The timepiece alarm rang.
Keshavan Nair got up with a start. The time is exactly four-o’clock! He got up, washed his feet and face and made preparations to leave. He dressed and folded and tied his bedding and put his belongings into the trunk. After that he went downstairs and out into the road and called a vehicle and transferred all his luggage into the vehicle; getting back, flashed torchlight through Saramma’s window and softly chanted “Saramma! Saramma!”, but no movement... He pushed the door a bit. Surprisingly it opened.
When he flashed the light around there’s nobody in the room... No Saramma. No Saramma’s suitcase... What a story? Where could she have gone? The light fell on a cover lying on the table. Keshavan Nair with a pounding heart opened it and read:
Dear father and respected stepmother to read together and come to know this is Saramma writing to say:
In these difficult times when life is yearningly youthful and the heart brimming over with love- I’ve got a job where every month I’m getting a very big salary and so I’m going to my place of work. I’ve also got a man who is ready to marry me in these dirty clothes of mine and without a dowry. Since he loves me and I love him, I hope that you’ll think deeply and give sweet blessings and accept our decision.
Father’s and stepmother’s
Saramma
Keshavan Nair put the letter back on the table, closed the door, came out, got into the vehicle and reached the railway station in haste, and there she stood, Saramma, smiling, like a piece of heaven!
She asked:
“How did you know that I’d come here?”
“Divyagnanam! The beautiful mind of the male!”
“The treacherous mind of the male! Otherwise would you go to my room and steal and read my secret letter to my father and stepmother!”
“I shall tell you! Girl! I shall tell you everything!”
He bought two tickets. With their luggage both of them got into the train and sat down.
With a joyous great, great whistle the train moved out. They sat without speaking, close to each other. The train stopped in three places. In the end they were alone.
The train stopped in a station. Keshavan Nair ordered tea. Both of them would be having coffee Saramma said. Both of them would be having tea Keshavan Nair said. Both of them became angry. In the end Keshavan Nair drank tea and Saramma had a coffee. The sun too rose beautifully and joyously. The train was going slowly over a river flowing like gold. Forgetting the quarrel over the tea and coffee Keshavan Nair softly called out to Saramma:
“Beautiful, honey, dearest!”
Saramma sat near and asked:
“What is it Aakaashamithai’s daddy?”
“Dear madhura surabhila sundara moonlight!”
Saramma pinched Keshavan Nair.
Keshavan Nair said:
“I’ll beat you senseless!”
Saramma’s eyes filled with tears. Isn’t she a woman? Is there any dearth of tears? She just cried and cried. Seeing that the male heart of Keshavan Nair just broke! He kissed her on the eyes.
“No, don’t!” Saramma said: “Don’t touch me!”
“What is the reason?”
“Is this any way to behave after I made all these sacrifices?”
“What behavior?... What sacrifice did you make Saramma?”
“I have left behind my dear father and stepmother and am coming with you, am I not?”
“Yes, you are coming! So what?”
“For me couldn’t even drink coffee... For me even one little bit sacrifice?”
Keshavan Nair didn’t say anything. He thought of all women who had been and were and would be in the world: Fooltooshes!
“For me even one bit sacrifice...”, Saramma continued, “and now says he’ll beat me senseless!”
“About sacrifices oh Aakaashamithai’s mummy!”
“What is it?”
“Today we’ll do a registered marriage and advertise our first class husband wife status. Do you agree?”
Saramma said nothing.
Keshavan Nair very slowly on Saramma’s thigh- gave a huge pinch and asked again:
“Abbe, do you agree?”
“Didn’t I say yes before? Silence is acceptance!”
“You’ll have complete freedom in three things.”
“Only three little bitty things?”
“Yes. Food, clothing, faith.”
“Then will our house have two kitchens?”
“Just one little bitty kitchen!”
“Do I cook two types of food?”
“Just one type!”
“According to whose liking?”
“My Kitchenwalli.”
She smiled.
“That’s fair! I’ll make only coffee in the morning!”
“Oh… After that I’ll go out and drink tea!”
“I won’t allow it! The salary you get, all, all of it you give to me!”
“Dearest Abbe, how will I drink tea?”
“Sacrifice it. What all I’ve sacrificed for you!”
“And what about my standing on my head for Saramma?”
“Oh, is that a big sacrifice? Aren’t there people who renounced kingdoms for love? Aren’t there people who made war with crocodiles?”
“Dearest maayaamohini? Abbe madhurasurabhilasundaramoonlight! Just like that, if I want, I can lean back on an easy chair and renounce ten kingdoms and fight a thousand crocodiles. But, for the love-object at least once stand on the head! Who’s done that? Is there any greater sacrifice in the history of the world? Keshavan Nair stood on his head in front of Saramma! What is a more greater sacrifice than this, girl?”
