journey

B.S. RAMULUS e l e c t e d S h o r t S t o r i e s

From Telangaana Village

to Global Village

O F L I F E

Translation

D. RANGA RAO

Vishala Sahitya AcadamyUniversity of Social Philosophy

B.S. RAMULUSelected Short StoriesJOURNEY OF LIFEFrom Telangaana Village to Global Village

Copyright © 2013 by B.S.Ramulu. All rights reserved. Printed in the Republicof India. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any mannerwhatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotationsembodied in critical articles and reviews.

B.S.Ramulu,201, Sulekha Golden Towers, 2-2-186/53/5, Rama Krishna Nagar,Bagh Amberpet, Hyderabad - 500 013.

Ph. 91-8331966987, bsramulu@g.mail.com.

English Translation byD.Ranga Rao, M.A., PGDTE, M.A. Litt.,

1-9-485/8/4, Plot No.37, Lalitha Nagar,Adikmet, Hyderabad - 500 044.

Ph. : 91-40-65534991, 09000225749.

Published on the occasion of64th Birth Day of B.S. Ramulu

First Edition: 2013 Pages: 224

Price: Rs. 160

Design: Ankush Graphics, 040-27663211

Publishers:

Vishala Sahitya AcadamyUniversity of Social Philosophy201, Sulekha Golden Towers, 2-2-186/53/5, Rama Krishna Nagar,Bagh Amberpet, Hyderabad - 500 013.Phone: 91-8331966987, 9059550998

Printed at Deccan Press, Azamabad, Hyderabad

Contents

APPRECIATIONS

Rapolu Ananda Bhaskar

Prof. K. S. Chalam

S. Venkata Narayan

Dr. C. Narayana Reddy

D. Ranga Rao

I

1. THE OLD SAREE 25

2. RELATIONSHIPS 35

3. VARALAKSHMI 54

4. VEDAVATHI 67

5. LOVE ETERNAL 78

II

6. HERITAGE 91

7. AFFECTIONS 111

8. WHAT WAS IN THE PAST? 130

9. NAANAMMA 142

10. ULTIMATE PEACE 151

11. JOURNEY OF LIFE 161

III

12. SON-IN-LAW 183

13. NIGHT FLOWERS 193

14. THE ALLIANCE 198

15. MADE FOR EACH OTHER 211

About the Translator 223

The Old Saree

Relatives had been visiting Rajeswaramma throughout the

month and she had no breathing time. Their arrival

increased from the time Lavanya, the third daughter, came

home to be delivered of her second child. Relatives had

been coming and going in connection with the marriage

alliance of the fourth daughter who was doing her

P.G.course.

Lavanya was delivered of her baby in the hospital after

a minor operation. The mother-in-law of the eldest

daughter, Vijaya, had arrived two days earlier on a courtesy

visit. The second daughter-in-law too made a flying visit.

Rajeswaramma’s younger brothers and other relatives left

after a short stay.

Rajeswaramma’s uncle and aunt came from a far off

place. Also her younger uncles and aunts. Rajeswaramma’s

second daughter-in-law, Kalavathi, did not recognize them.

She did not offer them water to drink nor did she ask them

to be seated which pained them. They went searching for

the hospital. They were relieved and happy when they saw

Rajeswaramma. “Dear niece, I haven’t been well these days.

You are healthy and strong though you are seventy, what

with your sons and daughters-in-law helping you. They

express their wonder whether they would live long like me

11111

JOURNEY OF LIFE26

but never buy medicines for me. Why don’t you take me to

a doctor and get me examined and treated?” Veeraiah

appealed to her after the usual greetings. Rajeswaramma

felt very sorry at the appeal made to her by her uncle.

He had personally attended the tonsuring ceremony

when she was a child. He got silver ankle chains made for

her when she was young. He took upon himself the

responsibility of celebrating her marriage. He had lived

without extending his hand for help from others. The

situation changed for him at home four years ago. The sons

were indifferent and the daughters-in-law constantly

complained.

