WHAT IS BEAUTY?

WHAT IS BEAUTY?

                                                                                  -TAMIZH INIYA

Nithya was working as an English teacher in one of the private schools in Chennai. She was handling the subject for 10^th and 12^th  class students. She is tall and slim. She naturally had a good shape of  her body structure. She had lengthy, thick and dark black hair that added extra beauty to her. She had a pride over her hair. She used to tease men with baldhead.

All her female colleagues used to love her hair and used to ask her the secret of maintaining it. One of her used to tease her saying “Nithya you have a beautiful hair, I think your fiancé would be bald.”

“I never marry a man with bald head,” replied Nithya.

All her male colleagues liked her, because of her innocent nature. She used to behave friendly to her students, also to her colleagues. She never got angry on others. She always had a smiling face. She had a close friend named Banu who worked in the same school as a Mathematics teacher.

Banu and Nithya joined the school at the same time and were handling same classes. Both of them were in their early twenties fresh from their college education. That created a closeness between them. Banu was a bold girl and very talkative whereas, Nithya, a shy type but talkative.

The whole school knew about their friendship including the new Principal who took charge on that academic year. Their friendship never interrupted their work schedule. In such a way they played their roles with duty conscious, which also reflected during the school cultural programes. They both were assigned duty in the same category, which they used to plan well and tried to get appreciation from every one.

One day Nithya was chatting with Banu during their free period. Weekly on Friday 7^th period both of them would be free.

“Banu we are going to shift our residence next week. So I may take leave on next Saturday.”

“Ha ha, so Nithya is going to get married,” Banu replied with a laughter.

“Hey nothing like that. My brother is wishing to change the house.”

“You may not be aware of that, but I can understand why your brother is shifting the residence.”

“How is it, explain me”

“Look here Nithya, you live in your own house, not a rented one. The only reason to vacate it means your house has less space for any functions to be organised. Even if people come from a groom’s house, there is no enough space in your house and more over it is an old house with country roof.”

“Yes Banu what you say is logical. If at all it is only for my brother’s wish, he could have seen a house in an area where he works, but he wants to shift in our area itself, nearby the railway station.”

“Ha ha that’s why I am saying Nithya is going to leave the school soon. I am the one who is going to suffer. Ok it’s all in the part of game.”

“How’s is it Banu, you are able to take everything easily, but I could not. I will terribly miss you if that’s the way.”

Nithya’s face went dark in sadness. Banu made her to accept the reality.

The next Saturday Nithya took leave to help in vacating the house. While they were loading the packages in the vehicle, the neighbour who came that day after two months tour, came to Nithya’s house.

“Nithya ma (way of addressing Nithya’s mother), why are you vacating the house.” Asked Janaki, the neighbour woman.

“It’s just temporary Janaki. We are looking for a groom for our Nithya, so until her marriage takes place we may reside in rental house. There is nothing you doesn’t know, our place is not spacious for any function. Even during Nithya’s sadangu (a traditional function conducted for the girls when they start their first menstrual periods) we could not occupy everyone in our house and finally you helped us by making seating arrangements for the dinner in your house.”

“Ok ok good to hear. Neighbours are there to help in needy occasions. Your husband has done many help for us. What we had done is nothing. Ok, In which area you are shifting?”

“It’s not far Janaki, it’s in an apartment near our Korattur railway station.”

“Good, its nearby only. We can attend all the rituals of Nithya’s marriage. Raghu’s (Nithya’s elder brother) marriage will take place in our house, isn’t it?”

“Sure. In our community all the rituals should be done in bride’s house. For Raghu no problem.”

“Will Raghu accept it?”

“Everything is being done on his wish. He is the bread winner of the family now. He takes care of everything.”

“You are blessed with two good children Nithya ma. We all used to admire your family. Let God bless you all.”

“Ok Janaki we are leaving, I will inform you once we set right everything, so that you can visit us.”

The two women were having a good chat. They were neighbours for past 25 years and had good relationship.

Nithya over heard the conversation and thought about Banu. “How clever Banu is. Only I am the fool.” She said to herself.

After shifting their residence, Nithya informed Banu about her mother’s conversation with their neighbour. Banu teased Nithya for being so innocent.

The next Sunday, Nithya was made to dress like a bride. She could understand that someone was going to visit them. On that day a family came to Nithya’s house and Nithya’s parents made a warm welcome and made them comfortable. Nithya was in her room. She was standing like a doll with fear and eagerness.

Groom’s family( the boy , his parents and his elder sister) were seated there. After formal talks, the boy’s mother insisted them to call Nithya. Nithya’s mother asked her to come. Nithya came out of her room and made a welcome by holding her palms together in front of her face (way to greet people in India).

Nithya had a look at the boy. The boy’s sister asked some questions to Nithya regarding her studies and job. After that Nithya was sent to her room. Both the families were discussing something seriously that Nithya could not hear from her room.

After sometime Nithya’s brother entered her room and asked her “Nithi ma (the way her family calls her) did you like the boy?”

Even though the shyness in her face said the answer, her brother wants  to hear it from her. So, he forced her to reply.

“Whatever you and father decide, that will be correct for me. Even I like him.”

The boy was smart and handsome and had a good qualification and good job with high earnings. Moreover his family belongs to a upper middle class society.

