“THE BREAK-UP’s AND AFTER…….”

(A Sequel to “Living Together”)

-         P. Krishnamoorthy

After a setback of events that pushed Pradhan to a vanquished stage by Shailaja, he was annoyed over the developments against him.  The incidents haunted him for many days and nights with the result he had to resort to drinking. Sharmila was unable to change his habits. Adding to this, he also stayed outside in a friend’s place for the nights. To change him Sharmila sought the help of Shailaja as he was her earlier ‘living together’ partner. Though she was aware of Pradhan’s behavior, initially she was feeling only sorry for Sharmila. In the meantime, Pradhan’s friend suggested to him to get a divorce from Sharmila and marry somebody to regularize his life. Accordingly, he approached a lawyer and filed a divorce.  Unable to bear his torture and the divorce notice by him, Sharmila returned to her brother Dinesh. Dinesh was very much upset with the divorce notice. He wanted to take revenge on Pradhan.  One evening Pradhan was surprised to see his sister, Asha, coming to him crying, as she received a divorce notice from Dinesh.  Dinesh wanted to divorce Asha as quid pro quo for what Pradhan had done for Sharmila.  Asha also sought the help of Shailaja to sort out the muddle. Shailaja was very concerned in the welfares of Sharmila and Asha as both pleaded help from her.

The petitions were filed for both the divorces.  Since both the cases related to the same events, the court had ordered both the cases to be tried in the same hearing. After a couple of adjournments, on the final hearing, the presiding judge pointed out the importance of inter-link between the two divorces.  The various anomalies in the arguments by both parties and their failure to establish the necessity for divorces. The arranged marriages were concluded after all considerations and consents by the parties and their families. Such marriages even go to the extent of astrological match in certain cases. Either in the case of Pradhan or Dinesh, there was no substantial proof to qualify for imminent legal separation from their wives except their personal wishes. In both the cases, the women had their own rights to contest the legal separation since there was no prima facie proof to the contrary. They had clearly established their eagerness and determination to continue living with them.  First Pradhan’s case. He gave his consent for the marriage with Sharmila only after his earlier ‘living together’ partner Shailaja got married to Deepak due to circumstantial necessity. But immediately after his marriage to Sharmila, he displayed in unlimited terms his animosity towards her. Of course, his contention that he agreed to the marriage only because Pradhan’s sister Asha’s marriage with Dinesh was a quid pro quo from him.  Finally, the judgement in the case was for both the parties to discuss and sort out their individual differences and save the consecrated and institutionalized system of marriage.  The judge therefore finally dismissed both cases.

After a long separation, he realized and convinced that his life as a loner was getting ruined due to chronic drinking contrary to ‘living together’ compatibility.  Sharmila was very happy to join him in reversing his recluse habits. Dinesh too was jubilant to have Asha after a brief separation.  His earlier quid pro quo demand was mainly due to his sister Sharmila’s failed partnership with Deepak under ‘Living Together’.

They were all partying, including Deepak and Shailaja, to celebrate their reunion. Suddenly Deepak interrupted the merriment and announced startling news. This gathering was made possible only because of Shailaja’s promise to Sharmila and Asha to initiate action for their reunion and her efforts through the presided judge who was her own maternal uncle.