“Saramma have you accepted the madhura sundara love-work?” Keshavan Nair asked the next day.
Saramma said:
“With madhura sundaram tell you tomorrow!”
The next day again when Keshavan Nair asked, Saramma said:
“Tell you tomorrow!”
The next day again when Keshavan Nair asked, Saramma said:
“Tell you tomorrow!”
The next day again when Keshavan Nair asked, Saramma said:
“Tell you tomorrow!”
The next day Keshavan Nair didn’t ask! He made a declaration:
“With madhura sundaram I’m going to commit suicide! What is the use of living now?”
“Very good idea! Then let someone write a sad poem. The great lover who committed madhura sundara suicide!”
Keshavan Nair kept quiet.
“So decided to commit madhura sundara suicide?”
“Yes!”
“That mangalakarmam, when is it?”
Keshavan Nair kept quiet.
“The madhura sundara suicide. Which way will it be?”
“I’ve not come to any decision about all that. Still thinking!”
Saramma advised:
“Can die by putting head on a rail line. Or, can die by hanging from a flowering tree. Which one of these are you going to accept?”
Keshavan Nair kept quiet. Cruel-heart! The double-double-double cruel heart of women!!
Saramma again advised:
“There is another way. Nobody will come to know also. In a small boat take a large granite piece and some rope and surreptitiously row towards the middle of the lake at dusk. Then tie one end of the rope to the stone; the other end make a beautiful slip knot and put it around your neck. Then beautifully scream I’m dead and kick and sink the boat secretly.”
The thousand double cruel-heart of women!
Keshavan Nair said:
“I’ve found another way. I’ll hang myself here! While dead and hanging there would be a large piece of paper tied to the feet: World, there is no relation between my death and cruel hearted Saramma! It is true that I love Saramma and that Saramma does not love me! It is also true that she hard-heartedly crumpled and threw away the madhura sundara
premalekhanam that I gave her. Even then, my death and hard-hearted Saramma, world, have no relation to one another. Signed poor Keshavan Nair who died for Saramma.”
“No other special news?”
“No! Nothing at all!”
Saramma said:
“I took the premalekhanam and wrapped black tooth-powder in it”
“In the premalekhanam written in my hearts blood?”
“Yes.”
The female hearts total iron iron hardness!
Keshavan Nair didn’t open his mouth. What to speak?
A number of days went by in a daze. He moved around not speaking to anybody- Sulking around.
He can’t stand women!
Bloodyfools! Hard hard hearts!
Saramma is also a bloody bloody fool, a hard hard heart! Keshavan Nair is also a bloody bloody fool, not a hard hard heart! The men and women in the world, each one is a bloodyfool! Thus Keshavan Nair’s opinions where getting stronger when- One beautiful
evening Saramma came into the front yard and stood in front of Keshavan Nair and as if expecting something, very nicely put out her hand. Keshavan Nair didn’t understand anything.
Saramma as if angry asked:
“My salary?”
“Salary? What salary?” Nothing penetrated into Keshavan Nair’s head.
Seeing his condition Saramma said: In a manner of having been deeply humiliated by Keshavan Nair not keeping a promise said:
“Oh, in the end it’s become like this also! I am the one to suffer everything. Is it for nothing that the world says that my head is full of moonlight? For twenty-thirty days I’ve taken up the difficult task of madhura sundara loving you…!”
“Oh!”, Keshavan Nair’s brow cleared. Eyes sparkled. His heart expanded like a football and pressed against his ribs.
“Dearest, then why didn’t you tell me that madhura manohara news?”
In a manner filled with regret Saramma said:
“In these difficult times when life is yearningly youthful and the heart brimming over with love- what could I do if you just sulk around saying suicide and behaving like you are not seeing or hearing me?”
“No other special news?”
“No, nothing at all!”
Keshavan Nair ordered:
“Come!”
He walked on, and behind him Saramma. They climbed up. Keshavan Nair entered and opened his trunk and took out two ten rupee notes and with a thundering heart put it into a cover and wrote ‘Srimati Saramma, for her’ addressed thus, put it into Saramma’s hand.
