Benign Flame Saga Of Love In Chapters Format

by BS Murthy

  'If only we had discussed this aspect of life before Saroja's birth,' said Raja Rao, even as Sathyam found his face lighting up, 'I'm sure, 1 wouldn't have had anything meaningful to say. But now 1 can tell you. It's we who owe our children for having made us parents, and the fulfillment that goes with It. M aybe. It's this subconscious sense of

  gratitude that tends parents to fend their chiidren into aduithood, and beyond. But, it wouid be injurious for parents to imagine that their chiidren owe it to them for having tended them aii the way to their aduithood, and once the chiidren are heiped by the parents to be on their own, it amounts to the fuii and finai settiement of the fiiiai account. Then, how does the question of parents withdrawing from their chiidren's account arise?'

  'No doubt, it's a sound premise,' said Sathyam, and after shouting for the bearer, added mysteriousiy, 'Are you a moraiist by any chance?'

  'It's the context that hoids, isn't it?' said Raja Rao tentativeiy, a iittie taken aback though.

  'Weii, about the so caiied kickbacks,' said Sathyam in an undertone as though the under-tabie thing owes that from the worid.

  'I was never exposed to its temptation,' said Raja Rao in reiief, 'so I can't pass any judgment.'

  'Oh, come on,' smiied Sathyam, 'don't be dipiomatic.'

  'Weii, if I've to take a philosophical view of it,' said Raja Rao, applying his mind, 'the insidious corruption harms the economy while the incentive bribing bedevils the society. While the kickbacks bankrupt the nation, the bribe mongers pester its people.'

  'Why don't you see the positive side of it,' said Sathyam with apparent conviction. 'Doesn't corruption place more money in more hands? It's only in the Utopian Republic of Uprightness that the nice guys remain straight and yet strike it rich. But, left to it, the world we live in warms up to the unscrupulous, all the while leaving the decent in the cold. But in the Commonwealth of Corruption, the resourceful are forced to part with part of their booty to bribe seekers. And won't that put more money into more hands?'

  'What I can say,' said Raja Rao perplexed by the proposition.

  'Won't bribe money honey society as well?' said Sathyam, pleased with his rhetoric. 'One has only to remove his hypocritical blinkers and view the social scenario to see that. Don't you find the bribe money coming in handy for the average in bettering their lives and improving the education of their children? But, if India were to be a Republic of Fairness, then we may have a few accumulating wealth 'disproportionate to the calling of luxuries', even as the rest struggle to make both ends meet. Well that would have ensured that we had more coolies in our country than we have professionals today.'

  'All this should make one think,' said Raja Rao, 'not about justifying corruption but about developing the right climate for equitable growth.'

  'Does that mean, you have contempt for the corrupt?' said Sathyam, and inexplicably feared Raja Rao's response.

  'What right I have to judge others since I haven't gone through it myself?' said Raja Rao to Sathyam's utter relief. 'Perhaps, one should try to desist from it as far as one could earnestly avoid it. However, it's the truly ambitious that won't compromise, for they think in terms of greater glories.'

  'Well said,' said Sathyam tentatively. 'But what if I confess that I'm a corrupt guy?'

  'Set aside my views?' asked Raja Rao a little surprised, 'but what's the matter with you?'

  'My friend, sincerity could occasionally fetch an accolade or two at the office,' said Sathyam spiritedly, 'which anyway won't get added to the pay cheque, would it? It's a fast buck that counts these days, and not being down to earth, you can't make any. Oh,

  six years of honesty left me hand-to-mouth, but three months of worldliness, call it dishonesty if you must, got me all those goodies you might have noticed at my home. That was during your last visit, when I was out.'

  'How does your wife take it?'

  'In many ways, my wife is very unfeminine,' began Sathyam, and finding Raja Rao looking at him in surprise, he added. 'Let me explain. Haven't you found her lacking in vanity, jealousy and curiosity in true feminine measures? That being the case, can't you guess what might be her philosophy of life about bribe monies? She's dead against this greasing of the palms mess, or lining the pocket chore, as some would call it. Anyway, it's all one and the same, isn't it? Since she won't poke her nose into my finances. I'm not hard pressed to explain the source of my new life-style to her. Haven't you heard the jargon of the incometax wallahs, assets disproportionate to the known sources of income? Let them catch me if they can. By the way, your wife whom I made my raakhi sister is also unfeminine that way, though she's more pragmatic than my wife. Above all, Sandhya is an angel really.'

