109. When Expectations Were Belied...

From the time he could remember, Umapathy had only two relatives. One was his mother Vadivu and the other his uncle - his mother's brother - Kasilingam. Kasilingam had a daughter, Valli.

Vadivu's father passed away, one year after she had got married. The next year, her husband Sundaram also passed away.

Umapathy was a child of six months, when his father had died. Vadivu's elder brother Kasilingam was the only support Vadivu had in her life.

Sundaram had a house and some agricultural lands in his village. Since Kasilingam lived in a village near Sundaram's village, he visited his sister frequently and took care of family. He also managed the agricultural lands of Vadivu.

Kasilingam was paying a fixed sum every month to Vadivu, for her family expenses. He also paid for the educational expenses of Umapathy. Whenever, Vadivu asked for more money to meet some additional expenses, Kasilingam would give her the amount she asked for. She didn't know whether what Kasilingam had been paying her was more or less than the income generated from her lands. She didn't ask him; he didn't tell her either.

After completing his school education, Umapathy wanted to join a college. When he expressed his desire to his uncle, Kasilingam told him, "Why should you go for higher studies? You are going to marry my only daughter and live happily here, managing your lands as well as mine!"

It was then that Vadivu realized that Kasilingam had been nurturing such an idea in his mind. The proposal was acceptable to Vadivu. But Umapathy was particular about pursuing college education. At that time, he had no thoughts about his marriage.

Kasilingam gave his consent for Umapathy joining the college in a nearby town. He gave the money required for college fees and other expenses.

When Umapathy was about to complete his college education, Kumar, belonging to his village, who was working in Ghaziabad, near Delhi, came to the village on leave. Umapathy got acquainted with him. Kumar took a liking for Umapathy.

Kumar told Umapathy, "After completing your studies, come to Ghaziabad. I will get you a job in my company. I will get you accommodation too. Our company management rewards people who perform well. So, you will have very good career growth. I have had my education only up to the school level. Joining in a junior position, I have come up to a senior position now. I have my own house and a car. With a bachelor's degree, you can come up faster. After some time, you can take your mother also there. You can settle down in that place."

When Umapathy told his uncle about this, Kasilingam was not happy. "This is the reason I didn't want you to have college education. We have properties here. You can live a comfortable life here" he told Umapathy.

But Umapathy persisted with his proposal and succeeded in getting Kasilingam's consent. Vadivu had no opinion about this. If the proposal was acceptable to her brother, she was fine with it. But she felt sorry that Umapathy was leaving her and going to a far off place.

Umapathy comforted her saying, "I will come here every six months on leave and stay with you for a few days. In two years, I will take you there." 

 

When Umapathy came home after two years, he told Kasilingam, "Uncle! My company will be giving me quarters in two months' time. After getting the quarters, I want to take my mother with me."

"Marry my daughter and take her along, too" said Kasilingam.

Umapathy hesitated for a while and said, "Pardon me, uncle! I love a girl who is working in my company. I want to marry her."

"You had given me false hopes and betrayed me. I would have got Valli married to someone else, instead of waiting with the hope that you would marry her" said Kasilingam, angrily.

"Uncle! Valli is only eighteen years old. I think she may not like to marry me, either. You will be able to find a good match for her."

"Ok. After both of you leave this place, who will take care of your house and lands?"

"Please arrange to get them sold, uncle. It will be better if you can finalize the sale, before I take my mother with me."

"Selling the lands is not that easy. I will let you know, if I find a buyer. At that time, you may come here with your mother, register the sale and receive the sale proceeds."

Even six months after Umapathy had brought his mother to Ghaziabad, there was no communication from Kasilingam. He wrote a letter to his uncle.

After a week, there was a reply from Kasilingam.

"After your father had passed away, I took care of you and your mother. I have spent a lot of money providing for your family expenses every month, your educational expenses etc. The income received from your lands was hardly sufficient even to provide one meal a day to your family. I calculated the total income received from your lands and the total amount spent by me for your family and arrived at the sum you owe me. Your mother has sold your house and lands to me towards the money you owe me. The sale deed was registered by her, before she left for Ghaziabad. After final settlement, I had to pay you nine hundred rupees. I paid your mother one thousand rupees, before she had left this place. Check with her."

Shocked by the contents of the letter, Umapathy asked his mother, "Mom, did you go to the Registration office with uncle and sign any papers?"

"Yes. He told me that before selling our house and lands, the title which was in your father's name had to be transferred in my name. He said that after though the Village Officer had transferred the title in my name, after your father's death, the properties had to be registered in my name, before they could be sold. He took me to the Registration office for this purpose. Why are you asking me about this now?" asked Vadivu.

"No particular reason. I just wanted to know" said Umapathy.

Umapathy comprehended what had happened. He had already made discreet enquiries with people in his village about how much income would have been received from his lands and knew that the income generated from the lands would have been more than what his uncle spent for his family He also had a fair idea about the market value of his properties.

It was clear that driven by his anger at Umapathy not marrying his daughter, his uncle had taken revenge on him, by taking away his properties, by hoodwinking his mother. He had betrayed the trust placed in him by his sister. If Umapathy took legal action, he might be able to retrieve his properties.

But Umapathy thought of another thing. When his father died, his mother was a gullible village woman with no worldly wisdom or knowledge. He was a baby. His uncle's taking care of him and his mother, supporting them for many years and fulfilling all his desires was a graceful act.

Umapathy decided to overlook his uncle's betrayal, considering the good deeds he had rendered to Umapathy and his mother.

Thirukkural

Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 11
Gratitude

Verse 109 (In Tamil)

konRanna innA seyinum avar seydha
onRu nanRu uLLak kedum.

Meaning:

Even if a person inflicts a deadly injury on us, it will be overlooked

if he has done one good deed earlier.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'edhirpArppum EmARRamum' by the same author)

Verse 110 (Soon)
Verse 108