Chapter 1: Lakshmi Kalyanam
“Mangalyam tantunanena mama jeevana hetuna: kanthe badhnami subhage twam jeevasarada satam.”
“Srinu, are you crying?” Suresh asked gently. “Come on, Srinu. Everyone has to go through this at some point.”
Srinu removed his glasses and wiped his tears with the white kanduva draped around his neck. “I’m not crying, Suri,” he replied, his voice trembling. “But it’s hard to imagine this house without her from tomorrow.”
Suresh placed a comforting hand on Srinu’s shoulder. “You’ve given her everything, Srinu. The best life, the best education, the best food, the best lifestyle, and now, the best husband. She’ll be happy from here on too. Don’t worry about her.”
Srinu looked around at everyone, trying to force a smile. Then his eyes rested on his daughter, sitting on the stage beside the man who had promised to take care of her and fill the shoes Srinu had worn all these years.
Everyone started sprinkling akshintalu over the newly married couple. Soon, their heads were covered with the tiny grains, and they gently brushed some aside to keep their hair neat for the upcoming photo session.
The photographers were busy capturing every moment, making sure not to miss a single expression. Meanwhile, the decoration team worked tirelessly, releasing puffs of smoke under the stage whenever the photographers signaled them.
Relatives eagerly tried to fit themselves into as many photos as possible. Each of them held the same gift box, using it like a prop for their pictures.
“Suri, tell me something,” Srinu said, his voice breaking. “Why do I have to give my daughter away as kanyadanam? She’s my child. She’s mine. I don’t want her to leave our home. She fills this house with so much joy. Without her, it will feel dull and empty. My children are like my two eyes. Who can ever be happy losing one of their eyes?”
Overwhelmed, Srinu rested his head on Suresh’s shoulder and quietly sobbed, trying to hide his emotions from everyone around him.
“Srinu, please calm down,” Suresh said gently. “Think about your wife. She also left her family behind to walk the rest of her life with you. You did everything you could to keep her happy all these years. Now think about her father on the day of your wedding. He must have felt exactly the same way you are feeling now.”
“But in the end, you managed to keep both your wife and her father happy. It’s the cycle of life. Your son-in-law will take care of your daughter just like you took care of your wife. Your wife also came from someone else’s home and made this house her own. Now your daughter will do the same in someone else’s home. Isn’t that how it works?”
Srinu looked at his daughter again, his eyes brimming with tears. He wiped them away and let out a slow breath. For a moment, he said nothing.
“I know you’re right, Suri,” he said finally. “My father-in-law must have felt the same way when I stood on that stage beside my wife, completely unaware of the pain he was going through. I never truly understood how heavy it feels until I stood in his place today.”
“Amma!” Santosh called out. “Is there anyone else left to drop off? If not, I’ll park the car.”
“Everyone’s gone! Park the car and come inside,” Anjali shouted back from inside the house.
Santosh parked the car and carried the remaining luggage inside. The bags were heavier than he had expected, and by the time he dropped the last one near the hall, he was exhausted.
“Huh… finally,” he said with a long sigh. “Here are the things, Ma. I brought everything in. I’m exhausted. I just want to sleep.” Muttering under his breath, he started dragging himself toward his bed.
“You can sleep later. First, come and help me put these things in the attic,” Anjali said firmly.
“Maaaa, please, Ma… not now,” Santosh replied, his voice full of laziness and disinterest.
“Please, Santhu. Just a few more things. Help me now, and I’ll make pakodas for you in the evening,” Anjali said, knowing exactly how to convince him.
“Okay,” Santosh replied in a dull tone and dragged his feet toward the pile of things.
He climbed onto a chair and began placing the items in the attic one by one. The surface was covered in thick dust, and Anjali handed him an old cloth to clean it.
“Maaa! This is my favorite T-shirt! How can you give me this for cleaning?” he protested, holding it up in disbelief.
“So what? It doesn’t even fit you anymore. Now clean it properly,” Anjali said in a sharp, commanding tone, like Rajamatha Shivagami herself.
Santosh muttered to himself and finished moving the remaining things into the attic. As he pushed the last bag aside, his eyes fell on a large cardboard box in the corner.
“Ma, what’s in this heavy box?” he asked, pointing at it.
