Black Rose
Chapter-1
Clock strikes 4 in the evening and Meera goes to the kitchen
to make coffee for her father and herself. She reminds that her paternal aunt
family has arrived from Calcutta and they are sleeping in the other room after
a long tiring journey. In fact, she is tired too because she has just come back
from the funeral of her mother Suhasini. Yes, she is dead. She remembers the memories
of her past and her soul aches. Although, she wanted to sleep, but she knows
the moment she will close her eyes, will see her mother and it will be more
difficult for her to accept that she has become a part of her dreams now. This
thought makes her cry again and she wipes her tears and prepares to make
coffee. When she begins to mix milk with coffee suddenly remembers how her
mother made coffee and she stood by her side and used to ask Mumma, do you like
coffee as much as dad likes? And her reply was always same, ‘I love your dad’ so
I like coffee too because when we are in love, we start accepting the likes and
dislikes of our beloved. Meera puts back the coffee jar and asks her maid Rani
to bring tea pack from the market. Rani is surprised that no one drinks tea in
this house but seeing the situation she keeps mum. Meera makes tea for her
father and herself and goes back to her room. He gets little confused when he sees
tea on the tray. Meeru, my girl, you know that I don’t like tea. I know dad but
Mumma liked tea and she has left us. We both love her very much so we must also
try to accept her likes because now she is no more with us and starts weeping.
Oh Meeru, he wipes her tears and takes a sip of tea but his face expressions changes
as if he has drunk something bitter. He keeps the cup aside and leaves for
bathroom.
Meera notices every move of her father; he doesn’t cry but
upset. He is missing Mumma but his expressions confuse her. She wants that her
dad should share his grief with her but he is avoiding, But why? I know he is a
man. But he is a husband and a father too and he can share his grief because
now only father and daughter are left for each other for the rest of life.
Meeru! her aunt calls. I asked Rani to prepare bhindi and dal for dinner. And
right now I am preparing sandwiches for Pihu and Shyamu. Come and have some.
Her Chachi says without noticing Meeru’s weird expressions and she replies
rudely ‘do whatever you like I am not feeling hungry’. She leaves and goes
straight to her bedroom and calls her fiancée Raghav. Raghav consoles her, and
says that she was your mother and what you feel for her, don’t expect your
relatives to also feel the same way. For them she has passed due to medical illness
and it is an acceptable reason for them. I will join you on the chautha ceremony
of Suhas aunty till then take care. He hangs up and deep inside she realises
that he is right.
At the time of dinner, she only takes dal and papad and sees
her Chachi family enjoying dinner. She has cooked fried bhindi, Arhar dal,
papad, salad, raita and pickles. Suhas Didi makes excellent pickles she says while
tasting khatta meetha achar, her father also eats like a normal routine dinner.
Seeing her Chachi serving pickles to dad, she goes in the past when her mother
served pickles and how her father used to say. “Suhas, why do you waste your
time to make pickles when you know I only like my maa’s made pickle’’. Jitu, I
am trying to make her way. You only know how to cook the food he replied rudely.
I am a great cook she laughs. Meera notices water in her eyes and comes back to
the dinner table. ’Mamta, don’t serve me pickles, I don’t like them and then
Chachi sits and concentrates on dinner. Meera finishes her dal and goes to
terrace. Jitender her father notices her but says nothing.
Chapter 2
She thinks that her father
doesn’t even give an inch of importance to the things her mother did for him
till she died. She calls Raghav but his phone is busy, looks at stars and her
mother face appears to her between the clouds, her black colour, small brown
eyes, thin lips and a colourful Bindi on her forehand. She was not a beautiful
woman, but her beauty lies in her motherhood and companionship. I miss you
mummy and she cries.
A few people attend Chautha ceremony including Raghav’s
family, her father friends & relatives. Because her mother was only child
of her parents and long back Meera’s Nani and Nanu died. Pandit ji tells good
things about her mother Suhas. She wonders that how Pandit ji better knows her
mother than us or this is his duty to praise every dead soul. At last, he ends
the rituals by saying that she is very lucky as she died ‘suhagan.’ Is my
mother really lucky? Raghav and his family meet my father and he hugs his son-
in- law and greets his parents nicely. Her Chachi confirms her tickets to Calcutta
because she has an excuse of Pihu final exams of graduation. Suddenly, Raghav
comes and hugs her tightly. She breaks up in tears again. He wipes her tears and
even her mother-in -law hugs and says, ‘Don’t worry Meera, I am your mother now
so never feel alone’. She tries to smile hearing this but fails to do so.
