Saath dega woh
Agar ho hausla mera.
The Sunday preparations were a mess as Aniruddha tried in vain to help Bondita out.
“Did you see how the saag was half rotten when you bought it?” She asked.
“I did check, it wasn’t rotten then.” He shrugged.
“It became rotten magically in a few hours?” Bondita asked, with her hand on her waist.
“Check the Ilish, it's so fresh.” He insisted. “I have learnt to know fish apart.”
It made Bondita giggle. She took the spatula from his hand and shook her head “Go out of the kitchen now.”
“I want to help. Should I cut some vegetables?” He asked.
“Go and read the morning newspaper, Barrister Babu.” She snapped.
“But I want to help. Should I clean the fish?” he offered.
“Do you know how to?” Bondita raised her eyebrows as he almost made a pukish face at the smell of fresh raw fish.
Aniruddha almost burnt the Shukto, which he insisted he could at least stir while Bondita fried the fish. Bondita was almost irked to the point of shouting at him as he refused to step out of the kitchen. It was Sampoorna’s arrival at the right time that saved the day for him.
“I will never again say I will help where I can’t.” Aniruddha shook his head as he sat down across from Nikhil, who smiled.”She is furious.”
“Then you won’t be yourself, Dadabhai.” Nikhil shook his head “You know her friends?”
“Met them once or twice.” Aniruddha nodded “I am glad she has friends.”
“Yes, Sampoorna's lack of interaction with anyone outside our house and owners has kind of made it difficult for her to stay at home.” Nikhil added, “I am busy and even after the classes she teaches, she has ample time to herself.”
“Why doesn’t she try some hobbies?” Aniruddha suggested, “I remember she liked singing.”
Nikhil nodded “I think she is still worried about Ma Baba.”
“Oh, I am being forced to go home for Durga Puja. Do you two want to come along?” He asked nonchalantly.
“Dadabhai, even if we want to, I am still not sure…”
“You will have a hard time convincing Bondita that.” Aniruddha nodded. “She seems firm…”
The knock on the door made Aniruddha get up and open it to spot the familiar faces of Anil, Manorama, Sudeshna, Subodh, Ila and Moitrayee.
“Please come in,” he smiled. “Bondita?” he called out to her. Bondita came out of the kitchen alongside Sampoorna and introduced everyone.
“Why don’t we go into the bedroom while the men chat here?” Sampoorna asked as Ila and Sudeshna nodded.
“I will get some snacks and sweets for them, you take ours, Didi.” Bondita nodded.
“I can help if you want.” Manorama offered, standing at the threshold as soon as Sampoorna left.
“Oh no. You are our guest.” Bondita shook her head “Barrister Babu won’t like it if I make guests work.”
“I insist.” She nodded, taking the tray of teacups in her hand. “Please don’t be formal.”
Bondita walked into the living room area with the snacks and sweets right behind Manorama, as she offered the men tea. Aniruddha refused as Manorama frowned.
“You don’t drink tea?” She asked. Her informal tone caught Anil’s attention as he looked up at Bondita behind her.
“What is that?” Nikhil followed his gaze to ask as Manorama moved away.
“Some singara and jilipi.” She smiled. “Lunch will be late.” She placed the tray down. “Here’s your coffee.” Aniruddha looked up as she offered him a cup. He smiled and took it with a nod as Manorama called Bondita. “Let’s go and sit inside.” She nodded.
The gloom of the room didn’t escape them as soon as they entered the bedroom.
“I am sure of it. I don’t want to spoil the day but…” Sudeshna wiped her tears as Bondita and Manorama frowned.
“What happened?” Bondita asked as she and Sampoorna exchanged glances.
“Her husband is having an affair,” Ila said.
“How did you find out?” It was Manorama who asked the question.
“Well… he kept hiding things from me, came home late, bought things that were not for me… it was not like he was trying to hide anything…” Sudeshna shrugged.
“But it is a very serious accusation.” Bondita reminded her. “Are you sure?”
“You always need to keep an eye on men.” Ila snapped, “They just go wandering off as soon as the year turns.”
“Some women lure them too,” Sampoorna added.
“Well, if the woman is single, she can do what she wants, feel what she wants, it is the man’s moral to be tested,” Manorama spoke as the woman looked a bit surprised.
“I partially agree with you, Mano. But then, if you are after another woman’s husband knowingly, you also lack morals, isn’t it?” Bondita shrugged. Manorama looked a bit taken aback.
“No. What I meant was feelings are beyond our control, right?”
