'Mappillai Murukku!' or was it .....'

Dear Friends,
I am not sure how many of you would have come across such an incident described below.
I was not physically present in the wedding but my elder brother was.
This was the marriage of his colleague - who was a good personal friend as well.
I would certainly vouch for the happenings - as told by my brother.
Pl read on.
Cheers!
Rrg
1st Episode : http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77419-kalyanaththil-galatta.html
2nd Episode: http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77811-neer-enna-periya-idhuva-k.html

3rd Episode : "Kalyanaththil Galatta"

'Mappillai Murukku!' or was it .....' ​

Year :1965.
Place : Trichy
SN was a close friend of my brother, employed in a major bank as a clerk. Decent looking chap. He had a widowed mother.
His marriage got fixed with the girl from a village near Trichy. Her father was the village 'Kanakkup Pillai' or something.
The marriage was being conducted in the village itself, taking 2 adjoining houses alongwith with the bride's one for this purpose.
One house was meant for the groom's party. Marriage ceremony was being conducted in the other one.
Each of those houses had big pyols (thinnai) on which people could sleep as also 3 levels of halls (koodams) inside.
The entire street was covered with Pandals and all the villagers were seen actively participating in the function - after all bride's father was a VIP in the village.

The problems started on the 1st day it self. The girl's father (GF) had agreed for a varadakshinai of Rs 3500 as against the groom's mother's demand of Rs.5000. He had paid the first instalment of Rs.2000 earlier and had promised to pay the balance during Nichyathartham ceremony (before Janavasam). When he offered Rs.1500 during engagement, boy's mother (BM) got cheesed off. She declared that unless Rs. 1500 more was handed over before morning, the boy will not participate in the 'Kasai yathirai' even. There was tension all around.
GF & his relatives tried to convince her in vain. They approached the groom expecting him to be reasonable. But he was categorical in that he would go with whatever his mother decided. The bride's uncle & other relatives convinced GF over night that at this juncture they had no other go. It was then decided to ask for a week's time to mobilise the amount.

Next morning when bride's parents and uncle went to the groom's residence they were pleasantly surprised to find the groom dressed & ready for 'kasi yathirai'. They thought that perhaps BM had a change of heart after all. But soon they realised that it was not so. BM was adamant that unless the money was paid, the groom would not step out of the house. Bride's party discussed amongst themselves and put across a request for a week's time for paying the balance amount. But, BM retorted that since GF was not fulfilling his original commitment of payment of full amount before engagement, she also decided not to go by her original commitment. When she agreed for a dowry of Rs. 5000 the groom was only a clerk. As, in the interim he had been promoted a Head Clerk, she demanded a motorcycle in addition - both the money & motor cycle to reach them before Muhurtham.

This was too much for GF. He begged of them to be reasonable as his daughter's life was involved. He said he would certainly meet all their demands within the next couple of months and asked them not to precipitate anything then. BM was not in a mood to listen & the groom turned the other side.
More GF begged, more they acted high & mighty. It was then BM made an unfortunate remark that she could not appreciate asto why such "kaiyalagathavargal" try to marry into such good families like hers. This was the last straw.

