Red Indian Sun

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Dadi was over ninety years old, but she was pretty quick: she worked a little less than my mother-in-law at home, sometimes she liked to drink a glass of wine after a meal, and somehow I saw her smoking a pipe. Dadi had a special hairstyle. There was no hair on the hairline in the middle of the forehead, but there was a bald spot. Immediately behind the bald head, there was a braid and a bunch of collected hair. I could not see this strange hairstyle, because grandmothers always cover their heads with a dupatta. Sometimes I made for her foot massage; sometimes she hugged me and sang songs in Hindi, chanting my name. It was so warm and soulful. We sat together with her in a room on the second floor and watched TV. Dadi quietly looked around if there was a nearby my mother-in-law and said “sabji”. I brought her subji with roti, she quickly ate, then at a speed threw the plate away under the bed and quickly went to bed until my mother-in-law caught her. She was very afraid of her daughter-in-law.

We spoke a little with her in Hindi.

Many words in Russian are similar to words from the Indians’ lexicon. For example, the word “tarbuz” is the same as “arbuz”, which means watermelon. And the name Shveta means “light”, as we say Sveta. It was surprising to find out that a huge number of words in the ancient Sanskrit language coincide with words from the Russian language in terms of sound and meaning. It was not difficult for me to remember many words in Hindi. For example, drink water – “Pani Pei.” Pei means to drink, which is the same in Russian pei. And the question “Did you drink water?” Google translator translates as “Kya mistane Pani Peya?” which sounds similar to Russian verb pila.

My mother-in-law was Dadi’s daughter-in-law, and they were constantly in conflict. In India, there is a problem of daughters-in-law and mothers-in-law. There is even a special prison exclusively for mothers-in-law. The fact is that, according to tradition, a wish of mother-in-law for Indian daughter-in-law should be the law, and mother-in-law misuses it. And in India, the bride pays the bride-money.

I do not know which of them started the war first Dadi or my mother-in-law, but I felt sorry for the old grandmother, with whom my mother-in-law was always rude and tactless. I was sorry to see how my mother-in-law treats her roughly. My grandmother often had a stomach ache, but the operation at that age was dangerous, it was dangerous to overeat, so she was given little food. As soon as it became unbearable, she called a doctor for an injection.

My dear Dadi, I remember her with warmth and a smile, like fellow soldiers remember each other after the war. After all, we, along with her, suffered the attacks of my mother-in-law. I would sit with Dadi together on the same bed, and hugged her and sang songs for her in Russian.

I sang different songs like “The lights are so much gold on the streets of Saratov”. Although, of course, she did not understand the meaning of the words, but spoke in Hindi “sahi, sahi” – which means you sing well.

If earlier my husband was on my side, then after a while he took the side of his mother, who was against me. Every time she entered the room and looked at us sitting together, he seemed to read her eyes and his facial expression changed. My husband gradually became rude to me.

* * *

In the house directly opposite our house, across the road, lived the cousin of my husband. He and his wife were the same age as Tenardieu. My husband scoffed at that woman, behind her back telling that she stole some cream from his house. Then I reminded him that, as a teenager, he was engaged in petty theft, secretly climbing into other people’s homes in his village and not just once, but repeatedly. After my reminder, Tenardieu smiled slyly and said that he could do anything.

My spouse spoke of that woman as a brawler with a clear mental disorder. So I stayed away from her. Little by little she began to come into our house with a child in her arms and just looked at me, smiling. Most often I saw her cleaning or cooking or hung with babies who were born one after another. Sometimes, when I was sitting on the balcony reading a book, she would hang clothes on the roof of the house and greet her affably.

Once I saw her scream at her husband. My husband snorted contemptuously at her. Then I asked what was wrong with her, why she was screaming. My husband replied that she screamed without reason, she was just mental. Nothing much happened, she just jealous, outraged by the free behavior of her husband, as he that day again cheated on her. For my husband, it was not a problem at all.

Fatehabad

The Fatehabad court refused to register our marriage. The judge who reviewed our case was young and, in fear of making a mistake, he did not dare to give approval. Therefore, my husband had to hire a lawyer in Tohana. After unsuccessful attempts to solve this problem in the usual ways, the lawyer suggested contacting the media and drawing public attention. I was not aware of their plans to involve public and media, otherwise, I would refuse.

