A Visit

Dur hai par tera saya hai mujhpe

Bharosa kyun jaane tujhpe

Calcutta was a nice city. The people were warm. The roads were clean. And it was the seat of both British imperialism and the revolution of the Indians. With its busy roads, crowded streets, famous sweets and Tangas Calcutta had a lot to offer. The libraries were like paradise and so was the Boi Para. At times the theatre or bioscope was good entertainment to take one’s mind off their busy lives, people visited Kalighat for their prayers to be answered, or rode horses on the Maidan but something was amiss. Calcutta was everything but it wasn't home. Bondita realised it more as she spent most of the day alone in the small apartment, after college, the deafening noise of cars honking and crowds outside and the quiet afternoons sometimes disturbed by calls of street vendors. She missed home like the first time she had left Tulsipur. To make things worse, Aniruddha was very busy. He left for work early and often came home quite late. Winter evenings were especially long, but summers were better. The gossip of the ladies who generously invited her to tea, made her realise she didn’t quite fit in. They also felt intimidated about talking in front of her as they felt she knew a lot more than their shallow existences. The rains came early that year as did the examinations. Bondita was working extra hard to make sure this time she topped the examination. Amid her missing home and stressing out when Bondita received a letter from her uncle informing her about the arrival of her mother, her joy knew no bounds. She had waited months for it. Somehow the thought of having a person to talk to was comforting enough.

Sumati was surprised by the sudden hug she received from her daughter as soon as she opened the door of the apartment. The apartment was well-lit, furnished and comfortably large for two people, she noticed.

“Didn’t Kaka come along?” Bondita asked, handing her a glass of water with some Batasha.

“He left me on the porch, he had some work so hurried,” Sumati spoke as Bondita took her bundle of clothes and placed them down. “Jamaibabu?”

“Oh, he left early in the morning,” Bondita spoke nonchalantly as she let Sumati sit on the couch. Sumati did so reluctantly and looked around the apartment. 

“You keep the place well.” She smiled as Bondita nodded with a smile.

“How is the child?” Sumati asked as Bondita smiled “Oh so tiny! And very quiet.” She gushed. “I named him.”

“When you were small, you used to cry a lot. You always had an opinion. If you didn’t like something you never stopped wailing.” Sumati smiled at the memories as Bondita looked up at her face.

“How did you make me stop then?” She asked, putting the things inside her bag, to leave for college.

“Your Baba did.” She smiled as Bondita looked up at her “Always. Do you remember him?”

“At times. Yes. Fleeting memories mostly.” Bondita confessed. “Most of my childhood memories…” She stopped as Sumati smiled.

“Are at Tulsipur.” She nodded “I understand. ” An awkward silence filled the room. 

“I have to go to college today. But I promise I will leave early and come back.” Bondita picked up her bag as she promised. “There is lunch in the kitchen, though I will be back before that. Don’t worry, I cook vegetarian dishes separately. You can eat them. I will be back by evening.” Sumati nodded. “You can go chat with Kakima or Latika Didi. They know you are here.”

“I will be fine, you go on,” Sumati reassured her. She looked around the apartment in keen interest and her eyes fell on the shelf on the wall. On it was a photograph. Sumati picked it up, tracing her hand over the smiling face of Bondita in a smile beside Aniruddha, in a gown that made her look like a Memsaheb. Sumati smiled, placed it back on the shelf and proceeded to untie her bundle.

Sumati tasted the food as Bondita seemed to wait eagerly for the reaction. Immediately Sumati’s eyes looked impressed.

“Your cooking has a certain taste. Like your grandmother’s.” Sumati smiled. “She always rebuked me for not cooking as well as she did. She would have been happy seeing you.” Bondita was pleased with the validation as she offered her mother some more vegetables which she refused.

“How was your class?” Sumati asked, a little clueless about what to converse on.

“Oh, I will tell you all about college. Like I wrote, I was a bit intimidated at first…”

Sumati realised that perhaps for the first time in her life, she could identify the Bondita she knew from the letters with the Bondita who sat in front of her, excited to share stories. To that day, whenever they met, it was either during celebrations or when she had left home. The tension of the situation had made it uneasy for her to connect with Bondita.

