Ujala's Light: a Short Story From the Desi Drive Series

By Nazli Hardy

The enigmatic Ujala is a reluctant devi (goddess) who resides in Jackson Heights, Queens. Her 'light' leads her back home to Sagar Island where she is reunited with her destiny.

(a short story from the Desi Drive series)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nazli Hardy
• Release date: Nov 17, 2011
• ISBN: 9781005279035

Nazli Hardy

Nazli Mollah-Hardy is a native of Bangladesh - homeland of the Bengal tigers. She grew up in Zimbabwe - home of the mighty Victoria Falls (Mosi-Oa-Tunya).She pursued her tertiary education in the United States: an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering, an MBA, and a PhD in Computer Science.Nazli currently lives in Pennsylvania, USA, with her husband and their two children. She has been a faculty member at a regional university since 2004.She hopes you enjoy her books: about discovering your "Sense of Self;" some "desi" stories based in Queens, NY; and some neighborhood "Mopane Tree Lane" stories from Harare Zimbabwe - places filled with humanity, pragmatism, and rich beauty.

Book preview

Ujala ’s Light

Ujala di was about to die.  She could feel the lightness within her;  not being extinguished but being revived from the dead life she had been living so long.

So this was what it feels like to die, thought Ujala.  She waited for her life to flash before her, but there was only one image that she saw.  Time stood still, and so did the image of the most beautiful person she had ever known.  She looked into him and he looked back.  He smiled.  She said, "Hello my Dev. Namaste ." 

"Hello my Ujala, my light.  Namaste ."

Have you come to take me home, Dev?  I am ready. I don’t know how I have lived for so long in this lifetime without you. I have missed you so much.  I have been so alone.  She held out her arms.

You are not alone, Ujala.  Can you not feel my light?  My light is within yours.  Dev lips were unmoving, his smile constant, but she heard the sound of his voice as though his heart was in hers. 

I cannot feel anything without you, Dev.  But I am ready to feel again.  I am ready.  Let’s go. 

Ujala, you must feel.  You must feel your light, and allow it to light your way again.  I will be here, waiting.  He was fading.

No please no. No, please don’t go, Dev, she pleaded in aching desperation.  Please read to me.  Please, my Love, read to me again.  So he read to her, as he used to so long ago.  They were back together again; under the wind-singing palm trees by the rice paddies, her head resting on his shoulders.  Dev ran his fingers through her long dark hair and began reciting the magic of the words by Rabindranth Tagore, that they had made into their own love song;

"Light, my light, the world-filling light,

the eye-kissing