The boy’s family asked 75 sovereigns (600 grams) of gold and a Pulsar two-wheeler apart from the regular household things as a dowry. Nithya’s brother said “Ok we will discuss and say and we all like your son.”

The boy’s family took leave from them.

After they went, Nithya’s father said “No Raghu it’s too much for our level. We can’t do as they expect. I have saved some 30 sovereigns for her marriage. The rest you can’t carry the burden on you.

Nithya’s mother said “Yes Raghu, what your father says is right. If you load yourself heavily, you can’t  even think about your marriage. After marriage, until she gives birth to child the expense is ours. They will ask as they wish for each and every ritual. At that time, we could not put her in trouble. So let us see a groom of our level.”

“What’s their level ma. The boy earns the level I earn now.”

“But we will not ask dowry like them. We want only a bride for you.” Nithya’s mother said instantly.

“Ma, Nithya likes that boy and we too.”

“Ok then let us talk to them about how much we can do for the marriage. If they accept let us proceed, if not it should be cancelled.” Nithya’s father said strictly. Raghu accepted for the time being, but he wants to make his sister happy despite of everything.

Raghu contacted the boy’s family and said about their capacity. He said that he would put 50 sovereigns of gold and would give ₹.50,000 for the two-wheeler apart from other household things. They were not convinced. The boy’s mother finally accepted for 60 sovereigns of gold and ₹. 75,000 for the two-wheeler. Raghu without any objection accepted their offer.

When he informed the bargain to his parents, they were not feeling happy. While they were talking, Nithya was on her doorsteps, hearing the conversations of her family members regarding her marriage. She had returned home from school. Her parents and brother never informed her about the dowry the boy’s parents asked. If she had entered the house, they would sure stop their conversations. So, she heard whatever necessary and entered the house.

After refreshing herself, she was called by her mother. She sat along with them.

“Nithi ma, are you accepting for this marriage? Do you like the groom and their family?” Nithya’s mother asked her softly.

“Ma, I liked them through their appearance, but appearance alone is not enough to lead a life. Character is important. I heard whatever you were talking about their dowry expectations.”

“Look here Nithi, whomsoever the groom is we are going to give dowry, that’s being our tradition for centuries. So you need not worry about that . I have arranged loan through my office. I made our parents to accept.”

“I know very well about my brother. You will sacrifice everything for my sake. That’s why I don’t want this groom.”

“I can’t understand Nithi.”

“I am not a child now. I am handling grown up children and I am matured in my thoughts. Only our family always treats me as a kid. Let us come to the point, before marriage they are demanding as their wish. If they come to know your love for me, they would demand more after marriage. The people who are greed on money never change themselves. If our mother demands dowry, will you be quiet?”

“No, I want only a wife not the dowry. It is every parents wish to gift their children and not through force.”

“So why this groom is maintaining silence, while his parents were bargaining. After marriage the same will continue even they torture me.”

Nithya’s father said, “well said my dear, I did not know that my girl has grown up.” Tears started from his eyes.

“Brother you just look for any groom, but look at their humanity nature alone not their wealth. If a man is educated, he could earn money in his life but not humanity. It should be from their family.”

Nithya was firm in decision and said, “daily we come across many news regarding dowry deaths in our social media. Even highly educated women with good earnings also commit suicide. I am not of that category, I will never let you down.”

Her family finally decided to drop that alliance.

The next day in school, Nithya was boasting about her adventurous talks with her family.

“Banu if at all you had not guided me, I would have never overheard what they were talking. That was easier as I could hear them from our doorsteps itself.”

“Howsoever, you are grown up now.”

“Yes Banu, only now I can feel like that.”

“Banu if you become my sister-in-law I will be the happiest creature in this Universe.”

“What a terrific thought you have. Our marriages are arranged based on caste. Love marriages are exceptional, but that too brings many problems. One thing for sure, I never had crush on your brother. As like you I think him as my brother. No other thoughts.”

“Baaanuuu... How sweet of you! You are so good.”

On a Sunday another alliance made a visit to Nithya’s house. The parents of that boy were so down to earth persons. Nithya felt as if she was talking to her family members. Even the boy’s sister was so jovial and started calling Nithya as Anni (wife of elder brother).

After they went, Raghu said, “Ma the boy has bald head and looks as if aged.”

“Yes, but the people are so good. I did not feel them as strangers.”

“Nithi ma what’s your decision?” asked her father.

“I like the boy and their family as well. The foremost thing is that they did not demand anything from us. They left everything as per our wish. The highlight is that they spoke everything without neglecting me whereas, the first family who came here spoke everything after sending me in.”

“Nithi ma, you never like bald head men. How is it that you are accepting him? Is it for our family sake?”

“No brother, not like that, I understood clearly that beauty is not only in the appearance. I like their family very much.”

“They are not asking any dowry, will there be any problem with the groom?” Nithya’s mother murmured.

“Ma don’t think everyone in the same angle. Even when you search for a bride, they would think of my brother in the same way. Let us start encouraging men like this.”

All the family members were happy about Nithya. After investigating from the groom’s office and their surroundings, the marriage was fixed.

The teacher, who teased her about baldhead fiancée, appreciated Nithya for her decision. Nithya’s marriage life was really a successful one.

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