Vedhantham came to see Ramu Iyengar’s daughter

Ramu Iyengar’s house wore a festival look that day.A bridegroom’s family was coming to their house to see Nalini,his youngest daughter.Ramu Iyengar was a wealthy man having acquired plenty of landed property from his father, who was a leading lawyer of repute in his time.Ramu Iyengar’s was a big sprawling house.The front entrance of the house was washed and a big padikkolam had been drawn and ‘chemman’(red oxide) was added as the border.The kolam looked so beautiful, adding to the festival look the house wore that day.In all Iyengar houses it is customary to draw padikkolam in the front and also in the hall,on all occasions,be it the naming ceremony of a child or a wedding.​

Ramu (hereafterwards we will refer to him as Ramu,dear,skipping the Iyengar part of his name)was sitting in the hall,restlessly tapping on a chair.His mother,eighty years old Jana patti had asked him for the hundredth time,when were the bridegroom’s party expected,he had also answered her patiently,now his patience was wearing out.
Ramu’s wife Saroja was busy in the kitchen.Jana patti who ruled the household,sitti ng in the hall,peeped inside the kitchen and asked her DIL,”hat are you doing?”
Saroja replied without lifting her head,”Amma I am measuring and keeping out ingredients for making kesari and bajji.”(rava kesari-sooji halwa)​

“Have you gone mad?”exclaimed Jana patti.
“Why in most houses theymake kesari and bajji,when a boy comes to see their girl.are they all mad?”Saroja’s eyes twinkled with laughter.​

“Don’t be silly “said Jana patti.”Our own family members easily add up to not less than twenty two.God knows how many arecoming from the boy’s side.If you start making kesari and bajji,you will be in the kitchen the whole day.”Without waiting for her DIL’s reply Jana patti called out to her second son,Parthasarathy.”Partha,go to the Iyengar bhavan which is down our street and buy two kilos kesari and two kilos bajjis.”said she.​

“Amma,what if some one says….”Saroja was apprehensive.
“That somebdy is not going to toil in the kitchen,they will be ready to eat,that’s all”said patti and walked into the hall.​

If the kolam added festive look to the house,the ladies of the house gave glamour to the house and the happenings there.Ramu Iyengar had four younger sisters and two younger brothers,he being the eldest child to his parents.His younger sisters and his brothers’ wives were wearing pure Kanjeevaram nine yards silk sarees in the traditional Iyengar way of tying a saree.Diamond ear rings and nose rings diamond attigais and flowers in their plaited hair made them look so beautiful.
Their daughters wore silkpavadais,matching dhavani,simple jewellery which included jymkis on their ears looked amazing ly beautiful.Younger girls also were similarly attired except that they did not wear dhavani and were walking up and down with an air of importance.​

“Raji,it is quite sometime since Ramu anna sent the cars to the bridegroom’s house,no?I don’t know why they have not turned up yet.Is anna sure that the bridegroom is interested in this alliance?”This is Sowndaram,the eldest among Ramu’s sisters.​

“Keep quiet,akka.Don’t talk like that.They said that they would come to our house around 11 O’ clock.It is not even 10 O’ clock now.”This is Raji,Ramu’s youngest sister.​

Here I must tell you that Sowndaram had a daughter,who was 25 years old .sowndharam and her husband had been making grea efforts to fix an ar.If she liked the boy,the boy did not like her and when both the concerned parties liked each OTHER, financial status of the boy’s parents stood in the way or some such issue was the stumbling block,with the result that Sowndaram’s daughter Geetha remained unmarried​

“They have come,they have come!” shrieked one of the girls.Immediately,those who stood outside looked in the direction from where the cars were supposed to come and they could see Ramu’s Marthi and a call taxi which Ramu had engaged for the occasion coming fast.