  'I'm glad you value my wife as well,' said Raja Rao extending his hand to Sathyam,

  'Honestly, I think very highly of your wife. Since Roopa is a contented character, why do you want to acquire what she doesn't value?'

  'That's a good question,' said Sathyam. 'And I'll answer you frankly. Anyway, keeping secrets is not the right way to promote friendship. Though you haven't met Prasad, surely you could have heard about him, isn't it?'

  'Sandhya told me about him,' said Raja Rao, thinking about how he almost lost Roopa to him.

  'I don't know what Roopa told Sandhya about him, but that's beside the point,' said Sathyam, gulping all that there was in his glass, as a prelude to emptying his heart. 'We were quite thick during our childhood days. When I met him this January, that too after fifteen years, I believed we could pick up the threads of our friendship all again. But, as I came to know later, in the guise of our friendship, he wanted to get closer to my wife. Oh, while I was a first ranker at school, he used to just scrape through, that too with my help. Well, when the topic was about studies, he never looked at me straight. Imagine such a fellow eyeing my woman now!'

  Finding Raja Rao's demeanor empathic, Sathyam continued after he ordered a fresh round of drinks for them, 'Do you know what had brought about this change in him? What else man, money, plentiful money. Why, he was lucky to marry a rich dame, and so he thought it fit to lure the wives of the not so rich too into his life. What is worse, he seems to thinkthat wives of the middle-class are but whores in their own homes. All the same, gullible that they are, how these silly women lose their heads when wooed by the moneyed. But I'm proud of my wife, for she proved her worth, though that rascal tried his best.'

  'I'm happy for you,' said Raja Rao, hiding his mixed feelings, 'and her as well.'

  'As you know, earlier a man's worth went by his talent,' Sathyam continued spiritedly. 'That was all there was to it. Let's take a potter for example. If he made a pot right, he got the price, and if it were misshapen, then he was in for a discount sale. But were it to leak altogether, oh, he had nowhere to go. And these days, money is the only resource needed to make more of it, isn't it? If only you have money, no one is going to ask you how you got it and where from. That's for sure. With that as capital, you can get into the business of making money. Can't you hire the best of talent, never mind, your

  own capacity may be of questionable quality. But then, won't the guys pool their skills to fill your kitty. And you bask in false glory as a whiz kid of sorts, don't you?'

  'I can understand your hurt,' said Raja Rao, moved by Sathyam's intensity. 'But then it had always been that way. Didn't Shakespeare aver that reputation is the most idle and false imposition, often got without merit, and lost without deserving?'

  'Oh, sadly, how true it is,' said Sathyam excitedly, drinking to the dregs. 'But isn't it galling that these guys go about seducing the women of the honest, flaunting the money so made. Coming to this scoundrel of a friend, having vouched for a brotherly affection towards Roopa, he eyed her in a mean manner. Can it get any worse, morally speaking that is? As you know, even Ravan didn't stoop so low in snaring Seetha.'

  'I agree with you,' said Raja Rao, driven by his own conviction. 'Seducing a woman is one thing and deceiving the friend is another. Are we through now?'


  'Let's have one more round,' proposed Sathyam, as the waiter came around, and as Raja Rao excused himself, he ordered one large for himself.

  'You know, thanks to my wife,' said Sathyam with an air of satisfaction, 'I've had the last laugh at him. When in the end, she exposed him to me; I took him to task really. This is what I told him - my dear fellow, money and looks are okay to an extent to lure women, but better realize it's the luck that enables one to lay them. Why, you can't screw even a whore if you're not destined to have her, your visit to the brothel would have coincided with her periods, and the next time you're eager, she could have shifted out of the town itself. That's what I told him.'

  'Oh, how true,' said Raja Rao, even as he recalled that Ganga-Kaveri girl.

  'Now I'll tell you why I want to get rich,' said Sathyam, gulping from his glass, 'in double quick time that is. I don't want someone like Prasad ogle at Roopa in the hope of winning her, simply because she's a poor man's wife. I want to make her rich so that she can keep the lechers all at bay. You don't know how I love her. How can you, when she herself fails to delve into my heart.'

