"A journey that begins from the dark,

the depths where no light can reach.

A miraculous survival in the astringent habitat called the womb,

away from the briny shore littered with transient footprints.

Eyes closed, mind empty, the limbs lax and still...

the secure walls of the womb, for months enclosing us within.

One enters the world crying and bawling, tears streaming down,

the tears are overpowered by the smiles around.

 Birthmarks the beginning of what we call life,

that unfolds as the years pass and slide...

The opening of our eyes welcomed the world into ours,

just as birth welcomes us into the worlds of those around us.

The light that seeped into the dark, filled our lives,

just as the sand flows in an hourglass, with time...

Birth is just the start, thus you were born,

to live, to grow, to learn and to always go on.

-Elegiac_Damsel

_________

Anindita's point of view:

Flashback:

12th August 2012

"... I opened my eyes with a smile that got wiped off immediately as my roommate, Nakshatra pounced on me screaming 'Happy Birthday' in my ear. I pushed her off me as a reflex and soon she was on the floor glaring at me
I sat up in bed, grinning sheepishly.

"Thank you and sorry," I replied

I stood up only to discover five more people in the room.
"Good lord! I have asked you guys before to NOT enter the room while I am sleeping. Talk about breaching a poor girl's privacy!" I shrieked while covering myself hastily with the towel which had been kept on the chair.

Three boys and two more girls stood there fully dressed and freshened up while I was standing with my knotted hair, half-asleep eyes, unwashed face and mouth in my nightclothes.

"Happy Birthday Anindita!" they chorused together

I smiled tightly while glaring at them simultaneously. The boys got my hint and moved out wordlessly.

"I am going to freshen up and till then, please do not let those boys inside the room. After that, you can give me my surprise." I tell the girls, winking

"How do you know we have a surprise awaiting you?"

"Intuition darling!" I muttered while closing the door to the restroom

...

I felt someone tieing something dark around my eyes.

"So how much ransom are you going to demand?" I asked playfully

"We are very good kidnappers, Anindita. We are not going to charge any ransom, instead, you might actually receive a gift for being kidnapped."

Once Aditi had tied the blindfold securely, I felt them slipping something over my head.

"Not laboratory glasses now!" I whined

"We are not taking chances. Last time you could practically see everything. And don't worry madame, we will be tying another blindfold after this."

"I will not cheat this time."

"No chances are going to be taken. Sorry!"

I smiled as one of the crazy girls tied another cloth over the laboratory glasses.

Once they were convinced about my inability to see after all their efforts, Vidushi took my hand to help me walk.
...

I could make out that she was leading me towards Powai lake, most probably to our hangout place; the local tea stall.

"After all this, only a cup of tea or coffee for me?" I asked her pretending to be hurt

She chose to not reply and I followed her blindly

"Kabir, Anindita is here! Yug, Will! Get that here ASAP!" Nakshatra yelled

"Wait here Anindita. I'll take off the blindfold once I help them with the stuff."

Nodding in reply, I stood there wordlessly. A small smile was static on my face as I heard approaching footsteps. I was definitely excited to see the surprise that the idiots had planned for me, a childlike enthusiasm radiating off me.

One moment I was waiting in anticipation and the very next moment something splashed on my face.
Oblivious to all other external stimuli, I stood rooted to my spot, too numb to react.

A resounding crash of shattering glass brought me out of my reverie as I let out a bloodcurdling scream in agony.

"Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!"

My face was on fire. I felt the uncontrollable urge to press my palms to my face but someone had restrained my hands.

"Anindita don't! Your hands would burn." I heard Kabir speak urgently in my ear, his grip on my arms tightening

Shrieks from Vidushi, Nakshatra, Aditi and Yug followed next as I sank to the ground on my knees. I felt tears pool at the corners of my eyes, wetting the blindfold. Kabir's grip on my hands refrained me from touching my face, but I simply had to seek some temporary refuge from the flames that had seemingly engulfed my face.

I pressed my face to the ground, almost rubbing it against the hard concrete.
Kabir tried his level best to restrain me as did Nakshatra who tried to pull me up. I let out another scream as pain clouded my senses.

My vision started blurring and all sounds of murmurs and footsteps started fading away.

Right before everything around me went black, I heard a voice say faintly yet distinctly, "Keep your feet on the ground from next time instead of soaring the skies. Happy Birthday, Anindita."

...

Present-day

I woke up hyperventilating. 