Rajeswaramma was moved. She hesitated to broach the

topic with her husband. He would taunt her, asking whether

she had any idea of the expenditure at home. She asked the

elder son, Prasad. He said that it was all an unnecessary

burden. Veeraiah could understand his mind observing the

expression on Prasad’s face. The old man was sorry he

bothered Rajeswaramma unnecessarily.

“Uncle! Why don’t you stay for a couple of days? We

will go to the doctor,” replied Rajeswaramma for the sake

of courtesy. She felt uneasy for having said so, for, if he

stayed back she would face a difficult situation. Veeraiah,

on his part, hesitated at the offer, for, how could he stay in

the house where he was not offered even drinking water on

arrival?

“Dear girl! Your house is full of relatives now. I will

come after four or five days,” said Veeraiah. Rajeswaramma

heaved a sigh of relief for her prestige was saved.

� � �

B.S. RAMULU SELECTED SHORT STORIES 27

“Why retain all this junk? Of what use are these articles?

Get them weighed and sell them away to the scrap buyer,”

said Kalavathi, Rajeswaramma’s second daughter-in-law,

with her husband Viswanadham.

Rajeswaramma heard Kalavathi. Lingaiah, the old man

also heard her. They kept silent. Their second son was

running the family doing some business. Kalavathi was

steadily occupying the place of Rajeswaramma as the

mistress of the house. Lingaiah and Rajeswaramma have

been changing places during the last four years from the

role of parents, father-in-law and mother-in-law into old

relatives who had none to look after them.

Lingaiah looked at the attic where the old unused articles

were kept. He could not see clearly what were stored on

the attic which had turned black because of smoke and

neglect. But he knew what were up there. An old charaka,

the various implements used in weaving cloth, old clothes,

broken cots, old tape used for cots, an old cycle and its

parts, an old loom, old wooden rafters, broken chairs etc.

Thinking of them, Lingaiah’s mind went back forty years.

That was the time when he wove sarees on the loom and

printed colour on the yarn. The cots had got broken as

children grew up. His wedding cot which got smaller and

smaller turned into the children’s cot and finally reached

the attic after serving the family for a long time.

Viswanadham sent his clerk to open the shop and started

handing the junk down from the attic to Kalavathi.

The rats that had lived on the attic ran about the house

when the cleaning started. Rajeswaramma was surprised at

the number of rats living in the attic. An old suitcase slipped

JOURNEY OF LIFE28

from the hands of Kalavathi and fell on the ground with a

thud and the lid got separated. There were old clothes in it.

That was Rajeswaramma’s suitcase. Her heart missed a

beat. The suit case was the storehouse of the sweet memories

of the past! It was a ply wood suitcase bought at the time

of her wedding. There were a number of old sarees in it….

“All the useless things are kept on the attic. What will

happen if snakes and scorpions make their abode among

them?….. Not a single item is of any use.” Kalavathi started

expressing her disgust. The parents of Viswamadham

pretended as if they did not hear her complaint and

remained silent.

Rajeswaramma picked up the suit case, took out the

clothes and dusted an old saree which she liked most. In

those days they all wore hand woven sarees. There was a

special use for those cotton sarees. After serving their time

if two old sarees were stitched together, they made a soft

quilt. The quilt made a soft bed on the rope cot.

But Rajeswaramma could not come to make a quilt out

of this saree. This old saree was the witness for all the

auspicious festivities that took place in the family. She wore

this saree and washed the feet of the groom at the wedding

of her second daughter. During how many festivals, how

many deliveries and other such functions she had worn the

saree! Veeraiah, her mother’s brother, got the saree specially

made for her on behalf of his mother at the time when the

house was built. It was a nine yards saree with a beautiful

zari border.

Rajeswaramma soaked the saree in water and washed

it. The saree was dust laden. So she soaped and washed it

B.S. RAMULU SELECTED SHORT STORIES 29

again. It was then that the saree came out with its original

colour though a little faded.

