Reconnecting
“Amma... Who’s this lady?” Jai asked his mother as she opened the lock on their trunk with a key tied to her saree’s pallu.
“Savita Kaki?”
“Yes. Who is she?” Jai asked again.
“Savita Kaki and Ram Prasad Sarpanch Ji have been good friends of your father’s family for years. When I got married and came here to this village, I was hardly eighteen years old. Savita Kaki took me under her wing because your grandmother had already passed away. There was no woman in the house and I had no one to go to for advice. She cared for me like her own daughter, guiding me through each day. Under her watchful eye, I learnt to cook meals for your father, uncle, grandfather and great grandfather. I learnt to prepare for poojas according to rituals and arrange ceremonies for festivals...” Lata said nostalgically. “It was very difficult to leave her and move with your father to the big city. It was more difficult than leaving my home in the next village after marriage and settling down here.”
“Then why did you move to the big city with Papa, Amma?” Sneha asked innocently.
“I remember it was the year that your great grandfather passed away. It was just before the monsoon season. The crop had been sown and we were waiting for the rains. Your uncle was to be married after Deepawali. Everyone was looking forward to the rains. Everything pointed to a good monsoon that year and so we expected a bumper crop and lots of money. Your father had taken a few loans from moneylenders for the wedding preparations and also for the new seeds as he expected a wonderful harvest like everyone else. But isn’t it said that man proposes and God disposes? The rains came. It rained, but it rained endlessly. The entire region suffered a deluge. Houses collapsed; fields and cattle were washed away. Families lost loved ones. We climbed on the roof of our house and waited for hours for someone to rescue us. All our belongings were gone, and the crops were destroyed. Your father was in great debt. There was no other way to pay back all the money except going and working in the big city...” Lata sighed as she washed and wiped her daughter’s face, hands and feet.
“Ohh... How terrible!” Sneha said softly, putting her small arms around her mother’s neck.
Lata smiled at her and kissed her cheek affectionately.
“Amma, but what about Dada Ji and Chacha Ji?” Jai queried, wiping his face to a towel.
“Your Dada Ji passed away a few months later. He was heartbroken when your Chacha Ji refused to live with him here after his marriage and help to repay the debts,” Lata plaited her daughter’s hair neatly and tied a red ribbon. “There... you’re ready. This frock looks clean. I’ll wash your other frock in the morning and put it to dry. Jai, comb your hair properly. I’ll just wash my face and come. We need to hurry; it will not be nice to keep Sarpanch Ji and Savita Kaki waiting.”
~~~
“Come let’s have our dinner now,” Savita Kaki said after they prayed before the family deity. “You all must be hungry. We’ll eat in the kitchen.”
“I’ll just wash my hands and come. You go ahead,” Ram Prasad said.
“Shambhu Maharaj cooks really well. I’m sure you’ll like his preparations,” Savita Kaki said leading the way.
“Who’s Shambhu Maharaj?” queried Jai.
“He’s our cook. He’s been with our family for years and before him, his father used to work here,” Savita Kaki answered.
“He’s the best. You can’t stop eating once you begin. His food is that tasty,” Lata provided this nugget of information.
“Hmm... something smells delicious,” Sneha said as they sat down on the carpet in the kitchen.
“Wow! We all have our own choukis for our thalis,” Jai said in admiration. “In our house in the city we used to keep our thalis on the floor.”
“Jai, Sneha... life in the village is very different from the city and much more organised,” Lata said sitting down beside Savita Kaki.
“What’s for dinner today?” queried Ram Prasad walking in and sitting down before the place laid out for him.
Savita Kaki took off the archaic cooking vessels from the firewood stove and placed them on the floor. “There’s pakora kadi, boiled tamarind rice and puris.”
“Pakora kadi! That was Papa’s favourite. It’s my favourite too,” Sneha said eagerly as Lata and Savita Kaki began serving them.
“Really? How nice! Do you like rice kheer?” Savita Kaki was quick to take in the excited voice and then the drooping lips.
“Rice kheer! Yes, both of us like kheer. Jai bhaiyya and me,” Sneha smiled at her.
“Very good. Shambhu Maharaj has prepared lots of kheer with lots of almonds, cashews and raisins. Would you like to have a second helping?” Savita Kaki smiled at the brother and sister.
“Yes!” the children chorused excitedly.
Ram Prasad Ji laughed, “It’s wonderful to have children in the house. It comes alive.”
“Come on Lata, serve yourself and eat,” Savita Kaki said.
“Kaki, I’ll eat later with you,” Lata said quietly.
“No, no. There’s no need for later. Your Kaki and I eat together and you must eat with us. I don’t believe in those age-old customs of the women eating after the men folk,” Ram Prasad Sarpanch Ji said looking up from his thali.
Lata looked at Savita Kaki who smiled and nodded.
“Very well, Sarpanch Kaka,” Lata also served herself some rice and kadi.
“Lata, I was thinking tomorrow morning we’ll go to your home and begin with the cleaning,” Savita said eating.
“Savita Kaki, you mustn’t trouble yourself. I’ll manage,” Lata said softly looking at the older woman with respect.
“Now don’t talk nonsense, dear. It’s no trouble. I’ll tell Shambhu Maharaj to prepare some paranthas for us. We’ll have breakfast and go there. We can clean the kitchen and wash the utensils in it. I think we’ll have some time to even clean out your bedroom. Then we can have lunch, which we’ll carry with us. By around 4 o’ clock we’ll come back. The train to the big city passes by here at that time so we’ll know. It will take two or three days at least to clean the whole place up satisfactorily.”
“I think I better send Deenu and Jeetu to help you both,” Ram Prasad Ji said drinking the kadi from his bowl.
“Sarpanch Kaka, but they’ll be busy in your fields or the granary,” Lata said anxiously.
“Never mind that, Lata,” Savita Kaki said and then turned to her husband. “It’s a good idea. But please don’t send Deenu. He makes me feel miserable.”
“Eh? What’s that you’re saying? How?” asked Ram Prasad Ji.
“He walks around with a long face and when he talks, he speaks of ghosts and jinns and...”
“Ghosts? Jinns? Are they real?” queried Jai eagerly, putting down his bowl of kheer.
“I’ve no idea, boy. I’ve neither seen one nor met one,” laughed Savita Kaki.
“Ghosts and Jinns! Stuff and nonsense!” muttered Ram Prasad, wiping his mouth and moustache. “All fairytales.”
“He’ll definitely see something or hear something… more so because the house is shut for years. And then, he’ll make up stories…” Savita Kaki said again.
“Amma, I’m feeling sleepy. Will you tell us a story tonight?” Sneha said in a sleepy voice.
“O my poor dear!” Savita Kaki said affectionately. “Go Lata, take the little one upstairs. She must be exhausted with all that travelling and walking around today.”
“Yes, Kaki. But first I must help you with washing the utensils,” Lata offered, gathering the thalis.
“No need for all this, Lata. Shambhu Maharaj will wash the utensils after a while. You go… Go child… Leave the thalis. Take the children and put them to sleep,” Savita Kaki gently shooed away the younger woman.
“Alright Kaki. Goodnight to the both of you,” Lata said reluctantly, carrying her five-year-old daughter.
“Come Jai. Say goodnight and let’s go upstairs.”
“Goodnight...” said Jai politely, following his mother.
“Goodnight. God bless you!” replied the couple.