Visage in her mind

Marriage was a distant dream for Shyama. It was not chill penury or character or the family background which made this ‘every girl’s dream’ so sadly far away. Shyama’s face was hideously scarred. She had been living with this grotesque appearance for the past fourteen years.

Shyama was ten. Her grandmother was making Kavun and other sweetmeats that are a part of our beautiful traditions during the Sinhala-Tamil New Year. Shyama was by her grandmother.

Watching. Shyama’s five-year-old brother came rushing in followed by Bindu, their little puppy dog. Aruna tripped. A stool. Lost his balance and went in head first into the boiling pan of oil. “Anney my malli my malli.” The next time she spoke was after two weeks.

Shyama had pushed her brother aside and caught the spray of the boiling oil on her face. There were shrieks. Wailing. Shyama had fainted. Her face was a mass of pink flesh. She had wiped her face in pain. The scene was undescribable. They rushed her to the Colombo Children’s Hospital.

A dedicated group of paedetricians and staff attended on her. Miraculously the eyes were unharmed. Eyebrows and hair in tatters. Lips grotesquely swollen. Surgery. Many doctors and nightingales round her bed. Lots of tears and vows from outside. She was coming out of the anaesthesia. The medical staff was biting their lips. Then they heard her voice. Feeble words, Words that spread throughout the hospital, the country and the globe.

“Thank you Sirs. Is Malliya alright? I love my malli. I will die for malli. How is our Bindu? I want to see Malli and Bindu before I die. I love my Amma and Thaththa. Please tell Archchie not to cry. I love her.”

She smiled. An apology for a smile. Her eyes were bandaged. She fainted again. The entire staff could not control their tears. Even the specialists. Word got around. The hospital staff took turns in visiting her. All spoke to her with love. They met the parents, who had cried a lot, prayed a lot. Such loving words from a ten-year-old in untold agony. Unbelievable Malli and Bindu visited her.

After many months, she was back in school. The principal had earlier requested the staff and pupils to show absolute empathy towards little Shyama. And what a school. The school took her into her arms. Even the Department of Education felt proud of the school. She was a lovable child. How much the staff and pupils cried when Shyama laughed. Hers was a genuine contorted heart rendering smile. She was bald. Wore spectacles.

Excelled in studies. Four As at the A-levels Exam. The school was in ruptures. The highest position in the science section missed her by three points. No one cared about her disfigurement in the university. An upper first in Zoology. A exuberant zoology department. Records broken. Often she used to joke “I am the only student who will not be bothered, should any acid fall on my face.” She laughed alone. Others cried.

Next, a wonderful teacher. The principal, staff and students loved her. Her smile was frightening. Looked macabre.

But how they all welcomed that genuine smile. Her pupils also excelled as their guru in their studies. Yes! she radiated love and joy.

Once in her room, despair, despondency, depression and desolation, galore. Her parents cried. Her Aruna, now a final year medical student also cried. They could hear Shyama’s sobs. Shyama at all times confined her despondency to her bedroom. Outside she was a happy person. The staff never mentioned about marriage in her presence. Actually, she had seen many of her colleagues as brides maids and at times as brides. She cried. She prayed. She was happy in her vocation.

One day, the principal called for an emergency staff meeting. Shyama was invited to stand by his side. She acceded. She was sobbing. The teachers were puzzled. A transfer? Sad. The principal was smiling. A tall pleasant looking gentleman walked in and stood by Shyama. “My brother, youngest. A research officer.” He spoke. My dear brothers and sisters Shyama is a sad person. A disfigured person. But like Desdemona in Shakespeares ‘Othello’. I found her visoge or face in her mind. She is kind person. Shyama is going to be my wife with all the blessings of both our families.

There was absolute mayhem in the hall. Clapping, hugging, kissing and lots and lots of tears. Even the minor staff rushed in. Happy.

A lovely tussle to be Shyama’s bridesmaid.

