A Message from Maa The Beat Changes Life wasn’t the same for neither Mohona nor Anupam. Mohona missed him a lot. It wasn’t easy to forget someone who had been, till some time back, an integral part of her emotions. She thought of him repeatedly, and the memories pained her. But she had taken a… Continue reading The Beat Changes
Out of Tune
A Message from Maa Out of Tune Sagorika kept the diary aside and heaved a sigh of relief. Her heart was in her mouth while reading about her mother’s love towards her lover. She felt relieved and grateful for her mother’s choice. It was getting late in the night, but she flipped to the next… Continue reading Out of Tune
Music or Noise
A Message from Maa Music or Noise? Sagorika found herself identifying more and more with her mother. Estranged from her husband, in a stranger’s land, Sagorika was a young Mohona. Could she do what her mother had done to find happiness? But what had her mother really done? “Anupam came like a breath of fresh… Continue reading Music or Noise
The Accidental Note
A Message from Maa The Accidental Note Sagorika imagined her mother in a flight to Jaipur: a 30-something Mohona looking radiant despite jitters about a classical performance. In the flight, Mohona met her favourite author, Anupam. Mesmerised by her ethereal beauty and finding her reading a novel written by him, Anupam struck a conversation with… Continue reading The Accidental Note
Solo or Duet?
A Message from Maa Solo or Duet? Half the globe away in New York, in a plush apartment on McDonald Avenue, Sagorika opened a courier that had come from Varanasi. Mohona had sent her a diary—a diary that she wanted her daughter to read. Sagorika was a finance manager, working with one of America’s leading… Continue reading Solo or Duet?
A Message from Maa – The First Note
The First Note The sun peeped out shyly from the eastern horizon, spraying its orange hue onto the deep purple sky. Roosters began crowing, and temple bells announced the early morning prayers. The 3000-year-old temple town of Varanasi was waking up to yet another day. About a kilometre to the west of the historic Kashi… Continue reading A Message from Maa – The First Note
Aabir – Finale: The story continues…
Finale: The story continues… Some years have passed. Gokul Ashram has grown. It now occupies a new building. As Binodini enters the ashram compound in an auto rickshaw, the watchman salutes her. She has streaks of silver in her hair now. She is also wearing glasses. Walking through the corridor, she is the epitome of… Continue reading Aabir – Finale: The story continues…
March 2015, again and beyond
March 2015, again and beyond. Eventually, the determination of the widows of Vrindavan prevailed. Rigid codes of conduct cracked under public pressure. It is Holi in March 2015, Binodini and the widows of Gokul ashram are playing Holi in public at the Gopinath Temple. Jaya and Mita accost Binodini, who looks lost in reminiscence. Wiping… Continue reading March 2015, again and beyond
Against All Odds
Against all odds. Binodini’s prayers were answered. A few weeks later, a woman named Durga came to meet Binodini all the way from Mathura. She ran an organization that trained women in martial arts. She urged Binodini to educate the members of her organization and train them in practical work skills. In return, the women… Continue reading Against All Odds
Aabir – Red colour, redder blood
Red colour, redder blood. Religious leaders & temple priests were enraged by Binodini’s insolence in supporting Meera and Madhav’s wedding. As a result, Binodini was declared an outcast. Under the pressure of religious organizations, most people withheld donations from her when she sang in the morning. The widows of the Gokul ashram were harassed in… Continue reading Aabir – Red colour, redder blood