Saramma asked:
“Is it a premalekhanam?”
Keshavan Nair didn’t say anything. Premalekhanam! Let her writhe for a while. But, Saramma showed no signs of writhing.
She took the notes and like some big business-woman held them up to the light and minutely observed them:
“It’s not counterfeit-notes?”
Keshavan Nair kept quiet.
“Ok”, she proclaimed: “Henceforth don’t make it late like this. Exactly on the first I should get my salary!”
Keshavan Nair felt like tightly hugging Saramma and continuously kissing her one lakh and nine times. He came nearer to kiss her.
Saramma said:
“Stay some four feet away!”
“I want to kiss a bit!”
“What me?”
“Yyes!”
“That’s good this kissing business was not there in our contract?”
Keshavan Nair said nothing. Hey! Some contract!
That way five months passed. Hundred rupees changed hands to Saramma. What she was doing with it he didn’t ask. Even then in the third month Saramma let him know: She had won a lottery of one thousand Rupees! The luck of one Rupee from the salary he had given her! Keshavan Nair didn’t pay much attention to all that. How can one pay attention to money related soiled things? He’s in the moonlight of love. It’s not possible to grasp anything very clearly. Believe what the love-object says. Doesn’t matter even if she gives nothing. Practice fulfilling her wishes. Walk in the direction she points – more than that it is not possible for him to do anything. In this way complying with Saramma’s wishes, Keshavan Nair applied for jobs in foreign places. Why? Because Saramma said so... But, he also did things Saramma didn’t tell him. When Saramma was lying ill, calling the doctor and showing him; pay money and buy medicines for Saramma; make her drink it; try to make peace between Saramma and her step-mother; make small speeches about the responsibilities of parents to Saramma’s father- lots of things like that. But, she didn’t thank him for anything or show any submissiveness. Even then Keshavan Nair tolerated all that. What became intolerable was ‘in these difficult times when life is yearningly youthful and the heart brimming over with love-’ as a cute little start for her sentences. Hearing that Keshavan Nair goes all cold. When Saramma begins to speak he pays attention to see if she’ll start that way. If it isn’t he lets his breath out in a sigh of relief. Although it’s like this, is there any stopping love’s growth? Every day it grows more strong and courageous and lovely. Want to look at Saramma all the time! Want to embrace her; want to kiss her; there’s no end to his desires. Isn’t he a man?
And Saramma? She has shown absolutely no sign that she loves Keshavan Nair. In word or deed- she’s giving no way at all. Isn’t she a woman?
It was in such circumstances that the moment of parting came on. Keshavan Nair got a job with a company in a foreign state. A good high salary. Keshavan Nair according to Saramma’s wishes wrote back accepting the offer.
Saramma said:
“So, in that way, I’m also going to get a high salary!”
That’s all. She has nothing to else to say. Even then Saramma reminded him:
“You should positively send the money order by the first of every month. You have the address, no?”
Keshavan Nair said nothing. What to say to a female with a hard heart?
Saramma asked:
“When are you going?”
Keshavan Nair said:
“You know that within ten days I have to get there and take charge. So I’m thinking of leaving day after tomorrow. Thinking that I’ve also resigned from the bank job.”
“So finally decided to go away from here?”
“What kind of question is this?”
“Am I still your love-object?”
“What else?”
“You are ready to accept death also for me?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Saramma said:
“Right now it’s not necessary to die and show. Will you not go for the job if I ask you?”
Not go for the job? If it comes to that it’ll become very uncomfortable. It’ll become impossible to give the rent. There’ll be trouble to eat and dress. May have to become a tramp and roam around in the bylanes! Keshavan Nair stood looking down with his hand on his chin. What to do?
Saramma got up and started walking towards the stairs. Keshavan Nair called out painfully:
“Saramma, something I want to say.”
She came back.
“If it’s something beautiful and new about love, I’ve heard and heard and I’m tired of it. Chaplaachi thing it is, your premam.”
