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Vaithys Progress And Hostel- Chapter 5

Discussion in 'Stories (Fiction)' started by umaakumar, Aug 27, 2021.

  1. umaakumar

    umaakumar Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Malstrom,

    Thank you for your feedback. Yes Visu is the selfish person who stayed out of the family.

    Regards
    Uma
     
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  2. umaakumar

    umaakumar Finest Post Winner

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    No interest in studies – Chapter 19

    Now Krishna had gone to the 10th standard, the school finals. He was not interested in studies. Since he did not have anyone to look up on, he got involved in watching movies and became a member of a fan club. He spent most of his time in the fan club making banners for new releases and propaganda. He did not excel in academics.

    It was just at the beginning of his 10th standard as he was leaving for school his grandmother called him and said “Dey I am planning to go to Madras to your uncle’s house”

    Krishna in a great hurry to rush out said “OK Go and come, I am getting late for school, let me go”

    His grandma said “Yes you can go to school, but I am very worried about you, you are not studying properly, at my old age I do not know much. Your uncles were guided by my husband and we put them in school and they studied on their own”

    Krishna stood at the door and asked “What about it now”

    His grandma “you can see how well off they are. It is because they are educated that they have good jobs. If you do not study then you have to work in a shop like your uncle”

    Krishna “Why this same story again, I am getting late for school”

    His grandma said “you know I have a feeling that I might not live long, I am already 86 years old. But by god’s grace, apart from back pain I have no problem. If I die, promise me to take care of your mother all your life. Never desert her, all she will need is some food and clothing. Even if you get married you should tell your wife to take care of her”

    Krishna with irritation said “Patti, please go to Madras, you will not die. In about a month you are going to come back, I am late let me go to school”

    His grandma “No Krishna you do not know what I am saying, you are thinking it is a joke, I want you to study further, after I am gone you will realize what I said”

    Krishna just did a face palm and ran out and took his cycle and pedaled to school.

    His grand mom left for Madras as scheduled.

    Krishna was going to school and trying to complete his assignments. His father though not well would keep asking him in signs, if he is studying well and always Krishna said “Yes appa”

    Every time Swarna went to the school the Principal would have so many complaints about Krishna. But Swarna did not know how to handle it and kept screaming at Krishna with no effect.

    It was just during the revision holidays that they got a call at their neighbours house and Swarna went to answer it, she came to know her Mother in law was very sick. She had some problem in her spine and was bed ridden. This was the cause of her back pain for many years which would be cured temporarily with pain killers. Swarna was very upset and said she would leave immediately, but her brother in law said it was not required as it would be troublesome for her to bring Nagaraju. Also Krishna was in his school finals and exams were fast approaching.

    Swarna slowly told Nagaraju about his mother, she did not know whether he understood or not. For most parts of the day he would have a blank look and not respond to anything. But now tears rolled down his cheeks.

    Krishna as usual was in his own world between movies and his exams that he did not give much ear to this.

    After about 4 months the 10th class exam results were to be announced and they got the news that her Mother in law had passed away. Swarna immediately made arrangements to go to Madras. They landed in Madras in time for the cremation. Krishna came to know he had passed his 10th class, not with great marks but passed. Swarna was happy. Her mother in law had kept her word that she would be alive till Krishna was able to stand on his own feet.

    Krishna too remembered his grand mom's conversation before she left and felt very sad.

    After their return to Tanjavur, Swarna did not know who would be supporting her and her husband’s treatment. But a few days later her elder brother in law came. He told her that his mother had deposited all the money from sale of property and everything she had saved up in a deposit. The safe keeper was the brother and he was to give her the interest from these deposits every month. For Nagaraju’s treatment she had left instructions for all the brothers and sisters to pool in money and send it to Swarna every month. Her mother in law had thought of everything before she left.

    Swarna asked her brother in law “She could have put all the deposit in my name, it would have been easier, instead of troubling you”

    Her brother in law said “My mother always felt you were not capable of handling money. You never understood when she said to be stingy. She felt if she gave you any extra money you would spend it on useless things rather than save it. So she thought if so much money was given to you, it would be gone in a short while and you would be on the road.”

