THE PUPPETEERS OF PALEM Page 6

  2001

  Palem Goes to Sleep

  By our special correspondent

  AP Mirror|

  March 1, 2001 |

  Though Palem has never been a hub of activity (since we began covering this story, we have had many letters from readers saying they did not know such a village existed), it has reportedly gone into deep slumber over the last six months. Though the village is still cordoned off for investigation into the murders, it is evident even from a distance that Palem’s contact with the outside world has been tenuous, at best, in recent times.

  Most of the land in the village is said to be parched and unfit to support any kind of life. This is strange because the wells are supposedly full of water, and thanks to the strong monsoon we have just had, availability of water is not an issue. That said, there seem to be certain pockets of the village where land is still fertile. Palem’s people seem to have been living exclusively off the produce of this land. Mirror has learnt from talking to various people in Dhavaleshwaram that none of Palem’s farmers have been seen at the local market for a while now.

  The police have confirmed that they are yet to start their investigation in earnest. The only step they have taken so far is to cordon off Palem and ensure that no one can enter or leave without authorization. Sub-Inspector Varda Reddy has told us that he has almost finished going over the details of the case and that he will visit Palem shortly. It is hoped that some light will be thrown on the matter then as the state waits with bated breath.

  News segment for Ee Roju by Sonali Rao

  7:30 p.m.

  | March 01, 2001 |

  The families of five out of the eight dead people found in Rudrakshapalem last Monday have told Ee Roju that they find the incident confusing, inexplicable and horrifying. Sonali Rao has more.

  The house of Sarayu Vishnubotla resembles the village of Palem—silent, sorrowful and sombre. When I walk in through the door, I see Sarayu’s parents sitting in the living room facing each other, but each looking away into the distance. And yet, just over a week ago, this household was as happy as any other household. Sarayu had just received a promotion; she was now leading her own team of fashion designers. Mr Satyanarayana, Sarayu’s maternal uncle, tells us of that day.

  ‘It was a happy day,’ the elderly man said, making every effort not to look at the garlanded picture of the smiling young woman that hung on the wall to his right. ‘We were very proud of her. She was a fatherless girl, but so strong, so intelligent. Her mother had so many dreams for her. And she had made all of them come true. We are all very proud of her. Really proud.’

  The camera panned to show a woman clad in a white sari with a bare forehead and a sombre expression on her face.

  ‘How long ago did you move to Hyderabad, Madam?’

  ‘She was twelve,’ the woman said softly. ‘We have been living here for seventeen years.’

  ‘Do you know why Sarayu went back to Palem after all these years?’

  ‘Oh, we don’t know,’ the man replied, looking questioningly at his sister. ‘It was the day after she got her promotion. She said she was taking a few days off and going to Palem. We just thought she wanted to go on a holiday.’

  Sarayu’s mother said, ‘She got a letter. I noticed it because we get very few letters these days. Everything comes on the computer. But she got a handwritten letter.’

  ‘Asking her to come to Palem?’

  She shrugged. ‘Maybe. I don’t know. But she told us the same day that she wanted to go.’

  ‘And you did not ask her why she wanted to go?’

  It was the uncle who answered. ‘We did. She said she wanted to meet some old friends. Even we thought the break would do her some good. She had been working so hard lately.’

  ‘Mr Satyanarayana, I know this is very hard for you, but can you even guess what could have happened in Palem? What could have caused all this mayhem?’

  ‘I… I don’t know. Palem has always been a beautiful village. If anything, I should say too little of note happens there.’ He raised his hands in a gesture of despair. ‘I don’t know what happened. I don’t know why.’

  ‘Are you… thinking of going to Palem to… see for yourself?’

  He shook his head in resignation. ‘No. No. They have given her back to us. We just want to say our goodbyes in the proper way. I think the boy who did this is also dead, no? What will I get by going there? No, no.’ He looked at his sister. She was shaking her head as well, her mouth covered with her palm.

