A rangOli story - Part XIII
The day of Sarada and malli's departure arrived. Chandru’s father accompanied mallI and Sarada up to Bangalore. He returned home as if he lost something and was looking everywhere for it. After almost two days, she called from her American home. Till we heard she reached safely, I did not feel like eating anything at all. Yet I had to eat as I was a nourishing mother. The phone calls became more frequent now. We were exchanging notes as to the growth of our little ones. One day, it was she turned from side to side with ease. Another day it was me telling that he began to crawl. After a month or two it was she uttering her first word pA..pA..pA.. Days and months passed like this. I resumed my normal activities that included drawing elaborate rangOlies. However, this was frequently interrupted by the cries of Ravi.
After the birth of Ravi, my father seemed to have slightly mellowed. He still refuses to visit us. However, he sends chikkammA more often to enquire about us. One day chikkammA told me that according to the horoscope and the calculations he made Ravi would enhance his grandfather’s name and engage in literary activities. I really was not sure if it would hold true in the future. At least it helped to ease the tension between the two families. Usha was indeed very happy to be near her brother. At times it gave me the respite I needed most.
At about this time my brother got married to Tulasi. He married the daughter of my father’s colleague, another priest in the neighbouring village. However, Tulasi spent most of her time in her grandfather’s (mother’s father) house in Mysore. They were not very orthodox and were more liberal in their attitudes and customs. My brother at that time had a job in a bank in Nanjangud. Najangud, on the banks of the holy river Kapila, is a small town near Mysore. A temple dedicated to Siva, called najunDESvara is the main attraction there. It means the God who consumed poison. Some people consider it as holy as Benares and call it as the southern kASi. My chikkamma was very happy. Even though my brother was not keen, my father got some dowry from the bride’s family. The marriage went off very well. My father made a concession in inviting us to the marriage, only to the marriage function, not to his house! As usual, I drew the rangOli for the wedding feast haribhUma.
After the marriage and the nuptials, some peculiar problems arose. My father did not like the way in which his daughter-in-law observed some customs. She did not strictly observe the code of purity, like taking bath, touching food, washing hands and such other things. My chikkamma tried to pacify my father. But he would not alter his traditional ways. After a few days, my brother established his own quarters in Nanjangud and used to pay only occasional visits to his home. However, he used to help monetarily and so the family was slightly better off than earlier. It was still poor, but not wretched.
... to be continued
P.S. Thanks to Mrs lakshmidEvi for the leaf in the picture.
