Chapter 2: Srinivasa Parichayam

“Garuda Gamana Tava, Charana Kamala Miha, Manasila Sathu Mama Nithyam, Manasila Sathu Mama Nithyam”

Suresh’s phone started ringing in his pocket as he and Suguna walked back home. He stopped near the gate to answer it, while Suguna waited beside him. Seeing her still there, he gestured for her to go inside.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” he signaled.

Suguna nodded and went in. Suresh stayed back, speaking softly into the phone.

A few minutes later, he stepped into the house and sat down on the sofa in the living room. Noticing him, Suguna came over and sat beside him.

“They seem like good people, don’t they?” she asked.

“Yes, I felt the same,” Suresh said, nodding. “He works in a bank, so he must be earning well. Did you notice their living room? So much furniture, so many things. They seem well off.”

“Maybe,” Suguna said with a small laugh. “Or maybe they just like showing off. Who knows?”

They spoke about their new neighbors for a little while longer. Then Suguna got up to start dinner, while Suresh walked into his daughter’s room.

Mounika was bent over her books, so focused that she did not even notice him enter.

“What is my little Mouni doing?” Suresh asked playfully.

Mounika looked up at him for a second and then lowered her eyes back to the page.

Suresh smiled. “Ayyo, look at her. So serious today.”

Then he raised his voice a little. “Suguna! Does Mouni have a test tomorrow? She’s completely lost in her books.”

Suguna came in, wiping her hands on the end of her saree. “I don’t think so. Mouni, do you have a test tomorrow?”

“No, Ma,” Mounika said softly. “No test.”

“Then why are you studying so seriously?” Suguna asked, sitting beside her and cupping her face.

Mounika hesitated. Her lips trembled.

Then, in a small, breaking voice, she said, “If I study well and get a big job, Daddy won’t have to ask Ravi uncle for money.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks.

For a second, both Suresh and Suguna went still.

Suguna recovered first. She pulled Mounika into her arms at once and held her close.

“What happened, Mouni?” she asked softly. “Why are you saying that?”

Mounika clung to her mother and cried harder.

Suguna looked at Suresh. His face had gone blank. He stood there in silence, as if he had forgotten what to do with his hands, what to say, how to breathe.

Suguna gently wiped Mounika’s cheeks. “Tell me, Mouni. What happened?”

Mounika sniffed and tried to speak through her tears. “Daddy borrowed money from Ravi uncle to buy me that Barbie doll. Why did he do that? Doesn’t Daddy have enough money?”

The words struck Suresh like a blow.

He did not say anything. He could not.

He stood there for another moment, then quietly turned and walked out of the room.

Suguna wanted to stop him, but Mounika was trembling in her arms. So she stayed.

She held her daughter close until the sobbing slowly began to soften.

After some time, Suguna went into the kitchen and served hot rice onto a plate. She added dal, a spoonful of ghee, and a little mango pickle. Steam rose from the rice as she mixed it gently with her fingers.

Then she carried the plate back to the room.

Mounika was still wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

Suguna sat beside her and began feeding her slowly, one bite at a time.

“How is it?” she asked gently.

Mounika took a few bites in silence. Then she nodded.

“It’s tasty,” she said, her voice still soft.

That small answer brought the faintest smile to Suguna’s face.

Outside, near the gate, Suresh stood staring at the empty road. He lit a cigarette, the ember glowing in the darkness. He took one drag after another, his thoughts far away.

Inside, Suguna stroked Mounika’s hair.

“Why did you say that to your dad?” she asked quietly.

Mounika lowered her eyes. “They teased me at school,” she said. “They said Daddy had to borrow money to buy me that Barbie doll. I didn’t feel bad about the doll… but the way they said it…” Her voice shook again. “It felt like they were saying Daddy couldn’t do it on his own.”

Suguna closed her eyes for a brief second.

Then she opened them, steadied herself, and smiled at her daughter.

“Let me tell you something,” she said.

Mounika looked up at once. “Okay, Ma.”

“You’ve seen the big tree in our backyard, right?”

Mounika nodded.

“And you’ve seen the tree at Mama’s house too?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me something. Why does the tree at Mama’s house grow so well?”

“Because Mama waters it every day,” Mounika said. “And he puts fertilizer too.”

