Sashi marcaba en su calendario el día pasado. Cada vez faltaba menos tiempo para cumplir con el destino que sus padres habían marcado para ella, desde muy pequeña, pero que realmente distaba mucho de lo que hubiese deseado para si misma.
Vivían lejos de su país natal, pero las costumbres familiares seguían igual de arraigadas. Vanisha (su madre) vigilaba con esmero cada uno de los detalles de este evento, ya que no siempre se casaba un miembro de la familia cercana, y viajar a la India para los matrimonios de los sobrinos y demás familiares que habían quedado allá, les resultaba muy costoso.
Ekram, estaba agradecido en poder casar a su última hija con un hombre de bien. Conocía a su familia desde que vivían en Bangalore, así que sabía que el futuro de Sashi estaba asegurado.
Vanisha y Ekram se conocieron en la universidad. Ambos habían salido de su país, y a sabiendas de los compromisos de sus padres, decidieron dar este paso tan importante de casarse en silencio.
Pesó más el amor entre ellos y la distancia de la familia, quienes al enterarse simplemente los repudiaron a ambos, teniendo que vivir siendo una sombra para sus padres.
Con este matrimonio, esperaban saldar la deuda moral que habían adquirido "en nombre del amor", ante su familia. Y aunque no eran ejemplo moral para sus hijos, no querían que ellos pasaran por la misma desgracia que empañó su relación por mucho tiempo.
Faredd, el mayor, había aceptado a su esposa sin reclamos, al fin y al cabo, era una chica hermosa y muy inteligente. Ambos lograron congeniar y casarse sin problemas.
Ura, su hija mayor, también corrió con la misma suerte. Pero con Sashi la historia se complicaba. Ella no lo manifestaba abiertamente, pero su madre notaba su inconformidad.
Con Sashi todo era distinto, era un alma libre que quería descubrir el mundo sin ataduras. Siempre había dicho que no quería casarse ni procrear, lo cual provocaba en Ekram bastantes dolores de cabeza, ya que de alguna forma buscaba remediar su relación con sus padres.
Para Sashi resultaba injusto que ella y sus hermanos tuvieran que pagar por ello, así que mientras podía, se salía de las rígidas normas de casa, teniendo amigas con las que había probado el licor, salido de fiesta y hasta experimentar qué se sentía besar a una mujer.
Anand, su amigo de la infancia, la entendía perfectamente. A él también lo presionaban con el tema del matrimonio, al que accedió con la única condición de que lo dejaran terminar primero sus estudios universitarios.
Ambos se reunían a conversar sobre lo terrible que vivían a diario, pues ya no estaban viviendo allá, Sashi ni siquiera conocía a esa familia que su padre estaba dispuesto a recuperar y Anand quería vivir al máximo antes de comprometerse de tal manera.
Amanece, y era un día más para todos, y un día menos para Sashi. En su rostro la tristeza se notaba aunque sonriera por cortesía. Anand ya no sabía qué palabras decirle para hacerla sentir mejor. Ninguno de sus planes para ayudarla, lograba darle tranquilidad, ya que siendo mujer, no podía condicionar sus acciones como lo había hecho él.
Quedaban ya solo 8 horas para cumplir la voluntad de su padre. Y Sashi bajó al salón preparado para la festividad, a tratar de empaparse del espíritu festivo. Veía con detalle las decoraciones que había comprado y acomodado su madre. Todos esos colores brillantes parecían los de una vitrina de una tienda hindú.
Su traje estaba en el aparador que quedaba al fondo, se veía realmente lindo. Era de un tono color ladrillo, con detalles en dorado. Nunca había visto un sari tan hermoso.
En la mesa dispuesta para el banquete, ya se había colocado toda la vajilla. Y ella, sentada a la cabeza de todo este panorama, solo pensaba, cómo es posible que todo esto tan lindo y colorido no me ayude a sentirme feliz?
Ura, su hermana, entra a hablarle. No eran muy cercanas, puesto que al casarse, ella se había ido de la ciudad con su marido, pero esa relación fraternal se activaba apenas volvían a verse.
Sashi al verla, corre a abrazarla, sin lograr evitar empezar a llorar. Para Ura, este llanto le recordaba la época en la que su hermanita buscaba refugio en ella cuando hacía alguna travesura. Era realmente tan malo lo que sentía su pequeña hermana? La respuesta que obtuvo con este comportamiento era un rotundo si.
Para Ura, la situación tenía que terminar. Esta decisión arbitraria de sus padres, quienes realmente eran los causantes de todo esto, no tenía por qué seguir afectando a quienes inocentemente fueron producto de su imprudencia.
