Changed Husband

Mangala was from a low-income family. Her father was a farmer in the village, and her mother was a homemaker. Her parents brought her up with all love and affection. Her father was illiterate but he got his daughter educated.

Mangala completed her graduation in a nearby town. Her parents married her when she was in her final year at twenty. In villages, people think of the marriage of girls at an early age. Marriage at twenty years for girls was considered late marriage in villages. The boy was from the town where Mangala was doing her graduation.

Raj Kiran, Mangala’s husband, was a graduate. His work involved liaisoning with department officers and addressing clients’ pending issues. His clients were not just a source of income but a network that sustained his career. Despite his efforts to secure a job through interviews, he was unsuccessful.

Mangala’s academic excellence led her to secure a government job as a junior assistant, a position that saw her posted at the district-level office. This achievement prompted a significant change in their lives. Mangala and Raj Kiran relocated to the city, setting up a modest single-bedroom flat and starting a family life. 

Raj Kiran shifted his operations to the district office. Sometimes office attendees suggest that people would meet Raj Kiran to get their work done without hurdles.  

Mangala was to report to Rama Swamy, a senior assistant and senior from her college. Having ten years of experience he joined this office on promotion.

Rama Swamy soon developed close contact with the higher-ups. Higher-ups will sanction the files with his signature without any query. People who want their work done in the office would meet Rama Swamy.

Raj Kiran developed good contacts with Rama Swamy to get his clients’ work done. Rama Swamy was happy he had no direct contact with clients; they only met Raj Kiran. 

Mangala helped Rama Swamy with all the work. She was tall and slim, with a long nose and bright eyes. She used to wear a plain handloom cotton saree with a small border starched and ironed and a matching blouse. Her bob-cut hair used to be clipped at the back so that it is just above the blouse’s semi-circular cut and did not fall on her ears. Her hanging bell-shaped gold earrings added grace to her face. She always wore a red Kumkum powder dot in between her eyebrows. With all these, she presented a decent and dignified look. All the office staff respected her.

She did all the work as per the rules. She commanded all the rules and put notes per the rule position. With her knowledge, she became a guide to her fellow staff members. Having understood that Mangala was strict, Rama Swamy never ventured to give her works of his interest. Raj Kiran and Rama Swamy tried once or twice to put her in line with their working style, but Mangala was strict. She bluntly told Rama Swamy and Raj Kiran that she would not encourage such out-of-the-rule cases.

At home, she never encouraged discussion of office matters. Raj Kiran was not happy with her attitude.

Rama Swamy told Raj Kiran, “Your wife does not care for you.”

Since then, Raj Kiran started suspecting Mangala and watched her movements. He came to her office and made friends with other male staff members to learn about her closeness with her male colleagues.

After five years of service, Mangala appeared and passed group II of the state Public Service Commission examinations. On the other hand, Rama Swamy was busy with people like Raj Kiran and never considered appearing in exams and going higher in the hierarchy. He was happy with the income from Raj Kiran and other such sources.

After a year, Mangala was appointed as an officer in the same office. Rama Swamy felt insulted to work under her, who had been his assistant until last year.

Raj Kiran felt happy with her appointment and considered finishing his client’s work quickly. Rama Swamy made it a point to miss her official meetings. She transferred Rama Swamy to a less critical office post where one could handle files without dealing with people.

As Mangala has put an axe on his other income sources, Rama Swamy started criticising her actions before other staff members.

Additionally, her husband came to her office daily and met other staff members to learn about her movements. Rama Swamy and Raj Kiran’s activities degraded her position. With the behaviour of Mangala’s husband, Raj Kiran and the staff created rumours about their bond.

Raj Kiran’s behaviour vexed Mangala. One day, at home, she told him not to come to her office and discuss client problems with staff.

Raj Kiran defended his actions by saying, “I come to meet my friends.”

Mangala said, “I am the officer, and the staff can’t do the things you bring. The staff are projecting it to be your case. If I sanction the file, it amounts to helping you out of the way. I sincerely advise you to choose a job and leave these corrupt practices. I will try to get you a temporary job in another office.”

For this, Raj Kiran became enraged and said, “I am not doing anything wrong. I am only helping people solve their problems. I will not quit this business, earning more for the house than your salary. I have the liberty of timing and am not answerable to anyone. I am my boss.”

Mangala said, “Your work follows wrong and out-of-rule practices. Your earnings are illegal, and you deserve punishment for them. I sincerely advise you to choose a righteous way of earning. I hate that you do these things. Earning money is not the sole aim of this life. Service to society righteously and ethically is required. You are going in the wrong direction.”

Mangala continued, “I am leaving you to live separately. I will not be a party to your unethical and illegal earnings. If you change your ways, we can live as husband and wife. Until that time, bye.”

With these words, Mangala left.

Raj Kiran was dumbfounded at her decision and sat sadly in the chair, not knowing what to do.

The next day, when Raj Kiran went to Mangala’s office, the attendee stopped at the gate and said, “You have no permission to enter the office premises as per the boss’s instructions.”

Raj Kiran felt insulted and returned. Knowing this, his clients abandoned him.

Mangala gave notice to Rama Swamy, “Why can’t disciplinary action be taken against him for not attending office meetings?”

With this notice, Rama Swamy asked for an excuse for his mistake and promised to obey her orders promptly.”

All the office staff started respecting Mangala with these two actions.

Knowing Mangala’s strictness, other officers also restricted Raj Kiran in their offices. These restrictions reduced Raj Kiran’s popularity, and clients deserted him.

Disappointed with life, having his wife left and losing his income source, Raj Kiran took solace in alcohol. One day, when he came out of the bar and started walking on the road in an intoxicated condition, a truck hit him from the back, and he fell on the roadside, unable to move with a fracture of the spinal cord. The passersby informed the police, and they shifted him to a nearby hospital. Doctors advised the hospital admission for a week. After that, they advised him to complete bed rest at home for three months using painkillers.

He called his friend Rama Swamy to help him but Rama Swamy said, “It is your fate, and you deserve it”.

He tried other such friends without any response.

After all sources were closed, he called his wife Mangala. Mangala responded positively, shifted him home, and kept a caretaker looking after his necessities while she was away on duty.

Raj Kiran’s first two months were difficult. He passed urine using a bedpan, and for stools, he was to use a unique chair. The caretaker helped him sit on the special chair. He could only sit with a full-back lumbar spinal brace on the chair. Getting up from the bed was a painful process. He could not move sides on the bed. Mangala Provided an orthopaedic bed for him.     

After three months, Raj Kiran’s health improved but he was advised not to leave home for one more month. The three months of bedrest changed Raj Kiran, as no one inquired about his welfare. He understood the importance of his wife. He begged Mangala for pardon, and said, “I am completely changed and want to follow your advice to be sincere and ethical in my doings.”

Mangala told Raj Kiran, “I only want a change in you. But God changed you with the accident and fracture. You are my husband, and I will not leave you.” With these words, Mangala hugged  Raj Kiran.

Later, Raj Kiran joined a temporary job, and they lived happily together after that.

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