Samarpan
Surrender to your new awareness
and let love unfold the purpose of creation to you.
Part 7
The Tata Sumo slowed to a halt in front of a quaint, smallish double-storied house of dark wood and stone with colonial exterior, situated at the end of a long, graveled path. Stone steps led up to an arched doorway with a mahogany double-door entrance. The ground floor was ringed with covered arcades and surrounded by flower beds and ornamental hedges. Sweet pea and honeysuckle grew over the fretwork columns to envelop the loggias and walls, covering the large windows, and hanging in long tendrils from the arches. On the first floor were open balconies, protected by balustrades of stone fretwork and overlooking the lake. Two lush green lawns surrounded by flowers spanned on both sides of the pathway.
Aarti looked out of the car window. For a girl who had never stepped out of her closeted existence of Hoshangabad, the house looked like a palace straight out of the story books she had devoured in college library. Her eyes grew big and an involuntary smile played across her lips as she viewed the flora surrounding the house. She clutched Saraswatima's statuette in one hand and tightened her grip on Radhama's hand with the other. This is how she had travelled the entire way from Bhopal. After her initial attempt at trying to befriend Aarti, naanimasi had let her be. She instinctively retreated when she saw Aarti cringing away as close to the car door as possible. They had checked into a hotel that evening after getting a doctor to look at Aarti's injury and then had left the next day by road in the hired vehicle that naanimaasi had traveled in from Nainital. After a one-night stopover at Kanpur, they reached her house by afternoon. Before leaving town, Aarti had called Prof. Sharma from the hotel room and requested him to convey to Mr Scindia her inability to go to Bhopal as she was moving elsewhere.
After her meager luggage was brought in, naanimaasi took Aarti around the house. Radhama stayed back in the kitchen with the in-house cook, Garima, to help out with the lunch. After almost two days of being together, Aarti still avoided any physical closeness, though she had given in to monosyllabic communication with the petite old lady with a serene, sunny, and cheerful disposition. Aarti had never known anybody from her mother's side. Whatever she knew about her mother was from Radhama. She was contemplating whether to ask the nice lady about her mother as they entered the loveliest room she had set her eyes in when she spoke.
"This is your room, Aarti. Your mother stayed here whenever she visited me. She used to love this room. Come here….from this window you can see the lawns, the flowers, as well as the lake. Shobha loved to sit here."
Aarti had fallen in love with the house as soon as she had stepped on the graveled path. The ground floor had naanimaasi's room, a small mandir, the living room, the kitchen, and the dining hall. The first floor had three bedrooms and a small lounge.
"Aarti…welcome home, beta!" There was silence as Aarti stared out of the window. Naanimaasi tried again, "Aarti?"
"Thank you, naa..anim..aasi."
The old lady's eyes glistened as she heard her call her by that name for the first time, "This is your home Aarti. This is your room. How do you like it?"
"I don't know…I never had one."
"What, child? A room?"
She shook her head, "No…a home."
Naanimaasi turned away as tears fell. Aarti had not moved from her place by the window. She wanted to have a fill of the view that her mother so loved.
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Life fell into a routine of sorts. Naanimaasi was careful not to impose anything on Aarti. She let her initiate everything. Initially Aarti would put all her queries through Radhama, but after a couple of weeks she hesitatingly started approaching naanimaasi if she needed to ask something because Radhama herself was lost in the new environs. Aarti was reluctant and fearful to step out of the house. She stayed confined in the room. She had no idea what naanimaasi liked and what would upset her, so she played safe. All of Radhama's assurances were of no use. She got her a journal, and Aarti began to put her thoughts into words again.
Aarti wanted to explore the gardens, but she feared trespassing and didn't know which area was out of bounds. What if she goes out and naanimaasi got angry…very angry…and started to...no, no she is not like them. But still!! She was coming down the stairs for breakfast that Saturday morning, almost a month since she moved in, when she heard naanimaasi talking to Radha, "I need some flowers for the vases. I haven't had time to fill them…and today some friends are coming to visit us. They want to meet Aarti. I have so much to do, when will I…"
"May I help?"
Hearing the soft voice naanimaasi turned with a big smile, "Will you do that for me Aarti? I hope I won't be imposing on you."
Aarti was confused now. For the first time in her life someone was requesting her to do something and not ordering. She shook her head, "I can get the flowers."
"Oho…thank you, thank you. You are such a sweetheart." She beckoned Aarti to the kitchen window. "In that shed over there, you'll find scissors and a basket….and Aarti (as Aarti turned after reaching the door)…please go wherever you feel like and pick the best flowers. The garden is yours."
