The Onus of Ancestry by Arpita Mogford

disappeared. Bhushan asked to retire. He said he was too old to drive and wished to return to the remnants of his home in Birendrapur. Dwita felt that Bhushan’s decision to retire was not so much due to his age as to Brojen Halder’s increasing control over Parna’s affairs.
    Dwita also missed seeing Uncle Bimal. He rarely came now, he was too old and arthritic to make visits on his own. Parna went to only Nababidhan Bramo Samaj these days, as Brojen Halder went there and thought it a good idea for her to do so.
    Dwita hated those Sundays when she was dragged along by Parna. When she grumbled, her mother would say,“Dima would have liked you to go.” What she could not tell her was that Dima would not have forced her – going with Dima to the other Samaj had been such fun. She always told her stories of Monmotho’s antics. On 11
Maagh
, on the special day of the
Utsav
it was most enjoyable to eat
khichuri
and
chutney
with other children, whilst Dima chatted with all her friends. She did not find the old men of Naba Bidhan Samaj very friendly though – they hardly took notice of children of Dwita’s age. She also thought that her mother and Mr Halder were far too intense in their pursuit of religion.
    Bhushan’s retirement was followed by more changes in their household. Ramu left them after all these years to take care of Uncle Bimal, who now lived in his little cottage in Deopur, a small hill resort to the north of Calcutta – he preferred its climate and solitude. Dhiru died suddenly whilst on leave in his village near Birendrapur. Their house was now full of new people. To Dwita, Gajan Singh, the new Nepali driver was just someone who took her to and brought her back from school – even the car was no longer Dima’s old Austin Minor. Gajan Singh drove a Standard. Ramu was replaced by a part-timer and Shivnath was the new cook-bearer. Mahama was her one link with the past.
    The only new arrival Dwita liked was Durwan Bhajan Singh, who sat patiently at the gate all day, sometimes broke his routine to escort Parna to sales meetings, and sang
ram kirtans
in the evenings. He made his own chapatis and cooked his own vegetables and dhal. He used to give Dwita a hot chapati from his kitchen when her mother was not around. Parna would not have liked it.
    Nirupama had used to say that Parna in her younger days was much quieter and far more composed and Dwita often wondered if she was so different now because she was lonely and unhappy. Parna never relaxed, never stopped being busy and never attempted to make friends outside the circle of Brojen Halder. Gerald Downe and his wife liked Parna and had invited her to join them for Sunday picnics. But Brojen Halder always tried to include himself or find some other alternative – in the end Downe gave up.
    ^ ] Years later when Parna was in a mood to confide in Dwita she told her that Gerald Downe had once suggested remarriage to her. He had said then, “Parna, you have a long, lonely life ahead of you. I know your husband still means a lot to you and your daughter’s interests are dear to you. But you must think of yourself. When she grows up she will have a life of her own, what will you do then?” Parna, in her arrogance, had responded that “her mother had coped”, and Gerald Downe had not raised the topic again. Dwita wondered if Parna had ever regretted seriously her decision later on in life.
    Brojen Halder’s wife died at her next attempt at giving birth. It was sad but not surprising, as the doctors had warned them. He was obviously upset and shed copious tears, but unfortunately his visits to Parna became almost a daily necessity. What was even worse was that he expected her to be involved in his children’s upbringing, which they did not welcome with enthusiasm – Dwita could see their point as she similarly objected to Brojen Halder’s intrusion into her life. Most Sundays became