Hullo! this video is on the end of chapter three of ‘Ripples Roping Memories’
‘Paon chhu lene do, phulon ko inayat hogi…..inayat hogi’ This song belongs to the black and white Hindi film belonging to the Mughal period in India. It idealizes conjugal love. The story is of a prince who is in love with a beautiful woman. Mughal drapery, especially of the heroine is fascinating. Rani does not understand the dialogues in the films. Dances and songs elate her. Her mother sings with a loud, sonorous, vibrant voice whereas Rani cannot open her mouth to sing. Rather, she is at a low confidence level because she stutters.
Raghavendra Rao lives in the next row of Mogra Chawl on the right hand side. His son, Ashish is Rani’s classmate. Rani speaks to them in the language they know. The boy’s parents praise Rani because they consider her good in studies. They compare Rani with Ashish. Rani feels herself superior and likes Ashish being belittled and scoffed in her presence.
The Sanajirao family of Mogra chawl has the traditional business of manufacturing incense sticks in Simaluru. Gopal Nair is another South Indian who lives in Mogra chawl. He has a brilliant son, Lokesh. Opposite to Alifiya Khan’s house, there lives a South Indian family from Ukoor. The wife of Mrs. Ramanathan teaches Carnatic music to students. She takes care of her daughter. Families in Mogra chawl are of middle class. There is friendship between the families and they live together as Indians. Shanties on the other hand have their own culture.
Grandfather is an ardent disciple of Prashant Baba. Rani visits Shimpli during her vacation. Rangesh, her grandfather takes her to attend the inaugural function of Prashant Baba hall. A canopy or a pandal is put up with logs of wood. Rani sits near one of the erected logs. She observes big black ants making a line and climbing the log of wood. She plays with the big black ants. One of the ants bites her. She screams and cries loudly. Grandfather Rangesh removes the ant. She stops crying. After sometime, it starts raining heavily. People shelter themselves under the canopy. Rani and her grandfather are left out. Rani resumes crying which rents the air. Ane elderly uncle covers her with his raincoat and offers her a toffee. Rani falls sick. Grandmother takes care of her and grandfather brings medicines to treat her cold. Grandmother teaches Hari and Rani to recite a shloka or verse, ‘Gajananam bhoothaganadi sevitham…..’ Rani’s grandmother speaks Marathi and her Maharashtrian friends call as Bimala ajji. They offer her a typical Maharashtrian snack or faral consisting of laado, chivda and chakli.
Rani’s uncle, Seshan tries for a job in Vanita Steels Corporation. Being convent educated, he speaks English fluently. Father puts in a word and he is appointed for a job in Vanita Steels. After some months he leaves the job without informing his brother. Rani’s dad is hurt. Seshan uncle gets a job in Mactos Ltd. Rani’s dad does not amalgamate with his family members because he grew up as a hostel boy.
A cement concrete is laid in the space in front of Rani’s house. She wants to sit and play whenever she wants but the door of 21 Siddesh society opens a new phase in her life. The old house is locked. No one lives there. It is as though the past has vacated itself to allow the present to take on.
Thank you. We meet again for the next video. Till then, goodbye.
( This video can be viewed on You Tube by typing ‘Ripples Roping Memories’)