“Call Ramu anna and manni.They have to welcome them”Said Neelu ,one of Ramu’s sisters.​

Ramu and his wife came out,welcomed the bridegroom’s party ,took thm inside the house,made them sit comfortably.The bride’s people and the bridegroom’s people were enquiring after each other’s welfare and exchanged information about the various illnesses that were troubling them​

In the meanwhile,ladies had thronged Nalini’s bedroom.Only that room had a dressing table and nice imported make up kit which Ramu had picked up for his daughter when he went to Madras .Nalini’s athais and their daughters,her chiththis and their daughters were using it libeally.Geetha,Sowndaram athai’s daughter stood in front of the mirror and was giving finishing touches to her make up.Nalini was sitting on the edge of the cot,looking sad.She had been sitting patiently,waiting for the athais chiththis and their daughters to finish their make up and give her the room.It looked as if that would never happen.Nalini was a very timid girl,who couldn’t say ‘bo’ to a goose,not that she had seen any goose in real.​

Now I should tell you what was happening in the hall,where the bridegroom and his familywere being entertained by the bride’s people.Vedhanthan was tall,very fair with a long nose that was in a hurry to come down and touch his mouth..He had combed his thick black hair and set it in a stylish manner.He wore srichurnam on his forehead as a long,straight line .Srichurnam is a reddish powder.Iyengar men add some water to this powder made itinto a paste and wore it on their fore head as a thin straightline.Ramu Iyengar fell in love with Vedhantham’s long beaky nose and the way he had worn the srichurnam.He thought,”This fellow looks so good,what with his srichurnam and all.If Nalini is lucky,this marriage will materealise”.​

Vedhantham waited and waited for the bride’s arrival on the scene.He was listening to Ramu Iyengar’s passionate discourse on Iyengars’ samptadayangal and how only a few followed the sampradayangal.Well,Vedhantham could not wait anymore,so he waited for his mother to look his way and when she did so,he made signs to his mother that he could not wait anymore for the girl to arrive.

“Well,my son has taken a few hours permission from his office today .Will you please ask your daughter to come?”​

While this conversation WAS HAPPENING IN THE HALL,Nalini the heroine of this story was sitting dejectedly on her bed.Her aunts and cousins ,it appeared,had no idea of leaving the dressing table side.Vanaja,Nalini’s elder sistr who had been sitting near Nalini all this while gritting her teeth ,angry with her elder sisters and their daughtersfinally could not bear it anmore.She got up,went near Geetha and shouted at her,”Geetha,move aside,all of you please leave the room.The boy is coming to see Nalini,not you and me.Poor thing she has been waiting to change into a fresh saree,you people are not giving her that much privacy”.

Vanaja shooed off the younger girls.Geetha was furious,”Chiththi,don’t be so rude to me.I was just adjusting my saree,that’s all.”

Her mother Sowndharam who had entered the room just then,saw tears in her daughter’s eyes.”Eay,Vanaja,what is your problem?Why are you picking on my daughter?I know ,you and your husband were keen to get Geetha as the bride for your brother in law.My husband did not agree to it because your brother in law is not qualified enough to marry our daughter.You are taking it out on her whenever you get a chance”.​

Vanaja was exasperated.”Akka,don’t be silly.Now is not he time to talk about old issues.Let us get ready Nalini”so saying she went near Nalini,who was having in her hand a beautiful baby pink colour georgette saree, which she wanted to wear on that occasion.There was also a jewel box on the bed on which was lying a mango necklace.Her friends had told her that she looked very nice in it.She would have taken a step towards the dressing table ,when her mother Saroja entered the room.​

“Nalini,come fast.The bridegroom’s mother wants you to come there immediately.”​

“Amma,let her change her saree and wear that necklace”said Vanaja.​

“No,Vanaja,there is no time for all that.The boy is in a hurry.He has taken only a few hours permission from his office,I believe”said Saro.She took the pink colour saree from Nalini’s hand ,kept it on the bed and began to escort her to the hall.​

“Amma.Nalini is not at all properly dressed.The saree that sheis wearing is an old one and she has been wearing it since morning.Besides she has to apply atleast some powder on her face” ​

“It is alright,Vanaja.There is no time for dressing up now.Let her come as she is.”​

“But,akka…”started Vanaja.”Vanaja,don’t worry,Ranganatha will take care of everything.If Nalini is destined to marry this boy,she will marry him by Ranga’s grace”said Saroja and took Nalini into the hall.​

