Tara's Story - by Shuvanjali

 

TARA’S STORY

 

A small baby girl was crying on her mother’s arms. “We can’t keep her with us any more,” the man said in a low voice. “But she is our child, we can’t leave her on the streets, she is just a baby “ the mother replied. “I understand, but we don’t have enough money to raise her,“ he said and added “ Please, I am sure some rich couple will find her, it is for her own good.”

 

After some time the woman was finally ready to give up her child, remembering that she would find a good place to stay. Before they left them they tied a small necklace around her neck to keep her safe.

 

Few hours later, a woman of age about 35 found the little baby crying inside a cardboard box. She waited for sometime to see if the baby’s parents would come to get her or not but nobody came. Feeling sorry she took the baby in.

 

Scene 1                  6 years later…..

 

The lady who took in the little girl was Radha Thapa. She owned a little tea shop where the little girl ‘Kanchi’ stayed and worked. Kanchi was always grateful to Radha didi for adopting her. She always would want to go to school but Radha didi always used to say, “School is just a waste of time and money, you can always learn something new at home.”  That made Kanchi think school was useless and did not wanted to go to school again.

 

Overtime Radha didi started to be strict and sometimes rude. She started to be careless about Kanchi and wanted more business only. But Kanchi did not mind at all, she was always grateful and obedient, she was very shy but smart. The customers did not care much about her either.

 

One cold winter morning, Kanchi was dreaming about going to school, and making new friends, when she suddenly heard a piercing sound, “Wake up !, Wake up !!” She looked outside and thought to herself, “It’s still so dark and cold also, why did didi call me ?” Again the sound came, “Kanchi, Oi Kanchi, wake up fast and go to fetch water. Quick I say.” Kanchi replied, “OK didi, I am going..”

 

The first chore for Kanchi was to fetch water from a nearby stone sprout. After some time Kanchi returned with two buckets of water, balancing in her two thin hands. Even if she returned as soon as possible, Radha didi always scolded her for being late and talking with other servants.

 

After that, Radha didi tells Kanchi to wash the big pots and pans. This was the favorite part of Kanchi’s day, she thinks. She says while dish washing, moving her hands and body rigorously, made her body warm. She also turned on the radio to listen to the some morning ‘Bhajan’. Radha didi gets very annoyed and thinks that Kanchi is not doing her work fast enough, and shouts, “Kanchi, why are you listening to that annoying song? Didn’t I tell you to finish your work fast?” “Yes didi. I am listening to a Bhajan and doing my work. Bhajans are songs for the Gods, and I like them very much.” “I don’t care about those silly song and your God. Just finish your work.”

 

Soon it was 7 o’clock and customers were already coming for their tea and breakfast. Now Kanchi needs to work fast. She doesn’t want to keep the customers waiting.

 

“Hey girl, bring me some bread and tea” first customer says. “And hurry, I don’t have time.”

“Yes, sir” she politely replies.

“An egg and a glass of milk for me,” says another customer.

Kanchi has to remember each customer’s order. If she makes mistake, then she again gets scolding.

 

Every day it is the same. She has to keep working fast, without catching her breath. She always wants to send the customers happily.

 

At 9 o’clock, while standing in front of the Tea Shop, Kanchi sees some children going to their schools. They all have big fancy bags, which makes Kanchi wonder to herself, “What might be in there ? Copies, books, pens, what else do you need to go to school. Radha didi might be right.. schools are a waste of time and money.”

 

As she was watching children go by, she sees a mother with her daughter. The child was very active and running ahead of her mom, but suddenly she trips and falls. She spills the contents of her bag, and books, copies, pens and her lunch all spills. Her mother hurriedly helps her pick her stuff, and says. “It’s okay dear. Don’t pick that lunch. I will get you new lunch. Just let that stray dog have it.”  Kanchi was surprised to see so many books, copies, pens and colour pens in that girl’s bag. She also thought to herself. “If it was me, I would have eaten the clean bread and give the dog the bread that touched the floor.”

 

At lunch time, people again started to gather. Some were rude and treated her rudely, but some were kind and gave her some tips also.

 

That day, a couple had come for lunch and saw Kanchi serving all the customers efficiently. They felt very sorry for her and started to talk with her.

 

“Now come here once,” the male called her. “I am Mr. Nepali and this is my wife. What is your name?”