Keshavan Nair kept quiet. Parishuddha premam- a chaplaachi thing!
She said:
“Say on, I’m the one who takes the salary isn’t it- How can I not listen?”
“Saramma for you it’s always fun!”
“Is this what you wanted to say?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“Saramma you also come with me. I can’t go and stay there alone.”
Saramma laughed. She asked:
“Are you afraid?”
“No. Saramma I love-“
“Saramma I love! Haven’t you said it one lakh and nine times?”
Saramma asked: “this thing called love what is it?”
That’s not difficult to say! Keshavan Nair knows very well what love is. But he’s slightly shy about saying it:
“Affection, love- what’s called all that is something like some sort of moonlight... Madhurasundarasurabhila chaandini hoti hai premam!”
“Madhurasundarasurabhila moonlight!” Saramma is astounded:
“That’s what’s inside the heads of women, isn’t that what you said?”
“Not Madhurasundarasurabhila wallah. What’s inside the heads of women is only simple ordinary useless moonlight!”
“Thank you!”
After a long time Keshavan Nair asked:
“Will you come Saramma?”
“And after coming?”
“You must live as my wife for as long as the moon and the stars are there.”
“Aren’t we of two different faiths?”
“So what? Can’t we do a ‘registered wedding’?”
“Don’t you want any dowry?”
“Saramma, you give all of you to me as dowry. That’s enough. Saramma you only are the diya of my little jhopdi. You only are-“
“Stop please! There are other doubts!”
“What are they? Let’s hear.”
With a mischievous laugh Saramma said:
“We two Shrijit Keshavan Nair and Shrimati Saramma when we live as wife and husband I foresee a lot of problems. When one person goes to the temple the other goes to the church. Two groups! Always between us the church and the temple!”
“A just thought!” Keshavan Nair said: “there’ll be lots of other thing like this. Take the case of our two lives. I’ve gone through great hardship; you too. In all this time how many troubles have you not suffered! Stepmother and father have they behaved compassionately so far! Stepmother’s evil mind! Group, Church. Think about it: Two adult independent beings. Some little education and little intelligence is there. Your group is not going to feed or take care of us. Temple and church- let them stand where they are.
There should not be walls between our hearts. Forgiveness, kindness, compassion, you should not forget these. Is that clear?”
“That’s clear.” Saramma thoughtfully said:
“If there are other doubts?”
“If there are, then this here Keshavan Nair will solve them. Speak up, let’s hear.”
“I feel shy about saying it.”
“Then shyly beautifully only say it.”
Saramma asked:
“Won’t we have children? What religion will they be? I won’t like bringing them up as Hindus. To bring them up as Christians my- my husband may not like it! When it comes to that, their religion?”
Keshavan Nair broke out in sweat. He’s not thought of it all. Isn’t it true?- What religion would the children be? Keshavan Nair thought. Thought deeply. Wracked his brains. The veins on his temple stood out. Sweat poured out of his forehead. No solution in sight. Thought is blindly groping about in half light. No answer in sight. Then a thought like lightning. A door of light opened. As if having seen a wonderful vision he declared:
“I’ve seen it!”
“What?”
“I’ll tell you.” Keshavan Nair said: “we won’t bring our children up to any religion! Let them grow up religionless!”
“Like animals? Like birds? Like crocodiles?”
“No!”
“Then?”
“There’s a way; when they grow up teach them about all religions- without any bias. Then when they are some twenty years old let them choose the one they like best!”
Saramma without looking at Keshavan Nair’s face happily said:
“That’s fair... and name? Suppose my first child is a boy. What shall we name that darling-son?”
Keshavan Nair was troubled:
“That’s true. What shall we name that darling-son? Cannot put a Hindu name. And similarly no Christian name.”
After some thought Keshavan Nair found the solution again.
“Let us”, he said: “put some earth-shattering name of some other community.”
“Then, won’t people think that my darling-son belongs to that community?”
“Right!” Keshavan Nair understood. “Putting Musalman name would make people think he’s a Musalman. Pharsee’s also the same… Chinawallah and Russiawallah also- No can’t do that, it’s a problem.”
