BHARATHI"S SEARCH FOR ROOTS

                                     BHARATHI'S  SEARCH  FOR  ROOTS

Bharathi heaved a big sigh of relief. Her final examination was over and now she is free to let her hair loose. She is not worried about the results. She is sure to come out in flying colours. And one month back she secured a decent and high-paying job in a well known MNC. So no need to worry about that either. 

Ever since she started school at the age of three to the just concluded B. Tech. examinations, her time was entirely taken up by studies, studies and more studies. Now she is determined to enjoy life for full three months. Until she joins her first job. 

Her parents approached her. Sridhar has a big envelope in his hand. By one look at their somber faces, she guessed they have something serious to talk to her about. 

She was proved right.

Shanthi cleared her throat. "Bharathi, we want to tell you something important. Now that the exams are out of your mind, listen carefully and with a cool mind."

Bharathi sighed. "Mummy, please give me some time. I am not yet ready for marriage and commitment. Please let me enjoy life for a while....."

Sridhar interrupted her. "No, no, Bharathi. It is not about your marriage or your future. Rather....it is about your past..."

Bharathi was puzzled. Shanthi held her hand reassuringly. Sridhar handed her the envelope he was holdng. "What is this?" She asked. "Open and read. But I tell you, keep a cool mind."

Bharathi opened it apprehensively. 

It is a lengthy document. She started scanning the page cursorily but suddenly she stiffened and started again, this time carefully and meticulously. It was dated some twenty years back and says that Sridhar and Shanthi adopted a baby girl by name Bharathi.

She looked at them puzzled. "It says... does it mean... is it true?.." 

They nodded, scared to open their mouths lest they may break down. "But.. why didn't you tell me? I never had even the faintest idea!" 

Shanthi said in a quivering tone, "We never wanted to tell you, Bharathi, as far as we are concerned, you are our own daughter. But now that you are a grown up adult, we thought you should know. You are entitled to know that. So..." she left her words unfinished.

"Who are my real parents, then?" She asked. Shanthi winced at that. Sridhar patted her hand and said, "We don't know" in reply to his daughter.

Bharathi kept staring at them with wide eyes. Her mind became blank and she did not know how to react or what to say. After a couple of minutes, she sighed and muttering, "Please leave me alone for some time", she ran to her room and closed the door behind her. Shanthi got up, about to follow her but Sridhar stopped her, saying, "Give her some time to digest the harsh reality."

For two days they left her to herself without raising the topic again. Bharathi was struggling to come to terms with the fact. She learnt from the document that she was picked from an orphanage. She started thinking about her real parents. 'Why did they leave me there? Did they resent the birth of a girl child? Or was I an illegitimate child of a careless couple? Who was my mother? Was she an unwed mother and afraid of social stigma? Was she a woman of loose character? Did she know at least who my father was?' 

So many questions and doubts! There is no doubt that her foster parents also are unaware of the answers and they did not bother about the details obviously. She felt immensely grateful to them. Frankly they never gave her any scope for her to doubt their parentage. They showered so much love and affection on her. Still...she felt uneasy.

Finally she made up her mind and approached her parents. "Daddy, I want to know about my real parents" She said.

Sridhar looked at her. "We told you we don't know, Bharathi, we just visited the orphanage and brought you home."

"I guessed that much, daddy. But I want to know my roots."

Shanthi looked at her apprehensively. "But how? Why? Why do you want to know? What do you want to do? Is it necessary or important? Are you not happy here?"

Bharathi looked at them pleadingly. "Please, mummy, don't misunderstand me. I am very happy and this is the only home I know. Still, I am just restless thinking about all that. I just want to know to satisfy my curiosity. That's all. I don't know how. I will start by enquiring at the orphanage. I am not even sure whether I will succeed or not. Please allow me to try at least." 

"You will come back to us, right? You will never leave us, will you?..." Her voice almost choked with emotion. Bharathi smiled reassuringly. "Don't ever doubt me on that count, mummy, I am your daughter and remain so throughout my life."

           *****

Bharathi looked at the building. The name, "Sishu Vihar" is prominently displayed. 'So this is my first home where my parents found me' She thought. She entered into a big waiting hall. One of the doors leading to a room is named "Office Room." She opened the door and went inside. A man raised his head from the files on his table and looked at her questioningly. She cleared her throat. "I came for some information about twenty years back." He nodded. She continued, "I came to know recently that I was adopted from this orphanage. Do you have any records of my birth?"

