Their lives reduced to ashes

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Mixed emotions prevailed within the enclosure walls of the Connemara market, that housed numerous wholesale and retail shops, on Wednesday. While some were in deep agony as their only means of livelihood was reduced to ashes, some others were relieved, for the flames had stayed away from their shops. Silence prevailed over the market, which would normally be chaotic and full of life with relentless bargaining between vendors and consumers,  because almost all shops, except a few vegetable and butcher shops on the eastern side, lay shut following the fire. Women were seen roaming in search of an open shop, unaware of the accident.  Maniyan, draped himself in a shabby lungi and a piece of towel over his shoulder, stood among the debris of his shop, staring at the ashes beneath his feet. He stooped to take out a half-burnt wooden box from under the ashes. In it were a bundle of currency notes, his savings from the business, with each currency note now worth nothing, after being charred by the fire.  ‘’Will we get any compensation from the government?’’ he asked. He has been selling clay utensils and vegetables in his shop in the rented building for the past 20 years. And, he was not sure whether the owner had insured the building, which dimmed the chances of getting a compensation.  Maniyan had suffered the greatest loss in terms of destruction of property as his shop was completely burned down.  Nearby sat Michael, with both his arms on his forehead. In front of him was a heap of brand new leather footwear, which the raging fire could not consume fully; the unburned portion of the footwear still shining under the sun.  ‘’Do we have any security for our life and property in this land? Are the police sleeping?’’ asked a vendor, who identified himself as Rajesh. His shop was not damaged in the fire. Yet, he could not vent out his anger at the police, who did not provide the people any security.  He was sure that the fire was not a mere accident. The shops were set ablaze deliberately by someone, he said.  ‘’Look at the way the fire spread. I am sure the culprits used petrol. Last time also, when fire broke out in the market, the police did nothing to catch the culprits, despite getting evidence such as petrol cans from the spot,’’ Rajesh said.