Surangi, The Child Bride

Part 20

The festival of Gauri-Ganpati was celebrated with  traditional fervour in the Oak family. "Madhava, get some turmeric leaves for the patolya!" Yashoda sent Madhav on another errand and as usual Surangi used the opportunity to sneak out, following Madhav and Waman into the garden with her basket. She looked forward to these moments, being around Madhav was an education itself. "Trace my footsteps, don't go near that bush, there may be snake lurking nearby. The pods of that wild plant will irritate your skin, take care to stay away." His instructions flew non-stop. He had a keen sense of observation, being older and more experienced than the other two. 

They came to the patch where ginger, mango ginger and turmeric plants grew. Madhav and Waman began snipping the broadest of turmeric leaves, leaving the rhizome undisturbed beneath the ground. No sooner had he dropped the leaves in her basket than he began extolling the virtues and health benefits of the plant. "When you grow up will you go to England to train to be a doctor?" Surangi asked him. The boys stopped what they were doing and stared at her. "Waman, take these leaves back to the kitchen, Surangi and I shall manage the rest." Madhav sent Waman scurrying in the direction of the house. He knew he had just a few minutes before a curious Waman came back looking for them.

He lead Surangi toward the flower beds and they gathered fresh blooms for the day's worship. Later they pulled out trefoil or durva blades for the puja. "I need to tell you something. Don't ever utter the word England inside the house, especially not before Aaji. And never talk about me going abroad to study!" He said to her in a grave tone. "But why? Did I say anything wrong?" His little wife asked, a bit perturbed by his expression. "Not now, I shall explain after lunch when the grown-ups wind down!" He told her, before clamming up again at the sight of Waman who had just returned as predicted. 

After the children had gathered sufficient material they returned to the house. Surangi went to the kitchen to do her bit to help prepare the day's meal. "Yey go, learn how to make patoli!" Aaji called out to her and Surangi sat down next to her, observing and following instructions. She considered the patoli a close cousin of the modak. Like the modak it had the same basic ingredients- rice flour, coconut and jaggery, though there was an important difference. Unlike the modak the patoli was laid out flat on a turmeric leaf, the filling placed in before wrapping it into a parcel and then steamed. The leaf parcels were placed in a brass steamer and as they were cooking the delicious smell of fragrant turmeric leaves wafted around the house making people look forward to the patolya in eager anticipation.

After the rituals of the day were concluded the family was served lunch. Surangi sat before her own banana leaf and began partaking of the festive meal. She unwrapped the patoli and bit into the fragrant cake, savouring every morsel. However even during lunch she could not stop thinking about what Madhav had told her, and she could not wait for the moment when he would finally spill the beans. She kept her eyes riveted on her banana leaf plate to avoid glancing at Madhav who seemed completely unperturbed. Finally when she was done eating she waited agonisingly till the placed was tidied up. "Not here, go to the garden in the backyard and wait for me near the magnolia tree." He whispered to her and she hurried to the spot.

She waited for a minute or two before Madhav arrived. "Tell me now, I want to know!" She urged him, bitten from head to toe with curiosity. "Well, Aaji has a younger brother called Vishnu who she was very fond of. His match was arranged with a girl called Anandi Vaishampayan. Aaji and Anandi used to be thick friends and they were inseparable during their school days. One fine day Vishnu decided that he wanted to Cambridge to pursue higher education. After much persuasion his well-off parents agreed to send him to England on the condition that he would return to India after taking his degree. As the years went by Anandi's parents became apprehensive about his return. When Anandi's father wrote to him Vishnu replied, asking to call off the engagement so that another match could be found for their daughter."

"The heartbroken Anandi refused to marry another man. Aaji tried hard to support her friend but there was nothing she could do. Later it became known that Vishnu had married an English girl he met there and had no intention of returning. He continued to work and raise a family in London, adapting to life there, snapping all ties with his family in India because they were scandalised by his decision. Anandi wasted away before Aaji's eyes, finally succumbing to sickness. Aaji never forgave her brother for what he did. It was ironic that a girl whose name stood for happiness had to die so unhappily. We avoid mentioning anything that may trigger off Aaji's memories. Do you understand now? Be careful what you say around her!" Madhav wrapped up his explanation.

"But why did Aaji's friend not marry anyone?" Surangi wanted to know. "When people feel betrayed they find it difficult to trust someone again. Also some people are not able to deal with problems in their lives!" Madhav replied. "Why did Aaji's brother marry an English girl?" She found it strange that someone would marry outside their caste. "I don't know, maybe they liked each other enough to marry. Come, let us get back home now!" Madhav started to walk away. "You mean like in a Swayamwar?" She had to ask, she did not know that one could choose a spouse without parental consent. "I don't think so!" Madhav had no answers to such questions. It would be many years before the underage couple began to understand the complexity of human relationships.