“Exactly,” Suguna said. “A tree can grow on its own. But when someone gives it water and fertilizer, it grows faster and stronger. That doesn’t make the tree weak. It just means it got help for a while.”

Mounika listened quietly.

“In the same way,” Suguna continued, “your dad could have bought you that doll later, after saving for some more time. But your birthday was coming, and he wanted to see you happy that day itself. So he borrowed a little money and bought it. He’ll return it. There is nothing shameful in that.”

Mounika thought for a moment. Then she shook her head slowly. “No, Ma.”

“Life is different for different people, Mouni,” Suguna said. “Some earn more, some earn less. Some get things quickly, some take more time. That’s all. But none of that decides how much a father loves his daughter.”

Mounika’s eyes filled again, but she stayed quiet.

Suguna fed her the last few bites and said softly, “Your dad loves you more than anything. He works hard every day only for you. So when he comes inside, say sorry to him, okay?”

Mounika nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks again.

“I’m sorry, Ma,” she whispered.

Suguna kissed her forehead. “You didn’t do anything wrong. You said what was in your heart. But sometimes, even true feelings can hurt someone we love.”

After a while, Mounika fell asleep.

Suguna adjusted the sheet over her and stepped out to look for Suresh.

He was still outside, leaning near the wall.

She called him in.

He shook his head. “I’ll come later.”

But Suguna walked up to him, took his hand, and quietly led him inside.

She made him sit in the hall and went to the kitchen. A few moments later, she returned with his dinner.

He glanced at the plate and looked away.

Without a word, Suguna sat beside him and mixed the rice with mango pickle. Then she added a spoonful of ghee, just the way he liked it.

She held the plate toward him.

He still did not move.

So she took a small handful and brought it to his mouth.

For a moment, he only looked at her.

Then, without saying a word, he opened his mouth and ate.

Suguna kept feeding him slowly. Once in a while, she took a bite from the same plate.

Neither of them spoke.

They did not need to.

By the time they reached the last bite, she held it out to him again.

This time, Suresh gently caught her wrist and turned her hand toward her own mouth.

Suguna’s eyes filled at once.

She ate quietly, then stood up and took the plate to the kitchen.

By the time she returned, Suresh had spread a thick blanket on the floor and made the bed for the night.

A few minutes later, she found him standing in Mounika’s room.

He was looking at their daughter as she slept.

He bent down, kissed her forehead softly, switched off the light, and came back to the hall.

Suguna followed him and lay down beside him after turning off the lights.

For a long time, neither of them spoke.

They simply lay there, watching the ceiling fan turn in the dark.

“Are you okay?” Suguna asked at last.

Suresh let out a faint breath. “Don’t expect me to say yes.”

“She’s just a child,” Suguna said softly. “She doesn’t understand these things.”

“But what she said is true,” he replied. “I can’t earn like others.”

Suguna turned toward him. “Please don’t say that.”

“It’s not only about money,” Suresh said after a pause. “I wanted to be my daughter’s hero. The one who could bring her whatever she asked for.” His voice dipped lower. “Until today, I thought I was that.”

Suguna said nothing.

“She felt sorry for me, Suguna,” he whispered. “That’s what is hurting me. More than anything else.”

The room fell silent again.

Then he spoke once more, more gently this time.

“But did you hear what she said? She wants to study well so I never have to borrow money again.” A small smile touched his face in the dark. “She doesn’t want me to struggle. That means she loves me that much.”

Suguna turned toward him fully now. When she saw that faint smile, one rose on her face too.

“You know what?” Suresh said after a moment, a trace of mischief returning to his voice. “Looks like Mouni loves me more than she loves you.”

Suguna gave him a look. “Oh, really?”

He smiled properly for the first time that night.

She smiled too.

Finally, The heaviness in the room began to lift.

Still lying on their sides, they looked at each other in silence, saying all the things they did not need words for.

And slowly, in the comfort of that silence, they drifted off to sleep.

Early the next morning, Srinu stepped out to collect the newspaper from the gate. The air was chilly, and a thick layer of fog still covered the street, even though it was already past 6 AM.

As he looked around, he noticed Suresh walking down the road with two other men. In a few moments, they reached Srinu’s house.

