Madhavi worshipped at the Shirdi Sai Baba temple on Thursday and returned. She had taken an oil bath, decorated her feet with lines of red powder mix, applied turmeric and sandal paste to her cheeks and adorned her hair with flowers. She offered the flowers, holy ash (viboodhi) and sacred patri leaves to her husband and touched his feet. She pressed the small gold dises of her necklace (Mangala Sutra) to her eyes in reverence. Ramachandraiah, her husband, placed his hands on her head and blessed her.

When Madhavi entered her house, Ramachandraiah was busy with his papers making calculations. It was clear to Madhavi that her husband was calculating his pension amount. 

“When will you get your pension according to Mahaboob Ali?” Madhavi asked. 

“My pension has not yet been fixed”, said Ramachandraiah and telephoned Mahaboob Ali on his mobile. 

“I think there will be an increase of an increment”, he said on the phone. 

“There has been no mistake. That increment will not apply to you”, clarified Mahaboob Ali. 

Ramachandraiah retired as the Principal of the Women’s Degree College. He had great respect for Mahaboob Ali who also retired in the college as the office superintendent. He never treated Ali as his subordinate but treated him as his equal. After retirement, Mahaboob Ali was helping pensioners by calculating the amount due to them. He had worked as the Secretary of the N.G.O.’s Association for a long time and so was thorough with the service matters. He had the reputation of being able to calculate even in his sleep. 

“Okay! Shukriya Bhai....” said Ramachandriah. 

Madhavi was preparing breakfast and screwed her ear to the telephone talk of her husband with Ali. 

“How much did you get the other day from your G.P.F., surrender leave and gratuity?” asked Madhavi. 

Ramachandraiah was taken aback at her question not knowing why she asked. 

“We both got the amount put in fixed deposits in the bank the other day. Didn’t we?” said Ramachandraiah to her. 

He deposited in six separate accounts rupees fifty thousand each. He wanted to give the interest accrued on them as an award to students who passed out in the first three ranks in the schools and colleges where he had studied. He studied in government schools and colleges. Now a days only poor students were studying in government schools and colleges. He was of the opinion that the award he gave would help poor students. More than the amount, the spirit behind the gesture was important for him. He was not sure whether he told Madhavi that the interest on the deposits would not be credited in his savings account. 

“If you sell your pension how much would you get and when?” asked Madhavi looking down on the floor thoughtfully. 

“One can sell forty percent of the pension. If one rupee worth pension is sold, rupees 125 will be given. If one sells thousand rupees, the amount will be one lakh twenty thousand rupees. The total may be twelve and a half lakh rupees, I think. By the by, why are you asking, which you never did?” he enquired with a smile. 

“Just like that, nothing special.....” murmured Madhavi, undecided whether to reveal her mind to him or not. 

Ramachandraiah looked up at her meaningfully and smiled wondering that Madhavi was entertaining new ideas and thoughts. Madhavi felt bold on looking at the smiling countenance of her husband. She too smiled. She handed the plate containing the upma (a light refreshment generally eaten at breakfast.) made from Bambino Semia to her husband. 

Ramachandraiah found Madhavi’s smile novel. She looked resplendent in her milk white saree with the magenta coloured border. Her dried hair was floating in waves in the fan breeze. The streaks of silver white hair assumed a new beauty in her dark head. Her long stresses of hair flowing down to her waist, the turmeric sandal paste mark on her forehead and the big round red bindi gave her the dignified look of a married woman. On seeing her looking like a female deity, Ramachandraiah slipped into sweet remembrances of the past. 

On observing the lovelorn looks of her husband, Madhavi felt shy like a bride. Ramachandriah gently touched the fingers of Madhavi, lost in an ecstasy of old thoughts and took the plate from his wife. 

