“What happiness will you get out of this?” he thundered

“What happiness will you get out of this?” he thundered
“This is the only happiness I want in life”sae said amidst sobs.



The small kitchen which also served as the dining room in that house was illuminated,no not because of a 100 watts bulb,but because Sankar who was sitting down to have his meal lent that brilliant shine to that room.He was a six footer,his skin shone like gold,he had combed his hair and the small tuft at the back of his neck,actually looked very sexy on him, belying his age that was forty five.His oval shaped face,clear black eyes and his deep voice would attract any female,so why not his wife Rajam who was standing on one side of the room,leaning on the wall.As always Sankar did not look up at her,he looked down on his plate,when Rajam realized that she had not served him Rasam after he had finished eating his rice and sambhar,she blushed and bent down to serve him rasam.Sankar finished his meal in silence,got up and went backyard to wash his hands.He never exchanged a look or word with his wife Rajam and Rajam who was used to this lack of attention from her husband for the past one year again blushed,this time just to shed silent tears.If Sankar had seen this he did not show any reaction.

He got out of the house and started walking in the direction of the temple where he was serving as Archagar ie the person who is empowered to enter the sanctum sanctorum ,touch the Lord and bathe him ,dress him up and do puja.Rajam’s eyes followed the receding figure of her husband.Sankar had worn the dhoti in typical,south Indian Brahmin style and the towel which is called as angavastram fully covered the top portion of his body.Parvathi mami also watched her son from the photo frame that hung in the central place in the hall and smiled with great pride.

Sankar was Parvathi mami’s only son.Parvathi mami’s husband Siva served as archagar in the temple where Sankar is serving as the archagar now.Before Siva, his father Natesan and before him, his grand father Subbu served as archagars in the temple,the Sivan templa was constructed by one of Natesan’s ancestors.When Siva passed away, he had the satisfaction that his son Sankar had been properly trained by him to be the next archagar.Sankar lived up to his father’s expectations.
When he recited the shlokas ,did archana in his resonant voice,even the God and his consort seemed to appreciate the recitation with a smile on their lips. He never tried to touch the hands of women even by accident.He never trie to engage any worshipper in unnecessary conversation.

Sankar spoke flawless English, courtesy his education in a good English medium school.He maintained his physique very well ,courtesy the two hours he spent every day at a jym.
When young women of marriageable age started following him with their eyes,standing behind their half closed doors,Parvathi broached the subject of his marriage with Sankar.”Sankar,it is high time that you get married.You have reached the age when your wife should be by your side when you do srartham for your father.Besides,let me enjoy the presence of my daughter in law at home”
Sankar refused to get married.Even the mention of that word put him off compleely.He was a normal healthy young man.Like any other young man he should also be dreaming or atleast desiring to have a wife Waiting for him at home.Why did he refuse marriage so vehemently?
“Lakshmi,I don’t know when the old woman in my house –read as my mil---would close her eyes.Life has become impossible with her naggings.”

“Dhanu,How many sovereigns has your daughter in law brought?What,only ten sovereigns?You should have sent her back to her mother’s house.After all your son is an engineer,surely you could have asked for atleast fifty sovereigns of gold.

Sankar,though not an evesdropper,heard such conversations around him in the temple.He felt sad for Ambujam mami who was thrown out of her house by her son and daughter in law.
His heart wept for Kanaga whose cheeks were always swollen red and whose hands bore testimony to her husband’s brutal attacks on her.

“Marriage is a curse” he told himself and stuck to that opinion.His mother’s pleadings to him to atleast see the girls whose horoscopes she had collected,fell on deaf ears.Time flew fast and Sankar reached the wrong side of mibble age,one day he was fory five, even though he was every inch a very handsome, forty five year old man.

