robbery.”

Kanakaraj: “Do you mean to say that both of you opine that keeping your jewelleries hidden in your dresses worn is safer than keeping them in bank lockers? Is it so? “

Ponnammal: Murmuring, she addressed Bhaskaran, “Why are you telling all these?”

Thangamani: Addressing Kanakaraj “This is also a good idea. So, I will have inner packets stitched to my petticoats and safe keep them there.”

Kanakaraj: “Okay, go ahead with your idea. The tailors are not having adequate work and are very poor too. This would improve their livelihood!”

At that time, both of them saw their common friend  Pattammal was found approaching them. She  was also from a well-to-do family. Not to mention about her craze for gold jewellery, she was particularly fond of wearing only silk sarees. But, that day, she was found wearing a simple cotton saree and without any ornaments in her neck.

Ponnammal: With surprise on her face, she addressed, “How are you Pattu; Hope everything is fine with you? When did you come from Patna? We know your great love for wearing Silk sarees, as your name ‘Pattu’ suggests. But, you look poverty stricken and found wearing a simple cotton saree. What happened to you? Hope, everything is Okay at your end.”

Pattammal: “Why are you making me cry while I am still suffering from the haunting memory over the horror I suffered in the recent past? One day, after finishing shopping, I was returning home. Since it was winter, it became dark even around five in the evening. There was no electric supply in our street and around that area. Patna was in the grip of darkness and without electricity for long hours every day.”

Ponnammal: “Kolkata was equally bad with over 10 hours of power cut every day. In fact, my husband used to say that in his office some of the male staff members used to work after removing their shirt and with banian on. That way both of us are residing in such horrible cities. Okay, you continue with your story.”

Pattammal: “Suddenly, from nowhere a thief with a long dagger jumped in front of me and demanded my jewelleries be parted to him. Out of fear, I handed over the jewels including the ring in my finger. He did not seem to go away with the jewels and looking at the shining silk saree demanded me to give him the saree too. Little knowing what to do and without anyone to help around, I had to remove my costly silk saree and I threw it on his face and ran away before further harm from him to my modesty. I reached home with my petticoat on and bolted the door from inside. My husband was shocked and that was the end of my love for silk sarees but on gold jewels it still continues. I also follow the petti-coat way for hiding my jewels whenever we go out.”

Bhaskaran: “Oh! Ho!, the fellow did not spare you with your Silk saree which he might have valued equally precious. Or he might have thought that he could gift it to his wife. It appears both Delhi and Kolkata are better for a living than Patna.”

Just then, their another friend Sundari appeared to be approaching them. Sundari was from a lower middle class family where both the husband and wife were compelled to work to lead a decent life. Always looked simple in her dress and with just a black beaded chain in her neck and a few glass bangles in both the hands. But, today, the three friends who are affluent  were surprised to see her friend Sundari coming with chains and bangles adorning her neck and hands which looked shining like any gold ornaments.  

Ponnammal: “Just see, we move around with fear of losing our jewels to the day-light robbers and hiding them in our waist and petticoats. But, this Sundari who is from a humble background is showing off her wealth by boldly wearing fearlessly, the jewels. From where has she got her wealth? She is working in a small company for a modest salary. So too, her husband. Then, how come…….? There is something mysterious about her new found richness.”

Thangamani:  “If the poor becomes rich suddenly,  they will carry their umbrella even in the night,  goes an aphorism. (In tamil, it is said that if Arpaththukku pavizhu vandha, arththa raathirila kooda kodai pidippangalam). Yes, I also agree with you. But, there she is coming. We will ask her,”

Meanwhile, Sundari reached them and exchanged good wishes for meeting after a long time.

Sundari: “What is happening here? A round table conference in the middle of the road! But, all the three of you seem to be as economically poorer than ever before. I have always seen you all well dressed and bedecked with jewels. But, none of you seem to be happy and suffer from something unknown.”

Pattammal: “Yes, Sundari, you are right. We are not as happy as before. Life in our places is miserable and risky too. Okay; how are doing? You seem to be leading a more comfortable life than any of us. Your very decorated ornaments around your neck, shining bangles in your hands, all give us a feeling that you are better off than three of us. More over you are D.I.G. So, it is but natural that you lead a more decent life than us.”

Sundari: “What do you mean by D.I.G? I don’t understand the term.”

Pattammal: “D.I.G means Double Income Group. Since both you and  your husband are earning, you seem to have a better life.”

Sundari: “With some disappointment that her friends did not understand her real life struggle she explained, ‘If I do not go to office, there will be no food for the day. It is a hand and to mouth existence that we are leading now.”

Thangamni: Sarcastically, “You do not seem to be suffering from such impoverished state of living.”

Sundari:  “What are you telling Thangamani? What made you to make such observation about me. Oh, Ho, on seeing these jewelleries on my body.  She gave a hearty laugh.“

Sundari: “Continuing her conversation laughingly told her three friends there was a big story behind her present day glittering look and life style. It does not matter if I share my story with my friends. One day, I was returning from my office. It was a month end and I had no money to take even a bus ride to go back home. So, I started walking back home and there was a slum area and I decided to take that route as it would shorten the distance from my office to my home. It was dark and thickening clouds forewarning rains any moment. Half way through the slum, a rowdy fellow with intention of stealing whatever I have,  appeared before me and demanded my handbag and jewelleries. For a moment, I laughed to myself and gained some courage and told him that I was a poor woman working in a small position in a firm and I do not have anything to give him, even a rupee as my purse was empty. Even there is no jewellery except her mangal sutra tied in an yellow cotton rope.”

Rowdy(Thief): “Spitting on my face and calling me by all nasty names, he thrashed me black and blue with a big wooden stick. He warned me that henceforth, I should not show my face in the slum. With pain and internal injury to my back, I had to take fifteen days leave and remain at home. I was also not eligible for any salary during that period. But, life has to go on and I cannot afford to sit at home for ever fearing these thugs. So, I purchased some gold guilted jewelleries for Rs.50 which itself was a huge amount for us to spend. It was out of compulsion to resume my office work, I have to invest in this to fool such thugs who cross our way with intention of stealing our jewels.”

Friends looked at each other with various thoughts and comparing each one against the miseries of other three friends as to who was better in handling such situations. Baskaran and Kanakaraj exchanged smiles at the predicament in which their friends were in. Thangamani as though caressing her hip tried to ensure that the jewelleries in the cloth belt were safe. Ponnammal and Pattammal too tried to feel that her jewelleries were safely lodged in the petticoat packet.

No,No…… None can change this situation. One set of people suffer from their love for gold but inability to wear them on any occasions; another set of people like Sundari who cannot afford but was forced to show off out of  her own necessity. None of them will change. They are all present day ‘Midases’.”