Generally Madhavi does not hand the tiffin plates, tea or coffee to her husband. She places them on the tea table and asks him to take them. Ramachandraiah knows that if she hands them over to him personally, something special would be behind the gesture. If she wanted him to buy a new saree or go to a function connected with her mother’s relatives, for any tender of this kind, she plans ahead for a day or two, behaving intimately and coyly like a bride.

Madhavi does not express her love in words. It has to be recognised by her behaviour, by a smile on her lips or by the saree she prefers to wear. She wears the sarees her husband likes most a day or two before she registers her tender. She cooks the dishes and curries he likes. She prepares tea and places the tea cups on the tea table even before asking when his friends arrive. She enquires about their welfare very lovingly addressing them as ‘brother’. She even suggests that they should bring her sisters-in-law (their wives) when they visit next time. She finds out how their children are faring in their studies etc., She spreads this kind of pleasant atmosphere in the house for a couple of days. Those who observe this pleasant climate existing in her house feel how nice it would be if such a happy atmosphere prevailed every day in their houses also. Ramachandra Rao keeps reminding of this happy state now and then to his wife. 

“If there is a festival every day, how can it be called a festival? There will be happiness only when a festival comes once in a while,” she says meaningfully. 

As he finished eating, she handed him his cup of tea. He observed a little sweat on her face and thought it added a special beauty to her. She walked slowly and voluptuously towards the kitchen making her husband forget himself in great joy. Generally Madhavi walks fast and talks fast too. That day she looked a little different. He could not but feel how good it would be if every day passed in that manner. 

Madhavi brought the tiffin and tea for herself and placed a small lid on the tea cup. She started eating slowly in a thoughtful mood. Suddenly the smile on her face disappeared. A troubled look took its place on her face as if she was twisting in pain. She started fingering the upma in her plate trying to control her anguish. 

Ramachandraiah did not observe her reactions. He was turning the pages of the newspaper looking up at the headlines. He stopped at the share market and business columns of a page. After a while he folded the newspaper neatly and placed it on the plank kept under the tea table. 

Ramachandraiah has the habit of keeping the daily newspapers piled neatly date-wise. If the paper of the 16th is needed, it would be available placed under that of the 15th date. He followed this kind of discipline all through his life. It was this discipline that procured him the job of a S.G.B.T. secondary grade teacher, as a school assistant, as a junior lecturer, as degree college lecturer and as a principal before he reached his age of super annuation, possessing step by step the degrees, B.Ed, M.A. M.Ed., M.Phil and Ph.D in course of time. This discipline helped him to gain the respect and affection of the students, his colleagues and friends and in his achieving a name and a fame for himself in his life. 

Ramachandraiah had no bad habits. He was not attracted by cigarettes, liquor, cards or pan at any time. He had not shouted curses at anyone. He followed a dignified dress code all his career. The society honours good behaviour, a stately gait, appropriate clothing and a kind word as nothing else would. Ramachandraiah used to tell his students and colleagues that thrift, discipline, a loving nature and forgiveness make a man grow in the esteem of others and followed these principles himself in his life. His friends and old students who realised the importance of these simple principles in their own lives honoured Ramachandraiah in all humility though they occupied high position in their lives. 

“All this was possible because I stepped into your house. It is all my luck”. says Madhavi. 

“It is true. It was because of the peace that prevailed in the house I passed so many exams and gained promotions. Because you took complete care of the children I could take so many tests successfully. Or else I would have retired as a headmaster like my colleagues”, so saying Ramachandraiah  generally praised his wife. 

Ramachandraiah wanted to talk to Madhavi. But she looked dignified, short of crying. He was moved at her demeanour. What happened in such a short time? He did not hurt her in any way. No one telephoned her! he wondered. “Why...? why are you disturbed? What happened?” he asked her and sat near her, placing his arm around her waist affectionately.

Madhavi burst out crying all of a sudden at his loving gesture. 

“What happened Madhavi? What happened?” Ramachandraiah expressed his anxiety. 

“You don’t’ think otherwise, will you?” asked Madhavi still crying. 

