My dearest ChhoTo Masi or NabaNeeta Chakroborty -- I first met her in August 2011 when she came down to my place to meet me just after a marriage between her nephew and myself had got fixed.. She touched a cord in my heart that evening when she said "tomaar jeta ichhe habe setai korbe" (you will pierce your nose only if you wish to). Our next proper meeting was on the train when we were about to travel to Ranchi, on the night after the wedding, in the same compartment. As Baba bade me goodbye, assuring me "Kono chinta nei" (there is nothing to worry), Masi repeated the same words and gave me the most assuring smile. Instantly, a saree-clad new bride had the courage to ask a new masi-in-law, "Can you please climb to the upper berth, so that I can take the lower one?" She smiled and did that instantly. There began a new friendship, a new relationship, that went beyond "family ties". The next 4 days, she was my savior every moment.. an expensive saree tangled around me .. all I had to do was peep through the bedroom door and ask, "Masi ektu aasbe?" (Masi, can you please come?).. She did everything for me, offered every help that I needed in the new place.. the day she left, it felt as if my mother was leaving..
Our third meeting was 4 months later when she visited Ranchi with her entire family for her son's Sacred Thread.. My marriage was already in the doldrums and she knew the reason and everything else.. The way she tried to save the marriage was beyond my expectation.. You cannot expect one to go against her own kin and support a girl from a different family! But, she did that constantly. She counseled me and counseled everybody else who lacked emotion.. and she did that constantly for the 7 days that she stayed there.. I can still feel the warmth with which she requested people to keep the friendship first, and the marriage would survive automatically was her hope..
When I had given up all hope, but did not want to break the cruel news to my parents, especially because Baba was unwell at that time, I had requested her if I could stay at her place without letting anyone know.. Well, I had made this request to a few of my family members and cousins.. nobody had the courage to say "yes", nobody had the courage to say "no" (most avoided contact for months.. others behaved as if they did not understand my request).. But, this extraordinary woman, on hearing my request, did not even bat her eyelid once! Her reply was, "Yes, for as long as you want! My house is your house!" .. and she hugged me.
No, I finally did not stay at her place (just visited once in April 2012 only to meet her).. and I met her on this 27th September, 2016 (when she visited my place on the last day of our just concluded exhibition).. I met her after more than 4 years! (We have connected on FB and found each other a few months back)!
Never did it feel that we were meeting after such a long time, and after so much had transpired in my life! Never did it feel that she was not my Masi or my own mother <3 span=""> .. When I bade her goodbye, on that autumn evening, my heart was full.. I was again thankful to life that no law had been able to "divorce" Masi and me :)
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