Surangi, The Child Bride

Part 4

As soon as the new bride had been formally welcomed in her marital home the women got busy in the preparation of dinner. Surangi joined them in the kitchen and was given a wooden seat called paat to sit on. In a few minutes the hierarchy in the kitchen became clear to her. Saraswati kaku presided over the affairs and Yashoda, Madhav's mother and Sharayu, the wife of Vinayak, Raghav's younger brother diligently took orders from her as they toiled to make puranpoli, a plain flour flatbread with a nutmeg scented sweet lentil filling. Perfecting the puranpoli takes years of practice and Surangi watched with wide eyed wonder how the deft fingers of Madhav's grandmother rolled each dish to perfection and passed it to Yashoda who baked it until golden on the iron griddle. 

"Have you learnt how to roll dough for making bread yet?" Saraswati kaku suddenly asked Surangi. "I have tried but I cannot roll perfect spheres yet." The girl admitted in a feeble voice. "When you were given the idol of Goddess Annapurna to bring to your marital home it was implied that you must become the perfect gruhini or homemaker. The health and happiness of the family is in the hands of women, if you put your mind to it no skill is difficult to learn." Aaji had to make sure the little bride imbibed what it meant to be an ideal daughter-in-law. "Do you know which poli is stuffed with sheera?" The response would imply how much exposure the girl had to cooking. "Sanjori!" Came her prompt reply.

"Have you made either of them before?" The probe continued. "Not really, but I have seen them being made and have eaten both." The guileless girl replied. "Your training can start soon. Make sure you help to serve dinner today, and remember to drizzle toop (ghee) over the polis." Her task was assigned. After the boys and men had been served the women sat down to dinner. Surangi was delighted to taste the poli, it was easily the best she had ever eaten before, melting like butter in the mouth. She wanted to pay a compliment but did not have the courage to say anything as the women ate in complete silence. After the work wound up the women slept in the inner room. 

The following morning the Oak family rose at dawn. As soon as the women bathed they spruced up the outer courtyard or angan, worshipped the tulsi or holy basil and made decorative motifs called rangoli. After the Gods had been worshipped the family a simple breakfast of ripe bananas and milk. They were soon occupied in the preparation of the Satyanarayan puja, a religious ritual carried out to seek the blessings of Lord Narayan so that the newly wed couple may have a happy life together. Surangi was dressed in a new Paithani brocade saree gifted by her in-laws, her hair was trussed in a top-knot called khopa and she was given gold jewellery to put on.

Surangi hoped the Puja would wind up quickly because there was a feast to follow it, and the child in her was looking forward to it. The entire neighbourhood would be there, it was a way to entertain all those who could not attend the wedding. Surangi and Waman, who was Sharayu and Vinayak's son and was the same age as Surangi, were made to join Aaji in preparing the durva or trefoil and sprigs of tulsi that were necessary for the puja. The altar for the puja was set up by the men, who decorated it with canna stems and flowers. A Balkrishna (idol of infant Krishna) was placed over grains of rice in a silver plate held over a silver kalash, these articles being gifted to Surangi by her father. 

As Madhav made the offerings to the Balkrishna, Surangi sat to his right and pressed her palm to Madhav's right arm, this act marking her as his Ardhangini or life partner. It was the height of summer and Surangi suffered the oppressive heat in her heavy brocade saree. She also stifled the urge to yawn as the ceremony tested her patience. Rather than listen to the priest narrating the story tracing the origin of the Satyanarayan puja she was distracted by the male kokil (koel birds) singing to mark their territory and  for prospective mates. Unlike herself she found Madhav completely engrossed in the ritual worship. 

"Surangi vahini (bhabhi), after the puja winds up you can join me in chasing the kokil trying to lay eggs in the crow nests. And we can also go after the ripe jambhool and mangoes." Waman whispered to her conspiratorily. As soon as Madhav noticed him sidling up to Surangi he gave him an angry look and reprimanded Surangi as quietly as he could for being distracted. Waman grinned at her and ran off, annoying Madhav further. When the vegetarian feast was laid out the men sat in the outer rooms and the women were served indoors with the host family in attendance. The guests complimented Yashoda over the aamras puri and masale-bhaat fare as well as for having landed a pretty girl like Surangi, who was given token gifts and blessings.

"Don't feel bad vahini, enjoy your meal. Madhav dada is not as stern as he appears." Waman tried to assure her. "He is such a naska aamba (rotten mango)!" Surangi expressed her disapproval over Madhav's dogmatic ways. She felt she had found the brother she never had in Waman. She was glad to have a friend and confidant close to her age in the family, and she looked forward to benefiting from her association with him. The women of the household were the last to sit down to lunch and Surangi ate with great gusto, enjoying the delicious pulp of payari mangoes flavoured with cardamon by dipping her puri in it. 

"Soonbai chi drishta kadha go!" Saraswati kaku warned Yashoda and Sharayu to perform a remedy to save the bride from any evil eye cast upon her by visitors, a strong belief held by people in those days. Both women did as necessary and then took Surangi in to change her clothes. "Sasu bai, this veni (wreath) of gold magnolias is very pretty." Surangi chirped, examining the ornament that had just been taken off her hair. "In that case you can wear it whenever you fancy, I will set it aside for you." Yashoda said to her with an indulgent smile." She needs to go to school and learn, do not turn her into a tinsel-covered vanity object. I do not want an illiterate wife!" Madhav declared firmly, suddenly appearing out of nowhere. Surangi could not believe her ears. Here she was, in a quandary, wondering how to broach the subject. And here her chauvinistic husband had brought her deliverance unwittingly, hardly suspecting that he was making her fondest wish come true.