సత్యమేవ జయతే - కథ రచన: జయంతి ప్రకాశ శర్మ
(Translated by Dr. Suguna Kannan)
Ref: http://mansasedu.org/vizianagaram-gallery.html
In Ayyakoneru Gattu, Kameswaramma’s house was unique. It was always occupied by the Public Works Department managers, who were transferred to Vizianagaram and it was almost like PWD quarters for the past twenty-five years. The managers normally stayed in it until their tenure ended with a transfer out of Vizianagaram. Therefore, it was not surprising that Venkata Rao, a native of Amalapuram, moved in straight away into Kameswaramma’s house when he was transferred to Vizianagaram. His family comprising his wife, two daughters and a son joined him two days later. He became very popular among his neighbours within a short time. Venkat Rao was reputed to be an “an epitome of integrity” and was generally considered to be a serious person though his neighbours found him to be a genial and sociable person with no hang ups. He was ever ready to help and made it a point to acknowledge everyone. He could converse with everyone irrespective of their gender or age.
In the evenings, Venkata Rao would relax in a recliner on the verandah, overlooking the Ayyakoneru Gattu and engage in cozy comfortable chats with the neighbourhood children. “You are all in high school…that means you are all grown up! If you read only Mahabharat and Ramayana and think that is the only life, you will be wrong! You should read extensively – not just school books but fiction, magazines, detective novels and whatever you can lay your hands on. Only then you will understand the difference between right and wrong.” With this opening, he would talk about such a variety of intriguing and informative topics that he was as popular with the children as he was with their parents and older relatives. When occasion demanded, he would rush to the defense of the children saying, “What is this I hear? Did you get angry with your son for reading a film magazine? Who knows, he may become a famous film director like Viswanath tomorrow?” to a lady chatting with his wife.
While introducing his wife he would say, “She is my husband…. Saraswathi!” much to the amusement of the onlookers. “Her father named her after the Goddess of Education but the name had no impact! She failed in the sixth class six times so he has passed her on to me so that I may pass her! She is my first cousin so I could not refuse. My mother was also happy that she could help her brother and so welcomed her as a daughter in law with open hands and heart. In all honesty however, I must admit that this Saraswathi has transformed into a Lakshmi Devi in our house!”
Saraswathi was equally quick in her repartee, “Nonsense! When I crossed my twelfth birthday, they got me married to this man saying, “Enough of your studies – the knowledge you have is sufficient to write letters, calculate dhobi accounts and read cinema posters… what more is there to study? After that, his mother kept me so busy learning to cook that there was no question of continuing my studies”.
Their verbal exchange was like Guntur Avakayi – the pickle may look red and spicy but is definitely not. Though they appeared to be arguing, it very obviously was just a friendly pleasant banter between two kindred spirits. Their very presence would bring a lot of gaiety and jollity to a gathering, no matter what the situation may be. Venkata Rao used to address his wife jocularly as ‘Boss’!
On his return from the office, Venkata Rao would often find a gaggle of ladies chatting with his wife in the drawing room. Occasionally, as he crossed the room, he could not resist throwing, in their midst, a playful news snippet, about his wife much to the amusement of the ladies gathered. “I am sure you are not aware that my Boss has the capacity to watch all three shows of a movie in one sitting! Even lack of company will not deter her from settling the baby on her hip and going to watch a movie all by herself …. whatever kind it may be - sad, romantic or an action thriller…! It goes without saying that the movie becomes much more enjoyable if she can slip out for a matinee show, without my knowledge, after I leave for office. Don’t make the mistake, however, of asking her about the movie! She loves all movies and will never criticize any!” He loved to tease her, with a twinkle in his eyes. She enjoyed his teasing and was ever ready with a suitable retort!
“Oh, La la! Don’t believe him! He loves to exaggerate! As if the cinema hall was my residence! Anyways, there were no cinema halls in our Ravulapalem those days”, would be Saraswathi’s swift rejoinder.
