A Bend in the River of Life (16 page)

The setting of the date of engagement brought life to the two families especially, to the two central figures to that engagement. There was no escape from the aura of festivity at Keka's home. She was the only daughter of the family. They wanted to equip Keka with the gifts that would help her launch her new life with ease and comfort. They geared their efforts to make her genuinely happy. Festivity, however, did not appear to be so high strung in the Roy family residence. For one, Amit and Monika never exchanged ideas and opinions about their son's happiness. They kept their feelings to themselves. For other, Monika never thought she was part of the “inner circle” in the decision making process. Cold war was still raging between the two.

Mita became the busiest individual in Keka's family. Since Keka's father and grandfather were extremely busy in their law practice, Mita was entrusted with everything related to the wedding. That was a lot of responsibility for a housewife on top of the daily supervision of the housekeeping and kitchen details. She had plenty to do and she was a stickler of perfection. From the fine jewelry and clothing to furniture, furnishings, bedding and linen, she wanted all the wedding gifts to customize. She sought everything to perfection. From design to quality no one ever questioned her taste and choice. Though Mita did not want Keka to interrupt her preparation for the B.A. exam, she also did not think it appropriate to thrust the gifts on her without her participation in the selection process. But she was assured when Keka said, “Ma, I have always liked whatever you have given me until recently. There is no reason why it would be any different now. I trust your choice and selection.” Anyway, the air in Keka's household was filled with festive spirit though with an underpinning of sadness, for their daughter, the only child at home would soon be leaving them, making their house a proverbial empty nest.

Despite the lack of cohesion, the mood of the Roy family was generally happy especially, that of Rajani. This might very well be the last wedding of her offspring that she would be able to take part in. Perhaps at seventy-eight she was holding to her life only to see Rana settle down with a family of his own. She had had enough of her son and daughter-in-law to expect a whole lot from them for Rana's wedding. So in absence of any meaningful initiative on the part of Amit and Monika, Rajani once again rose to the occasion. By default, she assumed the responsibility for Rana's wedding. Admittedly, compared to the bride's family the groom's family had very little to do. Nonetheless, there were a few things that the Roy family was required to do by custom. The least that was expected of them was coordinating with the bride's family to solemnize the engagement and the wedding; choosing and organizing appropriate
gifts for the bride and her family; choosing and sending properly worded invitation cards for the wedding to friends and family; and hosting a grand reception at the groom's house to welcome the bride after the wedding. How many such weddings she conducted in her life Rana did not know for sure. However, in spite of her advanced age and frailties this one also she would handle with equal efficiency and class because of her unwavering love for Rana.

Before the engagement ceremony Rajani re-iterated to Ramnath and Mita that dowry would not be part of any discussions at the engagement ceremony of the scion of the Roy family. As a result, the engagement ceremony at Ramnath's house was totally tension free and full of fun and frolics. Yet tradition and habits die hard. At a quiet moment, Mita asked Rana cleverly that they would be really happy to give him a gift of his choice.

Rana said, “Nothing that I can think of.”

During the busy occasion Ramnath also tried to coax Rajani at a solitary moment.

Rajani said, “We welcome just the bride, nothing else.”

Ramnath still insisted, “Rana is young. He might have a desire for something special. Why don't you allow me to talk to him?”

Rajani said, “You do not know him. He is of a different kind. Even in his childhood he never asked anything from me special or not so special. He was always happy with whatever I gave him. Now the Gracious God has given him the ability to buy anything he wants. So don't worry about it.”

Ramnath found Roy family's attitude toward dowry refreshing. Mita was especially elated that her daughter was not treated as a chattel.

Since dowry was not in the agenda for discussion on the date of engagement, the order of business was to confirm the engagement and determine the wedding date and that was all that mattered to Keka and Rana. No one had to sweat to confirm the engagement. The would-be groom and bride did it themselves away from the
crowd. The wedding date agreed upon was within a month after Keka's final exam. Effective immediately, that date was sacrosanct unless illness occurred to either of them or death to someone in the most immediate family.

