They hate Diwali…..

\

They hate Diwali…..

BOOM BOOM, anywhere, everywhere.. its Boom. Big boom, small boom, flashy boom, colourful boom, continues booms,,,,…… all types of BOOM. These Diwali booms have been intoxicating for their exploders. They set fire on the tail and after few moments of teasing silence, big BOOM.... This noisy boom provided immeasurable joy to them. With each boom, birds left their nests, small children closed their ears, senior citizen shut their windows and she shivers.

Shanti hated Diwali for its boominess.
Today she was sleeping happily after evening meal and suddenly a bomb busted ..BOOM. She suddenly woke up and saw some children holding that evil things in their hands. Before she recover from early boom, unleashed another chains of BOOMs…. Shanti’s heart halted for a moment “ Oh god diwali arrived” She thought. She rushed to find place where she can save herself from noise. She went to society garden, parking slots, backyard, passage,, every reachable place where she can go. Night of Diwali supposed to be jubilating night but for her it turns out to be  nightmare. She could not find a place where boom has not reached. Her ears were splitting and head was spinning with each boom. Too much noise was unbearable and unavoidable.

Finally she found a dark corner in an empty garage, where she found bit solace. She breathed and sat down, wondering “ what happens to these peoples in Diwali ? Why they turn Crazy and create lots of noise and smoke ?”

Having lost in these thoughts, she felt asleep.

Jadeja( M47) a flabby man, with golden chain dangling across the neck came down with bags of fireworks, mostly bombs and other noisy crackers. Jadeja was owner of famous jewellery shop of the town and have great enchant for fireworks during Diwali. He used to spend lavishly on fireworks, specially bombs ; laxmi bomb, sutri bomb, new Super Atom bomb etc. Certain bombs were banned by government due to their high noise levels but Jadeja managed to procure them somehow, just to satisfy his hunger for more noise.

He parked the car in the garage and locked it, trapping Shanti inside.
Jadeja started bursting his crackers outside the garage. Shanti trapped inside started feeling jitters as she heard human chattering outside.
Jadeja placed a Laxmi bomb, torched it and after few seconds Big BOOM. BOOM  rocked the buildings nearby and rattled Shanti.

Jadeja’s ears had no impact of noise. Either he had turned deaf or his ears were made of steel. Jadeja kept bursting newer and noisier bombs to entertain himself while Shanti suffering immensely. Shanti ran haphazardly in dark garage just to avoid the noise but could not find the way out. She tried to open the door but she could not. Poor Shanti struggled hard to liberate herself from Jadeja’s noisy crackers but unfortunately failed at each attempt. She moaned and moaned, hoping someone will listen ! If Shanti would have been human, she could have scream like hell or would have kicked the door to open or at least, she could have closed her ears with hands tightly. But Shanti could not do any of above, as she was a dog. A stray dog… Shanti crumpled herself beneath the car, with a hope that someone will open the door and rescue her from this noisy hell.

Nakhusi was Jadeja’s third daughter. Nakhushi means “unwanted”.  An orthodox Indian male, Jadeja wanted his first child to be Boy. First child born at Jadeja’s house was a girl and not a boy, disappointing Jadeja.  Second child was also girl and Jadeja disappointed even more. Jadeja family did everything to praise the luck, for third child. They went to temples & astrologers, did fasting, fed cows.. etc.. But again third child was also, a Girl. Jadeja’s dream was shattered.  He wanted a son to handle his empire and girls will ruin his vision. Jadeja and his boy-crazy family was so dejected that they named 3^rd  girl child “NaKhusi(unhappiness)” as that girl was unwanted.

