It was a flight for America. Madhu was at the Shamshabad international airport for his flight. He was going to California. There was an announcement about the readiness of the flight. He got his bag and baggage checked and was ready to get inside the airport. He was reaching the airplane. He heard the final announcement for its flight to start in a few minutes. He was entering the flight.
‘Good Morning…Welcome…,’ said the airhostess in a sweet tone.
‘Very Good Morning…Thank you for your welcome…,’ said Madhu cordially.
‘Here is your seat just beside the window in the second row on the left,’ said the airhostess showing the seat.
‘Thank you,’ said Madhu.
Madhu occupied the seat reserved for him. A moment later, Vinamra entered the flight. The airhostess led her to the seat that was beside his seat. She settled in her seat. Meanwhile the airhostess instructed the travelers to buckle the seatbelt. A long whistle-like-sound was going on and the airplane was on its runway. It slowly flew off into the sky and was flying. The trees, the buildings, hills, etc were looking smaller and smaller. The higher it was flying; the smaller they appeared from the flight. It was flying faster and faster. The flight was in its height in the skyline. It was flying without minding the conversations made in the flight.
Vinamra was silent and seemed to have lost in her deep thoughts. Madhu, who sat beside her, felt like speaking to her but hesitated to do so.
'She is very cute but mute now... She has not tried to speak to me. She is well cultured, highly civilized and very dignified. Definitely, she belongs to a highly educated family. She is working in a good position. Her husband is in a better position. She and her husband were born each other and are made for each other,' Madhu said to himself silently all the times.
Madhu made up his mind to speak to her in a friendly manner but withdrew his idea of speaking to her for a while. He again felt like breaking the ice by his words to her in a polite and pleasing manner.
‘Madam… May I know where you are flying to…? I am flying to California for the first time. I hope you too are flying to California,’ said Madhu.
‘Yes, Sir…,’ said Vinamra.
‘I’m Madhu going to a University in California to participate in a seminar,’ said Madhu with a gentle smile.
‘Good…I'm Vinamra. I am going to see my sister who settled there. She’s booked tickets for my flight,’ said Vinamra.
‘Where are you from India?’ said Madhu.
‘I’m the native of a big village near Hyderabad in India. I like the rural atmosphere very much and so I love to live there enjoying all sights of sunrises and sunsets; verdant valleys and bluish hillocks, green crops and beautiful birds; so on,’ said Vinamra.
“I’m also from the rural background of the Telalgana state. I studied in the city of Hyderabad. After the completion of my Post-Graduate study, I joined the Osmania University. After the completion of my Ph. D., I was promoted to the status of Professor in the recent past,” said Madhu.
“It is very good on your part ...,” said Vinamra.
“What about your studies… Where did you study?” said Madhu.
“I didn’t study much… I discontinued my education against my will and wish to study further,” said Vinamra.
“You appeared to be well-educated and well-placed…The members of your family would have encouraged you to study further…You would have studied further... I feel sorry for the hurdle in pursuit of your studies. I hope that it was your marriage to disturb your studies... Even after marriage, you would have studied in the distant mode at least… After marriage, I did my M. Phil and Ph. D. I, at the same time, encouraged my wife to study but she did not study… Even after encouragement, she remains the same. She will remain the same in the future too. It is certain… Not only in terms of education, but also in other matters. I like orderliness and cleanliness of the house. She is not very particular about what I want. She is not different from what she was before her marriage. My constant encouragement went futile. Now I feel that to encourage her in any matter is waste. It goes futile. I am sure of it…What is the use…? I hope you needed some encouragement but you were not encouraged so to continue your studies,” said Madhu.
“I’m unmarried …I want to remain so…,” said Vinamra.
“May I know the reasons for that?” said Madhu.
‘Sure…,’ said Vinamra
Vinamra narrated the reasons for her celibacy with the expression of deep feelings in her face all the while:
“It was an excellent theatre for the show of a movie and all were seated waiting in joys to watch the movie released that day. All were keenly attentive to watch it, as there was a big much audio-release function about it. They felt pride to have tickets to watch the movie with the morning show that day. The picture was going on and all glued to the seats in the theatre.
"I was keen on watching the movie. I expected it to be very interesting. It was not a movie to lull the viewers in the swing of joys. It was a movie woven round the central character. The movie was very serious and it was all she guessed after reaching the first reel of the movie it self. The movie was going on in a serious manner reel after reel against her wish in real life. I went ahead to see the movie with some sudden twist at the end…
"Prakash who played the role of the central character came to the house of the heroine with his parents and guests. He came for a marriage alliance. There were the heroine with her parents and kith and kin. She was Deepika, seated in presence of all the people of both the sides. His parents felt that she was the most suitable match for their son but they did not express so. They were posing to be superior to the girl's parents in all respects. The girl was a technical graduate with a handsome job. She with all charming features and pleasing behaviors was humble. They posed to select the match keeping in view her education and employment together.
