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A Ganesh Nadar

Finally, there's a wedding in the village

The night was dark. It was cold. A mile away from Panickanadarkudieruppu, there is a hamlet of about 25 houses. A young man of about 25 crept out of his house stealthily. He sat behind a bush, one would think he was answering nature's call. Selva wasn't. He hooted thrice like an owl. It was past midnight, but Lakshmi heard him. Without disturbing her aunt, she left her house and joined Selva. They walked into the fields and sat outside a pump house.

They whispered words of love as they clutched each other passionately. They met regularly like this and were lucky not to be caught.

Selva was leaving for Madras in a week. Lakshmi was angry. "You marry me and then go," she insisted.

"I'll marry you next year," he consoled.

"I can't wait till next year. I love you," she said.

"Even I love you, but I am going to wait," he said.

"What if I am pregnant? I am scared," she said.

"Are you sure you're pregnant?" he asked.

"I don't know," she mumbled.

"Then don't worry," he said.

Selva wasn't particularly bothered, but Lakshmi was petrified. Her pleadings fell on deaf ears; Selva would leave the same evening. She didn't know what to do. Finally, she finally broke down in front of her aunt and told her the story with tear-filled eyes. Lakshmi did not have parents. Her aunt, who was her sole refuge, knew that approaching the boy or his parents would be pointless. If the boy denied the relationship, that would be the end of the girl in their closed society.

The aunt complained to the village panchayat president, K Murugesan. She concluded with, "The boy is leaving for Madras today, so please take action immediately." Murugesan immediately sent for the boy, who had already left for Kurumbur to catch a bus to Madras. Selva had just boarded a bus for Tirunelveli, when two villagers pulled him down.

"What did I do?" he asked.

"We don't know, the president wants to speak to you," they said.

"But I am going to Madras," he said.

"We don't care where you are going, you see the president and then go. Are you coming by yourself, or do we have to drag you home?"

A motley crowd had gathered. Selva submitted meekly. They took him to the girl's house. The president was informed. He arrived with six of his cronies. They sent for union councillor T Murugesapandi, who came immediately.

It was decided that the couple would be married the next morning. Selva's parents protested, but to no avail.

Selva worked in S Rajarathinam's shop in Madras. This was reason enough for Selva's parents to rush to Rajarathinam's house and complain how the panchayat president and councillor were bullying the poor people.

Alongside the hamlet where the controversy erupted is a canal. There is a concrete bridge across this canal. Rajarathinam's Contessa stopped on the other side of the canal. He got down in a belligerent mood. "Just because you are the elected leader, it doesn't mean you can bully anybody," he screamed. "You think you can do anything and nobody is there to object."

Murugesan and his cronies belonged to Nalumavadi village. Only Murugesapandi, like Rajarathinam, was from Panickanadarkudieruppu. Murugesan was livid, "What the hell is he screaming like that for? You tell your villager that, if he wants to talk, he should come and sit here and talk," he told Murugesapandi.

Rajarathinam continued to scream as Murugesapandi hurried across the bridge. "Annachi (elder brother), please calm down," he said. "I knew you would be here, you are the cause of all this nonsense," said Rajarathinam.

Murugesapandi laughed, "No, annachi, I just came here. They called me saying there was some marriage."

"So you just came here to solemnise a marriage without knowing the facts and taking both parties into confidence," shouted Rajarathinam.

"Annachi, the boy has touched the girl. There can be no other option, they must be married," said Murugesapandi.

"You should still convince the boy's parents. You can't kidnap the boy. What if he runs away after marriage? Are you all are going to guard him for the rest of the year?" demanded Rajarathinam. He insisted the boy's parents should be consulted, only then would the marriage last.

Murugesapandi hurried back across the bridge and conveyed Rajarathinam's demand. Murugesan consulted his cronies and the girl's aunt. They agreed, and the boy's parents were called. Selva's father said, "This girl has ensnared my boy..." Murugesan shouted, "That topic is closed. We don't care who ensnared whom, they like each other."

The father thought for a while, glared at the girl and said, "I have only one son. We have our own house and he is earning Rs 2,000 per month in Madras. Prospective girls are offering 10 sovereigns of gold and Rs 10,000 in cash to marry him..."

Murugesapandi said, "The girl doesn't have parents, be reasonable."

"I would've found a girl with parents," the father said.

Murugesan got angry, "You should've controlled your son and taught him how to behave with girls."

Murugesapandi went to Rajarathinam, who was still standing by his car. "Annachi, the boy's father is asking for too much," he said.

"How much is the girl's side offering?" asked Rajarathinam.

"Only the aunt is here. The uncle is in Dubai," said Murugesapandi.

"If he is in Dubai, he must have money," said Rajarathinam.

"The aunt said she'll give three sovereigns of gold and Rs 3,000 in cash," said Murugesapandi.

Rajarathinam called the boy's parents and told them that they should agree to a small dowry as their son had admitted a relationship with the girl. They reluctantly agreed. Rajarathinam told Murugesapandi, "Okay, tell the aunt to put four sovereigns of gold and Rs 2,000 in cash. No more debate." And he left.

Murugesapandi conveyed the demand to Murugesan. Everybody agreed and the marriage was fixed for the next day.

The next morning, the girl's aunt approached Murugesapandi. "See, I don't have any money here. I'll write to my husband and he'll send the money. Till then, you keep my mangalsutra and lend me the money." Murugesapandi was moved to tears. The mangalsutra is very important to a Hindu woman. She removes it only after her husband's death. This woman was removing it for a girl who wasn't even her own daughter. "I don't want your mangalsutra. Please approach the cooperative bank, I'll phone the manager."

An hour later, the aunt gave Murugesapandi Rs 2,000. He went and gave it to Rajarathinam, who sent it to the boy's house. Rajarathinam also donated Rs 2000 for the marriage. After the marriage, Murugesapandi requested Rajarathinam, "Give the boy a holiday for two months. Let the kids be happy." Rajarathinam agreed.

Illustration: Laura Fernandes