ANKIT ADHIKARI KATHMANDU, JUN 19
The kitchen, which was under the dictatorial regime of cockroaches since a long time, is finally independent. Granny, mom and all the family members are pleased that the power has been unseated and the cockroaches which were ruling over the kitchen have been thrown out.
The kitchen which granny loved so much was all the time plagued by those awfully ugly creatures. One Saturday, the family decided to have haluwa for the lunch. Granny was enthusiastic. And to fetch some flour, as she opened the door of the kitchen-shelf, a cockroach, swirling those awful antennas to her wrinkled face, welcomed her. Deeply offended, when granny tried to stab it with a knife which was close to her, it ran away mocking her helplessness. Cursing it from the deepest core of her heart, she took a red box of flour out of the shelf. She opened the lid with the thought of having a wonderful Saturday with haluwa, but to spoil all her enthusiasm, there she found a cockroach and its two tiny off-springs playing with white flour. This time, with all the disgust and hatred, she dropped the box onto the floor. The cockroaches ran out of it but the flour was all over the floor…The Saturday was spoiled! No haluwa to be had.
Lots of Saturdays passed in similar vein and the cockroaches were strengthening their hold over the kitchen, multiplying their numbers day-by-day. The family was bewildered and one could find it dull and tensed most of the time. Each member was starting to feel as if the cockroaches were badly intervening into their private kitchen-life. The family believed that its status and independence was deteriorating as those tyrannical creatures overheard their each tiny discussion over the kitchen delicacies. Moreover, granny realised that the power of the kitchen was slowly getting off her hands. This made her more anxious and she was distressed every moment.
One morning, mom found a cockroach drowned in the milk vessel. She was filled with repulsion at the sight of its swollen corpse. All the milk was wasted and this proved that the cockroaches were active even during the dark nights. This was alarming.
As this pitiable situation of her family was unendurable, one day, mom came up with an idea of revolution. She told everyone that this chaos could be abolished if they joined their hands and revolted against the enemies together. Dad supported her idea by adding that a war needed to be waged at any cost. Children and granny were excited and they joyfully joined their hands to improve the situation. The whole family violently entered the kitchen with some sticks and knives. With irately stretched eye-brows, they desperately started chasing the cockroaches. The cockroaches were smarter and they planned to swiftly keep running all over the kitchen till the human energy was completely exhausted.
The tactics of the cockroaches worked and the family was not able to kill a single cockroach till the sun faded. With all of their faces covered in sweat, they feebly sat down. “We couldn’t make it…” dad said with a defeated expression on his face. As granny was appallingly tired, she went to sleep. The children also quietly crawled to their rooms…
The next day, dad announced that they couldn’t lose their hopes and they had to win the battle any how. Now, at this point, the revolutionary conspiracy began. Children began to roam around the streets searching for the best weapon to use against enemies.
After a few days, in the market, children explored a toxic-spray which could be effectively used against the cockroaches. Happily, they delivered the news to dad and he quickly emptied his pocket ordering the children to fetch it from the market as soon as possible. Children brought it home and the family prepared their next plan. They decided to attack on the following Saturday.
After this, no one in the family uttered a single word about this secret plan. A single gesture of the conspiracy that was going on could activate the enemies and the entire endeavour of the family would go in vain.
The most awaited Saturday arrived. No haluwa was about to be made that noon, but still, the day was filled with heavenly enthusiasm. Children emptied the shelves and all the drawers while dad and mom tied masks over their faces and got ready to make the fierce attack. Mom entered the kitchen first and dad backed her up with the toxic-spray in his hand. From outside the door, children and granny prayed for the victory this time… A few minutes later, both mom and dad returned from the battlefield with smile on their faces which vividly denoted that they had done it… They had finally done it!!!
After about an hour, children and granny entered the kitchen. To their utmost delight, in the battlefield, they found that the cockroaches were suffocating. Most of them were already dead and those alive were lying on their backs, unable to make a movement, swirling their tiny legs in air. This marked the family’s victory. However, one could clearly notice that the cockroaches were going through the greatest pain in the world. This was the extremism of brutality but still, in order to help the family regain its lost happiness - and of course, in order to return granny’s dignity back to her - this was a must. The cockroaches deserved it.
Following this victory, now it was up to the family to turn that battlefield into the same, sweet, old kitchen once again. Granny took this responsibility and the children helped her in this. With children’s assistance, granny cleared the floor, shelves, drawers and every corner of the room. The numerous corpses of the cockroaches of all sizes, which they discovered ultimately, made them realise that they could do anything in the world with joined hands. Before throwing them into a trashcan, granny plucked one of the antennas of a dying cockroach and mocked it.
The cockroaches were thrown out and on this occasion, the following Saturday, they had a small haluwa-party. The family, once again, regained its private kitchen-life. It once again started to have its discussions on the kitchen delicacies. Granny enjoyed the power back in her hands and the family lived happily thereafter.