Parvathi was slowly losing hope that his son would marry and give in her hands the precious bundle of joy she was looking forward to carrying on her hips.It was in this frame of mind that she went to the nearby Pillaiyar temple that day.Rajam was in the Pillaiyar sannadhi when Parvathi entered the sannadhi,both their eyes met and Rajam smiled.Rajam was no raving beauty.She was about twenty years old, small made with a dusky complexion,thick long lustrous hair and oval shaped face.It appeared the lovely curls that escaped the hairpins which Rajam wore,liked to play hide and seek with the mischievous dimples that appeared on her cheeks,whenever she smiled.
Parvathi lost her heart to this little girl.She made necessary enquiries and found out the following details about Rajam.
Rajam’s father was a retired government clerk.He had three daughters ,Rajam being the eldest.Unable to cope up with the rising cost of living in Chennai and also the escalating rise in the house rents,the family decided o shift to their native place,where they owned a small independent house.This in formation was enough for parvathi to send word to Rajam’s parents with Sankar’s horoscope and ask them whether they would be interested in giving their daughter to Sankar as Kanyadhan. Rajam’s parents wee delighted to get this proposal from Parvathi.Like anybody else they were also keen admirers of Sankar,his age never bothered them.More than them, the village rubbed its hands in glee and started its favourite function.Before long,the news spread like wildllfire.”Do you know?Sankar is going to marry Rajam,Raghu mama’s daughter.”People stopped Sankar on his way to the temple,”Sankar mama,so you are going to invite us for your wedding soon?”
“Sankar,you made the right choice,Rajam is a good girl.We are happy for you”

Sankar ignored such enquiries,but when Natesa Nadar stopped him on his way and congratulated him on his forth coming marriage,he was shocked.Natesa Nadar was Sankar’s good friend and a very decent person, who never engaged in gossips.Sankar went home ready to have a good fight with his mother.He knew that his mother would only have been responsible for this kind of attack on him.

“Amma,what harm did I do to you?Why should you start this marriage topic with Raghu mama’s family with out consulting me?You know very well that I am not interested in getting married at all.So, please clarify the matter with them and put an end to this stupid discussion among our people.”Parvathi’s reply to Sankar’s pleading was total silence and also fasting.She stopped entering the kitchen.She effused to take even the kanji that Sankar was an expert in making,she lay on the floor with half closed eyes.
“Amma,are you emotionally blackmailing me?What do you think you sre achieving by fasting like this?”Sankar was almost in tears.
“Sankar,I want my daughter in law to be by your side when you do thithi for me.thats all.”
Sankar’s eyes welled with tears.He loved his mother too much to see her lying on the floor like wilted flower.”Ok,Do what you want. Tomorrow if that girl ill treats you,don’t come to me crying”Parvathi’s face blossomed and she got the energy of a sixteen year old girl.

The nuptial room was decorated so beautifully.Sankar stood in front of Rajam,looking at the floor.He had made no effort to look at her or even smile at her.
“Look,I committed a sin by marrying you. I was not interested in marriage at all,this marriage is the doing of my mother.You should forgive me. I will not even touch you till my heart agrees to this relationship”.Rajam stood with her head bent and small tears rolling down her cheeks.While Rajam slept on the floor,Sankar went to the terrace.If the maid in the house and Parvathi could guess what kind of elationship this young couple had,they never mentiond it to anybody.

Days blossomed into months,Sankar was very silent when he was at home.Rajam cooked excellent food for her husband and MIL.Mother in law and Daughhter in law became very close friends.They chatted like friends who met each other after a long number of years.
Parvathi called her daughter in law to her side when she was breathing he last and told her,”Rajam,don’t feel sad that your husband doesn’t pay you any attention.Just be patient for some more time.He will come round.Iam sure he will be a doting husband to you.”

Parvathi’s first death anniversary was done with all the solemnity that the occasion demanded.Rajam stood by Sankar’s side during the rites and Sankar did feel happy that his mother’s wish was fulfilled.

