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Content Tip |
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Children's
Story Writing is a good creative outlet and can be used to
inspire others. |
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Mistaken Identity
Anvita always believed in
dressing well. Her saree would always be prim and proper, neatly pleated
and pined against the blouse. She had 3 sarees which she would wear to
work and each of them had a matching blouse which fit her perfectly. A
simple gold chain ordained her neck and she wore golden loops in her ears.
Even with the meager income and having a large family to fed, she would
always ensure that she had a bath with soap, wore a clean saree and looked
tidy. She tried instilling this sense of cleanliness amongst her three
kids but given the broken down house amidst the slum area where they lived
and the vicinity it was very difficult to teach them the tenants of
tidiness.
They were never always this poor. She did study when she was young and her
father wanted her to study more and earn for herself but things changed
one fine day. Her father a railway guard died in a train accident. The
whole family was shattered. The pension was meager and the mouths to feed
were many. Anvita took it on her to earn for them, she would do odd jobs,
try teaching some school kids and give whatever she could earn to her
mother and her 4 brothers and sisters. To ease the burden, her mother did
what most families in that situation would. She got Anvita married off to
the village boy who had a job in the city. Things happened in a flurry
since. The marriage, the dowry paid by her mother, the pleadings,
bickering followed. Anvita knew that her escape lay in this disastrous
marriage, she would go to the city, start a life and earn for herself.
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The dream shattered
very soon. On reaching the city she faced reality which appeared much
severe than the village. The husband had lost his job a year back, he
was living off some savings, the house was a rat hole- a one room
behind the Kanpur station. There was hardly electricity ever, water
had to be drawn and got everyday and the neighbours were noisy and
jobless. Her husband sat at home the whole day and told her
categorically that she needed to earn for them. This seemed ages ago
now. She had toiled everyday, took up maid’ jobs in the quarters
nearby, she did some stitching in her spare time and sometimes taught
in the night school. |
Her family had now grown,
she had managed to save up some money and they now lived in a cleaner two
room premises. Her children went to school. Over time her husband started
working for 10 odd days in month as a labourer and earned some money. Their lives
were much better comparatively.
She felt the happiest
pinning her saree and going to work at Mrs. Tewari’s house. She was so
nice, she always asked about her, gave her to eat and always encouraged
her. She would keep her money with her and save up for the future. It was
one such day when Anvita had just entered Mrs.Tewari’s house. I will be
back soon said Mrs Tewari and left the house. Anvita was in the kitchen
and decided to finish the fries before shutting the door. Ji madame she
said and continued with her task at hand. Glancing up she saw the apron
hung in the kitchen wall. The oil was still simmering and she wandered
towards the apron. She had always seen Mrs. Tewari wearing this while in
the kitchen and curiously Anvita took it out and put it round her neck.
Useful thing she thought, now no oil stains on her neatly starched saree
as she continued frying the potatoes.
Hello is anyone there.. hello…….. came a voice. Anvita quickly ran out to
see a young lady at the door. She opened the door ajar and started
talking. Anivita started blurting that madame was out but this young lady
was so excited, she started saying oh my what a beautiful house you have
Mrs. Tewari, its so beautiful, I hope I did not disturb you, I am Alpana.
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She plonked on the
sofa and smiled at Anvita saying that she and her family have just
moved on the first floor and she has just come to meet the neighbors.
Anvita again opened her mouth to clarify but Alpana started her story
of her move, her family, the locality urging Anvita to join her.
Anivita tried several times to interrupt her but gave up after a
while. She sat down on the leather sofa, smiled back inquired about
her, told her about her family and her neighborhood. |
The afternoon went by and
as Anvita lay in her bed at night. She wondered and smiled. She actually
lived a different identity this afternoon and for the brief twenty minutes
she forgot who she was, she forgot the tiredness, the problems and she was
Mrs. Tewari at the railway quarters in Kanpur. It felt amazing to be able
to converse with someone and not worry about a thing. Maybe she will never
have this in life and maybe she will always be Anvita, the maid but for
this brief time she lived the mistaken identity. If it was not for her
circumstances she could be there, she could be her but she won’t , she
can’t. She had come to terms with her reality ages ago but this one time
in this make believe world made her feel very alive. The unlikely moment
became possible at least once.. Maybe she would live her life on the
surreal hope which the mistaken identity gave her…
Contributing
Story Teller
Lubinisha saha
lubinisha@gmail.com
A fun loving whimsical person who is very passionate about writing and
learning new things. Apart from “practicing law” I also love to travel,
indulge in culinary delights and dance. In my endless effort to learn new
things, I am currently struggling with salsa, meringue and swimming!
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