Dreams & Desires

The night was unbearably cold; Suri's mother sat outside their small hut, making chapatis*, and her father sat inside, close to the comforting warmth of the fire. He was smoking on a hukkah that stood beside him, with Suri pressing his feet. " Father, help mother make the chapatis quickly. It's dreadfully windy outside; I'm afraid she'll catch a cold," said the seven-year-old.

"Help her?" the father questioned, raising his eyebrows, " Suri, that's a woman's job. It is not my duty to help her. She shall do what all women in this world should do- look after their families."

"But Father, she's shivering. You can atleast tell her to make the chapatis inside the house," Suri protested.

"There's no place, can't you see?" the father sneered, anger starting to boil inside him. Suri's eyes started to sparkle with tears, as she looked up at her father's furious face; she could not understand the cause for his anger. She started to get up, deciding that she, herself, will give her mother a helping hand, when her father shouted again," Where are you planning to go? Keep sitting! Press my feet!"

"I'm going to help mother. The wind is so cold and harsh," Suri softly replied, her heart filled with sympathy for her mother.

"Did I not just explain everything to you? She's a woman, and it is her duty to serve her family, no matter what the conditions! Don't go against my orders, child. You'll regret it!" the man screamed so loudly that Suri was scared the neighbours would come to know about the unpleasantness in their small hut.

*chapatis: an urdu/ hindi word for bread

( to be continued )