Chapter 14
Diwali was finally here. I made murruku and adirasam one day in advance, as I always do. I had a long list of items to make on Diwali day. I had asked Preethy to sleep in our apartment the previous night because Diwali day starts very early, and I wanted her to have the traditional oil bath in our place.
This was one day I wouldn’t have trouble waking up the kids early. I smeared red oil on the kids’ hair and body and gave them a head bath. I only apply some oil on my husband’s hair and symbolically smeared some on the face. My husband hates oil baths. And I did the same with Preethy, but hesitatingly, and she didn’t object. With Sailaja’s help, I had already bought a silk pavadai and half sari for Preethy.
Before she went to the bathroom to take bath, my younger son gave her the dress. She was very pleased to get it.
“It is very traditional- just wear it for us” I told Preethy.
“Oh bhaabi, I just love it. Thank you very much” she replied sincerely.
I helped Preethy wear the half sari and for caution I put extra pins so that the half sari wouldn’t slip. Preethy looked at her self in the mirror.
“ I have never worn a half sari before. Thank you bhabhi”.
Since I had no girls, I never had an opportunity to doll up kids. When I see other parents dressing up their daughters during festivals, I wished I had a girl too. Now seeing Preethy, I wanted to dress her up.
“Wear some of my jewelery” I told Preethy and put the box in her hands. She looked at the box and exclaimed “No, I cannot”.
“Please wear them you will look good” I said.
She reluctantly picked up the bangles and slid them around her hand. She removed her ring and fastened the ear rings but refused to wear the necklace. I placed it around her neck without paying attention to her protests. I put lots of Jasmine flowers in her hair. When she stepped out of the room, everyone turned to look at her admiringly, including my husband.
“You look very pretty” they told her.
I usually like to put some turmeric on new clothes, but neither my kids nor my husband like it. So I just touch the inner seams with turmeric powder.
“Where are mine”? yelled my older one, looking for his clothes.
He was very impatient because my younger one was already on his way out to light the fireworks. He had just his towel on. I had to call them back. I know what would happen if they go down- they will not come up for over an hour. I had to force them to stay in the house.
I quickly put some vadai, idly, payasam, sundal, and sweets in the pooja room. My husband, children and Preethy lit one wick each on the lamp. The kids gobbled up the food and were getting ready to go down.
Saroja, the complex cleaning woman, came to our house. As usual, she had taken an oil bath and wore the new sari Maami had given her. Sita, my maid, doesn’t like to work on Diwali day and I don’t insist on her working. But I had a lot of work at home so I pay Saroja to help me out on that day.
Saroja’s children lived quite far away and she lived alone. She feels depressed staying alone at home all by herself. The previous day, as usual, she gave some of the Diwali bonus she got to her husband. She does it so that he would go away and get drunk and not beat her up. And she spent her day helping me. Many families in the complex were nice to Saroja, but she chooses to spend Diwali with us. I was not especially nice to her, but at the same time I try not to treat her as a servant. She feels good that I include her in the pooja. We always sat on the floor and ate Diwali lunch in Banana leaves. Saroja always joined us.
And after food, she religiously goes down to light fireworks. My sons willingly share their fireworks with Saroja. Not only my kids, almost all the kids in the complex would share their fireworks with her.
Saroja was 55 years old, and she has been 55 for the past several years. She could still light fireworks like a kid. My younger one named her ‘tapasu’ Saroja because she could hold a lit cracker in her fingers without any fear, before throwing it up in the air to explode. And she never complained of pain if she ever got hurt. She was the most fearless women in the world according to the kids in the neighborhood.
“Don’t take all the crackers at once” told my husband to the kids. “Take little by little, and leave some for tonight”.
“If we don’t keep a watch on them they will light everything in the morning, and in the evening they won’t have anymore left” he said. I continued with my cooking, Preethy, Saroja and my husband followed the kids. I needed to cook a lot because I had to distribute sweets to friends.
After some time, I noticed Preethy lingering at the entrance of the kitchen.
I looked up at her and asked “Are you having fun?”.
“Very much” she entered the kitchen and grabbed the vadai from the kitchen counter.
“I feel guilty. You have been working since 3 in the morning. Can I help you?” Preethy asked.
“Don’t worry. I have everything under control. I enjoy cooking. Besides, I will be done soon. And Saroja will do the rest.” I said.
“I don’t think Saroja will come back anytime soon. She is bursting crackers in her hand” said Preethy.
“She does that to amuse kids. She will come back. She needs to wash the vessels and help me distribute sweets.” Just as I completed the sentence, Saroja came in along with Sailaja’s daughter and sweets from Sailaja’s house.
