INDALI

CHAPTER - 7

I told you people i am a lazy lad :))
Here's an update.

INDALI'S P.O.V :-

Morning came soon with the same cold and fresh breeze.  I wasn't able to sleep last night after that nightmare. My head was throbbing and I desperately needed a cup of tea but didn't had the necessary ingredients to make so.

So here I am standing in my room's window and looking down at people and there busy morning activities.  I saw a mother who slapped her child thrice in a row as he denied to go to school. I chuckled seeing that when suddenly my eyes fell on a girl , most probably around 9-10 she was looking at the mother and son , she smiled sadly and looked down at the pot which she was holding maybe to fetch water and then she walked away.

What I saw was very sad reality of this society and it hurts. I kept looking at that girl who soon dissapeared from my sight. I looked aimlessly out of the window.

And then I heard someone calling "Didiii" , "Didiii" I looked down and saw a boy looking up at me and waving his hand with a broad smile in his face. I frowned looking at him. He then bent down and with much difficulty he lifted up two full bags of groceries.

I lifted my eyebrows in understanding and rushed downstairs to help the boy. Upon reaching downstairs , I opened the doors and helped that boy to bring the groceries in.

"Thank you" I said with a little smile. His not so small smile broadened. "My name is Shyam Bose" he said. "And mine is Indali Bas- , Indali , just Indali" I stopped before I could add my name in his.

"Just Indali , what an interesting name you have" he said chuckling. "Don't you think this joke is too old now?" I asked with amusement. "By the way how old are you?" I asked.

"I am 13 didi. I know I look quite strong for my age. Come on, I lifted two grocery bags on my own". I laughed a little and replied "That you are".

"Hey don't laugh at me otherwise be ready to bring your groceries by your own from the next time" he said with a huff. And then I laughed a full blown laugh.

"Am sorry my dear sir. Forgive me" I said chuckling. "You're forgiven" he said smiling. He then looked around the house and slowly his smile vanished. "You live here alone didi?"

Then it was my turn to look around the house. Alone , yes I am alone. Not only in this house but in this whole world. I simply nodded then he added ,"aren't you afraid of ghosts? Oh wait , don't tell me you are a ghost yourself!"

I shooked my head and replied ,"No I am not a ghost nor I am afraid of one. They don't exist." , "How do you know that they don't exist? My grandfather says that ghosts roam around in night."

I ruffled his hair and said "Don't believe in anything and everything that you haven't seen"

Then I heard a knock at the front door , I looked at the door and Bulbul kaki was standing there. "Come in kaki" and she entered.

"Indu beta is there some work that I can help you with?" She asked looking at me with sympathy. I took a deep breath and before I could speak anything Shyam spoke ,"yes you can. Can you just help her to understand that I am a big boy and she can't just ruffle my hair like that." Kaki looked at that boy with wide eyes as if warning him.

"Woahh!! She looks more dangerous than you. I should probably leave otherwise she might cut all my hair off". Saying this he ran off and I laughed a little again. What a young soul.

Then again I looked back at kaki and said ,"kaki help me to put these groceries in their place."

I lifted one bag and was about to carry that heavy grocery bag into the kitchen when kaki said ,"Indu beta you-you leave it.. I will do it for you" I turned around and replied ,"Kaki there's so much things inside both the bags. You won't be able to do it all by yourself I will help you" saying this I was walking away when she replied in a whisper ,"you aren't supposed to enter the kitchen" and then I stopped dead on my track.

I again turned to look at her with a small smile and replied ,"Kaki then how am I suppose to cook for myself? No one's going to make food for me now are they?And moreover I already cooked last night for myself in the kitchen" Kaki just nodded dissapointedly and followed me to kitchen.

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After setting up everything in the kitchen I made tea for me and kaki but she didn't had any. I was sipping my tea when she asked ,"What has happened? Did Bino- , I mean did your mother-in-law asked you to leave her home?" I shooked my head while I put the cup down ,"I left the house on my own. She simply gave me two options and I chose to left". Kaki asked with confusion ,"what was the other option?" And I replied looking nowhere ,"to perform mundan".

I looked at kaki but she didn't reacted and continued ,"beta mundan is something that women do practice after their husband's pass away. This practice is common".

"We have made this common kaki. Only to make a widow look unattractive in the eyes of men we made this mundan a compulsory practice. I never grew my hairs to please men. Moreover the great Kunti from the Mahabharat who was a widow , she never shaved her head after her husband died. I was not willing to do so , so I didn't. Mundan is a constant reminder that I am a widow and my husband is not with me. I won't be able to recognise myself in the mirror the pain I am bearing in my heart and soul will increase multifolds and it won't let me live. He left me dead kaki. He left me dead" I sobbed uncontrollably and kaki stood in a corner looking me brokedown infront of her.

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There's absolutely nothing in this house that I could do except one thing , that is getting bore to death. I was watching a trail of ants who with much difficulty were carrying some sugar pieces that might have fell from the grocery bag.

I was watching them with so much concentration that a knock on the door startled me. I got up and walked upto the door. I opened the door and there stood kaka. Seeing me he smiled and i reciprocated. I asked him to come in and went in to fetch a glass of water.

When I came back from the kitchen kaka was sitting in the chair pensively. I placed the glass infront of him and gently asked ,"What is it kaka? It looks like there's some problem".  Kaka looked up at me and smiled ,"No no beta there's nothing it is just that , village yajna is near and the fund has always been raised by the zamindar but now" I understood what he is trying to say.

Nor baba nor Binod Babu is here so who's going to provide them with this large sum? I sat on a chair which was facing kaka. And we both sat silently for a while thinking what to do. And then it struck me.

"Kaka I got an idea. Tell me , did the villagers gave their tax to Binod Babu this month?" Kaka just shooked his head and said ,"No we people give taxes in the first week of the month as it's the end of the month there's still time". I smiled and replied ,"problem is solved then". Kaka raised his eyebrows and asked ,"how?" And I explained further.

"See you go and ask the villagers not to provide the tax that they payed to the zamindar. This month they can only pay the tax that will be handed over to the British government. This way you can save the money for the yajna. And moreover we don't know who's gonna takeover the zamindari of this village so they can keep the zamindar taxes to themselves".

Kaka nodded his head in understanding and said ,"not a bad idea. But why don't you take over the zamindari? Aurobindo wrote his zamindari in your name.You're capable of it aren't you?" I thought about it for a while and replied ,"I don't know. People won't accept me".

Kaka lifted the glass and drank the whole content in a few gulps and replied ,"Give it a thought" he placed his hand on my head and left the house. I sat there thinking.

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Yajna - A hindu ritual of sacrifice or offerings to the god with the chants of Vedic mantras done by priests infront of the holy fire.

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With love ,
Ek Choti Lekhika