PURITAN
Sangita G. Naik
May 16, 2011
I
am hardly 35. I remember how bubbly I would be. I was the one girl who caught
attention of almost everybody where ever I went. Some liked me for my charm,
some for my seriousness, reserved type, some who were very close to me found me
to be vibrant, vivacious, cool, bubbly, some others found me to be friendly,
out spoken, some confident, smart, some others would call me Bold and
Beautiful, close ones called me naughty, colleagues found me active and alert.
And the guy who fell head over heels with me would always wonder and ask “Hey,
what are you exactly? I get confused”.
I
would blush saying, I? I am a clusp. Ha, I am a clusp of Taurus and Gemini. And
do you know something? Gemini alone has two faces! Just wonder how about the
whole threesome?
Poor
Karan, he was mad for me, just mad. There were a hell lot who were mad for me
but Karan’s madness was worth appreciating .I took him to be a good friend as
he was my younger brother’s best friend. He was a year younger to me .But had
an appealing personality. He too had fan following but never damn cared about
anybody.
Every
time he proposed “I love you,” I would brush his remarks aside saying, “But I
love Gandhi.” He would get irritated and vanish for the day .I had one mantra
in life, “Say No to Illusions”. There
were better things for me to do .I loved reading a lot about Mahatma Gandhi. I
would end up reading books and articles on Gandhi. My only dream was to do
research in Gandhian studies and write a lot on my Mahatma.
My brother would tease me for I was modern and
stylish where as Gandhi was simple. He
would mock at me saying “if you really like him, you should follow him in every
sense.” The debate would come to an end, the moment it would take a start, as
my answer would be abrupt “That is the
point, there cannot be another Mahatma, My Mahatma is an Enigma.”
I
strongly believed that one can like him,
love him, try to understand him, follow him , read , learn and know about him,
but would definitely fail to become like My Mahatma.“ He is different” I would
conclude.
I
completed my graduation and went for my Masters Degree. I earned while I
learned. I was a school teacher, a respectable job. My friends were of all
together with very different opinion. They felt I suited for corporate world.
Karan again came and proposed me. This time he was damn serious. I repeated my
philosophical dialogues. He threw the water bottle aside with a bang. He lost
his cool .He caught me by my arms and shouted, “Are you a fool? Don’t you want
to get married and settle down? Since ten years we have been together in a
group, are you made of a rock? Don’t you have a heart? Can not you understand
other’s feelings? Come out of your philosophy I say! Do something different,
marry me idiot,” he broke down. That was the last time I saw Karan
I
stuck to my morals. Certain things were a big “No” for me. I never gave in
easily. I for one would never fall prey for fantasies .But life had something
else in store for me. I met with an accident which was terrible, left me
crippled for life. My fifth lumbar beside my spine got compressed. I was completely
lame below my neck .Surgeons told surgery would not serve the purpose. “She
will be paralysed for life”. I was put on ventilator, medicines and my whole
body was tied with belts and straps so as to relieve me of pain and cramps as
far as possible.
After
a couple of days my body was shifted to a super deluxe room where I recognised
my family, my friends and well wishers. I pitied them all. They all looked
shocked with almost eyeballs protruding out at me .It was as if there was a
horror show going on. I was fed up lying there for days.
“Papa, Could you get me Hitler?” I asked.
For the first time I felt like reading Adolf
Hitler and I read the biggest volume ever, lying still as I was under
observation for 45 days .Hitler kept me engaged. I fell in love with him. He
was a fighter with a killer instinct, I felt. I was finally discharged .My body
was carried home. The whole complex where I resided came to see me.
I
knew I would stand on my toes but doctors said other wise, all the six experts
relying upon their syllabus studied. I relied on my inner strong instinct. Peon
of the school where I worked had come to see me. He was an illiterate. His work
was to stand at the school gate and help the staff and guests park their
vehicles .He came close to my bed and asked:
“Madam, do you have faith in Haad Vaidya?
I said “Now, what is it Munim?”
He
took pain to make me understand that these people are just like hakims. They are
well versed with herbs and roots and their medicinal values. This particular
Haad Vaidya is a specialist in Neurotic problems .Anything that is related to fracture,
bones and accidents, he is the best person to go to, he said.
But
madam, “He is illiterate; he cannot understand your x-rays and scan. He will
touch you and cure you” Before I could tell something, “Now that doctors said
you are handicapped for life, why not try Haadvaidya? You need only two things,
one is trust, have faith in his
medicine and the other strength to
bear the pain, as this is a crude method.” “He will not charge you anything, there
is a temple opposite his residence, and he will ask you to give a visit to the
temple after his medication”.
I
agreed. They carried my body to an ambulance which we hired and took me to
Haadvaidya. There were lots of people waiting for their turn to be tested by
Haadvaidya. Finding me in a stretcher, people asked the man sitting at Vaidya’s
door to let me in first. It really was a crude method. Vaidya asked me to sit
down which was next to impossible .He walked up to me and took me by my arms
and deliberately made me sit. The terrible pain in my back made me scream with
pain and lose consciousness. Family members panicked. I did not know what
happened next. The time I gained consciousness, I was flat on my stomach lying
on the floor. Somebody stood on my back .I felt the dark swirls in my eyes and
again fell unconscious. Next thing I found was I was tied by a white cloth
across my right arm which came covering the whole body part below my neck to
the left side of my waist line. I could smell the paste of leaves and roots and
that of some balm. Vaidya, the old man roared, “Next visit on Thursday, three
more visits and you will start flying, see that next time you come here you will
drive the vehicle.” My tears spoke volumes.
