Madhava!

Madhava!​

Vasudha was getting ready to go to the airport to bring home her son Madhavan, who had come to Chennai from the USA yesterday and he was coming to Trichy by flight today from Chennai.Vasu was excited ,she was going to see her only son after five years.It was five years since Madhavan went to the States. For some reason or other he could not make a trip to India all these years,now atlast he has come on a month’s leave.
She was giving last minute insructions to Alamu, the cook who was wih her since Madhavan was a small child and was getting ready to leave for the airport when the door bell rang.Vasumathi.opened the door and her elder brother Ranga alias Ranganathan was standing there with his characteristic smile .Vasu was happy to see her elder brother but something troubled her.She hid her thoughts behind a smile and welcomed her brother.​

Ranga sat down ,drank the icecold butter milk offered by Vasu and that was his favourire and proceeded to talk to Vasudha.​

“Vasu,so Madhavan is coming today?”​

“Yes,Anna.Infact Iam going to the airport to bring him home.”Vasu loked at her watch.​

Ranga got the message.​

“Vasu,I won’t detain you.You told me over phone that Madhavan will be coming on a month’s leave,no?I thought that we should finalise a date for Madhavan and Kothai’s marriage.Even in Srirangam, it is difficult to get a marriage mandapam at a short notice.I have consulted our family astrologer and he has given a few dates .Shall I show you those days?”Ranga took out a diary from his bag and would have proceeded to read out the dates but Vasudha stopped him from doing so.​

“Anna,I want to tell you something”said Vasudha with a little bit of hesitation.Something in her tone troubled Ranga and he put the diary back in his bag ,and looked at his sister.
“Anna,Madhavan is not the same young man who left Trichy five years back and went abroad.He has changd a lot.Today he is not simply Madhavan,he is Dr,Madhavan.He has got doctorate in his subject.He has become very modern Anna.
I gave you some of his photos ,have you seen those photos?I will show you some more.”She opened he handbag and took out an envelope containing some photos and handed the envelope to Ranga, who took one look at them and returned them to Vasudha.​

“Anna,have you seen the girls standing next to him in the photos?They are his colleagues.They are also doctorates .Madhavan’s speech,his accent,the way he dresses, everything has changed,Anna.I think that Kodhai will not be the right girl for him.
Madhavan has to marry a girl who is also highly qualified like him,he will want only that”She looked at her brother whose face had bcome ashen in colour.Her heart melted for her brother.​

“Anna,we both desired that Madhavan and Kothai will mary and be happy and we would also have been at peace, knowing well that our children will bind our families.But now after seeing Madhavan’s progress in life and the changes in him, I feel that he would not be happy to marry Kothai and Kothai will not be happy in this marriage.Do you think she would be able to cope up with life in the States?No,she will not be.Anna,Kothai is my daughter.I have already seen some good alliances for her.We will get her married into a nice, well to do family in our place only,Anna.You will also be happy when your daughter is near you and you can see her whenever you want.”Vasudha stopped.​

Ranga continued sitting there for sometime.Then he got up.He did not say anything.His self respect prevented him from telingl his sister that his daughter’s heart would break if she came to know htat she would not be Madhavan’s wife in future.​

“Ok,Vasu,thank God, you told me your decision now atleast.I will take leave”so saying he left her house.​

When Vasudha got into the car and started driving,her heart was also trembling.She loved her brother Ranga as a father figure and she also loved Kodhai ,Ranga’s daughter and her niece. Kodhai was a very sweetnatured,beautiful girl no doubt,but she was only a graduate and all her life she had lived in Srirangam.She would make an excellent home maker, but she would not know how to converse in flawless English with Madhavan’s colleagues and friends,she would not know how to mingle with his colleagues, thought Vasu and parked the car in the parking place at the airport.She approached the exit way through which the passengers had to come out and began to wait for the announcement that the flight from Chennai had arrived.​

Ranga was sitting in the bus, as always he looked out for a window seat and sat down .He loved to watch the green fields,the banana gardens sitting at the window seat.He was born and brought up in Srirangam.In this fifty five years, he would have travelled by this bus from Sriranhgam to Trichy and Trichy to srirangam countless number of times.But so far he never got tired of watching the scenic beauty that lay between Srirangam and Trichy.His hands would do a namaskar when Trichy malai kottai pillaiyar temple could be seen at a distance.His heart would melt and his would bow in reverence whenever he set his eyes on Tirvanaikoil temple.But this time his eyes were rivetted to the sights that sped past him but his heart was elsewhere.His face had become small,his heart was heavy and it was with difficulty that he restrained the tears from coming down.​