    Swarna’s life had turned a full circle. She admitted Krishna in a school for his higher secondary. The money coming out of the deposits was just enough to run the house. Every time Nagaraju had to be taken to the doctor, money that she specified would come in money order.


    To be continued.......
     
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  3. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    Your response to my FB was hidden in the highlighted part & my guess proved right about this.
    So you were witness to PD man at close quarters. A man himself being a doc could not do much about his being suffering from the threatening disease. That is why you could introduce it in the story under narration. Writing from experience is different cup of tea than merely writing from imagination. Both are two sides of the coin. Conjecture concoction too requires base knowledge.

    A friend of mine was not knowing that a rusted needle when used as tooth pick could cost his life. He was saved merely by thoughtful doctors and errand boy that in his later years the man was working in NASA UnitesStates.
    An attempt narrating that story made in link:

    Behind Every Successful Man ….. Every Sunset Follows A Sunrise.

    Thanks and Regards.
    T
     
  4. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    Here too I saw OP’s response to @Rihana ’s FB IS hidden inside highlighted portion. Yes - that two kitchens, huge family, several siblings, numerous functions and celebrations and rituals in those joint family. The old family setup in villages used to be busy like an urban hotel in office/market.
    Your experience in that “ golden era” comes handy with ease in your writing.
    Thanks for sharing it hare.
    T
     
  5. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    With great interest I read slowly the chapter 19.
    How fortunes of family members fluctuate at different age and stage of life. Once affluence turns over years to penury.
    I have seen many in our family circle rise and fall of them over generations. A mixed trend. From impoverished state, a family within decade or two creates business empire. That is in Lion brand dates story in
    Lion Gone Wild In Dates Empire

    Am anxious now about Krishna doing something. I was rated poor in my academics. I just got 52% which was not adequate to get into prestigious college for science stream. But my mom made me interested in study and she put in her best efforts to get guidance for my higher studies by contacting and discussing with other family members.

    Thanks for nostalgia.
    Regards.
    With best wishes
    T.
     
  6. umaakumar

    umaakumar Finest Post Winner

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    USHA LEAVES FOR DELHI – CHAPTER 20

    In all these years Usha had a son, who was now 7 years old, he was going to a school close by. Till she conceived and had a kid, Sarasu kept harassing her saying she was barren, little did she know that Chandru did not want a baby as it was an added responsibility. Chandru was now taking care of the entire shop and his family life improved.

    Usha and Chandru were a happy couple. Many times Usha thought how lucky she was.

    Chandru was getting thinner day by day. Every time someone mentioned it he would say, “I am also getting old, health wise I am ok, so why bother”

    Many times Usha told him “Let us go for a checkup”

    Chandru would laugh and say “We go pay to the doctor and the doctor will say I am completely normal, why spend money for that”

    Sarasu on the other hand will say “Your wife is not cooking healthy food for you that is why you are losing weight. She is not allowing me in the kitchen, when I was doing the cooking how healthy you were”

    Chandru would laugh and say “If I give you a chance you will say my wife is poisoning me”

    Sarasu would also laugh and say “POO da you always think your wife is great, you have forgotten you mother”

    Thus time went by, but one day when Chandru came home after work, he fell unconscious. He was rushed to the hospital, where the doctor said that he had a heart disease.

    Usha was emotional and very agitated. She did not leave Chandru’s side. Her brother and his wife were very helpful and tried their best to cheer her up. The doctors did not give them any hope. He would survive if he had a surgery, but his physical condition did not permit that. Hospital expenses were mounting. Whatever little that Usha had saved she now spent. She kept saying “If my husband gets better, he will earn double this in a few years, I only want him to live” At some desperate times she said “If he lives it is enough, I will do some work and support him”

    They had many visitors, though Chandru was conscious of all that was happening around him, he was too weak with all the medication and he was very weak to even get out of bed. This was expected as the doctors kept saying they had no hope and to be prepared for the worse.

