My Struggle Is My Identity

"Listen, Kajal! Have all preparations for tomorrow been made, right?" When Anirban asked, Kajalika happily nodded, and Sonali started...

"'Kazalika Boutique' for festive clothes today.

The reason behind this great name is my mother's dedication and hard work. She has achieved this success after a lot of struggle. I am proud of my mom!”

Sonali was imitating giving an interview by folding the newspaper in the shape of a mic. Hearing this, everyone started laughing. Then, snatching the newspaper from his sister, Soma pretended to interview his mother and said, “So Kazalikaji, what is the key to your success?"

Kajalika took the newspaper in her hand and brought it close to her mouth and said, "Success is not achieved overnight. The initial period is full of struggle. Only by moving slowly can one reach a big destination. I also got a lot of support from my family in this!"

"This is the perfect preparation for tomorrow's interview!"

Now Anirban said while clapping. Then everyone started laughing together. Seeing everyone happy, Kazalika went to the kitchen to make custard of everyone's choice. He put the milk on the gas to thicken it and while stirring it, his thoughts started dominating him. Seeing everyone happy today, Kazalika started remembering those days when her entire family was going through a financial crisis. Kazalika started thinking...

Who could have said three years ago that a shy Kajlika who did not even know Hindi properly would be there? Someday she will start her own work in the Hindi speaking area, and people will like her work so much that she will have her own boutique. Today her struggle and dedication towards work will make her so famous that tomorrow she will be interviewed for 'Nari Shakti Ki Kriti' magazine.

This struggle was not easy for Kazalika.

She remembered her early days when she came to Bilaspur from Kolkata after marriage. Every year during Durga Puja, they all used to go to Kolkata to celebrate the festival with their families. But that year, Anirban could not go due to a lack of leave, so Kajalika started preparing to celebrate Durga Puja in Bilaspur itself. Durga Puja i.e. Dussehra is celebrated with great pomp in Bengal. Kajalika thought that there would be similar noise here also. But when she could not find a readymade blouse as per her wish, she became a little sad. In fact, when Kajalika had gone to the market to look for a readymade blouse for her beautiful tant silk saree that she had bought for Durga Puja, she could not find a readymade blouse of the cut and design that she liked.

Firstly, there were only a few shops of readymade blouses, and the blouses shown to her were very simple, which she did not like at all. Whereas in Kolkata, ready-made blouses with various beautiful designs were available. At that time, both his daughters Sonali and Soma were very young. Sonali was very young, about seven years old, and Soma was twelve years old. In taking care of both the girls, taking them to school, and taking care of Anirban's needs, she was unable to find time for herself. And as part of this daily work, making a matching blouse for that saree had completely slipped from her mind. When she remembered two days before the festival, she thought that no one would buy a readymade blouse. In Kolkata, all types of blouses are available ready-made, but here in Bilaspur, they were not available. Even after searching a lot, when she could not find the blouse as per her wish, Kajalika returned home very sad. Not even a tailor can stitch it that quickly. She started thinking of wearing some other saree on the festival day whose matching blouse was already made. "Festivals throughout the year and no matching blouse with Kazalika's beautiful tan saree? Oh, this is so unfair!"

Anirban teased her lovingly. At that time Kajalika laughed and avoided it, but then it came to her mind why not stitch the blouse herself today. He had taken Home Science as an optional subject in class 10th in school. In that, cutting to make frocks and blouses was also taught. What else was there? Kajalika got such a zeal to sew her own blouse that she stayed awake the whole night and prepared an antique blouse by adding lace gota. Then during the day she made her even more beautiful by hanging pearls on her neck and arms.

After it was completely made, she was wearing it with saree and was checking the fitting when Anirban came from the office. Kazalika got a little nervous. She wore a big red bindi and approached Anirban dressed up just as she was getting ready to go to the puja. By then the daughter had opened the door, and Anirban was freshening up and coming out of the bathroom when he saw his well-groomed wife standing in front of him, his mouth wide open in surprise. In this panic, the towel fell from Anirban's hand. Seeing him in this condition, Kazalika started laughing.

Anirban asked, "Hey, when did you buy such a beautiful blouse?" In reply, smiling softly, Kajalika said, "She went to the market today and bought it. Tell me, how much would it cost?"

"Wow... It must be at least five hundred to seven hundred and what Anirban said.

