Non-erotic Dawn at Midnight By Pinuram - {Completed}

[usaiha2]

Next weekend Himadri and I visited his colliery site. Jhamadoba colliery was sixteen kilometers from Dhanbad. There were only huts around the colliery. When we reached, it was noon. I found that the workers were working in the mine. I looked around the place. Everywhere there were heavy earthmovers machineries and worker.


Himadri said to me---“Now you understand where I work.”

The supervisor and other junior engineers came forward to greet me.

---“Always I am surrounded by these workers class and low class people, Suchi. See around you.”

I saw two huge fans built in the walls of the mine. One was rotating at high speed and other was off.

I asked Himadri as what was the use of those fans in coalmines.

He explained---“Those fans are exhaust fans. They rotate twenty-four into seven into three-sixty-five days. After one year we put-off one fan, another is started.”

He pointed to the quarries dug in the hillock and said---“These are burrows to enter the mine.”

I saw rails on the ground and there were huge pullies to pull up those wagons.

The conditions of workers were pathetic. Most of the workers were low class people, Santhals mostly. Those worker had a simple so-called helmet attached with a torch and a battery attached with their belt at the back. The back portion of the pants, mostly damaged by the acidic water of the battery. I felt like crying as I saw those workers. None seemed to have their food two times a day. Yet they were working. I stood at the entrance of the query and Himadri was standing by my side.

I asked him---“Do they shovel the coals from the quarry?”

---“No, we do blasting of coal. I will explain you. See as we go on inside the quarry, we dug coal. We drill into the coal-bed and put dynamite sticks in a series connection. Then all those dynamites are blasted and coal is then shoveled out on those trolleys that you see on the rails.”

---“So there are machines to burrow inside the coal-bed or the burrows are even dug by humans?”

---“There are drill machines. Those drill machines are held by these workers to dig some twelve to thirteen feet deep burrow inside the coal bed.”

I looked at him “What an inhuman practice” I thought.

I asked him---“Don’t you feel that these are really inhuman practice.”

He simply shook his head and said---“This is life here, Suchi. Now do you understand why I drink?”

I shook my head---“No, this is not the reason for your boozing. Don’t try to put a veil and give lame excuse.”

 ##

From the month of May, the summer vacation was to start. Same time I received the call from Kalyani that she was expecting her child. She was my best friend; I did not want to miss her childbirth. She did a lot for me. I told Himadri that Kalyani was expecting her first child and I wanted to be by her side.

He joked at me on hearing that and asked me---“Are you planning of something?”

I blushed and asked him---“What do you want?”

He held me tightly in his arms and kissed my face all over---“I don’t know as of now. As of now I know I have the most beautiful wife in the whole world.”

He went insane when he loved me that night. The next day I was to goto my native place. I informed Maithili and Kalyani well before hand that I would be arriving. They were also very happy to know that I was coming after a long time.

#

The day I stepped in my native house, I felt a huge void in my chest. Maithili came forward to greet us. It was after five months, I returned with my husband to my native place. My brothers and sister-in-laws were very happy to see me. They were pleased with the presence of Himadri also. He looked around the house and asked me as which was my room. He asked me a lot of question about my childhood days. I told him about my childhood days. There were few things better to keep in dark, I felt. One thing I observed that Dushtu was not talking to me as his usual days. He had grown up by then.

Himadri had to return to Dhanbad after few days. We were in my room. He asked me---“There are lots of memories attached with this house.”

I looked at him as to understand his question---“Yes and it is evident.”

---“No I am asking because whenever you went to the backyard I felt you were bit lost.”

“Oh! How come he noticed that?” It was the mango tree. Himadri returned to Dhanbad.

#

After few days, I was loitering on the roof, looking vaguely out to the fields, I felt a sot tap on my shoulder. I looked back and found Dushtu was standing behind me. He gave a rugged look at me. He was then not a child, he had grown up.

I ruffled his hair---“How are you? You are not that small now. I can’t take you in my lap.”

He smiled painfully at me---“Paree Auntie, Abhimanyu Uncle never came back. Why Paree auntie?”

His name again flooded my ears. I bit my lower lips on hearing his name. My life was flowing in a good rhythm. All those five months, not for a single time any one uttered his name to me. His name brought out the hidden pains in my heart. I looked away from him trying hard to hide my tears that were about to drop off from my eyes.

