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Mythili, 'Ennai' Kathali!

Discussion in 'Stories (Fiction)' started by Rrg, Jul 24, 2009.

  1. Rrg

    Rrg Gold IL'ite

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    Dear All,
    This is a story that has both autobiographical element as well as some exaggertion, for making it readable.
    I am aware that this thread would have more meaning for readers under relationship with spouse section. But, as it is not entirely a true story, I am posting it under short story section and leave it to the moderators for taking a call.
    Best Rgds,
    Rrg
    ------------------
    Mythili, 'Ennai' Kathali!

    (Mythili, please love "ME")​

    "Mythili! Readiya?", was my first appeal to My (Mythili's pet name), my beloved, "It is getting late".
    There was no response. Not that I was expecting any.
    My was busy adjusting her saree in front of the dressing table, a safety pin firmly entrenched between her teeth, humming to herself - "Ennai vittu odi poga mudiyuma.... Mudiyuma...." ( Can you ever run away from me..). I knew that I can't. :)
    Infact, I also knew, from my experience that unless I emit atleast 3 such distress calls, My would not budge from the dressing table. I looked at my watch & made a mental note for belching out the next alarm after 3 minutes sharp- like our pressure cooker does. My's mom, my MIL, had effectively taught My to reduce the flame to 'sim' after 3 whistles and then to switch off the stove 10 minutes thereafter, to bring the rice to 'padham' - well & truly cooked. Perhaps, it had an inner meaning as well - that men, like rice cookers, need to generate enough steam from within, over a period -to well & truly get cooked /matured as husbands. :rotfl
    After 3 such calls, I got her summon "indha Dacca saree madippu seriya vizhamattengarathu. (This Dacca saree's fall is not OK). Would you mind helping me by folding it down below and adjusting the pleat, bottom up?"
    I know my next assignment would be to fold the pallu properly, with uniform madippu (fold) of 8 inches wide, that should freely fall from her shoulder downwards and then to pin the pallu to the blouse, the safety-pin not to be seen from outside. Thereafter, I must gently pull the bottom of the saree at the back, to hide the petti-coat completely. I had become an expert at this vocation. Ofcourse, only her starched cotton sarees called for my help. Otherwise she managed herself.:)
    I remember the first time I obliged My with this saree pleat business, a few days after our marriage. In order to impress her with my sincerity, I perhaps literally overbent myself, to fold her frontal pleats. My mother, who happened to pass by, mistook it for my doing namaskaram to Mythili before our going out and was shocked beyond words. It called for 'hellua lot' of explanations to mom. Thereafter, I was very particular to close the door before attempting any such exercise.
    Lesson learnt the hard way! :)

    I bounced back from my reverie, when Mythili announced that she would be ready in a moment and asked me to start the car. I was participating in a competition that evening wherein the contestants were required to speak ex-tempore on a given topic. This was being held as a part of our organisation's Founder's day celebrations. I had two tough competitors in Ganesh, who had joined our office recently- about whose oratory abilities I had no clues and Ramanujam, our accountant, who was winner on the last two occasions. I wanted to reach the venue well before commencement of the function, to spy on my competitors activities / preparations. It was not to be, courtesy finishing touches to Maithili's make-up. We managed to reach the venue just at the nick of time.

    The function started on time. After the usual preliminaries, ours was the first programme on the main agenda. We were asked to speak on any topic that was close to our hearts and were given few minutes for organising our thoughts. As per lots drawn, Ramanujam was the first speaker, myself the fourth and Ganesh the last of the five contestants. Other two contestants were "oppukku chappani, orukku mankottai" type - just for filling up the slots. Ramanujam spoke on Mathematics as the subject being close to his heart. I noticed that the panel of judges consisting of 3 ladies, the wives of - our Chairman and two senior Directors - were bored stiff.
    It was a pleasing sight to behold. :)

