2. The Coup (Short Story)

The author's vision of true women's liberation with equality .... achieved only through united woman power sweeping across the globe......through assertiveness and self respect........

The Coup..

 

The clock chimed on as he blinked at the sunlight streaming through the window.  Suddenly he sat up fully awake. It was 10 am.  Whaaa…the..!  He leapt out of bed,  in sheer disbelief and confusion.  “SHALINI!”  He bellowed.  No answer.  Fuming with anger, he shouted again, “Shalini!”.  No response again.  Shalini turned languorously in bed, a contented smile playing on her lips.  CONTENTED?  How on earth could she be so… so relaxed?

 

 Shalini, his ‘obedient’ wife had from the day she stepped into his house, followed an unwritten rule and a routine over the past 12 years even as chores escalated and the family  expanded.  Regardless of whether it was a working day or a holiday, she would begin her day at 4 am, bathing, getting breakfast and lunch ready, packing tiffins for all.  He would then wake up to the sweet aroma of her freshness and bed tea.  As he then savoured the tea and watched the news on TV, she would rush through other mundane chores, getting the kids ready, seeing them off on their school bus and finally around 8.30 am, speed off to her school on her moped where she was a teacher.  He would then proceed to bathe. Coming out of bath, he would find his dress laid out neatly on the bed.  A leisurely breakfast and some morning TV Soap and by 9.30 am, he would kick start his scooter to office.

 

Today was disaster!  He was late for office.  He shook her violently, “Shalini, what is this?  Look at the time! ”  “Mmmm, what is it dear?”  How could this be?  Was this the same Shalini?...his timid and obedient wife, who had fervently served him all along. Once again she curled up inside the sheets, lost to the world.    “Where is my bed tea…Why didn’t you wake me up at 7.30?  You know my office begins at 10 am.  I’M, LATE LATE LATE!!...., all because of you.”  Squinting in the sunlight, she lazily pulled herself up and gathered her long tresses into a neat bun.  “What is it Ramesh darling?”  Another jolt!  She dared to call him by his name?..and…‘darling’? What's the meaning of all this?  Enraged, he roughly yanked at her hair and yelled, “Enough of your lazy ways. Just get out and start your work!” 

 

Yeeeeoww!!… A loud painful scream erupted in the bedroom… even as he saw stars in broad daylight….  Shalini held his hand in a vice-like grip having firmly jerked it out of her hair.  He felt his fingers turning numb!  She smiled indulgently, her voice ice cold, sending chills down his spine, “Calm down Ramesh.  I had told you to adjust your leave as I and the kids are having 10 days of vacation.  Now I'm taking the break.  So you can manage things by yourself in the 10 days.”  She slackened her grip letting his hand fall.  Ego battered beyond recognition, he moved away in a huff, rubbing his hand and trying to convince himself that it was a bad dream.

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            “You are late, Ramesh.  And I don't take kindly with late comers”.  Mrs Sudhakar, his boss frowned menacingly at him.  “Sorry Ma’am”, was all Ramesh could utter. He struggled  with the pile of work at his desk, cursing Shalini all the while  under his breath, and swearing to give her a taste of his temper when he got back home.  Lunch time, and he dragged himself to the canteen.  How he missed his lunch box with the tasty home food!  All said and done, Shalini was a great cook, besides being a fine home maker in any conceivable way.  She was well aware of his loathing for kitchen work and house work.  Traditionally it was inappropriate for men to do the menial jobs at home.  Today, he had to forego the pleasure ….all because of her. 

 

At the canteen he was pleasantly surprised to find  company.  “Hey Raghav, no lunch box for you too?”  Raghav nodded looking downcast and refusing to make eye contact.  “And you Dayal and John, and you Irfan, whats happened with you?".  It looked like a planned rendezvous, though the woebegone faces told a different story. They had always shared their lunch boxes at the office, little acknowledging their better halve’s culinary skills. Now they avoided confronting one other, and offered lame excuses for the change of routine.  Gradually, between bites of rubbery chapathis, bland chicken pieces and paneer floating in oil, they swallowed humble pies and exchanged their sob stories.  Surprisingly each one of their stories drew a parallel to the other!  They shook their heads with shock and disbelief as they recounted in turn their humiliation at the hands of their spouses in the morning. 

