His Royal Highness,The Tamil Tiger - FICTION

 

by

Kathir Bala Sundaram

Chapter 16

Bona Fide Tigers

February 9^th, 2006 arrived without fanfare, without celebration. Yet for a few people, the date for paying Vasantha Valautham’s fine became significant in ways they never dreamed possible.

Haran Kandiah sat on the narrow bench that lay within the shadow of an ironwood tree, the Ministry of Political Affairs before him. He wanted to see his sister again.    

He coughed once and then craned his neck to look down the road, hoping to see his niece’s rented car approaching from Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Dr. Maithily Rooban had arrived in Sri Lanka from Australia the previous day, so Haran expected her along soon.

His Royal Highness, The Tamil Tiger

by

Kathir Bala Sundaram

Chapter 15

Black Luck

Haran Kandiah felt worse than normal as he coughed violently on the morning of February 6. His eyes were bloodshot, and his cheeks looked sunken from lack of nourishment. He couldn’t even bring himself to drink the coffee his lovely wife set in front of him.

The deadline to deliver the money to save his sister was just a couple days away. As of yet, the maximum offer for the house and shop was just shy of three million rupees. It was nowhere near enough.

Standing shakily to his feet, he began the walk to his sister’s house in another effort to find a buyer willing to pay more. He passed a temple where he paused to pray, pressing his palms together in front of his chest. He prayed despite the fact that he had given up hope. His failure haunted him and he couldn’t shake the image of his accusing sister looking at him with sad eyes.

His Royal Highness,The Tamil Tiger - FICTION

 

by

Kathir Bala Sundaram

Chapter 14

The Love Trap

Lieutenant Earless couldn’t shake the image of that beautiful girl from his mind. Since that day when he had accompanied the Minister of Political Affairs to Vembady Girls’ College, the picture of the tall, thin girl dominated his mind. He could still see Sendhoory’s two long plaits dancing around her shoulders and breasts—an image that had nearly driven him mad with lust at the very first sight of her. From that moment on, the beautiful angel had captivated his eyes and imagination.

In the following weeks, he even went so far as to pen some verses of poetry about her.

All the stars in the sky shine with thy face

Bouncing braids make my heart race.

My dearest angel, I would kiss you all the night

Come down, my love, and make my heart right.

A few of his subordinates were aware of his madness, but being that the Lieutenant was a well known womanizer, they passed it off as a flight of fancy that would be swallowed up like footprints in a swamp.

His Royal Highness, The Tamil Tiger - FICTION

 

by

Kathir Bala Sundaram

Chapter 13

Betting on a Dead Horse

By January 30^th, the deadline for paying the fine imposed upon Mrs. Vasantha Velautham was fast approaching. Her brother’s efforts to collect the money had ended in failure. Malar, Haran’s wife, found herself constantly cheering her husband up for she feared that if she did not, he would be swallowed up in fear and dread—and just give up. She would often remind him of a German proverb, “Fear makes the wolf bigger than he really is.”

This day found Haran Kandiah at home in his kitchen helping his wife to cook dinner. He diligently scrapped coconut to prepare a sothy dish. Malar stood nearby making string-hoppers, a dish somewhat akin to noodles. These happened to be Haran’s favorite foods. The telephone rang, startling Haran, so that he almost dropped his coconut. He reached over and grabbed the receiver. “Hello?”

“Hello Mama, this is Maithily. How is Auntie?”

“She’s fine. How about you?”

“Fine. Mama, have you gone to Kilinochchi to see mother, yet?”

“I went last week.”

“What did she say? Is she okay? Is she taking her medicine?” The questions came like firing pistons.

His Royal Highness,The Tamil Tiger - FICTION

By

Kathir Balasundaram

Chapter 11

One Day Principal

The previous Wednesday, Watcher Raman left Vembady Girls’ College to return to his home village of Puttur, thirteen kilometers north of the City of Jaffna. He had his own ideas of what to do about Lieutenant Earless’ order to report to Kilinochchi for investigation. Most people, when receiving such an order, obeyed reluctantly, knowing full well the likelihood of ever returning. Still they clung to a measure of hope, so they went. Not Raman. He had no intention of going to Kilinochchi.

