Durga | ✓

28. Black Thread

Susheela was looking at the vessel in which milk was being warmed. She said, "Durga, you are so nice. Even though you are our guests, you are helping me."

Durga smiled. "It's okay Akka... I have a question."

"Ask me. I'll try to answer it."

"Looking at the houses, I thought many people would be living here. But the road near the bus stop was deserted. Is everything okay?"

Susheela laughed. "Actually there is a village fair. Near Dharmapuri. Many people have gone there. Some are planning to go today. Otherwise, people always roam around in the fields. You see, it is like our picnic spots. We villagers find village fairs a great opportunity to explore these villages."

"Why didn't you go?"

"Panditji never leaves the temple. His life is in the temple. He agreed to stay in Mysore for Nadi Astrology. That too, he stayed only for six months. I never had seen anyone so crazy for it."

Susheela turned off the stove burner. She carefully poured milk into the four small cups. "So Durga are you married?"

If Susheela had asked a month ago, she would've broken down. Now, she knew how to handle it. "I am a divorcee."

Susheela gave a pitiful look. "I am sorry. I shouldn't have asked about it."

"No Akka. It is okay. You don't have to apologise."

Susheela handed over the cup to her. She walked with a tray in her hand, swiftly. Durga looked at her with awe.

"Durga! Why are you giving the cup directly? Next time bring it in a tray." Indrajeet explained.

Durga nodded. She was glad that her husband had explained it to her so well. Things don't remain the same, do they?

"Durga! Durga! When are you going to come? Why do you walk so slowly?"

Terrified, Durga increased her walking pace. The fleets of saree got stuck with her silver toe ring. She fell down. Indrajeet glared at her.

"What do you think you were doing? Can't you be little more careful?"

Durga cried in pain. "Indrajeet, can't you see that this steaming hot tea fell on my foot? It is paining a lot. Help me to get up. I will run cold water on my foot."

Indrajeet went to his room. Durga slowly got up with the help of the adjacent wall. She somehow went to bathroom. The soothing cold water calmed the burning sensation of her left foot.

She cleaned the tea mess and went to search for ointment. Indrajeet ignored her. That time Durga thought about the failure of her marriage.

Sudden chatter of monkeys behind the house bought her back to this world. She went to the living room and sat down. She sipped the coffee quietly. Rudra was praising Susheela for her coffee. Durga smiled. Soon, they prepared to leave.

They were walking on the same path as they were in the morning. The whispering of the nilgiri trees had stopped. At the bus stop, there was a small crowd.

The bus arrived after few minutes. Durga was a person who was accustomed of travelling in public transport with proper tickets. She was about to board the bus when people pushed her and went past her.

She felt a familiar hand holding hers and pulling into the bus. With that intense jostling, she left Rudra's hand and looked around. After few minutes, the crowd settled with women and children primarily occupying all the seats.

Durga searched for a seat but she couldn't find any. Dejected, she looked at Rudra. Rudra signalled through his eyes to come near him. She nodded diligently and walked towards him.

The metal pole on which Rudra had firmly held his hand, he saw a small hand placing on his. Durga looked at her, shyly. Rudra understood that on the pole, there wasn't space of her to keep her hand. Few men stared at her.

Unable to bear their glances, she looked at the floor, occasionally looking at Rudra.

Durga looked at Akshad as he was tying the black thread around her left foot, near her ankle. Durga smiled at him. Tightening the knot, Akshad said, "There, it is done. This thread will protect you from evil eye."

They lie. It is not true. But that sentence builds so much of hope in a person. Oh! Not a person. In a woman. Anyways the best I can do is ignore them. I can't keep slapping each one of them.

She suddenly felt the gap between Rudra and her less. He stood very close to her. The men, stopped staring at her. She smiled at him. Rudra too, smiled back.

What made you go near her?

Those men were staring at her.

So? Did she asked you?

But she didn't refuse. So I guess she is okay with it.

How can she scold you in the bus? Think about it.

Rudra gulped and moved back. Tiny wave of disappointment swept of her face. Why did he move back?

What? They stopped staring at you. Isn't that enough?

Well, actually you are right. I shouldn't expect much from him.

Expect? What were you expecting from him?

You know very well.

*****

Durga sat in her room after the tiring journey the previous day. She was very curious from the previous day to work out with the symbols associated with her family. That day was some local festival, so they anyways had a holiday.

She wrote down the names of her family members.

Akshad

Neeravati

Brahma

Indrajeet

Let me try working out with their relations. Akshad, father. Neeravati, mother. Brahma, maternal grandfather. Indrajeet, maternal uncle, my ex-husband.

Hmmmm, this is not working. Something is missing. Or is it visible yet I am unable to comprehend it?

*****

Rudra sat excitedly. He didn't knew why but he felt a strange feeling rushing as he wrote the names of his family.

Ramesh

Gowri

Manohar

These are my immediate family members. Appa, amma and my uncle. But they don't seem to be working out.

*****

Video attached: Ideyedho Bagundi from Mirchi. I know that the song is in Telugu. But do listen to it because music has no language. The song beautifully captures three best places of Pune. Believe me, when I visited these places, I never thought it could be so beautiful. Hats off to Koratala Siva.

Black thread: a common South Indian tradition where a girl is tied black thread on her left foot. It is believed that the thread wards off evil eye. Many South Indian actresses wear it. For example, Anushka Shetty (of Bahubali fame)

Can anyone of you guess the symbol in the names of members of their respective families?

Thank you for reading.