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...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Gaju, this ramphal has been planted in your honour, hope it bears the sweetest fruit for you to enjoy during your summer visits to your aajol (maternal home)!" Madhav addressed the baby who stared at his uncle wide-eyed, hardly comprehending a word but responding to the sound and emotion conveyed in his voice. The ramphal (annona reticulata), also known as bullock's heart, is a fruit related to the custard apple. It was not unusual to plant a new tree when a child was born, in fact it became a living monument commemorating the event. This practice probably originated when the afterbirth and thereafter the placental stump of the newborn was buried in the ground to dispose it off properly, often a sapling was planted in the same space.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Earlier that morning Madhav, grudgingly acknowledging that Waman had a green thumb, assigned the task of planting both fruit trees to him. "Gaju, I have planted this sitaphal (custard apple) next to the ramphal so that when the trees grow they can have babies called luvphal and kushphal." Waman laughed at his own joke, drawing the baby's attention toward himself. Obviously he was referring to Luv and Kush, the twin sons of Rama and Sita in the Hindu epic Ramayana. Surangi giggled at the suggestion, earning a glare from Madhav, but both Surangi and Waman continued to laugh, managing to bring a smile on Madhav's face.
By now even Surangi could carry Gaju confidently. Between Madhav, Waman and Surangi there was no dearth of willing hands to carry him around. They sat in the porch, with Surangi resting him on her lap. "Gaju, what will you be when you grow up? Dada wants to be a doctor and I want to be a lawyer!" Waman asked the baby. "But bhaoji, why do you want to be a lawyer? I hear they tell a lot of lies!" Surangi expressed her disapproval. "Vahini, father says only a lawyer can win an argument with his wife. When I become a lawyer my wife won't nag me, instead she'll respect me more!" Waman said smugly. His choice of career changed every fortnight. "I think you should become a judge instead!" Surangi declared, offering Waman free advice.
"A judge has to pass the bar exam, which means he is already a lawyer before he is appointed judge, silly girl!" Madhav corrected Surangi. "Surangi, bring Gaju inside! It is time for his medicine." Yashoda called out. Surangi carried the baby indoors, placing him on Yashoda's lap. "But why does he need any medicine, he looks fine to me!" Surangi wondered aloud. "Aago, this is not a medicine. It is a tonic meant to boost his immunity so that he develops resistance against diseases." Yashoda informed her, pouring the sweetened herbal extract from a beak shaped medicine dispenser called bondla into the baby's mouth, coaxing him to accept it. Gaju puckered his little face at the earthy taste, but swallowed it in the end.
