Why do people break alliances? Why do they make alliances? Are they made only to fulfil necessities? Are relations not necessary if there are no needs? Born as human beings if relationships are not nurtured and developed what is the use of human birth?

Tut… tut…’ thought Yellaiah putting down the receiver impatiently. He nodded agreement to whatever Karunakar said on the phone for quarter of an hour from the other end.

Did Karunakar remember him now? That too after twenty-five years to find an alliance for his daughter? He kept responding on the phone for the sake of courtesy as if the person at the other end was known to him.

Karunakar’s need made him call but not friendship. Karunakar remembered an old friend because of his need. Yellaiah was happy for being remembered but felt unhappy for being used for a need. If a person was required to fulfil a need, relationships change into bonds. Having known the secret of successful living, he was taking an active interest in teacher’s, Union.

As he was in a thoughtful mood, Yellaiah forgot that it was getting late to go to school. The lecturer Purushotham, the boy’s father, was closer to him than Karunakar. If he had to play the role of a middleman, he would support Purushotham. But Karunakar was insisting on supporting him. He did not know much about Karunakar. How many brothers and sisters they are, their professions if any, he did not know. If people enquired whether he had seen the girl, and wanted to know how she looked like, what should he tell them? What can he say about a person who telephoned after a lapse of twenty five years?

Yellaiah rewrote clearly the bio-data of the girl which he had scribbled down when Karunakar gave the details on the phone. He was afraid that he would forget if he did not attend to things immediately in spite of pressure of work. He telephoned Purushotham without delay. His wife received the call.

“Akka (sister)! Is brother-in-law available?” he asked. Purushotham came up on the cordless phone. After a few pleasantries, Yellaiah conveyed to Purushotham the details about the girl.

“What do we know about the family background of the people who telephone you after twenty years? We have to listen to what they say. You say he is coming on Sunday. Let us think of them after he arrives here. Anyway we are not thinking of celebrating the boy’s marriage immediately. You know about it. I want to think of it after he returns from the USA after staying there for a year. Could you not tell him about this?” said Purushotham.

“He did not allow me to talk at all. He poured out all his love for me in barrels. Think of the problems of the father of a daughter!” said Yellaiah and ended his talk. He ate a few morsels of food in a hurry, collected his lunch box and walked away towards the bus station looking at his watch. In the bus his thoughts moved around Karunakar.

How dispirited was Karunakar before he secured a job! How affectionate he was! After he got a job how happy he was! How he used to meet everyone at festival times to make others feel how good he was! After he was promoted as an officer, how much he changed!.. Indeed from then onwards he had to seek help from Karunakar. 

Though they both worked in two different departments, if one keeps telling people that a district official is his friend, how quickly things get done with dignity! It affords some status also in society, he had thought. He knew that Karunakar got de-linked with him only to deny these privileges to him. But the need was his.

When he went to Hyderabad once, he met Karunakar at his office in the evening at the closing time. He had thought of following Karunakar to his house, eat and spend the night with him. But Karunakar left him at the gate saying he had some work. He felt hurt for the first time. 

Did he go to Karunakar’s house as he had no money to eat food? He will have to spend a lot of money on auto fare to go to his house. With the auto fares he could eat twice in hotels. He had thought of meeting an old friend without caring for the auto fares. From that day onwards he did not meet Karunakar.

He used to write letters to Karunakar now and then as he could not keep quiet without writing to him. He used to feel vexed when he did not get replies to his letters. If he had nothing to write, he would send greetings on festive occasions like Ugadi. New Year’s Day etc. 

If Karunakar had responded, the connection would have continued. Once his letter was returned by the postal dept. If the address had changed, Karunakar could have informed his friends about the change of address. How can one think that a person who works as a responsible officer, would not be aware of these formalities? 

Karunakar got rid of friends like him purposefully. Now that his help was needed Karunakar telephoned. Yellaiah felt happy in the heart of his hearts.

Yellaiah came to know that Karunakar’s moralizing was an empty boast. He was now in the top ten list of the corrupt. He used to pretend indifference whenever people talked to him about Karunakar’s dark activities. If anyone pointedly talked about Karunakar’s corruption he used to get away saying that he had no idea.

Karunakar earned a lot of money. He educated his children in Residential Schools from the high school stage itself by spending thousands of rupees. The children grew proud and haughty. They neglected their studies. They would have completed their engineering and would have been soft-ware engineers in foreign countries if they had not diverted their attention because of their money and their father’s status. 

If Karunakar’s daughter did M.Sc. It meant that she could not get at least a payment seat after the long term coaching at EAMCET (Engineering And Medicine, Common Entrance Test).  

No one knew how the girl was brought up, what her nature was. In a disciplined family like Purushotham’s, she may not be able to get on and adjust herself or after marriage she may ask her husband to set up a separate establishment and the young man many have to spend all his earnings on his wife. Will Purushotham tolerate this situation?

Karunakar telephoned because they belonged to the same caste and there was an alliance to be materialized through him in spite of the long gap. It was difficult for boys in their caste to be educated. Who can get a girl study up to post-graduation? How difficult will it be to find a groom if the girl is highly educated? That is the reason why the get-together of brides and bridegrooms are being held caste-wise. 

