AGOMONI - THE WELCOME

agomini is the bengali word for welcome . story is set the night before mohalya in sonagachi , kolkata the biggest red light district of asia . mohalaya is welcoming of goddess durga .

WE had barely reached the periphery of the dreaded district two policemen welcomed us with a smile . it was not always the same but overtime they have come to known us . i was in my final year of medicine that meant soon i was going to be a out of the mill doctor and just as every second student who studies medicine i was not interested a bit in it . but 2 years of exploitation and torture of my brains by my parents had booked me a seat in of the top medical colleges of india . but  i always wanted to be a writer and travel so i spent less time dating the skeletons instead roaming the streets of Kolkata with a NGO . so i was here at sonagachi , a day before the mahaloya with them . our idea was to give them gifts , spent time with them and give them medicines and vaccines of various STDs that plague this place .  it was not my first visit to the place nor i have come to know of this place through them . i had my own many lustful experiences here . we slowly passed the dingy lanes with women of all ages , wearing net sarees of bright colours  . they were not always friendly with us , i still remember our first visit and we have a conflict with the pimps . but a shop to be profitable it needs its goods to be in good shape so they have welcomed us . i looked around and met some known faces need not to say i know much more than the faces of them . but they were all professional . its funny that  even they have professional and amateur classes . it was just a give and take policy . you need not to answer any question just select the best quality depending on your pocket . nothing else matters . we had crossed the temple and the place just grew more painfully sexy . women lined up in pink red blue blouses with petticoats some in skirts with deep neck lines flirting with their hairs . 2 drunkards slowly passed us . i looked through a window of numerous small homes . two small girls who have barely reached puberty were being applied makeup by an elder woman . i had become accustomed to these sights though i would shout in the bus in social networks about the force prostitution but at the end of the day when the sun goes down will take the dark alleys . here was no off season . festival or not recession , politics , floods nothing matters as long as men have the hormones and women have the holes to dump them there is no stopping .

I detached myself from the group and approached a well lit pan store . infact the the pan wallas were the most well lit in this place . an old hindi song was being played at its full volume . i lit a silk cut when my eyes went to a white kurti clad girl . she was facing away from me but i knew it was her from the mole on her right leg . i slowly approached her , in my brain i was already imagining to do 69 with her . i casually stood beside her .  she glanced at me with her kohl eyes . she was looking smoking hot . though each and every women there were trying their best to flourish their trade but there was something unique about her . i gave a flying kiss to her . she flirtingly took it on her b***s and winked. I was her regular. i nodded to signal a no .

“group ache ( with group )”

I signalled a yes.

“tale jao pre esho ! business kaharp koro na (come later . don’t  ruin my business )

I glanced at her naughtily . she knew i was in love with her but i don’t whether this love was for her soul or for her b***s and the pink hole .

I was lost in her eyes just then rishabh came running towards me .

“come fast ! we need you . please hurry “

“me!!!!” i was startled by this . like they really need me . i was the most useless guy of the group, hardly did a work just checking the girls and finding the best leaves . i was still coming on terms with this he started dragging me .

“what happened ?”

“rani is pregnant . her water is broken . come fast “

“ so  what will i do ? call a doctor or an ambulance “

“are  u out of mind ? do you think any doc  will come here or the agents will allow the ambulance here “ rishabh barked at me . i was about to say something but rishabh shouted !

“ no more ifs and buts . you a final year medical student  and u have to do this . i don’t know anything mother f****r . if u want to do revise of the procedures do it now and for god sake increase your pace “

M**********r from rishabh  just hit me like a live wire . he was the nicest guy i ever met and i could not believe my ears . i quietly followed him . within 5 minutes we reached the rani’s quarter . a big crowd of the women had gathered around . maybe  humanity was still alive or it was an just an entertainment for them. Anything adverse means one less competition . i  told my brain to keep these worthless thoughts at bay . i entered the quarter . i never thought my first patient will be a prostitute . it took me a moment to adjust to the situation . she was lying on the small bed . her blouse was and petticoat was loosened to make her comfortable . the amniotic sac liquid had been soaked by the bed and a strange smell was filling the place .i could feel all eyes on me . i had still not got my degree but to them i was messiah . all hopes were pinned on me . i felt like throwing up and hurriedly got out . rishabh followed me .

