Diwali

I remember Kajri di, just around Diwali, and just when I do, I can only recall the sheets hung on her bed. 

Kajri Di came to our school as a new student with 7 others. She never speaks to anyone about anything. She even had sheets hung around her bed like mosquito nets so that no one would disturb her.

Those huge blue floral prints on white sheets turned pale by the days but were never taken down. I don't even remember her face anymore but those prints on the sheet are fresh in my memory. When one of her classmates called her for a birthday surprise meeting, she snapped at her saying not to disturb her and they had a huge fight, which is why I never dared to go near that bed ever.

She was so mysterious yet she laughed heartily when Anju Di mimics about anything. She had shut her door for anyone to come and see what's inside

.

The night before Kajri Di left for Diwali holidays, she spoke to every one of us. She only wished us "Happy Diwali" and was as cheerful as an early bird. We all were so excited to be back home after 5 long months, which is why no one noticed that she had packed all her stuff.

That was the last time we all saw her.

Post-holiday we saw the sheets missing for quite some days and then the news came in.

Kajri Di commited suicide on Diwali.

Was she planning it for those 5 months or was she fighting the demons within the sheeted walls! Rumors anyway find their ways around, but the truth ended within those sheets. Maybe her depression turned those sheets paler. But she ruined her entire family's Diwali for life. I guess that wasn't fair, was it?