My heart was beating at an incredible pace, the pulsations from the organ resonating about my body, echoing in my eardrums. My skin was covered in a light sheen of sweat even in the air-conditioned room. I sat up in bed, using the back of my hand to wipe the sweat from my forehead and brows. 

I reached out to retrieve the bottle of water that I had left on the bedside table, quickly unscrewing the cap before lifting it to my lips. My hands were trembling. The water dripped onto my chin, a few drops rolling down my neck, towards the valley between my breasts. 

My phone that had been kept next to the bottle of water chose to vibrate then and I squinted my eyes to check what it was about. The screen went dark even before I could see the notification.

Sighing in a defeated manner, I grabbed the phone and used my thumb to unlock the screen. My eyes went to my inbox and then onward to the WhatsApp app. There were 4 texts in all. One from a jewellery shop in Bandra offering a discount for my special day and another from some store in Dubai. There was a text from Ma and another from Aparajita. 

Ma: "Happy Birthday sweetheart. Baba and I love you. Always."

Bonu (little sister; Aparajita): "Happy Birthday didi (older sister). I hope you get more reasons to smile each day. You have been a fighter, continue fighting didi. The world awaits you. With love."

My younger sister never fails to make me smile, even when she knows that she is hitting a nerve. Typing out a simple 'thank you' in reply to both of them, I kept my phone aside, my head sinking into the pillow as I fell back onto the bed. My eyes closed and darkness peeked at me behind my closed eyelids. And gradually, the sound of the few cars rushing down the lane and the voices of a few people in the corridors became a distant memory as I drifted away, into the void called sleep.

...

Third person's point of view:

The Bible says in the book of Genesis that the Lord curated and created the Universe in pairs. At first, he said, 'let there be light and that is how light came into existence to complement the dark. He made the earth and he created heaven, he made Eve complete Adam. He made good to balance the evil and the mighty creator gave us joy and faith to combat all forms of unhappiness and hopelessness.

He created us to fill the void in the world he made.

Birth- the ultimate reason for happiness, the commencement of life, a new beginning. For most of us who live, the prettiest present that has been offered to us is the gift called life, a gift that we received at birth. We survived the months in a dark and enclosed bubble, we survived birth and the years that followed...

We conquered hopelessness to welcome joy. 

Anindita was standing in a queue, waiting for her turn to order some coffee at a cafe. It was her 30th birthday, but it was going normally just like any other day. 

She had arrived in the City of Love, Paris the previous evening. Fighting jet lag after a seven-hour flight from Dubai, she had been too exhausted to do anything. The soft linen and pillows of the bed in the hotel room had seemed to beckon her to move closer, till she had allowed the coolness and silence in the room to combine with her fatigue. 

Coming to Paris wasn't just a professional obligation or a coincidence. This was something Anindita had done deliberately. She had been adamant and firm about staying out of the country on her birthday. It gave her peace, privacy, and the space that she craved. 

Facing her parents and her near and dear ones on the anniversary of her ordeal brought back particularly haunting memories. Even after all the years that had followed, the day was vividly imbibed into her mind. She could close her eyes and be transported back to the campus of I.I.T. Bombay. The tea stall near Powai Lake and the shocking feel of the splash that had smudged and blotted out the colours from her life... 

Anindita gulped, nibbling on her lower lip a bit harshly at the bitter taste that reminiscence brought to her. 

She stepped up in front as the woman ahead exited the line. Smiling a watery smile at the girl at the counter, she placed an order for a  cold coffee with whipped cream and a veg sandwich. She waited as the girl typed in the order into the computer and generated a receipt. Anindita handed her Visa credit card and punched in her 4 digit pin, waiting for the transaction to complete.  

Once done, she stepped aside after acknowledging the girl. The order was served at the adjacent counter. Anindita accepted the tray and took her seat at the table in the extreme corner. 

She often received strange stares from several people. They would smile awkwardly to make up for their inquisitive and rude gazes. Under most circumstances, Anindita would ignore their stares. She knew what went through their minds. Many would pity her and sympathize, there were others whose smiles would falter looking at her whereas others would have expressions that would clearly represent their curiosity to know about the woman and to know who had done something so barbaric. 

Anindita sipped on her coffee savouring the sweet, milky taste. She licked the whipping cream that had been added on top with the help of a spoon. She smiled to herself, amused at her own childish antics. Fiddling with her phone, she came across two texts, one from Anurag and another from Gitanjali; birthday wishes. 

She frowned, but the 'Thank you' that she typed out in reply was accompanied by a smiling emoji.