Aarti nodded and proceeded toward the shed with a light spring in her step. Naanimaasi stepped back from the window and smiled even as she winked at an astonished Radha. No one was surprised that it took Aarti more than two hours to come back inside.
In the evening, Naanimaasi knocked at Aarti's room with armful of shopping bags. Aarti rushed forward to help her.
"These clothes are for you Aarti. This time it was my choice…next time onward you will buy yourself. My choice may not be good enough for you. I have called my tailor tomorrow. He'll take the measurements for whatever has to be stitched. Please wear a dress and come down. I need your help with the starters, beta. That Chris is a hog, even at this age."
Aarti stood stunned looking at all the gorgeous dresses and sarees spread on the bed. She finally managed to move herself and pick up a turquoise blue churidaar suit.
Chris and Anna Brown were old friends of naanimaasi and Aarti's naanima. Originally from England, their parents had settled down in Nainital, and they too never went back. Their only daughter Maggie was married and settled in Simla. The old couple ran a snack & bakery shop called "Brownies" near the Tibetan market. Chris was a burly, red-faced, jovial man, still completely bonkers over his blue-eyed wife of forty years. The happy-go-lucky couple came as a surprise to Aarti, who had never seen old people behaving so lovingly and being so full of fun. When Aarti was introduced to them, Chris stepped forward to hug her, but stopped himself just in time when naanimaasi shook her head and held up her hand in a stop gesture. On naanimaasi's request, Aarti sat with them and listened to the friendly chatter and leg pulling. Try as they might, the Browns couldn't extract more than a nod or a shaking of the head from her. When the time came to lay the dinner, she got up to go to the kitchen to help Radhama and Garima.
Anna turned to naanimaasi, "Neema, her eyes….they have such an empty, hollow look in them. As if she is lost in a vaccum. What's wrong with the child? Can we be of any help?"
"It's a long story, Anna….I am partly to blame for this condition of my granddaughter. I should have asked after her more often. When I had recovered from Shobha's and Runa's death, I called Aarti's grandparents. They told me that she had migrated with her father to the US. I had no reasons to believe they were lying. They made her life a living hell. They tortured her and deemed her a curse…and now my little girl is scared to even come close to me or to anybody and form any bonding. She stays aloof and maintains her distance."
"What? The scoundrels! How can anyone harm a little girl? What did they do, Neema?"
"Shshh, Chris…not now. I'll explain later. I wish I knew how to make her open up to life." She sighed sorrowfully as they went quiet for a while, before Chris broke the silence.
"I know," He was almost bouncing up and down in excitement. "I know how to bring her out."
"Now, now Chrissie….this is a delicate matter."
"Alas!! You have no faith in me Annabel Brown…even after forty years of marriage and five years of hanging outside your balcony." Chris pouted dramatically as Anna rolled her eyes and naanimaasi smiled. Just then Garima came in and called them for dinner. Another shock awaited Aarti when Chris announced he won't take a bite till the lovely young lady joined them at the table…giving Aarti no other option but to comply. In Hoshangabad, Aarti had always eaten alone. Here also naaninaasi never formally asked her to join her for a meal. However, the reason for an option never arose as she would come and sit at the dining table only after Aarti had seated herself.
Before leaving, Chris turned to Aarti, "Will you work for us at Brownies, Aarti? We are badly in need of a manager and an accounts supervisor. Both of us are getting by the years and finding it difficult to manage these days."
Aarti looked taken aback and shook her head, looking confusedly at her grandmother.
"You don't need your granny's permission, child. It's your decision. Whatever you decide, she will abide by you." When Aarti still hesitated, he patted her head, 'It's OK. You take your time. We shall wait."
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It would be more than six months and after relentless persuasion by Chris and Anna before Aarti would brave the proposal. She had often wondered later that what was it that had made her say Yes to the Bhopal job immediately and equally hesitant to Uncle Chris's offer. It was only when naanimaasi had fallen ill and the Browns had rushed to help her, knowing she didn't know anybody, and stay with her till her grandmother got back on her feet that Aarti felt secure enough in their presence. That's when she had questioned her decision of not stepping forward to be of assistance to the nice couple who went out of their way to be with her and naanimaasi in their hour of need. After all one should always be kind to anyone who needs help…Two kind men had taught her that. They had helped her at times when she had given up.
Radhama had left for her village after three months when she got the news that her brother's wife had expired and he needed her help with his little children. It was very emotional goodbye for her. Aarti was the daughter she never had…and in some corner of her heart she would always remain her daughter in every sense. Aarti was heartbroken but as always withdrew into herself. Radha broke down when Aarti put the lone painting of hers in Radhama's hands and said, "Remember me when you see this." (When Yash would visit Radhama a few years later, she would insist he take the precious art with him and motivate Aarti to paint again.)
