Dolma's Perak And Her Memories.
Dolma sits quietly near the THABS (traditional oven), the smoke blanketing every space of the room, apart from where she sits. A sharp length of early morning light pierced through and glazed up her beautiful face.
There is a deep sorrow brewing up in her heart, stemming from the loss of her husband.
If ever a reflection of the soul would be demanded in a physical sense, the density of the room had such an appropriate feel of how Dolma felt emotionally
The weight of the sorrow always reminds Dolma of her mother and her attachment to her PERAK (traditional headgear), “You Know, these floppy ears on the PERAK were a later attachment to it because a queen could not bear the chilly wind during her wedding night, a warm cover for her fragile ears” her mother would always preach.
The Heftiness of the PERAK, still fresh in her memory, has now developed into a subconscious habit of caressing her neck while reminiscing about her wedding night. She remembers her tears and the look on her husband's face when he tried to remove the PERAK from her head, only to have the turquoise stones from it displaced in his hand.
The rawness of his personality blended kindly with his big heart, and Dolma's heart swells from sheer adoration.
PERAK is the only Physical entity in her life that expresses a deep connection with her lost partner and also her comfort from the cold world that makes it even harder for a widow.
Stains from the showering tears now glow on the stones of her PERAK, while her fingers gently pace through the rows of it, transmitting her love and longing for her husband on every stone placed on the Leather.
The shadow of herself tends to glow in the dark at times when she feels the world creeping in rather aggressively paving for hopelessness, she tends to gown her PERAK, just to feel some comfort and strength to keep on.
An abrupt cry now fills the room, ushering her back to reality. Her infant daughter, just 8 months old; reminds Dolma of life to come and her responsibility to share her trivia about PERAK.
By Tenzin Jamphel