The Uncertainty In A Life of A Women

By Meghana Damle

The Uncertainty in a Life of a Woman

This story Starts in the year 1930's, when India was yet to get independence. After independence though the country progressed and lot of changes took place, but women in this country were yet to get freedom. This is a story about a woman and how changes happened in her life and the way she faced them.

Introduction of Characters.

Name

Kusum Pathak After marriage - Before marriage Kumud Joshi. Born in Brahmin family. Father Professor of Sanskrit, mother homemaker, both parents died due to TB when Kusum was 4 years old within the span of 6 months, three siblings one big brother who was 4 years older than her, who a doctor, but died at the age of twenty-eight due to TB. One big sister 2 years older than her and one small sister 2 years younger than her. She is a seventh standard pass from a Marathi medium, was not able to learn English as there was War situation during that period and they had to shift to their Native village for few years. She is 5.6 inches tall, fair complexion, black eyes, and deep brown hair, clever and full of life.

Kumud Joshi’s Husband Rajaram - SSC pass, tall, dark complexion, good features, good personality. Just a compounder in Doctors Clinic, small salary, and leaves in Chawl, Girgaon a place in Mumbai Maharashtra with Mother and One younger sister, who is graduate and working, she is blind with one eye, as it was damaged when she was a child because of high fever. Rajaram is extremely hard working, he stitches clothes with the help of his wife. In those olden days when men were not helping women with household work, he helps his wife as much as he can, for him his family and his brothers, sister and their kids are everything which afterwards creates a big problem. Kumud and Rajaram have age gap of 15 years between them.

Kumud's Daughter Hema - Only child, their financial condition is not good, so they decided to have one child whether it is of any gender. She is graduate and working in Bank. Nice and good girl to her parents and financially supported her parents till there death.

Hema’s Husband Anil - Graduate and working in Bank. Understanding, but has problems of his own and family.

Hema’s and Anil only daughter Kavya - Bubbly child and Kumud’s only grand Daughter, Kumud's best friend and her entire world.

Chapter 1 – Bad News

Kumud was born in a Brahmin Family in the year 1935 before independence. Her father was Professor of Sanskrit and mother a Housewife. They stayed in Mumbai Girgaon in big Bungalow with her two uncles and their family. It was big joint family and common to live together in those days. Her father was the middle brother and Professor of Sanskrit who use to teach in college. He was more educated than her two uncles but was a very humble person and had respect and love for his brothers. Kumud’s elder uncle was a pujari and received Dakshina’s in the form of money for the pujas he performed, her younger uncle had big grocery store which was running very well.

 Life was going good for her. At the age of four when life is full of innocence and you get lot of love, she lost her both parents within a span of 6 months to the disease of TB (Tuberculosis). In those days it was a fatal if not diagnosed early. Kumud’s younger sister who was 2 years younger to her went with her grandparents (parents of her mother) as she was too small. Kusum and her two older siblings, her elder brother who was four years older and elder sister who was two years elder than her lived with her uncle’s family. She at that time was too young to understand the value of education. If she knew about it. She would have cried or acted stubborn and gone with her younger sister and graduated like her. She did not know her grandparents valued girls’ education, but it was unfortunate she could not get the chance. 

When she told stories to her granddaughter about her olden days. She always mentioned about how she missed on not completing her education and about her uncles and their wives. How nice they were to them, especially her elder uncles' wife she shared one memory of her aunt. In those days they use to get the saris from the ration office every three months, for each woman three sarees. All her sisters had three sarees each, but Kumud’s saris would get easily torn every month, so her elder aunt always bought more saris from another shop for her. She loved Kumud more than others even more than her kids. As in Kumud she always saw herself.

 Leaving without parents at such an immature age, it was not easy. Not having her mother or father around and leaving with uncle’s family adds an excessive pressure. Though they treated them like there own kids. The elder brother of Kumud was there favourite, as he was the first-born son of their dead’s brother and was very clever and became first doctor in their family. They were fourteen kids in the family including them, seven brothers and seven sisters. The family was big, but all stayed happily. They studied in good school. In eight standard English was the new language introduced to students. All her siblings older than her were studying that language. She was going to learn next year as she was in seventh standard. She was bright student and eager to learn, but her bad luck, that year first war broke between India and Pakistan and there was emergency declared in the country. They all shifted to their native place Ratnagiri for two years and going to school was out of question for girls in those days.

