"What does he do?"
"When madam is in the house, he will keep away from me, pretending to be a gentleman. During the times madam is not there, he will act funny. When I am sweeping the floor, he will come and stand near me, almost touching my body with his and say, 'See, there is a bit of dust here,' showing some spot on the floor. When I turn to look at the spot, he will brush against me, as if by accident. When I am cleaning the vessels in the kitchen, he will come to the kitchen, pretending to be looking for something in the kitchen shelf, stand there for a while and stare at me. He will exhibit such inappropriate behaviour, in many other ways. Being a woman, I can't describe them to you elaborately."
"Why don't you go there for work, during the time he won't be in the house."
"I have to go there twice every day, once in the morning and once in the evening. He will be at home, at least during one of the two slots."
"Parvathy, I have a job in a government organization. Though I am only a low level employee, I am getting a good pay. After a couple of years, I can even get a house allotted to me in the government quarters. He is a senior officer. I cannot afford to antagonize him. Even if we give a complaint against him, it won't have any effect. It may even lead to my losing the job. If you feel that you can't put up with his behaviour, quit the job. You can get a job in some other house. Even if you don't, it doesn't matter. We can manage to run our family on my income alone" said Sankaran.
Parvathy didn't say anything.
Sankaran was employed as a low level employee in a public sector undertaking. The undertaking had residential quarters for the employees. Parvathy was employed as a maid in some of the quarters including the house of Arumugam, a senior executive in the undertaking.
What she narrated to her husband was the inappropriate behaviour of Arumugam towards her.
"Don't you see that I am here?" replied Arumugam.
When Parvathy went to Arumugam's house that evening to do the chores, only Arumugam was in the house.
"Is madam not there, sir?" asked Parvathy.
"Don't you see that I am here?" replied Arumugam.
Parvathy began to sweep the floor.
As she was sweeping the floor with a broom, bending her back, she sensed a shadow falling on her and turned back.
As she was sweeping the floor with a broom, bending her back, she sensed a shadow falling on her and turned back.
Arumugam had quietly come near her and stood behind her.
"What do you want, sir?" asked Parvathy, politely.
Without replying, Arumugam tried to hug her from behind.
"Leave me!" said Parvathy, in protest.
"Yield to me just for once. I will never trouble you again. See this."
He opened his palm and showed a five hundred rupee note he was holding.
Parvathy picked up the broomstick and began to hit him on different parts of his body including his head, back, chest. hips and legs. Arumugm's spectacles slipped and fell on the floor and broke into pieces.
"Stop! What do you think you are doing? I will ruin you. Do you want your husband to lose his job?" Arumugam shouted, jumping in pain and shock,
"You think that if someone is poor, you can do anything to him or her? Just see what I am going to do to you" Parvathy yelled back, in anger.
Parvathy picked up the broomstick and began to hit him on different parts of his body including his head, back, chest. hips and legs. Arumugm's spectacles slipped and fell on the floor and broke into pieces.
"Stop! What do you think you are doing? I will ruin you. Do you want your husband to lose his job?" Arumugam shouted, jumping in pain and shock,
"You think that if someone is poor, you can do anything to him or her? Just see what I am going to do to you" Parvathy yelled back, in anger.
She then called out "Senthil!"
"I am here, sister!" answered a voice from nearby. A young man made his appearance before them, as if from nowhere.
"Who are you? How did you enter my house? You are an intruder. Shall I call the police?" shouted Arumugam, feeling angry and helpless.
"Who are you? How did you enter my house? You are an intruder. Shall I call the police?" shouted Arumugam, feeling angry and helpless.
"Please call, sir!" said Senthil, laughing.
"You scoundrel! What do you think of yourself? Do you think we will be scared, if you just mention the word 'police?' Call the police, by all means. Let the police come here. Senthil will show the video taken by him to the policemen. They will then decide whom they should take to the police station" said Parvathy.
"Video! What do you mean?" asked Arumugam, rattled by Parvathy's words.
"When I came here to work in the morning, madam told me that she won't be at home in the evening. I knew that you would try to misbehave with me, when madam was not present. That is why I brought Senthil, who is my neighbour, with me. He was standing near the entrance of the house and observing what was happening. The moment you came near me, he sneaked into the house and began to shoot the video, using his mobile phone."
"When I came here to work in the morning, madam told me that she won't be at home in the evening. I knew that you would try to misbehave with me, when madam was not present. That is why I brought Senthil, who is my neighbour, with me. He was standing near the entrance of the house and observing what was happening. The moment you came near me, he sneaked into the house and began to shoot the video, using his mobile phone."
"Listen to me. Delete the video. I promise that such a thing won't happen again" Arumugam pleaded with Parvathy.
"Hereafter, I can't work here. I will cite some reason to madam and quit the job. If you try to sabotage my husband's career, by misusing your authority, by way of taking revenge on me, I will send this video to your higher officials. If you give even a small trouble to my husband, you will lose both your job and your honour" said Parvathy.
She then told Senthil, "Let us go" and walked out of the house.
Arukugam stood transfixed, gazing the broken pieces of glass on the floor.
Thirukkural
Section 1
The Path of Virtue
The Path of Virtue
Chapter 14
Possession of Propriety
Possession of Propriety
Verse 145 (In Tamil)
eLidhu ena il iRappAn eydhum engnAnRum
viLiyAdhu niRkum pazhi.
viLiyAdhu niRkum pazhi.
Meaning:
One who indulges in adultery with another’s wife, considering it to be simple (without anticipating the consequences), will beget a blame that will stay forever.
(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'udaindha kaNNAdi' by the same author)
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