Saturday, 10 May 2014

Life’s Nemesis


What was sadder?
Watching her blink, yawn and breathe a few days ago
Or watching her lifeless body lay there this morning?
What brought more tears?
Seeing her lying there cold, motionless, lifeless, still, stiff, her eyes wide open in shock
Or seeing her dressed in a pink flowery salwar kameez ready to be taken to burn her to ashes?
Why didn’t they let me go to the shmashana?
‘Because you’re a girl.’
‘Oh. And what about the idea that she was my Amma?’
For the dead old woman’s sake, do not tell me the constraints of being a girl.
She’s gone.
Where did she go?
To a mysterious land called Death.
‘Bitiya, come here, let me tell you a story today.’
Who’s going to tell me fantastic stories now?

For people, her clothes in the cupboard were sarees and salwar kameez
For my father, a small room overflowing with memories.
For, she too has become a memory now.



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