My Story "Unmatched Deepavli" in The Hindu
Mere mention of word, “crackers” put a huge smile across Munnu’s face. Huge enough to reveal his two broken front teeth, even in the darkest hour of the day. Sweety, found this unusual smile very amusing and she giggled whenever Munnu smiled. Sweety’s grandmother did not like Munnu though she had to bear with his presence in the house as he always accompanied his mother who performed daily chores at Sweety’s house. Munnu’s mother Rama was a domestic help and could hardly make ends meet with her limited earnings.
While Sweety, had spread her collection of crackers all over the floor of her dining room. While her grandmother was repeatedly asking her to finish her glass of milk, little Sweety was lost among her crackers. Munnu who was sitting outside kitchen where his mother was washing utensils was gradually inching towards the dining room to catch better glimpse of crackers. “Munnu, we will fire all these crackers tomorrow” Sweety clapped and Munnu smiled exposing his two broken teeth for Sweety’s prolonged laughter. “Who called you here?” grandmother admonished Munnu when she noticed him in the room. Munnu shirked and left the room with heavy steps. Sweety did not like her grandmother’s rude behavior towards Munnu.
“Your mom and dad will be back tomorrow only. Your Nani is yet to get discharged from hospital” grandmother told Sweety next morning after disconnecting the phone. “Don’t worry. We will have great fun” grandmother hugged Sweety. “Of course dadi, I know” Sweety kissed her gently.
Rama entered the house and entered straight into kitchen while Munnu decided to sit near the entrance. He was afraid of going inside. Sweety unwrapped her crackers and picked up a coloured match box.
“Come on Munnu. I will show you the sparkling lights of this lovely match sticks. These match sticks change colours.” Munnu was hesitant to move inside the house. “Oh don’t be afraid. Dadi is in the garden to collect flowers. I will be quick” Sweety assured Munnu. Munnu became curious but he was careful.
Sweety ignited a match stick. Green, red, yellow…..sparks were changing colour, and so were the expressions on Munnu’s face. His face glimmered and two broken teeth got exposed once again. Sweety kept lighting one match stick after other and suddenly one broken stick fell on her frock. White lace of her frock caught fire. She started crying. Rama rushed out from kitchen while dadi ran from the garden. Munnu immediately started dousing fire with his bare hands. He tried his best and soon put out the fire. Sweety was scared and shivering. Dadi had entered the room. “What happened?” she asked in a worried tone. Munnu slowly moved out of the room. “I am fine Dadi” Sweety replied. Rama noticed that Sweety was alright however Munnu was nowhere to be seen.
“Show me your hands” Dadi was standing next to Munnu and caressing his hands. “Let us go to doctor first ‘cause we have to fire the crackers in the evening’’ and Dadi led Munnu towards doctor’s clinic.
Mere mention of word, “crackers” put a huge smile across Munnu’s face. Huge enough to reveal his two broken front teeth, even in the darkest hour of the day. Sweety, found this unusual smile very amusing and she giggled whenever Munnu smiled. Sweety’s grandmother did not like Munnu though she had to bear with his presence in the house as he always accompanied his mother who performed daily chores at Sweety’s house. Munnu’s mother Rama was a domestic help and could hardly make ends meet with her limited earnings.
While Sweety, had spread her collection of crackers all over the floor of her dining room. While her grandmother was repeatedly asking her to finish her glass of milk, little Sweety was lost among her crackers. Munnu who was sitting outside kitchen where his mother was washing utensils was gradually inching towards the dining room to catch better glimpse of crackers. “Munnu, we will fire all these crackers tomorrow” Sweety clapped and Munnu smiled exposing his two broken teeth for Sweety’s prolonged laughter. “Who called you here?” grandmother admonished Munnu when she noticed him in the room. Munnu shirked and left the room with heavy steps. Sweety did not like her grandmother’s rude behavior towards Munnu.
“Your mom and dad will be back tomorrow only. Your Nani is yet to get discharged from hospital” grandmother told Sweety next morning after disconnecting the phone. “Don’t worry. We will have great fun” grandmother hugged Sweety. “Of course dadi, I know” Sweety kissed her gently.
Rama entered the house and entered straight into kitchen while Munnu decided to sit near the entrance. He was afraid of going inside. Sweety unwrapped her crackers and picked up a coloured match box.
“Come on Munnu. I will show you the sparkling lights of this lovely match sticks. These match sticks change colours.” Munnu was hesitant to move inside the house. “Oh don’t be afraid. Dadi is in the garden to collect flowers. I will be quick” Sweety assured Munnu. Munnu became curious but he was careful.
Sweety ignited a match stick. Green, red, yellow…..sparks were changing colour, and so were the expressions on Munnu’s face. His face glimmered and two broken teeth got exposed once again. Sweety kept lighting one match stick after other and suddenly one broken stick fell on her frock. White lace of her frock caught fire. She started crying. Rama rushed out from kitchen while dadi ran from the garden. Munnu immediately started dousing fire with his bare hands. He tried his best and soon put out the fire. Sweety was scared and shivering. Dadi had entered the room. “What happened?” she asked in a worried tone. Munnu slowly moved out of the room. “I am fine Dadi” Sweety replied. Rama noticed that Sweety was alright however Munnu was nowhere to be seen.
“Show me your hands” Dadi was standing next to Munnu and caressing his hands. “Let us go to doctor first ‘cause we have to fire the crackers in the evening’’ and Dadi led Munnu towards doctor’s clinic.
Comments
Post a Comment