Hesitantly I entered her house, it’s a strange feeling, this used to be my second home but today I am feeling out of place.
“Sumit,! Is it you at the door” a cracking voice rings bell in my heart & mind.
Amrita & I were childhood friends. We used to study & play together after coming back from school. Childhood is best part of human life & we too had enjoyed it. We were practically inseparable. In Teenage our fondness for each other grows further. I remember noticing a strange change in the way she used to see me.
I become standstill after listening to her voice, and there she came running from the kitchen. She stops right uncomfortably close to me and look deep into my eyes, I was smiling nervously, and she asks “How are you Engineer babu”.!
4 years back, I went far away to Pune for studying engineering. I remember her crying a lot night before. I tried to console her in every way but she was simply impossible that night. Probably she was rightfully apprehensive and I was naïve enough not to understand her.
Never seen her like this before, She is looking amazingly beautiful in orange saree; she has become a woman now. Little makeup too is adding to her complexion. Her lips are looking more prominent in that lipstick. Never seen her like this before. Effort fully I muttered my first sentence “Hey Amrita you still looks the same”, and then cursed myself for the stupidity. She gives a big laugh and said “Really, I think you want to say something else”, saying this she waves her arm in front of me. She was wearing wedding bangles. Bangles Red, Green, Pink, ... I paid attention to the detailing, I always do. I am afraid to say whether I have missed any apparent obvious messages in the process.
Amrita got married 6 months back, I could not come home at that time due to my exams, though she insisted my parents a lot to force me to come. Her marriage was little upsetting for me as there is a kind of fondness for her in my heart. But after coming to Pune, I got so busy in my studies & new social circle that gradually I kind of forget her and believe that she might have forgotten me too.
“Hey Amrita, we are ready to go”, comes her father. I greet him and he hugs me lovingly. He asks me to sit comfortably and informed that he along with Amrita’s elder brother and bhabhi is going to railway station to pick Sanjay. “Sanjay ...” I mumble to know who he is. “Sanjay! My husband” replies Amrita in deep hollowing voice.
We sit around the dinning table sipping lemonade. And catching up with each other’s developments. I still feel her eyes do more talking than her. In order to lighten the atmosphere I said “Now that you are married and settled I think it is right time for me too to take the plunge” She was not amused, expressionless instead, I continued and said “Lets see what’s the fun in taking 7 pheras”.
Now she smiles and looks further deep into my eyes. Her smile turned into laugh. She gets up from chair and start seeing outside from the window, she is still smiling.
Unable to understand, I kept quiet. Suddenly she turned and says “You would also be taking these pheras second time similar to me.”
“Second time!, what does that mean, I am unmarried, even you were also before your marriage” I said.
She leaves window and stand right behind me, kept her both hands on my shoulder and said “Sumit we had the pheras long before my marriage.”
“Will you take tea or coffee” she asked. Shocked by her earlier statement I mechanically replied “Anything” and followed her to kitchen.
Filling the vessel with water, she said “Sumit did you remember , the day when I did not did the homework of teacher Mrs. Shukla and you submit your notes by writing my name. You suffered severe punishment on that day.” I nodded my head in confirmation; I still remember the beating I got on that day.
“That was our First Phera, where you protected me.” She said while lighting the gas stove.
I was speechless.
“Sumit, did you remember the day when I cooked Matar paneer for the first time and invited you too to our home. I observed that no one has taken much of my dish instead they have eaten other dishes but you have only eaten mater paneer and appreciated it through out the lunch. At the end I came to know that dish had horrible taste. No one complained including you but no one dare to eat, like you did.”
“That was our second phera, where you neglected my shortcomings and encouraged me.” She said while looking at the boiling water.
I leaned on the wall, I am feeling week in my knees.
“Did you remember Neha, the pretty girl, who shifted to our neighborhood, when we were teenagers?” She is again speaking
“I always knew that she has feelings for you. Even you have also sensed that over period of time. One day when we were playing together alone, she came & invited you only to come at her house as she was alone in house on that day. I knew this is going to be a critical moment. I remember, you thought for a while, look towards me for few seconds and said No to her sternly.”
