Grandparents' Bag of Stories

by Sudha Murty

  ‘Oh! It is so nice to see you here! I cannot forget what you did for my family. We tried to trace you but failed,’ she said.

  Raghava smiled and gave her his address.

  That evening, he received another marriage proposal and to his pleasant surprise, it was from the family of the girl he had met at the market.

  When night fell, Raghava took his horse for a ride and said to him, ‘When luck is on one’s side, a simple bell can change one’s destiny. Thank you for being my loyal companion on this journey.’

  The next day, Raghava agreed to the proposal, and the two were wed and lived a happy life together.

  ‘That is why I pray in the temple before my exam results. I believe that God always blesses us with luck, so I request him to send me some whenever I need it,’ said Raghu.

  ‘Me too!’ said Krishna.

  Kamlu Ajji laughed and left to make lunch.

  A Word of Honour

  Two days later, there was a call from a town officer in the morning.

  When Ajja picked up the phone, the officer requested him to put him on speaker so that he could speak to both Ajja and Ajji.

  Then he said, ‘A few construction workers have landed here. Since there were no buses, trains or flights, these group of workers began making their way home from Hubli. On the way, these migrant workers realized that they could not reach their homes in the north, but they have managed to reach our town on their way. As we are in quarantine, I have arranged for them to stay at the Hanuman temple in the outskirts. There are a few taps there, along with some public toilets. I told them to stay put until the lockdown is over and they can reach home safely. They have agreed to do so, but we need to send them food every day. Once they are settled in, perhaps in three to four days, we can give them gas and dry ration so that they can start cooking themselves. But right now, they are not in a position to make food themselves.’

  ‘How many people are there?’ asked Ajja.

  ‘Around twenty-five men. Is there any way you can send something to eat from your house for today’s lunch?’

  Immediately, Ajja said, ‘Of course, we will send chapatis for them.’

  Ajji nodded in agreement.

  ‘That’s an excellent idea,’ said the town officer. ‘I am sure that they will like chapatis. Meanwhile, I will ask someone else for cooked vegetables.’

  Ajji, who was always ready to help, jumped in and said, ‘Don’t worry. We will cook some vegetables too. Let us know what we should cook each day.’

  The town officer sounded relieved and happy. ‘Thank you for your donation. May your tribe increase! I will keep you updated.’

  Ajji went to the storeroom and exclaimed, ‘Oh no! We don’t have enough wheat flour to feed twenty-five people.’

  Kamlu Ajji agreed, ‘I think this will make only fifty chapatis. We have wheat at home, but it needs to be ground into flour. The grinding machine shop will open for only an hour in the evening due to the lockdown. And remember, we have to feed the children also. If we add Damu and us, we will still need around thirty more chapatis. What should we do?’

  ‘There’s no question about it! I have given my word of honour. I must send the workers one hundred chapatis.’

  Ajji glanced at the clock. It was 10 a.m. The grocery store opened for three hours between 6 and 9 p.m.

  ‘I can call the town officer and tell him that we will give them the chapatis tomorrow. We can just get the groceries today,’ suggested Ajja.

  ‘Perhaps we can eat rice today and somehow make one hundred chapatis to send to the men. But how?’ The children were surprised to see that Ajji was very anxious and worried. Usually, she was calm and happy all the time, but she had become tense when she found out that the flour they had was insufficient.

  Suddenly, Ajji thought of checking with Damu, who was drinking a cup of tea and listening to the conversation.

  ‘Do you have wheat flour at home, Damu?’

  ‘Yes, Amma. I can get it. It should be enough.’

  ‘Okay then, I’ll get you the flour in the evening and replace it.’

  Damu ran to get the flour from the house next door.

  Relieved, Ajji went to the kitchen to start preparing the dough.

  Kamlu Ajji went to the garden to pluck fresh leafy vegetables. They were easy to grow, unlike other vegetables. Ajji shouted out to the children, ‘Raghu, Meenu, go and bring me drumsticks from the tree. Drumsticks are nutritious and easy to make if one has lesser time at hand.’