What name to put? Need a name nobody has used before. Behind the name there should be nothing indicating beliefs or religion… what is there like that? Keshavan Nair kept thinking.
Then Saramma asked:
“This Chinese name, how would it be?”
Keshavan Nair said one sample Chinese name:
“Dunk-dinkoho?”
“Dunk-dinkoho.” Saramma tried out the darling-son who was to be her first born.
“Hey son, dunk-dinkoho. Where are you?- Dunk-dinkoho!”
“Does it have style?”
It didn’t appeal very much to Saramma.
“I don’t need that name for my son!”
“Then there is the Russian. You only have to add ski.”
Saramma asked:
“What ski?”
“Whatever!-“
“Chaploski, Chaploski... No!”
“Ok then, I’ve got it... styleful names!” Keshavan Nair’s imagination exploded. One by one he said:
“India, Premalekhanam, Short-story, Typhoon, Sahara, Aakaasham, Moonlight, Salmon, Symbolism, Areca-palm, Mithai, Theater, Ocean, Fish-eyes, Friday, Prose-poem, Opalstone, Flame, Mysticism, Galaxy- “
“Stop please! Let me call out and see: Hey! son, Fish-eyes, Fish-eyes! Mummy’s dear Fish-eyes... No!”
She again called out and tried:
“Hey son, Prose-poem, son Short-story! Hey son Moonlight!”
He said:
“Let’s write each one on a piece of paper and select two. Let’s not quarrel. For names, a double-name is more styleful!”
Saramma also agreed about that.
They wrote the names on small slips of paper and folded them and mixed them together. Saramma picked one and Keshavan Nair also picked one. Keshavan Nair smoothened the paper piece and announced:
“Mithai!”
Saramma also opened the paper and slowly said:
“Aakaasham!”
Both of them looked at each other’s face.
Saramma bravely called out her son’s name:
“Mithai Aakaasham! Hey son Mithaiaakaasham!... Hey son Mithaiaakaasham!”
“Wrong!” Keshavan Nair spoke out the right one. Called out the name of his dear-boy son with pride:
“Aakaashamithai!”
Saramma also liked that very much. She lovingly called out the name of her dear son:
“Aakaashamithai... Hey son, Aakaashamithai. Where are you Aakaashamithai!”
“Great it is!” Keshavan Nair showed the way: “Mister Aakaashamithai! Shrijit Aakaashamithai!... Comrade Aakaashamithai!”
Then Saramma has a horrible doubt:
“Is my darling-son a communist?”
Keshavan Nair said:
“Arre, let him be! Let him join any Dunkaas! His preference, what else?”
“Ok then, let it be on the liking of my son. My son can join any party!”
My son? Saramma’s son? Keshavan Nair was angered. Selfishness! He reminded her:
“Saramma, in everything you said so far you said my son, my son, my son. Understand? This much selfishness is not good. If somebody hears they’ll think I don’t have any right at all over Aakaashamithai! From now on say ‘our son’. Abbe did you understand?”
Saramma was also angered. “Abbe!” he said!
“It’s good you reminded me.” Saramma showed her manner of having drunk a bitter medicine: “Oh, I only asked about it that’s all! So don’t think I’ve become your wife!- understand Mister Keshavan Nair?”
Keshavan Nair’s face dried up. Humbly he asked:
“Then Saramma what you said before?”
“What did I say?”
“That you’ll become my wife.”
“And after becoming?”
“Oh, Saramma it’s always vinodam for you!”
“Aah!- Vinodam- you know what that is of life?”
“I don’t want to know.”
“That’s good! He doesn’t want to listen to anything I say. I am ‘Abbe’, I am soul-mate! I am ishtadaasi!”
“Tell me Saramma. What is it?”
“What?”
“Vinodam jeevan ka-?”
“Ah, smile like that.” She got up and went down the stairs and said:
“Saurabhyam!”
Vinodam jeevan ka saurabyam hota hai! That’s good! Vinodam jeevan ka saurabyam hota hai!
