The Pearl Palanquin (9) Sunanda was getting angry and disgusted at Indira but she controlled herself. “ Indira! ” shouted Sunanda. “ What! Do you want to shout my mouth by threatening me? Father! Extract the proper answer from sister. ” Prasada Rao felt irked at Indira’s behaviour. He was surprised at Indira confronting him using the freedom he gave her. But he began to wonder what Sunanda had to tell Murali which she could not reveal to him. Indira was taking advantage of the situation to project Sunanda in a poor light. They had pulled up Indira earlier for having knocked about the town with friends. Rajeswari and Prasada Rao realized that it would be difficult to convince Murali to marry Indira if she did not control her movements. Indira who had enjoyed freedom from her childhood was finding it difficult to adjust to the new restrictions laid on her by her parents. She was trying to justify her behaviour by finding fault with her sister. “ You can talk to me later if you don’t feel like answering me now ” said Prasada Rao to Sunanda. Sunanda’s eyes filled with tears at the words of her father. “ Father! I can’t tell you now why I went out with Murali. I shall certainly tell you after some time ” she said with a trembling voice and went in. Sunanda sat down and covered her face. She was happy that her father had faith in her. She was disturbed at her sister’s behaviour. She felt it most unfortunate that Indira should misunderstand her. Indira felt offended at her father supporting her sister. She rushed into her room with great indignation. Rajeswari and Prasada Rao looked at each other unable to assess Indira’s reactions. ‘ Indira is going out of bounds and behaving rashly. Who will come forward to marry a girl like Indira? Even if some one marries her there won’t be peace in the family. It is Murali who can control her and bring her round ’ thought Rajeswari. ‘ Did I spoil my child by pampering her? ’ Thought Prasada Rao to himself. Rajeswari moved close to Prasada Rao. “ Dasarath uncle has not turned up to talk about the alliances, ” said Rajeswari to Prasada Rao. After a pause she continued. “ I just don’t know what to do now. I wonder how we could celebrate Indira’s marriage. People are already commenting that we have not been able to fix a match for Sunanda. ” “ Sunanda has told us not to search for a groom for her. She has decided to do Teacher Training and work as a teacher. What could we do when she has taken such a decision? She has also asked us not to link up her marriage with Indira’s marriage. You know she said she might marry if she comes across a suitable person later in life. There is no point in our worrying about Sunanda. Anyway, why don’t you write to your Dasarath uncle to come here once? ” Said Prasada Rao. “ That’s what I have on my mind. I shall write to him. But how could we leave off Sunanda’s case like that? Could we make Giri convince her that she should marry soon?” “ It won’t work. Sunanda is a very intelligent girl. She has the ability to think discreetly. More over she is hurt at being refused by many young men. That is why she says she won’t marry. We shall wait. Nothing is in our hands. Let God decide things ” said Prasada Rao. Rajeswari kept silent. 18 Murali took the I.A.S. interview. He was confident he would get through successfully. Yet time hung heavily as he awaited the result. Rajeswari sent word to Narayana Rao that many parents were approaching them offering their daughters in marriage to Giridhar. She asked him to write to Dasarath uncle. She informed him that they were eager to celebrate both the marriages as early as possible. Narayana Rao got nervous. He called Murali and asked him to go and fetch his grandfather, as there were no letters from him for some time. Murali went to the village. Murali did not find Yashoda with her smiling face. The foreground of the dilapidated verandah was full of dirt and dust as also the cattle shed. Murali observed that the flower plants were not watered for some days. He went there many times but never saw things so neglected as now. He pushed the door open calling “ Yashodamma! Yashodamma! ” There was no reply. He placed the bag on the floor, stepped forward calling his grandfather. Yashodamma was lying on he cot with high fever. Dasaratharamaiah who had been sitting by her for seven days attending on her was asleep. He woke up hearing Murali’s voice. “ Oh! You have come in this hot sun! Have some water. Be seated. Did