What else is the meaning of these get-together meets if it is not to remember the castes which have lost their identity? Even at the get-together meets doubts prevail. Confusion rules supreme for want of details about the background of families. The parents turn back to the villages where they were born and bred…. Is it not strange that Hyderabad alliances get settled in Jagtial, Korutla or in Metpalli?

The boy lives in Hyderabad. Also, the girl. But the alliance gets settled through relations living in Jagtial. Even if the young things grow in stature because of their jobs or salaries, after the disappearance of the joint families and the advent of the individual families, once the bond with the native place is broken, people do not have any other link. If it was not so, why should Karunakar remember him after so many years? If the caste had not been the same, if there had not been any other link, there was no necessity at all for Karunakar to meet him. Many families must have got destroyed for want of friendship and acquaintance.

“Please give me some space.” Yellaiah looked at the man and moved a little. It was inconvenient for four persons to sit on a three-seater. More over the middle man’s girth itself needed two seats. 

Yellaiah recollected to have seen the new comer somewhere. Yes, he was Bhaskar. Bhaskar was three years junior to him in the school. This fellow was terribly proud. It was traditional for juniors to greet the seniors. This fellow did not greet him even once with a ‘namaste’. When out of some consideration Yellaiah himself said ‘hello’, Bhaskar used to smile a little as though he was himself the senior. 

What made Bhaskar so proud and haughty, Yellaiah did not know. Once when Yellaiah said ‘hello’ to Bhaskar after Bhaskar became the Mandal President, Bhaskar frowned. Which meant that Bhaskar expected Yellaiah to greet him first with a ‘namaste’. 

Yellaiah stopped caring for Bhaskar because of Bhaskar’s evil deeds. In a short time both became strangers to each other. Yellaiah would not need Bhaskar’s help any time. 

Union wise Yellaiah was at a higher level than Bhaskar. Bhaskar was aware of the situation. Bhaskar knew who he was. But with what face will Bhaskar talk to him?

Yellaiah looked at Bhaskar in a dignified manner as if he was a stranger. ‘Connections’ get broken strangely! ‘Ego’ destroys affections and love. Yellaiah wondered how much more would ‘ego’ swallow to satisfy its hunger.

Yellaiah told his colleague Rajeswar about Karunkar at lunch interval in school. 

“See how human beings behave,” said Yellaiah to Rajeswar.

“He seems to have earned well. He could have offered his daughter to your son,” said Rajeswar nonchalantly.

Yellaiah was surprised. Why did the thought not occur to him at all? Social values restrain the minds of people! Because Karunakar was rich, as his status in the society and life was high, Yellaiah had thought that there could be no connection between him and Karunakar. 

True, keep aside his own case. Why did not Karunakar ask what Yellaiah’s children were doing? Why did this point not occur to Karunakar also? Karunakar did not even feel that Yellaiah himself had a son and that he might be embarrassing Yellaiah by asking him to find a groom for his daughter. Yellaiah was disturbed. 

“That man did not give me a chance to open my mouth,” replied Yellaiah scratching his head.

“Karunakar had the feeling that he was a high official and an important man. But there was no thought that you were friends. He has given you a duty to be done as he would ask a sub-ordinate or an attender. Beyond that there is no friendship involved in it. You might be feeling happy that he telephoned to you after a long time. But he did it keeping in mind Vasudeva* holding of the legs of an ass.

Here Kamalakar is exposed as a time-server, stooping to serve his ends” said Rajeswar point blank.

Yellaiah was shocked at the comparison. This angle of the problem never occurred to him. He had some regard for Karunakar for he was an old friend who belonged to his caste. 

Rajeswar’s analysis shocked him to such an extent that he could not swallow the food he was eating and it got stuck in his throat. Rajeswar sprinkled water on Yellaiah’s head. Yellaiah could not but laugh at Rajeshwr’s sentiment, though he himself was suffering. After he controlled his cough Yellaiah said, “Do you say that I am an ass in his view?”

“If you are not an ass, you are a high class hotel or a Tata Indica Car which can be hired for money. By the by, he may give you a valuable presentation if this match is settled – like commission in business enterprises. If only he had thought of the friendship between you two, he would have come to you with his wife and children and learnt all about your family and your welfare. Then he would have broached the topic of the marriage of his daughter. If he had done so, it would have been a little honourable and dignified,” concluded Rajeswar.

“He said he would visit me. I’ll take him to a hotel and feed him there. He will be cured of his ego” said Yellaiah.

“He will not give you that chance, sir. He will take an A.C. room in a hotel, telephone to you and will ask you to eat with him showering you with his love and appreciation.”

“How well have you assessed men and analysed Karunakar, Rajeswar! I always entertain the idea that every person has good thoughts”

Yellaiah’s appreciation encouraged Rajeswar.

“Because he is the father of a daughter he telephoned to you. You say he has a son three years older than the girl. Why did he not ask you to find a match for his boy also?”