Saramma said:
“With madhura sundaram tell you tomorrow!”
The next day again when Keshavan Nair asked, Saramma said:
“Tell you tomorrow!”
The next day again when Keshavan Nair asked, Saramma said:
“Tell you tomorrow!”
The next day again when Keshavan Nair asked, Saramma said:
“Tell you tomorrow!”
The next day Keshavan Nair didn’t ask! He made a declaration:
“With madhura sundaram I’m going to commit suicide! What is the use of living now?”
“Very good idea! Then let someone write a sad poem. The great lover who committed madhura sundara suicide!”
Keshavan Nair kept quiet.
“So decided to commit madhura sundara suicide?”
“Yes!”
“That mangalakarmam, when is it?”
Keshavan Nair kept quiet.
“The madhura sundara suicide. Which way will it be?”
“I’ve not come to any decision about all that. Still thinking!”
Saramma advised:
“Can die by putting head on a rail line. Or, can die by hanging from a flowering tree. Which one of these are you going to accept?”
Keshavan Nair kept quiet. Cruel-heart! The double-double-double cruel heart of women!!
Saramma again advised:
“There is another way. Nobody will come to know also. In a small boat take a large granite piece and some rope and surreptitiously row towards the middle of the lake at dusk. Then tie one end of the rope to the stone; the other end make a beautiful slip knot and put it around your neck. Then beautifully scream I’m dead and kick and sink the boat secretly.”
The thousand double cruel-heart of women!
Keshavan Nair said:
“I’ve found another way. I’ll hang myself here! While dead and hanging there would be a large piece of paper tied to the feet: World, there is no relation between my death and cruel hearted Saramma! It is true that I love Saramma and that Saramma does not love me! It is also true that she hard-heartedly crumpled and threw away the madhura sundara
premalekhanam that I gave her. Even then, my death and hard-hearted Saramma, world, have no relation to one another. Signed poor Keshavan Nair who died for Saramma.”
“No other special news?”
“No! Nothing at all!”
Saramma said:
“I took the premalekhanam and wrapped black tooth-powder in it”
“In the premalekhanam written in my hearts blood?”
“Yes.”
The female hearts total iron iron hardness!
Keshavan Nair didn’t open his mouth. What to speak?
A number of days went by in a daze. He moved around not speaking to anybody- Sulking around.
He can’t stand women!
Bloodyfools! Hard hard hearts!
Saramma is also a bloody bloody fool, a hard hard heart! Keshavan Nair is also a bloody bloody fool, not a hard hard heart! The men and women in the world, each one is a bloodyfool! Thus Keshavan Nair’s opinions where getting stronger when- One beautiful
evening Saramma came into the front yard and stood in front of Keshavan Nair and as if expecting something, very nicely put out her hand. Keshavan Nair didn’t understand anything.
Saramma as if angry asked:
“My salary?”
“Salary? What salary?” Nothing penetrated into Keshavan Nair’s head.
Seeing his condition Saramma said: In a manner of having been deeply humiliated by Keshavan Nair not keeping a promise said:
“Oh, in the end it’s become like this also! I am the one to suffer everything. Is it for nothing that the world says that my head is full of moonlight? For twenty-thirty days I’ve taken up the difficult task of madhura sundara loving you…!”
“Oh!”, Keshavan Nair’s brow cleared. Eyes sparkled. His heart expanded like a football and pressed against his ribs.
“Dearest, then why didn’t you tell me that madhura manohara news?”
In a manner filled with regret Saramma said:
“In these difficult times when life is yearningly youthful and the heart brimming over with love- what could I do if you just sulk around saying suicide and behaving like you are not seeing or hearing me?”
“No other special news?”
“No, nothing at all!”
Keshavan Nair ordered:
“Come!”
He walked on, and behind him Saramma. They climbed up. Keshavan Nair entered and opened his trunk and took out two ten rupee notes and with a thundering heart put it into a cover and wrote ‘Srimati Saramma, for her’ addressed thus, put it into Saramma’s hand.
