A short story- The Sinhala Avurudu Auspicious time-
අවුරුදු නැකත
By Dr Palitha Ganewatta, Sydney, Australia
Nayana stared at the clock on the wall and thought that time was passing very slowly today. She put two Pyrex dishes on the table after washing and wiping them with a white cloth hung on the pantry cupboard hook. A little after washing the rice-cooker she thought, it was still too early to cook the milk rice. The auspicious time for eating was at 1.46 a.m. and the cooking of the first meal would be 27 minutes past midnight. Nayana decided to plan for cooking the milk rice immediately after midnight. It was about an hour since she took some brown rice and the packet of ‘Maggie’ coconut milk, which she had bought from the Asian shop the day before and placed them on the table. Her worry was how to wake up her little son.
With much convincing, this afternoon she had taken Asanga for a shower as he was playing with a tiny electronic toy after school. Now, it was after 10 p.m. and Asanga was in deep sleep. He should be woken at least at 1.30 a.m. for the auspicious meal. An almanac containing New Year Auspicious times, sent by her mum from Sri Lanka, stated that the first meal should be eaten facing east, wearing yellow clothing. Nayana was so delighted to find a yellow dress the night before, one she had brought from Sri Lanka. Manoj burst into laughter when asked about a yellow shirt, and Nayana kept her mouth shut when Manoj said sarcastically, ‘Are you mad? Must we observe those specific New Year rituals in this country?’ She suggested Manoj wear his white shirt with yellow stripes.
The problem now was to find a yellow shirt for Asanga. Nayana pondered. There is no point buying a yellow shirt just for this year’s New Year celebrations. Manoj hasn’t got a proper job yet. He receives nothing from the garage where he goes twice a week, apart from work experience, which would be useful for applying for future jobs. In these early nineties, where there was widespread economic recession, it would be difficult to predict when Manoj would get a proper job. The only solace she got was from a statement made by the newly elected prime minister, who promised to look after the unemployed.
The expenses incurred during the short period after arriving in this country were enormous. It seems that money brought from home was running out fast. She went shopping a few days earlier thinking of buying a yellow shirt for Asanga, to no avail. There were only large, short-sleeved shirts fit for men, double the size of Manoj. On her way back, disappointed after spending time in two shops, she had a great idea. Asanga wears a yellow T-shirt on Tuesdays for sports. Nayana remembered that she could not wash it after Asanga wore it last Tuesday. Nayana never forgets to wash and iron it every Tuesday after Asanga returns from school. Due to the heavy rain this week, Nayana was reluctant to wash it. She thought that the yellow shirt might still be under the bed, where Asanga had thrown it after school last Tuesday. Nayana thought of going to the bedroom to find the T-shirt, but she suddenly suppressed that thought. Manoj and Asanga, who were in deep sleep, might be awakened if she turned on the light.
The time now was closer to midnight. It would be a crime if they woke now, as they have to be awakened in two hours anyway. She thought that she can turn on the cooker and start cooking the first meal even without Manoj, but both dad and son should be awakened at least 15 minutes before the auspicious time for eating Milk Rice. Nayana decided to wake them up around 1.30 a.m. and find Asanga’s sport T-shirt and dress him. At that very moment, the bird peeked from the Cuckoo clock and sang, ‘Cuckoo Cuckoo’…midnight had arrived. Only 27 minutes remained until the auspicious time for lighting the cooker. The rice has to be washed and prepped for cooking before then. Nayana remembered her ancestral home and thought that at this very moment, her mum and two younger sisters must be preparing to observe Avurudu rituals. Now the Sri Lankan time would be 7.30 p.m. yesterday, as per the time difference, Sri Lanka was four and a half hours behind Australian time. Situated east relative to Sri Lanka, the sun rises early in Australia. Nayana reminisced with teary eyes her dad and two sisters wearing yellow clothes. She felt homesick several times over the last six months when she thought of home. Nayana recalled, as if it was only yesterday, how her sister Pavithra cried, cuddling Asanga, whom she loved passionately, on the day they left Sri Lanka for Australia. Mum, Dad and sisters might be thinking of us now. She remembered her mother’s words on the day they left, as if engraved in stone, ’My sons, do not forget your mother tongue wherever you go….’ Nayana glanced at the clock again and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
Nayana’s mind filled with deep sorrow and nostalgia when she turned on the rice cooker at the auspicious time. She felt saddened to face this auspicious time alone. She felt nostalgia remembering her mum and family. It was too early to wake up Manoj and son. Mum must be surrounded by the family now, as she lights the first flame at the auspicious time. It would be possible to visit Sri Lanka at the end of next year when Manoj has a stable job. Manoj was facing difficult times now. His Mum was informed by the astrologer, who examined Manoj’s horoscope, that the only remedy to overcome this ‘Apala’1 is to change Manoj’s residence. Nayana thought that Mum may have been delighted in her mind despite the sorrow of leaving her son’s family overseas. Manoj’s bad ‘Apala’ period would expire next January. It was predicted that he might have favourable employment opportunities after that period. This matter was mentioned in the letter she received from her mum last week.
The bird on the Cuckoo clock cooed again, reminding Nayana that the time was now 1.00 a.m. Nayana, donning a glove on her right hand, removed the rice from the rim of the white plate where she made Milk Rice. The sleepiness she felt two hours ago, had disappeared unnoticeably. Her whole body was immersed in happiness with the thought that she could observe Sinhala New year rituals even being in a foreign country. That happiness though faded away with the thought of how to wake up Asanga and Manoj at the auspicious time.
