OUTSIDERS NOT ALLOWED !

Sashi's apartment is a happening place. It has a committee which makes sure every important occasion is celebrated with as much pomp and gaiety as affordable. Families living in adjoining apartments in the locality envy the people living in Sashi's apartment for their privileges. Very often children from other apartments come here to play with their friends, though the committee makes tremendous efforts to curtail the entry of OUTSIDERS as much as possible. After all they want their neighbors to be envious of them. There's nothing like being in an enviable position, right ?

Dussehra fervor is blossoming slowly as the festival is around the corner. And the committee is ready too, to perform its duty. It is planning to set up a small pandal to celebrate Navratri and also to conduct a few games to the children of the apartment in advance so that it could distribute the prizes to the winners on the closing day of ceremony. This has been the ritual for many years in this apartment.

The committee announces the list of games and the dates on which they will be conducted, by organizing a meeting to all its members. All the children are very excited to participate in the games as the prizes announced by the committee are very alluring. One need not mention about Sashi's excitement for she possessing a thirst for competitions. Committee announces 5 games altogether out of which only MUSICAL CHAIRS game catches Sashi's eyes. Sashi goes gaga about this game and many a time she bags a prize as she finds it very easy and satisfying to push out others to secure her a place to sit. She is so used to jostling that she is the one who makes way for her sister and mother whenever they all visit a crowded place. This time she is all the way more excited as she wants to show her talent to this new bunch of people in this new place.

Time passes by and the date on which Musical chairs game will be conducted arrives effortlessly. Sashi braces up for the game. She even plans mock games in her home with her sister to brush up her innate ability to shove others. And she also makes sure that her sister is not participating in this game as she finds it difficult and embarrassing to shove her own sister in front of everybody. Unfortunately, an unforeseen event pops up for the same day and makes Sashi's family obligated to attend it at any cost. It is a birthday party of her father's friend's son and that too in the evening when the game would actually be conducted in her apartment. The host loves Sashi's family a lot and it would be great blow to the relation with him if at least one of the family members fails to attend. Sashi argues a lot with her mom that she doesn't want to come to the birthday party. But as soon as her father enters into the scene, she becomes silent and goes back to her room, signalling that she has given her assent under compulsion. Mom comes to her rescue and says that she will make sure they all return home as fast as possible, without waiting to have dinner, so that Sashi can participate if the event still goes on luckily.

The family goes to the birthday party, pleases the host, and comes back early as decided. Since Sashi's sister is not participating, she goes back to their flat along with the father. Sashi runs and makes her mom run faster all the way towards play area where the game is being conducted. Unfortunately, by the time Sashi reaches the spot, the game has been conducted already and the winners are being awarded a big round of applause. Sashi gets disappointed and gives a sharp look to mom to show the devastation she is responsible of. But luckily, a considerable no. of children are still left out, and their mothers urge the event organizer to conduct one more game for the sake of their children. The demand is so huge and horrifying that the organizer finally relents and arranges chairs for the second game. There are no bounds to Sashi's happiness. Meanwhile Sashi loses contact with her mom in the crowd, as her mom stops in the middle to greet her neighbors, and fails to return to Sashi. The chairs are being occupied fast. And by the time Sashi comes back from her dreamy world, all the chairs get occupied, except one. On the other hand, Sashi falls into the sight of Anu aunty who comes to ask about her mom. Anu aunty doesn't stop speaking and Sashi cannot shove Anu aunty and go forward to occupy the only chair left. She is afraid that Anu aunty might find it rude and complain to mom. So she makes sure she looks at that vacant chair even while Anu aunty speaks to her by looking into her eyes.

For God sake Anu aunty recollects that Sashi has not participated in the previous game. So she understands why Sashi is looking somewhere else and makes an effort to take her towards the game area. As soon as she nears the game area, Sashi runs like Usain Bolt to occupy the only vacant seat. She is about to sit on the chair, but suddenly the organizer Sharma ji signals her to stop and calls Anu aunty aside to have a word with her. Sashi too follows him, to find out the matter. He says, '' Madam! I understand that this young girl is your close relative, but it is against the committee rules to let outsiders participate in any of our events. OUTSIDERS NOT ALLOWED Madam! I am sorry. "
Sashi cannot take it. When Anu aunty smiles and opens her mouth to give an answer, Sashi stops her and turns Sharma ji towards her side and says, '' I live at 8/4 in our apartment. " Clouded by loads and loads of embarrassment, Sharma ji makes a futile attempt to abate Sashi's flowing anger conveyed through her eyes by giving way to her towards the game area. But by the time Sashi reaches, a boy already occupies the last chair left. 😧

Throughout the game, Sashi stands in the front row and looks at Sharma ji with an angry face, while he conducts the game. After the game comes to an end, Sharma ji being embarrassed to speak face to face with Sashi, speaks indirectly to her by announcing to audience, " Dear children ! There are many more games waiting for you from tomorrow, bringing many more chances for all the children who could not make it to the top today. I expect the same amount of active participation from all of you. Thank you so much. Good night ! "

I miss you Bhel Puri !

Sashi is not that a foodie. But she very strangely falls for new recipes. So she kind of maintains 'one current crush' all the time. In that crush period, she craves the recipe like there's no tomorrow. And as that period draws to a close, she develops a sort of aversion towards the recipe. If people attempt to offer any one of those 'Sashi crushed upon recipes', after its boom period, she makes a big fool of them, uttering sentences such as, " What Aunty! Have I ever eaten this fondly ? '', ''And Uncle, I really do not understand how people like as bland a recipe as this. "

On one fine Saturday evening, Sashi gets so indulged in playing with her friends in the play area of her apartment. Her mom plans to visit a temple nearby to take the presiding deity's blessings as it is a very auspicious day. She is supposed to go with her neighbor named Anu. Fortunate, or unfortunate, Anu aunty says she cannot accompany mom as guests thronged her house unannounced. Now mom looks for a potential companion so desperately as at any cost she doesn't want to do away with as auspicious a time as this. She somehow doesn't find it proper to ask any of her other neighbors, just at the last moment. Mom's eyes spark with a great idea. She intends to take her own children. 

From her balcony, which overlooks the play area, she calls Sashi and her sister. Sashi and her sister play in different corners with their own set of friends. Sashi pretends as if the call is not audible. When mom calls for the third time, she turns around very reluctantly, to look at her mom. By the time Sashi decides to look around, her sister has already been in conversation with the mom. She merrily, starts playing again, seeing her sister attending to her mom. Mom sends Sashi's sister to find out if Sashi is interested to accompany them.(There is no option for Sashi's sister to say NO, especially in mom's desperate situations.) Sashi's sister comes and asks Sashi. Sashi gives the obvious answer. Mom and Sashi's sister leave for the temple.