Shyama spoke. She thanked her principal and colleagues. “God” she said. “Has endowed me with better gifts than a pleasant face. I am not sad. What more could I have given my dear brother than a happy future. Today, he is on his way to save lives as a doctor. I pray that I be a good wife to Leslie. One problem Leslie will have to cover my face with a mask when we go out. The case of the Beauty and the Beast. In this case, characters are reversed.” She laughed. Others did not. They sighed.

It was a memorable wedding.

A speech by a close family friend. In the course of his speech he said that the bride had requested him to say these words. “Queen Titania falls in love with Bottom in Shakespeare Midsummer nights dream.” This was due to magic. Here there is no magic. It is pure love, understanding and graciousness that has made a noble gentleman to take the hand of a grotesquely disfigured person.

“I disagree. I say a person with a heart of gold added the speaker. All stood up and clapped. Many cried. Three months. The A-Levels students were on a study cruise in two boats on the Kelani river. Two boatful of thirty four excited vibrant girls. They spotted two water monitors in combat. They were at war over a prey.

The eager groups in both boats were fitting from side to side. The boats were listing according to their movements. Boat operators shouts were unheeded. More than half the girls were in the river. The boat operators were helpless. It was ebb tide. A strong flow of water was rushing towards Modera the delta. It was dragging the children to a watery grave. All at once, Shyama leapt into the river.

Incredible unbelievable, with beautiful strokes, she took a number of girls to the river bank and the boats. At times, two struggling girls at a time. Twenty three girls and two teachers were rescued by Shyama. Shyama was exhausted. She fainted. Massive crowds were watching. Some recording the happening on their mobiles, into beautiful history.

Shyama was taken to a nearby house. Later she was rushed to hospital. Only Leslie knew Shyama was an excellent swimmer. A qualified life saver.

Leslie and parents were very concerned. Shyama was three months with child.

History was repeating itself for Aruna and many more. Yes! his sister sacrificed her face nearly three years back in order to make him a doctor. Today, his sister had saved nearly twenty six lives. Aruna cried with his head on the shoulders of his friends.

Amazing. Shyama and the unborn babe was in perfect shape. Miraculous. The media was embarrassing Shyama.

The entire staff and principal was in the hospital. Even the rescued girls and their parents.

In hospital for a few days. Under observation visitors very very distinguished visitors. The Head of State and the first lady. Much laughter and tears.

A beautiful cuddly boy to Shyama and Leslie. Fair, bright eyed, with lots of dark hair. A cherubic boy. What joy - The Joy continued.

The Head of State and the parents of the schools made arrangements for Shyama to be sent abroad for surgery. To the best institute in plastic surgery in the world. Leave was granted to Shyama and Leslie with pleasure and much love.

Shayama returned. The hideously faced human being returned. An exquisetly featured lovely lady.

The medical fraternity had been amazed. Fantastic. Natural healing and surgery had given Shyama the face she would have had-had she not met with the accident nearly eighteen years back. The airport was teeming with the media. Also well-wishers. Someone presented her with a number of magazines that had carried her beautiful story. Many tears.

The State was to honour her. A souvenir and a cash presentation. It was held in the office of the Head of State.

The leader spoke. “The world has had many heroines. They had become heroines for their deeds in a multitude of fields. Today, our tiny island is proud to show the world a heroine who had as a young girl of ten had sacrificed her youth and her face to save her brother and later saved the lives of twenty six persons. Today she is a mother in our beloved motherland. She was an ugly duckling for eighteen years among other ducklings. Today we see her as a serenely elegant swan, endowed not only with a pleasant face but filled with a host of adorable virtues.

“I congratulate her husband - Leslie, He really did see her face in her deeds. May the teachers in whom we believe bless this family. Their little boy has been blessed by them for him to see a loving and pleasant mother in the future.” “My wife and I pray that there would be more little ones to gaze at a lovely mother.” - Google pix

Siripathy Jayamaha

..................................

<< Artscope Main Page