Two days before Radha left, Naanimaasi had called Aarti's college in Hoshangabad to find out about her results and was connected to Prof Sharma. He gave two bits of news: One, that Aarti had topped the college, and second, two weeks after they left, Aarti's father had met with a road accident here in Hoshangabad while he was on his way home from the airport. The windscreen of the vehicle had smashed with the impact and a massive glass piece had flown in and pierced his heart. He died on the spot. The professor also added that Satya's mother had suffered a paralytic attack on seeing his body. Naanimaasi didn't tell Aarti about her father, but informed Radhama who smiled sadly, "Isn't it ironic ammaji that catastrophe should befall the family when Aarti is not with them? Just goes to prove that God's justice is always silent. Now, which curse will they blame? The truth is till Aarti was with them, they were safe from all curses."
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Three and a Half Years Later…..
"Naanimaasi, I'll be late today. We have audit next week. I have to get the accounts right. Uncle Chris forgets a lot these days and keeps misplacing the bills."
Naanimaasi walked toward the stairs with Aarti's lunchbox as she came down, "I know. Anna was furious the other day when she found the laundry bill inside the envelope instead of the letter she wrote Maggie and asked him to post. Thank God she opened it as she had something important to inform Maggie and had forgotten to write." They both smiled. "Here, I made biryani today. Chris's portion is in the lowest container."
Aarti smiled, "He'll be thrilled. He so loves the biryani you make….Bye, naanimaasi. Take care."
"You too, darling. Try to be back before dark."
As naanimaasi waved at her granddaughter, she thanked God for the day Aarti finally let her in enough to share a beautiful friendship. At least she conversed with her these days.
It had taken Aarti more than two years to trust her. Aarti had begun to loosen up after she joined Brownies. She had begun to spend a lot of time with her grandmother, who told her about her mother's childhood and growing up. She liked her job…and she liked Chris and Anna, who had self-appointed themselves as her Godparents. But all the progress had been cut short because of that good-for-nothing Prashant.
Prashant was naanimaasi's husband's cousin, his uncle's son. He was also the only living male relative from her in-laws' side. At forty-one, he was a childless widower as well as a philanderer and a wastrel of the highest order. He had been eying this house for long. Many years ago, while pretending to help her with the legalities of the property, he had cheated her into signing a document that said she would move into an old-age home at sixty-five years of age after willing the house to him, her only relative. When he heard about Aarti, he had come to meet his bhabhi. He had met Aarti, who was going to work, near the gate. Aarti had just stepped away as far as possible and hurried off. She had to come back after awhile to take the accounts file that she had forgotten. As she was about to step into the living room door, she had heard Prashant saying, "Oh, come on bhabhi…all your problems will be solved if I marry that pretty granddaughter of yours. We can all live here happily ever after." Aarti didn't wait to hear what naanimaasi said as she stepped back and rushed out.
Naanimaasi didn't know what had gone wrong. Aarti retreated into her shell and the fear was back in her eyes. For almost two years Aarti would just go to work and come back to her room. She hardly spoke to naanimaasi. It's only when naanimaasi was at the end of her tether trying to find a gateway that she found Prashant trying to harass Aarti in the lawn. She had threatened him with dire consequences if he so much as came near her granddaughter. She was shocked to see Aarti break down sobbing at her feet after Prashant had stomped off saying she had not seen the last of him.
Things became better after that. The duo never spoke about what had happened. They just began afresh. However, the empty look of Aarti's eyes never went away.
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Aarti had come to get some papers from the front desk when she saw him. He was completely covered in dust and mud and had a tramplike disheveled look: thick beard, unruly hair, and torn clothing. Aarti's heart went out to the poor man who was eying the snacks counter hungrily. She waited as he requested for a hamburger in a deep voice. Maansi, the girl behind the counter, handed it to him and asked for the payment. He kept the burger and put his hand in the back pocket…probably to get his wallet. Aarti watched as his hand came out clean and then he ran through all his pockets. Finally, he looked up at Maansi who was giving him the look with crossed arms, "Ah…I am sorry I seem to…"
At that point Aarti decided it was time to help the poor man who was so clearly impoverished and broke. She stepped forward with a smile, "It's OK. You can have the burger. Consider it on the house."
He turned to look at her. Whatever she was going to say next got stuck in her throat as she stared at a pair of eyes that gazed fixedly back at her with an intensity that stirred her soul. Aarti took an involuntary step back.
To be continued………… Edited by InduG64 - 12 years ago
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
CID
