THE HARBINGER

Kumaresan was very much disturbed. He sipped his first cup of coffee in the morning standing in the balcony, watching people passing by. The news paper boy with his ready made smile throw the neatly rolled paper to the balcony. Kumaresan gave way so that the paper would land its original place without much thud.
“I cant tolerate a man who does not have faith in his destiny. Curse the stars. Today we are going to the joshier house. I fixed an appointment at 10”, Seetha yelled while cooking in the kitchen with all the rattling sound on earth. Kumaresan was in a spell bound silence without being disturbed as if it was a routine ritual. Their only son Venkat was waiting for his marriage. Over a period of three years they had been chasing for a suitable daughter in law with all the expectations prescribed in their template. After a strenuous search they came finally to some prospective brides which their son out right denied. Kumresan never believed in stars nor the crosses to decide ones future. So was his son Venkat. But Seetha after a marathon of tiring discussions with her friends on several rounds decided to approach a joshier of repute in the city.

Kumaresan took the news paper and read it like a lizard devouring its prey. He was totally buried with current politics, election and sports. Seetha mistook his silence to acquiescence. “ Today we have an appointment at 10. Make yourself ready. Quick” seetha ordered and gave him no chance for further appeal. Kumaresan was became slowly transforming as a sacrificial lamp. By 9.30 both were ready to meet the schedule at T.nagar. Through out the travel both did not utter a single word. While seetha was silently disturbed about the result, kumaresan kept his vacant smile as usual.

The auto stopped abruptly. The auto man throwing an excuse look, got down and checked the engine. Scratching his unoiled ruffled hair he implored, he could not mend the problem. Seethe took this as bad omen. She took the purse and fumbled to retrieve one fifty rupee note for the auto man and started walking asking her husband to follow with a stare. The joshier house was three floored neatly painted. An unattended melancholic Doberman pleading its vacant look, politely ignoring the visitors presence. A small boy around 8 years came to the front door adjusting his trousers from falling down and asked us to wait in the chair. “Grandpa is very busy. He asked you to wait for ten minutes” the boy without expecting our answer, went inside to resume his left over game in the galaxy tab. Kumaresan scanned the house. Lots of chimers hanging in all the available corners. A Chinese frog holding a coin in its mouth facing the east. A small table fountain with changing colors with regular intervals. Above the shelf a large size Buddha holding a money bag with all the coins littered around.
“you can come now”. on hearing that voice, seethe sprang from the chair. She already informed the etiquette and the procedures to be strictly adhered to kumaresan when meeting the joshier. She allowed him to go first. While reaching the office he had to stoop to the corner where the joshier was sitting in a rolling chair waving his hand. Kumaresan bowed very obediently with his right hand palm gently pressing his middle chest. “Shall I come inside sir” ? without showing much enthusiasm the joshier simply nodded his head with a searching stare. Seetha was squirming and sat at the tip of the chair with all her obedience in her life time. She took the plastic bag and opened meticulously with out making any sound and took the horoscope and handed to kumaresan. This time he had to stoop losing his balance and was about to tumble. The joshier without much interest flipped the pages and noted down the details in the computer. Then came the endless questionnaire including their stars and professional profiles. They both impatiently watching all the charts popping and disappearing in the monitor. The joshier clubbing his hands tapping gently his forehead as if he was cursing for something happened to his surprise.
Seetha was visibly shaken awaiting the result. The prolonged silence made both of them very discomfortable and annoying. The joshier was closely observing their growing palpitation and this time he was noticing them without blinking his eyes with a pathetic look.
“I am very much shocked to see you both coming together. In my year long experience I have not seen persons staying together this long. The moment your son was born you both have been destined to be living separate. Your son’s marriage is having all the problems and the stars are adverse ……………..” He goes on forecasting their son’s future which was not heard by both of them. While seetha was in half trance, kumaresan could hear the palpitation thudding inside the temple violently . His dogmatic and progressive principles were slowly melting down. However His inner conscious still awake he managed to come out from this. He gently shook seetha back to normal. With a jolt she was resurrected. So, their sons marriage was not going to be as easy as they thought.
“I have told you only 10 percent. You know, the stars will never lie. It is a galaxy and its formation. None could change it. The least we can lessen the problem” the joshier continued to convince them about the special pooja and other religious fulfillment. He retrieved one visiting card who is well known for performing this type of pooja and to correct whatever the malady in the marriage.
Seetha left that house. Kumaresan had to worry now for his wife’s health and son’s marriage. Till they reached bus stand kumaresan did not utter a single word. He held her hand tightly and asked her to sit in the cement bench. She was still trembling un controllably.
“Look seetha, we have lived together till this date. Even our neighbors and relatives are teasing us both of us for so much caring to each other. From this, is it not clear that joshier has uttered a nonsense. When this is not true, how come our son’s prediction will be right. We only can design our future. We must not allow none to meddle this. Have you noticed the imported vasthu symbols in every corner of his house. Th joshier must be having more probem to be solved then us. Who knows better about your son. We or that joshier? “
Seetha was slowly back to normal. A gleam of smile in her lips was evidently clear that she overcame that bitter encounter. “Sorry, I made all this mess” Seetha leaned on Kumaresan’s shoulder and closed her eyes after that turmoil.