Stand on your own feet
Bhavana needs to stand on her own feet before anything else, Bhavana overheard her mother say to her father.
I agree, her father said, without looking up from the newspaper.
Bhavana, her mother said, in a louder voice as though calling her.
I am here, Bhavana said.
Her best friend from age 10 was getting married. They had been friends for all of 12 years. Her best friends name was Nirvana. Bhavana was excited for Nirvana. But also terrified. It was kind of unexpected. Bhavana did not expect Nirvana to get married so suddenly. One day Nirvana and Bhavana were in the college and the their BA results were not even out and the next thing she knows was Nirvana called her up to tell her she was getting married. In hindu families there was no engagement ceremony. Only the ceremony for fixing the marriage. And the marriage itself. How did you know for sure that this person would be her husband Bhavana wanted to ask Nirvana. Nirvana's husband to be was a doctor. He told Nirvana that he liked a girl when he was in college. Bhavana was shocked. Really, he actually liked someone else. Yes, he told me that. Nirvana said over the phone. Her name was Shreekala. Both Nirvana and Bhavana knew a girl called kala in her school. That girl was tall and always smiling. She had thick wavy hair, an easy smile and was very friendly towards everyone. She went in the same schoolbus as Bhavana. In the school bus, Kala always told stories of movies she had seen to other girls. Bhavana sort of envied kala because she got to see so many movies. In her house her parents were particular rules about how many movies they could watch. They could watch movies only after her parents thought it was good for children. Bhavana only got to see movies about Ramayana, Mahabharatha, Vadakkan Veera Gatha and the bible or something that happened in history like the Freedom Struggle. Or about Mahatma Gandhi or Jawaharlala Nehru. Or about peaceful coexistence of different religuions.
Bhavana knew that when she was 18 she almost got married too. it was a proposal through her father’s class mate. She did not know his job. Only that he was in Canada. She did not even see him in real life. She saw his picture and liked him. Her father told her to talk to his mother who was visiting relatives from canada. Bhavana did not know what to say. But Bhavana remembered listening when the mother said she made lots of things like vada and other things and placed it in the freezer before coming to India so her family could heat and eat whenever they liked. A few weeks after the mother reached Canada her father received a letter from his friend saying they were not looking for a bride for their son at the moment.
Bhavana, your BA results will come only in November right, her father said to her.
Don’t waste time till that time, watching movies.
You should do something productive. There is an internship in a newsline magazine for young writers, why don’t you apply there.
Why did she have to go for internships while nirvana got to go for wedding shopping. Nirvana would be buying jewelry and saries and clothes for her wedding.
It is so not fair, Bhavana thought and started applying for the internship.
In the internship office, there was no girl. Bhavana did not feel lonely because in her house apart from her mom there was no girl too. The chairman iof news line magazine was MR. Shanamugham. He was very portly but kind gentleman who smiled at Bhavana nicely all the time. In the newsline office, Bhavana was told to rewrite stories about yesteryears actors and actresses. There was a picture of how the actresses looked in their youth at the height of their fame when they were in their early twenties or late teens and then now when they were old. These were the people who were actors and actresses during her father’s youth. Bhavana stared at the photographs of the actresses. It was shocking how different they looked from their youth and in their old age. An exquisitely chiseled face became unrecognizably bloated and out of shape when they were old. All morning Bhavana worked hard to write an article that showed how an actor or actress looked in their youth, the famous movies they acted in and how different they looked now. The article she wrote would be included in the last page of Newsline magazine which ran a feature called RetroBollywood.
Bhavana’s mother came to pick her up at lunch time. Her office was very near her home. She could walk to the office and back and have lunch at home. At home during lunch she called Nirvana. And told her about the internship. Nirvana said she told her fiancé about the TV show GK World and how she totally loved GK World and how in her imagination of an ideal family they would play games like GK World in the family. Her fiancé said different families have different traditions and that they did not play GK World but he did not mind playing GK World if she Nirvana wanted to play that game. But he did not think that playing GK World was superior to not playing GK World.
Nirvana was crazy about GK World. Her ideal was the male anchor of GK World and her ideal woman was the female anchor of GK World. Bhavana always thought what Nirvana thought was ideal was actually the ideal. Her sense of ideal was a mixture of what her father and mother thought as ideal and what Nirvana thought as ideal. The woman anchor of quiztime was a lady in her late twenties or so or maybe early thirties, who spoke English so flawlessly, had her hair in a bun and wore traditional sarees. She was a mixture of traditional and modern. Her parents did not think much of the anchor. Her parents did not mind her watching GK World because they considered it educational but did not talk at all about the anchors.
