A story of
three sisters
One early morning when me and my wife were preparing to
leave for our routine morning walk in the Joggers Park near Chandrashekharpur
Police Station; then all of a sudden we almost had an head on collision with a
monstrous JCB--Road making machine of L&T ECC
in the Lane-1 of Adarsha Vihar, that is near Big Bazar Patia; unannounced. As
they would dig up the road to lay the new concrete road of JICA program of
Government of Odisha; we had the choice of 10 seconds to decide either to
remove the car from Portico or not use the car for next 30 days. In a state of
shock and disbelief we approached a close friend of my wife for help to park
the car in their unoccupied parking space in nearby Subhadra apartment. She
also agreed to show us the place and introduce us to their apartment security
staff. In this connection both of us visited the flat of Swati’s parents’ who
are no more. I found their flat has been kept as a living organism just the way
their parents left it--untouched by time and maintained as if some body is
living their. The seating area was as speak and span as the curtains in blue
and brown shade (now available in Amazon). Her parents photograph adorns
the wall without any dust and now one garland added to the photo in mark of
respect. The living deity Durga in all her cosmetics and jewellery looked
majestic in the Puja room generously lit up just like a conventional Bengali family.
Wall hangings and paintings were gleaming
from the corner to corner walls, wind chimes creating its own music while
southern window was open to let in fresh air, Divan covered with an ethnic bed
spread looked like freshly polished recently, kitchen with all equipments
neatly covered and master bed room and guest room arranged impeccably as if
some one was living their regularly not a crease on the bed covers and pillows
neatly placed on its proper place exuding an aura of a fully living home. They
also keep the refrigerator live to prevent any malfunctioning. At the end Swati
surprised us by stepping out on some excuse to arrange some snacks and sweets
for us and served us with indulgence as their parents would have done for a
visiting daughter and son-in-law sealing those moments with love and affection
for both of us which is exceptional in our times of living.
Three sisters Swati, Sweta and Sharmista have taken on
themselves to keep their parents memory live and legacy uninterrupted despite
their absence. Instead of sharing the booty, these sisters share the cost and
labor of preserving their parent’s legacy as it is dear to them. It will not be
inappropriate to ask how many so called sons (male child) manage to keep
the legacy of their parents in such a beautiful manner. Eventually, truth
prevails; and, this writer and his brothers can’t claim to have preserved their
father’s rich legacy in a befitting manner as Swati and her sisters have done.
Then, why so much craze and paranoia for a male child in our society even
today?
Bikash Choudhury
Author’s Bio: Freelance writer on Socio, Economic &
Political issues and events; he also writes on art & culture apart from
being a passionate activist. Contact: streben.market@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment