by Shobhaa De
Her wedding date was approaching, and I was worried whether we would be able to courier the saree well in time. It was already late - and the courier services had still to resume properly. I told Ali this morning, ‘Beta… try one more time. Madam Angie ke saat baat hi karlein… she will be happy to hear my voice. Tell her we are waiting for the courier services to start. Bas! Hamarey taraf se tayyari poori hai.’
Reluctantly, very reluctantly, Ali tried. He was shaking his head while trying. As if he knew something which I didn’t. Finally, in a low voice he said, ‘Abba… leave it. I think… I think… no, I really can’t say… I don’t know anything… but her number has been dead for two weeks now. I didn’t want to tell you… maybe Madam Angie …’
I held up my hand, and said sharply, ‘Stop!’
I no longer listen to the shehnai. My ears have changed, so has my heart. As for my stomach? It has shrunk to half its size - how can I fill it, when my loom is equally hungry? We sit in this room all day, waiting for someone and something, consoling each other. I have stopped listening to the shehnai since that day when Ali tried to contact... No, I cannot even get myself to utter her name. The saree with the love story is packed away in a trunk. No other dulhan can ever wear it. The loom and I only listen to the silence of the ghats these days.
Shobhaa De is a widely read author and columnist. She is known for her outspoken, irreverent views, making her one of India’s most respected opinion shapers. Her writings have consistently chronicled her deeply felt socio-political-cultural concerns.
First published in India by Simon & Schuster India, 2020
A Viacom CBS company
Copyright © Shobhaa Dé, 2020
The right of Shobhaa Dé to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with Section 57 of the Copyright Act 1957.
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