Memories of a Little Girl Called Dolly! (XVIII)

One day, as usual, Dolly came up to our home. Mom had arranged everything for her properly, including her doll, favourite stool and Mom’s purse. She took the doll and told Mom, “Lola hai (The doll is crying.)”

Mom spoke to the doll asking if she had stomachache or did Dolly scold her, etc. She told Dolly, “She fell down and hurt herself. But I have made it alright. Keep her on your chest and cheer her up.”

She asked, “Gil gai? Tot aayi hai?”

Dolly was so cute sitting there with the doll that I went and gave her a kiss on her cheek. Her Mom had told her not to allow anyone to kiss her. She began shouting at me, “Paaapi deya! Paapi! (You gave me pappi! How dare you!)” And she even complained to her Mummy Aunty.

Mom gave me a mock scolding, “Paapi (Sinner!) Why did you kiss her?”

But Dolly was very happy. Do have a look at this picture how close she is to her Mummy Aunty. Her Mummy Aunty was allowed to kiss her! And look how she is enjoying it.

Right at that time, Amish Vaidya entered. He was interested in speaking about Raksha Bandhan. “Aunty, Raksha Bandhan is coming. How do we celebrate it this year?”

Every year a group of boys, all Mom’s friends (!), would come to our place to get rakhis tied from us both sisters. We also would go out somewhere or the other in a group after the celebrations. Mom told him, “This year let us celebrate at home, though we had decided to go out. I would like to stay at home because Salma has some problem. When that problem gets solved let us go out. We will celebrate Rakhi here this time. Just tell me what dishes you all would like to have. I will prepare them for you.”

After this discussion, Amish left.

Dolly seemed to have waited for him to go and said immediately, strongly and loudly, “Gaya! (He left.)”

She even fought with her Mummy Aunty that during the Rakhi celebrations nobody else would come. Only she wanted to come! Anyways, Mom took her to her home and spoke to her mother about it. Her Mom promised that they would decide something about it.

The day came. Dolly came home at 8 in the morning. Previously, she had gone with her Mummy Aunty to buy Rakhi for her. She had bought a very big Rakhi for herself. On that day, Mom made her sit on her favourite stool in front of our pooja space. She applied Tikka. Immediately Dolly ordered, “Chawal agao. (Apply rice.)”

Then she gave her hand and told Mom to tie the Rakhi. Mom tied it on her small wrist. “Aati kalo. (Perform Aarti to me.)”

Mom really performed an aarti to remove the effects of the evil eye. Then Dolly said, “Der ho gaya. Mai mamaji ke ghar ja rahi hoon Rakhi ke liye. Mele ko mich mat kalna. Raat ko aa jaoongi. (It is late. I am going to my maternal uncle’s place to celebrate Rakhi. Don’t miss me. I will return at night.)”

Mom thought, “Thank God! Her Mom had found an interesting idea to keep Dolly away from us.”

Though I am older, then also I get taunts from the daughter Vishkanya (Hitakshi) of Our Lady of Intolerance (Vaishali), who is actually Vishaili (poisonous) that I don’t have a brother in blood relations. We got the information from reliable resources that Vishkanya had really consumed poison. If so, how come her real brother allowed this to happen?

But I have a large group of brothers, who are my Mom’s sons first and then my brothers, who would accompany us to our educational institutions. They would also accompany us to libraries. If we would not find any book, they would go out of their way to find it for us.

We would celebrate Diwali and Dassehra with these brothers so well that our colony would watch us. Whenever Mom would require anything, they would find it for her. We really miss those days. We told them that we are leaving the city, which was Dad’s idea. I needed isolation for my higher studies and work, both of which need much concentration. Even Mom’s health was not so good and she needed a restful life. So we decided to leave everything behind.

When we came here, our intention was to give Mom bed rest. We did not expect that we will get a Vishkanya and Vishaili as our neighbours. I have said a few things about them before. I will soon reveal the 5 years’ story about them.

To be continued…