Shila & Her Parrots
By Lokanath Mishra:
After marrying Rajesh, an Inspector in the GST department, Shila relocated to Varanasi and began working as a lawyer in the local court. One day, while exploring the city, she stumbled upon a pet shop. Her eyes landed on a vibrant parrot perched in a cage, which squawked, “Jai Shri Ram, Japa Ram Ram, Prayed Jaganath.” Shila was enchanted but hesitant due to the parrot’s hefty price tag of one lakh.
Her gaze shifted to another parrot in a nearby cage, priced at a surprisingly low 1000. Curiosity got the better of her, and she asked the shop owner, “Why is this parrot so affordable?” The owner hesitated before warning, “This parrot was raised in a house of ill repute and occasionally uses…unseemly language.”
Intrigued, Shila decided to bring the parrot home. As she hung its cage in the living room, the parrot declared, “New house! New madam!” Shila laughed off the implication. However, her amusement was short-lived.
When Rajesh returned home from work, the parrot greeted him with a startling, “Hello Rajesh, very nice to see you after a long time. Rani and Shasmita were very upset about your marriage. They left and sold me to this shop. Anyway, I’m in a new home with a new madam. Welcome to my new home.”
Shila’s eyes widened in astonishment, wondering how the parrot knew Rajesh’s name. The parrot’s words exposed a shocking truth about Rajesh’s past, leaving Shila reeling. Her impulsive purchase had unwittingly revealed the character of her husband, forcing her to confront a painful reality.
As the parrot’s words hung in the air, Shila’s eyes locked onto Rajesh’s, searching for an explanation. Rajesh’s expression transformed from surprise to guilt, and Shila’s heart sank. The parrot’s greeting, “Hello Rajesh, very nice to see you after a long time,” echoed in her mind, and a disturbing realization began to dawn on her.
She recalled the numerous times Rajesh had claimed to be “working late” or “going on a raid” in Varanasi, only to return home in the wee hours. The parrot’s familiarity with Rajesh’s name and its suggestive tone painted a damning picture. Shila’s world began to crumble as she confronted the ugly truth: Rajesh had been frequenting the brothel where the parrot was raised, and he had been having an extramarital affair.
The room seemed to spin around Shila as she struggled to process her emotions. Anger, hurt, and betrayal swirled together, forming a toxic cocktail. She felt as though she had been living a lie, and the parrot’s innocent yet incriminating words had shattered the facade.
With a newfound sense of determination, Shila made a decision. She would not tolerate Rajesh’s infidelity and deception. She would divorce him, no matter the consequences. The parrot, once a source of delight, had become a catalyst for change, exposing the dark truth that had been hiding in plain sight.
As Shila steeled herself for the challenges ahead, the parrot watched with an unblinking gaze, its words still echoing in the silence. Shila’s eyes narrowed, her mind racing with the implications. She knew that her life would never be the same, but she was determined to take control and forge a new path, free from the shackles of Rajesh’s deception.
Enraged by the parrot’s revelation, Rajesh’s anger boiled over, and he brutally silenced the bird, killing it in a fit of rage. Shila, devastated by the loss of her beloved pet and the shocking truth it had exposed, knew she had to take action.
With a newfound sense of determination, Shila filed a police case against Rajesh, accusing him of cruelty to animals and domestic violence. As the investigation unfolded, Shila’s marriage crumbled, and she eventually divorced Rajesh.
Free from the toxic relationship, Shila returned to her parents’ home in Prayagraj, where she began to rebuild her life. She reignited her passion for law, starting a successful career as a lawyer in the local court.
A year later, Shila’s life took another dramatic turn. She met a fellow lawyer who had undergone a profound transformation, renouncing his legal career to become a spiritual guru and motivational speaker. His name was Alok, and his kind heart, wisdom, and compassion captivated Shila.
As they spent more time together, Shila found herself drawn to Alok’s spiritual teachings and his vision for a more compassionate world. They fell deeply in love, and Shila knew she had found her soulmate.
Together, Shila and Alok embarked on a new journey, blending their passion for law and spirituality to create a more just and harmonious society. Shila’s experiences had taught her the value of resilience, forgiveness, and the power of new beginnings.
While Alok embarked on a spiritual journey to Mathura, Shila found herself drawn back to the pet shop in Varanasi. She had never forgotten the parrot that chanted “Ram nam” and prayed to Jaganath. As fate would have it, the parrot was still there, but its price had doubled to two lakhs.
Shila didn’t hesitate, paying the hefty sum to bring the parrot home. As soon as they arrived, the parrot began to chant verses from the Gita, “Gita Gobinda,” and “Bhagabat.” Shila was enchanted by the parrot’s spiritual renditions.
However, her joy was short-lived. When Alok returned from his spiritual trip, the parrot’s demeanor changed dramatically. As soon as it saw Alok, the parrot shouted, “Hello Alok! Only madam is staying here, no home sex is allowed here, hence go back!”
Shila’s eyes widened in shock as she realized the parrot’s words were not just innocuous phrases. The parrot had somehow sensed Alok’s past, and its words cut deep. Shila knew she had to make a difficult decision.
Without hesitation, Shila packed her bags, took the parrot, and left for her parents’ house in Prayagraj. She knew she would never return to her life with Alok. The parrot, once again, had revealed a hidden truth, and Shila was determined to start anew, surrounded by the love and support of her family.