The duo comes out of the temple to wear their footwear left at the entrance, after having a peaceful darshan. While helping herself in wearing her belted sandal, by wobbling a bit on either side, Sashi's sister eyes a Bhel Puri stall. She immediately stops her mom who has already started walking towards their way to plead her to satiate her taste buds. Mom, this time, says OK without much hesitation, in a simple nod as she too finds it just to satiate her daughter's tiny wish for accompanying her as soon as she asks, unlike Sashi, who turns a deaf ear. Sashi's sister devours a full plate of Bhel Puri. Mom too enjoys 3-4 full spoons. While giving the money, she orders one plate of Bhel Puri to be parceled. Sashi's sister gives a quick, frowny look and goes away saying, " You are always like this mom! It is me who has to sacrifice my happiness, and it is Sashi who gets an equal share in everything without having to do anything. See! She is happily playing out there and now this plate of Bhel Puri too. I hate you mom! " Mom makes an attempt to pacify by saying, " Come on dear! She is after all your sibling, right ? And that too a younger one. It is us who has to take care of her regardless of how she behaves, right ? I thought you are mature enough.........BLAH BLAH BLAH...."

Sashi devours Bhel Puri. It even enters into her hit list. Current crush now. Moreover, she is eagerly waiting when she would have her second plate. She feels she cannot make a song and dance about it, as she cannot dare to face mom for the antics she performed today when mom called her. Luckily, mom does not raise that topic again. Day ends with Sashi's craving for another plate of Bhel Puri and her sister's waiting to take a perfectly planned revenge. 

Days pass to only intensify the craving. Sashi draws a master plan. She decides to watch devotional channels on TV to find out when the next auspicious day falls on. On that day, she decides to voluntarily accompany her mom irrespective of mom asking her to come. Fortunately, it is the coming Saturday again. On Friday night she even turns up the volume when the priest in one of the devotional channels says that it is good to visit a temple on this Saturday. Mom doesn't give her attention, however. (DAMN IT!!!!!) Nevertheless, Sashi's desire is strong enough to satiate her craving. Next day, on her way to home, she finds Anu aunty watering her plants. Something fishy strikes her mind. She says, '' Anu aunty! Aren't you going to the temple today ? Today is a very auspicious day and we will be blessed for sure if we do any good deed today it seems, my mom told me. But she is not planning to go today, as she felt bad last time when you said you couldn't come, at the last moment. Okay aunty! Bye! Remember me to Aaarti. " Anu aunty calls mom and apologizes for what she did on last Saturday. Sashi too tries hard to earwig on their conversation as she fears if Anu aunty tells mom what Sashi did on her way to home. Anu aunty proposes to go to temple today. She gives tons and tons of assurance that she doesn't leave mom at the very last moment. Mom okays her request out of hesitation. Sashi starts to imagine herself with not one but two plates of Bhel Puri. Joy unbounded.

Sashi's sister has a class test tomorrow. So mom doesn't even ask her. Mom dresses up. She doesn't ask SASHI too. Sashi slowly comes to her mom, who is combing her hair, and says, ''Mom! I am free today. And somehow I feel like visiting the temple. Anu aunty might bring Aaarti too. She might feel bored without me..............." Mom says, "See Sashi! I am not asking you this time. And also Anu aunty has not even mentioned about Aaarti. So if you want to come, get ready fast and come. Don't create a fuss." Trio sets out to temple.( Aaarti doesn't come obviously.) 

After darshan, mom puts coin change in stainless steel hundi. She makes Sashi do the same. Mom finds Anu aunty behaving a bit awkwardly as she forgets to bring her purse. Mom generously offers two coins to Anu aunty too. Mom hands over her purse to Sashi and goes to take prasadam offered freely. To kill time, Sashi opens her mom's purse to see how it looks these days. To her shock and dismay, there are only two 5 rupee coins in it. She quickly recollects what mom and her sister spoke about the price of 1 plate of Bhel Puri. It costs 10 rupees. Sashi takes a deep breath. On their way out from the temple, they see beggars and self-proclaimed holy men lined up asking for alms. Sashi is hoping to quickly surpass them, without giving much time for her mom as mom might offer the remaining coins too. And all of a sudden Anu aunty says, " Sashi! Have you seen that monkey dressed up like human ?" Sashi turns her head a bit and in that fraction of a minute, Sashi's mom hands over one 5 rupee coin to a beggar. Sashi turns back to only see the damage. (She is now thinking if she can bargain with the vendor to offer Bhel Puri at half the price.) Within seconds, mom raises her hand to give the second 5 rupee coin also. Sashi quickly clutches her mom's hand. Beggar looks anxiously at the coin. Sashi looks into her mom's eyes hoping to convey her feelings through a divine medium. Within seconds, Anu aunty comes and says, " What dude! Sashi wants to offer alms with her own hand. She wants to do a good deed today to stay blessed. She is the one who enlightened me on today's importance. '' She also makes Sashi offer the now most precious 5 rupee coin to the beggar, saying, "Speak your heart out Sashi. Why do you feel hesitated all the time. And that too, time as auspicious as this will come throughout the year or what ? " 😱

******************************DEEP CONDOLENCES******************************

The missing bag of Elizabeth ma'am.

Sashi has not yet accustomed herself to the special aura of the missionary school she studies in. Right from assembly practices in the morning, to academic curriculum, to extracurricular activities the school promotes, every single thing, seems very bizarre to Sashi and goes over her head in just a matter of seconds. To tell about her friends in this new school, though she doesn't make a pile of them, she still manages to have a decent number sufficient enough to entertain herself in the six hours she spends in school. If one needs to give a straight answer without beating around the bush, one can say without even a slightest amount of hesitation that Sashi's friends are the ones who are comfortable in speaking regional language to her, when she really finds it difficult to converse in foreign language the school speaks, when letting out her innermost feelings about the school.

To add more fuel to this daily dose of disheartenment Sashi takes, Elizabeth ma'am enters her life. Elizabeth ma'am is the headmistress of the primary school Sashi studies in. She is a tall, fair-skinned, hefty woman, who goes on rounds all the time, visiting one classroom after the other, holding a wooden stick intended to frighten these young, free-minded spirits, in one hand and wearing a big-framed, black spectacles, which she adjusts frequently to have a clear sight when she peeps into the classrooms, intending to disturb the magical moments of recess, enjoyed by the children in between the classes. Though Sashi protects herself many a time from having a direct face-to-face encounter with this Elizabeth ma'am, she still fears in massive amounts, whenever she hears her voice or even feels like she has caught a sight of her at least from the corner of her eye.

