6 Ritu in this little town of Gorakhpur

A Short Story

Author- Kumar Padmanabh

From where I should start, I don’t know. I am not sure whether I should pen it down. I am also not sure whether I will be able to translate all my internal conflicts into proper words which have been tearing me apart. There is chaos of thoughts in my mind overwhelming me every moment. I am tired, exhausted and completely drained out, now. I know no one would understand me.

This is a story about me and this beautiful lady Ritu. Most of the people of her neighborhood have forgotten that real name of Ritu is actually Rituparna Pandey. It has been three years now but she is still a subject of gossips in the neighborhood. She has been cornered, ignored and isolated.

Yes, it started from our respective childhood. However, I have a very weak memory about Ritu’s childhood. All I know is my father and her father was best friends. They studied together. They were lucky to get government job in Indian Railways in this dusty and crowded city of Gorakhpur where every third person of the town work for India Railways. Unlike their colleagues they bought houses during their early days and decided to settle together in the same neighborhood. They married together and had their children around the same time. Elder brother of Ritu is of my age.

After my schooling I seldom stayed in this city. I have a vague memory of Ritu. When I was in highschool she was in standard six. I remember when we were playing cricket in our street; she used to beg us to allow her to play in one of the team. Her own brother who was my classmate did not want her to join any team. However, many a time I considered her pleading and inducted into my team. I used to put her as a third man. She was happy doing job of third man. She had only two conditions that when ball would go to the dirty water, she would not take it out and people would do a one bounce balling to her, always. Many a time, I could not accommodate her. When she would not get chance to play cricket, she would go to the nearest golgappa shop on her new bicycle and eat six golgappa from the pocket money that she would have accumulated. When in financial crisis, she would manage with just three golgappa. I remember many a time she would get scolding from her mother for playing cricket in her school uniform. My friends including her own brother would always oppose her playing cricket with us. Because when her best friend Neha would come to see her, she would ditch us to go ahead and play Ludo with her in her living room.

I don’t know anything about Ritu beyond this. Immediately after intermediate I was selected in NIT and went on to study Engineering from Thrichy. Ritu’s elder brother also got selected in Engineering and he got admission in Durgapur. Email was not so popular in those days; neither was any social networking prevailing at that time. We were returning home twice a year during semester break and then we were updating about ourselves. Ritu was never a part of our discussion. Yes, when her father expired in an accident, I wrote a consolation letter to her brother. At that time I think she would have been in class ninth.

Barring above mentioned facts Ritu was never part of my life. I finished my engineering and then I went to US for higher studies. Brother of Ritu also followed me. Although we were studying in different universities however we were meeting occasionally. When either of us would come home we would carry gifts of other. Ritu was never part of that also. 

Since my father was the best friend of Ritu’s father, he had additional responsibility of Ritu’s family. Immediately after my higher studies I got a very good job in Bangalore. There were lots of opportunities in India also. Bangalore was flourishing with startups. I decided to settle in Bangalore. However Ritu’s brother did not return to India. He got a very good job in California. He had only one responsibility “Ritu”.

Ritu’s mother had a high opinion about me and she thought she would not get a better groom for her. She told this idea to my father, who readily accepted it. Finally she insisted Ritu’s brother to approach me. During his last visit to India, Ritu’s brother came to Bangalore. He requested me to consider her. In last 7 years, my opinion about Ritu did not change. Whenever I thought about her, a school girl playing gully cricket as a thirdman or going to nearest golgappa shop on her bicycle and ditching all my friends for Ludo was coming into my mind. I did not saw her since long. This marriage proposal was appearing very funny to me. I sent her brother home without giving my verdict. When I came to Gorakhpur in holiday, my parents insisted me to see her. My father was performing duty from both the sides, he was taking responsibility of his deceased friend and of course as my father.

After so much of earnest request from her brother and my parents especially my father, I decided to meet her. I strictly told my father that after seeing her my verdict would be final and I insisted him to also take opinion of Ritu.

When I went, she was well prepared appearing in a peacock green saari. She was appearing stunningly beautiful, meticulously designed dense hair, with her wide forehead and with her big and deep eyes. It was not a zero size, rather she was appearing realization of deity of khajuraho with hints of grace present everywhere. It was a mesmerizing moment for me. I was wondering how a young girl who played thirdman in her school uniform, who was going to golgappa shop on her bicycle and who once preferred Ludo over cricket would turn into such a beautiful maiden. From a lower middleclass I evolved into a highly paid MNCs employees with an degree from top American universities. Professional success of a young man is incomplete without a beautiful wife. Ritu would be most precious feather in my cap. She was appearing to me a trophy to be won and to be displayed to the world.