“I’ll tell.”
She bent down and kissed both of Keshavan Nair’s feet. Keshavan Nair made her get up and embraced her. A running train. Who’s to see?
She put her hand into Keshavan Nair’s coat pocket.
He asked:
“Madhurasurabhilawalli sundaramoonlight, what are you hustling?”
“The cover I gave!”
“The premalekhanam! Aiyyo I didn’t read that!”
Keshavan Nair took the cover and opened it and took the papers and stared in wonder. Notes!... Notes!... A commotion of notes!
He counted. One thousand ninety-nine Rupees worth of notes!
“From this buy a watch and a ring- do you hear?”
Keshavan Nair although happy at the sight of the money was more interested in reading the premalekhanam. He asked:
“Where’s the other?”
“The other?”
“Premalekhanam?”
“Oh are you in a hurry to read it?”
“Just wanted to look at it dearest!”
“Then look!” she looked at Keshavan Nair with her clear gaze: “See? Mai hoti hoon premalekhanam! Yuvati hoti hai Yuva hota hai- premalekhanam!”
Keshavan Nair liked it a lot.
“You and I!... Styleful! Where’s the other? Show!”
She took an old looking piece of paper soaked in a long time sweat, from inside her bodice and gave it to Keshavan Nair. He smoothened it and held it towards the light. A familiar looking intriguing letter. When he started reading it she put her arms around his neck and stood kissing him. And said:
“In these difficult times when life is yearningly youthful and the heart brimming over with love- Didn’t I say, It’s us that are the premalekhanam!”
“Abbe girl, understood! It’s clear now. Let me whisper something in your ear!”
“Won’t let!” She embraced him tightly and stood kissing him. The train is going very fast with a great great whistle. The letter that Saramma took from her bodice Keshavan Nair read with great difficulty:
Dearest Saramma,
In these difficult times when life is yearningly youthful and the heart brimming over with love, how do you, my dearest friend reconcile yourself to it all?
As far as I am concerned- every moment of my life I spend in my love for you Saramma. And what about you Saramma? Requesting you to think deeply and accept my love with a sweet sweet reply.
Keshavan Nair got up with a start. The time is exactly four-o’clock! He got up, washed his feet and face and made preparations to leave. He dressed and folded and tied his bedding and put his belongings into the trunk. After that he went downstairs and out into the road and called a vehicle and transferred all his luggage into the vehicle; getting back, flashed torchlight through Saramma’s window and softly chanted “Saramma! Saramma!”, but no movement... He pushed the door a bit. Surprisingly it opened.
When he flashed the light around there’s nobody in the room... No Saramma. No Saramma’s suitcase... What a story? Where could she have gone? The light fell on a cover lying on the table. Keshavan Nair with a pounding heart opened it and read:
Dear father and respected stepmother to read together and come to know this is Saramma writing to say:
In these difficult times when life is yearningly youthful and the heart brimming over with love- I’ve got a job where every month I’m getting a very big salary and so I’m going to my place of work. I’ve also got a man who is ready to marry me in these dirty clothes of mine and without a dowry. Since he loves me and I love him, I hope that you’ll think deeply and give sweet blessings and accept our decision.
Father’s and stepmother’s
Saramma
Keshavan Nair put the letter back on the table, closed the door, came out, got into the vehicle and reached the railway station in haste, and there she stood, Saramma, smiling, like a piece of heaven!
She asked:
“How did you know that I’d come here?”
“Divyagnanam! The beautiful mind of the male!”
“The treacherous mind of the male! Otherwise would you go to my room and steal and read my secret letter to my father and stepmother!”
“I shall tell you! Girl! I shall tell you everything!”
He bought two tickets. With their luggage both of them got into the train and sat down.
With a joyous great, great whistle the train moved out. They sat without speaking, close to each other. The train stopped in three places. In the end they were alone.
The train stopped in a station. Keshavan Nair ordered tea. Both of them would be having coffee Saramma said. Both of them would be having tea Keshavan Nair said. Both of them became angry. In the end Keshavan Nair drank tea and Saramma had a coffee. The sun too rose beautifully and joyously. The train was going slowly over a river flowing like gold. Forgetting the quarrel over the tea and coffee Keshavan Nair softly called out to Saramma:
“Beautiful, honey, dearest!”
Saramma sat near and asked:
“What is it Aakaashamithai’s daddy?”
“Dear madhura surabhila sundara moonlight!”
Saramma pinched Keshavan Nair.
