It was the beginning of july,the summer had just soared and the pre monsoon winds started blowing inland and the whole town was being rampaged by the winds.Mala sat quietly in her room studying very hard to get a good score in the upcoming exams.She had made up her mind to get herself organised and set her minds to the task. She was more than determined to do well and prove to herself that she can set her mind to study.Just then She heard a knock on her window.she got up from her chair and went to see who it was. Bala stood there,signalling her to come outside.Mala opened the door and went outside ,standing there bala as usual with a mystical smile on her face,came close to her.mala whispered to her “what happened?is something wrong?'' Bala shook her head and replied “I want to talk to you, somewhere where you can concentrate and listen to what i say”. “ok. wait, till i come,don’t go anywhere, i will come with you, so we can talk'' saying mala went inside, changed into a neat fitting skirt and pulled out a matching blouse, quickly combed her hair , and stepped out of the room in less than 5 mins,walked hurriedly towards the door before her mom found out she was out.Her mom was too sharp to notice her moving out, she called out from behind “where are you going?” “ I am going out to meet a friend, I will be back in 20 minutes” called out mala and quickly opened the front gate and she was there with bala walking hurriedly. Bala was quiet for some time, and Mala turned to her and asked “ Ok tell me, what is bothering you ?”.She held mala’s hand, looked her into her eyes and said “ will you listen to whatever I say?” mala stopped ,turned looked at bala and said “ I will, you know that, bala i will never ever disobey you, your wish is my command” saying mala laughed,ok on a serious note what is it? asked mala.bala hesitated and then slowly said “can you come with me to a village where a family desperately needs help. “what? jumped mala.``Are you kidding?” what will i tell my parents,listen don’t play games with me, i cannot do that, my mom will never allow me to do this,do you understand”.” I know but you must listen to this then you will understand why I am asking for your help.
“ok. What is it? Why do I think I can help?” quizzed mala.
Bala sat on a nearby stone. Mala also went close to her and sat. crossed her legs and waited for Bala to tell her. bala began.
Not far away from here there is a beautiful village with the river touching the fields feeding it, like a mother feeds her loved ones.This hamlet has around 200 houses and at the edge of the village is a small temple which is the temple of pollaraiamman.There in that village there is a family who had a daughter,one day the daughter slipped into the water tank nearby and got drowned.The mother’s brain got paralysed and now she is comma, and all she can remember is her dead daughter, she needs closure to her daughter’s death. the child drowning is not her fault, she thinks she is and the family has lost all happiness, and they are true devotees of pollaraiamman. “ok. how do you think i can help?”
Here is the part .I want you to come with me to the village and talk to them and you are the only person who understands what I am talking about. “ Are you kidding bala, why will they listen to me? I don't even know them.”
“no it is a dangerous game, ” bala something is wrong here.”why don’t you talk to them” you can talk to them,they will understand when you tell them.please bala, leave me out of it.sorry”
Bala got up, “ok go, saying she showed mala her way.”wait are you angry with me?” “try to understand bala, I am after all a small girl”why would those people listen to me””the world never works like that.
Bala turned her face away ignoring mala’s plea. Mala stopped talking and went near Bala, held Bala's chin and turned it to face her. holding her mala said “ok. I will do it for your sake. ``Don't get angry with me.you think I can move mountains, I am a human being after all.
Bala ignored that statement. she said “ ok. shall we go tomorrow, she asked.Mala nodded.shall we go during the day,so that no one will know.i will tell my mom that i will be in selvam’s house ,so she will not be worried about me ``''ok. done” chirped bala. They said their goodbyes and agreed to meet at the bus stop.