“I feel that he would not be happy to marry Kodhai and Kodhai will not be happy in this marriage”
Vasudha’s words rang in his ears continuously.His chest ached,he closed his eyes and allowed his mind to take a trip in the past.​

Srinivasan was a well known lawyer in Trichy.His wife was Alamelu.They had a son and daughter,Ranganathan and Vasudha.Srinivasans brought up their children very well giving them strong values and principles.Vasudha finished her school final,she had grown into a beauty and Srinivasan got many proposals from well to do parents for Vasudha.They got her married to Sarangan,a doctor by profession .Ranganathan finished B.COM and he got a job in a private firm, immediately after he finished writing his final examination. He got married in a couple of years and life was smooth for Srinivasans,may be God did not want it that way.Vasudha’s husband died of a massive heart attack.By that time Vasudha had a baby boy,Madhavan.Vasudha, a courageous girl by nature, preferred to stay back in Trichy.She concentrated all her energy in bringing up her only son Madhavan.Madhavan was her focus in life.She was keen that he should become somebody in life and should be an achiever.
Srinivasans who were broken hearted on seeing their only daughter as a widow,died one after the other ina few years.Ranga, Vasudha’s elder brother who doted on Vasudha became a father figure to Vasudha as well as to Madhavan.​

Ranganathan would insist that Vasudha bring Madhavan to Srisrangam for summer holidays.Ranga’s lovely daughter Kodhai, a couple of years younger to Madhavan was very attached to Madhavan and Madhavan considered Kodhai his best friend.Whenever Vasudha and Madhavan came to Srirangam,Madhavan and kodhai would spend all their waking hours together.They would go to the temple together,they would sit on the banks of river kaveri,and tell stories to each other.At home Madhavan would share with her the magic tricks that he lernt from his friends.He would teach her maths, in which subject Kodhai was weak.Similarly when Kodhai went to Madras for short holidays with her father and mother,Vasudha and Madhavan would shower their love and affection on her.May be Kodhai was not that lucky a girl,why did Kodhai’s mother Alamelu die of a simple flu fever.Ranga was shattered.Vasudha and Madhavan stood by Ranga and Kodhai.Time flew.Madhavan had finished his plus two and he had joined Engineering college in Ranchi.His visits to Sriangam grew less and less frequent, since he was in hostel in the college premises he had so much to study.Kodhai was in teh first year of B.A.Madhavan came to Srirangam after a couple of years.He had grown into a very handsome young man.Kodhai was not the little girl full of chatter anymore.She had blossomd into a beauty. Madhavan’s heart stoppd beating for a second on seeing this beauty,Kodhai blushed red in the cheeks and refused to look him in the eye.​

Even when they were small,th elders in the family used to make fun of them.
“Look at Kodhai,she is following her future husband like his shadow.Look at Madhavan he takes such good care of his wife tobe “,were the common dialogues, spoken by the relatives and friends.Madhavan and Kodhai appeared not to have paid attention to this dialogue at all.But now, when Madhavan looked at Kodhai who was serving him food,all those dialogues were remembered by him,vividly.He smiled at Kodhai who went inside th kitchen,smiling and blushing and she refused to come out .for quite sometime.​

Vasudha was very attached to kodhai and she told her brother on many occasions,”Anna,Once Madhavan finishes his eduction and gets a job,we will celebrate the marriage of Madhavan and Kodhai.After Kodhai comes to my house as my daughter in law,I will close my eyes peacefuuly”​

Ranga felt the same way.He was very fond of Madhavan, whom he had actually seen growing up in front of his eyes.H considered Madhavan,a gem of a boy.Apart from being brilliant in studies he valued our traditions, our culture.When he recited Pasurams,one would not want to get up from that place.He was a very courteous boy.Ranga thought that Kodhai must be very lucky to marry this gem of a boy.He knew that his daughter had only Madhavan in her heart.He knew that he was the one and only person she would marry.Now it was his duty to break her the news that her aunt Vasudha was looking out for another well educated modern girl for her son.​

“How would she take it?” wondered the father. He reached home.He observed that Kodhai was waiting for him with bated breath.Even in the morning when he left for Trichy,she was excited even though she tried not to show her emotionsShe knew that her father was going to broach the subject of her and Madhavan’s marriage with her aunt,She knew that the astrologer had given her father a few days.Her heart developed wings and flew to Trichy.”What did athai tell Appa,which date have they finalized upon?How is Madhavan?How does he look now,did he ask about me?Her father guessed the thoughts that were going on in his daughter’s mind.​

