ENDEARMENT (ON HOLD)

Audacious Heart

"Raigarh"
Carved on the wooden board that hung on the iron rod grounded to earth.

Dead of a night, with all fret leaving his cycle beside hers, walked on her foot steps following her into the dark.
He was obliged to.

Backing her, reached to a small dorp. They were some houses and lands adjacent to them with very few people out busy.

He was startled, as soon as few saw Bondita, all leaving their chores rushed to her... greeting her, asking her, feeding her, making her sit on the lowered stool.

"Maa Bhavani..." (Giver of life)
An old man Balchand's voice, the head, called out from the crowd to which she instantly stood up.
As he kept his hand on her head in blessing, the old man's eyes fell on him, on Anirudh and following his sight, her eyes too landed on him.

No more chirpy, she looked pale and drained, her eye bags quiet dark, her cheeks swollen, her saree fumbled and her bruised feet did not go out of his notice.

Her steps were gawky, unsteady.
"Sakha babu" a shocked gasp,
she let out and collapsed on the soiled earth.

All panicked, Anirudh ran to her alarmed, screaming "Bondita..."
as he sat beside her lifted her making her lean on his front.
His squeals almost cries "Bondita... Bondita" as he rubbed her trying to heat her cold palms using the friction, patting her cheeks.

The same old man, "Saheb, Fikar math kijiye. Maa Bhavani bilkul teek hai bas tode vishram ki zaroorat hai" said as he checked her eyes and pulse.

"Saheb, Maa Bhavani ko utayiye taki hum usey andar leta sakthey. Usko neendh ki zaroorat hai." The same old man continued.

Already confused Anirudh about her visit in such odd hour was more puzzled hearing them all calling her such "Maa Bhavani."
Yet, keeping all of it aside scooped her fragile body with utmost care and placed her on the small cot inside the hut. Soon, a lady wrapped her in cotton coverlet sheathing her.

Few who looked concerned for her were soon consoled, accepting the head man's words all went away still worriedly.

As they moved out, the old man asked "kya aap uske pati babu ho?"

Stunned at the clepe. Though was elated at the mention, his mind racing out of queries, stewed "Haan, par..."

"Jaise aap chilakar usey apne godh me liya tabi samaj gaya hoon. Aap hi honge....
Aap hi honge humari Maa Bhavani ki pati babu." The old man's soft voice was giving him chills.

"Aap.. Aap sab ussey matlab Bondita ko Maa Bhavani kyun bula rahe?"
He let out his first query.

Passing a soft pleasing smile to him as they walked, the old man "Yehaan pure nav 9 parivar rehthey hain aur lagbag assi 80 log, sab ussey Maa Bhavani hi bulathey.
Woh humare liye Durga Maa se kam nahi hai aakir usi ki wajah se hum sab zindha hai, humare bhoomi surakshit hai.
Toh ussey aur kya bhulate hum, aap hi kahiye. Saheb."

His all words perplexed Anirudh more, and he knew there were some more he had to know need to know about his Bondita.

Unsettled Anirudh, "ky... kya huha?"

The season of harvest is an auspicious festival and a cheerful one to get together, to celebrate, to worship, to rejoice the fruits of their hardwork.

"Farmers are the real heroes of the country, heedless of their gender," Bondita smiled as she smelled the fresh pure soil.

Carrying two mud pots of fresh rosogulla soused in the sweetened chashni. A radiant of happiness, of victory, of celebration it was on her face as she walked on the empty roads of the Raigarh.
And why not, it had been a month to their successful peaceful protest. They, the Raigarh farmers fought for their lands and finally made the Zamindar to proclaim their say.
And Bondita being a small part of their protest had made her one among them.