Hello, Wishing you all a fabulous day! Here is a video on the end of chapter seven and the beginning of chapter eight of ‘Ripples Roping Memories’.
A year passes after the demise of Bimala ajji. Yearly shrardam ( A ceremonial offering to an ancestor) is performed at home. Aunt Ragini grinds lentils to make salty doughnuts or wadas. Brahmins must be fed as per the custom. The priests have come. Aunt speaks nervously, ‘A white man has come. He should not be there in the house when the shrardam is being performed.’ Dad has cut the bonds of customs and tradition. He does not pay heed to aunt Ragini’s comment. He welcomes the white man who is tall, strong, broad chested and cherry colored American. Mr. Johnson hails from a very rich family. He is fed up with his wealth in Evergreen Hills and runs away from home in search of an Indian Guru. The Guru lives in one of the caves in Peni. Mr. Johnson’s brother, Robert lives in Berronia. Robert wants his brother back from India. Johnson is unwilling since he finds peace in India and is delighted to see Indian customs and tradition. Dad explains to him all the rituals and the significance of Shrardham. Dad reveals to mom in Tamil that the spiritual Guru is earning a lot of money because of Mr. Johnson. He does not want Johnson to go back to America. Mr. Robert writes a letter to dad. He wants his brother to be released from the Guru. Dad convinces Mr. Johnson that he can experience inner peace by being with his family. He can read, meditate and do things which really interests him. No amount of preaching or number of rituals can give him inner peace. He can visit India to experience spirituality whenever he wants to.
Rani is tensed when her dad goes into one of the caves to trace Johnson. What will happen when the Guru finds her dad helping Mr. Johnson to go back to America. Ultimately, Dad succeeds in helping Mr. Johnson to fly to America. Mr. Johnson writes a letter to dad thanking him for showing him the right way.
This is the end of Chapter Seven.
We begin with Chapter Eight.
Siddharthnagar has dense vegetation on both sides of the lane. There are wadis or bungalow types houses. Rich green vegetation and fresh air are enriching. Traffic is less. Rani watches the red Gulmohar trees as she plods to school. On the right hand side of the lane is a well which is a perennial source of water. The well is surrounded by lush green vegetation. On the left hand side of the Dongri, an elevated land is a Gujarati shopkeeper. He sells toffees, eatables like chikkis or fudges and stationery. Rani develops a friendly relationship with a South Indian woman who lives next to the Gujarati shopkeeper. Stella is a married woman. Rani calls her as mami. She is dark in color, has wide and nicely shaped eyes, white teeth and long shining black hair. She is short and well built. She has married a West Indian. Although the couple belongs to the same faith, the marriage has been freak and quick. The man is fair and Sagarpur based. Stella is jovial by nature. She dances and sings. The house has a small court yard with coops for hens mostly made of wood. Strong thick growth of plants form the fence for the court yard. The house smells of fish and eggs which Rani tolerates. Stella’s morning breakfast is an omelette or boiled eggs with salt and pepper sprinkle. She washes her utensils outside in the courtyard on the left hand side where there is a tap. Stella is happy and contented doing her household work and looking after her husband. Innocence and ignorance strangle her. The couple does not have a child. The husband develops interest in his sister’s daughter and starts ill treating Stella. He visits Stella once a month to give her two hundred rupees. Stella sings a Tamil song repeatedly. The song goes like this. ‘Ulage maayam, Vaazhve maayam, Nilai yedhu naan kaanum sugamae maayam, kaanum sugamae maayam…’ The song denotes that she is not happy with her marriage.
She develops encephalitis. Her husband visits her only to beat her mercilessly. Rani is surprised when the husband comments, ‘ She has not been to school. She cannot speak English and be fashionable like the members of his family.’ He starts visiting Stella once in three months. One day Rani visits Stella in the morning. She finds her crying. From her look, Rani knows that she has been beaten and her beautiful long hair is no more. He has cut her hair cress cross. Stella suffers from fever due to encephalitis. Rani runs errands for her. She makes some tea and buys buns and eggs for her.
One day Rani hears that a peacock from nearby Bhima park has entered Stella’s garden. As soon as Rani comes back from school, she visits Stella’s garden to see the exquisite peacock of the wild. It spreads its feathers. Stella feeds and pampers it. The sound which the peacock makes can be heard from afar.
( Video can be viewed on You Tube by typing ‘Ripples Roping Memories’ )
