Chowdhury Kakima (Aunty) was a terror during our adolescent days. I was scared of her more than of my Mom. Not only me but each and child in the neighbourhood feared her like the devil.
Chowdhury Kakima was a childless woman who had voluntarily taken the charge of disciplining every child in her vicinity with too much seriousness. She used to spend half of her day spying on kids from behind the curtain of her window. She knew the whereabouts of most kids in the area. If any kid scored less in exams Kakima used to reach their house and start admonishing the poor kid more than his/her parent. She used to even start scolding the mother that she should have been more careful in upbringing the child. Both the mother and child used to stand guiltily with hung heads in front of Kakima, like naughty school kids and Kakima used to keep on lecturing like school’s Principal.
When I was barely 17 years old Kakima adviced my Mom to start looking for a groom for me. Her advice was that it would take about a year to search for a groom and prepare for the wedding, so my parents could actually marry me off around my 18th birthday when I would become legally eligible to marry. My Mom was gullible and as she was not keeping well, she felt this was the perfect solution to her problems. My Mom even hoped that she would be able to see even a grandchild before dying.
I almost felt like strangulating Kakima. Thankfully, my Dad supported me. He got extremely annoyed with the interference of a third person in our private matter. He firmly told my Mom that she should warn Kakima not to interfere in our life.
In the meantime one day Kakima caught me smoking cigarette with boys. That day all my friends were trying their ‘first’ cigarettes behind a small shop in the neighborhood. I also tried. We were hiding behind the shop and thought nobody would see us, but Kakima saw smoke coming out and true to her nature she came looking for the fire behind the smoke and caught all of us red-handed. She ran to my Mom and said “Boudi (sister-in-law) you are destroyed, I saw your daughter smoking along with boys. What a shameless daughter you have given birth to. Now who is going to marry your daughter?”
My Mom obviously got annoyed but my dad came to the rescue. He asked me “Were you smoking?” I was already feeling guilty, my head was hung. I barely managed to nod. My dad asked calmly “why?” I said, “I just wanted to know how it tastes?” My Dad said calmly “Never try again.”
There was a friend of mine who had a crush on a girl. One day he gave a rose stem and a letter to that girl. That news somehow reached Kakima. She went and complained to the boy’s parent and the poor guy was beaten with a belt by his father. I often wonder why she was never hired by KGB or FBI. No wonder all the kids in the neighbourhood hated her.
However, now when I meet her, she looks old and frail. Her husband passed away a few years back and she lives all alone. There is nobody to look after her. Whenever she sees me, she hugs me warmly. She no more appears like the evil woman from our adolescence but a lonely old woman who is looking for some love compassion and companion.
Trina Looks Back 
What an excellent character. I had my share of fire breathing aunties as well.
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I guess we all have one in our lives. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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People change over the years. Some realise the realities of life and change while others have new agendas. Great write-up!
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Kakima tales kept my thoughts away for some time. Memories beautifully penned balaka. C is for Change. I would be glad to see you engage me on my post. Have a nice day 🙂
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I will soon hop to your post
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Enjoyed Hitler Kakima’s story, Balaka. Poor lady, she only wanted to rescue the endangered kids in her colony . 🙂 I wonder if she ever slept, the dedicated ( to a mission) Kakima that she was.
Poignant ending, old age sometimes takes away all that we were and shapes us into a stranger for people who have known us, all their life, only this time, the stranger was much more endearing.
Beautifully written.
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Now I feel compassion for her. Thanks for reading dear
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Our perspectives of people surely does change over the years. I am liking these tales. And all these characters- they are like straight out of a novel. Your words and stories are so relatable.
I too had some spying aunties in my adolescent years. 😀
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What a terror! I would have resented her with all my heart! What an interfering lady! But the ending is most poignant. Old age takes away a lot from a person. Loneliness is a killer. Good memory
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We all resented her but now when I look at her I feel compassion. Thanks for visiting Meena
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I will always visit. I love to read you.
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Haha this was more hilarious thatn creating a fear in my. I feel almost all of us have these strict kakimas in our lives, who well do spy on us.
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She sure seems like a sashikala from old Bollywood movies , loved the tales and getting to know this adventurous side of you Balaka
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Ha ha ha..I was never a wild kid but yes had my ‘little wild moments’.
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That seems perfectly adorable
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We all have a Chowdhury Kakima in our lives. I have more than a dozen!:)))))
I loved how your words fleshed out Kakima’s character for me. I am so enjoying reading your posts, Balaka. Looking forward to more!
