Vinaya Kasajoo
It had been five years since Raju’s Uncle, Aunt and Roji left for America. Though Roji was elder to Raju by age, they were in the same grade. Even after Roji went to America with her parents, her communication with Raju continued on the Internet. Raju’s grandmother and grandfather were quite impatient to see their son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. It had been three years since they had promised to come back during Dashain festival.
Uncle had said, they would surely be coming in Dashain this year. But when Dashain was quite close, he wrote that they would be unable to come this year as well. This made Grandmother quite depressed. She took a deep sigh, and said, “I don’t think I will ever meet my son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter in my life. I don’t know when I will ever see them again.”
Grandmother really wanted to see them and put tika on their foreheads. But this year too, her wish was likely to go unfulfilled. This deeply pained her. Considering that she would never get to see them in her life time, she had tears in her eyes.
Seeing Sabitri in tears, her husband Ram Prasad said, “Do not cry, Sabitri. If they did not come this year, they will surely come next year. If they did not come, two of us—you and I—shall go to meet them ourselves. Do not make yourself so pathetic.”
Raju overheard this conversation between his grandparents. He felt that he should do something to see his grandmother’s wish fulfilled. So, he resolved to himself that he would do ‘something’.
He said, “Do not worry, Granny. This year, you will get to put tika on the foreheads of Uncle, Aunt and Sister Roji, as per your wish. Let Dashain come, and I will show you how to do that.”
A little irritated, Grandmother shouted, “Leave it! How long should I keep putting tika on photographs? I am worked up.”
“It’s not on the photograph, Granny. You will put tika on the real Uncle, Aunt and Sister Roji, who smile and talk. Just let Dashain come,” said Raju, quite seriously.
Thereafter, Raju committed himself to the ask of fulfilling his grandparents’ wish.
On the day of Tika, Raju, his parents and grandparents gathered in the living room. Raju had placed his computer there. He had attached a webcam, a microphone and a speaker to the computer.
In a while, Raju opened his computer.
Everyone sat facing the computer. In front of it, they had a plate with aksheta, the holy grains and jamara, the tender jawar and maize shoots, for the ritual of Tika.
No sooner had Raju opened the computer than each one of them was reflected on the computer screen.
“Hi, Sister Roji! Are you online?” asked Raju, going quite close to the microphone.
“Hi Raju! I am online. Dad and Mom too are here.” It was Roji’s voice on the speaker.
“Is everything fine?” asked Raju.
“Yes, we are doing well. Where are Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle and Aunt?”
“They are here, in front of the computer. I have switched on the webcam. Didn’t you see them yet? I think the angle is wrong,” Raju said, and adjusted the webcam.
“O, we see you all now! Do you see all of us?” asked Roji, quite excited.
Raju moved the mouse here and there and clicked it. He made the image of his camera smaller, and those of Roji’s larger. This brought Roji’s family clearly on the screen.
“Now, we can see you. Let’s start the ritual straightaway,” said Raju.
“Grandma! Talk with Uncle, Aunt and Roji,” said Raju to his grandmother.
“Here we bow,” said Roji’s parents, and they bowed to Grandma, Grandpa and Raju’s father and mother, turn by turn. From this side, Raju’s grandparents and father signalled blessings.
“Raju, why don’t you bow to Uncle and Aunt?” said Grandma to Raju.
Embarrassed for being so mindless, Raju bowed down to his uncle and aunt.
“Why didn’t you bow to Sister Roji?” Mother asked.
“I meet her daily on the chat,” said Raju in a pampered voice.
“We don’t know whether you bow on other days. But, today is Dashain, and you ought to bow. And, you will have to receive tika from her hands,” said Grandma, convincing.
“Hi Sister Roji! Here I bow to you,” said Raju.
“Hi Raju!” said Roji, moving her hands in blessing.
“Shouldn’t we start tika ritual now?” asked Raju.
Taking some time, Grandpa and Grandma talked with their children in America. Raju’s parents too talked with Roji’s parents. Thereafter, they all got ready for the tika ritual.
Grandma got tika and jamara ready. Grandpa took some tika in his hand, and got ready to apply it on the computer screen. On the other side, his son and daughter-in-law bowed their heads, signalling that they were receiving the blessings on their foreheads. In the same way, Roji received tika from Grandpa. Thereafter, Grandma repeated the whole process, putting tika to her son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter in America.
Following this, Raju’s parents put tika to Raju’s uncle, aunt and Roji. Now, it was Raju’s turn to receive the tika. Uncle, Aunt and Roji put tika on his face, turn by turn.
“Where is the money? Shouldn’t you all give money to me and to Sister Roji, after putting tika?” asked Raju. Raju’s question took everyone by surprised. They all laughed out, merrily.
“Indeed! We need to give these children some money after tika. But, how are we doing that?”
“You don’t worry, Grandma. Just give all you want to give to me. I will deposit it in my account, and transfer it to Sister Roji’s account. It’s a very easy task,” Raju said.
Before Raju had completed his sentence, Grandpa, Grandma and Raju’s parents took out new, green currency notes and put on the place. Raju took them up, counted and said to Roji, “Sister Roji! Do I really need to send it to you? Can’t you spare it in my name?”
“Raju, it is unwise of you to put a claim on sister’s money. You should rather be adding something to her sum,” said Grandma, advising.
Raju told Grandma fondly, “Yours is the talk of those old days, when mothers and sisters did not hold any job, and did not earn. Here I go towards a hotel with this money.”
“Do not show your pranks to Grandma, Raju,” warned Mother.
“Tika is over, isn’t it? Lo, we forgot to take pictures,” said Father.
“That I will do, Dad!” said Raju.
Raju converted the videos of each of them into still photographs. Then, he opened the Photoshop and put red tika on each one’s forehead.
This opportunity to put tika on their son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter living at such a distant place made the grandparents quite happy. They praised the wisdom and skill of Raju, and gave him a lot of blessings.
[Late Kasajoo is a senior storywriter and media expert. He wrote extensively for children, and edited several volumes of children’s literature.]