Mera jeevan sansar mera
“When is everyone arriving for Janmashtami?” Binoy Roy Chowdhury took a bite of his toast at the breakfast table as he asked nobody in particular.
“ Within a week I hope. The Kirtaniya Vaishnavas will come by the last week of the month. I told Bihari to set them up at the empty huts on the premises. Malati Boudi is coming with Bouma, and her newborn daughter two weeks before the pujo. Subinoy and his son are busy as usual. Bina… well… doesn’t want to come.” Trilochan Roy Chowdhury shrugged, “I don’t blame her.”
“I hope she doesn’t miss Durga Puja.” Binoy shook his head.
“Do you now plan on calling Nikhil da?” Somnath had a hint of taunt in his voice as he sipped his tea.
“Of course not.” Trilochan frowned, “besides, rumour is he has converted to a member of Brahma Samaj fully.” He shrugged, “And I haven’t forgiven them yet.”
Binoy shook his head. “Should I go and invite Mukhopadhyay Babu?” His stare met Somnath as Trilochan sighed.
“I think…” Trilochan’s eyes stopped at Ashapurna walking into the dining hall helped by Koeli.
“What are you doing here?” Somnath got up and pulled out a chair for her. “I told you not to come downstairs so often.”
“I wanted to check on something.” She smiled faintly. “Yesterday Didibhai called and instructed me on what needs to be done as soon as I mentioned Janmashtami.” She looked at Trilochan who looked pleased.
“Did she?” He asked surprised. “I am happy that leaving Tulsipur didn’t make her aloof from her duties.”
Ashapurna nodded. “I also gave her Batuk’s contact number, now that he has moved from Mashi’s house into a hostel.”
“I still don’t understand why he didn’t want to stay with Mashi.” Somnath shrugged, “Wasting extra money on the hostel.”
“He just wants to be independent Som, nothing wrong with that.” Binoy shook his head and got up. “Anyway, Dada, should I go and invite them?” He asked, “After what happened…”
“Is this my family you are talking of, Shoshur Moshai?” Asha asked, looking up, pulling her anchol further over her head. “I am sorry, I shouldn’t have an opinion but I don’t want them around.” She looked away. Somnath looked displeased.
“You shouldn’t talk like that when elders are discussing.” He snapped.
“No, Som.” Trilochan stopped him. “It is her family and she does have an opinion. Bouma?” His words made Somnath walk away murmuring “Nobody here cares about my respect!”
“Jetha Shoshur Moshai, it was my choice to stay away from them because they were wrong and didn’t even apologise for it. I don’t want them here. I don’t want people to think there is something wrong in this family or that Didibhai not being here makes a difference.” Trilochan smiled proudly at her words. Binoy shook his head and left.
Bondita had saved up her pocket money for the past few weeks and decided to call Batuk on the number Ashapurna gave her. Although Aniruddha suspected her frequent phone calls home, he never interfered with them. Bondita heard the final bell go off and collected her bag to go out quickly. Manorama stopped her by grabbing her hand.
“Wait, we are all going to sit under the tree for a while and chat, come along!” She smiled.
“No, Mano, you carry on. I have something important to do!” Bondita smiled.
“Let her go, Manorama.” Sudeshna teased “Her husband must be waiting.” The others laughed as Manorama glanced over at Bondita who shook her head.
“No. I have to call home. I have a family too, apart from him.” She smiled. “I will see you all tomorrow.” She nodded.
“I have to get going too.” Sudeshna smiled, “My husband is taking me to the theatre tonight.” She blushed.
“That’s some plan!” Anil smiled. “Manorama, do you want to go and have some mango juice? I need to buy some books at Boi Para.”
“Sure.” Manorama nodded.
Bondita watched her walk away with Anil as Sudeshna dragged her by her hand and whispered.
“You know there is something I suspect.”
“What?” Bondita frowned at her whisper.
“I feel my husband is having an affair.” Bondita’s brows shot up at her words.
“You see, he’s been extra caring suddenly.”
“Maybe he is…” Bondita shrugged. “Go enjoy the theatre, don’t read too much into it.” She shook her head.
Aniruddha was walking from the Court House towards his chambers when he spotted Manorama with an elderly gentleman walking towards him. He stopped to smile out of courtesy as Manorama did the same.
“Strange. We seem to be meeting every day.” Aniruddha spoke, folding his hands in a namaskar.
“Yes. Aniruddha, I am sorry to bother you like this. He is one of our member’s fathers. When I told him you have offered to help us, he wanted to see you immediately. Nashkar Babu, he is the barrister I was telling you about.” Manorama introduced. Aniruddha folded his hands in courtesy as the feeble-looking gentleman surprised him by taking his hands into his cold wrinkled ones and sobbing.