“Acting upon them is not.” Bondita looked up at her face, and she looked a little pale. Bondita frowned a little and concentrated back on Sudeshna.
“What will you do now?” She asked.
“I have nothing to do, nowhere to go. My family won’t accept me back.” She shrugged. “I have to pretend like it never happened for my own peace of mind.”
“Are you planning on having children?” Ila asked. “I heard that solves everything.”
“I don’t think it does.” Sampoorna smiled faintly. “It buries issues under a rug.” Bondita nodded.
“Bondita?” Aniruddha at the threshold was quite surprised by the quiet chatter of the ladies while the men debated rather loudly on politics. “I think we should serve lunch.” She smiled, nodding, as she got up and tucked her saree at her waist.
“I should go help you.” Sampoorna offered.
“No Boudi.” Aniruddha shook his head. “We are the host, we will.” He made Bondita smile.
“You will serve us, Dada ?” It was Ila who looked surprised.
“Why not?” he frowned. “If you can do all that and study and work, why can’t I?” He shrugged and followed Bondita out.
“That’s the first I heard from a man.” Ila’s voice was clearly impressed by Aniruddha. Sampoorna smiled.
“They are always like that, back home in Tulsipur even more…”
“You are from there too?” Manorama asked eagerly, “Tell us more…”
“Well, to start with… my late husband was his friend… he used to teach Bondita… they saved me from Sati…” She saw the women look at her, shocked and gasping.
Throughout the day, while serving food and chatting in the living room, Bondita suddenly started noticing Manorama paying undivided attention to anything Aniruddha had to say, laughing a little louder at his jokes and asking him further questions on topics that interested him. Bondita had hoped she was imagining things. Her eyes met Sampoorna’s once or twice as though Sampoorna knew what she was thinking. Bondita brushed away the feeling and served the evening tea before everyone left.
“Bondita’s cooking is heavenly.” Anil complimented, as Subodh and Nikhil agreed. “We will expect more such invitations.”
“Oh yes, as soon as she tops the examinations.” Subodh agreed.
“How sure are you?” Ila asked. “I can too!”
“With your brains?” Subodh teased her.
“Well, even if I top the exams, you have to wait till the beginning of next term to get another invitation.” Bondita smiled.
“Oh yes, they are going to Tulsipur,” Nikhil added.
“We are.” She narrowed her eyes at him, “You know that Thakurpo.” She made Aniruddha and Sampoorna exchange glances.
“We'd better get going.” Sudeshna looked at the watch and said, “I have to get back and cook dinner.” Ila and Subodh agreed as they got up.
Aniruddha walked out with them to the main road for them to catch buses and trams while Bondita bid goodbye to Sampoorna and Nikhil.
“As soon as I manage some time, I will go visit you one afternoon, Didi. Maybe drop in for lunch.” She smiled as Sampoorna hugged her. “You are most welcome.”
“We'd better get a rickshaw,” Nikhil said as he waved Bondita goodbye.
“Remember about Tulsipur.” She smiled.
“You won’t give up, will you, Boudi?” She shook her head.
When Ila caught the tram, it was Manorama who was left behind at the bus stop with Aniruddha, whose eyes were on the road, to catch a glimpse of the red double-decker buses.
“You can go home, I will get the bus eventually.” She said as he shook his head.
“No, that is alright.”
“So both of you will be home for a month or so?” Manorama asked.
“What?” Aniruddha was caught up in the noise of the vehicles to listen properly.
“You are going home for two months?” She asked again.
“Oh, we aren’t sure for how long.” He shrugged. “But don’t worry, the cases won’t suffer.” He reassured her.
“Bondita seems to have the last say.” Manorama smiled. “That’s a rare thing.”
“Only when she is right.” Aniruddha smiled. “Which she usually is, I must admit.” He nodded.
“You didn’t say how long you were married and ran off. Did I offend you?”
“Oh no, I just remembered something important.”
“I see.” Manorama smiled. “I thought I said something I shouldn’t have.”
“ It's been eight years. There. Your bus!” He waved at it to stop. “Go safe.” She nodded and disappeared into the crowded bus.
Bondita was cleaning the plates when Aniruddha walked in and joined her.
“You don’t need to.” Bondita shook her head.
“I do.” He nodded. “It was a good day, wasn’t it?” She nodded in silence, making him frown.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing…” She placed the plates down in the sink.
“Anil seems rather impressed by you.” Bondita stopped at his words and turned. Aniruddha was standing with his back to her and washing the dishes “He kept complimenting you, I noticed.” Bondita smiled.
“And?” She asked, amused.
