Sneha ran her fingers lightly over the delicate stone work on the dress. The fine embellishments embedded in the sheer georgette made it look almost dreamlike. For years she had dreamed of standing in front of the mirror on her birthday wearing something so beautiful.
She lifted the dress and tried to slip it on.
As she pushed her arms through the sleeves and began to pull it down, the fabric caught tightly around her chest.
Sneha paused. Standing before the mirror, she looked at her reflection—the material stretched taut over the upper part of her body, the sheer fabric making her discomfort plainly visible.
She took a deep breath and tried again, slowly tugging the dress downward. But the cloth felt far too tight; it seemed to get stuck at her chest.
A little disheartened, she tried to take it off, but just then Kakima's voice came from outside—
"Sneha, how does the dress look? Did you manage to wear it properly?"
She stood in front of the mirror, exhaling slowly, and tried once more to adjust and pull the dress into place. But it remained too snug around her chest. No matter how she tried, she couldn't get it down fully. Exhaustion crept over her face.
For a long time she had carried a quiet inner conflict about her own body—the taunts from classmates, her own shyness, the unnamed embarrassment—all of it together made her feel never quite at ease. Today, even this beautiful dress seemed to remind her once again of that discomfort.
She sat down on the bed. For a few moments she closed her eyes in silence.
She thought—how easily everyone else wears whatever they want. At school, her friends' clothes always fit so perfectly. But her body always felt a little different, drawing attention in one particular place, making her feel somehow apart.
Sneha gently took off the dress and laid it aside. A lock of hair fell over her shoulder. She sat quietly on the bed. Though her eyes glistened in the lamplight, she quickly wiped them dry.
A soft knock came at the door from behind—
"Ma, everything alright?"
It was Nitu Aunt's voice.
Sneha replied,
"Yes, Kakima, I'm coming… it'll take just a little time."
She stood up. She folded the dress carefully and set it aside.
In Sneha's eyes there was an unfamiliar shame, mixed now with a trace of anger. Why did her own body make her feel so uneasy?
She opened the almirah and took out a loose-fitting blue dress—one she always found more comfortable. It draped generously, covering her chest completely and causing far less discomfort.
She put it on and stood in front of the mirror again. She tidied her hair a little, applied a light lip gloss, and placed a small bindi on her forehead.
From outside came another call—
"Sneha Ma, come out quickly! Look who's come to see you!"
She took a deep breath, opened the door, and stepped out into the brightly lit room—where people were waiting.
---
[The living room was filled with light. Guests had gathered—children laughing and playing, elders deep in conversation. Sneha emerged through the doorway in her loose blue dress.]
Nitu Aunt (looking up):
"Oh Ma! You didn't wear that pink dress? I thought you'd wear it today and show everyone!"
Jayita Mashimoni (with a light smile):
"There she is—the birthday girl! Why do you look so serious?"
Sneha (with a faint smile, though her eyes held a trace of awkwardness):
"The dress felt a bit tight… so I didn't wear it. I just came in this one."
Nitu Aunt:
"Alright, that's fine. Come here, Sneha. Look who all came to meet you!"
---
[The room was ablaze with light and people—relatives of all ages. Soft music played in the background; every now and then someone laughed loudly. The cake sat decorated in the center of the table.]
Jethu( Paternal Uncle)was saying:
"No, yaar, handling this GST is impossible now. I have to settle the accounts before Puja… I'm seriously thinking of selling the shop after this Sunday."
Jethima ( PaternalAunty) nodded in agreement:
"You're right. Look at Khokon—his Kamarpada branch shut down too. Taxes outside the city are sky-high these days, you know!"
In one corner, Mejokaku ( Younger Paternal Uncle ) was on the phone:
"Yes, yes, I won't be able to come back today. It's my elder brother's daughter's birthday here. I'll check your file tomorrow morning… no delay at all. After the party I'll sit down to work right away."
A distant cousin brother, newly employed, spoke with excitement in his voice:
"I'm thinking of settling in Bangalore. There aren't many opportunities here. The base pay is good, and the company people are quite professional…"
Rajshree Mashi ( Maternal Aunt) suddenly chimed in:
"So Soma got admitted to her master's, right? How did she manage to get a seat in that college? These days I don't see much interest in studies among the young ones."
A distant cousin sister laughed and said:
"I've decided—I'm going to start a YouTube channel this time. My Instagram already has fifteen thousand followers!"
In one corner, Sneha sat curled up quietly. All around her, relatives crowded together, busy in their conversations. In her hand was a glass; half the ice had melted into cold water. There was no smile on her face, yet no visible pain either. She looked at everyone, yet seemed to withdraw herself silently through the noise. In truth, amid so many people, Sneha felt utterly alone. There was no one to talk to her. Today was such an important day in her life—everyone had come for her—yet no one asked what was in her heart.
Pishi ( Paternal Aunt ) suddenly spoke up:
"So you've got new tenants downstairs again? Quiet people? I'm suspicious—nowadays you can't tell anything by appearances."
Another relative added:
"My son has applied to go abroad. He says nothing will happen here—if he stays, his life will be wasted…
The words entered Sneha's ears, but inside her mind played a silent melody. As if someone was whispering—
"So many people, so much light, so many stories… but who knows what's in my heart? Who really sees me?"
To be continued...