She looked out of the window of the little cafe, staring at the distant Eiffel Tower that stood tall and proud. One of the wonders of the world, maintained with love and care by all the Parisians who took pride in caring for the beautiful specimen of architecture that reigned over and graced their city. Untarnished and purely crafted by Monsieur Gustav Eiffel. It was breathtaking. The Eiffel Tower was a representation of the French capital and the country, just as the face is believed to be the representation of beauty.

Anindita absorbed the view of the grey Parisian skyline that promised some inevitable showers later during the day. She couldn't help but wish, fervently, to wish that her parents were here. Apurba and Agastya had seen so much of the world, figuratively but not literally. 

"Ma'am, all the seats are taken, may I take the seat here?" a heavily British accented voice interrupted the silence and her thoughts.

Anindita looked up glancing once and nodded carelessly, waving her hand towards the empty seat across the round table. 

"First time in Paris?" the man asked her in an amicable manner

"No. I have been here before," Anindita replied politely.

"It is my first time here. Beautiful city. I am Alexander. Alexander Helios Merlin."

"Anindita. Anindita Mukherjee. You have a sister named Kleopatra Selene?" Anindita asked him, her lips twitching as she stopped to sip her coffee.

Alexander chuckled softly, "Into Historical fiction and facts I see. Usually, no one can guess, but to answer you, no. My mother was just obsessed with ancient Greek and Roman empires. Her words, not mine, 'As your mother, I can always think of myself as Cleopatra.' You are from?"

"India," Anindita's reply was short, but she was getting into the conversation gradually.

"Aah! I wish to go there someday. My cousin's been there a few times. He's told me so much about the colours and noise there. In a good way, I mean." 

Anindita nodded. 

"I am a trying entrepreneur by the way and you?" Alexander continued the conversation, unperturbed by her lack of enthusiasm, and polite to the point answers.

"I am an airline pilot by profession."

"Whoah! You must have seen so much of the world. It's cool, isn't it?" he asked in awe and admiration.

Anindita nodded yet again, her eyes darting towards her phone that was ringing. It was her dearest younger cousin sister.

"Sorry, but I have to take her call," she told Alexander before picking her mobile and receiving the call

Even before she had the opportunity of saying 'hello', a sing-song voice screamed into her ear, "Happy Birthday elder sister!!!!"

Anindita held away from the phone from her ear, flinching at the shrill and loud voice that seemed sharp enough to pierce her eardrums and cause permanent damage. 

"Stop screaming, will you? That volume can make people go deaf, not to forget the fact that the baby would actually be startled by your random outbursts."

"The baby is so excited didi! He wants to bake a cake for his aunt and then eat it up!" Aparajita claimed, her voice cheery and cute.

"The baby wants to bake?" Anindita asked her disbelievingly. "Or is it his mom? Shall I call your husband and ask him to get you some cake or perhaps I can order some and get it delivered to your place via Swiggy or Zomato?"

"Relax! Do you think I am one to adjust when I crave something? I just finished licking the whipped cream off the cake," a sheepish giggle punctuated the sentence, and Anindita shook her head, disapprovingly.

"Eat the sponge too, okay? Don't waste food. And take care of yourself and the baby."

"Okay, ma'am. Take your boring ass to some beautiful place in the City of love so you can have fun for once!"

"No swearing, bonu!" Anindita warned, "You do not want to have a bad influence on your child!"

"Okay, Godmother. Mumma will take care of me, and I will take care of her. Bye-bye!" Aparajita spoke in a falsetto imitating a baby.

The call got disconnected abruptly and Anindita kept the phone aside, her lips still twitching slightly as she nibbled on her sandwich before sipping her coffee.

"It's your birthday today," Alexander stated, addressing Anindita.

"I am sorry about her. She was too loud!" she replied.

"Many many happy returns of the day, Anindita," he wished, his accent leading him to mispronounce her name.

Anindita smiled politely.

"Where are you headed to next?"

"I was planning to spend the day at the Louvre or I can laze around and visit the Notre Dame in the evening?" Anindita shrugged in reply.

"At a museum or a church? You don't have a proper itinerary?" Alexander asked her incredulously.

Anindita looked up, explaining in a polite yet firm manner, "I am not here for a leisure trip. I am here only because I captained a flight here from Dubai. I am returning tomorrow, so this is just a small break for me to catch up on sleep after the long hours of flying."

"Okay. I am not coaxing you or anything, but you can visit the city with me?"