  'Honestly, one cannot hope to be understood really,' said Raja Rao enigmatically, 'even by the spouse.'

  'M aybe, but I adore her and no less crave for her love,' said Sathyam, as he lost all his inhibitions by then. 'To be frank with you, our marriage was stymied from the beginning. Somehow, she was unenthusiastic about me. Maybe, she could have felt she deserved someone better than me, and how can I blame her for that, as she deserves a superman, if there's one. If you don't mind my being boastful, I was a philanderer myself. But that is beside the point, coming back to my wife, she's a fantastic dame. All said and done. I'm sure no one can ever love her more than I do. Oh, how I find that song from that film, Ghazal, so poignant - Naively thought I've right to love, whom you love, hath right on you.'

  'You haven't completed the stanza, I suppose,' said Raja Rao. 'Why not tell me whom you love, so that I can fetch him now.'

  'It's all well for poetic imagination. But how can it be a practical proposition?' said Sathyam dismissively. 'And to be fair to my wife, she is a faithful one.'

  'In some hearts like Sandhya's, love would reach such poetic proportions,' thought Raja Rao, and at that, he was gripped by an urge to be with her,

  'They may be expecting us,' said Raja Rao, goading Sathyam to rise, 'So better we call it a day.'

  'Tell me frankly,' said Sathyam, as they came out, 'what do you make of me?'

  'Honestly,' said Raja Rao, hugging Sathyam, 'I wish I had your capacity to iove.'

  'I'li cherish your words all my life,' said Sathyam, as Raja Rao released him.

  'How come Roopa inspires so much love and passion in men?' wondered Raja Rao as he headed home. 'And devotion in women as well. Isn't Tara too an obvious fan of hers?'

  Buoyed by sentiment, Sathyam reached home excited, and in all pride, made Roopa privy to Raja Rao's praises. At that, she reflected how her lover's empathy for her, gave rise to sympathy for her husband in his heart. It was thus, the glare of her paramour's goodwill blinded her man's vision to gaze at her liaison.

  Chapter 33

  Amour on Rein

  On that vijayadasami, during October, the lane leading to the office of the Integral Architects Pvt. Ltd., in Himayatnagar, was lined up with assorted vehicles of those who came to grace the inaugural function.

  While Roopa, in her grey Binny silk sari, was at the entrance welcoming the invitees with her bewitching smile. Raja Rao in brown corduroys and white T-shirt was ensuring that all were seated, as they entered. Handling the refreshments were Aslam, the drafter and Narasaiah, the daftari. As if to capture the moment for the posterity, Sathyam was busy clicking away with his new Canon, but suckling Saroja, Sandhya in her Gadwal sari was bogged down in the anteroom for long.

  However, as the muhurtham for the inauguration approached. Raja Rao went up to Sandhya to fetch her for the vighneswara pooja. Sensing that she was putting Saroja to sleep on the divan, he signaled her to make it quick. When Sandhya came out the couple performed the pooja with Roopa in attendance and after the prasadam was distributed in the gathering. Raja Rao took the floor.

  While thanking those present for gracing the occasion, he wished those who didn't turn up till then, would be joining soon. Reading out their resume, he introduced his partners, in turn. He was sandwiched, he said in jest, between Sandhya, the malikin at the house and Roopa, the boss at the office. That is why, he claimed. Integral Architects could be expected to be equally competent in handling homes as well as offices. In Aslam, he said, he found a competent drafter and that Narasaiah was courtesy personified. He hoped that their young team would come up to the expectations of their esteemed clientele.

  At the auspicious time, Ranga Reddy was accorded the honor to unveil the nameplate, symbolizing the inauguration of the enterprise. When requested, Subba Reddy gladly put the drafting table to use, as a mark of the commencement of work. Ranga Reddy, in his address, recalled how he was impressed with Raja Rao when they first met. He said it was owing to his confidence in Raja Rao that he turned a realtor. He hoped that his Build Well Ltd. and Integral Architects would combine to contribute to the growth of Hyderabad. Subba Reddy, who followed him, said that he was a man of few words, and the two words he had for Raja Rao were - account transferred.

