Gimara

She was seated on the low bench with a warm cup of kahata the cupped between her palms. She watched the ocean becoming calm with dainty white ripples gushing and disappearing on the sandy beach. The bright orange ball was gradually sinking amidst the horizon, giving numerous colours to the sky and building up shadows of palm trees.

Her thoughts were far away. Draped in a Kandyan sari with her books and umbrella on the bench, drops of silver tears blotted her blushed cheeks. Her thoughts were disturbed by her teacher friend addressing her as ‘Gimara’.

‘Why are you in tears?’ Lalitha asked. ‘Gimara, you are the prettiest teacher in our school staff and so many want to win your hand. Is there any problem?’ Lalitha asked. Gimara gave a pleasant smile. ‘I am not interested in anyone. I have already made plans for life’,was Gimara’s answer. Now, her mood was one of happiness and contentment. Lalitha touched her hand in sheer surprise. Hands clasped, they walked along the beach to their rented quarters, a few yards beyond.

It was almost time for dinner. They both had to prepare work for the following day. Lalitha was anxious to know and Gimara needed to spill out her future.

Lalitha knew Gimara was an affluent young girl of 30. She owned a Walawva with a rambling coconut estate in Thalalla, Matara. “Aronodaya Walawva” was well known by the villagers and the town folk in Matara in the late 1930 s’ and in the earlier decades.

It was during the time of the British rule that her father Somasiri Mudalali Mahathmaya, supplied toddy to Colombo and exported coir. He owned a brightly polished black Hilman car and travelled to Colombo in it. In the village and town, he with his family travelled by the Thirikkalaya.

 Her parents had passed away in 1934 and 1936. She was in her last year in training school when disaster struck when her dear father died.  She inherited the estate and business from her father. She was educated in the village and town school in Matara and later in a private school in Colombo. Gimara was an intelligent, persevering young girl. She managed her father’s business and loved her profession.

Gimara regularly visited her home and sometimes with her close friends Lalitha, Padma and Kamala.

Gimara and Lalitha went to the well, had their evening bath and sat for dinner, prepared by Nonahamy who was the owner of the few-roomed house. After eating hoppers with Lunu Miris and fish curry, Gimara with her best effort explained her future plans……….

She said that she had made arrangements to donate the Walawva and the estate to the village Buddhist temple for a meditation Aranya. Her friends nodded as she continued. Her face was radiant.  ‘Construction works for the meditation kuti are being done’, she said. She invited them for the ceremony of the offering. ‘I will ordain myself at the Meheni Aramaya at Galduwa’ she said. Everyone became silent. The atmosphere became unexpectedly serene. Lalitha, Padma and Kamala looked at each other while Gimara smiled with inner happiness.

Gimara sensed that her friends expected a bit more explanation and she too needed to unravel her past.

After dinner together, they sat on the coconut trunk which was the only garden seat with a ray of light from the lantern hung at the door to the entrance.

‘I inherited all this wealth from my adopted father, Somasiri Mudalali Mahathmaya,’ she said and continued…

My biological mother was a faithful servant at the Walawva. She cooked and performed a lot of duties and was loved by Leela Hamu, wife of Mudalali Mahathmaya. My father was a toddy cutter in the estate and worked dedicatedly to the Walawva. I was 11 years of age. I attended the small village school and was very keen to learn. I was the only kid allowed to play with the Walawve  Chooti Baby who was 13 years old. Her name was Samanmali. A lady tutor visited the home to teach her and she was taken to the Buddhist temple to learn Buddhism, History and Sanskrit. Chooti Baby was very kind like her parents, and whenever she travelled to Colombo she brought me sweets, a dress, a toy or a Sinhala storybook.

We enjoyed playing together. She got sick very often with fever and fits of fainting. As I remember, she was treated by the famous village Weda Mahathmaya and the temple priest. Almost every week end, priests came to the bungalow to chant pirith to bless Chooti baby. I faintly recollect Weda hamuduruvo’s words ‘Mudalali Mahaththayo, lamaya Kolamba geniyanna; loku dosthara mathmayakuta pennana’

The very next day, Samanmali was taken to Colombo. After a few days they arrived. Everyone in the estate was anxious and worried. I overheard Hamu’s words to my mother, ‘daruwage lae visawela, nitharama Kolamba geniyana wewi.’

She wasn’t allowed to play in the garden. I used to sit near her bed and play with her or related stories of my experiences of going to school. She loved to listen to them. Sometimes, she fell asleep and I slowly tiptoed out of her bedroom.

Friends and relatives of her parents visited daily and a lot of food was prepared to entertain them.

Latterly, they decided to prepare a “Thovilaya” to invoke blessings to Chooti baby and chase the devil away.

‘Sure, this would have helped’, Kusuma said. ‘An evil devil would have cast a bad omen on her’, Lalitha said. Tears poured from Padma’s eyes.

Gimara continued her story….. There were a lot of preparations, and the Gurunnanse made huge figures out of Gokkola leaves. The Thovil Maduwa was decorated with colourful fresh flowers and coloured cloth. I was thrilled dancing around and taking little birds and animals made of Gokkola by the Gurunnanse to give Chooti baby. This amused her and she was happy and tears wet Gimara’s eyes.