Un movimiento rápido de su mano toma un cuchillo de la mesa de banquete y lo hunde en el cuello de Sashi, quien entre sorprendida y asustada, cae al suelo llenando todo de sangre, empapando los cojines color mostaza dispuestos en el piso, e inclusive también los pies de su hermana.
Una mirada llena de preguntas termina por reflejar paz. Ura había logrado sacarla de esa sensación de ahogo. Ahora ella era libre.
Luego de ello, Ura hace lo propio, cayendo al lado de su hermana. Logra arrastrarse hasta abrazarla, sellando así el pacto que habían hecho de niñas: Si tu me necesitas, ahí estaré.
Sashi marked the past day on her calendar. There was less and less time left to fulfill the destiny that her parents had set for her since she was very young, but which was far from what she would have wished for herself.
They lived far away from their native country, but the family customs were just as ingrained. Vanisha (his mother) carefully watched over every detail of this event, since not always a member of the immediate family got married, and traveling to India for the marriages of the nephews and other relatives who were left behind was very expensive.
Ekram was grateful to be able to marry his last daughter to a good man. He had known his family since they lived in Bangalore, so he knew that Sashi's future was secure.
Vanisha and Ekram met in college. Both of them had left their country, and knowing their parents' commitments, they decided to take this important step of getting married quietly.
Their love for each other outweighed the distance of the family, who upon finding out simply disowned them both, having to live as a shadow for their parents.
With this marriage, they hoped to settle the moral debt they had acquired "in the name of love" before their family. And although they were not a moral example for their children, they did not want them to go through the same misfortune that tarnished their relationship for a long time.
Faredd, the eldest, had accepted his wife without complaints, after all, she was a beautiful and very intelligent girl. The two managed to hit it off and marry without any problems.
Ura, their eldest daughter, also had the same luck. But with Sashi the story was complicated. She did not show it openly, but her mother noticed her disagreement.
With Sashi everything was different, she was a free soul who wanted to discover the world without ties. She had always said that she did not want to get married or procreate, which caused Ekram quite a few headaches, as he somehow sought to remedy his relationship with his parents.
It was unfair to Sashi that she and her siblings had to pay for it, so while she could, she broke out of the rigid rules at home, having girlfriends with whom she had tasted liquor, partied and even experienced what it felt like to kiss a woman.
Anand, her childhood friend, understood her perfectly. He too was being pressured about marriage, to which he agreed on the sole condition that he be allowed to finish his university studies first.
They both met to talk about the terrible things they lived every day, since they were no longer living there, Sashi did not even know that family that his father was willing to recover and Anand wanted to live to the fullest before committing himself in such a way.
Dawn broke, and it was one day more for everyone, and one day less for Sashi. On his face the sadness showed even if he smiled out of politeness. Anand no longer knew what words to say to her to make her feel better. None of his plans to help her, could give her peace of mind, since being a woman, she could not condition her actions as he had done.
There were only 8 hours left to fulfill his father's will. And Sashi went down to the hall prepared for the festivity, to try to soak up the festive spirit. He looked in detail at the decorations his mother had bought and arranged. All those bright colors looked like those in an Indian store window.
Her suit was on the sideboard in the back, it looked really nice. It was a brick-colored shade, with gold accents. I had never seen such a beautiful sari.
On the table set for the banquet, all the tableware had already been set. And she, sitting at the head of all this panorama, just thought, how is it possible that all this beautiful and colorful stuff doesn't help me feel happy?
Ura, her sister, comes in to talk to her. They were not very close, since she had left town with her husband when she got married, but that sisterly relationship was activated as soon as they saw each other again.
Sashi, upon seeing her, runs to embrace her, without managing to avoid starting to cry. For Ura, this crying reminded her of the time when her little sister would seek refuge in her when she got into mischief. Was it really that bad what her little sister was feeling? The answer she got from this behavior was a resounding yes.
For Ura, the situation had to end. This arbitrary decision of her parents, who were really the cause of all this, had no reason to continue to affect those who were innocently the product of their recklessness.
A quick movement of her hand takes a knife from the banquet table and plunges it into the neck of Sashi, who, between surprised and frightened, falls to the floor filling everything with blood, soaking the mustard-colored cushions on the floor, and even her sister's feet.
A look full of questions ends up reflecting peace. Ura had managed to get her out of that suffocating feeling. Now she was free.
After that, Ura does the same, falling down next to her sister. She manages to crawl up to embrace her, thus sealing the pact they had made as children: If you need me, I'll be there.
Foto/Photo by: Umesh Soni, Vinatha Sreeramkumar and Hadis Safari (all from Unsplash)
Edición/Edited by 
Translated with Deepl