Everlasting Bond

The rain continued to shower like the blessings of God....and our earth seemed to look fresh after a cool bath. There was a pin-drop silence, occasionally disturbed by drops falling from leaves. The window remained half-open.

"Naina, the rainbow is visible now. Really none can ignore the power of God which gift us such a marvelous view of nature....."

"Wow: Are all seven colors visible ?"

"Ya, Naina."

Naina felt some pangs of strange happiness & her lips made a swift movement, revealing her mesmerizing smile.

"Kajal, we are getting bored, let's have some fun by reading funny stuff now."

"Okay sure."

Kajal pulled out a Bengali comic series " Nante Phante " & began reading aloud. Few moments passed by, both were found stumbling out of bed, laughing hard. Kajal was, though able to control herself, but Naina couldn't help, sitting sideways. Kajal had a close view at her eyes which were the loveliest from which radiance was sparkling out. Those were lined deeply with Kohl, adding more elegance. She wondered every day how God could snatch power from those beautiful small windows.

Kajal's mother had been working for the last 15 years even before Naina's birth. To get rid of the daughter's loneliness & due to Kajal's drunken dad, Naina's father fully took off responsibility for Kajal's upbringing. Right from birth, both acted like inseparable sisters- Kajal, being 1 year younger, was quite matured & always acted as a savior to Naina, leaving no stone unturned for her happiness.

From childhood, stories by Feluda, Sunil Gangopadhyay, Bivutibishan Bandhapadhyay & other well known Bengali authors were used to be heard in narrative style from Naina's room. Kajal's words were used to so convincing & prominent that Naina could easily grasp the thrill & depth of characters describe to her. Not only Bengali writers, English ones like Agatha Chistie's adventures also used to fascinate her quite a lot.

One day, while fetching water, Kajal heard Naina's parents behind the door talking her marriage has been fixed six months later. She could notice tension gripping them tightly as Naina's mother spoke-"Naina will have to remain alone, after Kajal's marriage & no one would approach a visually challenged girl for marriage proposal even."

Unable to control her tears, she rushed towards Naina's room. Naina's ears were used to be quite sharp, easily understood her footsteps & exclaimed - "Congo! Congo! Dear, I am so excited, you are finally getting married! "

Saying this, tiny droplets made a zigzag way along her cheeks. Kajal embraced her tightly, wiping her tears with her dupatta corner - "I know you are heartbroken inside as you will be alone after I will be gone. But I don't want to marry, I can't leave you alone, Naina!"

Naina, smiled, struggling to hold back tears, said - " Kajal, I understand we have always lived as siblings, so it will be quite heart wrenching to part away, but we are bound to do at some points of life. Don't worry I will be absolutely fine. Mine only one unfulfilled wish would be to see my sweet sister as a bride."

Kajal didn't speak any more words hearing this. Days passed by & preparations for her marriage were in full swing. Since Naina's father treated Kajal as his own daughter only, therefore tried his best to the greatest extent. Their whole house was painted in bright shades & illuminated fully with decorative lights. Everyone was engrossed in this merry-making activities.

One Day, suddenly no one saw Kajal & she got vanished. Endless efforts went in vain tor find a trace of her whereabouts. Naina was devastated as her faith shattered into pieces when she heard rumors spreading like wildfire that Naina mush have had eloped with someone from a nearby colony, as neighbors reported to have seen her having a private conversation with a young man.

This incident was a big blow to the whole family, making Naina the most affected person, though everyone tried to help her cope up with the shock. Nothing was bound to change, except her heat was getting bottled up with unexplained anger & hatred just like dust layering more on their photo frame on her table which she hated to clean, even to touch it.

"Mamma, your eyes look so pretty!"- A little girl spoke, busy combing her doll's hair. Something struck her mother after she finished applying kohl. Constantly staring at the round mirror, words kept ringing in her ears - "Naina, I promise I will never leave you alone, even when I am not with you, I will be smeared around your beautiful eyes forever, so please never forget to apply it any day."

A small drop trickled down her cheeks, which that girl, jumping from bed, wiped off with her small soft hands.

"See outside, Mamma, that rainbow! It is so wonderful!"

"Yes, my darling, tell me all the seven colors."

"Violet, Indigo,..."

One by one, that little girl mentioned each color & words of her doctor flashed in her mind repeatedly- The donor for your eyes transplant is none then your Kajal. She made me promised not to disclose it & keep it a secret. She could not bear your pain, so enquired & decided to gift you the power of vision by donating hers. That day, after signing the form, she tried to meet the accident but didn't know her fate that this would be her life's last moment..."