Shreya Bannerjee in her late 20's was a beautiful woman, the kind of person one looks upto for beauty, elegance, smartness, academic acheivements and most importantly for a good nature. The Bannerji family was proud of their daughter, and rightfully so. During lunch Boori aunty introduced me to Shreya Di and asked us to talk and get to know each other, apart from an initial hesitation and shyness, within a couple of hours I began to interact with all the youngsters present there with ease. Shreya and her cousins made me feel like I was already a part of the gang as they interrogated me about college, studies and my life in general with genuine interest,taking away any kind of awkwardness that comes naturally when we meet people for the first time.
One of the cousins informed me that this evening we would be having the ashirbaad ceremony, the bengali version of an engagement ceremony that preferably takes place a couple of days before the wedding. Shreya di was living one of the most beautiful phases of her life, and like any normal girl she had dreams of being the most beautiful bride in the world, so she had made sure that she chose the best attire for each ceremony, perfectly combined with jewellery, make-up , shoes and the works. She showed me the anarkali suit she would be wearing for the ashirbaad ceremony,the fabric was a soft pista shade and was heavily embroidered but certainly elegant, and I felt she had the taste,to be slightly cliche yet remarkably different. I verbally appreciated her choice which made her blush with nervous excitement. We chattered casually all afternoon about things such has the wedding preparations, other relatives,the romantic love story of Shreya and her now fiance Anurag , interrupted by funny little gossip sessions of the cousins about their own respective love lives and so on ,meanwhile I kept thinking of my own attire for the evening, I hadn't really planned so much, now I was wishing I had.
It was almost 4 in the evening when Shreya di left for the Beauty parlour to get dressed. I continued hanging around the house with the rest of the family and friends, getting to know them while gorging on tea and snacks that almost magically appeared in all rooms every hour throughout the day. I had just finished my latest cup of tea and was searching for the kitchen to return the cup when I ran into Deep, this time in the foyer, only the second time after I had seen him from the balcony. He was fiddling with his iPhone and headsets and carrying a set of dry-cleaned blazers while walking towards a room, maybe his. He had his back towards me, so I cleared my throat which made him turn. He seemed to recognize me as the girl on the balcony as his acknowledging eyes met mine.I politely queried about the kitchen, he showed me the way and before I could thank him and introduce myself, the man continued walking away, fiddling with this gadget. Not that he was rude, but there was something about his attitude which annoyed me, how much additional time would it have taken to make the conversation last a bit longer and ask a girl her name, especially when the girl is a guest at your sister's wedding. Then a moment later I asked myself why was I getting so flustered,I do not know him at all, hence how he behaves with his guests should be the least of my concerns.So I quickly found the kitchen as directed and went back to the cheerful living room to join the rest of the party,volunteering to help the elders with a few last minute chores.
The guests had started pouring in from 6 in the evening, Ma and I took almost 2 hours to decide our clothes and earrings and to get ready. My mother loves to dress me up,and insists on applying make-up whenever the occasion, Personally I would prefer to keep my face bare most times but just to keep her from getting grumpy about my lack of interest in self decoration, I agreed to apply kajal and a hint of lip color of her choice, and wore a green cotton silk churidar for the ceremony, simple and comfortable, the way I like it. All of us were asked to gather in one of the halls in the ground floor which was assigned for the ashirbaad ceremony, Once we were ready, Ma and I went down to the hall together and joined baba who was already present there helping Alok uncle with some arrangements before Anurag arrived. I scanned the hall once to see the number of guests arriving and to check out the pool of fashion one expects at an event like this. In one corner, next to the pandit stood Boori aunty, all dressed up, talking anxiously on the phone. I started walking to her casually when she noticed me and suddenly asked me to quicken my stride, I hurried towards her asking what was the matter. Shreya di was running late at the parlour and if someone didn't go pick her up immediately the ceremony would get unnecessarily delayed, Boori aunty feared that Anurag's parents might not like to see the bride-to-be missing when they arrived.
"Keya beta, go find Deep for me please, will you?" requested a hyper tensed boori aunty
"Of course aunty, just wait here. and please drink some water, there is nothing to worry about." I calmly replied before starting to look for her son.
