The Invincible Moonsheen
Part – 36
(Telugu Original “Venutiragani Vennela” by Dr K.Geeta)
English Translation: V.Vijaya Kumar
(The previous story briefed)
Sameera comes to meet her mother’s friend, Udayini, who runs a women’s aid organization “Sahaya” in America. Sameera gets a good impression of Udayini. Four months pregnant, Sameera tells her that she wants to get a divorce and the circumstances are conducive to it. Udayini asks her to listen to the story of “Tanmayi” and pursue her to make her own decision after listening to the story. Tanmayi and Shekhar, who met at a wedding ceremony, go to marry with the permission of their elders. After the marriage they started their new life in Visakhapatnam. A boy was born to the couple in a year of their marriage. Tanmay engages in her studies deeply and enjoys the friendship with her colleagues forgetting all about her household disturbances. Her parents came to stay with her for a month while Shekhar is away on his long-term camp.
***
That weekend, Tanmayi went home. On her father’s face, she noticed flickers of agitation, while her mother’s face radiated calmness. Yet, Tanmayi felt a sense of peace and lightness she had never experienced before.
“Now I am entirely independent. I don’t depend on anyone. No one has claims over me, and no one controls me. This feeling is so liberating.”
This is why she mustered the courage to tell her father.
“Why did you take such a drastic step as divorce?” Bhanumurthy shouted angrily.
“Daddy, you speak meaningless. How could I stay with him after all that happened? Even thinking about him makes me nauseous” replied Tanmayi.
“I am your father. You didn’t even think to consult me. You made this decision alone. What will you tell this child when he grows up and asks about his father? Why the hurry?” her father ranted. Tanmayi stared at him in disbelief.
“Why is he talking like this, knowing everything that happened? Wasn’t he the one who sent the divorce notice first? I endured his cruelty until he made that harsh decision. After he sent the notice, I fought pointlessly in court for years. I never rushed into anything. Why is Dad accusing me of haste?” she wondered.
Meanwhile Bhanumurthy tried to rise from his chair but staggered.
“Dad!” Tanmayi rushed to steady him.
Clutching his chest, he collapsed onto the bed and pointed to the door.
“Just get lost! Never come back here!” he broke.
Tears flooded down her cheeks, She hoped the tears would drown her in that flood.
She remembered Mary’s words:
“Men will always act like men. As long as women – mothers, wives, or daughters obey, men pretend to be noble. But when women defy their control, their true selves emerge.”
“Is that true?” Tanmayi wiped her tears and walked away.
Shekhar’s cruelty could be excused – he came from a different family. But Dad?
From her childhood, her mother raised her as a girl, while her father treated her like a son.
When she wanted to learn cycling in sixth grade, he spent an entire day teaching her on his large bicycle. She never forgot the pride in his eyes when she mastered his TVS-50 motorbike. Nor the time he sprinted to help her when she fell off the cart, blocked by stray cattle.
“You’re just like your dad,” people would say, and she’d swell with pride. How could that same father speak to her this way now?
Why was he upset that she refused to live under a man’s control? Worse, why forbid her from returning home?
Her mother remained silent through the chaos.
Tanmayi’s heart grew heavy.
Is life always a battle?
Her past struggles were different from what lay ahead. For the first time, she felt truly alone.
But there’s no choice now. Even parental support is gone. She must face her struggles alone.
She resolved to take her son and live independently.
“He spoke in anger. In a few days, he’ll surely say that he missed you both,” She expected her mother would reassure her. But no such thing happened.
Does Mom see me as a burden? Is her grandson’s care too much for her?
Her mother’s face showed relief at Shekhar’s exit, yet an unspoken tension lingered. Tanmayi couldn’t decipher it.
She wiped her tears.
“I can’t crumble. My decisions are mine to own, my battles mine to fight. My parents aren’t responsible. I did what I thought was right. Their anger doesn’t concern me. If they want to see me, they’ll come.”
Silently, she packed his bag.
At dawn, she left for Visakhapatnam.
As the city’s borders neared, dread gripped her again. This city had shattered her marital dreams, left countless sorrowful nights, and taught harsh lessons. Yet it also introduced her to kind souls, extremes of failure and success, and a new life.
How strange life is! Had she known she’d journey alone, she’d have stood firmer.
She kissed her son’s forehead as he slept, hugging him close.
“We’ll never be apart, my love.”
Morning light filtered through the windows. In Tanmayi’s damp eyes, hope flickered.
***
Clutching her son with one arm and her bag with the other, Tanmayi entered the hostel. She rehearsed answers for the warden.
“I’ll find a house in a week. Please let us stay till then.”
Exhaustion weighed on her.
With the little money I have, how will I manage rent and expenses?
She’d starve rather than borrow.
Why does this happen to me? Tears soaked her pillow. Her son slept beside her.
Soon Mary walked in and found her crying.
“Your scholarship will sustain you and your son easily. Why worry?” She comforted her.
“Start your Ph.D until you complete your pre Ph D. Work while this kid at school. I’ll help too. Don’t stress—God’s with us.”
Tanmayi hugged her.
“Thank you, Mary. I’ll never forget your kindness.”
House-hunting was a brutal experience in and around the locality. House owners eyed her bare neck and ankles, sneering and shut their doors on her face.
