The Arranged Marriage

Part 20

It was finally a quiet day. Early that morning Periappa, Peramma, Athai and Athimbair had left for Guruvayur. Josiyar mama had come a couple of days back with a horoscope for Chandru. The girl was from Guruvayur so they decided to go and meet the family and also visit the temple. They left early in the morning and planned to return only the following day. Raja Anna and family had left for Trivandrum and had not returned yet. Meena akka and family had gone on a short vacation to Munnar, which was definitely a relief for the rest of the family. Chinna Periamma had taken Geetha and family to kalpathi theru for the evening. Finally, there was some peace a quiet.

Sivu's dad was reading the newspaper on his easy chair in the front porch. Chellamma, Amma and Chachu were finally sitting and relaxing in the room adjacent to the kitchen. Radhu was upstairs studying. Sivu was feeling low. She walked up to the front porch and sat criss-cross on the floor.

It had been over two weeks since she had arrived. She had hoped to have fun with her family when she left Calcutta but this felt like the biggest disaster of her life. Periappa and Athai have only been mean and rude to everyone. Meena akka's kids were such brats that she could not stand them anymore. Raja Anna and family left for Manni's place the following day and had not returned. In fact, Sivu's best days had been when she had her periods. She was able to lock herself away from everything but the thing that bothered her the most was that she had not received any communication from him. She was sitting in the front porch lost in thought, "oru maasathukku avara vittittu vandhadhu ennoda thappu thaan. Ennoda letter poi chendirukkum. Yen avar kittendhu badhil varalai? Ayyo avarukku udambu seri illiyo? Chudu thanni vachu kudukka kooda yaarum illai. Avar seriya saapitirukka vera maataar. Ayo hospital la irukaaro? Illai aathuliye mayakkam pottu vizhundhu yaarum paakama... ayo che che appidi ellam irukaadhu." She signed and looked up at her Dad who was engrossed in the newspaper. Just then Radhu came and sat next to Sivu, "Chithi enna achu? Oru maadiri irukke." Sivu smiled, patted  Radhu's hand and said, "Onnum Illai. Manasu seri illai. Time ennachu?" Radhu looked up at the grandfather clock that was tick tocking, and said, "Correct aa anju mani." Sivu stood up, adjusted her saree, quickly ran her hand through her hair to fix it and said, "Naan Shivan kovil ku poitu varen, Appa. Konjam neram aagum. Kavala padaadhengo. Vandhuduven. Innikki pournami pujai irukkum. Paathuttu varen." Her dad nodded and said, "Radhika, neeyum venumna kooda poyen. Thonaiku aal aachu." Radhu immediately smiled and said, "Seri seri amma kitta choleendu varen" and she ran in to announce to them. Before leaving Sivu told her, "Radhu naan 108 pradakshanam panna poren. Unakku bore aducha nee thirumbi vandhukko." Radhika smiled and looked back at Sivu's father and said, "Kichu mama engalukku varadhukku neram aagum. Aarum kavala padanda nu chollungo" then she looked back at Sivu and said, "polaam Naanum chutharen".

Sivu and Radhu would have turned around the corner when an auto rickshaw stopped outside their house. Sivu's dad tried to peek in to see who it was. Person in the auto was paying the auto driver. The moment he stepped down, Sivu's dad put down the newspaper with a big smile and stood up to go towards the door. "Vaango maapillai, vaango, vaango" he yelled to him wife, "Bhagyam, inge vaa, aaru vandirukka paaru." Achchu smiled and bent down to get his father in law's blessings and then walked towards his mother in law as well, to seek her blessing. She welcomed him shyly. Achchu's eyes were desperately looking for her and her dad noticed it right away. He cleared his throat and said, "Sivu ippo thaan kovil ku pona. Paavam kozhandhaiku mugam ellam Vaadi irundhudhu. Manasu seri illai. Konjam nimmadiya irukkum nu poirukka. Vandhuduvan. Neengal eppidi vandhel. Indha nerathukku train onnum illiye." Achchu smiled and said, "Naan Calcutta lerndhu Madras varaikkum flight la vandhen. Angendhu Kovai express thaan kedachudhu. Coimbatore ku inniki kaarthala vandhen. Appa Amma va paathuttu angendhu 3pm bus pudichu vandhen." Sivu's mom brought him a glass of water and asked, "Kaapi kondu varattuma?" He said, "illai maami. Naane varen. Paati ya paakanum" and he walked to the kitchen to get blessings from Chellama, "Eppidi irukkel? Unga pethi ungala pathi thaan pesinde iruppa" then he noticed Chachu who was trying to stay away. He walked up to her and said, "Neenga thaan Chachu akka, illiya?" He bent down for her blessings and she stepped away, "Ayo en kitta ellam aashirvadhan vaangaadhengo." He looked up and said, "Ungala madiri nalla manasu irukara vaaloda aasirvadam irundha thaan naanga nanna iruppom." She was overwhelmed by his reply and said, "Noi, nodi onnum illadhakki rendu perum 100 varshathukku nanna irukanum." Just then Baghyam handed him a hot glass of coffee.

He walked up to the porch where  Sivu's dad was. He had also just received his cup of coffee. He smiled at Achchu and said, "Ungaloda bag a maadi la irukkara room la vachirukken." Achchu nodded and they chatted for a bit and then Sivu's dad had to get ready for puja at home. Achchu decided to go up to the room.

The temple was crowded. Sivu prayed to the almighty for her husband's good health. Then she started going around the temple chanting, "om Namah Shivaya". The stone paving was still hot but she did not care. She continued chanting and going around the temple. She was sweating and Radhu was feeling bad for her but Sivu was insistent on completing the 108 rounds, which took them about an hour and a half. She stood there to watch the abhishekam and finally headed back home. Her heart felt a little light but she still missed him immensely. They started walking back home. Sivu was unusually quiet but Radhu just walked along. In a strange way, she understood Sivu and let her be.

Sivu reached home, removed her slippers and was washing her feet, when her dad said, "Sivu maadi la room ku poi ennoda book onnu eduthundu vaa." Sivu looked at him, tired and said, "Neeye poi eduthukko pa. Naan ippo thaane vandhen" Radhu was just about to volunteer but he indicated her not to and he said, "please appa ku kondu vara maatiya?" Sivu sighed and said, "Seri pa poren." She slowly climbed up the creaky staircase. She was surprised to see the huge wooden door was half shut. She stepped in and just stood there for a moment. She could not believe what she saw. He was standing there smiling. He slowly extended his arm and she ran into his arms crying. The entire emotion of the day poured out. He held her tightly and said, "shhhhh.... Naan vandhutten maa. Unkitta vandutten" and she said, in between her whimpering, "naan ungala vittutu innime eppovum engeyum poga maaten. Sorry" and she held him tightly. He cupped her face and wiped her tears away. He kissed her forehead and looked at her beautiful, tired face one more time and then he gently kissed her on her lips and she clung closer to him opening her lips slightly for more.

Brinda Subramanian