the interview go off well? You must get selected, ” he said offering a glass of water to Murali. “ What happened to Yashodamma? Why did you not write to me? ” said Murali sitting on a stool near her cot. He held her hand and exclaimed “ Oh! She has very high fever. Who is treating her? ” He asked his grandfather. Dasaratharamaiah looked week, as he had no sleep and food for a longtime. He looked strange with a six-day-old beard. Yashoda looked pale and had thinned considerably. Murali felt sorry finding them in such a sad state. Yashoda smiled listlessly on seeing Murali. She told him that his grandfather didn’t eat all these days and that he was very much afraid at her falling ill though it was the first time for her to get sick. “ Why is he afraid? ” asked Murali. “ He is afraid I may die and that he may have to live alone. ” “ No. No. Don’t say such things. Nothing will happen to you. You will both be well and I am there to look after you both. ” He continued. “ The moment I get my posting orders, you shouldn’t live here. You should be with me. You can’t say ‘no’ to me. You should be with me. You know I am Dasaratharamaiah’s grandson. ” Yashoda’s eyes filled with tears of joy at his words. Dasaratharamaiah turned aside to wipe his eyes. Murali’s words made him happy. “ Murali! My heart is filled with joy at your affection. But I have been praying God to take me away while I live here in this house under the protection of your grandfather. ” “ No! No! Yashodamma! I don’t want to hear such words from you. Come, grandpa! Get up. Eat some food. ” “ There has been no cooking, ” said Yashoda. “ Is that so? Then I shall do the cooking, ” said Murali and opened the kitchen door. Murali had not learnt the art of cooking. But during his visits to the village he had observed his grandfather cook food. Now that observation came to his help. As the firewood burned there was a lot of smoke. He wondered how his grand father cooked food with the smoke filling the kitchen. At last when the rice was cooked he was surprised at his success in cooking. “ Grandpa! Finish your bath and come ” shouted Murali from the kitchen. Dasaratharamaiah bathed at the well and came in, his hand on his six day old beard. Murali melted the ghee and kept ready the mango pickle. “ Grandpa! How could you live without eating so long? ” “ I forgot all about hunger as Yashoda fell sick and got be ridden, ” said Dasaratharamaiah and was about to eat. Someone called Dasaratharamaiah at the door. He asked Murali to eat and went out. The conversation at the door, which began in normal tones, got louder. “ I cannot lend the pearl palanquin to anyone. Many people asked for it. Everyone knows that I won’t give it to anyone. I don’t think you should ask for it ” said Dasaratharamaiah in a gentle tone. “ My sister has taken a great fancy for it. We got a foreign car for the marriage procession. The groom and my sister don’t want it. They want the palanquin and nothing else… As no one else has it, you cannot but lend it to us ” said Srinivas, the son of the President of the Panchayat. “ I am sorry. I cannot lend it to you. ” “ Don’t say so. We may have to take it by force. The bridegroom to whom we have given fifty thousand rupees, as dowry is angry with us. He wants the palanquin for his marriage procession.” There was haughtiness in his voice. Dasaratharamaiah raised his voice. “ You should give respect and take respect, ” he said. “ There is no use raising your voice, ” the son of the President of the Panchayat said with authority. Calling two of his men he said, “ It is kept in that room. Go and get it. ” Turning to Dasaratharamaiah he said “ We want it for only one day. Tomorrow we will return it. ” Dasaratharamaiah went pink at the words of Srinivas. Indeed the President had helped him on many occasions whenever he was in trouble. But the pearl palanquin he considered it greater than his life. He can’t give it to anyone, not even to the Gods if they came down. It is Murali who should use it first as the bridegroom and none else. Dasaratharamaiah was annoyed at the tone of Srinivas. More over he was very hungry and weak. “ I can’t give it. Please leave me ” he said with definiteness. “ You have to give it. Go and get it out ” Srinivas ordered his me, addressing them. “ Don’t step forward. Your bones will be broken ” cautioned Dasaratharamaiah. “ We have not come to go with out it ” Srinivas said pushing aside Dasaratharamaiah. Dasaratharamaiah