Outcasted Umbrella

The petrichor emanating signaled that it started to rain. To my fear, it was a heavy downpour. My heart was sinking as I glared at my wristwatch. I cleared my desk hurriedly and rushed to the main gate of the office. I tried hard to book a cab but there was no network due to the weather. After waiting for few minutes I decided to walk. The rain-drenched me within as I walked without an umbrella.

I kept walking and suddenly I found myself all alone in the middle of the road. I was all wet but my throat dried up. As I continued plodding I sensed someone following me.

I turned around but discovered no soul.

Fear engrossed me fully making me shiver.

As I continued I felt the same thing. But this time my intuitions were correct when I saw him walking at a distance staring at me. Decked up in a saree, huge bindi on forehead, kohled eyes, broad shoulders.....he stood holding an umbrella. Credit to all stereotypes and prejudices fed during my childhood, I found him scary. He smiled as he walked towards me and I stepped back only to fell into a pit. Splash...I was soiled badly.

"Come beta, Get up." He forwarded his hand. I tried getting up but failed as I hurt my ankle. He helped me and made me sit under a shade. He patted his pallu over my face and massaged my ankle. I was feeling better.

"Thank you a..a...".I was confused about what to address him.

Sensing my dilemma he said, "I'm Neelu."

"Don't mind but what were you doing here in the middle of a lonely street. I can't see any function going on nearby."

"It's not that we are seen only during functions or marriages. Actually, your eyes only notice us during that time. Else we are ignored, insulted, discriminated." she mumbled.

"But that's the way your community has been for ages. Always dancing and asking for money."

"Yes because society never gave us a chance to do something else. We too have a belly that feels hunger pangs....a body that gets starved when not fed. Just because we lack genitals doesn't mean we are not humans...we are devoid of feelings." she rebuked. I could sense pain in her tone. I was speechless as I too echoed her views.

"Take this umbrella. I'll accompany you to the main road. You can catch a bus from there." he handed his umbrella to me.

"How will I return it?"I asked.

"Keep this at that pan shop and tell him that it belongs to Neelu tai." he pointed to a nearby shop.

I finally got the bus and reached home. I was totally absorbed in his thoughts. Somehow I cursed myself too for categorizing them. Next day I took that umbrella and headed to that pan shop. I saw a middle-aged man with a 'gamcha' around his neck. He stopped cleaning his table the moment he saw that umbrella in my hands.

"This must be given to you by Neelu tai, right?"

I was stunned."How do you know about this uncle?"

"Whenever he finds someone in trouble he appears to help. He was a kind soul." he sobbed.

"What do you mean 'he appears' and 'he was'?"I asked in a confused tone.

"Don't be fearful 'bitiya'.He expired last year during the lockdown. He was starving but nobody came forward to help him. Who thinks about these 'hijdas' you see. He died while helping an old man pushing a cart on this street. You know our society never treats them in a proper way and even doesn't consider them as humans. What an irony. Those considered outcasts are called on special occasions to keep us away from evil eyes. You are a kind lady that's why he came for help. Not everyone has those eyes. God bless." he took the umbrella and kept it on the uppermost shelf.

Totally bewildered by what I just heard I pinched myself to check if whatever I heard just now was true. All incidents muddled up in my head. As I reached the intersection ahead I turned back to have a glimpse of that uncle.

"Ohh fish!! Where's that damn pan shop?"

Bitiya~daughter

Gamcha~a thin cotton towel 

Hijdas~transgenders