What’s there in a Name?

It was the darkest night Maitrayee had experienced in the past twenty five years. Ominous clouds loomed in the sky and engulfed the moon in their wake. The exuberance that pervaded in this house till last week had suddenly been extinguished. A throat choking reticence prevailed in the ambience. The tumult of emotions, what she underwent in the past seven days, was indescribable. Though the grandfather clock in the hall chimed one, sleep seemed to elude her eyes. She was still sitting on the floor with her head resting on Adwait’s bed. Tears flowed incessantly from those beautiful eyes of her. Distress embellished her life. Her moist eyes stared at the packed carton boxes and bags. She was emotionally deadbeat. She never realized when sleep clasped her in its blissful arms.

The orange tinge of dawn, monosyllabic chirps of birds, lyrical breeze of autumn; the splendorous nature entered through the sprawling French window of the bedroom. However, none of them could expunge the emptiness that had crept up in her life. Adwait was alive no more. It was the first thought that came to her as she woke up. He was gone. It was the strangest feeling ever. This house was never crowded with people but cheerfulness and vivacity were persistent inhabitants. In the recent past, these concrete walls overheard a lot of voices. The cushions of those unused chairs of dining table bore a lot of weight and those mirrors had captured a plethora of human faces with myriad expressions. However, none would bear the echoes of Adwait’s raucous laughter. Children in the neighborhood missed the friendly banters. Young adults pined for the aging man’s swarming energy. The older generation was inspired by him to lead a zealous life. The reservoir of optimism had dried up, not only from Maitrayee’s life but from the whole locality as well.

“Mithu?” called out her husband Arnab, as he entered the room.

“Have some tea.” He sat down next to her and gave her the mug. “Did you sleep well last night?” He enquired fully well knowing that it was futile.

“Hmm” said Maitrayee while sipping her tea and then uttered, “One more spoon of sugar would have been better. Our first tea should be the sweetest to start a sweet day.”

Arnab remained silent. A pearl shaped tear rolled down her cheeks. Those were Adwait’s words. Being a diabetic, Adwait used to justify the addition of extra sugar-free sweetener to his first tea of the morning. Arnab, being a man, was probably unable to reveal his true feelings over the loss of his father. He placed a hand on Maitrayee’s shoulder and asked her to get ready as they were to leave in a couple of hours.

                                                                                                 ***

Arnab, a software engineer, held a position of repute in a multinational conglomerate. He was the only son of Dr. Adwait Chatterjee, a retired professor of mathematics. Arnab had lost his mother at a very young age but Adwait never harboured thoughts of remarrying. He had always found Arnab more mature in thoughts than any other kid of the same age. The sudden passing away of the woman of the house certainly unnerved both father and son but they nonverbally concurred to become the emotional crutches for each other. Life was difficult initially but they soon adjusted with the bereavement. With each passing year, the father-son relationship transformed into that of friends sharing a house. Life ran on a smoother track. And then one day, the topic of Arnab’s marriage was brought up in a family wedding. The distant relatives emphasized the significance of a woman in the family. Though Arnab brushed off the topic of marital life, Adwait could not. His growing age and paternal emotions of being a single parent grasped the need of getting his son married soon.

With his cherubic looks, lofty qualifications and job profile, Arnab was definitely an eligible bachelor in the matrimonial market. It was an arranged marriage between Arnab and Maitrayee but the arrangement happened in a very unique way nevertheless. Adwait met her first, not as a ‘would be’ father in law but just as another man on this earth. Their first interaction proved unique and so was the bond they shared later on. The meeting happened in a quaint little sweet shop. Both of them ordered for the same sweet which was limited in stock. It was a sweet specially prepared for diabetics. When the shopkeeper judiciously left the decision of ‘who will buy’ to both of them, Maitrayee looked at Adwait and innocently asked whether he was diabetic or just figure conscious.

Adwait looked at his protruding tummy, chortled and replied, “At my age, medical reports decide my food habits.”

Maitrayee added to the humour by replying, “And at my age, the mirror decides.” They both burst out laughing unbeknownst of the future.