    I knew Mrs. Chairman had a weakness for astrology and decided to impress her with my knowledge on the subject. I was well aware that her decision would be decisive one. I did my best and was pleased to see that I had made a good impression on her. :)
    Then it was Ganesh's turn. He did the unexpected - by announcing that it was 'his wife' that was close to his heart. He started off with how the wives sacrifice their whole life for the welfare of the family and deliberated upon what he considered the duty of every husband - to worship their respective wives, placing her on top of a gopuram etc. He signed off saying that he could never bring himself around even to think of uttering harsh words at anyone as the thought could first hurt his beloved wife residing in his heart, mind and soul. All the wives, including Mythili & the panel of judges were looking at G with so much of adoration, there was no need for any formal announcement of the results. I knew the blighter was bluffing his way to glory, for a mere prize. :rant
    I would not have minded had everything ended there. But it was not to be. It became "kinaru vetta, Boodham purappatta kadhai" - You dig a well for getting drinking water and end up releasing a boodham that goes after you, no holds barred. From that day onwards Mythili started comparing me with Ganesh and lamenting on - how her father had pushed her into a 'paazhum kinaru' (disused well) in the name of marriage; how the husbands all over the world, excepting hers, were eagerly waiting for their wife's 'kann asaivu' (eye movement ) to fulfill their desires so expressed & implied; so on & so forth.
    The pidungals (bickerings) became so acute, for no rhyme or reason, that I decided to take her to Ganesh's house to see the reality for herself.
    I always suspected G to be a liar and never expected him to be of even half as useful as I was in the house. He would not even bend to tie his shoe lace, leave alone folding & holding his wife's saree religiously, every 5 inches for frontal and every 8 inches for pallu pleats.
    So we made it to Ganesh's house one fine day. As expected, all through our visit, that lazy bum never shifted his backside out of the sofa on which he was perched and was ordering his so called 'close to his heart' wife around even for switching the fan on or attending the door bell. The poor creature was running around like nobody's business and I really felt sorry for her. I was appalled at G's hypocrisy. :rant
    Seeing that G's wife remained in the kitchen most of the time, My joined her there for some small talk.
    Thereafter, on my blunt querying, Ganesh felt embarrassed and confessed that his speech the other day was true to his intentions but that he could never practice them in real life. So, in order to keep his wife in good humour and his conscience clear, he made it a point to present her with some decent gifts on occasions like her b'day, wedding anniversary etc. He uttered it in a very low voice so that neither his wife nor mine would perceive his embarrassment.
    I did not mince my words when I told him that the intentions were useless unless accompanied by one's will to practice them and that no amount of monetary showering could match a spontaneous loving gesture towards one's partner. I deliberately uttered my comment aloud for both the wives, who were in the kitchen, to hear. Atlast, I was convinced that after today's revelation, My would be back to her earlier self, wherein her expectations were not far beyond my reach and heaved a sigh of relief.

    On our way back, I asked My whether she heard what transpired between me and Ganesh. She said that she heard it loud and clear and announced, "I am happy that we came to their house today. What a nice gentleman G proved to be! I heard Ganesh telling you that he kept inventing occasions for showering his wife with gifts throughout the year. I hope atleast now you improve and get me the diamond necklace I had been asking for, for my birthday next month". :drowning
    I had heard of selective hearing, but never ever dreamt it to be so selective. After five years of husbanding, there I stood - partly matured or 'half baked' as the case may be and partly exposed / confused.
    All the same, I learnt the hard way that "Wives are like washing machines; They twist, turn and knock you around; In the end you come out cleaner (in your pockets), Brighter (in your thinking excuses) and better than before (as an husband overall)" - an important message to be passed down to my son.
    I was reminded of the Dutch proverb:
    "The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials."
    I dusted myself up and recommenced my march towards being a perfect husband. :rotfl

    Anbudan,
    Rrg
     
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  2. Sriniketan

    Sriniketan IL Hall of Fame

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    Sir,
    Enjoyed it to the core..
    Especially loved the lines where you compared pressure cooker and husband.
    It relates to all, isn't it!