I thanked Sailaja’s daughter and admired her clothes. Sailaja’s daughter was wearing a new Kanchivaram silk pavadai and decked with fancy jewelry.
“Aunty, the pooja will be starting soon” reminded Sailaja’s daughter.
On all Diwali days, Maami would arrange for a priest to come and do a special pooja in the complex’s little temple. And everyone would try to attend it and take flowers and coconut from their house. I never got a chance to attend so far. I usually had to beg one of my sons to take the offering. I had to plead with them for an hour before they would go reluctantly. I requested Sailaja to send her daughter so that I could push one of my sons to go with her. In times like these, I wish I had a daughter.
Luckily, Preethy was in the house. When I requested, she was eager to go. I placed some flowers, bananas, coconut, incense and camphor in my silver pooja basket and handed it over to Preethy. And Sailaja’s daughter was very eager to escort Preethy. The moment my sons found out that Preethy will be taking the offerings for the pooja, they were very eager to accompany her.
A few months back, I wouldn’t have allowed Preethy to go by herself to the temple. What if she became friendly with other families in the complex? She was my show card. I felt that being friends with this girl made me a little more important in the gossip circle. I wanted to keep her to all by myself. But as time passed, she became more of a family member, and some where along the way, I stopped looking at Preethy as a show card. Our relationship with Preethy went much deeper and I didn’t feel a need to keep her to myself.
I hadn’t learned much about her personal life. She talked a lot about her work and her friends, but never about her past. At times, I had noticed that she was sad and some times I have seen her wiping away tears. Even though I was curious, I never asked her. I always felt that when the time comes she would tell all. But one thing was quite clear- she looked at us as family, and we quite enjoyed our relationship with her.
My sons, over time, became very protective of her. They always followed her and try to watch out for her. Preethy seemed to enjoy it. They never revealed any information about Preethy to anyone. They tell others that she is their aunt, and nothing else.
“What is your star?” my younger one asked Preethy while putting on his sandals.
“What?” asked Preethy confused.
“Your birth star. How will the priest do archana without the star-name?” questioned my younger one.
With lot of commotion Preethy and kids went down, and the apartment became quite. I continued my cooking.
I arranged sweets in various plates and covered them with banana leaves. Saroja left with one plate to Sailaja’s house. She was very helpful when it came to distributing Diwali sweets in the neighborhood. I could personally go and distribute sweets, but if I did, I would end up staying in each house for at least 20 minutes. I didn’t have that kind of time. And I couldn’t rely on my kids in distributing sweets.
When I was discussing with my husband the list of houses that we need to visit that day, Preethy’s cell rang.
“Guess she forgot to take it with her” I said aloud and walked into the balcony with the phone in hand.
I wanted to call her from the balcony, but saw the priest lighting the arathi and everyone was standing engrossed around the temple. It wouldn’t be polite if I yelled. So I went down to give the cell in person and also took part in the arathi.
As soon as the arathi finished the priest offered it to us and there was a big commotion. People greeted each other and many women around Preethy were talking and introducing themselves. Maami’s children didn’t join her for Diwali, so she took up the responsibility of arranging the pooja.
Maami was very good at it. She was assigning tasks to the big girls in the complex, telling them which prasadham needed to be delivered to which apartment, paid the priest and gifted him a new vesti. Somehow, she would manage to find one family in the complex to pay for his gifts. She never took credit for it, but the priest knew she was behind it. And also Maami made sure that he knows and appreciates it. She also expected him to his show his gratitude, else she would make sure he was replaced. And the priest was aware of it!
Anadhi’s daughters tried to grab as many packets as possible to distribute. They always do that. They want to be at the center of everything. They are always in a competitive mode, and cunningly pushed others to the side. Lalitha, one of the small girls in the complex, didn’t know what to say when her share was taken away by Anandhi’s daughters. She was not very smart girl.
“Lalitha’s mother always says that Lalitha should not go to other people’s houses. So I will distribute Lalitha’s share” said one of Anandhi’s daughters.
“That is so sweet of you yaarrr!” said Anandhi, all smiles at her daughter. She turned to Preethy and said “They are always caring about others. I am worried sometimes. If they are too nice, people might take advantage of them”.
It was true that Lalitha’s mother didn’t like her daughter going to others’ house to play. But today was for a different purpose, and she wouldn’t mind. Anandhi’s daughters knew that, but they were trying to pull a fast one. For a new person, it might look like Anandhi’s daughters were doing a favor to Lalitha. But, in reality, they were actually pushing the little girl out of the fun sweet-distribution part.
Unfortunately for them, Sailaja immediately jumped in and said “I don’t think Lalitha’s mom will mind today.
