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My Dear Sister-in-law

By Asija, Manohar

Book Id: WPLBN0100002644
Format Type: PDF (eBook)
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Reproduction Date: 25/08/2014

Title:	My Dear Sister-in-law
Author:	Asija, Manohar
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Fiction, Drama and Literature
Collections:	Literature, Authors Community
Historic Publication Date:	2014
Publisher:	Self-published

Member Page:	Manohar Asija
Citation APA MLA Chicago Asija, M. (2014). My Dear Sister-in-law. Retrieved from http://www.self.gutenberg.org/

Description
Female spouse of one’s brother is called `sister-in-law`; similarly the sister of one’s spouse is sister-in-law. Again, the wife of one’s brother-in-law is also called sister-in-law, subject however to the condition that the said brother-in-law is not the husband of one’s own sister. Thus, in Indian society, we find a vast variety of sister-in-law. However, one factor of commonality is often found in the cases where at both ends of this relationship, we have females. They say that this factor provides sauce to our family life, by swift maneuvers of their inimical or endearing postures towards each other. The author has picked up every variety of this relationship from the middle-class stratum of Indian society, while sketching his story for this fictional narration. However, in a given situation, we feel like addressing or being addressed as `MUY DEAR SISTER-IN-LAW`. To take the story forward, the author has tried his best to strew certain suchlike expressions coming forth sporadically, uttered by one or the other character, irrespective of his/her sex.

Excerpt
Perched in his wheelchair, at the moment on 30th June, 2007, this erstwhile lover of Maya -law. Of course, this infirm oldie his first ever acquaintance with Vibha Ratra took place, when his family ... Our mother, though surprised to be getting acquainted by her son to Mrs Wilson as the bride's mother, chose to maintain silence about her knowledge of that lady's `swarthy` reputation in the residential vicinity, during their adolescence. Instead of consoling his father in a socially approved manner, the arrogant son had yelled out at the top of his voice, "Papa, you have had enough of her during the past 45 years. In case, you still need a woman's company, there is no dearth of this lot to provide warmth to your body. The following day, while exiting from the faculty meet, Vibha marked that Dr Rawat looked eager to join her, while she was proceeding towards the group of some junior teachers of her department, already waiting for their head of the department. Really, it's an agonizing account," Madhukar ejaculated following a long sigh. After a short while, he resumes, "You can bank upon, this humble friend for all support, whenever required at your end." Madan Mohan Tandon is engaged in ruminating over the incidents that shaped his life style, during the past fifteen years. Sometimes, the changes in his attitude towards the social code of ethics, as of now, make him unnecessarily tizzy with his surroundings. During such moments, he feels like fleeing away from this new home. Reaching home, she pressed the door bell; and it made her mother-in-law rise in a huff, wiping off her tears. Maya was surprised to see her daughter-in-law back home, so soon. "Auntie, government ka koi regular aur permanent khasam nahin hota ("The government doesn't have a regular groom").” The youngest of the group of three ladies strolling on the track laid inside the Surajmal Park, along its boundary wall, is heard saying in response to Suhani Joshi who has the habit of cursing the government for every dam happening, by way of mumbling, "Khasma noon khani sarkar kujh naheen kar sakdi" (the government that is devourer of its own groom, can't do anything)." Having delivered her `judgment` on her companion's oft-repeated complaint, the 27-year-old well educated Ms Supriya, happens to mark ...... ... She had curiously looked her grandpa Mr Sitar Chand perusing the page placed before him by his `Chulbul Bitiya`; then remaining silent for some time and thereafter smiling cunningly into his friend's face before expressing his response, "Of course, it's a praiseworthy task performed by this well-known authour. I believe this unbiased thinker quite often sounds the alarm well in time to save many from slipping into lanes, where only a `gory track` is the single option for the faltering ones." Supriya Arora d/o Chanchal and Kapil Arora has no mental image of her parents' faces, as she was just in the vicinity of two years, when her parents died in the accident that resulted in the death of 32 persons, travelling in the over-crowded bus, carrying some teachers and their families, mostly residents of Nimri Colony in North Delhi. This group of 46 persons was on an All-India tour, organized by someone amongst themselves, to avail the benefit from their department under the `LTC scheme` during their summer vacation in 1981. Madan Bhaiya, I am sure; the youngsters here would enjoy when they learn about your first misadventure of `creation of an oral fiction`, prior to becoming my classmate, “ Maya is heard urging her companion. It makes Supriya mark the appearance of streak of blush on the guest’s face. She issues an urgent request in her fond manner, Tandon Nanu please, rest assured; your secret won’t be allowed to go astray.” An hour