ABEEDA'S FIELDS
LOOK, LOOK! MY LITTLE PLANT FINALLY HAS SOME CHILLIES!
ISN'T THIS WONDERFUL?
IT IS SO EXCITING TO HAVE YOUR OWN GARDEN, YOU CAN GROW SO MUCH. FLOWERS, FRUITS, EVERYTHING! I HAVE SEEN ON THE PHONE, SOME WOMEN HAVE SO MANY PLANTS IN THEIR BALCONIES.
I ONLY HAVE A FEW, IN ALL THESE DIFFERENT POTS.
WHENEVER SOMEONE FINDS A POT IN THE KHATTA, THEY BRING IT TO ME.
WHEN I WAS A KID, I WAS ALWAYS AROUND GREENERY.
BACK IN THE VILLAGE, MY FAMILY CULTIVATES RICE.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY LAND OF OUR OWN,
SO THEY WORK AS FIELD LABOURERS.
I WISH I COULD GROW MORE, BUT WHO WILL BUY ALL THE SOIL AND MANURE?
THE EARTH HERE IS SO DEAD THAT ONLY A FEW PLANTS LIKE THE BABOOL CAN SURVIVE.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT I BELONGED WHERE THE FIELDS WERE.
THAT WAS ONLY UNTIL MY PARENTS FOUND A BOY FOR ME. I CAME TO DELHI WITH HIM AFTER THE WEDDING.
I STILL LOOK FOR TREASURES IN THE GROUND EVERYDAY, IN THE KHATTA.
AND MY PARENTS ARE STILL FARM LABOURERS BACK HOME.
AS I WATCH MY LITTLE PLANTS STRUGGLE TO THRIVE, I AM REMINDED OF THE DIFFICULT LIFE MY PARENTS AND SIBLINGS LIVE THERE. THEY SAY IT IS GETTING TOUGH TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES.
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“LET’S MOVE TO DILLI WITH YOU!” THEY SAY. HOW DO I TELL THEM THAT THE DILLI THEY KNOW OF, IS STILL ONLY A DREAM FOR US?
I COULD PICK THESE TWO CHILLIES FOR TODAY’S LUNCH, DON’T YOU THINK?
