Not a diamond to upkeep

Not a diamond to upkeep

      “You said about it many a time. But I don’t think they would agree to it now. They became too rich.” While observing his mother’s face keenly Anirudh said. He was feeling surprise how she could believe in that now also.

      “It is not so. Your father and he are very good friends. Moreover, it his request to your father to make you his son in law. I don’t think he would go back on his words now.” Settling in the chair in that kitchen more comfortably, Savitry said. “He is such a good man.”

      “Then why did not……” Anirudh tried to say something.

      “You have asked this question many a time before and I answered it to you for all the times.” Savitry smiled. “It is I who came quite far from them and became secluded. I don’t want to take anyone’s help and strongly desired to live on my own.”

      “Then…” Anirudh paused for a moment before saying “Why this? What is the loss if that girl does not marry me? We both are quite happy with the way we are living.”

      Savitry hissed out heavily before saying. “So this is what you have understood me. You are thinking that I want her as my daughter in law only for their wealth.” Looking straight into the eyes of her son she said.

      Anirudh did not say anything. This discussion was not new between them both and this question was also answered by his mother before. But he was feeling this was all that much absurd he could not stop asking the question.

      “It is for something that has been decided between your father and that Ranganath. Even it was the proposal of that Ranganath, your father also strongly decided to implement that.”

      “That Ranganath and my father both were quite matured, educated and intelligent. How they could decide about a boy and girl’s marriage without their knowledge, consent that too when they were just five years or so old?”

      “I cannot say anything about that now. I cannot bear you say even a single word against either Ranganath or your father. I am having lot of respect on them both. It has been decided like that a long time back and it needs to be done.”

      Anirudh nodded his head helplessly. “I barely remember that girl now. I was aged just five years or so when we both were parted. She was even younger.” He breathed deeply and hissed out. “I am not thinking that she is even aware of this proposal between my father and her father. I don’t think that Ranganath even remember this proposal.”

      “You go there, make him knowledgeable about this proposal and remind it to him if he forget.” Savitry said with a firm voice.

      “Mom, you really…..” Anirudh exasperated.

      Savitry stopped him with an impatient wave of her hand. “I really don’t bother whether that Ranganath remember about this or not, whether that girl is known about it or not or whether your marriage would be performed with her or not.” She paused for a moment as if to accentuate whatever she was going to say. “But you must go and see what they do say. If they say no to it, there is no problem, we happily forget all about this. But we should try to fulfill what your father desired so much at that time.”

      “I don’t think I can get an appointment of that gentleman. He has become too rich. Not to say my marriage with that girl, if I can get his appointment it would be so much.” Anirudh said as if he did not hear whatever her mother said.

      “First go and try. I am feeling positive that it all happens in the way I am thinking.”

&&&

Whenever Anirudh was thinking about that he became frustrated and irritated. How his mother still could bank hopes on such a silly proposal which has been made between two immature people (if people did take such type of decisions when their children were quite young, they sure were immature). But he knew very well that his mother was not at all thinking about the richness of that Ranganath and she never would worry about the benefits that she could get through her daughter in law. She lived on her own and looked after him so well after his father’s death without taking help of anyone even so near and dear to her. Surely it was not the richness of that Ranganath she wanted to make his daughter her daughter in law. As still she loved and respected his father that much, she wanted to fulfill his desire which he had at one time however silly it might appear.

Ranganath and his father Siva Prakash both were close friends at one time. His father used to be wealthy while that Ranganath was clever but poor. Ranganath always wanted to do some business or the other but he had no means to start one.

“I invest all the money to start a business and you invest your brains. We both are going to be the partners in the businesses you are going to do and share everything half-half.” His father proposed to him.

Ranganath happily agreed to it and they started their businesses as they thought of. By that time they both were married and Siva Prakash has a son, Anirudh and Ranganath has a daughter Manasa.

“How it would be if our friendship turns into relationship also?” on one day Ranganath said to Siva Prakash.

“Our friendship is more than any relationship.” Siva Prakash laughed. “Anyhow, how can we make our friendship into relationship?”

“By performing my daughter’s marriage with your son.”

“How silly!” Siva Prakash exclaimed. “They both are below five years age!”

“When they become majors.” Ranganath said. “I hundred percent want your son marry my daughter. Even it takes a long time I have no objection, but I want our friendship turns into relationship.”

Siva Prakash nodded his head and remained silent. But Ranganath said the same thing again and again also and Siva Prakash too started strongly wishing that.

As the things stood so, quite unfortunately their business ran into losses and they lost everything. As it is not enough, Siva Prakash died in an accident. Then, Savitry took her son, came to a faraway place and started living on her own working as a teacher. She did not let anyone know about their plight.

But Ranganath did not stop there. With lot of difficulty he could get some investment again and started his business once more. This time he thrived a lot and he became that much rich and famous, even Savitry who came quite faraway from him came to know about him through newspapers and media.

