| meera |
Posted
on 30-Jan-04 02:37 PM
“Ama Sunkesari ko katha bhannu na”, little Abash says. He has heard the story many times and yet he does not tire of it. Ever the macho man, he imagines himself in the place of the prince charming and considers it his duty to protect all the damsels in distress. Meera starts, “Eka desh ma, euta Sunkesari Maiya thiye”. Knock Knock, who can it be in this late hour, wonders Meera and goes to open the door. There standing in the doorway is the most handsomest man she has ever set her eyes on. He is of regular height, 5”8, average built but there is something about his eyes that strike her. He looks familiar yet she is unable to place him. And yes, his smile, it was like he had pearls for teeth and he seemed to be smiling. Wow! Wonders Meera, who can this man be? “Hajur le kasalai khojnu bhayeko?” “Timilai ni Kalu” replies the stranger. She has not been called Kalu in years. Meera looks at him blankly. “Ma Abhi”. Abhi, short for Abhishek, O my god! she had not met him for years, felt like decades now. The last time she remembered, he was leaving for the States.
Abhi her childhood friend! When he first appeared in the neighborhood, none of the children had agreed to play with him. Had it not been for Meera, he would still be friendless. She was not Meera then, she was Kalu, the notorious tomboy. She would play with boys, consider herself one of them. She was 8 years old then. Girls were something you don’t play with because they played with dolls. She preferred football and wrestling. She was the tallest among her friends. She would run with the boys, fight with them and mostly win. As soon as the children would return from the school, they would all gather outside Meera’s house. “Kalu, khelna jum. Aja Kalu hamro team ma”. Everybody wanted Kalu because she was good in making goals and the team would mostly win. They had a unwritten rule, never beat any girls your age not even if they got on your nerves and Kalu definitely was not a girl. So she got into fights a lot, always with boys her age that is. Girls were species from another planet, an unfathomable species. How can anyone play with doll and have fun! That was beyond Kalu’s comprehension. No no, one should never associate with them for they cried very easily.
That was how life was going on, when a new kid arrived on the block. He watched other little children playing foot-ball, these were a rough crowd and he wanted to join in. He walked up to one of the member and said “Ma pani timi haru sanga khelchu, mero cycle cha.” Everybody stared at him, he was different from them. He was clean and had nice clothes while their clothes were muddy. “Na khalaune ja” someone said. So they continued with their game. This time a wrestling was going on. The boy did not leave. Kalu was looked at the boy’s cycle and inally unable to control herself, she asked, “Ma timro cycle chalau” and without waiting for an answer, she rode it away. That was how Abhi came to the group. After two years, Abhi was almost one of them, except that he went to a different school and lived in a big house. So one day Abhi tells kalu who is his best friend now, “Kalu, ma aba sadhai ko lagi Amrika jane.” Kalu says, “Ma pani timi sanga janchu hai”, Abhi says “Ma mommy lai sodhchu.” Kalu comes home excited, “Ama ma pani Abhi sanga Amrika jane.” Her mom is surprised, “Kya bhancha yo, Abhi ta usko baba mommy sanga jana lageko, timi lai kaha lagchan ra.” Meera is sad, “Ama ma pani janchu ni, malai pani lag bhannu na.” That was then. After that Abhi had never come back and neither had the two written to one another. All they knew about each other was by asking other people.
Life had taken its own course. Meera had gotten married to a man who had died in an accident in Qatar. The marriage had lasted a year and he had left her with a child, Abash. Meera was now the “Biduwa” and some even went as far as to say, “Logne Tokua.” Her life was very different from other people. She was looked suspiciously by married woman. She was beautiful and it was as if they feared their husbands would leave them for her. Meera was tired of all this, just because a woman was a widow did not mean she was looking for a partner. Sometimes Meera thought it would be better if she threw acid in her face, at least they way she would look ugly and would be a threat to no one. People invited her a day before the poojas, so that she would cook for them. She was nothing better than an unpaid servant. Meera’s sole reason for existence was for her baby son.
So Abhi had come back after all these years. “Hey Kalu, tyo Abash ho” asked Abhi. He had kept updated on her. All Meera knew about Abhi was that he was far far away. Meera says, “hajur”. “Ani babu kati barsa ta timi” asks Abhi. Abash replies, 5. Soon they get to talking. Meera says, “Ma chia banayera aauchu”. She puts the kettle in the stove and takes a peep. Abash in on Abhi lap and they are discussing Spiderman. Abash has told him all about his school, friends and foot ball. Then Meera hears Abash saying in a wistful voice, “Sabai ko daddy cha, mero matrai chaina, ma tapailai daddy bhanu.” “Aba dekhi ma timro daddy.” Meera comes running to the room, snatches her son from Abhi’s lap and says in a sharp voice, “Hudaina” Abash starts crying. She looks at the floor and tells Abhi, “Tapai aba janu”. Abhi does not understand what the fuss is all about. He automatically switches to English, “Why, what’s wrong?” Meera replies, “Samaj le kya bhancha”.
Some days after the incident took place, Abhi goes to his mom, “Mom I have decided I want to marry Kalu, she is the girl for me”. There is a dead silence in the room. “What?????” his mom yells, “Teti keti haru dekhaye talai, ani ta chai euta biduai lai maan paris”. “Mom please….” After a lengthy discussion, his mom says, “Je maan lagcha gar, ma kehi pani bhandaina.”
The two live in Queens, New York now. “Mom can you tell me Sunkesari’s story?” Little Arati asks her mom. She imagines herself to be Sunkesari Maiya waiting for her prince charming.
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| bhunte |
Posted
on 05-Feb-04 08:22 PM
Meera, all of your three stories (1. Tomorrow is another day, 2. Small things matter, and 3. Eka desh ma) are majestic, nicely composed, novice yet professional, lasered feministic, depicts the life and uncertainties of a woman rhymed in Nepali flavor, stumbles in a societal transition, and a clear message for a change.
The first story mirage some uncertainties of a gal, yet it teaches how patience and hope works, and how to reposition oneself. Probably, the beginning of the story may be toned with Deep Shrestha’s (??) song “…bholi uthi kaha jane kehi thaha chhaina…”. But, she eventually finds a new hope.
The second story depicts a gal’s dilemma and stumbles in a transition from traditional to western values and teaches the culture of friendship and empathy.
And, the third one reminds my liking “Eka desh ma euta sunkeshari maiya thiyo…” type of story. No wonder reading or listening such amusing stories “bhok pani lagdaina thiyo, nidra pani lagdaina thiyo, bathroom pani janu pardaina thiyoa” and remembered everything what I read about the story in contrast to other class works. I was initially thinking of the type of the story browsing the title initially. But, the story depicts the grief/”majburi” of a widow, her place in society, the desire of a child to call his father, and a generosity of a friend, and an understanding of a parent in the changed context.
Meera, Splendid! You are a blossoming bud with a lot of fragrance in your feelings. The stories are oasis for the displaced one in the society. You have immense talents and potential. Keep up nice works!
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