Sashi's school is planning to have a small celebration for the forthcoming children's day. Sashi's been selected for a stage play. To each of the programmes finalized for the event, Elizabeth ma'am appoints a teacher to look over its activities. And to Sashi's sheer good luck or bad luck, it is Elizabeth ma'am who is going to handle the stage play Sashi is going to be part of. When Sashi hears her name in the list, which Elizabeth ma'am proudly announces in the school assembly that she is going to train these beings to the excellence, her heart beat skips a minute. World seems blank to her for a moment. She even asks her friend, who stands before her in line of her morning school assembly, if she hears it correct. Elizabeth ma'am goes on reading the list of programmes she plans for the event. Nah!! Sashi no longer shows excitement to find out the remaining programmes. The flashing news robbed her of excitement. The war is already lost for her.

On the very next day, Elizabeth ma'am asks the students selected for stage play to assemble in the ground under the shade of a big tree. She has already finalized costumes for all the characters in the play, and calls a tailor today to take body measurements of all the students in the play. She is that forward and excited for the forthcoming event. After all she is the headmistress. Doesn't she want her closely supervised play to stand above all else ?

All the students assembled near the tree. Though everybody else knows why he/she has been called for, Sashi is still oblivious of the reason behind it, as she loses her composure as soon as she hears the call from Elizabeth ma'am. She comes and stands near the tree along with her friends in the same state of terror-filled shock.

And now, nerve-jolting scenario takes place. Elizabeth ma'am signals Sashi and asks to bring her handbag. WHATTTTT?????? Sashi gets jolt-awakened to the situation. She cannot believe it. Basically she doesn't want to believe it. But she realizes that she has to. Without wasting much time, she soon leaves for madam's cabin to get her handbag, as she fears if Elizabeth ma'am turns again after just a few minutes and scolds her for being there in the same place without running for the bag.

Sashi's nervous system is fully active now as it is sub-conscious mind which takes hold, in emergency conditions. Within a few minutes she lands herself in her cabin. And now, the holy search of the handbag begins. A very basic question hits Sashi. What color is madam's handbag ? Or least how does it even look like ? Sashi curses herself for being in such a hurry and failing to ask the color of handbag, though she is not completely sure whether she has the guts to ask a straight question to Elizabeth ma'am in response to her command. Sashi takes a few, quick glances in all directions. She cannot find at least a single bag. She takes a step forward and opens a few racks. But still it is of no use. A layer of sweat has already clouded her forehead. Minutes pass. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .  .
Sweat dripping now. Still she cannot find it. Sweat dripping more profusely now. She makes an attempt to wipe the sweat with her sleeve. After even kneeling down and searching almost all the racks of the madam's desk and cupboard, she gets up to stretch her aching back once. And now she sees her music teacher named Samuel, sitting and watching her from the adjacent cabin which has a glass enclosure.

Sashi has a special relation with Samuel Sir. He teaches prayer songs to all the students during his hour. Sashi once gets caught by him in the playground when she is taking pains to imitate him singing his favorite 'Bind us together' song, in the presence of her friends. He goes past her silently, with a frowning face. DAMN IT!!! After that debacle, it is now, she is seeing him again. He has been watching Sashi's futile attempts to find the bag. As soon as Sashi fixes her gaze on him, unintentionally, he gestures her to come to his cabin. Sashi goes and greets him, simpering. Kindhearted Samuel Sir says that Elizabeth madam's handbag color is black and Sashi can find it in the locked, bigger rack of the cupboard, whose key is usually placed under the sheets in first rack of madam's desk. Sashi feels grateful to him for the help. Almost twenty minutes passed by already. Sashi's tension is in peeks. She still does not know how to account for the delay she has already made. She kicks into the room again, finds key, opens the sought after rack with fast, pulsing heart. To her surprise, there are two bags and that too one is yellow and the other is red in color. WHERE THE HELL IS THIS BLACK BAG???
Enough of the nonsense. Sashi cannot not take tension any longer and straight away goes and stands near the ma'am to say that she couldn't find her handbag after a thirty-minute vigorous search . She is waiting for the chance to speak to ma'am, as ma'am is busy in speaking to a group of people, regarding the event. Sashi tries to interrupt ma'am twice. But the attempts go futile. When She tries to speak to her the third time, ma'am turns her head and says, '' Hey girl, which section do you belong to ? What are you still doing here in the ground ? Bunking the classes or what ? Go to classroom immediately. " in a harsh, admonitory voice.

WHAT THE HELL IS THIS ? HOW CAN SHE EVEN SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT ?

She returns to class all the way finding as many different ways of cursing the ma'am as possible. Her classroom is chaotic since the respective teacher has not yet come to take class. As soon as she enters the class, her set of buddies come running to her to say, " Where have you been Sashi ? Elizabeth ma'am called out your name thrice, when she took out a piece of paper from her handbag handed over by Hasitha, and started calling out the names of the participants in the play. She even asked us to inform you that you have to meet her tomorrow in her cabin. ''

And only when Sashi constantly replays the scenes which take place as soon as she gets to the ground, would she realize that she misconstrues the Elizabeth madam's command given to Hasitha, who happens to stand JUST BEHIND Sashi. 😲

Reddy Auto.

Alarm rings at 6 'o' clock at Sashi's place. Mom manages to get up quickly without showing even a trace of slothfulness, to begin her day. She then starts the humongous task of awakening Sashi. Mom doesn't toss and turn much, and makes sure she succeeds in hiding her disinclination to wake up as soon as alarm rings, as Sashi behaves intentionally more lazy in getting up, if she finds that her mom herself is trying hard to wake up for the day.

Though mom tries to wake both the sisters as soon as she gets up, it is Sashi's sister who gets up first to get ready for the school. Similar to an alarm's snooze, mom keeps on calling Sashi to wake up, from her kitchen, while trying to prepare breakfast for the day. Almost after twenty minutes of wheedling, Sashi finally yields to her mom when she comes from kitchen and gives a tight, eye-to-eye stare.

That stare is scary enough to make Sashi dress herself for the school and sit on the dining table for breakfast in just few minutes, before leaving to school in REDDY AUTO. Sashi hates almost all the breakfast recipes made by her mom. She makes sure she takes large bites and quickly swallows the food, as she wants to be done with this breakfast section without any additional fuss. She drinks a glass of milk at the end. By the time she starts taking a sip of that milk, she hears the terrifying horn of her auto-rickshaw. Without looking sides, she quickly finishes drinking, almost in a fraction of seconds and keeps the milk glass on the table with a thud, with an air of achievement. She now starts the process of polishing her black shoes. By the time Sashi places her hand on polish bottle in the shoe rack, Sashi's sister is already in the auto calling out her name, which is not only audible but also visible to Sashi's mom from her balcony in the second floor. Mom keeps on moving from balcony to Sashi, in order to hurry her a bit. Sashi hurries downstairs and stands in front of the auto panting, when the auto-man named Reddy takes her bag and keeps it alongside other bags at the rear rack of the auto, while other automates adjust themselves a bit to provide space for Sashi.