“They beat him up, tortured him and made him confess to things he didn’t do. Please save him.” The man sobbed.
“His trial is in three months,” Manorama spoke. Aniruddha looked at the helpless father and felt emotional. He took the man to his chambers and offered him water.
“Don’t worry.” He reassured the man. “I will look into the case myself.”
Manorama smiled at his reassuring words. “You remind me of my Jetha Moshai.” He smiled faintly “I am happy you stood by him, most families abandon their children in these times.” Manorama agreed to his words. Aniruddha took all the files, refused the fees and helped the man get a rickshaw to take him home. Standing on the curb of the busy street he sighed and turned to Manorama.
“I better get home, I will be late.” He said checking his watch, “Can I drop you somewhere?”
“No.” Manorama shook her head. “Thank you.”
“You said we are like friends Manorama, you should stop being so formal with Bondita and me.” Aniruddha smiled.
“Alright, can I ask you something I am curious about?” He nodded.
“Tell me about your family. Bondita says you are quite famous in Tulsipur.” Manorama smiled.
“Well, we are the Zamindars there. So that’s that.” He shrugged.
“And you have a Jetha?” She asked.
Aniruddha nodded. “And Baba and three brothers.”
“Your mother?” He shook his head. “Must be tough, in a womanless household.”
“Bondita was the only woman in the family until Somnath got married.” He smiled. “She never let anyone feel the void.”
“How long have you been married?” Manorama’s question made Aniruddha stop for a brief moment. Was it eight years? Was it one? He suddenly remembered something.
“What’s the date today?” He asked abruptly as Manorama frowned.
“Thirteenth July, why?” She frowned.
“I have to go, excuse me.” Aniruddha walked away as Manorama stood frowning at his retreating figure. Did she ask something she shouldn’t have?
“Batuk!” Bondita smiled into the receiver, gleefully “Your voice sounds so different on the phone!”
“Boudi? How are you and Dada? I tried to contact but Choto Boudi didn’t have your phone number.” Batuk sounded pleased. When the Dorm head had called him he had assumed it was either Binoy or Ashapurna on the phone. He was pleasantly surprised.
“We are fine Batuk, we don’t have a number yet, but I will call you from the telephone booth.” She reassured him. “Tell me about Bombay.”
“ It is such a busy city, Boudi, everyone seems to be on their toes. The seaside is so serene and the food is different. But… I miss home. Are you going for Janmashtami?” He sounded sad.
“I miss home too Batuk. No, I have examinations soon, we are going back for Durga Puja.” Bondita smiled. “Finally. I have so much to talk about, college and friends, Calcutta and the new apartment... but the long-distance calling is very costly.”
“I know Boudi, don’t worry. I will be back for Durga Puja too. We are definitely catching up then. How did you convince Dada? Choto Boudi told me they aren’t talking yet.” Batuk sounded amused.
“Oh you know how stubborn they are, don’t worry, they will talk soon. I will make them!” Bondita smiled. “You know me!”
“I don’t doubt that. Did you make friends?” He asked.
“A few, not as good. How about you?” Bondita asked.
“ A few for me too. Most of these people don’t understand my native tongue and I am learning Hindi.” Batuk smiled.
“I have to go, Batuk, write to me, note down the address,” Bondita spoke with her eyes fixated on her watch.
“No Dada, show something in a brighter colour.” Aniruddha shook his head. The shop at Shyambazar, with its red banner on the white background showing its name “Bikrampur Vastralaya '' was frequented by ladies. The women around him stared at him, some amused and some surprised. Aniruddha didn’t seem to notice either.
“What type of saree do you want?” The shop owner asked. “Dhakai, Jamdani, Taant, Tassur, Silk?”
“Umm…” Aniruddha looked perplexed. He spotted a type of saree he had seen Bondita wear.
“That one?”
“That’s Dhakai.” The owner smiled.
“Show me some bright colours.” He added.
Ashapurna sat with her feet up on a small tufted chair, while Koeli kept vigil on the ladies preparing for the Janmashtami puja. Ashapurna’s face appeared rounder now that she was in her second trimester and her baby bump showed no matter how loosely Koeli put the anchol of the saree. Trilochan being a man of faith considered it an ill omen if the woman had their eyes on her baby bump before the last Sadhpuron. Her feet and hand were painted red and although Dai advised her against much movement, she kept attending to guests who came over to meet her.
“Will we meet your parents at the Pujo?” It was Malati Jethima who asked her the question, making her smile fade. “The main puja is at midnight right?”
Ashapurna sighed. “They have the puja at home too, so they won’t come.”
“It seems like we are the only people who came so early and are eager. Even the house’s elder daughter-in-law is absent.” Malati spoke, almost irked.