He sat in the easychair in the hall.Kodhai brought a tumler full of cold water.Ranga kept the tumble aside.His heart was broken,he did not know how to break the news to his daughter.He looked at his wife’s photo that was hanging in the hall.
“Alamu,if you were alive,I would have asked you to tell your daughter the news and you would have told her very nicely.You are lucky,you escaped this pain,you don’t have to see your daughter crumbling in front of your eyes.”Ranga’s eyes misted.Kodhai who was tanding in the hall against a table, thought that her father was worried about her going away to the States after her marriage.Her eyes also misted.​

“Kodhai,I have a good news for you,amma.”Kodhai’s cheeks gained colour.
“Your athai has started looking for Madhavan’s marriage .She feels that he should marry a girl who is highly qualified like him.Madhavan is a doctorate now,you see.So she is trying to get a suitable alliance for him and the marriage will take place in a month’s time before Madhavan leaves for the States.​

Kodhai stood there transfixed like a statue.One would not have been able to say if she was breathing.Her senses bcame numb,her heart almost stopped beating,her world crashed and she was a pathetic sight.After a few minutes ,she tried to bring her feelings under her control,she gathered her pride and self respect that was her fine characteristic,she went to the backyard,the garden. ​

She went and sat on the washing stone that was near the well.Her face reddened ,tears started flowing down her cheeks and her slender body shok when she sobbed.​

“Ma….”cried the cow Lakshmi that was tied in the cowshed.Lakshmi was Kodhai’s friend, very close friend.She used to share all her thoughts,fears,anxities more than that she used to share with her the joys also.She used to whisper to Lakshmi about Madhavan,the love she carried in her heart for himShe used to ask Lakshmi repeatedly,”Once I marry Madhavan and go away,will you take care of my father?”Lakshmi would nod her head as if she understood her words and the shining brass bells that were tied to her neck with a velvet rope would gingle and say,”yes,yes”Lakshmi bore witness to the many tender conversations that Madhavan and Kodhai held in the garden,Kodhai standing near the well and Madhavan sitting on the washng stone.​

Lakshmi could not bear to see Kodhai crying. So she cried out to her.Kodhai went near lakshmi,buried her face in Lakshm’s neck and wept.Lakshmi licked her face ,consoled her.
“Lakhmi, my Madhavan is going to marry somebody else.Do you think he has forgotten me?Is it possible that he has forgottn me?Tell me ,Lakshmi”Kodhai wept,Lakshmi stood mute,amall tear drops filling her eyes.​

There was that Parijatham tree ,right opposite the washing stone.It was evening and the small white flowers with deep red stems had bloomed.The divine fragrance of those flowers drifted in the air surrounding the tree.Kodhai went near the tree,caught hold of its trunk and looked at the tree.It was under this tree that Madhavan and Kodhai spoke their hearts out to each other many years back.She was a sixteen year old girl wearing a green colour silk pavadai and matching blouse and dhavani.The jimkkis studded with white and red stones, shone aginst her golden colour skin.There was a shy smile on her lips and her eyes were twinkling.Madhavan in his white dhothi and blue coloured bush shirt looked vey handsome.He could not and would not take his eyes off this pretty girl whom he loved dearly.​

Madhavan went near the parijatham tree .Kodhai followed him and stood near the tree. Suddenly, Madhavan shook the branches and the divine flowers fell down covering their heads .Kodhai looked at him and said with mock anger,”Oh,my God,I reseve thse flowers for tomorrow’s puja,you,know?” Madhavan laughed,”That’s alright Kodhai,these flowers have done a better thing I say,they have blessed us”his eyes twinkled in mischief,Kodhai blushed and turned her face away. ​

When Madhavan finished his Engineeing course and went abroad to continue his studies,he came to take his uncle’s blessings and to bid goodbye toKodhai.Then also,it was under this tree that they both stood and talked.Kodhais eyes had become red and swollen.She had been crying silently since the past two days.Madhavan was going abroad,she won’t be able to see him,for God knows how long.How would she survive without seeing him,her jov and teh light of her life?Madhavan was also distraught, but he had to go, to continue his studies that would help him become somebody in life . He knew that Kodhai would become his wife once he finished his studies and got a good job.​

“Kodhai,look at me.This separation is only for a couple of years,my dear.Once I finish my studies, I will come,we will get married and if we want, we can go there or I can get a good job here also.Don’t cry,you make me sad.”​

