The girl who lives on Apple and Mango

Tag: fantasy

  • Amma, one last dosa please…

    Dosa with sad eyes and tears on a plate with chutneys
    A dosa with a sad cartoon face crying on a traditional Indian plate

    The sizzling sound on the iron pan brought a smile on her face. Her eyes followed the water swirling on the pan as if dancing to the heat’s tune. Amma dipped her ladle to scoop out the batter dropping it on the hot pan.

    “Amma, I want my dosa in the shape of a Star “exclaimed Chandrima as her mother spread the batter evenly in a circle. “Chandrima, why do you want your dosa in the shape of star lately? “The mother asked with curiosity. “Because I miss Tara, it makes me feel little better,” she went on, “Amma I want to be an astronaut and fly in the space, meet my Tara, bring her back to our home” said Chandrima proudly like an agent on mission. Chandrima watched on as her Amma wiped the sweat on her forehead, result of the scorching summer and the heat in the kitchen, what did not escape her was how secretly Amma wiped her tears on the pretext of the sweat.

    She patted her Amma and hugged her,” I promise Amma I will bring Tara back don’t cry”, Tara was Chandrima’s 4 month old infant sister who had passed way 2 days back due to food poisoning .Chandrima herself was 4 years old. She had been hearing the adults in the house talking about how Tara could not survive the bout of food poisoning through spoilt milk. Chandrima had been told that her baby sister became a real star in the sky . Since then,Chandrima decided that she would grow up to be an astronaut and look out for her little Tara.        

    Amma rolled the Dosa half from the right half from the left , she scooped the golden brown crispy dosa and laid it on a plate , she removed two bowls one for the Sambar and the other for the chuttni. Chandrima was thrilled as she took the first bite of the dosa and exclaimed, “Amma you make the best dosas in the world, can you make me one more please,” She relished every bite and savored the second dosa as well till she could not finish the last bite. “Amma I am full, I feel very sleepy” Amma picked her up gently and rocked her on her lap and started singing her a lullaby.

     “Amma?” called out the little voice,“Yes , Chandrima?” “Amma , when I become Astronaut, will you pack me some dosas when I go to the space? I will share them with Tara as well” “Hmmmm, sleep for now, Tara is waiting”. ” Love you, Amma” and slowly in her arms Chandrika went limp. Amma looked at her face, pale like moon light, she recalled her small giggles when she was born, everyone said she is as pretty as a moon, so they called her Chandrima. Amma, clutched her closer caressing her face.

    The door opened, her husband called out” Did you do it?”. ” Chandrima is with Tara “said Amma. Two hands reached out for the little girl ,” I will report it as food poisoning, no one will know”

    Amma looked outside the window, the night looked darker, it was moonless just like her life now. She remembered the time when after multiple miscarriages she gave birth to Tara, nobody in the house rejoiced. They howled and cried like in a funeral. She heard several things in whispers “Drown them, make it look like accident, set fire”. She knew since then that sooner or later she will have to bid goodbye to her daughters, never to see them again.

    She knew her fate was also not very bright, they wanted her husband to remarry just to ensure the family lineage continues with a male heir from the new bride. Amma’s trail of thoughts was broken with voices outside, she heard some say, “The child is dead, no sign of life”.

    Amma stayed a little longer, finishing the last bite of the Dosa that was left on the plate before joining others.

  • In search of Safe haven

    Fire is roaring ,flames are dancing showing their skills, heat is rising as if coming from the pit of the earth’s belly, engulfing the night with smoke of misery, overtaking the breeze that once lulled everyone to sleep.
    Is it night, is it morning?!! The light is blinding. I hear the birds are singing. No wait. They are screaming!

    What once stood tall and together lies together in the ash.

    The ongoing massacre is being watch unknown to the attackers through two innocent ,helpless sleepy eyes , tugging close to it’s mother for comfort. For all it’s might will not save it’s family. It’s Heart is full of fear looking at the astonishing sight where the attackers barged into their home in the middle of the night. The mother hears her child’s belly roar with hunger , she looked down, the tiny figure inched closer ,petrified at the sight of it’s family, home being destroyed by attackers. The eyes searched it’s mother’s face , for some comfort and food. The mother knows no better she hears the howling and screaming through the air, petrified to move in any direction, all food is destroyed, the place that was their home is destroyed, her family is being uprooted. She can read the terror in those tiny eyes which are looking for some comfort and asking “ Why is this happening to us Ma?”, but she had no answer.

