51. Bhargavi's Plans

"Don't forget to take your lunch box!" said Bhargavi.

"You are not feeling well. I told you not to cook. I could have had my lunch in a restaurant. Why did you have to get up early in the morning and exert yourself?" asked her husband Kathiresan.

"Restaurant food is not good for your health. I have to prepare lunch for our children anyway!"

"That's not the real reason. You want to be prudent by not giving me a chance to spend money on restaurant food!"

"I know very well that you won't go to a restaurant. You will quench your hunger by eating a couple of buns and drinking a cup of tea at a roadside tea stall near your factory. You are even more prudent than me!"

Kathiresan turned his face away from Bhargavi lest she should notice the tears welling up in his eyes. So, he did not notice the tears trying to roll out of her eyes!

Till about a year ago, Kathiresan was the owner of a small factory. His small factory comprised a rented shed in the Government Industrial Estate and a few machines. Employing a few workers, he was reigning over a tiny empire of his own.

His financial status was fairly good. He had his own house and a car. His wife Bhargavi came from a wealthy family. So, Kathiresan was keen that she should have the same level of comforts as she had had in her parents' house.

He was manufacturing spare parts for a big company. He was getting orders from that company regularly but his bills were getting paid only after three or four months. Since Kathireasan was getting orders from that company on a regular basis, he was getting a regular flow of cash and was able to manage his finances.

In course of time, the payments from the buyer were getting delayed more and more, making it more and more difficult for Kathiresan to manage his expenses. At one stage, the company that he was supplying spare parts to was closed down due to financial problems. Kathiresan's bills for a period of six months remained unpaid.

Kathiresan met the Managing Director of the company and pleaded with him to clear his payments. The Managing Director threw up his hands saying that since the company's bank accounts were frozen, he couldn't help Kathiresan. He said that the company had not paid the wags to its workers for the last three months.

Kathiresan could have secured orders from other companies and continued to run his factory. But he faced pressures from the bank that had lent him money for his business and from the suppliers who had supplied raw materials to him on credit, for payment of moneys due to them. So, Kathiresan was forced to shut down his factory. He sold his house, car and his wife's jewels and repaid the moneys due to the bank and his creditors. He was left with no surplus.

Kathiresan took up a job as supervisor in a factory. His children who were studying in a school that was charging exorbitant fees in the name of providing high quality education were shifted to a government school which offered free education. Living in a rented house and budgeting his expenses to fit in with his low income, Kathiresan saw his life changing track in a very short time.

Bhargavi's father invited Kathiresan and his family to come and live in his house. He also offered to find a way for Kathiresan to earn some income. Even before Kathiresan could react to this proposal, Bhargavi summarily declined it.

"Everyone should live their own life, daddy!" she said tersely. "We will send our children to your place during the school holidays" she added, by way of placating him and assuring him that the chain of relationship was intact.

Bhargavi changed herself completely in tune with her new circumstances. She had no problem in moving from a life of comforts and luxuries with facilities like having servants at home, a car for going for shopping etc. to a life in which she had to depend on her own arms and legs for getting things done. From cooking to cleaning and from going out on foot to giving up some of her needs, Bhargavi had her tasks cut out.

When Bhargavi spoke to the children on the virtues of thrift, Kathiresan wondered whether the lessons were meant for him also. 'If she were the finance minister of the country, she would prepare a budget with no deficit and improve the economy of the country' Kathiresan would often think.

He never stopped feeling amazed how a person born in a wealthy family and used to luxurious living was able to transform herself in no time and adapt to a frugal lifestyle.

After Kathiresan left for work, Bhargavi had some household chores to attend. After completing them, she washed her face, changed her attire, took her handbag, locked the house and stepped out.

Kathiresan had no idea how Bhargavi was spending her time during the day. Using the amount of money prudently saved by her over time, she had enrolled herself for a beautician's course. After completing the course, she would set up a beauty clinic for women at her home with a small investment. The income generated from this clinic would help augment the income of her family. This was her plan.

Thirukkural
Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 6
The Worth of A Wife

Verse 51 (In Tamil)

manaiththakka mANbudaiyaL Agith thaRkondAn
vaLaththakkAL vAzhkkaith thuNai.

Meaning:

A good wife is one who has the qualities befitting the state of her family and manages the family in accordance with the financial means of the family.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'thuNai iruppAL bhargavi' by the same author)

Verse 52

Verse 50