Nalini entered the hall and stood there with her mother by her side.Ramu Iyengar looked at his daughter ,her crumpled saree ,a face that had not been touched up with powder.She was looking colourless to say the least.He hissed to his wife,”Can’t you dress up your daughter properly?What were you ladies doing all this while?your daughter looks as if she got up from the bed now.”​

Saro replied in an equally hissing tone,”I will tell you later.Now please act normal.”​

Saro told Nalini to do namaskarams to the elders in the bridegroom’s family.Nalini did so,she did namaskarams to everyone on the boy’s side including vedhantham,Bhooma,Vedhantham’s mother liked it.​

But, Bhooma who had a good look at Nalini was surprised.
“Why is this girl looking so dull.She is a sweet girl no doubt,looks very softspoken.But can’t she wear atleast an ironed saree?Why,even my maid’s daughter would have dressed up better, if somebody came to seeher for alliance.May be this girl is not interested in our alliance.”

Right at that time,Sowndharam raised her booming voice “Nalini,look at theboy now only.Later on you should not say that the boy looked like a scarecrow or his nose was too long etc,ok?”​

Ramu Iyengar ‘s face became crimson red.He gritted his teeth at his sister’s insensitivity and her rude remarks.​

Bhooma’s soft expression changed immediately.”So these people think that my son looks like a scarecrow?”She looked at her son,.”Oh,yes.Vedhantham,have a good look at the girl.Later on you should not say that the girl looked like a sleepy type or that her dress sense is very bad,ok?)”​

At this time,Vanaja brought kesari and bajjis and served the bridegoom’s party.Vedhantham wanted to diffuse the tense situation.He gave some kesari to one of the young cousins of Nalini,who stood beside him,”Come on have some kesari from me”But the young girl said,”Oh dear!I won’t eat that sweet uncle.This was not made at home.My father bought it from the Iyengar sweet shop .My mother told me that if I eat sweet from that shop ,I will get stomach ache.”That naughty girl flew away.Vedhantham and his party kept the snacks back on the side tables, without saying anything.Buton this occasion silence was more eloquent.Ramu Iyengar would later on give his brother’s daughter a tweak on the ears and a tight slap on her back.​

Sowndharam athai’s daughter Geetha was sitting next to Nalini and was giving coy looks to Vedhantham.Bhooma, who was a keen observer did not fail to observe this.She asked Sowndharam pointing Geetha,”Is that your daughter?”
Sowndharam’s face bloomd with happiness.

“Oh,yes,that is my daughter Geetha.our only daughter.We are looking for a suitable alliance for her.We are ready to give 8 kgs of silver and 80 sovereigns of gold to her at the time of her marriage.Besides she is our only daughter,whatever we have will come to her only after our time.”​

“How much has she studied ?”asked Bhooma.​

“Geetha is a graduate,mami.But she does not want to go for a job.She says,”Amma,after marriage, I want to take care of my home and my in laws:Am I not right,Geetha?” asked Sowndharam,looking at her daughter fondly.Geetha tried to blush and give coy looks to Vedhantham at the same time.If Ramu were a rishi he would have burnt both Sowndharam and his daughter to ashes,but he was only a human and hence could only glare at them.​

Saroja took the hand of Nalini saying,”Nalini,you may go inside now”.Nalini’s eyes had misted and she looked flustered ,listening to the fiery exchange between Sowndharam athai and Bhooma.Tears gathered in her yes and one drop fell on the ground,which Bhooma and Vedhantham noticed.​

“Why is this girl crying?Now Iam sure she is not interested in this alliance.Her parents must be forcing her to agree for this marriage”thought Bhooma and looked at her son.Vedhantham read his mother’s mind in the way she looked at him.He was upset.​

The bridegroom’s party took leave of Ramu Iyengar and Saoja and left their house.Ramu Iyengar who accompanied them till the gate,asked Bhooma in a soft tone,”So what is your impression about my daughter?Does your son like her?”​

Bhooma gave a sweet smile and said,”I will go home,have a talk with my son and then let you know.”​

Nalini was lying on the bed.Tears were rolling down her cheeks. Without knowing it,she had fallen in love with Vedhatham.His lovely face, thick black hair and the srichurnam on his forehead ,his sweet smile and the way he looked at her thinking that she was not aware of it,all this combined to melt her heart.​

“But he is not going to say “yes” to this alliance.I know it. I looked terrible, standing before him,wearing this crumpled saree.I must have looked as if I had been dipped in an oil can.Besides Sowndharam athai made such rude remarks implying that he looked like a scarecrow.How will they agree for this alliance?”Sobs escaped from her throat.