“Why do you doubt me having lived with me for so many years, even after my retirement? When did I say ‘no’ to you?”

“What is meant by home - maker?” asked Madhavi pressing her eyes with the pallu end of her saree. 

“The word / expression ‘home-maker’ got into use in recent times as part of the new thinking. As the woman of the house takes care of the house and children, she has been called house-wife. But the feminists brought this new word into use and called her ‘home - maker’.”

“Is ‘home-maker’ the name of a post or position?”

“As a matter of fact the expression ‘home-maker’ is something like a post as you said just now. The ‘get together’ meeting between the girl and the boy before engagement can be considered as the interview for the post,” said Ramachandraiah looking at Madhavi appreciatively. 

Ramachandraiah pleads on behalf of women so long as it does not concern him. Anyway he was the Principal of a women’s college. He leads a principled life. He keeps informed Madhavi whatever he knows. 

“Madhavi! The feminists have calculated that the mistress of a house walks 16 K.Ms. every day in her house. It is only women who can give birth to children. It is they who can suckle their children. It is not possible to calculate the price for giving birth to children. But they calculated how much it costs, as in a Day Care Centre, for cooking so much, for doing different services to the husband so much, for giving him pleasure so much, for washing the clothes so much, for cleaning the house and for keeping watch over the house so much and many other such duties at market rates. The total far exceeded the husband’s monthly salary. The society will perish if women say they would not bring forth children. So the labour of women is not the labour needed for producing products but a kind of labour as part of increasing the society by numbers, say the feminists. So they want women to be called not a house wife but a home-maker. By the by, what is special today, you are asking pointedly?” asked Ramachandraiah, eager to tell her more about the thinking of the feminists. 

Madhavi did not observe the eagerness of her husband. “No, there is nothing special.... Having laboured year after year for so many years, my energies have touched the rock bottom. For how long should I serve you all?” She asked looking directly into her husband’s eyes. Ramachandraiah likes very much that look on her face. 

“What you said is true, dear. In olden days when parents became old, their sons and daughters-in-law took care of them. The old people were free from house-hold responsibilities and cooking. They used to spend a respected life playing with their grandchildren. They lived happily like hermits. But now grown up sons and daughters are distancing themselves and are looking after themselves. They are not thinking of their fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers. So, for persons like you, though they reached the retirement age, there is no retirement. As we are only two, I will help you in the kitchen to some extent hereafter. And of course, we have anyway a servant maid.” Ramachandraiah, consoled his wife. 

“Just as my elder brother opted for V.R.S., please release me from my home-maker’s post”. 

Ramachandraiah did not know what to say to this demand of his wife. Ever since he retired from service, Madhavi had been talking in a peculiar way. When he was in service, the house was full of life with the comings and goings of people. Madhavi had a busy time attending on them. But now Madhavi was finding it difficult to kill time. 

“If you are given V.R.S. as homemaker, who will look after me, dear? who will be my companion during my old age?”

Madhavi looked up at her husband once and bent her head. 

“Find for yourself someone who will do all things for you. I’ll live with my sons and daughters and spend my time chanting god’s name”, replied Madhavi. 

“Madhavi! What words you speak!. Are they the words to be spoken by you? Let us stay together wherever we stay or live. Anyway what happened to you? You are speaking strangely to-day after returning from the temple. Did anyone speak against you? Has anything wrong been done by me? Tell me....”

“Yes. If you work for the government for thirty five years, the government gives you pension. The government gives you gratuity to you gratefully. It gives interest on the G.P.F which you put in the bank. But.... I have been serving you, your children, relatives and friends as the home-maker. What did you give me for all the service I rendered so far. What will you give me? Don’t I have retirement? Won’t you give me pension, G.P.F. gratuity or anything?... should you have everything for yourself....?” Madhavi’s voice went hoarse even before she could conclude her question. 

Ramachandraiah wanted to ask Madhavi whether she learnt all these things by attending meetings arranged for young women as she had not much work after his retirement but stopped asking her the question. 

