Chapter 2
That day, early in the morning, Rashmi’s mother-in-law Sarla Devi told Rashmi to go to the temple. She said that puja is performed in the temple at dawn and after the puja, Rashmi had to bring prasad from the Pandit ji. So that day Rashmi woke up very early in the morning and took a bath and since wearing bra and panties is not a common practice in the village, Rashmi went to the temple wearing only a light-yellow coloured saree with a wide red border and a red blouse. After bathing, Rashmi’s long hair was wet, so Rashmi left them open but according to etiquette, Rashmi had covered myself with a veil. After going to the temple, Rashmi first had darshan of Devi Mata and then bowed to the elderly Pandit ji in the same way as Rashmi’s mother-in-law Sarla Devi and Rashmi’s elder sister-in-law Manjari had taught her.
Kneeling on the ground, Rashmi removed the veil and placed her forehead on the ground and spread Rashmi’s hair in front; Pandit ji blessed me by placing his foot on Rashmi’s hair and after that Rashmi gathered Rashmi’s hair and tied it in a braid. According to the village custom, doing so showed that Rashmi had taken the dust from the feet of someone elder than her and kept it safe by placing it on her head. The old Pandit ji smiled and handed her the plate of Prasad and Rashmi noticed that, strangely, in the puja plate, besides the sweets, fruits and flowers offered in the puja, there was also a big cowrie on which a name was carefully written – Rashmi!
Rashmi had seen a similar cowrie in the house too. On which her sister-in-law's name was written - Manjari and Rashmi had even asked about it... but at that time both her sister-in-law and her mother-in-law avoided the topic and then Rashmi also did not give much importance to this matter, so Rashmi never asked again.
But today Rashmi felt very strange seeing a cowrie on which her name was written.
Rashmi thought that today when Rashmi goes home Rashmi will ask about this. When Rashmi was returning from the temple with a plate of prasad in her hand covered with a big handkerchief, her eyes fell on the same Tata Innova which comes to pick up her sister-in-law Manjari.
But this time Rashmi did not see the very old woman inside the car who always stays in the car. Rashmi took a deep breath and shook her head in disapproval and thought to herself, "Look, Manjari Didi is going to her maternal home again today..." The driver of the car had got out of the car and was probably smoking a bidi or a cigarette while leaning on the car. Seeing me coming, a smile suddenly appeared on his face... Rashmi knew that because Rashmi was not wearing a bra, her breasts were throbbing with every move and step and the driver was probably trying to suck her with his eyes while looking at her from head to toe; this made her feel a little titillated.
Rashmi's heart beats a little faster as she walks home, the weight of the prasad plate and the curious cowrie in her hand seemingly heavier than usual. The driver's gaze lingers on her, and she can feel his eyes tracing the curve of her hips beneath the wet fabric of her sari. She tries to ignore him, focusing instead on the warmth of the early morning sun on her skin and the sound of her bare feet on the cobblestone path.
As she nears the house, the driver finishes his cigarette and approaches her, his smile still in place. "Good morning, Rashmi," he says, his voice a smooth purr. "Is there anything I can help you with?" Rashmi nods politely, avoiding eye contact, and continues on her way. His gaze lingers a moment longer before he returns to the car, the engine rumbling to life as it pulls away, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake.
Rashmi fixed her saree’s pallu and veil and then started walking towards home with quick steps. Rashmi did know at that time that Rashmi would have to face a big surprise after reaching home...
On reaching home, Rashmi saw that in the outer room, along with her mother-in-law and Manjari didi, the same middle-aged woman whom Rashmi had seen only in the car before today was also sitting and they were talking to each other and all of them looked very happy.
Although Rashmi had heard their laughter even before entering the house, but now Rashmi saw it too. As soon as Rashmi stepped into the room, everyone's eyes were on me and Manjari didi took the puja thali from her hands with a smile. Rashmi saw that something like a small black mark was on Manjari’s cheek... Meanwhile, her mother-in-law Sarla devi said to that woman, "Here comes my dear younger daughter-in-law - Rashmi..."
Rashmi's mother-in-law, Sarla Devi, notices the puzzled look on Rashmi's face and explains, "This is Afreen Bai" Afreen Bai stands up, her sari draped elegantly around her, and extends a hand in greeting. "Welcome back, Rashmi," she says, her voice as smooth as silk. Her eyes sparkle with mischief as she takes in Rashmi's wet hair and the way the sari clings to her body.
As soon as her hands were free, Rashmi untied her hair as per the village tradition and then knelt on the ground and rested her forehead on the ground and spread her hair in front.
That woman smilingly placed both her feet on her hair and Rashmi did not lift her head until her mother-in-law did the same.
As Rashmi said, “Manjari Didi you too step on my hair after that I will rise up”
Her elder sister-in-law Manjari said, "Hey crazy girl, why would I put her foot on your hair?"
Rashmi said, "Why not? You are also elder than me."
After the blessings, Manjari didi removed the handkerchief from the plate of prasad and showed the plate to her mother-in-law and the guest who had come to our house and said, "Look Afreen Bai and Ma-ji... finally we have got a shell in the name of Rashmi."