Saramma asked:
“Is it a premalekhanam?”
Keshavan Nair didn’t say anything. Premalekhanam! Let her writhe for a while. But, Saramma showed no signs of writhing.
She took the notes and like some big business-woman held them up to the light and minutely observed them:
“It’s not counterfeit-notes?”
Keshavan Nair kept quiet.
“Ok”, she proclaimed: “Henceforth don’t make it late like this. Exactly on the first I should get my salary!”
Keshavan Nair felt like tightly hugging Saramma and continuously kissing her one lakh and nine times. He came nearer to kiss her.
Saramma said:
“Stay some four feet away!”
“I want to kiss a bit!”
“What me?”
“Yyes!”
“That’s good this kissing business was not there in our contract?”
Keshavan Nair said nothing. Hey! Some contract!
That way five months passed. Hundred rupees changed hands to Saramma. What she was doing with it he didn’t ask. Even then in the third month Saramma let him know: She had won a lottery of one thousand Rupees! The luck of one Rupee from the salary he had given her! Keshavan Nair didn’t pay much attention to all that. How can one pay attention to money related soiled things? He’s in the moonlight of love. It’s not possible to grasp anything very clearly. Believe what the love-object says. Doesn’t matter even if she gives nothing. Practice fulfilling her wishes. Walk in the direction she points – more than that it is not possible for him to do anything. In this way complying with Saramma’s wishes, Keshavan Nair applied for jobs in foreign places. Why? Because Saramma said so... But, he also did things Saramma didn’t tell him. When Saramma was lying ill, calling the doctor and showing him; pay money and buy medicines for Saramma; make her drink it; try to make peace between Saramma and her step-mother; make small speeches about the responsibilities of parents to Saramma’s father- lots of things like that. But, she didn’t thank him for anything or show any submissiveness. Even then Keshavan Nair tolerated all that. What became intolerable was ‘in these difficult times when life is yearningly youthful and the heart brimming over with love-’ as a cute little start for her sentences. Hearing that Keshavan Nair goes all cold. When Saramma begins to speak he pays attention to see if she’ll start that way. If it isn’t he lets his breath out in a sigh of relief. Although it’s like this, is there any stopping love’s growth? Every day it grows more strong and courageous and lovely. Want to look at Saramma all the time! Want to embrace her; want to kiss her; there’s no end to his desires. Isn’t he a man?
And Saramma? She has shown absolutely no sign that she loves Keshavan Nair. In word or deed- she’s giving no way at all. Isn’t she a woman?
It was in such circumstances that the moment of parting came on. Keshavan Nair got a job with a company in a foreign state. A good high salary. Keshavan Nair according to Saramma’s wishes wrote back accepting the offer.
Saramma said:
“So, in that way, I’m also going to get a high salary!”
That’s all. She has nothing to else to say. Even then Saramma reminded him:
“You should positively send the money order by the first of every month. You have the address, no?”
Keshavan Nair said nothing. What to say to a female with a hard heart?
Saramma asked:
“When are you going?”
Keshavan Nair said:
“You know that within ten days I have to get there and take charge. So I’m thinking of leaving day after tomorrow. Thinking that I’ve also resigned from the bank job.”
“So finally decided to go away from here?”
“What kind of question is this?”
“Am I still your love-object?”
“What else?”
“You are ready to accept death also for me?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Saramma said:
“Right now it’s not necessary to die and show. Will you not go for the job if I ask you?”
Not go for the job? If it comes to that it’ll become very uncomfortable. It’ll become impossible to give the rent. There’ll be trouble to eat and dress. May have to become a tramp and roam around in the bylanes! Keshavan Nair stood looking down with his hand on his chin. What to do?
Saramma got up and started walking towards the stairs. Keshavan Nair called out painfully:
“Saramma, something I want to say.”
She came back.
“If it’s something beautiful and new about love, I’ve heard and heard and I’m tired of it. Chaplaachi thing it is, your premam.”
Keshavan Nair kept quiet. Parishuddha premam- a chaplaachi thing!
