The ball of fire

“The sun is a ball of fire” Maya told her elder sister Pinky as she washed clothes on the cement slab which once used to cover a gutter. The sun shined bright up in the sky and its rays left a peculiar sting on their back. “Yes, it is written in Sheila’s class book, and it has pictures also,” chirped Maya “I will also go to school with her; she gets biscuits and bananas there.” “Ok, but let us finish washing clothes first” said Pinky. 10 year old Pinky was the eldest of the four siblings. Little Maya, second in the row was 8. “My back is burning, I wont sit here, the sun is bad,” said Maya. “Don’t call the sun bad, it is the only visible god, and the source of life,” Pinky remembered what her mother had told her long time back. “But Sheila’s book says sun is made of gas, like the gas malkin(1) burns in her stove” said Maya. “It can not be a ball,” said Pinky, “because… if it was a ball, it would have fallen on us, and we would have been burnt by now. No, balls can not hang in the sky,” Pinky concluded feeling satisfied with her logic. “But which book says sun is god,” asked Maya. “Malkin is observing fast to worship sun. Maalik(2), malkin have read English books. Why would she fast if it was just a ball?” asked Pinky. Looking at Maya, she finally felt her little sister being satisfied with the argument.
“When I grow up, I will go there and find out,” Maya said. “But where will you go?” asked Pinky. “Up, up, up and high up in the sky, higher that Bablu bhaiya’s(3) balloons, higher that the aero-planes, like they show in pictures in the English books. Whoosh… I will fly,” Maya animated a flight with both her hands stretched and started running in circles around Pinky. “I am flying to Sheila’s home” she sang as she ran.
“Sun is not a ball,” said Maya panting heavily as she saw Sheila. “Yes it is” came a cold reply. “No, my mother’s malkin has read English books and she is fasting for the sun god, but I will tell you the truth when I fly to the sun” Maya said with a tone of pride “and I will also go to school like you”. “You will never go to school because it costs 100 rupees and you will never go to the sun either,” Sheila said sharply feeling hurt about little Maya challenging her knowledge. “Yes I will” said Maya pushing Sheila aside as she ran back towards her makeshift accommodation in the slum.
“I must go to school tomorrow and I will go to the sun,” a tearful Maya declared that night. “But where will we get 100 rupees from,” said Pinky. “We can ask malkin,” Maya suggested. “Wont mother scold us;” Pinky asked. “But Sheila will laugh at me if I don’t,” said Maya breaking in sobs again.
Sitting out side the flap of the tent, their mother wiped her eyes. She carefully took out the money she earned during the puja that day. “This may be sufficient to get at least one admitted to school,” she thought. “Pinky’s mother,” called a neighbor, “they came asking for the money, 100 rupees or else our tents will be removed. You must pay them tomorrow.” Pinky’s mother clenched the money tightly in her fist, and broke into a bitter laughter.

Meanings:
1. Malkin: Mistress
2. Maalik: Master
3. Bhaiya: Elder Brother