Bhavana did not think it was right of Nirvana to force her fiancé to committing to playing GK World even before they were married. How would he feel if nirvana imposed such stipulations before marriage.
When she got married she would not say such things. In the evening when she reached home, there was pazham pori,. Bhavana loved pazham pori. It just made her super happy. While eating pazham pori and having tea, Nirvana called. Her fiancé had visited. His parents and brother were there too. They had spent the whole morning just chatting in her house. Bhavana could not imagine just sitting and chatting for the whole day. In Nirvana’s living room there was an ornate swing. It was made of wood and had carved pictures of flowers and swilrs on it. There were pillows on the swing too. It did not swing a lot but just gave the right amount of motion. Nirvana’s parents had installed it in Nirvana’s house when they were in high school. Whenever Bhavana visited Nirvana;s house she made sure she sat on the swing for a little while. Bhavana imagined Nirvana sitting on the swing with her fiancé and talking all day. My mom told me to wear a sari and I had to wear a sary all day. Nirvana complained. Did you talk about GK World.
No, Nirvana said but we talked about cricket.
Bhavana imagined a very boring conversation. She did not like cricket at all. Her father was not that much into sports nor was her mother. They encouraged her to run and teased her that she would go to Asiad Games when she was in middle school but that was her only connection with sports. Their family was not that much into sports. The only person in Bhavana’s life who liked sports was Nirvana.
Given a choice friend bahvana would like to get married too, rather than try to stand on her own feet first.
On the day of her wedding Nirvana looked like a picture perfect hindu bride. She did not need any false hair. Her hair already reached her hips. There was lots of jasmine flower garlands on her hair and the kasavu border of the mundu and neryathu she wore had the same color as her skin. She wore a big jimikki with pearls on it and bother her wrists were full of bangles.
I want to buy a gift for Nirvana, Bhavana announced at the dining table one day.
Ok, we will go shopping this Saturday and buy a gift for Nirvana, her mother said.
They went shopping to Seematty. Nirvana trusted her mother’s taste in sarees. No one knew more about sarees than her mother. Her mother would pick just the right sary for Nirvana. In seematty it was air conditioned. The cold was so refreshing. The salesman piled saree after saree on the counter. Show me that saree, her mother pointed to a deep green sary. It was folded and there was tissue paper inside the saree between each layer. It had a thin gold border. This is nice, her mother said.
Bhavana, this is a mysore silk saree. Nirvana will look very nice in this. Let us buy this.
Ok, Bhavana said. She had no idea about sarees. Her mother knew everything. This would be the best saree for Nirvana.
At home, Bhavana took the saree out of the package and looked at it. She showed it to her father.
This is for Nirvana, she said.
Her father felt the saree.
Very nice saree.
When is the wedding again?
On Saturday.
Bhavana put the sary back in the box and called Nirvana.
Can I come over to your house. Tell me a time when you are not going to be that busy.
Come this evening.
That evening Bhavana’s father dropped Bhavana at Nirvana’s house.
Nirvana’s father and mother and a few other people dressed in cream colored mundu and neryathu or mundu and shirt were sitting on the verandah.
Heloo uncle and aunty, is Nirvana at home.
Nirvana appeared at the door.
She wore a pink and white salwar. And drop earrings. She looked so pretty. Nirvana had never looked so pretty in her life before. When people are going to get married they may look pretty, Bhavana decided.
Come Bhavana, lets go to my room.
They climbed the stairs and went to her room.
Here is my gift to you, Bhavana gave the package with the saree to Nirvana.
They sat on Nirvana’s bed. I’ll show you pictures of Narayanan.
She showed Bhavana an album.
I made this yesterday.
In the album, Nirvana’s fiancé looked just right for Nirvana. He was as fair as Nirvana, quite tall, well dressed and in every way the perfect match.
This is his mother and this is his father. He has one older brother and this is his brother’s wife. The brother’s wife looked sort of similar to Nirvana. In the album there were pictures of Nirvana’s finace’s extended family, people having a feast, for the marriage fixing ceremony etc.
Bhavana started looking through her mother’s godrej almirah for a saree to wear for Nirvana’s wedding. Bhavana loved wearing sarees. When her father and mother went for lions club meeting Nirvana mostly spend her time trying out her mother’s sarees.
