Mirage

Malti was always interested in education but due to the dearth of money, her parents could not bear the expenditure. She became the wife of a farmer. Her husband was poor but never tried to ignore the desire of Malti. With the passage of time, she became the mother of a son. Both husband and wife nourished their son well. They named their son Gopal. Malti had a great dream in her eyes for her son. She wanted to make him an officer. She was not so educated but she used to tell stories to Gopal from books. 

  

A new chapter started when Gopal started his schooling. Malti had to bear many burdens for her son. His husband's income was not enough to meet all the expenditures. Once her husband Gopi was going to town for buying fertilizer but he met with an accident. He was hospitalized by the locals. Malti was completely helpless and she was forced to keep her tears inside for his son's sake. But she was completely shattered when she came to know that his husband became a paralysis patient. That was like a sudden blow to her family but still, she could not extinct her hope. She started to work as a maidservant to bear her son's educational expenditure and medicine expenses of her husband. Time passed away. She used to cry at night near her husband's bed. She didn't know what was a pleasure in life. Gopal was a meritorious student. He used to give confidence to his mother that he would make everything all right. That was the only ray of hope for Malti.

Once a letter came to Malti's home. She received the letter and handed it to Gopal. He read the letter and exclaimed that he had been selected for continuing research in his dream university. Malti shed tears with enormous happiness and hugged her son. That was the first day when she had smiled after getting something. Malti gathered the required money with her blood and sweat. Gopal left her alone for his higher study. She was sad but she forgot everything about her dream. Time brought a great change in her life.

Gopal was sending letters to Malti per month and she was keeping the letters so meticulously as those were the mere means to feel her son's presence. But a time came when she received one letter for three months. Malti was so much worried about Gopal but she could not do anything. Each day Malti prayed before god for her son. Her husband tried to soothe her by giving solaces. Gopal was extremely excited about the new sphere. He was exploring new things that vanished his worries for Malti. He fell in love with Anwesha who belonged to a rich family. Gopal was completely dedicated to her. His every minute was for Anwesha. They were spending happy moments. Once Anwesha asked about Gopal's family but he told her a lie that he was alone and he had no parents. Malti's health condition was not good. Her health condition was deteriorating day by day. Gopal was busy in his romantic world. One day he recognized Anwesh came out from the cinema hall with a handsome man and they went to a shopping mall. Gopal was too serious for his love but when he asked Anwesha about that man she told so lightly that she loved him and they were going to marry soon. Gopal was like a mute doll. He did not say anything to Anwesha and left that place silently. When he was cycling on the road he remembered his mother and tears rolled on his face. He reached his hostel and slept on his bed silently. He was crying like a baby in that solitude and he was feeling hopeless owing to the betrayal and deception. No one was there to convince him. Malti was so much serious aggravating her pain for his son. She was not eating anything and only mumbling Go....pa...l, G...o...p..al. Her husband Gopi was alone. A neighbor was near them. They were trying to give them hope. Gopal could not sleep well that night. At the daybreak, he caught a bus and came to his village. On the way to his home, he remembered that he had sent a letter to his mother seven months ago and he became serious suddenly. When he went to his home no one was there and someone told him that her mother was hospitalized. He could not decide anything and without a second thought, he rushed to the hospital. When he saw Malti on the hospital bed he screamed mother!mother! 

Malti opened her closed eyes and stammered G...o..p..al and hugged him. Gopal was crying and her mother smiled and became speechless. He tried to wake her up but she was no more. Gopal cried so loudly as he had done a great sin. He could not fulfill his mother's dream. Her dream remained unfulfilled as a mirage. Gopi hugged his son and shed the uncontrolled tears for her wife who didn't leave his worthless hands till her last breath. Malti was sleeping silently but her dream was dazzling on her face.