As girls’ education was not important by her uncle’s family. All her brothers went to school while girls stayed home helping aunties in their daily chores of the house. When she came back to Mumbai (Bombay), her uncle and aunties started planning for the marriages of the girls according to their age. She went to their native place at that time her age was twelve years old and when she came back her age was fourteen. 

Those sisters who were 3 to 4 years older than her started getting married, so her life became busy in helping her aunties manage all the weeding preparation and other house work like cooking, cleaning, washing .As they were training her and other sisters younger than her to be expert in house work as after marriage that is very important. She liked to read in her spare time. The books available were less, but all her brothers knew her love for reading. They brought her Marathi books from there college libraries. Whenever possible she read newspaper which came in the house but after two days. As her brothers and uncles use to read it. After that the newspaper went in the shop to pack things, but her younger cousin brother kept the newspaper aside for her to read.

She thought books and newspaper are the binoculars to get the glimpse of the outside world. People who do not get to travel can at least get the idea of what is happening in the outside world through reading. Each year one of her older sisters or brothers were getting married. She had now turned into a beautiful looking woman and proposals were coming for her. In those days groom having a good government job was the best proposal. So many bad had happened in her life. Loosing parents at such an early age, not able to complete education. Then they fix her marriage to a well-educated boy who had government job. The hardships she was going to face after the marriage and the effects on her future are quite sad.

Chapter 2 – More Hardships.

When she was eighteen, she got married to a man who was working in a government job as an officer. For her money was never the criteria, she thought of completing her education after marriage, by telling her husband to let her finish her education. She thought if the person is willing to do challenging work for their own success, they will succeed. 

But things were not going as per her plan. After marriage she found out that her husband was having an affair and in love with a widow aunt, who was staying with them. She was her husband’s far relative and was ten years older than him. The aunt had come in the house to cook food and do household work for her husband. As Kumud’s in-laws were staying in village and in Mumbai (Bombay) there was no one to take care of their son, so they send her. His parents kept secret from her and the family about the relationship their son was having with that widow aunt. They thought he is young and let him enjoy his adulthood, as he will be marrying the girl they select. They did not pay attention. But he told his parents that he wanted to marry his aunt as he had fallen in love with her. They were angry with him and fixed his marriage with Kumud without consulting him. After hearing this Kumud felt like someone had hit her head with a big road and all her dreams had shattered in one moment. In anger she asked him? why he said yes. He said yes to her only on one condition. If the aunt stays with him otherwise, he will cut all ties with his parents. His parents agreed as he was the only son. He had decided he was never going to be with Kumud. But when he saw her, he fell for her beauty and got married. The person who betrayed her was the person she got married and was going to spend her whole life with him.

He told Kumud to stay with him as his wife. He will fulfil all Kumud wishes and will allow her to finish her studies. But will not leave the aunt as he wants both to stay with him. The aunt had given her consent of sharing him with her. After hearing this she sat down with a shock thinking how women are meant to be as objects to bare kids, make man happy and do all housework for the family. It is worse than the servants of the house. 

She was full of anger thinking. How women are enemies of other women. Kumud felt pain in her heart she did not say a word. In that moment she felt the importance of being financially independent. She left the house and went back to her uncle’s home. She told her brother what happened. As her brother understood all the situation, he explained it to both her uncles and took her to their native place Ratnagiri. Kumud’s brother was a doctor and had opened his clinic. She stayed with her brother for eight years, helping him with his patients and taking care of him, there she learned how to read and write English, stitching and sewing from a lady who was patient of her brother. She started stitching clothes like sari blouses, frocks for girls, pyjama and formal pants and shirts for men. She started getting orders and money as her work was excellent, she became financially independent and thought of teaching what she had learnt to other girls, so that they became independent like her. The confidence made her happy, which helped her to forget her sad past. Time is the biggest medicine, but again life is full of uncertainty and challenges. We need to face it with patience and strength.

