The rusted bathtub
As Budhee looked away to her village, Amba witnessed Budhee’s lanky body walk down the dusty wall of sand as tears saturated with memories rolled down her eyes.
The first memory of Budhee meeting Amba is so prominent in her mind, as if she can touch the friendship with her eyes closed. She still remembers when her mother Sarla who was a help to the thakur’s two storyed house. Budhee will follow Sarla in every corner as she cleans the dishes, mops the dusty floor, cooks for the thakurs, chops wood for the fire but Budhee’s favorite time of the day was when her mother would do the dirty laundry by hand in the backyard of the thakur’s house. Her mother would fill a tin bathtub with water and sit three year old Budhee in it to play. Budhee enjoyed the splitter splatter of the water in the hot day.
Sarla would earn a thousand rupees and one time meal in return of the chores she did around the house. Sarla’s husband died last summer as they couldn’t afford medical help when he suffered from Influenza. Since then Sarla was the bread earner for herself and Budhee.
Budhee met a young girl of her age when accompanying her mother in the Thakur’s house, Amba. Amba was thakur’s only child. Budhee looked into her eyes and saw childhood awaiting. She held her hand started playing. They played all morning and afternoon in the desert heat. Budhee would eagerly wait for afternoon as it was her favorite time of the day as now Amba would also sit in the bathtub with water and play until Sarla finished doing the laundry.
As time passed Amba was homeschooled and Budhee waited patiently at the door until the teacher leaves. As soon the class finished they would run to the backyard full of Jujube plants. Budhee would climb the plant and shake the branches. Amba collected all the ripened Jujube and carried in her skirt. They would lay down under the shade of the plants and eat their fruit of hard work. They would braid each other’s hair and explore new braids. They found company to fulfill the long and hot afternoon with activities. Budhee would make clay dolls whom they got married in the garden. Amba stole sweets from her kitchen for the wedding of the clay dolls. Amba wasn’t allowed to go out of the house. She belongs to a upper rich class family and female member of the family are suppose to stay indoors. She started seeing the world through Budhee’s eyes. Budhee would tell her the way to her village and the people who she meets everyday on her way back home. Amba built a vitual relationship with the world outside her house.
Time passes slow in harsh weather but for Budhee and Amba is was the sweet beginning of their sixteen. Amba stumbles upon Ravi who was recruited by her father to look after the cattle. Ravi fled home for freedom and started looking for job in nearby villages. Ravi a young man with hair like dunes of sand withered by the wind. His skin was tanned from grazing the cattle in the sun. His eyes spoke of lost childhood and innocence. Amba and Ravi would meet secretively in the backyard while Budhee would watch out if any members of the house couldn’t see them. Their love blossomed in the guard of Budhee. Amba would wake up every morning wait for Budhee to come and make new braids everyday.
One day when Budhee’s mother was sick, Budhee came to thakur’s house to do the chores around the house. Budhee was rushing to finish her task so that she can meet Amba and Ravi in the backyard. Amba and Ravi being alone for the first time found the curiosity of youth enchanting and lost in the moment. Ravi placed a kiss on Amba’s lips. Amba was trembling like a dried leaf in summer heat, her heart racing and she could feel gush of blood rushing through her body. It felt like a spark that Amba has never experienced before. Suddenly she hears her name being called in a shocking voice “Amba, go inside”. It was her father. Outrageous of Amba’s behavior, her father knew that Ravi being an uneducated lower caste herder isn't a match for Amba.
Amba’s father immediately called for Sarla and expressed his intentions of getting Budhee and Ravi get married. In a village where elders always took decisions. Budhee, Amba and Ravi couldn’t express their feelings. Two days later on a Thursday morning Budhee and Ravi were married in a local temple witnessing the idols, Sarla and the priest. Few days later Amba was married off to a rich landlord’s son of the village.
Losing to her father’s decision, Amba started adjusting into her new married life. Her husband treated her well, respected her. He would bring her Jujube fruits. Amba was warming up to her husband and her family. She started smiling and her anklets would make sound as she walked around the house. Several months passed and Amba gave birth to Odni. When she saw her for the first time she said to her husband “She is like a veil of beauty, we name her Odni”.
