A Bend in the River of Life (17 page)

Conventionally, they would be part of the joint family and would
be living in the same household. A bride like Keka would have to adapt to the new family environment, a new routine and lifestyle than the one she was used to for twenty-one years of her life. However, the joint family system was bursting at the seams under its own antiquity. A murmur of dissension was raised by the city-bred, college educated brides. But for Keka and Rana there was no time or occasion to discuss those archaic customs, because when the time for discussion came, it was amply clear to Rana that he would be transferred out immediately after the wedding and there was no need to shake the hornet's nest. So everyone in Roy family was mentally prepared for the voluntary parting with the conventional ways due to the dictates of his employment.

When Rana was initially told of his transfer, he was fearful that Rajani would be terribly disappointed to see him move far away from home, wandering from place to place like the wandering mendicants. But to his pleasant surprise, Rajani was actually delighted to learn about his transfer. On further reflection, Rana found the answer to this apparent anomaly. Even though it was painful for her to see Rana going away from her sight, she welcomed the transfer with pleasure because with the first hand knowledge of the acute and self-destructive differences between Amit and Monika, Rajani was apprehensive of its detrimental effect on Keka after her passing.

And that is the nature of love. It always rises above and beyond the narrow groove of self-interest, tradition and culture and cares not to know pride and prejudice while making sure the prospect of enduring happiness for the object of love.

So they did not choose their way to honeymoon immediately after the wedding reception. He was already transferred to Bombay and would leave in a couple of days. That move itself was honeymoon in disguise. Moreover, he was on two weeks vacation and quietly planned to go on a real honeymoon after moving to Bombay. But no one, not even Keka, was aware of this well-guarded secret. So she was not looking forward to the honeymoon. Rana wanted to begin
their post-marriage courtship with another pleasant surprise to her by way of honeymoon. However, that was not true of all the marriages of that time. Until then honeymoon was not looked upon favorably in a joint family. It used to be considered as a shameless show of love between the newly weds in total disregard of the feelings of the other members of the family. Rana had no time and inclination to put that to test. The circumstances favored them anyway. They would leave in two days. His company movers would come and pack all their belongings to be shipped away to his company allotted apartment in Bombay, which was being spruced up for their occupancy.

Thus within a couple of days of their wedding reception Rana and Keka became airborne on their way to a new life, a new assignment and an unknown destiny. That is the distinctive trait of the River of Life, where the destiny is always unknown so that no man can manipulate it to his advantage. Nevertheless, everyone hopes and dreams that the destiny would be better and brighter. And that drives the River of Life constantly forward in search of that mirage of a destiny, the ever esoteric Eternity.

H
oneymoon is the perfect sounding board for the loving couples. Until then love is all unverified passion of words. A pledge of love cannot really be verified without a binding commitment, which comes with marriage when rubber meets the road. Though it might not be the true intent of honeymoon, it often becomes the vehicle to test the pre-marriage promises if they are genuine or hollow; if the dream still continues or is broken in denial of those promises. Honeymoon is designed to seal the love, but love cannot be designed to seal the honeymoon. Perhaps after a period of courtship there is nothing new to add to love to make the honeymoon more pleasurable, but it is possible that love needs to be restated with perfect choice of words put in right sequence with unmistakable passion. This restatement is an art that cannot be taught. It has to come from within. Ironically, due to the paucity of this artful communication skill, many marriages with lots of promises actually come undone during the honeymoon. However, the River of Life carries with it both the commitments fulfilled and promises broken without being swayed by a feeling of joy or sorrow.

Keka and Rana were about to embark on this restatement of commitment made to each other. On their flight to Bombay Rana told her about his plan for honeymoon in Goa. He said, “Keka, on reaching Bombay we would check into the hotel right opposite my office for a couple of days, have a look at the apartment and meet with the CEO and the colleagues I am supposed to work with next few years. Then we would check out of the hotel and proceed to Goa
for honeymoon.” He also said, “Upon our return from Goa after a week we would check into the hotel again and stay there till our apartment is fully ready for our occupancy.” He continued, “I would make sure that before I resume my work in Bombay, you are totally comfortable in the new place, for once the work began I would be too busy even to die.”