Anindita was about to protest immediately, but Alexander was quick, "You have been here before, so you may know your way around. Strangers do form touring groups you know! Take a proper break and you can see the Mona Lisa anytime on the internet. Le Louvre can wait."

...

In the end, Anindita accompanied the younger man who was characteristically the absolute opposite of the serious woman; an extrovert. They toured around the basics of Paris, covering the famous spots, Le Sacre-Coeur, Notre Dame, L'Arc de Triomphe, and Les Champs Elysees. Eiffel Tower was the last spot on their itinerary.

They reached La Tour d'Eiffel in the evening, long after sundown. There, they chose to part ways as Anindita wasn't too keen on going up to the top. She had been there once before and as a pilot had always had a great view of the city from the flight, hence it wasn't deemed necessary.

"I deciphered in the last few hours Anindita that you aren't much of a talker, but if you ever find yourself on social media, do ping me there. Thank you for the day," Alexander spoke courteously.

"I am not too sociable and I haven't gone out or spent an entire day touring, especially with a stranger, but the experience wasn't as bad as I had anticipated. Thank you, Alexander. It was a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise, mademoiselle," he replied, faking a French accent that made Anindita giggle.

"Au revoir, Monsieur (Goodbye Sir)," she said quietly, turning away as he waved and proceeded towards the visitor's entrance.

Anindita walked a little distance and sought refuge on a little bench that provided a magnificent view of the architectural wonder. She sighed going about the few pictures that her phone's camera had successfully captured.

 It was about 8.30 p.m. and the roads were almost deserted. There weren't too many people around as it was a weekday. The tourists who wanted to enjoy the night were the only ones about. 

There was a cool breeze that brushed Anindita's cheeks as she lifted her hand to remove her hair from her eyes. Her hand unconsciously touched the ridges of her dishevelled, roughly grafted skin and an entire dam broke through her. There wasn't any noisy sobbing, but the silent tears that rolled down her cheeks sparkled in the light of the street lamp. She dragged her right index finger from the stretch of her forehead to her jaw, feeling each imperfection and wrinkle that her face had been reduced to.

8 years... 8 years had passed since the day. The day had commemorated the 30th anniversary of her birth and the 8th anniversary of her rebirth. 

Anindita exhaled aloud, the sigh mingling with the soft purr of a nearby car. A street artist was playing the guitar nearby, the soft strumming of the strings reaching her ears. The lyrics were unfamiliar, but the tune wasn't. Titanic; Mon Coeur survivra pour toi, the French version of My Heart will go on. 

Unknown to her, her body had lifted itself off the bench and her feet had started walking, taking her towards the source of music. A hat had been upturned on the ground, a sign reading, 'Some music to make your day and some money for my daughter's surgery? S'il vous plait (Please)?'

Anindita was moved by the sign. She unzipped her purse and retrieved a bill of 100 Euros. The shocked artist stopped playing for a moment when she placed the bill in the hat, smiling at him.

"I hope your daughter gets well soon."

The man's voice quivered as he struggled to communicate in broken English, "Madame, Je... I it is too plus... errm more. I... Madame, cent Euros (100 Euros)?"

"I don't have a better way to spend these 100 euros, Sir," she spoke briefly, before walking away.

The 100 Euros that she put in the man's hat may have temporarily emptied her own purse, but the money had succeeded in filling the man's wallet, and heart with hope. 

Her phone was vibrating in the pocket of her jeans. She removed the phone from her pocket, her eyes widening at the caller I.D. Why would Satyaki call at such an hour? It must be past 12 in India...

She received the call and pressed the phone to her ears greeting him, "Hello? Good evening. Is everything alright?"

Satyaki's deep voice spoke from the other end, "Good evening, Anindita. Everything is okay here. I... I am not too good with dates, but... is it your birthday?"

Anindita chuckled softly, "Uh-huh."

Embarrassment was apparent in his voice as he spoke in a flustered fashion, "I... um... Happy birthday. I would have asked earlier, but I... I was in the Operation theatre for hours and I could neither call nor text... I... I know I am late already. I just hope you are in U.A.E., Europe or U.S.A. or somewhere to India's left... anywhere where it isn't midnight yet and..."

"Relax. I am in France, 3.5 hours behind Indian Standard Time. And it doesn't matter really. I don't mind your late wishes, and I wouldn't have minded had you forgotten," Anindita said reassuringly.