He said, "We are faced with such requests now and then. Let me see what I can find." He went to a cupboard full of files and asked her whether she knew any details about her date of birth or date of adoption. She nodded and reaching into her handbag, gave him a slip. "15th August, 1995." He read aloud and started searching. After five minutes he took out a ledger labelled 1995. Sitting at his table, he opened it and after reaching the month of August, he raised his head and looked at her. "It is mentioned here that you were born here on 15th August and were given for adoption to one Mr Sridhar on 24th February, 1996."

She nodded and waited with a racing heart. He closed the ledger and shook his head. "Only that much, nothing else." She looked at him puzzled. "Nothing else? Nothing at all about my mother or father?" He replied in the negative. "We normally don't know those details as mostly the babies are left at the door. Even if we know, we don't keep any such information as a matter of policy."

"I came with high hopes, Sir. Any other way to find out any information at all?" 

He shook his head.

She came out and did not know what to do next. A girl came out from the office room and came to her. "I heard all about your query. I think Rangaswami may help you." Her face brightened. The girl said, "I was also raised here and now working in the office. Rangaswami was the gardener cum security here and his wife, Parvathi was an ayah. They used to live here on the premises. 4-5 years back, they left and now living with their employed daughter. I meet them often. They must be here when you were born. And may remember any details about you. They helped some persons like you earlier too."

Her face brightened. Taking the address of the couple, she thanked her. 'So this is my birthplace!' She looked around thinking to herself and left the place.

   *****

She checked the address and rang the bell and waited. It is a small apartment in a modest locality. An old man opened the door. "Mr. Rangaswami?" She enquired. He nodded and let her come in.

"My name is Bharathi. I got your address from Sishu Vihar." She then explained the purpose of her visit. He looked at her thoughtfully. "Please help me, uncle. I want to know about myself and my roots." She pleaded.

"Why do you want to know now, after all these years? What do you want to do?" She shrugged. "Just curiosity, uncle. And now I will be joining a good job. So wondering whether my parents need any help or support...." 

He smiled. "Very nice intention, child. Did you say, you were born on 15th August?" He looked at his wife sitting nearby. "Now I remember. My memory is falling nowadays but  I remember that day long back because you were the only person there who was born on our Independence day." He went on to narrate the happenings of 24 years back.

"Your father and mother served a well to do family and lived in their outhouse. Once the master and wife went abroad. One rainy night, some thieves tried to break into the house. Your father fought with them but could not stop them. They stabbed him. When your mother, who was very much pregnant, tried to come to him, he cried, "Go, run away and save our child's life."

"She hesitated but finally ran away into the darkness aimlessly. After sometime she collapsed on the road and some kind rickshaw puller brought her to Sishu Vihar. She went into labour and you were born in the early hours of next morning. That being Independence day, our chief patron came to hoist the flag and it was he who named you Bharathi."

"And my mother?" She enquired in a low tone. He shook his head. "A couple of hours after you were born, she breathed her last. My wife was with her throughout her labour and in between the spasms of her pains, she narrated her story to her." His wife nodded her head in affirmation. 

Bharathi wiped her eyes. "Thank you, uncle, thank you very much." She smiled at them. Slowly she stepped outside feeling relieved. 'So, I am not an unwanted or abandoned child. I am the daughter of a brave and loyal man who died performing his duty and a helpless woman who left her dying husband and ran away to ensure safe and secure birth to her child, that is, ME! I need not feel ashamed of my parents or my birth. I should be proud of them.' She held her head high and headed home with a light heart and renewed vigour.

     *****

Parvathi looked at Rangaswami and smiled. "Wah, what a story you weaved so effortlessly once again! How do you get new and different ideas whenever anyone approaches you to know about their birth? Really you are great." 

He looked at her. "That is the least I can do to help the confused kids who come to me enquiring about their birth. About some children I don't really remember the details. But I do remember about this girl because of that date." She nodded. "Yes, I too remember her birth. I was doubting whether you were going to tell her the real story." 

"How can I tell that poor girl that her mother was a mentally retarded beggar woman, who might not even aware who the father of her child was or anything at all about her pregnancy or childbirth, for that matter?" He shook his head. She clucked her tongue with sympathy. "Yes, that night when I showed her daughter to her, she shook her vigorously and started laughing hysterically. I was scared for the child's safety and took her away to the next room. Poor woman, by next morning she disappeared and never was seen again." She sighed.

"Anyway we should be happy for the girl whom our chief patron named, Bharathi. Did you notice that when she entered, her face was tense and sad with puffy red eyes? Poor girl, she must be crying ever since she came to know that she was an adopted child! I did not want to make her more sorrowful by telling her the truth."

"Yes, you really lifted her spirits just as you did with all the other girls and boys who came seeking your help. Keep going." She gave him an appreciative look.