It was early morning. A soft veil of mist was lifting itself from the green luscious fields when Abhilash descended on the Railway Station.
He was tired after travelling for more than 48 hours but the moment he inhaled the pure cool morning air his body relaxed.
“Hey!!!! Here!!!!” He heard a shout and turned to face his friend Ashok. “the journey was comfortable I hope!”
“Sort of.. these days vendors enter even the Air conditioned coaches. They kept on disturbing through out the nights..” he muttered tiredly.
They were walking side by side. It was a very small station. Abhilash was the only passenger who descended this morning.
“Here, this one!” Ashok pointed to a sturdy jeep. The jeep looked worn out from outside but was quite comfortable inside.
The driver started the jeep, it started to move forward in the brick road. Jumping a little here and there. Every thing was new for Abhilash.
He noted that the road was not made of concrete, simply bricks were laid on the road and have powdered to dust by heavy vehicles like trucks and wooden wheels of bullock carts.
But some of them were still jutting out from the dust and making the jeep jump. Driving a four wheeler was a matter of ample control, he could see that. He wondered how the drivers of two wheelers managed to drive, especially in darkness. He could not see any signs of electricity any where.
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24.10.2009
“Some of these fields are ours, but most of our fields are on the other side of the village. I will show them to you.” Ashok said following his friend’s gaze full of admiration.
“They are gorgeous. I have never seen so much green from this close.” Abhilash gushed.
“You will soon get bored. Just wait.” He laughed. “The whole village goes to sleep at eight in the night.”
“No newspaper, magazines, television or radio.” He laughed. “All we have is a taperecorder and our own library.”
“I think it will be fun for a few days atleast.” Abhilash laughed at his expression. “You are forgetting one thing, I will have you to show me around the village.”
The single storeyed house was situated on the bank of the river damodar. The jeep pulled in the courtyard of the house, they both came down.
Ashok’s father was waiting for them in the courtyard. He hugged Abhilash as he touched his feet.
“Come inside, sit down for a while then go to toilet and have some thing to eat after you are fresh.” He said affectionately.
An hour later Abhilash was out on the village road again, this time on feet with Ashok. Ashok’s father Ramesh and Mother seeta has stuffed him up with breakfast.
“I want to take a long walk to digest it.” he laughed when he went to wash his hands outside.
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25. 10.2009
“Lets visit the other beauty spots of my tiny village.”, Ashok nudged Abhilash in the afternoon.
They sat down under a banyan tree, the river was spread right in front of them.
Vast banks of white sand, and small streams of water running through them.
“There was a time when this river used to roar like a monster in monsoon, causing a flood every year.” Ashok said. “Things changed after DVC.”
Abhilash could not imagine the scene which it would have made. The roaring river in place of narrow streams of water which barely crossed knees.
“These sands can be very tricky. Sometimes they give away under the feet of careless people and drown them.” Ashok said. “Never venture in the river on your own.”
“I wont. I don’t have any intentions of dying.” Abhilash laughed.
He watched with dreamy eyes the sheer beauty of that rustic village. The other bank of damodar was visible quite clearly. It was outlined by trees and empty spaces.
White autumn clouds were scattered in the sky, white and dazzling like snow covered peaks in the rays of sun. the sun started to set in the western horizon slowly. It lingered on the horizon first as a red, and then as a pink ball for a long time, then bade goodbye.
The tree above them was full of chirping of birds. He has never heard so many birds together. They were busy in settling down for the night. Their chirping sounded sweeter than the sweetest music to his ears.
“Lets go home now.” Ashok patted him on the back. “Don’t worry the sun will set again tomorrow.”
They laughed and left for the house. They were about to enter the house when a young woman came out of the house. Abhilash stopped in his track. In his thirty years of life he has never seen a woman half as beautiful as her.
“Leela, which book today?” Ashok laughed at her.
“short stories” the girl smiled at him. When she noted Abhilash was staring at her she bowed her head and left.
