The Pearl Palanquin (3)
Narayana Rao was annoyed. Did he not know that Anuradha was grown up? Did he not know that a suitable bridegroom should be found for her? Marriage meant money. Dowry apart he hardly had four thousand rupees. What he has been earning was being spent on running the family, on children’s education, for the feeding of relations and guests. There was no chance of putting by any amount. Sometimes he felt digested at his inability to earn more. When his father asked him whether he would study law after passing his B.A. he had given his consent. He was too young then to assess the value of degrees, higher education and future possibilities. It was only after he set up practice as a lawyer he came to know of the pitfalls. He hated certain things he had to do as a lawyer. Perhaps he could have been an agriculturist. But then his father had sold the land to educate him. Narayana Rao was lost in thought. “ Narayana! ” His father started talking to him in a loving tone. “ It’s good if Rajeswari comes here. By the way why do you worry about Anu’s marriage? ” Said Dasaratharamaiah reassuringly. Murali was sitting in the next room listening to the conversation between his father and grandfather. The conversation stopped suddenly. There was silence in the other room. Murlai’s thoughts took him back to his first visit to the village. “ Murali dear! You like these nuts very much. Eat them ” Yashoda had said and filled his palm with the nuts. “ Yes they are very tasty ” said Murali and ate them all except one. He gave the single nut to Yashoda asking her to eat it. Yashoda smilingly said. “ Eat this one also ” and kissed him on his cheek. “ No! No! Don’t kiss me like that! See! Your saliva has stuck on my cheek ” he did wiping his cheek with the corner of his shirt. Murali remembered this incident often. At nights she used to sit by him and narrate many stories. As he felt sleepy, she would lift him and make him lie on the cot. Settling down on the floor she would put her arm on his back and tap him gently singing “ Little Krishna, go to sleep! You! Blue skinned boy, sleep! ”. One day Murali had asked Yashoda. “ Do you like Krishna, Yashodamma? ” “ Are there people who do not like Muralidhar? ” she asked. He felt shy at her reply and covered his face with his palms. Even to-day Yashoda’s songs ring in his ear when he goes to bed. The songs take him back to the old dilapidated house, the thick darkness, the kerosene lantern, the twinkling stars, the soft breeze blowing from the neem tree and the caressing fingers of Yashoda on his head. The past events gave a sweet sensation to Murali. He realized recently that his mother didn’t like his going to the village every summer. Yashodamma was a very good woman. Why was his mother angry then? He didn’t know the reason. Murali became thoughtful. He was vexed with the regular visits of his relations. Who is this Rajeswari, he wondered. He heard his mother say they lived in high style. How long will they stay? What about his studies? The examinations were round the corner. He was worried. 7 Rajeswari, her husband Prasada Rao and their three children arrived from Raipur to Krishnapatnam and stayed with Narayana Rao for a week. They shifted into the house they purchased after coming to Narayana Rao. The house-warming ceremony was grand affair. Rajeswari’s son Giridhar was tall and handsome. He was in the final year of mechanical engineering and left at the end of the holidays. Of the two daughters Sunanda was the older. She was dark in complexion and a little obese. She had a melodious voice. She stopped her studies after passing her Higher Secondary exams. Indira was the younger girl. She was beautiful and very smart. She was sociable and made friends with strangers easily and quickly. She wanted to get in the B.A. course as soon as the colleges reopened. Within a month of their arrival Indira made friends with the neighbours and started going out with them as Prasada Rao, their father, had given freedom to his children. Sunanda never went out. If at all she stirred out of the house, she went to the library and selected her books for reading at home. She loved reading good books. If Indira spent her pocket money on cosmetics and clothes, Sunanda used the money on books. Their parents did not interfere with their way of life. Giridhar loved his sisters dearly. Sunanda knew she was not a beauty and felt bad sometimes about her looks. Prasada Rao was prepared to spend any amount of money on Sunanda’s marriage and find a suitable bridegroom for her. He had a list of bridegrooms with him. Sunanda faced three ‘interviews’ and failed in all the three. A young degree holder, the fourth one, came that morning and left telling her father that he would write back his opinion. Sunanda felt hurt at his behaviour. She knew that her parents were very much worried about her marriage. But she could do nothing about it. God blessed her with good parents and a lot of money. But he didn’t give her good looks. She was dark, short