For the wedding she wore a kerala saree. Her mother had modern designer kerala sarees. This one was a brown and gold striped border. Thre were two lines of gold and two lines of brown. She felt so grown up in sarees. She wore a gold jimikki and a gold chain and glass bangles for the wedding. At the wedding it was difficult to locate Shakunthala, Arya and Salma. Her parents said they would come later near the time of the muhurtham.
Bhavana was flabbergasted at how perfect Nirvana looked in the mundu and neryathu. Some of the jasmine flower garlands spilled over to the front. She wore atleast ten gold necklaces but it did not look gaudy at all. She just looked like a bejeweled bride.
Nirvana’s eyes sparkled when she saw Bhavana. She lifted her arms and waved in a very excited way a way that was not right for a bride to be. She was just the old Nirvana, Bhavana was relieved.
Bhavana made her way through the crowds to reach Nirvana. Nirvana’s wrists were full of bangles. There were mehndi patterns on her palm and even a ornament that connected her gold rings to her bangles. Nirvana held Bhavana’s hand. Where are the other’s Bhavana whispered. Bhavana was slightly scared of all the relatives of Nirvana milling around the room.
Finally she spotted Shakunthala, and Arya sitting on some cane chairs in a room full of people. Bhavana rushed to their side. Arya brought a chair from behind and kept it next to her. Bhavana sat on that chair. In a few minutes, Salma also joined them. All four of them sat looking at each other. Bhavana thought all her friends looked super grown up in sarees. They were not girls anymore, they were grown women.
Did you know, Shakunthala is also getting married, Arya said to Salma and Bhavana.
Really, Bhavana and Salma exclaimed together. This was the first time they were hearing that.
Only Bhavana and Arya were left. Bhavana was glad that there was atleast one girl in their group friendship that was unmarried without any plans of getting married any time soon. It would have been weird if all of them were getting married and she was left alone. But now she had the company of Arya. Arya’s family was sort of similar to hers in that just as Bhavana’s parents wanted her to stand on her own feet, so did Arya’s parents. In a while Tina joined them. They all respected Tina. Tina had written the entrance test for MBA and had gotten admission. Tina was smart even in school. She had the largest number of badges on her school uniform. She was the Light group leader, the class moniter and the assistant school leader. Her uniform was heavy with all the badges of honors that she had received. Tina also had no plans of getting married any time soon. Her family was similar to Bhavana’s and Arya’s. everyone exchanged news about all their friends who was doing what, which college, subject, job, etc.
Then the subject of conversation became the BA results. There were rumors that the BA results could come sooner. There were rumors that if you go to the University earlier you can get the results.
“Who wants to know the results earlier,” Salma exclaimed. “I don’t,” she said.
“Ignorance is bliss,” Salma said.
“True,” Arya said.
There was the sound of Kurava. It was almost the time of muhurtham.
Come let us go and be with Nirvana, Arya suggested. She might need us.
When they went to the room Nirvana was in, they realized that there was no way they could get anywhere near Nirvana. She was surrounded by her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brother, sister and everyone else in their family.
The sound of pujaris chanting hymns filled the air.
Let us just stand here and watch everything because we wont be able to be close to Nirvana, Arya said.
You are right, Salma and everyone else agreed.
Watching Nirvana felt almost surreal to Bhavana. They had been friends since sixth grade. In class during lunch time, Bhavana had finished her lunch of chappathy and jam and closed her lunch box when Nirvana came and sat by her on the bench. Her hair was in two braids and reached the waistband of her skirt. Both braids were thrown to the front and lay on her shirt hanging till the waist band of her skirt.
Where do you stay,
In Warriam road, Bhavana said.
What’s your phone number, Nirvana had asked.
Bhavana gave her phone number.
Would it be okay if I call you, Nirvana had asked.
Bhavana had nodded.
At home in the evening while eating her snack of biscuits with milk, Nirvana had called.
What were you doing,
Having my after school snack
They spoke for a hour about nondescript mundane things.
In fifth grade Nirvana’s best friend was Shakunthala.
In sixth grade Shakunthala had to go to a different division and so Nirvana had become friends with Bhavana. In a way, Bhavana was a replacement for Shakuntala in Nirvana’s life. But as life would have it in pre degree, Bhavana, Nirvana, and Shakuntala along with Arya and Salma ended up sitting in one long bench in the fourth row while doing LHH which was the abbreviation for English Literature, Indian History and World History in Amala College, Ernakulam.
