Rano hummed the song playing on the Radio as her hands meticulously poured the hot tea in to two cups.Her husband was waiting for his tea in the hall.Several years had passed but their morning routine had not changed. Mohinder still used to have his morning tea with his wife.
"Where is chidi??" Mohinder asked taking his cup of tea from Rano.
"She went to school little early today to collect her "Experience certificate" and for other official formalities" Rano answered taking a quick glance of newspaper headlines.
Geet had joined a "Primary school" as a Hindi teacher just after completing her Bachelors of Education{B.Ed.}.She had continued her job in that school for last two years while completing her post graduation simultaneously.As soon,She finished her M.A. in Hindi,She had applied for the post of "PGT{Post Graduate Teacher}" in a renowned school in Delhi.She was informed about her selection just a week ago,hence she had to resign from her previous job in primary school.
"When she is leaving for Delhi???" Mohinder asked sipping his tea.
"She has to join next month but she wants to go a week before her joining date so she can arrange her accommodation and other things.."Rano answered.
Mohinder was able to notice the slight "sadness" in his wife's eyes when she kept her cup of tea on the table before going towards Geet's room to make her bed or to give her "finishing touches" to "already made bed".Rano was not very happy with Geet's decision of staying alone in Delhi.
Geet's immaculate room welcomed Rano like every morning causing a slight pinch in her heart.She missed her "Chidi"..She missed her Chidi's naughtiness, her innocent mistakes and her mischief..Her gaze went to colourful handmade "Farewell cards" kept on Geet's study table.Cards were gifted to Geet by her students.She smiled reading a cute message on one of the card.It said,"Dabbe mein dabba, dabbe mein cake, Hamari Geet ma'am lakhon mein ek.."
Rano collected all the cards and opened the table drawer to keep them there. A small family album in the drawer caught her attention.She did not know when she picked up the album and got lost in the beautiful memories.Her smile vanished instantly as she looked at the one of the picture. Geet was smiling heartily with a "skipping rope" in her hands.It was taken on the day which had changed her chidi's life for ever..
Rano stirred the onion garlic paste in frying pan as she looked outside the window of her kitchen. Her Chidi was busy playing with "Skipping Rope" outside with the other girls in their new neighbourhood.One and half months had passed since they left Hoshiarpur and moved to Amritsar. New city had helped alot for them to forget all the painful memories.Especially It had helped Geet to forget her elder sister's and grandfather's demise. Mohinder and Rano had told her about their deaths but they did not share the brutal reality of the events. They wanted to save her chidi's innocence from all the evilness of the society.
"Chidi,come inside..Lunch is ready.." Rano yelled from the Kitchen window.
She was able to hear her chidi's excited voice as she poured the "Daal" in serving bowl.
"Mausa ji..I have made a record of jumping 250 times continuously..No one could beat my record.." Geet told Mohinder with ample excitement.
"Oh wow..." Mohinder exclaimed clapping his hands.."Lets take your picture then to save this moment.." He suggested putting the "Kodak Roll film" in the camera. Geet tried almost twenty places and poses before settling at one place near the window,however she was still confused with the "pose".
"Just smile chidi..You look best with your smile.." Rano said keeping the serving bowl on the small dining table in their new house.
Finally after clicking Chidi's perfect picture,Both Geet and Mohinder came to dining table.
"What have you cooked for lunch maasi ???" Geet asked checking the serving bowl. Smell of Onion and Garlic hit her nostrils as she ran towards the washroom to vomit,only to be followed by extremely worried Rano and Mohinder.
Rano caressed geet's pale face as they all came out of the washroom."What happened Chidi???Is your stomach upset???" Rano asked worriedly.
"No maasi..I could not bear that Daal's smell.."Geet said wiping her face with a wet towel.
"But Its your favoirte daal chidi.." Mohinder exclaimed.
"I don't know why mausa ji but I don't like its smell anymore..Even I am not able to stand in kitchen when maasi ji cooks these days..." Geet answered oblivious to lines of worry appeared on her maasi's fore head as she steered her inside the bedroom.
"When did you have your periods last time???" Rano asked geet in an anxious voice as they entered the room.
