AN:- Thank you again for the support, votes and comments. We now move to follow Vetri in Puzhal Jail, from where and when we left him. I found news items and NGO reports on educated inmates in Puzhal jail also teaching other inmates for examinations along with NGOs. The prison officers mentioned that the inmates had more efficient interaction with other inmates than the NGOs. As I always think that the purest part of Vetri is his math and teaching skills, I decided to use this in my story.
Vetri has a long way to climb up and so, this is a two part chapter. I will post them together.
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In the Correction Officer's office.
V: Sir! Ithu engappavukkum en pondattikkum panra prayachithama ithai eduthukkaren Sir. Avunga nambikkaiyai udaichutten! Kattayam unga nambikkaiyai udaikka matten.
CO: Sari! Ippo poi thotta velaiya paaruda! Naan Superintendent kitta sollittu Kumara anupparen.
Tho paaru! Intha class edukka solrangannu nee regular velai ethulenthum thappikka mudiyathu. Entha salugaiyum kidaiyathu! purinjutha!
V: Sari sir! Naan seyyaren Sir!
The CO informs him of the timings, off days from his gardening work and library and computer access for him to prepare for classes.
CO: Ozhunga entha thiruttuthanamum pannama irukkanum. Naan munna sonna mathiri, intha class, computera vechu ethachum seyyanumnu ninaichiyo jailer adi than unakku!
Vetri accepts, thanks him and leaves. That evening after work, when Vetri goes to the library, he almost cries. The trials of living in a jail hits Vetri fully when he enters the library. Vetri is used to police, rowdies, living in terrible conditions and even facing the abuse of power by others. So, in the first week other than missing Abi and uncertainty of the future, the happenings in jail did not affect him much. He could avoid feeling the pain of missing Abi as he adjusted to the new surroundings. But in that library, Vetri discerned the things he took for granted and how naive he was in thinking about jail life.
That day in court, he only focussed on expressing his gratitude and sacrifice he was making, but did not realise the full impact of the decision on his life. In that library, he acutely feels the loss of his freedom, his personal space and most importantly the loss of Abi, like a slap across his face. For, such a normal thing like reading a book is now a privilege granted by others. That is also the time the full force of what he did to Abi and how he took her trust in him for granted hits him. He acknowledges that just like his father broke his trust a few years back in college, he has thrown away the gift of Abi's trust. His father's mistrust crushed his innocence and made him bitter and Vetri fears that he crushed the innocence and the spirit of Abi. In that prison library, Vetri took the first step in growing out of his bitterness and becoming a responsible man. Vetri cries for what he squandered when he decided to pursue Bhavani rashly. After a few minutes, the librarian hears the muffled sound and comes to him. He sees Vetri holding a book with reverence and crying uncontrollably.
Lib: Pudhusa thambi! Pathathe illaiye!
V: (looks up and wipes his tears) Amanne!
Lib: Thambi! Patha padichavan mathiri irukka! Inga empa azhara? Ethachum vambu varappoguthu! Mugathai thodai!
Vetri stops and wipes his face with his shirt.
V: Sorrynne! Romba thanksnne!
Lib: Irukkattum. Padichirukkiya? Enna padichirukka? Puthusa? Peru enna?
V: Peru Vetrichelvanne! Oru varam aguthunne! ME padichirukken.
Lib: Oh! Nee thana athu? Thambi! Nee kattayam azhave koodathu. Unnai criminalum watch pannuvan, jailorum watch pannuvanga! Nee jakkiradaiya irukkanum.
V: Velilayum athe thanne!
Lib: sari than! Nee class edukka pore, vaarathula moonu naal library varuvennu sonnanga! Unkooda innum sila perum varuvangannanga! 10vathu books inga irukku! Mathavangalukkkum kaattidu! Pathu nadanthukka! Ozhunga velai senja un jail vasam konjam kashtamillama pogum. Evlo varusham?
V: Rendu varushamne! Anne! ethachum paper pena, notebook ethuvum kidaikkuma? Letter eppadinne anupparathu?
The librarian tells Vetri informs him of the procedure to send posts and informs about the audits by jail authorities on the content of the letters. Vetri writes his first letter to Abi asking his sorry for breaking his promises and not being open with her. He asks sorry for choosing gratitude over her and their child. He asks sorry for not being there for her and the child and making her go through punishment for no mistake of her. He writes a separate passage for his child and deposits it for mailing out to SN's house. Vetri feels a little better after writing the letter. Before starting to read the text books, Vetri finds a book on pregnancy and reads the chapter on the 3rd month of pregnancy.
