I woke to the ringing of the broken old alarm. Although I could sleep more by banging the head of that ringing device, amma’s horrible laughs did not allow me to do that. She found it very funny to see my startled face everyday. Badi Mem had given that alarm clock to amma so that she could reach Haveli on time. Amma too was lazy like me. I knew she used to run to the Haveli much before the time as I used to force her to tie my long black hair in two plats. How lazy one can be, I wondered!
The summer had begun. My school that I detested was closed for two months. Vaccations were the most glorious days of my life. I felt like a bird. A free bird who can stretch its wings long aside, feel the breeze on the face and swirl in the open blue sky. How delightful! My day started at noon. Most of my time used to pass on the fields with appa. I used to meet Chandra my best friend, a little goat, that used to get jolly by my sight. Under appa’s supervision I used to hold the small Chandra and take her to wander in the fields. Despite of the tremondous heat me and Chandra never lost the zeal to rome aimlessly. Chandra belonged to Sham anna but he never stopped us to meet each other.
One morning when I woke quite early than any regular day, appa gave me a sad news. He was called to work on a field which was enough far from our house. Although it was a moment of joy for our family of three as appa was going to get paid double for working on that far away field. But I was sad. Firstly as I would not be able to meet Chandra every day as amma would never allow me to go to the field alone and secondly, I will have to spend my entire day at haveli that too with amma. I was so troubled by the mere thougts. But then I had no other option too. Amma gave me a pink satin frock to wear on my first day to haveli for which I had craved for nearly two months but amma had warned me to wear it on some special occasssion. Badi Mem had given that frock to amma long back. It did not fit Choti Mem, her daughter then. I developed a liking towards the haveli members. When things were of no use to them, they used to happily hand over it to amma.
The haveli was just a minute walk from our house. It was massive. Our house was not even the size of choti mem’s bathroom. There were tall coconut trees surrounding the haveli. The backside of the haveli comprised a petit but admirable garden. I had always heard amma saying that Badi Mem was too fond of plants and flowers. I saw the exquisite Zinnia sprawling all across the garden. They were a treat to the eyes. There were also many cockscomb plants behind the Zinnia.
What caught my attention was a bark from one of the rooms of haveli. I was a animal lover and from the bark I could find out that it was a small innocent puppy. I forced amma to take me to that room.
“Illai!” she responded with anger. “It is choti mem’s room. I will slap you if you go there.”
I heard the bark again. I felt as if it was calling me.
“Amma…Amma…” I cried as she pulled my hand and took me towards the kitchen.
“Sit here!” she warned.
“Kaalai Vanakkam!” said a sweet voice. I turned back. It was Badi mem. She was wearing a silk saree which had rich zari work. Her dark red bindi made her glowing face even more attractive.
“She was alone at home and she is very naughty, that’s why I brought her here.” Amma said in a low voice.
“No problem at all. I was going to ask you to bring Anandi to haveli one day. I had seen her a year back! My God, she is so beautiful!” Badi Mem winked at amma. “What happened Anandi? You seem so sad? You don’t like to come here?” She asked me earnestly making a child like voice.
“I love haveli. I love the puppy that is barking my name from a long time. But amma will slap me. Badi mem, can I go to that room please!” I pleaded.
“Anandi…” Amma shouted as if I asked Badi Mem to give me gold and silver coins. Badi mem directed me towards the room and told me that the pup’s name is Mini.
I was overjoyed. I ran like a crazy girl upstairs. When I reached choti mem’s room, I saw her drying her beautiful long jet black hair. She looked like a apsara. She looked at me as I hid behind the door.
“Mini, we have a cute visitor on our door today! But that visitor feels I am a rakshas and I will eat her up so she is hiding behind the door!”
I smiled, giggled and then laughed aloud finally. I walked out from behind the door. I saw Mini. She was very tiny. She had pure white fur on her body and small brown spots on her ear. Her eyes were angellic. She ran towards me the moment she saw me and started licking me with her tongue.
“Mini likes you!” Choti Mem said.
“I like her too.”
Mini had become an inseperable part of my life. The two months of vaccation that I passed with Mini went swiftly. She had become my best friend. Mini was the sweetest, nicest companion that I have ever had. My daily routine was going to school, eat whatever amma cooked and run to the haveli to meet mini. I had once taken Suparna and Gopi my school friends to meet mini. They could not believe their eyes when they saw her. Indeed! She was so beautiful.
Everyone in the haveli and amma too noticed that mini was very precious to me. Once when mini was terribly sick, amma gave me the permission to bunk school for a day and stay with mini. I remember I cried a lot when I saw mini slept helplessly with zero strength. A person can atleast speak about his sufferings but a dog can’t even do that. But then she was a fighter. Within two days she was back to all her regular activities. I was the happiest person on earth at that time.
Four years passed. Appa started making good money from working on more than two fields. Amma gradually stopped working at haveli. Her weak limbs did not support her. But Choti Mem was very kind. She never disallowed me to meet Mini. But it was destiny that decided to cease my friendship with mini.
One day when I entered haveli, I saw Choti Mem sobbing. Mini was busy playing with a broken coconut. I went near Choti Mem and placed my hand on her shoulder. She looked at me and immidiately hugged me tight. I was unable to understand what was happening.
“What happened Choti Mem?” I asked.
“Anandi….mini is my life and I know yours too. But she is going to leave us all alone in some days.” Choti Mem cried loudly this time.
I was shocked and confused to hear what Choti Mem said.
“Where is she going Choti Mem? She is your dog. So who wants to take her away from us?”
“Anandi…mini is suffering from a liver disease. Doctor said it has grown so much now that she can’t be cured. The disease is fatal. She will be with us just for a few days.” She cried again.
Losing someone or something you love or care deeply about is very painful. I experienced all kinds of difficult emotions and it felt like the pain and sadness will never let up. These are normal things that happen when you know you are soon going to lose someone.
“Choti Mem, lets not cry. This will make mini even more weak. Let us enjoy each and every day with our beloved mini. Lets make her happy. Do you promise that to me Choti Mem.” I wiped my tears and put my hand forward. Choti Mem wiped her tears too and held my hand tight.
We never cried after that day. We decided to spend every minute with mini. Choti mem once brought mini to my school. What a wonderful surprise it was! In the evenings we used to take mini for a long walk along the banks of the river which was near haveli. Mini loved the river. We could see it in her eyes. But as the days were passing she was becoming feeble and tired. But I and Choti mem never showed even a small glint of sadness on our face.
One morning I woke up with an astound. I saw amma sitting on the door of our house. I rubbed my eyes, yawned and felt sick due to over sleeping. I washed my face and then rolled back to my quilt. I took that broken alarm clock in my hand. It showed 4.30 am. I hit it once. Not a single dial was moving. I understood that it is no more working. I was happy as it won’t disturb my sleep now. But my heart felt as if someone has placed a heavy bag on it.
“Amma” I said.
She looked at me with grief all over her face.
“Let’s go to the haveli Anandi.” She said with a soft tone that did not suit her at all.
My brain gave me an idea about what would have happened but then I denied my thoughts.
With a cracked tone she said “Let’s say a final goodbye to Mini.”
I looked at the stopped alarm clock and collapsed on the ground.
dhanashrikadam 