Mayra is a spirited and curious twelve-year-old girl, full of questions and dreams that often clash with the traditions of her conservative household. She lives in a small town with her mother, Reeta, a strict yet caring homemaker; her father, Kalicharan, a gentle man who values both tradition and kindness; her elder brother, Pinku, carefree and often treated with more freedom than her; and her grandmother, Devi, the firm head of the family whose beliefs are deeply rooted in old customs. Mayra's bright eyes and fearless words make her stand out — a young soul unafraid to challenge unfair rules, even if it means facing the disapproval of those she loves most.
Chapter 1 – A Counterfeit Legend
"Mayra!" Reeta called from inside the house, her voice sharp and commanding.
"Come inside!" she added, standing near the door, watching the street anxiously.
Mayra got inside, brushing dust off her dress as she walked in reluctantly.
It was already 5 p.m., and the golden sky outside was slowly dimming.
It was not safe outside,
"but Mom, I want to play more," Mayra said firmly, her cheeks still red from running.
"Mom, please! Just 10 minutes more," said Mayra pleadingly, looking up at her mother with wide eyes.
"No," said Reeta strictly. "Come inside."
Mayra asked her grandmother curiously, "Why does Mom call me inside after 5 p.m.?"
Her grandmother sat cross-legged on the floor, sorting grains with her wrinkled hands.
"It's not safe outside," Grandmother replied calmly, her eyes not leaving her task.
But bhaiya play even it's 9 p.m., Mayra complained, pointing outside toward the lane.
"Why can't I go?" asked Mayra stubbornly, crossing her arms.
"You are a girl," said Pinku casually, not looking up from his comic book.
"If a boy can go out, why can't I?" Mayra replied boldly, eyes narrowing in frustration.
"Come here, everyone. It's time for Aarti," called Reeta loudly from the courtyard.
She stood holding a brass plate with incense and a flickering diya.
"Mom, Dad, why do we pray to Goddess Durga during these days?" asked Mayra innocently, walking toward the puja area.
Then Reeta said hurriedly, "I have some work to do, your father will tell you."
She handed the plate to Kalicharan and left toward the kitchen.
"Tell me, Dad."
Kalicharan replied, seriously and gently,
"Actually, during these days, Goddess Durga and her nine forms represent the victory of good over evil. Each of the nine days is a battle between Goddess Durga and the demon king Mahishasura. Where Goddess Durga, after a fierce nine-night battle, slays the demon. We pray for prosperity, strength, and wisdom. So we pray to the Goddess Durga."
"What will happen after nine days?" asked Mayra, sitting near the diya with her hands folded.
Kalicharan said, "We go to fast, give small gifts, and touch the feet of small girls to seek blessings from them."
"Why only girls? Why not boys?" asked Mayra gently, her head tilted in wonder.
Kalicharan flared in anger, "This is the last question you are asking me! In every girl, we see a form of the goddess Durga. She is hidden in them. By blessing them, we are worshipping the goddess herself. Now, I am not going to answer your question again!"
One more, Mayra asked again, softly, "Tell me one thing — do girls have the mighty power? Even goddess Durga can defeat anyone."
Kalicharan replied, calming down, "Yes, every girl has that mighty power."
The next morning
"Wake up, Mayra, it's seven o'clock," said Reeta, pulling the curtains open to let in the morning light.
"I want to sleep more," said Mayra, yawning and covering her face with the bedsheet.
"Girls never sleep after 7 o'clock," said Reeta strictly, placing a hand on her hip.
"But Bhaiya is sleeping. I also want to sleep," Mayra said, rubbing her eyes and curling up beside the pillow, her voice soft with sleepiness.
Reeta replied firmly, "You are a girl. Come and do some household work."
Mayra looked frustrated but tried to reason.
"But Mom,said mayra with a hope
I don't want to listen to anything. Come with me, okay Mom?" said Mayra
Reeta, now slightly annoyed, gave a final instruction.
"Now listen — just wash your clothes and then come to me," said Mom.
That evening, the golden sunlight filtered through the windows as Mayra stood near the door, her face glowing with excitement.
"Mom, can I go outside to play now?" she asked eagerly, her voice full of hope.
Her mother, Reeta, looked up from folding clothes. "Ask Mayra," she said playfully, pretending to act like someone else.
Then, smiling gently, she added, "Yes, but come back when I call you."
"Okay, Mom!" Mayra beamed, rushing out barefoot onto the courtyard, her laughter echoing in the air.
Inside, Devi called out from the kitchen, "Reeta, Reeta."
"Yes, mother-in-law?" Reeta replied, walking over.
"Where is Mayra?" Devi asked, glancing at the clock.
"She has gone outside to play," Reeta replied.
Devi frowned. "Call her back. It's already 5:00 p.m."
"Yes, mother-in-law," Reeta said obediently.
She stepped out to the verandah and called, "Mayra, come inside!"
Mayra groaned from the garden, tossing a pebble on the ground.
"But I want to play more, Mom," she said, her voice full of disappointment.
"No, please. You are not allowed to play outside after 5:00 p.m.," Reeta said firmly, her tone serious.
"Why, Mom?" Mayra asked, tilting her head with curiosity.
Reeta sighed dramatically, then replied, "Because the demon will come and take you away."
Mayra stood tall, placing her hands on her hips like a warrior princess.
"I will fight like Goddess Durga!" she declared with pride.
"Dad told me that I also have a hidden Goddess Durga inside me!"
Everyone — Reeta, Devi, and Bhaiya — burst into laughter at her dramatic pose and fierce expression.