  One by one, everyone left after refreshments, leaving the staff and Sathyam behind with the core group. While Roopa was assisting Aslam to move the drafting table by the window, Sandhya tried to pacify Saroja, who had woken up by then. In time, when Narasaiah began to clear the rubbish, Sathyam went to Mahaveer Studio with the exposed film rolls. Shortly thereafter, to Roopa's delight, Tara showed up.

  'Congrats,' she gave Roopa a large bouquet.

  'I owe it to her,' Roopa passed it on to Sandhya.

  'And I do to him!' Sandhya gave it to Raja Rao.

  'How handsome,' said Tara, and added after a pause, 'your partnership is.'

  'Thanks for coming,' said Raja Rao.

  'I'm happy that Roopa is in the right company,' said Tara, 'and she deserves it.'

  'Come on,' Roopa whisked Tara away, 'I'ii take you around.'

  'Why do you feei so insecure?' whispered Tara, foiiowing Roopa.

  'Are you not a femme fataie, isn't that enough?' said Roopa in jest.

  'Not of your grade anyway,' said Tara, taking Roopa's hand. 'I'm glad your patience has paid off.'

  'Facilitated by your timely help,' said Roopa reminiscently.

  When Tara entered the anteroom, Roopa stood embarrassed at the threshold.

  'It should be okay,' smiled Tara, lying on the divan. 'What do you say?'

  'You're impossible,' smiled Roopa.

  'When's the lunch break?' Tara winked at Roopa.

  'Oh, you,' said Roopa in all coyness.

  'Where's the 'Don't Disturb' board?' said Tara, as she mock searched under the divan.

  'It's on the way,' said Roopa in jest, and put Tara back into circulation.

  As Tara got up to leave in time, said Sandhya to her, 'Do drop in as you please.'

  'It would be my pleasure,' said Tara, squeezing Roopa's hand, 'if Roopa permits.'

  'As if you're a sort to wait for one,' said Roopa teasing.

  The next day, during the lunch hour, when Raja Rao led Roopa into the ante-room, she turned apprehensive, though she looked forward to it with all her craving.

  'It could be risky,' she said.

  'Isn't it worth it,' he said, pulling her into his lap, 'even at the cost of life itself.'

  'Why no bolster?' she said stretching herself on the divan.

  'With your chignon,' he said lying by her side, 'I thought you won't need one.'

  'Sandhya too says,' she said, eagerly pushing his head on to her breast, 'it goes well with me.'

  'Thank God, we've a place for us,' he said, unbuttoning her blouse. 'It would have been hellish otherwise.'

  'A homely office really,' she said in relief. 'W
hat if Sandhya smells our homeliness?'

  'That's what we want, don't we?' he said smiling, leading her on the amorous path of their fulfillment.

  'A married woman might enjoy her domineering role at home,' thought Roopa, as they came out of the ante-room at length. 'But in liaison, being submissive to her paramour, won't she enjoy the joy of surrender. Won't that make liaison a singular affair?'

  In time, everything feii into a groove at the office and in their homes as weii. Sandhya hired a giri to assist her in coping up with Saroja. Raja Rao wouid ride to the office on his Buiiet with Sandhya at nine, ieaving behind Saroja at home. Roopa wouid waikdown to the office in time, after seeing off Sathyam with the iunch-box. Asiam and Narasaiah wouid report for duty on time, for Raja Rao was a stickier for time. Whiie Asiam was aiways found rooted to his drafting tabie, for the most part Narasaiah was out on errands.

  So to feed Saroja, Sandhya wouid head home at sharp eieven. And at the stroke of one she reaches the office with iunch-box for the three of them. Asiam, however, was wont to ieave a iittie eariy for his namaaz, on his way home for iunch. Having savored the meai with her man and mate, Sandhya wouid ieave the office by one-thirty, to be at home to suckie Saroja. Raja Rao wouid scheduie his meetings to ensure his lunchtime presence for lovemaking in the office. While it was back to work for the rest of them by two-thirty, Sandhya, after siesta, would come back at three-thirty.

  The synchronous harmony of their lifestyle enabled the couple and their lover live in ecstatic fulfillment.

  While the work at the office gripped Roopa, the weight she came to wield there buttressed her self-worth. After all. Raja Rao came to depend on her for she readily picked

  up the work with her quick grasp. Besides attending to the office accounts, she helped him at structural calculations as well. As though to prove that she shared his passion for construction, she traced the building plans that he had conceived. Indeed, she was heady with life.