34. Ramalingam's Pride

The mass feeding event was conducted with fanfare. Ramalingam was brimming with pride.

"No one in our village is a match for you in performing these kinds of charitable acts" commended the temple priest.

"The objective of earning money is only to use it for good causes. The Goddess bestows riches on me. I am only sharing some of what is given to me with others" said Ramalingam, sounding humble.

He turned to this wife Maragatham and looked at her with pride.

"When people call me 'Annapoorani(the bestower of food)', I feel gratified" said Maragatham, beaming with a broad smile on her face.

"See, priest! I was the one who spent the money and made all the arrangements for the mass feeding. But my better half who just stood by my side wearing an expensive silk saree is glorified as 'Annapoorani!'" said Ramalingam to the priest.

"Didn't I have any part in making the arrangements for this event?" asked Maragatham in feigned anger and then moved aside, as if she was displaying her anger.

The priest took leave of Ramalingam.

Vellaiyan, Ramalingam's trusted acolyte who was standing a little away, approached his employer in quick steps, as though he was waiting for an opportunity to talk to him in private.

"Where did you go, Vellaiyan? You were not seen during the event. Any problem at the farm?" inquired Ramalingam.

"No problem at the farm" said Vellaiyan. He then asked Ramalingam in a whispered voice, "Did you ask anyone to come to the farmhouse?"

"No" said Ramalingam, but presently remembering something, clicked his fingers and exclaimed, "My goodness! I had asked Pramila to come to the farmhouse today, not remembering that the mass feeding event was scheduled today. Did she come?"

"Yes. She did. Even after my telling her that you won't be coming today, she refused to leave. She was adamant about waiting for you. She said, 'Even if the master is not going to come, I will stay here for two hours as per the arrangement.' It took me an hour to pacify her and send her away" said Vellaiyan.

"Well, she wants to get the payment from me even without rendering her services! But I think I have to pay her. Otherwise, she will besmirch my name!" said Ramalingam. He was in a buoyant mood created by a sense of accomplishment. "She has detained you for sometime and prevented you from participating in the event. Go and have your food" he added.

When Vellaiyan turned around to leave, Ramalingam sensed the presence of someone behind him. He turned around and found that Maragatham was standing there,

A chill went through Ramalingam's spine. He was talking to Vellaiyan thinking that Maragatham was away. When did she come near them? Would she have heard the conversation?

Ramalingam looked at Maragatham's face but he couldn't gauge anything from her face expression.

'I can't ask her about this. I shouldn't talk to her about this unless she raises the issue. In future I have to be more circumspect while talking about sensitive matters' he reflected.

Maragatham made sounds as if she was clearing her throat and spat on the muddy ground nearby.

ThirukkuRaL
Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 4
Stressing the Power of Virtue

Verse 34 (In Tamil)

manaththukkaN mAsilanAdhal anaiththaRan
Agula nIra piRa.

Meaning:

True moral integrity lies in being flawless in your thoughts;

everything else is loud and blatant posturing.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'padippathu rAmAyaNam' by the same author)

Verse 35 

Verse 33