Viswanathan Muthalali was returning after a tour in his car. It was around midnight. Suddenly the driver stopped the car as a young lady stood at the middle of the road. She was holding a small cat close to her bosom. The lady pleaded Viswanathan that she may be taken along with him and he agreed for a moment, Viswanathan thought it was a dream.

She was brought to Viswanathan's home. In a couple of days she was found to be getting along well with Viswanathan's mother, Nani. Nani was for a few years leading a silent and gloomy life after her husband's demise. But with the arrival of Gowri-that was her name- charges were visible in Nani Amma. She became cheerful and there was good rapport between the two. Nani Amma treated her like one from a respectable family. But her where abouts remained a mystery.

Scandals spread wide involving Gowri and Viswanathan. Viswanathan's elder brother one day came home and made a scene insisting that Gowri be sent back with forth. But he could not be blamed because Viswanathan's past was not without any blemishes. Also that he was a big automobile workshop owner and a leading civil contractor helped spread such scandals very fast, especially since Viswanathan was a bachelor.

Viswanathan one day was approached by one of his friends requesting him to accept the construction of a home for a person living in Bombay. The plan and other details indicated that it was an expensive house meant for a lady. Viswanathan took up the contract and soon the construction was in progress.

Gowri continued to stay there. Nani Amma was very fond of her. She was good at cooking as she was in singing prayer songs. And if Viswanathan developed a likeness for Gowri, it was only natural.

After much persuation, one day Gowri told her story to Viswanathan. "Gowri went to the town for the first time with her father to join the college. She then observed a dark slim youth keenly watching her. Days passed by as Gowri continued her studies. Besides studies, she was interested in literature also. She read and byhearted the poems of Bindu. At a meeting of the Literary Club, Bindu the poet was invited as Chief Guest. But he did not arrive in time. So Gowri was asked to recite his poems to fill the gap. As Gowri was reciting the poems Bindu arrived. Excited to find his poems rendered exquisitely, Bindu exclaimed, "Look, this is my poetry". Gowri suddenly recognized the poet Bindu as the man who was watching her the day she came to the town for joining the college. After that incident she was known in the campus as "Bindu's Poetry". As she was leaving the hostel on Xmas vacation, Bindu was there to accompany her home. He expressed his love for her. Bindu kept writing to her. But all the letters were received by her father and Gowri did not see any of them. Gowri's father was a poor agriculturist whose only ambition in life was to see her daughter well settled in life.

One day Bindu the poet approached Gowri's father and expressed his desire to marry her. Gowri's father did not approve of him and told him to make some money for a living. Gowri's father soon fell ill and died. Gowri's brother who had been away for a long time and who had not taken any interest about his father or Gowri returned. He assumed charge of the household. He brought his friend, an army personnel to marry Gowri. Gowri did not like the man and his attitudes. One night she ran out of her home to escape the advances of that man and stood at the middle of the road along with a cat she picked up from the road side".

Viswanathan had completed the house for which he has accepted the contract. The owner of the building was to arrive by train. Viswanathan received him at the railway station and took him to the newly built house. He was apparently disillusioned. He said then that he did not require that home any more.

To Viswanathan, the owner of the building recited his story. The same story he heard from Gowri. The person was Bindu. Viswanathan was in mental agony. But when he went home. Gowri asked, "Has he gone".

(This abridged transliteration has not succeeded to contain or reflect the poetic beauty of the narrative skill of the author-a.j)