This time, holidays are going to be different , Sudipto pondered.The sultry wind & dusty roads to Rajgangapur,his ancestral village were indicating the same.He was accompanying his mom to the place which she had last visited as a newly wed along with his father.
His ancestors were zamindars of that place, his mother had told him."Zamindar", the term created an image of a king like man in Sudipto's mind.,who was laden with jewellery & fine clothes,smoking hookah & drinking wine while owning loads of money for which he tortured poor farmers.
Despite the feeling of guilt engulfing his mind for being the descendant of a zamindar, he was more or less very curious to explore the place he had never been to, Rajgangapur.The place where his family owned a huge haveli,a temple,a pond filled with fishes,a mango orchard,a huge garden where farmers grew vegetables & flowers & endless fields of paddy as described by his mother who would repeat this to Sudipto while shifting his attention, to make sure he finished his meals as a toddler.
Sudipto smiled as he remembered his rapt attention to the stories of Rajgangapur.He was eighteen now, all set to join Delhi University for his Bachelor's degree in English.Three months from now,Life's gonna change! he thought to himself.
Ahh the smell of Rajgangapur! his father's exclaimation during dinners.Sudipto wondered what it meant.His father, had recently shifted his base to Oman & his mother was going to join him after Sudipto joined DU.His mother, very religious at heart had decided to offer prayers at their ancestral deity's temple at Rajganagapur.Hence the visit.
Rajgangapur was truly beautiful.It was everything Sudipto had imagined.The pond, the temple, the paddy fields were no longer his imagination. The Ambassador car halted before what appeared to be an ancient palace,ruined to a large extent yet exuding magnificence.Get down Sudipto,we have reached,his mother said as she put the pallu of her saree over her head, the custom she had followed as a newly wed years back.
Arre arre ke acho,shigiri eshho,ke eseche dekho!(Come soon!Look who's here) exclaimed a middle aged man who welcomed them with a warm smile.BouMoni,its so good to see you after so many years , the man said & to double our happiness we have Sudipto babu also.The man must be Narayan Kaku,Sudipto wondered.
Narayan was Sudipto's father's distant cousin & the care taker of their property & haveli at Rajgangapur.He lived with his family of 10.He was just as his mother had described, cheerful & extrovert.I am happy to meet you too Kaku,Sudipto said.
After a simple homecoming tilak by Narayan's wife Malati & his children, Sudipto & his mother entered the haveli.Victorian architecture with huge pillars, wooden see through windows,huge courtyard,moss covered walls,wooden ceilings, Sudipto was observing each & every aspect of the haveli.
Malati had prepared a special meal for them.Piping hot rohu fish curry,rice,fish mustard curry,saag,5 varieties of bhaja(fries),tomato chatni,cabbage curry & dal.Sudipto was given the fish head as he was the special guest.He ate till his heart's content.
After the sumptuous meal & afternoon siesta, he decided to walk around & explore.The mango orchard was nearby,his mother had told him.The youngest son of Narayan,Chotan happily volunteered to take him there.
As he reached the Orchard,listening to the happy chatter of Chotan,Sudipto asked if he could teach him how to climb trees. Chotan with a lot of pride & happiness agreed & showed him a demo.
While articulately trying to follow Chotan, Sudipto lost his balance & fell.But more than his fall what startled him was the sweet laughter that followed.
Looking around he saw on a tree, a girl seated. Draped in a saree,the girl was laughing continuously,her long curly hair moving in tow.Her face was beautiful with a hint of mischief.
Hey Koutuki ! Stop laughing! shouted Chotan. I wont! she retorted back. Next time lift him with you to the tree! She giggled as she got down & ran away.
That night, there was a power outage & Sudipto decided to sleep on the terrace with Narayan's children.
After initial attempts he realised that he was unable to sleep, not because of the powercut, nor because of his pain, it was the giggles of a beautiful & mysterious girl Koutuki.
He had to meet her again.
