'Sundaru's father's money order did not come, this time I don't know why it was so late? By the way, between the tenth to the fifteenth of the month, his money used to come. His duty is now in Leh. Till last month, he was posted in remote Aizawl Mizoram, even then the money had arrived on time, but this time it was over.
Today is the twenty-seventh of the month and no letter has come even after Sundaru's father's money went to Leh, Ladakh. I do not understand from where will I arrange money for children's fees and ration water for the house?'
While many kinds of apprehensions were hovering in Ranju's mind, she was very much worried about the fact that in the next couple of days, if the money order does not come, then from where will she arrange money? After all, for how many days while waiting for the money order, she had promised to many people including those who solved the children with their fees, who were repairing the house.
Mohan Lal has already left the solution of the fields of Tolka and Paldunga half-finished. He has the responsibility of plowing the fields of three or four more people in the village. In the next two three days, if he does not get the money, then his interest in our farms will be completely lost. Mistry has also come three or four times since then to collect Rs. Even the children had to pay the school fees by the 15th. Till today, she was trying to convince the children in some way and send them to school, but nowadays if the money order does not come, then where will she go in big trouble. Even today half a day had passed in this untidy bun.
When Sundaru's father came home, he would be ready every moment to get Mohanlal to do whatever work he did. In the last Holi, when Mohan Lal had fallen down from the book of the fields of Juthan, Sundru's father single-handedly carried him on his shoulder and carried him four miles to the hospital.
Although the matter was averted with minor injuries, as there was a heap of dung below, which saved him from further injury due to the fall. A few days later, when Mohan Lal came to our square, he was taking off his cap and placing it at the feet of Sundaru's father. 'If there was no uncle, I would have died that day. Uncle, I will never forget this favor for the rest of my life. My uncle has so much favor on me that now I will plow your fields without taking any money. That day, Ranju laughed a lot after listening to Mohan Lal's words.
When Sundaru's father came home, Mohan Lal kept hovering around him. Whenever he came home, a soldier would bring a box of rum and give it to the householders. From the plowman to the wood splitter, everyone worked with double zeal, and with it, there would be a sudden increase in the movement of the house. Ranju also likes it. People ask for the good news of him and his family, at least in those days. But today Ranju, sitting alone on the pedestal of the square of the house, could not understand how her dilemma would end? She was so deep in thought that she did not realize when it was five o'clock in the evening and it was time for the children to return from school. His concentration was broken only after the children's activities.
Today's entire day was also spent waiting for the money order, while Ranju became very frustrated, as well as all kinds of apprehensions and thoughts of unhappiness, her whole body used to shudder.
After returning from school, all the three children yesterday insisted not to go to school due to non-payment of fees. Mistry has also sent a notice to leave the work of repairing the gharaat midway from tomorrow. In the midst of doubts and apprehensions, he somehow gathered the courage to prepare food for the children and after feeding them put them to sleep, but she herself had lost her hunger and sleep.
The night was getting darker, but in Ranju's ears this evening the words of Kalavati's mother-in-law were reverberating again and again, 'Bwari! From the donkey of the desert to the corner of your house, when the plow has been done in its entirety, only your fields are looking discolored in the middle of the day. Ask Mohan Lal to get plows done in all the fields tomorrow morning itself. What happened to this Mohan Lal this time? Earlier, leaving everyone's work, he used to put your solution first.
Ranju was thinking that such a world has never laughed before. If there is no sowing in our fields, how will I show my face to the people? What would all the people say? The credibility of Sundaru's father will also be found in the soil. No, no I will never let this happen.
In between, Ranju would gather courage and think that tomorrow morning, Madhava would beg her father-in-law to plow, but last month, I have borrowed one thousand rupees for the children's copybook and school uniform. Now if I ask them to solve the problem, what will they think? Waking up in the morning, Ranju was going towards Gaushala that by then Madhava's father-in-law had found himself on the way.
