Sati – A Short Historical Story

English Translation (using Google Translator)

I loved walking on the terrace in the evening. I used to go to the terrace every morning and evening to attend. By the way, I was not allowed to go on the roof. My father and mother used to say that our courtyard and house are so big that we do not need to go to the terrace.

There was no doubt that our house was no less than the house of any princes, but there was a house collapsed in the periphery. Only a few people had to come and go there. Among those few people were only a workman, a bonded laborer, a milkman, a newspaper man and a few family friends.

Whenever my maid came, I would be very happy. I loved his smile when I smiled. When she came, I used to stay around her because for my mother and elder mother she was no less than a newspaper and for me a story book which would narrate the news of the whole locality in two-three hours.

One day I heard our maid, whom we used to call ‘Nani’, say to her mother – “Sati is now giving up all her work.”
Mother asked – “Why?”
Nani – “Whoever has adopted Sati does not want her to do business.”
Mother – “What will happen after all this will last till the body is alive! Even the dog will not ask.”
Nani- “You are right, Boo.” (boo- is also pronounced for mother and a respected woman)

I was curious, “Who is this Sati?”

Nani started finishing her work.

I asked Nani- “Who is Sati?”

Nani – “Every morning in Satichaura comes to offer water in wet clothes Besharam, see.”

The next morning I got up early. She had sat down to study after doing her daily work. For the first time that day I woke up at 3:30 in the morning and by 5:30 in the morning was fully ready. By doing this I was bribing my parents so that I could escape from their sight.

Hiding the most, I went to the terrace.

Today was the same time for the sun to rise, come on my terrace and see Sati at Sati Chaura.

I was watching the sun rising towards the east and I was seeing Sati coming from there. After taking a bath from the pond a short distance away, in wet clothes, she was coming towards Tulsi Chaura with a bronze lotus in her hand.

The brunette look, the big and dark eyes, the medium height curly hair, the saris, the compact body and the dark yellow sari on her were really beautiful in everyone’s eyes, she and I also found it attractive at first glance.

Although the name of the locality was Satiwada, but that Mohalla was more famous as Sati than Satichaura. Now do you understand why?

I saw him going towards his house after offering water at Satichaura. His house was small, but flowers were seen blooming with plants. I stared at her until she disappeared. Throughout the day his face kept gleaming in my eyes.

In the evening, I went to the terrace again. Looking at his house as if tonight’s sweets were rasgullas, which I used to bring every day for us on my way back from office and my mother used to give me as a reward for my good work.

I saw that his house was adorned with strings of lights. I had seen this house many times, but every evening so many vehicles used to stand at its door that the house was lost somewhere and only vehicles were visible. It was no longer so, that house was now a beautiful house.

Taking a deep breath in, I came down from the roof. I had to prepare for the second day, I had to go back to the hostel. Then the disciplined life of the same convent which had its own fun.

Within a few months, the memory of Sati had faded away, the exam was over and I came back to my home. While living in my father’s house, I could never forget the disciplined life of the convent because my father was no less than a hostel warden.

While living in his house, going to the terrace was no less than a battle and I knew very well that I could not win this war. It went on like this for a few days and Papa returned to his work. Now my morning and evening ceiling attendance was confirmed.

In the evening, I went to the terrace, seeing the sun setting for a while, I started looking towards Sati’s house. I realized “his house was no longer like what I had last seen, all the plants had dried up, suddenly the color of the walls had taken off.” I returned to my room with a sad heart. I was waiting for the morning of the next day and Nani.

In the morning, I started waiting on the terrace for Suraj and for Sati. The sun came out as usual, but Sati was nowhere to be found. Nani had come to the house. On the pretext of getting my room cleaned, I called her into the room and started asking her about Sati.

She told- “The man who had kept the husband as his concubine was a businessman who died in an accident. He was already married, he had two grown-up sons and his wife was also alive. That man had told everything about Sati to her family and Sati also knew everything, yet she left her business for her, she was mad.

As soon as Sati came to know about her death, Shamasan went to the ghat and jumped into the burning pyre. In due course of time the sons of that man saved her, she was very burnt. The sons of that deceased man got treatment.

Now no one does any work. Who will keep him at work, even his sons. Only money is given for food and drink. Suddenly mother’s voice was heard in my ears – “Doll! Send your grandmother if you are done”

I said- “Yes, mother!”

My room had been cleaned, the dust of this room had been cleaned by the grandmother. That day I was waiting not for the evening but for the morning the next day. It would be wrong to say that I could not sleep all night, so I got up early in the morning.

And perhaps with a heavy heart I went to the terrace. The sun was rising at its right time and Sati in wet clothes was seen walking towards Satichaura. He had wet white clothes on his body. She was looking prettier than before while offering water.

In the scriptures, Radha, Meera and Sati are depicted in different ways and their importance has been told, but the Sati of Satiwada consisted of these three characters in one form. I was again seeing Sati going to her house.

The journey of Sati’s house was from house to house and from house to temple. Today for the first time I felt that I should scream that I live where Sati lives.

My mother had come to the terrace looking for me. Before mother said anything, I said –
“Mother! From tomorrow, shall I go with you to offer water to Sati Chaura?”

Mother was happy on hearing this. It was a very beautiful morning, the one that still speaks light in my life. Now the fierce fire of reality was quelled by the water of Sati’s lotus and the idol of Mother Sati was smiling in Satichaura.

Images of paintings from stock agencies.