A Tour to the Town

 written by Priyanka Banerjee, West Bengal (India)

   As soon as Nitu opened her eyes in the morning, tears rolled down from her beautiful big eyes. She heard the sound of the motor van and started running  across the corridor; but unfortunately she missed the chance again; her father  went to the nearby town without taking her.

Nitu’s father was a peasant and he used to go to sell vegetables to the nearby town once a week. Other days he used to sell vegetables in their village’s market. Nitu never saw a town. She only heard from her father that the town was bigger than their village. One day she asked her father, “Baba, how is the bazar of the town? Why do you go there? Why do you not sell the vegetables  here only?” A train of questions came from Nitu. Her father smiled and answered, “The bazar of the town is bigger than the bazar of our village. There I get more customers than here. That is why I go there.” From that day Nitu started requesting her father to take her to the nearby town.

Nitu was nine years old; she had a younger brother whose age was five. She went to school with her brother. One day the class of history was going on and the teacher was reading from the book, “that time big buildings and idols were  made…” ; suddenly a piece of chalk was flung at Nitu and her reverie broke. The teacher ordered in a coarse voice, “Look at your book and concentrate on your study; otherwise I will throw you out of the class.” Nitu was happily travelling to the town’s bazar in her dream but for this teacher, who seemed no less than a monster to Nitu, her happy dream ended. That day after returning from school Nitu started to nag, “Baba tomorrow I will go to the town with you, please  baba.” After pleading for two hours her father agreed. Nitu was overjoyed and after having her dinner she went to sleep.

Next day when she opened her eyes she heard her mother’s voice, “Nitu, get up dear, you have to go to school.” Nitu could not understand why her mother was saying so, later when she did not find her father in the house, she understood  the whole thing – without her, father went to the town. This was the first time Nitu’s father broke his promise. After that day the same promise was broken several times.

There was a mound nearby where Nitu used to sit whenever she felt sad. Sometimes she sat there with her father and listened to the stories of the town. That night also Nitu sat there when her father came and sat beside her. Nitu did not talk to her father. It was the sixth time her father broke his promise and  Nitu almost gave up her hope of visiting the town. Her father said, “Do you  know why do I not want to take you to the town?” Nitu was silent. Her father continued, “because that place is very congested, you are too small to go there; it is not like our village’s market.” Nitu was still silent. “Okay, tomorrow I will take you to the town; now stop sulking.” Nitu looked at her father, her eyes were filled with tears, “I know you will not.” Her father smiled and kept his hand on Nitu’s shoulder, “I will dear and this time I will not break my promise.” An innocent smile appeared on Nitu’s face. Nitu kept her head on her father’s lap and watched the beautiful starry night sky. She started to ask her nevere nded questions again and her father also kept on answering patiently as he did often. 

Next morning, Nitu woke up as her father was calling her name loudly, “Nitu, Nitu, get up fast, will you not go to the town with me?” Nitu almost jumped out of her bed; her joy knew no bound. She got ready and set out for town with her father. She was enjoying her journey. Within half an hour they reached there. With a dropped jaw Nitu was observing everything around her—how tall the buildings were, so many people were rushing; so much noise and hubbub are going on. Seeing the crowd, Nitu adhered to her father; she was panic-stricken and thought, “I may be lost among this huge crowd.” She sat beside her father all day long. In the evening she roamed here and there with her father. When she looked at the sky she did not enjoy the view as she did in her village. In some places the sky was not even visible. After some time she said to her father, “Baba, let’s go home.” 

That night after having her dinner she was sitting on the mound and watching the night sky. Gentle wind was blowing and making her hairs disheveled. Nitu’s father came and sat beside her. “So, did you enjoy your visit to the town?”, asked her father. “Yes”, Nitu answered. A silence prevailed there for sometime. “Baba”, Nitu said, “The town has everything – big buildings, big markets, bright lights; but one thing is missing there.” “What?” asked her father. “This beautiful starry night sky”, answered Nitu.

Her father smiled. Nitu lay her head on her father’s lap. That day she did not have any question to ask. 

Label : Inflame Story

Writer : Priyanka Banerjee, West Bengal (India)