Later during dinner, Kumar comes to him and with his help, Vetri starts his campaign to enroll more inmates into the class. It's not an easy job and Vetri finds his silver tongue not working with most people. But, this work gives him something to focus on without wallowing in self-pity. That night, he still misses Abi still but he has a small hope that things may turn out to be better.
The next week he writes another letter telling that he is given a second chance in jail and he wants to use it and work hard to be a better man. He writes another passage for the child about his hopes of being a man she can love and respect. The day after Vetri posts the second letter, he gets information that he has visitors. In the visiting area he finds Poongavanam and Nandhini waiting for him. He picks the intercom and talks to him.
P: (voice breaking) Dei! Eppadi da irukka?
V: Nalla irukkenna! Nee eppadi irukka? Anni pasanga ellam eppadi irukkanga?
P: Dei! Ennada ippadi pannitta? Enda? Entta oru varthai solla koodathada? Judge ayyattayavathu sollirukkalam illai! Avaru yaarttayum sollirukka maattare? Pillaithaichu ponna ippadi kaivittutiyeda?
V: Anne! Nandhini Anni sonnanangala? Nee avungalai kochukkathenne!
P: Chee poda! Oru varthai solliruntha, naane antha kathiya odaichu potruppeneda? Avan en annan paiyanthan! Ana avan oru visha pambunnu mothalliye enkitta solliruntha naane avanai engayavathu anuppiruppen. Veetula Anni unnai ninaichu azhatha naale illai! Yaarume nee thappu panniruppennu nambalaida! Ana unakku en mela nambikkai illama pochu! Abitta kooda sollaliye da? Nee than usurunnu iruntha pillaikki ippadi pannittiyeda? Enda ippadi nadanthukitta? Ava oore vitte poittale! Naan vena thedattumada?
V: Anne! Venamne! Avalai nimmathiya irukka vidu! Abikku naan pannathu periya drogam thanne! Naan pannathulaye periya paavam ava vazhkaiyai keduthathu thanne! Avlo thappaiyum mannichu ennai ethukittathukku naan periya thandanai koduthutten. Enna seyyarathu? Naan avalai ematharennu ninaichu ennaiye emathikitten. Inga vanthu than ellam puriyuthu!
Nandhini takes the phone.
N: Vetri! Eppadi irukka vetri? Veetula ellarum unnai ninaichu azhuthukittu irukkom. Mama nalla sappidarathu kooda illai! Avaru odainju poittaru! Atthai nadai pinama irukkanaga Vetri! Ennala thanga mudiyalai! Athan ivartta poi ellathayum sollitten. Nee eppadi irukka Vetri?
V: Enakkenna anni! Panna thappa ellam ninaichu pakka oru sandharppam. Abi eppadi irukka? Neenga poi paattheengala?
N: Adhai solla than Vetri vanthen. Abi avunga veettai vittutu poitta! Engannu solla koodathunnu sollirukkalam. Enakku avunga mogatha ellam pakkave koochama irukku Vetri! Naan pesama avungappatta sollidaren Vetri!
V: Athukkagava Anni naan ippadi Abiya vittu koduthuttu irukken? Vendam Anni vidunga! Ungalukku Abiya pathi therinja thagaval sollunga. Ellarayum pathukkunga.
Later, Poongavanam brings Nandhini to visit him regularly and take letters back to Kamala and once in a while pass on a few allowed essentials like bars of soap and home made snacks. Vetri prohibits him from arranging for any favour in jail.
Time doesn't stop for anyone and Vetri has started his classes. He has managed to convince 20 students for the 10th class and 15 for the 12th class in addition to the existing ones. He works with an NGO who teaches the inmates and brings study materials. To communicate with them, he is allowed to use his email. The CO is pleased but he doesn't show it to Vetri.