or so ago, Mrs Harjeet Wilson arrived at Pratima's residence in Moti Nagar, under the pretext of seeking her assistance to save her daughter from committing suicide, as she cannot endure such a long absence of her husband, Abhilash. She expects Pratima being the sister of the absconding accused, would make it a point to keep in mind that there are chances of her house being under the surveillance of Police, day in and day out. By this time, Vibha has readied her response to Sameeksha's query. “Of course, sometimes I do give a serious thought to this substantive aspect of life. But nothing concrete emerges. By the time, my divorce proceedings were over, I had cleared My M.Phil. I had offers from the families, offering advice to think of re-marriage. But the matches suggested by them were beyond the parameters of compatibility, as drawn by me in my case. When I felt bored with my stereotyped life, I felt inclined to enhance my academic level by means of doing research. Now, the result is before you.” “Bhaiya, have I ever shirked to acknowledge your sacrifices for my family?” Pratima responds to her brother’s admonishing remarks, as he speaks to her, at the moment, on telephone. As usual, Abhilash keeps on reminding his younger sister of the fact of his knowledge of her sinful blunders during the past many years. However, his persistent efforts to convince Pratima to grant him some special favour of confidential nature, are seemingly tending to prove the futility of this long-drawn exercise on his part. As the wallet is unzipped, the girl marks the presence of currency notes. Without making any effort to pick them up, she places the wallet into Mr Pradhan’s hands, who is amazed to find some currency notes. She takes the money out, shows it immediately to others. Dr Rawat remains unmoved, while his brother-in-law keeps staring into his wife’s face for a few moments, and then murmurs, “It’s quite burdensome! We aren’t as rich as the Madame is. How and when shall we be able to repay it?” “Well, all this exercise tends to prove that I am not at all possessed of `the killer instinct`, that seems present in most ladies of our age,” Vibha Ratra tells self. Now, the police cannot harass Vibha Ji. It’s a sort of interim anticipatory bail. It may be regularized, after hearing from the State that has been ordered to comply with the court’s notice to appear with its reply to our application, meanwhile, there cannot be any arrest of the applicant by the police.” Whilst alone, Vibha’s ears are reverberating with the idea as propounded by Dr Rawat, conjoining God and Nature, with a view to simplify answers to many a question to Science and religious theories to attain or at least feel like enjoying `salvation`, whilst one is very much alive. It amuses her to recall the recent research work done by a dedicated agency on the `origin of universe` that claims to have found through an analytical process, the `God particle` seeming to have triggered `the emergence of universe`. “His proclamation pertaining to his belief in the existence of some invincible and invisible Supreme Power that controls all the animate and inanimate matter, provides one with an ultimate support during crisis,” she tells self. A couple of days later, as she returns home after her working hours in the college, Akshita appears before her, to announce, “ Professor Auntie, I have been waiting to see you for a very long time. In fact, I have purposely come here to request you to join me and my Papa over a dinner out. I am sure, you won’t disappoint me.” I think; I would prove capable of `mothering` her during all the times to come. I am sure; she deserves it. It will make the vacuum filled in the life of both of us. So, let the Nature play its role; we should believe that it’ll happen for our good,” she assures self *** *** *** ****** More often than not, we feel like expressing `you aren’t like me, but certain compulsions come in our way to do so. However, our estimation of others remains perched on the foundation, inscribed with the unequivocal declaration `you aren’t like me`. This very notion drives us to believe, comprehend respond to or even react, in a peculiar fashion, while making a move towards other person’s statements. Her curiosity to know the contents of the printed matter impelled her to open the enveloped card by stripping off the sealing tape. She read the entire text in one go. The venue, Hotel Oberoi Ginger attracted her attention so much that she kept musing over the seeming trend of `uplifting change` in the social level of the girl whom she used to virtually trample under her very feet. Soon, she busied herself in the daily routine. Their care-free nature had become instrument in making them sullen, in the afternoon of January 30. It had so transpired that during the very second class of the day, the lecturer (teacher), suspending the lesson, announced that it was going to be 11 o’clock in a while; therefore , the class will stand up and observe two-minute silence to pay homage to the Father of the Nation. By this time, the turn to the left for entering the bazaar had been reached, the Professor stopped there for a moment, placed his arm on Sitar Chand’s shoulder, and spoke in very fond tone, “My son, shun arrogance and visualize your own future that can mean a lot for your wife and child alike.” Sitar Chand could not control self to withstand all this `hypocrisy` any longer, as he yelled