    It was 20 days later that Chandru breathed his last. Usha was devastated. Kicha (Sarasus brother) was informed and he told Sarasu to finish the cremation as he cannot come immediately. He said he would rush at the earliest. There was no contact with Visu and the telephone number provided in his last letter went unanswered.

    Usha’s family helped a lot. Usha had exhausted all her savings and Chandru had no savings. Her brother had spent all his savings for the hospital expenses. When the priest said they would need so much money to do the last rites, Usha quickly removed her Thali and gave it to her brother and told him to sell it and get money.

    Sarasu felt her heart break to see this happen as Chandru had so lovingly bought that chain for her. But that was the last piece, which would bring in money.

    Kicha came the next day. He consoled Sarasu and Usha but also added “That is why we see horoscope and conduct a wedding”

    Sarasu also nodded her head in agreement and said “Yes, even I said that, but Chandru would never agree”

    Usha was in great sorrow and did not want to say anything. She kept thinking why taunt her now after all these years. What had horoscope matching got to do with this?

    On the 3rd day, Kicha asked Usha “What do we do now I wonder”

    For which Usha replied “Whatever your elders decide I will abide by it”

    Kicha then in a very sarcastic way asked her “Do you have any more money saved up for yourself; you had so much for hospital expenses”

    Sarasu joined in with Kicha and said “Oh she is very smart she will have but will not tell us”

    Usha was in tears at the mean thoughts of her uncle and mother in law, she just rushed inside and cried her heart out.

    All the ceremonies that were to be done until the 13th day progressed and concluded. Once all the guests had left, Usha's brother was sitting there waiting for things to settle. Her brother said “Usha don’t worry, take some time, after that do not forget we are there for you and your son, even if we have kanji 3 times we will support you, so don’t keep crying”

    Just at this moment there was a gentleman at the door. Kicha thought he should be someone known. Sarasu went outside and said “Bhai come inside” This gentleman came inside and Kicha offered him a chair. Sarasu asked him “I don’t remember you, are you Chandru’s friend”

    This gentleman replied “Do you remember Haji Bhai, from the market, I am his son”

    Sarasu said “Oh is that so, I saw you as a young boy in school uniform, many years have passed that is why I did not recognize you”

    This gentleman “My name is Ismail, I am sure none of you remember that, it has been a very long time. After completing schooling I left for higher studies and would come only during holidays. I visited Chandru a few times in this shop, I have done my PHd and am a research scholar at Delhi”

    Sarasu was not too sure whether she knew him or not and said “Oh ok, how are your parents? How about your family, hope all are fine”

    Ismail “yes they are all fine, my wife is no more”

    Kicha called out to Usha who was inside and said “Usha get some water for this person”

    Usha with her son tagging behind her brought the water and gave it to Ismail.

    He looked at her and offered his great sympathies. Then he looked at Usha and said “I am very sorry for your situation, I feel very sorry not only for you but your son too, but I have a proposal to make, no one should mistake me, after seeing you I think I will not be at peace if I do not express it.”

    Usha with tears welling up in her eyes said “What can we do that is our fate”

    Ismail looked at her in earnest and said “Sometimes when one door closes we should not look back at the closed door, we should think of the door which is opening ahead of us, only then life will progress. No use crying over spilt milk

    Usha said wiping her eyes on her pallu “Yes that is correct, very easy to speak but very difficult to digest what happened”

    Ismail looked at her and said “Like I said I want to say something different”

    Kicha quickly said with impatience “You keep saying you want to say something, tell us what it is”

    Ismail said “What I suggest might enrage all of you, but, I want only Usha to think and reply, I don’t want any interference from any of you on her decision”

    Kicha said “What a strange request, but if it going to make us angry I would like to know what it is”

    Ismail sat at the edge of his chair and looked at Usha and said “Usha I have never seen you before, but I know Swarna and Chandru well during my childhood days, what I am going to say is not because of sympathy. I came here to offer condolences, but after seeing you and your Son, and the situation you are in, I feel very differently. Life is strange and feelings come and go, but I feel I can help you. As you can see I am an educated person, I can give the best education for your son. I am not asking you to part with your son, I want to marry you, please think and reply, I will wait outside”

