The Perfect Chutney

“sheela, baagil nodamma,” Varija called out to the maid, to answer the door.

Her husband Karthikeya was out.

It was her ladies group they met on Saturday’s and this Saturday she was the host. Varija had made a spread of muruku,  mysore paak, instead of the standard meduvada or stuff she had made, something that her neighbour from udupi taught her the Kaayi vada, and pineapple shira.”

As usual the ladies club spoke of movies or anything else for the first 10mnts then the conversation always went to children and husband.

Varija always felt blessed that Ananya and Aruna her daughters new seem to cause any trouble. Both did their engineering, MBA and picked up jobs. Aruna the older daughter was so well brought up that she left it to Varija and Karthikeya to choose her spouse.

Karthikeya had commented it was like a cold call pitch, connecting with long forgotten relatives. Attending weddings which otherwise they would have never gone to. Shankar Mutt, Bharat matrimony, Iyer matrimony and god knows what. Somewhere along the line, Shreyas turned up he was the right pedigree, IIT undergrad, masters in aerospace with a Phd, right now he was in the states on a research program. It was just a month since Aruna had left.

Ananya on the other hand was more career minded.

“I don’t know why Bala cannot understand that bag in the living room is so irritating.’ Shanta was complaining.

“That no shanta no point ’ Deepa “if it bothers us we have to keep it in place, what I do know when Vishwa puts things here and there I just keep it in his room, the rest of the house stays organized’

“How do you do it Varija” asked Poornima,”your house is always tidy.”

“well right from the beginning I made a place for everything and when Karithik asks, I just say look for it in its place.” when the girls were born I told him how important it was to set an example.

Of course after a while everyone left. Varija cleaned up the things of course the detail cleaning would be tomorrow when Sheela came.

Everything in Varija’s life and house had a place Karthikeya had once commented,”Varija, your Phd is I think is in home-management and not Advaita philosophy” of course it did upset Varija but she maintained a dignified silence.

Varija’s routine was set, as soon as she got, she cleaned the porch, drew the rangoli, went for a bath, then coffee and breakfast. Along side which she packed lunch boxes for the kids and Karthikeya.  One year she got a microwave for Karthikeya’s office of course it could only warm food. She would ring his PA precisely at 1pm reminding her to warm the food.

Sunday morning they would go to the temple sing the lalita sahasranama, then have breakfast outside and return. The rest of the day was focused to detail cleaning of the house, ironing etc.

“amma, I cannot handle this,” Aruna was wailing over the phone,

“yenna aach, calm down and share” Varija asked.

“Shreyas comes throws stuff around the house, I am tired of clearing.”

“Tell him to put things back into its place. but first make a place for it.”

“Amma when I do he says I am controlling him.  The other day he told me, I want to unwind in my house don’t god damn make it a museum.”

The next weekend it was, routine enquiry of what did you cook that triggered Aruna’s tears, apparently Shreyas said he didn’t like rasam-sambhar daal, but he like north Indian food.

“you don’t have to make it,’ he told Aruna,”I’ll make chapatti and kurma for the two of us.”  by the time Shreyas had made chapatti surplus at that, his friend Suhas and  his wife dropped in, Shreyas as asked them to join in for dinner. Suhas wife Sonakshi commented,”you are lucky Aruna, Suhas does not cook.’ Aruna felt very slighted by the entire episode and no matter Varija said she could calm her down.

“your chutney’s amma were perfect. But Shreyas says I do not know how to make chutney.”

Varija sighed, Aruna’s condition did worry her. Karthikeya had told her very definitely  do not interfere let her find the solution. Still Varija called her daughter every day 9am India time it was 8pm US time.

It was time for Karthikeya to return from his travel. Varija had made Kanchi Idli with sambhar and coconut chutney. Her family always called her chutney perfect. The coffee decoction was in the filter, milk boiled and ready so that coffee could be brewed when Karthikeya came in.

“amma he wants the house to be like his mother’s house, all untidy.”

Varija remembered how sloppy her own mother-in-law used to keep the house. So when Karthikeya and she shifted out, she made it a routine to tidy up she had driven it to Karthikeya that it was important for the kids to be tidy and meticulous.

“amma, I cannot take this any more,” By the time Varija consoled and counselled her daughter, she was exhausted then came this letter… A simple letter and it said it all

Dear Varija,

I do not know how to tell you this. So I think a clean surgical strike is the best.

I have legally transferred both the flats in Bangalore to you. Along with some shares and investments. The income from which will keep you comfortable.

I’m shifting to Coimbatore. You will get the divorce papers in tomorrows mail. If you sign it we will be formally divorced if you do not it does not make a difference for I do not want to marry anyone nor am I having a love affair. 

I just need my freedom. A life where I can be spontaneous and be myself. Frankly I’m tired of being the perfect husband living in a perfect house with a perfect family.The last 28yrs were stressful for me, but i put up with it for the sake of the girls. Just before Aruna’s marriage, I had a talk with Aruna, Ananya and Shreyas. In fact it was Ananya who found this flat for me, and on my request no interiors were done. Next weekend I getting amma over from Chennai, I have a day nurse to care for her when I am at office or when i am travelling.

If you have any financial issues let me know. I promise to keep you financially comfortable.

Beyond that I think this is where our journey ends.

With regards

Karthikeya.