“What happened now? You know I mentioned your name as the nominee. You will get half the pension after me. You need not depend on children. Why are you worried and troubled?” asked Ramachandraiah encouragingly. 

Madhavi looked sharply at him at his words. “Don’t utter inauspicious words early in the morning. I’ll go first... will I ever wish that you should go first? Any woman desires to leave the world as a married woman” said Madhavi, crying inconsolably. 

Ramachandraiah did not know why she was crying... what she wanted to ask... what her pain was. He did not also know how to console her. “Nothing amiss has happened now. This house is on your name. What all I have is yours and belongs to none others. Without you where could this family be? and this wealth? How could there be peace in the house without you? All the children support you. If our children grew up, got educated, married and are managing themselves, the credit goes to you. In my life you are more than half. You are three fourths responsible for my successes and happiness.....” He would have continued saying more as he was used to teach in his classes for more than fourty five minutes like the fluent flow of river Godavari, had not Madhavi stopped him there. 

“If that is so, why did you not deposit the money you received after your retirement in my name? Will you deposit at least half of what you get after selling your pension? The government gives you pension. I have been serving you all my life.... Won’t you give me pension? Why don’t you give me what is due to me?” asked Madhavi crying all the while. 

Madhavi’s demand appeared strange to Ramachandraiah. He did not also understand why she made the demand. 

“What does it matter on whose name is the money? This house is on your name. Is it not so?” he tried to satisfy her. 

Madhavi brought out the list of her desires one by one, her disappointment, her disgust, her wishes and worries even while continuing to cry. 

“What will I do with the house? Will I sell and eat it? Who will keep quiet if I sell it? The money will not be on my name. Everything should be on your name. After marriage my surname got changed. Your surname became my surname. You have forgotten that I am Madhavi and that I have an individuality all my own. Everyone treats me as your ‘Madam’. Children also are your children. What is left for me as my own? What reputation did I get for the services I rendered to you all these years? You cornered the great name for yourself. You want everything for yourself; you said what does it matter if the money is on any of our names. What is wrong if it is deposited on my name? How happy I would have felt then? I can buy whatever I want to give the grandsons or granddaughters and go on my own to the houses of others on festive occasions....”

Ramachandraiah was surprised at his in ability to understand his wife though he had spent so many years of his life with her. For the first time he wondered whether women too would think in such terms. He had thought that a man and his wife made one family. He had not guessed that a wife would also think independently, that she desires economic freedom and money for her needs and that she would think beyond her husband and children. 

“Okay.... Don’t cry. I also feel like crying when I see you crying in pain. How truly the life of a woman is in the hands of others! when I sell my pension, I will deposit eight lakh rupees in your name. Anyway I will get my regular pension. You will also get a pension of six to seven thousand rupees on the interest. Is it okay? please don’t cry”, appealed Ramachandraiah.

Six months passed. He received the pension papers from the Accountant General’s office, Hyderabad. The Bank Manager told them that if she takes a PAN on her name, the income tax could be reduced. On the advice of his friends, Ramachandraiah deposited four F.Ds of two lakhs each on Madhavi’s name for eight lakh rupees. 

Madhavi’s joy knew no bounds when more than five thousand rupees of interest got credited to her account every month. She started going to the bank every month to see for herself the interest which got credited to her account. She would not withdraw from that account. Like the balance in her account that grew, her health also improved, she would ask her husband for money to meet her expenses. He would say that she could draw from her account. 

“That amount may come useful when the need is great, say when our granddaughter comes of age or when the grandson gets a seat in the medical college or for their fee etc.” she would explain citing a reason. 

In no time the interest grew more than a lakh. She took another fixed deposit for a lakh. She was happy that the amount would soon reach ten lakhs. She had not seen so much money with her eyes in her life. All that money was her personal property, her own personal pension.... How happy she was! 

