"Be comfortable in your own skin. The day you stop noticing physical flaws in your reflection, you conquer all forms of ugliness and recognize true beauty."

-Elegiac_Damsel

________

16th May

Anindita's p.o.v.:

Today's finally the day that I would be meeting Agamani for the first time. I was genuinely feeling nervous. 

Satyaki had texted me his address and I had told him I would be there by 5 p.m. after I finished my session at BKC. Since, it was a Saturday, the roads were fairly less crowded and I was able to drive my Honda City without any trouble. I reached Worli Sea Face at 4.45 and then resorted to help from GPS to reach Silverene Terrace, where they lived. 

The society was fairly big and posh too. The watchman asked me to wait at the gate while he called up someone at home on the intercom. I began feeling conscious when passer-bys and residents started staring at me. I felt out of place.

"Maybe this is a wrong decision. I shouldn't have been here. Why would the girl want to speak to me anyways?" I was scolding myself when the watchman told me I could proceed

I entered the elevator, gingerly and pressed the button for the 3rd floor. Satyaki was waiting for me with the door to his house open. Greeting him with a small smile, I followed him inside. His mother was also there; an elderly woman with grey hair, slightly slouched back and a soft face. She looked to be around 70. I smiled at her and then bent down to touch her feet. 

"Hello Anindita. He told me about you. Dugga is inside her room. Don't you worry, she is a very sweet girl." she told me reassuringly after blessing me

"Who is Dugga?" I asked a bit confused

...

I discovered that Dugga is Agamani's nickname. (Dugga- a more affectionate way of calling Goddess Durga in Bengali)

Satyaki knocked on the door and a soft voice said 'Come in' in reply. I waited outside the room having last minute doubts.

"Someone wants to meet you, sweetheart. Will you please let her come in and meet you?" I heard him ask his daughter affectionately. She must have agreed because Satyaki opened the door slightly and motioned for me to come in. 

I walked in to discover a beautiful room. The bed was in a corner and the walls had vibrant images, drawings and even framed photographs. There was a study table in another corner and a book case stood right next to it. The closet was against the right next to the window overlooking the sea. I felt myself smiling when I saw the girl sitting on the floor and coloring something with utmost concentration, her back facing me. 

"Dugga, look up and greet her at least." Satyaki coaxed his daughter. She nodded and closed her coloring book and kept her pastels inside the box carefully before turning towards me. 

Her eyes widened when she saw me and I did not even get the chance to interpret her expression or even say hello when she shrieked out aloud, "Papa! Help!" I saw her cowering while hugging Satyaki, in fear. Almost like Rhitam had barely two weeks ago. 

I managed to gulp down the lump in my throat when she sobbed out to her father, "She's the bad, ugly witch Papa. She kidnaps children and eats them. Save me Papa. I don't want to go away from you. I will be a good girl."

Satyaki looked genuinely embarrassed and he opened his mouth to apologize, "I... don't know what... to say... Anindita. I am..." I held up my hand to stop him. It was either now or never. 

I sank to my knees to her level and looked at her peeking eyes. Her nose had become red and she was even hiccuping. I looked at her straight in the eyes for sometime till I felt her breath steadying and her demeanor relaxing slightly. Her tight grip around her father's waist loosened as she peered out in a less fearing manner.

"Princess," I began softly, testing the name on my own lips, "I am not here to take you away with me. I don't kidnap anyone."

She let go of her father slowly and then looked up at him with her big, innocent, questioning eyes, so he could testify my claims. 

"She will never harm you, Dugga." he explained her sweetly

Her eyes met mine this time and she spoke out with a trembling voice, "You promise me, you'll never... take... me away... from Papa?"

I smiled at her and held out my little finger to her, "Pinky promise sweetheart."

She hesitated but walked ahead and then intertwined her little finger with mine. I smiled looking at Satyaki. The little one doesn't know what she has given me through such a small action. She's given me something beyond family and job;  a relationship that I would always cherish.

...

Third person's p.o.v.:

"I am Anindita. And you are?" Anindita asked the little girl, even though she knew her name already

"My name is Agamani Ganguly. My father's name is Dr. Satyaki Ganguly. I study in first grade at Dhirubhai Ambani International School." she spoke out like a parrot

Anindita bit back a giggle that wanted to escape her lips so bad. Like all Indian children, Agamani had also been made to mug up these few introductory lines!