“Those are my wedding albums and DVDs. Be careful with them,” Anjali said. A small smile appeared on her face as she looked at the box.
“Really? Then let’s watch them now, Ma. Please!” Santosh said, his tiredness gone in a second. “I’ll bring it down.”
“Not now, Santhu. Maybe some other time,” Anjali said gently, though her voice was firm.
“No, Ma. We are watching them today. Just wait,” Santosh said, already pulling the box toward himself.
“Hey, be careful!” Anjali said quickly, stepping closer. “Give it to me.”
He carefully brought the box down and handed it to her. Anjali took it from him, placed it gently on the floor, and started wiping the dust off it with his old T-shirt.
“Let me get the DVD player, Ma!” Santosh said, excited, and rushed toward his room.
“Wait, Santhu. Let your father come home first. We’ll watch it together,” Anjali said, smiling shyly as she tried to hide her blush.
“Oh, okay! Then I’ll set everything up till then,” Santosh said, unable to hide his excitement.
“Alright. I’ll make pakodas while you do that. We can eat them while watching. Your father loves it,” Anjali said, still blushing a little.
“Loves what? Pakodas or the DVDs?” Santosh asked with a mischievous grin.
“Shut up, you silly boy!” Anjali said, laughing as she tried to hit him playfully.
The clock struck four, and the house slowly filled with the mouthwatering smell of pakodas.
Santosh sat in the hall facing the main door, scrolling through his phone. But every few seconds, his eyes lifted toward the gate.
A few minutes later, the creak of the gate made him look up.
His father was home.
Santosh quickly pushed his chair back and rushed into his room, pretending he had not been waiting for him at all.
“Wow, what are you cooking, Anjali? It smells amazing!” Srinu called out as he entered the house.
Anjali hurried out of the kitchen, but the moment she saw him, she slowed down. She stopped near the wall, lowered her eyes, and said softly, “I’m making pakodas for you.”
“Captain Srinivas, those pakodas are for me, not for you,” Santosh’s voice rang out from inside the room.
“Shut up, you silly boy!” Anjali shouted back, unable to hide her smile.
“That’s alright,” Srinu said gently, glancing toward Santosh’s room. Then he raised his voice. “Officer Santosh, would you mind sharing some of your pakodas with me?”
The next second, Santosh came sliding out of his room and stopped dramatically in the hall. “Sure, Captain. But on one condition. You have to spend your evening with us today.”
Srinu looked at him with amusement. “Hmm… okay, Officer. It’s a deal.”
They shook hands as if they were sealing an important agreement.
“So,” Srinu asked, looking at both of them, “what’s the plan?”
“We’re going to watch your wedding DVDs!” Santosh said, almost bursting with excitement.
Srinu looked at Anjali. A shy smile touched his face, and he tried to hide it. “Is that so?”
“Santhu is the one who forced it,” Anjali said with a soft smile.
“Please, Dad,” Santosh said, dragging the word as he walked closer. “Pleeeease.”
He stood there for another second, looking at his father and repeating it under his breath. “Please… please… please…”
Srinu finally smiled.
That was enough.
“Mom! Dad said yes. Bring the pakodas!” Santosh shouted happily.
He quickly connected the DVD player to the TV and arranged everything around his place on the couch so he would not have to get up in the middle.
A little later, Anjali came out carrying two large plates of hot pakodas and a few chilled soft drinks. She placed them neatly on the table.
Srinu picked up a pakoda, took a bite, and nodded with approval. “Mmm… these are delicious, Anjali.”
A shy smile appeared on her face. “Thank you,” she said softly.
“Alright, start it, Santhu,” Srinu said, leaning back.
But Santosh was busy calling someone on his phone.
“Hello? Where are you? We’re about to start,” he said in a hurried voice. “Come quickly.”
He ended the call.
“Who was that, Santhu?” Srinu asked, narrowing his eyes.
Santosh looked at him, but said nothing. He only gave a small nod, as if asking him to wait.
“Who was it? I’m asking you,” Srinu said again, this time a little louder.
Before Santosh could answer, the sound of the gate opening cut through the silence.
“Nanna!”
Lakshmi’s voice rang through the house as she stepped inside.
Srinu turned at once. His whole face lit up.