    Selective hearing..:biglaughGood My!
    Spontaneous loving gesture to one's partner is the key...I got it! :thumbsup

    sriniketan
     
  3. sundarusha

    sundarusha Gold IL'ite

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    Dear Sir

    That was a refreshing post to read! From the pressure cooker analogy, the pleats on the Dacca saree, your mother's shock at your bent form before MY, the 'paazhum kinaru' to My's selective hearing --wow! it was a blast !

    The icing on the cake was the part about your comparison of wives to washing machines.
     
  4. Mythraeyi

    Mythraeyi Silver IL'ite

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    Hello sir,

    That was a very enjoyable read!
     
  5. Mindian

    Mindian IL Hall of Fame

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    dear Rrg,

    superb :thumbsup hilarious :rotfl

    not heard about the washing machine comparison before..is it your own?:) if so great:)the pressure cooker analogy too..on the whole a ROCKING POST.

    hahaha was impressed with the details of helping out with the cotton saree..adhila no exageration,perhaps? lots of practise you seem to have had:) :thumbsup
     
    Last edited: Jul 25, 2009
  6. glascobaby

    glascobaby Silver IL'ite

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    Rrg sir...Enjoyed thoroughly reading ur story. Each and every story of yours depicts ur good relationship with everyone. Yetharthanamana story style......reallyyyy gr8 u are.

    So nice and holding a smile throughout the end.:thumbsup
     
  7. Rrg

    Rrg Gold IL'ite

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    Dear Sriniketan, Sundarusha, Mythraeyi, Mindi & Glascobaby,
    Thanks a lot for your FB & compliments.
    A special thanks to Mythraeyi & Sundarusha for considering this post fit enough to be FP - July '09 and nominating it. :bowdown
    Dear Mindi: I have read long back someone comparing Life to "Washing M/c". While writing this story, I was reminded of this anology and used it for wives with suitable modifications. :)
    Pressure cooker was my life's experience. :rotfl
    Dear Sri: Many a times I have suffered consequences of 'Selective hearing'. :)
    And you are bang on target when you summarise the learning part of the story. Congrats.:thumbsup
    Dear GB: I do try to maintain a good relationship with everyone in my personal life as well. It calls for some give & take - at times giving bouquet and taking brick-bats also. :) But, overall no regrets and you look forward to the next day with cheer.
    Needless to mention, this gives you a pleasant disposition, that is liked by everyone.
    Thanks all once again,
    Rrg
     
  8. SupriyaDinesh

    SupriyaDinesh Silver IL'ite

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    Rrg sir,
    As i went through your post,i couldnt stop beaming from the beginning to the end.I had to tell my husband what i was reading.My husband does the saree pleating very nicely and i had a hearty laugh.To avoid embarrasment ,i used to stand on the cot so he can do the pleating easily..he.. he..
    Sir,are you familiar with tamil comic writers?My dad writes comedy stories under the penname 'supriya santhilal'.His inspiration are from day-to-day life scenario,like yours.This reminded me of his way of writing.He has published few books.

    Keep them coming.:thumbsup
     
  9. Rrg

    Rrg Gold IL'ite

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    Dear Supriya,
    I am pleased to read you FB.
    I was worried that saree pleating art may end with my generation, with the exponents like me getting aged. More so,with jeans and salwar etc coming in- the opportunities to practice go down. Thrilled to note that people like you & Dinesh are around to take it to the next generation as well. Hearty Congrats to Dinesh for getting your 'Cetificate of Merit'!:rotfl
    No doubt, my wife also is considerate enough to stand on the cot. 'Falling at her feet' was my first exposure to this form of 'entertainment'.:)
    With majority of my working life, in the last 38 years being outside, I did not have much of an opportunity to read Tamil stories. I am planning to make amends with my moving over to Chennai next year. Would certainly look for your father's collections in Higginbothams. Thanks for the input.
    Thanks for your compliments!
    Say hello to my friend, Dinesh.:)
    Cheers!
    Rrg
     
  10. iyerviji

    iyerviji Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Raju

    All have already commented which was in my mind. Excellent. :thumbsupSuperb narration. The way you have described how the saree is worn. I think you observe everything nicely.

    Viji
     

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