“I agree there were no cinema halls in Ravulapalem but what about your involvement in the movie world? Have you forgotten how you contributed to its growth? Shall I expose it or would you like to narrate it?” would be his quick come back, piquing the interest of his audience.
“Why do you want to strain your vocal cords? Given a chance, you will add as much spice and masala as you can to it! I will tell them myself,” would be her rapid repartee as she continued, “Nothing noteworthy, Vadinagaru! My maternal uncle was a film producer in Madras. After the release of a movie, he would write to my mother asking her to see it and tell him how she liked it. My mother would to ask me to see the movie and respond to him. To see the movie, I would go to Rajahmundry with ten of my friends and the theatre manager would allow us free entry, on the mere mention of my uncle’s name. Unless I saw the movie three or four times, I could not understand it for the life of me, so we would sit through two or three shows. On returning home, I would narrate the story to my mother for her comments, which I would convey to my uncle in a letter. After all, old habits are difficult to mend – aren’t they? Anyway, since my marriage, it has almost disappeared - I am able to see only four or five films in a week. How am I to spend my time, after he goes to office? All towns do not have a Ayyakoneru Gattu, where women can gather and even if there is, what do ladies do except gossip? It is only because of the movies that I learnt some skills, and can converse intelligently. Otherwise, how can I survive with this man from Amalapuram?” She would get a triumphant dig into her husband.
“See, see! How clever she is in concealing the truth?” would be his comeback. “Her uncle, encouraged by their reactions got super enthused and started making films left, right and centre until he went bankrupt! Poor man - he is now a ticket seller in a rural cinema hall!”, Venkata Rao would conclude with a guffaw, which was joined by the hearty laughter of the ladies present.
This was how the neighbouring ladies got inspired and easily slipped into the practice of going to the second show of movies.
During summer, cots would be placed in front of homes and the neighbours would chatter for a long time before falling asleep. One particular day after having returned from a late-night show of a recently released movie, they chatted for a long time before falling into a deep sleep. Suddenly all were shaken awake by Venkata Rao’s shouts of “Thief! Thief!” Immediately all the neighbours reached Venkata Rao’s house. He explained that his daughter’s gold chain was stolen from around her neck while she was sleeping on a camp cot in the front verandah and that the culprit had escaped by running away across the dried lake bed. Immediately many of the men rushed to the four sides of the lake hoping to catch the culprit.
While the ladies were busy lamenting, “OMG! We returned from the second show just an hour ago! How could we just slip into such a deep sleep! Such an incident has never happened in this locality!”, the men assembled around Venkata Rao to decide the next plan of action.
Everyone had an opinion. “If we register a complaint with the Police, we would be in deep trouble…we will have to keep visiting the police station…. they will expect something or the other every time we visit them and added to that they will make malicious remarks…we’ll have to tolerate that also…at the end of the rigmarole, there is no guarantee that the chain will be recovered,” remarked a neighbour who had gone through this experience earlier.
“So, the expenditure to recover will be more than the cost of the chain - would it not be better to avoid complaining?” said another.
“If we keep silent, the thieves will feel like stealing again thinking we are helpless!” added a third neighbour.
“That is also true! Suppose, if by chance the thief gets caught and tells the police that he stole in this house, the police may rebuke us for not complaining. Who can say? After all law is on their side.” chimed in yet another bystander. However, all awaited Venkata Rao’s reaction.
“Anyways, let us do our duty and inform the Police - to do their duty or not, is their responsibility”, said Venkata Rao as he set out to the police station with a few neighbours. He wrote out a detailed complaint and submitted it to the police. This was the complaint he wrote, “Late last night at about 2.00 am, a thief came to my house and took a gold chain, weighing 10-gram 300 mg, from around the neck of my sixteen-year-old daughter, who was asleep on a camp cot in the front verandah of our house and ran away. We woke up immediately and searched for him but it was no use. I agree that it was a mistake and carelessness on our part to have let a girl sleep on the open verandah, wearing a gold chain. Kindly overlook our mistake, catch the thief, punish him suitably and return our chain to us.”
