The Winds of Change - Ammini & Ramchandra - part 9 - The Chronicles of the Youngest Child
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Little Raj was running everywhere in the house. Subhadra and her mother, Devaki Amma, were busy trying to keep him occupied while Ammini cooked in the kitchen. With Subhadra being still very young, it was easier for her to keep up with the little boy.
You can if you prefer listen to the story as I read it aloud in the podcast below.
Everyone was happy that life had settled into a routine in the Military quarters at Colaba. It was nice to feel that they belonged to this city of Bombay, even though it was so far away from the place the three women really called home.
For Devaki Amma, life here was relaxing. She found that she moved much less than she had three or four years ago, when she had still been in the village, tending to the fields twice a day and looking after the animals. She missed the smell of the earth, wetter and richer in Kerala than in Bombay. She missed the family cow the most. Milking it had been a kind of therapy, a quiet moment she had grown so accustomed to.
To stay active, she went for a small walk every morning after tea, around the large grounds of the Military quarters where their little home was situated. She looked at Subhadra and found herself thinking that soon she too would hopefully be married. All her children were settled, and though she had been a widow for many years, she never felt she had to carry the burden of the family alone. Her son, Ramchandra, took care of everything.
Subhadra was happily playing with her nephew Raj. The little boy had fair skin, a wide smile and deep dimples. She laughed at his antics, and in return he entertained her even more. She liked Bombay, even though she sometimes remembered her childhood home and the times when she and her sisters and little brother had played in the ground outside.
She was happy for Raj, thinking that soon he would be running around in the large grounds here. She liked Bombay for all the modernity it had exposed her to. Life in the big city was definitely more comfortable for her. She nodded to herself and brought her attention back to little Raj, making sure he had not picked up anything and put it in his mouth while she was lost in thought.
Ammini was busy cooking inside. She could hear her sister-in-law Subhadra laughing and her son Raj giggling once in a while. She could not hear Devaki Amma, but that was fine. Her mother-in-law was an easy woman. She did not demand attention or throw her weight around in any way. In fact, Ammini appreciated her ability to be happy in her own company, simply being.
She had hardly ever seen any excess in the older woman. Her own entry into her husband's household had calmed Ammini down in ways she had not expected. Her anxiety was less, and being around calmness and laughter had become a kind of medicine for her. She slept better, felt more relaxed and, if she ever found herself in a space of uncertainty, just hearing her husband call her name could make her forget whatever weight she was carrying.
Ammini liked Bombay. Ammini liked being married, and she loved her new life.
She added the spices to the curry that was boiling in front of her and stirred the pot. She got the plates ready. Soon Ramchandra would come home for lunch.
As he left the office where he worked, Ramchandra had a million thoughts racing through his head. He had just been told that he was being transferred to Delhi. He would have to leave in about a month, and family accommodation had been allotted to him at his new posting.
He had so much to think about.
His sister Subhadra was trying for a job in Bombay. His mother would want to be close to Shreedevi, his other sister, who lived in Borivali, a far-flung suburb of Bombay. Who would go with him to Delhi, and who would stay back in Bombay?
He would soon have to reveal all these thoughts to the family waiting at home. He decided to speak to his wife that night first and then try to speak to his mother separately. It would be wiser not to tell everyone at the same time.
He entered his home, took off his shoes, and was immediately met by the delicious aroma of food. He looked up to see his son and sister playing happily on the living room floor.
Lunch would help settle his thoughts, like it always did.
You can find this podcast on any podcast channels as I'm available on all the major ones or by clicking here https://open.spotify.com/episode/4lHDMXOgPcRBo4vWGA3qdt?si=oDSYgr5rRaORJbe_atCQ7Q
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You can read all the previous parts here under.
How my Daddy met my Mummy - Ramchandra & Ammini - The Chronicles of the Youngest Child
Read the second story of their wedding day here
My parent's Guruvayoor wedding - Ramchandra & Ammini - Part 2- The Chronicles of the Youngest Child
Read about how Ammini settles in
A Morning of Gentle Blessings - Ramchandra & Ammini - Part 4 - The Chronicles of the Youngest Child
Tracks to Tomorrow - Ammini's Maiden Voyage to Bombay - Ramchandra & Ammini - Part 5- The Chronicles of the Youngest Child
Ammini is trying to learn Hindi
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