Sashi sits to the corner where there is an iron rod blocking entrance into the auto from that side. After Sashi's pick-up, Reddy goes to an individual house two lanes away, to pick up two Muslim brothers. The younger one's name is Iqbal and he is of Sashi's age. And the elder one's name is Irfan, who is one year older to Sashi. He poses no problem to Sashi as he goes to sit beside auto-man. But on the other hand, Iqbal is a very big source of embarrassment for Sashi. This is why he is so: Iqbal is a very fair, skinny, short boy. Since Sashi is, a bit tall and chubby when compared to him, Iqbal is made to sit on Sashi's lap by Reddy, each and everyday. O...M....G...Sashi cannot take this huge embarrassment. Iqbal happily comes and sits on Sashi's lap without even a trace of discomfort, but for Sashi, it is a nerve-wracking moment. Iqbal weighs very less. So weight is not at all a concern for Sashi's reluctance. But it is the fact, which all others are proving everyday that she weighs a bit more than average to happily carry a boy of her age on her lap, worries her like hell. At first she does not accept to this mistreatment, but later she relents as it is she who joined this auto community recently, while Iqbal and his brother have been using the same auto since their childhood. And also she hears sentences such as, '' Come on Sashi! Don't be so selfish. Poor Iqbal has to stand uncomfortably, if you do not allow him to sit on your lap." , Sashi's sister says, '' Sashi! It is us who joined later. The corner place which you occupy, rightfully belongs to Iqbal. It is so kind of him to let you sit in his place." Sashi finally says," ENOUGHHHHHHH....'' and lets Iqbal to jump onto her lap. Since she loses this battle very often, she quickly comes to terms with the situation and keeps a constant vigil on the road from that moment, to see if any of her classmates find out this crazy thing which happens to her en route to school, and start bullying her in school.

To add to her misery, now enters another girl named Aparna into the auto in their next pick-up. Aparna is a tall, stout girl, who is a senior to Sashi in school. Aparna is so chubby that Sashi comfortably calls herself a tiny,lean girl, when both are compared. Aparna is always late. Her mother always accompanies her with a snack-box and a water bottle, when she comes running with a heavy bag on her back. Everybody except Irfan who sits beside Reddy, has to come out of the auto as Aparna's place is opposite to Sashi and Iqbal duo. Sashi and Iqbal sit on the seat and Aparna is made to sit on the Reddy-made wooden bench opposite to the big seat of the auto. Aparna comes and keeps her large, fluffy legs in between Sashi's. Iqbal nicely keeps both his legs towards a side and sits like a baby on Sashi's lap. Once Aparna comes and keeps her legs in between, Sashi's body becomes perfectly motionless as even a small hand shake or a leg shake seem like a shove to others. Only her head has the freedom to move to any degree, and hence she uses it to the maximum to keep a strong vigil. She even tries to convince Aparna to sit in her place. Aparna bluntly rejects. Later Sashi even offers a compromise that she and her can take turns in babysitting Iqbal. Nah!! Aparna is clever enough to reject. Aparna even pulls her mom into the scene and makes her say to Reddy that Aparna's legs ache very often, so she cannot do that holy help to Iqbal.

Aakansha is the eldest of all in the auto and the one to be mentioned. She is the one who gets into the auto before anybody else. She sits on the corner which has an opening to get into the auto. She has got curls in her hair and curves in her body. She is of medium complexion, but stylish and speaks a rich, English accent. She is the one who tries to speak in English even with Reddy, though she knows the regional language perfectly. Reddy, who hardly knows English, however, manages to reply without any hesitation with the help of Irfan who sits beside him. Whenever Aakansha begins to speak anything with Reddy, everybody else in the auto listens to their conversation with rapt attention as they do not want to miss these hilarious moments. After Reddy gives his reply with the aid of Irfan, everybody else bursts into a fit of giggles.

Then comes the most charming boy of the auto. His name is Varun. He is the one who gets into the auto after Aakansha, before reaching Sashi's house. He is Irfan's classmate. He sits on the bench,  opposite to Sashi's sister, who sits in between Aakansha and Sashi. As Sashi's sister is two years older to her, Varun fortunately becomes a senior to Sashi and junior to her sister. He speaks very less and smiles a lot. And in whatever he speaks, the conversations between him and Sashi's sister get a lion share as it is easy for a shy boy like him to speak with the person who sits in front of him than with the person sitting anywhere else. Unfortunately, most of the times, Sashi's time gets evaporated in looking towards the road to check if any of her friends' autos are beside or behind hers, in asking Aparna to change her leg direction a bit, in asking Iqbal to get up for a second and sit again, in trying to set her hair which gets ruffled by the incoming breeze as she sits towards a corner. When she is fortunate enough, she gets to see the smile on Varun's face and it soothes Sashi at least for the coming few minutes.

And last but not the least, Soumya is the last one who gets in, before they all head to school. Soumya speaks a thick, regional slang. She is also Irfan's classmate. She narrates good amount of stories to everybody in the auto before they step out to the school. Her favorite genre is horror. Her house abuts a slum and she knits some crazy stories in its backdrop that there lives a witch in that slum, she likes children etc. Her house is the last in the lane which is so narrow that an auto cannot turn if it wants to. So Reddy asks her to stand at the entrance of her lane to pick her up. On the days she gets late, it is Reddy who has to walk, right away from the auto to the house at the end, as nobody else dares to do so.

It takes almost 35 minutes to reach their school. Every morning Sashi thinks when she would get back to the auto after school in the afternoon, while getting down from the auto to take her bag and head to school. She has not yet liked this new school as she still faces discomfort in adapting to its posh aura. As soon as the auto enters the lane in which the school is situated,she gets butterflies in her stomach.

But, after the school hours come to an end, one should see the way Sashi wears a beaming smile. It is her time now. One cannot stop her chatter in the auto in the afternoons. Though she hates the fact that Iqbal is made to sit on her lap, she slowly develops a nice bond with him, as he patiently listens to whatever Sashi speaks in the afternoons. They even play small, fun games such as stone-paper-scissor, hand cricket etc. And yes! She doesn't miss out any of Varun's conversations in the afternoons.

