Once upon a time, there was a little girl of hardly 3 or 4 yrs of age. She was a darling daughter of her parents, sweetheart of her grandparents. She took barely few minutes to be the apple of eyes of those with she interacted. She ruled the world of her near & dear ones. Much of her childhood was spent in her mamabari, a joint family. Not to mention, she was the centre of attraction of everyone. Right from her grand parents, uncles, aunts, household helps to neighbours & shopkeepers of the locality. She was literally a ‘princess’. Everything was at her command.
Her mama was getting married. She was very happy! She got to wear such beautiful dresses, saw everyone getting decked up, especially her mother. Well, her mother hardly wore any make up so that really registered at the little mind. Marriage was over. Next day came the bride. Her mother instructed her to call the bride Notun Mami. She was happy but somehow she felt that something is wrong. Things are not the same anymore. She realized, after much pondering, she is no more the centre of attraction. She is not getting the same attention which she is very much used to. After little more investigation, she found out that the culprit is this new entrant, her so called ‘Notun Mami’. She thought who is she? Why is everyone so bothered about her? She went to her & started a conversation.
G (Girl) – Tumi amar Notun Mami?
B (Bride) – Amay Notun Mami bolona.
G – Tahole ki bolbo?
B – Amay Mamoni bolo.
G – Maa to tomay Notun Mami dakte bollo!
B – Ami bolchhi, tumi amay Mamoni bole deko. Oto boro naam dakte hobena. R ami to shobshomoy notun thakbona! Tokhon ki amay purono mami bole dakbe shona?
She laughed as she told this, kissed & hugged her. But she got very annoyed! How dare she refuse the name given to her by her mother? She complained her mother:
G – Maa jano, Notun mami khub pocha! Tomar dewa naamta nilona. Amay Mamoni bole dakte bollo.
To her utter surprise, she wasn’t angry & asked her to stick to ‘Mamoni’. She wasn’t much satisfied but she didn’t have any choice. She noticed, hardly anybody talked to her. Her Mamoni took her place. Her anger kept rising as temperature on a hot summer day. At evening, everyone gathered at the bride’s room to see the gifts. She observed the same thing. But this time, gifts were the attraction. Her rage rose. Even Mamoni was a better competitor than these silly gifts! Suddenly she started feeling very hot in the winter evening. Her little skull got so heavy that it seemed to burst. She flushed & sweated. She tried to talk but was stopped by her mother who asked her to keep quiet & see the gifts. She couldn’t take it anymore. The next thing to get unwrapped was a shredder, kitchen tool to shred vegetables. She recognized the object & its use. She remembered, her mother takes most care of her when she gets hurt. Without thinking twice, she rubbed her little fingers over the sharp kitchen tool. Now everyone turned to her. Her fingers were bleeding, skin got scratched badly. But thinks didn’t turn as she had wanted. It was decided that she must be kept out of this room as similar accident might occur again. Some gifts are really harmful for kids! She was made to sit in a room all by herself after some first aid. This time, things were worse. Her fingers were paining. What an insult it was to be thrown out of the room that too in front of Mamoni! What bugged her was, everybody thought that she did that without understanding or what harm it could cause her. ‘No damn it! I just wanted to shift your attention!’ She thought as she looked at the glass window pane. It was a little broken. She punched it hard. So hard that it broke with a bang. Alarmed by the noise, everyone left the room & came to her. Yes! Now she got back her previous place. She got the same importance now. Her mission was accomplished. Everyone surrounded her, even Mamoni & asked several questions! Her mother & grand mother crying feeling her pain. Whole of her right palm was bleeding profusely now. She smiled, cunning or vindictive? She knew not!
This little girl grew up to be a shy & introvert personality. Always running away from the spotlight. She still loves getting attention but only if it comes spontaneously from the other side. Maybe after that incident, she had this notion that attention brings pain along with it. She doesn’t want to get hurt anymore. She really gets amused about her childhood lunacy! Oh ya, she shares great rapport with her Mamoni now! Still wondering? Yes, that little girl is me!