Anklet
Original Odia – Anil Kumar Parhi
Translated into English – Deepak Kumar Dey
【1】
At river bank ,blazing cremation fire was clearly visible from graveyard. When sun invites evening to put its signature , sometimes this makes me set afoot here. In smoky and slinky darkness mysterious waves could be seen on rippling waters of skinny slender river. It follows not either fire or flame- nothing else.
At least ,being merciful if when darkness might change its gesture to be fire, ablaze?
— Hey ! Just have a look ! For graveyard’s burning flames river is clothed in recarnating reddish attire as if an apple is coloring the epicentral waistline and shown navel of a professional whore .
Time passd away putting its hussle business and swung over family members’ head ,a burdensome dilemma . Too hardest it was for them to bring the dead body at home. Immeasurable aching strain and humdrum monotony has been graphically increased after death which was not gifted when the life story had not met a dreadful death.
Does postmortem needs to be examined in imaginary description ??No- might not . Before and after its medical dissection , it’s only an unbearable repeatation -rushing from court to police station , this continues on and on
At last the dead body was located and found which was unknown to all when it was alive . This dead body is uniquely different from all others .Time has been changed in accordance with modern day man’s highly intellectuality and intelligency- after taking photos and shooting for their ground zero report and breaking news some of the print and electronics media personals have returned back from there.
Family members have also left . One or two experts in burying were there for funeral rites. This is toughest to decipher for which fire was at its highest peak : for dead body or the reason is fire itself . She was only of twelve years who became a victim who was returning from school . How barbaric cruelty put an end her chances before a sprouted seed emerged into a world . Alas ! How unkind time is and allowed her flesh to be laid to rest .
-What’s her name ?
May be X, Y or Z. She had put on a silver anklet . Fire was incapable to burn it into ashes. Imprint of anklet was singing its melancholic tune at river bank.
【2】
The girl’s age was three. For her tiny feet once I had brought anklet that was first ornament in which jingling bell was fixed. In that the rustling of leaves was created . Wearing a black frock my daughter used to sway her legs and as a result sounds of jingling bell was reverberating.
One day ,while playing with her on Puri sea beach , a forceful wild wave unlikely a mermaid, eccentric outsider ,crushed at her . Stealing her anklet wave returned to sea . In her cry all her happiness were torn apart . She was crying out aloud . She was unable to cope with when castle of dreams got lost .
Such thoughtfulness how could my little one know ? Everything that’s dragged unto sand merges in sand . Since that day a gift to my world remained silent for ever. That day I was bound to accept what has happened that one can’t change yet anklet is not only an ornament but songs of life also.
【3】
Mother had given away all of her ornaments in her daughter’s marriage that she was gifted at her marriage . Jewel is also a smell of happiness , is not it ? This is also a transferable commodity from generation to generation ,after and after , and later becomes unfathomable history.
Something is that as same as the oliy mark on the forehead of the oldest one of the family who’s leaning onto still wall.
That becomes unforgettable representation as like as lotus feet of ShreeLakshmi.
Cracked feet – don’t know why her anklet seemed blackish. Only it’s visible at time’s when she was sitting .Sometime ,during doing household works her anklets could be seen . Anklet made by Lakshaman, the goldsmith, changed into black for what, might be the cause was either black silver or dusty village roads . Sometimes she did apply village tricks and sometimes in tamarind paste to make it unfaded. Again it looked like garnishe
One day while polishing it one of the anklet got broken. My mother was deeply shocked . After few days father had gone to repair and brought its earlier shape and size but mother had hesitation to put it on again .
Elder sister’s marriage was fixed and and approaching .From then my mother had taken her anklet off ,till her final breath she had never wished to wear it up. I can’t remember what’s happened to my mother’s olden anklet. I have seen and witnessed my sister’s electroplated stainless steel jewelry.
Oh!! Anklet has got freedom from ancestors hellish cage and free bird under the limitless sky.
【4】
An anklet may cost how much ! Once to gift on friend’s daughter marriage I said . Forty thousands for one k.g. silver .How much ounce is needed in making of anklet. I was not in a mood to offer rupees. With some money I stepped towards a nearby jewelry shop.
Asked at counter to how me some anklets. Before my eyes some more were displayed by the salesman. I chose one .
-“How much “, I intended to know.
‘Ten thousands ‘ was his reply .
-‘T–T– T–en thousands ‘ – oye bro ! Not platinum coated — I am in need of a silver-made.” stated I.
The salesman laughed out louder , answered to my query – platinum coated , Sir, This’s very ordinary and simply silver .
So .. costs much I couldn’t restrain me.
Sir , Don’t you know about anklets of one lakh. He went on describing filmy showcasing . heroins name , films name – all was resides at his top of tounge. When he utterly tried to flatter me by saying the way of business blundering.
At highest cost !! Huh !! Needless to gift.. is it a must necessary ?? Now a days which maiden girl has a preferable appreciation to be put on with anklet. If it’s worn on as bracelet , or a garland on neck for her success the highly educated civilians must know what must be mattered :a five hundreds l currency note in a closed envelope is indescribable. Little too much is jest right and deep intimacy I asserted myself – fairly and lastly I got to know .
【5】
On wooden pavilion ShreeRadha was seen just next to ShreeKrishna- almost at back . In front of them were AnthuaGopal, Lakshminarayan and Raghunatha’s idols were . A silver necklace was cheerfully springing around ShreeRadha’s neck- crowned just as Krishna.
These two eyes were exuberantly got into sacredness at divine insight of bronze deities. Shree Radha was wearing anklet while a flute was on lips of Krishna .
One day , because of drowsyness ,when and how I had reached at the deities , Ti’s unknown to me . At first I did smell scent of inscence stick ,then flute’s tune and after that ringing of anklet. Those sufficiently suffused and engulfed me in inexpressible thoughts. I opened the pack of the door .When I got into sense ,nothing was remembered .
【6】
At first sottish husband broke all of her tinkling bangles. He was completely drenched in drunkenness. He was burning in irresistible amorous desire. To satiate his craziest sensuality he was all need for whole submission . A woman will shout or go with recalcitrance? It can’t be for it may cause disruption in concentration. This is that time when a man feels great to establish himself as an emperor .
But ,it’s sounding from lifeless wife. This sound he felt like reaction takes after action , Newton’s third law of motion. Where this tinkling coming from a clothless naked woman! To be satisfied he was not in a mood to give her any room nor he had had a heart to understand emotions of a wife. When he’s ruthlessly trying to thrive over her like a hungry tiger ,the same time he could hear the clattering. Though he was fully drunken he was able to intercept the anklets from her toes.
” Hey ! You have affirmed that you don’t have any ornaments . Where it came from ? I have sold and wasted in drinking all that you had had.’ he grumbled and blew fistful mighty slap on her.”
-‘For who other you have been cladded … Again another bigger smash was hammered over her.
He took away her anklet ,smriked facetiously and at mid night went away from there.
【7】
Anklet has a lively life . It can smile and cry also . This can feast with solitary silence and wholly could be converted into womanhood’s wholesomeness