“She is gorgeous, is not she?” Ashok said, he could feel his friend’s condition.
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27.10.09
She was. A creature fulfilling all the criterias of beauty. She was tall, slim, her skin was like molten gold, eyes huge and dark, with long eye lashes, soft ruby lips and long, very long hair, which reached her knees and was swaying like a snake with her movement.
“Who is she?” Abhilash asked.
“She is the daughter of one of the richest farmers here.” Ashok said. “Can you believe it, that girl has not studied in school?”
“She has learnt all these things from my mother.” He laughed. “Mom wanted her as daughter in law but her parents bluntly refused. They are brahman, we are kayasthas.”
“Mom was heart broken.” Ashok chuckled. “Don’t look at me like that bro, I was not. She is not my type. She is too rustic. I would rather prefer some one ordinary but sophisticated. Who wil share my dull life in this village and add some touch of brain here and there. More than that she will have to be soft speaking and sweet natured. Leela is gorgeous but her tongue is a sharp razor.”
Abhilash could feel the earnesty in his words. He knew different people have different priorities. He thanked Leela’s parents for refusing Ashok. And he thanked God because he was brahman.
They finally retired to bed late after chatting for hours.
One month later when Abhilash left the village he left his heart there and took Leela’s heart with him.
His parents came down a few weeks later to meet Leela’s parents. The marriage occurred within another couple of months.
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29.10.09
Abhilash left Leela with his parents and went to Kolkata, to make arrangements for a flat where they will stay.
Soon he brought her over to kolkata. She was happy like a child, she has never been to kolkata before.
“Its such a huge place, is not it?” she beamed. “So many people, buses, cars, buildings…”
“Kolkata is biggest city in west bengal and one of the biggest cities in india.” He smiled at her innocent happiness.
“Is it our home?” she smiled shyly after entering the small flat.
“Yes, its our palace.” Abhilash hugged her.
They spent the day together like to birds building their love nest. Abhilash left for office the next morning with a huge lunch box and stuffed up tummy.
“Leela, we will have to invite my friends from office and housing.” He whispered into her ears when they were lying in the bed.
“when?” she asked.
“I have booked a small hall in the restaurant down the street for Sunday evening.” He said, “It will be handled entirely by the restaurant, all we will have to do is invite them and be present there.”
“We could have arranged it at home. Why did you invited them in a hotel?” she asked innocently. “They wont be able to bless our new home then.”
“My sweet darling, blessing doesnot counts much in Kolkata, formalities do.” Abhilash softly kissed her forehead, “It would have been too chaotic to invite them in home. Think about all the arrangement and cleaning.”
“I have done that at home.” Leela said.
“There were others to help you there sweetheart.” Abhilash answered. “Here you will have to do it all alone, I am not a good help in such cases.” He chuckled. “Shall we sleep now? I have to go to office tomorrow.”
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31.10.2009
“will I have to go out with you to invite others?” Leela asked shyly. “I don’t know how to talk with strangers… I have only talked with other village folks, that too women or relatives when I was back at home.”
“That’s ok honey, you will just have to be with me. I will do the talking.” Abhilash winked. “Lets not fret about such things.. you will have to do a lot of things which you have not done before sweetheart.”
“Like? Speaking in english? Wearing jeans?” Leela giggled. “I wont be doing any of those things, you should have married a memsahab.”
“We will see.. “ Abhilash smiled and hugged her.
The next few days were occupied completely. Every extra minute out side Abhilash’s office was spent on inviting people. They had to visit and invite them personally.
For the first time since seeing Leela Abhilash noted that her choice of colours was very gaudy. He might not have noticed it, as men never do but the wives, or other female relations of his friends or colleagues pushed it down his throat.
Almost everyone confidently asserted from him that she was from village. He could realize that her gaudy make up and flashy colours showed it off too much.
“Darling!” he said next evening, “I have brought some new sarees for you, will you take a look at them.”