“Didibhai wanted to come but…” Ashapurna shook her head.
“Don’t make excuses, not at least with us. We are family.” Malati snapped before walking off murmuring to herself.
Ashapurna shook her head. Kadambini smiled at her, with the infant child on her lap, barely one, looking curiously at the flowers.
“Oh, do you want some?” Ashapurna asked, extending her hand to the child who came to sit on her lap. Kadambini sat down beside her, as her mother-in-law went over to the kitchen for looking into the lunch arrangements.
“Why isn’t Bondita Didibhai coming? She is always so active in festivities.” She asked as Asha looked up at her. “She has her first college examinations in a few weeks. They will be coming for Durga puja.” She smiled, reassuring Kadambini and putting an end to any seed of suspicion in her mind.
Bondita kept her books neatly on the table and sighed. It was almost one at night and she was tired. Yawning as she stretched a little, she kept the books away and switched off the living room lights. She tiptoed into the room to find Aniruddha still awake, reading a book, on his side of the bed. Frowning a little and laying her pillow straight, Bondita asked, “Do you not have work in the morning?” Aniruddha looked up from the book he was engrossed in at her tired face. He didn’t seem to realise she was already in the room.
“Oh, did you finish?” He asked bookmarking his book and closing it.
“I am very nervous, this will be my first University examination. Many of the seniors have suggested they are biased towards men and give women lesser marks. At least some of the orthodox teachers who still can’t wrap their heads around women getting educated.” Bondita sounded worried.
“Then take up the challenge, and make sure you give them no place for bias.” He reassured her “I know if anyone can do it, it is my Bondita.” Aniruddha smiled as she looked up at him.
“I am also tense about Sunday. I also called Nikhil Thakurpo and Sampoorna Didi. So many people to cook for and…”
“A husband to help you with it, why worry?” He made her smile.
“We should sleep. Otherwise, I will miss classes and you will definitely get to court late.” Bondita shook her head, undoing her bun. “I was just a little …”
“Sad? Because of Janmashtami?” He made her look up.
“You remembered?” She asked, surprised, raising her eyebrows “The last time, I remember someone didn’t want to participate and went to sleep.” She glared to make him smile.
“I didn’t have a dominating wife then.” He made her gasp and narrow her eyes.
“Barrister Babu, what are you accusing me of?”
“Nothing any husband wouldn’t accuse their wives of.” He shrugged, putting his arms around her shoulder as she smiled, sitting closer to him on the bed. “I am sure they miss you too.” He spoke reassuringly. “Do you want to do pujo here? I can arrange…”
“No… Kakababu said Bihari Babu will bring us Prasad. I was thinking… why don’t we take Sampoorna Didi along too, for Durga Pujo?” She appeared to be thinking.
“Again, I never said we are going.” he frowned.
“I never asked you.” Bondita shrugged amused. “I told you we are going.” He shook his head.
“We will see if Nikhil wants to go, you will not force them.” She nodded at his words reluctantly.
“Enough about the world now.” He shook his head. “Now about us.” He wrapped his hand around her waist and removed the locks of hair from her face, tucking them behind her ears.
“What about us?” She frowned as he moved back making her look confused and walked up to the trunk in the corner and opened it. He took out a brown paper bag and brought it to her. She looked up at him with questioning eyes.
“I thought there would be nothing better than giving you a saree with the fees of my first independent case, on our anniversary.” Bondita looked surprised at his words. She opened the wrap as a red and white Dhakai peeped out from it. Her eyes shone.
“Subho Bibaho Barshiki.” Aniruddha smiled “Do you like it? I bought it myself.”
“I love it. I am so surprised I don’t know what to say… I forgot…” She smiled sheepishly.
“Oh I did too, it was Manorama who asked how many years we…” Aniruddha spoke as Bondita stopped unfolding the saree.
“Who?” She frowned.
“Manorama. She asked how many years we are married and I suddenly remembered…”
“She went to see you?” Bondita frowned. “Today?”
“Yes, someone wanted help, why?” Aniruddha shrugged.
“Nothing.” Bondita shook her head. “When will I wear this?”
“How about now? ” He smiled teasingly. Bondita shook her head. “I think I will keep it for Durga Puja.” She smiled amused at his sulking face.
“Let me fold this up and put it in the trunk.” She spoke as she walked towards the trunk and Aniruddha lay down.
“What did you tell her?” Bondita asked unmindfully.
“What?” Aniruddha asked cluelessly.
“What did you tell Manorama?” Bondita repeated, “Since when are we…”
“Eight or one, how does it matter?” He shrugged with a smile. “You are stuck with me for seven lives now Mrs Roy Chowdhury.” He made her smile. Bondita folded the saree unmindfully and came back to lie down beside him as he pulled her closer in an embrace.
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