Sunday Stories-Story 5 Designer Saree

                   Designer saree

            Naveen is a young man from a middle class family. Like everyone else, he is a college graduate who enjoys his studies. He does not get along well with anyone. The elders were never told the word monogamy in the family.

            The house is big because of the big family. Naveen reads and writes in the room allotted to him and concentrates on his studies. Today the house was set up for his cousin's weddings, but Naveen was in the room.Then he heard a chatter and laughter near his room's window. Slowly he got up and came to the window.Outside in the hall, some young girls wearing skirts and half sarees were singing and dancing.Among them one sang sweetly and danced very gracefully.That girl took a place in the corner of Naveen's heart. Is this what they call 'first love'?

             The girl's name is Rukmani. Everyone knows her calling Rukie, Rukie. Rukmani is the niece of his uncle's wife Aunty Radha. Everyone had come for the wedding. It was right time for Naveen to open the door and Rukie came and stand just against him and stopped dancing. Unexpected closer made Rukmani to stare at Naveen for a moment. Her eyes met with Naveen’s.

               After the marriage all the relatives left bidding farewell to all. The house became quiet. Naveen, who graduated from college a year later, got a job.Naveen’s parents like the average parents started looking for a girl to get him married.Naveen is also an average young man. When he went to see Narmada, he saw the comfortable life of the bride’s house and like everyone else he agreed to the marriage. Narmada, a well educated modern woman, surrendered herself completely to Naveen.A child was also born. Naveen’s life was running smoothly as college, study, work, family, child,etc……

                The child is one year old. Narmada made all the arrangements to celebrate her son’s birthday in a very special way. She had invited all the relatives. Naveen has to work in the office even on the child’s birthday. Naveen was able to come home just in time to cut the cake.

               Narmada told Naveen to take care of all the relatives who came for the party.So after cutting the cake he turned to others to inquire about their health. That’s when he saw those eyes again. Rukmani was there. Just sitting quietly next to Aunty Radha. Naveen went to sit next to Aunty Radha, and asked, "How are you, Aunty?" Aunty said with a smile,”oh,dear!I am fine.Thank you.”

Then she remembered something and looked at Narmada who was treating everyone with enthusiasm and said, “You have settled down with a good wife and a beautiful child.I wish Rukie also has to be settled like this.”

        “ Why, Auntie, why do you worry for our most lovable Rukie?” Naveen began to say.“She has bad time; Her mother and father died in an accident three months ago; After that there is no one to look after her. There is no property, no jewelry, no money.She is struggling with her existing studies and working as a teacher of the school next door. Naveen stumbled for a while to reply, when Aunty asked,“Who will come forward to marry such a woman? Tell me .”

Meantime Rukie was doing lace embroidery on a sari without distracting herself even while they were talking. In a short time that designer saree caught everyone’s attention. What an elegant work! Narmada looked at the sari and said, “What an engraving! I had bought this sari for our wedding day. See how beautifully Rookie has changed it. ” As Narmada told Naveen, the first love in a corner somewhere in Naveen's mind seemed to blossom again and withered soon.

      When the birthday celebration was over, everyone left. The wedding day came, Narmada asked, "What sari to wear ?" opening her cupboard.Then Naveen immediately told her to wear the designer sari, Narmada smiled at her husband with romantic eyes and wore the designer sari sewn by Rukie.

Will the situation ,where youngsters like Naveen put an end to first love, thinking only of a comfortable life, change? Will today’s youth voluntarily try to marry women like Rukie without losing their backbone? Readers, you just answer…..