The Momma Clan

It was the usual day of the rainy season. The clouds had darkened the afternoon sky with a few lightning. Villagers were returning home with their cattle, flocks of cows and goats. Drizzling had just begun.

A young man named Tiharu was madly hooting at his wayward bulls to join the flock and remain in order. Two of the bulls, being bulls, were locking horns to fight with each other. 

After the whole day of grazing in the forest, Tiharu desperately wanted his flock to return to his house and cowshed, before the routine rainfall in the evening.

That particular day Tiharu had noticed even more bulking heavy dark clouds hovering over his village and the surrounding areas including the forest and the river nearby, predicting heavy rainfall. 

Once home, his wife Sukhiya swiftly pulled all the cows, bulls, and calves into the cowshed, to lock them in the shelter. Tiharu simply washed his face, hands, and feet with the lota full of water before entering the home.

The couple Sukhiya (19) and Tiharu (21) had married barely a month ago. Theirs was a forced marriage, as they both were still not on talking terms. Tihatu’s parents Dharampal and his wife Ramabai also stayed in the house.

Sukhiya was an orphan. Her parents, residents of the same village, passed away due to a road accident when she was seven years old. But her father, before dying, took a promise from Dharampal to look after her till she was an adult, and if needed he could marry off Sukhiya with his only son Tiharu.

In the absence of relatives to lay claim on her, Sukhiya was brought up by him and Ramabai like their own daughter in the household.

But Sukhiya and Tiharu grew up always quarreling with each other, for minor silly reasons. Having a temper, they could not stand each other. Just like two of their bulls, both were ready to lock horns at the drop of a hat.

Yet, to fulfill Sukhiya’s parents’ promise, Dharampal got both the youngsters married off, once they reached the marriageable age. He had become fond of the girl, who was very clever in managing the house. And he could not fathom sending off Sukhiya to another place.

Against their wishes, Tiharu and Sukhiya were bound for life, without looking at each other. All attempts by Dharampal and Ramabai to make peace with the newly married couple fell flat.

Sukhiya dutifully kept attending to the chores, without much expectation. She was kind of a happy-go-lucky girl. Both she and Tiharu had not even cleared their eighth grades in school. 

So, Dharampal expected both of them to look after the household, the cattle, and a few pieces of harvested farmland to make a satisfied living. 

By this time, around 7 p.m., all four of them had just finished an early dinner prepared by Sukhiya. Outside it was raining cats and dogs, with thunderous lightning in between.

Just when Dharampal, Ramabai, Tiharu, and Sukhiya were lying on the chateau to relax, they felt some water touching their feet. Alarmed, they got up to their feet.

They all were horrified to see the water level rising outside the home and entering the rooms. Out of panic, they quickly clutched a few of their belongings to get outside and reach a safer place.

They had earlier witnessed the flooding waters of the nearby river entering the homes of the village. Through the bricks and boulders kept outside the home, all four occupants somehow managed to climb up to the roof of their house.

Each of them held an umbrella to protect themselves from the rain. The sight below was scary, to say the least.

Their cattle struggled to keep their heads above the rising water level. The home was already halfway inundated with the flood. All the belongings like pots and utensils and other sundry items were floating in the water. 

Each of them sat quietly, feeling nervous for their precious lives. All of a sudden, the roaring gush of water entered the courtyard and flooded the cowshed too.

Dharampal, Ramabai, Tiharu, and Sukhiya watched below helplessly as their cattle floated on water helter and skelter, moaning for help, but somehow holding the boundary walls’ tops and the tree branches.

That day’s rainfall had broken all previous records. Dharampal’s home was fully inundated above the doors.

Ramabai and Sukhiya had carried with them some fruits like mangoes and guavas to ward off hunger. Tiharu had brought a house lamp to light during the darkness. And Dharampal had brought blankets for each person to ward off chilly weather, over the roof.

After three hours or so, the rain gradually stopped. But the flood levels below the thatched roof of the house remained the same. 

In that dire circumstance, all four family members looked at each other’s faces. Tiharu had put on the lamp, at least to feel reassured of each other’s presence in the darkness around.

Sukhiya offered mangoes to him and her father-in-law while covering herself with the blanket. Ramabai was content eating a guava. 

For the first time, Tiharu and Sukhiya sat together silently, without fighting needlessly. At this point, Dharampal said to them, 

“Beta, dukh ki ghadi mei parivar ka hi saath hota hai. Isliye hume ek dusre ke saath bahut prem se rahna chahiye.”

(My child, at the time of adversity it’s the family that supports each other. That’s why we should live with each other showering ample love.)

Suddenly, Sukhiya’s feet were slipping down the slippery corner roof where she was sitting. Out of panic, she shouted, “Somebody, please help me!!”

Noticing that Tiharu promptly came to her rescue. Dharampal urged his son, “Go, boy, help out your wife fast.”

Passing the lamp to his mother, Tiharu quickly caught hold of frightened Sukhiya’s outstretched hand in the nick of time.

Sukhiya glanced at Tiharu’s eyes with intense gratitude. Tiharu then reciprocated with a warm smile and pulled her up towards him. They both soon moved to a safer area on the roof and stood there.

Still in a state of shock, Sukhiya had no choice but to throw her arms around to cling to her husband tightly and with a sigh of relief breathe rapidly. 

For the first time, letting go of their past bickerings, both of them felt something for each other, as they looked at one another. 

Tiharu recognized that Sukhiya had curly hair falling on her beautiful oval face. She too noticed that her hubby looked decent enough, having a broad chest and strong arms to hold her. 

They locked their eyes for a while, amidst the dim light of the lamp held by Ramabai, who was delighted to watch the turn of the event.

At this juncture, Dharampal too cleared his throat and was happy to see his son and daughter-in-law finally feeling comfortable in each other’s company. All four of them laughed together, forgetting the adverse situation they were in, and celebrated the moment by finishing off the ripe mangoes.

The family stood awake for the entire night. Early in the morning, when the water level slowly receded to about knee-length, they got down from the rooftop carefully.

This time Tiharu and Sukhiya firmly but lovingly held their hands while getting down. Smiling at each other, they began a new chapter in their lives. 

-Shashi Thakur