07 | Bajji

~~~~~~~~~~Sandhya~~~~~~~~~~

My mom gave me a big set of instructions on what to wear and how to behave. I rolled my eyes at her. Still I obeyed her and draped myself in to a saree.

The alliance which I am supposed to meet now is suggested by Krishna's mom. I actually wanted to shout more at her. The fact that she being the mom of Krishnan, my best friend made me forbid doing that.

Vimala aunty has a policy. Whichever girl or boy they meet for arrange marriage at their house, she would ensure that it gets fixed. Two living proofs. Krishnan and his brother.

In every family, there will be an aunt who would always have concern about the marriage of young girls and boys in other family . These people will be satisfied only when the youngsters are married.

Once they are married, they are more concerned about their pregnancy. As if they are going to look after the child full time.

I am not on talking terms with Krishnan. Its been 3 days since the fight happened between me and Krishnan.

In between, I happened to see him in a shop with Anjana. Though we saw each other, we did not speak. Anjana inched forward to talk with me , but he refrained her from that.

While thinking, my phone chimed. I saw the caller ID . It was Anjana. With reluctance I picked it up. My fight is only with Krishnan and not with Anjana. So I attended the call.

She was talking non stop about all random things and I just hummed in response , while adjusting my pleats.

She spoke for few minutes.

"ohh.. ok why there is no response from your side?"

"I am adjusting my saree pleats.. that's why" I replied pinning my saree.

"ohh.. ok . which color?"

"green .. why?" I asked her dubiously.

"ohh.. ok ..ok.." She continued talking and I listened to her.

"ss. ok .. ok bye.. I will talk later. Krishna is here" she said in husky voice and cut the call. I understood that she was conversing with me without his knowledge.

I sat for few minutes with closed eyes, doing a small meditation, to calm my racing mind and heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Mahadevan~~~~~~~~~

Right now I am sitting between my parents as we have come to meet the girl , whom I am going to marry. We have actually come to fix and exchange "opputhamboolam" .After the general talks, she came outside.

Her eyes were fixated to the ground. My parents, Anjana and Krishnan, his parents are the ones seated. This alliance proposal is actually brought by Vimala Aunty - Krishnan's mom.

If you are wondering who the girl is , it is none other than Sandhya. Yes. I rejected the girl I met in the restaurant stating that I am in one side love with Sandhya.

She too agreed and we mutually said no to our parents stating we don't find interest in each other.

Krishna was the one who initiated this conversation about our marriage. He informed me as well about Sandhya's interest on me, which made me happy.

Soon things worked up fast and here we are now, at Sandhya's house to meet her. Actually, we all have planned this as a surprise for her. Her parents too agreed to not reveal about me coming to meet her.

While I was thinking all this, Krishnan started his questions to Sandhya making her look irritated. I heard from Krishnan that he and Sandhya are now not on talking terms.

Krishnan informed that he is coming to Sandhya's house as my brother in law and not as her friend.

Right now, he and Sandhya are having a war of words with each other. Krishnan was asking her lot of questions . Sandhya being an angry bird, got angry easily.

She was even about to throw the water bottle on him, but was forbid by her parents.

"what is all this ? Your Daughter is not showing respect to elders. Is this the way she would behave with the guests? She is not the suitable one for our family. Romba aratha irukaley"(too wild she is) Krishnan was accusing her.

My mind voice: ivan pora pokka patha.. enaku sambandham pesi mudiyara maari therila.. kai kalapula kondu vandhruvan polarkey

(his actions does not seem to be helping me. Atleast let him not bring any problems)

" enna prechana unaku.. nee yaru enna kelvi keka.. unakellam nan badhil solla mudiyadhu" shouted Sandhya.

(What is your problem? who are you to ask questions to me? I won't answer any of your questions)

"Hello, I am the groom for this family that you are going to get married to.. All the important decisions are taken after consulting with me. If I say no, they would not even proceed. What do you say Mr?" he asked me.

Hearing it, my eyes widened in shock.

Maapilai yavadu mannan katti yavadhu.. dei.. unna nambina avlo dhan pola en vaazhkai I thought.

(groom my foot. Its wrong to believe in you for my future)

"I will marry her even if you say no" I spoke hurriedly and everyone busted in to laughter.

"indha avamanam unaku thevayada ? thevaya?" (its a great insult) he asked himself pointing his index finger to his forehead.

"theva dhanda poda" She said mockingly to Krishnan. (its needed one for you)

The elders asked us if we want to talk alone. Again Krishnan.. poked his nose.

Krishnan: "what is this asking her opinion? Whomever parents say she has to marry. Why do you ask her?"

My mind voice: Ivan namaku endha naladhum nadaka vidamatan polaye

(I don't think he would allow me to experience anything)

"Maa..I agree to marry Deva. " I heard Sandhya say which instantly brought smile on my lips. Turning to Vimala Aunty, " Aunty.. you know what all he said about you when you fixed Anjana for him? Do you know what all he scolded you as?" she started.

Krishnan: "ei.. don't you dare open your mouth OK?"

Me: "Then you back off man.. why do you want to poke nose in to my family matters"

Krishnan: "oh.. so you have gone that far, to call as your family la. avlo periya agal dugalah neeyu" (are you a big shot or what? to not talk about you)

These best friends seemed to be very adamant in fighting with each other and accusing .

While Sandhya and Krishan were fighting with words...the elders talked about other things as I too agreed for the marriage with Sandhya.

"Ei.. you both go fight over there.. don't cause disturbance here" shouted her mom. Anjana told me about the fight that has happened between them.

I wanted to talk with Sandhya, but I decided to settle the dispute between Sandhya and Krishnan.

" Sandhya" I called her. But she went to the kitchen without listening to me, in the middle of the fight with Krishnan.

Me and Anjana stood confused as to what to do.

"can you both please stop this fight and get back to normal?" I asked Krishnan. For the next minute, I persuaded him to first patch up with her and he left.

Me and Anjana were little worried seeing them behave like strangers and enemies. Anjana too felt bad thinking, because of her arrival , their friendship broke. I too had the same fear.

If I am to marry Sandhya.. then it would be awkward for them both to meet each other, when they have dispute between them.

"maapilai.. don't you want to talk with Sandhya?" her mom asked me.

"ya.. I will. its.. um.. I don't know if you know it. Sandhya and Krishnan both had a severe fight and they are not on talking terms . So... "

She laughed loud at me. "Ayyo.. maapilai.. why are you so naive?" she went laughingly.

Me and Anjana stood perplexed. She went and narrated the same to Krishna's parents and they too laughed.

We did not understand what was happening. Suddenly we heard a sound of plates clattering on the floor.

Me and Anjana rushed to the kitchen.

Sandhya and Krishna were fighting for the bajji. (bajji - made with potato or raw banana or onion, which is dipped in batter and fried in oil)

"Dei.. that is the last piece of potato bajji.. give it to me"

"hey you took 4 pieces of potato bajji .. and pushed all the plantain bajji to me.. I will take this one" said Krishnan.

"paga paga dhan.. kudu andha bajji ah" ( fight is a fight.. give me that bajji to me)

They fought literally with each other resulting in some vessels falling down. Me and Anjana looked surprised as to how and when they both got back together.

Hearing the sound of the plate, Sandhya's mom walked past us , scolding her for creating a mess in the kitchen.

"you said they both are having a big fight la.. and not on talking terms.. I know their fight would vanish away , the moment they see the bajji" stated Sandhya's mom to me.

Seeing us stand like that , Vimala mami spoke.

"Devan.. I guess you and Anjana are seeing them fight for the first time. That's why you have this reaction. We don't take their fights seriously. They fight with each other and patch up on their own.

In fact, these are all very small matters. We have seen even more worse case, where we thought they had become real enemies, but these two are thick friends, inseparable ones."

Me and Anjana could not believe ourselves with the way they both were behaving.. They were like two strong enemies in the battlefield earlier. But now, they are fighting over the silli bajji.

Was it me and Anjana the only fools to worry about their fight? We were thinking and advising Krishna to get back to being friends with her again.

Ellam waste ah?? rendu perum sendhu engala emathirkangala? ( is all our efforts were waste? Were they fooling us this time with their angry looks?)

"ei. unakaga mama velayellam pakka vendiyadha pochu.. olunga andha last bajji ya enaku kudu" said Krishnan

(I acted as a marriage broker for your marriage . for that reason, give me this bajji)

Still they were fighting with that one bajji. While they were doing all that, my Anju kutty came and snatched that from them.

Their mouth opened in shock. Before they could analyze the situation and snatch it from her, Anju stashed it her mouth and left the kitchen.

"Anjanaaaaa" they both shouted and ran towards her. I too ran along with the best friends behind Anjana. Reason is, earlier , while we all were talking, she ate the bajji's in my plate too. Not even single bajji I ate.

Now you know the reason, why there was a silence, when we all were talking. Madam Anjana was busy on her bajji, sweets and mixture. Else she would have talked a lot.

We ran behind Anjana and halted at one of the room, where they caught Anjana. After scolding her and playing with her for few minutes. The talk shifted to normal mode.