The sugarcane fields of Lakshmipuram
Subbu sat at the edge of the field, under the big tree’s shade, eating his yogurt rice with spicy mango pickle. It was a hot afternoon but dark clouds were starting to form over the not so distant hills. It was going to rain soon and the sugar cane crops could do with some love from Varuna. The sugar cane crops were not doing well this year due to lack of substantial rains and if the drought persisted a few more weeks, the crops would most likely die. His master would not be happy nor would much of the small town of Lakshmipuram. He would not be able to pay his season’s share and would have to sell some of his possessions or whatever was left of it. Sugarcane was their livelihood and a bad season would kill the local economy. There would be no canes to harvest for Pongal and that would bring further misfortune to the small community. As all these thoughts clouded his mind, much like the fast approaching dark ones in the sky, Poorni shook him out of his reverie.
“Lets head home before the skies open up,” she said in her matter-of-fact voice. Unlike Subbu, Poorni didn’t have the luxury to daydream. She was the first to wake up in the morning and the last to wind down. Sometimes Subbu was unsure if she even took a break at night. She seemed to work all the time - first to get the boys ready for school which was 2 kilometers away and that they walked with other kids from the edge of their fields to the center of town; then to quickly whip up the porridge with diluted yoghurt and pickle for Subbu; finally to head out to her side of the field before Subbu could even get out of his bed. She was incredibly productive and while age and rust were catching up to her, still pretty good at what she did. At times Subbu felt like the Gods had blessed him by giving him Poorni but in reality he knew better. If this harvest season was really bad, he might end up losing her and the very thought kept him awake at night.
Subbu stood up and headed back to the field while Poorni dutifully washed the vessels and packed them back. She put them away neatly into the rug sack and headed back to her side of the field. Unlike Subbu, she didn’t feel the heat quite as much. On really hot days she occasionally was forced her to take a brief break to cool down but otherwise she managed to keep chugging along until midnight. Days like today when she felt Subbu lost in thought were more worrisome to her. She wasn’t quite sure what he was feeling but there was definitely a tinge of worry and sadness in his eyes that wouldn’t go away even after his favorite lunch and the quick afternoon massage that she gave him before he headed back to the field.
An hour later, it started raining. And it didn’t just rain. It poured. It didn’t stop for the next 3 days and again, a few days later. Old ladies huddled in the corner of their huts telling their grandkids stories of the last such instance of massive rains over 20 years ago. The rain water started flowing in rivulets, soon became a large stream and before long, the water was gushing like a small river all around the village. The crops were soaked and the sugarcane harvest was bountiful that year. Ponni had a busy season helping Subbu harvest a record crop and sell them at the the sugar factory. Subbu managed to even eke out some savings from selling his sugarcanes and he did what every dutiful husband did these days- he went and bought a brand spanking new battery and a memory upgrade for Ponni. It was the least he could do for everything she had done and continued to do for him. She was family after all.