Kodhai did not even look at him for a few seconds.Then she looked up at him,smiled and said bye to him with tears rolling down her cheeks.​

Kodhai remembered all this as if they happened only yesterday.Her heart ached,”Is it possible that Madhavan will be marrying some other girl?”.​

Madhavan looked at his mother who was driving the car.He was stunned to see the changes in his mother.She had cut her thick long hair short,bruhsed the hair and held it with a hair clip.She was wearing a cotton saree that looked deceptively simple,but even Madhavan knew that the saree would have cost a lot.Mild make up had made her shde a few years,They reached home.​

Porridge,toasts.home made jams , sweetened milk in a glass jar and a bowl with fresh fruit invited him to the dining table.Madhavan went round the house,his room was done very tastefully right from the wc to the round bed and mattresses,the rug on the floor and a full length mirror on the wall!Some beautiful,expensive curios ecorated the room.Madhavan whistle.His mother had spared no effort or money to please her son ,who had returned from abroad.​

Once they sat in the sofa,Madhavan asked his mother,”Amma,how is Ranga mama,you have not told me at all.”​

“Madhava,he is fine ,both mama and Kodhai are a fine. I told mama to look out for a nice boy for Kodhai,I told him that he should look for a family in South only,so that she will be near her father.Mama can go and see her whenever he wants.Madhava,I would like to take care of all the marriage expenses.She is our girl,she is like my daughter.”Vasu’s voice broke,Madhavan noddedh is head and changed the conversation.​

“Amma,my best friend Keerthi is getting married.He also came with me from the States now,you know?I have to attend his marriage which is going to be held at Tanjore.Amma.shall I take the car,four of my friends are coming with me.”​

“By all means Madhava,engage a driver,you don’t drive the car”
Madhavn smiled and said,”Yes,amma”​

Kodhai was lighting the lamp in front of the Tulasi plant.While lighting the lamp, she was reciting the shloka that her father had taught her,vilakku sthoram.She closed her eyes and prayed to the Tulasi,”Amma,if my love for Madhavan is pure,if it is true that he is the only man in my heart, please unite me with him.I just can not marry anyone else,you know that ,don’t you?’Her eys were full of tears.She did not hear the knock on the main door the first time,when the knock came again,she rushed to open the door,opened it and time stood still for her.Madhavan stood before with that bewitching smile,the smile that had mesmerized her.​

“Won’t you ask me to come in,Kodhai?”Kodhai regained her senses and her self respect as well.
:Oh,yes.Please come in”sh said with out faltering,made him sit in the hall and Raga came in .​

Ranga and Madhavan were talking to each other for a few minutes.Madhavan cleared his throat and told his uncle,”Mama,with your permission,please may I speak with Kodhai for a few minutes?”Ranga was quiet for a second and then nodded his head.”It is better that Madhavan comforts her with the news of his marriage.Poor girl may come to her senses”,thought the father and said,”Yes.”​

Kodhai stood near the parijatham tree,the tree that blessed them shedding flowers on them.Madhavan came and stood near her.Kodhai smiled and put out her hand.
“Come ,where is your marriage invitation?Give me the invitation.”Her voice faltered a little.​

Madhavan kept looking at her.”Kodhai,it is not so simple to show you the marriage invitation,you know.First, I and my mother have to finalise the matter and the design,your father has to apporve ,finally the bride has to approve,for without your approval, how can I give it for printing?”Madhavan’s eyes had that ever mischievous smile while Kodhai looked at him with total disbelief,then she cried and wept unconsolably.​

Madhavan kept looking at her ,his eyes had reddened,but he still smiled.
“Kodhai,I know everything.My mother told your father that she was looking out for an alliance for me.Thats all,you thought that I would consent to marry another girl?On the otherhand,if teh whole world had knocked on my door and told me,”Madhava,Kodhai is marrying some other boy,I would not have beleived it for a second.How did you come to the conclusion that I will marry whomever my mother wants me to marry,is this what you know about me?But I know you well,Kodhai.Remember,you told me one day, “Like Andal who was born in this world only to marry Ranganatha,Iam born in this world only to marry you”Do you think I will forget my Kodhai?”​

Kodhai’s sobs could be heard in the hall.Ranga who felt that Kodhai was broken hearted just sat there waiting for Madhavan to go so that he could console his daughter.
Madhavan wanted to gather Kodhai in his arms,hold her tightly and wipe her tears with his hands.But the values that were instilled in him right from childhood and ihs manliness made him control himself.
Kodhai wanted to go near him,bury her face in his chest,cyr and cry and find solace in his arms.But the culture, the upbringing that she had got from her father prevented her from moving from her place.​