"When we were in Hoshairpur maasi ji..I did not have them last month..I think, Finally Babaji has freed me form this "girly trouble".." Geet answered with a wide smile. For the first time in life,Chidi's innocence irked Rano. Fear of "her chidi's pregnancy" was gnawing at her soul at that moment ..She controlled her anxious breaths as she asked her once again.."Did you have all the medicines when you were sick in Hoshairpur???"
"umm..umm..Yes maasi ji.." Geet answered averting her eyes from Rano's face.
"Swear on me and say you took all the tablets regularly.."Rano spoke taking geet's hand and keeping it on her head.
Geet immediately removed her hand form her maasi's head as she answered in a scared voice," No masi ji..When you were not around,I used to throw the tablets outside..You know how much I hate medici..." Geet could not complete when she felt a sharp pain on her cheek.It was the first time when Rano had slapped her.Tears flew down her hazels uncontrollably as she ran out the room. Mohinder who was standing at the door had heard the entire conversation.Life had not stopped throwing troubles at his innocent chidi yet.He came near his wife who was now sitting on the floor,holding her head in her hands...
"Rano.."He spoke making her stand.
"What will we do now Mohinder ji???Our Chidi is pregnant..She herself is a kid..How would she handle all this???How we would save her from this society???They won't let our chidi live her life peacefully..Her future is destroyed.." Rano kept on blabbering continuously in her panic stricken state.
"Listen Rano.." Mohinder tried to calm his anxious wife as he held her from the shoulders but she was too panic to listen anything.
"We would abort her baby Mohinder ji..Two months has already passed..We should not delay further..."
"Rano!!!!" Mohinder yelled at top of his lungs..His voice was able to bring his wife back to her senses.."Listen to me please..." He spoke in a calm tone now handing Rano a glass of water.
Rano sipped the water from the glass as she looked at her husband with expectant eyes.May be He had some idea to fix the situation they were stuck in.
"Don't look at me like this Rano..I don't have any magic wand to fix everything..But please don't loose your patience.." He held Rano's hand as he spoke further.."Before taking any step about chidi's pregnancy,She needs to know what is going on with her and what actually had happened with her that night..She doesn't have inkling of what cruel game destiny is playing with her.."
There was silence in the room for next few minutes as Rano tried to absorb her husband's words..
"Rano..you are her mother and Its your responsibility to make her understand everything.." Rano heard him say further..
She nodded her head slightly in yes before moving towards the main door.
"Where are you going,Rano??"Mohinder asked.
"To medical store for getting "Home pregnancy test kit"..We need to confirm her pregnancy first.."
Geet felt the warmth of Rano's fingers as they caressed her forehead,thus making her open her droopy eyes. She had no idea when sleep had replaced the "tears" in her hazels.Her lower lip trembled once again in order to control her tears as she remembered the "slap" which had hurt her naive and innocent heart more than the cheek.She showed her annoyance by closing her eyes once again as she refused to look at her maasi's face.A pearl of salty water escaped from corner of her left eye to be lost in the fluffy pillow."I am sorry chidi.."Rano said meekly as her throat pained in an attempt to suppress her crying."Please forgive your maasi.."
Rano's words brought the desired effect.Geet came in to sitting position as she spoke in a teary voice,"I am sorry maasi for not taking those medicines..."
"Its ok beta.." Rano said kissing her fore head before taking her daughter in her embrace. Geet stayed in Rano's arms till "Home pregnancy test kit" in her maasi's hand grabbed her attention.
"Whats this maasi??" Geet asked with much curiosity snatching the small packet from Rano's hands.
Rano could read the perplexity on Geet's face as she read the "details" on the packet. Geet gave an awkward smile to Rano,giving back the packet to her.
"Read the instructions carefully chidi.." Rano told handing back the "test kit" to her.
"But why maasi???"Geet asked with confusion.
"Because .."Rano sighed deeply before continuing further.."There are strong chances that you are pregnant.."
"What???"Geet exclaimed astonished with her massi's words..Thousands thoughts ran through her mind simultaneously and they all ended with one question."How was that possible??"
"How is it possible,maasi ji???" The question escaped her lips in a whisper.