“O my man! Do you remember when this saree was

bought !” She smiled looking at Lingaiah. Lingaiah

recognized it and smiled back brightly. Many memories

flashed through his mind also. But he looked angry the next

moment. Lingaiah had a greet liking for the saree. But she

never wore the saree in the nights. That was the reason for

his anger.

“Why did you wash it? Do you want to wear it now?”

he asked.

“Why? Do you want the world to accuse us saying that

your son and daughter-in-law are not buying sarees for me?”

Kalavathi reacted sharply.

Vishwanadham piled up all the old and broken articles

on the street to be sold to the scrap buyer. The scrap buyer

offered to pay a hundred and fifty rupees at three rupees a

kilo for them. If they were in a usable condition they cost

more than ten thousand rupees. Vishwanadham had no

mind to sell them. They were the museum articles of their

house.

“What objection did the articles make, Viswanadham ?

What will you get with the little money after selling them?

Do people sell these household articles? Let them stay in a

corner of the attic." suggested Lingaiah.

Viswanadham too felt like retaining them after learning

about the amount he would get by selling them. But

Kalavathi did not agree. Why should the junk be there

coming in the way of storing other things? “If you don’t

feel like selling them, give them away to someone if they

JOURNEY OF LIFE30

are useful to them. They will remember you always”, said

Kalavathi.

Kalawathi was rolling beedis at home and at the same

time ran the business of selling sarees. She was not able to

tolerate the rats and other insects on the attic. She was afraid

that the old articles would fall on her head whenever the

rats ran this way and that.

On two earlier occasions Viswanadham changed his

mind to sell the junk on his father raising an objection. The

sons and daughters-in-law had distributed among

themselves all household items except the junk on the attic.

They thought the junk would occupy space.

Veeraiah, the grand old man, returned with a towel

covering his head. He found things scattered all over the

place and wondered whether he came at the wrong time.

Rajeswaramma greeted him.

On seeing the saree on the clothes line he thought that

he had seen the saree somewhere. “Where did you get this

old saree?” he asked Rajeswaramma.

“That was the saree you presented to me,” replied

Rajeswaramma.

It was the sixty count saree with a zari border specially

woven by Veeraiah for his niece.

“Amma (mother)! If you wash the saree two more times

in surf it can be used as napkins for the baby of Lavanya,”

said Kalavathi addressing her mother-in-law.

If anybody wanted to use it, it will make a good quilt

with another saree. But use it as napkins for the baby? It

sounded unpleasant to Rajeswaramma.

B.S. RAMULU SELECTED SHORT STORIES 31

“When will you bring your grand daughter from the

hospital?” Veeraiah asked.

“She comes tomorrow. That’s why the house is being

cleaned and washed.” Kalavathi informed that Ravinder

wanted to wash the walls and also the attic with dettol or

else he would take Lavanya to their house.

“We do not bother whatever happens to the old items

after we are gone. Hold your patience for some more time,”

said Lingaiah looking at his son Viswanatham and daughter-

in-law.

Kalavathi wanted to retort saying “perhaps we will be

gone before you go” but did not speak out. Viswanadham

piled all the junk in a corner on the attic and washed the

attic with dettol.

� � �

It was the naming ceremony of Lavanya’s second child.

Lingaiah’s elder brother’s sons and daughter’s-in-law,

mother’s elder sister’s sons and daughters, Rajeswaramma’s

father’s elder brother, younger brother, her husband’s sister’s

sons and daughter-in-law, son-in-law, brothers and

sisters…… many relatives were invited. Vanaja who was

doing P.G. in the city and her two friends also came.

Rajeswaramma’s third daughter-in-law Madhavi, and

Ramesh, her son arrived from the city.

Many relatives recognized Madhavi and greeted her.

But Madhavi could not identify any of them. She was

confused as to who was who because she stayed in the house

of her in-laws for only a few days. As Vanaja was studying

in the city her situation was no better.

