There was confusion in the eyes of the seven year old Surangi as they dipped mango leaves into the sandal-turmeric paste to anoint her. She did not know what marriage meant, she was just told that she would move into a new home in a village far away...
"My dear child!" Malati akka's compassion was apparent as she embraced the bereaved Surangi.
"Akka, what happened to my Baba?" Surangi's eyes betrayed her emotional state and Malati akka's heart went out to her.
"Your Baba found it hard to cope with the loss of your mother, she had always been his anchor. His health suffered and the body was unable to cope with his illness. The medication barely did him good. When I came over to check on him the previous evening he spoke about you and about how keen he was to host Madhavrao and you for your first Diwali after the wedding. He had the rice gruel I made for him and went to bed early. The next morning when my husband went to see him he had passed away. It seems he went to bed at night and never woke up!" Malati akka paused.
She could not bring herself to admit to Surangi that besides being lonely Shridhar was stressed about his extended family's feud with him over the mounting debts. Rather than offer him a helping hand they had been harassing him for their share in the property. And he was too dignified to reach out to Raghav and Yashoda about his problems even if they were in a position to bail him out. Had he not ignored the advice to remarry he could have someone compassionate to look after his health as well as his emotional needs. Malati akka waited for an opportune moment before explaining the background to Raghav and Yashoda.
Yashoda broke down after Malati akka finished narrating her tale, her grief aggravated by the realisation of how Shridhar chose to suffer in silence rather than let her offer him succor. Madhav did his best to comfort both his mother and Surangi, but as they say grieving is the pathway to closure, and sometimes it is best to let mourners experience catharsis to prevent them from keep their sorrow bottled up. Over the days Malati akka and others neighbours acted in the community spirit offering hospitality and support to conduct the obligatory religious rites for Shridhar. Raghav and Yashoda showed prudence and dealt tactfully with Shridhar's cousins while the rituals were being conducted by the priests, even when they knew that this side of the family was more interested in appropriating the family assets than in mourning.
Deeply rooted in ancestor worship the Hindu custom of a symbolically offering food to the departed soul requires it be left around for crows to feast on. If the birds oblige readily it is a token of the soul's consent but if they stay away then the soul is said to have unfulfilled desires that need resolving. The family watched patiently but the birds did not appear. Raghav then asked Madhav to appeal to Shridhar's soul about accepting complete responsibility of Surangi. In keeping with the solemn mood the boy joined his palms, closed his eyes and offered a prayer and reiterated his wedding vows. Sure enough, moments after he had uttered these words a crow swooped down and began pecking at the offering, flooding the people with collective relief.
Madhav looked at people's reaction and marvelled at how easily they took the coincidence as an affirmation of their belief. Surely crows were the most ubiquitous scavengers around human settlements! Sooner or later they would get to the food, depending on how soon they spotted it and whether they were hungry. Those who first established this standard must have relied on simple observation and logic. Since the crow was fastest bird to possibly reach such pickings around homes it was the best candidate to appoint as a link between the living and the ethereal worlds. So that people did not have to wait too long to sit down for their own meal after the opportunistic birds homed in on the food set aside for them. Smart strategy!
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When the day of their departure arrived Malati akka quietly handed to Yashoda and Surangi a gold neckpiece called Bel paan varatik and a silk sari, along with a dhoti set for Madhav. "These are gifts from Shridharbhau for your first Diwal-San!" She explained to Surangi who wept freshly as she bowed to take her blessings. "Ayushman bhava!" Malati akka uttered a blessing for her long life. She also gave her some holy basil seeds tied in a pouch. "These are from your mother's Tulsi. The plant won't travel well but if you plant the seeds in your husband's home your mother's memory shall be well-preserved! And don't forget to visit your Malati akka whenever you wish to." She said while holding her close before Surangi climbed into the cart.
When the benevolent lady faded out of sight Surangi thought of what she had left behind. There was an emptiness inside her and it felt as if this were her last trip to her natal home. Makati akka had packed some of her mother's better sarees and other personal effects for her. The less valuable belongings were being distributed among the house help or given to charity. Although Surangi had been told that this was inevitable it made her feel as if her parents presence in the house was being dissipated. She feel strangely dispossessed, wanting to cling to the years of happy memories growing up around her indulgent parents.
"Are you feeling fine?" Madhav asked her as sat quietly watching a troupe of Hanuman langurs under a tree. They had stopped for lunch during their long journey. "I was just looking at those vaanars. How could they have built the land bridge over the sea to help Rama cross into Lanka? And how could they have fought a battle? They look so primitive sitting there." She looked lost in thought. "That's simple. Our mythology is full of allegory where both characters and events represent qualities related to human morals. These references are not be taken literally but as lessons to inculcate values. The Ramayana vaanars could be mythical creatures or some tribe of hill people lost to posterity, we may never know!" He said to her softly. "Am I an orphan now?" He was taken aback by her sudden question.
"Do you see those baby monkeys? They are being passed around among aunts because the females in the troupe are closely related. The juveniles are keen on allomothering, in providing non-parental care. They learn by trial and error. Some day they will be mothers themselves and others may want to become alloparents to their babies. In short the cycle continues. You are in my family's care now, we are your alloparents. Thus you can never be orphaned. I hope you understand. Just like you took alloparenting baby steps when you helped care for Gaju. In every girl there is a latent mother, as much as there is a latent father in every boy. As social creatures we learn to look after our own, just like those monkeys." He held Surangi's hand until it was time to join the others. Back in the cart Surangi slept peacefully, her hand still linked to Madhav's.