"The girl’s parents were happy to find the boy suitable for their daughter. Through their mediator, they expressed their willingness for the marriage with the match. The boy’s parents posed with a view that they would definitely like the boy, and were in their perfect guess. All were in seats to discuss the rest of the things threadbare:
'The boy, Prakash is a son of the biggest landlord, richest millionaire and biggest man. He is more educated and better positioned than many others are in the district. His father is still becoming richer and richer to be a multibillionaire. How much dowry are you offering in the settlement of the marriage...?’ said the boy’s side mediator.
‘I must offer dowry. It is my responsibility. I am going to offer dowry as per your wish…,’ said the girl’s father.
‘Whatever is given by you is definitely lower than that of their status…It must be far higher than you guess,' said the mediator.
‘There is no limit for anything…As per my financial status, the dowry I am going to offer you is fifty lakhs,' said the girl's father.
‘It is as low as that of the lowest man to offer in the district,' said the mediator.
‘Then you can directly ask them as per your estimation,' said the girl's father.
‘Our estimation is far higher than the one you have just proposed. In one alliance, there was a proposal to offer one crore with innumerable gifts but our son was not ready for that match. Though you are ready to offer two crores, it is somewhat to be considered on humanitarian grounds,’ said the mediator, reading the boy’s face, while the boy was nodding his head with a smile on his lips.
‘It is at your level but not at our level…You must rise to the level and think of ...,’ said the boy's father.
‘I must go according to your wishes…but…I can offer sixty lakhs to you,’ said the girl's father.
‘Where is my proposal and where is your proposal…?' said the mediator.
‘I offer you seventy lakhs. It is the most possible offer,’ said the girl's father.
‘The most possible is not the most acceptable one,’ said the mediator while the boy's father was nodding to what the mediator told the girl's father.
"The people present there tried to convince the boy’s parents. One of the fellows came forward to convince the boy’s father while he was posing superior to all the other people assembled there:
‘For you, it is nothing...It is nothing for you…Your son is greater than many other people are in the district. I need not tell about you. You too are unrivalled in the district in the possession of wealth. I know that what the girl's father offers is nothing… I wish that you should be ready for offering you eighty lakhs. You have to accept my proposal,’ said one present.
‘I have a daughter to be married in near future. In my daughter’s marriage, I am ready to offer three crores… It is our responsibility to satisfy the boy’s aspirations…,’ said another.
‘It is true …What they offer you must not be less than and far inferior to your status… I know… I know…It is not seventy lakhs, they are going to offer you eighty lakhs as I said…That is final… With your kind heart and broad mind accept this…,’ said some other.
‘All the other things are to be offered to suit our level… My son refused to take one crore in the other’s case. He is so great that none can compete with him in any way… My wife came from the family of splendors… My daughters are unrivalled in their fields. Ours is the family of riches and highs,’ said the boy's father.
‘All gifts and respects will be according to your status…,’ said one to please the people of the boy’s side.
"The boy’s father called the girl's father and decked vermilion on his forehead. He however hugged him in a mechanical way, saying, ‘The auspicious days are to be over in the next two days. The days are for the offering of the dowry to the boy and the other for the presenting of flowers and fruits to the girl as per our customs and traditions. After the inauspicious days of one month, there is the most auspicious day immediately to fall. As per the horoscopes of the boy and the girl, the marriage will be performed on the first Friday in the period of auspicious days in the calendar,' said the boy's father.
"The marriage settlement and the celebrations to take place prior to the marriage were over. The boy and his parents were posing as not to care for the girl’s parents as the marriage celebrations marked inferior to that they aspired and cherished for a long time.
"The day came for the marriage and witnessed the bride and the bridegroom in the marriage venue for their exchanging of garlands while the musical instruments were going on in the presence of all the guests of both the sides. The boy’s parents and their guests marked a lot of discrimination in their treatment and behaviour.
"The bride Deepika and the bridegroom Prakash were on their honeymoon. There were their duets in the world-famous beautiful spots and destinations. The audiences were enjoying the picture going on with a delightful note. Some audiences were identifying with them on screen.
"Prakash and Deepika were enjoying their honeymoon. The nearness between them thickened. For some days, he kept on speaking to her about the joys of married life alone. One day he revealed his experiences in the past life with his girl friends to her, his bride, Deepika. He felt pride for having many girl friends to his credit. She felt hurt as they visited him in his house resorting to the old ways. She silently suffered psychologically. He told her about the places he visited with each of the girl friends to add fuel to fire on her part. She heard it shedding tears in the heart of her heart. All his girl friends called him and spoke to him whenever possible for them.
"Prakash used to care for their phone calls and care a pin for his wife, Deepika. He came drunk to the house. He showed the photographs of his girl friends with him. They were obscene. She was not able to bear. She made up her mind to ask him whether he had married one or all of his girl friends as she felt that she had been utterly deceived. He came late night to his house all most all the days.