Two days later, a police constable came to Venkata Rao’s house and said, “Inspector has asked you to come urgently to the Police Station!” Venkata Rao was surprised to receive a message so quickly from the police. On the way, he asked the constable, “Why am I required so urgently? Has the thief been caught, by any chance?”
“Nothing of that sort, Sir! My boss was very happy and excited to see and read your complaint. ‘No one has written such an honest complaint to us so far. We should definitely help him!’ he remarked, Sir!” replied the constable.
Venkata Rao received a warm welcome at the police station. After the exchange of formal pleasantries, the Inspector said, “Rest assured that your chain is as good as retrieved!”
A surprised Venkata Rao nearly jumped with excitement and said, “That is marvellous, Sir! I never expected the thief to be caught so soon! You have done a great job, Sir! Thank you!” gushed a very happy Venkata Rao.
“Well, Sir! It’s like this - your complaint was the only hundred percent honest letter among the numerous complaints received by us daily. We want to help you so…….”
“Is that so? Is there dishonesty in complaining also?” interrupted an incredulous Venkata Rao.
The startled Inspector forgot what he was going to say and explained, “What can I say? If a half tola chain is stolen, the complainant will write that a six tola chain, silver plate and tumbler were stolen! What is more, even if they lost it on the road while walking, they will still report that it was stolen,” explained the Inspector.
“That bad?” exclaimed Venkata Rao.
“If they stop at that, it would be okay; they will try all sorts of tricks…. they will bring endorsements and recommendations from senior officers. The complainants appear to be reputable but are actually rogues!”
“Are there such people also in the society?” asked Venkata Rao sceptically.
“What can I say about our plight, Sir? If that gold is not
recovered, we will all be dragged on to the roads. The media will report that
the Police department is so inefficient that it cannot even catch petty thieves,” sighed the Inspector.
Venkat Rao was bemused to hear the Inspector speak like this. The Inspector continued, “Yes, Sir! Most of the complaints we receive will be of this type - getting an honest complaint like yours is very rare. I sometimes wonder whether honesty is still alive on this earth?” Venkata Rao felt that the Inspector was a man of great integrity.
He replied, “It is very unfortunate that even educated people behave so dishonestly. Anyway, my duty is to file a complaint since my only concern is to see if I have done my part honestly and to the best of my abilities. You will endeavour to apprehend the thief, to your best ability, …. if you are unable to catch the thief, rest assured that I will not slander or defame you or the department. After all, we are humans and cannot hope to be sccessful at all times!”
“I am happy that you have a good opinion about our department. That is why we decided that we should help people like you. If everyone is honest like you, what more do we want? Our Nation will be prosperous. I called you to convey that only.”
The Inspector was silent for a few minutes…. he seemed to be thinking seriously. “While enjoying our conversation, I forgot the crux of the matter. Do not worry about how we caught the culprit! Usually, in such cases the gold is melted down immediately after the incident and sold. If you tell us what your chain looked like, we’ll get one made and present it at the court along with the rascal we have caught. All you have to do is come to the court and testify that the chain belongs to you. You should also identify the culprit whom we have caught as the one who stole from your house. After that the chain will be handed over to you. I will inform you about the date of the Court hearing in a day or two!”
Venkata Rao became serious. “Thanks for the concern you are showing but I cannot speak a falsehood…. I cannot tell an untruth for the sake of a chain. Inform me whenever you catch the actual thief with my daughter’s chain… I have no objection to wait till then. At that time, I will definitely cooperate with you. I cannot and will not mortgage my honesty and integrity in the Court of Law for the sake of a gold chain”, concluded Venkata Rao as he got up to leave.
The flabbergasted Inspector appeared as if he had received a slap on his face.