and plump. She took after her father. As a little girl she had dreamed of growing into a tall and beautiful woman, attractive like a marble statue. As she grew up her anger at God increased. She cried in the nights till she swooned. She questioned God why she was not given the same form and looks like her brother or sister when she was born to the same mother. After some years she realized that nothing would come of her agony. Once she stopped thinking about her looks and personality she felt light and relieved. She started spending her time reading books with a smile on her face. Prasada Rao had retired from service. He had no financial problems. He spent his daytime reading Gita and evenings by attending religious discourses in the temple nearby. Rajeswari also did the same. They both had an uneasy feeling lurking in their minds – that they were not able to find a groom for their first daughter. Prasada Rao philosophized saying to his wife “ for anything the ordained time should arrive. Our trials will not succeed till then. ” One evening Rajeswari had gone to the temple and Prasada Rao to the market. Indira had gone out with her friends for a matinee show. Sunanda was alone in the garden reading a book. Her mind was wandering away from the novel. Murali walked in opening the gate. She didn’t observe Mural’s arrival. “ Sunanda! ” he said gently. Sunada was startled and looked up. “ Oh! You! Come ‘bawa’ ” she said showing him a chair. Sunanda always addressed Murali as ‘bawa’. But he did not like her calling him so. Once he had told her “ don’t call me ‘bawa’. I don’t like it. Call me Murali. ” “ I feel happy and like to call you ‘bawa’ ” she had said. Murali was silent. Sunanda pulled a long face. “ Okay! If you don’t like me addressing you ‘bawa’. I shall stop calling you so. ” Murali relented. “ If you feel bad like that, yes, call me as you like, ” he said. From then on Sunanda called Murali as ‘bawa’ and the sound of the word was sweet to her. Though Sunanda was not pretty Murali liked her good nature. He liked her sweet manner of talking. Murali made it a habit to visit their house now and then. He didn’t like Indira and her habits and kept a distance from her. “ Sunanda! There is silence ruling in the house. Where are all the people? ” Asked Murali as he sat on the chair offered by her. She told him with a smile where each one had gone. “ Why didn’t you go to the cinema with Indira? ” “ I have no such habit. She went with her friends, ” said Sunanda closing the book. Murali felt that there was something special about the way Sunanda dressed. She wore a sky blue saree with a gold-laced border and a blouse of the same colour. She wore a gold chain with a locket, large earrings and had two pairs of gold bangles on each wrist. The garland of pink flowers stuffed in her hair ran down on her right shoulder. The ringlets of hair on her forehead fluttered in the gentle breeze. Her shining round cheeks presented an unusual attraction to her face. Generally she didn’t dress up in this manner. Her preference was for white or light coloured printed sarees. She hated jewels and so never wore them. Every day she folded up her long plait of hair midway and tied it up with a ribbon. Murali stared at her for a while in surprise. “ Do you want some water? ” asked him without waiting for a reply she got up and went in. Murali began to turn the pages of the book she was reading. Sunada came out with eats in a plate and water in a glass. “ You said you would get me water and have brought things to eat. Any special news?” Asked Murali. “ They are to be eaten. That is all. ” “ What about you? ” “ I… I have no desire to eat. ” “ Then, at least tell me what is special. ” “ Haven’t you got it yet? Marriage interview! The young man turned his head away at the first glance. Father offered a dowry of ten thousand rupees and a scooter. The young man ran away without looking back! ” “ Oh! I am sorry Sunanda! ” Said Murali holding the plate with the eats. “ It doesn’t matter. ” “ I am sorry I pained your…” “ Don’t feel bad. I got used to this. I don’t feel sorry also. Let us drop that matter. Come on. Tell me something interesting. ” “ I don’t feel like eating. Take this piece ” he offered a piece of Mysore Pak to her. Sunanda held the piece in her hand looking at it. “ I’ve been waiting for a long time for your coming here to-day. First finish off the sweetmeats and coffee. Then you can go… Bawa. I want to ask you a question. Shall I? ” “ Oh yes! Ask me! I shall answer you without delay. ” “ I sometimes feel it would have been very nice had you been a little older than me. ” “ Why do you say so? ” “ I don’t know. To day I felt like telling you. ” “ No! No! Sunanda! If it had happened like that I would have lost a good friend. I wouldn’t have had this freedom with you then. I tell you the truth. Sunanda! I like you very much. I can reveal my mind to you when I can’t do so to others. When I go home after chatting with you I feel very happy and get the strength to go on