Sheelo cast her eyes down and kept silent. When Kanak repeated her question, she said, ‘Tara will tell you everything.’
Ratan came back just before five o’clock. The hospitality started all over again. Pakoras and kulfi-faluda were ordered from the bazaar. Kanak was used to having a cup of tea at this time, but how could she make a special demand in the midst of such lavish treatment?
Jaya’s dress was soiled from eating kulfi. Kanchan had brought a change of clothes for her in a bag. Jaya’s clothes were changed and her hair combed.
A minor crisis arose as Kanak got ready to leave. Meladei wanted to gift Kanak ten rupees and a sari. Kanak’s protest and embarrassment were completely ignored.
Kanak tried to slip five-rupee bills into the hands of Ghullu and Munni. Sheelo was stopping Kanak from doing so, but at the same time, handing Jaya some money. After a bit of argument, money changed hands.
When they made their way downstairs, Kanak saw that the bazaar asleep during the noon hours had awakened. Shops were packed with customers and it was difficult to walk even a few steps on the road without bumping into another person. People of Lahore had been fond of good clothes, but in Delhi they seemed to want to flaunt their clothes. Kanak felt as if she had come to Delhi not from the city of Jalandhar, but from some village.
Ratan knew that Tara did not want to have anything to do with her family. She had not been very thrilled when Ratan had given her Puri’s letter. He had telephoned Tara at her office to ask her permission to bring Kanak over to her home. He had also told her about Kanak arriving at his home, about how warmly she had spoken to Channa, and how well she had taken to Ghullu and Munni. And that Kanak wanted to meet her very much. Tara had said ‘yes’.
Mrs Agarwal had invited Tara to her home that evening. Tara thought that she would telephone and offer her regrets. Several possible scenarios came to her mind, ‘What could be the reason behind Kanak wanting to meet me? But why should I have any fears? I have nothing more to do with Somraj. He’s living with his bhabhi, and he can for all I care. If there is a message concerning him, it’d be best to give a clear answer now.’
Tara said to Purandei on reaching home, ‘My bhabhi has come from Jalandhar. She’ll be here around six o’clock. I’ll have tea with her. Ask Parsu to get some fruit and mithai.’
Purandei’s heartbeat quickened on hearing the news. Tara’s bhabhi was like a daughter-in-law to her. She had heard that Tara’s elder brother Jaddi had become a newspaper’s sahib and a ‘mimber’, that his wife has had English education and was from a well-off family. Parsu was still a greenhorn. Just three days previously he’d broken the lid of the teapot, and Purandei had to use a
katori
in its place. She could borrow a teapot from tayee. And tayee had to be told and consulted. This was the daughter-in-law’s first visit to the house. What should be given as the customary gift for seeing her face for the first time?
Purandei had little opportunity lately to observe such customs. The traditional way was to put in the daughter-in-law’s aanchal the present of one rupee and a quarter, seven pairs of dried dates and a dried coconut, but that practice was now outdated. The present-day custom was to present her with five or even ten rupees. It was best to consult tayee. How could she keep such important news to herself without sharing it with a neighbour? She also had to inform the Mehta family to come and meet the daughter-in-law, or they were bound to complain later.
Kanak and Tara were meeting after five-and-a-half years. Kanak hugged Tara warmly, and Tara responded kindly and courteously, but what won Tara’s heart was the way Kanak’s eyes lit up on meeting her. She felt as if she had been reunited with an old and dear friend. Tara then embraced
Kanchan, and touching Kanchan’s chin with her fingers, said, ‘Hai, you have grown up. You are looking so pretty. You live in Delhi, na?’
Jaya was clinging to her mother’s knees and Tara had to coax the child into her lap. Jaya did not easily make friends with Tara, not until she had been pampered for some time.
Tara and Kanak had been young women when they had met last. When they met again, both had matured and their bodies had filled out. Kanak had put on a bit of weight compared to Tara. She could not take her eyes off Tara’s face. She thought that Tara had a quiet dignity about her, and looked beautiful and more attractive than before.
When Kanak had gone to Bhola Pandhe’s Gali, Tara had been studying for her exam wearing an old pair of crushed salwar-kameez. Her hair had not been properly combed. Today, on her return from office Tara had changed into a fresh white voile sari. Her hair, parted in the centre, was tied in a bun at the back of her head. Gold studs, each with a single black stone, suited her fair-complexioned face very well. She did not wear a necklace. On one wrist was a small stainless-steel watch with a black strap, and on the other, one heavy gold bangle.
