It was one summer afternoon ,Usha sat in her cabin looking at the closing returns.In Chennai, summer starts from mid February itself.It was March end and her mind was full of tension and brain full of targets and campaigns.
Suddenly the phone rang.It was the DGM at the other end.”Good afternoon Sir” stammered Usha.
“Good afternoon “ came the reply.
“ Usha.How many Mudra loans have you given this week? response from your branch regarding insurance products is also very poor”.
“Sir ,my sub manager is on sabbatical leave,with staff shortage I am forced to sit in the branch dealing with routine work.I had asked for deputation sir.”
“Yes Usha I understand” responded the voice at the other end”I have posted a male Officer permanently to your branch.He will be joining tomorrow.”
Usha was a Bank manager in charge of a small branch in the outskirts of Chennai.
Though the people appeared to be backward it was quite a big town with lot of potentiality in agriculture and business.She was a manager here for the past one year and she had to compete with thirty six other banks.She had become quite popular in the town as she was the only manager who had given hundred mudra loans in that area.Everyday was a challenge as she had to work hard to meet the targets.Recovery of loans was another headache which she had to face along with deposit mobilization.Life is not that smooth in Banks as the general folk think, especially for officers and managers.
Next day morning Usha arrived much earlier than her usual time ,waiting for the new officers arrival.At last he did arrive with a poetic aura and boisterous look.It was 10.30 when Mahesh entered Ushas cabin.He was a well built tall gentleman with sharp nose and a friendly smile.He was well dressed and confident.
“ Hello ma'am how are you? “
Usha was startled to see Mahesh.It was her classmate who studied with her till tenth standard in Vivekananda Matriculation School in Annanagar.Both were just classmates not friends.Though they were acquaintances they hardly knew of each other.After the initial conversation Mahesh returned to his seat.
To her surprise Mahesh also was not married.Usha was a single independent woman in her early thirties.She was the youngest in a family of five.All her elder siblings were married.Her mother had died two years ago and now she was taking care of her father.Her father had worked in a private company,so did not have pension.He depended on Usha completely.
Work in the Bank,the tedious journey to and fro from home,the field work outside the Bank for marketing and recovery drained all her energy.By the time she reached home every day it was past nine in the night.She used to prepare either idlis or upma after a quick refreshing.Pattabhi her father waited patiently every day.It was a mundane and lonely life for both of them.
Pattabhi had five children.Eldest daughter Sreenidhi was settled in the U.S.She was his favourite,The next two sons Mohan and Krishna were settled in London.Only Prabhu who was less educated among all , stayed two streets away.He had a selfish and nagging wife .Pattabhi avoided going to their house due to her negativity.
It so happened that when Usha was born Pattabhi became sad.He even turned his face away .None in the family were happy about her birth.One more girl in a family of five.The first daughter was always welcome as lakshmi ,but daughters after that are viewed as burden by family members.Only Sreenidhi welcomed her happily in the world.The bond between the two sisters was really amazing.Shreenidhi showered both father and daughter with lot of gifts and helped them in times of need.
Pattabhi now understood the meaning of Usha's birth.She was the one who took care of her mother when she suffered and died due to cancer a couple of years ago.And now she was pillar of strength to Pattabhi.
Usha was a straight forward, hardworking woman who always tread on the righteous path.Not that she had no faults or flaws in life.She had fallen in love several times before,but avoided marriage for the sake of her parents.DGM was full of appreciation for her and she moved around her colleagues with vanity.Mahesh came as a big relief in her life.During school days they hardly spoke to each other.They were like strangers even though they studied together for ten years.
Lunch hours paved the way for a great relationship.Their friendship began with sharing of food.Three years of proximity which gradually developed from friendship to Divine Love.It was a typical love of modern days with picking and dropping at home.Those heavenly bike rides in the city during recoveries and marketing,each moment made life poetic.No more was day end mundane and tiresome.All of a sudden life became beautiful.
Though she knew Mahesh before,she could analyse him better now.What a great soul he was, she thought to herself .
Mahesh was God fearing and had genuine love for everyone irrespective of caste or class.His lovable nature reflected in his behaviour towards customers, especially to senior citizens.This brought more footfall to the branch automatically.Usha smiled to herself “How lucky am I to have my lover next to me the whole day.”She felt jealous and possessive whenever the women customers moved to him closely.Very often she fought with him more like a demon.