“Ammulu!” he said, rushing toward her.
He pulled her into a tight hug. His eyes filled with tears, and with one hand still around her, he removed his glasses with the other and quickly wiped them away.
“How are you, dear?” he asked, his voice full of affection. “Where’s Pranay?”
“He’s outside, Nanna. He’s parking the car,” Lakshmi said, stepping back and smiling.
“Hey, you idiot,” Srinu said, turning to Santosh. “Go and see if your brother-in-law needs any help. Hurry up.”
Santosh ran outside just as Pranay stepped out of the car.
Pranay smiled and waved at him. “How are you, Santhu? All good?”
“Yeah, all good,” Santosh replied with a smile.
Pranay put an arm around his shoulder, and the two of them walked toward the house together.
At the door, Srinu and Anjali welcomed him inside. After Pranay stepped in, Anjali offered him pakodas and a soft drink. “Please have these, feel at home,” she said warmly.
Lakshmi sat on the sofa beside her husband and father. Anjali took the small stool next to Srinu, and Santosh made himself comfortable on the other couch.
Soon, the room was filled with chatter, laughter, and the sound of people munching pakodas.
“I’m still shocked, Ammulu, seeing you here like this,” Srinu said, looking at Lakshmi with affection.
“We had other plans, Nanna,” Lakshmi said. “But Santhu called in the afternoon and said you were going to watch your wedding DVDs. So I asked Pranay to come with me, and we drove here.”
“Oh, so this was Officer Santosh’s plan?” Srinu asked, looking at him in surprise. “Thank you, Officer, for including my daughter in this grand event.”
“No problem, Captain Srinivas,” Santosh said, acting important. “How could we watch it without her? She’s a must.”
Then his tone softened.
“And I didn’t call her just because she’s your daughter. I called her because I wanted my sister with me while watching this.”
“Ahaa!” Srinu said, smiling. “Alright, Officer.”
Everyone laughed.
“Haven’t you seen these DVDs before?” Pranay asked Lakshmi.
“We did, but that was long ago, when we were still in school,” Lakshmi said. “I hardly remember anything now, so it feels like watching them for the first time.”
“That makes it even more special,” Pranay said.
Anjali looked at Santosh and smiled. “Alright, Santhu, start it now.”
A Few Years Ago
“20 lakhs from Mr. Sagar Patel. Going once, going twice. Last call,” the auctioneer announced.
“40 lakhs,” Ravi said calmly.
“60 lakhs,” Sagar replied without hesitation.
“80 lakhs,” Ravi countered at once.
“Ravi, are you serious?” his business partner whispered, leaning closer. “Stop here. It is already close to one crore.”
“1 crore,” Sagar called out, lifting his hand again.
Ravi turned and looked at him. Sagar held his gaze for a second, then leaned back with a faint smile.
“1.5 crore,” Ravi said.
The hall went quiet.
“1.5 crore from Mr. Ravi Kishore. Any more bids? Going once, going twice…”
“2 crore,” Sagar said, this time with a sharper tone.
A few people in the hall looked at each other. Some seemed surprised. A few did not.
The auctioneer cleared his throat and repeated, “2 crore from Mr. Sagar Patel.”
Ravi stayed still for a moment. Then he rose from his seat, buttoned his coat, and took out a cigar. He lit it slowly, as if he had all the time in the world.
“10 crore,” he said.
The silence that followed was heavier than before.
Even the auctioneer froze for a second.
This time, no one whispered immediately. No one laughed either.
All eyes shifted to Sagar.
The smile on his face disappeared. He adjusted his watch, glanced around the hall once, and said nothing.
Ravi did not even look at him again. He simply lifted two fingers toward the stage, asking the auctioneer to continue.
“10 crore from Mr. Ravi Kishore,” the auctioneer repeated. His voice had changed now. “Going once… going twice… final call.”
Ravi put on his sunglasses and began walking toward the exit. His men followed behind him without a word.
“Sold to Mr. Ravi Kishore for 10 crore!” the auctioneer declared, bringing the gavel down.
The hall slowly filled with murmurs.
Some were shocked by the amount.
Some were thinking about something else.
Ravi did not turn back.
As he stepped out, he pulled out his phone and called his son.