Reporters came to us and filmed reports about me, about how we live, how I run a household in an Indian village after working in a noisy Moscow office. I put on my new chiffon dress bought by my mother-in-law.

My husband and I were shown on television throughout India and Kazakhstan. Later, I found out that Tenardieu spoke in Hindi to all reporters that I came to India without his invitation, he said that I myself proposed him to marry, although it was a lie. I remember how immediately after my arrival he took my phone and deleted all his messages with declarations of his love to me and proposals to get married, which were sent to me in moments when I tried to separate with him. Thus, as it turned out later, he removed compromising evidence against himself.

At the same time in my country, all the newspapers and TV programs doubled the Indian news about me. In my country, it was everywhere written: “She proposed him and came for him in India from Moscow”, “Kazakh woman proposed Indian man”. It was his lie, but I had no idea how to refute those allegations. It was such a huge shame so that I did not know how to deal with it. People in my country were furious. Many of them wrote angry comments on social media. People divided into two groups: those who wished me all the best and abused my husband and those who abused me and my husband. They did not believe that I could propose him, so they felt insulted by him and commented negatively.

My husband knew it all, as I showed him zillions of negative comments in my country news portals, but he never explained to me the reason why he lied to reporters. And I was so much shocked with his meanness so that I never asked why he did so. So we never discussed it.

– What do you think about the legal system of India? – Reporters asked me.

It was expected that I would criticize the poor young judge who tormented us with his hesitant character. But instead, I said something completely different.

– India has its own laws and rules. They are needed to protect all of us from tyranny. This is correct, and it is a guarantee of our safety. I respect the laws of India and will respect any decision of the judge.

All day, Tenardieu and I sat in the courthouse or followed a lawyer who ran through our cases in different rooms.

I felt bad in hot weather. I grew up in Siberia. For me, the best air temperature is not higher than twenty-four degrees Centigrade. When it gets warmer, I start to melt like a Snow Maiden by the fire.

Same it was in those days. I barely endured, plus thirty-five degrees Centigrade. Above, at the insistence of my mother-in-law, a translucent synthetic dupatta was hung up on me, which, in addition to the heat, blocked the access to oxygen. Also, I doubted every second and shared with my husband doubts about our union. I just wanted to leave, go back to my old life, to my work, to my friends, to my sweet life in Moscow. But Tenardieu always replied “wait”. Probably he was still hoping to go with me abroad. He told me to apply for study abroad as soon as possible.

I put up with all my strength and tried not to show it. Tenardieu said:

– Smile, honey. Otherwise, they will think that you do not want to marry me. They actually think that I force you.

– But it’s true.

I smiled, but it turned out theatrics.

Reporters took pictures of us, and my face was sad in all the pictures.

In the evenings, when my husband was returning home, we locked in the bedroom and made facial masks from turmeric. Tenardieu was mixing turmeric with some butter, and this mixture was spread on the skin. After half an hour we washed off the mask. Skin became soft, with a beautiful tint.

Every time before going to bed, my husband applied a bleaching cream to his face. India produces very good bleaching cosmetics. In India, my husband said, this type of cream is very popular.

My mother-in-law had neither a hobby nor a job in her life; she lay on her bed all day and got up on the necessary daily matters. I think because of boredom, she gave us no peace. I knew that she was doing everything to turn her son against me.

Gradually, she inclined my husband to her side. My husband once told me half asleep:

– Mom said that we do not need to marry in court. She will find me another girl.

– I agree with her. We are not right for each other. I need another person. You need another person.

* * *

In those days, my husband and I were invited to the wedding. A guy from our village married a girl from another village. We got up early because it was necessary to leave at six in the morning.

The night before I put my phone to charge and went to bed. In the morning I woke up when heard that my husband shouted at me.

– Why you didn’t charge your phone? – He allowed himself rude expressions and screamed at me. Then he pushed me into the shoulder.

– I put the phone on charge before going to bed, – I said.

– I took your charger. What, do not you see something? Are you blind?

– Then why are you telling me that I did not charge my mobile? Who allowed you to disconnect charger?

– Get ready and do not lose time!

I was hurt. It was disgusting.

Then we went to the next street. There was a car at the groom’s house. Everyone got into it and drove off. There were about ten people in the car, and everyone was happy.

My good mood disappeared. My husband sat and pushed me on the shoulder.