Kumud and her brother visited Mumbai often as all her cousins’ siblings weeding were happening. Even her sister who was two years younger to her got married. During one of the visits something terrible happened which brought more hardships and challenges in her life. After her cousin sister got married. It was time for her brother and her to again return to their native village. The day before leaving it was raining heavily and her elder brother had gone out for his work and had forgotten to take umbrella. He got wet in that rain due to which he got high fever, cough and cold. The health of her brother deteriorated as his infection spread and he died by TB within one month after battling with the disease. Kumud’s Uncles spent lot of money in his treatment, but he died same as his parents. As he was doctor by profession, he knew he was not going to survive and told his both Uncles to stop the treatment as it was expensive and of no use. The brother who was her protector, supporter and her strength had left her in between at the time when she needed emotional support. She became alone and shattered by the sudden loss in her life. Kumud who had slowly become independent in her life suddenly lost control after her brother’s death. In those days women did not work nor had education, instead they were married and taught household work. As she was leaving with her uncle’s family, they got her married for the second time. The Second marriage changed her life completely. But how Rajaram her second husband came in her life is also an interesting story.

Chapter 3 -The Second Marriage

After her elder brother’s death, she once again started leaving with her uncle’s family. Kumud’s Younger uncle had a grocery shop name Joshi &Sons which her uncle and his younger son ran. The cousin had no interest in education and left the school when he was in sixth standard. After uncle became old, he took over the responsibility of managing the shop. One day while he was busy arranging the goods. A tall handsome, not so fair gentleman came in the shop, inquiring about the Modak flour which he wanted. (Modak - is a steam rice dumpling stuffed with jaggery and fresh coconut, made as prasad for Lord Ganpati). The cousin brother of Kumud asked him how he knew that Modak flour was available? He said his neighbours knew about this shop where Modak flour was available for entire year. He came as his mother wanted to make Prasad for the god. The frequency of him coming to shop increased as he found out other groceries kept in the shop were also of decent quality and the prices were cheap. Soon he became good friends with Kumud's cousin. 

In one of the interactions her cousin brother invited Rajaram to come over for tea and snacks with his wife and kids. On that Rajaram told him that he is not married and now at the age of forty-six, he is not planning to get married. But his mother keeps on insisting that he get married, because after her death who will look after him. 

One-year passed by and Rajaram became permanent customer and good friend. One day when he came to the shop to meet Kumud's Cousin brother he saw Kumud helping her cousin brother in shop. He thought she must be a helper helping him with the shop work. Then he again looked at her and realised that she may be his friend elder cousin sister. Whom he had mentioned is a divorcee and had suffered unfortunate events though it was not her fault. Rajaram could not put his eyes anywhere else, as he liked Kumud. The frequency of visiting the shop increased to get one glance of her if she was there in the shop.

Kumud's Uncles were finding Groom for her marriage as her age was increasing with the passing time. She was 28 years old divorcee women with no child as that was a plus point. It was difficult to get her married as nobody was willing to marry her. There was rumour spread by her first husbands’ family in the community that she was a misfortune to the person and the family in which she will get married. Kumud's Cousin brother remembered Rajaram who was unmarried. He told his father and uncle about Rajaram and after checking his background thoroughly, approached his mother with Kumud's proposal. Rajaram’s mother was happy and not bothered about her divorce as she knew the real story and under what circumstance it had happened. She knew it was not Kumud’s fault. Rajaram also knew everything, he liked Kumud the moment he saw her in the shop. He was keen to marry her.

Kumud’s mother-in-law was a nice lady. She was not able to see properly, as her vision had become blurred because of heavy diabetes. But her other four senses were strong, she knew Kumud’s former in-laws and their son. The mistake was of Kumud’s former husband, he had put false blame on her. She knew how those people wear. Kumud was perfect for her son, such an understanding and beautiful wife was best for him. She at once said yes for marriage between Rajaram and Kumud.

Rajaram’s younger sister who was not married and staying with him was not happy. But she had no choice as her mother had told her not to interfere. Kumud also had no choice but to say yes as she had sensed the desperation of her uncles to marry her off and get rid of their responsibility. As in olden days marrying a divorcee woman for second time was not at all acceptable in the community. Whatever you do good or bad scrutiny is going to happen, nobody gets away from it. There were lot of whispers in their extended family and friends, but finally she got married for second time. She unwillingly got married with a person who was eighteen years older than her. She did this to respect her brothers last wish of not to remain alone her whole life and to get married. He had taken the promise from her and his both Uncles on his death bed. 

