Bhagirathi - The Magical Woman

WORK IN PROGRESS. Thanks.

Lily white skirt dancing in the breeze

Bhagirathi, stood on the cement floor

Moonlit evening with shivering trees

Eager and innocent, her eyes explore

Mother with desperate told concern

'Adolescent girls had no work outside,'

She called out in a voice ever so stern

'Spirits and ghosts could be dancing beside.'

Gazing at the silver white moon,

Washing her tender young feet,

The floor with new jasmine strewn,

Obedience a naturally born treat.

Sanskrit  Pandit  on the front yard,

Her curves danced around the room,

An Indian's lovely ethnic bard,

She gazed at him, her handsome groom.

 

Father promised her hand for him,

A lovely world to work for them,

 

 

A young woman ran to her backyard. She had just finished all her work and wanted to enjoy the evening breeze. She lay down next to the well and looked up at the orange sky.

"Bhagirathi, Come inside. Adolescent girls should not lie out in the evenings like this. The spirits come to see the world at this time. They may harm you. Wash your legs and come inside," called Amma (mother).

Bhagirathi straightened her pigtails, and pulled her skirt to her thighs. The copper pot of water was on a red-oxide slab. She tilted the pot of water and washed her face, hands, and legs. She looked above to see the sky and smiled at the crescent moon, a friend she had known for long.

The day at school was just perfectly normal. She had gone to the same eighth grade, taken down similar lessons, talked to the same girls, looked at the same birds and trees. However, the day seemed to change very fast.

Her Sanskrit Pandit (teacher), was the most eligible bachelor in town. That day, he was walking up and down her street with a black umbrella in his hand. She smiled at him, but she also thought of what her mother had told her, earlier that day.

"You know as we grow Bhagi, we have to move from parents. We get married. We live for this other man and the family we create. You are a wonderful girl, beautiful in your own way. You will also get married soon. Appa (father)  has found you the right man. Oh! Look at you, shy for the first time in your life," Amma told her.

Next day, Mr. Sharma, her pandit, came home. He was speaking to her father.

**

She peeped through the window grills. Mr. Sharma got up and prostrated to Appa as a sign of due respect.

Amma came in with a hot tumbler of filter coffee. "Bhagirathi, put all the muruku and seeda (Tamil chips) in a silver plate and bring it. Your Pandit has come home. Wait I will just come. Namaskaram (Hello with respect) Mr. Sharma. I will just be back. You see, Bhagi is still a small girl," Amma explained in her usual animated ways.

Bhagirathi had already got all the savouries. She slowly walked down the hall and placed it on the blue teepoy.

Appa looked at her. "She is my youngest daughter. She is a very brave, intelligent, beautiful girl.  Iam so happy that you ask to marry her. The elders are also very happy about this. I will fix the engagement date and call you. Thank you, Mr.Sharma," Appa spoke in an excited hurry.

"Sir, I must have done great deeds in my previous life that I get the hand of your daughter. The elders of my house shall soon arrive for any date you fix for the engagement," Mr. Sharma said and bowed again.

Bhagirathi slowly walked back to herroom. She did not see her school again, but everyday she saw Mr. Sharmawalking up and down her road. She always smiled like a crescent andwent back to her work. 

The engagement happened in a greathurry. Soon, the marriage was to be held. The sixteen year old bride sat on the verandah as the sari (Indian colourful drape) seller and Amma thought of all the different ways to doll her up.

The house was shining in the happy twilight and the whole house slept. Bhagirathi went to the backyard and sat on the washing stone. She leaned against the well and looked up at the starry sky. She did not search for the moon, but smiled.

**

Many years of marriage was not hard for Bhagirathi. She had grown into herself. Soon she had a daughter, a beautiful girl, Meenakshi. 

Okay. sorry! Couldn't handle the prose.. so had to change it to verse.. still working on it.. see for yourself.. RIPPP it aparrtt.. lots of loweeeeee. sam