Rano did not want more confusions and misconceptions to nestle geet's innocent brain hence she explained everything to her using simple,clear and raw words.It was too much for geet to absorb atonce.For the first time,She had understood the gravity of the ordeal she had faced.She had understood the actual meaning of the infamous term "Rape" and the reason behind the pain in "those" parts of her body.Her hands in their accord clutched around Rano's waist in fear as she hid her face in her bosom. She was more panic now..
"Everything would be all right chidi..I am with you.." Rano consoled her daughter as she kept on caressing her back.For next half an hour,Silence prevailed the room.Sudden fear did not let Geet leave the warmth of her maasi's embrace..
"Mausa ji is so good maasi.." Geet's sudden and "out of context" words perplexed Rano..
"Yes,he is but why did you say so???" She asked.
"Because you don't have your own kid, maasi ji.."
"What do you mean chidi???"
"You yourself just told me that "Its" the "only" way to make babies..Mausa ji did not want to hurt you thats why you don't have your own kid.." Geet gave her innocent explanation.
The circumstances in which concept of "sexual relationship" between a man and woman was revealed to Geet,It was obvious for her to think this way.Her words did not surprise Rano.
"Do you think your father had hurt your mother to bring you and your channi di in this world???" Rano asked geet the question to make her see the "other side" of coin.
Geet was unable to answer that question.Her father could never do any "wrong" with her mother.
"That means whatever that "man" did with me was right,maasi???"She asked Rano after sometime.
"No Chidi,His behaviour was not right because He "forced" you against your "will"..You were "hurt" because you did not want him to touch you..When a couple decide to have baby,both husband's and wife's consents are involved in it.."
Geet's furrowed eyebrows and confusion swimming in her eyes clearly showed that Rano's words had not convinced her yet.
"Chidi,you like it when I feed you with my hands??" Rano asked her.
"Yes..I like it.."Geet answered immediately.
"Suppose you are not hungry and don't want to eat anymore but still I am pushing food inside your mouth forcefully..Would you like that too???"
"No..maasji.."
"Exactly you won't like that because second situation lacks your "consent"...Hope you understood now what I was trying to say.."
Geet nodded her head in "yes" in response..
"Chidi..Physical Intimacy between a man and woman is an "expression of love" more than a "mean of making babies" but "lack of love" makes it "lust" and "lack of consent" makes it "Rape"..
"That means Its not a "bad" thing actually.."Geet concluded.
"No..beta..Its not..You know,"Shiva lingam" that we worship in temples is considered as "sign" of "creation and origin of life"..Its upper portion actually represents the male organ of Lord Shiva and lower one represents female organ of Goddess Shakti...In total,it signifies their union from where whole life has originated.." Rano told geet.She did not want her daughter to develop an aversion towards "physical intimacy" for rest of her life and She was quite successful in her attempt.
The "noises" coming from outside grabbed Geet's attention. Her friends were back to "street" for playing.
"Can I go to play maasi ji???" Geet immediately asked for her maasi's permission.
"Chidi..First you have to take the test.." Rano exclaimed handing her the small packet once again. Geet turned her feet towards the "washroom" with her eyes fixed on the "skipping rope" kept on the table.
A subtle pain clutched Rano's heart as she looked in her daughter's hazels..There was no fear of "test's result" in those eyes..There was only an innocent and childish "longing" to play her favourite game..She was a kid,having another "kid" in her womb now...!!!
"Your tea is getting cold Rano.."
Mohinder's loud voice broke Rano's reverie..She wiped the moisture in her eyes as she kept back the album in the drawer...
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Disclaimer-The story/information about Shiva lingam is taken from Wikipedia...I am sorry if it has offended readers sentiments in some way...
I would like to share some inforamtion provided by "Fantesy" about Shivalingam..She has presented a completely different view as there are many ways in which Shaivalingam is interpreted..I gave only one "interpretation" here which was told to me by my mother, and I want my readers to know the other point of view too...
Actual word for penis in sanskrit is shishna not lingh or lingham ..In sanskrit lingham means sign,symbol or mark so literally it means mark of shiva the creator,shiva the sustainer and shiva the destructor ! Shivaligham has 3 distinct parts which are for brahma,vishnu n shiva ... lower part for brahma ( creator) middle for vishnu (sustainer) n upper for shiva (destructor) .. shivalingham was existed far before shakti ( parvati) came into existence. Even sati used to worship shivaligham so It can't represent their union in any way !
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
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