As it is a male dominated society where women have no choice. Where men can marry any number of times the reasons can be anything. She became Kusum Pathak from Kumud Joshi. After marriage name also changes.

But second marriage comes with all new responsibilities. There are different type of adjustments and hardships. In the coming years. How she will face new challenges and what will keep her going forward is yet to get disclosed.

 We will call her Kumud Joshi not Kusum Pathak. As I feel the name given to her when she was born should be her identity.

Chapter 4 - The Adjustments - Part 1

Kumud married Rajaram though the age gap was eighteen years, it was common in those days of getting married with that age difference. Though it was Rajaram’s first marriage he preferred to get married in a simple manner. Kumud was not happy with her second marriage. There was slight reluctance in their relationship and tension was slowly building up. Kumud’s mother in-law was able to sense the problems. One day she called Kumud and told her she wanted to speak with her after dinner.

After completing her work in the kitchen, she went and sat on a chair facing her mother-in-law. She asked her to sit on the bed and took her hand in her hand and asked her what was the problem? Is she not happy with the marriage? Kumud said she was not ready for marriage, but due to pressure from her uncle’s family and the promise made to her dead brother she got married. At present she is not yet ready for the big commitment as she had bad memories from her first marriage. She listened to her and told Kumud that life is full of adjustments instead of making it complicated its better she starts communicating with Rajaram. Knowing each other will lead to less tension. She needs to give herself a chance to make work this relationship. If she does not try, she will suffer and hurt herself. As women are always at the receiving end.

Kumud listened to her and slowly started adjusting to life in chawl. Eventually she realized that Rajaram was nice to her. He helped her in whichever way possible. So that she would not feel the burden. He liked Kumud and now as his wife loved her but was unable to express his feelings for her.

Rajaram was close to his siblings, they were his world and slowly Kumud realized that it was going to be difficult for her. She quickly understood that her life was now going to be of more adjustments, but what she was going to face because of these adjustments was worse. Life of her was full of unfortunate events. After six months of her marriage, she lost her mother-in-law. After her death it became more difficult to be with the Rajaram’s family. But one happy moment came in her life when she became mother and Hema her only daughter was born. Kumud and Rajaram had decided to have only one kid. They wanted to give a good education and normal life to the baby born. Hema was most important to her.

They started planning for her future, she told Rajaram that after completing all the household work, she would start stitching clothes. The added income will help them to manage Hema’s expenses. Kumud’s sister in-law who was unmarried and staying with them had objections to Kumud stitching clothes as the stitching machine will make noise and disturb her. Even staying in chawl was also bothering her, she had told Rajaram to book a flat, but Rajaram could not afford his own place. In those days having your own place in Mumbai was extremely expensive and beyond budget for a middle-class. So Rajaram convinced her that they will adjust the timings and she will not get disturbed by the sound of the sewing machine. This made her say yes, he even told her not to help in household work and her coffee expenses they will bear. As she liked the specific branded Coffee, which was expensive. When Kumud’s mother-in-law was alive she had told her daughter to give Coffee expense. Other than that, she was not giving any money to run the house. But for Hema’s future Kumud and Rajaram made this adjustment too.

Chapter 4 - The Adjustments - Part 2

Rajaram was compounder (compounder meaning – person who mixes medicine and gives the tablet prescribed by the doctor) in the Doctors clinic. Whenever his brothers or sisters’ family members were unwell, they came to Rajaram’s house. They used to think that as Rajaram was working in doctor’s clinic, doctor’s treatment and medicines were free. Staying in house, food expenses were also free. Rajaram never asked them to give the expenses of any kind, but the doctor would cut the treatment expenses from Rajaram’s salary. This trend of relatives coming and going was unending and during festivals the whole family used to gather at Rajaram’s house. The money earned from stitching clothes went into all the household expenses. Once Kumud confronted all these issues they were facing to Rajaram and told him to speak about it to his siblings. But he was the person who could not say no to his siblings because he loved them, so instead of saying anything to them. He started helping Kumud by stitching clothes in the night in one of the shops owned by a tailor. which was near their house. He learned stitching from Kumud and earned extra money to help with their expenses.