out,”Mr Lal, Don’t think that we are honour sellers. Please mind your own business. I don’t think you have any locus standi for interfering into day-to-day affairs of RK College. I am well-versed enough to read between the lines. Better you remain within your limits, by shunning adventure of talking about my family life.” Later on, I remained occupied with that official in settling the details of the function and forgot that incident of seeing a familiear face for a second or so. Now, it seems to me that it was Sheetala’s face, though withered somewhat after such a long time around two decades, as I retained in my memory when she was placing her three-month baby into my hands for its safe custody. Maybe I am confusing this image altogether; as had it been she, she would have accosted me and hinted in some way to meet me sometime later in privacy to enquire about the child abandoned by her.” Mr Madan Mohan Tandon and his daughter Ratna are seated across a table for two persons, during dinner hours in the dining Hall of Bukhara restaurant at the first floor of Sheraton Hotel at Sardar Patel Marg. While enjoying the starters, both are busy in taking a visual survey of the surroundings. During this `leisurely visual survey`, Ratna happens to mark the presence of a known male figure, busy in a chat with his female companion, seemingly younger to him by at least a decade.. ...... Soon, she decides to take the initiative to revive acquaintance with him and thus speaking in a very low voice, she tells her father that she is going to the next cabin at his backside, with a view to revive her acquaintance with a classmate of hers during “schooling period, almost quarter of a century ago.” Next morning, at around 9. 00 am, these three persons, alighting a hired three-wheeler, are seen by the plain clothed police personnel, on duty at the pavement, in the proximity of the Chanakyapuri Police Station’s main entrance Gate. Inside the Gate, one of the few police men in regular uniform accosts them by asking, “May I help you?” Ratna responds, “I had been telephonically informed last evening, for reporting in person at this station.“ He smiles and indicates towards the portico, where a police official in uniform is sitting at a table, surrounded by four chairs, including the one occupied by him. This officer produces a grunt before commencing his brief for the benefit of all of them. He says, “Please note that all that we speak or do is being recorded on the machine, kept on the small table placed in that corner. Simultaneously, a copy of the recording here is being transmitted to our headquarters. You are nice and educated people. Having elicited the desired answers, he speaks, “Babuji, tell us your relation whip Kundra M’a’me.” Madan Mohan replies, “She is my daughter Ratana Kundra.” ...... ..... “Which of you got the table booked by telephone at Bukhara restaurant in the premises of Sheraton hotel?” ..... ..... .... Inspector takes a long breath before declaring, “Mr Tandon, now the last question: When Ratana went to the adjacent cabin to meet her friend Abhilash, recall her words spoken to you by her.” “Yes, my daughter told me that she happened to spot from her seat that a man in the adjacent cabin seems to be a schoolmate of hers at Xavier’s, in Delhi; so she desired to confirm if her guess is correct. With these words, she moved from our cabin and was back in half-a-minute or so. Neither of us spoke about `this expedition`.” Then, the Investigator presses his call bell; his orderly appears before. He is instructed to send the two ladies awaiting their turn in the Recreation Room. The moment these ladies appear before him, he announces, “Mr Tandon’s examination is over. He may be escorted to the Recreation Room by his Bhabhi Ji, whereas Ratana Ji will spend some time in this studio, before leaving for her home.” **** *** **** *** *** **** Maybe, she would by now have returned to her daughter’s family where her presence is needed more than here in India.” Thus, the young girl of around 20, having finished the studies for degree course, fell into a trap of some racketeer dealing in the unlawful business of providing `ovaries on rent` to the needy couples. “Of course, during our studentship together, we used to feel the impact of women’s emancipation, now we have to suffer the onslaught of the bogey of `women empowerment`, being thrust from all the corners of the world.”Having reacted in his elderly person’s fashion, Sitar Chand looks into Amir Chand’s face. “But their `unilateral declarations` sporadically thrown out at men folk’s face irritate me much. If they would have treated us equals, there shouldn’t have been enormous problem in the society,” ..... ..... .... This plea makes the elderly look with blank eyes into Anupama’s face. She looks more emboldened when she resumes her frank expression while inviting her `Mamaji` to come to her rescue, as she says, “I thank my stars that this time instead of Nishchal’s mother, you are here when my husband comes for a very short period ......” But the formality to announce the title of the matter is duly undergone, by way of Reader telling the Orderly, “State versus Abhilash Dua.” ... ... The investigating Officer, Sub-inspector Munna Singh is seen looking into the Public Prosecutor’s face, who indicates towards the lady whom Ratana Kundra had suspected to be an accomplice of Abhilash. Ratana is intrigued to speak her name and