CHANTINGS OF THE HEART

"Mom"," Mom Save us! " "It's burning, Mom, please save us." ' Aita', 'Aita' (bosua amak) Help us, Save us!! Arunima went hysterical once again!! She was uncontrollable, she was screaming and crying. It's been over three months now. Avinash held her up and started caressing and cajoling her not to cry. Avinash's heart was breaking too but he decided he would remain strong, he wouldn't be shattered. He needs to remain strong for his lady love, Arumina and his mother.  Arunima was sobbing. Over the past few weeks she had been mostly in a state of daze and bewilderment. She was under heavy doses of medication, being injected with anti- depressants and in taking sleeping tablets. Slowly, Avinash let his wife Arunima go off to sleep, he knew sleep evaded her. He switched off the light and looked around the house.  Avinash sat on the recliner, in order to read the newspaper. As he turned the page, a particular news caught his atte

Kadambari held the small box of sindoor on her hands. She loved the colour. Crimson red!! Yes, that was what she loved seeing on people's forehead. It was unlike the dark brownish colour found in her part of the country.  Kadambari stood looking at the small round red box, her eyes became moist. She remembered the day when the mother of a student gifted her a packet after she praised the colour of the ' Sindoor '. That evening she applied the vermilion after freshening up, and she looked bright and different. The red colour on the parting of her hair appeared immensely beautifully against the white Jasmine flowers, which she often ties to her long hair. Her husband Srijith praised her. She smiled remembering how crazy he was. Amma, 'Niru', Amma, 'Niru'. Her two year son Bivash who was playing nearby brought her back to her senses. She opened the water bottle and let the child have water. As she was sitting in the mat below, everything appeared before her ey