A WIN AND A DEFEAT, PVV Satyanarayana [the reader ebook TXT] 📗

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After sometime, Kalpana’s marriage too was celebrated with pomp and show. The groom was foreign-returned. He had worked in the States for a couple of years after completion of his MBA and returned to India recently. The boy was quite handsome and appeared to be a nice guy. He belonged to a wealthy and highly cultured family, which seemed to match the ambitions and the status of Seshadri. I was happy that Kalpana could get a good husband, even though she had failed in love.

“You had your way as usual. Hats off to you!“ I could not resist appreciating my friend.

He smiled and said with a bloated pride, “Yes, no compromises with life. I always win!”

***

Three springs had since passed by. Life had become a routine, except that I had a transfer to another place, a year after Latha’s marriage. While Rasool had set up his own legal practice, Latha had landed a government job. As I found Latha to be happy and agile enjoying the life fully, even the remote feeling of guilt that was pricking me sometimes, had vanished. It did not bother me much even if some of the relatives had stopped visiting us. Not only my son-in-law, even his entire family was very good, gentle and quite friendly. Both our families had got mingled so much that none of us could remember that we belonged to different religions. This had brought a change of heart in my wife too, who had now started accepting them. And what more could I bargain for?

Seshadri too had a transfer to a far off place during the period, with the result we had lost touch of each other, being busy with our own jobs. Soon after the marriage, Kalpana had gone away with her husband, never to visit her parents again! Now I did not know whether she had since started visiting them again. All the same, I was glad that the girl could reconcile and adjust to the realities of life, without much difficulty.

One evening when I returned from office, the entire Rasool family was at home. All of them – Latha, Rasool, his parents and even his two sisters and their husbands! They had brought good news.

Latha’s father-in-law was a leather merchant doing quite well in his business. His daughters and sons-in-law too were in good jobs. Theirs was a happy, ideal family. I considered myself lucky to have given my only daughter into the family.

And now, for the good news. Latha was in the family way… My joy knew no bounds – not only at Latha’s pregnancy, but also at the fact that every one in their family was rejoicing it! They had found lime, leaving their own priorities, to visit us to break the good news and to congratulate us. I was touched by the rate gesture and thanked them heartily. We had a grand celebration that night.

As if it was not enough, I had another pleasant surprise – Seshadri’s sudden visit! … He was on some investigation duty at a nearby town and he had taken time off to surprise me. I had embraced him with an unbound joy, as we were meeting after a long time. He was happy to hear the good news about Latha. … I had introduced the Rasool family to him. I was pleasantly surprised to find him chatting with them, shedding his earlier reservations. … But when I enquired about Kalpana, he was evasive. Perhaps, she was still angry with her parents, I surmised.

We took a stroll after dinner, when I raised the topic again. “Tell me, man, how is dear Kalpana? Is she also in the family way, or you have quietly become a grandpa already?” I laughed.

He heaved a deep sigh. “You are my close friend, Murari. Who else can I share my grief with, if not you?” he said. And what he had told me had not only stunned me, but terribly upset me too.

Kalpana was a changed person after the marriage. She became dull and lifeless. Her anger against her parents having not been subdued, she showed no inclination to visit them, till date. She would neither answer their phone calls nor respond to their letters.

“Murari! Kalpana has not yet excused me for what I have done to her. She would not tolerate even our shadows, leave alone seeing our faces”. Seshadri said sadly. “Once your sister and I went to see her. Do you know what she had done? … She said, ‘Your daughter Kalpana had died with the marriage. Whom you see now is none other than a lifeless wife of somebody…so don’t ever try to visit me or call me. And no more letters, either, from you…’ Having said that she had shut the door on our faces, even as we were spellbound”.

Seshadri broke down and cried like a child. I did not know how to console him… The parents were always well-intentioned and tried to do what they considered to be good for their offsprings. It was their children’s welfare that would be foremost in their minds – be it their marriage, or their career. And the children could hardly understand this. … The sleep had eluded me and Seshadri that night.

***

Seshadri was to leave the next morning. He said before leaving: “I feel both happy and envious of you, Murari. I remember I had ridiculed you for succumbing to Latha’s threats. By successfully brainwashing Kalpana, I considered myself to be wise. I thought I had won and you had lost the bargain… But, Murari, I now realize that what I regarded a win is in fact not a win, but an utter defeat. And your supposed defeat has turned out to be a grand winner. By going out of your religion, you have everything to gain – Latha’s happiness, relations and friends beyond your community. It has resulted in expanded horizons and unbound happiness for all… This is the real win, I should admit. My hearty congrats to you… Riding high on my ego, I have lost everything – my dear daughter, peace of mind”.

I could not help feeling pity for the poor man. What could one do for a person who had deliberately burnt his fingers? …

I watched with a heavy heart as Seshadri receded slowly out of my sight.

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Publication Date: 08-06-2010

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To My Family