Amrika
by
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One time when Shankar fell ill with an unknown fever, and all efforts to cool him had failed, Amrika, cold from the tiled floor, coiled up about Shankar and cooled his frail body. When Amrika could feel his body heat on her flesh, she would slide to the floor and cool herself, and return to coil about him. Though the boy was half dazed with fever, he would smile at Amrika, and once he lifted a trembling hand and dropped a sweet down her throat. Amrika almost purred. She was accepted, needed and respected for saving Shankar's life. Needless to say, the Balakrishnan family felt very indebted to her. "Ahhh, Amrika," sighed Mr. Balakrishnan, "how could Shankar have gotten well without you?" And Madame Balakrishnan would stroke her kindly and slip her sweets. In the next few weeks Shankar was completely cured and he was playing and running with Renu all over the villa's lawns. Amrika would join them and they would frolic until the children were perspiring and gasping for breath. They would fall upon Amrika in the cool shade of a Bakula grove and all of them would lie there resting, then laughing, giggling, they would affectionately kiss her cold body. One time at twilight during such play, Renu made an evening wreath of bakula flowers and placed it around Amrika's head. *** Watching from a branch of a Borsali tree outside the patio area was Amrika. She sensed the tenderness and sweetness of the infant's flesh, and took special note of his plumpness as he crawled about the garden. With great anticipation she followed Rajan's movements, here and there and far and near; the juices in her throat began to flow from the stimulation. Rajan was very strong and rolled ball from the patio gate across the grass into the cottage, and Usha ran to get it for him. As her back was turned she heard her son give a sharp cry, and as she turned, to her horror she saw the python rise up hissing and with gaping jaws grasp her son by his legs. She screamed and threw herself on the python trying to prevent it from coiling. and at the same time trying to free Rajan from those terrible jaws. Usha and Amrika fought violently. Amrika was not about to let this tasty morsel go, and with her superior strength she pressed Usha's small body against the garden wall, but Usha hung on with one arm and with the other tried to prevent Amrika's jaws from closing more tightly on her son. Her long black hair fell loose and covered them all as Amrika tried to shake free of Usha. Failing to dislodge the struggling woman the serpent dragged her over a row of flowerpots, which broke into hundreds of pieces. Usha was screaming for help and Rajan was crying. Finally Venu heard their calls above the crashing sound in the patio and rushed to them.
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About the Book
Amrika
In reality it is a fable in that a python of such great size could not be safely maintained within a family structure. The fable evolves against the background of the great beauty of India and its rich cultural fabric, and becomes a reflection of the dichotomy, not particularly of India, but of the world in which we all live.
There are many great snakes in the world, but the mythical and religious importance associated with the snakes in the Orient and in particular the homage shown to serpents in India, made it an appropriate setting for the fable. The unfolding of the tale within the complex culture web and great social/religious diversity of India further added a multifaceted dimension that could not have been found elsewhere. The complexity of this approach by a Westerner was not undertaken lightly, and the author humbly acknowledges her laminations.
About the Author
Maria Bolanz was born in Indiana. She attended Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio and received a MS degree from Stanford University. After graduation, she worked as a research assistant at California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. It was there that she met Rafat Mirza, and thus began her introduction to India. Their relationship continued in England while he studied at Oxford. Eventually, Maria felt the need to continue her own education and moved on to Spain to study at the University of Madrid. It was during Franco's time; and she states, "Spain is where I received my political education!" She and Dr. Mirza remained friends until his untimely death in 1965. She returned to the United States and joined the Indian Health Division of the U.S. Public Health Service in Alaska. She met and married William M. Williams, a Tlingit Indian, and they had five children. Wanting a midlife change of careers she attended the University of Alaska and received a BS degree in anthropology, and has become an active participant in indigenous issues within Alaska and Northern Canada. Since the death of her husband in 1990 she spends summers in Alaska and winters in Spain or Latin America. She is a Tibetan Buddhist, and has visited India several times on pilgrimages.