Suresh spotted him at the gate and stopped. “Hi, Sir! How was your first day?” he asked with a friendly smile.

“It was fine,” Srinu replied. Then, curious, he asked, “Where are you headed this early?”

“Nowhere in particular. Just a casual morning walk,” Suresh said. “Come, join us.”

Srinu hesitated for a moment, then decided to go along. As they walked, he glanced at the two men beside Suresh and gave them a polite smile.

Suresh introduced them. “This is Mr. Srinivasa Rao. He works at YES_BI,” he said, gesturing toward Srinu.

Then, pointing to one of the men, he said, “And this is Mr. Ravi Kishore. He owns Samyuktha Constructions. I told you about him yesterday, I work as his personal driver.”

Srinu and Ravi shook hands and exchanged greetings.

“And this is Mr. Vinay,” Suresh continued. “He runs a fast food business.”

The group chatted for a while before continuing their walk toward the other end of the street. By then, the fog had begun to lift, and vehicles could be seen moving in the distance.

“Sir, do you play badminton?” Ravi asked.

Srinu smiled and shook his head. “Oh, please, just call me Srinu. I used to play a few years ago, but I’m not really a player anymore.”

“That’s great,” Ravi said, grinning as he glanced at Suresh. “Then we’ve just found someone to fill our open spot.”

“Would you like to join us for a game this Sunday morning?” Suresh asked.

Srinu thought for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, sure. But I don’t think there are any badminton courts nearby.”

The others exchanged knowing smiles.

“Why go out when we have Ravi’s house?” Vinay said with a grin.

“What do you mean?” Srinu asked, confused.

Suresh smiled mysteriously. “You’ll see, Srinu,” he said.

By the time Srinu returned, Santosh was standing near the frontyard wall, watching the children with curiosity. Outside Suresh’s gate, Sai and Vaibhav were waiting for Mounika.

Mounika rushed out in a panic. She was already late for school. As she tried to pull out her bicycle, Suguna was still fixing her hair. One side was tied, the other was still loose, but Mounika had already climbed onto her cycle, ready to go.

Annoyed, Suguna pulled the bicycle back and quickly tied both sides of her hair. After checking that Mounika had everything she needed, she pulled her close, kissed her on the cheek, and sent her off with love.

Mounika pedaled onto the road toward school. Sai and Vaibhav exchanged a glance, wondering if she was still upset with them.

Trying to act normal, Sai asked, “Mouni, can we play carroms this Sunday?”

Mounika did not answer. She did not even look at them.

Her silence said enough.

Without another word, the three of them rode to school together.

When they reached the classroom, Mounika quietly moved to a corner and sat alone, keeping her distance from the others.

At home, Srinu spoke to Santosh.

“Santhu, I was thinking of enrolling you and Ammulu in the same school as Suresh uncle’s daughter. I asked around, and many parents said it’s a good school. We’ll check it out today. You can stay in class for a while, and if you don’t like it, we’ll look for another school. Okay?”

Santosh nodded, his voice low. “Okay.”

A little later, Srinu took his children to the school, spoke to the principal, and left them in their respective classes. Before leaving, he knelt beside Santosh and said, “Be nice to everyone. I’ll come back for you in an hour.”

Santosh hesitated. “Nanna, I’ll only stay if the teacher lets me keep the toy with me,” he said in a small voice.

Srinu smiled and went to speak to the teacher about it.

The teacher walked to the door and bent down to Santosh’s level. “Come in, kiddo. What’s your name?”

Santosh stood there, his face full of fear and confusion. “Naga Santosh,” he whispered.

All the kids turned to look at him, excited to see a new student.

“Nice name!” the teacher said warmly. “You can sit wherever you want. Students, please be friendly with Santosh.”

Santosh stepped into the class, clutching his Barbie doll tightly against his chest. His eyes darted around nervously. Everyone was staring at him.

Then one boy suddenly said, “Hey, look! He’s holding a Barbie doll like a girl!”

Laughter filled the room.

The teacher tried to quiet them down, but the whispers and giggles did not stop.

At the back of the classroom, Mounika sat by the window, staring outside, lost in thought. She had been ignoring everything around her. But the loud laughter caught her attention. She turned to see what was happening.