When they were going back from temple, two neighbours come to
her and says,’ Meeru, Suhas was an amazing person. You look like your mother
but your complexion is better than hers. Meera gives them a cunning look and
they embarrassed leave from there. Chachi goes back, her father gets busy with
his office work. Few days have passed and she is trying to overcome the pain
and keeps herself busy with the office work. Suddenly, doorbell rings and when she
opens the door, a good-looking woman in her forties stand on the door. So, are
you Meera? Yes, but I don’t recognize you. I am your mother’s friend and your
father colleague Supriya. Is your dad at home? Yes, she replies. She goes straight
to her dad’s room. She wonders that her mother hardly had any friend as far as
she knows.
She goes to her father’s room to talk to her but stops when
she hears Supriya says,’ will you never tell your daughter how her mother died’? Don’t be stupid she died because of a cyst in
her breast. Her death is natural, she hears her father saying. You cannot lie
to me; I came to know how she died from her doctor. She took an extra dose of
medicine to end her life. Meera legs shake and she says,’ Oh my God, my mother
committed suicide, but why? It is not necessary to tell Meera everything whatever
she knows is enough. Her father answers Supriya. I feel pity for you Jitu and
hugs him tightly and her father hugs her back.
Chapter-3
Meera gets shocked to see this. She returns to her room and
his father calls her, ’Meeru come here I want you to meet aunt Supriya’. I am
busy dad some other time she replies in a choked voice and looks at her
mother’s smiling photo hanging in the drawing room. Yes, she always smiled it
was her nature. After half an hour
Supriya leaves their house.
After few minutes Rani serves dinner and they both begin to
eat and he notices Meera not eating. Her hunger is gone. She eagerly waits for
her father to finish his dinner so that she can ask him about her mother. Phone
bell rings and he immediately leaves dining hall to attend the call. Yes, Supriya!
I have dispatched the papers. Hearing her name again she bursts in anger. She
rushes to her father’s room. What happened Meeru? Why didn’t you eat nicely? he
asks. Please take care of your health. Dad, you do very nice things she taunts
him. What do you mean beta? Is that true
my mother committed suicide.? Jitender gets astounded to hear this? Who told
you this? No one. I heard your conversation with Supriya. Meera, that was not a
suicide in fact she took an extra dose of medicine due to illness, depression without
realising what she was doing. Who is Supriya? Are you having an affair? What!
No. she is a good friend of mine and your mother. My mother didn’t have a
friend like her as far as I know. It seems she is only close to you. I saw you
embracing her. I think mum caught you both together and feeling of betrayal made
her do this.
Meeru, don’t plant your own stories. It is not true. Your
mother was suffering from depression due to her illness, please accept it. Dad,
I notice that you are not missing my mother and your wife at all. Do really
love her? Of course, I do, that’s why you were born. By giving your sperm
doesn’t prove your love for a woman. Meeru, hold your tongue. You know I love
you more than your mother. She was the one who send you to a boarding school at
the age of fifteen. I respected her decision. I think you should concentrate on
your speech which you have to give as cultural and heritage head of the
country. You are a gold medallist in Indian cultural and you are going to
represent your country. So, concentrate. You need to fulfil your mother dream
and mine too. So don’t stick on to this topic. He completes his sentence and cares
her cheek and goes to the bathroom. Meera, understand there is nothing to talk.
Mumma,’ why are you sending me to boarding? I don’t want to
go’. Meeru, you need to make your life and trust me you will never regret going.
I will call you every day darling. Meera remembers her mother words and switch
off the light and tries to sleep because in her dreams she wanted to see and
ask her was she really sad because of her illness that she took her own life.
Chapter-4
Next morning when Jitender leaves for office, Meeru searches
for her doctor number. She wants every inch of details of her mother illness.
She finds some medical files but no paper related to her mother’s illness. She
finds the name of Dr. Renu Gulati who prescribed medicines to her mother.
She takes an appointment to visit her. After a wait of two
hours Renu Gulati calls her inside. You look like Suhasni, she smiles. Meera smiles
back and asks,’ how the treatment of my mother was going’? Was she really in
some sort of depression? Why did she take extra pills? After two minutes of
silence Dr. asks her,’ what do you know about your mother disease’? She had a
cyst in her breast. Meera replies straight. Listening this Renu face looks
serious. Your mother was brave and strong. I am pretty sure that she was not in
depression but yes, I think she decided to give up. But why did she leave like this? She was
getting better? Meera asks again? Dear, your mother knew that after her death,
you will come to find the reason of her death, so, she took promise from me to
not to tell you anything. Either ask your father or you can meet Mr Jagdish
Mathur who he is also my patient. Renu gives his business card to Meera.