Sankar stood before Rajam.As always his eyes were fixed on the ground.
“I want to talk to you”.
Rajam stood in silence.Sankar continued. “I told you even when we got married, that I was not interested in marriage at all.Now I feel that I have committed a sin b marrying you.An young girl like you should not be tied to an old man like me.”
“So?”Rajam looked at him with this question in her eyes.
Sankar could sense this question and answered her,”I want to release you from this meaningless relationship.I want you to be happy in future,you deserve to be happy.We will divorce on mutual consent.I myself will see a good boy who deserves you ….”
“Enough.!”cried Rajam.Her eyes had become red.
“Iam your wife and will continue to be your wife as long as I live.Don’t talk about anything else.”Her voice choked with emotion.

“Do you know how old Iam ?”Sankar raised his voice uncharacteristically.
“Forty five” whimpered Rajam,blushing inspite of herself.
“How old are you? Asked Sankar.
“Iam twenty two”said Rajam softly.
“Now tell me what happiness will you get out of this marriage?”

Her shoulders shook as she wept uncontrollably.Sankar watched her in helpless agony when she said,”Do you know I consider myself the luckiest woman on earth being married to you.Do you know that Iam the happiest wife on earth?”

Sankar looked at her incredulously as Rajam continued.
“Do you know when I see you in the mornings,my heart misses a beat?I want to keep looking at you till my heart is full of you,till my entire being is fullof you.That is happiness for me.”She continued.
“Do you know listening to your voice alone is enough to make my heart sing in glee?I feel thrilled just listening to your voice,when you talked to your mother,when you teach shlokas to the boys who come here every evening.That is happiness fo me.

“Do you you know, I stopped giving your clothes to the maid for washing after I entered the house.When I wash your clothes,put them out to dry and fold them,I feel as if ….”Iam touching you and I feel your caress?”She sobbed while his eyes moistened.
“Do you know that I enjoy cooking for you?More than that I enjoy watching you eat the food that I make?Not only me,ask any loving wief,seeing their husbands eating food is like…”again she stopped and continued,”feeding their babies”

“Do you know ,on many nights,I tiptoe into your room after you go to sleep,just to look at you.I earn to look at your tall figure,and serene face and feel blessed that Iam your wife?That is happiness for me.”

“don’t take away this happiness from me.”

Tear drops that resembled kashmiri pomogranate’s pearls rolled down Sankar’s cheeks.Both of them realized later that they had entered their room.While Sankar’s one hand encircled her waist,the other put the latch on the door.While Rajam buried her face in his wide chest,the deep red henna that adorned her fingers in both her hands that encircled his neck,tried to compete with the redness of her blushing cheeks and failed miserably.Sankar bent down to lay his face in the curve of his wife’s neck that gave him solace,warmth and happiness that he was experiencing for the first time in all of his forty five years.
The moon that played carelessly in front of their window covered his face with both his hands and scrried past the window.

It was morning.Sankar who came out of his room walked towards the backyard,humming the latest hit song.”Ennavale,adi ennavale en idhayaththai tholaiththu vitten”-(Oh ,my beloved,I have lost my heart to you).
Suddenly he turned towards the kitchen and found his little wife smothering her laughter in her pallu.With a mishivous twinkle in his eyes, he charged into th kitchen,closing the door behind him.

Oh,dear.Trespassers are not allowed here.So what all we want is that the young couple should be happy.

 

My dear Parvathi,
Thank you so much for the lovely feed back.I enjoyed writing this story.
love
mithila

 

My dear Usha,
So that makes it three persons bound by their penchant for romance.Iam also a die hard romantic peson and I like to read stories where the end makes every one happy.
So sweet that you could imagine Rajam wearing a green and red saree with bangles to match.
Thank you,
love
mithila kannan

 

My dear Sridhar,
This lovely comment from you is enough to egg me on to write.Thank you so much.
As I have told Usha,I like to read and write soft romantic stories that end on a happy note.
love
mythili

 

My dearv Lalitha,
Ifelt so happy reading your comment again in your inimitble style.I added the songin the last minute.Happy you liked it.
love
mithila