Authors: Sudha Murty
House of Cards (32 page)
‘The second category is of men who allow women to excel. They adjust their life according to the woman in their life and respect her as an individual rather than a wife. But there are very few people in this category.
‘The third category is of men who treat their women as true and equal partners in life and walk side by side with them. I don’t want the first category of men at all …’
Sishir interrupted her, ‘Are you saying that I ill-treat women and call them inferior? How dare you talk to me like that?’
‘Sishir, take it easy. I didn’t say anything like that. But your attitude shows that the woman has to make all the adjustments. It worries me. It’s better to know each other before a relationship than regret it later. Because of that, my family has suffered a lot already.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I haven’t shared my personal life with you. My sister Neerja got married to her classmate whom she had known for a long time. We all felt that though he was a good-looking young boy, he and his family were very dominating. My parents gave her a warning but Neerja just ignored it. She said at the time that he was only an acquaintance. Acquaintance led to love and love led to marriage. Ultimately, she suffered a lot. Her husband was nice to everyone outside the home but he dominated every aspect of her life—choosing a job, buying a house, having a baby. She could never be herself. She was suffocating every day and couldn’t take it any more. Then they separated and divorced. She advised me, “Love is blind and that’s why I never understood his true nature. Had I kept my mind cool and looked at him objectively, I would’ve made a better decision.” Going through a divorce is hell, particularly for a girl in our society. He got remarried within a year but Neerja still doesn’t look at other boys. She’s so scared. Once bitten, twice shy. If two people feel incompatible in the beginning of a relationship, neither friendship nor marriage will change that. It’s better to be unmarried than to go through this process. That’s why I said that I want an equal partnership the day we went punting. Ask your conscience. Do you really respect women in the true sense? Do you consider them equal partners? Your own leadership dictates that others should follow. True leadership
is when you take everybody’s opinion and needs into account and then make a judgement that is best for all. A true leader leads with affection and not power. Your conscience is your best judge.’
Neha left the table quietly without waiting for Sishir’s answer.
Sishir was very upset about the whole episode. It took a while for him to calm down. He continued sitting at the table. He thought, ‘The most interaction I’ve had with a woman is with my mother. But how much have I shared with her? I idolize my father and the way he treats his wife is an indication that I’ll also treat a woman like that. Amma says that role models don’t exist outside the family. It’s the parents who become role models. She’s right.’
He knew that unlike other girls, Neha was not trying to hook him. For that matter, she was not even aware of who he was when she had met him for the first time. She was an honest and transparent girl—just like his mother. He wondered, ‘What authority does my mother have in any household decisions except in the kitchen? She doesn’t have freedom anywhere. Everywhere, my father makes the decisions and my mother has to follow them. If she doesn’t do so, the decision is still made and it brings her pain. But no one ever tells my father about my mother’s sufferings or his mistakes. Though she has sacrificed so much, today she’s still a nonentity.’
Suddenly, he understood what Neha was talking about. It jolted him. That meant that his mother must have gone through tremendous pain in an effort to stay with his father. Neha being a modern girl realized that good men did exist but Mridula was not even aware of it. Sishir did not want to lose Neha. She was honest, caring and bold. She would make a perfectly balanced partner for him—but only if he changed for the better and for his own sake. Change may not be easy but it was not impossible. If he did not change, he would lose the benefit he may have got from a happy married life.
His mind kept oscillating between Neha and Mridula. His mother used to say, ‘Sishir, things are different today. Girls are independent now. Their expectations from a partner are high. Boys have to change to adjust with girls now. Traditionally, only the woman was expected to adjust and change. But the modern world demands that boys change too. You can’t treat your wife the way you treat me. No modern girl will be happy only with money. Care, partnership and responsibility are the key ingredients of a modern marriage.’
He thought, ‘My mother has undergone so much silently—she has a right to be happy.’ He suddenly felt homesick—like a small child. He wanted to hug his mother and his eyes filled with tears, thinking of her difficulties. For the first time, Sishir saw his mother from an altered perspective. He took out his cell phone and called home. He wanted to speak to her.
The phone rang. Sanjay picked it up. Sishir said, ‘Hi, Dad. I want to talk to Amma. How were your anniversary celebrations?’
Sanjay said softly and tearfully, ‘The party didn’t happen.’
‘But why?’
‘Because your mother left and went to Aladahalli.’
‘Oh, when she will be back?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Come on, Dad! Amma can’t be angry for ever. It isn’t her nature. She’ll be back soon. Don’t get upset.’
‘Sishir, she’s taken a transfer there.’
‘Then it must be serious. You always neglect her and take her for granted. At least, try and get her back. If you really try, you’ll succeed.’
‘So, Sishir, how’s work?’
‘Work’s okay, but I miss home and Amma. When I was there, I never realized how important she is. When I see women here, I realize Amma’s selfless sacrifice. She’s great like you too, but in a different way. Dad, without her help, you would’ve never
built such a big empire. She has been and is your strength. When I was there, I laughed at her advice, but today, I follow everything she used to say, including going to bed early and getting up early. Dad, home is not just made of four walls and luxury items. Home is home because of a father and a mother. Cheer up, Dad. Amma must be finding it hard to live without you too. Don’t wait for her to call you. You should make the first move. But I’ll try and talk to her too.’
Sanjay was surprised. Their son, who had always hero-worshipped him, had changed after being away from home. He was seeing life in a different light.
The next day, Sanjay kept waiting for Mridula’s call. He picked up all his phone calls eagerly but none of them were from her. She did not call. His ego did not allow him to phone her either.
Days went by. Sanjay was slowly losing interest in everything he did. Within a few weeks, he had lost interest in his nursing home too.
Sishir called him every day to check up on him.
29
Hope
Two months passed by.
Mridula was sitting on the swing under the big banyan tree opposite the Hanuman temple. It was Ugadi time, in the month of February or March. Summer had just arrived. The mango trees sported soft reddish-green leaves and the cuckoos were making lovely coo-coo sounds. Everyone in the village
was busy preparing for the festival. Yet, there was a pin-drop silence near the temple.
But for Mridula, nothing mattered. She was swinging without any bondage and with a free mind. From the swing, she could see her house. She was happy.
Mridula was not like everybody, she was different. She had enormous enthusiasm for life and unlimited energy. She wanted to spend every minute of the day fruitfully. It seemed that the sun rose for her and the rainbow colours were meant only for her. Every day was to be lived to its fullest and every beautiful minute to be enjoyed.
Suddenly, Mridula felt that someone was trying to stop the swing. Surprised, she turned to look.
Sanjay was holding the swing, with his one good arm.
Acknowledgements
I want to thank my editor, Shrutkeerti Khurana, for her incredible dedication that has inspired me to write this book.
I also want to thank Udayan Mitra of Penguin Books India for encouraging and persuading me to bring the book out.
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Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
First published by Penguin Books India 2013
Copyright © Sudha Murty 2013
Cover photograph by Rahul Lal
Cover design by Pallavi Agarwala
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to any actual person, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved
ISBN: 978-0-143-42036-1
This digital edition published in 2013.
e-ISBN: 978-9-351-18177-4