designation to be recorded by the Judge, as she speaks, “Sir, I am ACP Madhu Bansal.” On every successive day of hearing on the State Versus Abhilash Dua, Mr Subhash Arora has been sitting at the back bench in the courtroom of Patiala House District Courts. He looks helplessly at his son who, in turn furtively looks in his direction, while entering or exiting from the courtroom. Today, the matter is posted for final arguments on the evidence on record. Having returned home after meeting Sheetala at her Poonam Didi’s flat, in her school’s complex, Dr Vibha Ratra sits with a heavy heart. Now, she is to face an entirely unexpected situation that might turn murky if not handled with due caution based on subtlety; she thinks. “There is no doubt that the information received by me a few hours ago, in no way conflicts with that I had already got from Madhukar Ji prior to our joining our hands for wedlock. Rather the fresh facts may be construed as extension of the chain of events earnestly communicated to me by Dr Rawat. But the problem lies with my act of allowing Sheetala make me bound down to a solemn promise of secrecy. At that point of time I remained under the impression that she was not asking for much. Now, I find myself reeling under the impact of the probability of `annoying my sweetheart` by hurrying into a promise without considering the pros and cons of the task I was going to undertake,” Vibha tells self. Having gulped down a few sips of coffee, Poonam asks her former pupil, “Sheetala, it means you want to convey to us that the actual father of Akshita is not our Madhukar, but someone else whose wife was unable to conceive, pfertilize and develop the fetus to form a baby that took the form and name of Akshita d/o Madhukar Rawat.” Nirupama is to return to Delhi after having spent her almost entire summer vacation here in the company of her husband Major Nishchal, posted as commandant of his Battalion, since the first of May, this year. Now that she is to be off from here in an hour to take the flight from Chandigarh to Delhi around 3-00pm, Nirupama is busy in packing her baggage, whereas her husband is sitting at his table, engaged in clearing files relating to the Cantonment Board’s affairs, ...... Again, inside the bedroom, she found herself being hounded by the memory of the happening on the night when both of `the just married` persons were expected to shun the physical distance between themselves to `merge into each other`. Unfortunately it was not to happen, as the wordy duel started immediately on their being closeted could not be extinguished and they remained seated in their night dress , occupying seats in the chairs placed considerably apart; .... On way back, Mrs Ruia, travelling towards home is availing the company of the two school-mistresses with whom she had reached here, had learnt from them that Vibha Ratra looked very impressive holding an earthen pitcher, clutched firmly in her hands while escorting the dead body, laid on the wooden plank, duly wrapped and tied to the plank, being carried on the shoulders of four young males from the social circle of the family, the rest of the crowd walking swiftly behind it. Mr Amir Chand is wary of such circumstances around the unfortunate well-read wife of his Army-disciplined nephew. But the availability of a breakthrough does not seem at hand. During the next few months, Amir Chand and his wife Sanwari were kept out of the circuit involving some other persons, Aiming at the very same target that meant to fetch that `darling` of Major Nishchal Ruia, of late being `used as `mantelpiece` for rest of the family. *** ****** ******* ** “No brother, I had never seen or heard being spoken around on this account.” It was a new experience for me. Two days later, my sister Rukamini, who attended the Uthala ceremony told me that the `deceased’s Will` had been read out to the audience by Subhash’s Attorney, making it public that the deceased had wanted his all assets to be divided equally amongst his three daughters, two of whom his wife had given birth, whereas the third one whom he considered as his third daughter, though this lady is the actually a divorcee of his son, who is rotting in jail.” As he had suddenly left the office, handing over the most essential files under his charge and the keys of the strongroom, to his immediate junior at the unit Captain Baldev Singh, informing through a written request in the prescribed proforma , desiring to avail three-day emergency leave, no problem could be anticipated at this end. Elderly pulls out the summons enveloped in a cover, redirected to his Delhi address by the Army Post Office, with the underlined his Passbook Number on it. Now, see for yourself, how this singularly created number is being used on the reports against the column provided in the proforma, to identify the patient, available at the Army Hospital, until the patient produces his Identity Card at the desk meant for this specific purpose. It seems clearly enough that this pronouncement makes the delinquent feel ashamed, as he says, “Oh, my dear sister-in-law, let me avail the privilege of addressing you, at least till the day the court declares my marriage with your sister dissolved, I have a lot of appreciations coming from the core of my heart for the commendable job you performed in bringing my ailment into public domain, even at the risk of losing your job. I wish both of you, a great future.”