THIS STORY IS DEDICATED TO: 

 My mother, for her sacrifices, love, and strength. 

To Goddess Durga, who symbolizes maternal love and protection. The one who is the mother of all living beings.

To Goddess Lakshmi, the one who signifies the sacrifices and struggles of women. The one whose ability to adjust brings harmony and prosperity to the household. The one who provides strength to Her other half, the protector of the universe.

To Goddess Saraswati, the consort of the creator of this universe and the preserver of all knowledge and learning.

To the sacred and divine women and mothers who nurture life and uphold love.

..............................................................................

"A lotus has delicate petals which open only when the sun shines upon it at dawn. With the twilight, the petals close. Girls represent the lotus and their life their petals; the sun must shine, for them to bloom."

-Elegiac_Damsel
______

June 2017

Third person's point of view:

The sun had just risen in Kolkata at 5.00 a.m. 

The birds were chirping noisily that summer morning and the lotuses had just started opening their petals. The first rays of the sun fell on the mucky, muddy, almost opaque water of their habitat, and reflected the golden beam of light that seemed to have descended from heaven. The early morning bells could be heard chiming rhythmically in all the temples while the sound of many conch shells being blown in unison echoed in the horizon. With the fishermen immersing their nets in the Hooghly river and flower sellers already setting up their stalls, it was just another blissful dawn in the City of Joy.

In a particular one-story house near Entally, the sunlight seeping through an East facing transparent window frame disturbed the sleep of a young 21-year-old girl. Her eyes opened slowly, depicting the delicate petals of a lotus. She was no stranger to the dawn; with the years, rising with the sun every day had become a habit. Stifling a yawn, she sat up in bed only to be greeted by the empty spot next to her. 

Mrinalini did not have to look around anywhere for her mother though; the shrill whistle of the pressure cooker followed by the clanking of vessels let her know of her mother, Rai's whereabouts. She was obviously in the kitchen, cooking. 

Lifting herself off the bed, she proceeded to go about her daily routine, making the bed, bathing, and getting dressed for college. She packed her satchel with her books and other stationery and then skipped to her grandmother's room next door. The room had a marble temple wherein the idols of Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha resided. On two small thrones nearby, resided the brass idol of a baby Krishna and the Narayan Shila (rock representing the protector of the universe). Mrinalini's grandmother, the matriarch of the Debnath household, Brindadebi was preparing for the daily worship. She smiled as her granddaughter walked in, dressed up in a modern yet conservative way. 

"Good morning Thamma (grandmother). What can I do for you?" she asked cheerfully.

"Get me some sandalwood paste and after that go to the kitchen to fetch me the kheer your mother has prepared to serve the Lord. It is a Thursday, we must pay our respects to Him and Goddess Lakshmi," Brindadebi instructed her granddaughter.

She complied with her grandmother's request and started working up her fingers meticulously to extract sandalwood paste. Once done, she walked barefoot to the kitchen and smiled at her mother who was juggling three different dishes. Rai smiled back at the young, budding woman who she had birthed; her Mini. 

"The kheer is kept there. Tell your grandmother that I will be there for the puja in half an hour after I take my second bath. And Mini, it is already 6 a.m., you'd better come back here to serve your uncle and elder brother their morning tea." 

Mrinalini sighed and carried the requisite bowl to her grandmother's room. Her mornings usually began this way as did her mother's. 

Being widowed at an early age, with a two-year-old daughter, Rai had seen no other choice than to take shelter at her husband's older brother's home. She had taught Mrinalini to be respectful towards Barun (her Uncle) and Srishti (her aunt). She had always asked her daughter to be grateful to them for accepting the two of them and taking up their responsibility. 

Her daughter hadn't really been fooled though, she had caught on at a young age that nothing in the world came for free. All these years, her mother had always worn the old saris that her aunt would pass on and the fact that the lion's share of the household work was done by Rai would only escape the eyes of a visually challenged person. 

Mrinalini delivered the bowl of kheer to her grandmother and then proceeded to serve her Uncle and cousin brother, Abhrajit, some tea. The Debnath family was typically patriarchal and the men seldom found their way into the kitchen. Mrinalini in fact was the first daughter in her family who had entered college. She had always been protected by the elders in the family, and she shared a good rapport with her cousin who was older than her by 5 years. 

"Sis, you'd better be ready in the next 15 minutes. I need to go to college early today," Abhrajit informed his sister.