 

“Hey you guys, here's news for us, we have a new Prime minister and a new President, wow!”  Abraham, the bachelor in the group let out a whistle as he announced the headlines of the morning's newspaper.  “Aw just shut up.  This is not joking time”, The others chorused.  Guffawing, he handed over the paper to Raghav, “OK, read the joke yourself”.  Ramesh choked as he read out aloud the headlines, “ Janaki Jagmohan Singh takes over as Prime Minister and Rajani Sukherjee as President”.  The 20 page paper landed on the floor, with chicken curry splash on it, as six heads bent over it to get the full details of the ridiculous bit of news.  The canteen boy in all kindness obliged by cleaning up the mess, as he too bent over the paper.   The news details went on like this "

 

“In a bloodless coup that lasted about 3 hours, Mrs Janaki Jagmohan Singh wife of Dr Jagmohan Singh the erstwhile Prime Minister (oh how time flies!), took over the reigns of the country from her husband.  Details of what transpired between them have not yet been disclosed. But the situation is apparently under control.  As per the pact of the coup, Dr Jagmohan Singh is scheduled to complete the formalities of his resignation at his earliest, which would be followed by appointment of his wife as Prime Minister of the country.  It is still a…..” Trrrr rrrrip!... The paper got ripped up as six pairs of hands tugged at it for a closer view of its contents.  Lunch time over, they trooped back to their tables, before the boss would find them missing from their tables.  They worked mechanically for the rest of the day, their minds reeling with the appalling news of the coup.

 

Past office hour, the group sprinted to a nearby pan shop.  Each one bought a single copy of the news paper, and settled down by the road to read it fully.  Head swirling and hearts beating, they read the news bit. Ms Janaki (the rest of her name had been dropped, by her order) has finished taking over, and will be addressing the nation at 7 PM.  She has called upon the women of the nation to lend their full support to mend the loopholes in the Indian constitution and to restructure it.  She further announced a coup d’etat of the male regime that has tormented the women of the country over many centuries. She emphasized that though silence was golden, it had failed to pay dividends in the issue of women’s status in the country.  The women's lib movements were more of a charade and had not reached out to the deserving ones.  Hence, an abrupt overthrow and takeover in all sectors, from the top to the grass-root level was the only solution to establish oneself as an equal counterpart.  She thanked the women of the country for their undercover cooperation and support during the past three years of their silent struggle.  She then called upon the women to continue the ‘good work’, and promised a new-age nation with more revamping, in another five years.  She extended her full support for this venture, reminding all that the need of the hour is not to affront the male counterparts, but to confront them and to show them their right place in the society, in gentle ways… and harsh, as the need may be.  She reiterated that having come so far, there was to be NO turning back.

 

A loud gasp escaped the men in unison, as they came to the end of the news bit.  This was treachery, a diligent work of conspiracy!  “Rubbish” was all they could mouth at the pure ‘absurdity’ of the piece of news.  How was it ever possible, for all the women to get together? There's something amiss.  Irfan fumed,  “If my wife ever tries to follow in this woman’s footsteps, I will kick her out of the house”, He looked around for encouraging words.... The others nervously looked about.  " Of course, I'd surely give her a chance to mend her ways", He added sheepishly, finding no supporters.  The air was changed, but deep within, their hearts beat nervously…. as never before…..

 

Reaching home late in the evening, Ramesh  furtively at the gate, his heart sinking at finding the gate closed and no Shalini waiting for him.  "So what, as if I care!”.  He muttered to himself as he got off his scooter to open the gates, and then drove in.  “Damn her nerve!  Wait till I get her”.  He ground his teeth with anger.  The brass lock with a note stuck on it blew the wind off his sails. “Darling Ramesh, going with children to my home.  Shall be back tomorrow.  Love you, Shalu.”  “The nerve of…!”  He entered with  the spare keys.  Everything was in place.  Shalini was a great hand at maintaining the house.  One had to admit that. He warmed the dinner and gulped it down.  

