A Wonderful Surprise
“Was it really a day to remember and enjoy the good moments spent after that” or “to feel tensed and worried or sad by remembering all sorrow and unexpected changes in my life after that day”
Sitting in a chair at balcony and combing her hair in 9th floor of her newly purchased apartment, 55 years old Priya thought to herself while watching the video of her own marriage. Born and brought up in a middle class orthodox family, Priya had finished her MBA from a top university with good score and was working in a good company.
From her childhood she witnessed only the discrimination in her family, for her being only a girl child for her poor parents, and all words she was listening from her surroundings, asking her parents not to send her for any more study and let her to get married as soon as she was 18 years old. Priya cried the whole week and her parents agreed that she would to study however much she wished to and she achieved in finishing double graduation. She passed with distinction.
Priya got an offer for the post of manager in a good company, but she had to leave her parents and stay in a separate city away from her parents. Her parents denied at first but later sent her for her good future. Priya was happy with her new job, new environment enjoyed her work with all colleagues and staying in a PG. It was new experience for her being outside from her family, she wanted to explore all new things at her new place. It was quite difficult for her to get adjusted to food as she never had outside food till that time, but slowly she got adjusted to it.
Days were running fast, Priya got promotion in her job and got good increment in her salary, she wanted to get a good house for her parents and wanted to bring them to the city where she is working. But the thinking of her parents was different, they were tired of listening to the insulting words of people surrounding them who were asking about Priya’s marriage.
Priya’s father was a poor farmer in a small village living in a small house from his ancestors. He was very proud that his daughter is very intelligent and was willing to pay for her studies. So his relatives and neighbors were all guiding him not to spend his earnings for girlchild as he need to spend for her marriage too. But he ignored everything and supported his daughter. Priya also proved herself and got a job too. Priya was the only bold girl from their family who went out of home and was working at that time. So it was obvious for her parents to listen insulting words from their neighborhood and relatives. Priya remembered the days of struggle her parents faced while sending her to school and she didn’t like to put her parents under further trouble. So she accepted to get married to whom ever they say.
Unexpectedly, one of the relative of Priya’s father told about a match for Priya who was also working in a good company at the same city where Priya was working. Her father met that boy and felt he is good and handsome, he could be a perfect match for Priya. His name was Pranav. That Sunday, he asked Priya to come home and he invited Pranav also to his home. He asked both Priya and Pranav to talk to each other and tell theur decision.
Both of them were very shy to express their acceptance but parents of both were accepting each others family, the marriage got fixed. Priya wanted to take care of her parents even after marriage and she tried to tell this to Pranav but it was not possible. Date for marriage was fixed and ultimately Priya became a married women. Just like all girls, Priya was also very much worried while entering new life with new family members.
Born and brought up with a well cultured family, Priya was guided by her parents to adjust well with all in her new family. Priya’s grandfather many times was explaining about a women by a Sanskrit sloka as ” Karyeshu dasi, karaneshu mantri, bhojyeshu maata, kshyamaya dharitri”. Its meaning is like a woman after marriage as a wife will be like “a servant when husband was working, like a minister for his ears(suggestions), like a mother for serving food, and will have a bundle of patience”. Somehow she wanted to be like this saying.
Initially she struggled to set her new house as she was not having anyone with her to help. Her husband was busy with his office works. She was also working at the same office where she was working before marriage and was busy, so never felt lonely and away from her family. Only change in her life was she was to manage both her house works and job, she was getting a bit tired.Even then she was enjoying her new life.
After few days there was a pressure from all family members of her husband to get a baby which created a bit misunderstanding with her husband, at last she accepted and conceived too. Similar to many women it was not so easy for Priya also to deliver a baby, she faced many difficulties both mentally and physically. For first few days growth of the baby in trouble, instead of gaining weight she was loosing weight, she became pale due to lack of haemoglobin, however she got treatment for all these problems and the baby started to grow well after five months.
From the other side her mother in law started to tell repeatedly that she expects grandson which was disturbing Priya mentally by thinking what could be the reaction of her family members if she give birth to a baby girl. Very soon the day came when Priya got the delivery pain and got admitted to the hospital. It was her luck that without much difficulty she gave birth to a baby boy which brought a great smile of satisfaction in her face.
Similar to all moms she was also very happy to hold her baby and enjoyed her motherhood by feeding it. She thanked god for gifting her baby boy as she was tired of listening negative statements from people about girl child. Forgetting all her pain she started enjoying her motherhood by looking at all stages of her baby. She was recording all stages of development of her kid. Her mother was there with her to take care of the baby, it was third month of baby and Pranavs mother wanted to have naming ceremony of her grandson at native.
Priya was having a list of 10-15 names for her baby and wanted to select any one from that list after discussing with Pranav, but Pranav had already fixed a name for his baby that was selected by discussing with his mother. Priya was a bit upset but still didn’t say anything and accepted the name selected by her husband. They named the baby “Prajwal”. After the ceremony, they came back to their house where Priya was to manage the baby all alone.