“bro are you okay ?”

“ i can’t do this . anything can happen “

“hey ! all  our hopes are on you. You are the only doc here. We know u can do it “

“ she could die “ i protested

“ maybe not. Atleast we and they will know u have tried . don’t prove them wrong “ rishabh tried to give me courage . i looked around and  eyes met with her . she had accompanied us . i could sense the hopes in her eyes . she gave me a smile . i quickly entered the quarter again.

“her pulses are becoming slow “ priyanka informed .

“no keep her to senses . it will make the matter worse . when the water broke ?”

“around 7 .”another girl from our group informed .

It was near 8 . a freaking hour has passed but still her labour had not started  .

“bring the medibox and someone please bring the misprostol pills . it will be at the medical on the main street . “ i shouted .

The medibox was brought within no time .and i beagn fumbling the box .

“rishabh  please hold her hands “

“what are you doing ?”

“trying to induce the labour . we need to start it asap . giving her pitocin . it will help “

While giving the injection i could feel the numerous silent prayers going around but i had to curb my philosophical brain and keep the scientific one going . slowly her labour started but they were minor contractions but still it was a good sign . midnight had passed , contractions were still not enough to make a progress . my brain was going freak . i have to keep her in senses else all lost . moreover this have to be a normal i can’t do caesarean here . i cannot overdose her with pitocin . i was loosing my nerves with each passing moment . unlike every night the busy locality had fallen to an erringly silence . at around 2 she started to get wild contractions . i knew the moment was near and now all depend on me. 2 souls one which had still not seen the days light were depending on me . the moments slowly passed . it looked like the night has refused to call it an end . the constant ringing of the phone from mom , rani’s condition her pale body soaked in her fluid and a hundred eyes were taking a toll on me . i was getting lost in the thoughts but rani’s wild shouts drew back my attention . i put my head down and could see the first glimpse of hope . a long struggle was coming to an end but end of a storm are the most dangerous . we need to keep rani calm . priyanka , rishabh and the whole group was trying their best to keep her calm . but it was a feminine energy that was oppressed for long was trying to break free . the time passed and slowly the head was followed by torso .the group of women had not left a inch of their place and i could sense the nervousness .

It was too much for me . i closed my eyes and slowly let my hands pull it out slowly . within seconds i was holding a new born baby dipped in blood and fluids . my feet started to tremble . i felt a pure energy rising of a new hope through me . priyanka hold me from trembling . i knew i have to act quickly . the umbilical cord was cut and it was towel rubbed and soon i hear the most beautiful sound of the universe . but still the women were staring at me . in my excitement , my pure joy i had forgotten the most important job of a doc . i had to tell the gender .

“its a girl”  the women around were expressionless or i just could not made out . it was something between a hope for a new sun and fear of losing again in the dark alleys .i could not control myself more and was hugging her and crying  like my own child . everyone wanted to touch the god’s gift so i passed on to priyanka . i slowly came out of the dingy quarter and stood in the verandah .it was 5 am ,night was wearing out and the small chirpings had started . light breeze flew past my blood soaked shirt . my silence was broken by a familiar touch . i turned around .

“take her from here ! she will not suffer . she will rise . she is our hope “

The brindra bhadra had already started reciting the mohalya on the radio. The whole locality was feeling a pure virgin energy . for me the agamoni had happened . i welcomed her !! 

Author's Note

mohalya is the day when goddess durga is welcomed back on earth . it is her yearly visit with her sons and daughters to parents house in earth . mohalya is followed by nine night festival of durga . it also associated with her killing of the demon mohisasur and ram killing ravana .
birendra bhadra is a famous bengali whose recordings are played on mohalya in bengali households on these day . i will recomend everyone to listen to it . for more info google or text me . :)