Maitrayee was a perfect blend of virtuousness, chirpiness, beauty and brain. During their next few encounters, Adwait and Maitrayee developed a unique rapport. He was more than double her age but their ages played a role only in their official documents. Over time, they sat in the same sweet shop and shared a lot of things over a cup of tea and samosa. The neighbouring joggers’ park played host to this May-December friendship as well. The respective families heard about their budding friendship but paid scant attention to it. She used to refer to him as ‘Uncle’ and he always used to call her by her nickname Mithu. She became an irreplaceable companion for Adwait. They used to talk everything ranging from politics to philosophy, grief to glory and humour to happiness. The exceptionality of their relationship was not only their age gap but also their refusal to adhere to technology based communication. Their bond was as pristine as the virgin dew drops on rose petals. Life crawled at its own pace with everyone busy in their lives until one fateful day.

It was a pleasant evening. Adwait strolled at a gentle pace in the joggers’ park, all the while impatiently waiting for Maitrayee. There was no sign of her till 7.P.M which had never happened before. He felt something was amiss. They had never exchanged their addresses before so he did not know where she resided. His concern drove him to the place of their first meeting, the quaint sweet shop, where he managed to coax her address out of the shopkeeper. Even with his sciatica pain, Adwait ran to Maitrayee’s house to enquire her well-being. She had met with an accident that morning. Adwait’s old age, aristocratic personality and a genuine parental concern indulged her parents to welcome him. Maitrayee bore a bandage on her forehead, bruises on her hands and a shattered left ankle. Adwait became a regular guest to her house until she recovered completely. Adwait’s great sense of humour and dynamism made her healing process smoother and faster. As the days passed, even Maitrayee’s parents made him a part of their lives. The day when her cast was removed, Adwait was present with her parents at the clinic. It was a mere coincidence that her parents requested Adwait to find a good guy for their daughter.

It had been six months to the date since he first met Maitrayee but he had never thought on this aspect. Arnab’s marriage was the last thing in his thoughts while interacting with Maitrayee. But it felt appealing now. A girl like Maitrayee was an asset. She mirrored the true connotation of happiness. Marriage was solemnized but Maitrayee’s mother was not wholly happy with the absence of a motherly figure in his house. In the end, Arnab was definitely irresistible as a prospective groom. Within two months Arnab and Maitrayee were married. The hall decoration, selection of ceremonial attires, the gastronomical delights; everything was as per Maitrayee’s wish. Her wishes were denied many a time by her own parents but never from Adwait. Arnab often joked of the marriage as being ‘only Maitrayee’s marriage and not mine’.

Brimming coffers often fail to provide genuine contentment. Both father and son had experienced it since Arnab’s mother had left them. However, the wheel of time spun and it felt like nirvana knocking their door again. Arrival of Maitrayee proved to be blissful for these two men. The house became a home in her presence. She worked as a receptionist in a multinational company but maintained a healthy balance between her work and family life. She imposed many disciplinary rules on the men of the house but the three of them lived happily like buddies.

Four months into their marriage, Arnab’s company sent him on one year’s deputation to Singapore for an on-site project. Maitrayee leaving her job for just one year didn’t seem practical for either of the three. Adwait and Arnab left the ball in her court. She had truly fallen in love with Arnab and a part of her wished to be with him. However, she couldn’t bear to leave Adwait alone all over again. Job was always secondary for her. She came out with the proposal of all three of them going to Singapore but Arnab reminded her that it was unfeasible. Adwait openly requested her to go with his son while Arnab inwardly needed her to be with his father. Maitrayee, being a true soulmate, read Arnab’s mind. She decided to put her burning love temporarily on the backseat and decided to be with the eldest member of their gang. While Arnab was away in a foreign land, Maitrayee and Adwait strengthened their unique bond. Sometimes, she embodied a daughter, obedience personified. At times she was found scolding Adwait like a mother for his extra spoon of desserts. Every so often, they fought over the TV remote like siblings and then jostled together in ecstasy over cricket matches like buddies. They shopped together for fish and vegetables. They became fashion gurus for each other. The love birds in cinema halls were often surprised on seeing an old man with a walking stick accompanied around by a gorgeous girl. The genuine smile what they bore on their faces was true evidence of the presence of gratification in their lives.