Pranav was also very busy with his work and was not able to help her and enjoy with his kid. Priya’s leaves were all over and she was to go to office. Then they thought to get some helper with them for which Priya didn’t accept. She decided to leave her job and thought she can continue her career once after her kid goes to school. She enjoyed her work as a mother to take care of her kid.
Days were gone very fast, Prajwal was ready to go to school. He joined Tiny toys school. Priya’s next stage of life started. Early in the morning preparing Prajwal by waking him up, packing the snack box to him, feeding the breakfast, giving him bath, making him to wear uniform by pinning the handkerchief to it, then leaving him to school bus on time. She thought to go for some job after this, but used to feel tired after all household works and so thought to stay at home,and started to give tuition to the low economic and under privileged kids near to her house as she liked social service. Prajwal was very talented kid, he was good in both academic and non academic skills.
Priya was completely involved with Prajwal and his all over development for years together till he entered college and she did not think about the fact that she had her own job earlier in her life. Prajwal also studied well and got into a good engineering college, he was to leave home and stay in hostel, that made Priya to feel very sad but she accepted due to her son’s career.
Priya was feeling lonely for few days after this, later she got adjusted and continued her social service. Prajwal finished his course and got a good job in an MNC with a good package. Within two years he got an opportunity to go to abroad for few years. Priya was now more upset and she advised him to get married before he leaves the country. He accepted the suggestion and a good partner was found for him and marriage also was over, couples left to abroad too.
Priya was very happy and proud by thinking about her son’s success and she praised herself for her dedication towards her son. Pranav became still more busy with his job as usual, which was disturbing Priya very much as she was not able to spend atleast a bit of time with him peacefully. She was feeling lonelier now and realized her mistake of not being engaged in some work till these days. Prajwal got settled in abroad, purchased his own house there and invited Priya, where she wanted to go with Pranav. But Pranav rejected to go as he was having his office works.
Priya left alone, this was her first visit outside the country. Few days later there was a good news to Priya that she is getting a grandchild. She felt very happy and shared this news everywhere. However, taking care of that child was the problem as her daughter-in-law was also working. Priya promised the couple that she can do that. She remembered her previous life because of which she was to leave her job and which brought end to her career, she didn’t like same thing to happen in her daughter-in-laws’s life.
Days were passed, Priya got a grandaughter and she was to go abroad for caring the baby. This time she didn’t like to leave Pranav alone and hence he took a break of two years for his job. They both left together and spent happily with kids. They both got used to baby and started to demand Prajwal to search a job at India but he didn’t like to. He wanted to get the VISA for his parents too to stay there with him.
It was difficult for Priya to stay there as her parents were also very old, and she preferred to stay at her own country. Priya came back and continued her social service again which was keeping her busy. Pranav also resumed his job and was busy as usual without getting time to spend with any family members. But Priya was very much attached to her grandchild and was spending minimum an hour a day by talking to the baby over phone.
Suddenly one day, Priya got a bad news that her father is admitted to hospital due to heart attack, she rushed to her hometown. Unfortunately she lost her father. Priya was very sad and cried a lot by thinking about her selfishness after getting married. Before her marriage she thought to stay with her parents always and wanted to show them a posh life by her earnings…but nothing was possible once after she was married, as her parents also rejected to stay with her as she was daughter and her father was so orthodox that he didn’t like to ask for help from daughter. Till death her father was very active and didn’t ask for any help from others. But Priya’s pain was that she was not able to take any responsibility during their old age. She didn’t like her mother to be alone at hometown, and convinced her to stay together.
Atleast this time her mother accepted and there was a company for both of them to spend their time together. Only few months later Priya’s mother also got heart attack and expired which was a great shock to Priya. Prajwal came to attend his grandmother’ s rituals with his family. He was not willing to leave his mother at this situation as she was under depression. He wanted to take her along with his so that she could become normal by playing with her grandchild. Initially she rejected to go but later she thought change of environment could help her in getting out of depression, so she went with her son.
After six months she came back and she was almost normal now. Prajwal wanted his parents to stay safe in a community apartments instead of their individual bungalow, so he purchased an apartment at near by location to his parents bungalow. Priya and Pranav were shifted to this apartment just few months back.
Trin Trin… The calling bell rang. ” Priya suddenly realized that it was already noon while she was lost in the deep thinking about her past. She heard the bell and got up to open the door.
Priya got a surprise!… ” Karthik! What are you doing here?!”. Karthik was the son of Priya’s old maid. He was standing in front of her with a bouquet to felicitate her. When she asked the reason for it, she was so happy that she couldn’t stop herself from getting tears of joy in her eyes.
Karthik was staying near to Priya’s house, son of her maid who was very talented. Priya taught him till his college where always he used to be topper of the university. Later he started to write many competitive exams and now he was selected as an IAS officer. When she saw Karthik, grinning, so successful in his life…she realised all her efforts of social service hadn’t gone waste after all. She thought about what more impact could she do more…After spending some time with Karthik, he shared his interest in starting a small institute with good facilities for under privileged children who cannot afford for costly schools. Pranav also supported this after taking retirement to his job. Priya’s dream was also the same to do social service. She happily spent her days by teaching in that school till her last day…leaving an impact on many little kids who looked up to her as a role model their entire lives!
By: Arathi Vishwanath
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