“Forget them,” Mary said, but humiliation stung her painfully.
By the third day, they realized cheaper rooms lay farther out.
“I wish I could join you, but my scholarship barely covers hostel fees,” Mary apologized.
“It’s okay Mary. Being alone just… scares me,” Tanmayi whispered as darkness crept into her heart.
***
The next day, Divakar approached her at the university.
“Why hunt for houses…? I will arrange a room at my place with a reasonable rent…A bachelor who lived there left after marrying. My mother will take care of your child when he comes home from the school…don’t worry!”
Then he laughed eloquently.
Stunned at this gesture, Tanmayi folded her hands in gratitude with tearful eyes.
Divakar protested her saying, “Oh, It’s my pleasure” and added,
“No advance is needed. Just walk in…”
He continued, “I am still waiting for a chance… and the residential school you suggested is far away for me to join…”
Tanmay looked at him affectionately as if he was an innocent kid. She was filled with joy about his childlike attitude.
When they stepped in, his mother invited her lovingly.
When she offered an advance for rent she smiled and said, “No formalities child, come soon!”
Tanmay thanked her anonymous friend for the hospitality she received there.
Joyfully, Tanmayi returned to the hostel.
“I’ll move in this Sunday!” Tanmay said relaxing.
“Not so fast,” Mary teased, waving an envelope at her.
“Your interview call! For a government lecturer post!” Mary handed over the call letter. It’s an interview call letter for a government lecturer post from the college service commission.
She was altogether in shock and felt totally confused with this unexpected and much awaited news. She needs to dash for the interview in just three weeks.
Tanmayi called her mother, happily sharing her delight.
“This job will secure your son’s future,” her mother happily blessed her daughter and encouraged her to attend the interview.
“Whether you get a job or not is not important, dear. This is a good opportunity to know how interviews are for you, but this is a job that suits your talent. Be brave and attend, I will see the kid until you arrive,” said Mary.
Hearing that, the kid ran and hugged his mother as if not to leave.
Tanmayi thought of her Peddamma living in Hyderabad. An interview is not a day’s work. It will take five days including travel.
It is better to take the mother with her. After counting the money hidden at the bottom of the box, she takes a deep breath and decides to take her mother with her.
“I’m not leaving you, my dear child, we took grandma with us, okay?” Tanmayi said happily,
Tanmay took out all the notes prepared for JRF and read them day and night.
When the interview was about to fall in the next week, she went to the nearest government junior college.
A broken gate, destroyed walls, broken furniture, a college with few facilities not even with ten rooms.
The principal’s room is a bit neater.
“Principal sir is not there. Come tomorrow” said the attendant.
Still walked forward.
Next to that is the staff room. It was a small room with a bench and two tables.
The young man who was reading a book there looked at Tanmay suspiciously. As it is early and no one has come yet. Even though he was wearing a very plain dress, he looked smart.
“Come madam, sit down” when he knew that Tanmayi was a scholar.
“My name is Siddhartha. English lecturer,” he said humbly.
Looking at a book of poetry by 19th century American poet Emily Dickinson in his hand, Tanmay said excitedly,
“My favorite poet…
“Success is counted sweetest
By those who ne’er succeed
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need”...
I like this stanza very much, She said.
“But you are well-versed with English literature too?” he said smilingly.
“Not much… I read less, but I loved it more. Once I used to translate English poetry into Telugu…” Tanmay said humbly.
“Now?”
Now everything is kept aside in search of means of subsistence…”
He coughed a little and said, “Well, there are a lot of things to do before becoming a scholar, so I’d like to give you some advice. If you don’t think so, just one word. Even if everyone has only twenty-four hours, set aside some time for your interests. Otherwise, after a few years of life’s struggle, if we look back, we won’t have anything left for us.”
Tanmai looked at him in surprise. She felt as if her anonymous friend would have been speaking to her right there.
A smile appeared on Tanmai’s lips when the thought came to her.
Then she remembered why she came up there and said, “I don’t understand how to prepare for an interview for a government job.”
He coughed and said, “Be bold madam. Don’t be afraid to say anything. Interviews are the same regardless of the subject. The actual interview is not difficult when you have the knowledge to say anything. Remember one thing. You are going for a job as a teacher, so they will see how confident you are. So first, take a little trail. teach a lesson before a few. If no one else, tell your son at least!” He laughed jovially.
Tanmayi felt that his eloquence would have given him this job.
When they came out he put some colorful pieces of chalk in the kids hand and said, “Ma’am, the first sweet after getting a job is mine. Remember that.” Then he laughed aloud.
She thought it was impossible to forget him, even if she met him somewhere.
When she came back to the hostel, she encountered the warden. She did not say anything about the kid fortunately though the one week gradually turned into two weeks.
That day when she met Diwakar in the department, she said about her joining home, “I will attend the interview and join next month… Please inform your mother.”
After applying for leave in the department, she looked back in doubt once she got out. “Will she be doing research here for another five years?”
*****
(Continued next month)
A post graduate in English literature and language and in Economics. A few of my translations were published. I translated the poems of Dr. Andesri , Denchanala, Ayila Saida Chary and Urmila from Telugu to English. I write articles and reviews to magazines and news papers. To the field of poetry I am rather a new face.