The Visarjan of her Vanity

“Look at you! You look so beautiful!” Prakash exclaimed when he entered his room and saw his wife Amisha. She smiled at him and looked at the mirror again, as she had been doing since the past half-n-hour. Blue jeans, thigh-length white Kurti and a bandani dupatta draped casually on both her shoulders… A long sleek shiny pony tail and copper dangling ear-rings completed the pretty picture.

“Too bad I can’t wear bangles. They would obstruct me from beating the Dhol.” She said and turned towards Prakash. “Do I really look 40 years old?”

Prakash shook his head and laughed. “Who would say that you are 40? You look like you are in your late twenties. But why the sudden consciousness about your age? As far as I know, you have never been sensitive about matters like age or beauty or whatever makes you females emotional.”

Amisha shrugged and didn’t say anything.

“I know.” Prakash said with amusement. “I think it all began when you started attending your Dhol practice classes. The girls with whom you practice…. They started it all isn’t it?”

Amisha gave a frustrated sigh. “I never was conscious about my age. But do you know how depressing it is to be addressed as ‘Aunty’ by those girls? They must be in their early twenties!!! I feel very awkward with them.”

“Do they give you a hard time?” Prakash asked with concern.

“No, on the contrary, they are very respectful and cordial with me. But it only makes me feel more aged. They would be having some conversation and laughing loudly but the moment I enter the hall, they would all become silent and greet me somberly.”

Prakash tried to restrain his smile.

“And you know what really set me off? When they decided the dress-code for today’s Visarjan programme, they actually said that I can wear a saree if that is what I want. Why would anyone assume that just because I am a senior, I would not wear jeans?” Amisha asked with indignation.

“You are not a senior, dear. You are the senior-most in the group.” Prakash said and laughed when he saw Amisha’s eyes flare up. “This is going to be so much fun now. I can’t resist teasing you about your age.”

“Ya, ya… very soon you will start talking about me getting gray hair and a wrinkled forehead.” 

Amisha dismissed the topic with a wave. She looked at the mirror again for what she hoped as the final time before leaving for the Visarjan. “I want to win today’s Dhol competition. I have been training myself for it.”

“Take care. You have to beat the Dhol for, what, two hours at a stretch?”

“Yes. The one who keeps up the beat for two straight hours wins today. I want to show the girls that age doesn’t matter.” Amisha said with determination while Prakash shook his head.

“Listen. Go easy on the girls okay. No need to vent out your personal feelings in the competition.”

Amisha said with a bright smile. “Oh, I will surely go easy on them. Don’t you worry!”

An hour later, she was at the Ganesh Mandal, with her enormous Dhol hanging around her neck. She stood in front of the Ganesh idol and bowed with folded hands. Bappa, help me to win today. It is a question of my self-esteem… She muttered a silent prayer and looked up to the idol’s face. She felt the same pang of emotion that she always felt in every visarjan. She had been a part of the Ganesh Mandal of their area since almost ten years. It always broke her heart when she saw the idol being immersed in the water.

This year was special as one of her dreams had come true. She always had a desire to beat the Dhol in front of her favourite Ganesha, either while welcoming Him or while sending Him off. This year, she had been offered a chance to make her dream come true. As a part of their annual Ganesh celebrations, it was decided that ladies would be beating the Dhol. On top of that, there was to be a competition too for them.

By evening, a crowd had gathered at the street of the Mandal. Amisha stood on a raised dias, in front of the Ganesh idol, along with the other girls. She pressed her lips firmly, trying to ignore the irritation that she had felt when the girls had exclaimed as one after seeing her. “Aunty, you look so good in jeans! You are actually looking younger!” One of the girls had said that and Amisha had barely managed to control her temper. She had gracefully acknowledged their compliments, all the while thinking about how the girls would react when she would win. It was now a do-or-die situation for her and she needed to win at any cost.

While one guy from the Mandal anchored the programme, Amisha scanned the crowd and saw Prakash and Shri, her ten-yr old son waiving to her eagerly.  She smiled and gave a small wave to them. Their presence encouraged her.

The anchor announced the start of the competition. Amisha shifted to the center of the dias with the other girls. After counting upto number three, they all began to beat the Dhol. Soon Amisha lost herself in keeping up the rhythm and beat the Dhol vigorously. The crowd turned crazy and soon started dancing to the beats.

Time lost its meaning as Amisha concentrated on her Dhol. At times, she changed the tempo, while other times, some other girl introduced a new tempo. But they all worked in coordination and synchrony. The crowd continued dancing non-stop.

In between, the anchor announced on the mike that only twenty minutes remained for the competition. It was then that Amisha lifted her face and looked around. Apart from her, there were only three more girls who were continuing. The rest had slowly given up. Amisha started feeling the strain in her hands but she carried on without showing any signs of slowing down.

When the anchor announced ten minutes left, two more girls gave up. Amisha looked at the only girl besides her who was keeping a good tempo with the beat. Vrushali.. She remembered the girl’s name. It was this girl who had commented that Amisha was looking younger in jeans. Amisha renewed her enthusiasm and changed the tempo to a fast one that required continuous use of both the hands.

The anchor announced that only five minutes were left. Amisha lifted her face to look at Vrushali. The latter was now showing all signs of tiredness. She was sweating profusely and had clamped her mouth tightly. Now was the time for Amisha to revert to a faster tempo.

And then she saw Vrushali give her a tired smile, though she didn’t stop beating. Vrushali also looked at all the other girls who had lost and she shook her head, as if she was saying that she couldn’t go on. The girls cheered her, shouted her name and encouraged her to hang on. Amisha saw Vrushali bravely attempt to keep up the beats.

And then Amisha did something that she never had imagined she would do. She slowed down the beats and brought in a very slow tempo that required use of only one hand at a time. She saw surprise register on Vrushali’s face and smiled inwardly. She looked at Prakash who was standing with his arms folded and a tender smile on his face. She kept up the slow beats, allowing Vrushali to regain her strength.

When the anchor announced that only two minutes were left, Amisha and Vrushali looked at each other and smiled. By an unspoken understanding, they both picked up a fast tempo and carried it on till it was announced that the competition was over and they both were winners.

The crowd burst out into applause and gave them a deafening ovation of claps. Amisha slowly placed down her Dhol and went towards Vrushali to congratulate her with her hand held ahead. Vrushali shook her head and came forward to hug her tightly. Pleasantly taken aback, Amisha hugged her back. “Thanks.” She heard Vrushali whisper in her ears and tightened her hug.

“You were awesome…” Prakash told her while he held her shoulder. She had come down to rest for a while before proceeding ahead with the Visarjan.

“Thank you. I did say that I will go easy on the girls.” Amisha said with a tired smile and Prakash laughed.

They stood quietly beside each other for few minutes. Amisha saw Vrushali talking to her parents excitedly.

“Do you think she will look as young as me when she turns 40?” Amisha asked Prakash playfully.

“Not a chance. You are the best.” Prakash said warmly and Amisha leaned onto him, feeling at peace. Before the immersion of the Ganesh idol, she had immersed her vanity and pride.