Neera is in no way related to Lelin dadu by blood. She happens to be the eldest daughter of late Banshidhar, Lelin dadu’s best friend from childhood. Banshi was a few years younger to Lelin and even as a kid had dreams of making it big in life. That is why he moved to Kolkata after finishing high school, and started his own small business. He married late and all his children were brought up in modern ways, unaccustomed to village life and people. Since Banshidhar passed away ten years ago, Neera hadn’t since returned to the village, and had almost no recollection of Lelin dadu.
Neera’s New York is as different from the village of two-lakes, as is Brooklyn Bridge from the makeshift bamboo lake-crossing that threatens to snap if more than two persons or one cow walks over it at a time. Unlike two-lakes, New York has running water and wide roads bereft of potholes. The many heroes of the city, the Lelin dadus, vein through city’s gushing life-forces, but their songs of glory are overpowered by the honks of rushed passengers.
Unlike the two-lakes girls that are married by the time they are sixteen, Neera was twenty nine and single. She worked at an architecture firm in NYC and dated Indian men. For the last few months however, she had been going out with Jeff, a young American man with Irish ancestry who worked in the same firm as hers. She had a big fight with Jeff the day before she had to leave for India, to be with her mom and cousins for Durga-Puja.
As she boarded the airplane at the airport, tangential emotions tugged at her heart: the sadness from her fight with Jeff; the enthusiasm to meet her mother and cousins after two years; the dread of meeting her well-meaning aunts that greet her with the same old “So when are you getting married?” question; and the anticipation of going to the village of two-lakes after ten years. Settling down in her seat, she plugged the earphones and tried listening to some on-air music. The soft swinging of the plane heaving through clouds, the smooth jazz, and the heaviness of Neera’s thoughts had a soporific effect and soon, she succumbed to sleep.
***********************************
The village of two-lakes had been informed well in advance that Banshidhar’s daughter, a beautiful grown woman that made more money than anyone else in the village, a modern girl that wore jeans and clingy tops, an NRI, and peculiarly still single, would be visiting the village for two days. By the time Neera actually arrived at the village, all four hundred inhabitants of the village knew she had arrived. She would be staying at Lelin dadu’s house along with Lelin dadu, his wife, their three sons, the son’s wives, and their twelve children.
The commotion caused by her arrival was something Neera had never expected.
Four or five married women had gathered by the house. Neera knew they were married because they all covered their heads with their sari-pallus, wore red bindis and carried a cheerful but matter-of-factly disposition. One of them had a thermos flask filled with overly-sweetened tea. The lady in the red printed sari had brought Marie biscuits, a tin of uncooked “boiled” rice, and four large young coconuts. Neera hadn’t even asked for things and they had already been arranged for her. But it took her a few minutes to understand that the real reason these women came was to see “her”, and not to bring food and tea (which Lelin dadu’s family was already providing for her). Neera was now beginning to realize that she, to them, was an outcome of the past, a cause for the future, an abnormality, and a celebration, all at the same time.
Within a few hours all boundaries had been broken, and laid out on the big verandah that overlooked the vegetable garden, the hand-pump, the pond, and further down, the village temple. Out on the verandah Neera’s gifts for the family had been laid out on a large straw mat, as they were being carefully inspected, admired, discussed and marveled at by the family and a group of on-lookers( that were only passers-by moments ago). Though overwhelmed and tired, Neera was enjoying the attention and company, and tried her best to make the best of those two days.
*********** to be continued ***************
Neera’s New York is as different from the village of two-lakes, as is Brooklyn Bridge from the makeshift bamboo lake-crossing that threatens to snap if more than two persons or one cow walks over it at a time. Unlike two-lakes, New York has running water and wide roads bereft of potholes. The many heroes of the city, the Lelin dadus, vein through city’s gushing life-forces, but their songs of glory are overpowered by the honks of rushed passengers.
Unlike the two-lakes girls that are married by the time they are sixteen, Neera was twenty nine and single. She worked at an architecture firm in NYC and dated Indian men. For the last few months however, she had been going out with Jeff, a young American man with Irish ancestry who worked in the same firm as hers. She had a big fight with Jeff the day before she had to leave for India, to be with her mom and cousins for Durga-Puja.
As she boarded the airplane at the airport, tangential emotions tugged at her heart: the sadness from her fight with Jeff; the enthusiasm to meet her mother and cousins after two years; the dread of meeting her well-meaning aunts that greet her with the same old “So when are you getting married?” question; and the anticipation of going to the village of two-lakes after ten years. Settling down in her seat, she plugged the earphones and tried listening to some on-air music. The soft swinging of the plane heaving through clouds, the smooth jazz, and the heaviness of Neera’s thoughts had a soporific effect and soon, she succumbed to sleep.
***********************************
The village of two-lakes had been informed well in advance that Banshidhar’s daughter, a beautiful grown woman that made more money than anyone else in the village, a modern girl that wore jeans and clingy tops, an NRI, and peculiarly still single, would be visiting the village for two days. By the time Neera actually arrived at the village, all four hundred inhabitants of the village knew she had arrived. She would be staying at Lelin dadu’s house along with Lelin dadu, his wife, their three sons, the son’s wives, and their twelve children.
The commotion caused by her arrival was something Neera had never expected.
Four or five married women had gathered by the house. Neera knew they were married because they all covered their heads with their sari-pallus, wore red bindis and carried a cheerful but matter-of-factly disposition. One of them had a thermos flask filled with overly-sweetened tea. The lady in the red printed sari had brought Marie biscuits, a tin of uncooked “boiled” rice, and four large young coconuts. Neera hadn’t even asked for things and they had already been arranged for her. But it took her a few minutes to understand that the real reason these women came was to see “her”, and not to bring food and tea (which Lelin dadu’s family was already providing for her). Neera was now beginning to realize that she, to them, was an outcome of the past, a cause for the future, an abnormality, and a celebration, all at the same time.
Within a few hours all boundaries had been broken, and laid out on the big verandah that overlooked the vegetable garden, the hand-pump, the pond, and further down, the village temple. Out on the verandah Neera’s gifts for the family had been laid out on a large straw mat, as they were being carefully inspected, admired, discussed and marveled at by the family and a group of on-lookers( that were only passers-by moments ago). Though overwhelmed and tired, Neera was enjoying the attention and company, and tried her best to make the best of those two days.
*********** to be continued ***************
Comments
:)
And really speaking, like how the story flows, progresses. The details are there. Dress it up:)
She seems to arrive in a hurry and settle in faster than any ABCD I know...faster than any Desi I know for that matter :)
Like Vivek said - the bones are there...now stick some meat on them and break out the grill ;)
I'm eager to see the rest. :)