Iswari - The Divine Light

There was a lady I met on my daily bus-journey to my university. She sat beside me almost every day. Her stoppage was twenty minutes before mine. 

One day, we started talking.

Gradually we became very frank and friendly with each other. 

I shared my stories, she hers.

She belongs to a non-wealthy family, but to a rich one. Her father is a school teacher of geography, this universe is almost in his grip. Her mother is a professional singer. A loving brother she has who is actually her cousin. In his childhood, he had lost his parents and since then he had been reared in his aunt's house. They are very genial. This is all about her happy nest. 

The road-friendship became stronger day by day and the story was continuing. I was curious to explore this woman. Because, I don't know why, somehow I found her very different, very enigmatic. 

She is two years older than me. To be a great journalist was her passion, but pocket didn't support her to reach her dream. Anyway she is an honours graduate of philosophy and a meritorious fellow. Now she is preparing for competitive examinations. She also sings well, as I listened to a phone - recording of her singing.

Here she comes every day for a batch , she teaches.

She shared all her storms, her breeze, her struggles. I believed her, I believed her eyes, such as those full of deep monsoon-clouds, but anyhow bright in every way. She smiled like a pitiful moonlight , but confidence was always on her lips.

In her gloom,  once, she touched a fairytale. She shared. A humble Prince came into her life with all colours. Though that was a tough time for her, no time even for breathing, he was just a new ray of hope in her story. Time was flowing in its own way with sorrow, with smiles. 

But fate smirked secretly and came with its demonic eyes. That was their last wedding-marketing. Around 7'O clock, they were about to return home and a devastating storm started. It was raining ruthlessly and thundering. They anyhow ran and took shelter under a shade. When situation was getting normal, her fiance came out to call a taxi. But , after some steps, as soon as his feet touched the electrified water , he … .

Again a grey journey with solitude, she started to continue. 

Like these we shared our stories with each other and the bus journey got vitality. 

One day, I suddenly asked,

" Where do you go for tuition? Which subject do you teach? Philosophy?"

She remained silent for some moments. Then opened up, 

" You may understand. You have that mind." ….

" Some children are there, I teach them. I teach them the abcd, the basics, the morality, everything. There's almost none to educate them."...

" You know, for the poor, the orphans there are many generous hearts to provide their necessities without any hesitation. But for these children, generous hearts are very very rare, because of their mothers' 'profession'. Those poor night queens! "...

" I educate them, sometimes their mothers too, and I will."...

"This is a promise to myself. "

I was amazed. Respect for her reached the extreme. 

We remained silent for some time. Her stoppage was coming. Suddenly I asked,

" Well, why do you take this initiative? I mean, is there any inspiration or any realisation?"

She just kept looking outside without uttering a single word. I felt embarrassed and awkward. 

Suddenly she said, just before leaving the seat,

"I am just trying to enlighten my birthplace, my first soil…

that's all…"