“I’m on my way, champ,” he said, and for the first time, a real smile appeared on his face. “I’ve got your birthday present with me. Wait for me.”
He ended the call and got into the car.
The door shut.
His business partner turned to him, no longer able to stay quiet.
“Ravi, what was that? Ten crore for a cricket ball? Do you even hear yourself? That ball is not worth even ten thousand. We could have funded three small projects with that money.”
Ravi turned and looked at him.
Only looked.
The man stopped speaking at once.
Ravi leaned back in his seat, still watching him. Calm. Unhurried. Almost gentle.
Then he said, “It is for my son.”
His voice was soft.
“Money comes and goes,” he continued. “His happiness does not.”
His partner swallowed hard, but Ravi was not done.
After a brief pause, he adjusted his cuff and said, “And next time, do not question me like that. Not in front of others.”
There was no anger in his voice.
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No raised tone.
That made it harder to read and harder to forget.
His partner wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded quickly. “Sorry.”
Ravi looked out of the window after that, cigar resting between his fingers, the city lights slipping across the glass.
The car moved forward in silence.
And somehow, the silence around him felt less like peace and more like power.
“Huh! Look at this!” Vaibhav said proudly, showing a cricket ball to his friends. “My dad got it for me as a birthday gift.”
Sai’s eyes widened. “Wait… is this the ball the Indian captain hit for a six in the last match?”
“Yeah!” Vaibhav said, his face glowing with pride. “My dad bought it at an auction for 10 crore. He never says no to anything I ask for.”
Then he looked at the others. “What did you guys get for your last birthdays?”
“I got a Barbie doll!” Mounika said happily.
Vaibhav laughed. “A doll? That’s so cheap.”
Mounika’s smile faded, but she stayed calm. “That’s what my dad could afford, and I’m happy with it. Even if my dad gave me this cricket ball for 10 crore, I wouldn’t be as happy as I am with that doll.”
Vaibhav’s face changed. “Are you seriously comparing your doll to my ball? You’re crazy. And do you know something? Your dad didn’t even buy that doll with his own money. He took money from my dad to get it. So technically, it’s my dad’s gift to you. Go ask your father if you don’t believe me.”
Mounika’s eyes filled with tears. “No… you’re lying,” she said softly.
“I don’t need to lie,” Vaibhav said. “I heard my dad telling my mom to give your dad money when he came to our house. It was on your birthday.”
That was enough.
Mounika stood up at once, grabbed her bag, and started walking toward her bicycle. She wiped her tears with one hand and held the handle with the other.
“Mounika, wait! Don’t go alone!” Sai shouted.
He quickly grabbed his bag and turned to Vaibhav. “Come on, get up. We have to go with her. She’s our friend.”
Vaibhav stayed where he was.
Sai pulled his arm again. “At least come for me.”
Vaibhav got up at last. The two boys grabbed their bags and ran after her.
By the time they reached her house, Mounika had already ridden through the gate.
“Bye, Mounika!” Sai called out, hoping she would turn back.
But she didn’t.
She went inside without looking at them.
Sai let out a sigh and turned to Vaibhav. “You shouldn’t have said all that. She’s our friend.”
Vaibhav lowered his head. “I thought it would be funny. I went too far.”
“It’s okay,” Sai said, trying to comfort him. “Maybe she’ll be fine by tomorrow.”
The two boys got on their bicycles and rode home, both quieter than before.
Sai reached home and threw his bag into a corner.
A sharp slap landed on the back of his head.
“Ahhh!” he cried, turning around.
His mother stood there, glaring at him.
“How many times have I told you not to throw your bag like that?” she scolded. “If you keep doing that, how will you study? Books are like Goddess Saraswati. Would you throw Goddess Saraswati too? Go pick it up properly.”
“Okay, Mom,” Sai said, rubbing the back of his head.
He picked up the bag and placed it down carefully.
“Now touch it and bring your hands to your eyes,” she said.
Sai obeyed without arguing.
“Where is your brother?” Padma asked. “How many times have I told you to bring him with you?”
“He’ll come with his friends, Mom. If I wait for him, I won’t get time to play with mine,” Sai replied.
“Fine. Go wash your hands and feet. I’ll get something for you to eat,” she said and walked into the kitchen.
Sai washed up and came into the living room. He turned on the TV and sat on the floor.