Keka was extremely happy to hear about honeymoon because she was not expecting it. As mentioned earlier, honeymoon was still not in vogue in that part of the world. So she asked him out of sheer curiosity, “Could I ask you a question?”

Rana replied, “Keka, you may ask me a thousand questions, why only one?”

Keka asked, “Why didn't you tell me about the honeymoon before?

Rana laughed and answered, “Keka, I am surprised that you asked me the question even after knowing me very well through our five years of courtship. You know I love to give you surprises. Don't tell me that you are not pleasantly surprised to learn about the honeymoon now.”

Keka said, “Of course, I am delighted to hear about it and can't thank you enough. I did not expect it because honeymoon is not yet well-accepted in our society.”

Rana said, “Keka, you know that shattering the unreasonable tradition is our business. In the last five years we have broken many traditions. Even our marriage was not strictly according to tradition.” He added further, “I will continue to ignore the traditions that are meaningless, that have become antiquated. I do not know what you think about it.”

Keka said, “You know I have always supported you. But I am not as forthright as you are. I have to admit that I am a little timid.”

Rana said, “Timidity is not bad. Sometimes I will use your timidity as my weapon to circumvent the tradition that is out of date.” He added, “By the way, talking about your surprise to learn
about our honeymoon, I may add that effective immediately your life will be full of surprises. I only hope that you can handle them all.”

Keka said, “I hope so. I may also tell you that I have found a new name for you, like it or not.”

Rana said, “I am rather intrigued by that. However, unless I hear the name how can I say if I like it or not.”

Keka was deliberately tantalizing, making Rana more curious. She asked, “If you do not like the name, will you be angry with me?”

He responded by asking her, “Keka, have I ever been angry with you? So why are you even asking me the question?”

Both were smiling and the atmosphere was light. Keka said, “Since I am not modern enough to call you by your actual name, I have found a new name for you. Effective immediately I will call you Mr. Surprises.”

Rana burst out into laughter and said, “I am glad that coming out of our narrow confines you have begun to open up.” He saw this as an opportunity to push her to call him by his actual name also. To seize the moment he said, “However, I will be upset if you call me only Mr. Surprises. You will also have to call me by my original name alternately.”

Keka was glad that he did not dislike his new name. She said exuberantly, “Okay Mr. Surprises, I agree with what you said.”

Rana asked, “What do you agree with?”

She replied, “To call you alternately by your other name also.”

Sensing that Keka was caught in her own trap, Rana asked, “What is my other name?”

Keka swallowed twice and then said with visible shyness, “Rana.”

Rana almost fell off the aircraft having accomplished the unthinkable by making Keka utter her husband's real name! It was like moving a mountain! He kissed the back of her palm in joy. He could not kiss her lips because kissing in public was prohibited by law. Now he got ammunition to tease her. He asked, “Keka, what has happened to you? You have not reached Bombay yet, even so you have
started calling your husband by his name! I am really astonished to see your audacity!”

Keka also began laughing. She knew Rana was only pulling her legs. But she said shyly, “Please don't tell it to my mother. She will not be happy.”

Rana was very happy to see this paradigm shift in Keka. So continuing to tease her he said, “I will tell this not only to your mother, but also to the entire world that coming out of Calcutta you are completely out of control; that you are now an ultra-modern woman, calling your husband by name against every acceptable decorum and tradition; that you have gone totally berserk.”

Keka's transformation with the blink of an eye proved once again that man is the product of his surroundings. What appears absolutely impossible in one social environment becomes easily achievable in different surroundings only with a modest nudge.