The twenty-three year old primary school dropout analyzed his problem like a scholar researching for his thesis. He imagined the torture and cruelty he would suffer at the Tamil Tigers’ hands. His mind conquered up images of burning flesh, bloody knives, and broken bones. He didn’t want to die, but being tortured to death seemed a worse fate by far. If he had to die, better to go quick. He had no desire for a slow, lingering, painful death.

His Royal Highness,The Tamil Tiger - FICTION

Chapter 10

Power Hungry

Within a single day word of Vasantha Velautham’s punishment spread throughout the Jaffna peninsula like wildfire. Many of the rumors had been deliberately inflated  to strike fear into the hearts of those who still thought to defy the Tamil Tigers. One account claimed that the poor principal had been shaved and left naked in a cell in Kilinochchi. Another rumor that circulated in the northern coastal areas claimed that the word ‘ELITE’ had been branded into her back with a heated iron rod, and the rumor mill tended to exaggerate the amount of the fine from sixteen million to sixty million rupees. All agreed, however, that if she didn’t pay the fine, she would be tied to a light pole in front of the Vembady Girls’ College and executed.

His Royal Highness,The Tamil Tiger - FICTION

Chapter 9

Tiger Verdict

The Minister of Political Affairs stood up from his seat when Vasnatha Velautham was escorted before him. “Madam Vasantha Velautham, do come in. I’m very glad you decided to accept my invitation to come to Kilinochchi. Please,” he said, waving his hand at one of the chairs, “take a seat.”

The portly Principal heaved a sigh of relief at the Minister’s affable greeting. She sat down in her chair as hope rose up in her breast. She tried to ignore the soldiers who now stood behind the Smiling Minister glaring at her. At least the Minister was smiling—but then he always seemed to be smiling. Maybe he would apologize and admit that the entire affair had been a mistake. So hoping, a smile of her own rose to her lips.

“I’m sorry for having had to order you to come here, Madam. I also wish to apologize for the delay in meeting with you. I had a very urgent matter to attend to.”

“Thank you very much, Sir.” The Principal’s gaze was drawn to the huge portrait of His Royal Highness taken when he was a younger man. She had seen two others much like it in the hallway outside.

His Royal Highness, The Tamil Tiger - FICTION

 
By
Kathir Balasundaram

Chapter 8 - Heinous Taxes

Principal Vasantha’s Honda rested under the shade of a large ironwood tree whose trunk was nearly six feet in circumference. The Principal herself sat not so far away on a narrow bench staring at the people going in and out of the large building not two hundred yards away. A sign on the side of the building proclaimed it to be the headquarters for the Ministry of Political Affairs.

His Royal Highness, The Tamil Tiger - FICTION

 

By

Kathir Balasundaram

Chapter 7

Freedom Fighter

 

The Minster of Political Affairs stood in his luxurious bedroom adjusting his camouflage uniform. He had a special meeting in about two hours that he needed to prepare for. He was deep in thought, his lips moving but issuing no sound. His disgrace at the Vembady Girl’s College weighed heavily on his mind, and he frequently glanced at the ceiling, lost in thought.

His wife, Komathy, watched her distinguished husband with concern. She fidgeted herself, adjusting her blue salwar kameez*—a popular Indian dress—as she glanced worriedly at her husband. She didn’t understand his distress, because she didn’t take the disturbance at the Vembady Girls’ College seriously. She held faith that her husband’s good relationship with His Royal Highness would remain close no matter what. She assumed that His Royal Highness depended greatly on her husband.

His Royal Highness, The Tamil Tiger - FICTION

by

Kathir Bala Sundaram

Chapter 6

Going to the Tiger’s Den

Early the next day, Principal Vasantha Velautham stood in front of her office and watched the students and teachers entering the college compound in continual white waves. Her eyes sought out three specific individuals. The first was the Vice Principal, Mrs. Priya Shan, the second was Monitor Sendhoory, and the last was the day gate sentry, Raman.

She impatiently signaled the night sentry, Manian, with a wave of her index finger. The young man, dressed in khaki shorts and a yellow shirt, sprinted over to her from his position by the gate. “Madam?” he asked politely.

“Where is Raman? Shouldn’t he be here by now?”

“I don’t know, Madam.”

