Drumbeats
Great change is accompanied by drumbeats in Rukmani’s life. Drummers
first appear to call laborers into the village, and Rukmani loses her first
two sons to Ceylon. Ira has a drummer and a fiddler for her wedding before
she leaves her mother’s home. Drumbeats announce the widespread devastation
of the flood that destroys their crops. Drummers emphasize the passion and
joy of Deepavali, the Festival of Lights, which marks a highlight for
Rukmani as well as the conception of her last child. When Raja is killed by
the tannery guards, Rukmani listens to the drumbeats at his funeral pyre
until they die away. Just before Nathan dies, Rukmani buys Puli a dum-dum
cart that plays a drum as it is pulled along. With their insistent rhythm,
drumbeats announce and predict each change of circumstance.
Confronting the Stranger
Again and again, Rukmani confronts those who are different and learns
from her encounters. From the Muslim wife of a tannery official she learns
that possessions are less important than freedom. From the tannery official
who visits after Raja’s death, she learns that a cold and mercenary heart
creates a chasm between people that cannot be crossed. From Kenny she learns
that some strangers care enough about the suffering of others to contribute
funds for a hospital. From Das, the servant in the city, she learns the
value of kindness to the destitute. From a helpful stranger, she learns
there is food for the poor at the temple. From Puli she learns that family
can be created through generosity. Rukmani’s life is enriched by the
strangers who enter it.