Mayra paused, her smile fading. She looked around at them, confused and a little hurt.
"Why are you all laughing at me, Mom, Grandma, Bhaiya?" she asked sadly, her voice low and eyes glistening with emotion.
Reeta quickly walked over, cupping Mayra's cheeks.
"We're not laughing at you, my brave girl," she said warmly. "We're proud of you."
"Stop it, Mayra. You are not going to do this," said Reeta, her voice rising with irritation as she stood with folded arms.
"What will society say about you and your family?" she continued, glancing toward the window as if the neighbors might already be watching.
"Come inside and do some work," said Devi firmly, placing a hand on her waist and frowning.
Reeta added, "From tomorrow onwards, you will not go outside to play," her tone final, leaving no room for argument.
"She is being so rude," said Devi with a disappointed shake of her head.
Mayra, angry and frustrated, shouted,
"I want to play outside! You can't stop me. Bhaiya also play — why don't you say anything to them?"
"Why only me? Is it because I'm a girl?" Mayra shouted in frustration.
"You were also a girl once! And what about you, Mom? Weren't you a girl too?" she demanded, her tone laced with pain and disbelief.
"Okay, fine! Now both of you are just typical, narrow-minded women!" she burst out.
"You never played when you were my age, right?" Mayra continued, her voice trembling.
"No, we didn't," replied Devi calmly.
"In fact, our parents never allowed us to play."
"Fine! Your parents ruined your childhood, so now you're trying to ruin mine? Tell me, what have I done? What is my mistake? Just let me play!" Mayra cried out.
"Are you done speaking now?" said Devi sternly.
"Go inside, make some food, and then wash all the dishes."
"Mom, why don't you say something?" Mayra turned to her mother.
"Do what your grandmother said. Just do it," said Reeta.
"Mayra, listen," said Reeta.
"From today, if you talk like this, I will not let you eat dinner,"added Devi.
"Why not? Do you even know how cruel you're being?" shouted Mayra.
"Beta, what I said is clear to you, right?" asked Reeta.
"Yes," Mayra replied, holding back tears.
"Then move inside," said Reeta firmly.
"Fine! But don't give me food!" Mayra shouted.
"And Bhaiya? He gets to play outside. Bhaiya doesn't do any work, yet everyone cares about him more!"
"Stop it Mayra!" shouted Devi.
At the dinner table, the atmosphere was tense.
"Where is Mayra?" asked Kalicharan, looking around with concern.
"She is not going to have dinner today," said Devi sternly, her voice cold.
"Why?" Kalicharan asked, puzzled.
Pinku, always the silent observer, stepped in and explained everything that had happened earlier.
"So Maa, you shouldn't do this," said Kalicharan gently, trying to reason with her.
"You don't need to tell me what is right or wrong!" Devi snapped sharply, cutting him off.
"And listen! You will not talk to her today."
Then she turned to Reeta and said firmly, "Reeta, no food should be left in the kitchen. Give it to Pinku — he will feed it to some street cows."
"Stop it, please," said Kalicharan calmly, trying to soothe the situation.
After dinner, Devi's tone was commanding. "Tell Mayra to wash all the dishes. She is grown up now."
"Mayra! Mayra!" Reeta's voice echoed through the house, sharp and loud. "Come and wash the dishes."
"I'm not doing it," Mayra called back, her voice firm and defiant.
"You have to. I don't care how you feel about it," Reeta insisted harshly. "Your grandmother told me to make sure it's done."
"Mom, you gave birth to me," Mayra said, frustration building in her voice. "And yet, you never try to understand me. Why, Mom? Do I even matter to you?"
"Of course you matter a lot to me," Reeta said quietly, her voice suddenly softer. "If you didn't, you wouldn't be alive right now."
Mayra's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
Reeta took a deep breath, her expression darkening as painful memories resurfaced. "When you were born, your grandmother looked at you and said, 'Throw her away. Kill her. I don't want to see her face.'"
Mayra froze, stunned by what she heard.
"But your father stood up to her," Reeta continued, her voice trembling. "He said, 'She will live. She will make us proud.' He fought for you when I didn't have the courage."
She looked away, guilt flickering across her face. "When you were a baby, your grandmother refused to care for you. If you cried, she slapped you. She'd scream for me to take you away" — said she couldn't even bear the sound of your voice.
Once, when you were sick, I begged her to call a doctor. But she said, 'Let her die. I don't care.'"
That moment shattered something inside me.
The room fell silent until Devi entered, her sharp presence cutting through the stillness, her footsteps heavy on the floor.
"What's all this noise?" she asked sternly, her eyes narrowing as she looked at them both.
She turned to Mayra. "While you're still under this roof, go finish the dishes and bring some lukewarm water to my room."
"Yes, Grandma. Just give me five minutes," Mayra said, her voice subdued, her head slightly lowered.
A little while later, she stood at Devi's door, her hands gently cradling the steel jug.
"May I come in?" she asked softly.
"Yes," came the curt reply.
Mayra stepped inside, placed the water gently on the table, and turned to leave.
"Put it there and go back to your room," Devi said coldly, without even looking at her.
"Okay, Grandma," Mayra said, forcing a neutral tone, hiding the sting behind her calm voice.
Back in her room, Mayra curled up on the bed, wrapping her arms around herself, her face buried in the pillow. Her chest ached, but no tears fell—she wouldn't let them. Not this time.
"It's okay, Mayra," she whispered to herself, as if trying to stitch together her own courage. "Let them say what they want. Let them treat you like this. One day, you'll stand on your own. One day, you'll rise so high that even they will look back and regret every moment they tried to break you."