One day there was an announcement made by the English teacher Sister Jemma. They could join the band program in school. If they join the band program, on Children’s Day, November 14, they could go on a parade through the roads of Ernakulam district.
Nirvana and Bhavana gave their names for the band. The band teacher’s name was Mr. D’Souza. He taught them how to strap the drum on their shoulders. He taught them different beats.
To go for band practice Bhavana’s father took Bhavana to Nirvana’s house.
Elamma Miss wanted the transcription of Malayalam proverbs done perfectly on a two line notebook. For English transcription they had to write on a four line book. If every alphabet was not drawn perfectly Elamma Miss would throw the transcription book across the room, it was rumored.
Bhavana loved doing the transcription. She also loved doing the biology diagrams. In drawing class Sister Altruza made them draw butterflies. This was in fifth grade. Of all the butterflies drawn in class, Bhavana liked the butterfly drawn by shakunthala.
During sadya Bhavana, Shakuntala, Arya and Salma sat together and ate. Bhavana spotted her parents far away in another row. This payasam is awesome, Arya said. Yes, Bhavana said. Bhavana had never tasted payasam that was not awesome. All payasams tasted alike. The only payasam she could not like was adapradhaman because the Ada’s floating in it.
After the sadya they made their way to Nirvana and her husband. Both were wearing the huge flower garlands and were busily shaking hands with every one. There was nirapara, nilavillakku on which the flames swayed from side to side and the kathir. There were long marigold garlands with vadamallipoo at the end that hung on all the walls.
Nirvana seemed busy and preoccupied. Introduced each of them to Narayanan. They all smiled politely to Narayanan and Nirvana and then they had to pose next to Nirvana for pictures. Bhavana wanted to stand next to Nirvana since they were friends from so long ago but as life would have it Arya ended up standing next to Nirvana. Next it was Salma, and then Shakuntala and then Bhavana.
I’ll come home on my own, Arya will drop me, Bhavana told her parents when her mother came to see if she was done with everything. During the festivities, she saw her parents talking to Nirvana’s parents. Her parents sat next to Arya’s parents during the sadya.
Arya lived in palarivattom which was farthest away from Ernakulam and so Arya dropped Salma, Shakuntala and Bhavana. They had made short names for each of them but Bhavana never used the short names. She never called Shakuntala, Shaks, and never called Arya Ar, or R, never called Nirvana, Neer, and never called Salma, Sal. And for some reason they never called her Bhav. She was always Bhavana.
Her mother was pouring tea from one mug to another when she reached home. Her father was on the phone talking to someone. Bhavana went straight to the room and looked in the mirror. Apart from her lipstick which she might have swallowed along with the jeeraka vellom and payasam her make up was pretty much in tact. This jimikki looked kind of weird with short hair like hers, she thought. But the bangles looked nice on her.
Mamma did you like how Nirvana looked.
Yes, she looked very pretty.
Very nice boy, her father said.
They are from Palakkadu. His father worked in the Port Trust. We had some common friends.
Nirvana noticed that her parents seemed very unconcerned about her own wedding. Why are they not worried, Nirvana thought.
As usual her parents knew more about Nirvana’s husband than she did.
Bhavana wanted to keep talking about Nirvana’s wedding.
Mamma, did you think Nirvana looked pretty.
Yes, ofcourse, she is always pretty her mother said.
Mole, now all the excitement for Nirvana’s marriage is over, you have to get back to applying for tests. Federal bank officers test and State Bank of India officers test is there. Why don’t you just take the test, just for fun.
Let her relax for a bit, now, she just came back from her friends wedding, her mother took her side.
Do you want tea, her mother asked.
Yes, Bhavana said and took a tea filled glass from the dining table and walked to the television. There was a movie song program playing in some channel. Bhavana watched the hindi movie heroine run around trees with the hero while sipping her tea.
Watching TV all the time will not do, her father came to the room and said. You have to be studious in life. Then only you will get a nice job.
Ok, Bhavana said. Her father was happiest when he saw her reading a good book, or writing or applying for a good job. According to her father watching TV was a waste of time and would take Bhavana away from studies and a nice job.
Nirvana may never call her the way she used to, Bhavana thought. On her desk there was a huge pile of newspapers. It was the Financial express, Economic times, Times of India and the Hindu. Her father had brought the newspapers home from the library of the company he worked in. Bhavana was supposed to go through all the pages in the middle where there would be in depth articles about lots of very boring things like India’s foreign policy, the Indian constitution, india’s five years plans and development of a large number of areas. If she read all these articles she would be well versed in the department of general knowledge and if she was well informed she could do well in the general knowledge section of all the tests she was supposed to be doing in order to get a job in the Government or bank. Then she could stand on her own feet.