Sashi waves bye to all her automates before sprinting upstairs to reach her flat. She presses calling bell with great force, and cannot stand straight with patience till the time her mom comes to open the door. She enters inside, scolding her mom for the delay in opening the door, drops her school bag from her height, towards a corner, and asks mom what she has prepared for lunch. She quickly removes her shoes and before even listening to what her mom says about the dishes, she heads straight to dining table where all the dishes are placed. She takes a deep breath to let in the aroma of the dishes, but before she goes to wash her hands to have food, mom comes and orders her to take a quick shower. Sashi knows how strict her mom is, in terms of health and hygiene, so she without wasting even fraction of seconds for a dialogue, quickly goes to their balcony for getting her towel and goes to have a refreshing shower before sitting beside her sister on the sofa before TV with a plate of rice and curry. They both watch cartoons for almost an hour with hand in the plate and eyes glued to TV, before taking their afternoon nap. The rest of the day she shows the same level of merriment as she goes out to play in the evenings, and not until the time when she hears that deadly alarm tone in the morning at 6 'o' clock the next day, would her smile evade her face.

Rythu Bazar.

It's a Sunday. It's a Rythu Bazar day for Sashi. As soon as she hears her mom's listing of vegetables to be bought for the week, she springs out from the bed like a fairy and heads to wash basin to quickly freshen her face and brush her teeth before stepping out to show her face to mom. While Sashi manages to quickly finish up these mandatory things as covertly as possible in no more than 5 minutes, her sister too wakes up and refreshes herself to head out for the day. When Sashi sprints to hold the legendary big shopper bag which her father has been using for many years together, specially for his weekly visits to bazar, her sister too appears along with her with only a delay of seconds. Her mom makes two statements before sending the trio out to perform the weekly family task: Bring all the vegetables I listed without fail, and most important thing to remind yourselves is to bring those vegetables in the best affordable price.

The trio now sets off for the bazar on a bike. Sashi enjoys a lot this ride to bazar on her father's bike. She sits in between her sister and father, so she doesn't even have that space adjustment problem which her sister faces each and every time as Sashi is cute, chubby girl who occupies a good amount of space to make herself comfy enough to enjoy the ride. Passersby if at all dare to look at Sashi when she is on the bike, putting arms round her father's belly, they will find the sight truly soothing, as she twists and turns continuously with her big eyes trying hard to contain the amazement she lets herself into, whenever she catches a new sight she hasn't seen on her previous visit.

Her father drops them near the market entrance and asks them to go and stand near the familiar vegetable stall from where they would start their bargaining and buying procedure, before he goes to find a place to park his bike. Sashi's sister holds the bag, but as soon as she sees her father heading towards them, she quickly lays her hand on the bag in order to give impression that she is not leaving the whole burden of holding the bag on her sister. Intelligent father who knows the pulse of her naughty, younger daughter, smiles and says that it would be more than enough if she helps when the bag gets heavy with vegetables later, if not from the very beginning when the bag is empty. Sashi simpers and walks behind her father as he heads from one stall to another in search of quality and best price combo.

Her father has a habit of giving the coin change to his daughters after he pays up the price blared by the vendor. Sashi and her sister watch with eagle eye when her father takes out his purse to give the money. As soon the vendor hands over the change to their father, they play fastest-hand-first game to grab the change from their father. Sometimes Sashi even manages to signal the vendor to hand over the change directly to her, without her sister's knowledge. As her father moves from stall to stall, the shopper bag gets heavier and heavier, and Sashi with much reluctance lays her hand on the bag just to make it look like a helping gesture. Sashi simply places hand on one handle of the bag while leaving both the weight and the other handle of the bag to her sister. Within seconds they land up in a fight with both of them arguing that they are the one who is bearing the whole weight of the bag. Only when their father turns and motions to take over the bag, would they stop arguing and wear a fake smile as if they are the ideal sisters who share the life load equally. At any moment they do not dare to hand over the bag to their father, as somehow they convince themselves that their father might stop giving the change if they cannot be of  as small a help as this to him! Their loving father would have given as much change as they want if they ever dared to ask. But it's okay. It is for their own good. They are learning the life rule that they have to work hard before they get to taste the real fruits of life.

Sashi feels it is her job to strike down the vegetable name on the list as soon as the vegetable finds its place in the shopper bag. When the trio finishes the family task successfully, father asks the sisters to wait near a department store opposite to the rythu bazar. In the mean while he goes near the butcher at the end of the lane to buy some meat as a Sunday special. Father asks the sisters to wait outside the store but he never thinks that his daughters would make a step forward and go inside the store. Sashi and her sister would have a change worth of at least fifteen rupees each on any average visit. So they each buy one thing or the other which is worth of that amount from that department store. During their first two visits, they used to go round the store, find something attractive and ask the price of it, only to later disappoint themselves as the price would be higher than the amount they together possess. So now as soon as they see their father make his way towards the butcher, they step into the store with merriment and hand over the change to the store owner right away to get some new, attractive stationery items which are worth that amount. Sashi gathers colorful pencils, fruit and vegetable shaped erasers and sharpeners, if fortunate enough, sometimes small sketch pens and coloring books this way.

But today, in addition to exchanging the items for the change given by the sisters, the store owner triggers the sisters with his question: Children! Don't you want to buy something for your mother ? It is mother's day today. 

Sashi gives a puzzled look towards her sister. They have never celebrated mother's day, in fact they would not even acknowledge this day when they would live in their town. Even the mother would never expect something special from her kids on this day. But it is different this year. The beloved family is in city, where the culture is to celebrate every fake day dedicated to a being or a cause. Of course the beings and causes involved in the celebration are the ones which are to be cherished each and every moment throughout the year. But nah! It's a city. It is its culture to be done and dusted with the beings and causes by dedicating a single day in a year.

Sashi feels like buying something to her mom this day. Her sister too feels so. Together they have only 20 rupees today. Sashi's sister suggests to take more money from father so that they could buy a decent gift to their mom. Nah! Sashi doesn't let it happen. She taps on her foresight and says that her father too feels surprised and happy along with their mom, if they can manage to a buy gift without his knowledge. Her sister reluctantly accedes. Sashi quickly recollects that she happen to ear-wig on her mom's conversation with her father in which she asks him that she wants to buy a nice gold earring. Sashi suggests that they buy a nice earring for their mom. Sashi's sister is apprehensive of the move as she doubts that her mother might not wear some road-side earring worth of 20 rupees as she has never done it. Store owner overhears the sisters' serious conversation, chuckles for a moment, and asks them to choose among the varieties on the display stand. Sashi's sister chooses a earring worth 20 rupees. Meanwhile Sashi happen to eye new light-pen sets being delivered by a boy to the owner. This pen is trending in her school as the pen has a special feature of making any scribble by it appear only when light fixed at the top of the pen is flashed on it. Now Sashi has second thought. She feels an instant desire to buy this pen at any cost. She gathers courage and asks the price of it. The store owner says it costs 10 rupees. Sashi wants to play a budget task now. She wants to buy that pen for 10 rupees and wants to buy any earring which she can get with 10 rupees. She sees a decent earring and luckily it is just 9 rupees. She apprises her sister of her plan. 