Then as usual he settled in front of the Television set with a cup of coffee.  The news channels were agog with detailed reports of the ‘Coup’.  Janaki and Rajini appeared smug as they faced the cameras, responding to a barrage of questions by the reporters.  Surprisingly the Prime minister and the President appeared compliant and cooperative as they handed over the reins to their better halves, even smiling to the cameras.  Reports poured in about the ‘take-over’ by women from their male counterparts at the center, in every sector at the state levels…. and right down to the panchayats.  This was getting a bit too much!  Switching channels, he settled for a movie channel, which he abhorred otherwise, but now appeared like a refuge… far from the overbearing news channels.  It was a commercial break…well all the better.  But what was that?....Here was a woman knitting her shaved eyebrows at a harassed looking man (possibly her husband) for his poor cooking. The next scene showed the smiling husband using a branded masala powder for the curry, to win her heart!  Come, the next commercial…. a man approving a particular detergent powder because it whitened his wife’s spotless salwar kameez, as he lovingly washed it!........ Aaargh!!

 

Ramesh made a grab for the remote control.  Just then the commercial break ended and the movie (whatever it was) resumed.  He settled down with his unfinished cup of coffee. Oh no not again!  Even the movie had been ‘woman-handled’.  Here was the protagonist singing a devotional song as he performed the ‘Bharya " Chouth’ (shown in sub title, perhaps to educate the public.. grrr!), obviously a female version of ‘Karva Chouth’ and then he waits expectantly with a garland of flowers through which to view his wife’s countenance, before he could break his fast of 12 hours with a tumbler of   milk offered by his wife!  Utter utter rubbish!  

Ramesh skipped to another channel….Another movie channel… Aah at last… here was the hero dressed suavely sitting in a posh office, dictating a letter to his woman secretary. So, all wasn’t that bad…. Ramesh leaned back in the sofa.  Hey, but wait..... what was this red stuff up on his forehead.....noooo not the 'sindoor...... yyuckk!! The phone rang and the hero picked it up in a Rajnikanth style, with the phone doing a two minute acrobatics in the air before it got positioned by his ear.  “Wow!.... now this is what I’d never miss…” Ramesh smiled.... dismissing the sindoor from his vision and memory  It was the wife calling from another office.  Both were apparently IT professionals.  She spoke in a clipped tone, while the hero listened with utmost humility….rolling the chain in his hands.  "Chain?... what chain?.... Oh no....that was the 'Mangalsutra'.  Now, isn't that the sacred necklace the women wear as an identification of their marital status?" Gradually the hero's expression began to collapse, and he slumped in his chair, as he put down the phone in its cradle with shaking hands….. Unable to believe what was happening, Ramesh’s hair stood on end and his eyes widened.  Dismissing his secretary, and with trembling hands, the hero frantically jabbed some numbers on his mobile phone.  What followed next caused Ramesh to fling his half finished cup of coffee.  The ‘so called’ hero was literally sobbing and pleading with his parents to arrange the promised ‘Mavary’ (the male version of ‘dowry’….. courtesy the sub title), which has been pending since 8 months of marriage........by any means.  No, he said his wife loved him so much that she would never burn him.  But she would be compelled to throw him out of her house, which he couldn’t ever consider, given that she was his ‘Puhag’ (male version of ‘Suhag’, courtesy sub title).  Clutching on to his mangalsutra, he continued pleading with his mother to save his 'puhag'  and 'mang ka sindoor'.....

Sick to the core, Ramesh switched channels again…. Aha, here was a music channel!... but the strange attire of the artists had him stumped…. The women were suavely clad in gorgeous saris and moved gracefully. Their male counterparts shockingly and shamefully had skin hugging under wears on and were gyrating in ridiculously obscene ways ostensibly to woo the women!..... yuck… this was unquestionably 'Libel!.. its so insulting!!  Shaking with fury he swore to file a PIL immediately.  More surfing met with similar themes all over… be it movies, serials and documentaries….

 

A sense of helplessness and vulnerability seeped through him. Were the male species actually facing threat to their eons old supremacy?  He pinched himself.......ouch!! it hurt.   So it wasn't a dream.  He missed Shalini.  How he wished to clarify some issues " like when had all this begun,  and how long would this situation continue to exist  etc  etc..”Oh shalini, where are you!  I feel so lonely”.  Trrring…the phone rang.  He grabbed it at the second ring.  