The stage was set for the night. Pol Komba lamps were erected along the path and around the bungalow. A bed covered with crisp white sheets was kept inside the Thovil Maduwa for Chooti baby to lie down. Cushions and mats were laid for the family and relatives to sit. Incense, held and lamps were lit.  

This was the first time I witnessed a Thovilaya. I was very scared of the huge devil masks. Chooti baby began to cry and shiver. Since I was so scared, I was with my mother in the kitchen tagging behind her and helping in minor chores. The Thovilaya began…. With drumming, Devil dancing with Huluathu lit, with flames of fire rising to the sky. Lots of verses were chanted!

I realised I had attained puberty, and  I was frightened to devalue it because I have heard my mother discuss with the other kitchen maids that it’s ‘Kili’, and anyone not clean should not come to the estate until the ceremony is over. If I admitted what had occurred, the whole ceremony would have to be postponed, so  I made up my mind not to go into the Thovil Maduwa and near Chooti baby.

My stomach was hurting and I wanted to go to the toilet. The toilet was a bit far down the estate and I was quite used to going alone. I took a lantern and unnoticed went to the toilet.

I faintly remember seeing a tall huge black figure with bulging red eyes and long white teeth bending and glaring at me! I remember the touch of a furry hand on my neck and beads of sweat pouring down my body, I am sure I would have screamed and dropped the lantern on the grass.

My mother said I was found unconscious, body rigid and almost blue, at the far end of the estate. Scrape marks were on my neck! Everyone thought I was raped. I wasn’t and that was cleared. My mother said the Gurunnase said I had been hit by a devil and a thread was tied round my throat and blessed. A lot of fuss had been made and I gained consciousness in hospital. I told my mother what happened and Leela Hamu said to keep it to ourselves and bathe me without any fuss. She was a very kind lady and my mother always bent, worshipping her. The fear and guilt still haunt my mind.

Happy times ended within months. Tears and mourning were all that remained. Chooti baby died in a hospital in Colombo. Smiles and laughter weren’t there, people in the bungalow just walked around without expression. She was my friend and was like a sister to me. It is now I realize she died of blood disease.

The bungalow became so vacant. Alms were given in abundance. Good deeds were done to invoke merit to Samanmali.

Leela Hamu always requested me to be with her and said she missed her daughter. As time went by they sent me to a better school in Matara town. They gave me all the possible comforts and loved me like their daughter.

After about two years and when I was about 13 my mother and father summoned me with tears in their eyes. They with reluctance looked scared and said:  Leela Hamu and Mudalali Mahathmaya want to adopt you as their daughter. I just did not understand and I am sure my parents didn’t either. I said I cannot live in the Walawva without my parents. I remember, I cried and said we will run away.

My parents were too faithful to them and would not go beyond their request. I was gradually addressed as “Gimara Duwa” and they imparted much love towards me. My parents were given better facilities and visited me daily without any issue.

The two photographs of Chooti baby which hung in the living room was mounted in the master bedroom. I was taken to a studio in Colombo and the framed picture was mounted in the living room as you all have seen.

I received a sound education as you all know. I wanted to be a teacher – and here I am, with you three seated on this coconut trunk!

My father and adopted parents passed away. My mother ordained herself and is in a far away Aramaya. I inherited all the wealth saved and earned by Mudalali Mahathmaya. They were the most loveable, generous people in my life next to my parents. They suffered from the loss of Chooti baby every day of their life. I knew because they spoke to me of her, and I listened with love and respect. I never hurt them or went against their wishes. I did my very best when they were sick and was with them just like their own beloved daughter.

I have thought and decided that Chooti baby and my adopted parents need more merit in this cycle of life and it is my duty to invoke blessings to them. With a lot of love and compassion, I donate all the wealth to the Buddha Sasanaya to invoke merit to them. Blessing those untroubled peaceful healthy lives in future births.

I have attended to all legal matters, and the estate will be named  “Arunodaya Aramaya”, and be a place where the present and future generations can meditate.

Appendix:

Kahata Thae – Tea without milk // Kandiyan sari – Ladies traditional dress // Walawva – Bungalow // Mudalali Mahathmaya – Businessman // Lunu Miris – Onion and Chili mix food // Aranya – Meditation temple // Meheni – Buddhist ordained female // Hamu – Lady // Chooti Baby – Little baby // Thirkkalaya – mode of transport, cart drawn by a bull // Weda Mhathmaya – Sinhala Medical Practitioner // Pirith- Buddhist Verses // Hamuduruvo – Buddhist priest // Lamaya – Child // Kolamba – Colombo // Geniyanna – take // Loku Dosthara Mahathya – Medical Practitioner // Pennanna – consult // Thovilaya – Down south ceremony, chase the devil //  Maduwa – hut // kili – bad // Gurunnanse – person who conducts the ceremony // Gokkola – young coconut leaves // Pol Komba – The young full coconut husk // Huluathu – leaves and cloth tied to a raw stick and lit to give fire and light //