1989 - A love story

February 1989

Traces of winter were still evident in the cold breeze that flirted with Manikpur. Ram's wedding was on the next day. A bus full of people, traditionally called the baratis, stopped in front of the only function hall in the small village.They were all showed rooms and one by one chose places to rest for a while before the pre-wedding ceremony began in a couple of hours.

The bus was parked in one corner of the large field in front of the function hall. Towards the west, sky turned dark blue from dark orange as the chill in the breeze began to show. The moorish silence of the field was disrupted by a brand new Yamaha RX100 which zoomed into the scene. Driving the monster was Manish, a recently graduated Doctor - the groom's cousin and riding the pillion was Prashant, the 23-year-old carefree, careless and fearless guy, another cousin of the groom. 

Prashant and Manish met the groom, spent an hour with him and then signaled each other out. They walked out, into the open and sat under the only large neem tree. A few other cousins also joined them and they had a good time. It was about 11.30 in the night when they were asked to come inside for dinner. They were all made to squat on the floor in rows. Prashant impatiently chose a place under the fan and asked his cousins to sit beside him. It took a while for the food to arrive, but when he looked in front of him, his eyes lit up. One of his relatives, who he had seen only as a young girl was now a fully grown woman and was wearing a saree. Her cousin accompanied her. He couldn't help but keep looking at her beautiful eyes. The grace with which she wore a saree and the strand of hair that hung from her left side melted his heart. She had worn a silver color bindi. He was bowled over when he saw her smile which looked like a dazzling display of fireworks in the dark night sky. 

That was it. He instantly fell in love with her. He knew her family. They were relatives, after all. But then, it made things all the more difficult. The dinner concluded in a while and the gathering dispersed. They were all seated in the hall. His impatience grew with every passing second. He had decided to speak to her. And given the anger and impatience that was filled in him in abundance, he was not going to give up soon. Manish sensed it and left him alone. It was half past twelve and people refused to sleep. They gossipped endlessly. But Prashant kept searching for her. And then, finally, he found her. She stood in a corner waiting for someone, probably. He walked directly to her and said, 'Are you Shalini?'

'Yes, Thank God, you recognized me Prashant!' she said. 

These words gave him a sense of triumph he had hardly experienced in the recent past. Half his job was done. He looked straight into her eyes and said, "You look very beautiful in this saree. And how tall have you grown!" 

They had spent many summers playing together. And thankfully, that spark of affection still existed between them. They spent two minutes talking. 'Why did you grow a  beard?' she asked. 

'Why? Don't I look good?' he asked. 

'No, you look very good,' she said. 

Prashant was a tall, well built young man. As they spoke, the glow on her face and the sparkle in her eyes made Prashant feel elated. He sensed that she was interested in him too. After five minutes, her cousin arrived and she walked away. Half-an-hour later, he spotted her again and kept staring at her. He had no interest in the proceedings at his favorite cousin's wedding. The world moved in slow motion as long as he kept looking at her. Unable to take this anymore, he decided to make the move. He looked around to find a cigarette box lying in the corner of the hall. He tore it and on the plain side, with a borrowed pen, wrote 'I Love You', signed it and asked one of the kids to give it to the her. It all seems like a movie. But then, movies are a reflection of the society. Luckily, the kid handed over the letter to her and not anyone else. She read it and hid it in her hands.

The next morning, everyone was ready for the marriage. The last person to take a bath was Prashant. Every one had moved to the main hall. As he wore clothes, Shalini entered the room. He fumbled and covered his body. 'What did you mean, when you sent me that letter?' she asked. 

'I meant what I wrote,' he said. 

'What do you think? Tell me your response, now!' he said as he buttoned his shirt.  'Junglee' she said and walked away smiling. 

That was it. This is where it all began. From that moment on, they were only seen in pairs. Even while they returned after the marriage, Prashant sat adjacent to Shalini and Manish drove away on his Yamaha with another cousin. Elders in the family observed everything. But then, since it was crystal clear, nobody bothered. They were all for the match. 

