“Till the end of the pitted and dusty lane, she was a dry, brown leaf swiftly floating down a clear stream. Part of it was easy, the part about being brown. ‘Brown as mud and common as mud,’ Aaji would scream every morning waking her up. The rest of the way, down the row of tiny rooms lining the pond with water the colour of old oil and ducks like old cotton spilling from Aaji’s quilt, she was an earthen pot filled with cool, gently rippling water. Once she was out of the earshot of the jeering boys yelling obscenities, she could select from a wide array of choices—she could be the pretty red car parked at the curb, the striped kitten walking on tiptoes along the boundary of the old bungalow, blue shadow of a chalk-white seagull. Anything, absolutely anything. The possibilities were limitless. She chose to be a pale spot of sunlight gliding along the dark tar road till she reached the big intersection and crossed into the maze of sunless lanes. She couldn’t be a pale spot of sunlight any longer. She had to hand over the steel box with two meals to Aai, who worked the early shift at the municipal hospital. Aai was in the main hall, resting between rounds of swabbing the floor and cleaning the sh*t of the sick. She always smelt of phenyl, and incense smoke, and sweat. ‘You are late again,’ her mother took the box from her hands, ‘My break’s over’. She lowered her eyes and considered turning herself into a broom that Aai would pick up in a moment to sweep the wards. ‘Get going,’ Aai said and walked away.
Bu hikaye Cosmopolitan India dergisinin December 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Cosmopolitan India dergisinin December 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Match Point: Polyamory & The Green-Eyed Monster
While the concept is still more nascent than normative in India, traditionalists have one big question: what becomes of the jealousy?
Hello, 2024's Dating Lingo For You
Fresh ways to complicate your life this season.
Fillers On Your Mind?
Cosmo intern Jia Noor Singh Bhandal's (very) quick and (very) easy take on the cosmetic procedure.
Listen? You Need To Stop Making Your Crush Uncomfortable
And yes, you might just be doing it involuntarily.
Hands Up If You've Been To Forgetting Apply SPF To These Areas
“Raises hand* and instantly reaches for sun protection
Is Social Media Really A Free Space?
We're always rooting for self-expression...especially on the internet. But a friendly and important—reminder to proceed with caution.
PAMPER YOUR BABY WITH A LUXE SKINCARE EXPERIENCE
Baby care brand CITTA offers products that are perfect for newborns and kids with the most sensitive skin
Are we all Letterboxd-pilled?
Film study grad or not, everyone's a critic now!
Burning bright
Cosmo India speaks to six creators about how they handle the grind and the toll it takes on their bodies and minds.
A nifty textbook guide to cleaning your beauty shelfie
Sorry, but it is time to finally throw away your three-year-old dried out mascara.