Still Burns Hema found herself in the attic. A typical gloomy day outside. From the field nearby she could hear some hazy voices. Hema could not see anything before her as if someone has veiled her completely, only she could hear the ringing of banging of clock hands- it is 8 o’clock. She told to herself ‘Oh no! I have to go out’. She works in the field- it is their bread and butter. Their means herself and her brother Jim who is only 8 Hema is 12. She lights up the only lamp she had and starts her day. Toil toil and toil the only word Hema knows. She is facing a hectic day today. And in her mind, there is a constant banging of if I can see life outside it, if I can truly know what is life and how to live a life! That night Hema was again in the attic, thinking about literally everything. And unconsciously she swept her hand and in the blow the lamp fell on the ground and broke making everything dark in front of her eyes. Her ears were ringing and ringing as if she could hear the final cry of the lamp- ‘don’t make castle in the air silly girl look in front of you’. But where to look at it is pitch dark there. Getting in despair, Hema fell asleep. And in her dream, she felt that as if the shine of the lamp was still there, still there inside her. But little did she know what omen was waiting for her in the next day. From some unknown cause her only brother Died. She told to herself- ‘really am I alive’? She then decided to leave this village for good, go to nearby town and work as a labor. She went everywhere but nobody looked at her, giving job is way ahead. The next morning, she woke up at a park bench at looked around. The town is under sweet slumber. ‘What a pity!’ she thought. Am I just an insect in the garland of the city? Am I just a creature to pass my life by with omens?’ Suddenly she heard a sound. The most beautiful sound she ever heard. She ran to the source and reached a building where boys and girls are doing prayers. She had an irresistible desire to come and join them. But hesitated thinking whether she will be accepted or not. Suddenly she heard a voice, it was melodious as violin yet deep enough as ocean. It told ‘oh sweet girl why don’t you join them?’ She joined the choir. She sang, sang for the first time in her life. Her peaceful voice created such a divine mood that everyone thought that this the fresh flower that is being dedicated to the almighty for the first time. She was accepted there. Accepted for the first time in her life. It was a missionary school and she became a member of it. Years passed Hema is now a grown-up girl of 20 years old. She has become an accomplished teacher. The principal asked Hema- ‘why don’t you become a teacher here?’ Hema nodded but suddenly she felt something in her conscience and she told- ‘No, I think my journey will be different. I have come to the town and have become a permanent member in your school. You have educated me and have made myself a worthy teacher. But how come I forget my root? How can I forget that I belong to a village-where people knows nothing of such knowledge. They have no life and now it is my duty to water my root.’ The lamp that day had not gone out in vain. The radiance was there in the girl. Which today coming out of a single house is spreading the entire village. The lamp still burns.
By: Saurav Bhattacharya
