BACHPAN KA BANDHAN

Her mother watched her for a moment, then spoke again-this time more deliberate, like she was counting beads on a mala. "Aur sirf roti banana hi kaafi nahi hota, Janvi," she said, turning the tawa. Janvi looked up. "Toh aur kya-kya hota hai maa?" Her mother sighed, not tired-just seasoned. "Sab kaam seekhne padte hain. Kapde dhona, bartaan manjhna, subah sabse pehle uthna..." She continued, as if listing everyday items from memory. "Saree pehnna dhang se, pallu sambhalna, ghunghat mein chalna..." Janvi wrinkled her nose. "Ghunghat mein? Maa, dikhega bhi kuch ya bas andhere mein hi chalna padega? Nah baba nah, hum gir gaye toh...Hum nahi daalenge ghunghat vunghat." Her mother smiled briefly but didn't stop. "Aur baat-baat par zubaan sambhalni hoti hai. Bade-buzurgon se izzat se baat, aur..." she paused for half a second, then added, "Pati jo kahe, usse bhi tameez aur adab se sunna hota." Janvi's hands stilled again. "Har baat?" "Har baat," her mother replied quietly. The silence stretched, broken only by the hiss of a roti puffing up. Janvi looked down at the dough stuck to her fingers, then muttered, half-joking, half-serious, "Maa, yeh sasural hai ya gulaami?" Her mother let out a soft, knowing laugh. "Dono samajh le," she said. She handed Janvi a finished roti. "Isliye kehti hoon-yahan seekh le. Baad mein wahan koi sikhata nahi, bas umeed karta hai..aur umeedo pe nahi khade utarne pe sirf taane."