He understood probably. He came near me and hugged me tightly from behind---“Paree Auntie, what happened to Abhi Uncle?”

His words shattered me. I clasped him tightly and sobbed---“He is ok. He will surely come one day to tell you the rest of the story.”

He looked at me and said---“I don’t believe that Paree Auntie. You made promise for last three years. He was even not present at your wedding. I am not blind Paree Auntie.”

I clenched my jaws and gave a stern look at him---“What do you mean?”

He released his arms around me. He gently walked back towards the staircase. I looked at his slow steps.

He yelled---“I know everything who was that thief and who was that fairy. You should have……”

The last few words shattered every core of my slender frame. I clasped my arms and pressed those on my chest. I sat cowered on the roof at one corner and cried silently. “Why you did this to me? Why? Whose fault was this, yours, mine or ChotoMa? Who was wrong?”

#

One night I was in my room. I was reading some novel when Maithili came inside my room and sat beside. I was very much engrossed in the novel so I was unaware as when she entered my room. She placed her palms on my head and I got startled on the known loving touch. I looked at her. She was smiling beautifully at me---“I am glad that you are smiling.”

I took a deep breath and gave a smile---“What do you want me to have? Shall I lament on the spilt milk?”


#

---“I have not asked you for that, Paree. I am just saying that I am glad that you have overcome the past feelings.”

“Have I actually? Just few days ago my veins were shattered again with the words of Dushtu.”

#

On third week of May, Kalyani experienced birth pangs. She was rushed to hospital. I was by her side when she was taken to hospital. She looked at me and asked me before entering the operation theatre---“I was not present at your wedding, forgive me.”

I yelled at her---“Why are you telling me these things now? Come on, nothing is going to happen to you.”

She gave birth to a beautiful girl. I took that little child in my arms and looked at her closed eyes. I cried in joy and handed the baby angel to her father. Dipankar kissed on the forehead. I was very happy on that day.

After she was shifted to the room, Kalyani and Dipankar asked me name the child. I looked at them and said---“Why should I name her? You are her parents you should name her.”

Kalyani took my palms in her---“It is a request from my side Paree.”

I took the baby I my arms, the only name that came in my mind was “Pubali”, late sister of Arundhati.

My nose flared up, my chest gurgled as all those memoirs flooded my brains. All those scenes came up in front of my eyes. Few drops rolled down my cheeks and I muttered---“Pubali.”

Many memoirs were attached with that name. She asked for a promise from him and he complied with her last wish. Kalyani knew very well what brought tears in my eyes.

She said---“The best name one could ever thought of Paree.” She pressed my hand.

Somehow, I stole my gaze and came out of the room.

#

I called Himadri and informed him that Kalyani had given birth to a sweet baby angel.

He joked at me---“Suchi, so what about you?”

I wiped my tears and said---“I don’t know dear.”

---“What is her name?”

---“I named her after one of my friend, Pubali.”

---“Sweet name. So when are you coming back? Missing you very much.”

---“Really you are missing me? You have got office and bottles with you Himu, so why miss me?”

---“Suchi please. Really I am missing you very much.”

---“Ok, ok. I will return to Kolkata in few days and then I will return to Dhanbad in few days.”

---“Do you want me or Niladri to come?”

---“No need, I will return by Coal-Field in the evening. Do not worry about me. I am ok.”

I called ChotoMa and informed her that Kalyani gave birth to a sweet baby girl. She asked me when I was returning to Kolkata. I told her that I would return within few days.

#

On the last night in my room, I was busy in packing my belongings in the suitcase. SubrotoDa entered my room.

After a long, long time he was standing in front of me. He asked me---“How are you Paree?”

I smiled at him---“What do you think? You little sister in no more a child. She is doing fine.”

He gave a painful yet soothing smile at me---“If everything is well then I have nothing to say.”

---“What do you all want from me? I am trying to get away from what happened yet you all remind me repeatedly. Was that my fault?”

Maithili came into the room as she heard me screaming and then she scolded her husband---“Why do you have to talk to her like that?”

He was dumbfounded by his wife’s sudden reaction---“What have I done?”

She hissed at him---“Just leave her alone. You will not understand as what goes inside a girls heart and soul. So just go away from here.”

I was lost again. Maithili came near me and held me in her arms---“Everything will be ok Paree.”

I nodded my head “Only I knew what was happening to me.”

#