The Arranged Marriage

Part 1

Disclaimer: I am just taking a slight detour. I wanted to write something based in the 70's with Ashwin and Sivaangi playing the role of Ananthasivan and Sivakaami. This is based off of my childhood memories. The intention is not to hurt anyone's sentiments. Hope you enjoy my take on this one.

Those were the golden days, not just in terms of simple lifestyles and people but also in the world of music, dance, arts and entertainment. Stage plays were still very popular. Carnatic music was flourishing but film music and lyrics were also at its best. Sivakaami, a 19 year old girl was in love with stories. She had grown up listening to stories from her grandmother, fondly known as Chellal. Sivu, as her grandmother called her, ran up to her and pinched her wrinkled cheeks, "chellal ennoda chellamma, inniki enna kadhai solla porey?" Chellal fondly slapped her and said, " Moonji, kai, kaal ellam poi alumbeendu vandhu kaapi kudi. Inniki unnoda mama mami ellam varapora. Thenga uruchu vachirukken. Chutney araikanum." Sivu frowned but quickly did as she was told, changed into her half saree and came back into the kitchen to be invited by a copper cup of steaming hot, aromatic coffee. She smiled as she relished the coffee and asked her grandma, "Mama ellam Edhukku vara, chellamma?" Her grandmother looked at her and smiled, "Unakku oru nalla jaadagam vandirukaam, adhapathi thaan unga Appa Amma kitta pesa vara." Sivu frowned. She sat next to her grandma who was now using and aatukkal (attaangal/grinder) to make the idli dough. Sivu, by practice, started pushing the rice to the center of the grinder with a curious face and continued, "ippo ennoda kalyanathukku enna avasaram? Enakku Vanisri naalai indha velai paathu odivaa nila nu paadina madiri paadanum Appo angendhu Sivaji Varuvaar. Ippidi oor peru theriyadha yaarayo eppidi kalyanam panikardhu? Avar 5.11 height la irukanum. Appa kaamikara aalellam naan kalyanam pannika maaten chellamma." Chellal stopped what she was doing in shock and looked at Sivu, "unakku deiriyam irundha unga periappa kitta poi sollu."

Sivu lived in a joint family set up. Her father's two older brothers, their wives and children all lived in the same house in a agraharam called Lakshmi Narayana Puram in Palakkad. Her cousin were all married and settled. They were much older to Sivu who was the youngest. Sivu was an extremely talented young girl who was in the final year of undergraduate degree. She was the first among her cousins to have completed her education this far. The others stayed home after predegree and were married off. Sivu was a little scared of her uncle and dared not speak against him so she sighed and went about with the other chores.

It was almost 6pm. Sivu plaited her thick long hair and pinned the jasmine string on her hair. She washed her face. Then she looked at herself in the mirror, she took a little bit off the Gokul sandal powder and applied it on her face and neck, then she opened up the little kaajal pouch where they stored the home made mai. She dabbed her finger on it to get some and applied it on her eyes and brushed the remainder on her hair. Then she opened the shringar bindi bottle which contained the liquid bindi and she made a frown to make a dot between her eyebows. She looked at the mirror again and was satisfied with the way she looked. She then went to the in house temple to light the lamp. She sat down to chant all her regular devotion slogams and then, started singing a few songs.

Just then her uncle and aunt entered the house smiling to hear Sivu divine voice. "Madhuramaana kural. Sivakaami oda pukaathu kaaara kuduthu vachirukka. Nammatha ponnukku lakshmi kadakshamum sarawathi kadaakshamum naranju irukku", he said. Sivu's mom welcomed him beaming, "Vaango anna, vaango manni". She laid the mat for them to sit. Since all the elders were there, uncle started, "Sivu ku oru amogamaana varan vandirukku. Namma josiyar paathu 10 poruthamum irukku nu sonaar. Paiyan calcutta la nalla company la velai pakkaraan. Maasam Rs.5000 sambadhikkaraan. Mapillai oda appa, amma, anna, manni and Anna oda 2 kozhandaigal kooda irukka. Nalla supportive family. Mapillai oda anna vum namma Raja vum orey office la velai pakkara. Raja avathuku poi paathanaam. Nalla manisha. Mapillai thaan undu than velai undu nu irupanaam. Ungalukku ellam ok na adutha vaarame ponnu paaka varuva. Enna sollarel?"

Periappa cleared his throat and said, "Vara chollungo." Sivu, who was over hearing it all, was hoping her uncle would say no but alas he had agreed and there was no going back. Now her only hope was that the maapillai does not like her. Then she heard her Periappa's voice, "Mapillai azhaga irukaane. Sivu kutty ku nalla porutham." Her heart skipped a beat. So there is a photo? Should she take a peak? Oh no what if she actually likes him? She slowly walked towards the living room. She noticed that a pic was being circulated and everyone who saw it, smiled. Sivu tried to peak now that it was with her mom but before she could get a glance, the picture went back to her mama who put it in a brown envelope. Then she heard her mom say, "Sivu ku pidicha madiriye maapillai nalla height." Just then mama noticed her standing behind the door and waved to her asking her to come to him, "kozhadai inge vaa. Unakku first class varan vandirukku. Adutha vellikazhamai Unna paaka vara. Unna indha kaiyala thooki valarthu ippo unnakku kalyana vayasu aayachu. Namba mudiyala."

It was Friday and the entire house was busy. Everyone was preparing for the ponnu paakardhu except Sivu. She was not sure what to expect. She was praying that the boy does not like her so that she can beg to study further. While she was lost in thought, chellal walked in with a blue silk saree. She handed it to Sivu and said, "idhu kattiko. Unga thaatha enakku vaangi thandhadhu. Oruka kooda kattika mudiyalai. Indha" she smiled. Sivu smiled back and took it from her. She quickly changed into it. Grandma combed and plaited Sivu's hair and adorned it with jasmine. Then she placed her palms on Sivu's cheek to look at her beautiful granddaughter and was overwhelmed. Her voice cracked. "Unnoda Sivaji Ganesan Ivan thaan nu thonardhu. Naan photo Paathen. Unna nalla paathupan nu thonardhu. Periava unnoda nalladhukku thaan pannuva kozhandai" and with both hands she removed evil eyes if any. Sivu smiled at Chellal and hugged her. Just then her mom came and said. "Sivu vaa. Maapillai aathu kaara vandhaachu. Indha indha kaapi eduthundu po." Sivu took a deep breath and walked towards her mother, she grabbed the tray and took it to the living room. She took the tray to each one of them without looking up until she reached him. The moment she reached next to him she felt butterflies in her stomach. Even though she hadn't seen his pic, she just knew that was him. She stopped for a moment and slowly looked up and their eyes locked. There was something in those beautiful brown eyes that told her that was it. There was some kind of unknown familiarity about those eyes, a warmth that felt like home. He smiled slightly and she blushed.

A month later, they were married and right after marriage she headed off to his home town, Coimbatore, in a fully packed car. Thankfully the ride was not too long. The room was decorated for their first night and Sivu was freaking out. She jerked when she heard him walk into the room and lock the door. Then she heard that voice, the base voice, "unnoda permission illama en viral kooda un mela padaadhu so bayapadadhe. Friends?" She smiled shyly. The next thing he said made her chuckle. He cleared his throat and said, "ponnu paaka vandhappo nee romba azhaga paadine aana unakku cinema paatu theriyuma?" She immediately looked up and both said together, "Naalai indha velai paathu" and burst out laughing.

Brinda Subramanian

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