Though Vetri has it better than many other prisoners, it's not an easy life. There is always someone watching him, and he has to obey the prison timings. The gangs in the prison are still active and he is shoved, pushed and even touched inappropriately, many times, all "accidentally", of course. Vetri learns quickly to keep his balance and avoid or prevent people from touching him "accidentally", of course without resorting to force explicitly. These are the times he understands first hand the humiliation a woman undergoes when she is inappropriately touched. He also learns that the first day of prison could be a humiliating experience for prisoners, particularly the unfortunate ones with no money or influence and he was among those lucky ones to have come during the time of upheaval in the jail. When described about this humiliation by new inmates, the Vetri before jail would have beaten those officers blue without any care for consequences. The few weeks in jail teaches him a lot of things Abi wanted him to do, mainly to think before reacting in anger. Every time he swallows his anger, Vetri remembers Abi and after the first few times, he feels more confident that he can be the man Abi wanted.
The week after Nandhini's first visit, Vetri does not write a letter to Abi. He is not sure where he should send it. Then, after some deliberation, he continues to write to Abi at her father's house, once every fortnight. In every letter, he always adds a note to his child about how much she would have grown (he is sure, it's a daughter), from what he read in books for that stage. Six months after he came to jail, closer to the due date, he worries for Abi's health and is excited about the baby. As he reads about delivery, he keeps imagining bad scenarios and is restless.Ganesan asks him about it and Vetri tells about the child he is expecting. Ganesan takes him to the prison temple and asks him to pray for his wife and child. Vetri goes there every morning before the 6 am roll call to the temple and prays Tiru Naankathaal for a few minutes.
One fine morning, he receives the photo of a tiny baby from what looked like Abi's email. The baby is wrapped in a pink towel with only face left uncovered. The eyes are closed and the features are indeterminate. Yet, that baby is the most beautiful person he has seen and amends in his mind that the second most beautiful person. Though he is an emotional man, Vetri does not cry seeing the baby's photo. His heart is full and he feels content and serene. Not finding any text accompanying the photo, he is not sure if it's a boy or a girl, though he instinctively feels that he has a baby girl. He replies to Abi thanking her, expressing his joy and congratulations and asks for the gender of the baby. Then, he sees the photo for some time before continuing his work. Later, he writes a letter filled with his happiness and gratitude. He also writes a letter to his father, about how he felt betrayed by his father and how he is still grateful for whatever his father gave him and how he is sorry that he could not be what his father wanted. The next day, he thanks the Goddess and asks for a hint if it's a girl or a boy.
Later that day, Vetri is asked to use the library in the morning for some reason and Vetri is surprised to see a 19 year old boy in the library using the computer. By then, Vetri knows most of those who come to the library. That boy sees Vetri and starts chatting with him. He is an under-trail inmate. His family doesnt have enough money to bail him out and he swears on all things holy that he is innocent. He is in jail for 6 months now without any verdict given. Vetri learns that since the boy has no money, he cannot get a good lawyer and so his case is going on for months now. Vetri finds that there are 100s of such people just in Puzhal and many more in other jails all over the country. Though the boy is not having it as tough as the convicts, Vetri understands the great second chance Poongavanam gave him, the first time he saved him. He thought that he knew about the world of law and order and criminals and police, he llearns first hand that prison is a very different world.
Then, Vetri opens his email and goes to the photo first. The boy asks him if that is his daughter. Vetri absently says yes and then realises what the boy said and asks him how he knew about the gender. The boy says that he has read that pink is used for girls and blue for boys. Vetri is euphoric and hugs the boy tightly.
During lunch, he tells those close with him about his baby girl. He then shares about the boy on trial and Kumar gives details on the world of prisoners under trial and how they face indeterminate jail unlike the convicts who have fixed terms. Vetri strongly feels that he has to do something for that boy as he helped him know his daughter. In his mind, his daughter has directed him to this issue and so he has to do it. He starts finding information about those under trial from the senior inmates and figures out that one of the problems that has some partial solution is the lack of good lawyers to take their case.
When Poongavanam and Nandhini visit him next, though he wants to, something prevents him from informing them about the baby. He gives the letter for his father to Nandhini and requests her to somehow make him read it. Then, he asks Poongavanam about getting a lawyer for that boy and Poongavanam says that it's not easy to find a lawyer in such cases. It's not just the money but it's a complicated process and many lawyers do not care to do this thankless job. That is one of the reasons he chose to save Vetri by making another guy with a criminal record take over Vetri's charges the first time rather than using a lawyer.
During dinner time that night.
Kum: Enna Vetri? Unga enna sonnaru?