The sons and daughter of Ramachandraiah started asking for the money he got after his retirement on some pretext or other, saying that they would return it later. Madhavi postponed giving money to them. 

Once Manoj, their first son came with his wife and children and started an argument with his mother. He pleaded with his mother that she should give them money without fail and explained the need to buy a plot for an apartment, the fee for the children etc. 

Madhavi guessed that her son had come with the intension of extracting money from her by any means. 

She gave him a bit of her mind. 

“What are you doing with the money you have earned? Are you not ashamed to seek others’ money? To whom does our money and property go after our death? Do you bury us alive because of your greed?”

Manoj did not expect his mother to speak big words so harshly. He retaliated

“Mother! you are using big words. How much have you earned? You have not bought even a flat in the city. Not even plots. Now the prices have sky rocketed. How good it would have been if you had bought them earlier? When asked now, you are talking meaninglessly. Your colleagues have earned a lot, what is it you have set apart for us?” Madavi was enraged at his words. 

“Arei (an exclamation of disgust here. At other times it is an intimate way of addressing a dear one.) It was our mistake to have educated you. Or else we would have earned and saved a great lot. We did not know how to earn. But why are you not earning? Like useless duds, why do you now want our money? 

“When you are earning a salary every month, do you find it difficult to manage? As a matter of fact you have to give one third of your earnings to my daughter-in-law. 

“O you girl! collect money in that manner and save every month and put it in your account. Now your father-in-law is giving me a pension. I am taking the interest on the fixed deposit also. First you achieve this method of saving”, said Madhavi to her daughter-in-law. 

The daughter-in-law of Madhavi liked this suggestion. She got into an argument with her husband. He left the place shouting at his mother as he was afraid that his mother would create a rift between him and his wife if he stayed there for some more time. 

Her second son and his wife also came quietly and left receiving abuses from Madhavi. The second daughter-in-law also liked the proposal of her mother-in-law and got into a heated argument that her husband should give her pension every month. 

Madhavi sent her sons away by telling her husband that they should not give anything to the sons. “If they have money with them, they will spend it away. If not they will manage within their means. Anyway all this money is for them, is it not?” She told Ramachandraiah after her sons had left. She gave a warning also to her sons and daughter-in-law. 

From that time onwards the sons stopped going to their parents frequently. Their telephone calls were also few. As the grand children forced them, they used to come now and then, stay for a few hours and go. They started living economically now, just as they lived before their children were born. 

One day while talking to Madhavi, Ramachandraiah told her about his pensioner friends, what he had heard in meetings and read in papers and supported the views of his wife. 

“Madhavi! what you asked me that day was very correct. It did not strike me also until you asked me. I think it would be good if the government sanctions to the husband and wife the pension in equal halfs when the man is alive instead of giving half the pension to the wife after the husband is dead. The amount the husband gets at the time of retirement should also be sanctioned to them both in equal halfs and credited to their accounts. If that is done, the couple will develop the skills of saving and self - discipline’ The home - makers will enjoy justice. They will also enjoy economic freedom. Your Women’s Association should take up this issue. Your daughters-in-law liked your suggestion immensely and your sons are very angry at you. I think you have done a good thing”. Ramachandraiah congratulated his wife. 

“Not just that. The very method of paying the salary itself should be changed. It is very necessary to credit one fourth of the husband’s salary into the account of his wife every month. Smoking, drinking, playing cards, attending night parties and the like will be curbed and the wives can save money carefully. She children will get educated properly. It is only then that the post of the home - maker will be honoured and gets a value. What do you say?” asked Madhavi smiling. 

“There is a good point in what you say. It is the life-long wisdom of yours that has come out as a truth in your words. But you must also note that many wives are giving a hell of a time to their husbands. If one fourth or half the man’s salary is given away to his wife how are families to thrive? Will not the wives leave their husbands in a fit of anger saying you lead your life, I will lead mine? Our case is different. But all couples will not be like us!”

