[Urmila and Sharmila
are sisters. The elder one Sharmila was in love with Vinod, her neighbour, even
when they passed through the school-age. Father had brought proposals which she
resisted tooth and nail, though she knew not the result. She recalled her
baby-hood memories in which Vinod always sided with her in all the activities. A squad of six used to engage themselves in
kiddies’ amusements a lot. Whenever Urmila tried to retrieve her mind from the
memories, it did not obey her. Again it went on a tour to the backyard of mind.
Urmila bloomed into the synonym of beauty and Vinod grew into a handsome personality. ]
For a long time Urmila lay in wait for the sleep to obtain
her company, but the latter remained loathe to come to her. Sharmila was in
deep sleep playing the accompaniment of a mild snore. Urmila got up from the
bed, opened a shutter of the window and looked through. The night was in jet
black attire and the battery of the moon seemed not charged. So it was not lit.
Not even a single star- light was seen and it was a total black-out. Urmila
came back and lay down again. Mind was full of agony and anguish. In some way
she cut across the time till dawn arrived.
In the morning she shed all the thoughts and feelings immersing
in her routines. After seeing the completion of the usual personal chores, she
proceeded to the college. In the evening after getting into the home-wear she
sat at the snacks and tea.
“Mole, think once more about it, we shall fix the marriage
now. We’ll have it after your exam only.”
“No, Amma, it will hinder my studies. I don’t want it now. "
“I don’t know if your Achchan will agree. He may not cancel
it.”
Urmila’s mother, Sharada tried a good many tools to remodel
Achchan’s as well as the daughter’s mind and ultimately the daughter won the bid. But Achchan had put
forth a condition that after the final exams, marriage wouldn’t be delayed.
Urmila nodded in concurrence and escaped for the time being.
“At least I can have a sleep for three months,” thought she,
“By the time I will tell them about Vinod.”
Three months was a short period of time as Urmila was
totally engaged in her academics. In between here there the youngsters kept
their meetings live.
The days that sank
Urmila in books and notes reached their conclusion. Urmila yanked a big sigh of
relief and freedom from the tautness of studies. She felt like having a pair of
wings to fly high in sky.
Meetings with Vinod multiplied, duration of the meetings
expanded and anxiety about obtaining a job for Vinod swelled up and days
crawled. Proposals for Urmila followed her. Two-three proposals she could make
her parents cancel by extracting one or another shortcoming on minute scrutiny.
Urmila and Sharmila had
gone for a sabbatical stay in grandparents’ residence .A lady named Malathi distantly related
to the grandma visited them for a wedding invite of her daughter.Her son Aravind had accompanied her.
“Are these Sharada’s daughters?” the lady hadn’t seen the
girls for the former one decade.
“Yes, she is Urmila and this one is Sharmila,” the grandma.
A chit-chat about the studies, job, marriage etc and the
like about the girls had their role in their talk. The lady eyed the girls in
particular Urmila once more before bidding bye.In the evening a phone call from that lady delighted the
grandparents. The intensity of joy was such that it straightened the wrinkles
on their visages.
“Mole, Urmi , where are you?”
“I am here in the portico,* Ammoomma ,I amreading the
newspaper.”
“The boy who came here afternoon is an engineer. He is
abroad. His mother has proposed him for you.”
“How can an individual prefer a person at merely a sight?”
“He might have noticed your behavior and all. He liked you.
That is why his mother called, *Appooppan also approves it”
“No, Ammoomma, I’ll continue my studies.”
Appooppan didn’t respond to it, but whispered, “Today’s
children are too smart to hear the elders’advice.”
“*Chechchi, he is very handsome.” Sharmila
“Then you marry him.” Urmila chided Sharmila.
They returned home after a week. Amma who knew from her parents
about the proposal didn’t mention anything about it. She lurked for Achchan to
arrive. After his usual like keeping the bag, changing the dress, taking a body
bath, tea, snacks and all,he seated comfortably in a chair turning the T.V. on.
Amma came and sat by his side. She opened the folder of proposal and took out
the details.
Achchan in soft
loving voice, “Mole, did you hear what she said?”
Urmila who was sitting in another chair lifted her eyes from
the novel she was reading.
“This proposal sounds good. If the horoscopes match, you
will be lucky.”
“U..m..m, Achcha…that….”
“Now, no excuse, let’s check the horoscopes first.”
Urmila didn’t voice a word even expecting an incompatibility
in horoscopes. After the day’s chores both the sisters took the night’s abode
in bed.
*Ammoomma-grandma.
*Appooppan-Grandpa.
*Chechchi-Addressing an elder female.