Keshavan Nair said:
“I’ll beat you senseless!”
Saramma’s eyes filled with tears. Isn’t she a woman? Is there any dearth of tears? She just cried and cried. Seeing that the male heart of Keshavan Nair just broke! He kissed her on the eyes.
“No, don’t!” Saramma said: “Don’t touch me!”
“What is the reason?”
“Is this any way to behave after I made all these sacrifices?”
“What behavior?... What sacrifice did you make Saramma?”
“I have left behind my dear father and stepmother and am coming with you, am I not?”
“Yes, you are coming! So what?”
“For me couldn’t even drink coffee... For me even one little bit sacrifice?”
Keshavan Nair didn’t say anything. He thought of all women who had been and were and would be in the world: Fooltooshes!
“For me even one bit sacrifice...”, Saramma continued, “and now says he’ll beat me senseless!”
“About sacrifices oh Aakaashamithai’s mummy!”
“What is it?”
“Today we’ll do a registered marriage and advertise our first class husband wife status. Do you agree?”
Saramma said nothing.
Keshavan Nair very slowly on Saramma’s thigh- gave a huge pinch and asked again:
“Abbe, do you agree?”
“Didn’t I say yes before? Silence is acceptance!”
“You’ll have complete freedom in three things.”
“Only three little bitty things?”
“Yes. Food, clothing, faith.”
“Then will our house have two kitchens?”
“Just one little bitty kitchen!”
“Do I cook two types of food?”
“Just one type!”
“According to whose liking?”
“My Kitchenwalli.”
She smiled.
“That’s fair! I’ll make only coffee in the morning!”
“Oh… After that I’ll go out and drink tea!”
“I won’t allow it! The salary you get, all, all of it you give to me!”
“Dearest Abbe, how will I drink tea?”
“Sacrifice it. What all I’ve sacrificed for you!”
“And what about my standing on my head for Saramma?”
“Oh, is that a big sacrifice? Aren’t there people who renounced kingdoms for love? Aren’t there people who made war with crocodiles?”
“Dearest maayaamohini? Abbe madhurasurabhilasundaramoonlight! Just like that, if I want, I can lean back on an easy chair and renounce ten kingdoms and fight a thousand crocodiles. But, for the love-object at least once stand on the head! Who’s done that? Is there any greater sacrifice in the history of the world? Keshavan Nair stood on his head in front of Saramma! What is a more greater sacrifice than this, girl?”
“I’ll tell.”
She bent down and kissed both of Keshavan Nair’s feet. Keshavan Nair made her get up and embraced her. A running train. Who’s to see?
She put her hand into Keshavan Nair’s coat pocket.
He asked:
“Madhurasurabhilawalli sundaramoonlight, what are you hustling?”
“The cover I gave!”
“The premalekhanam! Aiyyo I didn’t read that!”
Keshavan Nair took the cover and opened it and took the papers and stared in wonder. Notes!... Notes!... A commotion of notes!
He counted. One thousand ninety-nine Rupees worth of notes!
“From this buy a watch and a ring- do you hear?”
Keshavan Nair although happy at the sight of the money was more interested in reading the premalekhanam. He asked:
“Where’s the other?”
“The other?”
“Premalekhanam?”
“Oh are you in a hurry to read it?”
“Just wanted to look at it dearest!”
“Then look!” she looked at Keshavan Nair with her clear gaze: “See? Mai hoti hoon premalekhanam! Yuvati hoti hai Yuva hota hai- premalekhanam!”
Keshavan Nair liked it a lot.
“You and I!... Styleful! Where’s the other? Show!”
She took an old looking piece of paper soaked in a long time sweat, from inside her bodice and gave it to Keshavan Nair. He smoothened it and held it towards the light. A familiar looking intriguing letter. When he started reading it she put her arms around his neck and stood kissing him. And said:
“In these difficult times when life is yearningly youthful and the heart brimming over with love- Didn’t I say, It’s us that are the premalekhanam!”
“Abbe girl, understood! It’s clear now. Let me whisper something in your ear!”
“Won’t let!” She embraced him tightly and stood kissing him. The train is going very fast with a great great whistle. The letter that Saramma took from her bodice Keshavan Nair read with great difficulty:
Dearest Saramma,
In these difficult times when life is yearningly youthful and the heart brimming over with love, how do you, my dearest friend reconcile yourself to it all?
As far as I am concerned- every moment of my life I spend in my love for you Saramma. And what about you Saramma? Requesting you to think deeply and accept my love with a sweet sweet reply.
Saramma’s
Keshavan Nair
Keshavan Nair
Mangalam!
Shubham!
