Father Visiting Daughter

Mahesh woke up at 5 in the morning. The whole house was in darkness and a small zero watt bulb shed its light in the living room. The chill atmosphere in his room said Bangalore was witnessing extra cool this year. He had come to his daughter’s house. Only yesterday he talked to his wife who was in New Orleans on a four month’s visit to her son. He took his laptop and logged on to his Skype. Rohit came on the screen.

‘ Bapa, you could have come here with amma,’ muttered Rohit when Mahesh said, ‘HI’.

‘What’s she doing? Call her.’

‘She’s busy in the kitchen.’

Rohit took his laptop to the kitchen. Mohana was cooking something. Wiping her forehead she asked, ‘What’s time there?’

“5:15’

‘You are not in Chennai. Mind that. Why did you get up so early? Being Saturday Dikshna will get up only at 7.’

‘I’m missing your coffee at 5. What’s your menu there?’

‘In the morning Rohit asked bisi bela bath. Now I’m warming it for dinner.’

‘I’m missing it too,’ Mahesh sighed.

‘You can go to kitchen and make your coffee.’

‘When I tried like that, Dikshna told me not to do that. My hands are tied. Son in law Saran wants Dikshna to make coffee to his taste.’

‘I think you’ve now realised my value. You were finding fault with my recipes.’

‘Dikshna advised me to go over here, instead of staying at Chennai in your absence. She’s very busy with her work. Yesterday she came home at 9:30. Both husband and wife decided to go for dinner at a hotel. I accompanied them. Every alternate day they eat outside.’

‘Tomorrow we’re going to Niagara falls. You’ve missed a chance. You also enjoy your weekend. Bye.’

The Skype screen went off. Mahesh switched off his laptop and went for brushing his teeth. There was no sign of Dikshna rising up. Mahesh switched on the TV in the living room with mute option. At 6:45 Dikshna rose and came to him.

‘When did you get up, Bapa?’

‘Five minutes back,’ Mahesh lied.

‘Your coffee will be ready soon,’ she hurried to the kitchen.

Saran opened the front door and picked up milk packets and newspaper. He gave the newspaper to Mahesh and put his mobile to charge.

Dikshna came to her father, ‘Dad, for breakfast what do you want? Idli or dosa? For lunch I prepare alu paratha. Okay?’

‘What does Saran want?’

‘Hey, Saru! Idli or dosa?’

‘I want uthappam.’

‘Done.’

When they were drinking coffee, Dikshna’s mobile rang. Her boss was calling.

‘Hi, Gokul! What’s the matter?’

‘Dikshna, open the mail and see. I’ll talk to you later.’

With coffee cup in one hand Dikshna went to the room where Mahesh was staying and switched on the internet and her official laptop. ‘Oh, god!’ she almost wailed.

‘Saru!’ she called her hubby. ‘I should go to office even today. There’s a problem with my code.’

She went to the kitchen, saying ‘Only idlis for breakfast. Saru, after seven minutes switch off the cooker.’

Dikshna rushed to the bathroom and took her bath. While hurriedly eating Idlis she said, ‘Sorry Bapa. I’ve to be in office in next one hour. Hey, Saru! Take my dad to Laajawaab for lunch.’

She didn’t expect any reply from anyone, took the car keys and gone.

‘Mama, at 9 I have EC meeting of our association. We are discussing about water problem in our flats.’ Saran went to take bath.

Mahesh’s mobile tringed. It was Dikshna. She talked to him while driving. ‘Bapa, bless me in your pranic healing. I have a problem in my project.’

‘Diksh, you are driving now. I should not do healing while the patient is driving. As soon as you reach office, give a missed call.’

Mahesh was a pranic healer. After retirement he learnt that art and though he was invited by the foundation to go commercial, he remained a healer only to his family and known friends. He was time and again asked by Rohit or Mohana or Dikshna to heal them in one way or other. Mohana asked him for migraine headache yesterday. Rohit for stress; Mahesh had brought pebbles for crystal healing. He learnt all the forms of pranic healing. Now Dikshna is asking for blessing. Only last year she asked for her previous boss’s transfer and within a week he was gone! She had an undisputable faith in her father’s healing.

Mahesh’s mobile flashed and Dikshna’s missed call message appeared. He scanned her position with two hands and found pranic depletion. There were negative elements.