 “Hi Ramesh darling!” (he cringed at her  new style of addressing him by name).  “How are things?  We are having a great time at the ‘wonderland’ shopping arcade.  The kids are going crazy crazy and are all over the place.  How are you baby?” (ouch! what was that?  He winced again) “How I miss you darling.  I wish you were with us at this moment.  Now say something.  Hey are you there honey?”  

Ramesh almost stammered, “Yyyes, Shalini, I’m fine.  I’m fine”  “OK, see you tomorrow darling.  Do keep some breakfast ready for us when we reach home by 9 am tomorrow......make it idlis with chutney and sambar ok? Bye darling”  Shalini oozed. 

 

He broke into cold sweat, realising the predicament he was in.  He quickly made some phone calls to his friends… only to get similar stories from their homes too. Haseena, Irfan’s wife had chalked out a house hold chore routine for him, which he would have to follow before the two of them left for work in the morning and the rest to get done with on getting back home from work.  Of course, she loved him a lot, but if he went against her ‘oh so painfully chalked out schedule of shared-work’, she’d be compelled to ‘Talaaq’ him.  Susan John had decided to call a ‘spade a spade’ and hit upon a similar ‘equality quotient’ with conditions for an unconditional sharing of all the house work, failing which, she was not ‘averse’ to a divorce.  The gruesome stories seemed to have struck its fangs in every household, regardless of caste, colour, creed…..

 

He lay in bed thinking of his heydays, when he ruled the roost.  Life had been a roller coaster ride with everything there for his asking.  Shalini had been there always to pamper him and was at his beck n call 24 x 7.  He still found it hard to believe that things had changed without even a warning bell.   All power had been wrung out of his hands in the blink of an eye,. Tomorrow Shalini would come back with the children.  What was he to do?  Greet her with a warm hug, like she always did to him when he came home… or pretend to sleep and ignore them?  Or be at his friend’s place?  Let her clean up all the mess,….. will serve her right!!  Oh no, what if she again used some of those hand wrenching tactics on him? It had really hurt him in the morning.  But how ever did she get so strong… both physically and mentally?...  To think that Shalini was into some hush hush operations, besides teaching English and maths to the little kids at school in those three years!

 

Ramesh sprang out of bed.  He tidied the kitchen, washed the dishes, picked up the broken pieces of china cup and cleaned the floor off the coffee splash.  He even washed his clothes and arranged his wardrobe.  Now, the house looked just as Shalini would keep it!  Next, he rushed to the nearest Mall and bought the idli dough and a recipe book.  So what if he did the domestic chores?..... It was for his dear wife and his children.......Tomorrow will be a new beginning...for him and his dear Shalini! He felt proud of his work… and fell asleep with (surprisingly) pleasant thoughts of promising days ahead…..

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Two hands shot out to silence the 5 am alarm that had started ringing. Shalini and Ramesh smilingly greeted one another as they stepped out of the bed.  It was a bright day.  They went about their share of the routine chores humming tunes.  Oh boy, now..wasn't it a pleasure to be a part of the home!  Ramesh went ahead to make breakfast and lunch, and packed tiffins for the children.  Shalini  cleaned up the house, woke up the kids and got them ready.  At 7 am, both sat sipping tea made by Ramesh, sharing a news paper, doing the oohs and aahs over the news items.. By 8.30 am  they got into  their Hyundai Santro car.  Ramesh would drop them off at their school and then proceed to his office. 

 

John called him in office, “Congratulations man, for the promotion!  All credits go to bhabhi.  Do also convey my wishes to her.  And we want a party!”  'Thanks buddy.  And yes, you are invited home this Sunday with family.  We are throwing a party", Ramesh smiled.  Five years since the ‘coup’, he still found it hard to believe that it really happened!

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Dear readers,

Sounds preposterous huh? Well, if the common women can put up with such demeaning treatments and be exposed to media that rolls out typical 'female oriented' and offensive   roles ... for the growing girl child to pick up as she blossoms, why not take some time and effort to turn the tables, and see how it works for the male counterparts? Think over it...

Friends, this is Just the BEGINNING...........

Reviews

[Katriya]

Just loved this masterpiece of yours. Only if the married couple treated each other with love n' respect, and together shared the work and care of their home n' children can they be called life partners. Most of the Indian men treat their wives as maid-servants, suffering silently! Wonderful!!