The Cuckoo that Flew Away-4

4

Those days were divine days indeed. In whatever stage of life one is, in whichever country one is, one can never forget the cultured family of Venkoji Rao who lived in that old house. He and his wife were always majestic, smiling figures; to Jeevanandam the Rayar couple were like large trees that provided cool shelter to him. Besides Ganga, her sister Nithya and the two brothers were affectionate to him.

After he started taking lessons to them at their house, Jeevanandam enjoyed full freedom there. As Raoji was immersed in his work, Jeeva went along with the wife and children for shopping or to the cinema as an escort. Jeeva’s uncle did not raise any objection to this.

Once Rayaramma said frankly: “Hey, Jeeva, it is a pity that you’re not a member of our caste. If you had been, I would have blindly placed Ganga in your charge.” She laughed, after having given expression to an inner feeling. Jeeva turned and looked at Ganga. Their eyes met. She blushed and lowered her head.

Love between Jeeva and Ganga did not face any obstacle. In fact, it flourished like a blaze when a match is struck to a heap of dry leaves in a forest with a gentle breeze blowing. Generally families would be cautious that just such a thing should not happen with their wards but Raoji, knowing the good character of Jeevanandam, was not concerned but trustful. But in Jeeva’s heart a Light of Love called Ganga had started burning. It was a true and ever-glowing flame.

One day Raoji came to know of it. But as Jeeva was correct and proper, he did not take it amiss. Someone had written a letter to Raoji saying they were interested in a marriage alliance and they would come home to see the girl. Ganga first told her father she was not ready for marriage as yet, but later she gathered courage to say coyly that she was interested in Jeeva. When he went for tuition that day, Raoji was at home.

He led Jeeva to his room and broached the subject delicately.

“Jeeva, at young age we might have hopes that are quite understandable in that impressionable period; we might even know that they are beyond the pale, but our age and mind would be stubborn. Generally I don’t beat about the bush. Social taboos have been set over thousands of years; is it so easy to ignore them and go forward? Please consider.”

By Raoji’s preamble Jeeva guessed what he was trying to say. Yet he began talking with a sense of honesty and justice. “I agree sir,,, Social taboos won’t break down unless we, trying for change, move energetically in the direction of change.”

“Well, that’s okay as a point in an argument. But unless social thinking as a whole becomes mature, a lone individual like me ignoring a rule and taking a bold action will be taken as going against accepted norms. Society has put in some restrictions for common good. If an individual without adequate people’s power and money power is adamant, and flies in the face of customs, he or his family is ostracised.

Jeeva, seeing the force of Raoji’s argument, remained silent.

“Yesterday Ganga rejected a proposal that came our way and told me firmly that she likes you, Jeevu... Honestly, I was embarrassed. I would have happily given my daughter’s hand to you but it so happens that I am a Maharashtrian, If Ganga is my only daughter, I might have been a rebel in society as it is today and might have accepted you as my son-in-law. But I have Nithya younger to Ganga. There shouldn’t be any hurdle to her marriage. What can I do? Please put yourself in my position as father and think.”

Jeevanandam felt as if he had been driven to a corner and like before he didn’t say anything. Rayaramma came smilingly and offered him a cup of coffee.

“Why are you collaring him and talking so much?” she asked her husband. “He is a part of our family and doesn’t need a lecture. Say in a nutshell ‘I can’t give the hand of my daughter to my son’ and he would agree.”

Rayaramma’s cool disposition and affectionate words made Jeeva shrink in embarrassment. 

“Please drink your coffee, Jeevu,” Rayaramma said.

He started sipping the beverage. After he finished it, Raoji said: “Don’t think our friendship has come to an end. I expect you to come here tomorrow evening. If you don’t, I might come to your house looking for you and insisting that you join me.” He threatened Jeeva jokingly.

Jeeva’s eyes moistened. He took leave of the Raoji couple by bringing his palms together and raising them, His tuition to the children stopped quietly. He had not considered Ganga as an ordinary, everyday girl nor as a girl with whom he was madly in love because of sexual arousal in adolescence. Raoji had placed restraints on him gently, Jeeva, as a true gentleman and as a person liked by a cultured family, would not fly in the face of the restrictions.

Jeeva, as one who had neither parent since his childhood, had had many sufferings. Now he was on the cusp of a sudden, unexpected turn in his life. In the few months of his acquaintance with Ganga he had built many dreams. Each minute he thought about her calmly, he decided that her presence was essential for his well-being, He was himself surprised by this dominance of Ganga in his existence. Today, even if he wishes, it would be difficult to dislodge her from the position that he had occupied in his mind.

The next day, Ganga came up the stairs as usual but stopped midway, holding the handrail. The soft rays of the just-rising sun fell on her tear-filled eyes and trembling lips. Jeeva could hardly bear the sorrow reflected in her face. He averted his glance, Time ticked by. Ganga still stood there.

“It is getting late, Ganga. Please go about your chores,” Jeeva said, his voice quivering.

“Hmm. What have you decided?” she asked, wiping her tears.

“Oh, did you overhear what your father told me?”

“Yes, I did. His idea of what’s right is for him. What idea of right is for you and me?”

“Ganga...” Jeeva lifted his hand and was about to say something, but as he took in her sad and forlorn aspect like the frozen river Ganga during harsh winter, he checked himself.

“You are the daughter of respected Raoji. You’re elder to Nithya and others. We cannot try to make our likes justifiable.”

