Sankaranthi

Jalaja felt very lonely and sad. A new family, a new life partner and a new city. Thankfully, she had her job and she spent about nine hours outside home. Once she came home, she felt totally lost and lonely, especially after spending 26 years of her life in a family of 14 people back there in Belgaum.  

When this proposal for her marriage was brought by Kulkarni uncle, her parents too felt that Jalaja may feel very lonely in a new city, so far away from her hometown. They were hesitating, while Kulkarni uncle kept advising them, “Which age are you living in Vishwa? People are sending their 18-year-old daughters to America for studies and you are worrying so much to send Jalaja to Shillong! After all it is within India. Praveen is a gem of a person. He will take good care of your daughter. She is in KV and can get a transfer to Shillong. Don’t let go this opportunity. These days, it is very difficult to find such a good proposal so easily because most of the youngsters prefer love marriages.”

Jalaja took a good ten days to give her assent. She liked Praveen in the very first instance that she met him. Is this what they call instinct? She always used to ask her mother, “How did you marry Appa, whom you had never seen or met before?” and her mother would say, “Some instinct gave me a green signal. I don’t regret. I am blessed. Most of the marriages happened that way in those days.”

Jalaja somehow found nobody whom she could love. She met Praveen a couple of times and discussed with her close friends and finally gave her assent, as she could find no negative aspect to reject him. He was from a good family, whom they knew for years, was well educated and worked for the Central Government. He spoke very softly and respected elders. He had no expectations. The marriage was a day’s simple ceremony and here she was in Shillong for the last six months.  

But she missed her large joint family of Kaakas, Kaakis, grandparents, cousins, her sister Jamuna and of course her parents. She missed the busy life of the chawl in Belgaum, where all the families were close friends. In the last six months in Shillong, she hardly spoke to any of her neighbours, as nobody showed any interest. They were busy in their own world and spoke only Assamese or Bengali.  

When she vented out her feelings to her mother, she said, “Jalaja, don’t be so depressed. Next month is Shankaranthi. I will send some ellu-bella mixture and sakkare acchu (sugar dolls) prepared at home. Distribute them to your neighbours and friends and see the difference.”

Shankaranthi arrived! Jalaja had received her mother’s parcel. She packed the ellu-bella and sakkare acchu in small clay pots. She set off with the pots, plantains and flowers and knocked on her neighbour’s house. A short middle-aged woman opened the door and Jalaja said, “Namasthe auntie. I am your neighbour. Today is Shankaranthi. We have this custom of distributing these things for this festival. I want to be your friend. Would you accept?” The woman immediately invited her inside and offered her a seat. Though she spoke only broken English, she expressed her pleasure and welcome Jalaja to Shillong. She asked her to feel at home and seek her help in case of need.  

Jalaja distributed the ellu-bella to ten houses around and also to her colleagues in the school. Most of them responded in a friendly manner. From that day, her life changed. Her neighbours spoke to her now and then, invited them home for tea, exchanged sweets for their festivals and Jalaja gradually started loving her new life.

This is the real ethos of Indian festivals!