Token of True Love

The first thing that preoccupied Shalini’s mind when she came to Baroda after her long stay in a small non-descript town called Palanpur, three hundred-odd kilometres away from Baroda, was to pay a visit to Narhari Amin Hospital and ask after her pregnant friend Savitri. Therefore, as soon as Shalini reached her uncle’s home, she had a cup of tea, unwound and hoped an auto-rickshaw to Narhari Amin Hospital. The familiar streets the auto-rickshaw passed through and the popular haunts she watched passing by sent her mind racing back to her university days when untrammelled by marital vows of fidelity and far away from parental scrutiny she ventured into hobnobbing with the most coveted studs of the university. The journey down her pleasant past left a wistful smile on her face and rueful tears hiding in the corners of her eyes.

The rickshaw stopped at Narhari Amin Hospital. She got off it and walked to the hospital. She had a glance at the list of patients and hurried to room number 143, where her bosom friend Savitri had been admitted for last two weeks. Savitri was lying on a bed. Her gaze was fixed on the snow white ceiling of the room, as if she was watching her colourful heyday against the drab whiteness of the ceiling. Her crestfallen face got livened up by a much awaited smile when Shalini’s appearance distracted her eyes and set them free from the entanglement of reminiscence.

‘Hi, how are you?’, asked Shalini.

‘I’m fine. And what about you?’ , said Savitri.

‘Though my life does not lack anything that a happy marriage needs, I feel a disturbing vacuum somewhere in my life. I don’t know what I should call it but I know my life was much better during the university days than it is now.’, Shalini spoke.

‘Yes, dear we know that there were dreams in those young eyes and an inexhaustible zest for life in us those days. But we must pass through such a rosy phase remembering the truth that nothing lasts forever.’, Savitri spoke with a consoling tone.

‘And how’s your husband?’, Shalini enquired.

‘Arun is a man of great understanding and a very adaptable human being, I must admit. Though it’s been a year since we got married, we both get along very well and accommodate each other. In spite of his hectic schedule, he manages to steal some moments away from his professional life and takes me to the cinema and posh restaurants every week. He’s a man who loves springing pleasant surprises on me. He takes care of each of my needs.’, enthused Savitri.

‘Do you meet or talk to your old flame Mohan?’, asked Shalini.

An awkward silence ensued.

‘You know everybody has his share of happiness in his life. But, unfortunately, sometimes this happiness is nothing more than a flash in the pan. However short-lived the flash is, it certainly lights up everything, I assume’, said Savitri.

The lines forming on Shalini’s brow indicated her whetted curiosity.

‘Please tell me whether you’ve broken up with Mohan or you still meet him furtively without your husband’s knowledge?’, Shalini enquired.

‘Yes, he met me once. I can’t recall exactly when. There was an abyss of indecision I was helplessly falling in before my marriage. And ultimately, I decided to meet him before I was going to marry Arun. When I was getting married to Arun I knew that I was going to live in limbo swinging between life and death, between pretence and essence, between fond past and uncertain future.’, Savitri said.

‘Dear, you’ve got to forget your past and flow where life leads you.’, spoke Shalini.

‘Yes. I agree. But sometimes past leaves its indelible marks on you and they live on as a reminder of your golden days and like the fragrance of flowers still permeating the air they remind you of the memorable spring that has gone by.’, Savitri said.

‘Do you miss Mohan?’ , Shalini asked as she was trying to decipher the  words spoken by Savtri.

‘Yes, I miss him very much and wish he were with me at every moment of my life.’, said Savitri.

‘What do you do when you miss him?’, asked Shalini.

‘I simply look at the token of his true love that he’s given me.’, said Savitri pointing her finger at her stomach.

With wonder in my eyes I kept looking at her beauty blossoming in her teenage. I still remember her coy face and a blush sweeping across it. And her eyes full of dreams are still lingering in deep recesses of my mind. However, millions waves have risen and fallen on the ocean of time since then. I cannot help averting my eyes from her when in a vain she tries to obliterate the indelible lines drawn by time on her ephemeral body- the body that has housed plenty of loves and yielded with thanksgiving shining stars of dark nights of love.

Heretic

One fish went astray out of its school and was washed ashore for a moment. She felt a gust of wind rushing against her fragile body and experienced harshness of the sun. A wave came and took her in to the ocean. She was fortunate to find her school. She described to her school the sea-shore. First the school derided her but she persisted. Then the school ostracised her. But she could not check her enthusiasm of sharing her knowledge of the terra incognita. And ultimately the school accused her of heresy and silenced her by lynching her.