Sitara parked her scooty in the parking space of the Durga Devi Temple. The temple is 2 km away from her Music Academy. So, every Tuesday and Friday mornings, Sitara visits the temple before her college starts. She doesn't know why, but this temple is something close to her heart. She had gone to many temples in Kolkata, but this temple made her feel special and brought some kind of peace to her heart.
The minute she enters the temple, she experiences this unexplained feel of relief and happiness. Sitara remembers how she found out about this temple. It's the first week of her college, and during the recess, her mother Sonali called her to inform about the death of her pet parrot Kizie. After the college hours, she took the longest route to reach her house, as she needed some alone time to cope up with the news. That's when she discovered this temple, and from then this temple became her second home.
Today, she got a little late because she got dressed in a mustard yellow choli as today is her mother's birthday, and Sitara knows how much her mother loves to see her in traditional clothes. Sitara walked the flower shop where the lady Kantha Tai welcomed her with a warm smile.
"Arre, Sitara, what a surprise? You are looking like Sita Devi in this dress. Oh, God! I hope no evil eye should fall on you." Kantha Tai made a black dot behind Sitara's ear to cast away all the evil eyes from her.
"Thank you, Tai. You know today is Maa's birthday, and she always wanted me to wear traditional clothes. So, that's I wore it today. Is the special puja plate ready?" Sitara asked while adjusting the shawl over her head.
"Yes, yes. It's ready and no need for money. It's my blessings and wishes to your Maa from my side. At least wish something for yourself today," Kantha Tai told Sitara while handing the puja plate to Sitara.
"What's there for me to wish for Tai? When I have you, Maa, and Dida to take care of me, to bless me, I don't need anything in life. Ok, it's already late, I have to go to college also. Bye, Tai." Sitara ran from there towards the temple, and Kantha Tai smiled in defeat.
"There is a saying Sitara 'When you wish for something, wish wisely' because you will never come to know what the destiny has in store for you."
Sitara gave the plate to the priest and asked him to do the worship in the name of her Maa, Dida, and Kantha Tai. The priest smiled in agreement and started the worship of Durga Devi. Sitara closed her eyes and joined her hands to pray for her family's well-being.
"Maa, Durga. I know I don't have anything to ask from you. Because you gave me a wonderful family and caring friends. All I ask for is their protection. Please protect them from all sorts of distress and pain. Instead, give their sorrows to me because whatever I am today, it is all because of them, especially Maa. In this cruel society, she brought me up single-handedly and stood by me like an anchor. Please bless her with abundance and happiness."
"Sitara," opening her eyes slowly, Sitara took the puja plate from the priest, who blessed her to have a healthy life.
"Durga Maa will never let her children cry in pain and sorrows. She will always guide you, beta." the priest said, and Sitara smiled. Bowing for the last time in front of the Durga Devi statue, Sitara starts to descend the steps when she saw Parvathi Dadi and Revathi near the flower shop.
She never knew what happened between Parvathi Dadi and her Dida in the past, but whatever might be the reason, it created a distance between her and Revathi. Whenever she tried to kindle a friendship with Revathi, Parvathi Dadi always stood like a wall between them.
Revathi, who saw Sitara descending the steps, smiled in wonder to see how Sitara looked gorgeous in the choli. Revathi always envied the way how Sitara carried herself. Since childhood, Revathi heard her Dadi saying that the fairness of the girl decided her fate. But in Sitara's case, it has been proved wrong.
'The fairer the girl is, the wealthier guy she will land up with.'
Her Dadi despised Sitara.
First, she is a South Indian.
Second, Sitara has a dusky complexion.
Third, Sitara is a child born out of wedlock.
But one thing she doesn't understand is- why her Dadi is trying to sabotage every single good thing coming in Sitara's way? Though she doesn't like to sing, her Dadi wanted her to join the same college and same course just because Sitara is doing it and wants Revathi to win over Sitara in every single competition.
Sitara is a natural singer while she has to try harder to be a good one. Sitara dances like a peacock while she doesn't even know the abcd of dancing. Revathi is an excellent painter, and she wanted to pursue interior design, but fate was never on her side. As she is a motherless child, her Dadi nurtured her like a mother. Whenever Revathi wanted to put forth her ideas, her Dadi starts her emotional drama of how she brought up infant Revathi without letting her know the hardships of being a motherless child.
Because of this, Revathi had to suppress her desires and had to follow Dadi's orders. Revathi came out of her trance only to hear Dadi bad-mouthing about Sitara to someone.
"This girl is an illegitimate child. She doesn't have a father. I am telling you she only brings darkness to your family." Kantha Tai, who heard it snatched the puja plate from Dadi.
"Maa ji, no one asked your opinion about Sitara. Sita Tai, I called you here to talk about Sitara only. Her Dida asked me to give her details to look out for marriage proposals. As it takes at least 4 to 5 years to get a good match, we have to start searching for a good proposal now itself. Sitara doesn't like these kinds of things. That's why I called you here to show her,"
"True Kantha Tai. Swear to Durga Maa, she looks like an angel came down from heaven. No one's bad eye should fall on her." Sita Tai, who is a marriage broker, glared at Dadi for her non-sense talks. An unknown fear arose in Revathi's heart listening to their conversation. Today, for the first time, Revathi felt anger brew inside her like a volcano.
Dadi walked out of the flower shop as she felt insulted by Kanta Tai and Sita Tai. Revathi followed behind her, not before throwing a furious glare towards Sitara, who is trying to start her scooty oblivious of the happenings.