  ‘He said he had to go to Palem.’ The speaker was a young, clean-shaven man with rapid, furtive eyes. The TV screen flashed his name as ‘Nikhil, Aravind’s roommate in their Madhapur flat’. Behind him, a mustard-coloured guitar lay on the bed amid a heap of clothes and other items.

  ‘He got a letter or something. I mean, who writes letters nowadays, right? Only old people.’

  ‘Do you know where it came from?’

  ‘It must have come from his village. But I don’t know for sure. He did not show it to me and I did not ask him for it.’

  ‘But you think it might have asked him to come to the village?’

  ‘It might have, but he did tell me that he had no one in the world. And he hardly ever talked of his childhood in the village. I think he left it when he was fourteen, so he must have some memories of the place.’ Nikhil shrugged. ‘But you know how some people are. Very private.’

  ‘Have you been following the coverage on what happened at Palem?’

  ‘Yeah. Yeah. Horrible, isn’t it? Just horrible.’

  ‘Do you have any theories on what happened, from what you know of Aravind?’

  ‘Uh, I don’t know that much about Aravind. I mean, we’re just roommates. And as I said, Aravind is not much of a sharer.’

  ‘What kind of a person was he?’

  ‘Oh, nice guy. He had his faults, but who doesn’t, right? We had some fun times together. Yeah. We used to go for a drink sometimes. You know, on weekends and stuff. Sometimes we went clubbing. Yeah, we had a good time. That’s his guitar over there. Most of the stuff you see here is his.’ A wistful look came into his eyes.

  ‘You are going to miss him.’

  ‘Oh. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. I mean, we were just roommates, but you know…’

  ‘Would you like to know what happened to him?’

  ‘Yeah, that would be nice, right? I mean, I don’t think there have been any theories as such so far?’ His gaze was directed straight at the interrogator for a moment, then tailed off.

  ‘They are saying he was trying to burn down the village.’

  ‘Oh.’ There was a distinct pause.

  ‘What do you think of that?’

  ‘I don’t know… Aravind did not strike me as the violent kind. He was shy. Shy and quiet. Didn’t speak much, but whatever he spoke made sense… that kinda guy, you know?’

  ‘So all this has come as a surprise to you?’

  ‘Well, yeah, I mean, if someone tells you a guy you had been living with is a killer, then it always comes as a surprise, right? You question many things. You start to feel a bit afraid.’ His eyes moved about. ‘And lucky. Definitely lucky.’

  ‘What can you do? His time is finished.’ The old woman sat with a garland of beads in her hand. Her eyes were half-open. Her voice was tired and sleepy. The screen identified her simply as, ‘Aditya’s grandmother’.

  ‘There is not much you can do when your time is finished. Even in Palem, even in the quietest village in the world, if your time is up, your time is up.’

  ‘Doesn’t Aditya have parents?’

  ‘No dear, my son and daughter-in-law died when they were about your age. Chotu was eight or nine then. I took him and came here to my sister’s place. She said Chotu will have a good education, a good life.’

  ‘And your sister?’

  ‘She was ten years older than me. She married a rich man. That is the best thing to do, you know. Young people nowadays do not understand the value of money, my de
ar. Are you married?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Marry a rich man, my dear. Never marry a man for love. Marry him for his money. And make him love you so much that he will give you all of it. That is the secret to a happy life, I tell you.’

  ‘Do you know why Chotu went to Palem, Bamma gaaru?’

  ‘I don’t know why he went there. He came up to me ten days ago and said, “Bamma, I am going to Palem for a few days.” I told him not to go. But these young people never listen, do they?’

  ‘Why did you tell him not to go?’

  ‘Palem is not a good place, my dear. Oh, I know what you city folk think. You think Palem is such a nice, small village where everyone knows everyone else and all that. But knowing everyone else is not always a good thing, you know.’

  ‘In what way?’

  ‘You feel like you are being watched all the time. There is no place you can go, nothing you can do, nothing you can say, that will not reach the ears of the entire village. Can you imagine what that is like? There is just no… privacy, my dear.’