Madhvan took his uncle aside and spoke with him for a few minutes.Then he took leave of his uncle and Kohai and left.​

Vasu was in the garden watering the plants when sMadhavan’s friendcame to her house.He gave her an envlope and said,”Mami,Madhavan has left for Tanjore.He asked me to hand over this letter to you,personally.”​

He went away.​

Vasu came inside and opened the envelope.​

“Amma.you may be surprised to get this letter from me.I wanted to tell you so much.But I just could not talk to you about all that I wanted to tell you.I was afraid that I would become emotional.​

Amma, you may think that my stay in the States has changed me in all aspects.My colour has ligtened no doubt.But I had no control over it.The way I dress has changed,again I had to change that also.​

But Amma,I have remained the same Madhavan, who left for United States five years back.My heart has remained the same,my attitude towards life and people have remained the same.​

Amma,do you remember you taught me to recite Vishnu Sahasranamam.Well I don’t leave for work without reciting Vishnu sahasranamam every day.I light the lamp in my puja room and offer prasadam to God every day. You taught me that I have to remain true to my heart,my feelings .Amma, I have been brought up by you,you are my mother my guru,I follow whatever you have taught me.​

Amma, the people who are precious to me ,remain precious to me even now.I deeply love the girl who entered my heart long time back.Yes,Iam referring to Kodhai only.My love for her has not changed at all.There are other girls who are my colleagues,my friends and I look at them as my friends, nothing less and nothing more.
There is, there will always be, only Kodhai in my heart and in my life.You will be happy to know,that she also feels the same way about me.We are really made for each othr.So,please go ahead with your preparations for our marriage.​

PS:Amma,I still love the vathal kuzhambu,paruppu thuvaiyal you used to make for me and serve me with roasted appalam.​

Your son
Madhavan​

Vasudha began to shed tears, even when she started reading the letter.By the time she came to the end she was weeping.
She called out to Alamu.
“Alamu.Madhavan is coming back tomorrow early morning.Tell the maid to wash the frontyard nicely.I want to draw the kolam,you know the festive kolam we draw for marriages.”Alamu looked at Vasu with surprise​

Vasudha laughed aloud looking at Alamu’s perplexity.​

“Alamu,my son has agreed to marry.Very soon the marriage is going to take place.Both of us have lot of work to do,Alamu.We have to be very brisk.I haveto buy sarees for the bride and the groom and the others.I have to arrange for a grand reception here,I have to….”Alamu intercepted her.
“But,mami who is the bride?”​

“What,you are asking me as if you don’t know.Ofcourse my niece Kodhai is the bride.”
For a minute Alamu forgot that she was only a cook.She embraced Vasu and said,”Mami,Iam so happy,so happy.Kodhai is the right girl to be your daughter in law.”Alamu became very motional.​

Vasudha is sitting on the sofa in her hall.She has closed her eyes,Madhavan and Kodhai are standing before her,wearing garlands as bridegroom and bride.They look like The Nachiyar and Rangamannar.Her eyes are filled with tears,tears of bliss,happiness. ​

 

My dear dar leena,
Thank you for your valuable comment.I wrote this story,I enjoyed narrating the story,but you have analised it so beautifully.
Yes,my good friend failure in love is devastating,that too when love happens at a tender age and does not culminate in marriage,it is truly a tragedy.

Madhavan and Kodhai fortunately would become husband and wife.
love
mithila kannan

 

My dear dream girl,

Thank you for being the first to give me a feed back on this story.

Some people do change once thy had stayed abroad for some years.Their accent,their preferences in food,their likes and dislikes may change.But the love that was lit in their hearts years ago should not be put out.


Madhavan remains true to the love he carries in his heart and Kodhai is one lucky girl,don't you think so?
Thank you dear.Once again.
love
mithila kannan

 

My dear premsudha,
Thank you for that excellent feed back from you.

Even till date i maintain a practise that during festive occassions as far as possible would try to get plaintain leaf and eat in that, andha sugame thanee

On reading that line my heart went out to you.Do you know that even we don't do that ,living here.Hats off to you.
I have heard people say that if you want to see Indian culture kept on a high pedestal and cherished,we should go abroad where our Indians have settled having made their homes there.I think that is right.

love

mithila kannan