“Here, Lalitha, take your share and distribute them, I will talk to your mother” said Sailaja, as she took the bags out of Anandhi’s daughters hand and gave them to Lalitha.
Lalitha was so very happy. I heartily cursed Anandhi and her daughters, like they were poison. They messed up other people’s happiness all the time, and for no reason. Maami also gave a word of promise to Lalitha that she would talk to Lalitha’s mom. Maami wanted to avoid making it look like she didn’t side with the little girl.
I looked for my sons. As usual, all the boys in our complex were in one corner discussing cricket. They just hang around until their parents give them permission to go away. All of a sudden, the noise around us stopped. The kids were looking towards the couple walking out of the lift- Gayathriamma and her husband. They walked with a regal appearance, and we all just looked. It appeared that we were content just looking at them!
Gayatriamma and Maami exchanged the usual greetings. I felt the hair on my neck standing. I couldn’t understand this strange feeling, but I turned my eyes towards Mr. Sivam. I didn’t like the look on his face. There was a strange ugliness and hatred in his eyes. He was looking at Preethy. But Preethy was not aware of the presence of the ‘royal’ couple. She was busy listening to something my younger one was telling her. I didn’t understand why that man had such a look on his face.
“Happy Diwali” said Barbie to Gayatriamma in her usual American accent.
Only then did I notice Barbie in front of Gayatriamma. Most probably, that man must have become upset with the child blocking his way. No one dared make casual talk with them, nor block their way. He continued to walk away without acknowledging the child’s greeting.
But to everyone’s surprise Gayatriamma stopped.
“Prasadam” Barbie said lifting the sweets plate towards Gayatriamma.
Gayatriamma bent down a little, broke a small piece of the sweet and placed it in Barbie’s mouth and touched her head and face affectionately.
“Aparanji bomma” Gayatriamma said touching Barbie’s chin. She took Barbie’s face in both her hands and kissed Barbie’s forehead.
It was a heart warming sight. Then Gayatriamma walked away, and Barbie ran towards her mother with a big smile. Who cannot be charmed by such a pretty girl?
“What does she mean by Aparanji Bomma?” Barbie asked her mother, who had just joined us.
“Aparanji means gold, Bomma means doll” her mother replied.
Instead of pink, Barbie was dressed in an expensive golden Kanchivaram silk pavadai and she was decked in gold and diamond ornaments from head to toe.
“Indeed she is Aparanji bomma” Mrs. Raman agreed.
Since Royalty had endorsed the child, Mrs. Raman wanted to shower her approval too.
“By the way, where is Mr.Krishnan” Sailaja asked Barbie’s mom.
“He is watching the news. It is better he doesn’t show up. You know how he talks about religious practices. I am pretty sure many people think he is an atheist, and they don’t want him here” Barbie’s mother replied.
We both shook our heads in agreement.
I didn’t think Mr. Krishnan was an atheist, but the way he talks makes him look like one. During our last complex function, when the priest offered sweets to god, Mr. Krishnan said “ Do you think if god takes away the sweets, you would offer so much to him?”
I smiled, but Sailaja and few other men burst into a loud laughter. And from then on others started joking about it, and the whole pooja time became jovial. Maami and few other elders took offense to this. Maami didn’t like Mr. Krishnan in such matters. She believes that Mr. Krishnan is a communist, because- as she saw it- all Malayalis were communists, and hence they make fun of god.
Sailaja and I defended Mr. Krishnan, Sailaja more vigorously. He was a practical man and a very good person. Anyway, I think after the last episode, his wife told him to stay inside. He must be very happy to do so. Of course, he would occasionally come outside to check on his daughter.
Chapter 15
We left Preethy in charge of the house and kids, and went to distribute sweets to some friends and relatives. That evening turned out to be the most exciting one after a long time.
“Do you need any help bhaabhi?” asked Preethy as she entered the room.
“Here, let me do your hair. I’ll dress you up this time” said Preethy, reaching for the comb. She started combing my hair and arranged it in a small bun near my nape. It was a very beautiful hair style. I never saw anyone wearing it before. While I was examining myself, Preethy took the lipstick and carefully applied it on me.
I kept staring at the image in front of me. Quite different than the usual me, in a very beautiful chiffon saree, and an equally wonderful blouse. I don’t know how long I stood there staring at myself. A mixture of feelings were going through my head. No doubt the sari was making me look very sexy. I felt very good. But was it appropriate for me to look sexy at this age? I was thirty-five years old and a mother of two kids. What would people say? May be it is no suitable for our apartment complex’s function. May be I should remove it and wear another sari. Many thoughts engulfed me.
In the meantime, Preethy pinned two roses into my hair and turned me towards her.