snatched the club-like stick from the corner and warned the men not to take a step forward and pushed Srinivas back with the stick. As the men tried to push forward Dasaratharamaiah rushed at them shouting that they would die if they dared to move. At this the four men stepped back, as they knew the prowess of the old man in attacking his opponents with his lethal stick. Srinivas, the son of the President now started his verbal attack on Dasaratharamaiah. “ Where is the tradition in your family to marry according to ritual, sit in the palanquin and ride in it during the wedding procession? You didn’t ride in it. Your lawyer son also didn’t ride in it. Do you think your grandson will ride in it? He too will marry someone outside your sect and start his family life without your knowledge. Do you mean to say we do not know your family history? Hand it over to me without much fuss. Eh! You cowards! ” He called his men. “ Come in. What can this old man do? So saying he stepped forward again. Dasaratharamaiah threw the stick away and held Srinivas with his shirt and pulled him down. “ Why do you lose your temper? I spoke the truth. You are not even feeding her. Yashoda is fending you by selling milk and curds. You depend on the produce of Yashoda’s lands. Instead of being ashamed, you suffer from false pride. ” At these words Dasaratharamaiah gave a resounding blow on the check of Srinivas. At once the President’s men pounced on the old man. Murali who was observing the scene stunned, jumped into the fray and attacked the men. The neighbours quickly gathered there and tongues began to wag, some accusing the old man, others the President’s son for their good deeds and bad deeds. In the mean while the well-wishers of Dasaratharamaiah came there and separated the contending parties. The food served in the two plates remained untouched. Yashoda dragged herself with a great effort and stood at the doorway. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she stood there watching the scuffle. This was the second time for Dasaratharamaiah to be dishonored on her account. Twenty years ago he had to face a similar situation when rowdy Ranganna tried to move the boundaries of the land owned by Yashoda. Those were the days when he could attack twenty men single-handed. He had that courage and strength then. On that occasion he received a heavy blow on his head. Now this was the second scuffle on the palanquin issue and both sides received blows before they dispersed. This time Dasaratharamaiah received a blow on his forehead and there was bleeding. Murali was very much agitated. His grandfather assured him that the injury was minor and that the doctor has been sent for. Murali also was bleeding. The doctor arrived and bandaged the wounds of Dasaratharamaiah and Murali. Yashoda cried aloud on seeing blood on Murali’s shirt. Murali assured her that there was no danger to him or his grandfather. “ I have brought disgrace to your family. Had I realized then that I would be the cause for this kind of reaction I would not have done what I did. I was too ambitious to possess his good heart all for myself. I was happy that I was fortunate in gaining his love and protection. But I didn’t know that I would be the cause for this kind of a cursed life. He very much wanted to have children by me. When I knew that my action was not the correct one I decided that I should not commit another mistake and make our children also suffer. I saw to it that I wouldn’t beget children. This is the kind of happiness I have given to your grandfather. ” She said crying all the while. Murali consoled Yashodamma who was crying as if her heart would break. “ Caste is not important, ” he told her. “ The nature of the person is important. Don’t feel sorry for what happened long ago. You are very weak. You shouldn’t strain yourself like this ” said Murali holding her hands. “ Though you give me respect and call me affectionately ‘Yashodamma’ and wipe my tears, today I am crying with shame for what I did in my youth. To lead a life of respect in the society ‘love’ is not just enough. Money, not at all. This is the truth I realized now. ” Murali did not know how to console Yashoda who was crying uncontrollably. “ In these days who talks of castes? Times have changed ” said Murali to assure her. “ You are innocent. Murali! Times have not changed. People have not changed. They pretend as if they have changed. But, remember Murali, that man or