Mahesh was quite understanding and never mistook her quarrels.He never got angry even though sometimes he pretended.He admired her not for beauty or intelligence.She was an ordinary looking woman with average intelligence.It was her dedication in love to her parents which impressed him.She was polite to customers as well.Her self confidence and inner strength gave her the real beauty.Her attitude towards Life and the way she viewed and responded to people made her look great.
Mahesh was the only son in a family of three sisters.He hailed from Miryalaguda near Hyderabad.His eldest sister had a daughter just five years younger to him.Maheshs father Krishna Reddy worked for the Railways in Chennai.All four of his children were educated in Chennai.Usha knew his sisters vaguely as they were much senior to her.
After retirement Krishna Reddys family moved to their hometown.It was destiny that made Usha and Mahesh meet again in life after several years.They were not even ordinary friends in school.
But now both of them were literally dying for each other.Mahesh had a family promise to keep up.But he wanted to break it and make Usha his life partner.It was the tradition in their village to marry with in relatives.His mother had married Krishna Reddy her maternal uncle and similarly his sister Saranya had married her maternal uncle Vinod .Vinod and Saranya had a daughter Sowmya,at whose birth they promised to marry her to Mahesh.
Krishna Reddy died soon after Saranya s marriage.Vinod only took care of the whole family.Two years ago Vinod also died and it was the responsibility and duty of Mahesh to take care of the entire family.As per custom he was supposed to marry Sowmya.
Mahesh who was much forward and western in his thinking wanted to break the custom of marrying within the family.He hid everything from Usha.He started visiting Usha's house regularly.Ushas father also was happy with the boy and gave his consent for their marriage.
But Usha had her own doubts.She wanted to know more about Mahesh s family.So she visited his home town without his knowledge and got herself introduced to his mother.His mother was shocked beyond doubt when she came to know of their affair.However Saranya,his sister handled the situation smoothly.Usha came to know of their custom and promised his mother that she will return back her son and will not interfere in their life anymore.
When she returned back to Chennai, Mahesh saw a different Usha.It was very clear that she was avoiding him.At one stage he even complained to her father.Not withstanding his behaviour any more Usha came out with the truth.Mahesh became grief stricken and his heart sank hearing her speak.He had to confess the truth.
“ I am sorry Usha for hiding the truth of our custom from you.But my intention was not to cheat you,but to marry you only.That is why I was contemplating for a registered marriage.But without trusting me you have gone as far as my home.This brings displeasure to me.”
“ Whatever it is Mahesh,you are not supposed to hurt your mother.Your love for me is great and I appreciate it,but the love of your mother can never be replaced by anyone and a mother's love for her child is the greatest.You should not ignore or hurt her feelings.You should respect her and should not cheat in any way.You should carry out her promise and it is your responsibility to take care of your mom and sisters all your life.Love becomes greatest when you sacrifice.We are only sacrificing togetherness,for love once lit in the heart will remain till death until the body burns to ashes.True love is carried by the soul for remaining births as well”.
It was difficult to convince Mahesh.He even called for a meeting with his old classmates and friends, to discuss the issue.But Usha was stubborn and she even arranged for his transfer to Hyderabad.
After a few months, Mahesh even got his transfer and he left Chennai with wet eyes,Usha sobbed her heart out.While departing even colleagues and friends felt sorry at his departure.
Mahesh tried to connect with Usha after that,but she refused to even respond in WhatsApp or phone call.
Two years passed thus.Usha got her next promotion and was transferred to a remote village in Maharashtra.She took her father along with her.As usual she had become busy in her tight schedule of running the branch and home.
One day suddenly there was a knock on the door and she opened to find Mahesh and Sowmya.Initially she thought they were married,but as their conversation proceeded she came to know that Mahesh had successfully convinced his mother and other relatives.His mother also understood their Love and had agreed to marry Sowmya to one of her classmates.
Usha's father became extremely happy after a long time.Not convinced however Usha rang up to his mother and became extremely happy when she got the confirmation.
At last their marriage was arranged with great pomp and show.