“Kanchi”

“No, no, I am asking your real name,” he said.

“It is Kanchi.”

“Where are your parents?”

“I have Radha didi only.”

“OK. Do you go to school ?” the lady asks.

“No.”

 

They looked shocked !! How can a little girl not go to school ? They decided to talk to Radha didi about this.

 

“Radha didi, please come here once.”

 

The lady asks her, “ Why aren’t you letting Kanchi go to school ? In this modern time, you have to let her study.”

 

This remark made Radha didi very annoyed.

 

“So what ? Who will pay for her fees, huh ?? Her dead parents !? ”

 

“ We didn’t mean that,” the couple said. “ We meant that children must get a chance to read and write. If you don’t do so, this will affect the child’s rights.”

 

“ I don’t take care of her anymore. If you want her to go to school, then you can send her. In fact you can keep her yourself. I don’t want to feed this good-for-nothing girl, huh .” Radha didi’s face was red with anger.

 

“Okay, then we will take her and also send her to school,” said the wife. Then she asks to Kanchi, “Would you want to go to school ? You can also stay with us.”

 

Kanchi was confused and so she looked up to Radha didi, but she did not look back.

 

Finally she said, “ I do want to go to school and live with you too.” Hearing her answer, the look in the couple’s face priceless. They were extremely happy.

 

“Okay, first we are going to keep your name. We will call you “Tara Nepali”.

 

Kanchi was happy that she got a home, a family and her name, and she was able to go to school, like all kids of her age.

 

Before she left, she hugged Radha didi and thanked her for all she had done for her. With a heavy heart she left Radha Didi’s Tea Shop.

 

 

Scene 2                  9 years later…..

 

Tara is 15 years old and going to school.

 

“Bye mom. Bye dad. I am going to school now,” She was a smart student at school and also ranked first in her class. She is friendly, kind and obedient student.

 

One day, she was walking to her bus stop. As she was walking, she came by the “Radha Didi’s Tea Shop.” The place had not changed much. Seeing the place, the old memories of the hard times she spent there came flying into her mind. Tears started to roll in her eyes. She then prayed to herself, “Oh, God, thank you for letting me go to live with my loving family and a chance to go to my school. I think I will visit Radha didi this Saturday… Oh, my God, I am so late for my school..” She hurries to catch her bus.

 

 

 

Scene 3        10 years later…..

 

Tara is now a teacher at an orphanage school. Every day she goes to her school to play with the children, teach and tell them stories. She enjoys her work.

 

“Tara Miss, let us play story telling today ! We all will tell our own stories today,” one child said.

 

“Let’s do that !” everyone joined him, excitedly.

 

Turn by turn, the children told their own stories, but when it was Tara’s turn, she did not know what to say.

 

“M  i  s  s….. tell us about your childhood days. We really want to know. You have never told us about it,” one girl urged her to tell.

 

Hearing these innocent children’s desire to her own story, she couldn’t lie to them. Holding back her tears she started narrating her true life story. All the events were like flashback scenes in a movie. The children listened to her in awe, some were also crying. Even Gopi, the most restless boy of the class also sat quietly and was listening to her story. They all came to hug her after she ended her story.

 

A few weeks later, the orphan children asked if they can go to Radha Didi’s shop. “Sure, that’s a wonderful idea. I haven’t visited her for quite long now. How about tomorrow ?” The children all agreed. “Remember to give her a gift, Miss,” a girl reminded her.

 

The next day, they all went to a store and bought a shawl for Radha didi, as a gift. When they reached at her shop, an old lady was sitting behind the counter, and drinking tea. At first, the old lady did not recognize Tara. After Tara introduced herself as “Kanchi”, Radha didi instantly recognized her. Tara introduced all the children as her students of her class. Receiving the gift, tears rolled down her cheeks and she hugged Tara tightly and thanked her for remembering her even after so many years.

 

“ I am so sorry to have treated you badly. You never complained and always were grateful, while I was just blinded for earning money. Please… please do forgive me, by Tara dear.”

 

“ Of course, I will forgive you always. Because of the hardships during my childhood I have become a strong woman.”

 

All the children clapped and cheered for the happy reunion of Radha didi and Tara Miss.

 

a   THE END   a

                                                ….. of the beginning

 

Story written by : Shuvanjali Manandhar

Class 6, St. Mary’s High School

February 8, 2023