Now the marriage seemed real, not a figment of imagination. The occasion demanded an instant celebration. Nevertheless, the celebration was never meant to be for the parties' central to it. Keka was surrounded by the jubilant women folks of her extended family. Rana felt awfully bored sitting among mostly older men excitedly finding easy solutions to the problems of the world. However, nothing could escape the attention of the Master of the ceremony, Mita. Festivities were going on mostly on the first and second floors of the house. The third floor was out of bounds for the guests. Just when all the women got busy helping in the preparation of the grand feast or occupied in exchanging family secrets, Mita asked Keka to go to her room on the third floor. Mita then found men in an animated discussion on the upcoming soccer classic between the top two teams.

She seized that opportunity to call Rana and took him to the third floor. Addressing both Keka and Rana she said, “Your presence is not needed downstairs at this time. Remain here in each other's company till I call you again.”

Rana and Keka looked at each other in admiration for Mita. He thanked Mita profusely for her understanding. She smiled and said, “One day I was in your shoes. I can relate to your hopes and wishes.” She then left in a hurry.

Rana kept staring at Keka for a long time with an enigmatic smile on his face. Keka was not sure what to read in that smile. In a state somewhat between bemused and perplexed, she said, “Looks like you have never seen me before.”

Rana said, “That's true. I have never before seen your look of today. To me you are new everyday. Especially, today you look gorgeous in your brilliant red outfit.”

He then wrapped one arm around Keka and said, “Please don't move, for I have promises to keep.” Saying this he took out the Engagement Ring from his pocket and inserted it on the ring finger of her left hand and kissed her with much fondness.

With tears of joy overflowing her eyes she said, “I am very lucky. I am so happy for everything that you do for me.”

Rana said, “I am the luckier of the two.”

Keka said, “That is not true.”

Rana said, “I mean every bit of it.”

Keka said, “I shall not argue. I just wanted to say that I am exceedingly happy for this engagement ring. This means a lot to me.”

At that moment they heard Mita's voice. In a second, she came in and announced that the relatives from their ancestral village just arrived and would be happy to see both of them. Mita noticed the engagement ring on Keka's ring finger and smiled, but did not say anything at that time. That suggested once again that no one can ever escape the piercing gaze of one's own mother. Rana knew it was well-nigh impossible for him to talk to Keka anymore that day. So before going down to be among the crowd once again, they set up an appointment the next day to celebrate the occasion exclusively.

Next day when they met, Keka was bristling with effusive spirit. She had many things to say about all that happened the previous day. She was especially exuberant to have found a soft corner in Rajani's heart. She was very much aware that it mattered most to Rana; that Rajani was the nearest and dearest to him. From the close interface with Rajani during the ceremony Keka could feel the depth of her affection for Rana. Another matter which was central to any marriage became apparent to her after talking to Rajani. She understood from whatever little Rajani hinted to her that the household is a shared responsibility; as much as managing the finances would be Rana's responsibility, her responsibility would be managing the household. On the one hand, the engagement
ceremony revealed to Keka the heart-warming side of the impending marriage and on the other, it did drive home to her the reality of the burden of responsibility. She told Rana that despite her upcoming exam, she began devoting some time everyday to learning the lessons of efficient housekeeping from her mother.

At work, Rana was told confidentially that he would be transferred to Bombay in the very near future. To facilitate the timing of the transfer, he let his General Manager know the date of his wedding and that he intended to take a couple of weeks' vacation after the wedding. In fact, the timing was perfect for the decision-making process. Next day when Rana met with Keka, he mentioned about the transfer. She felt pretty good about it because Mita's another sister Dipa was a long-time resident of Bombay. She said Dipa would be a definite help to her in setting up her household.