woman, whoever, should act only after deep thinking, particularly in their youth. Do you think, Murali, that a woman likes me has any right for motherhood? ” Yashoda, who had hidden her thoughts for many years, could not hold them back any longer and revealed her mind. Murali listened to Yashoda calmly and tried to console her. He gently supported her and lead her to the cot and made her lie down. He asked her to stop thinking of the past. “ Don’t think that you have no one to take care of you. Am I not your Murali Babu? ” he said to her in a loving tone. “ Yes! Yes! I won’t cry. I feel greatly relieved to day ” she said closing her eyes. Acharyulu, Dasaratharamaiah’s close friend came there and told him that the President felt sorry for his son’s rash behaviour and wanted to apologize to him for what happened. “ It has been a bad day. Let this incident be forgotten. Such minor scuffles are common in villages ” he said turning to Murali who said he would give a police complaint against Srinivas. Murali left the village after two days. Narayana Rao himself wanted to go to his father, as Murali did not return with any message. As he started out Murali walked in. 19 Murali had a plaster strip on his forehead. Annapurna was worried on observing Murali with the plaster. She asked him whether he was injured. “ Don’t worry. It is nothing. I had a fall on the canal. ” Annapurna was not satisfied with his answer. She wanted him to take oil both as he didn’t have it for a fortnight. Murali replied that he would have it a week later. She insisted on massaging his head with cocoanut oil as his hair looked dry. As she began rubbing the oil he shouted with pain. She wanted to know why he was shouting like that. Without answering her Murali said he would go to Rajeswari’s house and inform her that grandfather would be coming down shortly. He started the scooter. Raghavaiah the old man with the tuft opened the door and walked in. Murali switched off the engine and stood there. Raghavaiah was carrying a number of saplings of fruit trees. He had slung his bag of clothes to his left shoulder. He held his old patched umbrella in his right armpit. He looked sun tanned and tired. His thickly woven cotton shirt was wet with sweat. Murali never liked Raghavaiah. He had a deep rich voice that disturbed everyone in the neighbourhood. When Murali saw him at the doorway he was upset that Raghavaiah, of all people, should walk in as he was setting out. But again he felt sorry for the old man. “ Hello! Grandfather! How are you? It is long since you came ” said Murali with a smile holding his scooter. “ Oh! You have dropped the tuft from my name ” laughed the old man. He knew that Murali and Anuradha had named him the grandfather with the tuft. “ I shall call you ‘grandfather’ hereafter. I am no longer a kid ” replied Murali. “ That is good. I am happy. But go and get a crowbar quickly. Let us plant these saplings. ” “ First go in, wash your feet and drink some water. You look tired ” said Murali. “ Yes! Yes! You have grown up! It is true. Your words tell me so. But first let us attend to these saplings. They are already withering. Where is my Annapurna? ” He asked. Murali shouted to Anu to get the crowbar. Raghavaiah folded up his dhoti and got ready to plant the saplings. In the meanwhile Annapurna came there. “ Uncle! Drink some coffee first ” she said. “ Coffee later. Let me plant these, ” so saying he began to dig the ground with the crowbar. He had brought mango, neem, jackfruit and lime saplings. Also the curry leaf plant. As he planted the curry leaf plant first and filled the pit up with mud and watered it he said, “ Look here. This is from our back yard. My grandfather relished the rasam boiled with the leaves of this tree. Also my father. I have been doing the same all these sixty years. When your mother boils rasam with these leaves in it the whole village should get the fragrance of it ” said Raghavaiah proudly. “ Grandfather! How old is the curry leaf tree of your back yard? ” asked Anuradha laughing. As Murali wanted to dig the second pit for the mango sapling Raghavaiah said: “ Murali! You are wearing immaculate white clothes. Why do you soil them? See, certain things have to be done by certain people. Tomorrow or the day after you are going to be the Collector and will go about smartly dressed. We are waiting for that day. By the way, shall I ask you a question? ”
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