“Let them stay or go! Is the government asking you for a report as to how you are spending your salary? You have been spending it as you like. If the husbands are good, the wives too will be good. By the way, when ceiling on lands was introduced sometime back, did not the husbands and wives show papers as if they had been divorced and each got their share and thus protected their lands without losing anything? In the same manner, the salary also could be got protected by declaring that the couple had divorced. After the process, they can just lead their normal lives as husband and wife”, argued Madhavi.

“Where from are you learning all these tricks? Should a man divorce his wife so that his wife too gets a share of the man’s salary and then lead a normal family life? When the wives are sanctioned salaries where is the rule that they should live with her husbands? Will not families get destroyed?” asked Ramachandraiah angrily. He warned his wife that the feminists who have been injecting these evil thoughts into the minds of women will be dealt with severely. 

Madhavi did not let go her argument. “Will families get destroyed if the husband and wife live together after having taken divorce on paper? Did not those who got lands after the divorce live together later? Are the families where the husbands and wives are both earning now getting destroyed? Will you keep all the salary amount with you and treat your women and children as you like? Do you want us to live the life of slaves to you? If the government also thinks in these terms, where will you be then?”

Madhavi’s emotion made Ramachandraiah thoughtful. He paused for a while and said.

“I dont know Madhavi... There is certainly a point in your argument but it is difficult and impossible for the government, for the husbands and the employees to accept this proposition”. 

“If women go on strike, why is this not possible?”

“I can’t argue with you and win. Anyway, after retirement husbands lose the favour of their wives” said Ramachandraiah smiling.

After a year and a half, their sons, daughters-in-law, daughter, son-in-law, grandsons and granddaughters came down for Dassara festival. Perhaps they were afraid of the consequences if they did not visit their parents now and then... or for some other reason. 

For two days there was a lot of hub-bub.... great noise and confusion. There was no end to the happiness and joy of Ramachandraiah and Madhavi. 

“How happy will it be if we and the children are all together like this every day....!” exclaimed Madhavi, lost in great ecstasy. 

“If they are with us like this for four days there will be ten quarrels. They will hate seeing each other. There is joy in meeting once after a long interval”, said Ramachandraiah.

“In olden days did not three or four generations live in one house as a joint family under one roof with one heart?” countered Madhavi. 

“Those days were different. They all used to do agriculture or some caste profession and lived. Now the jobs of our people are different.... and they live working in different places... Even this much of meeting together is not a possibility”. 

Ramachandraiah and Madhavi went out in the evening for shopping to buy vegetables and some eats and fruits for the grandchildren. But their sons and daughters-in-law opened up their discussion just then as if they were waiting for the occasion. The brothers were talking about the properties of their father, where they are situated, how much and how they should distribute the same between them. The daughters-in-law attended to some other work as they knew that the brothers and their sister were talking among themselves. Manasa their sister made a sharp comment with her brothers. 

“Will everything belong to you both only? The mother’s property always belongs to her daughters. The deposit and the interest on it belong to me only, “said Manasa. The brothers became silent for a while at what she said. 

They criticised the selfishness of their sister in strong terms. 

Manasa was hurt, she got angry too. 

“Who is selfish? You or me?” she shouted and started crying aloud. Yet she continued her argument. 

“If it comes to that, this house is also on mother’s name. I too will get a share equally with you. N.T. Rama Rao had made an Act long ago that daughters also get an equal share with sons. I will get an equal share in father’s money got after his retirement. As I did not ask for it out of love. I am being looked down now. You are not taking care of father and mother. I too am not taking care of them. When they fall ill, I too will take care of them along with you. Put aside my share also equally,” she said vehemently and started crying again. 

With these words of Manasa the atmosphere suddenly changed into a gloomy war - torn atmosphere. The sister-in-law and the brothers-in-law also entered the fray. The grandchildren were observing the scene with interest. Angry shouts and hot words continued for some hours. 