It was still warm on the October evening. The ceiling fan rotated slowly. Kanak sat on the sofa with her arm around Tara, and put her head on Tara’s shoulder without saying anything. Then, noticing Ratan who was sitting opposite them, she checked her emotions, ‘Never got the time to find out your address whenever I came to Delhi, but I had always wanted to.’
Tara asked after pitaji, mother, bhai, Hari, Usha and Toshi.
Purandei, clad in a fresh dhoti, came into the room to give aashirwad to the daughter-in-law. Tara introduced her, ‘My buaji.’
Purandei asked after everyone in Jalandhar.
Ratan said, ‘I suppose bhabhiji will be here for two hours. I’ll come back and take her to Faiz Bazaar.’
Kanak and Tara told him not to bother.
Kanak had so much to ask and tell, but did not know where to begin. She started, ‘We came to Delhi from Nainital in September 1947…’
Parsu put fruit and mithai on the table. Purandei brought tea, and said, ‘You both’ll have dinner here,’ and went back without waiting for Kanak or Kanchan to reply.
Tara leaned forward to pour tea. Kanchan said, rising to her feet, ‘You both talk. I’ll make tea.’
A voice was heard from the direction of the stairs, ‘May I come in?’
‘Yes, yes. Do come in,’ Tara said, without getting up.
‘You’re not yet ready …’ Narottam said as he entered the room, but halted in mid-sentence when he saw two women guests.
Tara introduced Kanak and Kanchan to Narottam, ‘He’s my brother.’ She asked him, ‘You’re coming from the
kothi
?’
‘No, I was at Kapur’s. Mummy said that you were coming over, so I took this route. Thought I’ll get a chance to drive your car.’
‘I had rung mummy.’
‘I didn’t know. Achcha, I’ll take leave of you.’
‘Do sit down. Have some tea.’
Narottam said to Kanak, ‘Didi told me that you were a very good writer. It was a pleasure to meet you. You come to Delhi often?’ He gave Kanchan a quick glance.
Kanak continued the conversation with Tara, ‘Office work keeps you busy?’
‘Very busy! Sorry to barge in,’ Narottam said, looking around the room, ‘See, the files were also brought home.’
‘I’ve become used to it.’ Tara said. ‘It’s routine. When it has to be done, what’s the point of putting it off or finding it a chore?’
Narottam finished his cup, shifted in his seat, and looked at his wristwatch. Tara asked, ‘You have to go somewhere?’
‘I don’t have to go anywhere, but I’ll be intruding if I stay.’
‘Do intrude then,’ Kanak said. She realized that Narottam and Tara were close friends.
‘If you are not busy, then stay. You can drive us. The rush at this hour makes me nervous.’
‘It’ll be my pleasure. I love driving.’
Kanak apologized to Narottam for giving him the trouble.
‘You are also my bhabhi now,’ Narottam said.
‘Of course,’ Kanak admitted.
Tara asked Kanak about Rajendra and Usha.
Narottam exchanged a few words with Jaya. Then leaning towards Kanchan, said, ‘Our elders are busy with each other. Can we talk?’
‘Sure.’
‘You also like to write?’
‘No question of like to. I never could. I was a student of chemistry.’
‘Did you like chemistry?’
‘Had to study it for the purpose of exams. What I like is music.’
‘Very few girls study chemistry. Now that you’ve done your MSc, what are your plans?’
‘I am teaching chemistry to girl students.’
‘Teaching is a good profession. You didn’t sit for the entrance test for medical colleges?’
‘I did. My marks were not high enough. Only nine girls were selected from Delhi, I was the tenth.’
‘Oh, hard luck. You didn’t try again?’
‘Didn’t have the time. Would have wasted one whole year. Medical studies last five to six years. I wanted to be self-supporting.’
‘Was there any particular hurry?’ Narottam said, choosing his words carefully.
‘Our financial circumstances were such after we came here from Lahore.’
Kanchan’s answer touched Narottam’s heart.
Tayee called out to Purandei from the stairs. She had come to meet Tara’s bhabhi.
Purandei came to the sitting room with tayee.
Narottam rose briskly to his feet. Bending close to Kanchan’s ear, he whispered, ‘Please tell didi that I’ll be back in about an hour.’