Sashi's sister does not like the plan much but she finds herself locked when Sashi uses her convincing skills to the core. Even the store owner understanding Sashi's plight, helps her by voting to the earring showed by Sashi. Sister finally gives in. They come out with much-awaited light pen, an earring, a chocolate worth 1 rupee. Father comes with a bike, picks up the daughters and the trio heads back to home.

As sisters near the home, they feel more and more tensed for the new task they have undertaken today. Sashi feels more tensed than her sister for her creative budget allocation and she curses herself for having done so. She feels she should have held the temptation to that light pen and gone by her sister's choice. She fears to face her sister if anything goes wrong.

Mom is in the kitchen. Sisters enter silently and shout, ''Happy mother's day mommy!" , by handing over the pair of earrings to her hand. She wears a plain smile and says, ''Thank you kanna!'' , before turning around to continue her chores. Meanwhile father calls out Sashi's sister for something. Now Sashi finds time to become more and more dear to her mother. She says, ''Mom! It is me who suggested that we buy an earring for you. I know how much you like these earrings stuff. I even overheard your conversation with papa. See! Your Sashi erased your need to buy a new earring. I know. I am always this smart. Didi even suggested that we buy a costly earring, but it is me who said that cost doesn't matter to you as much as love does. Wear them now itself mommy! I cannot wait to see you wearing them!"

And now get ready to hear out what a middle class mom says:

"Hahah! Come on, Sashi! Do you really want me wear those on a daily basis. LOL.'' (Don't ever try to mess around with a middle class mom. She gives sharp answers even to the ones she loves the most.)

Sashi feels tongue-tied and comes out of the kitchen sullen-faced. Her sister comes across her to check how the new earrings look on her mom. She immediately stops her and says, " Didi! Mom is a bit busy. She asked not to come to kitchen for another 15 minutes. And she also said that she couldn't wait to put on the new earrings. But the thing is, she has given word to Anu aunty that they would go to gold shop together this evening. Since she has already said she wanted to buy an earring, she has to do so to protect her dignity in front of Anu aunty. If she had not done so, she said she would have used our gifted earrings for a while without the need to buy new ones in such a hurry. Our bad luck! But the good thing is, she is happy for our lovely gesture."

Sister believes it as Sashi is an Oscar actress!

Sashi takes a short nap in the afternoon after lunch, and meanwhile everybody else in the house will come know about the tactics played by Sashi in the morning. They all laugh out loud. Sashi wakes up to their chuckles, and comes out with a stormy face.

Mom tries to light her up by saying, "Come on, Sashi! Cheer up! Mom is really happy for your sweet gesture. She loves you!"

After a few dear moments of cuddling, Sashi begins to smile an innocent, teeth-showy smile, only to later jolt herself at her mom's remark: "But beta! I would have felt more better if you held your temptation towards that light pen and listened to your sister when she suggested a 20 rupees earring!", to which everybody else bursts into laughter except Sashi who soon walks away into their balcony with undeniable embarrassment.

Two unwanted guests on a Sunday morning.

      

Weekends are a breather for Sashi. Her any normal day is no less packed than that of a business person with an exemption for weekends, during which Sashi's merriment sees no bounds. The moment she enters home on a Friday afternoon from school, as tiny as her bland stare, signals her mom that Sashi's time of the week has come.

She makes sure she wakes up early enough to ask her dad that she wants to accompany him to Raitu bazaar, to which her father makes a visit on every Sunday to buy vegetables for the entire week. She tries really hard to make a move without awakening her sister, (Greedy enough to keep the whole pleasure to herself) but her bid gets foiled each and every time owing to her sister's brilliance, especially in comprehending Sashi's moves.

As both the sisters step out for the bazaar, mom finds her utmost solace of that particular week and utilizes that time for her most precious activity of the week: Dusting and cleaning every corner of the house.

On one weekend, father leaves the city along with Sashi's sister, to attend a distant relative's wedding. Lazy Sashi decides to stay back and relax on her most favorite day of the week. So there is no wee hour activity for Sashi this Sunday. She sleeps with an elated spirit that she is going to have her tightest sleep of the year on this Saturday night. Mom is also excited that she can take heavenly rest, on this Sunday as anyways it is not possible to take out her precious activity when Sashi is home. All the more terrific thing for mom is to escape the Sashi's constant glare when mom asks her to move a little while intending to clean the place where Sashi rests her body in a comfortable position.

Sunday morning is taking shape with birds,especially crows, making harsh croaks and light rays making their way to the room where the duo is still engaged in deep sleep.

Now comes a knock on their door. Mom lets it go, thinking it is milkmaid who is at the door. Usually the milkmaid doesn't knock the door as she gets a bowl, in which she is supposed to deliver the milk packets, placed outside the door. It is that time of the month when the mom has to pay and settle the dues for milkmaid. So mom thinks this to be the reason behind that knock. But suddenly she recollects the fine words of milkmaid the previous day: Milkmaid says a dramatic sorry that she cannot make it to their home on this Sunday as she has to catch up an unforeseen activity. And mom also recollects, that she gave her house address to two relatives of her in-laws, the previous day.

Second knock has already come. She jumps out of the bed in one giant leap to make sure she is at the door before the third knock comes. These villagers are no less dangerous. They can carve out a nice tale about the bahu, in as small as this waiting at the door. Bahu prevails. She opens the door to two elderly men, whom she hardly knows, but whom she has to serve like she has known them for a while.

She wears a beaming smile as she opens the door. The same is reciprocated by people on the other end of the door. The two hoary guests stay in a near by locality. They take out their early morning walk and decide to drop by this new relative's house as a gesture of formality. At least they think a  helping hand is expected of them in making this new family adapt to its new surroundings, by their relatives in the hometown.

Mom offers her best-selling tea with rusk, manages to engage in the conversation without arriving at a loss for a topic too early. One of the elderly guests, named Subba Rao, boasts his granddaughter, who lives in his house, to the sky. Now time has come to make some thoughts on mom's children. Mom is supposed  to wake her children at the very first moment when the guests mention 'children'. But mom, mindful of the embarrassment Sashi would cause if she is awakened early today, surpasses guests' mentions with flavorless statements such as ''kids are alright!" , ''they are slowly adjusting......" etc.

Subba Rao ji insists that he wants to see Sashi. He makes an open order to mom to awaken Sashi.

There is no way out. Mom begins her maneuver.

Waking up Sashi takes long enough to make guests understand what is going on. In the middle of the play, mom comes out several times with numerous, spurious updates such as ''she will be out in 5 minutes" , ''she is a bit tired the previous day..so..'' , ''Sashi makes sure she brushes her teeth before anything else in the morning" etc.

Relenting to mom's persistent efforts, Sashi finally gets down from her bed. And she waits with waxing anger to see who this Subba Rao ji is! 

