Kali Defeats!

‘Kali!’

‘Have you seen yourself in the mirror?’

‘Don’t sit next to me! Your ugliness will rub off on to me!’

The words kept ringing in her ears as she kept moving on, her feet stinging on the hot sand of the village path, under the noon sun. She could not see much as her vision was obscured by the tears cascading down her face. She pulled her dupatta, closer around her head, and wiped her eyes with the dampened corner! Her heart felt ready to burst as she had been running as fast as she could, far away from those horrible, tormenting voices, but the voices had penetrated her head and kept ringing in her ears. The more she stayed away from those boys and girls, the more they made it a point to find her and ridicule her… she was convinced, they enjoyed seeing her cry and would stop only when she would die!

She finally reached her friend, the mate who could console her…. The big, shady mango tree! In a trice she had climbed up, hugging the branch, she wept, she sobbed and let out her anguish, pain and misery!

‘What can I do if I am dark? What can I do if I am ugly? How does it matter how I look? They are fair and good looking, and no one makes fun of them. Why don’t they let me be?’ And she started wailing again. The tree seemed to absorb her anguish and comforted her, by its soft swaying in the wind, ‘Hushhhh, Hushhhh!’ it murmured! After a long time, she felt ready to go home and face her mother, without an outward display of remorse.

As she walked back home, letting the warm sand trickle between her toes, she felt she needed to do something. But what? “Ah! So, they defeated you again? With their worthless words?” said Sanjay. Sanjay was a little older but highly respected youth of the village, as he had gone to college in town and was presently working there too. Taken aback, she mumbled ‘How do you know?’ and stared at him, her eyes growing big with surprise.

“Doesn’t matter. Let me just tell you once again… You are beautiful! No one in this village or even in the next 5 villages has such beautiful eyes. Few can climb up a tree as quickly as you can and none can sing prayers like you, not even in the town!”

“You are the only one who says such nice things to me!                                                                                          Even my Mother says no one will marry me because I am dark and ugly!”

“ The choice is yours to believe me or not.  What do you have to lose? Let’s make a deal…. For just one month you will believe what I am saying and tell yourself the mantra I am going to share, morning, noon and evening. Is that Ok?”

She looked at his brown face, with thick eyebrows, and an even thicker moustache, eyes hidden behind his big dark glasses, a smooth brown skin that always smelt clean and dressed in simple cotton clothes. It was his reassuring calm smile that did the trick, after all he was respected by all and sundry, young and old. She mulled it in her head and realised, he was probably the only friend she had …. And she would give her all for her friend!

“Ok! I will do it… only for you, only for one month!” “Great let’s begin today… right now!

Repeat this mantra after me…. I am beautiful! I sing beautifully! I am an expert at the things I do!”

She did as directed, not once, not twice but three times. A smile hovered over her lips as she turned to go home. The sands had cooled down by now, with a skip in her step and a song on her lips she rushed to find mom and help her prepare dinner.

The villagers were roused from their sleep the next morning with a melodious rendition of the morning bhajans wafting in from Kali’s house, as the sun rose in its golden brilliance chasing away all signs of darkness from the skies! Her mother was thrilled to hear the song and notice her daughter’s joyous mood. As they quickly completed their mundane chores, she noticed her daughter taking a tad longer to get dressed for school, mumbling something…. “Ah Krishna! Thank you for bringing joy into our home today! May you  forgive us for all our sins and keep your blessings on my dear Kali! Your daughter Kali, my Lord!”

Kali went forth, with a confident stride that day. The terrible four did not daunt her, neither did she pay any heed to their jibes. Whenever anyone said anything nasty, she remembered her deal with Sanjay and repeated the mantra. In a week’s time all around her noticed a change. She did not feel heartbroken as easily, nor did she waste her time. Her singing won her many fans, including her teacher at school. She visited her friend, the mango tree far fewer times.

The village had been reeling under water crisis for a long time. Having studied water systems and water harvesting Kali decided to implement it. She went to the village river, which was a mere stream now, and started picking up the stones and rocks from the banks and building a small bund. Watching her do this for a few days, the village elder asked her what she was up to. She explained she wanted to recharge the ground water, and by creating bunds hoped to increase the water holding capacity of the river. She had won him over. Soon there were a few more hands to help. She rewarded them with beautiful songs and the sweetest mangoes plucked from the tallest trees.

One evening as she was returning home, humming to herself, skip in her step, she saw Sanjay and went running to him.

“Hey how are you Kali?”

“ I was wanting to talk to you.”

“ Looks like you have news!”

 “Oh yes! Most of the village folks are helping to make the bunds on the river…. They are listening to me! Can you believe it? No one says horrible things to me now! Those rascals tried and the uncles gave them a slap and the aunts gave them a warning! Your mantra really worked.

“But tell me how did you see my beautiful eyes, from behind your dark glasses? Aren’t you having problems with your vision?”

He laughed loudly and finally said, “ I see with my heart! Congratulations! You have defeated your doubts and emerged victorious!”

Picture : Courtesy the internet for representation purpose only!