“So you on one side and I on another must die a slow death out of pain, is it?”

“Ganga...” Jeeva tried to stop her from speaking in that vein.

Rayaramma’s voice from downstairs summoned her.

“Amma’s calling me,” Ganga said and started descending the steps.

That evening Jeevanandam did not like to go to Raoji’s house. He felt that if he went, there would only be an experiment going on by putting his feelings and Ganga’s in a crucible. But at 7 o’clock Raoji himself came looking for him.

“What Jeevu? I told you so much yesterday to keep coming to our house. Come, come. Mami is making coffee for you.”

Jeevanandam thought it would be wrong to reject Raoji’s invitation and so started walking with him, if reluctantly.

“What Jeevu, did you decide not to darken the door of a family that refused to give their daughter’s hand to you? My child, even if you reject us, we can’t reject you. Here, take sandesh and burfi, the Maharashtrian sweets that I have made for you. Don’t try to put on mappillai murukku, but please eat. When you didn’t come, my husband became restless like a sathaka bird, Poor man, with whom would he talk shop? I am a housewife and my world is limited to my home and the neighbourhood. The children don’t have the patience to hear his talk. Of late, you have been his ideal companion and he has buttonholed you.. Would he so easily let you go?”

“Adiyea, adiyea,” Raoji rose and made as if he would slap his wife for having made these comments.

“Can I draw Ganga away against disapproval from such a household where there is so much love and affection?” Jeevanandam mused and agonised.

“Jeevu, listen. Disappointments in life are quite natural. Please don’t feel sorry. When failures happen, we must take them in our stride. When I have not made it a big issue, why are you still sad?” Raoji, with these words, tried to encourage the young man.

He and Jeevanandam drank the coffee. “Ganga, please come and take away these vessels,” Raoji said in Marathi.

She came with her head lowered and took away the utensils. Jeevanandam was astonished that Raoji seemed to be conducting, knowingly or unknowingly, a test by ordeal. Raoji engaged him in a lively conversation for a long time before allowing him to go.

* * *

Jeevanandam kept going to Raoji’s home. But nowadays he did not go anywhere beyond the drawing room. He was reluctant to proceed inside and talk with everyone in the house. But he did have the morning randezvous with Ganga on the terrace. She poured forth her sorrow to him as much as possible. For some days she had tried to convince her parents that marriage between the two of them would be justifiable but in vain. With nothing producing the desired result, she started withdrawing herself and sitting in silence and in tears. She had declared categorically that she would not marry anyone other than Jeevanandam. But one day a party came to their house with a prospective bridegroom for Ganga. At the same time a party had come to his house with a marriage proposal.

Jeeva went to college wondering what Ganga’s decision would be. The moment he returned home, he refreshed himself and went towards Raoji’s house. Those who had come there had not yet left. That night he went to bed early in his room at the top. He woke up suddenly at an unearthly hour.

“Jeeva, Jeeva...” He heard the call in a soft voice. He got up and looked around. In the moonlight he saw Ganga, with her head covered in a scarf, was standing on the adjacent terrace.

“What is it, Ganga?” he asked alarmingly.

“Please come down.”

Jeeva, surprised, descended the steps without making any noise and went out. He saw Ganga standing there with a bag in her hand. She grabbed him by his hand and led him to a temple nearby.

There she buried her face on his shoulder and began sobbing. “Jeeva...”

“Won’t you say what happened? Come, come, tell me.” He lifted her face with both his hands and pleaded.

“When I have heartily dedicated myself to you, should I go on acting my part in this ‘boy sees girl’ drama?”

Jeeva did not give an answer immediately.

“Whatever you were going to say, my answer is ‘no’. I want a full stop to this hell of a pain. I have run away from home, pinning my full faith with on you. I have deserted my father, mother, sister, brothers - everybody. If you wish, push me into a well. I just cannot bear the mental agony any more.”

“Ganga...” said Jeeeva, raising his voice. He grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her. “What, are you mad? Do you know how much your father loves you? Should he take me for a low life and spit at me? You have your feelings uppermost but don’t forget that after you there is Nithya. I don’t have the authority to push you into a well; nor can I accept you and run away somewhere. Please go back home. Raoji’s daughter shouldn’t behave irresponsibly.”

“Jeeva, ayyo Jeeva,” Ganga took hold of his hands and buried her face in them and wept like a child. “I am your property. You can do whatever.”

He consoled her and with much difficulty he led her back homeward.

He knocked at the door of her house and Raoji woke up and opened it. He was half asleep and was puzzled by what he saw. Jeeva stepped in with Ganga and spoke: “Excuse me, sir. Put me down as a cruel man but I dragged Ganga up to the railway station. Only later I came to my senses. I have brought her back. You can give me any punishment.”

Raoji sent Ganga inside and said: “I am very glad, Jeevu. As a responsible person, you’ve brought back the child. That’s good. I don’t hold anything against you. If you tried to elope with my daughter, adolescence is to blame. I think from now on we had better part. Soon I might get a transfer...We are into wee hours. Go home... go to bed.” He shut the front door.

.

It seemed to Jeevanandam that not only that door of the house but the door of Ganga’s soul had closed. But he couldn’t easily forget the affair.

He didn’t stay in his uncle’s house until Raoji got his transfer and moved away from his house. In a week he abandoned his college studies midway and left. But Ganga stayed everlastingly in his mind. It was a red-hot flame burning forever till the very end of the earth.