May, 1974
A small village in Tamil Nadu, India
WILL it be a girl or a boy? Thought Ramachandran. This had been his thought for the past 8 months.
Ramachandran and Kaleshwari had been married for 2 years and now they were expecting their first child. Ramachandran worked as an employee in a bank, he was really well known and respected by everyone around him. His wife was a kind and caring homemaker.
It was a bright sunny morning Ramachandran went to the grocery store to buy some stuff. There was the usual bustle in the streets. The old men were sitting under trees and having their talk. Ramachandran waved at them and walked to the shop. The shopkeeper who knew him very well asked Ramachandran.
"Vannakam Rama (Hello Rama), how is your wife, is she fine?"
" Yes, she is doing really good" replied Ramachandran handing the grocery list to the shopkeeper.
" Good to hear, here take your items I have given you some extra fruits, give it to your wife. Hope she will be blessed with a son"
"Nandri (Thanks)" replied Ramachandran, the word son swirling in his thoughts.
Ramachandran reached his home. It was an average village house with all the basic amenities. He placed the groceries in the kitchen and went to the bedroom where Kaleshwari was sleeping. Ramachandran opened the cupboard to take his dhoti. Hearing the sound of the opening cupboard Kaleshwari woke up.
" Ennanga ( husband in tamil) are you searching for something?" asked Kaleshwari gently lifting herself up to sit on the bed.
" Kala you are awake, I was just looking for my dhoti. I did keep it here....."
" No it is in the cloth line outside" said Kaleshwari placing a her hand on her swollen stomach to steady herself.
"I don't know what I will do without you Kala!, I can't even remember my own stuff" Ramachandran caringly sat next to his wife, he looked into her eyes and said " Just another month and our son will be there to enlighten our lives!"
"How are you so sure it will be a son, why can't it be a daughter" questioned Kaleshwari
"Just a wish Kala, now get some rest" he said and walked out of the room thinking over the question his wife had just asked him.
23rd June, 1974
Ramachandran sat impatiently outside his house while the elderly ladies of the village were nursing Kaleshwari who had just gone into labour. He could hear his wife's cries from inside, he could feel his heart beating faster.
After about 10 mins the cries subsided and instead a different cry was heard, the sweet and soothing cry of a new born baby.
Ramachandran unable to control his excitement ran inside. A elderly woman stood with a baby in her hand, as soon as she saw Ramachandran she said,
"You are blessed with a girl"
YOU ARE READING
The Fourth Daughter (ON HOLD)
General FictionRamachandran and Kaleshwari were a typical India couple of the 1970s who lived in a village in Tamil Nadu, India. When Kaleshwari is blessed with not 1 but 3 consecutive daughters their lives turn miserable. The family is rejected by their own re...