 On Sundays he started going to patients who needed injections or were unable to come in the clinic, from those visits he earned little money half the amount he gave to his doctor for using his injections and half the amount of stitching money to tailor for using his machine and place. This small amount of money was helpful to them. There were so many occasions when groceries of one month got over in 15 days then they ate only rice and dal, but for Hema and her sister in-law there was a complete meal with vegetables and rotis. They both ate later, so that Hema would not find out. Kumud cut all the soaps in half, so that it can last till the end of the month. So many adjustments they both made and supported each other. Even the saris Kumud wore were from the Ration office. The government had a scheme to give one sari every three months. She never bought a sari for herself. But one incident that made Kumud helpless and broken was, when it was Hema’s birthday and she had asked Kumud to make Thali pith (flour pancake). It is a Maharashtrian dish which has various flours and spices mixed with onion and eaten with white Makhan and curd. She had prepared the flour and kept it in the kitchen, so that when Hema returns from her sports day. She will prepare the thali pith and serve her hot, but in the afternoon Rajaram’s brother and his family came to visit them. As it was Saturday and Hema’s birthday, but when they came to know that Hema had gone to school and would be returning in the evening. They told Rajaram and Kumud that they would not be staying till evening as they had made plans to visit one of their family friends. It was convenient on their side as they will get free lunch and evening tea and snacks and will save the money of eating lunch in the hotel as well as save the energy of not preparing lunch at home and getting tired. Kumud knew how was there thinking, but Rajaram never believed his siblings were so mean people.

When Rajaram’s sister-in-law went in the kitchen to keep the empty teacups, she saw the thali pith flour and the smell coming from it was very tempting. She said to Rajaram to give the thali pith flour, which was fresh and from that half she will give to Rajaram’s sister who was staying near them. Rajaram was unable to say no. Kumud was telling him from behind to keep little flour for Hema as she wanted to eat Thali pith on her birthday. 

It was too late to say anything. Still Kumud insisted to them that she would make the same thali pith flour for them, but to keep this flour as today was Hema’s birthday and after so many years for the first time her daughter had asked something from her. She wanted to fulfil her wish as it was possible for her. But they all laughed and said that she could make fresh flour again for her anytime. They do not get such a nice thali pith flour at their place. They told her not be childish and touchy and make a big issue about it. Rajaram said nothing to them. Her heart sank and there was sadness in her eyes. When Hema came back from school, she sensed something was not right. Hema was a very understanding and sensible girl from childhood, she was observant and knew what was going in the house, she also knew what her mother was going through. From that day she never demanded anything from Kumud.

Rajaram had no voice in front of his siblings, it was because he was all alone for so many years, he thought he would not have his own family, so he thought let his brothers and sisters’ family be his own family. He happily fulfilled all their demands and never said no, but by doing this, they all took him for granted. He was not very educated and had no money like his all siblings. Though he was the elder brother he was nowhere near to their leaving standards. 

Kumud knew things would not change, she felt sad but there was no point in spending energy on things which have no value. She started thinking about how to make their life better and earn more money and savings. She told Rajaram that she will start a creche for more income, initially she will start with three kids to support their financial crises then slowly she will increase the number as per the response, but her sister-in-law who was staying with them did not approve.

In the coming chapter you will see how Kumud fights all her odds and bounces back as a fighter.

Chapter 5 - Success.

Kumud’s sister in -law did not approve of having crèche in the house, she also told Rajaram and Kumud to stop the stitching work. She wanted no noise from the sewing machine as soon as she enters the house. The problems were increasing for Kumud day by day. Rajaram told Kumud to stop, whatever they were doing, as he was against any fights. He thought that if one family member is not happy, it is no use of earning money like that. With always arguments in the house. Kumud knew what Rajaram was saying was also right. She had decided not to give up easily. She must find a solution to this problem. It was now a do or die situation for her. She wanted her sister-in-law to support her with a positive gesture. What an irony it was, a woman not supporting another woman to support her family, but to stand against it. Kumud knew that there was no point in argument. She had to act wisely so that things work according to her.

In chawl there was a teacher named Bhagwat. Everyone called her Bhagwat madam. She was a maths teacher and well-wisher of Kumud’s family. Kumud’s sister-in-law was close to Bhagwat madam as she was her teacher and mentor. Kumud approached her and told her the problems she was facing. After listening to her problems, she told Kumud not to worry and told her, not to mention anything to Rajaram or her sister-in-law. She assured her she would help her to solve the problem.