His Royal Highness,The Tamil Tiger - FICTION

by

Kathir Bala Sundaram

Chapter 5

Injured Tigers

The brand new, green Mitsubishi Pajero flew down the A9 Highway at speeds often exceeding 100 kph. It was returning to Kilinochchi along the same route it had already traveled earlier that day. The Minister stared moodily out the window as they raced through the small village of Meesalai. He hardly took note of the beautiful coconut groves, mango trees, and palmyra palms as they flew by. Most of the houses sat in small compounds, surrounded by tall fences and covered with coconut leaved cadjans* to keep prying eyes from peering in.

A bit further on, they passed through the small town Mirusuvil. On both sides of the highway, the miles and miles of coconut estates showed the horrible effects of war before the Cease Fire Agreement had come into effect. More than quarter of the coconut palms had no fronds, many little more than shattered trunks looking like cannons pointed into the sky. The destruction of the air force didn’t stop there, however, and the hundreds of maimed individuals who roamed the streets giving mute testimony to the magnitude of the devastation the war had caused.

His Royal Highness, The Tamil Tiger - FICTION

Chapter 4

Report to Kilinochchi

The Smiling Minister continued to stare at the crowd, and his smallish eyes narrowed in dangerous contemplation and his hand stroked his thick black mustache—a near perfect duplicate of His Royal Highness’ mustache. He needed to stall for time, to divert the students’ attention and anger.

So he decided to recite the Tamil Tiger’s battlefield achievements. Their victories over the years were the main reason for the mass support by the native Tamil population and the Tamil Diasporas. Maybe if he could remind these students of the Tamil Tiger’s past victories, they would settle down and possibly even fall in line. Some of the more well known victories had been used as propaganda to collect money from the Diaspora. He stroked his black mustache again. Which battle should he relate? Before he did so, he decided to bait the students.

His Royal Highness, The Tamil Tiger - FICTION

by

Kathir Bala Sundaram

Chapter 3

Hit and Run

Grasping Pandit Manka’s hand in terror, Principal Vasantha gasped uncontrollably. The rest of the teaching staff stood like statutes, spell bound by the bleating students. Hardly one of them could believe that the students would be so rude to refuse the Smiling Minister’s invitation to participate in the ‘Condemnation Procession’ and to carry the larger than life pictures of His Royal Highness.

“Piriya, I don’t understand,” Vasnatha cried to her Vice Principal. “Why are the students bleating like this?”

“Madam, it’s because of the Tamil Tiger’s ruthless totalitarian rule. They’ve violated so many human rights that this is the result. Even their own community hates and curses them.” She turned to regard her superior, trying to get her to understand. “They have cells in every town and village and they keep records of taxes each individual pays. Madam, their tax system is killing our people and the students too, suffer under its heavy burden. They hate the Tamil Tigers.” The Vice Principal looked back at the outraged Minister. “It will be their death, eventually.”

His Royal Highness, The Tamil Tiger - FICTION

by

Kathir Bala Sundaram

Chapter 2

Reign of Mockery

Vice Principal Priya appeared cheerful enough as she led the Smiling Minister into the large auditorium. As soon as the Minister entered, the students stood and began clapping enthusiastically. It became a constant drone as the Minister and his five Tamil soldiers climbed onto the three foot high platform and sat down in their respective seats. Large yellow and black striped curtains covered the entire rear section of the platform depicting the school colors.

Principal Vasantha joined the rest of her colleagues at the back of the auditorium, her wide smile revealed her ignorance of the chaos about to descend upon her.

His Royal Highness, The Tamil Tiger - noval

by

Kathir Bala Sundaram

A Word from the Author

The new millennium dawned on a world shaken by the emergence of two violent terror organizations: the Tamil Tigers and Al-Qaida. Al-Qaida is a byproduct of the Tamil Tigers. The Srilankan forces ruthlessly defeated the seemingly invincible Tamil Tigers at the Battle of Mullivaikkal in 2009. A fact that came to light was that Sri Lanka government received military aid from more than twenty-five countries in order to finally crush the Tamil Tigers, the world’s deadliest terrorists.

 This novel, ‘His Royal Highness the Tamil Tiger’, explores only a minute portion of the Tamil Tigers’ atrocities and carnage they inflicted on the Tamil community—their own brothers and sisters—in Jaffna from 1972 to 2009. Jaffna rests in the northern part of the pearl shaped island of Sri Lanka. The island, sitting somewhat snug to the southern tip of India and within the Indian Ocean, suffered terribly at the hands of the Tamil Tigers.