When Rajeswar asked him so pointedly his question, Yellaiah was at a loss to explain it. How hard and bitter are truths! Karunakar telephoned to him with self-interest but he took it as a call from an old friend. Rajeswar made it crystal clear that there was no fellow-feeling involved in it.

“People are turning out like this”, said Yellaiah and got up to clean his lunch box.

“This’s what is meant by market economy. The present culture buys and sells human relations like marketable articles. You teach lessons on this theory. But why don’t you analyse and apply the principles in your life? You call this transaction as love and friendship and deceive yourself.”

Yellaiah felt a fear and pride at Rajeswar who could study a man inside out. As the bell went, he walked into the classroom.

Returning from school, Yellaiah refreshed himself and had a cup of tea. He started talking to his wife Lakshmi. Karunakar was an old friend. If the alliance clicked, all his problems will be solved. He spent a lot of money from his pocket for Union activities. He had not saved from his salary. If the alliance gets fixed, though it might not help him, his son will enjoy the benefits of life. He dismissed all objections of Rajeswar thinking of his needs.

“If the marriage takes place it would be no doubt nice. But will he think of us for the alliance? Then will the girl of that rich family adjust and manage in our house?” asked Lakshmi, his wife.

“Who’s staying with the in-laws after marriage these days? They will go to the places of their jobs” replied Yellaiah who could not suppress his desire.

“People like you give value to the time-serving nature, selfishness, love and friendship, caste and the caste equations of people like Karunakar.” Yellaiah thought he heard Rajeswar say the words and looked all round. He saw only Lakshmi and none else. 

He decided to ask Purushotham and left the house. Purushotham had not yet returned home. He came at eight in the night with some papers in hand. 

Yellaiah repeated once again the details and gave the copy of the girl’s bio-data to Purushotham. Purushotham gave the biodata of his son to Yellaiah. It was typed on the computer. The boy’s name, his father’s name, date of birth, time, height, complexion, qualifications, details about the other members of the family, the job the boy was doing, address for correspondence, phone number etc.

“Marriages also, like jobs, are being arranged on application forms and bio-datas”, said Yellaiah smiling.

“A marriage is greater than a job. One can take up any number of jobs and give them up. You can get transferred if you don’t like the town or the city. But we cannot act in that manner with the alliances and the relatives. So many more details, interviews and care is necessary in the case of marriages compared with jobs,” explained Purushotham.

“Marriages are made of dowries, status, jobs. This is the truth that is being followed in our lives to-day,” said Yellaiah.

“Anyway, my son says he would marry after he returns from the States,” informed Purushotham.

Yellaiah could manage to persuade the boy to be available at home on Sunday by convincing Purushotham and his wife Sunanda.

In the morning on Sunday Yellaiah waited for Karunakar. He kept the room clean by re-arranging things in it. At eight there was a call from Karunakar’s house. His wife made the call.

“Sorry please. He had to leave on a tour unexpectedly. He left last night. He wanted me to tell you,” she said and put the phone down. Yellaiah thought that another alliance, better than the present one might have come into their view. Later he forgot all about it.

Karunakar telephoned a month later asking Yellaiah to settle Purushotham’s alliance. 

Yellaiah kept making enquiries for Karunakar’s daughter. Purushotham’s son gave the green signal six months after he left for Sates. Yellaiah’s son took a job as a soft-ware engineer in Bangalore.

Yellaiah went to Hyderabad thinking that the match would be settled for either Purushotham’s son or his own son.

When he reached Karunakar’s house he learnt that Karunakar’s daughter had been married and left for States a week ago. “Everything had to be got done in great hurry. Sorry! I could not send wedding invitations also properly” said Karunakar. He placed the album with the wedding photographs as if to show off his status.

Yellaiah returned home feeling very much hurt and humiliated. He remembered the telephone calls he made and the visits he made to people for the marriage alliance for Karunakar’s daughter spending his money.

He spoke of his disillusionment to Purushotham.

“They didn’t send the wedding invitation also. That is the culture of your friends,” said Purushotham, laughing away the matter. It was such a great alliance,” he added.

Next day Rajeswar spoke ridiculing.

“The curry leaf is boiled till its essence is absorbed and is thrown off later. Your friendship with Karunakar is worse than this. That is the utility of market economy” said Rajeswar smiling.

“I’ll not help anyone in finding matches hereafter,” said Yellaiah with determination.

“That’s not in your hands sir…. Like the presentations given in marriages, like the brides, your friendship will be bought and sold. All this happens without your knowledge.”

Yellaiah let off a deep sigh and then laughed at the changes that have been overtaking life.

His son insisted on a girl who was equally qualified and Yellaiah could not find one to satisfy his son. Purushotham and Yellaiah sent ads in papers separately for brides. They gave box numbers without giving addresses and the replies were received after fifteen days.

Just as a candidate applies for two jobs, there were more letters which responded to both box numbers.

Both were shocked to find the biodata of Karunakar’s second daughter. They wondered why Karunakar did not tell them about his second daughter.

They imagined they heard Rajeswar laughing, making a chuckling noise. When they turned towards the door Rajeswar entered the house saying” namaskaram, sir!”

Original Telugu published in Eenadu Telugu Daily, 05-11-2000


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