As Ramachandraiah and Madhavi got off the auto with the purchases they had made, they heard the noise at the gate itself. They were surprised, not knowing the reason. Entering into the house, they were pained deeply at the atmosphere that prevailed in the house. They were shocked to learn that their sons and daughter had not come to meet them for the festival but only for the distribution of property among themselves. 

Manasa was crying, appealing to her parents to inform them the actual position regarding sharing the property. 

Ramachandraiah and Madhavi felt that there was some valid point in their daughter’s thinking They also wondered why the idea which occurred to their daughter did not strike them. 

“Are the daughters-in-law doing service to their fathers-in-law and mothers-in-law in these days? If at all, it is the daughters that should serve them. What is wrong in Manasa’s words?” Madhavi supported her daughter. Her sons objected strongly to their mother’s words. 

Ramachandraiah had to interface. 

“What is wrong in the idea of Manasa? For us all three of you are dear. I did not consider Manasa as a girl. I brought her up also as I brought you up” said he to his sons. 

Madhavi gave a severe warning to her sons and daughters-in-law. “Arei! we did not think of enjoying life like you. We struggled hard and brought you all up. In America the parents take care of their children only till they attain eighteen years. Later the children have to live their own life. They have to earn their living themselves. Are you thinking of living out on us all your life? Why do you crave for the earnings of your parents? Earn your living as best as you can. Why should you depend on us? Why do you ask for our property? If you really want to flourish in your families, learn the art of thrift and discipline like father. Put one third of your salary on your wife’s name in post office Recurring Deposit scheme. The amount that accrues will be of help in the future for the college fee and marriages of your children. What did you learn from your father? If he had thought that his salary was not sufficient, would it have been possible to educate you and bring you up to this stage? Why do you waste money on unnecessary things? Are not ten sarees and ten pairs of dresses enough for you? Will not the motor bike serve your purpose. Should you possess only a car? where is the end for desires, ambition and happiness?”

They could not look direct into Madhavis face. They knew that they were used to a particular mode of life earlier and that - they were not able to do so now. Yet they were not prepared to accept the truth. 

The same night Madhavi’s sons and daughters-in-law packed up their things and left saying they had no leave though they were asked to stay on for a few more days. They did not even accept the fruits, vegetables, clothes for the kids and sarees for them bought by the old people. Manasa’s husband wanted to stay for another two days but he too left with his children. Madhavi was very much pained and cried out holding her daughter in her arms. Ramachandraiah went out and returned home in the night only to find his wife and daughter still crying.

“Why are you crying? What would have happened sometime later, happened today. It is good it happened now. They will come if they like it.... or they won’t. We can’t live depending on others. The government has given us a support through the pension in order to serve the people. If we had not been given this pension what would have happened to us? Our sons have shown us now the kind of hell they would offer us later. As a matter of fact, we have to express our thanks and gratitude in the morning first to the government and the people more than to God as soon as we wake up from sleep”, consoled Ramachandraiah.

“It was because of my mother, this quarrel took place. I don’t want anything”. said Manasa and started crying again. 

“You have not done anything wrong. Your demand was quite proper. If they come again and start trouble like this, I will bequeath all my properly to you.... you know the house and other properties are on my name. When we both fall sick you will have to take care of us. Don’t cry. Each one will live his or her life. Calm down and stop crying”. said Madhavi to her daughter. 

The original voice of the home maker was heard in Madhavi’s words. Ramachandraiah smiled at the self-confidence of Madhavi which made her speak out more clearly and plainly her inner thoughts. 

“Acts and laws should be passed that the properties of parents should go to the daughter and not to sons. For hundreds of years the sons have been enjoying all rights. At least from now on, for at least fifty years to come, girls should enjoy the rights on their parents’ property, “said Madhavi. 

“If so husbands will get their wives scanned for only the girl child then” said Ramachandraiah, the retired Principal of Women’s Degree College, laughing. 

Original Telugu published in Swathi Monthly, 2012