The Saree

“Mom, why are you doing this to me?” Nikitha exclaimed.

Her mother was busy wrapping her daughter in the most beautiful Zardosi Saree, one she had treasured for over 3 decades.

“This is my mother’s favourite saree, you are lucky to wear it today”, her mother replied.

“But, Mom it’s too heavy and I am not sure I will be able to carry myself in it all day” Nikitha said.

“Your Grandma was very beautiful and prettiest in this saree, today my Nikki will be the cynosure of all eyes” said her mother as she finished putting the saree pin to the blouse on her shoulder.

“Wow, that’s it. Have fun and be a good girl” her mother exclaimed, as Nikitha adored herself in the mirror.

Nikitha got into her car, the blazing red Polo, waved to her mother and drove to college.

She was in her final year, and it was Ethnic day that day. It was the first time she was wearing a saree in her life. The earlier ethnic days were more of the North Indian ghagra choli kind of attires. Nikitha was quite an extrovert and one of the most popular girls in the college. She had as many friends as enemies for her in-your-face frankness and an attitude that bordered on brash as much as on over confidence.

As Nikitha parked her car in the far end of the college parking, she knew she had to walk the almost half a kilometer distance to the Auditorium in the blazing March sun.

Nikitha clad in her grandma’s cream Zardosi saree, walking across the college ground was soon in spotlight. While the boys skipped a few heartbeats, the girls who already were green with envy at her confident demeanour, could hardly take their eyes off her.

It was close to noon and the campus was buzzing with activity. Like any other Ethnic day in any other college, the students were decked in beautiful sarees, kurtas and other traditional outfits. The college premises wore a cross cultural feel. Mr. and Miss ethnic was one of the star events, where people came up to show off their ethnicities. Dance performances, ramp walks by the students and delectable food from across the country were the most looked forward to. They displayed vibrancy in harmony.

The day went off smoothly as the events unwounded and girls and boys mingled to exhibit cross cultural camaraderie. By 6.00 pm the events concluded. The college buses ferrying students to their destinations left early by 5.30 pm.

The auditorium was almost deserted barring a few dozen students, mostly organizers winding up their duties.

Nikitha realised all her friends had left and it was time for her to leave and was feeling tired from the last hour of dancing. She did carry herself well in the saree and had a wonderful day.

As she climbed down the stairs of the auditorium and walked across the basketball court thinking “Mom was right, I really had a wow day today”, she felt somebody was following her.

A faint tinkling sound of anklets startled her, she turned around to see no one in the 100 metre vicinity of the outside of the Auditorium. She started to walk faster, the noise got louder. She reduced pace and occasionally stopped to look around. The tinkling was intermittent but following her for sure. She was quite a bold person and every one in her college knew it, none dared to prank, leave alone get into trouble with her.

It was getting dark as she neared the car, she cut across the pathway and walked in the sand and grass. A husky voice called out her name slowly – N i k i t h a… she froze in her tracks. A tap on her shoulder from back, and she turned around in a jiffy and screamed. 

“What’s wrong with you Nikki, You Ok? You seemed scared and pale” said her friend Aparna.

“Well, I am ok, just felt someone was following me” replied Nikitha.

“I was, but from across the other side. I was running towards you. Could you give me a lift in your car till my home?” Aparna asked.

“Of course”, said Nikitha. As they walked together over the next 100 metres, the tinkling noise seemed to have subsided or gone. She was relieved to have company. But was still looking back to see if she was being followed.

As they got into the car, she felt she heard the tinkling sound one more time and almost freaked out. “Did you hear any noise, I mean sound of some tinkling”, she asked Aparna, who by now had got into the seat beside her.

“No, are you hallucinating? I just heard the sound of the car beep when you unlocked it.

Nikitha wiped the sweat off her brow and started the car. The air-conditioner took effect and cooled her nerves. Soon they were out of the campus and discussing the day’s events.

“Girl, you were looking gorgeous, and all those boys clicking pictures, quite haunting” remarked Aparna.

Nikitha smiled, she focused on the last word. Then they laughed.

The car was now cruising on the city roads, playing Arijit Singh songs on FM Radio.

Aparna then checked her WhatsApp, was looking at the pictures and describing them.

Nikitha banged the horn, applied sudden brake and screamed aloud. The car came to screeching halt. Aparna almost hit her head against the dashboard. “You scared me, what happened”, she asked. Nikitha rolled down her window and shouted at a guy walking across, with earphones plugged in and looking into his smart phone. He didn’t hear her.

“That jerk just got down from the bus and walked right in front of the car, I would’ve killed him”, screamed Nikitha. She composed herself and continued to drive, a bit more cautiously.

“There, stop near that last Metro station, I will get down”, said Aparna. “And yes, take care, you seem to be ruffled, Bye” she added.

“Thanks for the company, I am ok now. Bye” replied Nikitha and drove home. She parked her car in the garage and got down to get into her house. As she locked the car with the remote, she saw that the rear window glass was down. She was surprised. “I never rolled it down, when did this happen” and then rolled up the window. As she walked towards the door, she heard the tinkling sound again. It wasn’t loud but distinct. She was petrified.

As her mother opened the door, she flung herself into her arms and hugged.

“Are you Ok Nikki, how was your day?” her mother asked.

“I am tired Mom, it was a great, Grandma’s saree was the star of the day”

“Change and come, have your dinner. You seem hungry”, said her mother.

Nikitha had a quick shower, changed into casual wear and joined her mother at the dinner table. She then told her about the tinkling sound of anklets following her and the averted accident.

Her mother consoled her and said she should forget it and sleep long. The next day was a holiday for College.

She had her dinner and watched a few shows on her laptop. It was close to midnight and she opened her phone to check on the WhatsApp messages. As a habit she scrolled down the group messages ignoring the comments and forwards.

Suddenly something caught her eye. In the College classmates group there was a picture of an anklet. Shwetha had posted it with a caption below: “Lost my silver anklet in the auditorium, if someone finds it please return”.

Nikitha jumped from her bed and checked the saree, at the bottom was a similar anklet stuck in the border.

She smiled and immediately dialed Shwetha’s phone number.

“Give me a good reason to wake me up at this hour”, shouted a half-asleep Shwetha.

“Hey, I found your anklet, it was stuck to my saree”, replied Nikitha.

“That can’t be mine. I found my pair after I posted that message, it was on the stairs” saying Shwetha hung up.

Nikitha held the Anklet under the light and looked at it shine – It was made of gold.

She then slumped in bed.