“I guess I am proud.” He glanced over his shoulder at her. Bondita shook her head.
“Manorama seems quite impressed with you, too.” His hand stopped at the plates, and he laughed.
“Are you making this up because I said that?” He asked, raising his eyebrows.
“No.” Bondita shook her head. “I observed.”
“You are reading too many novels, I think.” He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “You are seeing and imagining things…”
“Barrister Babu…” She asked, leaning against the kitchen door frame.
“Hmm?” Aniruddha was still concentrated on the plates.
“Will we always be like this?” Her question made him stop and turn.
“No.” He shook his head, making her narrow her eyes and look at him. He had a lingering smile.
“We will change, grow, mature, learn and unlearn.”
“What if we lose each other in the process?” Bondita frowned. Aniruddha looked irked.
“Tell me what is wrong with you, why are you saying things like this?” He asked. “ I never think anything will change between us. We will always challenge each other and the world with our thinking. Did someone say something to you?”
Bondita looked up at his irked tone.
“Bondita?” He asked again due to her lack of response.
“No. No. It’s… nothing.” She shook her head.
“Now I will do all this, we will have the leftover rice and fish for dinner, and you are going to study now.” He folded his hands to his chest as Bondita sulked, nodding her head and walked away to fetch her books. “And stop thinking all that when you study!” He called after her.
The Roy Chowdhury house was decked up for the Janmashtami celebrations. Kirtan singers were called from nearby villages, and the entire mansion smelled of jasmine and tuberoses. The kitchen for Chappanno Bhog was set up separately while the main kitchen was used to cook for guests, and the house smelled of Kheer, butter and Malpoa. Right in the middle of the Thakur dalan, a cradle was set up for the Lord. Trilochan Roy Chowdhury himself bathed the gold statue of the infant Lord with milk, Gangajal, tulsi and butter. The Kirtani Vaishnavs played their Dhol, Kartal, and Khanjani all night long. The guests kept flocking, from the relatives and guests of the Zamindars to the villagers. The whole village was awake for the Janmashtami celebrations. The prasad was distributed among everyone afterwards... Trilochan walked away from the gathered crowd, kirtan and noises a little before dawn and retired to his chambers. Sitting down on the reclining chair, he kept his cane aside and sighed.
“ No matter how many people flock to my courtyards, Maa Dugga, it is never the same without her.” He smiled nostalgically, closing his eyes.
A ten-year-old curious Bondita was looking at the preparations for Janmashtami. A little taller than the height of the large vases in the courtyard to be filled with tuberoses, she had her hair made into two braids, with red ribbons matching her bright red saree.
“There you are, are you dressed?” Trilochan grabbed her attention away from the large vases towards him. She ran to him, her nupur making a sound along with her new glass bangles.
“Thank you for the new saree Kakababu.” She smiled a wide smile. Trilochan looked down at her and nodded.
“Will you help me bathe him?” He asked. Bondita nodded with an unsure frown.
“Bath whom?”
“Bal Gopal, of course.” He pointed at the gold statue on the swing. “We use butter, milk, holy water and…”
“Kakababu, you told me so many people across the village died of famine a few years back.” Trilochan frowned.
“What has that got to do with…”
“Should we waste so much milk and butter that can feed poor people…” He had shouted to make her stop. He felt like she had added to her sins, comparing the holy offerings to mere mortals’ food. Bondita had stepped back in shock. She hadn’t been scolded before. Not in this house, at least. She looked teary-eyed first at him, then at Batuk, who stood looking scared behind her. She ran off faster than she came.
“Bondita?” Trilochan felt his heart sink a little as soon as he saw her tears. She wasn’t a crier.
He had found her sitting on the floor of her room, sobbing.
“Bondita?” His words had made her stand up, her back to him, wiping her tears. “I didn’t mean to…”
“I want to go home.” She sobbed “I want to go back to Maa. Wherever she is.” She sounded distant. Trilochan sighed.
“But this is home.” He reassured her firmly.
“No, it is not if I can’t say what I feel.” Bondita frowned. Her cheeks puffed up as she looked away from him. Trilochan smiled.
“Well, you are allowed to be angry with me, because this is home and I am family.” He had told her. Bondita glared at him. For a moment, he remembered his mother’s stare every time he or Binoy would get into trouble.
“Come now.” He persuaded her. “You would like to swing the cradle before Batuk, won’t you?” Bondita’s face lit up in childlike innocence. Trilochan knew that on Janmashtami day, his house was home once again, in the emotions Bondita’s tiny hands tied it with.
