Sometimes, I start thinking about Nilimadi, Asha…..their lonely family. The difficulty they must be facing in the night…… who gives them security under the open sky…..! All alone in this world…. What if someone tries to overpower her someday? And from next day that footpath will be vacant!
After all, Nilimadi is not an ordinary face! She is still very attractive and is difficult to escape someone’s eyes. Anybody looking at her eyes will get attracted as her eyes are full of passion and beauty. Living in footpath over last two years have of course reduced her glamour, but, its still nothing the less.
“Will you remain like this forever?” , I asked one day. “You cannot carry on like this!”
She didn’t reply, for its the most difficult question I have asked. She kept on looking at Asha playing far away, who is indifferent to her situation, with uncertainty but strong determination in her face. May be tears were put on hold within her eyes not to be visible.
“O…K….., fine…., Nilimadi, you didn’t share whether you had a love marriage!”
Her eyes brightened up immediately. As if she gets back to her life!
It was a Saturday afternoon……I asked for one more cup of tea. I decided not to leave her gloomy faced.
“Today, I will listen and then will go to home”, I reiterated.
“I was in class VI when I first saw him. I was around 10 years!
He used to come to play football near my house everyday. He was an excellent player”.
“Where did you stay?”, I asked.
“Paikpara in North Kolkata……. There was a big play ground in our para (locality)
Boys used to gather every afternoon there to play football……
My father was a primary school teacher, and, I had two more sisters younger to me”
There was a small pause…..I knew she will tell me everything. I don’t know why I took interest in others life, which I am not used to!
“So, you had financial problem?”
“To some extent…., but not that, I could not pursue my studies. Infact my mother was very strict and never allowed us to go just anywhere, anytime. She always used to say…….first study then all other activities, if you want to grow up in your life”
She took a deep breath.
She then continues…. “We used to meet each other on the way to school…, Slowly, we got attracted to each other. We could not miss even a single day!
During class IX, many days we bunked classes to move around together. Somedays, we watched movies! First half one day…., second half some other day!”
“You were not caught?” I asked.
“Yes, my youngest sister! She was in class V then……. One day, she somehow came to know that I was not in the class…….and then, as it happens, news came to my mother!”
“How did you save yourself?”
“No, I could not speak lie to my mother….and, she explained to me that it is the career first….then marriage. I must stand up on my feet, secure a job….and for that I need a good qualification!”
“She stopped allowing me to go to school alone. Even in the afternoon, I could not go out and walk in the street or even stand at the gate.
Board exam of class X was about to happen. Just three days before, he sent one of my mate with a message that he was in severe trouble, and he wants me to come out on the street in the afternoon time when my mother was taking rest along with my sisters. I was not given even 10 minutes time to spare!
My heart thumped….like anything! I didn’t know what to do and what was going up. I still don’t know, what happened to me, I felt I was leaving my family for good, and I will not be able to see the face of my sisters and mother and father again. I just prayed to God, and rushed out of home. With the fear of getting caught, I didn’t even look back…..and with long strides I walked out of my house…..in the street.
He was standing far off! He indicated to move on, and I walked as fast as I can. Some power came within me and I didn’t know what dragged me forward….. towards a happy destination, happy life…..
We went till Chiriamore in a bike of his friend, then, took a taxi and started off towards Ganges bank. Sun was red, sparkling on the river……I looked at the river while moving along its bank and the red Sun seem to reflect from the river on to my forehead…... as if marking sindur!
Suddenly, I felt the fear of unknown, what was happening to me? Where am I going? Who is with me?....... How well I know him? Can I trust him?......... What reply shall I give to my family members? Who will take care of my younger sisters? Can I stand in front of my mother?
He probably could read my face, he caught me in his arms. I started crying……..
“Why are you crying? ..... I am with you…….your everything, remember, you told me once. Look at me….. trust me….. I promised to take care of you, and I will do it”
I looked up at his face. He was calm and bold. I felt suddenly darkness surrounding me and I felt unconscious.
When my sense came, I was inside a house, unknown house. He was sitting beside me in a chair. I looked around the room, a small room.
“Where I am?”, I asked.
“This is your new home, dear”, he replied.
“Shall we live here? Whose house is this?”
“This house, I have taken on rent……. We will stay here”
“Where is it?”
“Mominpur….. now get ready! We need to get ready fast”
Where are we going?”
“Korunamoyee Mandir…..we are getting married” he declared.
With few friends of him we went to the temple and we celebrated our marriage.
