Huge Round Of Silent Applause

"Thank you madam. It's all God's grace. Thanks for calling." Sowparnica put down the receiver, her face clearly had a smile with a sense of pride. Of course she was proud, not everyone gets a call from the secretary of social welfare ministry. Birthday greetings from who is who of the society kept her phone busy. She had reasons to be happy, it was not just her birthday she was also celebrating the arrival of her son.

Her maternity required her to go on a hiatus from her social life for the past ten months. The birthday gave her an opportunity to connect with people and resume her social life. She was presiding more than half a dozen NGOs and a member on several others.

Her husband, is an industrialist owning a few profit making automobile ancillary units near Sriperumputhur. When it came to social causes, his participation was rather passive but he was very willing to let Sowparnica take control in this zone which was also her passion. In fact as saint Sadasiva Brahmendra once wrote 'Asmin grame Achalu prasidhdhi.' - In my wife's village she is the celebrity, he was aware that she was more popular and influential than he was, inspite of his professional and financial success.

Now that she was out of her maternity, she couldn't wait any longer to let herself go off the leash and resume her social life and activities with the NGOs, make her voice be heard again and resolve the issues that really mattered to the society, that really mattered to her. It was time to get back to camera flashes, interviews and functions.

Just when she was thinking where to start, she realised the following friday was roadside children day. 'Why not give them baby food on that day?' She knew it was a great idea and the idea was endorsed without any hesitation by her agency.

Sowparnica called the distributor of a popular baby food and ordered 10,000 tins .The distributor volunteered to supply them at cost price.Then venue? She fixed Valluvar Kottam.Next? VIPs. Her fingers automatically ran on the mobile and the Mayor answered her call in two rings. "Tell me madam.What can I do for you?" Sowparnica explained the programme and the mayor had no hesitation in blocking his calendar. She then called MLA Nungai Nanmaran. "It will be my pleasure. Five hundred tins would be on me...." Nanmaran offered. In no time the count swelled to 20,000 tins. Sowparnica revised the indent.

Just when she was finalising her thought for the event, she heard a faint cry from Rahul. She needed no thinking in deciphering the infant's call and instantly responded "Coming darling..." It didn't take long for her to fill Rahul's teeny tiny tummy when a sudden realisation hit her. She had no plan in place to take care of Rahul when she goes away the following Friday. 'Well Aravind should be able to manage.' She thought.

But in the evening Aravind expressed his inability to help, as the Korean principal was visiting Chennai for the entire week. Though Sowparnica was upset for a second, she found another solution. 'Why not recall Anjalai for a day?' Anjalai was her servant maid. A new mother herself who was away from work to look after her neonate. Sowparnica had let Anjalai go on fully paid maternity leave. 'I could take her services just for a day perhaps.' Sowparnica figured.

Next day, she sent her driver to tell Anjalai that she needed her assistance for a day. Anjalai readily agreed to come as Sowparnica was helpful to her on many occasions. Sowparnica also consulted the paediatrician to find out the alternative feed for the baby in her absence and got it ready.

Come the D-day, Anjalai had promptly presented herself along with her baby girl Selvi to relieve Sowparnica to attend the function. Already Sowparnica was restless as her presence was vital at the function. She told Anjalai to take care of the house and the child. She also handed over the baby food and explained how to prepare and feed. Anjalai assured her not to worry and she could take care of.

Knowing Anjalai for a while, Sowparnica was confident with her maid and got into her Audi shifting her full attention on to the function ahead and the chauffeur vroomed off the SUV to the venue. When Sowparnica arrived at Valluvar Kottam the venue was bustling with crowd. Other members were already present and received Sowparnica. She enquired whether the food tins were ready. Others nodded. The venue was packed with people and soon arrived the Mayor and MLA. Sowparnica took mayor's permission to begin the function.

In the meantime @ 'HARINI', sowparnica's home at Rutland gate, Anjalai laid down her baby Selvi and went around the house. The house was very shabby and clothes were strewn in hall and bedroom. 'Poor madam, what will she do? She was pregnant and now mother of a new born baby. That too she is very busy with other work. OK, I will set right everything....'

Anjalai took the broom, swept and mopped the entire bungalow, collected all the clothes for washing. She could not accept washing machine and never came to terms with the concept of a machine washing clothes. While she was at the chores she heard the sound of a baby. She hurried to hall and found Selvi crying. She took her and started feeding and in no time the baby was calm and was back to her baby slumber. Anjalai gave a passionate look at the child and gave her an ever so gentle hug and let the baby be and went about with her chores. Again baby's cry. Anjalai got slightly irritated. 'Just now I fed you...again you are disturbing me..how will I work ....before madam returns I have to finish all the work.' She thought.

She went near Selvi with a made up angry face but Selvi was fast asleep. Anjalai laughed at herself 'You are a fool and imagine a lot.' She took to the washing and again there was baby's cry. Anjalai smiled within herself 'all your imagination....no baby is crying.' She resumed work...again crying sound. Anjalai rose from her place and went back to see whether Selvi was crying....no...she was in deep sleep.. 'But I heard the sound.....again imagination? no chance....' Again she heard the baby crying ...now louder....the sound came from Sowparnica bedroom...'oh,God! Madam's baby!' She rushed into Sowparnica bedroom..it was Rahul.

