400 did the magic!

Ramamoorthy Iyer, a sixty-five-year old retired Railway Officer lives with his wife in a typical two-bedroom house in the heart of Chennai, surrounded by temples, shops, banks and hospitals. The couple had sold their ancestral property in the suburbs for the convenience of all the necessities available at arm length’s distance.

Padma is his devoted wife whose two eyes are her husband and her house. The house is her second eye as they were not blessed with a child to take that spot. Padma's world revolves around the house, tulasi-mutt at home, temple at the corner of the street and the vegetable vendor who brings home their vegetables.

Ponnamma is the under-paid maid who has been working for them for the past seven odd years. Despite being dissatisfied with the low salary, she continues to work only because of Padma. She has always felt that Padma treats her like a human amidst other householders who treat her like dirt. Padma is very kind, generous and compensates the low money factor by giving rice, food and clothes. Moreover, Ponnamma is a slave to Padma’s coffee, which could pull her into Padmás kitchen even from the end of the street.

Ponnamma, who is generally very regular, does not come continuously for two days. When she returns on the third day, Padma notices that her eyes are completely swelled up. When Padma softly enquires, she immediately breaks down and starts weeping.

“Amma, my son is admitted in the hospital. The doctor says he has severe jaundice. I was shuttling between the house and the hospital. The doctor has assured that he will be discharged tomorrow, but he has to be on complete bed rest for the next ten days.”

Padma feels disturbed and powerless. She thinks, “Why should this poor widow suffer so much”, but aloud she says, “Ponni, don’t worry. He will get well soon. I will come and see him at home once he is discharged as the smell of the hospital nauseates me. Let me know if you need any help.” Padma knows the last sentence was added just for the sake of formality.

Ponnamma finishes the day’s work and stands hesitatingly near the kitchen door. Padma gives a questioning look despite knowing the reason.

Ponnamma says, “Amma, today or tomorrow, the doctor might discharge my son. I need an advance of Rs. 2000. You can reduce it from my salary. Could you please convince Aiyya?”

“Ponni, you know about aiyya. I will try anyways” saying this she goes inside and narrates succinctly about Ponnamma’s plight to her husband.

Ramamoorthy Iyer comes out and expresses his feeling of unhappiness. “Ponnamma, you are a very sincere worker. God will not fail to protect such people. I am a retired employee and how much do you think I can spare you now? My pension suffices just for the two of us. Tell me, how much have you been able to collect from other houses?”

Ponnamma looks down and says, “Just three hundred aiyya. The amount will not be enough even to buy all his medicines. The hospital is one of the most inexpensive one in the neighborhood. Still, for the drips, the room charges and the doctor’s consultation, I need at least three thousand. Have a big heart, aiyya”

Iyer puts up a stern face and says, “If other houses have not given you, then why should I give? But Iyer is not that heartless” He looks at Padma and says, “Padma, calculate how many days she has worked this month and give that amount in advance. Add fifty rupees to the total.” Saying this, he goes inside without giving any scope for further negotiation.

Padma is appalled, but she doesn’t belong to the category of women who would argue with the husband, neither would she let him down in front of others. She holds Ponnamma’s hand and softly drags her to the kitchen.

She places her index finger on her lips indicating not to utter a word. She removes her finer ring and says in a whispering tone, “Ponni, take this. I will somehow manage aiyya.”

Ponnamma is shocked, but strongly rejects the proposal, “Amma, you have been truthful and honest to aiyya all these years. I don’t want to be the reason to break it. I will incur sin. We are poor, but not weak. We will fight. I will somehow manage. God has saved me all these days and he will show me a way now also. You were ready to go out of your way to help me and that is enough for me.”

She takes off leaving Padma to stand immobile for a few seconds. More than a week passes by.

The couple gets invited to a relative’s marriage in Coimbatore. Iyer, who doesn’t budge from his house that easily, rejects the idea of going together by saying “I have some work in the bank and I don’t want to postpone that. Also, you know about the ‘Radha Kalyanam’ festival in our temple this weekend and I want to attend that. You go and enjoy. I will take care of the house”.

So, Padma makes some basic arrangements for Iyer’s food and leaves. The plan is to spend four or five days in Coimbatore and visit all her relatives.

