KKS Perera’s Under the Lovi Tree

Thirteen short stories of varied ‘plots’ comprise this slim book, author-published by KKS Perera in December 2020. Introducing the contents, KKS says the book “… include snippets of the writer’s own personal experiences from the tender age of six – fondly put together and offered to those who might enjoy the experience.” Most of them feature pets: dogs and cats, and one emotionally touching story is specifically about the happenings in the Perera household with regard to moving from injections to sterilizing surgery for Lanney, their pet dog.

Subjects and plots

The subjects of the stories are varied from a family occurrence to walking down memory lanes; to a child’s joy of possessing a torch bulb; to the chatter at a wedding reception; and workers’ lives. Mystery and mayhem are included. Mail Train and a Murder brings in even a Madam and her girls, who Perusivalam Velu Sinnatambi, the railway worker, mistakes in his innocence as Madame Carmen’s daughters and then that she runs a boarding. The man is invited to dinner with Carmen which results in his serving several years in prison for murder. He returns to his old haunts in the up-country railway station with familiar trains chugging or rattling past and learns the truth. One night’s Cell-ter is also situated in a prison cell – no murder but a death.

I particularly enjoyed Ten at Table 10 which is not really a story but the narration of an incident; yes, guests and their mannerisms, mostly quirks, as they await the arrival of the bride who is late. KKS subtly comments on and laughs at societal norms of today vis-à-vis social weddings – so much spent on hair styles; furnishings in the hall and wedding planners. Here the innocence, albeit perceptiveness of the child crying out the ‘king has no clothes’ is juxtaposed against the idiosyncrasies of the adults.

KKS changes his oeuvre, the genre of plot in his last short story Petrified in Affection and Love. It took me time to get into the story and longer to appreciate it. But it is not a light, fluffy flight of imagination. It is a literary achievement to make the imagination live and seem real. KKS has the Isurumuniya Lovers and the Horsemen and his horse friezed on the rock above the pool, come to life. The descriptions here are poetic – the flowers, pond, moonlight; the sensuality competently conveyed. Ends thus: “There was nothing left for Suni but the memories as their limbs slid across each other in that restless sensuous tussle as she sat petrified under the roof of the Isurumuniya, with that secret smile hanging on her lips, awaiting the passage of another century for the next Water Festival.” KKS gives the characters and thus the so-familiar statues a jolting switch. Suni is Prince Harideva’s wife but seated on the thigh of warrior Weeranatha, her lover, approved of by her husband. The prince is seated relaxed with his horse – Pavani – on the rock face. A helpful historical note as Epilogue is at the end of the story, where KKS quotes a Brahmi script of donation of the temple. He says the lovers are believed to be King Kuvera Vaisrawana and his queen Kuni as in the Ramayana. Long accepted by me was that the stunning statue depicts Prince Saliya and the Chandala, Asokamala, for whom he gave up the kingdom his father King Dutugemunu had consolidated. Another belief, adds KKS, is that God Shiva and Goddess Parvathi are depicted here.

The author, in his introduction, notes that he “has observed the habits of living beings, … exposed their disturbing habits and displayed uncommon commonsense, humour and wit.” He adds “he has no intention to enrich the reader either materially or spiritually.” OK. But his stories do give food for thought and many indirectly expose universal truths of humans, and canines too. Most of them have to be read with reason and intellect alert as subtle significances are woven into them. They are not to be read rapidly just to get the story line; better with critical faculties alert.

The cover of the book is arresting with his granddaughter’s doodles. Their depiction of a dog and flowers is delightful. The book is well got up. One bit of confusion to me was the use of italics, often for reported speech and in other places too, irregularly. Editing should have been tighter.

The Author

KKS was a corporate executive for four decades. After retirement he took to journalism and is a freelancer. He says in his introduction that his English literature teacher of St John’s College, Ursula P Wijesuriya, encouraged him to write “little contrivances called fiction at the age of 13-years though my lethargy kept me from doing so for almost 60 years.” The teacher mentioned has written the preface to the book while Capt Elmo Jayawardena, long standing admirer of KKS’s writing, has written about the author.

All in all a good leisure time read. Priced at Rs 450/= and distributed by Sarasavi, it is out on sale in Colombo bookshops.

Nanda P Wanasundera