My Little Durga

My Little Durga

Where the whole world today recognizes women power, still hidden under the shadow of superstitions and religious misbelieves and faith, there resides a society where even today malpractices like that of female foeticide and infanticide still persists. Are we also a part of that society?

Lying on the footsteps of the Durga Devi Temple, with furious winds blowing and the clouds turning wild and violent, Avantika cries in great pain and fear.

It was sometime down in the month of July that the Rajgharana house in the small backward village of Shilihabad, Kolkata was overjoyed by the news of their 9^th successor, who was yet to come. The Dai Maa (midwife) confirmed the news of Avantika, the wife of their eldest son, being 6 month parturient (pregnant). Sweets, lights, dance and music all filled the air of the village with a mist of a festive season. Villagers came everyday for feasts and fun to the Rajgharana as each day passed on.

Gradually, the days of Avantika giving birth to a child were nearing and in this aura of happiness and joy her father- in law, Raja Veer Singh Bhadra, told her “Dear bahu, you would be aware of the fact that how excited we are,that you are going to give birth to our heir, but…” Avantika noticed her strict and stern father- in law playing with words asked “ But what Babu ji?”, to which Veer Bhadra answered “ but bahu as you know, we have a custom of predicting the gender of the unborn in the 8^th month and so I have called Dai Maa, the day after to examine you.”

It was the month of September and Dai Maa arrived. Gradually everyone left Avantika’s room. The doors were shut, the windows closed and the ventilators covered with tattered cloth pieces. With the room being preoccupied by only Dai Maa and Avantika, Dai Maa said “Bahurani, no need to fear, just lie down and let me examine you” and following her Avantika did so. The hands of the clock turned and every second seemed like years passing by when suddenly after 2 hours the door opened. Dai Maa in great anguish and despair came out to which Rajmata Sheetali Devi asked “Dai what happened? Why are you so tensed?” Is everything allright?” Dai on her knees with tears in her eyes said “Laado.”

Hearing for what was meant to refer to girls the Rajgharana house turned into a hell from a heaven. Festivities stopped, glamour disappeared and what echoed the village were only the painful cries of Avantika. Actually the village of Shilihabad prohibited girl-child birth and with Dai  announcing the birth of a girl, that too in the Rajgharana, the whole family turned devilish and started intense torture on Avantika. She was burnt, stabbed, attempted to be killed, tried to be poisoned but she did not say a word, only here desperate cries echoed throughout the village.

One day in the month of October, even her beloved and most trusted husband who was on an outing for many days, on his return tried to kill her after knowing the fact, but Avantika that day was fortunate enough to escape.

Days passed on and she ran for her life, ran for her daughter's life and ran with a hope in her heart for bringing her daughter to this world and behind came the troops of her in-laws trying to stab her to death. Neither food nor water but only with some wild berries and some herbs did she hide in an old thatched house in another far-off village but when the troops flogged through the village, she enrouted to run away. Finally on the 11^th of October after running for around 20 days at a stretch, she reached a Durga Devi temple and lying on its footsteps cried “ Oh Devi! Save her! Save your destine, for the child is to be born.” The troops came, her in-laws came and even the villagers from the near and far gathered around, but what happened next left everyone speechless and rebounded.

   The clock struck 12 at night and violent winds started blowing, the clouds turned violent and the whole atmosphere was fragrant with the sweet smell of the Kash flowers, as for the next day was Bengal’s most awaited Durga Puja. Suddenly then, the whole temple glowed with a divine light,a light as bright as the sun, leaving everyone in mere blindness and amaze. And then suddenly too a loud cry was heard which reverberated as “Om” and also was heard the last words of Avantika “Oh! My Little Durga Has Come.”

No one knew where Avantika vanished, no one got traces of the child but what was left in their place were the holy chants of Devi Durga and a pair of sandals glowing with cosmic energy and eternal divinity.