Looking at the huge pile of newspapers she had to get through made her feel depressed. On her desk was a penholder with a collection of sketch pens. She took a pen and started drawing. She drew a dress. It was a cindrella kind of dress with the gathers from the waist falling in waves and folds. She let the picture lay on her desk.
A young girl who was around ten years old stood at the door with a silver tray with various things in it. That girl was Nirvana’s cousin from Calicut. In a silver bowl was the sandalwood paste and Nirvana smeared it on her forehead. There was a vadamalli flower, a lilly flower on a stick covered with dark pink tissue paper. Bhavana brought it home and kept it on her desk inside her diary. It would be her memory from her best friend’s wedding.
Bhavana’s father walked into Bhavana’s room and looked at her desk.
What is this, he lifted up the picture she had drawn.
Bhavana drew this, he exclaimed. His voice sounded pleased.
Very nice, he said.
Later when she walked into the living room, she was in the room under the staircase where the ironing board was kept. It was a dark and cozy space that Bhavana loved a lot. Part of the room had a sloping roof owing to the fact that it was under the staircase. On one side there was a step and at the top of the step there was a small door. The door led to the small corridor with a door that lead to the outdoors on one side and a door that went to the living room on the other side. The rest of that space had a rgiular ceiling and hand on one wall there were two door leading to the two bedrooms. aat Felt like a nook.
Her parents were talking about her. about the picture she had made. She has drawn it so beautifully, her father said.
Aha, her mother said. She
Bhavana was pleased and embarrassed that her parents were openly praising her. she almost felt shy to go into the room to meet their gaze.
One evening while Bhavana was at home reading the newspapers that were piled on her desk, it was about India’s participation in the G7 summit, there was the sound of the door bell ringing. She heard her father opening the door and her mother’s voice and her father’s voice and someone asking for her.
Bhavna her mother called.
Bhavana went to the living room to see who had come to see her. it was Janaki and her husband.
Janaki was wearing a salwar kameez and looked like her old self except there was a slightly mature married look on her face.
Janaki was not close friends with her in school but was in the same class as Bhavana and Nirvana. When a famous tamil movie was relaseased every body said Janaki sort of looked like an actress in that movie. She had a very traditional Tamilian kind of beauty. That was what Janaki was famous for.
Bhavana was wearing a blue skirt and white top when Janaki was visiting and so although they were classmates Bhavana felt a lot younger. Janakis husband’s father had newly joined the same lion’s club as Bhavana’s parents. Janaki's husband was in the sirforce. Bhavana and Janaki sat on the divan and talked about Nirvana’s wedding and Bhavana informed her about Shakuntala’s wedding being fixed. Janaki was unable to go for Nirvana’s wedding because she was at her honeymoon. Janaki had an album with her. The album was full of pictures of their honeymoon at a hill station. Janaki and her husband posed in lots of romantic poses in all the pictures. Janaki even wore her husbands airforce cap in one of the pictures. Bhavana felt embarrassed looking at the honeymoon pictures of Preetha and her husband with her parents in the same room. Bhavana thought about the huge pile of newspapers waiting to be read and understood by her in her room and all the tests she had to pass in order to get a nice job and here was Janaki having a carefree time in hillstations with her husband. But maybe because of the honey moon pictures Bhavana did not envy Preetha at all. She was happier with her pile of newspapers in the security of her own home rather than gallivant on a hillstation with someone she did not know. Somehow the honeymoon pictures ruined the romance of the idea of marriage for Janaki's wedding for Bhavana.
What are you doing, Sreeja asked.
I am studying for various bank tests and MBA entrance tests.
Will you get in
I don’t know, Bhavana shrugged.
Bhavana’s mother brought tea, and Janaki and Bhavana had tea. Bhavana’s father spoke with Janaki's husband. After serving tea, Bhavan’s mother also sat in the living room and talked to Janaki and her husband.
