The night was hot and sticky . The kids had cried themselves to sleep. Another power cut , stilled fans , humming mosquitoes . Long power cut . Entire village plunged into primeval darkness. One odd candle flickering in someones window . Tired and sweaty , she got up to help herself to a tumbler of water from the earthenware pot next to her bed . Once the glass was empty, she picked up the end of her cotton "pallu" and wet it from the drops clinging to the sides of the glass, then wiped her face . Looking at the tiny bodies sleeping next to her , she wiped three sweaty brows of underwear clad babies . The eldest , a pre teen of nine years , woke up . Quickly sitting up , she spoke , in the dark "what is it Ma ? No light , as yet ?"
"Hush , you will wake them up". Ma whispered . The girl hushed up , aware of the pains Mother took, to put the youngsters to sleep. "No light , yet Ma "She whispered again . Light was a euphemism for power . No power , no light . Ma sighed . Then got up , and quietly opened the bed room door. A cool breeze blew in . But it was dangerous to leave the door open in the village . Rodents and snakes quickly find their way in . You can't even see them in the dark . The breeze reduced the stifling inside , it also rustled the sleeping kids hairs , and they sighed with contentment in their sleep . The girl found her thin cotton frock and hastily wore it.
Mother hesitated at the threshold . Not knowing if keeping the door open was a good idea or not . The girl walked upto her and slipped her tiny , sticky hand into her bony , calloused ones . Mother smiled at her then stepped out of the thatch roof . The sky was blazing with countless stars . It is only in the village that she saw this inky black sky with millions of twinkling lights . The grass felt cool under their feet . They sat on the grass , with the hut door open , and stared at the sky silently . They must have sat there for quite some time , for mother felt the girls' breath become heavy , and her head sag on her shoulders . She picked her up in arms , her long legs dangling over Ma's saree , and brought her in to lie on the cot with the two others . The rusty fan , almost on cue , creaked to life , and a collective sigh rose from the bellies of the slumbering village. She then got up and shut the door out . The stars in the sky continued to twinkle , even as the street lamps flickered to life , inviting a sudden swarm of insects . A dog barked somewhere , and Ma laid down . The horizon was slowly turning pink-gold.
"Hush , you will wake them up". Ma whispered . The girl hushed up , aware of the pains Mother took, to put the youngsters to sleep. "No light , yet Ma "She whispered again . Light was a euphemism for power . No power , no light . Ma sighed . Then got up , and quietly opened the bed room door. A cool breeze blew in . But it was dangerous to leave the door open in the village . Rodents and snakes quickly find their way in . You can't even see them in the dark . The breeze reduced the stifling inside , it also rustled the sleeping kids hairs , and they sighed with contentment in their sleep . The girl found her thin cotton frock and hastily wore it.
Mother hesitated at the threshold . Not knowing if keeping the door open was a good idea or not . The girl walked upto her and slipped her tiny , sticky hand into her bony , calloused ones . Mother smiled at her then stepped out of the thatch roof . The sky was blazing with countless stars . It is only in the village that she saw this inky black sky with millions of twinkling lights . The grass felt cool under their feet . They sat on the grass , with the hut door open , and stared at the sky silently . They must have sat there for quite some time , for mother felt the girls' breath become heavy , and her head sag on her shoulders . She picked her up in arms , her long legs dangling over Ma's saree , and brought her in to lie on the cot with the two others . The rusty fan , almost on cue , creaked to life , and a collective sigh rose from the bellies of the slumbering village. She then got up and shut the door out . The stars in the sky continued to twinkle , even as the street lamps flickered to life , inviting a sudden swarm of insects . A dog barked somewhere , and Ma laid down . The horizon was slowly turning pink-gold.
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