  Raghu and Meenu ran to the garden to do her bidding.

  After a few minutes, Anoushka, Aditi and Krishna went to the kitchen. Anoushka asked, ‘Ajji, why were you so stressed when you found out that we didn’t have enough flour? You could have given the chapatis tomorrow, right?’

  ‘No, child. I had given my word of honour. Perhaps I should have checked how much flour we had and then committed to providing so many chapatis to the town officer.’

  ‘Word of honour—why is it so important, Ajji?’

  ‘Once you say that you will do something, you must complete it. Sometimes, it is easy to come up with genuine reasons to not do what you have committed to, but that is not right. A person is known to be dependable only if he or she does what they have said without excuses or reasons.’

  ‘Like military rule,’ said Krishna.

  ‘That is why soldiers are dependable people,’ replied Ajji, as Ajja entered the kitchen.

  ‘We live safely in democratic India because they are there for us, reliably guarding our borders,’ added Ajja.

  Ajji smiled.

  ‘What happened, Ajji?’ asked Aditi.

  ‘Talking to you girls about this reminded me of a story.’

  ‘Please tell us, Ajji,’ insisted Aditi.

  ‘Sure, I will tell you while making the chapatis.’

  King Narendra was the ruler of a small kingdom. He was well known because he was a king who was always true to his word of honour.

  One year, the kingdom faced a heavy drought. The king announced, ‘There will be no celebrations or luxurious food in the court or the palace. I will eat whatever my subjects eat, till the drought has ended.’

  The king opened his kitchen to everyone—something a king had never done before. This endeared him to his subjects. True to his word, this continued until the rains arrived and the drought ended.

  A few months later, the king began to build a palace on an enormous piece of land. A very old and worn-out hut stood next to this land.

  The person who lived in the hut approached the king and said, ‘Sire, someone is building a really big house next to my land. People are asking me to vacate my home to give more space to the garden they want to build there, but I don’t want to leave. The small piece of land and the hut belongs to my forefathers and I want to keep it because it makes me feel less lonely and reminds me of them. Please, sire, I am not doing anything wrong. Will you support me?’

  ‘If what you say is true, I will,’ said the king.

  The king sent his men to find out more about the matter and came to know that the poor man was telling the truth—it was the land next to his new palace. Meanwhile, the poor man also found out that the big house being constructed was none other than the king’s palace.

  ‘Let it stay,’ said the king to his architect. ‘I have given the man my word. When people look at the palace, they will see outstanding architecture. When they see the hut, they will also come to know that I am a man of my word.’

  In the same kingdom, there lived a zamindar who owned a lot of property. In the old days, people believed that only boys should inherit the property of their parents in the hope that it will bring great name to the family. The zamindar belonged to the old school of thought. When his wife was expecting a baby, she went to live in her parents’ house for a few months, as was the custom in those days. As she was leaving, the zamindar told her sternly, ‘We must have a son. If you don’t give birth to a son, don’t come back to stay with me.’

&n
bsp; His wife was terrified, but for the sake of the baby, she tried to be positive and happy.

  Time passed by quickly and one morning, she delivered a healthy baby girl. She was happy to have a girl, but she was scared of what her husband would do if he found out that she had given birth to a girl!

  So she sent word to him, ‘I have given birth to a baby boy.’

  Perhaps I can convince him to see things from my point of view, once he gets to know our daughter better, she thought.

  The ecstatic father sent a message back to her, ‘I am pleased. I want to name the boy Veeravara, the brave one.’

  Thus, the baby girl was named Veeravara. Her mother helped her keep the secret and so, Veeravara grew up as a boy. She knew that she would have to keep it a secret that she was actually a girl, or face her father’s wrath. She wore boyish and loose clothing and got all the necessary education fit for a boy in those days. She was outstanding in archery and horse riding and everyone around her (except her mother) thought that she was actually a boy.*

  Two decades passed. When Veeravara was going to another town for work, she had to pass through a forest. There, she saw a man being attacked by a lion. Though the man was fighting back, she knew he needed help. So she leapt to action. She rode her horse towards the man, picked him up quickly and rode away from the lion.