We have society where, boy-girl ratio is steadily declining and tradition as naming “Nakhusi “ is also in practice, simultaneously .  This the height of illiteracy !   (http://www.indianexpress.com/news/a-new-name-for-nakushi/864079/3)

Nakhusi is fifteen years old and she has never been interested in any celebration. Nakhusi has been reserved girl all these years. She has been dropped from school after 8^th grade and mostly confined to the walls of kitchen. She has developed good culinary skills and that’s the only purpose she had to live for, cooking. Everyone in house, used to praise Nakhusi for her cooking talent and comment on luck of her future husband. Nakhusi used to take appreciation with silent smile but within her she hated these fake verbose. Her emotions have always been confined to herself. She was like deep stable sea on surface with carnivorous angry predators surfing inside. She has just one question to ask “Why she has named Nakhusi ?”….

She was always reluctant in celebrating festivals as Holi, Diwali, Navratri... She could not bear noise as our dog, Shanti. Mostly, she remained inside during Diwali celebrations and keeping herself busy in making sweets, snacks and other food items, just to avoid being outside with family. And family also never bothered about her presence !!

Jadeja wanted hot badam (almond) milk for his guests. Nakhusi got order to make five glasses of badam milk. Jadeja unpacked a banned Bomb call, SUPER ATOM.  He explained to his guests that this is the loudest bomb, ever made.

As she was preparing, SUPER ATOM exploded.. BOOOOOM.. Nakhusi closed her ears and collapsed on floor and in garage, Shanti shivered and perturbed animal  ran to garage door and started crying loudest as possible seeking attention. But amidst cracking fireworks, who has ear to listen poor dog’s pleas ??

Nakhusi came outside with 5 glasses of milk and served. While serving, her ears heard something unpleasant from garage. She went to the garage and opened the door and found poor Shanti shivering in fear. Their eyes met and she understood her pain…

Nakhusi led Shanti at basement, where old furniture and other material were stored. At basement it was relatively peaceful.  Dusty basement was the only shelter for these two. Nakhusi placed her hand on Shanti’s body..  just to feel her shivering  … Shanti’s shivering was  like echoing  Nakhusi’s beating heart.  Nakhusi caressed her to calm herself. Shanti looked at Nakhusi, giving a thankful gesture. Unseen bond between two females established.

Today, after years of blockade, tears stormed out of Nakhusi’s eyes.. She hugged Shanti and cried heavily, venting all her pent-up emotions..

“Human are like that only”.. they concluded. They both hate Diwali…

Regds

vadan

SECOND SHOCK !

She was shocked. Her dream was shattered. All her prayers, mannats have gone in vain. She was disheartened that her prayers have not attended by her God. She was not able to digest the fact that she can’t change her destiny and had to live with. She had to live with that disturbing truth her entire life. She kept asking her God again and again, why her dream has failed, what was her mistake? Why ? But her God had many more things to do, other than just answering her stupid queries. She had started losing trust on her God, she had worshipped her entire life. And she had not gained the desired fruit of that loyalty.

Sushilla’s daughter Monica had given birth to second baby girl. Mother and child were healthy and fine, but Monica’s In-laws and her mother were deeply shocked. They have done all poojas and mannats to get a BOY, but Monica gave birth to a GIRL. This was the reason for shock. The feeling of shock has aggravated as she was the second daughter. They were quite confident this time, that it’s going to be Boy, as all their relatives, pundits, astrologers have indicated the same. But God had another plan and Monica gave birth to a baby girl, shattering their dream and desire.

Today Sushila was on her way to grocery store to buy food-items for child’s naming ceremony. If it would have been boy this function would have been lavish, but with girl child, naming ceremony has reduced to a formality. While walking on the pavement, Sushilla was lamenting on her bad luck and ruthlessness of her God. Sushilla has committed long list of commitments to the God, if Monica births a boy, as Yatra to Tirupati, 1001 laddus prasadam to Siddnivinayak, Sweat distributions in nearby slum, etc.. but all these have no value now. God was not interested in her briberyJ

Sushilla reached to the store and purchased necessary goods, with least amount of interest. Being part of literate, urbanized, modern family, Sushilla can’t publically show her unhappiness over 2^nd baby girl, and thus it was kind of muted, but attitudinal displeasure rather than spoken one. Sushila was not very enthusiastic to speak about new born child to her relatives. Her relatives, like her, reacted more or less same way as Sushila, upon hearing the news... unhappy and consolatory   ...

