The Invincible Moonsheen
Part – 32
(Telugu Original “Venutiragani Vennela” by Dr K.Geeta)
English Translation: V.Vijaya Kumar
(The previous story briefed)
Sameera comes to meet her mother’s friend, Udayini, who runs a women’s aid organization “Sahaya” in America. Sameera gets a good impression of Udayini. Four months pregnant, Sameera tells her that she wants to get a divorce and the circumstances are conducive to it. Udayini asks her to listen to the story of “Tanmayi” and pursue her to make her own decision after listening to the story. Tanmayi and Shekhar, who met at a wedding ceremony, go to marry with the permission of their elders. After the marriage they started their new life in Visakhapatnam. A boy was born to the couple in a year of their marriage. Tanmay engages in her studies deeply and enjoys the friendship with her colleagues forgetting all about her household disturbances. Her parents came to stay with her for a month while Shekhar is away on his long-term camp.
***
“I got JRF!”
Tanmay couldn’t control her emotional upsurge. The layers of sorrow frozen for years now melting down one by one in her inexplicable joy. The name on the list now is a reality. The rain from the heavens was a sign of a shower of blessings. She felt lightheaded.
She remembered her lecturer’s derisive remarks, “What can you do with this Telugu M.A.?”
She remembered Shekhar’s mocking face while leaving her mercilessly.
She remembered her son hanging around her neck, wailing helplessly.
The toiling days and nights she spent fighting with books reeled before her eyes.
Ananta who came silently from the back side hoodwinked Tanmay and yelled, “Hey stupid! Crying? Are you mad? Did you see the result? You got JRF! it means you’re going to get Rs 7000 p.m! a lump sum to lead a happy life with your son!” She shook her shoulders hard.
Tanmay, who was still in confusion, couldn’t come out from her eerie state of mind.
Ananta said elated, “Tanmay you won, against all follies, crooked tactics of your wretched fellow, with your tenacity!”
She looked down and found Raju, Divakar, and Karun below the staircase.
Ananta added happily, “Tanmay! We both and Karun qualified for a lectureship. We can either join Ph. D. or join a lecturer post outside.
We are hilarious. Indeed, getting in on the first attempt is rather unusual, but we are done!”
Raju and Divakar waved their hands, Karun looked jealous and seemed disturbed at her victory. He didn’t even wish her customarily.
Divakar, who was unqualified for both the tests, cheerfully remarked, “This victory is for all…”
Tanmay looked at him appreciatively and showed great respect towards him.
Ananta, drawing Tanmay close to her, announced, “Yes, Divakar is right, let’s celebrate this event!” leading her to the canteen.
“I’ll pay the tea bill,” Raju said.
“Tanmay! You have good news! Raju and I got call letters from Vivekananda School. If selected there, it would be a great opportunity to settle in life. Since it’s a residential system we can manage there and would easily work on Ph. D. too!”
Divakar said, “If…I will have…any chance…I will join there…”
Tanmay encouragingly said, “Sure Divakar! If you join the warden post there I will recommend it to you…They called for warden posts recently…you will surely get…”
Divakar felt very happy.
“So again we can work together!” Then she looked at Karun.
Karun, embarrassed at her looks, trying to laugh forcefully, declared, “True of course…but I am sorry…I will take the JRF again, and till then, I will be right here under this tree…”
Tanmay looked at him appreciatively and remarked joyously, “Yes, you will, Karun Garu!”
Tanmay couldn’t come out from her rapt of delight still. For a long time, she could only see buffets of fate, but now everything looks pleasing. Now, the cloud was unveiled, and it became bright. She looked up, beaming in delight, “Thank you, my Anonymous friend!”
“You are twinkling like a star,” Ananta exclaimed and added, “You are the winner; there is no looking back here after! The whole world revolves around you now!”
***
Tanmay called her parents in the evening and shared the good news.
She rushed to the hostel and hugged her son passionately, though the kid, unaware of her mother’s strange behavior, enjoyed it. Then she went around to see Murali.
Watchman said, “Mam, Sir went Old age home after meditation class.”
After dinner, when the three gathered, Tanmay disclosed it.
Venkat remarked pleasantly, “Great achievement, but with belated information! Hope this is your first one and plenty are ahead, I believe!”
Murali, with his bright smile, said, “I wish you a great life ahead!”
Tanmay looked at him appreciatively and was surprised to see his teary eyes.
Then he hid his face from Venkat.
Tanmay felt something unusual; this is the man who teaches, ‘Wants are the root cause of the sorrows, so win them over!’
She looked at him appreciatively. A great admiration in his affection, a great respect. He looked bright and crystal clear.
The night she slept well, the morning routine alarm bell was no more irksome to her. Though she was a bit lethargic, she got up and refreshed in a short time. Watching those white robes in the racks she thought of their bidding. She recounted the tasks she will have to attend from today onwards, like registering for her Ph. D and joining the Research Scholars hostel and many other things.
Before that, she went to the Correspondent with a resignation letter and handed it over to him.
Raghavendra Rao Garu, congratulating them on her great success, proudly said, “The norms demand one month before intimation indeed, but as the School Management was happy with your excellent services, it’s offering you two months salary as a bonus!”
Tanmay felt very happy at this emphatic gesture. She respectfully bowed down before him, touching his feet.
The school sheltered her like a shrine when everything went against her. She will never forget these kind-hearted people on this school premises.
She sat near the lotus pond for a while.
She recalled Kalidas’s Verse.
Ramyani veekshya madhuram chia neshama Chandan
paryuthsuko bhavathi yatshukhithopi janthuh
thachhe thasaa smarathi noona mabhodha poorvam
bhaavasthiraani jananaanthara sowhrudaani
Living beings feel distressed when they see beautiful things and listen to mellifluous music because they are ignorant of the reason for the distress.
