Part 47
B: What about Suryanarayanan? It was my great grandfather's name.
S: Thatha, it's so old fashioned and so long! People will get breathless before they finish calling his name.
P: Sumit, is short and sweet.
S: No, no it sounds like the name of a mixer/blender. Sujit is better.
Priyam: No mummy 'Surya.' Then thambi will also become strong and bold like Surya, (the Tamil film hero.)
R: I think Priyam's choice is apt, as it will be a shortened version of Balu mama's choice too. They say forefathers' names carry the elders' blessings.
So finally 'Surya' was accepted by all. Priyam raised her arms saying "Yipeee", as her suggestion was accepted by the elders. Yes, they were discussing about the name for her little brother, who had entered this world only a few hours ago, a bonnie boy born by normal delivery. The whole family, including Balu kollu thatha (great grandfather), was gathered in the small hospital room. The little one was in blissful sleep, unaware of all the furor his arrival had created. Now that all had all arrived at a consensus, he let out a small wail as if to say "I've had enough, come on disperse all of you."
"He must be hungry" Riddhima suggested and shooed all of them outside, so that Suja could feed him. She had already fed him once immediately after birth. Riddhima stayed behind to help her sit up and hold the baby.
As soon as the doctor had said that it was a boy, Armaan had gone to the nearest sweet shop and got boxes and boxes of Pedhas to be distributed to all the hospital staff, patients and even their relatives. The baby was first bathed and handed to the grandmother. Immediately all the three males were peering in, and akka was tugging at her amamma's saree, to let her have a look at her little brother.
Riddhima sat on a chair so that Priyam could have a look at the baby. Seeing a tightly tied up bundle with only the face, the little girl asked "Doesn't thambi (younger brother) have hands and legs?" Her amamma explained to her that as the baby was very delicate, he'd been wrapped up. She promised to let her have a proper look at him, later.
Riddhima allowed her to touch his tiny nose and ears gently. "They are so soft." She exclaimed and then asked "Have the nurses put lipstick for him? His lips are so rosy." Riddhima explained that they were naturally so and that little children shouldn't use cosmetics. Finally frustrated at his closed eyes she asked "When will he open his eyes and look at me? Does he even know that I'm his akka?" Thankfully the nurse came and took the child away. Otherwise the enquiry would have gone on non-stop.
Both mother and son were discharged from the hospital after a week and both were doing fine. On the eleventh day after his birth, the little one's naming ceremony was conducted inviting all the relatives and friends. As Suja's house was small, the function was held at a community hall, near their house.
All the relatives were surprised to see the change in Riddhima. Though she had tied up her hair in a bun as usual, the glow in her face and the sparkle in her eyes couldn't be missed. They also noticed how her athaan was taking of her. He seemed to be at her beck and call all the time. Even her Kamala akka came and congratulated her on her fresh, younger look saying "Looks like the new kidney has rejuvenated you."
When Armaan came and welcomed saying "Vaanga, (welcome) Kamala" Riddhima was scared her akka might insult her athaan, so she said "Athaan ask someone to get akka a glass of buttermilk. She doesn't take tea or coffee." With the trademark dimpled smile adorning his face Armaan said, "Why ask someone? I myself will get it for her" and went in.
Kamala looked unbelievingly at his receding back and said "Your athaan has definitely changed over the years. I don't remember him ever even talking to anyone, let alone so politely." "Akka" Riddhima said remonstrating Kamala. "You'd hardly met him a couple of times earlier. He was young then and young boys rarely talk to relatives. But he loved my amma a lot and was always very sweet to her. He did everything he could, to let her have a peaceful death."
Kamala smiled at her and hugged her cousin saying "Ok, ok, point taken. I don't have anything against your athaan. I'm only concerned about you and have always been." Then affectionately touching her cheeks she continued "I can see what his coming back has done to you. I can see your happiness glowing on your face and sparkling in your eyes. If you are happy, I'm ten times happier. This is what you've deserved all along. Better late than never."
R: It's all God's will akka. He knows what to give and when to give. Even a grain of sand can't move, without his consent.
"Sorry to interrupt you sisters" came Armaan's voice from behind them, as he handed the glass of buttermilk to Kamala.
K: Thanks.
When Armaan said "please don't mention it." She said "I didn't thank you for the buttermilk, but for making my sister alive again. All these years she was merely a walking dead. Even God must have felt ashamed because whatever hardships and hurdles he laid before her, she bore it all with a smile. But that smile was merely a stretching of her lips. It's only now that she is smiling from her heart and it has reached her eyes."
Armaan possessively put his arm around his wife's shoulder and asked Kamala "Did your sister tell you? We are going to the US after two months." Kamala looked at her surprised. When Riddhima was about to explain to her Armaan said "you two sisters catch up, excuse me. I'll see to the other guests" and left.
When Riddhima told her cousin about their going to US for Linda's Valaikaapu and Seemandham, Kamala was spellbound. "This woman will never change" she thought to herself, "She'll always put her near and dear ones before herself." She prayed with her whole heart to the Almighty to keep her in good health and at least now fulfill whatever dreams and aspirations her cousin had.