  For a moment, there was silence. Then, ‘Coming back to Chotu… Aditya… do you have any idea what or who might have caused his death? Did he have any enemies in Palem?’

  ‘Oh, my dear, no one makes enemies in Palem. Only friends. Yes, only friends.’

  ‘So what do you think caused Aditya’s death?’

  ‘I told you. His time was up.’

  ‘Do you not have any curiosity as to who the killer is and how he died?’

  The old woman smiled at the camera. ‘Ultimately, my dear,’ she said, ‘there is only one killer that takes us all. And ultimately, no matter how we die, all of us go to the same place.’

  ‘So you feel no need to find out how he died.’

  ‘No,’ the woman said. ‘You see, I think my time is coming soon too. I will see him… I will see them all… soon. Very soon. I will ask him in person, and when you come, I will tell you. In person, my dear. Finding things out first-hand is always better, is it not?’

  Not everyone, though, can be as philosophical as that.

  ‘I’d like to know,’ the man said, ‘what the police are doing. It has been four days since this happened and all we read in the newspaper is that the village has been closed off. Arey, if the village is closed off, how is the police investigating? Are they investigating? That is what I want to know.’

  The speaker was a big, bald man in a white shirt. He was Venkataramana’s uncle.

  ‘There have been other killings in the village, Sir. The police are treating this as a mass homicide.’

  ‘Arey Madam, I am not worried about the other murders. I know it is sad, but I am worried about my nephew, na? His parents live in America and they are coming here tomorrow. What should I tell them, you tell me. You tell me!’

  ‘Don’t they live in Canada, Sir?’

  ‘Canada or America, what does it matter, Madam? They don’t live in India, na? Arey kya baat kar rahi hai yeh chokri!’

  ‘Do you have any thoughts on why Venkataramana went to Palem, Sir?’

  ‘Arey what is this? An interrogation? How will I know why he went there? Do you think he told us? These days do people tell their parents where they are going? “I am going out”. “I will be back in a few days”. “I will be back for dinner”. That is all they say. If he had told me he was going to Palem, do you think I would have let him?’

  ‘Why would you not have let him?’

  ‘Arey, the boy is from America, Madam. What will he do in a place like Palem? He would get bored. I would have told him that.’

  ‘But he lived in Palem before, didn’t he?’

  ‘Ya, when he was a kid. But when you are a kid, you don’t get bored, na? He came here when he was ten, just a little boy. And he came to India only a few days ago. Do you think he would remember anything about Palem?’

  ‘If he didn’t remember anything, why did he go there?’

  ‘Now, is that my job? Is that not the job of the police? Ask the police, na? What are the police doing, that is what I want to know.’

  ‘Does he have any enemies in Palem?’

  There was a pause. The man looked as though he couldn’t believe the question that was thrown at him. ‘Arey Madam, the boy is from America. America! Why will he have enemies in East Godavari?’ He looked away at someone outside the field of the camera’s lens. ‘Dimaag nahin hai kya isko?’ he said.

  ‘So do you have any message for the police, Sir?’

  ‘I think whatever they are doing is not correct. They should start investigating and find out who killed my brother’s son. We have friends in very high places. If they don’t start moving tomorrow, I will make them move. Arey! Police is supposed to catch the criminal as quickly as possible. Four days! Four days ago it happened and they still have not set foot in the village. There are some vested interests here that we will get to the bottom of. This is not correct. No, this is not correct.’

  The woman sat with her hands on her lap. Her sari pallu covered her head. Her forehead was bare and there were dark circles around her eyes. She spoke in a clear, measured voice, choosing her words with utmost care.

  ‘It must be a terrible shock to you, Mrs Reddy, to hear of the death of your son?’

  The woman nodded once. ‘It is always hard to deal with death in the family. When it happens suddenly like this, it only sinks in as time goes by and you start to miss them more and more—especially the little things.’

  ‘When did you first hear of it?’

  ‘Tuesday. It was early in the morning. I was just making breakfast when I heard something on the TV. When I heard his name, I came out and watched.’