She slowly treads the way to the hall where these people are blaring. No brushing her teeth, no combing her messed up hair. She deliberately dodged her mom's etiquette to show her displeasure. She comes and sits beside her mom, while still rubbing her eyes to make the picture clearer. Mom starts the boring ceremony again. 

'' Sashi! Do you remember this chacha ji ? We've met him there........ at that time........... "

Mom does it every time, but Sashi never passes the test. She loses herself in some random thoughts.

This time Sashi doesn't even care to look at those guests when her mom asks her routine questions one by one. Sashi has got this beautiful long hair with which she plays whenever she cannot live up to the surroundings. This time she even behaves as if she comes to a new museum by looking at different random corners of her house. 

Mom's tiring speech has reached an end. Subba Rao ji listens patiently and passes a COMMENT!!!!!!

'' Even my grand-daughter, who lives in America, behaves like this. I don't understand at any point of time whether these children even bother to listen to what people around them say. They do not even give a single expression on their face. I am worried about their future. "

WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT????????????????????

Sashi cannot contain her spilling anger. After all, it is she who makes a great sacrifice by getting up early on the day she has the right to sleep till afternoon. Sashi usually never thrusts her emotions on any of her guests. She holds her anger and later makes sure she bursts it out at least at a wall.

But now, she is more angry than ever. She feels her sacrifice, let alone getting noticed, it is even getting wasted and humiliated. She releases the cork holding tight her anger.

"Mom! How can a person who is barely known to us, come to our house in as odd a time as at 6 'o' clock in the morning, disturbing our sleep like a demon, and pass a statement as rude as this, at an innocent child like me who is struggling like hell to make her eyes bigger enough to grasp the unwanted drama going on in her house for which her mom is striving hard to put a period as soon as she can...............................DEEP INHALE FOLLOWED BY QUICK EXHALE............................. "

A minute of mourning is observed.

Sashi looks at her mom as if she tried her best to release her mom from the unwanted entanglement. Mom has no words........damage is heavy enough to ready herself for hearing creative tales about her hospitality standards............

On the other hand, Subba Rao ji is speechless too. In fact motionless too. He is not able to even take his sight off Sashi's face.

And all of a sudden, the other guest named Murthy starts uttering something. A few minutes later, Sashi and her mom come to know that he is delivering a spontaneous poem on Sashi. Poem contains unheard words from her regional language. So Sashi is not even understanding whether that person is praising or abusing.

After the recitation, Murthy ji takes time to explain what each of the words means. Sashi comes to know that something related to her big eyes and long hair has been mentioned as a compliment. Mom understands that Murthy ji has done this to pacify Sashi and take a leave. But what an odd way of pacifying, at least in the situation they are in, she thinks. The poet throws a proud smile at Sashi, expecting her to reciprocate the same. But nothing as such happens. He meets the same constant, sharp glare. Subba Rao ji is still stuck at Sashi's face. Only when Murthy ji whispers in his ear that they have to make a move, he tilts his face.

Guests leave with Murthy ji taking the honour of passing the good bye statements.

Mom now gives a tight, eyebrow-frowning stare at Sashi as she shuts the door...................😧

The rest is left to your imagination.

Chitrakar avatar.

Some of the first and foremost things a middle class mom does after she tastes a tinge of urban life are:  trying to modernize her family's clothing standard as much as possible, trying to imbibe urban jargon as fast as she can, and last but not the least, trying to involve her kids in as many extracurricular activities as possible. ( At the end of the day, she has to make something out of the pain she endures in making her family shift from her most comfortable place on Earth right ? ) These are the three main crazy ponds in which almost every other middle class mom who chooses urban life finds herself bogged down inadvertently.

When it comes to Sashi's family, her mom is almost secured from falling into this enticing loop, owing to her father's visionary skills in how to raise a perfect family, but her mom, however, couldn't protect herself from bogging down, in the third  pond.

Though Sashi faces a huge debacle in her first bid to make new friends in her new place, her mom surpasses this phase like a pro. After all, it is easy for affable women like Sashi's mom to make new friendships as even a single knock on the neighbor's door for a bunch of curry leaves or coriander will make a great start for the friendship between those ladies. This is it! Sashi's mom wins a decent number of acquaintances in a very short span of time unlike Sashi.

On one fine day, Sashi's mom does 'mann ki baat' programme with their neighbor, who lives upstairs in the same block. Mom articulates her wish to join her daughters in any 'outside of school' activity as soon as possible. Neighbor aunty had already been a way ahead in making her one and only son lose his mind in so called soothing, favorite, weekend activity. Aunty suggests mom to join Sashi and her sister in weekend painting classes, which happen in aunty's flat. Mom is damn happy that her wish is finally taking shape sooner than she expected. What next ?

Sashi and her sister have to attend weekend painting classes in their neighbor's flat.

Sashi's sister is very interested in this artistic stuff. But for Sashi, it's just one more homework which has to be done to get nice food and love from her pyari mom. For the first two classes, she digs a fight with her mom that she doesn't want to go, but as always, mother wins the fight and Sashi finds herself in her first painting class.

That neighbor aunty's son is someone to be mentioned in this Sashi's new painting journey. Sashi has got big eyes, which is boon or bane is a matter open to debate. Sashi starts staring at every little thing in her neighbor's flat, as she finds that activity more engaging than the one she is supposed to do. And suddenly, she feels a compulsion to look at this neighbor aunty's lad as he says : '' Mom! I don't like this girl with falling eyes. Ask her not to come to our place for classes. I like her sister though! ''
Poor Sashi couldn't control her anger. But she knows she is not in her kingdom to launch a verbal or physical attack.

Sashi very soon starts to pour some amount of concentration into her weekend learnings, as her mother sees to it that all the escape bids are foiled beforehand. Months pass by....

Both of the sisters start attending competitions, which are mostly conducted on weekends. Though both of them start their journey at the same time, Sashi's sister gets promoted to painting phase while Sashi still finds herself stuck in initial drawing phase. So when both the sisters take part in competitions, Sashi still uses crayons while her sister indulges herself in spilling paints wherever possible. Sashi would wait for her day to show off in front of her relatives, playing with brushes like an M.F. Husain.

Sashi takes part in quite a few competitions before this "spot painting competition'' terror hits her life. In every mundane competition, the topic is announced beforehand. Most of the times it is: Environment protection, and Environment protection. So Sashi's job is simplified. She would draw a Sun, a tree, a globe protected by tiny hands. That's it. She is done. She would finish this job as fast as she can, and spend the remaining time, helping her sister make her painting appealing enough to win a prize. Sashi would return empty handed after every competition, but her talented sister sees to it that her name is listed in the top three winners of the competition.