On the other end of the village Budhee’s life continued with Ravi. He hustled day and night to meet ends as he was fired from his job, Sarla was sick and was staying with Budhee and Ravi. In midst of poverty was born Prakash. Prakash had features of his father and smile of his mother, though Sarla couldn’t sustain the poverty and gave up on life even before seeing her grandson. Ravi unable to feed his family felt helpless and kept looking for job. One day when Budhee came home after drawing water from the village well, she found the house to be robbed and her son was sleeping on the floor. She picked him up and thanked God for keeping him safe. She waited for Ravi as dusk enveloped the whole dry sky with its darkness. Ravi didn't return home. Budhee waited at the door of her hut every evening, hoping for Ravi to return home with food and money. Though she was disappointed. Defended by luck she looks for job at thakur’s house but they didn't need her anymore. As they were selling the house and moving to a nearby town. Budhee being an old employee’s daughter thakur asked her to take anything that was suppose to be discarded.
In middle of all old rags and piles of metal, Budhee saw a rusted tin bathtub. Its her and Amba’s childhood clad memories. Though it has lost all its shine but its still sturdy. Budhee picked it up and left for home. Not being able to feed her son and herself for three days Budhee is now desperate for job. Ravi stole all saved money and her one gold earrings which she received from her mother on her wedding. She went from door to door asking for any domestic help job. She returned home hopelessly.
Ten yards away there was a wall which opened up to a leveled village of rich landlords. Budhee knew that Amba was married to one of the rich landlords in that village. She decided to climb that wall and had Prakash seated in the rusted bathtub. She climbed halfway and can see Amba sitting in a corner watching Odni playing with other kids in the bright afternoon. They look at each other and Budhee silently pushes the bathtub towards Amba. Amba heard about Budhee’s condition from village people but could never have the courage to go and talk to her. As now she was Ravi’s wife. She wanted to console her and speak words of sympathy for Sarla’s death. However, she kept quiet but Budhee understood every unspoken words. Amba picked up Prakash from the rusted bathtub and dusted him. Seeing this Budhee felt a sigh of relief and quietly walked down the wall.
The first memory of Budhee meeting Amba is so prominent in her mind, as if she can touch the friendship with her eyes closed. She still remembers when her mother Sarla who was a help to the thakur’s two storyed house. Budhee will follow Sarla in every corner as she cleans the dishes, mops the dusty floor, cooks for the thakurs, chops wood for the fire but Budhee’s favorite time of the day was when her mother would do the dirty laundry by hand in the backyard of the thakur’s house. Her mother would fill a tin bathtub with water and sit three year old Budhee in it to play. Budhee enjoyed the splitter splatter of the water in the hot day.
Sarla would earn a thousand rupees and one time meal in return of the chores she did around the house. Sarla’s husband died last summer as they couldn’t afford medical help when he suffered from Influenza. Since then Sarla was the bread earner for herself and Budhee.
Budhee met a young girl of her age when accompanying her mother in the Thakur’s house, Amba. Amba was thakur’s only child. Budhee looked into her eyes and saw childhood awaiting. She held her hand started playing. They played all morning and afternoon in the desert heat. Budhee would eagerly wait for afternoon as it was her favorite time of the day as now Amba would also sit in the bathtub with water and play until Sarla finished doing the laundry.
As time passed Amba was homeschooled and Budhee waited patiently at the door until the teacher leaves. As soon the class finished they would run to the backyard full of Jujube plants. Budhee would climb the plant and shake the branches. Amba collected all the ripened Jujube and carried in her skirt. They would lay down under the shade of the plants and eat their fruit of hard work. They would braid each other’s hair and explore new braids. They found company to fulfill the long and hot afternoon with activities. Budhee would make clay dolls whom they got married in the garden. Amba stole sweets from her kitchen for the wedding of the clay dolls. Amba wasn’t allowed to go out of the house. She belongs to a upper rich class family and female member of the family are suppose to stay indoors. She started seeing the world through Budhee’s eyes. Budhee would tell her the way to her village and the people who she meets everyday on her way back home. Amba built a vitual relationship with the world outside her house.
