Seetha Kalyanam Vaibohame

Scooter payanam

Parvathy walked into the kitchen mumbling her slogam and Arun quickly stepped out with his plate, making Seetha giggle. Parvathy took a class from the shelf and poured some milk to take back to the swamy room but not before gesturing to Seetha to eat breakfast. Seetha nodded and grabbed a plate.

A few minutes later, as Seetha was busy making lunch, she heard someone at the back door, opening the grill door saying, "Amma, oorukku poitu vanteengala. Pakkathu veetu Saroja amma thaan sollichu adhu thaan udane odi aandhutten." Seetha neither recognized the voice not the dialect. Parvathy had finished her prayers by then and was sitting in the living room as instructed by her daughter-in-law. She answered back, "Vaa Dhanam" getting up from her comfortable spot and walking towards the back door. Dhanam was the house help.

Dhanam followed Parvathy to the kitchen to grab the dirty dishes. She looked up at Seetha and smiled saying, "Idhu thaan un marumagala? Latchanama irukkudhu mami. Namma Arun thambikku nalla porutham." Then she turned around walking closer to Parvathy and whispered, "Romba chinna ponna theriyudhu la? Aana bommai madiri irukkudhu" she chuckled. Seetha looked at her confused. She did not understand the language. Parvathy replied back saying, "Seri Seri Dhanam nee velaiya paaru. Nee pesa arambicha nirutha maatiye. Aparam andha veetukku poganum indha veetukku poganum nu Padhiliye pottuttu odiduve." Dhanam was a little displeased but she nodded and carried on with her work.

Parvathy smiled at Seetha, "Poga poga unakku Dhanathoda bashai manasilaagum (Puriyum). Aval pesardhu Madras Tamil aakum" she smiled, "Nee azhaga lakshnama irukkai nu sollara. Aval pesa thodangina nirutha maata aana nanna velai panni tharuval. Romba nambikkaiyana aalu. Avaloda aambadayan avala vittuttu innoru kalyanam paneendu poitaan. Ivalukku orey oru ponnu. Namma Arun thaan andha ponna padikka vekkaraan. Nanna padikkum kozhandhai. Ippo 8 aam class padikkara. Romba chamathu kozhandai. Chelappo inge varuval Dhanam kooda." Seetha nodded and in her mind felt proud of her husband's kindness.

When it was time for lunch, Seetha insisted that they all eat together when Parvathy suggested that the youngsters should eat first. Arun agreed with Seetha saying, "Amma neeyum ukkaren. Ellarum serndhu saapadlaam. Irukardhu moone per thaane." Finally Parvathy agreed. Parvathy asked Arun, "Dei sambar eppidi daa irukku?" Arun promptly replied glancing at his wife, "Samacha kaiku thanga valai podalaam amma. Appidi irukku." Seetha started coughing as she choked listening to his comment. He immediately handed her the glass of water and said, "Yaaro nenachukkara." She took the glass from his hand while Parvathy leaned towards Seetha and said, "Thanga valai yaame. Udane vaangi potundudu. Nanna sambadhikkkaraan. Vidaadhe" which made all three of them laugh. Parvathi continued, "Unakku nalla kai punyam kozhandhai. Pramadhama irukku."

After lunch Parvathy wanted to take a nap. Seetha slowly walked up to join her husband in the living room. He looked up at her and smiled, "Scooter la ukkandhirukkiya?" Seetha gasped and nodded her head vehemently, "Achacho enakku bayam pa. Naan velila onnu paathen. Adhu ungalodgadha?" He smiled and nodded, "En kooda oru edathukku variya?" She looked worried, "Scooter liya?" He nodded in affirmation. She said yes reluctantly, "Neengal badhrama otivela? Naan vizhundhuda maatene?" He got up and extended his arm for her to hold. He looked into her eyes and said, "Naan eppovum Unna badhrama paathuppen. En kooda vaa."

She gave her hand which he gently held and the walked out. Noticing that he did not shut the front door but only the iron door, she asked, "Kadhava poota vendama? Amma ulla thoongeendu irukkale. Oorula pootamaatom aana idhu Madras aache." He smiled, "Idhu ellam romba safe aana area. Rathri thoongarche thaan pootuvom." He then kick started the gray Lambretta scooter and bent it slightly to the right so that she could plop herself. Seetha first adjusted the pallu of her saree. Then she held the back holder but the little one between the front seat and the back. He waited for her to sit comfortably and then asked her, "Ukkandhaacha maa? Polaama?" She said in a soft voice, "Medhuva pongo."

Arun smiled and glanced at his petrified wife from the rear view mirror. He slowly started to move. The roads were still not fully tar so there were bumps here and there. When they hit the first bump, he looked at her from the mirror and she closed her eyes tightening her grip on the holders but for the second bump, she released her hand from the middle holder and headed for his shoulder. He smiled to himself every time her grip on his shoulder tightened. They did not go too far though. The post office was just a few blocks away. He stopped the scooter and said, "Erangikko maa" and tilted it to give her room to step down. He then parked it and said, "Vaa." As they walked into the post office, she asked, "Inge Edhukku vandhirukkom?" He smiled at her and said, "Telegram anuppardhukkum unakku inland un stamps um vaangarthukku. Namma Madras ku nalla padiya vandhu serndhachunu ungathukku oru telegram anupidalaam maa illaina ava ange kavala paduva illiya?"

She smiled at how thoughtful he was. Although she wanted to communicate to her parents, she was not sure how to do that. She quickly followed him. Arun pulled out a little pocket book and gave the address and the message to the man at the counter. He then bought a few inland letters, some postcards and some stamps before paying for them all. He then pointed at a little corner and told Seetha, "Ingendhu trunk call book panni kooda pesalaam. Indha vaaram nee letter ezhudhu. Unga aathu kitta phone edhavudhu irundha number kettu sollu. Adutha vaaram namma vandhu trunk call book panni pesalaam. Indha telegram avalukku innikki poidum." Seetha nodded with a smile but her eyes were wide looking at the post office. Their local post office was very small but this looked huge.

While stepping out Arun told Seetha, "Namma aathu pinnadi road liye post box irukku. Nee nadandhe poi kooda pottuttu vandhudalaam. Amma unakku kaamichu kuduppa. Inniki thaane unakku inge modhal naal. Innum oru vaarathula paaru unakku edhu edhu engenge irukku nu therinjudum. Sayangaalam a unakku romba pidicha oru idathukku kooteendu poren adhukkula unakku scooter um pazhageedum." She smiled and nodded wondering where he planned to take her that evening.

Brinda Subramanian

For those of you who have never seen the red post box, here is a pic and also the Lambretta scooter. Also, there was no concept of mandatory helmet at that time. Telegram was the quickest way to send a message even until the early 90's. People did not have phones or even a TV at home. Radio was the biggest mode of entertainment and movies of course, which were also a treat on rare occasions. Those days were simpler and definitely less toxic. People were genuinely warm and caring. This was the world I grew up in and always love to share those memories in the form of my stories.