Leela jumped with joy, but her face hanged when she opened the boxes one by one.
“These cant be exchanged?” she asked. “Their colorus are so lifeless.. so faded, my mom wont wear them.”
“Honey, in kolkata these are the colours which women wear.” Abhilash said, hoping she will understand.
“I will look sixty years old in them.” Leela complained. “Its been only six months since our marriage. If I start wearing these faded colour sarees people will think that you don’t love me.”
“Wear what you want honey, we will exchange these dresses tomorrow.” Abhilash felt her sadness and gave in.
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??.11.2009
Fading:
Just like it happens to almost every love story after a brief honerymoon, it started with them too.
The next day onward Abhilash became myopic, all he could see was the faults in the woman he once adored.
He kept on comparing her to her kolkata sisters endlessly through out the party. How loudly she laughed. How loudly she spoke. How noisily she ate… how limited was her field of conversation.
Every necklace has to face friction, friction of weather, brushing with skin.. the list is endless. A necklace made of gold only loses a little of its gold, returns to its original self after a polish, but a gold coated one chips off, showing off the bronze inside.
Abhilash married Leela without thinking about their vast differences, he got mesmerized by the gold outside, never bothered to test it, if he would love the ingredient inside that gold plate. Result came out soon..
He came back from office next evening a little early. Leela greeted him with a sweet smile.
“Lets go out for a while, eat out and will be back before late.” He smiled at her when she entered with his tea and snacks.
She was a marvellous cook and homemaker, she has decorated the entire flat with her own hands. The whole flat was filled up with her own handmade things, embroidered covers for every thing, small handmade dolls.. he was quite impressed by her skills with hand, a thing which he has not seen in any of his cousins or other female members of his family. They were all highly educated and too engrossed in their careers to spend too much time in kitchen, forget about preparing handmade things like a doll. He had cousins who did not even knew how to cook.
He took her to a nearby library and made her member of that library. It had quite a huge stock of books. Enough to keep her occupied for years.
They took a taxi and roamed around a little, then they stopped at a small restaurant cum bar. Abhilash wanted to have a small drink. He was not a regular drinker, but today he was feeling like having a peg or twon.
They sat down in the restaurant, Abhilash ordered the waiter. Whisky for himself and juice for Leela.
“What is that?” Leela asked when the waiter placed their beverages. “It looks beautiful, can I take a sip?”
Abhilash resisted his laughter, “No, you don’t want to sip it.”
“Why?” she asked innocently.
“Its whisky.” He explained her what it was.
“You drink?” a look of horror and repulsion twisted her beautiful face.
Abhilash was shocked by the look full of hatred she gave to his peg, “Once in a blue moon.”
“No one in my family has ever touched alcohol. What will I tell to my parents if they come to know you drink?” She almost sniffed.
“Please be quiet, lets eat and we will talk at home.” Abhilash turned red when he noted that the people of nearby tables were staring at them under the cover of politeness. Leela’s voice has reached almost all the ears nearby.
They both forced the food down their throats and left the restaurant, none exchanged a single word till they reached home.
“I don’t care what you have been doing till date, promise me you will never drink again, not even a sip.” Leela insisted when they were in the bed.
“Leela, its not possible in kolkata.” Abhilash tried to explain the way of life in kolkata to her, but her ethics were too strong.
She was born and brought up in an environment where smoking might have been allowed but drinking was something which only reckless scoundrells did.
Abhilash just could not convince her that it was alright in kolkata. No one will think him a rogue just because he occassionally drank a peg or two of hard drinks.
“Please don’t do it tonight.” She coldly said when he tried to pull her to him.
“Are you angry?” he asked, disappointed.
“Your breath is full of foul smell of alcohol.” She said.
They distanced themselves from each other for the first time after their marriage and went to sleep. Abhilash turning his back on her and Leela facing toward him.
A cold dawn dawned in their love nest. Leela’s face was sad like a lotus thrashed by merciless winter rain and Abhilash was blaming his own brain, which fell for Leela without thinking about any thing else but her gorgeous looks.