Her eyes landed on Santosh, a small boy wearing blue shorts and a red T-shirt, standing awkwardly among the sea of students in brown uniforms. She noticed his frightened expression, the way he clutched his Barbie tightly, and how lost he looked.

For the first time that day, a smile appeared on her face.

Santosh’s face grew paler, and his eyes filled with tears as he hesitated to sit anywhere. He kept walking past the benches, looking for a place where no one would laugh at him.

At the very end of the classroom, he saw Mounika. She met his eyes and gave him a warm smile. Then she gestured for him to sit behind her in the empty seat.

For the first time, Santosh felt a little comforted. He had found a reason to hold back his tears.

Slowly, he walked toward Mounika’s bench, sat behind her, and rested his head on the desk, still holding his doll close.

The class continued, and everyone slowly stopped paying attention to him. The teacher was writing on the board, explaining something.

Santosh kept his head down, quietly wiping his tears while staring at his doll.

Mounika leaned closer and whispered, “Is that doll yours?”

Santosh looked at her but did not say a word.

Mounika smiled. “I’m Mounika. I already heard your name, Santosh, right? Do you like laddus?” she asked excitedly.

Santosh still didn’t reply, looking at her with confusion.

Mounika opened her lunchbox and held it out, signaling him to take one.

Hesitantly, Santosh took a laddu from the box.

Mounika took one for herself, then quickly bent down under the desk to hide while eating. She took a small bite and giggled, looking at Santosh.

Santosh bent down too, took a bite without anyone noticing, and giggled back at her.

Slowly, they started talking in hushed voices.

“Where do you live?” Mounika asked.

“Right next to your house!” Santosh said, his face lighting up.

“Really?” Mounika gasped with excitement. “Then can we play with our dolls this Sunday? I have a Barbie too! I’ll bring mine.”

Santosh’s smile faded. “Wait… this isn’t mine. And I don’t play with Barbies,” he said blankly.

Mounika looked at him, confused.

Santosh started explaining, “This is my sister’s doll. It’s hard for me to talk to new people. My sister is always with me, she talks to them first. But now she has to attend her class, so I brought her doll with me. When I hold it, I feel like she’s here with me.”

Mounika’s little heart softened. The love between Santosh and his sister touched her deeply. Her face lit up again.

She gently held his hand and said, “Don’t worry. From now on, I can help you talk to new people.” She flashed a big, cheerful smile.

Santosh’s face brightened at her words.

Mounika glanced toward the other corner of the class and whispered, “Look back. Two idiots are staring at us. They’ll also be with you from now on too.”

Curious, Santosh quickly turned around. Vaibhav and Sai were already watching them. The moment their eyes met, Vaibhav and Sai panicked and quickly looked away, pretending they had not been staring.

“Are they your friends?” Santosh asked.

“Yes!” Mounika said, grinning and blinking her eyes playfully.

“Cool,” Santosh smiled. Then, after a short pause, he hesitated before asking, “But… why did you talk to me when everyone else was making fun of me?”

Mounika smirked mischievously. “Because you have a Barbie!” she said, winking.

Santosh burst into laughter. “But it’s not mine, and I don’t even play with it!” he protested.

“That’s okay,” Mounika said with a cheeky smile. “I’ll play with your sister instead!”

They both laughed together, their worries fading away.

From the other corner of the class, Vaibhav and Sai watched them. Seeing Mounika laugh again, they sighed in relief. It looked like her anger was finally gone.

After class, the bell rang, and students started heading out for lunch. Vaibhav and Sai walked over to Mounika’s bench, and she happily introduced Santosh to them.

Vaibhav looked at Mounika and said, “I’m really sorry for how I behaved yesterday.”

Mounika had been so caught up in the happiness of the day that she had completely forgotten about it. With a big smile, she nodded and said, “It’s okay!”

Meanwhile, Srinu arrived at the classroom to take Santosh home. As he looked around, he was surprised to see Santosh’s new friends. He soon realized they were the children of Suresh, Ravi, and Vinay, the men he had met that morning.

Santosh picked up his Barbie doll and held his father’s hand, ready to leave.

“Bye, Santosh! We’ll meet in the evening!” Mounika called out cheerfully.

Santosh turned back and smiled. “Bye!” he said, waving before walking away with his father.