"Dugga, why did you call her a witch? She must have felt bad. Sorry bolo (Apologize!)" Satyaki told his daughter strictly

"It's fine, Satyaki. Baby, you don't have to apologize but will you please share with your Papa and me what was the reason that you thought I am a witch." Anindita asked her softly

She shifted on her right foot with her gaze static on the ground and pursed her lips. Anindita and Satyaki prompted her to speak up twice and then she finally complied, reluctantly, "I was reading a story. There was a picture of the witch. She kidnapped Hansel and Gretel and then wanted to eat them up." 

Anindita's lips twitched but Satyaki's face was grim. He looked at his daughter sternly, "And how the he.... on earth does she resemble a witch?"

"All witches and demons have wrinkled and dark skin. They look different. Thamma told me Krishna's story, he killed all the asuras, rakshasis and so many bad people. I asked her how they look, she told me they look ugly." she replied before skipping out of the door, probably to her doting grandmother

...

Satyaki was taken aback at his daughter's deductions. An unasked question remained on his mind. Agamani seemed to think that everyone with that kind of skin and blemishes happened to be ugly. She herself had skin like Anindita, did she...

Anindita cut him off, reading his mind, "Yes, Satyaki. She does feel that way sometimes. She is too young to understand what being 'ugly' means. For her, anyone with some physical flaw means evil. Moreover it isn't her fault that she has such stereotypical thinking. Haven't we as kids also been taught to be wary of witches and demons? The illustrated books portray physical flaws in a way such that our children grow up identifying 'ugliness'. They don't realize who demons or witches or evil people are in current times till they grow up. And by the time they mature and grow, they develop an inferiority complex. This is our own narrow-minded thinking that has come back to bite us. Let's not judge the poor kid or make her too conscious. She doesn't know what she told me and I am not upset with her in any way."  

Satyaki nodded. He had begun respecting the woman who seemed to have considered his daughter's point of view instead of being offended. Heaven knows what pain or suffering she had had to endure, yet she had an understanding which greatly impressed him.

"Anindita, tell me one thing. Please don't feel offended at my question. When did this happen? And what was your mind's state at that time?" he asked the woman who was now observing his daughter's photographs on the wall 

She looked up at him sharply and answered, "I don't take offence that easily. And to answer your question, it happened 8 years ago when I was 22. And I had felt resentment towards my own face, appearance and reflection back then. Honestly, I think even I had thought of myself as a witch or rakshashi(demoness) like Agamani did today."

"Don't mind me asking Satyaki, but how old are you?" Anindita asked him, unsure if the question was appropriate

He let out a chuckle. "You think asking someone his/her age is incorrect? I am 40. And I guess calculating with the help of the little math I know, you are around 30? But are you sure you are not hiding your age?"

Gritting her teeth in annoyance, Anindita answered firmly, without a second thought, "I am 30. 12th August 1990. And lying to you or anyone else about my age will not help me get any younger."

Satyaki laughed, "Of course. And since you shared your date of birth, it's only fair that I do too. It is 21st September 1980. And Agamani was born on the..."

"23rd day of September, 2014." Anindita completed for him

Looking at his astounded expression she continued, "Her name is Agamani (meaning: descent of Goddess Durga on earth) so it is clear that she was born on Mahalaya (the day Goddess Durga's Mahishasur Mardini avatar took form and descended on the earth). And the nickname you have for her just confirmed that she is the Goddess Durga who you and your family welcomed."

Satyaki smiled, "Looks like you have done a lot of research on names. Would you consider this name for your own daughter?"

Anindita's smile faltered for a moment but she managed to keep her emotions in check, "Maybe I would have. Anyways, let's go out and speak to Agamani once. I'll leave after that. Gotta buy some groceries before returning home." 

...

To be continued..

A/N: I know this chapter is quite short, but adding something more to this would have caused an unnecessary deviation from the topic. I hope you all are liking the story so far. Please do share your views with me... I will be immensely gratified if you do. 

And thank you for taking out time off your busy schedules to read this story. Till next time...

With love, 

Shubhadittya :)

PUBLISHED ON: 14th April 2020

SHUBHO NOBOBORSHO EVERYONE! 

HAPPY BENGALI, ASSAMESE, TAMIL and MALAYALAM NEW YEAR to everyone celebrating!

                     HAPPY VISHU.

HAPPY BOHAG BIHU.

INNIYA PUTHANDU NAL VAZHTHUKKAL.