Hello everybody, its my pleasure to continue this story for you in the ninth video of ‘Spinning into a Career’
N.L. Parande has a relative in Bhiryan. Ruchi’s father permits her to accompany her guru to his relative’s house. The guru wears his usual pajama jibba. His relatives are proud of him because he is not given to addiction and womanizing like some of the other singers. The house in Bhiryan is a mansion. It resembles a house from the Peshwa era. A lady in a nine yard saree receives Ruchi and her guru. They speak in Marathi about their other relatives. No bricks are used to build the house. It is a stone house. The rooms lead one to the other, and the drawing room has steps where one can go down to keep their footwear. The room is cool despite the scorching heat outside. The lady serves hot varai tandul khichdi with a dressing of coconut and coriander leaves.
Pandit Raviraj with tilak on his forehead, visits the music teacher’s house. He is a well known singer who comes to take some guidance from Mr. Parande. Kirti has three brothers : Pranav, Preet and Pritesh. Pranav is quiet and is somewhat of a philosopher. After his school education, he serves the Indian Packaging Company. Ruchi’s father helps him get the job. He works in shifts. Preet makes clay idols of Lord Ganesha and sells it. As a magician, he conducts magic shows. Preet has good sparkling eyes. He takes up the job of a compounder in Doctor Kulkarni’s dispensary. Pritesh is good at playing tabla.
Ruchi encounters a fellow who is interested in her. Whenever Ruchi reaches her guru’s place, he helps her with her raincoat and listens to her voice while she is taking music lessons. He speaks to her and proposes marriage to her. He is a professor of law in Government Law College. Once Ruchi hears him talking to the guru, ” Her voice is as melodious as a cuckoo.” Ruchi is elated but she is completely deflated when stares intently at her for a long time. His stare is an attack of lust. The next day, the guru changes the timing of the class. Ruchi’s guru has an affection for her. He keeps some eatables for her from his share. He keeps it covered in a corner in the kitchen and tells his wife to give it to her. He says, ” Ruchi! You have taken the tambura in your hand. You will never get drowned in misery, come what may in your life.” “Yes”, it proves to be true in her later life.
The guru’s wife has intuitive powers. She knows palmistry. She has severe asthmatic attacks. Ruchi hears her wheezing. The guru reprimands her for having eaten yogurt. She reads the palm of Ruchi and predicts that her father has a great deal of affection for her and not her mother. She will not make a career in music. Since her sunline is strong, she will get into academics. She will write and publish books. She will have a house of her own. Ruchi does not want to believe in her predictions. Whenever Ruchi enters the guru’s house, his wife welcomes and greets her lovingly. Ruchi’s mother does not want her to be friendly with guru’s wife. The guru’s wife fasts on Navratri days. She is an ardent devotee of Goddess Durga. The temple of the Goddess is situated in a coastal city.
She invites Ruchi on the day of Ashtami. Her forehead is fully smeared with red kumkum powder. She is heaving and making sounds as though something has possessed her. She looks at Ruchi and says, ” Your husband will be from another state. He will be shrewder than you. He will take care of you because he wants to have a good family life. Your in laws are not good people. They are the same people who harassed you in your previous life. Don’t be afraid. They will not succeed in causing any harm to you. Your husband needs you more than you need him. You have the grace of the Goddess. Don’t think your husband is not clever. He lacks confidence. He will not clear competitive or professional exams” Ruchi is chary of accepting her prognostications. She tells her she wants to remain a spinster. The guru’s wife tells Ruchi, ” You are a novice in the field of life. You have to get married to gain knowledge and wisdom.”
I hope you have enjoyed listening. Thank you for listening. We shall continue with the last part of Mr. Parande’s story in the next video. Till then, goodbye!
The video can be viewed on You Tube by typing, ‘Spinning into a Career’ by Usha Raman.
