| By : ( Posted on :20 Sep, 2005 ) | Total Views : 357 | Previous | Next |
For Sarita it was a silent celebration. Besides a flaming oil-lamp in front of Sonu's garlanded-photo and a burning candle in the Tulsi mandap, there were no other illuminations anywhere else in the house. She preferred to sit in the twilight of her drawing room. Neither the decorative lighting of the neighbourhood nor the sparkling fire-works at the dazzling sky could alter her mood. Perhaps she never liked the darkness like this before. The decision of Avinash, her husband, to remain out, made her to feel more comfortable.
A flying moth suddenly came from somewhere and jumped over the lamp extinguishing it completely. She smiled at her own fate. Even this tiny moth helped engrave the darkness. She drew a deep sigh and looked around. The residual part of the candle at Tulshi mandap was still burning. She liked to watch its molten droplets. A few drops of tears, wax dew, soon rolled down over her cheeks.
She, for a while, sat beside Tulsi to feel her sanctity. A small unknown insect, who was trapped in the molten wax, was trying its best to come out from there. She could pull it out but did not, she wanted to enjoy its slow and painful death. The insect soon became motionless like the same way their only son Sonu became, on this day, one year ago. She closed both her eyes.
She moved back to one year ago. The day had a beautiful beginning with holly-dips, Laxmi Puja and visit to the temple. Initially, evening also was very delighting. Avinash had got a raise recently. So, all were in the mood for an extravagant celebration. She had cooked. Sonu was blazing fireworks in the outskirts of their house. Avinash was out for buying their favourite sweets.
None could think that a darkest Diwali was awaiting. She, embellishing herself with jewellery and silk sari, was just about to light an oil-lamp at the Tulsi mandap, suddenly she was shaken with a heart-sheering 'vroom…vroom.'. She covered her ears with her fingers. "Mummy…" - another shirk voice penetrated through her ear holes suppressing all others. She came out running. She failed to bear the scene anymore and closed her eyes out of fear. Sonu was in the ICU through out the night. He too had struggled like the insect did just now. Finally before the sunrise all was over; only remained a series of aching memories.
Suddenly it came again - 'vroom.' Another fierce sound subdued her cry. She closed her ears again, yet she could feel a faint reflection of it gradually reaching towards Sonu through her cerebrum. She failed to remember further.
