Coming Back
“Amma, this is the house?” Jai asked his mother looking at the old structure.
“Yes, this was your father’s childhood home. It looked very different when I came here first, as a bride,” Lata ruffled her eight-year-old son’s hair.
The old structure, abandoned and enveloped in silence was streaked with the rays of the setting sun. Its walls once painted with limestone, now stood patched with the faded white still clinging on desperately at places. A brick or two could be seen peeking out. The neglected courtyard was overgrown with untamed mogra vines and chaturangi. The old mango and tamarind trees stood tall like sentinels on guard, their gnarled branches reaching skywards. Spreading its canopy equally in all directions, the neem tree, getting on in years had not forgotten to serve the family home, providing its cool, refreshing shade. A red mimosa, known locally as chuimui, had taken root and now stood proudly exhibiting its first flowers of the season.
“Amma, Papa used to live here?” five-year-old Sneha tugged at her mother’s cotton sari.
“Yes, he used to live here, my dear. He spent his entire childhood and youth here before we left to live in the big city,” Lata drawn out of her reverie smiled at her daughter.
“Lata! You’ve come?”
“Sarpanch Kaka. Namaste!” Lata covered her head with her sari pallu and bent to touch the older man’s feet. Dressed in an off-white baggy kurta over a white dhoti and a matching turban on his head, he looked like a strapping wrestler. White streaks in his hair and handle bar moustache signalled that he was over sixty years old.
“God bless you!” Ram Prasad, the Sarpanch said. “How are you?”
“I’m good, Sarpanch Kaka. How are you and Savita Kaki?”
“We’re fine. She’d love to meet you. These are your children?” Ram Prasad queried, smiling at the two children.
“Yes, Sarpanch Kaka. Children touch Sarpanch Dadaji’s feet. Seek his blessings,” Lata instructed them.
“God bless you both. May you prosper and shine,” Ram Prasad blessed them as they touched his feet engulfed in old jootis which creaked when he walked. “What are your names?”
“Dadaji, I’m Jai and this is my sister, Sneha,” the young boy introduced himself and his sister.
“Good... Good. It’s nice to meet you all. Lata, you’ll be staying here?”
“Yes, Sarpanch Kaka. I received your letter and thought I should come here with the children. What would I do alone in the big city?” Lata said humbly.
“Yes, yes. Of course. You made the right decision. You all must be tired. Come on, let’s go to my home. You can have a hot meal and stay there tonight,” Ram Prasad invited them.
“Sarpanch Kaka, I wouldn’t want to cause any trouble for Savita Kaki. We’ll manage here. I have a little food leftover from what I had carried with me. We’ll eat that,” Lata said softly.
“Lata, your Kaki will be annoyed with me if I don’t take you all home with me. Moreover, where will you sleep tonight? This house has been closed so long that it needs to be cleaned and aired out properly before you can begin using it. Just look at the place! No… no… You and the children are coming home with me. Come along now,” Ram Prasad insisted.
The children looked at their mother who nodded her head.
“Alright, Sarpanch Kaka. I’m extremely grateful to you. I only hope we won’t be too much of trouble,” Lata once again said.
“No trouble at all, Lata. Let me help you carry that trunk. You can carry that bedroll. The boy can carry the sleeping mat,” Ram Prasad said reaching out for the trunk.
~~~
“Lata... What a delight to meet you and the children!” Savita Kaki, the Sarpanch’s wife hugged the younger woman. Her floral blue ghagra choli with a purple bandhej odhni smelt of the fresh village air and soil.
“Pranam, Kaki. How are you?” Lata said warmly.
“I’m good by God’s grace. God bless you!” Savita Kaki said wiping away tears of joy. “It’s been years we saw you.”
“Children touch Savita Dadi’s feet,” Lata looked at her children.
“Namaste Dadi Ji,” Jai and Sneha chorused, bowing low and touching her bare feet.
“God bless you, my dears. It’s wonderful to meet you both,” Savita Kaki said hugging them. “Lata, this is Jai? My word, he’s become such a big boy.”
“Yes, Kaki. He was born in front of you. You helped me look after him in those initial months after his birth,” Lata smiled.
“Yes, yes. I remember. Do you know you were such a small baby and now look at you... Bhagawan Ji be praised you’ve really grown,” Savita Kaki said adjusting the pallu on her head, her red glass bangles jingled pleasantly.
“And, this is my daughter, Sneha. She became five years just last month,” Lata said.
“Ahh... Sneha... Beautiful and innocent as a goddess. She’s exactly like how you described her to me in your letters,” Savita Kaki patted her head lovingly. “Look at how her face shines.”
“Is my face not shining?” Jai asked his mother.
Both the women laughed at him.
Savita Kaki said, “Yes, yes. It is shining also.”
“Savita... Is the evening meal ready? Lata and the children must be hungry,” Ram Prasad walked towards them wiping his face and hands to a towel.
“Yes, it’s almost ready. Shambhu Maharaj said it would be done in about half an hour.”
“Alright, alright. Then show Lata her room. They’ll want to wash their hands and feet.”
“Yes, yes. You’re right. Lata, come with me. I’ll show you and the children your room. It’s on the terrace. We built three rooms upstairs after you and your husband Prateek left the village. We thought that our boys would stay with us but they left with their wives to live in the big city. You can have a wash and come downstairs then. We’ll have the evening pooja and then we can eat our meal in the kitchen,” Savita led the way across the courtyard up the stairs to the terrace.
“Ohh... I didn’t know that you and Sarpanch Kaka are alone here,” Lata heaved the old trunk up with them.
“Bhagwan Ji… These stairs are too much for my knees,” groaned Savita Kaki.
“Kaki, you don’t need to worry, we’ll manage. Really!” insisted Lata.
“No… No… Come along,” Savita Kaki said. “I’m fine. Just a little bit of aches and pains.”
The older woman stopped at a wooden door painted brown and drew out a bunch of keys tucked at her waist. She inserted one of them in a shining new lock and turned it.
“Here’s your room,” Savita Kaki opened the door of one of the three rooms. “The bathroom is there in that corner. Have a wash and come quickly. We’re waiting for you. If you need anything, give a call.”
“Ok Kaki. We’re putting you through a lot of trouble,” Lata said putting down the trunk.
“Lata, no trouble at all, my dear. I’m so happy you’re back. You’ve always been more like a daughter to me. I missed you so much all these years. I used to wait for your letters every month. Now, don’t think too much. Have a wash and come downstairs quickly.” Savita Kaki said lovingly.