Seetha Kalyanam Vaibohame

Ponnukku sammadham

Parvathy, Arun's mother, glanced at him for an eye contact. Her son looked at her, smiled and nodded discreetly. His hand immediately proceeded to the back of his head as if he was fixing his hair back there. Parvathy gave a satisfied smiled and cleared her throat. She looked at Ramani and said, "Enalukku chuthi valachu ellam pesa theriyadhu. Aparam naanga oorukku poi letter podoromnu ellam solli ungala kaaka vekkardhukkum ishtam illai. Engalukku ellam ponna romba pudichirukku. Enga pullaikkum sammadham. Neenga ellarum kalandhu pesi ponnoda abhiprayamum kettutu cholli anuppungo...." She dragged.

Ramani and his wife beamed. Ramani immediately said, "Engalukkum poorna sammadham. Enga ponnukku theriyum naangal edhu panninaalum ava nalladhukku thaan pannuvomnu.." but Arun immediately interrupted, "Kurukke pesaren nu thappa eduthukaadhengo. Edhukkum ponna thaniya kootindu poi kettukongo. Kalyanam pannika poraval ava thaan illiya. Aparam namma abhiprayam kekaliye nu nalikki manasu kashta pada koodadhu illiya paavam." Seetha's heart fluttered. His voice was so soothing and the thought of him standing up for her and insisting on her opinion, melted her heart.

Before she knew, Shanthi and Raji dragged Seetha to the Swamy room adjacent to the hall and gently shut the door. Raji said, "Dee Seetha, namma 10 ooru thedinaalum ippidi oru maapillai kedakka maatar di. Sakshath andha Ramachandran e unakku nu porandhu vandha madiri irukku. Nalla kudumbam, mappillai ku nalla udhyogam, kai neraya sambalam. Aparam oru nalladhu kettadhu naa namma Shanthi oda machinar Madras la thaan irukkar. Appappo vandhu Unna etti paathuttu povar." Shanthi nodded in agreement. Raji then looked up to the sky and said, "seri unakku sammadham nu sollidattuma? Naan vendeenda namma pillaiyar enna kai vidalai. Naalikke poi 108 thenga odachuttu varanam." Seetha looked up at her mother in shock and did not realized that she had actually nodded her head in affirmation.

Shanthi quickly ran out of the room yelling, "Ponnukku sammadham, ponnukku sammadham." Parvathy sighed in relief, "Romba sandosham. Engalukku perusa edhir paarpu ellam illai. Ivan nanna sambadhikkaraan, madras la sondha veedum irukku. Engathu mama railways la vela paatha. Avar poi 4 varsham aagardhu. Enakku andha pension vandhundu irukku. Bhagavathy punyathula naan nadamadeendu irukken. Ennoda mootha pullaiku bank la udhyogam. Avanukku 5 years ku orukka transfer aagum. Pona vaaram thaan avanukku Bambai ku maatham vandhudhu. Avanum kudumbathoda ange poiduvaan. Ava rendu kaikozhandagal vachundu irukadhunaala naanum mootha maatuponnuku othasaiya poiduven. Aval amma illadha ponnu paavam."

"idhellam naan yen sollaren na, Madras aathula ellame irukku. Neengal Chumma paathram adhu idhu nu selavu pannadhengo. Kalyanamum simple aa pannina porum. Panatha venumna unga ponnu perula bank la pottu vaiyuno. Unga ponnukku enna podanum nu Neenga aasa padarelo adhu pannungo. Naan ennoda saarba ennoda mootha maatuponnukku pota maadiriye rendu jodi valai 5 pavan la podaren aparam thaali chain Neenga vaangungo. Engaloda pangoda kaasu naanga thandhudarom. Matha padi naanga oorukku poittu engaloda tharagar kitta pesi nalla naal paathu sollarom. Kalyanatha jaam jaam nu muduchudalaam."

Ramani and Raji nodded to everything Parvathy said. Parvathy then looked around for Seetha. Once she spotted her, she smiled and said, "Inge vaa maa kozhandhai." Seetha slowly walked up to her. Parvathy grabbed the bunch of mallipoo from the thambaalam and fixed it on Seetha's hair. She then said, "Seekirama engathukku vaa. Innime indha dhadiyan unnoda poruppu." Everyone around giggled and both Seetha and Arun blushed. Parvathy gently touched Seetha's shoulder making her turn around. Then she touched her chin making her look up at her. She then told her son, "Dei Arun, innelerndhu ivala unnoda pokkisham aa pathukkanum da. Chinna ponnu avala paduthi edukkadhe enna pannara madhiri." She again got a chuckle from the crowd and the two youngsters looked away blushing.

Jayanthi finished her quick namaskarams to pillaiyar and ran towards her friend who was now sitting on the steps of the temple kolam. She was plucking the petals of the marigold from the little basket she had brought for archanai, and throwing them into the water. Jayanthi sat next to her trying to catch her breath. She giggled singing, "Seetha kalyana vaibogame." Seetha slapped her friend's shoulder, "Eii Chumma iru dee. Ellarum enna thorathardhuliye kuriya irukkel." Jayanthi frowned, "Aiyoooo porum dee nee nadichadhu. Unkitta kettutu thaane sammandham pannina? Ange nanna maadu maadiri mandaya mandaya aatitu ippo Edhukku moonji ya thooki vachundu irukke. Apparam enna unga amma anga 108 thenga odachuttu irukkale enna achu?"

Seetha frowned saying, "Indha pillaiyar paavam. Enga amma modhaliye lanjam kudukka othundoota pola irukku. Adhudhaan avar ennoda amma va modhalla aasirvaadham panittar." Jayanthi moved closer to Seetha and said, "Seri mappillai eppidi irukaar. Unnoda 9 vayasu periyavar nu sonniye Appo vayasu theriyardho. Konjam mama madhiri irukkaro?" Seetha immediately glared and her and slapped her. Jayanthi said, 'Aahhh.... Valikkardhu dee. Enna edhukku adikkare ippo?"

Seetha was suddenly lost in thought and she smiled looking at the water pond, continuing to throw the petals, "Naan aasa patta madiriye 5.11 height, lakshanama irukkar, avar koral liye oru saanthamum porumaiyum theriyardhu. Aparam...." She blushed, "Avar ennoda sammadham kandippa kekkanam nu sonnadhu enakku romba pidichudhu." She then stood up and started running up towards the temple yelling, "Naan sonne pillaiyar enakku eppovum nalladhu thaan pannuvaar nu. Jayanthi, enakku mapillaiya romba romba pidichirukku."

Jayanth I got up to follow her friends asking, "Aama unnodu golusu enge? Unakku andga golusu karnan oda kavacham maadiri aache." Seetha giggled as she hopped to the top step and looked around at her friend saying, "Adhu thaana poi avaroda kaaladila vizhundhudhu adha avar eduthu pocket la potundu poitaar" she laughed.

Jayanthi gasped, "Adi paavi. Seri iru dee yen ippidi odarey?" As Seetha and Jayanthi ran outside the temple to gather their slippers, Seetha said a quick thanks to pillaiyar only to be acknowledged by the temple bell.

Brinda Subramanian