After two rounds of tea, in the presence of my parents and her mother, I could not stop myself. I said, “If Ritu agrees, I would like to marry her”. In response to my words, I have seen her fleeing to other room. Her mother followed her. I overheard her mother asking, “do you also like him, do you have any problem marrying him”. I further overheard her mother asking Ritu, “why are you crying”. After this Ritu did not return back to the living room. A lower middle class Indian girl of marriageable age, can cry for anything. They can obviously cry when they are sad, but they would also cry when they become very happy, they can cry when they don’t have any answer and they will also cry when they are feeling shy. Her mother returned back with big smile and thanked my father. She was crying because she was happy and shy both at a time. Ritu’s mother requested my father that wedding should happen as early as possible.

Our neighbourhood

3 My five emails from America

First Email

30-04-1997
Los Angeles, USA

Dear Sujatha;

My flight was on right time and I have just checked into my hotel in Los Angeles. My room is on 38th floor. There are still two more floors above this. While writing this email, I can see the entire downtown of LA, the beautiful landscape, the network of roads and speedy vehicle on it from the window. Even before taking a coffee, I started typing this email for you. I thought you must be getting worried. In my unconscious mind, I am waiting for a reminder for taking a cup of coffee from you. In a matter of just three months, since we got engaged, you became part of my routine life perfectly. Who says, premarital romantic fantasies are absent in the arranged marriages.

I know you are not so happy to postpone the date of our marriage for another three months. However, after consistent request to my delivery manager for last three years, I got this onsite opportunity now. I did not want to lose this opportunity. Moreover, I want to accumulate enough money, so that we could have the best honeymoon in Pukhet. I am desperately longing for that moment. Please take care of yourself. I am happy that now you can type without looking at the keyboard. Now we can chat without any hassle. Thus, I can save on the phone bills too. I will keep you posted.

Yours and only yours

Anand

P.S: Once when you were in my arms then you said that you wanted that moment to spread in your entire life. On the other occasion when you hugged me then I told you that I wanted to shrink my entire life in that moment itself. I said that both are same but you argued they are different. I did not get chance to argue with you on this. Do explain me in your next response..

Second Email

30-04-2005,
Detroit, USA

Dear Sujatha;

I just landed in Detroit. Flight was one hour late. After checking into my hotel, I immediately prepared a cup of coffee. Who will argue with you. I know you can sense from seven thousand miles, whether I have taken coffee or not. Now, I am sipping coffee while typing this email. I know, I should have been with you, at this physically and emotionally difficult time. As I have suggested while leaving, don't rely on these kits, go to clinic for proper check up. I know Rajath is too naughty to handle, he is now six years old. I know I have left you, when you need me most. But you know, how long we can pay this huge rent to the landlords. With this US trip we can pay the down payment for our apartment. You should be happy, when I will return back to India, we would be on the verge of growing from three to four in our own dream house.

It is bliss to stay with elders. You are modern and educated. I know you love me more than you hate the arguments of my illiterate mother. Reveal the news to her politely. She will love you more than what she is doing now. I will tell her to take you to clinic.

Please take care of yourself.

Yours and only yours,

Anand

P.S: I enjoyed being a father of a naughty son. Please pray for me so that I can become a proud father of a daughter too.

Third Email

30.04.2014
San Jose, California, USA

Dear Sujatha;

I have just landed in San Jose and switched on my blackberry to read your email. You have written that Rajath drank bear last night that too at home. This is very sad. At this age of fifteen years, I never went outside even for playing cricket without taking permission from my father. It is an impasse for me that he argued with you for this. However, the time is changing very fast. Teenagers are difficult to handle. Now in India also you cannot punish them. Please handle him politely. After all he is our only son.

I am very hopeful for Lavanya. Though she is very naughty but she is so obedient. What you can expect from this little creature of eight years. I know you must be missing me a lot. But we need money. After two years Rajath will go to college. We need to pay heavy fees. Onsite is the only way we can put him in good college. Moreover, I promised you to upgrade our Maruthi Swift to Honda City. I have earned so much, however, I could not fulfill this wish of yours so far.

Off late, I noticed you have lost your weight a lot. Don't forget to take juice and fresh fruits in your breakfast. I know you would have scolded me for not taking coffee. Sorry dear, after reaching my hotel I will take it.