Time passes slow in harsh weather but for Budhee and Amba is was the sweet beginning of their sixteen. Amba stumbles upon Ravi who was recruited by her father to look after the cattle. Ravi fled home for freedom and started looking for job in nearby villages. Ravi a young man with hair like dunes of sand withered by the wind. His skin was tanned from grazing the cattle in the sun. His eyes spoke of lost childhood and innocence. Amba and Ravi would meet secretively in the backyard while Budhee would watch out if any members of the house couldn’t see them. Their love blossomed in the guard of Budhee. Amba would wake up every morning wait for Budhee to come and make new braids everyday.
One day when Budhee’s mother was sick, Budhee came to thakur’s house to do the chores around the house. Budhee was rushing to finish her task so that she can meet Amba and Ravi in the backyard. Amba and Ravi being alone for the first time found the curiosity of youth enchanting and lost in the moment. Ravi placed a kiss on Amba’s lips. Amba was trembling like a dried leaf in summer heat, her heart racing and she could feel gush of blood rushing through her body. It felt like a spark that Amba has never experienced before. Suddenly she hears her name being called in a shocking voice “Amba, go inside”. It was her father. Outrageous of Amba’s behavior, her father knew that Ravi being an uneducated lower caste herder isn't a match for Amba.
Amba’s father immediately called for Sarla and expressed his intentions of getting Budhee and Ravi get married. In a village where elders always took decisions. Budhee, Amba and Ravi couldn’t express their feelings. Two days later on a Thursday morning Budhee and Ravi were married in a local temple witnessing the idols, Sarla and the priest. Few days later Amba was married off to a rich landlord’s son of the village.
Losing to her father’s decision, Amba started adjusting into her new married life. Her husband treated her well, respected her. He would bring her Jujube fruits. Amba was warming up to her husband and her family. She started smiling and her anklets would make sound as she walked around the house. Several months passed and Amba gave birth to Odni. When she saw her for the first time she said to her husband “She is like a veil of beauty, we name her Odni”.
On the other end of the village Budhee’s life continued with Ravi. He hustled day and night to meet ends as he was fired from his job, Sarla was sick and was staying with Budhee and Ravi. In midst of poverty was born Prakash. Prakash had features of his father and smile of his mother, though Sarla couldn’t sustain the poverty and gave up on life even before seeing her grandson. Ravi unable to feed his family felt helpless and kept looking for job. One day when Budhee came home after drawing water from the village well, she found the house to be robbed and her son was sleeping on the floor. She picked him up and thanked God for keeping him safe. She waited for Ravi as dusk enveloped the whole dry sky with its darkness. Ravi didn't return home. Budhee waited at the door of her hut every evening, hoping for Ravi to return home with food and money. Though she was disappointed. Defended by luck she looks for job at thakur’s house but they didn't need her anymore. As they were selling the house and moving to a nearby town. Budhee being an old employee’s daughter thakur asked her to take anything that was suppose to be discarded.
In middle of all old rags and piles of metal, Budhee saw a rusted tin bathtub. Its her and Amba’s childhood clad memories. Though it has lost all its shine but its still sturdy. Budhee picked it up and left for home. Not being able to feed her son and herself for three days Budhee is now desperate for job. Ravi stole all saved money and her one gold earrings which she received from her mother on her wedding. She went from door to door asking for any domestic help job. She returned home hopelessly.
Ten yards away there was a wall which opened up to a leveled village of rich landlords. Budhee knew that Amba was married to one of the rich landlords in that village. She decided to climb that wall and had Prakash seated in the rusted bathtub. She climbed halfway and can see Amba sitting in a corner watching Odni playing with other kids in the bright afternoon. They look at each other and Budhee silently pushes the bathtub towards Amba. Amba heard about Budhee’s condition from village people but could never have the courage to go and talk to her. As now she was Ravi’s wife. She wanted to console her and speak words of sympathy for Sarla’s death. However, she kept quiet but Budhee understood every unspoken words. Amba picked up Prakash from the rusted bathtub and dusted him. Seeing this Budhee felt a sigh of relief and quietly walked down the wall.
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