Small Story 140.The Magic of PeriyaKulam.

Small Story 140 The Magic of Periyakulam Shenbagam sat quietly in the bus, lost in thought. Her grandson Venu, sitting beside her, gently reminded her, "Pati, be careful when the stop comes. The conductor will help you get down." Shenbagam nodded, her voice soft as the bus began to move. "Okay, Venu. You go ahead; your office time is nearing," she whispered, a small smile forming on her lips. As the journey continued, her mind wandered to the past. Her husband, Sundaresan, had retired from TVS, and their daughter Bhagyam had settled in Periyakulam, while Sumathi worked in a cooperative bank there. Venu, following his grandfather’s advice, had joined TVS after completing his automobile engineering. Shenbagam was immensely proud of her children—Venu working diligently in Madurai, Bhagyam thriving in the serene town of Periyakulam, which sat gracefully beneath the cool winds of Kodaikanal. Their other daughter, Visalam, lived in Dindigul with her husband. Shenbagam often heard from her childhood friends about their children who had moved abroad, but she was content knowing her children were nearby, close to home. Periyakulam, though small, had a charm of its own—peaceful, clean, with a lovely temple and friendly shops, only a short distance away from Madurai. Her musings were interrupted by the conductor’s voice: "Amma, Periyakulam has come!" Excited to see her granddaughter Sumathi waiting for her, Shenbagam smiled with both pride and joy. They made their way home, where Bhagyam greeted her warmly, followed by a tight hug. After the usual exchange of pleasantries, Bhagyam shared some family news. "Yesterday, an alliance came for Sumathi, but she refused it," Bhagyam said. "Why, Sumathi?" Shenbagam asked, concerned. "Grandma, the boy works in Singapore, and I wasn’t interested," Sumathi replied thoughtfully. "Parents are nice, and they follow our traditions," Visalam added. Shenbagam nodded wisely. "If they follow our traditions and culture, then you can think about it, Sumathi." The evening passed with a visit to the local temple, where Shenbagam was delighted to meet her old friend Amirtha. "Hey, how are you? It’s been so many years!" Shenbagam exclaimed. After catching up, Amirtha invited Shenbagam and her family to visit her home in Chennai. The next day, Amirtha arrived at Bhagyam's house, and after a warm welcome from Bhagyam, they settled down for coffee. Amirtha shared some surprising news: "A family friend brought a horoscope and a girl’s picture for my grandson. I was immediately impressed and decided to make him my grandson’s bride. I sent the picture to him." Shenbagam, curious, asked, "Where is your grandson working?" "He’s on deputation to Singapore but loves this town and wants to settle here. He’s a Global Business Consultant and a Gold Medalist," Amirtha replied. Shenbagam, pleased by the background, asked, "Do you have the girl’s picture?" Amirtha showed her the picture from her gallery. Shenbagam was taken aback when she saw that the girl in the picture was none other than her granddaughter, Sumathi. Both families were overjoyed, and the marriage was soon fixed. The wedding was a grand affair in Periyakulam, with both families celebrating joyfully. After the ceremony, Shenbagam, along with her family, visited their family deity, offering prayers and blessings for Sumathi’s future—hoping that her wishes would come true, with her bridegroom by her side, in the town she loved. K.Ragavan 29-1-25