Benyamin - Yellow Lights of Death

‘Okay. I’m lucky to see you. I need your help.’

‘What’s the issue?’ I asked hesitantly, wondering if I’d invited trouble.

‘For the past twenty-two days, I’ve been walking up and down here. Just to get something done. Do you know that I’ve rented a boat and run it as a taxi?’

‘What happened to your painting?’

‘What can painting do when I’m struggling to make a living! When I don’t get boat rides, I go paint boards. That’s the art world of your own da Vinci. Let it be. You listen to this. I’d taken my boat to Pentasia one day. Then another boat came and collided with mine near the jetty. A private boat. The mother of some big shot in the Senate was in it. My boat had been stationary, it was the other boat that came and hit it. Now if you’ve heard the hullabaloo, you’ll think I was the one responsible. Let it be. My boat suffered major damage. And theirs sustained just minor scratches. That’s all. Ideally, I should have filed a case with the Public Security. When I said that, the old girl said it would eat up a lot of time, so she’d rather pay the repair charges directly to me. I thought that was fine, although there would be a hundred formalities like insurance papers, inspection, etc. that would take up at least two days. The woman opened her purse and gave me some Diego francs. She didn’t even count them. So, I let it go at that, thinking she was a good soul. My bad time starts then. I went to repair the boat and then I realized that the currency notes were a first-class fake! The mechanics straight away called the Public Security. Who will believe my story? I was inside for three days, then I got bail. Since then, I’ve been walking in and out of here. Now they hold me responsible for all the fake notes in Diego. As if that isn’t enough, the woman filed a hit-and-run case! And yet another case from the Public Security because I hadn’t notified the accident. I’m innocent, I swear I’m innocent. But I have been trapped. Please help me out in some way. My family depends on me and the boat.’

He was on the verge of crying. I felt helpless.

‘What can I do here?’

‘Anything at all that you can, please. Don’t you believe me? I’m not the kind who’ll get into a fake-currency racket. If you visit my house, you’ll know my situation. If I had really made the deals that I’ve been accused of by the Public Security, I wouldn’t have been driving around the lake in an old Sparrow owned by Samudra. At the very least, I’d have gone with a stylish, limited-edition Yamaha or a Honda like you guys. Who will want to live a sorry life if they have the money?’

I couldn’t ignore his words. I took him to ID Stephen Pereira Andrapper’s room and described his sorry situation. Stephen uncle sat there staring at me. Then he asked Vinod to wait outside. He made me sit, then he stood up, stretched out his hand and whacked me on the head. I felt as if my ear had flown off.

‘Think of it as your Papa hitting you. If I wouldn’t do it now, I’ll later get shouted at by your Papa. Have you adopted all your friends? Didn’t I just put an end to one issue? But before leaving the building, you’ve come up with another one. What do you think, that this is an office that takes your recommendations? This is not the princely state of the Andrappers. This is a British colony. Every citizen is bound to obey the rules. Whoever commits a crime will have to be punished. And will be punished. Are you endorsing a third-rate criminal who has taken up the fake-currency business? Do you know against whom he is placing the charges? The Under Secretary’s Mother. Do you know how many years he’ll be in jail for the charges against him? And for your kind information, he’s on bail now not because we think he’s innocent, it’s because we need to know the people he is in contact with. To find out about all those who are involved in the fake-currency racket. And you come with your recommendation! It’s good that you came to me. Leave now! And never ever enter this building to see me.’

I bowed out. Vinod was nowhere around. I thanked my luck and left the place quickly.

Mariam Church

A HALF-HOUR BOAT ride from Venecia, past the Balton Strait, and you’ll reach Diego’s northern border of Bodom, a small island. Other than a British military camp and two or three recently built resorts, there are no permanent residents. But in the middle of vast palm groves, there is an ancient church. It was abandoned for a long time till its revival a few decades ago. It’s called the Mariam Church. It lies closed most of the year, but wakes up to major celebrations from 1 to 5 October. There’s a large crowd on those days. All of Diego’s hawkers gather there. Diego’s transport department runs special boat services to Bodom. It’s the harvest season for taxi boats and smaller vessels. More than a festival, it’s a great shopping carnival. There was a time when people used to buy their year’s stock of household goods at the Mariam Church festival — from cooking utensils to garments, crockery, kitchen implements, sesame and jaggery. But after the new shopping complexes came up in Diego, the local fair lost its sheen. It used to be a remarkable sight, with Diego’s wealthy, their wallets stuffed with francs, moving from one salesman to another. Now it had shrunk to a poor man’s parade.

But these days, a lot of foreigners come for the festival.

There are a number of churches for Jesus’s mother, Mariam. There are many for Magdalena Mariam too. However, this particular church doesn’t stand for either of them, but for a third Mariam.

Here is the myth and the faith.

Once upon a time, the Kerala region was ruled by a king called Thoma. A Hindu prince fell in love with his only daughter, Maria. When the prince approached with a marriage proposal, King Thoma asked him to convert to Christianity. So, the prince became a Christian and married Maria. After the time of King Thoma, the prince became the king. Meanwhile, in his own province, a minister named Paliathachan had taken over the throne. He blackmailed the prince into renouncing Christianity to get back his kingdom. But when he returned, Paliathachan and his cronies arrested and exiled him to Ceylon. The abandoned Maria pleaded with Paliathachan to send her to her husband in Ceylon. However, he wanted her to renounce Christianity in exchange. But Maria was not willing to let go of the faith of her ancestors. In a fit of rage, Paliathachan sent her in exile to Bodom. With just a few helpers, Maria spent years and years on this island, praying to be united with her husband. Meanwhile, in Ceylon, the prince regretted his decision to leave Christianity and his beloved wife. Determined to be with Maria again, he changed his appearance and set sail to the Chera region. And believe it or not, struck by a huge wave while at sea, he ended up in Bodom. It is said that this church was built during her time in Bodom.

Mariam Church is known for the special prayers for husbands who were away; the belief was that the prayers would come true. All of Diego’s married women are the devotees of Mariam Church. They believe that all their husbands’ achievements are the result of their prayers. My sister-in-law is one of them. There is a mass at the church on the eighth of every month. Whatever happens, she finds time to attend it. She’ll start the arrangements a week in advance. And usually, via my brother, the responsibility would land on my shoulders. I’d take her there, but I never ever entered the church. I’d roam around outside till she finished her prayers. Or would stay in the boat with a book.

On that day too, I was whiling away my time in the church premises, when a department boat arrived. It parked in the jetty. The crowd started to flow to the land. I saw a flash of Anita’s face among them. I felt a tremble. My hand swiftly moved to my wallet in which I had the photo of her children.