The room fills with a tension palpable enough to slice through the warm, incense-laden air. Sarla Devi's smile falters for a brief moment before she recovers and laughs lightly. "Ah, the ways of tradition," she says, her voice carrying an edge that Rashmi can't quite place.
Afreen Bai's gaze sharpens, her eyes scanning Rashmi with a newfound interest. She reaches for a piece of prasad, her fingers lingering over the cowrie with Rashmi's name. "Indeed," she murmurs, popping the sweet into her mouth. "A sign of good fortune, perhaps?"
Rashmi feels a slight tremor of unease at Afreen Bai's touch and the way she looks at her. Sarla Devi nods in agreement, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "You are too kind, Afreen," she says. "But indeed, we are blessed with such beautiful daughters-in-law."
"Yes, yes, why not, why not", said the middle-aged woman (Afreen bai) wiping the remaining Surma from her fingers on her hair, "By the grace of Allah, now you have not one but two beautiful girls in your house... I have met your elder one, tell me something about the younger one." Saying this, Afreen started scrutinizing me from top to bottom with her eyes.
Mother-in-law said, "The younger one is 22 (years old)... you see the rest."
"Wow, wow, wow", Afreen seemed to be overjoyed, "The elder one is 28 and the younger one is 22? Wow! I will go to 'them' and tell them that I know two girls, the elder one is 20 and the younger one is 17... do you have any objections?"
"Then okay, consider it confirmed. I will come to pick them up this evening itself... make the elder one wear salwar kameez and" Afreen looked at me as if she was thinking about something, then she said, "send the younger one wearing a school skirt and blouse and yes, make two plaits in her hair... so that she looks exactly like a school girl, I will take care of the rest once we reach there" Afreen Bai said.
Rashmi's heart races as she tries to make sense of Afreen Bai's unusual request. She glances at Sarla Devi, seeking guidance or perhaps a hint of disapproval, but her mother-in-law's expression remains unreadable. "As you wish," Sarla Devi says, her voice calm and collected. "We will prepare accordingly."
The rest of the day stretches out before Rashmi, filled with a tension that seems to thicken the very air she breathes. The conversations she shares with Sarla Devi and Manjari feel forced, the laughter hollow. The mystery of Afreen Bai's intentions weighs heavily on her mind, and she can't shake the feeling that she's being led into a situation she doesn't fully understand.
When mother-in-law, Sarla devi came in the room, Manjari was combing Rashmi’s hair and making two plaits in it. Sarla devi came in, she said, "Come on girls, get ready, your Afreen Bai must be coming and yes, remember, you both don't need to wear bra and panty." After getting Rashmi ready, Manjari also got dressed. She was wearing a red kurti and black salwar and had tied her hair in a loose plait. Like me, she had also applied kajal in her eyes and thick red lipstick on her lips... Manjari was looking very beautiful. Then she made me stand in front of the mirror and I was a little surprised to see myself. I remembered my school days. Sarla devi had asked both of us to get ready the way Afreen Bai had said. Afreen Bai wanted both of us to look exactly like virgin girls, so on the advice of our mother-in-law, Manjari and I had wiped off our vermillion and also removed the married bangles from our wrists.
The car door opens, and Afreen Bai steps out, her eyes alight with excitement as she takes in Rashmi's outfit. "Perfect," she says, her smile widening. "You look just like a naughty little schoolgirl." The words send a shiver down Rashmi's spine, and she can't help but wonder what kind of adventure - or perhaps danger - awaits her beyond the safety of her village walls.
Afreen Bai's eyes linger on Rashmi's exposed midriff and the swell of her breasts beneath the tight sweater. She nods in approval before turning to Manjari. "And you, my dear," she says, her voice like a purr, "you look absolutely ravishing."
Manjari blushes, looking down at her feet, the reality of the situation setting in. Rashmi feels a knot form in her stomach, a mix of excitement and fear at the thought of what the evening may hold.
With a final nod to Sarla Devi, Afreen Bai takes both Rashmi and Manjari by the hand, leading them out of the house and towards the car. The driver, who had been leaning against the Tata Innova, straightens up as they approach, his eyes sweeping over the two young women with a hungry gaze. He opens the back door with a flourish, and Afreen Bai ushers them inside.
The interior of the car is cool and dimly lit, the leather seats soft beneath them as they sit. The engine purrs to life, and the car pulls away from the house, leaving the village and all its comforts behind. The only sounds are the murmur of conversation between Afreen Bai and the driver, the hum of the tires on the road, and the racing of their own hearts. Rashmi's palms are damp with sweat, and she clutches the seatbelt, her mind racing with questions and imagined scenarios.
The car travels down the dusty road, the village slowly fading into the distance. The sun begins to set, casting long shadows across the landscape, painting it in hues of gold and crimson. The destination remains unknown, but the anticipation is almost unbearable. The journey feels like an eternity, each passing moment weaving a new thread into the tapestry of Rashmi’s life, drawing her further into the seductive embrace of the mysterious adventure that awaits her beyond the horizon of their simple village existence.