V: Illainne! Romba kashtamnu sonnaru! Naan college padikkarache oru ponnai kapatha oru aalai adichen. Appo en bagla drugs vecha policela pidichu koduthuttan. Appo than Poongavanam Annan ennai vera aalu senjannu othukka vechu ennai velila edutharu. Athaithan sonnaru. Intha mathiri case-la vathada vakkil ellam kidakkarathu kashtamnu! Athanne onnum puriyalainne! Antha paiyan en pullaiyai enakku adayalam kattinaanne! Athanala avanukku naan ethachum seyyanumne!
Kum: Athellam Sarithanda! Ungannan solrathu than sari! Namma ellam oru vithathula sethukkalam. Etho thandanainnu solli inga irukkom. Avungalulukku ellam senjathu thappa rightannu kooda sollalai! Enna nadakkumnu theriyama ukkanthirukkanga! Evlo varusham aagumo! Yaarukku theriyum. Avanlam velila porache, innum mosamathan irukkum avan nilamai!
V: Athanne enakkum kashtama irukku. Athuvum enakennamo en pappa evanukku ennala help panna mudiyumnu nambi anuppina mathiri irukkunne. Ava porakkarathu munnaley avalai kai vittuttten. Ippo avalukkaga seyyanumnu thonikkitte irukkunne!
Kum: Dei! Ennada achu unakku? Vanthu ivvalo naalu achu! Vantha puthusula ellarum eppadi ethachum pesuvom! Nee ennadana Ivlo naal kazhichu pesara! Nalla padiya un thandanai mudinchathum velila pora vazhiya paaruda!
V: Appadi ellam illainne! Antha paiyanukku lawyer yaarachum kidaippangalannu than yosikkaren. Abiyoda Appa periya judge. Avarai kekkalamna, avarayum naan emathitten! Ennala than avaru first time oru case-la thotharu! Yaarai pidikkalamnu yosikkarenne!
Kum: Dei! Yaarum kidaikka mattanga! Avanungalukku lawyerna inimel oruthan padichu than varanum. Illai neeye than padichu avungalukku lawyer aga mudiyum. Nadakkara velaiya paaruda!
Vetri perks up!
V: Anne! Kaiya kodunne! Enakku nalla vazhi kattirukke! Ithu nalla ideanne!
Kum: Dei! Ennada? Nee padichu mudichu varathukku innum 4-5 varusham agum. Athuvaraikkum avan ingaye irukkanuma? Nijammave unakku ethachum agiducha? Dei! Naan vena wardentta solli doctortta katta sollattuma?
V: Illainne! Enakku onnum illai! Konja naalathan naan ozhunga yosikkaren! Antha paiyanukku ennala directa help panna mudiyathu! Ana naan padikka vecha paiyan oruthan irukkan. Avantta intha paiyan case edukka solla poren. Naan Annantta sonna avaru erpadu pannuvaru. Ana, velila poi enna seyyarathunnu kozhappathula irunthen. Athukku nee help pannitta! Naan vakkeelaga porenne!
Kum: Ennada solra? Vakkeelagarathu chummavada?
V: Anne! Enakku onnu easya varumna athu padippum adithadiyum thanne! Ana jailukku poittu vanthavanga law college poga mudiyumannu paakkanum. Ennala mudiyathunna, vera ethavathu pannuvenne! Nee solra mathiri, thappu pannina thandanai kidaikkanum; illaina velila varanum; ippadi irukkarathu sariyillainne! Ithukku ethavathu pannuvenne! Thanks nne! Nee velila poi naan irukkara idam unakku solren! Nee Velila vanthathum unakku enna help venumnalum enta kelunna! Athukku munnadi un kudumbathukku ethachum venumnalum sollunne! Naan seiven.
Kum: Dei! Sari da! Pakkalam. Etho nalla iruntha sari da! Ana ithellam nadakkalainna emanthu pogathe!
V: Enakku mattum padikka mudiyumna, kattayam naan seivenne! En pondatti enta eppavum solluva! Vetri! Nee ninaicha ethai vena seiva! Antha thirami untta irukku. Ana appappo kovam vanthu un kannai maraikkuthunnu solluva! Ippo inga jailla vanthu kovamella vadinchu pochunne! Kattayam naan ethachum seivenne!
Though Kumar was sceptical, he didnt have the heart to discourage Vetri and they left to their cells.
Thus, Sudarvizhi brought a new hope in Vetri's life too.
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AN: Part b is posted too.