Leela was too strong on her ethics and Abhilash was habituated of this lifestyle to see any thing immoral in it. So a small difference of opinion took the place of a cold war.
Return to home:
Ashok was sitting on the roof, looking at the river glittering in moon light. It wax full moon night, the weather was quite cold but he loved to sit on the roof for a little before going to bed.
He just loved that river and its magical beauty. He was startled when someone touched his shoulder. He turned, it was his mother Seeta.
“Leela has come to her home last night. Her father went to fetch her for Durgapuja. She will stay for a month.” She said.
Knowing his mother Ashok knew that she has something further to say. So he turned to face her.
“Abhilash did not came with her. She is really miserable. Something is wrong with them. will you ask your friend if something is wrong?” Seeta really loved Leela.
Ashok shrugged. He thought it must have been lover’s tiff or something a little more serious.
He left for kolkata next morning because he had to do some shopping too, he went to meet Leela on his way.
When he reached their huge, spacious house he noted it was busy preparing for the upcoming puja. They held their own puja in home.
The first person who saw her was Leela’s sister in law Tapati. She smiled faintly at him and called him in. He was almost like a son to that family. Her faint smile confirmed Seeta’s words.
He was sitting in the courtyard when Leela came to him and touched his feet.
“Dada, how are you?” she asked, her eyes lowered as always.
“I am going to kolkata, do you have any thing to say to Abhilash?” he asked with a smile, trying to put her at ease.
She looked up at him and her eyes told every thing. Ashok decided to not bother her and ask Abhilash instead.
He reached Kolkata late at noon. He called Abhilash to announce his arrival who ordered him to immediately visit him.
They hugged each other tightly. It appeared as if Abhilash was waiting for a single prodding.. he tumbled out every thing to Ashok.
“Abhi, I told you to think before you marry her. Right?” Ashok asked him. “I told you that she is gorgeous but rustic.”
“She is a village girl, what do you expect her to do? Wear jeans, dance at a disco?”
“Or pour down drinks for you and your friends?” Ashok asked in a little impatient tone.
“You are a highly educated guy, if you cant accept her with all your education, how could you expect her to accept your modern lifestyle with her minimal education?”
“You forgot to think about these differences beforehand with your wisdom and knowledge, and you are expecting her to understand them?”
“Don’t lecture, if you cant suggest something let me think of a way out.” Abhilash said. “May be I will divorce her.”
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Mending:
“Abhi, I never expected this from you.” Ashok softly said, “Killing her will be better for her. Do you know the meaning of divorce to a village girl?”
“I will suggest you something only if you promise that you will think about it deeply.” Ashok said.
“shoot out.” Abhilash said curtly.
“You both are married now. Her only fault is her lack of sophistication and inability to adapt herself to modern lifestyle, you can try to slowly mould her. Or you can let her be and simply avoid the things which she hates.”
“For example, you can take your drinks when you are out with the boys.”
“You can simply invite your friends a few at a time during weekends instead of throwing parties.”
“You can enroll her in some grooming class, there are too many of them in kolkata these days.”
“Most of all, you can concentrate on her virtues in place of vices.”
“None of your urban friends will be able to decorate the home like this without taking a single penny from you, or pack such wonderful lunch for you at eight in the morning.”
“I can understand your condition, but you should have thought it before marrying, I even warned you.” Ashok added.
He softly held his friend’s hand in his hand, “Don’t write the death sentence for that innocent girl, try to accept her, you are the wiser and more matured person.”
“I will ask ma to teach her a little about city life, ma was a teacher, her teacher too, so I have a little faith on her wisdom.” Ashok laughed.
“Next time when you feel really upset call me I will send ma to masi’s home for a fortnight and you can drop Leela there, explain your problems to ma in private I believe she will manage perfectly.” Ashok patted his back.
Abhilash tightly gripped his hand in both of his hands.