The spot painting competition news is out. It is the month of June. World Environment Day is ahead. Sashi's painting teacher uses his intelligence and experience and predicts that 'Environment' topic will be given with 99 per cent probability. Since both of the sisters have good familiarity with the topic, he even expects his students to bag a prize, if not Sashi, at least her sister.

Arrives the D-Day. Sashi feels relaxed a bit as she is more prepared than ever to face this event. She prays to God and enters the hall along with her sister. Though she manages to maintain a cool state of mind until the last minute, her heart starts pounding as topic is being announced. And the topic is......................is...............................is......................................ZOOOOOOOOOOOO...............

As soon as the topic is announced, nobody except Sashi, is still looking at the person who announced the topic. Sashi cannot digest. Even her sister finds it bizarre, but she, since a pro, has come to real terms with the situation very sooner than Sashi does. Sashi even thinks to start a conversation with that man on stage, but never does. Something close to below, runs in her mind:

'' Hello uncle ji! What do you think of yourself ? Just like that, you think you can give topics like that aaaaahhh? (By now, Sashi's eyes have already begun opening the gates of  built-in water reservoir.)
Don't ever play with little hearts of little beings like me! You will pay a price for it. ''

Sashi gets awakened to present situation by a person who is inspecting the participants' works. He says, ''beta! kuch tho shuru karo...samay kam hein! ''

Sashi does not even know how to draw a cat or a mouse. Let alone a single animal, she now has a humongous task of drawing a wide variety of animals since she has to depict a Zoo. Heartbroken Sashi doodles something very fast and submits before everybody else. Today she does not even bother to help her sister. That disappointed she is! She steers herself out of that competition area, to breathe some fresh air. She finds out that her parents arrived sooner than they asked them to pick at,  after the event. Her loving father finds out what happened, and takes Sashi to a walk in the adjacent park. Hours pass by. Sashi's mood gets lightened a bit. Meanwhile her father gets a call that results will be announced in few more minutes. Smile escapes Sashi's lips once again. Her father manages to take her to the place where results will be announced, though she balks.

Event had already begun. Room is brimful. And, a wonder happens!

The person announces Sashi's name as soon as she enters the room. Sashi could not take this huge moment. He calls again. Sashi's parents nudge her to go on to stage to collect her first ever prize. She goes and collects it, in complete awe.

Now thoughts are piling up in her mind. She really wonders if she deserves the prize which is in her hand right now. In less than a minute, another lad goes and collects his prize. Sashi looks up to see who secured second prize. Very soon, another lad goes on to stage. Normally, according to canons of a typical painting competition, prize distribution should stop at this point i.e. after three prizes. But, it does not happen like that.

 And also, something fishy strikes her mind. NOBODY IS CLAPPING!!!!!!!!

Then what happened ?

The person distributing the prizes calls all the participants to make a line to receive the prize similar to the one given to Sashi. WHATTTTTTTT ????????

Is what Sashi received,  a participation prize ? 😲

Fuel adding element : Her sister secures first prize in this competition. And her sister's memento is a bit bigger than the one given to Sashi.

First ever tryst with holi festival.

Sashi is super excited that it is Thursday today.Thursdays are throwback Thursdays these days, owing to social media buzz about them.So Sashi decides to dwell upon her childhood for an exciting,memorable tale of hers.Somehow the tale of her first ever encounter with holi festival tops the list of all the memorable tales which get into her mind at the first thought.And what next? 

She spends her day so happily by nicely reliving in the super funny experience of her childhood.

Here we go........

Sashi moves to a beautiful city with her family from a small town this year.She is 10 years old.She has mixed emotions regarding this big change in her life.On one hand,she is super happy about the brand new  facilities she can enjoy in this new city, while on the other hand,she is damn scared for lacking the social polish that is necessary for living in a posh city like the city she moved in.So each of her early days in the city would be an amalgam of both the extremes of emotions.On any single day,she would experience excitement,innocence,weariness,discomfort,fear etc.Then enters the holi festival in her life.

Sashi by then had a very small acquaintance with the festival.The only thing which she remembers about holi is this : Her face was once smeared by some unknown people with different set of colors when she was going to bazaar in her town with her grandmother in an auto rickshaw.At first she felt damn pissed at that unwanted,undignified behavior of those men,only later to realize that they were reveling themselves in a festival called HOLI. I know it is intriguing, but let's move to her present state.

On one fine holiday,just like any other holiday given by school,she awakens to her mom's wake up call.She attends all the mandatory things to be attended in the morning,and finally settles before TV with a plate of breakfast on her lap.Unknowingly,she gets damn glued to one TV channel which shows the holi celebrations countrywide.For the first time, she feels like celebrating this crazy festival.Adding to this new fascination,she also happens to hear some happy noises made by the children of her age in her apartment,may be in the process of getting hold of their friends' bodies to smear color to the extent possible.She cannot contain any longer.As soon as she finishes her breakfast,she runs to her mom saying that she wants to celebrate holi with those children in the apartment.Mom thinks for a while and says OK as she thinks it is a great opportunity for her daughter to make new friends in the new place.

Now Sashi uses her foresight to the extent possible.She sees in TV people getting their dresses smeared with wide range of colors while celebrating.So she asks her mom with a proud smile on her lips that she wants an old dress of hers, as she thinks, anyway the dress cannot be worn to any dignified place once it is worn for a holi celebration.Mom,proud of her daughter's foresight, happily hands over an old dress of her daughter before wishing her the best in the battle of winning new friends.

With loads and loads of excitement,Sashi goes to the place where the other children are deeply engaged in the jubilation.Once again Sashi uses her brilliance to make her grand entry into the scene.She decides to deliberately go in  between two people on whom the color would fall with 99 per cent probability.As Sashi intentionally makes her dress marred by the color,she gets into the scene with much ease,as the two people involved in the play will feel sorry for the unintended trouble created by them to this innocent girl in the middle who has no intention of taking part in the celebration.What an idea! Without much delay all others will turn to witness this crazy scene.Then the intelligent Sashi leverages the situation to introduce herself as the newcomer to their apartment.This is supposed to happen.

What happened?

Sashi braces herself to carry out the plan as intended.She identifies two vulnerable beings,and sets off.To her shock,followed by perennial sadness,the two people she selected for her plan,do not even bother to see what happened to her when they were running after each other,smearing as much as they can.She takes a gulp and tries again like brave soldier.Still the same response! Nobody is bothering about this pretty girl amidst them and that too they should be sorry for what they did to her,at least according to poor Sashi. Everybody is so busy running after one or the other person with fist full of color.If Sashi had made a few more attempts,she would have even heard sentences  such as ''Arey kaun hai tu..hato yahan se! '' ☹️

Disappointed Sashi returns to her home with controlled tears which would roll out as soon as she gets distant enough to be visible to her mom.