WISH

“This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 12; the twelfth edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.”

This post is also my first attempt to write “Short Stories”!!

Parvati and her husband Subbu lived in abject poverty in Rampur.Parvati worked as housemaid in many households scrubbing utensils,washing clothes,moping the floors to earn the bread and make two ends meet. Subbu was a lazy bone who lost his job due to his sluggishness. He was a drunkard who would beat his wife daily,extract money from her and invest it in gambling. One day Parvati complained of stomach upset and vomitting. The doctor at goverment hospital  after diagonising her,congratulated her saying,”Parvati,God has heard your prayers! You will not be sad anymore! You will give birth to new life who will be the source of all your happiness”. Tears welled up Parvati’s eyes. She thanked the doctor. Running home in joyous mode,she excitedly conveyed this message to Subbu. Both of them were elated over this news and patiently waited for 9 months for the baby’s arrival.

On November 2nd,Tuesday, there was heavy downpour. Rains,thunderstorms and lightning struck Rampur. Parvati started developing labour pains. She tossed around the bed suffering and pleading Subbu to take her to the hospital. Subbu ran out to street getting drenched in heavy rain,stopping every vehicle he came across which turned futile. Ultimately,Parvati could not bear the pain and delivered the baby after procuring assistance from her women neighbours. Their house was filled with cries,roars and laughter of the new born baby. Parvati proudly held the new born baby girl in her arms,kissed it.She decided to call the baby girl,”Lakshmi”. Parvati wispered,”I wish God bestows you all the happiness in your life”. Subbu,on the other hand after knowing that,it was a baby girl was frustrated. He had expected a baby boy. Parvati was heartbroken with Subbu’s behaviour.She looked at the Lakshmi,which was merrily playing and murmured,“I wish you were never born to a father like him”. Subbu later drove Parvati and Lakshmi out of the house and started to have an illicit relationship with another woman.The dejected Parvati carried Lakshmi in her arms and reached the temple. She spread her old tattered bedsheet on the ground and placed Lakshmi cosily on it. She looked at Lakshmi,carassing her and said,“I wish Subbu was more matured and civilized”. I wish God could open Subbu’s eyes. I wish he realises his mistake and accepts us.”

Parvati decided to work in multiple houses and earn her livelyhood.She thought,“I wish I could craft a beautiful life for Lakshmi”. Two years later,Parvati was returning home when she met with a serious accident. It was a “hit and run” case. She was hospitalized,but the doctors could not save her. Parvati,on her dying bed,look dejectedly at 2 year old Lakshmi who was crying uncontrollably and said,“I wish,you were born to better parents”.

Rama,the landlady of the house in which Parvati had worked, felt pity over Lakshmi’s plight. She decided to look after Lakshmi and brought her home. She provided her with food,clothing and shelter. Lakshmi was grateful to Rama. Rama had a son named “Pranav” . Pranav was bestowed with the best of things in his life like parental love,affection,good food,clothing etc. Being the only child,Pranav was pampered by his parents. Rama husband,Suresh was very fond of Pranav,he used to hug,kiss and fondle Pranav frequently.Suresh bought Pranav expensive clothes,gifts,toys,chocolates. Lakshmi yearned for such paternal love and affection and lamented,“I wish I had such a loving,caring and affectionate Dad”. Years advanced and Pranav started schooling.Lakshmi stood in a corner watching Pranav dressed in uniform,carrying a bag containing books,boarding his school bus to go to school. Lakshmi wished,“I wish I would go to school too”. She used to always touch,open,see Pranav’s books. She thought,” I wish,someday I could read this too”. She would touch and play with Pranav’s toys thinking, “I wish,I would possess such toys someday”. She used to feel Pranav’s clothes thinking,”I wish,someone could buy me such expensive clothes too”. Lakshmi always thought,“I wish my life was also as Bright and Colorful as Pranav’s”. I wish my life would become Perfect one day”!

Years advanced,but Lakshmi’s dejection intensified and augmented. She craved for better life,better education,parental love and affection. One day her prayers came true when she bumped into neighbouring housemaid’s boy,Kishan.After multiple interactions,they fell in love with each other. Lakshmi felt like “Dream come true” when she was with Kishan. She had never been so happy,overjoyed and elated in her life. She saw her dreams unfolding and coming true in front of her eyes. She profusely thanked God for hearing her prayers and fulfilling it. She felt that her life was “colourful” and “beautiful” when she was with him. Their love augmented. But Kishan’s mother Devi did not encourage their love. Lakshmi felt dejected and wondered,”I wish Devi would like me and accept me one day”. But that never happened. Kishan pacified Lakshmi and proposed to elope and wed. Lakshmi gladly agreed. Kishan told her to meet in the temple the next morning and they would wed. Lakshmi was elated.She was tossing and turning  the entire night,experiencing “butterflies in the stomach”,dreaming about the next morning when all her dreams would come true after she married Kishan. The next morning,Lakshmi woke up. She had never been so overjoyed before. She looked forward to meet Kishan.

She was on her way to the temple,when she met Kishan’s friend,Raghav. Raghav lowered his head and handed Lakshmi a note from Kishan. Lakshmi was puzzled. With trembling hands,she opened the note. The note read,

“Dearest Lakshmi, I love you from the deepest of my heart. I have always wanted to marry a girl like you. I found my soul-mate in you. But my mother is against our wedding. I wish she could see your inner beauty and accept you. But she is adamantly opposing it as you have no parents. Your dad is living with other woman,so my mom believes that it will spoil our family name. You are all alone in this world. So,my mom doubts your upbringing,principles,morals and ethics. I wish my mom could see you from my eyes. I wish my mom could love and accept you the way I accepted you. But I cannot go against my mother’s wish. So,I have decided to forget you. By the time you receive this letter,I would have left the town. Please forgive me”.

Yours lovingly,

Kishan

Tears welled up Lakshmi’s eyes. She did not know how to react. She was angry,frustrated,dejected and confused. She wanted to thrash Kishan for dumping her like this. Cursing her life and fate she went back home. Standing on a stool,holding the rope in a loop,Laskhmi said,”I wish I was never born in this world”!

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