But the reason for its delightfulness is the mind’s reminiscent of the bondage of its early birth.
***
The attendee standing at the department gate saluted her when she stepped inside. She felt strange and repaid his salute. These people usually greet professors and lecturers. When she walked ahead, she found the reason. Her name was written in bold letters on the noticeboard.
The clerks also greeted her respectfully.
The attendee at the department door inviting her said, “Ma’am, Our department head said to send you in without delay!”
When Tanmay stepped into his cabin, the head cordially invited her saying, “Ah, You did it! Congratulations! It’s a great achievement; for 13 years, no one was successful in our department! It’s amazing!”
Tanmay became emotional and said, “Everything is because of your blessings…!” She choked.
“Tanmay, you are welcome; you are a good inspiration to the department. Tomorrow, the first-year classes begin. You are presiding over the inaugural session!” He said happily.
“Oh, me? it’s…it’s…” She was embarrassed in confusion.
While coming back his words echoed incessantly, “Just tell what you did! How you traveled all along, being a mother, being a single woman, being away from family, away from every petty pleasantry of life…just tell…how you achieved your goal…”
She felt somebody was calling behind her.
Yes, Karun was following her. He said, “Oh Tanu I’m running to catch you…”
Tanmay felt happy to hear him. “Oh, I’m sorry, I heard you just now Runa…”
He looked normal, with no signs of earlier pain now.
He continued, “Sorry, I didn’t appreciate you that day…I was on a job hunt all these days, but none was positive…hope you are doing well…JRF is a great solace to you…You can rock…”
“True Runa…I’m indeed happy…by the way, have you applied for a merit scholarship awarded to the first 5 rankers?”
“Of course I am! Honestly speaking I’m going there!”
They began to walk together to the office. The weather was pleasant and the path they were walking was bushy with thickets. It was warm and sunny.
Somebody broke into a song nearby, mere mahaboob thuje meri mohabbat ki kasam…
While she was walking absentmindedly, her saree caught up to a thorny bush and she couldn’t control herself falling. But Karun hurriedly grabbed her hands and rescued her from falling.
When Karun did not leave her hands, she wriggled and kept away from him.
Karun, who looked emotional, suddenly came on her way and said, “Tanu…l…I’m…whether it is the right time or not…but, I must say …I love you…” He was almost gasping after he spoke.
This unexpected gesture shocked Tanmay. She was startled at this behavior, though she suspected it sooner or later. Indeed she has feelings about him, but they both are sailing in different boats. At present, she is a mother and a court case. Her recent success in JRF made her more responsible and hopeful for the future. Five minutes elapsed in silence.
Soon they reached up to the canteen. Tanmay suddenly collapsed on the bench.
Karun also sat near her.
He remarked, “May I take this silence half granted?”
He continued before Tanmay could open her mouth to say something,” One more thing, I sincerely hope you can understand me. You know my mother is orthodox and she never allows our marriage. Moreover, I can’t go against her wishes. And so to respect her feelings I thought of marrying another girl of our caste…” pressing the word another…
Tanmay was suddenly baffled at his remarks. She couldn’t comprehend what he meant for a while. In astonishment, she questioned, “What?”
He said coolly, “Yes, I should marry another one with you”
She felt something befallen shuttering from the sky.
She was in total perplexity, defeated and knocked down. Is this one Karun whom I knew earlier who consoled me when I was in trouble? Why did this guy turn up to these wrong proposals? As Ananta said, is this because of my financial sustainability?
Her brains were blown out, and she was utterly devastated.
What does this rascal think of me? Had I been friendly with this crooked fellow?
The blood from her soles kicked up to her brains, and she sharply rose to her feet and broke, “Stop! No more talking, please!” and, about to get away from him, said repulsively, “Before going to mend others, mend yourself first! Two wives? And me one! Yawk! Will there be anything more contemptible than this?” Her face distorted with extreme loathsomeness.
Karun, who was not much disturbed at her gesture, remarked, “What? What is wrong with it? I can’t hurt my mother’s feelings; at the same time, I can’t lose you!”
Tanmay yelled out, “Stop it! Are you asking me what is wrong? You are a scoundrel and your thoughts are hideous! Get lost from my life!”
Then she walked away not even looking at him.
What sort of lousy creature! Wife for society! Wife for himself! What outrageous thinking!
Everyone thinks women are feeble and fragile. How stupid they are! Shekhar had a secret affair, this one straight away longing for two women! Where is the difference? This is a bloody clan of the same spirit! I am cursed with such rogues.
She felt uncomfortable thinking about this guy. She appreciated his knowledge, she felt proud about his friendship, she tried to help him financially, the maturity he showed in understanding her troubled life when he was assaulted by Shekhar, she respected him greatly…but now it became irreparable…everything became nauseating.
She was already entangled in the crux of marriage, being a friend of mine, instead of giving me solace, he burst into my privacy with his meanest proposals. Did he take me for any ugliest proposals? Nope!
This rogue might have hatched other crooked plans…
She felt repulsive to think about him further.
She closed her eyes and prayed, “Oh my Anonymous friend! Turn my heart into rock! Don’t let my tears be wasted. Save from this wretched world, boost me up to sustain in this world respectfully…”
She started walking firmly with a strong determination ahead.
*****
(Continued next month)
A post graduate in English literature and language and in Economics. A few of my translations were published. I translated the poems of Dr. Andesri , Denchanala, Ayila Saida Chary and Urmila from Telugu to English. I write articles and reviews to magazines and news papers. To the field of poetry I am rather a new face.