    Kicha was enraged and angry and picked up the glass with the water that was on the table and threw it on Ismail. It narrowly missed him. Ismail turned around and said “See that is why I said the decision has to be Usha’s, if she says “No”, I will quietly go away”

    Sarasu on hearing this wailed loudly “eswara what is this, there is no limit to this, how can this man think of all this, rowdy, we should beat him and chase him…………”

    Usha was also too shocked and for a second did not know what to say. She collapsed on a chair and put her hands in her face, her brother asked her “should I go and bash him up, Chandru’s soul has not even reached heaven, he has said such a thing”

    Usha looked up with her tears and said “Anna let me think, please”

    Slowly Usha wiped her tears on her pallu, went inside, took out a bag and packed her clothes, woke up her son who had just gone to sleep, and went out. Sarasu looked at her bewildered and asked “What are you doing”

    Usha handing over the keys to Sarasu said “I have decided to go with Ismail”

    Her brother was also taken aback at what she was doing “What is this Usha, you do not even know him”

    Usha told her brother “Please call him inside, I don’t want this discussion on the road”

    Ismail walked in and saw that Usha was ready to go with him.

    Kicha was enraged and was fuming and asked her “What kind of a girl are you, that you want to get married to someone, not even 13 days after your husband, I never knew you were so cheap”

    Usha in reply to this matched his tone and said “You can call me what you want”

    Her brother “Have you thought about this, I don’t think you are taking the right decision, think of his religion”

    Usha said “have you forgotten what Bharathi said, there is nothing called religion or caste, everything is in the mind”

    Sarasu loudly weeping asked “Is this all the respect you had for Chandru”

    Usha sadly said “I did not have respect for Chandru, I have great love for him, he was my first love and how can I forget him, he was a great husband and a very good father to my son” and tears started rolling down her cheeks.

    Kicha was still angry and said “I never expected you to be like a prostitute who would run with a guy immediately after her husband's death”

    Usha “Mama you can call me what you want, but my decision is final”

    Sarasu whimpering said “What are you lacking here that you want to run away, whyyyyyy Ismail are you doing this to us, how will we face the society”

    Ismail was very steady in his tone and said “Just like you my parents are old too, when I take Usha to my home there is going to be a big showdown, they will not be able to face society, it is against our community to marry a Hindu girl just like it is for you, they might even ex communicate me”

    Kicha “Then why do this act which will harm all of us”, he looked at Usha and said “You are foolish to go away with this man, how do you know that he will not leave you after a few months, his community allows him to marry 4 times, do you know that”

    Usha “I might be foolish, but Ismail looks sincere and he has promised to take care of my Son more than me, tell me something, if you are so against my decision, I will stay back but on one condition, you take the three of us to Bombay and feed us and educate my son, I am willing to work and help in whatever way I can. For the past 13 days you have not said anything about taking care of us. My brother in spite of earning very little said he would take care of me. I am ready to stay back, but I want your decision now”

    Kicha slowly thought for sometime and said “How can I give you such a commitment without consulting my wife”

    Usha “See you need to consult your wife, whereas this man has made a proposal immediately on seeing my son without any thought, so I take his proposal”

    Kicha with great anger said “he will ditch you in a few months, all this is sexual attraction”

    Usha “Sexual attraction comes to the young not mid age people like us, even if he ditches me, I will not contact you for anything, I will struggle and bring up my son”

    Saying this she picked up her bag and bid farewell to all of them and told her brother she would write frequently and left.

    Ismail took her to New Delhi with him and was a good father to her Son, he never forced her to convert and married her at the registered office after a month.

    This was the talk of the entire neighbourhood for many months. Each one had an opinion on this. Some said she might have known him, others said she was having an affair before marriage etc.

    It is later learnt that Ismail got an offer from Germany and relocated. Usha’s Son studied to be a doctor and was very successful. Usha too was encouraged to study and was working and had become and independent woman.