Anirudh’s remembrance of either that Ranganath or his daughter was quite vague. But he still could remember that he and Manasa used to play together and used to be friends. No one can think that a girl’s behavior below five years remain the same after twenty years or so! Anirudh smiled in himself. What an innocent and immature age upto five years! Anyone would be quite friendly.

He was feeling more and more frustrated thinking about his plight. He has to go and meet that Ranganath! How he could get an appointment in the first place? Alright, even after he secured the appointment surely that Ranganath would have forgotten everything about the proposal. How he could remind him about it? You and my father decided to perform your daughter’s marriage with me. What he would do after being reminded so? No surprise if he would ask him to get out or ask one of his servants to throw him out.

“It is not easy to meet that man. You know how people worry about to meet him?” luckily the person who was working at Ranganath and Anirudh were classmates at one time.

“But I have to meet him. It is very important.” Anirudh was still feeling quite uneasy.

“Why do you want to him that much?” eyeing Anirudh cynically, his friend and Ranganath’s P.A., Chakravarthy, asked him.

“I cannot say all about that. But I want to meet him.” Anirudh became even more uneasy. He knew that his friend was getting angry for his secrecy.

“Alright.” Chakravarthy nodded his head. “In half an hour or so he phones to me. I tell him that someone by name Anirudh wants to meet him.”

“Tell him that his friend Siva Prakash’s son Anirudh wants to meet him.” Anirudh said.

Chakravarthy startled on hearing that. “Is it is so? Why did not you tell me about this till now?”

Anirudh smiled and remained silent. He did not know what to say.

“If you are son of this Ranganath’s friend’s son, you should have been quite different now.” There was still surprise on the face of Chakravarthy.

They both were involved in talking this and that and it had become indeed quite difficult to Anirudh to tell Chakravarthy why he remained like that even being a son of Ranganath’s friend.

Suddenly they were interrupted from a phone call to Chakravarthy’s cell. He looked into his cell phone and said. “Now he is calling. I tell him that you are waiting to meet him.”

As Anirudh was tensely waiting, Chakravarthy attended that call. After some talk between them both relating to some business affairs, Chakravarthy with difficulty make room and said “Sir, someone by name Anirudh wants to meet you.”

“I have no time to meet anyone. Don’t give appointments to anyone without my knowledge.” After saying this without listening anymore Ranganath cut the call off.

“He cut off the call.” Chakravarthy irritatingly said. “He does not want to be interrupted like this, but for your sake I call him again.”

“You forgot. I said to you to tell him that his friend Siva Prakash’s son Anirudh wants to meet him” Anirudh reminded him again.

Chakravarthy nodded his head and dialed Ranganath’s number.

“Tell what?” Anirudh also was listening to that voice. There was annoyance. It was even more irritating and annoying to Anirudh also. Why he should suffer in this way?

“Sir, he is saying that he is the son of your friend Siva Prakash and he wants to meet you.”

“What? Tell me once again.” There was an immediate change in his tone.

“Yes Sir, he is saying that he is the son of your friend Siva Prakash.”

Anirudh became tense once again.

“Take him immediately to me. Don’t delay anymore.”

Then the call was cut off once again.

They both startled on hearing that and exchanged surprising glances.

“I think you too heard that. Come with me.”

Anirudh just followed the fast movement of Chakravarthy from there.

&&&

“So, you are the son of my close friend Siva Prakash.” Anirudh’s hand was in Ranganath’s hand and he gripped it strongly. There was full pleasure in Ranganath’s face.

“You need no doubt in it. I am the son of your close friend.” Anirudh was still feeling lot of surprise. He did not expect this type of warm welcome from Ranganath at all.

“I am seeing a lot of resemblance of my friend in you. In fact I am feeling like looking at my friend.” Ranganath suddenly hugged and kissed on the cheek of Anirudh. “Why you and your mother never tried to contact me? You did not know how much I have searched for you both.”

“I am sorry.” Anirudh did not know what to say to that. “Mom, did not want to disturb you unnecessarily”. 

“What nonsense? How that is going to be a disturbance? You don’t know how much I respect your mother.”

Anirudh remained silent thinking hard what to talk.

“Alright. How is your mother? How she is doing now?”

“She is fine.” Anirudh was still struggling more and more. He just did not know how to tell him the purpose behind his coming like this. They both were comfortably sat in the chairs in the chamber of Ranganath.

“You people made yourself so secluded and sequestrated that I could not find you anywhere. That was why I could not convey you people the news of my wife’s death.” Suddenly there was sorrowful note in h

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is voice.

“I am…I am really sorry. When…when it happened?” Anirudh suddenly felt bad.

“Ten years back. My daughter Manasa was just fourteen years aged then.