Tayee expressed great pleasure in meeting Kanak. After some casual conversation, tayee began to praise Tara for her kindness and generosity. Then, as an aside, said to Kanak, ‘Try and fix Tara up now that you are here. It’s not right to let her grow old. Who won’t welcome such a girl into their family? She is like the goddess Lakshmi. She’ll be a real blessing to any family.’
Tara felt uneasy with such praise in front of Kanak. She said to Kanchan, ‘Come. I’ll give you a tour of the house. Do you want to freshen up?’
Before she left, tayee called out to Tara from the living room, ‘You and your bhabhi have dinner at my place tomorrow.’
After tayee was gone, Purandei began to tell Kanak that tayee was very fond of Tara, and had suggested her nephew many times as a prospective match for her. Purandei also said some very
complimentary things about tayee’s nephew, the forest officer. Tara said irritably, ‘Would you please let us talk with each other.’
Purandei said, asserting her right, ‘Hai, let me say what I want to. I have to tell all this to the family’s daughter-in-law. Who else will do so if I don’t?’
Kanak understood that everyone took Tara to be unmarried, so she also kept quiet about it.
When Mehta’s wife, his sister and another neighbour Gurandei came to meet her, they also treated Kanak with affection and respect. Kanak knew that it was all because of Tara. She had found out about Tara’s situation and about other people’s opinion of her without asking a single question. She felt relieved that she had not formed any opinion about her husband’s sister despite his disparagement, but she also had had no chance so far to discuss the matter that was the reason for her visit.
Narottam came back just as Mehta’s wife and others were leaving. Kanak could not talk about Kishor Chand in front of him. It was nearing eight o’clock. She was supposed to give some answer to her husband’s cousin waiting for her return.
Kanak looked at Narottam and said hesitantly, ‘If you permit I and bahin will have a word in private.’
Tara took Kanak to her bedroom. They sat down on the bed facing each other. Kanak explained why Sheelo’s parents were worried, and about Kishor Chand’s visit to find out about Tara and Sheelo.
Tara said after a few moments, ‘What did I do for which Sheelo’s family is hassling me? Mohanlal had thrown Sheelo out of his home. The reason for which he had done so is now twice as much.’
Tara told Kanak about Sheelo’s relationship with Ratan in Lahore. She said, ‘I agree what Sheelo had done was wrong, but that wrong has now been set right. If her family wants her go on living in shame, if they think that their good name lies in hiding a mistake that has been corrected, it’s their problem. I had no hand in any of this. I just told Ratan about Sheelo’s situation.’
Kanak stared at the floor in silence. Then asked, giving Tara a quick look, ‘You know that Somraj is also in Jalandhar?’
‘I have nothing to do with him.’ Tara said, eyes downcast.
Placing her hand on Tara’s shoulder, Kanak asked, ‘I had heard that you did not want to marry him.’
Tara nodded.
‘But why did you agree to this marriage against your will?’
Tara said after a brief silence, ‘What had to happen, has happened. What can I say now?’
‘Were you forced into the marriage? Didn’t your brother give you any support?’ Kanak asked with surprise.
‘My brother let me down. It was also my fault. I didn’t have the courage, I just gave in.’
‘How did your brother let you down?’
‘Bhai was against my marriage to that man. Then he lost his job and couldn’t find another. He didn’t get paid for some work he had done for others. All this made him buckle under pressure from the elders. What else can I say?’
‘I can’t understand why you agreed if you didn’t want it.’ Kanak expressed her surprise.
‘Lack of courage! I didn’t have the courage to fight the circumstances alone. I thought: Others would think badly of me. Marriages were arranged like that, and I was no exception. So that it won’t bring shame on my parents.’
Kanak was lost in thought for a few moments. Then she asked, ‘You were not with your husband even for one night?’
‘Could we drop that subject? Let’s talk about something else.’
Kanak was overcome with sympathy for Tara. She kept silent.
‘I don’t feel like leaving you and going back.’
‘You don’t have to. It’s your home.’
‘I know, but I haven’t told my mother. My parents will worry. Won’t you ever come to Jalandhar to meet your brother?’
‘Why didn’t he come here?’
Kanak gave no reply. After a brief pause, she said, ‘Achcha, I’ll go now. I’ll definitely meet you next time I am in Delhi.’
‘I’ll come along to drop you.’
‘No, not tonight. Kishor Chand is waiting for me. He can be a difficult person. I’ll feel bad if he said something unpleasant to you.’
‘You and Kanchan come tomorrow at noon. We’ll have lunch together. It’s Saturday, I’ll be back by quarter to one.’