After they left, Bhavana went back to her room and read more about India’s G-7 policy. She thought about Nirvana. They had to go to Palghat, she knew, that was what Nirvana had told her and would stay in Palghat because that was where his parents were from. From there they were supposed to go to Charttalai because Narayanan's job was there. Nirvana did not call from Palghat. Bhavana remembered how when they were in 6th grade summer vacation Nirvana had gone to Dubai and within a week received a letter from her—a long letter detailing every aspect of the plane ride to Dubai and all the TV shows she got to watch in Dubai. Now Nirvana had left Ernakulam as a married woman and maybe that was why she was not writing or calling. Now her parents had left Dubai and had settled in a house near the karikkamuri church where Bhavana’s family went sometimes.
The next article was in Hindu about the Non Aligned movement and Bhavana had to read about why Jawaharlal Nehru had to start the non aligned movement. The sentences were long and winding. There were big words. All these people who wrote such articles were so smart and intellectual and she had to memorise all the details. Where was the G7 summit held. What were the major issues being discussed during the summit. Who were the leaders representing each country.
In the afternoon, her father came. He brought for her the latest issue of the competition and Success review. The competition and Success Review magazine was for young people aspiring for Administrative Services jobs in the Indians Government and Bank Officers jobs in the Public Sector of India. On the cover was a girl who had topped the Civil Services Exam that year. The girl wore a sary and had glasses on.
Look at this girl, Bhavana’s Father said to Bhavana.
Bhavana can easily be the topper in next year’s civil services exam, Bhavana’s father said to her.
You have to study now itself, if you want to excel in it tomorrow.
Don’t waste a minute. Yesterday what did you study
I studied about the G7 summit and India’s trade policy.
This evening I am going to the Lions club with mamma.
I will give you some questions which you should answer while I am gone.
Ok, Bhavana said.
That evening while her mother was dressing up to go out with her father Bhavana went to her mother’s room. She lay on her parents bed while her mother walked to the godrej, picking sarees, putting on make up, styling her hair, going to the bathroom.
I’ll pick a saree for you, Bhavana said to her mother.
Or ok, you tell me between these two sarees.
Bhavana’s mother had set out a respelendant, black, brown and orange saree made of a silkish fabric, with ornate but not gaudy some kind of work on it. This goes with this ornagebrown shining silk blouse.
And the next one was a pale pink with small pink and white cheked pattern, and a black border.
Bhavana watched her mother all dressed up and giving her final instructions to have dinner on time, set the table for her grandfather, and make sure everyone had dinner on time.
Finish the essays I want you to write on the G7 summit.
Ok, Bhavana said. Bye she waved and her parents car drove out of the garage.
I’ll finish my essay first and then I’ll either watch TV and play dress up with my moms sarees or talk to my grandfather.
Bhavana, she heard her grandfather call her.
Yes, Grandfather, she said.
What is the name of the visitor we had yesterday, who came to see me.
His name is shekharan, Bhavana said.
Off late her grandfather tended to ask her names of people who visited or called a few times.
Bhavana, he called again.
Yesterday I had received your uncle’s letter. I need your help to write down details of that letter into my notebook. Also, I have not spoken to your aunt in almost a week. When you have finished studying let us both call her so you can talk to her as well.
Ok, Grandfather Bhavana said.
The past two years he had started walking slower than usual and also needed her help in writing down things in his book. Bhavana loved helping her grandfather do these things. It was so much easier than studying about the G7 summit. What did she care about politicians deciding stuff about how much India had to export or import and to which country. Sure it was important stuff. It made a difference to the country that she was living in. Bhavana had to study and succeed and become like the girl on the cover of competetion and success review.
Bhavana sat in front of her desk, the question written by her father about significant world events at the top of a blank sheet of page and she had to finish writing her essay. Her father and mother would be home only by 10 or so.
Bhavana started writing the essay, she wrote and finished one paragraph. She felt thirsty. I’ll go to the kitchen and drink some water. She went to the kitchen and drank some water. On the way back, she peeped into her grandfather's room. He was sitting on his bed, saying his rosary.
Can you call me at 9 o clock, Bhavana said.
Ok, her grandfather said. I have to study till that time.
I want to be studious. Otherwise her father will scold her if the long essay was not waiting when her parents came back.
Bhavana started writing the essay. All the information she knew she wrote from what she read yesterday was over in one paragraph. That is when the phone rang. Bhavana ran to the phone. Hoping it was Nirvana.
Mole phone is ringing, her grandfather said. He was walking the entire length of the living room.
Hello, Bhavana said.
Edo, Nirvana said. Her voice like usual casual.
Nirvana where are you calling from.
I’m here in Ernakulam.
When did you come
This morning.
How was Palghat.
It was good.