There was a change in BF.
"Is that your final decision, madam?" he asked.
She nodded looking up at the ceiling.
He asked the groom,"How about you, Sir?". The groom replied that there was nothing more to be said.
"Then why the hell are you sitting here still?" BF asked.
Both the groom & his mother were shocked. "What do you mean?", groom demanded confused.
"You both leave behind whatever I had given you so far and get out of the house right now" was the response.
"What?"
"Yes, the marriage is called off. Get out & get lost".
"Uncle , have you thought about the consequences.... " the groom tried reasoning.
"What Uncle? I am no uncle of any rascals."
" But the life of your daughter... "
"How the hell are you concerned? I could as well push her into a disused well and jump along with her, instead of marrying her off into the family of greedy ghosts like you both"
Noticing the unexpected development, initially BM was stunned. She recovered herself in time and rushed to girl's mother, who was standing nearby crying uncontrollably, covering her face with saree thalaippu. BM made an attempt to appeal to her good senses to ask her husband to see reason.
But even before she could open her mouth GF reacted, "Why are you running around like a cat which has just delivered kitten, old woman? Could you not understand what I told you? I spoke in Tamil only. Leave everything that I had given you people for marriage and leave this house forth with. I will give you 10 minutes. Otherwise, I will ask my people to throw you both out, after confiscating your belongings. Understand?"
He then looked at the groom and roared, "Remove this dhoti & slippers also and wear your old, torn ones before leaving. My men will be here in 10 minutes. Also remember, from now on, through out your life, my people would keep watching your movements like eagles and ensure that no girl's father in his right senses gives his daughter in marriage to you. You rascal will remain a bachelor throughout".
With that threat GF abruptly left the house, with his wife & her brother in tow.

The groom's party was shocked.
On their behalf, my brother was asked to go to GF carrying peace message that the groom was very much concerned about the bride and so was prepared to accept the balance money & motor bike over the next couple of months as earlier proposed.
But my brother, who from the beginning was advising them against BM's demands was willing to try iff they were prepared to gave him a free hand - which could mean that even Rs 1500 that GF was willing to pay earlier could be lost. The groom was keen on getting married and was prepared to agree to any conditions so long as the marriage could be brought back on rails.

My brother met GF and tried to mellow him down. But he was not ready to risk his daughter in the hands of such treacherous beings who could change their colour without compunction. No amount of pleadings by my brother could help. GF instead proposed my brother marrying his daughter, which he politely refused.
Meanwhile, realising the import of GF's calling off the marriage, bride's relatives were also shocked. They immediately talked it over amongst themselves and came up with a suggn of marrying the bride to GF's cousin sister's son. Neither GF's cousin & husband nor their son had any objection, incase GF & the bride were willing. This boy was a teacher in a High School in Trichy. GF was doubly willing and I don't think the girl was in any state of mind to think.

My brother rushed to the groom's place 'breaking news' of the latest development. On hearing this, the groom himself came rushing to GF seeking pardon for his actions. Perhaps GF would have agreed had the new development not taken place. He categorically asked the groom and his mother to leave the place without any further delay. As regards other guests in the groom's party, he gave an open invitation to be present at the wedding and leave after partaking lunch.
I don't think anyone stayed back.

The groom was met at Trichy bus stand by many his colleagues who were coming for the muhurtham. They were shocked to see him there, instead of at the mandap. He had a different story to tell them that he had called off the wedding when he came to know that the girl was interested in her aunt's son. However, it did not take long for the truth to spread in the office, as there were quite a few witnesses from the office as well.

Whether it was only the curse of GF or he really acted on his threat I don't know. For the next 6 years, whatever alliance came up for SN, all fizzled out at the last minute. Finally, he managed to marry a girl in a simple ceremony in a temple with neither any fanfare nor dowry.
Only very few attended his marriage, including my brother.
Thus the "Mamanaar Murukku" proved more potent than "Mappilai Murukku".


Anbudan,
RRG

PS:
SN became father of two daughters.
With my elder brother passing away in 1995, we lost touch with him.
He would perhaps have realised by now what is it to be the father of a girl - hopefully.
Does this incident sound like a movie script? Many a times we realise 'facts are stranger than fiction'. May be such happenings only get developed into movie scripts.
Cheers!
Rrg

 

Dear Meenu, Mythraeyi, Janani, Natpudan & Lalitha,
Thanks for your FB & comments.
In fact, no body, including the grroom, expected the marriage to be called off. But, it shows the extent to which the girl's father felt pushed.
Infact, in this case the groom became the centre of redicule in his office - ala "pona machchan thirumbi vandhan Komanath thoda".
For all that the groom & his mother invited the situation upon themselves due to their greed.
I am sure they had learnt a bitter lesson in the end.
Cheers,
Rrg