  ‘It must have been a terrible shock to you,’ the interviewer said again.

  The woman looked at her and smiled. ‘You are still young. One thing you will learn about life is that it will go on.’

  ‘But surely, you must want to know who it is that –’

  ‘Killed him? Yes, I want to know. I wonder if it is true what they say in the papers. They think it is Aravind, don’t they?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘The boy was a good friend of Chanti’s when we were in Palem. I wonder what made him so violent.’

  ‘The police are looking into it right now.’

  The woman nodded.

  ‘Now Mrs Reddy, do you have any idea why your son went to Palem?’

  The woman peered into the camera. ‘Chanti has never forgotten Palem. He would always remind me of the times when we lived there. We never went back in all these years, but I guess I always knew in my heart that he would go back some day.’

  ‘And he asked you for permission?’

  ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘He told me everything.’ She looked up and smiled again. ‘He was my youngest son.’ My favourite son, her eyes said.

  ‘But you don’t think there was some… special reason why he went there?’

  ‘What reason could there be?’

  ‘Well, some of the others’ family members mentioned a letter from Palem…’

  ‘A letter from Palem asking them to come there?’

  ‘We don’t know that for sure. But at least three of the other four people who died left for the village upon receiving this letter.’

  The woman’s brows frowned in thought. ‘I cannot remember anything of the sort. I am sure Chanti would have told me about it if he had received a letter.’

  ‘Do you think the police are doing enough to catch your son’s murderers?’

  ‘Well, I am sure it is natural to want to be in a hurry, but I would rather they take their time and perform a thorough investigation.’

  ‘But in four days, Madam, they have not even entered the village.’

  ‘I am sure they have their reasons.’

  ‘Do you have anything to say to the police on the matter?’

  ‘No, I am just a housewife. I am in no way qualified to tell a policeman how to do his job.’

  ‘So you think they are doing enough?’
>
  ‘I am sure they are doing their best.’ The kind, matronly smile never left her lips.

  ‘Do you have any message for our viewers?’

  She started to shake her head, then suddenly stopped. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘As a matter of fact, I want to say a few words to the family members of the other four kids who have lost their lives.’

  ‘Go ahead, Madam.’

  ‘I know this must seem like the end of the world for you,’ the woman said. ‘And these first few days are the toughest. These few days you fill find yourself thinking of nothing but the person you’ve lost, the clothes they used to wear, the things they used to say, the sweets they liked to eat… but it will get easier. Life might not seem worth living right now, but if you get through these first few days, it will become better again.’ She had begun by staring right at the camera, but now she was looking past it into the distance, as if her own words had transported her to her past. After an interminably long silence, she said, ‘All the best.’

  ‘Thank you, Madam.’

  ‘Namaste.’

  Life has to go on and that is the message Mrs Reddy wanted to share with our viewers. It is a message that we hope all the people affected by this tragedy will use to help ease the pain of those wounds.

  However, for the police, the work starts now. It now seems certain that these five people had received letters from Palem shortly before they left for the village. What was in those letters? Who wrote them? If we answer these questions, will we be a little closer to unravelling the mystery surrounding these gruesome deaths?

  For Ee Roju, this is Sonali Rao.

  Chapter Nine

  2001

  Situated a few hundred metres east of the new Shivalayam, Avadhani’s house had once been the only brick-and-cement house on this side of the temple. It was a house with two bedrooms, one sitting room, a hall and a kitchen. For many years, the villagers of Palem had no trouble guiding visitors to his place. The directions were simple—‘Take the eastward path from the Shivalayam and stop at the first brick house.’

  Avadhani was also the only person in the village who owned two wells—one for drinking and one for irrigation. The smaller one, built of smooth, grey concrete, stood by the gate in front of the house, facing the village. The larger one was located a hundred or so metres behind the house, beyond the field it irrigated. He charged only a nominal sum for a pail of water but he did not allow anyone to come near it. Only he or one of his servants was allowed to draw water from his well.