I used to watch the girls hold hands and walk their way back home. They were talking, giggling, well the expressions on the face of the one with the pony-tail hair style were cute. What caught my attention was the sound of the anklets around the time they crossed this way. Well the sound of the passing vehicles was load enough yet I could hear this rhythmic sound.
The children resided on the other lane, parallel to my street. They would generally take the street where I stay, probably to talk and enjoy the time, because this was a longer route. I had seen the other child many a times, at the kirana store near that street so figured it out, that they stay there.
Now the interesting observation. Well I had taken a break off my laptop screen gazing and was taking a stroll on the corridor. I would watch the people on the street and the vehicles plying once a while. These two children would be seen once a while, I assume they went to fetch milk or some grocery because they both held a cloth bag. At times, one would probably accompany the other.
The sound of the anklet was always a mystery until that day. I saw them walk up to the end of the street. There is a peepal tree there and the leaves provided a good canopy to those who chose to take shelter. These two girls stood there for some time and then they took a turn and head towards their homes, again. I could now see the source of the anklet sound. The pony-tailed kid. But how come I never noticed.
The truth is I would not notice anyways. She wore it only after they stopped by the huge tree. I figured out their bond of understanding and friendship. She would give it to her friend to wear when they were safely away from the sight of their families or homes. Once they were near to home, the owner adorned it again. The momentary joy was precious and unseen to the world.
The gratitude gesture was the smile of the other child , expressed through her eyes, only her eyes. The rest of her innocence look was hidden under the grey long veil (burkha). Freedom as we take for granted every time, might mean, just a few 20 steps of the same as a short-lived liberation from reality, to experience freedom and to pass it on for a beautiful dream.
You are indeed lucky if you have the freedom to wear anklets or do anything you love, for that matter. FREEDOM - one should watch, catch and match its frequency that humans of different religious communities believe and make others do the same.