Ramu Iyengar who was sitting beside his daughter could not bear to see his daughter crying.He said,”Look my child,if this alliance does not click,let us not worry.I will see a better qualified,better placed and more handsome fellow for you,ok.And at that time when the boy’s family come home,I will not allow even a fly to enter our house except the groom’s party.”so saying he gave a poignant look to Sowndharam who had the grace to blush in shame and guilt and she went out of the room.​

Vanaja said to Nalini,”Nalini,have a wash,change into your fabourite saree and get ready.We both will go to the Perumal temple.He alone can show us the way.”Nalini looked very beautiful like a doll .She had worn the pink saree and had the mango necklace on her neck.They both left for the temple.​

In Vedhantham’s house,he was telling his mother,”Amma,I like that girl.She is the quiet type.I think she was nervous ,that’s why she shed tears”said he.He was smitten by Nalini’s charm.He still could not forget or get over the way she looked at him when she thought that he was not looking at her.​

Bhooma read his son’s mind.Her son’s happiness was very impotant to her.”Vedhantham,I too like that girl.But why did she cry?she should not be persuaded into marriage,no?”After a few minutes, she said,”Come let us go to Perumal temple,he alone can guide us.”​

Vanaja and Nalini were climbing the steps which led to the sannadhi.Suddenly,Vanaja nudged Nalini and Nalini turned back to see in the direction where Vanaja looked.Vedhantham was also climbing the steps with his mother.​

Vedhantham’s and Nalini’s eyes met.Both of them were stunned and delighted to see each other.Bhooma was also surprised to see Nalini and Vanaja there.She smiled at them.​

Vedhantham went near his mother and said,”Amma,I want to talk to Nalini.”

His amma nodded her head.
Vedhantham made signs to Nalini with his eyes that said,’follow me’ and this girl who had not gone out with any male except her father nd brothers, followed this young man who was a total stranger to her till a couple of hours back.Vedhantham and Nalini sat on a cement bench that was in the praharam.​

Vedhantham who was bowled over by Nalini’s simplicity,charm and her quiet nature, asked her,”Nalini,do you really like me?”​

Nalini who continued to look at the ground out of shyness, nodded her head that said,yes.​

“Tell me,do you love me this much?”asked vedhantham,showing his hand in which the first finger and the thumb joined to make a small space.​

“No”said,nalini.​

“Then this much?”asked Vedhantham widening the gap between the fingers.​

Again,”No”said Nalini.​

“Then how much do you love me ?”​

“I can’t show the entire universe between my two fingers,no?” said Nalini smiling. That beautiful smile.​

Vedhantham’s heartstrings were pulled by these words.​

He asked her,”Tell me,why do you love me so much?”​

“Because”Nalini’s face turned red,she continued,”because you are my Ranganatha”​

Vedhantham’s eyes misted.He said,”And you are my empiratti.”​

Both of them laughed.Bhooma and Vanaja who were standing at a distance,and watching this couple also laughed,eventhough they could not listen to their conversation.​

Needless to say that Vedhantham’s and Nalini’s marriage was celebrated in a grand style.Nalini who was dressed up in all her finery looked like empiratti only and Vedhantham dressed as the bridegroom made one think that Ranganatha would have looked like him only, on his marriage day.​

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Dear coffee lover,
Thank you for the lovely fb.Infact I wanted Geetha to meet her match in Nalini's wedding,but that would have become too much.Hence poor Geetha did not find her match.
love
mithila

 

aMy dear shrikala,
Iam happy that you liked the post.Thank you for that fb.
love
mithila

 

My dear usha,
Thank you dear for that lovely note.
love
mithila

 

My dear Ganges,
Thank you for the lovely comment.
love
mithila