They spent two days together at the bridegroom's village (Also Prashant's grandmother's house). They moved like a pair everywhere they went - to the farm, to the temple, to the terrace, for a walk and so on. Life seemed so beautiful. Prashant felt as light as a feather. She loved his company too. But then, she hadn't responded formally. The beauty of these two days lied in the fact that they had not touched each other. Only their eyes spoke.

The gloom on their face made it evident that it was their last day together for that time. They were all seated in a row for lunch. The moment they served rice, Shalini began crying. He looked at her and he started crying too. People wondered what was wrong. But then, it wasn't too late before they realized. Prashant somehow finished his lunch and walked away. When Shalini came out with a glass to wash her hands, he held her by her arm and said, 'So when are you telling me your decision?'. She began crying again. Noticing that they could soon be seen, she said, 'Come to Gulbarga on 1st March, I will tell you' she said. 

That was the last he heard her speak. Prashant returned to Hyderabad. The next twelve days, he spent waiting for 1st of March. On 28th Feb, he hardly slept. That morning, he got up at 4, bathed and at 5 AM, he kick-started his Ind-Suzuki and raced away on to the highway. He was in Gulbarga at 9.30. He knew which college she studied. He zoomed into the women's college compound and started walking towards the classroom. Just as he was about to enter the building, he heard Shalini say, 'Prashant!'. He turned around and when he saw her, he had tears flowing down his eyes. 

'Come, let's go out,' he said. She sat behind him and he drove straight to Kamat Hotel. They occupied the corner-most table in the A/C section. They spent an hour there and then, finally he asked, 'You asked me to come, I'm here. Now you tell me, what's your response?' 

'No, not just yet. Today I have an exam at 12.30. Can you meet me tomorrow, I will tell you for sure,' she said. 

'Again tomorrow?' said Prashant. This time, the anger in him surfaced into his eyes. His tone reeked of his impatience. He somehow controlled his disappointment and said, 'Alright. But just one more day,' he said. 

Manish lived in Gulbarga. He spent the night there and explained the whole story to him. Manish said, 'You are one crazy man. Don't force her too much. Let her take time'

The next morning, she arrived at 10.00 am to Kamat Hotel. They sat in the same place again. After having breakfast and Prashant having very positive hopes about the girl but impatience gushing inside him made him a sight to watch.  He said, 'So, what have you decided?' adjusting his sleeves. 

'Why do you think I am meeting you here,' she said.

A smile lit up Prashant's face. He looked at her and said, 'I love you, Shalini' and drew her towards him. In the empty A/C section of Kamat, for the first time, he intimately held her hand and pressed it. 

Prashant's face was not glowing like a flood light. He had achieved whatever he wanted to. But this excitement lasted only for ten seconds. And this is what happened after that. 

'So when are you sending your parents to our house?' she asked. 

'What?'

'Yeah, so when are you sending your parents, to talk about our match, etc.' she asked again.

Prashant looked at her slightly confused. The smile had partially vanished from his face and his glow had faded. 

He said, 'Why should my parents come to your house? You are the girl. Your parents should come to my house' 

Shalini looked confused. She wasn't too happy. She said, 'You are the one who started it. Why not let your parents come and speak to mine. That's easier,'

'I am the guy. My parents will not go anywhere,' he said angrily.

'Send your parents,' he added. 

Shalini looked into his eyes and said, 'I want to come and live with you, be a part of your life, why don't you send your parents?' 

'My parents will not go and beg anyone,' he said. 

'Why do you think it is begging?' she said. 

Prashant looked at her. He said, 'One final time. Will you send your parents?'

She said, 'No.'

"Alright then. Have a good life," he said and walked away leaving three Rs.10 notes on the counter. He never turned around and looked at her. 

One mistake Prashant made was, he assumed she would come running behind him and later send her parents. He was wrong. Nothing like that happened. 

Twenty two years had passed, but the feelings were still fresh in Prashant's heart. In 2011, at the marriage of the small kid who handed over the first love-note he wrote for her, Prashant from a corner, showed me Shalini. She was old now, she was married and had teenager kids. But I've seen it, her eyes sparkled. 

Today if you come to think of it, there would have been nothing wrong if Prashant had sent his parents to speak about the match. But then, ego destroys love. And of course, only destiny can change destiny. 

- Deepak Karamungikar