A prose  poem by Rati Saxena

 A Soul in the Well


A square courtyard, surrounded by four high walls. is it a courtyard or a deep well?… a well where live six souls.. together but never together. Smallest one.. almost two and a half years old is looking at the sky.. the square sky.. the sky which could peep into the courtyard. She is balancing on her left toe, trying to twirl like a spinning button. Falling down again and again. There is so much noise in the house. Some are frying pooris in the kitchen and some are collecting clothes. What is happening? The little girl is disturbed nobody has time to explain the things. She is feeling too lonely, whereever she goes, she gets scolding-O my. My…get out from here, what are you doing here.. why don’t you go and play. Hey—don’t touch that..
Oh such a tender age and so much scolding! Leave it she decided—let me look at the sky…the square sky peeping through courtyard….shining sky..sometimes blue, .some times yellow.
“Maa, who is going to get married in MAMA’s house.” One of the sisters asked. loudly. Oh we are going to MAMA’s house.
Now the little girl got a new game—how is MAMA’s house.. is it big? A big court yard., tiled roof, a number of rooms.. do not know whether she was imagining things or she was recalling memories. Anyhow she got some mental exercise for some time.
“ Maa, we are going by train, no?” one of the sisters asked again.

Now the girl is playing train—train,,chuk---chuk—kkoooo…kkooo. she is engine and she herself is the bogy… kkooo—koooo. “my, my, how is this girl made!” One of the sisters got annoyed.

Now it is evening, Father is back from office. Hat on the head, came on bicycle. He was quiet. Coming of father at home was a different experience. As if the house stopped breathing, as if air became heavy. Mother gave him tea and asked in a low voice- “When shall we go to the station?”
“For what?” Father asked bluntly.
“Don’t we go to Bhopal?” mother was annoyed.
“ O I forgot to bring tickets, we will go tomorrow, Now serve me food” Father replied in a firm voice.
There was no question of asking any question. Tiffin boxes were opened, every one was upset. Father ate quietly. Perhaps mother did not eat. How could any one enjoy the pooris, which were made for eating in the train.

Night falls; sisters are arranging charpais in the courtyard. At the right side father’s charpai (bed), then three more… at last mother’s charpai. All of them were covered with white sheet. White pillows, and a silken sheet arranged at the other end neatly. Father was very particular about neatness. Such a beautiful experience ..look at the stars and when you get tired, go to the world of stars..

Anyhow, at last we could reach MAMA’s house.. All of us were almost hanging in TANAGA. (horse puller). Father is sitting at the front and we are all at the back. covered with parda.
As soon as we reached near the big gate, so many people came out rushing—Chandrani bai has come… Arey, look Chandranibai of Jaipur has come. We are surrounded by mama’s mamai’s , mousis and number of children. Oh, mother has changed a lot.. how beautiful she looks.. she is hugging every one.. Father is also looking very cheerful. And so many children!
Mother was the dearest sister of all the three brothers, she was beautiful, educated and loving. All the brothers liked their sister very much. O my God , this is mother or a small girl. At home she barley laughs, but now she is laughing, chatting and freely wandering about in the whole house.
A number of children are seen, children of all ages, all are cousins, girls are playing separately, boys have different groups. Nobody needed toys those days. Boys could play a number of games with the help of some stones and a ball. Cricket was not a popular game those days. The most popular game was “Sitoliya”: seven round stones were collected. Stones of seven sizes. From the biggest to the smallest. One party arrange them on each other and run away. The other party try to trough the ball on the heap and try to catch the boy of the opposite side. Boys of opposite sides try to arrange the stones and sometimes do not come in catch. This was a very fast game. Some girls also like to play this game. Girls have a number of other games. They need five pebbles and start tossing on their palms and back of the palm. That was called “chapete”. Or draw eight square and jump on them with one leg, tossing a stone- called Ikky-Dukky. Sometimes they cook in imagination, they stitch the clothes for dolls or knit a sweater. Those dayswe never wanted any artificial toy. Any stone, any lid of bottle, any useless thing could change into a toy. This was the time of marriage, all the children were enjoying. Every one was laughing, enjoying. “ Hey God, why not this laughter comes to my home?”.
While playing hide and seek the little girl came into a dark room. What a smell?, A number of big jars are kept neatly covered with cloth. The girl opens one, oooh. what is this… mango?… the mouth is full of water. She took one piece and kept it in the mouth. Somebody opened the door. Who is hiding there? – O little girl you are here!, hey what are you doing.. do you like pickles? .. wait I shell give .. take.. this lime.. and this is..
The girl was astonished, she was expecting scolding or beating. Who is this lady who talks so sweetly.. This is bari MAMI, So nice.
“ why don’t you stay with me, I will give you lots of pickles. “ she was telling her..

Days of laughter passed so quickly, we are again in the same well. O god send us a RajKumar, who can save us.. like the prince of the stories… well and prince.. prince and well….