After fifteen days her sister-in-law told Kumud that she could continue with the stitching work and could start her own creche. She will even happily help and contribute to the expenses of the house. Kumud was surprised and happy. Next day she went to thank Bhagwat madam and told her what her sister-in-law said. She was very curious to know what Bhagwat madam told her sister-in-law that changed her mind. Madam told Kumud that she made her sister in-law understand that in her life there were only two people who would support her and take care of her like her parents. Rajaram and Kumud her sister-in-law. As her nature which is stubborn and non-adjusting, she does not mix with other people and has no friends. She also has no good relations with her siblings and their families. No one cares for her more than the family she is staying. Hema who is her niece, looks up to her as an independent woman who leaves life on her own terms. She should not make a bad impression by behaving in bad manner with her parents as she idolises her. Nobody is going to marry her as she is blind in one eye. She needs a family who will take care of her when she needs them. She showed her the harsh realities of life and made her think and understand the situation. It must be hard for her too, but as a woman she should support in tough times, being stubborn and unreasonable will not help. She also told her that Kumud had never expected anything from her, but at least she could help her by not creating problems. She can create a good bond with her by which everyone’s life will become easy.

She even gave her the idea of pursuing her hobby of learning Harmonium after her office to make herself busy. As learning music or musical instrument creates positive energy, helps person to calm down and makes our mind peaceful. If she is not helping them, it is fine but at least she should not create unnecessary problems for them. She should start speaking with Kumud and can have a healthy discussion with her on any topic as family member. This would create a bond and will help to clear out any misunderstandings. The suggestions made by Bhagwat Madam helped. She according to the problems always tried to give practical solutions. Kumud thanked her once again for what she did. She told Kumud only one thing that she always remembered. “If there are problems, then definitely there are solutions.” We should never stop but find solutions for problems. As problems are never going to stop, so try hard as solutions are always in front of us.

Finally, Kumud found out a new mantra to be happy “Never Give Up.” A new life had begun for her. Age never mattered for her anymore when you do not give up. She was now in her fifties but there was no stooping or looking back.

What is success? It depends on your own definition. It can be anything, each person has its own success definition.

Chapter 6 - The New Beginning.

Kumud started running her own creche and was also busy stitching clothes. She stitched clothes in the evening when her creche children went home. Slowly their financial position started improving. Kumud was also good at cooking, all her masalas were homemade. She made pickles, papads, thali pith flour at home and sold them as per the orders she got from the people in chawl. After staying in Mumbai for so many years, she made all street food items like pav bhaji, panni puri, ragada patties and other dishes at home. The chawl was like family to her. The people staying there encouraged her to sell the masalas, papads and pickles outside the chawl. She started taking small orders and selling them to people who liked her preparations. 

In all this Rajaram was her big support and help. Hema had completed her graduation and taken the bank exam. She passed the exam and started working in a bank. Kumud had saved money for Hema’s marriage. She had bought all the gold ornaments and silver utensils needed for her marriage. Kumud and Rajaram had never spent any money on themselves, they saved the money earned for their daughter’s future. Hema finished her education at a government school where education for girls was free and in a government college where fees wear less for girls. They had told Hema that if she wanted to pursue higher studies. She need not worry as they will take loan for her education. She was a very mature girl and had planned not to burden her parents with a loan. She had never gone to school and College picnics as her parents could not afford. Never went to any restaurant or any shop to buy clothes as her mother stitched clothes for her. She wanted to become independent as early as possible to help her parents, she never demanded anything from them and was always happy with whatever she had. She knew the pain of not having parents around you. She had felt that pain in her mother’s eyes. While growing up her mother always told her that we should always be happy with what we have, not everyone has a good life. She was fortunate that she had such a loving parent though had less education had good values which helped her to become good person and independent. 

She started working in the bank as clerk, but in one year she gave another exam of bank and became officer. There life became more stable as Hema started supporting them financially. Kumud and Rajaram decided to fix Hema’s marriage. The expectations of Hema were simple. The person should be financially independent, with no unhealthy habits like drinking or smoking. Good looks did not matter to her, neither the person should have his own house. She was confident about her own ability. If she and her husband both have good jobs, they can buy their own house. That is what she thought. 

