Rakim wiped the sweat off his hairy brow, as the train reached the station. Devi was almost asleep beside her father, dreaming of fairs, balloons, and sweets he had promised. She was dressed in a pretty blue frock, and matching ribbons on her hair, which curled on her forehead.
Rakim wiped the sweat off his hairy brow, as the train reached the station . Devi was almost asleep beside her father, dreaming of fairs , balloons and sweets he had promised.
Her amma worked hard in households, saving a few rupees for the family. Baba, as Devi called her father , worked with the merchant, loathed work . He feigned sickness to escape work, and the incessant complaints of the merchant.
Devi was awakened from her dream, her father was beckoning outside. Why is baba in such a hurry, wondered the little girl, as she ironed out the creases from her frock and adjusted the ribbon.
Alight quickly, said Rakim impatiently. He held a cloth bag and slung it over his neck. Devi walked besides her father, holding a torn, ragged doll and some sweets. She walked along-a movement which altered between hopping and running to keep up with her baba.
It was a long walk and Devi was feeling hungry and tired. She signaled her baba that she wanted to eat. Can't you wait?growled back baba in an impatient tone. You shall get plenty to eat when we reach town.
Devi was 7 years, but her eyes gleamed of untold wisdom. Every morning, just after her prayers in the temple, she would run to the banyan tree and listen to the headmaster teach..
Hurry up, yelled Rakim shaking her out of her reverie. They had reached the dusty town, and Rakim was asking for directions. Baba, the fair is near the forest,answered Devi as if in reply to his thoughts. He made an annoying noise and nodded. We'll meet a friend first, and then go to the fair,he replied coldly.
The dusty road lead to a small house. Yasim bhai, he called out gruffly. Yasim was a tall, heavy man . His swirled moustache and dark hair added a bit of grandeur to his freckled face. He appeared with a towel around his shoulder and sickle in hand. Her baba moved close towards him and muttered something.
Devi idly played with her hair. I was definitely taking a long time for baba to take her to the fair. Yasim beckoned to her to go inside. The fair's closed. We'll go tomorrow,said baba abruptly. Devi held her ragged doll and tried to sleep. Well, almost...
At daybreak, her baba was up and early. It would help me a lot, said Rakim holding a wad of notes in his hand. As he headed towards the station, he heard a familiar sound from one of the trains. Baba, shouted Devi. There's a fair in another town. I am going, she said.
Rakim felt the ground crack, beads of perspiration fell off his forehead. He heard Yasim behind him. The girl has run away...
Was Devi really off to another fair? Or did she manage to escape from his clutches? Would she return? Baba never knew, but for Devi she was away to another world