There was silence on both ends. Anindita waited a while for him to reply or say something, but he didn't. She checked if the call had been disconnected. Realizing that he was still there on the line, she was about to say something, but his voice spoke up first, "I don't know you all too well, but... may I ask you something?"

Humming in reply, she waited with bated breath, hoping that he wouldn't attempt to tread on her personal territory.

"Are you.... are you deliberately out of town today, away from everyone here?"

Anindita's lips quivered slightly, her voice cracking as she tried her best to talk steadily, "And you say you don't know me well?"

"Why Anindita? Why would you do that?"

The words tumbled out of Anindita's mouth, her voice cracking as her throat felt heavy with the lump that had appeared, "I cannot face them, Satyaki. They remind me of what life had been like before. I... can see Ma crying uncontrollably. That is the first thing I saw when I gained consciousness. Baba stumbled and fell. Tears were running down his cheeks that day and he... he had a stroke. Baba had never cried before... at least in front of me. I screamed at my own reflection, Satyaki! I despised the mirror. I despised everything about me! That bastard he... he made me despise and curse my own birth." 

"Why would you despise your birth, Anindita? You realize right that you have a lot of significance and role to play? If I look at things from a father's point of view, I can honestly feel and relate to your father's ordeal that was born out of your pain. You know that I can relate more to you and your father, Anindita because of Dugga. I know that this may sound insensitive, but hurt and scarred daughter is better than a dead one. I'd rather accept all that my child has than mourn her death. I will feel a sting when I look at her not because the sight is revolting, but because I feel pained at her pain, but the lingering, consistent heartache wouldn't be there."

"He did this to me on my birthday, Satyaki. Why? Why would this happen?" she spoke, leaning against the wall of a building, her knees almost giving out

There was silence at the other end. At length, Satyaki spoke, "You taught me how to reminisce and cherish the good memories when bad memories haunt us, can you not do that for yourself, Anindita? Are there really no reasons for you to love your birth, your life, your birthday, and above all, yourself?"

Anindita's knees gave way as she settled down on the pavement, her head resting against the wall and her hand clutching the phone tightly, "Ma and Baba they always gifted me new clothes on my birthday. Ma would make payesh (a sweet pudding). I had once asked for a princess bag that I had seen a girl carry to school. Baba purchased a cheaper version of it for me from Crawford Market. It wasn't a good quality one, but my face had lit up when he had got it for me. Dada would take me to the stationery shop and buy me whatever I asked for. He got me the big Shaka Laka Boom Boom pencil once. I can think of so many more good memories that have greeted me since birth, Satyaki, but they ceased from existing after that day. It ruined me! I live every day, but I live in a world of what-ifs. I keep imagining what my life would have been having I... had I been the same... the same Anindita who... why did this happen?"

"I do not have an answer to that question, Anindita, but you aren't the only one who asks herself 'why did this happen?' Ponder over the words Anindita. Ask yourself once, is there anything that happened that day that makes you feel better? Anything that you know framed your current life in a good way?" Satyaki's voice was calm

Anindita inhaled and exhaled a few times. She looked up and then down. She looked ahead at the road, seeing the cars speeding by even as she sat there on the pavement, weak and vulnerable. She touched her collarbone, feeling the hollowness and the texture of the grafted skin that marred her, reminding her of her past and ordeal. She gulped, allowing her saliva to lubricate her parched throat.

Sudden lights illuminated the distant Eiffel Tower, causing it to twinkle and sparkle like little stars had been strewn over the architectural wonder. Anindita allowed her gaze to focus on the lights and when she spoke, though it was a whisper, her voice wasn't nearly as broken, "I lived. God spared me my life. My eyes give me the ability to see. My eyes escaped the wrath of the acid. God spared me my sight. I was given another shot at life. I was reborn."

The City of Love was illuminated by the light from La Tour d'Eiffel even as the night sky looked down, cloudy and lifeless without the usual stars and the moon. Anindita's spirit was rejuvenated and illuminated then, the city of Paris giving her the reasons to love; to love herself, to love her life, to love her birth, and potentially to find love, just once.

The City of Love

...

To be continued...

PUBLISHED ON: 12th August 2020

Author's note:

Hello everyone! Hope you are safe and well. 

I do not know how I have written, hence I would request you to tell me. Please.

I am sorry for the delay in updating and also for the chapter. I really do not have time to re-read or edit.

Please bear with me and stay safe. Take care.

With love,

Shubhadittya

P.S. Please do VOTE, COMMENT and SHARE if you think the story is deserving