After six months Hema got married to Anil who was also working in the bank. Kumud and Rajaram married their only daughter. They took one promise from Hema that she would do weeding as per their wish. She had told them to do register marriage in Registrar office. But they both had said no, as they wanted her to get married according to their wish.

Hema got married and settled in her life. After a year one more happy news came in Kumud’s life. Kavya was born she was now grandmother and had cute little granddaughter.

Chapter 7 – Life Is Full of Twist and Turns

Kumud’s son in law Anil was a graduate like Hema and a loving husband to her daughter. Anil was like Rajaram who loved his brothers and sister very much, he had utmost respect and gratitude towards his brother and sister. Anil had lost his father at an early age when he was 14 years old in a road accident. With the help of his uncles who supported them initially. As his mother was homemaker and there was no source of income after their father’s death. After one year of his father passing his older sister who was 4 years older and older brother 2 years older than him started working. They both supported the family financially by leaving their studies. Anil had one more brother who was 5 years younger than him who was still in school. They were in all four siblings three brothers and one sister. After finishing his graduation instead of going for engineering he started working in Bank. Like Hema he also worked hard and gave various exams. He became manager in the Bank due to his hard work at an early age. Like Rajaram he also loved his siblings, but there was slight difference in the situation because Anil and Hema had good educational qualification and were financially strong couple with a prominent position in the bank. These things have a strong influence in the family. There approach and behaviour are different towards the family members who are successful in their field. It does not affect till the problems do not arise. As during tough times, we come to know who our real family is. 

After five years of marriage, they bought their own house in the Suburbs of Mumbai in Andheri. Kavya was now 5 years old and had started going to nursery school. After school she went to the crèche. In the evening Hema or Anil picked her up from the creche which was near to their house.

 Kumud was happy with her life in Chawl, she had stopped stitching clothes and Rajaram had also retired. They were now running the creche for children who were staying nearby. Kumud’s sister-in-law who retired also helped them. They had started enjoying their life in the company of these small children who were a bundle of joy by taking care of them. The entire day was busy behind these children.

 But in Kumud’s case life is full of uncertainties. It was a shock when her sister-in-law died in her sleep due to massive heart attack at night. The death of her sister-in-law was sad, but after that what happened had a more damaging effect on Rajaram’s mental health. His brothers and sister accused him of murdering her sister and taking all her money. They registered a police complaint against him. Investigation took place and it lasted for two years leading to Rajaram in pain. He was unable to sleep properly and eat well. The accusations made by his brothers and sister deteriorated his health. He never imagined his brothers and sister would accuse him of murdering their own sister. 

Kumud and Hema were helpless about the situation. After almost one and half years of investigation the police found no evidence against Rajaram and declared him innocent. After all lawful proceedings. The insurance company gave the money of his dead sister to Rajaram as he was the sole nominee for her money. If Rajaram would have died the money would have gone to Kumud and Hema. She had made her will ten years back and lawyer appointed by her took care of all the legal proceedings after her death. Because of that it became easy otherwise the case would have been running for more than two years. The chawl people also supported Rajaram and Kumud in their tough times. Kumud’s sister-in-law had made clear in her will, whoever takes her responsibility the money will go to them. The remaining family members related to her will not get anything.

 The sudden change in behaviour of his brothers and sister helped open the eyes of Rajaram. He realized that he was living under the delusion that his siblings are different from others. He thought they had a special bond and love and respect for each other. He understood what Kumud must have gone through all these years, by his behaviour. This incident also helped Anil to understand and analyse his relationship with his siblings. He also realised that, during these two years’ time they had kept distance. They always use to discourage Anil to not support Hema with the insurance case and always told Anil not to give any family details to police. As they did not want their reputation to get bad. These few incidents helped Anil to think more clearly.

Rajaram heart had sank from inside. He thought if he had not been married and the same thing would have happened, he might have remained alone his whole life, he thanked his mother for getting him married to Kumud. Everyone in the Chawl and his well-wishers told Rajaram to forget it as a bad dream. The more he thought the more he became restless and the guilt of never supporting Kumud was eating him from inside. Kumud and Hema made him understand to let it go. He was not able to forget and went into depression. He slowly drifted apart from Kumud and one day had a fall in bathroom which broke his left leg from hip. The operation was successful. He was able to walk on his own, but his mind was not in his own control. He decided not to walk again and became bedridden with no enthusiasm to live. Kumud did all his work like a nurse, forgetting everything else. She tried her best to bring Rajaram to his senses.

