Alaipayuthey – revisited…part 1

It started as a slight drizzle and became a huge shower. Shakthi looked through the window into the outside world. It was dark, gloomy, raining, cold… she felt secure inside the house. The feeling pf warmth… light… the sense of protection one felt here was inexpressible. This small home built in the not so posh area in Chennai, taken for rent by her and her lovely husband Karthik was heaven for her.
Karthik opened the door, came in drenched and said “are you feeling alright now… are the tablets working?” “I guess so” she smiled at him. He gave her a peck on her cheek, and asked her to sleep and said he had a project to submit tomorrow and so will be busy that night.
She had met with an accident 3 months ago. A bad one, which made them realize their true love….


3 years before…

‘yaro yarodi unoda purushan’

It was a friends wedding. That was when she saw him. He was goofing around with the bridegroom, telling him he was going to dread marriage life. When she asked him …“why dread marriage life? What is wrong with our bridegroom?” He smiled and said “why…nothing wrong with the bridegroom. But who will leave enjoying life to come entangled in marriage blues and commitment”.
She interrupted “you aren’t lucky enough. It’s ok; there are many handsome guys around” and left the place with her friends. He stared back at her with his mouth open, while his friends asked him to stop flirting around.

That was their first meeting… in some small village in Tamilnadu…

Few weeks later…

Shakthi was going to her college via electric train. Karthik saw her from the opposite train. They just stared at each other…
That night Shakthi told her elder sister Poorni about seeing him…while Poorni asked her why is she bothered about some guy. She just replied “some stupid fellow is hanging out of trains and looking at girls” and sighed and went to sleep.
Karthik started following her. He used to ride his bike in full speed raising the engine at her street. He used to come to the station everyday. His friends said he was crazy…he did not even know her name. The only information he knew was that she was a medical student…
Finally, one day he saw her in the train, came to her, took her college book, saw her name and said
“Shakthi, I am not in love with you… I don’t think you are so beautiful… but I fear… all that will happen… think and tell me…” and left the place without waiting for an answer.
The next day he came to college. She went to him
“What is your name?”
“Karthik”
“Karthik… are you rich, do you fail in class often, sit in the last bench… because only rich guys like you come behind girls like this” and turned to go… he called her and waved a bye. She smiled at him…
There goes our next song ‘pachai nirame…pachai nirame’
Karthik made his little niece call her home and speak like her friend’s sister. Shakthi came to the phone. He said “hello...”
“You… who gave you my number?”
“It doesn’t matter…there is a function at my home tomorrow. You have to come…”
“No, I can’t how can I …”
“Look, I am not calling you out to a movie, park or beach… just my home for a function. If you don’t come, I’ll come there to your home. Note down the address. No.17, Ram Chandra Avenue, T.nagar. And come in a sari and not in chudithar”
Without waiting for an answer he kept the phone down.
The next evening… Shakthi came to his house with her sister, dresses in a traditional silk sari. He smiled at her, she just looked at him.
It was a function for Karthik’s sister – in – law, who was 7 months pregnant. She sat with the women who had come, and was singing bajan songs with them. His mother wanted to know who she was. He said ‘the girl he was going to marry’. The word spread like fire in the house. Everyone was pointing at her and saying that Karthik was going to marry her.
Karthik accompanied her and her sister back home in the train. She was very angry for what he said. He said “did I say you wanted to marry? I said I wanted to marry? Anything wrong in that?”
“But you must’ve asked me before….”
“Ok, shall I ask now…?”
“No”
“You are angry that I didn’t ask… If I ask. You say no”
“What now”
“Shall I Say?”
“What”
“That… ‘I love you’”
“What does it mean?”
“Hmm… I love you means, I will do anything for you”
“Will you jump out of the train?”
“No”
“Then”
“What now”
“Is love more important now…?”
“I think so…”
Her station came; she left him standing at the door of the train…
It was Poorni who started the topic at home. She asked her parents what they will say if someone’s parents came to ask for a bride in their home. She added it was not her; it was Shakthi they are going to ask for. Shakthi fled from the place. Her mother called her asking what was happening. Shakthi did not reply. It was Poorni who said “yes mom, Karthik, son of famous criminal lawyer Narassiman… he is a good guy. His parents are coming tomorrow to ask Shakthi’s hand in marriage to their son….”
Her mother shouted at Shakthi, “what is happening Shakthi. Is Poorni telling the truth? We sent you to college to study, not to go behind some guy… you know, even Poorni is not married, she is working to pay your final year fees. You are so irresponsible”
Only her father asked her mother to stop scolding her. They will deal with matters as they come he said.
The next day… Karthik’s parents came to their house. Their house was one of the railway quarters; her father was working in the railways.
Karthik’s father remarked, they had difficulty finding the house. All houses looked similar. Shakthi’s father said “middle class families will be like this only…”
“Oh….ok…so is this your daughter” he asked indicating Shakthi.
“Yes… Shakthi and Poorni.”
“What Poorni, you are the older one I guess. So are you planning for an arranged marriage or like your sister you too…?”
While Karthik’s mother nudged him to keep quiet and said “he is always like this, asking one question or the other, he is a criminal lawyer you see…”
Karthik’s father then said “I have brought up my son Karthik, just like a normal son. I never showered him with luxury.”
“But I have brought up my daughters like princesses”
“Well I thought my son would become a very big software engineer. I did not think he will fall for all this love…”
Shakthi interrupted “sir, no one caught your son in the net. He only…”
“Shakthi…” her father motioned her to keep quiet.
Karthik’s father then said “but I brought up my son teaching him law. Once children reach the age of 20, they must be able to decide their lives…and if it is not for your daughter, if he had brought any other girl on the road and said that he wants to get married to her. I will have to accept it.”
“Stop it sir, when do you get this pride…when you become a little rich…sitting in my house, you are comparing my daughter to someone on the road….”
“Maybe we should forget all our indifference and think about the future of our children”
“Sorry sir”
“What answer will I say if my son asks me…?”
Shakthi’s mom said “that we have dignity”

