Song and Story #3 : Kamali - Celestial Conspiration and Confessions

SONG AND STORY is a series of articles that stitches pieces of fiction writing with songs that have popularly been a part of dance repertoires. Born out of an exploration under the UNBOXED series, these articles aim at providing parallel, contra-indicative or juxtaposing contexts to popular poetry such as and not limited to Javalis, Padams and Devarnamas. With utmost respect for the poet/author and composer of the songs, the fiction writing that accompanies the songs is not meant in any way to disregard the original context. Should any reader choose to explore these pieces further, I urge you to access and understand the original contexts too.

 Rainbow in the dark, I have heard,

lives atop the tallest peak, and beyond.

Thorns and tentacles you must pass,

There she lives, in splendour and warmth.

Can rainbows be seen at night? Kamali thought she just saw one. Five years since the day she made her decision. Walking out of that house, that life, that marriage was as dramatic as it could get. If her life were a film, it would have been a mega blockbuster, her friends joked when they wanted to lift her up. Lift her up, they have had to- several times - in the last 5 years. As Kamali wondered about her rainbow-in-the-dark, she felt her body fill with euphoric gratitude for the friends and family that had stood by her and Armaan and Anita. 

***

They say that the journey to find this rainbow in the dark is a treacherous one. Kamali couldn't agree more! Walking today from therapy in the warmth of the winter sun, Kamali smiled inspite of the flashes from that last week of her marriage. The loud bellowing, the waist leather belt being pulled out, 8 year old Anita hiding under the bed, 4 year old Armaan screaming behind Kamali, the stinging lashes that came down on her face, shoulder and waist, another one that went past her and onto Armaan's back, the locked door, Kamali's scream for help through the window at Annadurai, her desperate attempt to call her brother with a phone that was fast running out of battery, another call to her then-husband's friend... Kamali sat with Anita and Armaan tucked into her arms for hours everyday after that. It was their only safe space outside their therapy sessions. But today she smiled. That euphoric gratitude from last night crept back in and Kamali closed her eyes for just a moment to enjoy it. 

She got in to her apartment dropping her bag and keys into the side board when she thought she heard someone in Anita's room. Her parents were travelling so it couldn't be them. Did Anita have friends over? Why hadn't she been informed? She walked in to Anita's room, gearing up for a lecture on teenage decorum and behavior but ... Sitting on Anita's chair was Nirvik, flushed face et al as if he was being reprimanded by the school headmistress. Anita stood with her hands folded across her chest, glaring down at him, very headmistressly. The glare shifted to Kamali, who felt her face flushing, cheeks a crimson red they must be. "You should sit down too Ma. I have to ask you some questions too." Sheepishly Kamali sat down at the edge of Anita's bed, trying to make sense of what she may have already heard from Nirvik, trying to think of a million explanations that a 13-year-old could possibly be convinced with.

***

Three years ago, at Jyolsna's Christmas party, the usual gang of friends and their families had a plus one. Nirvik had just returned to India from Hong Kong and had bumped into Archie at office a week ago. It was a loud welcome he got. Most of them were seeing him for the first time since 8th grade. A week after that, Kamali was jogging outside the children's park at Ambrosia and bumped into Nirvik. His mother lived in Tower 3 and he was visiting her! And then after that, he was at her Office for a client meeting and so gave her a ring. And a month later, he was volunteering to teach art at The Invent Centre, where Anita went for Karate classes. As if the rainbow was growing slowly and surely, conspiring with the shooting stars, The Winter Orion and any other celestials that wanted in on this,  Nirvik began to become a plus one in Kamali, Anita and Armaan's lives. Two years after that Christmas party, Nirvik and Kamali confessed to each other something that had been on their mind for a while.

 ***

Today, the 13-year-old wanted answers!

 

PADAM

Ragam: Purvi Kambodi, Thalam: Adi Composer: Swati Tirunal

 

kAminImani! sakhi! tAvakamukhaminnu kAmam sivinnamAyatendE? vada!

tAmarasabAndhava kiranamErru vadanam tAntamAyi nitAntam

 

tarunamrganayane! tava lOcanayugalam arunataramAyandE?

taruni! tava dayitavacanOditakOpEna paramarunamAyinnu

 

nIlavAridanibhamAkum tava kuntalam bAle! lulitamAyatende?

navamalayamAruta calanamatukondatrE  cAlE lulitamAyinnu!

 

kunkuma pankamazhivAnendu kAranam?  kOkilavAni tava kElkka!

pankajAkshi! sAmpratam uttarIya karshanAl paricOdazhiNNitahO!

 

mEni vAduvAnendu mUlamennu paraka?

yAnA yAnattAlatre! bata

 

manini nI connatellAm satyam iniym mama vAcam srnu kimapi

sarasnAm srIpadmanAbhanOdu saha  sambhOgamatilenniyE ippOl

varatanu taAdhara kshatamAyatennane?  nirupamAdbhuta tarAngi!

 

Meaning

Oh Kaminimani! Dear friend! Today why is your face sweating like this?  tell!!

I sweat due to the rays of the sun.

 

Oh the one, with eyes like the young deer!  Why both your eyes are reddish?

Alas! May be due to the harsh words of the beloved one.

 

Why is your hair which is always beautiful as dark clouds look untidy?

The fresh gentle breeze has made my hair untidy.

 

Why the kunkuma on your forehead is disturbed?  Oh, kOkilavAni!

Oh PankajAkshi! my upper garment might have rubbed over it.

 

Tell me the reason as to why you are looking tired?

It is due to my wandering here and there.

 

Oh Manini! Whatever your spoke may be true.  But now listen to my words, Oh the one with the marvelous unparallel form! However it is, you must have united with the charming Sri Padmanabha and that is why there are marks on your lips!