After a while, his mother brought him some boiled sweet corn and a glass of buttermilk.
Sai ate quietly while watching his favorite cartoon.
A little later, his father came home with groceries.
He went to the back to wash his feet. “Is the chicken ready, Padma?” he called out.
“Yes, it’s been marinating for two hours. It’s ready,” she replied from the kitchen.
He came in, drank a glass of buttermilk, and began packing the food into his fast-food cart. Padma brought out the remaining things, and he loaded them one by one.
“Don’t you want to rest for a while before you go?” she asked.
“No, Padma. It’s already late. Many students must have left already. If I rest now, I’ll lose customers. Half our profit comes from them. I need to go and set up quickly,” Vinay said, pushing the cart toward the door.
“One second,” Padma said, stopping him.
She hurried to the entrance and stood in front of him and the cart.
“Do good and come home soon,” she said with a small smile.
Vinay looked at her warmly, nodded once, and pushed the cart out.
Padma went back inside and headed straight to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Sai followed her and stood nearby, watching her cook.
“What is it, Sai?” she asked.
“Ma, I have a question. Why do you always stand in front of Dad before he leaves for work?” he asked.
“That’s a tradition, Sai. If I do that, everything will go well for your father,” Padma said.
“So Dad will get more business, right?” he asked.
“Yes.”
Sai thought for a moment. “Then why don’t I get more marks, even though you stand in front of me every day when I leave for school?”
Padma froze for a second. Then she took a deep breath, smacked him on the back of his head, and snapped, “Stop asking silly questions. What does this have to do with your marks? Focus on your studies, or you’ll stay in the same fifth standard next year. Now go and open your books.”
Sai’s face fell. Tears gathered in his eyes.
“If you cry, I’ll beat you again. Got it? Go and study quietly.”
Sai quickly covered his mouth with his hand, trying not to cry. With fear in his eyes, he went back to the living room, sat down, and opened his books.
After some time, Vamsi came home.
He parked his bicycle outside and walked in, humming a song to himself. Sai was sitting in the living room with his books open, but Vamsi didn’t pay much attention to him and walked straight toward the kitchen.
His mother was busy cooking. Slowly, quietly, he tiptoed toward her, trying not to make a sound. When he got close enough, he suddenly jumped forward.
“Boo!”
Padma got startled and dropped the bowl of vegetables she was washing. Water and vegetables spilled all over the floor.
Vamsi burst out laughing. He looked back at Sai and shouted, “Annaya! Mom got scared! Mom got scared!”
He laughed so hard that he almost bent over.
Then he turned back to her with a grin. “How was it, Ma?”
Padma slowly turned toward him.
Her eyes were burning with anger.
The smile on Vamsi’s face disappeared at once. Still trying to save himself, he forced a grin. “Hi, Mummy. Good evening. How are you?”
Padma slapped him hard across the face.
His cheek turned bright red at once, and her five finger marks were clearly visible on it.
Vamsi started crying, and she lifted her hand again, but stopped midway.
“Shut up!” she yelled. “If you cry again, you’ll get one more. Now go sit next to your brother and study. If I hear any noise from you, I won’t spare you.”
Vamsi walked into the living room, still crying, and sat down beside Sai. He opened his books, but tears kept falling onto the pages.
Sai looked at him for a second.
Then, slowly, his own sadness started disappearing.
The more he looked at Vamsi’s red cheek and tear-filled face, the harder it became to control himself.
He covered his mouth and began laughing silently.
In a moment, he was rolling on the floor, laughing beside his brother, completely forgetting his own scolding.
Vamsi sat there crying.
Sai kept laughing.
For that moment at least, all his fear and sadness had turned into pure amusement.
A huge truck struggled to enter the narrow road. The driver, still talking on his phone, asked, “Sir, what’s the house number? We’re already in your lane?” After a bit of effort, he finally found the house, and the crew began unloading the items.
“Keep that table in the living room,” Srinu told the movers.
“This packers and movers service really made things easy for us,” Srinu said to his wife. “Otherwise, shifting everything by ourselves would have been a headache.”
He pulled a folded paper from his pocket, a checklist of all the items loaded into the truck, and started checking whether everything had arrived safely.