"One night, Prakash came in a drunken state and started to abuse Deepika underrating her. At the sight of her husband, she felt that she had lost everything precious in her life. She was upset and desperate totally. She meditated upon God for a considerable time to get moral courage and complete peace. She ventured to ask him the barefaced question but asked with tears in her eyes. She expressed her tearful question:
‘Is it good on your part to have girl friends?’ said Deepika.
‘What? Girl friends … You mean girl friends, don’t you?’ Prakash answered in the question form
‘Yes…,’ said Deepika.
‘It is a common thing. Nothing is objectionable. The life enjoyed with them was sweeter than the one with you today,’ said Prakash.
‘I feel sorry…extremely sorry…The wearer knows where the shoe pinches...the sufferer knows how her heart aches,’ said Deepika.
‘What about you?’ said Prakash.
‘What nonsense are you talking...? You ... I have seen the pure, open video clippings in your sacred, secret mobile. You think that you are open and frank now. Your greatness lies in keeping quiet about all these nasty things before our marriage. You have talked about your false greatness, hiding your true colours. You don’t think of others’ happiness. You think of your sheer false pleasures. Can I keep quiet and lead a comfortable and enjoyable life when you talk of them?’ said Deepika weeping bitterly all the while.
‘They are as good as you even today,’ said Prakash.
‘Are they like me…Are they in my position?’ said Deepika.
‘You question me…You…Third rate fellow… You don’t deserve to be my wife….' said Prakash.
"Prakash beat Deepika like anything very indiscriminately. She fell down unconscious. She was immediately in the hospital nearby. The doctors were attending to her. She was not able to get consciousness. Whenever she got consciousness, she said feebly, ‘I was deceived…I was deceived… The fellow… deceived… me. He…He…His father too…,’ said Deepika.
"Deepika regained consciousness but she was able to recognize neither her parents nor the others related to them. She looked at others in different moods and her moods changed very often. She threw cups and glasses at the women present there. She tried to quarrel with them. Then the doctors sent her to a mental hospital. She was undergoing punishment to recover from madness. It was a long way for her to cure her madness. As she became pregnant after marriage, she delivered a male child after nine months. The doctors separated the child and kept it under the care of her parents.
"Deepika was in the mental hospital waiting for none
"That was the film with the central character, Prakash with villainous actions spoiling the life of Deepika. She felt deceived and deserted by not telling the facts of Prakash before the marriage. Her little baby son did not know the love and affection of his parents. That was the serious movie.
"Watching the film, I shrieked deeply and all in the theatre looked at me. I wept bitterly and bursting into tears very often in the theatre itself as I involved in the character, Deepika... I then and there decided to remain unmarried in life... It was a bitter lesson in my life... I still recall the incidents that took place in the heroine, Deepika’s life.” Like that, Vinamra narrated the reasons for her not to marry and lead a married life. Madhu reacted in equally shocking state.
‘O! You remain unmarried in life for the shock due to the untoward incidents that took place in the life of the innocent heroine, Deepika in the film,' said Madhu.
'Exactly...We witness such incidents in day-to-day life. The scoundrels who deceive the innocent must undergo punishment tooth and nail. I made up my mind to teach lessons to such people and see them be behind the bars,’ braved Vinamra in her briefing.
‘I am sorry for your sensitive mind and delicate heart. You preferred celibacy to married life… The picture transformed your life but not all its viewers. I, at the same time, appreciate you for the decision on the lines of feminist principles to fight against such rogues,’ said Madhu.
‘True…Thank you for listening to me so long with abundant patience,’ said Vinamra humbly.
‘I too whole-heartedly support you in all respects. I stand by women to face such problems. I welcome your suggestions while sharing my views with you. It is my friendly gesture for you on my part. The birds of a feather flock together. Our views are similar but our destinations are dissimilar,’ said Madhu.
‘I like your friendly gesture in sharing with me,’ said Vinamra.
‘I open the doors of my heart to welcome your suggestions and opinions,’ said Madhu with all deep feelings.
‘Thank you very much...,’ said Vinamra.
‘Thanks a lot…for sharing your views,’ said Madhu...
Madhu started to speak, changing the topic to divert Vinamra's sorrowful mood. He talked of the places he had seen earlier in the US,
'Have you seen the Niagara water falls?'
'No, I haven't. This time I have planned to visit it.'
Madhu depicted the Niagara water falls and Vinamra enjoyed listening to its graphic description.
Madhu and Vinamra were in the flight speaking on various topics- local, social national and international and spent their remaining flight-time, respecting each other. Meanwhile they were at the airport of California. They got into the cars came for them to receive. They travelled together but reached their respective destinations in California.
Published:
Contemporary Literary Review, India. Vol:9 No:4 Nov, 2022
https://www.literaryjournal.in/index.php/clri/article/view/1172/1238
