Ammachi

“Ammachi, I cannot walk a step more” Ponni, folding her hands, stubbornly sat down in the mud, sweating profusely due to heat and long journey. “Ponni, it’s noon already. We might lose the last bus to marudhai” ammachi told looking at the sun over their heads. She noticed the protest and weariness in Ponni’s face, it might be hectic for a nine-year old child but the only concern now is to save Ponni from the ordeal, which ruined, her daughter, Ponni’s mother. On hearing the devastating news, ammachi, without any delay, took the sleeping Ponni in her shoulders, some money and things in a bundle and left their home.

Ammachi opened the bundle she’s carrying, and gave some sundal and kolukattai to Ponni. After resuming their journey Ponni walked inserting her tiny fingers into ammachi’s copper bangle and her heart went back to her village and Panguni Thiruvizha. She suddenly remembered her mother taking Mulaipaari to temple. “Ammachi, you said mother will join us before dusk. Why she hasn’t come yet?” Ammachi’s eyes moistened at once but wiping the tears unknown to Ponni, she stopped near a pond. As they both refreshed themselves, Ponni looked at her ammachi’s wrinkled but resolute face. They crossed the pudhu kulam, observing the sun retiring from the tiring day allowing the darkness to engulf their hearts. After two hours of walking they reached the town-road.

“Thambi, ippo marudhaiku bus iruka” “innum aramani aagum aatha. Vandha solludhen” Ammachi sat down on the stone alongside the road lost in her thoughts and Ponni too sat keeping her head in Ammachi’s lap “if we were in home, mother would have sung a lullaby for me to sleep” Ponni’s complaining voice strangely echoed in ammachi’s ears as she recalled Muthu informing about Ponni’s mother’s disappearance, like many of our people. And she already knew what Muthu was telling her “Aatha, they are planning to make our Ponni, the next Krishna-dasi”

Star of my skies
Open not, your eyes

Twilight of thy night
Fear not, here is your Knight

Blue-Moon in Guise
In the Field of my Paradise
Close your little gem eyes
So, Heavens may rise
To bless you twice

Star of my skies
Open not, your eyes
Pearl of my wise
Break through the ties

Twilight of thy night
Fear not, here is your Knight
Give up not, without a fight
Morrow, Sun may see your might.

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