In fact Anirudh did not remember anything about Ranganath’s wife. But the news was quite upsetting to him. After receiving such a warm welcome from him, Anirudh did not like any bad or sorrowful thing to Ranganath.

“Alright. We go home. There you can see your childhood friend Manasa. She often thinks about you.”

Anirudh startled on hearing about that. Manasa was thinking about him! But how? They were parted when they were just five years or so aged.

&&&

Anirudh stunned and did not expect this at all. He expected that Manasa would be glamorous and beautiful. But he did not expect her to be such an exquisite and attractive girl. Just in seconds after seeing Manasa, Anirudh was strongly attracted towards her.

“We both played together in our childhood, do you remember any of that?” in between their talking, Manasa asked him.

“Yes, I remember.” Anirudh was facing trouble to look into the eyes of Manasa. He did remember only very little about those days. How this girl remembered those days?

While the father and daughter were talking quite affectionately, time passed quite unnoticing. During their lunch in the dining room, Ranganath said “Whether you know about this or not I don’t know. But when you and my daughter were just kids, your father and I took a decision. In fact first it was my proposal and my request. But your father also agreed to that. That is to perform my daughter’s marriage with you.”

Anirudh once again startled on hearing that. He did not know that Ranganath would broach that subject that fast. It seemed that he was agreeable to that decision. Unintentionally Anirudh looked into the face of Manasa. There was a small smile on her lips which was conveying her consent also to that.

“I want to perform my daughter’s marriage as soon as possible as she is crossing her marriage age. In fact I am trying to locate you my level best. I think that you and your mother do have no objection to your marriage with my daughter.”

Anirudh was still looking into the face of Manasa and there was no change in her expression at all except the smile widened even more. Anirudh was about to say something but before that a servant maid came there.

“Sir, one Mr.Viswanath came for you. He is saying that you have given permission to him to meet you now here.” The servant maid said.

“Yes. I am just waiting for him. He has to come half an hour or so before itself. We have planned to lunch together. No, problem. Take him here. Still he can have his lunch here with us”.

While Anirudh overwhelming with surprise and happiness, exchanging glances with Manasa there, Viswanath entered into that kitchen. He was a fifty years aged person, with a bald head and protruding stomach. After formal words and his slumping into one of the chairs around the dining table, Ranganath introduced Anirudh to him. Lunch was served promptly to Viswanath also.

After some more this and that talking while continuing their lunch Ranganath asked Viswanath “Is there any particular reason that you want to see me on this day?”

“Yes, there is.” Viswanath nodded his head. “You know I have lost my last rupee also in my business. I did all my business quite successfully until sometime back, but it happened like that.”

“If you want any help from my side, either financially or otherwise, don’t hesitate. I always feel quite happy to help all my close friends.”

They were struggling to talk like that while taking their lunch. Ranganath, Manasa and Anirudh slowed their pace in eating to be in match with Viswanath.

“I know about your kindheartedness more than anyone else. Not just to me you do like helping to anyone in distress. But the lucky thing here is….” He completely stopped his eating and leaned back in the chair. “Even I have lost my last rupee also in the business; I did not fall into a debt trap. You need not give me any money but you have to help me in some other way.”

“Sure I do. Just tell me whatever it is.” Hissing out heavily Ranganath said.

“Better we do finish our lunch first. Then I shall tell you about it.” Observing the predicament of the other three at the dining table, Viswanath said.

&&&

After lunch, as Viswanath said that it was not something private or secret and they also could be with them, Manasa and Anirudh also assembled with Viswanath and Ranganath in the hall in that house. As the others watching with surprise, Viswanath took out a small packet from his pocket and opened it quite carefully. Then he took out a medium sized diamond from it and gave it to Ranganath.

“Can you say how much valuable it is? I know one of your businesses is with diamonds and you assess their value very well.” Giving the diamond to Ranganath, Viswanath asked.

“It is a very valuable diamond and fetch you lot of money.” After observing it carefully for sometime Ranganath said.

“It is in our family for generations together but now I want to sell it.” Leaning back in the chair Viswanath said.

“Why? If it is for money you need not do this. You know very well I lend you however much you want.”

“Of course, I need some money quite desperately and I knew you will give me that. But the reason behind my selling this diamond is not just for money.” Leaning back in the chair, with a smile on his lips Viswanath said.

“Then tell me what that reason is compelling you to part with your prized family possession.” Still observing that diamond carefully Ranganath said.

“Sure I do.” Ranganath nodded his head. “Until sometime back I was a rich man. The generations before me were also quite rich people. We did not face any problem in keeping a diamond like this then. This value matched with our richness and we have had such type of equipment with us to protect it from all types of dangers.” He breathed deeply and hissed out heavily before continuing. “But now after getting loss in my business in such a way I became a very ordinary person. I am not having such type of costly equipment with me to protect it now. Moreover the value of it quite surpassed my status now. I am feeling quite uneasy to keep it with me now.”

