Indali's P.O.V:-
****Falshback*****
"Baba..Baba...", A girl child voice rang in the silent household. Aurobindo Thakur , who was doing some paperwork looked up towards the door . A chubby little girl entered the room , carrying a bag with tear stricken face.
Aurobindo sat straight , brows furrowed , he stretched his arms asking the little girl to come to him. The girl dropped the bag , ran towards her father and covered her face in his father's chest , sobbing. "What happened princess? Why are you crying?", that little 10year old didn't said anything but kept crying in her father's safe embrace. Aurobindo didn't asked anything further and kept stroking his little girl's head to make her calm.
After a few moment , the girl looked up at his father who was already looking at her with worry. "They are making Pooja marry baba", Aurobindo asked while wiping her tears ,"Isn't she is of your age princess?", "Yes she is , she said she will not come to school anymore and is getting married to some very big man in 2 days" she said in a gloomy voice. Aurobindo made his daughter sit on his lap and said ,"they are fools". The little girl asked timidly ,"you are no fool na baba?" listening to this Aurobindo laughed and said ,"No princess , why do you ask?"
"You are not going to get me married to some old man right? If you will do such thing i will complain to maa" said the girl pointing a finger towards her father. "I will do no such things Indu I promise. Not because I am afraid of your mother but you are just too precious" saying this he kissed her forehead mumbling my brave girl.
She jumped from her father's lap and walked towards the wall where a picture was hung of a beautiful woman. Her late mother. Her maa. She smiled looking at the frame as if her mother is really standing there , then she started speaking ,"Maa you know baba is the best , he always listens to me and never yells at me like Pooja's father. You too don't get angry at baba, please maa." Aurobindo chuckled , walked towards her and stood behind her , with a mischievous voice he said ,"Indu your maa is angry at me and is telling me she will only talk to me when I will make you marry to some big old man".
She turned towards her father with wide eyes and then with the same wide eyes she looked towards her mother's picture.
She narrowed her eyes and looked towards her father and said ,"I will not marry to anyone". Aurobindo suppressed his laughter and said ,"but you have to bacha otherwise your maa will never talk to me , do you want that?" , "You're lying , I know and if you make me marry to someone I will ask Ramesh uncle to scold and punish you."
Aurobindo too narrowed his eyes at her ,"Ramesh uncle's spoiled princess...." She showed her tounge to her father and started running out of the room laughing.
A piece of serenity surged through his veins listening to his daughter's laugh echoing in the hallway. Suddenly he realised his daughter is running , that to in the hallway which will lead to STAIRS. Oh goddess Durga.
"WAIT.... INDALII..."
*END OF FLASHBACK*
I came out of the trance when i felt a rough hand harshly rubbed something off my forehead. Instinctively I caught the hand and slowly looked up towards it's owner. A very old lady , face covered in wrinkle , clad in white saree and bald. I have seen her quite a number of times in the village. People call her bad omen as she is a ..... Widow. I looked at her palm which was covered in vermillion.
I abruptly left her hand as if she burned me. And it struck me as a thunder . I am a widow now , just like her , just like her i am a bad omen now. My tears started flowing again ,"My husband......" a yelling voice boomed in the mansion ,"you witch don't take my son's name from your dirty mouth.. you killed him , she killed my son." The accusations and hatred in her voice made a shiver run down my spine. I looked towards my mother-in-law with tear filled eyes. I was unable to form any sentence her accusing stare was scaring me. My throat felt dry , still with a treambling voice I said ,"Maa.." , "Don't call me maa , i was never your maa you orphan".
My heartbeat stopped. The woman who i was thinking is my mother , the woman whom i showered with all my love and care called me orphan. She didn't understood that not only she lost her only child but also i lost my everything.
He used to say he loves to see me in red saree , i wore it for him. Vermillion of his name , bangles of his choice but today as he left me he took away everything , everything that he used to say he loved once. And now i am left in this colourful world with a colourless life , left with only accusations and hatred.
"Take her away from me , take her away." I was too stunned to understand anything. Two women came by my side and made me to stand up.
******FLASHBACK********
"Indu , are you really saying yes to the marriage proposal?" Baba asked me in an over-joyed tone. I shyly nodded my head and said ,"Baba he is really good , he even promised me that he will talk to his mother about my studies." My father was over the moon ,"What? He really said that? Joy maa durga" His eyes brimmed with tears and he kissed my forehead.
"My princess is going to be someone's queen now. Binod is very lucky." I hugged Baba tightly ,"So shall I say no to him?" Baba asked . I looked up at him confusion was written all over my face but i saw him grinning ,"What? Why?" I asked a little too quickly. "You used to say i will never marry anyone baba and if you make me marry to someone i will complain to maa" baba tried to mock my voice but miserably failed but still laughed at his own joke.
I whined , stomped my foot and called out ,"Ramesh kaka see baba is teasing me.."
*****END OF FLASHBACK*********
SPLASH!!
I came out of my trance when someone poured cold water on me. Some old widow women were bathing me. My hands were no longer covered in those red bangles , a woman again harshly rubbed my forehead wiping away all the remnants of the red vermillion. Another woman came up and changed my saree to a colourless one. A colour which others might call peace but we married woman call it a nightmare , a terror. And I , accepted it.
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Baba - Father
Durga - Durga is a goddess in Hindu mythology.
With love,
Ek Choti Lekhika
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INDALI
General FictionRamnagar , the only village of Bengal under Woman Zamindari. It wasn't easy for her to take control over everything but she did. People called her witch , she was no less than a goddess , they said she is a bad omen but she never cared , they called...
