[Lyric] Meyebela My Bengali Girlhood Annotations (Taslima Nasrin (Writer))

Grandpa announced that he would go on the hajj. This infuriated grandma. “How will you find the money to do that?” she snapped. “Allah will give me the money,” grandpa replied mysteriously. As things turned out it was Baba who gave him the money, not Allah, on the understanding that grandpa would return him the money when he got back. He filled the trunk with his clothes and a packet of chira and other long-lasting edibles. Then he had his name written on the trunk with white paint- MOHAMMAD MANIRUDDIN AHMED- ADDRESS AKIJA MADRASA QUARTER. MYMENSINGH. The year hе sailed for his hajj was the same yеar that Neil Armstrong went to the moon. The Hajj drew grandpa, the moon pulled Armstrong..... Everyone in our family was passionate about the moon. When the moon came out mothers carried their babies out in the courtyard and chanted a little rhyme, “Come come Uncle moon put a dot on my love’s forehead.”
When the elders say something, you cannot stand against that, you have to agree to it all with your head bowed down. If the elders punish you, be it punishment; if the elders bless you, be it blessings. Whatever the elders do is for your good, that is what elders have always taught
Guuni came and circumcised Tutu mama and Sharaf mama and then made sit while wearing a lungi. When they walked, they held the lungi and walked with their legs apart so that it doesn’t hurt their penis. Whenever I laughed seeing this scenario, both of them would punch me. I am not allowed to laugh; I can’t even look at their lungi or the way they walk. If the elders want, they can easily beeline the threshold of my wants and obligations