“That was our Third Phera, when I see your loyalty & commitment towards me.” She is adding sugar in the boiling water.
“Amrita....”, I fumble to find some words, but she smiles at me as if saying that it is Ok even if I do not say anything.
“Remember, when you were studying hard for engg entrance exams, you used to have coaching class in the evening. One such afternoon I came to your house and asked you to accompany me to the market. You looked at the clock and then looked at my firm expressions and agreed for the same. We went to the tailor, where as usual I had a quarrel with him over fitting of my suits. You stand besides smiling than you cooled my anger by saying that I look great anyways.
After that we went to grocery shop where I purchased list of items for coming pooja ceremony at home. You added marigold flower on your own. You carried all the bags for me. Then we went to sweet shop, where instead of buying required 1 kg burfi, I bought 2 Kg ladoo, since you used to like them.
Returning back I insisted on eating chaat from our favorite joint, it was spicy and there was no water around you get some water from the nearby road side matka & I drink it through your hands.”
“That was our fourth phera, where you accompanied me in buying all the right things and did all the right things....” boiling tea leafs are spreading its aroma.
I took a deep breath... and stand close to Amrita. I am feeling a soothing calm which was never experienced before. Time has come to stand still and I am feeling like I had lived my full life.
I do not want this to go any further, this is the ultimate... but Amrita is into the groove....
I saw her eyes are wet now, “You would not have forgotten the time when my mother died. I shattered into pieces and was crying day and night. Then you came and took me into your arms, you said nothing but assure me that I am not alone, you are there with me.”
“That was our fifth phera, when you are with me in my tough time.” Milk is being poured into the tea.
“You were always an atheistic and I used to visit temple regularly. You always used to stand outside the temple while I used to go through my routine. One day I insisted a lot and you agreed to come with me inside. I was worried that you would feel out of the place. But you were calm and smiling. Standing beside each other we prayed together and bow our head in front of the deity. I looked at you; your eyes were still closed, for a second it feels as if we were alone in the temple. Panditji came and give us blessings for long happy life.”
“That was our sixth phera, Sumit, where we prayed together.” Tea is boiling and its color has changed, all the ingredients in perfect harmony have produced a product different than their own being.
Amrita took a deep breath and looked at me, I could see the entire world’s love in her eyes “Sumit our seventh phera is due and I want to complete that” she said.
I am surely looking zapped and don’t know what is happening. I have never seen a girl so assertive and I could never imagined Amrita expressing herself so openly.
From the kitchen window, I saw a taxi approaching, it must be them coming back from station along with Sanjay. Even Amrita would have seen it that but she is unmoved and undeterred.
Seeing the sensitivity of the situation, I gathered courage and for the first time countered her “Amrita lot of water has already gone through Ganges since that time, now it could not came back”
She smiles and said “Water would evaporate, form clouds and clouds will bring rain, same water will come back into Ganges.” I am speechless, and thinking what on earth does she want this to end. Car stops in front of the house with the screeching sound.
“Sumit they says it is union beyond this life, beyond seven lives. I knew it was always with you and would remain with you only. Lets complete our last phera to enable our union to continue in next birth cycle” saying this she come close to me and hugged me tightly. I was taken aback and then a magical feeling of love descends and I envelope my arms around her.
Earth has stopped revolving. I am feeling divine and experiencing the finest pleasure of life. I am complete in this moment and so does she.
Suddenly I heard taxi engine starts again, they are about to climb the stairs. I loosened her and wish her good luck and haste towards the door. I wanted to run away before they come inside.
On the stairs, Amrita’s bhabhi is coming first, I tried to quickly pass thru her, but she grabbed my arm, I felt like a thief caught red handed. She rubbed my cheeks by her scarf
It was lipstick. I shivered till inside, gather courage and say “She is still living in childhood days” She says “You are lucky to have love since childhood”. I looked into her eyes and says please tell her not to share her feelings / memories with anybody.
She says “Don’t worry Sumit, a woman’s silence as well as expression are never out of the place.”