People
outside could not believe their eyes. I came out walking. I got a new lease for
life. Days, months and years rolled by. I stood tall with confidence. It was as if
I was in a fairy land. All the local newspapers carried my story of will and
determination. I was invited as chief guest for programmes on International
Women’s Day and Republic day by various institutions. I was a star by night and
I enjoyed every bit of it.
I
was given in marriage by my parents to a gentleman and was blessed with a child
.I was blessed with everything .Good husband, promising son, a nice job, house
of my own, almost every thing.
One
day, while in school, I felt restless and very tired. I was sweating a lot too.
I was feeling tired since a couple of days, which I had brought to the notice
of my husband too. Every now and then I would get temperature and severe head ache.
Decided to see our family doctor. Casual tests were done and medicines given
for no good response from my body.
I
was asked to meet some other doctor in the heart of the city. The earth
underneath me collapsed on hearing the result of my blood test. “How could this
be? We were faithful to each other. Both of us belonged to respectable and
cultured family. Both were well educated. We spoke to our family doctor. He
made me aware of the fact that I carried it either through contaminated hypodermic needles either
during my treatment for accident or during my delivery phase.”
I
was HIV+.
My
world came to my end. I started dying from within every day. Family, friends, relatives,
well wishers withered away. We sent our child to a boarding school. He was 8
years of age. My husband stood by me like a rock. He was the only person who
supported me. I wanted him to remarry somebody of his choice but my words never
reached his ears.
Day
by day, there was growing frustration in me. Neighbours shunned their doors on
me. Shop keepers were indifferent to me. Society showed its true colours to me.
I was totally broken and shattered. “How could the world be so indifferent to
AIDS victims? We do not want them to share anything with us, but please do not
be indifferent to us! We need caring hands,” I wept silently. Day by day things
became worse. I was burning from within.
Timely
medicines kept me going. Husband asked me to live life full size. “Enjoy, read
some good books, write something, watch some good movies, this is your life, do
something different”he said.
“Do
something different?” this is exactly what Karan said, the very last time we met.
The words kept repeatedly ringing to my ears. I went to a far off place and
gave myself to the lady in the parlour. From a nice hair cut to pedicure, she
did it all for the day .Late in the evening I went and fetched some catchy attractive
clothes. I realised. My husband was happy for me He took me to a lavish
restaurant in another town. I realized one thing that my well maintained body
frame and attractive face attracted some eyes even to this day.
A
man walked in and shook hands with my husband. My husband introduced me to him
.He was the managing director of the huge company where my husband previously worked;
He was all eyes for me. He ordered ice creams for us and gave us both each his
card.
He ended up contacting me. I too met him on
lunch. He drove me to a wonderful lodge in the outskirts of the city. I dressed
myself neatly and left a card for him which read:
..........................WELCOME
TO AIDS.............
The narrative is unpredictable. There is a movement in the story. An observable one - much like the shaking of an earth. The disease that one has is less bothering to her than how the sick society treats those who carry the virus. The protagonist develops a desire of vengeance. That the healthcare system fails to maintain high level of protection against virus and infection transmitted during hospitalization, that the government fails to identify and immediately start counselling the carriers and the society where they live as to how to live happily with the virus, and how to accept those who carry them, is a justifiable reason for the carrier to resort to spreading the virus.
ReplyDeleteWe are glad you think alike Faraz... that has been a primary parameter for Puritan winning the best entry for the very first Budding Authors Competition by Mehta Publishing House.
ReplyDelete- Parul Bhadoria
one the best short story i have read, ma'am ur writing got that power to hold the reader.. i was so moved by its every next word..simply awesome.. a big thumps up for this short story!!
ReplyDeleteregards
Ajinkya sohani
Venu venu
DeleteBy reading it i felt as i am reading a real life story of some HIV victim. it holds until the end and the way u highlighted some of our major issues in the society is wonderful.. hats of to you madam. congrats.
ReplyDelete- chandra mouli.
Excellent Mam. Your story is very touching. You are a splendid writer. Keep doing what you do best
ReplyDeleteExcellent...good framing of words
ReplyDeleteAnd a very shocking climax
In the first half of her life itself She has known the value of LIFE....how important it is to live normal too
If she was a mature women
Shouldn't had
taken someone's life
A very poignant tale of suffering the deepest tragedies and yet coming out of them unscathed... in some way or the other. It talks about the inner strength we all have, but discover it only in our times of difficulty. Nicely written (apart from the few grammatical errors); I could feel the pain and the emotions in the writing.
ReplyDeleteA very good story giving a message, life can turn at any time. A shocking and completely unpredictable. Connected emotionally. Inspiring, strong and true fighter. Very well written,it keeps moving from one after another action.
ReplyDeleteBiography of life written innocently by a brave and strong lady
ReplyDeleteReiki is a traditional Japanese healing technique that emphasizes the utilization of energy to enhance healing, relaxation, and overall well-being. Reiki practitioners acquire the skill of channeling life force energy to facilitate healing. In a Reiki Healing Course in Rajouri Garden, the patient stays completely clothed as the therapist delicately rests their hands on or above different body regions.
ReplyDelete