Published in The Kathmandu Post -- June 20
The kitchen which granny loved so much was all the time plagued by those awfully ugly creatures. One Saturday, the family decided to have haluwa for the lunch. Granny was enthusiastic. And to fetch some flour, as she opened the door of the kitchen-shelf, a cockroach, swirling those awful antennas to her wrinkled face, welcomed her. Deeply offended, when granny tried to stab it with a knife which was close to her, it ran away mocking her helplessness. Cursing it from the deepest core of her heart, she took a red box of flour out of the shelf. She opened the lid with the thought of having a wonderful Saturday with haluwa, but to spoil all her enthusiasm, there she found a cockroach and its two tiny off-springs playing with white flour. This time, with all the disgust and hatred, she dropped the box onto the floor. The cockroaches ran out of it but the flour was all over the floor…The Saturday was spoiled! No haluwa to be had.
Lots of Saturdays passed in similar vein and the cockroaches were strengthening their hold over the kitchen, multiplying their numbers day-by-day. The family was bewildered and one could find it dull and tensed most of the time. Each member was starting to feel as if the cockroaches were badly intervening into their private kitchen-life. The family believed that its status and independence was deteriorating as those tyrannical creatures overheard their each tiny discussion over the kitchen delicacies. Moreover, granny realised that the power of the kitchen was slowly getting off her hands. This made her more anxious and she was distressed every moment.
One morning, mom found a cockroach drowned in the milk vessel. She was filled with repulsion at the sight of its swollen corpse. All the milk was wasted and this proved that the cockroaches were active even during the dark nights. This was alarming.
As this pitiable situation of her family was unendurable, one day, mom came up with an idea of revolution. She told everyone that this chaos could be abolished if they joined their hands and revolted against the enemies together. Dad supported her idea by adding that a war needed to be waged at any cost. Children and granny were excited and they joyfully joined their hands to improve the situation. The whole family violently entered the kitchen with some sticks and knives. With irately stretched eye-brows, they desperately started chasing the cockroaches. The cockroaches were smarter and they planned to swiftly keep running all over the kitchen till the human energy was completely exhausted.
The tactics of the cockroaches worked and the family was not able to kill a single cockroach till the sun faded. With all of their faces covered in sweat, they feebly sat down. “We couldn’t make it…” dad said with a defeated expression on his face. As granny was appallingly tired, she went to sleep. The children also quietly crawled to their rooms…
The next day, dad announced that they couldn’t lose their hopes and they had to win the battle any how. Now, at this point, the revolutionary conspiracy began. Children began to roam around the streets searching for the best weapon to use against enemies.
After a few days, in the market, children explored a toxic-spray which could be effectively used against the cockroaches. Happily, they delivered the news to dad and he quickly emptied his pocket ordering the children to fetch it from the market as soon as possible. Children brought it home and the family prepared their next plan. They decided to attack on the following Saturday.
After this, no one in the family uttered a single word about this secret plan. A single gesture of the conspiracy that was going on could activate the enemies and the entire endeavour of the family would go in vain.
The most awaited Saturday arrived. No haluwa was about to be made that noon, but still, the day was filled with heavenly enthusiasm. Children emptied the shelves and all the drawers while dad and mom tied masks over their faces and got ready to make the fierce attack. Mom entered the kitchen first and dad backed her up with the toxic-spray in his hand. From outside the door, children and granny prayed for the victory this time… A few minutes later, both mom and dad returned from the battlefield with smile on their faces which vividly denoted that they had done it… They had finally done it!!!
After about an hour, children and granny entered the kitchen. To their utmost delight, in the battlefield, they found that the cockroaches were suffocating. Most of them were already dead and those alive were lying on their backs, unable to make a movement, swirling their tiny legs in air. This marked the family’s victory. However, one could clearly notice that the cockroaches were going through the greatest pain in the world. This was the extremism of brutality but still, in order to help the family regain its lost happiness - and of course, in order to return granny’s dignity back to her - this was a must. The cockroaches deserved it.
Following this victory, now it was up to the family to turn that battlefield into the same, sweet, old kitchen once again. Granny took this responsibility and the children helped her in this. With children’s assistance, granny cleared the floor, shelves, drawers and every corner of the room. The numerous corpses of the cockroaches of all sizes, which they discovered ultimately, made them realise that they could do anything in the world with joined hands. Before throwing them into a trashcan, granny plucked one of the antennas of a dying cockroach and mocked it.
The cockroaches were thrown out and on this occasion, the following Saturday, they had a small haluwa-party. The family, once again, regained its private kitchen-life. It once again started to have its discussions on the kitchen delicacies. Granny enjoyed the power back in her hands and the family lived happily thereafter.
Published in The Kathmandu Post -- June 20
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