  When she stopped the horse, she realized that the man was wounded badly. He told her that he was King Narendra. He had gone to the forest to hunt with his soldiers and had lost his way when he ran into the lion. Quickly, Veeravara brought him back to his palace, handed him over to the royal guards and galloped away.

  When the king was in better health, he invited Veeravara to come to his capital as his personal guest. He wanted to thank her for saving his life. Reluctantly, Veeravara agreed since she could not disobey the king’s wishes. When she stayed at the palace, the king realized that Veeravara was good at everything she did.

  The king had a sister called Chandrika who was stunning and of marriageable age. He thought, Veeravara is brave and courageous. He may not be a prince, but he is a good man. I would like my sister to marry him.

  The king called Veeravara’s parents to discuss the idea. The mother was aghast, but she couldn’t reveal the truth to the king. So she said, ‘Sire, your sister is a princess and we are ordinary. Besides, we must ask Veeravara’s opinion too. He may not want to get married right now.’

  Her dominating husband, however, stopped her. He said, ‘This is a rare opportunity, sire, where luck has come to us on her own. Our son is handsome and a good warrior. Unfortunately for him, he was born in my family. Otherwise, he is fit to be a royal. I have no objections at all. This marriage has my blessing.’

  Thus, the wedding was fixed.

  When Veeravara heard the news, she was dumbstruck. But she knew that she didn’t have a choice. ‘May I spend some time with your sister to understand her thoughts and expectations?’ she asked the king.

  Princess Chandrika had seen Veeravara a few times in the court. As a young woman, she was enchanted by the warrior. When her brother had suggested her union with Veeravara, she agreed happily. The king replied, ‘I know my sister and she agrees with my decision. However, you can spend some time together in the royal gardens, if she is willing.’

  Chandrika found Veeravara’s request to be an unusual one, but she was happy to spend some time with him and agreed to the request.

  Veeravara met Chandrika at the royal gardens and said, ‘A princess like you is probably not a good fit for a commoner such as me. I cannot bestow upon you the comforts of a royal family in my house, and I do not want to stay here in the royal court forever. I think the wise decision would be to refuse to marry me.’

  Chandrika smiled. ‘Wherever you stay with me, it will be like a palace and a loving home in my heart. I don’t expect any special treatment in your home.’

  Veeravara realized that there was no way she could change Chandrika’s mind. She sat down on a bench nearby.

  Chandrika said, ‘You look concerned. Tell me, what is on your mind?’

  ‘I had a dream yesterday,’ said Veeravara.

  ‘Was it so interesting that it is occupying your mind while you are here with me?’ she teased him as she sat down too.

  ‘It was a powerful dream. I dreamt that there was a good-looking girl who was always dressed like a boy because of her father’s pressure to present a boy to the world. Everyone thought that she was a boy from the day she was born. One day, she was engaged to the king’s daughter. Soon, the king’s daughter learnt that the boy was, in fact, a girl. “Put her to death,” she ordered her guards. Just then, I woke up. The dream was very real, and it really does seem that it is happening to someone, somewhere in the world. But it left me disturbed. What do you think, princess? Did she do the right thing?’

  Chandrika paused for a moment and then said, ‘The girl was compelled to be a boy by her parents. It was not of her own free will. So she should not be given the penalty of death. They should release her and allow her to lead a normal life because she might have her own dreams of marriage and children.’

  Veeravara stood up and said, ‘I am that girl.’

  Chandrika was furious. ‘How dare you? You could have told me this much earlier and revealed who you are. I will tell my brother. He is sure to kill you for your deceit!’

  Frustrated, she began crying.