We went to kovalam too.
How long will you be here.
Just for two days
Ok
What were you doing
I am preparing for IAS and all other tests.
They talked for almost 2 hours. Nirvana told her the entire story of a movie she watched. She had watched it with Narayanan. Her grandfather came and sat on a chair in the living room. That was a signal to Bhavana that she had to hang up. During the conversation she remembered the long essay she had to write. But how could she stop Nirvana in the middle of the story. That too the first story after she got married to Narayanan. But now it was time to serve dinner for her grandfather. She had to go.
Bhavana, I’’ll tell you the rest tomorrow.
Ok, Bye, Bhavana said.
Bhavana went to the kitchen and brought the rice, curries and plates for her and her grandfather’s dinner to the dining table.
Appapa, come let us have dinner, she said.
Her grandfather got up from his chair and walked slowly to the dining table.
She sat across from him. Her grandfather liked kanji for supper. He washed his hands, dried his hands, and drew a cross on the rice with his thumb.
Then they both started eating. Nirvana called me on the phone.
Is nirvana well, her grandfather asked.
Yes, she is well.
Where is she married to, her grandfather asked.
Her husband’s parents are from Palghat. Her grandfather had asked her that question earlier.
May the blessings of God be with her. nannayi varatte, her grandfather said.
Yes, Bhavana said. Nannaye varatte, Bhavana said.
Bhavana’s grandfather finished dinner and was walking the entire length of the living cum dining room now.
Do you want to write down the summary of uncle’s letter now or later?
Let us write now.
Her grandfather went to his room. On the desk was his notebook next to the bottle of medicine.
The letter was in the envelope and kept inside the notebook.
Her grandfather sat on the bed. Nirvana opened the letter and gave it to her grandfather. She switched on the table lamp. She took a pen from the table and waited for her grandfather to tell her what to write.
Letter received on aug 1. Tara and children are fine. The temperature is 60 degrees. Syriac is very busy with work.
Her grandfather stopped.
Is that all, Bhavana said.
Yes. Now I have to write the reply. Can you get me an inland.
Yes. Bhavana ran to her fathers desk and found an inland.
Her grandfather was sitting on the bed.
Let us go to the dining table. I can write more comfortably there.
Nirvana spread the crisp blue inland on the dining table. She kept a magazine that she fetched from the living room under the inland.
My dear Syraic, her grandfather said.
My dear Syriac, Bhavana wrote.
Thank you for your letter, her grandfather said.
Thank you for your letter, Bhavana wrote.
I received your letter on August 1, her grandfather said.
I received your letter on August 1, Bhavana wrote.
Glad to know that Tara and children are fine, her grandfather said.
Glad to know that Tara and children are fine, Bhavana wrote.
When will the busy season at work be over for you? Her grandfather said.
When will the busy season at work be over for you? Bhavana wrote.
Here, the rainy season has come to an end, her grandfather said.
Here, the rainy season has come to an end, Bhavana wrote.
George, Mercy and children are fine, her grandfather said.
George, Mercy and children are fine, Bhavana wrote.
I spoke to Shobha last week, her grandfather said.
I spoke to Shobha last week, Bhavana wrote.
They are fine, her grandfather said.
They are fine, Bhavana wrote.
Kochuvarkey of panavalli was here yesterday, her grandfather said.
Kochuvarkey of panavalli was here yesterday, Bhavana wrote.
In Panavalli everyone is fine, her grandfather said.
In Panavalli everyone is fine, Bhavana wrote.
My former student shekharan was here yesterday, her grandfather said.
My former student shekharan was here yesterday, Bhavana wrote.
He has a job in FACT now, her grandfather said.
He has a job in FACT now, Bhavana wrote.
I will be calling Pushpa tomorrow, her grandfather said.
I will be calling Pushpa tomorrow, Bhavana wrote.
Bhavana is writing this letter for me, her grandfather said.
Bhavana is writing this letter for me, Bhavana wrote.
She is preparing for bank tests and trying for other jobs, her grandfather said.
She is preparing for bank tests and trying for other jobs, Bhavana wrote.
With these I condense my words, her grandfather said.
With these I condense my words, Bhavana wrote.
With much love, her grandfather said.
With much love, Bhavana wrote.
Your father, her grandfather said.
Your father, Bhavana wrote.
Did you put the date, her grandfather asked Bhavana.
Yes, I put the date, at the beginning itself, Bhavana said.
So then, write the address, her grandfather said.