reading till 2 O’ clock in the morning. I don’t think of our relationship. I think only of our friendship. What about you? ” “ I… I can’t express it in words Murali! You are the only true friend I have. ” “ Is it true, Sunanda? ” “ Yes, Murali! My life itself is a bitter truth, ” said Sunanda in a husky voice with her hand under her chin. Murali managed to eat some of the sweetmeats offered by Sunanda. In the meanwhile Rajeswari returned from the temple. “ Murali! When did you come? Sunanda did you offer coffee. I’ll get it ”. She went in. Rajeswari sighed at her daughter as she went in. “ Aunty! How far have you progressed in your Geetha discourse? ” “ Don’t make fun of me. What do you know of the responsibilities and problems of life? You are too young to understand them. You need a lot of patience and perseverance to face life. As these abilities decline in us old people, we regenerate ourselves listening to these religious and spiritual discourses. ” “What you say is true! Philosophy apart I did not understand what you said just now.” “ Don’t worry. Put it aside. By the way your grandfather didn’t visit you for some time, I think. ” “ Yes, aunty! ” Sunanda brought coffee. He drank it off and started home. On the way the words of Sunanda began to ring in his ears. ‘ What did she mean by telling me she wished I had been a little older than her? My mind didn’t react properly when she said those words. I told her whatever occurred to my mind. I didn’t think deep enough to understand her idea behind those words ’ thought Murali as he walked home. 8 “ Annapurna! You are the very personification of Annapurna of Kashi. My taste buds are getting excited as I look at the dishes prepared by you. How tasty they are! I feel as though you prepared the brinjal curry with ‘Amrita’. You know I am a court bird. But why do I come to your house each time when I have many relations in town? It is because you love and respect relations. When I go to my people’s houses they appear to me like devils. They feel as though I went to them, as I had no other place to go to. Their children’s behaviour towards me is intolerable ” said Raghavaiah in his deep, rich voice. He continued, “ I would like to ask you this question. Will not guests arrive when you run a household? But in these days who has any love for their relations? People like you are an exception… Help me with a little more of the brinjal curry. Do Murali and Anu relish this hot preparation? You must make them eat these curries… Enough, enough... My belly got filled with your affection. I am very happy to see the ideal couple in you and your husband. It’s God’s gift for the good deeds you performed in your previous birth….” Murali heard these words as he stepped in. “ Oh God! The tuft-headed old man has arrived. There can be no studies at home. Nor sleep. ” As he walked into his room the voice of the old man was being heard clearly as from a loud speaker. Anu came in. “ Tomorrow is my exam. What am I to do? ” Anu slumped into a chair holding her head. “ Has he come alone or is anybody else also with him? ” Asked Murali Changing into his lungi. “ Before the arrival of this tuft-headed grandfather another lady came in a rickshaw with a girl. As soon as she came in she threw into the buckets the soiled clothes she had brought. She wasted all the water available taking her bath and complained she couldn’t bathe to her satisfaction! In the meanwhile the taps went dry. She started cursing the government and the municipality and father for living in this house for fifteen years, which had no well. Within a short time, the old man with the tuft also turned up. What are we to do to escape this double trouble, this double bore? ” Replied Anu reaching back into the chair. “ Oh God! ” She continued “ these relations! They are killing us. These three seem to have decided to stay on for some weeks. We must find a way to get rid of them. ” “ Good idea! But how…” Murali began pacing about in the room. “ Yes! I got it! Let us throw away their belongings in the night on the road. Some one will pick them up and get away with them. Then these two will leave us and go their ways. ” “ It’s great but… if mom and dad find that we did it we are undone! We should be careful ” said Anu. Anu had great respect for her brother. She was afraid that he would bring upon himself some disaster in his haste to do things. So she would think deep before giving her opinion. Murali also was in the habit of seeking his sister’s help in what ever he did. Though they believed in mutual consent, they used to fall out now and then, particularly when it came to Hindi songs and English movies. Annapurna and Narayana Rao did not go to English movies. Murali had to give Anu his company. His mother would admonish Murali if he went alone without telling Anu. Murali hated taking Anu in over-crowded buses and standing in long serpentine queues at the cinema halls. He would feel terribly bad if any mischievous looking boy stared at Anu or tried to brush past her. There