I found him near the front gate, chatting with a guy his age,most probably a friend.
I went up to him and said in a business like tone , "Excuse me Deep! Boori aunty is looking for you, it's urgent." He heard me, nodded and went towards the hall, I followed him inside.
What followed in the next 5 minutes was a rapid conversation and split second decisions between mother and son. It was decided that Deep would immediately go and pick up Shreya from the parlour and bring her back to the house before 8 o'clock sharp. He would have to take a girl along who would be able to assist shreya in case she needs any help . Boori aunty started looking around the hall in urgency for a girl to send with Deep and by chance I fell within her view, so It was decided that I would be the assistant.
I was only too keen to be of any help to Shreya di , whom I had taken a liking to and agreed to accompany Deep without any question, so I followed him to the car and sat on the passenger's side quietly as he put on the seat belts, started the engine and we quickly pulled out of the driveway once again at a speed only batman would risk. I was slightly apprehensive about the car ride with this man, There was something about the attitude that was bothersome, nothing negative, but almost like a wall which seemed to be challenging my otherwise clear sense of judgement. Surely it would be an awkward car ride and not to mention boring but only till we reach Shreya Di of course. I sighed and looked straight out of the windshield and chose to entertain myself on my own by marveling at the beautifully lit roads, the pretty houses, people walking down the streets in no hurry, very unlike the non-stop bustling of New Delhi. The almost poetic charm of the Bhopali evening was seeping in as we drove by.
We were only 5 minutes into our drive and as we exited from the resident locality and touched the main road along the lake, I heard a question coming from the driver's seat, "So, you're Keya, like Keya Paata... you're a leaf?
Surprised that he was aware of my name and that this arrogant wall had a sense of humour, I giggled and replied , "Ha Ha ,yes!! I am a leaf, I get that a lot and I know you're Deep and I think you're lost too deep into your own world?"
My poor joke seemed to have an effect on the guy as I watched his stiff facial muscles relax, he looked at me with the expression of a college senior being ragged by a fresher, he realized how I had quite smoothly made a sarcastic remark on him and unintentionally hit bull's eye, he opened his mouth, maybe to defend himself with a comeback but chose not to and gave me a grin instead followed by a friendly wink and finally breaking into an innocent throaty laughter which was so infectious,I couldn't help but join in.
One of the cousins informed me that this evening we would be having the ashirbaad ceremony, the bengali version of an engagement ceremony that preferably takes place a couple of days before the wedding. Shreya di was living one of the most beautiful phases of her life, and like any normal girl she had dreams of being the most beautiful bride in the world, so she had made sure that she chose the best attire for each ceremony, perfectly combined with jewellery, make-up , shoes and the works. She showed me the anarkali suit she would be wearing for the ashirbaad ceremony,the fabric was a soft pista shade and was heavily embroidered but certainly elegant, and I felt she had the taste,to be slightly cliche yet remarkably different. I verbally appreciated her choice which made her blush with nervous excitement. We chattered casually all afternoon about things such has the wedding preparations, other relatives,the romantic love story of Shreya and her now fiance Anurag , interrupted by funny little gossip sessions of the cousins about their own respective love lives and so on ,meanwhile I kept thinking of my own attire for the evening, I hadn't really planned so much, now I was wishing I had.
It was almost 4 in the evening when Shreya di left for the Beauty parlour to get dressed. I continued hanging around the house with the rest of the family and friends, getting to know them while gorging on tea and snacks that almost magically appeared in all rooms every hour throughout the day. I had just finished my latest cup of tea and was searching for the kitchen to return the cup when I ran into Deep, this time in the foyer, only the second time after I had seen him from the balcony. He was fiddling with his iPhone and headsets and carrying a set of dry-cleaned blazers while walking towards a room, maybe his. He had his back towards me, so I cleared my throat which made him turn. He seemed to recognize me as the girl on the balcony as his acknowledging eyes met mine.I politely queried about the kitchen, he showed me the way and before I could thank him and introduce myself, the man continued walking away, fiddling with this gadget. Not that he was rude, but there was something about his attitude which annoyed me, how much additional time would it have taken to make the conversation last a bit longer and ask a girl her name, especially when the girl is a guest at your sister's wedding. Then a moment later I asked myself why was I getting so flustered,I do not know him at all, hence how he behaves with his guests should be the least of my concerns.So I quickly found the kitchen as directed and went back to the cheerful living room to join the rest of the party,volunteering to help the elders with a few last minute chores.
