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| East-West Encounter in Nectar in a Sieve |
Introduction:
Post-independence literature in India deals with the theme of East- West encounter in Hindi as well as Indo-Anglian novel and drama. The English rule ended, the rulers went back but they left behind their art, culture and trade. It is a great irony that even those who fought for free India could not keep India free from the impact of English art, culture and trade. In Nectar in a Sieve, the West is represented by human and mechanic forces in the form of Dr. Kenny and the Tannery.
Dr. Kenny: Only a Blessing:
In the novel, Dr. Kenny appears as a great blessing. He represents the positive aspect of scientific research. He proves that barrenness among women is not a curse caused by ill fate but a physical deformity or weakness to be cured by proper treatment. As it happens in the case of Rukmani that by chance, her mother was very ill and a new doctor named Kennington was called to treat her. One day Kennington asked Rukmani why she was so sad. Rukmani told him that she was unfortunate enough to have no son. He told that it was not fate but medical science that could help her. He treated and Rukmani gave birth to a son.
When Ira was seven, Nathan invited whole village on a feast. Kali, Janki and Kunthi helped Rukmani in arrangements. The day was celebrated with singing and dancing. Rukmani had not told as yet, about Kennington to Nathan. Dr. Kennington was a foreigner and on that account, she feared that perhaps Nathan would not like him. But his treatment proved so fruitful that Rukmani gave birth to four more sons. Their names were Arjun, Thambi, Muragan, Raja and Selvam. Ira, being the eldest, cared for her brothers.
Dr. Kenny: Humanity Incarnate:
One day, early in the morning when Rukmani saw Kennington and told him now she had five sons. She requested him to go her home. When she reached home with Kennington, Nathan had gone to the field. There was no chair in the hut and Kennington could hardly sit on the mat. Ira brought rice-water in a bowl for him. It pleased him. He blessed Ira and appreciated her rice-water.
After some time Nathan came. Rukmani introduced Nathan and Kennington with each other. Nathan welcomed him. Nathan said he had no means to welcome him properly. Kennington said Nathan that the father five healthy sons could not be poor.
Dr. Kennington often visited her home with sweets for children. One day, he came and found that Rukmani was feeding her three years old Selvam. He asked Rukmani that her son should not be given breast feeding for it would be harmful for her. She replied that she had no money to buy milk from the market. Then Kenny arranged cow's milk to her youngest son.
Rukmani visited Dr. Kennington to ask him to treat her daughter Ira. He promised to do what he could for the welfare of the family. But Kenny felt pleased on knowing that Ira was pregnant. Kenny replied: "You will feel better when it is born. A baby is no worse for being conceived in an encounter."
Dr. Kenny needed an assistant for the hospital. He asked Rukmani to permit Selvam to work there, She knew that Kenny was building a hospital and under him his son would learn only good things. Selvam wanted to do work as Kenny's assistant and Kenny was ready to keep him. As his assistant, Selvam was overjoyed for now he had a gentle job. When Kenny told that he collected money for this hospital from his country, Rukmani could not understand it. It surprised her why Kenny's country-men gave money to build a hospital here and why they wanted to keep these people healthy. Being confined to village life she had never understood anything like humanity and service for human welfare. When she saw Kenny doing hard work, she failed to understand why a foreigner had interest in this village.
Selvam was settled with Kenny and looked after hospital's construction. Their aim was to build it and finish the project within a year. But it took seven long years that created financial crisis. Unfortunately Old Granny died in want of proper medical help. Hearing this Rukmani was very sad. She lamented that no one can feed poor people free. But Selvam contradicted her saying that Kenny had told him that in other countries the poor are fed free of charge. Regarding Kenny's hospital he told that it demanded endless money.
Dr. Kenny: A Man with a Mission:
At last, after many hurdles, the hospital was ready. In two years, Selvam began to treat minor cases by himself. In return Kenny paid him a little wage. And this little wage too was not paid regularly. Yet Dr. Kenny's mission is complete. He has succeeded in building a running a hospital in that rural area.
The Tannery: A Blessing as Well as a Curse:
A tannery was to be built in the village. People were busy in unloading bricks from the bullock-carts. It attracted all villagers be there. Kali, her husband, Kunthi, Janki, Old Granny, all were there. People had mixed pinion. Some thought it was a blessing to the village while a few regarded it as a curse. To construct it, workers were brought from other villages. There were built huts in a field, in which workers were living with their families.
It took about two months to complete their work. The workers made their huts in a maidan, in which their wives and children were living. When tannery building was ready, labour went away leaving behind empty huts in the field. One week passed but no one came to tannery and empty huts. It worried Rukmani and Nathan who were waiting for them. There was none to buy vegetables from Rukmani. In the village, prices of everything had become high because of those town men. Rukmani disliked them.
"Never, never..... They may live in our midst, but I can never accept them, for they lay their hands upon us and we are all turned from tilling to barter and hoard our silver since we cannot spent it, and see our children go without the food that their children gorge, and it is only in the hope that one day things will be as they were and we have done these things. Now that they have gone let us forget them and return to our ways."
