Maya Dongre was fond of that silver ornament worn around ankles. As a baby child, her tears stopped falling down the eyes when she heard the tinkling sound of her mom's anklets. After growing five years old, she had the desire to wear those anklets.
Married at 14, Muskan Dongre, had four children. Her husband, Sukhdev, drank himself to stupor, selling his once blossoming fields to support her parents with four hungry children. They refused to look after her. Hungry and impoverished she had fend for herself. Hence, her daughter's desire remained unfulfilled to get a pair of anklets.
Not only this, Maya had the liking for dance also. She regularly visited the homes where her mother worked as a maid. She was most cheerful when mom worked where Rosy took the dance classes of Kathakali. Maya always sat aside, attentivelygazed at the dance steps and listened to the instructions of her dance mistress. She rehearsed the steps in her tiny hut.
Time flew and now Maya completed her ten years. She and her mother were in Rosy's home from dawn to dusk. It was Rosy's birthday and she had organised a small party at her home. After winding up Maya came up to Rosy, pulled her shirt and sweetly said, "Mam, i want to present you sonething."
"O really! What do you want to present me?", asked Rosy surprisingly.
Maya took her to the spacious area holding her hand. She touched her feet and began to dance. She danced in full swing submerging her enraptured heart into the hollow surroundings. Thus, scattering the joy in every nook of the room. Rosy was dazed and stupefied. She distinctively watched woth what passion and spirituality the girl moved her body.
After the completion of dance, Rosy was excessively impressed and moved. She said, "I have never made the mistake of differentiating among my b'day gifts, but...this is mt favourite."
She could not stop herself from giving a momentary reward of Rs. 51 and invaluable blessings.
The next day Maya went to a local seller to buy anklets for her. The only thing she wished to have and keep for entire life. She demanded dor anklets but the shopkeeper told.the amoutlnt was too less to buy them. Instead he had a better option for the girl to go with him to another jewellery shop and purchase what she needed.
Poor child!! Maya was taken to the brothel. In contrast to other girls there, Maya was the only girl who felt happiness in soul as she was taught to dance while wearing anklets. Ignorance about the future made her happy. Whenever she questioned where her family was, she was consoled by saying that she would see them soon.
8 years later, with scars on her mind and soul, she had smilingly accepted the people she was living with as her family. In these eight years, she had realized the brutal truth of the world she was living in. She was filled with remorse every time she was paid to get involved with men. She hardly had any choice but to remain calm in every circumstance. to escape this feeling, she often danced and imagined herself getting the man who will truly love her. She always tried to extract happiness even from the minutest thing...sometimes the chirping of birds in the morning, other times chatting with friends...and mostly in the sound of those anklets.
Seeing her love for dance, Natai Raaj, brother of the brothel keeper, appointed her to teach dance to young girls who were brought there. this was the time when Maya forgot all her sorrows and remained engrossed in making the the dance steps of her students perfect. She was intolerant of any mistake they made and didn't let them in, if they do not carry their anklets to the class. Apart from this, she always asked them to wrap the anklets in a piece of cloth and keep in the drawer when they are not being worn. She taught to be disciplined and give respect to goddess Nataraj.
Natai Raaj was fond of Maya and her teachings. He was taken over by the girl's simplicity and innocence. He observed that she tries to find spirituality in this profession. He started liking her and gathering all his courage, conveyed his feelings to her. Maya refused. She said people don't get married here. You just want to play with my emotions and exploit me physically. "
Natai patiently listened to her, smiled and returned. the next day May went to take her anklets kept in the drawer of the almirah. Instead getting her anklets, she got a snap and a note which made her utter the words, "Natai took my anklets away..."
Married at 14, Muskan Dongre, had four children. Her husband, Sukhdev, drank himself to stupor, selling his once blossoming fields to support her parents with four hungry children. They refused to look after her. Hungry and impoverished she had fend for herself. Hence, her daughter's desire remained unfulfilled to get a pair of anklets.
Not only this, Maya had the liking for dance also. She regularly visited the homes where her mother worked as a maid. She was most cheerful when mom worked where Rosy took the dance classes of Kathakali. Maya always sat aside, attentivelygazed at the dance steps and listened to the instructions of her dance mistress. She rehearsed the steps in her tiny hut.
Time flew and now Maya completed her ten years. She and her mother were in Rosy's home from dawn to dusk. It was Rosy's birthday and she had organised a small party at her home. After winding up Maya came up to Rosy, pulled her shirt and sweetly said, "Mam, i want to present you sonething."
"O really! What do you want to present me?", asked Rosy surprisingly.
Maya took her to the spacious area holding her hand. She touched her feet and began to dance. She danced in full swing submerging her enraptured heart into the hollow surroundings. Thus, scattering the joy in every nook of the room. Rosy was dazed and stupefied. She distinctively watched woth what passion and spirituality the girl moved her body.
After the completion of dance, Rosy was excessively impressed and moved. She said, "I have never made the mistake of differentiating among my b'day gifts, but...this is mt favourite."
She could not stop herself from giving a momentary reward of Rs. 51 and invaluable blessings.
The next day Maya went to a local seller to buy anklets for her. The only thing she wished to have and keep for entire life. She demanded dor anklets but the shopkeeper told.the amoutlnt was too less to buy them. Instead he had a better option for the girl to go with him to another jewellery shop and purchase what she needed.
Poor child!! Maya was taken to the brothel. In contrast to other girls there, Maya was the only girl who felt happiness in soul as she was taught to dance while wearing anklets. Ignorance about the future made her happy. Whenever she questioned where her family was, she was consoled by saying that she would see them soon.
8 years later, with scars on her mind and soul, she had smilingly accepted the people she was living with as her family. In these eight years, she had realized the brutal truth of the world she was living in. She was filled with remorse every time she was paid to get involved with men. She hardly had any choice but to remain calm in every circumstance. to escape this feeling, she often danced and imagined herself getting the man who will truly love her. She always tried to extract happiness even from the minutest thing...sometimes the chirping of birds in the morning, other times chatting with friends...and mostly in the sound of those anklets.
Seeing her love for dance, Natai Raaj, brother of the brothel keeper, appointed her to teach dance to young girls who were brought there. this was the time when Maya forgot all her sorrows and remained engrossed in making the the dance steps of her students perfect. She was intolerant of any mistake they made and didn't let them in, if they do not carry their anklets to the class. Apart from this, she always asked them to wrap the anklets in a piece of cloth and keep in the drawer when they are not being worn. She taught to be disciplined and give respect to goddess Nataraj.
Natai Raaj was fond of Maya and her teachings. He was taken over by the girl's simplicity and innocence. He observed that she tries to find spirituality in this profession. He started liking her and gathering all his courage, conveyed his feelings to her. Maya refused. She said people don't get married here. You just want to play with my emotions and exploit me physically. "
Natai patiently listened to her, smiled and returned. the next day May went to take her anklets kept in the drawer of the almirah. Instead getting her anklets, she got a snap and a note which made her utter the words, "Natai took my anklets away..."
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