 Mrinalini nodded her head. She knew what her brother meant by 'going to college early'. He had confessed to being in a relationship with one of his fellow assistant professors and that they both spent time together before college began. She, however, never had such a chance given the fact that she had been educated in all girls' schools and it was the same case with her college.

Her college started at 7.30. She was usually dropped off by her brother at Esplanade from where she took the metro to Girish Park station. Her college, Bethune was located within a feasible walking distance. Every afternoon once her college was over, she would take a metro back from Girish Park to Esplanade where her Uncle or brother would wait to take her back home. She was a bright student, confident, and was regarded as a spitfire by all her friends. Having seen her mother jailed within the four walls of the house, she had always been inclined to proving her own worth. 

...

"Dadabhai (older brother), why did Jethu  (paternal uncle; father's older brother) seem so off today? He barely acknowledged me when I served him tea," Mrinalini asked Abhrajit, as the two of them proceeded towards Esplanade on Abhrajit's bike. 

"He is just a bit concerned about my future. You know that I am trying for admission abroad for my doctorate. I applied for a job as a full-time professor at the same university. He and I had a small tussle last night over this," he explained briefly.

"Dadabhai, you know that I am graduating soon. Which college should I apply to for my post-graduation? I actually want to go to Delhi or Mumbai but then..." she was cut off in between by Abhrajit who told her solemnly,

"Dear Lotus, just get off my bike and proceed to college. I'll speak to you about this in the evening. You know how far-fetched your thoughts are. Have a good day, little sister."

Mrinalini smiled at him and wished him a good day. She knew what her brother was referring to as 'far-fetched thoughts'. Their family was quite conservative. Even if they didn't object to her higher education, no one would permit her to move out of the city. Her security was definitely a matter of concern, but mostly it was a preventive measure that would keep her from getting involved with anyone in any kind of relationship that wasn't platonic. 

Mrinalini found herself wondering, from time to time if this was protection or just a practice that would eventually inhibit her from spreading her wings and flying. 

Forgoing these thoughts, she went on her way. 

...

The day passed by in a blur. Armed with loads of assignments and heavy Organic chemistry books, Mrinalini reached Esplanade where her Uncle was waiting. No words were exchanged between the two of them as they boarded the bus from Esplanade to reach Entally.

"When do your final exams commence?" Barun asked his niece, as they reached home.

"From next week, Jethu. The practicals were conducted last week," she replied, a bit taken aback at his sudden interest. Even though everyone knew that he loved Mrinalini and that she was the apple of his eye, he had never really taken much interest in her examinations.

"Give your best. You don't have study leaves?"

"I do. Starting tomorrow. Thank you, Jethu," she replied, smiling earnestly. 

Perhaps he would listen to her request of studying outside Kolkata if she outdid herself in the exams. She felt rejuvenated and motivated by her Uncle's concern. 

Barun dismissed his niece with a curt nod and Mrinalini rushed inside to the kitchen to meet her mother.

"Ma! I am back. Can I take a nap for an hour after freshening up? Will you please wake me up? I need to study," she told her mother in a single breath.

"Mini, did you eat your lunch?" Rai asked her daughter, paying no heed to her rant.

"I forgot?" Mrinalini offered, sheepishly.

"You evil girl! You are not even lying down on the bed before eating. Go and freshen up this instant." 

Dropping a kiss on Rai's cheek, Mrinalini walked away, smiling in a carefree manner.

Her mother was left with her own thoughts. She couldn't explain to her daughter why she was always hell-bent on feeding her and asking her about her health. She would never understand why she tucked in her grown, 21-year-old daughter to bed every night. How would her daughter understand anyways that someday she would have to serve her own meals; there would be no one to inquire about her? She would have to wake up by herself and go to bed only after she ensured everything in the household was in order. No one would bother to pack her a lunch box with her favorite dish, she would have to help herself. Someday, even her Mini would have to shoulder the responsibility of her own family; she would be expected to keep herself after everyone else. 

The carefree smile that graced her face now would perhaps just remain a distant memory. Her blooming lotus would have to close her petals, once the shining sun of her spinster life set. 

Rai didn't wish this upon her daughter, but she knew that the patriarchal society would eventually diminish her Mrinalini's dreams. 

...

