We Come So Far

Serendipity🌈☀

Bondita's POV

Sumati - Did you keep that tin jar I have you?

"Which one?" I asked curiously "the one with Shorbhaaja that you gave me in the morning?"

"Arey Dhatt!!" Sumati ma lightly slapped her forehead in irritation "the two jars with kolai (Urad) Daal and masoor daal er bori (dumplings made of pulses) I kept here on the table and left for pond"

"Here? On table? Now?" I asked getting astonished.

Sumati ma - Why are you so shocked? Didn't I tell you to keep the jars in your luggage? Didn't you hear me?

"Uumm" I stammered anxiously "Na actually, I was.....no I mean"

Sumati ma - What? Where was your attention when I said take care of house and left to wash in the pond?

"Ma....actually" I sniffed trying to control my tears "ma.....i was..."

"Arey ki ho lo bol (tell me what happened)" Sumati ma remarked anxiously "ki ho lo ta ki?"

I broke down into tears and flung me arms to embrace ma as she stood shocked.

Sumati ma (holding my cheeks, kissing my forehead) - Beta what happened all of a sudden? Why are you crying? I am getting worried now. Answer me.

"Ma" I replied wiping my tears "I don't want to go now."

Sumati ma (anticipating with smile) - why? Don't you miss your kaka soshurmoshai? He was saying on call yesterday, he is missing you so much. Your Som dada also said the same. Don't you love them?

"I do ma but..." I paused "Ma....I love you more....i love my Devipur graam more....I wonder when will I come here again? Bela and Raashi left for their soshur baari, I don't know when shall we all meet again? Why did the school management preponed the exam dates!! I wish I could spend time with you for a few more days"

"Bondita beta sit here" Ma sat down on bed held my shoulders pulling me on her lap

I gaped looking at her as my embankment of tears still trailing down my cheeks, my heart pouncing my chest walls at the thought of departing tomorrow.

Ma (clutching my palms softly) - Beta, I understand your state of mind. But, you have your exams or else you could stay here for few more days, and where am I running away? You can send letters to me and your friends every month and make a trunk call daily at daak khana. It's just 5 min from here. Besides Bondita, even if you had stayed here for a month, you wouldn't be satified. But, once girls get married, their husband's home become their real homes and they are guests at their ma er baari!; and guests have to return to their own home some day.

"Why!! How can you say this ma" I sprang up at once releasing her hands "how can a girl who is born and grows up at a place, can ever become a guest at her own home just because she is married! That's cruel. What about boys then? They don't become guests at their own home. Why only us ma?

"Bondita is right ma" Pati babu entered carrying a bag full of fruits and grocery "Such biased stigma among the genders in our tradition are absolute non-sense. Why all these nasty sacrifices are expected out of women? Is it even logical to believe a child who is born and grows up playing at a surrounding, become a foreign, a second person in their own home? Ma, you should change your perspective. If women stick to such outdated baseless stigma against their own gender, their own blood. Then, how can we expect the patriarchal law makers of our society to change their perception?"

"Shabaash Pati babu" I quickly walked to him and patted on his arm, taking his shopping bags "how did you manage to walk with these heavy bags in the marshy streets. It was heavily raining yesterday night. The streets must be spattered with mud everywhere, especially in the market."