Surangi, The Child Bride

Part 22

"Come here, let me give you a hug!" Vidya dragged the teary-eyed Surangi indoors. "When will I meet Gaju and you again?" Her voice was cracking. It looked like she was just a few moments away from sobbing. Madhav was expecting this, no matter how much he tried convincing his wife she was still behaving like a girl her age, much to his exasperation. He decided to leave her to Vidya and went about moving Vidya's luggage to the porch from where it could be easily loaded into the hired ox-cart.

"My adorable vahini, if you cry I'll break down too! Do you want us to part this way? We should look forward to meeting again as soon as possible. In a few months we will have settled in our new home in Mumbai. Why don't Madhav, Waman and you come down to Mumbai to spend the summer with us? Let me speak to father, I am sure we will have lots of fun!" The resourceful Vidya managed to pacify Surangi by planting an exciting new idea in her head. After being called to the bar Vidya's lawyer husband Manohar had moved to Mumbai for professional reasons.

"That would be wonderful. I have been to either of the places. I hope we get permission to travel!" Surangi managed a smile on her face. Just then she heard Yashoda call out to hear and rushed to her. "Surangi, now that Vidya is going away we should perform the ritual of oti . You should  join us!" Yashoda involved her in activities around the house to keep her from moping. They placed a dot of vermilion and turmeric on Vidya's forehead. After the women filled her  lap with the obligatory coconut, rice and bodice piece they gave the young mother and her child going away presents. Vidya had already draped the new saree her mother gave her. In addition she got clothes for the baby, cash from her father and uncle and a box each of besan laddoos and coconut burfi. Manohar, her husband, was also presented with clothes. 

Vidya and Manohar took blessings from the elders. The women were visibly moved, even Aaji dabbed the corner of her eye with the end of her saree. "Jawai Bapu, take good care of our Vidya and Gajanan!" She muttered, addressing Vidya's husband. "Don't worry, my parents will take utmost care, there will be no strain on her!" He assured her. When it was almost time to leave Yashoda offered them some yoghurt as custom dictated. Vidya hugged Madhav and Waman. Meanwhile Surangi held on to Gaju for as long as she could. "Won't you miss us, Gaju? Look Tai, he is trying to talk to me!" She exclaimed as the baby cooed and gurgled in response. "Don't forget about our plan, we shall be happy to host the three of you next summer!" Vidya reminded the children. 

"You have to settle down first, summer is still a long way off!" Yashoda replied, handing her a packed meal for the journey. The family gathered outside the house and helped Vidya get in the cart with Gaju. It was a long journey to the port from where they would board the steamer for Mumbai. Raghav and the three children followed the cart to the end of the lane and waved until it was out of sight. The rest of the day was spent quietly, the family going about their business as usual but there was a pall of gloom in the air. The vacuum created by the absence of Vidya and the baby was felt acutely.

Life went back to normal as school reopened after the Ganpati holidays. There was plenty of schoolwork to be done at home and the children had to slog harder to cope with the oncoming exams. Every other week there was a letter from Vidya and both Madhav and her parents wrote back enthusiastically. Vidya acknowledged everyone in her letters and also remembered to add a special note just for Surangi telling her about what a busy city Mumbai was, with horse carriages, trams and motor cars plying almost ceaselessly. Surangi would respond by including a few lines whenever Madhav sent a letter to Vidya. 

The children were away in school writing their midterm exams when Raghav received some unfortunate news. While he communicated it to the elders in the house Yashoda made the difficult decision of keeping it from the kids because they still had a paper to sit through. With a heavy heart Raghav sent a prompt response to the sender before planning the next course of action. Fortunately he children were preoccupied with their exam so they hardly noticed anything. The next afternoon when they returned from school the family sat down to have lunch and Madhav was the first to notice the lack of enthusiasm at home. 

"Mother, is everything fine?" He asked Yashoda. "Vahini, you go ahead, I'll tidy up here!" Sharayu told her. Yashoda asked Madhav and Surangi to see their grandmother. Madhav knew then that something was definitely amiss. Aaji asked Surangi and him to sit down beside her. "Children, it is difficult for me to share this with you. Surangi, your uncle sent word that your father Shridhar passed away after a brief illness. Yashoda has already packed for everyone. Raghav will accompany Yashoda and Madhav along with you to your village. You have to leave in some time, it is a long trip. Because of the distance you could not be present for the funeral, but you have to be there for other rites. Surangi, you have to be a brave girl. We are with you in your moment of grief." Aaji held Surangi's hand as the girl tried to absorb the matriarch's words. 

Her mind went blank. Her father had passed on, and she had only found out now. When he gave her away at the wedding she was a little unhappy  because the family was trying to persuade him to remarry. She had prayed quietly to not have her mother replaced. How could God have granted her the wish and taken away her father at the same time? She wondered if it was her fault. Silent tears gushed down her cheeks even as she tried to process what she had just heard. She remained in a trance like state while Raghav and Yashoda loaded the cart with their luggage. Madhav helped Surangi on the cart and sat down next to her, trying to be as supportive as he could. Surangi continued to weep silently into the handkerchief that he had thoughtfully handed her.

Madhav too had been jolted by the news of Shridhar's unexpected demise. During the wedding Shridhar had been quite cheerful, his cousin Yashoda and her husband Raghav had helped alleviate his anxiety by taking Surangi under their wing. Madhav knew what Surangi did not. Shridhar had inherited family debts and his house and property were mortgaged. Fortunately he had set aside funds for Surangi's wedding so he could give her cash and jewellery as gifts in lieu of the mortgaged property. After his death the creditors would surely clamour to have their dues settled. This meant that the house and land would be sold. Poor Surangi, she had not just lost her parents at a tender age, but was also going to lose the place which had once been her home. His heart went out to his child bride and he resolved once more to look after her always.