Karthik saw Shakthi in the station and asked “hey…what happened…?’
“Nothing, they talked, they spoke wrongly, and it turned out to be an indo pak war…”
“Hey…it was just for a formality we asked them permission. Are they going to marry, it is us who is going to get married.”
“What can I do…Karthik? How long do you know me….? 20 weeks…but my parents are my life for 22 years, I can’s leave them, my house, my dog….for you”
“But I will leave everything for you…..”
“Today you will leave everything for me. How should I believe you that tomorrow you won’t leave me for another girl?”
“Hello….your logic is disgusting… now what….sacrifice huh… I am the prey…”
“what is there that there is so much love between us… you saw me…chased me… you made me laugh a little…now you are making me cry… that’s it… if I had said no in the first place, what would have been your reaction…”
“Well, I must’ve thought that you aren’t lucky enough….”
“Think like that now…” and she went away.
He raced behind her “hey…”
They didn’t see each other after that. He had asked her that they could just be no friends…no marriage…no parents…just they both…but she had refused. She said if it is decided to leave the matter, it must be forgotten. We mustn’t push along, and see what happens…
Their lives went on…they did not see each other after that meeting. She even joked back then that she would pray that he would get a very ugly wife.
One day, Karthik’s niece called Shakthi’s number just for fun and handed over the phone to Karthik telling it was for him. Karthik took the phone and said “hello” at the same time when Shakthi said “hello”. There didn’t speak…at last Shakthi kept the phone down.
Some days later Karthik caught hold of Shakthi’s friend and asked her where she was. Her friend asked him back “it seems you and Shakthi had broken up… then why you are bothered?”
“Yes… where is she? I haven’t seen her for the past few days”
“She has gone to US”
“US…!”
“Ok…ok… she hasn’t gone to US; she has gone for a medical camp”
“Medical camp… huh… where?”
“To Cochin”
“Oh…ok…when will she be back?”
“In 3 days… I guess”
“3 days…..”
“Yep…3 days…then she will be back here only na”
“Yeah… thanks…ok...then bye’
“Ya…bye”
He reaches home…urged his mom to give him a cash of Rs.2000, said he was going out of station and will be back in a few days. His mom asked him to take care and be back soon.
There is our next song…. ‘yevano oruvan…’
He reached Cochin the next day… he searched for the medical camp…only to find that it had gone to the next village… he traveled all the way to the next village in the pouring rain.
She was very disturbed in the camp… she couldn’t concentrate on her job. On the last day of the camp they had gone on a boat ride…he saw her from the bridge above the river. She did not see him. He ran all the way down the bridge to the bank of the river.
When she was getting off the boat she saw him approaching her… she was rooted to her place…when he reached her, she broke down to sobs…he pulled her up.
“Hey...”
“Why…why… did it take you so long to find me Karthik?”
“Shakthi I love you….I cant imagine a life with out you…”
“Will you do anything for me…?”
“Should I jump out of a running train…?”
She nodded no “marry me….you be in your place…I in mine…we will break the news when time comes….”
“You want to elope….huh”
“What do you say…yes or no…”
“A doctor’s word has to be followed…” and pulled her into a hug…

The day of the marriage…
Shakthi’s house…
She and Poorni were getting ready. Shakthi was a bit hesitant, it was Poorni who said it was nothing wrong… and asked her to get ready soon… they came out dressed. Seeing both of them in a sari, their mom remarked “what a surprise both of you are wearing sari? Where are you going?” Poorni said “where else mom, I am going to the office, she to the hospital…”
When they were coming out their father came and asked “where are the princesses going?” Shakthi said “I feared that I won’t see you… going to the hospital pa”
They reached the bus stop. When the bus arrived Shakthi said “Poorni….shall we go back home…I am so scared…”
“Ok…come we will go”
“Poorni….”
“Just get in Shakthi… you are becoming paranoid…”
They reached the temple…all their friends were there. Karthik was yet to come… his friends joked that he fled off fearing marriage!!!

Karthik’s house…
As he was coming out of the house…his father was getting in the car to go to the court. Seeing him, his father asked him “where are you going?”
“Friend’s house….”
“Where is it, come I will drop you on the way…”
“It’s ok…pa you proceed…its getting late for you…”
“That’s all right… get in...”
He had no option but to get in...
His father asked him “so…what are you going to do?”
“Me…nothing…”
“I know that…I asked you to take Law…you said no and went behind computers…now what are you going to do?”
“Oh...That….pa, if you could give me surety for the bank loan for the office…then I will have no problem...”
“Humph…what else can I do….I have to give you surety…”
He at last reached the temple… while going in one of his relatives saw him…
“Is this Karthik…that too in the temple…weren’t you a person who doesn’t believe in god….”
“Ya…I’ve come to the temple…aunty, I am planning to elope with a girl what do you say?
“Oh my…you are always like this…go go…god will save you”
“Yes…he will”
He came in. everything was arranged by his friends. They both then exchanged garlands and he tied the man gal sutra…
There is a very sweet song being played behind… ‘Mangalyam thanthunathena …’



End of part 1