“Quite absurd! Why you are thinking like that? You may get profits in your business again and become rich once more.” With a frown on his forehead Ranganath said.

“I do not intend to do a business again. Anyhow, if I become rich again for any reason, I can buy it back from you. But now please buy this from me. It shall be quite helpful in both ways to me.” With a pleading look in his eyes, Viswanath said.

“If that is what you strongly desire, I buy it from you. Don’t worry.” With a small smile on his lips Ranganath said.

&&&

After Viswanath left exchanging the diamond for a lot of money from Ranganath, once again Manasa, Anirudh and Ranganath were assembled in the hall.

“I do start where I have left it. I still remember what I said before that Viswanath came. I want to perform my daughter’s marriage with you as fast and soon as possible. I think your mother also do agree with it as she is also very much respect your father.”

Anirudh hissed out heavily and leaned back in the chair. “Don’t you want what exactly we both are thinking about this marriage? That decision has taken when we both were just five years or so aged without our consent. How you are thinking that we do agree with it after we became adults and think in a proper way?”

Frowns were gathered immediately on the foreheads of Ranganath and Manasa. “I have no objection whatsoever to that decision. I am sure that I am thinking in a proper way.” Manasa’s face blushed with anger.

“But I have. This is not agreeable to me. I cannot marry Manasa.” With firmness in his voice Anirudh said.

Ranganath and Manasa exchanged hasty and worried glances. “Why that is so? Do you know how much your father and I want my daughter’s marriage with you?” there was worry in Ranganath’s voice also.

“However much strong the wish and desire, parents cannot force their decisions on their offspring.” The firmness in his voice was still continuing like that.

Ranganath nodded his head helplessly and looked at his daughter. “What is your decision now? You cannot be his wife if he is stubborn like that.”

Manasa hissed out heavily before saying, “It is children’ duty and responsibility to fulfill their parents’ wishes. I never bother about the reasonability about their desires. It is the desire of my father that I do become your wife. If you don’t want to marry me I remain a damsel forever but never marry.”

“What is this? I don’t like it.” Anirudh was confused how to react to that.

“It is so and it would not change. I never marry if you don’t marry me and please remember it. ” With firmness in her voice Manasa also said. “Moreover, I am not a diamond and I don’t need upkeep.”

“One thing I don’t like in my daughter is she is adamant. Once she takes a decision she never changes that. I am afraid she remains a damsel forever.” While looking worryingly into the face of Anirudh, Ranganath said.

Suddenly Anirudh laughed. “You need not worry about it like that. She is going to be my wife as soon as possible. In fact the purpose behind my coming here is…..” he explained how his mother asked him to come here and remind these people about the desire of his father and Ranganath.

“It is indeed wonderful! There is no necessity to worry now thinking whether your mother agrees to it or not.” The expression on Ranganath’s face suddenly turned into a happy one.

“I shall go from here on this day itself and tell my mother all about this.” Anirudh said.

“Before doing that” Ranganath said. “Why this sudden change came into you? Why you first did not agree to marry my daughter? Then why suddenly you changed your decision like this?”

“Your daughter can explain well about it. Ask her about it later.”

&&&

“It is surprising to me. How cannot I understand something that you understood? Do you really know the reason for the fast changes in his decisions?” looking into the eyes of his daughter Ranganath asked.

“Very well I know. If you have observed a little carefully you too would have known.” She laughed and started saying. “At first he has no objection in marrying me. He came here only at his mother’s request to remind you about the decision you and his father took long back. But after hearing whatever Viswanath has said, his thinking changed. He put himself in Viswanath’s place and me in the diamond. Now he is a very ordinary person and how he can keep a very rich and famous girl with him? Viswanath is feeling fear even to keep a lifeless diamond with him after he became poor as it is quite valuable and surpassed his status. But now here I am a rich girl with life and thoughts! How can an ordinary person like him can keep me? That was what made him to take sudden strong decision like that.

Making my decision clear like that to remain a damsel forever if he does not marry me, put Anirudh in confusion. After my saying about diamond, he understood I understood what he was thinking. Once it became clear to him, that I am ready to live with him in whatever condition he may be, his doubts were cleared and he agreed to marry me.”

“Fantastic! You proved yourself cleverer to me.” Ranganath laughed happily and said “Alright, make one thing clear to me. Are you really interested in marrying Anirudh or are you doing it just because of our decision long back?”

Manasa leaned back in the chair and said. “Anirudh has character. He is not thinking about your richness at all. He thought himself as an ordinary person even after marriage with me also and feared like that. Where we can get a youth like that who does not wish to live on the richness of his parents’ in law? Moreover, he is handsome, educated and intelligent. Why do I object for my marriage with him?”

“You are absolutely right.” Ranganath nodded his head.