Anjalai swayed the cradle gently in vain...the volume increased as if the baby was offended. Anjalai took him in her arms and walked hither and thither gently tapping the infant on the back.

Back @ Valluvar kottam, the mayor and the MLA complimented Sowparnica. "It is really great madam is taking care of roadside children who are underpriveleged and neglected. It is nothing but service to God...."

Crowd echoed their views by loud cheer.

Meanwhile back in the bungalow Rahul had no intentions of taking it easy on Anjalai. She rushed to the kitchen and prepared his formula and fed him. But he did not stop crying and left Anjalai feeling confused and panicking. 'Madam is not here...how to stop this cry....can we call madam?' Anjalai dialled Sowparnica number and was greeted by her recorded voice message. Anjalai did not leave a message, the only message registered was high pitched shrieking from Rahul in the background.

Anjali dialled once again and inspite of the recorded message from Sowparnica, she went ahead and mumbled "Madam, your baby is crying, not taking milk. What to do?" After a couple more failed attempts to get in touch with Sowparnica, Anjalai quit her endeavour with the phone and her panic culminated in her losing her cool and broke down into tears. 'I need to stop the baby from crying.' she resolved.

Sowparnica was speaking. "It is the duty of every citizen to take care of fellow human being. For everything, we should not turn to government. Small drops make a big ocean. Even a small squirrel offered to do its part though insignificant. A person can be religious or an atheist....But they should unite in one aspect....human service. For a religious person it is nothing but service to God because Dhaivam manusha roopenaa...God manifests hmself in the form of human being. For atheists they believe in humanity though not God. So they are also bound to help the needy. So for anyone and everyone only one mantra applies. That is help the needy, help the needy, help the needy....."

Anjalai was desperate. The baby was continuously crying. 'If he was hungry he would take milk..But he did not...Then what was the reason? Stomach pain? Or any other problem? But how suddenly? Moreover it is two hours since madam left..Would he not feel hungry? But then why is he not taking the milk ? All these days he was taking this milk only..is it not?

Anjalai suddenly realised what has changed, 'Madam went out just today. All these days she might have breast fed? All of a sudden if milk is changed how would the baby accept? Perhaps that is the issue..but now what to do? She is not here. Nor can she come.'

'Oh, Anjalai, can't you think little? Are you not a feeding mother...can't you feed him? Me? How is it possible? You don't belong here, the baby on the other hand is born with silver spoon. They are rich...they eat good and nutritious food...moreover they are very clean and hygienic,,,,,See their bathroom...glazed tiles, marble floor, geyser, shower, bath tub, foreign soaps, shampoos, creams and so on. Whereas I live in a shabby house having a dingy common bathroom with water stored in a paint drum and a old plastic mug.' She thought.

Argumentative Anjalai in her thought 'whatever you think maybe true to certain extent...but now the situation is different....baby is crying for the last one hour....Is it not harmful to him? If something happens to him would you not be blamed?

Even if I feed him they will not find it polite. Moreover if anything happens to the baby? What will happen? If you don't feed there is a risk for his life. If you feed his hunger will be satiated. He will sleep peacefully. Mother's milk will ensure immunity to the baby irrespective of whether she is well to do or poorly nourished...Look, the baby is crying.. every second is precious...hurry up...act fast'...'OK,OK I will feed him.' She told herself and went into Sowparnica's bathroom and took a quick hot shower.

Anjalai took the baby in her arms and started nursing. Her mind was a little hesitant but her milk was not reluctant.

Rahul was indifferent to his carer. His basic necessity was milk and it was being served and the right way. Soon he was calm and stopped crying, slowly going into sleep.

Anjalai felt as if a heavy rain had ceased. She felt right.

Sowparnica announced that every baby present there will get ten tins of baby food sufficient for six months and the mayor requested the beneficiaries to give her a standing applause and their applause brought down the sky. Sowparnica's face was smiling hearing that.That followed flashes, compliments and so on.

Anjalai looked happily at Rahul. He was sleeping calmly. No sound,no fanfare.

At the venue it was a site of loud expressions of thanks and appreciations.

At HARINI no words of thanks, compliments, appreciations.Entirely different scenario. Silence and peace and a satisfied Rahul's intermittent smiles.

What sowparnica did was seen by a big audience and received the reward by way of compliments, good wishes, blessings and a quiet publicity too. But Anjalai's act was known to nobody other than the baby who is none other than the God. His silent and peaceful sleep was her reward.

Sowparnica's act was grand and majestic like the roar of a lion, heard by everyone and appreciated by everyone.

Anjalai's gesture on the otherhand will never see the light of the day, that is not to say it is a lesser act than Sowparnica's. Unlike the roar of a lion it is like the call of a bat, gone without appreciation, not because it is not heard but because we are not the audience.