After some days, different people came. The empty huts were occupied by them and their family. Town men had started living there. Kunthi was happy with all this change. According to her, she was a city girl and it was good the village was going to be turned into a city. Now there would be shops, tea-stalls and bioscope. Gradually, this village would be turned into a small town. When Rukmani pleaded against it, Kunthi said, "You are a village girl. You do not understand."
The Tannery: Source of Employment and Earning at the Cost of Deserting Farming:
Kunthi's two sons got employment in the tannery at handsome wages. She was happy for her poverty was removed. Tannery had become a boon for her. Rukmani regarded it as a curse for her village. According to Rukmani due to tannery, the village was ruined for money power was reduced and everything was costly. But Kunthi contradicted her: "Words and words..... Stupid words. No wonder they call us senseless peasant women; but I am not and never will be. There is no earth in my breeding."
The construction work continued in tannery for another building was being constructed there. Now its work was spreading in village. The tanner-men had brought thousands of animal skins to be tanned. They tanned and dyed these skins and sent these back to the town for commercial production. There were nine or ten Muslims among them. They lived separated from others because there life style was a bit different from other people. They used to work hard till late night. Their ladies lived in the purdah and could hardly be seen outside. None had got any opportunity of seeing their faces. According to their religion, only their husbands could see their faces.
Once Rukmani went there to sell vegetables. She was alone. From one house a lady called her in to buy vegetables. Now Rukmani got opportunity to see the face of one of them.
"Her face was pale, the bones small and fine. Her eyes were pale too, a curious light brown matching her silky hair."
It broke the prejudice that they were very beautiful. Arjun wanted to work in tannery. Rukmani asked Arjun to tell the reason for it. He replied: "You do everything you can. It is not enough. I am tired of hunger and I am tired of seeing my brothers hungry. There is never enough, especially since Ira came to live with us."
Hearing it, Rukmani had to say: "Go if you must. You speak like a man although you are a child still. But I do not know whether you can obtain work at the tannery. People say that they have all the labour they want."
Arjun said that Kunthi's son had assured him for getting work in tannery. Rukmani did not like it that Arjun should take help from Kunthi or her son. She assured that Dr. Kennington would be very helpful in it for he had a great say there. After a few days, Arjun got employment in the tannery. After it, Thambi also joined in the tannery. It had an ironic effect on the family. It was good that family had got rid of poverty with increasing income but Nathan was sad for Arjun and Thambi did not help him in farming. Arjun and Thambi were good boys in the sense that they helped their family with their earnings. Once again they started to live a good life.
The Tannery: Exploitation and Inhuman Conditions:
It happened that one day Arjun and Thambi came very late in the evening. Nathan and Rukmani waited for them with great anxiety. When they asked the reason of being late, the sons replied that they had asked for higher wages. The masters agreed for it on the condition that their lunch time was changed to working time. Just a few days after it, there was a workers strike in the tannery. The demand was to increase their wages. Masters warned workers to come back to their job otherwise new workers would be appointed. It terrified many workers and they resumed their duty. Others remained out and they employed new men at lower wages. Arjun and Thambi did not go back to their job and became unemployed. It was the sad story of many people of the village who were now out of the tannery. Their families starved.
In Kali's family, only one was back to tannery. Her two sons were out of job. Nathan favoured his sons and said: "...…Our children must act as they choose to, not for our benefit, Is it not enough that they suffer?"
Arjun and Thambi learnt that there was a good job with higher wages in Ceylon. Nathan feared Ceylon was hundreds of miles away from the village. Arjun informed that all the arrangements of journey would be made by the masters. Against the will of Nathan and Rukmani, they decided to go to Ceylon Island.
One day Rukmani's son Raja was caught stealing in tannery. He was beaten to death. Nathan, Rukmani, Ira all were very sad. After 2-3 days two officials came from the tannery to Nathan's home. They wanted to satisfy Nathan and Rukmani that all the fault was of Raja and watch man only fulfilled his duty by stopping him (Raja). So they were not bound to pay any type of claim regarding this.
"You cannot blame my son." I said wearily, "We live from hand to mouth, as you can see... there is no wealth here, such as your goods might have brought."
"I am not blaming your son alone," he said carefully, "but of course it is well known your sons have been troublemakers. Now we do not want any trouble from you, you understand. The lad was caught in the act of stealing, maybe, as you say, for the first time and in a moment of weakness-still, he was caught, and for the consequences that followed, no one was to blame except himself. He should not have struggled. In these circumstances you naturally have no claim on us."
"Claim?" I said. "I have made no claim. I do not understand."
He made a gesture of impatience. "You may think of it later, and try to get "Compensation," I thought, "What compensation is there for death for felt confused, I did not understand what he was getting at. There was a pause."
Hearing this Rukmani said that she was not going to claim any compensation. What compensation. I warn you, it will not work." she lost was invaluable.