  Veeravara said gently, ‘Princess Chandrika, you said that the girl should be released because she had her own pressures and dreams. The moment it became personal, you changed your outlook. I haven’t cheated anyone on purpose—neither your brother nor you. Though my mother and I resisted the proposal, nobody listened to us. My father and the rest of the world are in the dark about my gender. That is why I wanted to speak to you alone. If you still think that I deserve the death penalty, I will accept the punishment.’

  Chandrika calmed down and felt sorry for Veeravara. She said, ‘Perhaps you are right. I can accept this, but if my brother learns of this, he is sure to execute you. Luckily for you, I know how to handle my brother. Come with me tomorrow, but let me lead the discussion.’

  The next day, the two women met the king. Narendra was happy to see them together. ‘Tell me, what did you two speak about yesterday?’ he asked.

  Chandrika replied, ‘Brother, we spoke about Veeravara’s friend. A good-looking girl who was always dressed like a boy because of her father’s pressure to present a boy to the world. Everyone thought that she was a boy from the day she was born. One day, she was engaged to the king’s daughter. Soon, the king’s daughter learnt that the boy was, in fact, a girl. “Put her to death,” she ordered her guards. It was all very disturbing. What do you think, brother? Did she do the right thing?’

  The king thought for some time and said, ‘It is the father, and not the girl, who must be punished. The girl shouldn’t even be eligible for punishment.’

  Veeravara stepped forward. ‘Before we discuss this further, it reminds me of something else I wanted to speak to you about. Sire, I want assurance from you. I saved your life, and I hope that you will protect my father and ensure that no harm will come to him.’

  ‘Of course, no harm will befall him, Veeravara. He is soon going to be my brother-in-law’s father.’

  Once he had the king’s word, Veeravara revealed the truth, ‘Sire, I am that girl.’

  The king was livid. ‘How dare you? Who do you think you are?’

  ‘Sire, the truth is that I didn’t cheat you. I did not ask for your sister’s hand in marriage, nor was I keen on the wedding. You were the one who insisted on this match. Please do not hurt my father, though I know that he has done wrong in his ignorance. A daughter can do whatever a son can—I am the best example of this. Your judgement told you that it was not the girl’s fault, which means that it is not my fault either. You are a well-respected king because you keep your word, sire. I hope you will understand my perspective. The rest, I leave up to you.’

  The
king realized that he must keep his word, and also knew deep down in his heart that it was not Veeravara’s fault. His anger melted away and he said, ‘I see your point. I am sorry for the troubles you have been through, presenting yourself as a man to the world all these years. For a long time, I have had one sister, Chandrika. Today, I adopt you as my sister too and will call you Veerangana. May both of you marry your choice of husbands. I bless you both.’

  By the time the story was done, the chapatis were too. Damu helped Ajji pack the chapatis as Ajja called the town officer.

  Within minutes, a man was at the gate, waiting to collect the chapatis. He thanked Ajja and Ajji from the gate and Damu ran to handover the food.

  ‘I feel so happy that we could help the labourers!’ said Krishna.

  Ajja patted her on the head and pulled her rosy cheeks.

  The Language of the Dogs

  It was a quiet and hot night. The children were sitting in the veranda under the fan, talking to each other.

  A short distance away, Ajja and Kamlu Ajji were sitting on the stairs in comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. They could hear the street dogs barking near the main gate of the house.

  ‘Why do the dogs bark at night?’ asked Kamlu Ajji. ‘It’s the same story in Bangalore too—they start barking in the middle of the night and go on for a really long time.’

  ‘They also have their own problems,’ said Ajja. ‘Usually, the dogs are fed leftover food from restaurants. But these days, no hotels are open during the lockdown and many are going hungry.’

  Ajja turned and called out to Ajji who was still inside the house. ‘Do you have any food for the dogs?’ he yelled.

  ‘A few chapatis and some rice,’ she yelled back.

  ‘Bring them here!’

  Ajji brought the food and biscuits and went with Ajja and Kamlu Ajji to the main gate. The children watched from a distance. They looked on as two dogs appeared.