Chapter 7

The Vishnu Sahasranamam by M.S.Subalakshmi is quite a regular feature in the mornings in the brahmin households of south India. The cassette is an amalgam of the Vishnu Sahasranamam followed by the Bhaja Govindam. So as M.S sung, "Bhaja Govindam", the bell rung in the Dhananjay household. Pushpa's dad reduced the sound on the Bhaja Govindam tape and went to open the door. He saw a very familiar face at the door, and on looking carefully, he realised it was Karthik. He brought Karthik in, and made him take a seat.

Karthik was offered some authentic south Indian filter coffee, which he drank with much relish. It had been a couple of years since he'd drunk such authentic coffee, he said, when Dhananjay offered him a stare. He looked around and saw Pushpa, and made eye contact with her, saying hi.

Mr. Dhananjay exchanged some pleasantries, and got Karthik to feel comfortable. Then Karthik started outlining the purpose of his visit. He tried telling Dhananjay how much Pushpa was in love with Rakesh, and how he shouldn't stand in between the two lovers just because he was against a love marriage.

He retorted. " My sister had a love marriage. She fell in love with a rogue who worked in the temple. We got her married, assuming the guy was good. The guy ended up being a rascal. He and his brothers gang-raped my little sister. They tortured her, and one fine day, my sister let herself ablaze. I remember how I felt when my sister, who was married off, in a wonderful marriage ceremony, came back, as a corpse, one which could not even be cremated satisfactorily, as she came in half-cremated fashion. I will not let my daughter walk in a love marriage, never!"

Karthik was taken aback. He never knew this was the reason for Pushpa's father's rejection. The good thing was that now he knew the reason, and could work against eliminating it. "Uncle, we are in the new generation, torture is the thing of the past. Morever, I knew Rakesh is a gem of a guy, and Pushpa will be very happy with him!"

By now his temper boiling, Mr.Dhananjay said, "I wouldn't want someone who spent two years in jail to advise me on how to run my family!"

Karthik looked up at Pushpa and her mother, both of them were looking aghast.
Then slowly he said,
"I think you wouldn't mind someone who went to jail for two years for your daughter's sake to advise you regarding her life!"

This time it was Mr.Dhananjay's face which was drained of colour.