Months passed by and then came another twist in the tale. Adwait had often seen Maitrayee spending hours together, typing something on her laptop but never intruded. One fine day, his desktop computer went kaput while chatting with Arnab. As the concept of secrecy never existed between Adwait and Maitrayee, he took the liberty to open her laptop to finish the chat. Arnab bade adieu but Adwait couldn’t say goodbye to the laptop screen so easily. There was a folder on the screen named ‘NOVEL’. His hands shook for a second but he dared opening it. What he found truly surprised him. Concealed within Maitrayee was a creative mind. He spent the remainder of the day reading the whole manuscript. Her commendable command over language and embedding emotions into words moved Adwait to resolutely work into bringing it to fruition. Months went by without any hint of publishing in Maitrayee’s mind. That folder remained abandoned in her laptop. Meanwhile, Adwait was in talk with one of the biggest publishing houses in the city.

Maitrayee’s 25^th birthday soon arrived. Friends and family celebrated raucously. Arnab flew in for a couple of days. With the last vestiges of sun leaving the earth, Maitrayee received the gift for a lifetime. Adwait presented her ‘something’.

“It’s a book.” She uttered while opening the wrapper.

Adwait kept mum but his impatience to perceive Maitrayee’s reaction was barefaced. She kept the wrapper aside and was baffled on seeing her own name on the cover page of a novel. The corner was marked ‘Author copy’. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Many a question sprang to her muddled mind but none were articulated. Tears of joy welled up in her eyes. Inconsiderate towards the gathering, she hugged Adwait like a small child embracing her father after being given a favourite chocolate. Throughout the years, she could never gather confidence to showcase her actual talent and hidden desire to be a writer. When she almost disowned her desire, destiny played its hand. They say when we truly desire for something, God moulds someone in some part of the world to assist us in making it a reality. Here, Adwait was the chosen one for realizing Maitrayee’s long cherished dream. The gift also included a lucrative contract of publishing three more creations of hers with the same publishing house.

That night was the best night in their lives. The three of them sat in the open air till midnight, watching the cavalcade of stars in that inky blue night sky, teasing Maitrayee regarding her recently achieved celebrity status, cracking jokes over Arnab’s geeky nature and cherished each passing second for having being blessed for a wholesome life. But as the night waned, so did the gaiety from the family. The very next morning Adwait did not respond to Maitrayee’s repeated calls for morning tea. As she entered his room, she found him lying down with his reading glasses on his eyes and Maitrayee’s maiden novel clasped to his bosom. He remained immobile. His body was cold. Maitrayee kept on shaking him with utter disbelief but there was no sign of life. Adwait had left them forever. Her memories with Adwait flashed before her eyes. Her faith in goodness crumpled like a house of cards. The last night’s sprawling laughter was replaced by cries of distress. She collapsed and refused to acknowledge the absence of Adwait. Even his lifeless face bore a serene smile. A wonderful soul, who had never troubled anyone in his life, did not trouble anybody during his last moments either. Adwait died peacefully in his sleep.

                                                                                       ***

“Cab has arrived Mithu.” Arnab informed Maitrayee while helping the driver with the luggage. Maitrayee eyeballed the now empty drawing room. Her eyes glimpsed an old photo of Adwait and her together in the joggers’ park on friendship day. She removed the frame and took out the photo. A sudden gust of wind blew the photo from her hand, which fell on the ground displaying the reverse side. Two names were written on it side by side; Adwait and Maitrayee. Both names were encircled with a note ‘Name Effect’. She couldn’t hold back her tears. She sat and sobbed in pain. Adwait meant unique and Maitrayee implied friendship. She looked toward the heavens and let out a low guttural sound. Her cries echoed through the house. Their relationship represented the true meanings behind their names. Sadly, it was to be no more.

CONFISCATE the CASTE!!!