In the next couple of days they were happy to see their beautiful apartment in a new sky-scraper by the Arabian Sea. The spruce-up work was progressing very well. Rana felt that they might be able to move in immediately upon their return from Goa if by then their consignment from Calcutta would arrive in Bombay. While Rana was busy next couple of days meeting his CEO and the colleagues with whom he would be working in the next few years, Keka had the opportunity to visit along with her aunt Dipa the specific areas of the city their lives would revolve around. Looking at her eyes before leaving for their honeymoon, Rana got positive vibes that she liked what she saw thus far. Then she opened her heart without being asked, “I want to let you know that I am happy to be here. I like the apartment. It's ideally located. Your work, Dipa's house, Nariman Point, Marine Drive, the markets and everything else is just round the corner. It is going to be very convenient.”

Rana said, “Keka, I am relieved to hear that directly from you. You know that your convenience was my first worry. I am delighted to know that you are happy.”

With a good feel about his new work and the apartment, they took the flight to Goa to enjoy their honeymoon. It was the second week of February. Though at that time of the year the northern India would still be at the tail-end of winter, the other parts of the country would be in the middle of spring. Especially, the west coast would be very pleasant. Goa is a small state on the west coast of India approximately four hundred miles southeast of Bombay. About four centuries earlier it became a Portuguese Colony. In the early sixties of the twentieth century India regained the control of Goa. From then on Goa had been gearing up as a tourists' paradise.

Beaches were synonymous with Goa. Out of a total coastline of about seventy-five miles, beaches accounted for fifty miles or two thirds of its length. Since Goa was ensconced between the western slopes of the Western Ghats Mountain Range and the Indian Ocean, the topography of Goa was substantially hilly. Due to the fact that Goa was a Portuguese Colony for four hundred years, the architecture and layout of the villages and towns were mostly Latin. Despite the forcible conversions to Christianity at certain times of the four hundred years of Portuguese rule, 60% of the population still remained Hindus. The Christians constituted 30% and other religions 10%. The religious tolerance was exemplary in Goa. People of one faith participated in the celebrations of another faith in the spirit of the event. Though Portuguese was the official language in the Colonial past, due to the contiguity to India, English and the local Konkanese were also widely practiced. People in Goa were simple, family loving and friendly. Though it was not well publicized, some upper middle class families in Panjim and few other big cities converted a part of their homestead into lovely restaurants with a family touch, serving typical sea food, rice and Portuguese wine.

Rana and Keka were scheduled to stay at the Fort Aguada Beach Hotel for the first three days and then move north to a hotel at the Calangute beach for the rest of their stay. By air Goa was just a short hop from Bombay along the west coast. At the time of their visit
there were only two Indian Airlines flights daily between Bombay and Goa. The flight time was about forty minutes. Because of the short distance the flights used to maintain a low altitude. Keka and Rana took the morning flight to enjoy the view in the tranquility of the morning. The afternoons could be mildly warm at that time of the year though normally with lots of breeze, making it very pleasant. The sky was spotless blue and the sea turquoise. The visibility was endless. Since the aircraft was flying at a low altitude right along the shoreline they were delighted to see from above the foam-crested waves crashing on the shore with never-ending succession. It was an absolutely beautiful sight which Keka had not seen before. She kept her head fixed on the window in order to absorb everything she saw.

Suddenly Rana felt that they were really in the thick of their unpublicized honeymoon. Since the flight took off they were silent. Rana broke the silence by asking, “Keka, what happened? Why are you so quiet? Are you angry with me for something?”

Keka smiled and said, “No, I am looking at the wonderful sight.”

Rana said, “I hope you are enjoying the flight.”

Keka responded, “I am enjoying every moment of it.” And that was vintage Keka. She would never discourage Rana by saying something negative. She would rather adjust herself to his position to make him happy. She said further, “Let me tell you the truth now. When you said we were going to Goa for honeymoon, I was simply happy that we were going on honeymoon. For in our society even today not many think honeymoon as a natural concomitant to wedding. I knew Goa, but was not sure where exactly it was located. However, I did not want to show my ignorance immediately to discourage your high spirit. So I did not say much about it.”