Biswanath
Banerjee was up earlier than usual in the morning. He was flushed with
excitement, outwardly though he was the epitome of composure. He did not wish
to let his wife Sucheta understand what was going on inside his mind. Sucheta
too lay awake in her bed much before the time Biswanath babu woke up and left
his bed. She had mixed feelings, confused and happy at the same time. Their
only daughter Kinnori, or Kinu as her parents called her affectionately was
coming home after one year.
Kinnori
had completed her Master’s degree in Engineering and was now employed with a
software company in Bangalore. Her probation period had just ended and she had
managed to get a two-week break to visit her parents. This was not a routine
visit though; the Banerjee couple was not only looking forward to a visit from
Kinnori but was eagerly waiting to see her groom too. Kinnori had informed them
all of sudden that she had found her life partner and together they were coming
to seek her parent’s blessings. The formal ceremony of marriage had never
appealed to Kinnori and she did not want that her parents should go in for any
elaborate arrangement.
Both
husband and wife had been intrigued by the fact that Kinnori had refused to
divulge any details about her partner. Sucheta had wondered aloud if the boy
was from a different community or religion. However disconcerted, she might
have felt inside, she put up a brave front and declared “whoever Kinu chooses
is fine with me. It is she who has to stay with him so if they are happy I
don’t have a problem”. Biswanath babu had not responded to Sucheta’s comments.
He had been tight lipped from the time he received the mail and then a call
from Kinu “Baba we are coming on Saturday by the morning flight and will reach
home by 11 AM. You and ma need not come to receive us, we will get home by
ourselves and please don’t worry”.
Biswanath
babu was a man of strong personality. He had retired from his government job
two years back and led a disciplined life. He looked young for his 62 years.
His wife was eight years his junior. From the time she had come to this house
thirty-two years ago, Sucheta had played the role of a dutiful housewife,
accompanying Biswanath Babu to different cities during his official posting
tenures. Kinnori was born six years after their marriage, as Sucheta had needed
treatment before she could conceive. Kinnori had been brought up with a lot of
care and had the best of education and her father had managed to instill in her
a sense of purpose and determination. Hard work and an open and perceptive mind
had made her achieve greatness in her academic field. Her parents never made
her feel inhibited by the fact that she was a girl. At 5 feet 8 inches Kinnori
stood tall and her confident demeanor helped her to be treated at par with men
in both her academic field and professional one.
Biswanath
Babu had a cup of tea before he bathed and sat down for his morning Puja. Years
of staying together had taught Sucheta that her husband hated to be disturbed
during his Puja. She waited for him to complete his Puja before asking him “Did
Kinu tell you what are jamai’s favorite dishes? Does he love to have sweets?
You should have spoken to her in detail. How am I to know whether he is a
vegetarian or a non-vegetarian? I don’t even know his name.” Her husband looked
up from the newspaper while sipping his second cup of tea, which Sucheta had
brought him. He frowned at first and then his expression softened. He looked at
Sucheta and in and said “Don’t worry Kinu is a very understanding and practical
girl. If there was something about jamai’s food habits which she felt we should
know, she would have told us. When she didn't say anything we will assume that
he will have whatever we offer him”. Sucheta kept quiet and then started to get
up from the chair “I think I should fry some luchis for breakfast and then plan
for lunch”. Biswanath babu motioned her to remain seated and after a few
seconds spoke up “You know Sucheta, when Kinu was young, she had once told me
that she would never get married as she thought that all men other than her
father were boring” he smiled as he recalled and narrated the incident. Sucheta
knew about the incident, but looked at her husband curiously as she was not
used to the softer side in him and she had thought that the incident was long
lost on him.
The
bell rang and suddenly both husband and wife looked up towards the door. For a
fleeting second they thought that their daughter and jamai had arrived. It was
the domestic help who had come early today so that she could help Sucheta take
care of all that was to be done before their daughter arrived with her husband.
“Boudi, how does your jamai look? Is he tall and handsome?” She looked amazed
when she came to know that her masters were not aware of how their jamai
looked. Actually Kinnori had specifically written in her mail that she did not
want to disclose anything, not even the name of her partner before they
arrived. Her parents knew that once Kinu had decided not to disclose, she would
never change her mind. They had assumed that the boy was either from a
different community or a religion and since they were high caste Brahmins
perhaps Kinu had felt perturbed to shock them in advance. It was not that they
would be disturbed to accept Kinu’s choice but it would be the first time that
someone in the Banerjee household had done something that violated their
conventional line of thinking; they were, however sure that they would get over
it after the identity of the boy was disclosed initially.
The
household activity started in the right earnest. The domestic help went about
in getting Kinu didmoni’s room in order. The room had a double bed and all the
furniture that was required for the duration of the couple’s stay. Dusting, sweeping
the floor, tidying and fresh flowers in the flower vase was all that was
required to be done. Sucheta got working in the kitchen while Biswanath babu
readied himself to go to the market. Whatever he might have told Sucheta to
assuage her tension, he had decided to play it safe while marketing. He would
buy paneer as well as mutton. Kinu loved to eat mutton curry and just in case
the boy was a vegetarian, he would not have to go hungry.
By
the time Biswanath Babu had returned from the market it was quarter to ten on
the clock. Kinu must have landed at Dum Dum by this time he thought excitedly
and picked up his cell phone. “Hello Kinu ma, has the plane landed?” He
realized this was not a very smart question to ask as passengers on board an
aircraft are allowed to switch on only after the plane had landed, but father’s
affection preceded his smartness at the moment. “Yes, baba, we are fine and are
on our way home, hope you and ma are alright”. Biswanath babu’s eyes were moist
and he did not know what to say “It is ok Kinu ma, we are waiting for both of
you” is what he managed to say. He sat down heavily on the sofa in the drawing
room and sat motionless for a few moments. Slowly he got up and made his way to
the chest of drawers where all photo albums were kept. He picked out two albums
which were filled exclusively with Kinu’s photographs and leafed through them
looking up each one carefully and trying to recall the exact moment at which
the photo had been clicked.
It
was ten minutes past 11 and Biswanath Babu paced anxiously on his first floor
verandah. Once in a while he tried to make out if any taxi was making its way
towards his house. It was another ten minutes before he saw a taxi approaching
his building. He quickly moved down the staircase and walked towards the taxi
even as it came to a halt in front of him. Sucheta and the maid also ran
towards the entrance with a thali full of articles and sweets necessary to
receive the groom into the house for the first time.
Biswanath
babu stopped in his tracks as he saw Kinu emerging from the taxi. He had
expected that his beloved daughter would at least wear a traditional sari while
coming to her parental home after marriage. Kinu was dressed in jeans and a
white shirt and looked smart as usual, but there was more to come. A little
lady in bridal makeup and wearing a red sari was sitting inside the taxi. There
must be some mistake he thought. He could not comprehend what was happening,
Sucheta looked blank and the maid looked ready to faint.
“Baba,
ma, I know both of you will be upset, but let me introduce my partner
Mrinmoyee. She is also a Bengali Brahmin and we work for the same organization
and like each other very much. We have decided that this is the best thing for
both of us and so have gone ahead and tied the knot” said Kinu in her usual
confident no-nonsense manner. Biswanath Babu and Sucheta looked as if
lightening had struck them. The maid managed a hoarse whisper “A girl has
married a girl” and fainted.
Bengali
Words used and their meaning
Babu: Used at the end of a name to show
respect
Jamai: Son-in-law
Boudi: Sister-in-law
Didimoni: Elder sister
Luchi: A
deep-fried flatbread made of wheat flour
Paneer: Curd cheese
Thali: Utensil
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