    To be continued……..
     
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  7. umaakumar

    umaakumar Finest Post Winner

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    The evening of Sarasu’s life - CHAPTER 21

    Sarasu was very upset. Usha’s brother too did not know how to react to this situation. When he said, he is leaving; both Kicha and Sarasu abused him verbally for his sister’s act with the vilest of language. He hung his head in shame and left never to visit this house again.

    Kicha left as scheduled, promising to come out with a solution for her. She pleaded with him to take her, but he declined saying his wife was not physically fit and one more addition would be too much for her. He promised to send some money to run her life every month. He also told her to update Visu on the situation and ask him to take her there.

    Sarasu was very lonely and lost. Many people who saw her offered to help her find a job as a live-in cook. They said such people are much in demand in big cities like Madras and she could be comfortable. But Sarasu never wanted to take up any job.

    Swarna came whenever she could with some food for her and they sat and spoke for some time. But Swarna’s time was limited as she could not leave Nagaraju for a long time in the care of neighbors.

    Kicha came after 6 months and told her he had found a decent destitute home for her in Madras and he would pay the monthly charges. It had nominal fees with dormitories for its residents. He said he was also planning to move to Madras soon and it would be easy for them to meet every now and then. The place looked decent and this was the best he could do for her.

    Sarasu cried, but Kicha said she cannot live alone and Swarna was fighting her own battles. So this was the best. Sarasu bid farewell to Swarna and left for Madras. She did not like to live here, but certain things which cannot be cured had to be endured. Sarasu kept grumbling and cursing and living in this place. She lived here for many years and died amidst the inmates of the home.

    Kicha was informed as he was her guardian, who said he was abroad at the moment and to cremate her by themselves.

    So ended the life of Sarasu who was born in a traditional family and who had to endure everything life had to offer her, and was finally cremated by someone whom she did not even know.


    Swarna and Krishna – chapter 22

    Swarna on the other hand was again fighting poverty and trying hard to make both ends meet. Many times when Nagarajus relatives or uncles visited they would advise her to go and find some work. They would tell her to work as a cook in a couple of houses so that she could have some extra money. But she never listened and thought “Why should I work, Nagaraju has so many brothers and sisters, let them help me”

    She never cared about how she dressed or looked. She lost both her front teeth to decay. She complained to her brother in law and said the dentist is charging heavily to which he sent her the required amount. Instead of spending on herself she gave the money to Krishna to buy some clothes for college. She felt really happy to buy new clothes for him because Krishna was always getting old clothes from family members which never fit him properly. Some could be altered but would show the stitch marks and Krishna would always say his friends were making fun of his clothes.

    Krishna was often reminded of his grandmother's words before she left for Madras. He never gave his mother any trouble and helped her in whatever way he could. After college he worked in some shops so that his college fees could be taken care of.

    Once he had finished his plus 2, Krishna decided he would not study further. He started working in a shop full time, but due to his attitude he would pick quarrels and kept changing jobs.

    Krishna was 20 years old. He was good looking. He never cared to dress properly and would wear whatever he found. Not that he had too many clothes, but never ironed his shirts or pants. Did not shave regularly, had a rugged look and went about his work.

    To be continued………
     
  8. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Sister Uma,
    You have narrated further developments in a gripping manner In the life of Vaity-Swarna.

    2. I guess You too must be an embodiment of patience, sacrifice somewhere that you love to write such poignant moments in the life of poor rich, rich-poor & nouveau-Richie.

    3. I trust the character Krishna would evolve into a highly matured character and I expect him to turn into a millionaire with passage of time. Looking forward to further instalments.

    4. In “GENEXT” treatment to one’s likes and dislikes would be totally different. It is digital-internet era.

    Thanks and Regards.
    God Bless.
     
  9. MalStrom

    MalStrom IL Hall of Fame

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    The plight of widows without any independent financial means or family support was indeed bleak in those days.
     
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  10. umaakumar

    umaakumar Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Malstrom,

    Yes indeed. Their life was something unimaginable.

    Regards
    Uma
     

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