She said:
“Say on, I’m the one who takes the salary isn’t it- How can I not listen?”
“Saramma for you it’s always fun!”
“Is this what you wanted to say?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“Saramma you also come with me. I can’t go and stay there alone.”
Saramma laughed. She asked:
“Are you afraid?”
“No. Saramma I love-“
“Saramma I love! Haven’t you said it one lakh and nine times?”
Saramma asked: “this thing called love what is it?”
That’s not difficult to say! Keshavan Nair knows very well what love is. But he’s slightly shy about saying it:
“Affection, love- what’s called all that is something like some sort of moonlight... Madhurasundarasurabhila chaandini hoti hai premam!”
“Madhurasundarasurabhila moonlight!” Saramma is astounded:
“That’s what’s inside the heads of women, isn’t that what you said?”
“Not Madhurasundarasurabhila wallah. What’s inside the heads of women is only simple ordinary useless moonlight!”
“Thank you!”
After a long time Keshavan Nair asked:
“Will you come Saramma?”
“And after coming?”
“You must live as my wife for as long as the moon and the stars are there.”
“Aren’t we of two different faiths?”
“So what? Can’t we do a ‘registered wedding’?”
“Don’t you want any dowry?”
“Saramma, you give all of you to me as dowry. That’s enough. Saramma you only are the diya of my little jhopdi. You only are-“
“Stop please! There are other doubts!”
“What are they? Let’s hear.”
With a mischievous laugh Saramma said:
“We two Shrijit Keshavan Nair and Shrimati Saramma when we live as wife and husband I foresee a lot of problems. When one person goes to the temple the other goes to the church. Two groups! Always between us the church and the temple!”
“A just thought!” Keshavan Nair said: “there’ll be lots of other thing like this. Take the case of our two lives. I’ve gone through great hardship; you too. In all this time how many troubles have you not suffered! Stepmother and father have they behaved compassionately so far! Stepmother’s evil mind! Group, Church. Think about it: Two adult independent beings. Some little education and little intelligence is there. Your group is not going to feed or take care of us. Temple and church- let them stand where they are.
There should not be walls between our hearts. Forgiveness, kindness, compassion, you should not forget these. Is that clear?”
“That’s clear.” Saramma thoughtfully said:
“If there are other doubts?”
“If there are, then this here Keshavan Nair will solve them. Speak up, let’s hear.”
“I feel shy about saying it.”
“Then shyly beautifully only say it.”
Saramma asked:
“Won’t we have children? What religion will they be? I won’t like bringing them up as Hindus. To bring them up as Christians my- my husband may not like it! When it comes to that, their religion?”
Keshavan Nair broke out in sweat. He’s not thought of it all. Isn’t it true?- What religion would the children be? Keshavan Nair thought. Thought deeply. Wracked his brains. The veins on his temple stood out. Sweat poured out of his forehead. No solution in sight. Thought is blindly groping about in half light. No answer in sight. Then a thought like lightning. A door of light opened. As if having seen a wonderful vision he declared:
“I’ve seen it!”
“What?”
“I’ll tell you.” Keshavan Nair said: “we won’t bring our children up to any religion! Let them grow up religionless!”
“Like animals? Like birds? Like crocodiles?”
“No!”
“Then?”
“There’s a way; when they grow up teach them about all religions- without any bias. Then when they are some twenty years old let them choose the one they like best!”
Saramma without looking at Keshavan Nair’s face happily said:
“That’s fair... and name? Suppose my first child is a boy. What shall we name that darling-son?”
Keshavan Nair was troubled:
“That’s true. What shall we name that darling-son? Cannot put a Hindu name. And similarly no Christian name.”
After some thought Keshavan Nair found the solution again.
“Let us”, he said: “put some earth-shattering name of some other community.”
“Then, won’t people think that my darling-son belongs to that community?”
“Right!” Keshavan Nair understood. “Putting Musalman name would make people think he’s a Musalman. Pharsee’s also the same… Chinawallah and Russiawallah also- No can’t do that, it’s a problem.”