    Where once stood their home now lay the remains broken scattered across miles. The father is trying to protect it’s family, rushing towards the attackers with all might , he knows he has to give his all to save this family, his friends, their homes.

    The attackers seem to bring in more reinforcements where the might of the father seems nothing. The fire has spread slowly engulfing the homes of their beloved ones . They are hurt, they are scared , they are tired , tired of fighting to protect what is their the battle is lost. A tiny voice comes up, “ Ma, I want to eat I am hungry, I want to sleep in my bed” tears rolling down the eyes not sure if it’s out of sadness or fright. May be it is for both. Knowing what once was home is no more. Scared what will happen next , where will they go .

    The victims herd together shivering with fear on this warm summer night. What a heart breaking sight , the hunter and the hunted standing together, shaking with fear, with tears of blood drenching them, rendering them helpless, oh ,what a pitiful sight! Naked hungry at the mercy of their attackers whom they believed earlier to be full of love and kind.

    The attackers show no mercy. They enjoy their plight. Flashes are blurring the eyes, they are making videos and laughing at the sight.

    They believed the attackers loved them , cared for them , they were their pride. Unknown to them the attackers only love green, but a different shade of green that has a value bestowed by them.

    The victims wonder what did they do wrong ,how oh mighty why do we face your angry song. What did the two day old elephant calf do wrong or the mother deer who just delivered her fawn, who did not even get a chance to see it dance. Forcing them out of the place that once they called home, their safe haven.

    Slowly the fire is dousing, grey smoke enveloped the sky, at the horizon the sun is rising, eager to hear the beautiful song sung by the birds every morning. Oddly it is silent. A deafening silence .
    The birds have lost their will to sing. At the distance dark clouds gather ,but the peacock has forgotten to rejoice and dance.

    The victims ask, “Oh human we thought you love the green”, the response they got “ Oh yes, I do , but it’s the different green”
    “Are you deaf ,don’t you hear the our pleadings our cries , why destroy the family and home, of the innocent and helpless when you already have enough?

    “Enough is never enough. Do you not hear the sweet music of development , employment ,livelihood for my people and of course money clicking in my account. What is your contribution apart from giving joy to our hearts with you mere antics and sudden appearances during a busy day in our life ?”

    “For bigger good , bigger sacrifice is needed, consider it a blessing that you are part of the big history. Go on find a different place for this land is blessed to take the Mankind to higher places.”

    The victims cry together, “Oh supreme ones, nothing goes unnoticed, what goes ,comes back! The universe witnesses this cruelty that Mankind has gifted to the other living beings. Snatching ,destroying what is for all .Oh the supreme ones, remember there will always be some one more supreme than you! You are supreme only till the time they arrive! It’s time to rename you to ManUnkind for you have forgotten what is to be kind. You need to be retaught what it truly means to be kind. You are not the humans that we knew anymore , for humans have humanity, what you possess is sheer evil!

    Remember , the nature unleashes it’s wrath with time.

    We wish you relearn your kindness and earn back your name as Mankind by being part of something that is even bigger that this history to define!”

    As the Sun rose to its peak , the fire doused, wilderness disappeared, hiding further deep while they can still, not knowing when this will again be snatched, the mother elephant cuddled it’s frightened calf thanking the almighty for having her little one safe with her. The father joined them, agony in their hearts they wailed . They huddled together holding each other as close as possible ,for they don’t know what happens again tomorrow. The warmth of love and safety washed over the frightened calf. It held on to both it’s parents grateful to still have them. As sleep washed over them, they all dreamt the same ,lush green trees dancing to the tunes of the breeze. The air is filled with the woody oak smell and, birds chirping in harmony creating a new tune every now and then, a narrow path next to the river taking them to the paradise where once stood their homeland.