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Mayuri, I am so glad that you are liking my posts. Yes we all have these poky aunty’s in our lives who can give KGB a run for its money.
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Yes, trust me. all of us had someone.
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All families have one kakima,. Your narrative kept me glued Balaka!
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Thank you so much Radhika for the encouragement. Yes, we all have a sample like this in our families.
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Ah! A self-styled-disciplinarian!! She must be a terror in those days. How the travails of life change us as a person over the years. But Kakima has given you all some find memories!
Couchsurfing : Pros and Cons #AtoZChallenge
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Yes, now when I look back I feel a smile on my face..she is just a happy memory now. Thanks for reading and commenting Shilpa.
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I enjoyed how you vividly painted the character of Kakima, her so called ‘accomplishments’ over the years and her transition to an older woman now. Lovely series you got going here.
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Thanks Namy…
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Well that was different than expected but in a good way. Poor lady, my grandpa used to be like that and I was the only one who was not afraid of him!
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Nosy Aunty we all had to deal with. One in every vicinity I guess. Wonderfully described the character.
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Thanks Priya
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What a poignant story and an excellent character building, Balaka! Not that I had Kakima in my growing up years, but there were some uncharitable people in my life too. Looking forward to your next installment tomorrow!
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You were quite a tomboy in your youth, weren’t you, B? 😅😅
I had quite a hearty laugh reading about your Kakima and her karnama.. But I can understand. Not having kids of her own, she was just being matronly with those around her, trying to actually shower some motherly love on you kids. Of course, at that age, we hardly understand such things.
But it makes for wonderful memories to reminisce about later!
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Shilpa, you are right..I was an absolute Tom boy..my mother used to get seriously worried ki “kaun is ladki se shaadi karegi”..I am still bit of tomboyish in my spirit..in my teens I only used to have guy friends..and till date they are my friends..my job was to befriend a girl when any of my guy friend developed a crush on that girl…so that I can act as a messenger😂😂
This particular aunty always scolded me for hanging out with boys.. thankfully my parents understood that they were only friends and nothing to worry about.
Now I do understand the pain of Aunty..she was just overprotective…when I meet her now I only feel love for her..now that my mom is no more I always find solace in her.sonethinh that I never felt in my youth.
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Every neighbourhood has a Kakima I guess. I remembered one of the aunties who stayed in my society in the opposite building. Whenever my then boyfriend ( now hubby) used to come to pick me up and honk his car horn , she used come out of her home before me. Then she would watch behind the curtain of her window as I left. Kakima reminded me of her.
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I know…this Kakima also used to do the same.. they basically have no other work😂😂
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Poor Kakima. There are quite a few real life kakima’s around.
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Yes there are.
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What a great character, I would love to see her working for a real spy agency! 🙂
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Ha ha ha, I am sure she would do a great job.
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Many mysteries would have been solved in jiffy had Kakima joined KGB or RAW or for that matter any spy agency! Enjoyed meeting her through your pen Balaka.
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Thanks Anagha
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Seems like you forgave her many transgressions and felt sorry for her in the end. I loved the image you built up of her with your words. I have an aunt almost like her who is never satisfied till she has complained about half a dozen things before breakfast 😉
Color Master by Aimee Bender #atozchallenge
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Yes, in the end I forgave her and felt compassion. Thanks shalz.
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Kaki maa sounds like those agony aunts we all used to have. I remember having an aunt like her. Brought back memories.
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thanks.
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Kakima was the typical nosey whistle-blower and creator of panic. Very interesting character.Thanks for sharing this with us.
Do drop by mine.
Cheers,
CRD
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Yes, she was indeed like that. Please leave a link to your post.
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it’s scriptedinsanity(dot)blogspot(dot)com
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We all have such people in our lives. For me, it was my paternal grandmom 😛 But as you said, when old age creeps in people change!
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Yes, they do change with age. Thanks Shalini for dropping by.
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I have had my share of such nosy aunties. And some of them are still the same and old age has only added to their charm!
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We all have had our own nosy aunt’s and I agree some of them never change.
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I can recall so many characters in life …hahhaha…thanks for always taking me back to some memory lane
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I am so glad that it evoked your memories. Thanks for reading.
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I had no need to search Kakima out side home, my own granny was enough 😉
Beautiful story Balaka, we all have such memories from childhood / growing up days, this one is wonderful. I can imagine your condition when Dad confronted you for smoking, brings nostalgia.
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Ha ha ha…we all had such spies behind us..thanks for visiting and commenting.
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Why there had to be such one character in everyone’s family and life. Lol.
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