The school day ended, and after playing with his friends, Sai finally reached home. As he stepped inside, he saw his father sitting in a chair in the hall. Vinay’s face looked frustrated and angry.

“Where is your dear brother?” Vinay asked in a deep, firm voice.

Sai hesitated. “Vamsi? He must be playing with his friends. He’ll be home soon,” he said softly.

Sai could sense something was wrong. Wanting to avoid trouble, he quickly went to wash his hands and feet. Then he sat down in the hall, opened his books, and pretended to read.

Every few seconds, he sneaked a glance at his father to check if he was still angry.

He couldn’t focus on a single word. His mouth just muttered random English words, trying to look busy.

After some time, Vamsi arrived home, full of energy and joy. He parked his bicycle, washed up, and started humming an old Telugu song.

He jumped onto the doorstep and slid in front of his father, singing playfully, “Nee illu bangaram gaanu, Dadddddyyy, Na ollu singaram gaanu!”

As he sang, he pulled his father’s cheeks. Then he turned to Sai and broke into weird dance moves.

Vinay, already frustrated, lost his patience. His anger exploded. Without warning, he kicked Vamsi on the butt. Vamsi tumbled forward and landed next to Sai.

“Ahhh!” Vamsi cried, holding his butt in pain.

Sai immediately picked up his book and started reading louder, trying to act serious.

Vinay’s voice thundered through the house. “Padma! Oyy Padma!”

Hearing his angry call, Padma rushed in from the kitchen.

“Take the dosa spatula. Light the stove. Heat it until it turns red and bring it to me,” Vinay ordered coldly.

Padma, terrified, ran back to the kitchen.

Vinay turned to Vamsi. “What happened in school today?”

“Nothing, Daddy! Just regular classes,” Vamsi replied, his voice shaky.

Vinay’s glare deepened. “Vamsi! I got a call from your school. I’m already in a bad mood, so don’t test my patience!”

Vamsi gulped. His face turned pale as he lowered his head and folded his hands.

Just then, Padma returned with the heated spatula, standing nervously at the kitchen entrance.

Vamsi hesitated before confessing. “Daddy… today the teacher gave us our math test results. I got 10 out of 100. He called me up and hit my palm with a stick. See, Daddy! Look how red it is!” He showed his hand, his voice full of fake innocence.

Vinay wasn’t fooled. “Reyy! Stop acting. Tell me why your teacher smacked your butt with a stick!”

Vamsi swallowed hard.

“After hitting me, the teacher said that if I study well, I can become very rich,” Vamsi started hesitantly.

Vinay nodded impatiently. “Then what did you say?”

Vamsi, trembling now, answered, “I asked the teacher… ‘Then why are you coming to school on a cycle? Didn’t you study well?’”

Padma and Sai gasped, covering their mouths.

Vinay’s face turned red. He grabbed a wooden ruler from beside the TV and started whacking Vamsi’s butt.

“We send you to school to study, not to fight with teachers!” he yelled. “No studying! Fighting with friends! Annoying teachers! Getting bitten by dogs! Stealing money from my pocket!”

Vamsi screamed in desperation. “Daddy!”

Vinay paused, shocked. “Are you shouting at me?”

Vamsi, still in pain but cheeky as ever, said, “Daddy, please! Hit my left butt! The teacher already smashed my right butt too hard! It’s hurting too much!”

Vinay’s anger flared again. He lifted his hand to hit harder, but Padma stepped in, trying to calm him.

Vamsi saw his chance. He jumped up and ran out of the house.

“Reyy! Stop! Where are you going?” Vinay shouted.

But Vamsi didn’t stop.

Padma continued soothing her husband, while Sai sat there pretending to read, secretly enjoying the drama.

Later in the evening, Padma started to worry. “Dear, our son hasn’t come home yet. Can you please check?” she asked Vinay.

“Don’t worry. That idiot will be back by dinner time,” Vinay replied casually.

A little while later, a car stopped in front of their house. Padma, who was in the kitchen, glanced outside, wondering who had arrived.

To her surprise, Vamsi stepped out with Ravi. His hands were covered in bandages, showing clear signs of injury.

Padma rushed outside, her face full of worry. She hugged her son tightly. “What happened?” she asked anxiously.