What name to put? Need a name nobody has used before. Behind the name there should be nothing indicating beliefs or religion… what is there like that? Keshavan Nair kept thinking.
Then Saramma asked:
“This Chinese name, how would it be?”
Keshavan Nair said one sample Chinese name:
“Dunk-dinkoho?”
“Dunk-dinkoho.” Saramma tried out the darling-son who was to be her first born.
“Hey son, dunk-dinkoho. Where are you?- Dunk-dinkoho!”
“Does it have style?”
It didn’t appeal very much to Saramma.
“I don’t need that name for my son!”
“Then there is the Russian. You only have to add ski.”
Saramma asked:
“What ski?”
“Whatever!-“
“Chaploski, Chaploski... No!”
“Ok then, I’ve got it... styleful names!” Keshavan Nair’s imagination exploded. One by one he said:
“India, Premalekhanam, Short-story, Typhoon, Sahara, Aakaasham, Moonlight, Salmon, Symbolism, Areca-palm, Mithai, Theater, Ocean, Fish-eyes, Friday, Prose-poem, Opalstone, Flame, Mysticism, Galaxy- “
“Stop please! Let me call out and see: Hey! son, Fish-eyes, Fish-eyes! Mummy’s dear Fish-eyes... No!”
She again called out and tried:
“Hey son, Prose-poem, son Short-story! Hey son Moonlight!”
He said:
“Let’s write each one on a piece of paper and select two. Let’s not quarrel. For names, a double-name is more styleful!”
Saramma also agreed about that.
They wrote the names on small slips of paper and folded them and mixed them together. Saramma picked one and Keshavan Nair also picked one. Keshavan Nair smoothened the paper piece and announced:
“Mithai!”
Saramma also opened the paper and slowly said:
“Aakaasham!”
Both of them looked at each other’s face.
Saramma bravely called out her son’s name:
“Mithai Aakaasham! Hey son Mithaiaakaasham!... Hey son Mithaiaakaasham!”
“Wrong!” Keshavan Nair spoke out the right one. Called out the name of his dear-boy son with pride:
“Aakaashamithai!”
Saramma also liked that very much. She lovingly called out the name of her dear son:
“Aakaashamithai... Hey son, Aakaashamithai. Where are you Aakaashamithai!”
“Great it is!” Keshavan Nair showed the way: “Mister Aakaashamithai! Shrijit Aakaashamithai!... Comrade Aakaashamithai!”
Then Saramma has a horrible doubt:
“Is my darling-son a communist?”
Keshavan Nair said:
“Arre, let him be! Let him join any Dunkaas! His preference, what else?”
“Ok then, let it be on the liking of my son. My son can join any party!”
My son? Saramma’s son? Keshavan Nair was angered. Selfishness! He reminded her:
“Saramma, in everything you said so far you said my son, my son, my son. Understand? This much selfishness is not good. If somebody hears they’ll think I don’t have any right at all over Aakaashamithai! From now on say ‘our son’. Abbe did you understand?”
Saramma was also angered. “Abbe!” he said!
“It’s good you reminded me.” Saramma showed her manner of having drunk a bitter medicine: “Oh, I only asked about it that’s all! So don’t think I’ve become your wife!- understand Mister Keshavan Nair?”
Keshavan Nair’s face dried up. Humbly he asked:
“Then Saramma what you said before?”
“What did I say?”
“That you’ll become my wife.”
“And after becoming?”
“Oh, Saramma it’s always vinodam for you!”
“Aah!- Vinodam- you know what that is of life?”
“I don’t want to know.”
“That’s good! He doesn’t want to listen to anything I say. I am ‘Abbe’, I am soul-mate! I am ishtadaasi!”
“Tell me Saramma. What is it?”
“What?”
“Vinodam jeevan ka-?”
“Ah, smile like that.” She got up and went down the stairs and said:
“Saurabhyam!”
Vinodam jeevan ka saurabyam hota hai! That’s good! Vinodam jeevan ka saurabyam hota hai!
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