Glancing at the wall clock until 1.20 a.m. Nayana slowly walked into the bedroom and turned on the light. Manoj, who was sleeping on his back, sighed heavily, covered his head with the blanket and turned to the other side. The light seems not to affect Asanga, who was sleeping partly covering his face at the other end of the bed.
Nayana walked slowly towards the bed and touched Manoj’s feet.
‘Manoj, please wake up. It’s time.’
As Manoj had not reacted, Nayana stroked his head.
‘Manoj, wake up wake up, the auspicious time for eating is in 15 minutes.’
Manoj sighed heavily and covered his head with the blanket.
Nayana felt sad. How can she possibly wake up Manoj and Asanga for the auspicious time? Her mother and sisters came to her mind.
‘Manoj, please wake up, wake Asanga too…..’
Manoj woke up muttering, after a few minutes. He wiped his eyes and sat on the edge of the bed.
‘You are definitely mad, what is the time now?’
‘Don’t talk like that Manoj, I am not in my mind if we don’t observe Sinhala New Year rituals.’
‘Are you in Sri Lanka now? What kind of New Year rituals are in this country?’
‘Please Manoj, I have already cooked Milk Rice. Please wake Asanga, we have less than 15 minutes’‘
‘No, I can’t, I am so sleepy. Look at the time, its past midnight. Go back to sleep, he will eat Milk Rice tomorrow morning’.
‘Please Manoj, please’.
At 1.40 a.m. Manoj and Asanga were seated at the table. Nayana, wearing a yellow dress, nervously brought Manoj’s white shirt with yellow stripes. Manoj unwillingly wore that shirt, so as not to spoil Nayana’s festive mood. Manoj felt sorry for Asanga, who was fast asleep with his head on the table, and anger towards his wife. But this was not the time to show his anger. It was a laborious task for Nayana to dress Asanga his yellow T-shirt a moment earlier. Asanga, who was fast asleep, was forced to raise his hands and his dirty T-shirt was dressed inside out. As soon as he sat at the table, Asanga fell asleep again, his head on the table.
‘Son, please don’t sleep now, my sweet child. Please wake up and eat this piece of Milk Rice’, Nayana muttered in a quivering voice.
‘My son, eat this piece of Milk Rice, now for New Year you have to eat Milk Rice like in Sri Lanka.’
Manoj wanted to get up and turned his chair upside down.
‘What the hell you are doing? Feed him Kiri bath tomorrow morning if you are so desperate… what sort of New year rituals have to be followed at this time of night?
‘Please Manoj, don’t talk like this. What will Mum and Dad think if they knew that we are not observing New year in this country?’
‘What nonsense!’
‘Even this New Year Day I have no peace in my mind’ muttered Nayana in a sobbing voice.
Nayana put a tiny piece of Milk Rice on Asanga’s lips and carried him to the bed and covered him with the blanket. Manoj, muttering something to himself, went to the bedroom, turned off the light and lay on the bed. Nayana, making no attempt to wipe her tears, ate a piece of Milk Rice and a banana and mentally observed the Triple gem of Buddha. She never thought she would be observing Sinhala New Year rituals in this manner in their first year in a foreign country. She lay near Manoj on the bed, but she couldn’t fall asleep. Listening to Manoj’s snoring, in her mind, she mentally walked to her village home. She thought to herself, how nice would it be if I were in Sri Lanka, through her tears. She fell asleep unnoticeably.
Awakened suddenly at 7.00 a.m., Nayana got up and walked to the study table on the sitting room, opened Asanga’s school bag, which was on the table, and pulled out a sheet of paper. Her heartbeat increased and her eyes filled with tears. Today, Saturday, is the first day of the tuition class, which Asanga is supposed to attend. The class starts at 8.30 am. It takes about half an hour to get to the suburb, Burwood, where the class is held. She just remembered that her friend, Vijitha promised to come and pick up Asanga and her exactly at 8.00 am.
‘My God, how can I avoid the first day of tuition class?’
Manoj scolded Nayana, who tried to wake up Asanga at 7.30 a.m.
‘Are you trying to wake up this poor child again, after waking him up at midnight?’ You have become completely mad, let him sleep.’
‘Why are you talking like this? Today is the first day of the tuition class’.
Why did you plan to send him today for tuition? Can a child be awakened now after you woke him up at midnight? You broke my sleep too’.
‘Please Manoj, can you please wake him up somehow? Today is the first day of the tuition class, he has to go.’ her voice shattered, and she was about to cry.
‘You can’t have both moustache and congee2, choose either midnight Avurudu rituals or early morning tuition.’
Manoj covered his head with the blanket and closed his eyes tightly.
‘My dear son, wake up, wash your face quickly and dress up. Vijitha aunty will come in no time to pick you up to go to the tuition class’.
Asanga was woken up suddenly and started crying, in a grumpy mood.
‘What is this nonsense? No sleep for the child and no sleep for me either, what is going through your mind?’ exclaimed Manoj.
‘Ah! Vijitha is coming out of her way to pick up Asanga to take him for tuition’, Nayana pleaded.
‘Do whatever you want, please don’t wake me up again.’
‘Please Manoj’.
Just then, a car horn beeped at the front of the house.
‘Vijitha is here, Asanga, wake up wake up…. Nayana ran to open the door.
——————————————————-
By Dr Palitha Ganewatta
Sydney, Australia
- A period, astrologically considered as unfavourable for life activities.
- A Sinhalese idiomatic expression, meaning inability to have two things at the same time.