Hearing the commotion, Vinay came out too. He noticed Ravi and his son’s bandaged hands and immediately invited Ravi inside. They all sat down while Padma stood by the wall, still holding Vamsi close.

“What happened, Ravi?” Vinay asked.

“I don’t know the full story,” Ravi said, “but Vamsi was attacked by monkeys at the temple. They scratched his hands a little. Just to be safe, I took him to the clinic for an injection and bandages. Nothing serious.”

“Oh, okay,” Vinay said, nodding.

But then his expression changed. He looked at Vamsi. “Why would monkeys attack you unless you provoked them? Tell me the truth, idiot. What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything,” Vamsi said, trying to sound innocent.

Vinay’s eyes moved to the wooden ruler beside the TV. Seeing this, Vamsi quickly added, “Dad! No! You already smashed my butt earlier. Please take some rest today. You can punish me for this tomorrow.” He faked a scared face but had a cheeky grin.

Ravi burst out laughing. “It’s okay, Vinay. Kids get into trouble sometimes. Slowly, they’ll learn. Just leave it.”

Vinay sighed and smiled politely. Ravi stood up. “It’s getting late. I should go now.”

Padma offered him tea, but he politely refused. “I don’t eat much at night,” he said before leaving.

Once Ravi was gone, Vinay turned back to his son. “Now, tell me the truth. What really happened?”

Vamsi knew if he didn’t speak, he would get beaten again. So he started explaining.

“I was eating a banana at the temple. Suddenly, a monkey came and sat behind me. I stretched out my hand to offer it the banana. But when it was about to take it, I quickly pulled it back and stuffed the whole banana into my mouth.”

Padma gasped. Vinay’s expression darkened.

“The monkey got angry and slapped me on the face!” Vamsi continued.

“I got angry too. So I threw the banana peel at its face and grabbed its hands with both of mine. It tried to pull away, but I stood up and spun around while holding it. The monkey started screaming in fear! After I finally let it go, it looked so dizzy that it couldn’t even stand properly. It tried to walk but ended up rolling down the temple steps.”

Padma covered her mouth in shock. Vinay looked ready to explode.

“But your hands are bandaged,” Vinay pointed out. “The monkey slapped your face. That doesn’t make sense.”

Vamsi paused, then said innocently, “That’s the thing, Daddy! After it fell down, it came back with two other monkeys. They scratched my hands. When they started attacking me more, the people around saved me.”

Vinay grabbed the wooden ruler again and raised his hand. But after a moment’s thought, he threw it down in frustration.

“Vamsi, why? Why do you always get into trouble?” he asked, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

Vamsi stood there, silent.

Vinay sighed. “Okay, go take a bath and eat something first,” he said before walking into the bedroom.

Padma finished making dinner by the time both of her kids had bathed. She fed them with her own hands, then tucked them into bed.

After that, she sat down for dinner with her husband. Once they finished, she prepared their bed and turned off the lights. As they lay down, Vinay spoke.

“Padma,” he said softly. “Did I do something wrong?”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“With Vamsi,” Vinay sighed. “I hit him really hard today. He must have been in a lot of pain.” His voice trembled with guilt.

“You did it for his own good,” Padma reassured him. “If you don’t correct him now, he’ll keep making the same mistakes.”

“I know,” Vinay admitted. “But maybe I could have just talked to him instead. He’s growing up. He might understand if I explain.”

“Maybe,” Padma said. “Maybe not. Either way, he’ll learn with time. Don’t worry too much.”

“Alright,” Vinay said. “Next time, I’ll try talking first. But if he keeps making trouble, I won’t hesitate.”

Padma chuckled. “Oh really? Let’s see.”

Vinay frowned playfully. “What do you mean, ‘Let’s see’? Don’t you believe me?”

“Forget it,” she teased. Then, with a knowing smile, she asked, “Didn’t your father punish you the same way when you were a kid?”

Vinay laughed, lost in memories. “Oh, he hit me way harder than I hit Vamsi.”

“I knew it!” Padma said, laughing.

“How did you know?” Vinay asked.

“I don’t know, but I know,” she said with a smile.

They kept talking and laughing until they drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

— Bhavani Dhanush Ponnuri