JOURNEY OF LIFE32

Gangavva, Lingaiah’s elder brother’s daughter, asked

Rajeswaramma “Vanaja has now the looks of a bride. When

are you going to celebrate her marriage?” This question

became the topic of discussion among everyone. Vanaja

was cross with them. Why should they show interest in her

marriage? Her marriage was her business. She would marry

any time, any body. What had they to do with her marriage?

“They are all our relatives. They should and would be

coming to our house for all festivals”. So saying Lingaiah

introduced the relatives to Vanaja. She was not interested

in these relatives. Her concentration was on her classmates.

Many relatives left after the rituals connected with the

birth of the baby. Some old people and those from the

side of Lavanya’s mother-in-law remained.

By morning Kalavathi started making complaints again.

The tap water was not sufficient. Milk was not sufficient.

The house was over-crowded as it was small. Vegetables

were insufficient. The vessels too were too few for the

crowd….. Viswanadham also felt it a little inconvenient.

Rajeswaramma and Lingaiah heard Kalavathi.

Lavanya’s in-laws also heard her. They took it to their heart

and threatened to leave the place. Kalavathi got worried.

She asserted that she did not mean them at all.

Veeraiah’s eyes moistened. “As long as we are alive we

want to live like this. Later your children will not recognize

other children of this family,” said Veeeraiah sadly.

Rajeswaramma grew thoughtful. There were a number

of old relatives. Help will not the needed from them. The

bonds of relationship with these relatives were weakening

B.S. RAMULU SELECTED SHORT STORIES 33

except for finding grooms for the brides. When marriages

took place new bonds grew with the relatives of the grooms

or the bride’s families. The present day children did not

know the relationship they had with the old relatives. The

difference between ages, status and tastes increased the

distance between the new generation and the old.

Rajeswaramma felt that the bonds with the old relatives

will be kept going till the present old generation lived.

Rajeswaramma took uncle Veeraiah to the doctor. By

the time she returned from the doctor having sent her uncle

away with the medicines, she found something lacking in

the house. The old junk which was piled up at a corner in

the attic had disappeared. Gangarajakka had left to her place.

The old saree which was dried on the clothes line to be

made into a quilt for her grand-daughter was missing.

Lavanya had torn that saree into pieces to be used as nappies

for her new born child.

“Ayyo! Have you torn the old saree?” Rajeswaramma

asked Lavanya, distressed.

“Yes, Naanamma! Mammy told me that you wanted

the saree to be torn into pieces to be used for the baby as

nappies and that you washed it for that purpose.”

Rajeswaramma sighed sadly. When Veeraiah uncle saw

the saree and recognized it she felt she belonged to that

house. Looking at the pieces of the saree now she felt she

was in the house of strangers.

Praveen, Kalavathi’s second son asked his mother

looking at Veeraiah “Ammaa (mammy)...! who is this old

man?"

JOURNEY OF LIFE34

“He is your father’s mother’s younger brother” replied

Kalavathi.

“What do you mean by all that…… father’s

mother’s….. younger brother….?” asked Praveen feeling

confused.

Kalavathi did not know how to explain it to her son.

“Tataiah to which place do you belong? Vidyasagar,

father’s elder brother’s son is in the college, I am told. Why

didn’t he come for yesterday’s function? I want to see him.

Will you go and send him?” asked Praveen.

Veeraiah did not know what to tell him. If he did not

know his own cousin brother, how will the boy know him?

Lingaiah came home and was surprised at the

disappearance of the old junk.

“What happened to all those old items?” shouted

Lingaiah.

He felt that his experiences, his memories and

relationships were all swept away.

“Lavanya stays here for three months. The house is

crowded. You sleep under the tin roof shed behind the

house. It won’t be good for the girl who was delivered of

her baby recently if all your relations stay near the mother-

in-law (attamma),” said Kalavathi to her in-laws.

Rajeswaramma felt hurt but could do nothing. She

collected all her clothes and carried her cot to the tinshed

behind the house.

“I’ll get going” said Veeraiah uncle and left.

Lavanya’s cot-was shifted into the front room.

Vaartha, Telugu Daily, 30-5-1999

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