The River of Life is the precise embodiment of God's crowning creativity. Marriage is the perfect plank to flow in the River of Life with the easy comfort of the swans gliding in a placid lake. Marriage is the oldest and the most sacred institution of mankind. It is a vow exchanged between a man and a woman to create a bond between them to lead their lives within the norms of a family, to care for each other and grow in numbers. There is nothing more sacrosanct than the relationship between a man and woman in weaving the fabric that make the River of Life stronger and saner. In every faith solemn rituals are sanctified in the celebration of marriage. Some religious rites also specify fasting by the bride as well as the groom on the day of marriage till marriage vow is taken with all its solemnities and sanctities, for it is believed that fasting purifies the body and soul.

Keka and Rana were about to embark upon that vow. Only a few weeks were left. Traffic increased considerably in and out of both the houses. Vendors, close relatives and well wishers were coming and going with last minute suggestions, recommendations, changes in design and improvement in quality, all geared toward a perfect
wedding. A month before wedding Keka and Rana were advised to stop seeing and talking to each other to heighten their mutual longing and affection by the wedding date. Established wisdom proved its value again. By the wedding day they were dying to see each other, being starved of the flow of information from the other side. He was curious to know what Keka was doing. He knew it was well-nigh impossible to talk to her that day. He could envision that Keka's abode was even more crowded than his and her back was breaking under the weight of string of rituals. Anyway, he had to subdue his impulse to call Keka. Later at night, he found out from her that she strictly observed fasting and did not sip even a squint of water. He trusted her. Knowing very well how his Aunt Devika observed her fasting, he had developed a deep conviction that women had much greater fortitude and endurance than men. Moreover, they were dead serious about rituals with religious overtones.

On the wedding day the Roy family home was full of people. Sumit, Sudip, Devika and Kamala were present with their spouses and children. Came Sheila and Anjali. Came Sarojini and Padmini. Came one and came all. Came everyone who touched Rana's life one way or the other. Rana felt flattered to be the center of attention at least once in his lifetime. By the reading of the almanac the sanctified time for the wedding was late evening. By the late afternoon, Rana was starving. In collusion with his two little cousins, he ate a few desserts surreptitiously. He had no idea if he displeased God. However, he did not want his dead body to be dragged on to the wedding platform.

The evening came clandestinely. Traditional rituals for the groom began to the embarrassment of Rana. Devika decorated his forehead with the sandalwood paste. Holding a tray with flowers, sandalwood paste and seven oil lamps Rajani sanctified Rana. Then she put a crown on his head as if to set the crown prince on his journey to conquer the world and bring the bride of his choice. The protocol
man from the bride's family arrived with a car tastefully decorated with seasonal flowers. A floral butterfly was installed on the bonnet of the car, for butterfly was the symbol of love and marriage.

On arrival of the groom's motorcade to the bride's place, a posse of women led by the bride's mother Mita, each carrying a tray laden with flowers, sandalwood paste and seven oil lamps came near the car to receive the groom with fanfare, while the younger women kept blowing conchs to drive away the evil and usher in peace and happiness for the wedding couple. The children, the invitees and the curious onlookers crowded round the place to have a glimpse of the groom.

Goings were good for Rana till the actual wedding ceremony began, for the proceedings were woefully long and endless due to repetitious chanting of verses from the scripture. By the time the wedding ceremony was complete it was over two hours. Finally, when Keka and Rana finished their dinner and were left alone to go into the bride's chamber it was well past midnight.

They met virtually after a month. There were many untold stories to tell. But Keka looked half-dead what with fasting and what with a day crowded with countless tortuous religious rituals. As they sat on the bed, she leaned over Rana with all her weight. He wrapped around her with his two hands and kissed her fondly. Keka started shedding tears of joy. At last nothing would come between them except the wind of love and care. They picked up conversations relating to the interval when they did not meet. However, it was too much for Keka to stay awake. In the midst of their talks her exhausted body fell asleep on Rana's lap. He felt glad to carry her weight out of love and carefully stretched out her body on her side of the bed to let her sleep peacefully. Many sweet dreams of the future kept blooming in his mind. Not long after, he kissed her beautiful locks with prayers of joy. Thus began the marital bliss of Keka and Rana.