The very next day after Padma leaves, Iyer finishes his work in the bank and is walking home. Ramamoorthy Iyer, who is otherwise an impeccable man, is a miser. He would not spare even twenty rupees for an auto, no matter how tired he is. It is 11:40 in the morning and the sun is gearing up to reach its peak and scorch the living beings on the earth mercilessly. Iyer has not eaten anything since the morning except a cup of coffee. Sweat bubbles forms on this face and neck, he loses his balance and collapses down.

Ponnamma finishes her work at one of her usual places and happens to pass through the same road. So, unconsciously lying Iyer doesn’t miss her sight. She screams for help and manages to admit him in the nearby hospital at once.

The doctor comes to Ponnamma and says, “I know Mr. Iyer very well. Where is his wife right now?”

” Sir, Padma Amma has gone to Coimbatore for a marriage. I don’t know how to contact her. So, we have to wait till aiyya opens his eyes” 

The doctor is thoughtful and says, “Please take care of him, I will come in about half an hour”. He shows a red button and says, “In case of emergency, press this button. A nurse will come and attend immediately. Okay?” Ponnamma nods and the doctor leaves.


After about half an hour, Iyer slowly recovers consciousness and examines the room. Ponnamma is sitting anxiously and is very much relieved. His hands are strapped to the needle injecting glucose water. Before Ponnamma can open her mouth to say something, the doctor arrives.

”Hello Mr. Iyer, how do you feel now? Mr. Iyer, you are all educated people and you very well know it is not advisable to walk in this hot sun at your age, and that too, with empty stomach. At least, you could have had a juice on the way. You fainted due to dehydration and low BP. The first bottle of drips should be over in about half an hour. You can go home after the second bottle. Please go home, eat healthy food, take complete rest, and remember to drink plenty of liquids. By the by, if you give me your wife’s contact number, I will arrange to inform her”

Iyer looks at him and says, “Doctor, my wife never leaves me alone. After many years, she has taken a break. I want her to stay there as planned.”

”No…No! you need somebody to take care of you. I think it is wise to get her back. Please give me her number” insists the doctor.

Iyer reluctantly gives the contact number and in ten minutes, Padma’s relatives learn the story and inform her. Padma makes arrangement for a bus to Chennai the same night that would reach Chennai the following morning.

In the hospital, Iyer gets discharged around 7’o clock in the evening. Ponnamma, who left around 4’o comes back to the hospital. The check out counter throws a bill of Rs.850. Iyer checks his wallet and is able to gather just Rs.450. He tries to explain his situation at the counter and promises to pay the balance the following morning. 

Before even the lady behind the counter could respond, Ponnamma jumps ahead of Iyer and pays the remaining amount of Rs.400.

“Aiyya, why should we plead others, when I have 400 in my hand? I will get it from you when we reach home.”

The spontaneity of Ponnamma stupefied Iyer and he couldn’t take away his eyes off her. Iyer felt someone has just slapped him.

When they are walking out, Ponnamma cannot but think about how Iyer denied to help during her desperate moment. Then later, she begged her neighbor Raju, an Auto Driver, and borrowed thousand rupees. Raju collected another five hundred from his colleagues. The very next day, Ponnamma had a total of Rs.2200 in her hand. She pleaded the hospital to accept what she had and got her son discharged. With a long sigh she thinks, “Only a poor can empathize with another poor”

Ponnamma and Iyer have reached home. She ushers Iyer in his house, informs his neighbor and arranges for dinner before leaving. Ponnamma sleeps well that night. It is Iyer who finds himself tossing and turning.

Padma reaches the following morning only to see an unusually quiet and disturbed husband. She says with her eyes filled with tears, “Why are you so quiet? Now that I am here everything will become all right. I promise I will never leave you alone in the future. It is all my fault. I shouldn’t have gone.” Padma consoles him like how a compassionate mom would console a sick child.

Mr. Iyer doesn’t say anything, but tears roll down his cheeks. He gives a deep look at his wife and says, “Padma, let us go and see Ponni’s son. He is discharged, right? And huh, don’t forget to take Rs. 5000 from the cash box. She may need it.”

After 40 years of marriage, Padma witnesses a miraculous change in her husband’s attitude. She is yet to know about the 400 that did the magic!