Lost in thoughts, Sushilla crossed the main road, without noticing car horns and traffic signal. There were others walking with her on pavement also, but Sun was blazing hard especially on her.  She turned to the Society lane and was spotted by Mrs.Shetty. Mrs.Shetty asked about Monica and Sushila has to inform her about birth of girl child. Hearing this, Mrs.Shetty smirked with avenge-full gaze to Sushilla. Sushilla had reacted same manner, when Mrs.Shetty’s daughter had given birth to second girl chid. This sort of family rivalry has been continued since long time between them. This time it was Sushila’s downturn and which was unbearable to her.

The Indian urban middle class has quite modernized itself during last decade and especially after economic liberalization of 90s. They are benefitting from 8% economic growth, and adapted western lifestyle to certain level.  Jeans wearing daughter or daughter-in-law is common sight and so does, their love for English language. But sometimes, this middle class is confused between new thought-process; its new modern lifestyle has to offer and old traditional values, germinated deep into their psyche.  Whenever both clashes, creates confusion. Sushiila is going though that confusion.

Sushila could not understand why the hell she was feeling sad, when she suppose to feel happy and joy !!! She could not understand why she welcoming her new family member with such disgrace ? Why so negativity about girl child and what about dignity of woman !!

The origin of Sushila’s negativity of girl child is residing, in century old Indian patriarchal tradition. As per Taliban way of thinking ‘woman is like beautiful rose and should be protected’. Our ancestors were having similar line of thoughts and as result, this beautiful rose, was pushed inside the house and deprived from education or any sort of vocational training.  Woman restricted to manage household and Man suppose to bread earner of the family.  As consequences Man’s market value increased because as says he who pays the piper calls the tune, this world became Man’s world and un-earning woman became so called burden, especially in our societies.

CUT to 2011, Sushilla, a semi-modern grand-mother, living in Mumbai’s sub-urban area Malad’s Cosmo society,  does not believe completely in girl as burden, but still traces of old mentality is found in her psyche. Even she agrees in girl education and woman empowerment, belief is strong that, one boy per family is MUST to carry the family name forward. An ideal family for her is couple, with two children,(a boy and a boy or girl). Monica’s second daughter has shattered her thoughts for ideal family. She wasn’t that sad when Monica gave birth to first daughter, but with second one, she was quite upset.  How Monica is going to raise, protect and marry her two girls, kept her worrying. Confused Sushilla kept consoling herself and gave examples of Sonia Gandhis and Chanda Kochhars(ICICI Chief) to convince herself that in this flat world, girls are also achiever, but century-old programming of mental thoughts were not letting her do so.

At Society gate, Sushila met Mrs. Janki Patel, a friend. She knew that Janki had terrible knee problem and she is awaiting her daughter for medical check-up. Janki had 4 sons and single daughter. All of her sons area settled in US and only daughter is in Mumbai. Her daughter has refused to settle in US, as she was not willing to leave her ailing mother alone in India. She was married and living very close by. Sushilla was listening to Janki’s story silently.

Janki’s daughter arrived in the car. She helped Janki to get into the car and they drove for medical check up.  Sushilla kept watching her car, till it disappeared in the web of traffic. While watching all these activities, something strange started happening into Sushilla.. A magic.

Sushila felt like curtains have removed and sun shine has entered into the room. She started feeling energetic and happy. Her century old beliefs are being eradicated and new fresh thought’s seeds are being germinated into her mind. She remembered how she has helped her parents and ln-laws, exactly the way Janki’s daughter. She felt proud about how Monica has managed her professional carrier and personal responsibilities. She remembered all the sacrifices, she has made for her the family. Her dignity as woman, has started unleashing. She started feeling refreshed and energetic, like never before. First time in her life, she has realized her true potential and now she will not let it die.

Sushila reached home. She hurriedly went to new girl child and carried her. She embraced her to the chest and said “I am sorry”. Now there will be lavish naming ceremony.......