Yours and only yours

Anand.

PS: Hey, I will save enough money this time and as promised we will go to Pukhet again to have another honeymoon. How can I forget the best moment of my life during our last visit to this city!!

Fourth Email

30-04-2024
Denver, Colarado, USA

Dear Sujatha,

I have just landed in Denver, Colarado, the city where your favorite actress Madhuri Dixit is settled down. I have heard even on wheel chair, see looks very beautiful. I know you would have scolded me for not taking coffee. But this diabetes puts a permanent full stop on your arguments.
I was going through your emails. You have written that you are missing me especially in night. I am missing you always. I am tired of this corporate world. I am working as a vice president for last five years. I know, I can not grow further. Moreover, I am physically and emotionally drained out. I want to spend the retired life with you in a small town of India. I don't like this cheese burger anymore. No dice of this world is as tasty as your chawal and daal.

I liked the way you started preparing evening snacks for the security guard of our apartment. Keep doing it. It will give you peace of mind. You have written that Rajath never come to meet you even being in same city. You have also written that his wife avoid talking to you even on phone. Don't worry. I will return very soon. All children are like this only. Our immediate future is in our control.  We can solve all problems of the world by staying together. But I am afraid of our older days. Have a good relationship with our children. Otherwise we might have to live old age home. My worst fear is whether we will have to live separately with our two children. No, I cannot live separately, in isolation. There is nothing wrong in keeping our children happy.

And hey, do cook two meals a day. Don't store in fridge. I know you must be skipping your dinner. It is not good for your health.

Yours and only Yours,

Anand

PS: I was kidding. You are still more beautiful than Madhuri Dixit.

Fifth Email

30.04.2034
Brooklyn, New York, USA

Dear Rajath;

I hope your business must be flourishing. I feel proud of you not only because you are doing well in your business, but also because you get publicity in media. Whenever, I see your interview I am overwhelmed. Weather of Brooklyn is really cool. I am enjoying the company of the children of your only sister Lavanya. They are naughty but very sweet.

I know you have to deal with your mother, who never tried to update herself. World has changed a lot, she did not. I believe she must be arguing with your wife. She is like this only. In my entire life, this lady always kept troubling me. It is me, who maintained the relationship.

I know her eyes were too weak to read emails. You have written that due to her hearing problem she cannot receive phone calls also.

However, I am proud of you for taking care of this argumentative lady. My dear son, forgive her. She is from a small town and never tried to learn anything. I would have scolded her, if I happen to be there. But at this age of 78, I cannot travel. I am just counting my days now. Please forgive her, after all she is your mother.

Yours proud papa;

Anand

PS: Your mother promised me long time ago that she wish to leave this world before me. In the meantime, if she die, please fulfill her last wish. Put a spoon of gangajal in her mouth in my name.

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Motivated and inspired by the work of Prof Harimohan Jha, written 80 years ago, when there was no emails.

1 A lady or a Book of Mathematics

For foreign visitors: Believe me, the first time when I saw Leelawati, a heritage book of mathematics written in ancient India, I was astonished. This book has more than 500 pages, written purely in Sanskrit verses. Its language is so brilliant that you will not accept it readily, that this is a book of mathematics, a spherical trigonometry in particular, rather it will appear to you as an epic, like Ramayana and Mahabharta. This book has been written thousands years ago. In those days, Indians were very rich in literature and science and technologies. The research works were carried out in deep jungle and the researchers believed that you cannot find peace in materialistic world. Though, several times, researchers and religious leaders had differences of opinions, but it was widely believed (still now) that during that period there were very thin line between religion and science. There has been a contradictory theory (1) Leelawati was rather daughter of Bhaskaracharya (2) she was her wife. I have come across the later one more often. Irrespective of the theory, Leelawati, a popular female name in India is a book on mathematics. In following story, I am trying to explain why a name of the book is given after a simple lady.

Today, it was just a simple dawn, as it seems though. The birds were chirping, the Saint had gone for morning bath. The sun was about to bang at the horizon but its appearance can be felt. The petals of the flowers were gaining energy to bloom soon. The light was about to convert from blackish red to full fledged bright sunlight. It was a great morning.