She loved Rajaram, cared for him and now at this age, she needed his companionship more than anything else. She tried to help Rajaram get out of his mental block. In that she took lot of mental pressure because of which she started having heart problems. She never gave up on him, but he had given up on himself and after two years he died in his sleep. She continued staying in Chawl after Rajaram’s death. Hema was not ready to keep Kumud alone, her visits with her daughter Kavya increased. During school holidays and summer vacations Kavya used to stay with Kumud. She was in her seventies and people staying in the chawl had either died or shifted and bought flats in Mumbai Suburbs where their kids settled. Hema also wanted Kumud to shift to Andheri. Kavya was also continuously requesting and insisting her on coming and staying in Andheri. She finally agreed to shift to Andheri and stopped her work which she had been doing for so many years. The chawl in which she was living was a rented place, it was a pagadi system house, so the owner of the chawl gave them half of the money to give away the place.

With that money Kumud bought a small flat in Andheri. She started staying in her new flat. She knew that whatever savings she had were not enough to run the house for more than 5 years though she was alone. She did not want to burden herself on Hema for her expenses. 

Living in a flat was a unique experience than living in chawl. Adjusting to the new surroundings was a bit of challenge for her at this age, but she followed the routine of the people staying in the flats. She got up early in the morning and at 6.30 she started going for walks in the nearby garden like other people living there. Slowly she started making friends with those people who came for a walk. In the evenings too she went to the same garden. She now had two groups, one in the morning and one in the evenings. In flats the doors were not open as everyone needs privacy. But for Kumud the doors were always open because of her helpful nature. She now became Kumud Aji for all staying there.

Kumud started selling masalas, pickles and papads again. She had made so many contacts because of which she started getting orders. With so many years of experience and doing so much work she was not tired at her age, stopping was not in her dictionary. She trained two of her housekeepers who came to her house to clean and wash her utensils and clothes. They helped Kumud in completing her orders for that she use to pay them extra. They also did for more income. Kumud’s products were of excellent quality. Slowly her demand for products increased and she was able to earn and save money. Hema was not happy as she wanted her mother to take rest and enjoy her life. She had told Kumud that she would manage everything for her, she need not worry though she was getting old. Kavya was happy that her grandmother had become popular. She told Hema that grandmother was happy doing what she liked and would never burden or overwork herself. Let her do what she wants, let her be busy and enjoy life as per her wish. 

If she needs help, we are there for her. As doing work makes her happy and independent too. Very few old people of her age can work and enjoy their old age. Hema understood what Kavya was trying to tell her. Sometimes people younger than us tell important things which we cannot think. Kavya was Kumud’s best friend. She wanted to work till her last breath. What she wished happened, she died while raising the alarm for catching thief. This unfortunate incident happened at night. When Kumud heard the noise from her neighbour’s house, when she opened the door, she saw one unknown person opening the door. She slowly went near him, at that time she suddenly realized that the person was a thief and was breaking the door. She started screaming and in seconds everything was over. The thief got frightened and to stop her from yelling stabbed her two times in the stomach and fled from there. Kumud collapsed instantly. While she was in the ambulance with her daughter Hema and other society members. She told them not to punish the thief, as he was a young fellow. The actions taken in haste will spoil his life if he ends up in jail. The law should give him another chance to rectify his mistake. She requested to give him education and train him to earn money and make him independent. So that he will not do the crime again. While recording the statement on the mobile phone she forgave him for the crime he committed. The recording on the mobile phone was evidence produced in the court. She died in the ambulance before reaching hospital, due to lot of blood loss. Kumud’s last wish of donating her organs to the needy was fulfilled by Hema. 

Life for Kumud was full of hardships and challenges, but she learned from her experiences and realized that there are lot of uncertainties in life, but that does not mean we should get frightened and stop. We should stay strong and fight till the end.

Though Kumud has gone she will always be in the heart of the people who took inspiration from her.

Life is full of uncertainties. It is up to us how we face it. 

By Meghana Damle