Poornima & Ravi

 

Chapter 1

Poornima sighed as she got out of bed and began to get dressed. Her husband, Ravi, still lays in bed, snoring loudly. For such a small man, Ravi could drink an incredible amount. He had been out again, drinking and gambling with his friends. 

Ravi’s father was a minister, who passed away recently. His only job was to gamble with his political friends. Poornima wondered how much he had lost this time, as he always loses.

As her maid tightened her blouse, causing her to gasp, Poornima again regretted the day she had ever married her husband. Then again, she had had no say in the matter. Women never did. Her father had been a successful businessman . His ambition was to marry Poornima into a rich political family.

Unfortunately for him, Poornima had been his only child , so the best he could do was to marry his only daughter to a minister’s son. The men were happy enough with the deal, but Poornima felt cheated. Her new husband was a small baby . He was ignorant, had neglected his education and spent his time drinking and gambling.She had been confined to being a housewife.

Chapter 2

Ravi’s dad was pretty close to the chief minister madam Lalitha. Ravi’s father was aiming to be the deputy chief minister to Lalitha madam was not sure if Ravi’s father would be the right fit for being her deputy chief minister. She wanted someone who would obey her command and be submissive to her.

Recently Lalitha madam has been facing problems with press. One of her ministers had said a bad remark about how women are not equal to men. And Women shouldn’t be allowed to be anywhere outside the kitchen, let alone the chief minister’s post. This was a tactic by certain ministers to push Lalitha madam out and bring in Ravi’s father. But unfortunately since Ravi’s father passed away, these ministers didn’t know what to do.

Lalitha madam wanted to tackle two things at the same time. She wanted to punish these ministers and at the same time make the public ( especially women ) like her unanimously.  

Chapter 3

Poornima received a call from the chief minister’s office. Lalitha madam has ordered all the ministers to come to her birthday party. And since Ravi’s father is no more, Ravi and Poornima are invited to the party.

There was a tiny stipulation in the invite though, Lalitha madam had ordered all the men to come dressed as women and the women to come dressed as men. If they don’t follow the rule, they will be made to vacate their post the next day.

Poornima looked at her husband, still unconscious. In the meantime, she would have to organise the costumes she and Ravi would have to wear. Looking at her husband again, a little smile came in her face. For the first time in ages, Poornima was going to have some fun. And at her husband's expense.

Poornima selected a tailor for her own outfit. She was going in a tuxedo. The tailor measured her and assured her that the costume would be ready on time and delivered to her.

The ladies tailor,costumer  and makeup artist were then summoned. Poornima knew her husband's measurements and gave them to her for a full sleeve blouse. She then outlined exactly what she wanted. The costumer had to suppress her laughter at the saree, jewelry and makeup style that she was being asked to provide for Ravi .

Chapter 4

It was the night of the party, Ravi and Poornima had been given a room at the Leela Palace. A trousseau containing their outfits had been delivered to the room. It was time to get changed. Ravi was busy in the bathroom, so Poornima slipped into her tuxedo outfit , thick socks and trousers, leather shoes,  and wore a fake moustache. Poornima thought that would made her look more manly and smiled.

Ravi emerged, complimented her on her costume and asked where his was. Poornima pointed to a bed full of makeup,girly items, blouses , jewelry, sarees and much more . Poornima made him to get undressed as she would need to help him with his costume.

Soon, Ravi was naked. Poornima handed him a pretty,full sleeve flowery blouse, red bra and he put it on over his puny chest. She then gave him a pair of white silk drawers, covered all over with lace and with little pink ribbons. Ravi looked at them for a moment, but put them on. Poornima then produced a mass of lace petticoats and made Ravi step into them. The frilly petticoat came right down to his ankles.

Poornima then produced the gold georgette saree and put it around Ravi’s body and then took great pleasure in tying him into it. Ravi squealed in protest and found that once the blouse hook had been tied, he was quite incapable of removing it without help. He couldn’t walk freely like a man in this costume anymore .