Two weeks later

With the conclusion of her final exams, Mrinalini had begun searching up the details of post-graduation courses. She had been aiming from quite a young age, to complete a thesis in Organic chemistry. Obtaining a master's in the subject would just be a mere second step towards her goal. The tongue-twisting names of benzenoid and non-benzenoid compounds, in particular, fascinated her. She had been overjoyed when she had secured admission at Bethune, which was regarded as a prestigious institution in Kolkata. There had been initial objections from her aunt, Srishti about taking up Science and not learning subjects like Home Science or Arts which would help her, but Abhrajit and Barun's support had cleared the path. 

The real reason for objecting was however cost. Science courses tend to cost more as compared to Humanities. Fortunately, Mrinalini's brightness had landed her a seat in a college at the Calcutta University where the fees had been reasonable. It was an open secret that Srishti absolutely loathed Rai. She regarded her and her daughter as a burden that her husband had been obliged to carry all these years. Yet, it was the mother of all ironies that she had never ceased from harboring love and affection for the girl who had grown up alongside her own son. 

Mrinalini was saving the admission forms of colleges on the desktop when Srishti asked her to come into the living room. She complied with her aunt's instructions and took her seat on the sofa next to her grandmother. Her mother and aunt were both seated on the divan and her Uncle and cousin were seated on the two armchairs.

"I have good news to announce. Abhra(jit) has secured admission to the university in the United Kingdom as he had been hoping for. He also got the job there at the university campus," Barun began.

Mrinalini smiled at Abhrajit mouthing a 'Congratulations Dadabhai. Proud of you.'

Her uncle continued, "Srishti and I are looking to shift there with him. We want to sell this house and move there."

His words hit four people like a thunderbolt. Abhrajit was caught totally unaware. He had never expected this, and his parents had never discussed this with him. Brindadebi was too shocked to react. Rai knew she had no say in this matter, but she sure did have queries about her daughter's plans. What would happen to the two of them if they were left homeless?

 Mrinalini's eyes widened as a reflex to her Uncle's words. If they shifted out of the country and sold off the house, her grandmother, mother, and she would be left on the streets. She would have to abandon her dreams of pursuing higher education and take up a low-paying job to feed and keep the three of them alive. The thought caused her anxiety. 

Her mind lost its focus on her Uncle's next words and her grandmother's reaction. She could see her brother speaking followed by her aunt, but their words never reached her ears. She started palpitating, thinking about the future. Her mind blocking every auditory input.

Mrinalini's thoughts eventually drifted to a particular day, a few years ago when she had been 15. Having failed in her 10th grade preliminary examinations, she had been subjected to a severe scolding from her mother, Uncle, and aunt. It was a moment when she had felt that her future had nothing to offer. She had been inclined to run away from home or even worse, she had wanted to end her life. Her grandmother had been a silent spectator to the situation then. She had watched her granddaughter being scolded and had allowed her to cry silent tears sitting on the hard, cold floor of her room. The words that she had uttered later that day had imprinted deeply on Mrinalini. 

The same words resounded in her ears at that moment, "You must live to see the future to know if your life is worthy. You cannot give up and regret not living. You failed today; failing is new to you, but you should know that this is not the last time you will have to encounter failure and hopelessness. You may be anxiously anticipating the future, but you must always remember that the future's a mystery that you would have to explore and unravel to know. No matter what, you must remain strong. We named you after the lotus; Mrinalini- the stem of the lotus flower. The rose may be regarded as the most beautiful flower, and the jasmine may be the most fragrant, but neither of them can equal a lotus. Whenever you find yourself in a difficult, uncertain situation, remember, a lotus is a flower that grows in muck, struggles to grow through mud, but emerges whole, exquisite and unparalleled."

Ever since Mrinalini had always known that she had to pick herself up from any and every kind of situation that life would push her into.

...

To be continued...

PUBLISHED ON: 23rd May 2020

A/N:

The first chapter has thus, finally been updated. Thank you, Harini for the inspiration that I needed. 

I specifically want to dedicate this chapter to all citizens of the State of West Bengal.

The City of Joy, Kolkata, and the neighboring districts of South and North 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Howrah, and East Midnapore in West Bengal, along with areas like Balasore and Paradip in Odisha have suffered terrible loss as calamity befell them due to the super cyclone 'Amphan'. Our neighbor, Bangladesh has also suffered. Amidst the Coronavirus crisis, this is ignored news that will be forgotten soon. I write this not herein so that all of us can remember this debacle and stand by all our fellow citizens at this moment of crisis. 

Some have been bereaved, several have been rendered homeless. Let us all take a moment today, to pray and stand by them. 

May God be with us all.

With love, 

Shubhadittya

P.S. Take care of yourselves and your families. In the end, all of us are just one big family <3