Mela

Grandmother: (reminiscing) I used to be quite beautiful in my day.

Granddaughter: Yes, grandma. Ma told me. And, you still are.

Grandmother: (hurt) No, don’t joke. (sighs) I’ve grown so old now.

Granddaughter: But you’re still beautiful, grandma. More beautiful than many of my friends. And, with that diamond nose-ring, you’ve still retained your youthful sparkle.

Grandmother: Hmmm… Do you know how I got that nose-ring?

Granddaughter: Didn’t grandpa give it to you?

Grandmother: Yes. You know, I was beautiful then and I wanted to be somebody famous.

Granddaughter: You mean a celebrity… like a film star?

Grandmother: Yes, but women in our family weren’t allowed to enter films. Women from good families didn’t join films in those days. The best we could do was practise music or classical dance.

Granddaughter: Didn’t you learn Kathak?

Grandmother: Yes. But I wasn’t very good at it. I was a bit of a dreamer, you know. I liked to dress up and go see places. I wanted to be the heroine in a beautiful story. But, your grandfather was always busy with work. He never had any time for me.

Granddaughter: So, what did you do all by yourself?

Grandmother: So, my friend Seema and I would dress up and go visit the melas which came to town.

Granddaughter: But, that can’t be too much fun? Surely, you got tired of them?

Grandmother: Oh no. Our melas were no different from the shopping malls you have today. There were many stalls, and many things to see, and places to eat. Seema and I would stop by at all the jewellery stalls and try out the trinkets one by one.

Granddaughter: And, that’s where you bought the nose-ring!

Grandmother: No, no. Those melas didn’t sell diamonds. Diamonds were very expensive. One day we got carried away with so many things to see that we lost track of time. When I got home, your grandfather was waiting there with an angry face.

Granddaughter: Gosh. Did he shout at you?

Grandmother: He was about to, but I quickly showed him the trinkets I had bought at the mela and how beautiful I looked in them. I had to use a bit of charm, you see… a woman’s best weapon in those days.

Granddaughter: Still is, grandma, still is. Then what happened?

Grandmother: Your grandfather just walked off without saying a word. I thought he was very cross with me because he didn’t speak to me that night and he went to work early the next morning.

Granddaughter: Oh… All because of a day at the mela! What an awful man!

Grandmother: But, in the evening, he presented me with this beautiful diamond nose-ring. And, you know what he said? “My beautiful wife certainly deserves something better than a trinket.” And, he smiled mischievously at me. And, you know, I knew, all was well. I’ve worn that diamond nose-ring ever since.

Granddaughter: Ooh… it’s so romantic, grandma. Someone should make a film out of your story.

Grandmother: (smiles) Yes, maybe someone will. But someone else will have to be the heroine of that story. I’ve got mine. Now tell me dear, those are lovely earrings you’re wearing. So, what’s your story?