'Bree! Did the constable's letter come or not? Hey, if his money order did not come, will he leave the field barren on the basis of this Mohan Lal? Bringing the bijunda (seed bag) in a while, I will reach the fields of Tolka Paldunga to sow with my oxen. Ranju's eyes were filled with tears from Madhava's father-in-law's words. He felt that there was someone in the village, who was involved in his worries.
This morning she sent Sundaru to the Khiladhar Postmaster to inquire whether money had come. So Sundru came back disappointed and said, 'Mother! Bishnu Dada scolded me and said that 'we ate your money? Hey! Your father has not sent the money order, so from where should I give you the money? We have trees of money here, which I would distribute in the whole village? Go there to Kashmir and ask, did your father get married again?
Heartbroken by Bisnu's rebuke, Sundru returned home in despair, when Ranju hugged her and comforted her for a long time, stroking her head so that Bisnu's bitter words would not affect the child's mind. Though each and every word uttered by the postmaster was piercing his body like a poisonous arrow and he wanted to go to the field and take the news of the postmaster, but the very next moment Ranju herself laughed as soon as she thought of the prestige of the society and the family. She cried bitterly.
Several days passed but the money order of Sundaru's father did not come. She got tired while waiting for the money order. She kept looking at the postman while coming from the house to the barn in the hope of money order, but now the postman changed the way to go from his square. Mohan Lal, the masons, the wood pluckers, even most of the people of the village stopped even looking at Ranju's house. Yes, in this hour of crisis, two people like Madhwa's father-in-law and Kalavati's mother-in-law kept Ranju's spirits up.
Ranju spent one and a half months in great helplessness and helplessness in the midst of financial crisis, but till now neither any letter nor money order has been received, so the apprehensions of various evils kept her mind shaking. Gave. Now her hopes have completely faded. 'Mummy!, when will Papa come?' Ranju had no answer to the innocent but burdensome questions of the children. She remained unanswered, staring at the sky, staring into the void, and floating in the shadows of the past, thinking that I wish! At that time, she took B.T.C. Had done so, he would never have had to see this day today.
Ranju was remembering that about twenty years ago, after passing class XII in first class, she and her friend Prabha got B.T.C from Pauri. An invitation letter for admission was received simultaneously. How many requests did Prabha make to her to join BTC? Father also received BTC in a letter from the army. Was advised to join, but she had not listened to anyone and BTC. categorically refused to do so. Prabha got a job as soon as her training was over and at present, she was on the post of professor in the nearby high school of the same village. She kept thinking that I wish! Today she too would have taken the inspiration of self-reliance by following the advice of her friends and family members, then she too must have been in the position of a teacher in some school and today she and her family would not have to see these bad days.
Taking a lesson from her circumstances, Ranju had vowed to make Sundru as well as his two daughters self-supporting, so that the mistake he made himself would not be repeated with his children.
In the evening, sitting in the square with the children, Ranju was engrossed in the thought that suddenly the footsteps of Sundaru's father's boots were heard. Hearing the sound of the boots, Ranju's stagnant life was suddenly infused with new life. When she found Sundru's father standing in front of her, she fell down in his arms. Sundaru supported the mother and Sundaru's father hugged her. A silent dialogue and its unique feeling, as if the mountains of Ranju's sorrows had collapsed in one fell swoop.
'I couldn't send the money order last month. You must have suffered. Sundaru's father said.
'Who said I had to suffer? Money order didn't come, right. You have come safely from the Kapha of Bhumyal Devta, what is the big deal for me. Ranju spoke in a calm voice, swinging in her husband's arms.
Unaware of the courtship of her parents, Sundru and her sisters opened Papa's bag and tried to find something in it. Just a few moments ago, the house and the square of Ranju, who had been deserted, had started again, in which everyone from Bisnu postmaster to postman, villagers, Mohan Lal, Mistry, wood splitters were included, there was no one, then only Madhava's father-in-law. Ji and Kalavati mother-in-law.