were instances when he got into a scuffle with such fellows. But there was an advantage in taking her along, as she would secure the tickets quickly from the women’s queue. But he would feel angry if she asked for a Coca Cola or Chips in the interval. When some friend would look enviously at Murali thinking that Anu was his girl friend, he had to introduce to him his sister to the disappointment and embarrassment of his friend. Sometimes a friend would request Murali to ask his sister to buy a ticket for him also as there was a long queue. But then that friend would sit by his sister and make comments on the movie. On some occasions he would feel proud if any one asked him in an appreciative tone whether she was his sister. Once Murali went through a horrible experience when they attended an evening show. It was half past nine. They couldn’t get an auto. After a long wait a crowded bus turned up. Murali got in with great difficulty and thought Anu also had made it from the front entrance. After two stages he did not find Anu in the bus. He got off at the next stop and wanted to go back. There were no autos there. It started to drizzle. His heart began to pound fast with anxiety for Anu. Anu who could not get into the bus at the theatre stood in the drizzle. Two or three young men whistled at her and one of them asked her where she had to go. Anu started shivering and began to pray to all gods to send her brother back soon. She went to movies with Murali many times before but she never had this experience. She was afraid her brother would scold her after going home. In the meanwhile she saw Murali getting off an auto, which came there at great speed. She embraced Murali with tears in her eyes. He spoke nicely to her and they both got into the auto. But Murali began to scold her on the way. “ I won’t take you to a movie again in my life ” he shouted. “ Don’t tell father and mother what happened after the show. They’ll scold us both. ” When they reached home he realized that he hadn’t sufficient money with him for the auto fare. Anu said she too didn’t have extra money with her. Murali told her she should go in first and manage to get the amount. Mother might have gone to sleep. The light was burning in their father’s room. Anu quietly went in on her toes and came out after five minutes. Murali sat in the auto waiting for her. As they both entered the house Annapurna who was in her room asked why they had come so late. “ We had to wait for the bus, ” said the two together. They both changed into casuals quickly and started eating their meal in the kitchen. Murali, who generally took the lion’s share of the curds for himself served most of it to Anu and helped himself with buttermilk. He was happy Anu managed to find the money for the auto fare. ‘ Anu is not a dunce ’ thought Murali. Anu felt very tired and slept off. Murali couldn’t sleep well. He dreamed that Anu was getting drenched in the rain and two hoodlums came and carried her away. He was shouting “ Anu! Anu! ” And woke up. He looked at Anu’s cot. She was in deep sleep. He felt relieved that it was only a dream. From their childhood Murali and Anu used to sleep on one cot. When Anu was twelve years old her mother got anew cot made for her. But Anu would sleep on her brother’s cot. Either her mother or Murali would lift her and put her on her cot later. Murali would grind his teeth and say, “ this devil can’t sleep on her cot ” and then carry her to her cot. If a guest arrived Anu’s cot was invariably allotted to the guest. Anu who went to bed early would then sleep on Murali’s cot. Murali would spread a mat on the floor and sleep of after finishing his studies. But he would curse the guest to his heart’s content before going to sleep. Now there were three guests. Anu and Murali were at a loss to find a way to send them away. “ I am not able to hit upon any idea except throwing their things out, ” said Murali. “ That is okay. But later father has to give them both the railway fare. ” Said Anu. Murali observed that both the cots were missing in the room. Anu told him that the two guess had taken on each themselves. “ Do you know why the old lady came? ” she asked Murali. “ No. ” “ Then listen attentively. Grand aunty Kameswari won’t go anywhere without a mission. She has brought you a wedding proposal. The bride is dark like old tamarind. Anyway, people shouldn’t care for complexion. Beauty cannot beat, you know. That is why our elders say the nature of the person is more important than beauty. ‘ A noble monkey makes a good bride ’ is the saying. I learnt that this girl could cook with ease food for fifty guests. She can pound fifty kilos of dried chillies into powder. She grinds doll into powder and cleans vessels, washes a great lot of clothes and milks the cows…” “ You are talking rotten nonsense, ” warned Murali. “ These are not my words. They are the exact words of the old lady, Kameswari. ”
Go to part: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Copyright © 2001 Govindaraju Sita Devi |