Then both the grandmas went to have a look at their new grandson. Seeing Kamala Suja rushed to her and hugged her saying "Vaanga Perima. How are you? How's your knee pain now." Riddhima left them together and went to see how things were progressing in the cooking area. Kamala had seen Suja blossom from a timid child to a confident young woman. She had been in touch with them all through these years, though they would meet only on and off. "Congratulations Kanamma," she said returning her hug. "My knee pain won't go away so easily. Forget that. Tell me how's the new mother? Must be in seventh heaven having got a son this time."
"Come on Perima, nothing like that." Suja mumbled. "Boy or girl doesn't matter, only it should be healthy baby. And for that we require the blessing of you elders." Suja beckoned to Prakash who was standing talking with some friends and both of them touched Perima's feet and took her blessings. Prakash enquired after her health and then took her to the crib, where the little one lay sniggering.
Picking him up and cuddling him she spoke to him in baby language. Then she asked "Where is the kutty (little) akka?" Suddenly Priyam bounded towards them out of nowhere, shouting "Paati, (grandma) here I am." Holding the baby in one arm, Kamala hugged her with the other and asked "How's my chellam (pet)?" They both got talking and Kamala asked her whether she liked her little brother Priyam excitedly told her that he had very tine feet and even tinier toes. His hands and fingers were also very cute. But complained that no one allowed her to hold the baby. Kamala held the baby close to Priyam's chest and asked her to put her arms around the child. That made akka very happy.
Soon the priest arrived and the religious ceremonies were conducted. Balu thatha being the eldest of the family was asked to whisper the name, in the child's ears and then everyone had to do so. Then one by one, everyone presented their gifts. The priest informed them that the first gift for the child should be from his athai (bua) or mama. Since Prakash didn't have any sisters, Armaan gave a packet with cash on behalf of the mamas, Karan and Arun, to the kid.
Next was the turn of nana-nani. Firstly, they gifted clothes for all four of the family. Then Riddhima put a chain around the baby's neck which had a diamond pendant in the shape of sun. Next she opened another box which had a chain with a diamond 'P' and put it around Priyam's neck. When Suja and Prakash looked at her enquiringly she just nodded her head and then clarified that the pendant was her athaan's idea.
Balu uncle gifted a gold chain to be worn around the waist, for the baby and Kamala, a gold bracelet. The baby also got a lot of toys and dresses. Seeing so many gifts for her brother, Priyam's face fell. But Armaan picked her up and explained that today was like his birthday. So he got gifts, just like she got gifts on her birthday.
After all the guests left and they returned home, Riddhima made the whole family sit down and twirled red chillies etc. around, to remove any evil-eye that may have been cast on them. Then she sent Suja to her room to take rest while she put the baby to sleep. Armaan took his granddaughter for a story session followed by a nap.
Even with two maids and grandparents, there seemed to be shortage of helping hands and morning times were a chaos. Firstly Priyam and Prakash had to get ready. Their breakfast and lunch both had to be readied. From the time Suja had come back from the hospital, Priyam had started insisting that her mummy should only give her a bath, comb her hair and even sit with her to do the homework. Or else she'd throw tantrums saying "You only love Surya, you don't love me at all." It was so unlike her, but all the adults understood that it was her insecurity on the arrival of the baby which was making her act like that. So they did whatever she demanded, to keep her happy.
She didn't even like people holding the baby, cuddling him or cooing over him. She'd heard the adults talk that he shouldn't get habituated to being picked up. So she'd say, "Put him in the crib or else he'll want to be picked up all the time." Or "Make him sleep, let him lie down" so on. But no one opposed her or reprimanded her. On the contrary, Riddhima would ask her to help change the baby and keep telling the baby how lucky he was to have such a loving akka and that he should also love her as much, etc.
Karan had started calling them every weekend now. Riddhima had already told him that she had got visa. When he called her the following weekend, he asked her to mail her passport and visa details. When she asked him why he wanted it, he said he'd tell her later. It had become his usual practice to talk to all of them now. He asked Suja about her health and his nephew, Prakash about his job, etc and when it was Priyam's turn her first question was as usual about the baby. Karan had somehow managed to convince her that in US it was possible to know the child's gender before it's birth. So now her question was, had the baby arrived as yet? Whether they had decided a name for her? Then she went on to complain about how her little brother was troubling everyone by crying now and then, and even waking up at night.
As usual the last to speak to him was his dad. After enquiring about him and Linda, Armaan told him that he had made tentative booking of the tickets. "Why did you dad? I wanted to send you the tickets" Karan protested. Armaan smiled to himself happy about how his relationship with his sons had slowly changed, thanks to this woman, whom he had neglected all his life. Yes, they were in touch with Arun too, though he didn't call so regularly. But they'd call him from time to time.
Armaan calmed his son saying "What difference does it make who buys the ticket? Only keep praying that your Perima should be well enough to make this trip."
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