“You look exquisite bhaabhi. Bhaiya will fall in love with you again” she said with a wink.
“Thank you very much. You make me look very pretty. But I feel I am too old to dress up like this”. I was about to say something more, but Preethy cut me off even before the words came out.
“You are young. You are beautiful. I didn’t make you beautiful. You are a beautiful women inside and outside, and you have a wonderful body. I noticed you always dress up like an old lady. May be because you spend too much time with Maami. Try to act your age once in a while. Anyway, tonight you are doing as I say. No, ifs and buts. We are already late, everyone has already gathered there. Come on” She almost dragged me out.
I walked slowly and nervously towards the function area. I was very self-conscious. I felt like I was walking in another woman’s body.
“Welcome Madam. Star Looks. Star Timings. We are wondering what is going on” Sailaja said loudly while looking me up and down.
All the women around her turned towards me and started staring at me. Then, all of a sudden, it turned into a commotion. Some were praising my looks, some my sari, some were touching, and someone turned me around. In short, I was the center of attention of the women at the function. Some men were watching the whole thing from a distance. Initially, I enjoyed the attention, but started feeling odd. I was a typical women who likes attention and in fact craves it. But when I really got it I don’t know how to handle it. I wished someone had taught me how to handle so much attention!
After some time, the attention moved from me to Preethy, since she was the one who designed such a beautiful sari. All women started asking her about her work, what type of saris they should buy, which is a good shop, how much to pay… I watched how calm and composed she was. It looked like she was used to such attention. I was happy with this change, and moved away from the group quietly.
As I walked towards my husband “You look very pretty, Vijaya” said Mr. Krishnan loudly.
I thanked him and looked at my husband. It was amusing to see him staring at me. May be during the first few days of our marriage he must have glanced at me like that. But I was too shy to stare at him.
“Are you blushing, Vijaya?” asked Mr. Krishnan. Which made my situation only worse.
I never realized I would blush just because my husband was staring at me- and not after all these years of marriage. I sat in the vacant chair right next to my husband.
“Looks like your husband is in love with you all over again. Special night, Kumar. You see…”, but Mr. Krishnan was interrupted by his wife Lakshmi.
“Leave them alone, honey” she said to him, and turned to me and said “Please excuse my husband, he loves joking with people”.
“It’s okay” my husband and I said shyly.
“We enjoy his company” added my husband.
“I know you don’t mind. But some people take great offense to his jokes. Not everyone has the same sense of humor” said Lakshmi, slanting her eyes towards Maami.
After Mr. Raman’s short speech, we moved towards the buffet table.
Directly or indirectly, some South Indians were opposed to including North Indian dishes on the menu, and vice verse. But it was interesting to see almost all of the South Indians eating North Indian dishes and all North Indians eating South Indian dishes. I guess it is not North vs South, it is our ego and suspicion of the unknown that is the problem. Now, at this moment, everyone was having fun and it was great to see happiness all around.
The party lasted a very long time. All of us thanked Maami and Sailaja for making such good arrangements for the gathering. Some went away early, and some stayed back. Some men quietly slipped to Mr. Suxsena’s house where liquor was being served. The men didn’t want Maami and other senior residents to know about it. Well, it is not that they fear or respect Maami and the other older residents- they fear their wives! If Maami finds out that the men had liquor during a party that she was responsible for, she would take great offense. And the following year she would mercilessly zap the wives of the men who drank. She would never let an opportunity slip by. It was very embarrassing for the wives. In turn, they would show their frustration on their husbands. And it comes full circle: The men feared Maami.
“Want to join us, Kumar?” Mr.Suxsena asked my husband.
“He won’t join us, he is intoxicated with his wife’s beauty” joked Mr. Krishnan.
Everyone laughed.
“Honey, Please” protested his wife, trying to stop his comments.
“Well, I am sorry” apologized Mr. Krishan, with what looked like all sincerity.
“I was wrong. He will be sitting here like an obedient student. Agreeing to every nonsense the oldies say” continued Mr. Krishnan.
There was a burst of laughter from everyone around.
“Please, leave him alone” pleaded Lakshmi.
“Brother, you need to learn to enjoy life. Those oldies- they had fun when they where young. But they don’t want us to have fun. Don’t waste your life. Drinking is not a bad thing” added Sailaja’s husband.
“He is not going to come. He is a good boy. If we linger any longer, the oldies will smell something fishy. We better slip out before they notice” announced Neeraja’s husband and as he walked away.
One by one, everyone started moving away using one pretext or another.
I decided to move out once I saw the sleepy look on my older son’s face. I took them to their rooms and forced them to change their clothes before going to bed.
“Vijaya” my husband called. I didn’t except to him to come upstairs so early.