Page 12 - Memoirs of Sarasworthy Somasundaram

Puppam

1927
Puppam was just a baby. Probably when she was two years of age. Amma was attending to
her toilet. As was the routine at the time, we were kids, she was squatting over my
mother’s bent legs resting her head against mother’s knees. A newspaper was spread under
mother’s feet.

Suddenly Puppam looked up at my mother saying, “Amma, this is all wrong.” And
proceeded to describe in detail a highly sophisticated bathroom. My mother was
astonished. (She probably understood what Puppam was describing because she had read
it in her novels!)

One wonders whether even Colombo could boast of a bathroom of that class, at the time,
let alone a Jaffna home!!
Many, many years later Amma related this incident to us. Our Hindu friends hold an
unshakeable faith in Re-birth, and sometimes one wonders what High Class family, what
luxury did you come from Puppam?

Balasingham Annan

c1939
Balasingham Annan, Singapore Uncle’s son, was very fond of my mother. He was at
St John’s at the time and would often visit us. Once he brought a small slab of a special
chocolate for Amma. She was in the kitchen and he walked straight through to the kitchen.

Of course, we guessed something was up and followed him. (Probably all 7 of us!!)
He handed over the lovely chocolate to her. Chocolate treats were so rare in our home.
Mother smiled her thanks; took a knife and systematically cut the chocolate slab into 8
pieces- for of course by then, all 7 of us had circled round.
Balasingham Annah couldn’t take it anymore. He blurted out “If I had only known, I
wouldn’t have brought the chocolate.” He was furious at us. But Amma only smiled back,
and we? We giggled in anticipation.

11