radha

i always wanted to be radha when i would dance in school , it was such a gratifying feeling being the lead dancer.
often i wondered was love so great , that she left her family for the love of lord krishna , was she never pointed at, called names?
strange isnt it, she was i am sure it was hard to listen to her heart and defy the world....
but we had another radha in our neighbouhood , our sweeper's daughter , lovely little girl, very bright , very talented ...
radha had run away from home to become actress in Bollywood , but as the city and its fangs bit her hard. many years later , when my sister was about to leave for Nigeria , i had seen her standing near my neighbor's door. delighted i went to meet her, her face was much beautiful and glowing almost in the early morning light.
i stood talking with her for almost an hour , mother and father were away seeing Dibhai off at the airport. it was almost seven thirty when radha took my leave , and hugged me . memories came flowing by , how we played in our courtyard and my sister would be our teacher, and punish us...memories of , warm summers,beautiful winters spend learning to knit , and sew and tie plaits of various kinds till late in the evening when radha would go home and cook while we sat down with homework.
tears welled up my eyes , i asked radha to stay , she refused , she didn't want to be seen, people wouldnt like us seen together , she had come to see my sister leave from a distance lest mother would know.
radha worked as prostitute in Mumbai. she would come down to visit her parents once a year for one night and leave the next day early , but radha left me that day proud , very proud
it was her job , she feared the society yes , but her fear didn't stop her from loving with her heart , they had sold her body not her being , they could never do that......... never......
i would never have her courage ,or her faith , she knew it wouldn't matter to me who she was now , but she never visited me again , just once letting me know those memories are precious to her as well.....i wish someday someday .....