This lady was performing her routine activities. However, today, she was in no mood to escape from the Saint. Rather, she would face the truth of the reality, a fact about her way of life. The work that she has been doing for last 20 years. Why not, She? A wild goose chase has just converted into a Red letter’s day, today, in the life of the Saint. She has just completed her daily duty of cleaning his work place, placing his carpet and necessary tools beside his holy seat. She had given fodder to his cow. Arranged sticks of dried mango trees. She had been desperately waiting for the Saint who had gone for his morning bath in nearby river. She was feeling unusual, for... She has to leave the scene before the Saint arrives, the routine work she had been doing for last 20 years. But she is proud today, for what she has done. It was really a Red Letter’s Day in the life of both the lady and the saint.

Almost all the great mathematicians from all over India were invited to take part in the banquet, which was organized by this Saint named “Bhaskaracharya”. The banquet was organized on the occasion of the completion of his research work in mathematics and astronomy. Mr. Bhaskaracharya would be honored by above mathematicians for his unique work. The heart of the lady was banging and breaking the silence of the loneliness. Suddenly, the Saint Bhaskaracharya arrived. Completely, engrossed in his thought, he ignored the lady in front of him.

The lady bent down and touched his feet in his honor. His instantaneous feelings could not stopped him to ask the lady, “Who are you?” In response the lady couldn’t tell anything, as the tears broke out of the corner of her eyes. She could have demanded her compensation for the sacrifice; she has been making for last 20 years. If not the compensation, it could have been the right of a common woman. But, she was completely silent, and tears were the only means for communication to the outside world. The Saint again asked, “Who are you?” This time she couldn't stop herself, replied, “It is me, Leelavati”. In response he composed himself and a sign of interrogation appeared on his face which was loud enough to be read as, “ Who Leelavati?” Facial expressions are mightier than the words, it was too much for her, and she couldn’t stop herself, as the Saint was not able to recognize her. “Remember, the promise, once you had committed to my father”, She murmured. The Saint looked into the eyes of the Lady called herself as “Leelavati”. The tears were still coming out of the corner of her blank and big eyes. The saint found himself disappeared in the event that happened 20 years back.

He had just graduated from the school where the father of the said lady was his mathematics teacher. This Saint “Bhaskaracharya” was his brilliant student. He had seen every quality in Bhaskar for the quality research in Mathematics and Astronomy. The father of the lady and teacher of Bhaskaracharya was on his deathbed and felt that his daughter could be an orphan after his death. So he called his one of the best student and demanded “Gurudakshina” as his ultimate wish. He was knowing that Bhaskar had taken vow not to marry in his life for the sake of his study in mathematics. In those days, great researchers of India, use to stay in jungle for carrying out the results. There are great examples (like Aryabhatt who invented “zero” and it was customery for a student to give an ultimate gift to his teacher. Now, the man on deathbed had given him an order to marry with his daughter Leelavati. Bhaskar was in “Dharmshankat” (holy dilemma) but still obeyed his guru at the deathbed.

Bhaskar thought that he had been trapped by the wish of his teacher and his further career would never be the same, the way he planned. He would indulge himself in earning bread and butter for his wife and children. But to the women with whom he had married, had a super gene in her blood. She had decided not to be an obstacle in the research work of his man. She had decided to give every daily life comfort and fulfill the needs of her husband. And in this process she used to stay away from his working place but looked after him, worked like a maid for him, so that he can carry his research without getting disturbed.

The time had started passing and the saint was so much busy in his work that he had forgotten that sometimes he had married to a woman. It took almost 20 years to complete his work. He had compiled his work and today he was going to get recognition for what he had done in last 20 years. The book dealing largely on arithmetic’s, spherical trigonometry, and astronomy was ready to challenge the world of science and technology across the globe. He had to worked through day and nights to complete his work. But into the eyes he was looking at that moment, had a great contribution. The saint felt a selfless sacrifice of the true womanhood, which was only meant for her husband. This book wouldn’t have come into present shape without the hidden contribution of his lady.

It was a log poise. Saint decided to break the silence. He asked the Lady, “What is your name?” “It is Leelavati”, she whispered. The Saint hold both the arm of the lady, started looking into her big blank eyes, “I have committed a sin. No, this is not fare. Now only compensation, I can award you is…”.

“What?”, Asked the lady.

The saint continued, “I am going to name this book after you. This is Leelawati, a book on mathematics and spherical trigonometry, whoever will read this book, will have to remember your sacrifice”. Enough is engough. This time, it was the saint couldn’t stop himself in crying like a kid. However, the lady was standstill like a statue. She didn’t have the right word to express her feeling. See composed herself and escorted her husband to the open compound, where other experts were waiting for him.

Thousands year later, someone has written in west, “There is always a woman behind the success of a man”.