The guests had started pouring in from 6 in the evening, Ma and I took almost 2 hours to decide our clothes and earrings and to get ready. My mother loves to dress me up,and insists on applying make-up whenever the occasion, Personally I would prefer to keep my face bare most times but just to keep her from getting grumpy about my lack of interest in self decoration, I agreed to apply kajal and a hint of lip color of her choice, and wore a green cotton silk churidar for the ceremony, simple and comfortable, the way I like it. All of us were asked to gather in one of the halls in the ground floor which was assigned for the ashirbaad ceremony, Once we were ready, Ma and I went down to the hall together and joined baba who was already present there helping Alok uncle with some arrangements before Anurag arrived. I scanned the hall once to see the number of guests arriving and to check out the pool of fashion one expects at an event like this. In one corner, next to the pandit stood Boori aunty, all dressed up, talking anxiously on the phone. I started walking to her casually when she noticed me and suddenly asked me to quicken my stride, I hurried towards her asking what was the matter. Shreya di was running late at the parlour and if someone didn't go pick her up immediately the ceremony would get unnecessarily delayed, Boori aunty feared that Anurag's parents might not like to see the bride-to-be missing when they arrived.
"Keya beta, go find Deep for me please, will you?" requested a hyper tensed boori aunty
"Of course aunty, just wait here. and please drink some water, there is nothing to worry about." I calmly replied before starting to look for her son.
I found him near the front gate, chatting with a guy his age,most probably a friend.
I went up to him and said in a business like tone , "Excuse me Deep! Boori aunty is looking for you, it's urgent." He heard me, nodded and went towards the hall, I followed him inside.
What followed in the next 5 minutes was a rapid conversation and split second decisions between mother and son. It was decided that Deep would immediately go and pick up Shreya from the parlour and bring her back to the house before 8 o'clock sharp. He would have to take a girl along who would be able to assist shreya in case she needs any help . Boori aunty started looking around the hall in urgency for a girl to send with Deep and by chance I fell within her view, so It was decided that I would be the assistant.
I was only too keen to be of any help to Shreya di , whom I had taken a liking to and agreed to accompany Deep without any question, so I followed him to the car and sat on the passenger's side quietly as he put on the seat belts, started the engine and we quickly pulled out of the driveway once again at a speed only batman would risk. I was slightly apprehensive about the car ride with this man, There was something about the attitude that was bothersome, nothing negative, but almost like a wall which seemed to be challenging my otherwise clear sense of judgement. Surely it would be an awkward car ride and not to mention boring but only till we reach Shreya Di of course. I sighed and looked straight out of the windshield and chose to entertain myself on my own by marveling at the beautifully lit roads, the pretty houses, people walking down the streets in no hurry, very unlike the non-stop bustling of New Delhi. The almost poetic charm of the Bhopali evening was seeping in as we drove by.
We were only 5 minutes into our drive and as we exited from the resident locality and touched the main road along the lake, I heard a question coming from the driver's seat, "So, you're Keya, like Keya Paata... you're a leaf?
Surprised that he was aware of my name and that this arrogant wall had a sense of humour, I giggled and replied , "Ha Ha ,yes!! I am a leaf, I get that a lot and I know you're Deep and I think you're lost too deep into your own world?"
My poor joke seemed to have an effect on the guy as I watched his stiff facial muscles relax, he looked at me with the expression of a college senior being ragged by a fresher, he realized how I had quite smoothly made a sarcastic remark on him and unintentionally hit bull's eye, he opened his mouth, maybe to defend himself with a comeback but chose not to and gave me a grin instead followed by a friendly wink and finally breaking into an innocent throaty laughter which was so infectious,I couldn't help but join in.
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