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"Not a word of appreciation from this thankless man”, she used to feel at times.
“This woman is just good enough to make Boza for me!” scoffed Kadir.His yellow, tobacco stained teeth and the jeering look were a sight Nazia had accepted indifferently, after years of living together.
Nazia and Kadir were immigrants to Bosnia. It had been their home for more than two decades. Back home in Turkey, her father, a poor man with six daughters had been more than happy to get her married off to Kadir , who was at least a decade older to her.
The mesmerizing lake, just a mile away from their cottage was very picturesque. A visual delight for all the tourists coming to the Cincar mountains, of the Dinaric Alps, a major tourist destination in Bosnia.
For years together, this lake had been her soulmate. She used to sit and stare at the calm waters for hours together, as if sharing her grief and sorrow. Little did she know, that this lake itself will be a turning point in her life.
At dawn, each day, she used to make the Boza, a famous fermented drink, something she’d learnt in Turkey. She used to take the winding road, from her cottage. Climb down the mountain to reach the lake and offer Boza and Turkish Coffee to the tourists. A small tumbler of Boza or coffee, depending on the season would be kept ready for Kadir to drink, whenever he woke up.
“This concoction, every morning and night is something, I can’t do without”, he used to say dryly. It had been her ritual for years together now. “Not a word of appreciation from this thankless man”, she used to feel at times.The breathtaking view of the lake nearby and the snow capped grace, of Cincar mountain, failed to mesmerize her today.
In her mind were ringing Rafique’s words.
“Enough is enough, Apaa. You deserve solace and freedom from this abusive husband of yours. My contacts at Zagreb shall help you cross the border.”
Rafique too was an immigrant like them, who’d come seeking work, a couple of years ago. He used to offer ferry rides on the lake, to drop the sightseeing tourists to the next town, where the bus would be waiting pick them up for their onward journey.
In him, she saw the son, she never had.
“Hah..! You are the one at fault, you feeble woman!” Kadir’s words, had pierced like a hot arrow through her. She was being blamed for her husband’s impotency. But, it all seemed like another life now, thought Nazia dejectedly.
Rafique had seen his Nazia Apaa, sitting forlornly near the lake everyday. And they had shared some ineffable bond, since they’d met.
And today, she did take the step. She had left behind that tyrant, snoring husband of hers and came down from the cottage with her savings she’d managed to accumulate.
They crossed the lake ,in Rafique’s ferry and both ,hurriedly climbed the waiting bus. She was on her way to the next town. Nazia would be long gone, before Kadir woke up. Her tumbler of Boza yesterday night, had done the trick.
She looked back at the lake, as if, thanking it, with a parting shot.
She was finally free..!
First published here.
Image is a still from the movie Haider
Hi. Stepping out of my comfort zone,is something I immensely enjoy, especially in my writing journey. I am a blogger and poetess. I have worked as a teacher for quite some years. read more...
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UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
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