Bhavana already knew the address. She wrote the address. Then she went to the kitchen and glued the inland.
I will keep it on your table, Bhavana said to her grandfather.
Ok, her grandfather said. It may be too late to call Pushpa now, so I will call her tomorrow.
Ok, Bhavana said.
They may be coming back much later, right, her grandfather said referring to Bhavana’s father and mother.
Yes. I am going to study now, Bhavana said.
Ok, you study my child, her grandfather said.
I am very happy you helped me with the letter, her grandfather said.
Bhavana went to her room. And sat in front of the unfinished essay about the G7 summit.
What had she read yesterday about the summit in the economic times.
I have to read the newspaper again. Bhavana read the newspaper and wrote down some more.
Bhavana was still writing when she heard the characteristic sound of the engine of her parents car.
She flew out of her chair and rushed to the front door, rushed to the gate and opened the gate.
Her father and mother came into the house. Her mother still looked beautiful, sary still looked perfect.
Her grandfather also came to the living room to greet them.
Is everything fine, father, Bhavanas father asked her grandfather.
Yes, Bhavanas grandfather said. Bhavana helped me write a letter to Syriac.
When you go to work tomorrow please could you mail it.
Ofcourse Father, Bhavana’s father said.
Did both of you have dinner, Bhavana’s mother asked.
Yes, Bhavana said.
I was planning to call Pushpa, Bhavana’s grandfather said. But finally decided against it. By the time we finished the letter it was too late. I thought Pushpa may have gone to bed.
Maybe we can visit Pushpa this weekend, her father said to her grandfather.
Her grandfather smiled. Ok, he said.
Bhavana’s grandfather loved to visit Bhavana’s aunts. Bhavana had four aunts and all four of them lived within a hour’s drive away from Bhavana’s house.
Bhavana was worried about the essay on G7 summit. She had not written it as well as she wanted to. It did not sound intellectual enough and there ought to be a few more pages.
Bhavana’s mother went upstairs. Bhavana’s father went to Bhavana’s grandfather’s room. Bhavana went to her own room. She sat in front of her G7 essay. Soon her father would come to her room and look at her essay. Bhavana was a bit nervous.
She could hear conversation from her grandfather’s room. Her grandfather and father were talking.
Soon her father came to Bhavana’s room. Did you finish the essay my child?
Without saying anything Bhavana gave the paper in which she wrote the essay to her father.
Her father sat on a chair near the table and started reading the essay.
At the end of page 1 her father said, “Very good, my child.”
Ok, Bhavana said.
Her father turned the page and saw that the next page was incomplete.
Ok finish it later. He kept the essay on her table.
In this way if you practice all these questions and answers there is no reason why you should not be successesful in all these entrance tests.
Bhavana was relieved. She had escaped. Either he did not notice that she had not finished the essay or if he did he did not scold her.
Her father stood up and walked out of the room. Bhavana went to her grandfather’s room and asked him if he would wake her up at 5 am the next morning. Her grandfather woke up at 5 am every day and if there were tests in her school he always woke her up early so she could study.
Ok, I will call you at 5 tomorrow.
Bhavana went to bed. She turned to her side and pulled her knees up to her chin to sleep. That position made her feel cozy.
After a few minutes her father came to her room.
Why are you sleeping like that, Bhavana. That is very bad. Stretch your legs and sleep, Bhavana’s father said.
Bhavana stretched her legs. Bhavana’s father unfolded a blanket from the foot of the bed and covered her.
Good night my child.
Good night.
Bhavana watched the fan going round in circles. She thought about Nirvana and the incomplete G7 essay and how she had to complete it the next day. She was sad she had wasted a lot of time in conversing with Nirvana. It was only the story of a movie. She ought to have told her that she would call later and worked on her essay. She thought of her classmate Bindu who always came first in every subject. Bindu once told her that she got first in all the subjects because she slept only for 2 or three hours. She studied all night. If Bhavana wanted to she could just now instead of going to sleep wake up and finish her G7 essay. Then she could become like Bindu. Then her father would be very happy and surprised at seeing her dedication to excel and succeed in all the tests. Bhavana slept until her grandfather called her. Bhavana, Bhavana, wake up. Bhavana opened her eyes to see her grandfather standing in her room wearing a white shirt and white mundu. He wore a vendinga and a rosary. He held his walking stick. Yes, Appapa, thank you, Bhavana said rubbing her eyes. Her grandfather walked out of the room slowly.
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