She comes back home empty -handed. What are you hiding Mumma?
She says while laying on bed. Just then Rani comes to her room and gives her
courier. She sees name Jitender Mathur written on the top. She put it aside but
after few minutes she opens it with curiosity. She reads the letter and
fainted. Meanwhile, her dad comes in and snatches the letter from her hand and
shouts, why did you open it? So, you were divorcing my mother and you said you
love her. Now I know, why were you so cold on her death because you had an
affair. She shouts back.
I don’t have any affair but yes, I like company of Supriya.
The truth is your mother had affairs and she was fond of not only one man but
many men. That’s why I wanted to divorce her but she died herself. Understood Meeru?
Jitender screams. I don’t believe you? She was innocent. Innocent my foot, she was
a slut and she died due to Aids. He says in one breath and Meeru shocked and
her mouth wide open, fells down. You have to live with this truth and I was
protecting you from not knowing this but you were provoking me for so many days.
Jitender leaves her room in rush and she lies down on floor. Mumma, is that
true? If it is true, I hate you, listen I hate you, she shouts and cries constantly.
Next day, Meeru looks at her mother photo with hatred and goes
to Jagdish Mathur. Jagdish is of her mother’s age. He asks her to sit and gives
her manuscripts to read. Meera reads manuscripts and tears begin to fall.
Chapter-5
After two weeks, she stands in front of thousands and sees
her dad and Raghav sitting in the crowd. She says, I am here to glorify our
Indian culture and values. Look at our scriptures like Ramayana when Sita arbitrarily
crosses the line was abducted by Ravana. In Mahabharat Draupadi said few words to
Duryodhana and she had to sacrifice her dignity. What have we learnt from these
episodes? If women do not follow the rules, then teach her a lesson. Why do we ignore
Bharat’s sacrifice or Karan’s kindness? Although we live in a male dominated
society.
I lost my mother few days back. She had dark complexion and
thin lips. She looked ugly and even was not educated but a good housewife. My
father married her because my Nanu paid debts of my grandfather. She always dreamt
that her husband would adore her in every way but her dreams shattered the very
first night when she comes to know that her husband is fond of red roses. She tried
every way to win his heart but failed. One day she was watching a porn movie
because of unfulfilled desires,her husband comes close to her and she wasn’t
shy and he thought her to be a shitty woman who is eager for sex. After my birth he distanced himself. She sent
me to a boarding school so that I don’t notice her loneliness. She gave me the
best education to make me independent. I look like her and she was afraid of it
because men only like fair colour, she always asked me to apply some creams every
day. One day, she met a man name Suryakant, they liked each other. She fulfils
her heart and body’s desire. Soon, he broke up with her. She again met another
man named Jagdish Mathur. He liked my mother very much but one day my mother comes
to know that she will die of aids but she had no regrets because for some time
she lived the way she wanted to. When my father came to know about her disease,
he decided to divorce her. He even asked for DNA test to know that I am his
blood or not and by God’s grace I belong to him only. Her husband tortured her for
not being loyal to him. Finally, she decided to give up her life.
In our country values are different for men and women.
Firstly, Men need women who is fair, tall and beautiful and if
she is successful and rich then it is an advantage.
Secondly, she should be hesitant with her husband when she physical
intimates with him otherwise she is shitty and bold which is not acceptable.
Men never accept the flaws of women. He set his own rules for
them, why? We expect women to accept the
imperfections of men but we didn’t accept Sita and asked her to leave Ram to
prove her innocence. We still don’t consider Draupadi a sati because she had
five husbands. We punished Ahilya for mistakenly having relationship.
Our culture is like red or pink rose, who is beautiful is acceptable
but the truth is there are thorns too. We never look at black rose which stands
ignored and lonely in the garden. My mother was a black rose, so I am. Raghav,
I got cosmetics surgery done on my face and lips and I am not a virgin. I lost
it at the age of seventeen. You like me because I am successful and ambitious.
Meera in tears when says this and looks at chief guest. Sir, I think you should
appoint other person to glorify Indian values and culture which are biased
because I have failed to do so. Unexpectedly, a big round of applause heard in
the hall. Her speech gets billion views on you tube. She started a foundation
with her mother’s name to help ignored and non-acceptable women in the society due
to any reason.
Her father feels guilty but it was too late. Meera left her home.
Raghav asking her for marriage but she refuses.
Before Jagdish Mathur
died, he published Meera’s mother autobiography named “Black Rose”. Her mother
story motivates every woman to come forward and be brave to live life in her
own way because beauty of our culture is to treat every individual equally.
THE END