Life is always like a random string of moments imprisoned within a time zone. A human life is marked by an anarchic amalgamation of iridescent, gloomy, ostentatious and revolting moments. Life is undoubtedly unpredictable. Yesterday transmutes into history and tomorrow always endures to be a mystery. True. However, there is another entity about the present human life. It is PROVERBIAL. The ‘modern’ human life of the present time zooms past at lightning speed but an array of situations trap us in perpetual cohesion with many an age old proverb. An avalanche of thoughts floods my mind when I hear the screeches of caste based reservation from every corner of our country. The contemporaneous caste based reservations in the education system, the sketch of the job market, and the veiled political approach always set my thoughts on a brainstorming session. I question myself, can two wrongs make a right? If yesteryears were venomous, can a malicious present breed a munificent future? Parched pages of history, engraved inks of societal scholars, diligent debates of the erudite and every ingredient of the past, brace the brutality that actually occurred. However, my consciousness keeps revolving around one eminent English proverb, TWO WRONGS CAN NEVER MAKE A RIGHT. An erroneous past along with a flawed present can never erect a blooming future.

Humans have come across a long way. Growth and development not only occurred physically and physiologically but also as the superlative creation of God. The five senses which once-upon-a-time used to congregate for mere food gathering now unite for scientific development. The concept of growth is synonymous to the proliferation of a seed. A seed doesn’t grow into a flowering tree within the fraction of a second. Likewise, humans did not migrate to this present life in a day. They scuffled to touch this relatively tranquil life. It was never a one man job. The concept of division of labour propagated right from the days of cavemen. Religious scriptures, historians and scholars have spent millions of words in reciting the whole process of division, demarcation and discrimination. A long chain of elucidation of why-when-how does exist about the proliferation of this culture of division. However, any logical mind would conclude that the system of ‘division of labour’ was initiated just to share the burden of life which gradually metamorphosed into a system of dividing humans into man and woman and of course further into castes and sub-castes. Time flew and the struggle to survive strengthened. Some emerged stronger than others and the seeds of one superior sect of humans were sown. A prominent line of bigotry appeared between the rich and poor; the stronger and weaker; the intellectual and mediocre and of course between male and female. When the physiological, intellectual and financial differences emerged prominently in the humanly world, the weaker sect bore the burden of exploitation for hundreds of years. The wheel of time spun and the scholars stoked the fire of equality amongst humans.

Sixty six years back, a system of reservation was conceptualized for emboldening the weaker sect of humans in our country. The initial idea of motivating and uplifting the downtrodden was genuinely appreciable but as the time passed by, the concept of reservation presented the route to a greater vote bank for the true blue patriotic politicians. Our country’s past was deplorable indeed but the present was never responsible for it. Present builds the future. The caste system was created thousands of years back which technically do not hold any significance in the present multicultural world. The financial statistics of our country reflect only the poor and the rich, which is very much irrespective of the castes. One can find thousands of ‘general’ castes battling for quenching their basic needs while the so called ‘lower’ castes enjoy brimming coffers. Still, in every official form, one can find preferences based on religion and castes. Still, the job market prefers to sieve the employees based on caste and not on talent. Still, the shrines of knowledge promote a caste based system while lending the chance of education. Highbrows who advocate this system of caste reservation often term the practice as a ROUTE TO RECTIFICATION. My not so great intellect urges them to reconsider their thought process once. A lamentable past, crafted by our very own forefathers cannot be altered. A past that authenticates the present can never be erased. Memories can never be scored but can always be healed. Sins of the past can never be eradicated by committing the same mistake in the present. One needs to acknowledge the past mistakes and prepare not to repeat the same. The rampant system of caste based reservation mirrors a sort of revenge and not rectification. The same form of heinous discrimination still prevails. THE SYSTEM REMAINED THE SAME. ONLY THE VICTIMS CHANGED. To enrich a sect which was exploited in the past, the system started exploiting the other sect which dominated in the past. It reinforced the famous perception of ‘an eye for an eye’ and the so called ideology of reformation reflects a thinly veiled exploitation.

Equality is an ideology which is a must for a sustainable development of humankind. Equality cannot be brought with partiality or favoritism. It can be fetched by GIVING EQUAL CHANCES TO EVERYBODY. The process, which was started in the name of bringing equality amongst the various castes, has miserably failed to create any sort of egalitarianism between the castes. Equality was never needed amongst the castes but it remains a must for availing the basic need for survival in an increasingly competitive world. Presence of penurious people can never be refuted. They do exist with the dearth of basic amenities. Reservation is explicitly essential, not for the castes but for the deprived. Today, if the societal reformers and political crusaders truly want an enriched society reflecting an ultimate equality, they must confiscate the caste-based reservation and ignite a NEED-BASED RESERVATION.