Free Murmur of the Lonely Brook by Debashis Dey Page A

dance!”
    While a few got up on their own, a few had to be helped. Parvati pulled Nisha close and whispered, “Let’s go back home, I’m tired.”
    Nisha felt relieved. She was a bit uncomfortable. She waved at Ria in the far corner of the compound. Ria was upset. She was able to find her longhaired boy and was sitting with her friends opposite him, exchanging glances all along. Today she had dressed in her best, used extra layers of lipstick and powder, and had plaited her hair with great care. This was a special day. She was in no mood to leave early. She walked up to Shevak.
    “Aau, can you take me home later?” she asked Shevak.
    “No, you must go now,” Shevak said politely.
    Ria had no choice but to follow Nisha and Parvati. She glanced back for one last time and saw the boy waving at her. She waved back and ran toward home.
    Diwakar woke up to the sound of footsteps. Ria came in first; she was humming a tune. She went inside and closed the door. Parvati came in, saw Diwakar sleeping, and left for her room. Nisha came in last; she found the door closed from inside and assumed Ria must be changing. And then she saw Diwakar. She walked up to him and pushed gently.
    “Are you sleeping?” she asked in a low voice.
    Diwakar opened his eyes. Nisha was standing close. Her face was moist. A few strands of hair had escaped her topi and hung loose.
    “Are you sleeping?” she asked again but now with a smile.
    “No, I am dreaming that a fairy is standing close to me,” Diwakar said, returning her smile.
    “You should have gone today.”
    “I was not in the mood, and I have a long day tomorrow.” Diwakar was in the team selected by Devta to fetch flowers for the Mother Goddess. But it was a different hill and a difficult climb.
    Nisha left with a smile and Diwakar watched how gracefully she carried herself.
    In the room, Nisha stood at the window for a while and looked at the night sky. She missed Pravin and thought about him. In her village, there was no such festival and it was Pravin who first told her about this celebration with flowers. Nearly everyone in the village who was married was present with their spouses except her. She decided to ask him to stay next year during the festival.
    ***
    Dayawanti was in good mood. It was rare she got a leave from the shop. But yesterday she danced to her heart’s content at the temple. The next morning she was up in time to open the shop. Lalaji always came late. For him home was just a place to sleep. He did almost all his daily chores in the shop and behind it. Dayawanti swept the area in front of the shop and chased a stray cow away with her broom. Stray animals were always after the vegetables displayed and munched on anything if no one noticed. The shop was fully stocked, as people spent money during festivals on biscuits, candy, bubble-gum, plastic bangles, peanuts, wafers, sweetmeats, and more. The main earning came from the contractors who picked up monthly rations for the laborers. Prakash was the first customer.
    “Sister, please make me some tea. And give me some biscuits also.”
    “Take a seat; it will be ready in a moment.”
    “Did you have a nice time yesterday?” asked Prakash, smiling.
    “Yes, but see? While the whole village is sleeping, I am up doing the donkey work!”
    “You enjoy doing it.”
    “Who says? It’s only that I have no other choice. Aau should have sent me to the Gompa when I was young. A nun’s life is a much better life.” She came from a Tibetan family who settled here a few generations back. “I am paying for my past life’s sin.”
    Prakash kept quite and lit a bidi. He could see a few villagers on the road with their herds of cows.
    ***
    Diwakar got up and took a quick shower. He put on his brown jacket, green topi and shoes. Parvati gave him pancakes and pickles while Nisha gave him a glass of hot milk.
    “Be careful and don’t run fast or else you will break your legs,” said Parvati.
    “You think I am a child?