Gently Falls the Bakula Read online

  Sheenappa came with lots of gifts for his sister and Rama. He knew that if Rama was happy, she would push her mother. No one could beat Sheenappa in sweet talk. He started buttering up his sister.

  ‘Look Gangakka, if a stranger comes as a daughter-in-law to your house, then will she take care of you in your old age? You have already suffered so much in your life. Shouldn’t you be happy and get some rest at least now? Our daughter is very fond of you and she resembles Rama in most respects. She might not be as fair as Shrikant but their horoscopes have matched very well. Please do not look down upon us. We will perform the marriage in the best way. You tell me what you want . . . gold, cash . . . a house?’

  It became difficult for Gangakka to resist Sheenappa’s offer. She liked Ratna as a niece but did not want her to be a daughter-in-law. Ratna was arrogant, uneducated and ordinary looking.

  How would Shrikant agree to marry her? It was a fact that Sheenappa had helped Gangakka in difficult times. Still, she did not want to convey her gratitude by getting into a marriage relationship.

  Teaching Gangakka to talk sweetly is as unnecessary as teaching a fish to swim!

  ‘Sheenappa, without your help I would not have survived. We all are indebted to you, and will remain, throughout our lives. Ratna was always on my mind. But Shrikant has categorically told me that he doesn’t want to marry within the family. He feels Ratna is like his own sister. I cannot go against him. I am helpless.’

  Sheenappa realized that it was not Shrikant but Gangakka who did not want the alliance. Shrikant had hardly spoken to Ratna to have developed brotherly feelings. Sheenappa knew Gangakka was trying for bigger fish and Shrikant was just an excuse.

  It was clear to Sheenappa that there was no use talking any further. As he was leaving, he sarcastically said, ‘Okay. Marriages are made in heaven. Let us see what kind of a girl Shrikant will marry!’

  At one of the Purana readings, Vandana’s mother had come to know that Gangakka was searching for a daughter-in-law. Vandana’s sister, Kavitha, was in her second year of BA. So their mother decided to propose a match between Kavitha and Shrikant. She knew that except for the sharp tongue and quarrelsome nature of his mother and sister, Shrikant would be the right catch.

  She told Vandana, ‘Shrikant was your classmate. What do you think of suggesting Kavitha for him?’

  Vandana was taken aback. ‘No Avva, please don’t do that,’ she blurted out, but did not say anything more as that would have got Shrimati into trouble.

  ‘Why? The boy is very good and anyway they are going to stay separately in Bombay. You will also be there.’

  ‘No Avva, whatever it is, please don’t proceed. Shrikant will say no.’

  ‘How do you say that? We will give them dowry. And Kavitha is also good-looking. Let us give them the horoscope and see. It does not mean that the marriage will take place immediately.’

  Vandana’s mother could not understand why Vandana was resisting so much.

  All parents who had daughters suddenly started paying attention to Gangakka. They had not bothered to say even a hello to her all these years. Now they would go out of their way and talk to her and invite her to their homes. One of them was Anna Chari, the priest who gave the daily discourse at the temple. One evening after the discourse, he insisted that Rama and Gangakka come to his house for tea, though in the last twenty years, he had hardly even noticed them. Gangakka was thrilled. When she and Rama went to his house, they received royal treatment. Anna Chari’s wife Champakka broached the topic in a leisurely manner as she served the varieties of food she had prepared.

  ‘Gangakka, you never know when and how fortune smiles on a person. You are aware that the Desai family of Navalgund is very famous. They are very well-off people with plenty of land and trunks of gold in their house. They have only two daughters. The elder daughter is married to a very rich person from Bijapur. Their second daughter Indira is of marriageable age and she is very good-looking. She went up to BA but somehow didn’t complete it.’

  Anna Chari continued, ‘What does education matter to such people? They don’t need to take up a job . . . They are thinking about Shrikant, of course with my recommendation . . .’

  Gangakka was overjoyed. How on earth did wealthy people like Desai think of an alliance with her family? If it came through, Shrikant would be very fortunate.

  But then she remembered that they belonged to a different sect.

  ‘Aren’t they Vaishnavas?’

  Normally Anna Chari would make a fuss about such things but that day, he was very liberal. ‘How does it matter Gangakka? God has two faces. One is of Lord Shiva and the other of Lord Vishnu. Both are just different names for the same god. In today’s world, you should not make such differences.’

  But he did not reveal that he wouldn’t even drink a drop of water in a Vaishnava’s house.

  ‘What about the horoscope?’ Rama raised a point.

  ‘Oh, Gangakka! I myself have matched Shrikant’s and Indira’s horoscopes. They have matched excellently. Indira will bring him good luck. You should consider yourself very lucky that you have got such a proposal for Shrikant.’

  Mother and daughter were thrilled! Rama started imagining Shrikant’s marriage with Indira. She had heard from many people about the pomp and grandeur of their first daughter’s wedding. She was sure that her status would also go up if this marriage took place.

  Anna Chari was a shrewd man. He noticed the two women softening to the idea. He was just waiting for the chance. ‘I will tell Desai to bring his daughter to your house this Sunday and I will also accompany them. Let us see how soon the best can happen.’

  The meeting ended in good spirits.

  Rama and her mother started doing up the house to impress the guests on Sunday.

  Sunday finally arrived. The Desais came in a big car. Each one of them looked like royalty. Mrs Desai and Indira had worn as many ornaments as possible, to show off their status.

  Rama and Gangakka took great pains to offer the best hospitality. The formalities of tea and snacks were over.

  There was a disappointed look on Mrs Desai’s face after seeing Gangakka’s house. It was very ordinary and there was no sign of affluence. She felt that Gangakka and her daughter were too eager for this alliance, that too, just for the money.

  Though Gangakka observed that the girl was a bit slow and very ordinary looking, she was tempted by her father’s wealth.

  Anna Chari was the only one who was talking nonstop. ‘Oh, Shrikant is a very bright and simple boy and there are no two ways about it. If he applies for the IAS, he is sure to become the collector of Dharwad. He is as obedient to his mother as Shri Ramachandra. Definitely he will keep your daughter very happy.’ Anna Chari did not even know that for the IAS one had to appear for an examination and not just apply.

  Mrs Desai put the brakes on Anna Chari’s chatter. ‘Money is not at all an important factor for us. We have brought up our children in luxury and our daughter is not used to hard work. We have sufficient facilities at home. We will definitely help the boy to the best of our ability but he should keep our daughter happy.’

  Gangakka diplomatically said, ‘Everything depends on Shrikant’s decision. Let him come and we will let you know.’

  ELEVEN

  My Shri,

  I received your letter and I am sorry I broke my schedule for the first time. The reasons are numerous. I wish you had stayed a little longer and we could have talked about everything in detail.

  Shri, I told my mother and hesitantly, she has agreed. She has some queries, though. My mother’s acceptance of our marriage is very important to me. When you come here next time, you can officially talk to my father and grandmother. Let me not create a scene now.

  Are you aware of what is happening at your home? It is really scaring me. Your mother has started searching for a bride for you with great vigour, after reading about your job and all that. Every day she has an appointment at one or the other girl’s house. She ha