"No...no...I have made it myself." At once Anirban did not believe what Kazalika told him. Then when she showed him the clippings of the clothes, he became convinced of this hidden talent of his wife. He praised him a lot. Then he laughed and said, "If you make this your business, you can earn a lot of money. Such beautiful and completely different designs are made by big designers for celebrities." Kajlika said proudly. And what Anirban said jokingly that day, now It had come true. If the talk was only about praising Anirban, then perhaps Kajalika would not have stitched any other blouse after that, I don't know. But after that, when she went out during Durga Puja wearing that special Bengali style blouse with that cloth saree, almost everyone praised her. Babli, who knew her, came to her and asked, "Where did you get this blouse from, how much did you pay for it etc. And even those who did not know her, looked at her outfit and her very special blouse design with admiring eyes. The famous Durga Puja of Bengal often gives a good opportunity to women to showcase their beautiful sarees. And this time, Kajalika's blouse was highly praised in the Durga Puja pandal of Railway Colony, Bilaspur. This was not a trivial matter.

And when Kazlika told that she had made this blouse with her own hands, she would say, make it for me too. Anirban was also accompanying Kazlika to almost every pandal and felt proud after hearing the praise of his wife's art. Had been. By the time the Vijay Dashami puja ended, Anirban had already thought of something. He advised Kazalika to start her own work after the Durga Puja was over. Kazalika.

To avoid feeling bad, he also said that he should do this not only for money but also to bring his hidden talent in front of everyone.

Firstly, the busyness of household chores and kept citing child care.

But...

then when Anirban asked to give full support from his side, she agreed. Even today Kajalika remembers that she was the first to make her friend Mithali's blouse. Which all the other friends also liked very much. She did not want to take even a single penny, but Mithali forced her to take one hundred and fifty rupees. Her first hard earned money was one hundred and fifty rupees.

Then he preserved it and kept it in the Aarti book in the temple. One hundred and fifty rupees. Also charges. And if you want to make a bridal set, you can get Rs. 30-40, sometimes even up to Rs. 50,000. After starting some small work, she then did a course in cutting of designer clothes.

Then Nivedita felt that her field would not be able to develop that much by just stitching blouses, then she also started making lehengas, designer salwar suits, angrakhas etc. to be worn on special occasions.

Firstly, he had a lot of passion to learn something and do something new and then Anirban also supported him a lot. She taught Nivedita how to post her work systematically on social media accounts and Instagram. Now daughters also started helping in choosing the color of pearls and beads etc. Overall, Kajlika got full support from her family and when she got appreciation from outsiders, she started working with renewed enthusiasm.

When the buzz of her work started spreading far and wide, she had to devote more time to the boutique. He also hired two maids and two tailors. Along with this, home and children were always her priority, she never reduced her responsibilities towards the house.

The work that started by keeping a sewing machine in a corner of his drawing room has today been transformed into 'Kazalika Boutique' in Sadar Bazaar. And he has not achieved this success overnight, his steps have reached his destination slowly. The detail and diversity of his work have become his hallmark.

Today, people like his work and his polite behavior so much that on festivals and special occasions, women like to buy made or pre-stitched clothes from his boutique.

She would not only stitch the clothes given by them, but would also make them completely different and very special by adding the bright border of one of her sarees or sometimes a thick gota of a dupatta or sometimes a pearl from a rosary. And a copy of that dress is not found anywhere else. Kajalika had well understood the indomitable desire that everyone has to look different and special, that is why each of her designs is different and beautiful too.

Many times some rich women would buy dresses at exorbitant prices.

Sometimes... there is a lot of demand at once, so she keeps some dresses and blouses already stitched.

Because of this, her boutique has got a different identity. And today the day has come when she is going to have a special identity.

She is being called to the studio tomorrow to publish her interview in the magazine.

Over the years...

his financial condition has become very strong and his self-confidence has also increased a lot. I don't know how much Kajalika could thicken the custard milk with her thoughts when Anirban came to the kitchen to call her and had just touched her cheek lovingly.... What is this? Anirban was shocked.

With tears in her eyes and a smile on her lips, Kazalika left her work and hugged him.

This form of his wife was completely new for Anirban. Then when Nivedita looked at him lovingly and thanked him, Anirban said, "This is all a miracle of your hard work and dedication.

Now let's make everyone's mouth sweet by feeding them custard."

Everyone ate the custard with great enthusiasm. That night, while sleeping, Nivedita was thinking about the possible questions to be asked in the interview the next day and was also preparing the answers in her mind.

Certainly, the coming day was very special.

After all, with small steps, with hard work and dedication, Together we had decided the path to the destination.

Truth.... Achieving success is not easy but nothing is impossible.

(End)

©®V.Aaradhya

Dear friends... Indeed, success does not come suddenly. To achieve great success, one has to struggle a lot in the beginning. Even after that, we have to keep trying continuously, only then the stars shine in the sky of our desires. How did you like this story of mine? Please do let us know. Your review is awaited and welcomed.

Thank you.

Your friend: Aaradhya