Saran came to him. ‘You can take bath now and have your breakfast.’

Mahesh took his bath and ate idlis. He scanned again with his hands and found slight improvement. He said the prayer to his guru Choa Kok Sui, a Chinese Master, who was the founder of Pranic Healing and to the Supreme Being. With his right hand he began sweeping the ill effects and blessed for ten minutes.

Mahesh’s mobile rang. Dikshna calling flashed. ‘Bapa, I found where I went wrong with my code. Are you blessing me?’

‘Just now I finished it.’

‘I’m sorry,Bapa. I couldn’t make your lunch.’

‘It’s okay. You finish your work. Saran will take me for lunch.’

At 8:45 Saran left to attend EC meeting.

Mahesh sat in the sofa and scanned the home. Five years have gone and the house has to see little kids yet. ‘Are these two postponing of begetting a child or something wrong?’

He wondered how Dikshna would manage the house when she had a kid. He remembered her formative years of schooling. She had long double plaits and Mohana wanted her to have bop cutting. But Dikshna even at that age was adamant to have long plaits. Mohana had to detangle the braids everyday amidst her domestic cores. Now Dikshna had cut her hair and looked modern. ‘Will she allow her daughter( if born) to have long plaits?’ Times have changed and mothers like Dikshna wouldn’t allow kids to have their choice.

At 12:30 Saran called him in the intercom. ‘Mama, I’m sorry I couldn’t accompany you for lunch. Our association team is going out to a shop in the city. I have told a friend to take you in his bike. He’ll come in five minutes. Lock home with the key near the door. I’ve another set of keys.’

Mahesh thought about his food habits. He drank coffee at 5, ate breakfast at 7 and took lunch at 11. He had his dinner at 8 and by 9:30 he went to bed. Here everything was in jeopardy.

The door bell rang and Saran’s friend Manjunath was standing outside. Mahesh asked him to come inside and both sat on the sofa.

‘Is there a Rayar mess near here?’ Mahesh asked Manjunath.

‘ A Madhwa Brahmin is running a mess. I know the place.’

‘Please take me there. I want to eat Chaaru, that is, rasam with rice.’ Mahesh’s eyes gleamed.

He changed his clothes and Manjunath took him to the mess. He was impressed by the cleanliness of the mess. Manjunath said he took his breakfast only at 11 and sat outside.

Before eating Mahesh said a prayer beginning with words ‘Brahmaarpanam Brahma Havir’

He was satisfied as he was fed up with junk foods in costly restaurants. After finishing he said, ‘Annadata sukhi bhava’ to the couple who served food to him.

‘My daughter needs a cook at home. Can you send a cook to do work at 7 in the morning?’ Mahesh asked the lady.

‘Which area?’

‘In Basavangudi.’

‘I know a woman. Please give your mobile number.’

Mahesh gave his number as well as Dikshna’s landline number. Call at 9:30 in the evening.’

While driving Manjunath commented, ‘Nowadays people prefer only posh restaurants. In Bangalore it has become a fashion.’

When Dikshna returned at 5 in the evening, Mahesh said,’ I’ve spoken to a lady in the mess. She said she knows a cook for you.’

‘Bapa, why are you eating in unhygienic messes, when there are good hotels?’

‘ I wanted homely food. For me it’s okay.’

‘I interviewed two or three cooks. They were not up to my standard.’ Dikshna complained.

‘Are you satisfied in your present job?’ Mahesh qizzed.

‘Not fully. They want targets every time.’

‘In the same way a cook cannot satisfy you. You must give in. Tailors and cooks come in this category. Your mother has changed a dozen tailors. Still she groans.’

‘Even if I agree to the cook, Saru won’t accept. I only know his taste.’

Mahesh was not able to find fault with anybody. They eat foods outside with different tastes. But theyare averse to homely food. They have age on their side. Let them enjoy till the time allows, he thought.

‘This evening I take you to Laajawaab. It’s a fine North Indian restaurant. You’ll like it,’ Dikshna said.

Mahesh didn’t speak anything. He logged on to IRCTC site for booking a railway ticket. He found lot of vacant seats in Double Decker train to Chennai for tomorrow. He booked a ticket for him. He began to think of possible excuses for his moving to Chennai.