“Santhu! Ammulu! Come down and check your toys. Make sure we didn’t leave anything behind in the old house,” Srinu called out.
Santosh and Lakshmi came running downstairs at once. They opened the boxes and began pulling out their toys, checking eagerly to see if anything was missing.
“Everything’s here, Nanna. We didn’t miss anything,” Santosh said with a grin.
Srinu nodded and marked the last few items on his list. Once he was sure everything had been unloaded, he made the final payment to the movers. A few minutes later, the truck slowly struggled its way back out of the narrow lane.
Just then, someone called out from the gate.
“Hello, sir. Looks like you’ve just moved in.”
Srinu turned and saw a man standing there with a friendly smile.
“Hello,” Srinu said, walking toward him. “I’m Srinivas Rao.”
“I’m Suresh. I live next door,” the man said, shaking his hand warmly.
“Oh, that’s nice,” Srinu said with a smile. “Please come in.”
“Ayyo, no need to trouble yourself,” Suresh said kindly. “You’ve just shifted, and the house is still upside down. I already told my wife, and she’s bringing tea and snacks.”
As if on cue, he turned toward the gate and smiled.
“There she is.”
A woman walked in carrying a flask, a few cups, and a plate of snacks.
“Ayyo, why all this trouble?” Srinu asked, feeling a little shy.
“It’s no trouble,” Suresh said. “This is my wife, Suguna.”
“Hello,” Srinu said politely. “Please come in.”
He quickly pulled the cloth off the sofa, moved a few boxes aside, and dragged a small table closer.
“Please sit,” he said. “It’s a little dusty. We haven’t had time to clean yet.”
“That’s perfectly fine,” Suresh said with a smile. Then he turned to his wife. “Suguna, pour the tea before it gets cold.”
Just then, Anjali came into the living room from the bedroom.
“This is my wife, Anjali,” Srinu said. “And they are Suresh garu and Suguna garu. They live next door.”
Anjali greeted them with a warm smile. Suguna handed tea to Srinu and Anjali first. Though they hesitated for a moment, they accepted the cups with a smile. Then she poured tea for herself and her husband.
“Is this your native place, Srinivas garu?” Suresh asked, taking a sip.
“No, no,” Srinu replied. “I was transferred to the city branch, so we moved here.”
“Oh, I see. What do you do, sir?” Suresh asked.
“I work as an Assistant Manager at YESBI,” Srinu said. “What about you?”
Suresh smiled. “I work as a driver for Ravi Kishore garu. He owns Samyuktha Constructions and lives in that big house near the entrance of this lane.”
“Oh, I see,” Srinu said with a nod.
“We’ll introduce you sometime,” Suresh added.
Just then, Santosh and Lakshmi came running into the hall, laughing and chasing each other. Srinu tried to stop them and introduce them, but they slipped away and ran back into the bedroom.
Srinu laughed helplessly. “It’s hard to control them sometimes.”
“What are their names?” Suguna asked.
“Santosh and Lakshmi,” Anjali replied.
“We also have a daughter, Mounika,” Suresh said. “She’s at school now.”
“Oh, which standard is she studying in?” Srinu asked.
“She’s in fifth standard,” Suresh replied.
“That’s nice. Our Santosh is in fifth too. Lakshmi is in seventh.”
“Oh, that’s good then,” Suresh said. “If you haven’t decided on a school yet, you can check the one Mounika goes to. It’s a good school.”
“Sure, we’ll look into it. Thank you,” Srinu said.
They sat for a while, sipping tea and talking casually. The conversation moved easily, as if they had known each other longer than just a few minutes.
After some time, Suresh and Suguna got up to leave.
“It was nice meeting you,” Suresh said. “If you need anything, please ask. Me or my wife, we’ll be happy to help.”
“Thank you so much,” Srinu said sincerely. “That means a lot.”
Suresh and Suguna left, waving goodbye at the gate.
For a moment, Srinu and Anjali stood quietly at the door. Then they looked at each other and smiled.
Without saying anything, they went back inside and started arranging the house again.
Boxes were pushed into corners. Folded clothes were stacked on chairs. Toys rolled across the floor. In between the work, small bits of laughter and quiet conversation filled the house.
Little by little, the new place began to feel like home.
— Bhavani Dhanush Ponnuri