Mala made all the arrangements with her mother and she was up the next morning ready to go with bala. Mala and bala took a bus towards Kalanai. The bus left the busy streets and turned towards lush green fields. the fields were all irrigated by the cauvery river and on both sides the fields swayed along with the gentle breeze taking with it the smell of paddy and the strong smell of neem.The river cauvery was sporting with us as we moved along and the gushing water was heard as the bus ripped through the long stretch of road.Bala turned to mala and said “ are you worried?” Mala took her hand and said empathetic “No”. Bala pressed her hand reassuringly. This is my village mala, these villagers are my children, i cannot abandon them, do you see that. mala was silent for a few minutes and then turning to bala she asked” but you can find someone there itself, why me?. Bala smiled.there is a reason for that.few things had to be laid to rest. that is why.mala fell silent. They both travelled in silence. The bus stopped after a small bridge. Bala got up and Mala followed her. They got down and stood on the side path. Mala was excited about this adventure. taking bala’s hand she stepped into the path which led to the village.mala could see the village not far away, the path was laid out with sand from the river side and on either side there fields laid out like a green carpet. There were trees waiting to receive the migrating birds.They moved along and they could see the village in view. There were few people in the fields when they saw them they stopped and they took a step forward and stared. “ why are they staring at us bala”? Bala turned and smiled as she moved forward. as mala walked a small goat white as snow came jumping towards them and it slipped past bala and came to mala and mala picked it up with both hands.she caressed it and carried it and walked behind bala. Bala entered the village and went to mala. The streets were quite large and there were rows of houses and as they stepped in there were few people sitting under a tree.they were talking quite loudly,when they saw them,they stopped and gasped for breath.mala was bewildered. few of them came closer to them, they didn’t seem to notice bala,but came straight to mala and touched her, mala was shocked at their gesture.mala stuck to bala.just then a small boy seeing them from a distance ran towards them and came straight to mala stopped suddenly,stood for a minute and then turned and ran as fast as he could.bala signalled mala to follow her and the people just followed her, mala slowly walked behind bala, and bala stopped in front of a house.the house was a medium sized house, had a thatched patio and in the centre was a medium sized door. bala stopped and signalled to come inside.mala was hesitant, just then the door opened and a middle aged man just like her father stepped out. he raised his head and stood looking at both of them.he first looked at bala and then turned to mala, his face changed in disbelief, came down the few steps, stood in front of mala and tears trickled down. mala did not know what to do? she turned to bala and said “why is he crying, what’s happening bala? The middle aged man wiped his tears in a choking voicesaid “you look exactly like my daughter sridevi, saying he slowly touched her cheeks. mala moved a step away.” Who are you, why did you come here? Bala stepped forward and said “can we go in? I will tell you who we are? By now the entire village stood in front of that house.the father led them inside and it was a medium sized house and Mala stood in the hall looking all around her. in the centre was photo of a herself, exactly like her,it was her turn to be shocked, turning to bala she said “how could this be, how can i be like her,this is ridiculous,bala what is happening,”bala calmed her down and said she is the girl whom i was talking about and there was a kumkum and chandan on the girl’s forehead. now it all began to make sense to mala. quietly she went inside a small room where a lady was sleeping in a cot. Bala went close to her and touched her. the lady opened her eyes and there was sadness in her eyes. bala signalled towards mala and mala stepped forward, seeing her, the lady eyes watered and she slowly made attempts to sit up, the father helped her and she sat up, she said “devi, is it a dream or for real,pulling mala closer she started to kiss her all over. Mala stood there stunned. the lady turned to bala and said “where did you find her, oh,my god my daughter is here,saying she wiped her tears and got up,the father helped and she started to move and turning to mala said “ wait, i will come. Mala sat there, Bala quickly went to the father and told him what really happened on that fatal day, and why they were there.”I wanted to bring closure to your daughter’s death, I wanted your wife to be normal again.” by then the mother came she gave mala a guava and said “ your favourite fruit...eat...she looked around and turn
ing to her husband said, now i am fine....i will be alright,my daughter is back....the father was about to say something, the mother stopped and said “are you going to tell me she is not our daughter? i know, she is not my daughter, but she is just like her, so she is my daughter, saying she turned and smiled at both of them. She held Bala's hand and said “i don’t know who you are, but you are my god, you brought her to me, i will never forget you for what you have done to me this minute.
Bala chirped in” oh. menaka, you know me very well,i know you very well, saying she started laughing. the mother stopped and looked at bala, bala said, you wanted to see me and you wanted a closure on your daughter’s death, here it is, you were not the reason for your daughter’s death and mala is like your daughter, whenever you feel like seeing your sridevi, you can call her and she will come,is that ok. the mother’s eyes were filled with tears and she looked at bala and said , pollari, it is you isn’t it? you came here to wipe away my tears, saying she fell at bala’s feet, bala consoled her and the father was also stunned and he also fell at bala’s feet.both of them stood up with their hands folded.By now the crowds stood eagerly waiting to see them and both of them were like a show piece. Bala turned to the mother and said “ I know you will be fine. Don't worry, your daughter is safe.saying she bid goodbye and both of them walked away from the village amidst loud cheering from the crowds...
Uravugal oru thodarkathai...
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