 Poornima then applied full make up to his face, put a wig on his head and fitted a pair of jewelled and very high heeled shoes to his feet. Rings were put onto fingers, black bangles were put on his hands and diamond earrings were attached to his earlobes and gold nose pin was attached on his nose.

Poornima had, quite deliberately, chosen the most feminine and restrictive of garments possible, far more overly feminine than anything she would ever wear herself.

Ravi staggered with difficulty over to a mirror on his jewelled heels and gasped with shock. He might well be shocked, for the pretty girl staring back at him, with a tiny waist, gorgeous  and very feminine features, was undistinguishable from a real lady. 

Poornima couldn’t control her giggles. He looked more like a woman than she ever had.

"Poornima, I can't go to the party dressed like this! What have you done to me?"

Poornima shrugged "You did leave me to arrange everything, so I thought it would be fun for you to be a beautiful girl, rather than a plain one".

"You stupid woman! I'll be humiliated! There must be something else I can wear!"

“There isn't. And Lalitha madam is waiting for us to make our appearance. You'll just have to make the best of things".

Ravi looked at her pathetically "You'll look after me won't you, Poornima". He looked and sounded quite helpless. 

In command, Poornima took his arm "Of course I will. Don't worry, you look very beautiful".

Chapter 5

They attended the party, Poornima completely at ease in a tuxedo and Ravi struggling to walk in his impossibly high heeled shoes, voluminous petticoat, saree and wig. He was hot, uncomfortable and deeply embaressed to be seen dressed as a lady. The other guests were looking at him with great interest and especially at his saree and blouse,they loved the design.

He was angry at his wife for choosing this ridiculous outfit for him, but he was also completely dependent on her to look after him when he was so vulnerable and he clung to her arm. But he would punish her for this humiliation once they were home!

Ravi suddenly became aware of another presence. The chief minister herself, dressed in a tuxedo. She looked very boyish and masculine and there was a mischevious twinkle in her eyes.

Ravi instinctively attempted to bow, but he found that this now impossible with his saree and petticoats, so he had no choice but to attempt a curtsey like a lady. He almost fell flat on his face and would have done so had Poornima not been there to steady him. Once he was on his feet, Poornima gave Lalitha madam  a smart bow and introduced herself and her husband.

Ravi was humilated that Lalitha madam was seeing him dressed as he was. But, the chief minister was very complimentary about both their appearances, especially his "You make a very splendid woman, Ravi or shall I say Raveena!! By far the best costume worn by a man tonight and my favourite!" She said.

Ravi went from shame for elation! They had been noticed and complimented by the chief minister. He turned to his wife and kissed her in gratitude "You clever little thing!" he said "You knew what you were doing all along - trying to get us noticed!"

Poornima had not intended for this outcome to occur, but at least her husband was now grateful to her.

Chapter 6

Ravi was elated a month later when he received a letter from Lalitha madam. He had torn open the letter hoping to find he had been given some appointment  or a place in the government. Poornima saw his face go white when he read the contents.

Poornima was worried. Perhaps they had displeased the chief minister in some way. "What's wrong Ravi?"

He handed the letter to her. When she read it she burst out laughing "By command of the chief minister Lalitha, Raveena is to be transferred to the Chief minister’s office and to serve her as a lady deputy". Not exactly the position he had been expecting! 

Poornima thought that it was a role that her pretty but useless husband was well qualified to perform.

A trousseau had been delivered along with the letter and Poornima opened it to find expensive sarees, jewellery, shoes and masses of brassiere and dainty underwear. This was what her husband would have to wear at the office  in his new role and be a lady full time.

Later that day, Raveena left the estate, dressed in a green saree, with wig, makeup and jewelry from the trousseau.

It was quite impossible to identify any trace of masculinity in the elegant young woman slowly walking in her saree. She looked every inch the lady, who knows she might become the next chief minister too.

With Raveena occupied with ‘her’ new ladylike existence, Poornima could run the business without any interference from him and without him spending the money. 

Poornima had decided to adopt male attire and reflected how the roles of her and Ravi had been completely reversed. She was now in trousers and the man in the relationship and he was now powerless and obliged to wear sarees and gold that expressed his femininity.