Aniruddha was pleased that Sumati decided to visit them for a week. After coming back to Calcutta from Tulsipur, and letting Bondita know that they possibly couldn’t make it back to Tulsipur that year again, as her examinations were right after the Pujas, he knew Bondita was missing home terribly and Aniruddha found her calling Ashapurna and enquiring about the baby almost every day. She kept lamenting how she was missing out on Ashutosh’s growing years. As much as Aniruddha agreed with her sentiments, he was helpless. Sumati’s arrival was hence a breath of fresh air he needed as work kept him busy most of the time and he didn’t have to feel guilty that Bondita was by herself for most of the days.

“I was thinking of taking Maa for a tour around the city tomorrow,” Bondita spoke as she placed the coffee cup on the table for Aniruddha who nodded.

“That is a good idea. Take a rickshaw.” He added. “You have the pocket money right?”

Bondita nodded.

“I would have accompanied you but…” Aniruddha shook his head.

“It is fine, Jamai babu, don’t worry about it. I just came by without notice and…”

“No maa. For a change, it’s good to have family around, right Bondita?” He asked as Bondita nodded.

Sumati smiled. “But can we go alone?” She was a little intimidated. Bondita smiled.

“Of course, I go around alone all the time.” Sumati was a little surprised by how Bondita had grown up.

“I will sleep here, you share the bedroom with Bondita, Ma,” Aniruddha spoke as Sumati looked a little embarrassed.

“No Jamai babu you come home after a day of hard work and…”

“And you came home to your daughter after a hard life Ma.” Aniruddha shook his head, making Bondita smile. “I insist.”

Sumati looked awkward at the thought of coming in between them, Bondita read her thoughts and added “Besides we can have some bedtime gossip too. Please.” Sumati looked up at her daughter’s request. She had never shared such moments with Bondita. A part of her wanted to. She gave in to Aniruddha’s request.

Bondita manoeuvred efficiently through the busy streets of Calcutta, as Sumati was intimidated by the crowd prompting her to hold Bondita’s hand. Bondita suddenly felt a rush of emotions as her mother held her hand. She had missed the touch since childhood. Bondita reassuringly led her through the streets and Sumati observed her daughter bargain tactfully with the vegetable sellers. She even took her to a shop and bought her a new crisp white Thaan saree. Sumati had refused but Bondita pushed it into her hand insistently.

“Barrister Babu has asked me to. He will be very upset if you refuse.” She told her mother. “He had never had the privilege to buy his mother anything. This is more of sentiment for him.” 

Sumati nodded, thinking of what Bondita said. She observed her child closely. Bondita had grown into a very strong and confident woman. She was eternally grateful to the Roy Chowdhurys for that. Trilochan's grooming and Aniruddha's teaching made her everything Sumati never imagined she could be. She folded her hands in prayers and gratitude. She admired the way Bondita conducted herself inside and outside the home. She had found a balance between being an aspiring barrister who refused to be fooled in the man's world and the dutiful daughter-in-law, yet retaining her grip on the roots that define her existence. 

Aniruddha looked up as Bondita cleared her throat, taking his attention away from the files.

“Maa has brought you something.” She said as Sumati walked out of the kitchen, her anchol carefully placed over her bald head, as she looked away. Aniruddha frowned.

“Bondita? What is Maa doing in the kitchen? Have you made her share chores?”

“No, Jamaibabu. I feel so awkward that I sit around all day and none of you let me do anything. I just thought of making something for you. And Bondita said that you like Payesh.” She held out a bowl, surprising Aniruddha. Aniruddha smiled, as Sumati said, “Usually people don’t eat from a widow’s…” He took the bowl and took a spoonful that melted in his mouth. Aniruddha suddenly feels overwhelmed. He remembered how his own mother used to feed them payesh on every occasion with her own hands. He looked up at Sumati.

“This is delicious Maa.” He smiled at her and at Bondita who knew exactly what he was thinking. The fact that he barely talked of his mother often made Bondita wonder if it still hurt him. And a small gesture from Sumati perhaps helped.

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