That half day at Hridaipur

Memory is like salt .The right amount brings out the flavor in food, too much ruins it.

Leaving the cab, amrita has started approaching towards the departure lounge. She is not late, so far.
Rather, ample time she has to complete necessary formalities to be on board. She is habituated in air
travel. But, in each occasion, she feels anxiety till the take off. X -ray of cabin baggage, putting tag on her
boarding pass, placing the bag in drop counter, security check: things happened one by one in normal
sequence. Finally, Amrita sits near the exit gate with a coffee. She is, still early in taking the flight…

Amrita is born and brought up at Siliguri. In rare occasion, Mita travels outside Siliguri. Somewhere mita
has read that : author James Jayes was obsessed about Dublin. He had never travelled outside Dublin.
Literally not like that, but, mita thinks, somehow she is also obsessed about Siliguri. Her college life, brief
affair with Rin, job, marriage: everything has happened at Siliguri. Actually, she has never thought of
doing something outside Siliguri.

Here comes the boarding announcement. Mita slowly moves into the queue with her virtual ( in mind, in
memory) travel to past. Oh.. Finally it’s the window seat and she has settled with seat belt…

At the 2nd year of her conjugal life, Amrita has got the offer as a content writer from a mid level
advertisement company, stationed at Guwahati. The firm is not widely known like TATA or Reliance. But
it is not so little known also.

Mita has started discussing with Bijit with the offer. To her surprise, (husband) Bijit has given a positive
nod. Rather Amrita’s dad has many objections. He was dead against the proposition. Before marriage,
Mita has started doing job, which she has continued, even after her marriage. Upto this, dad has
thought: enough. But, mita will work from Guwahati and her husband will be at Siliguri : it is too much to
digest to her dad-mom and any such parent there..

There is a hidden ambitious lady as suppressed within Mita what Rin has observed once. But, it is the
notion or some that shed of mita what her parents have probably missed. As a better-half through two
years of courtship, Bijit has probably thought about it. So, he has not put any objection. Thus, after a
month, mita has started working at Guwahati..

In the first two months, it was very difficult for mita to get acclomatised. At night with a little sound, she
has become awake. Then she went sleepless. Slowly things have become easier. Bijit has visited twice
during that time. Mom also has come and stayed for long. Then mita has started her force bachelor
work life at the capital of Assam.
If u live in the past all the time, you will find yourself with no present to reminder.

Cabin crew has announced that they will start serving snacks soon. Mita has taken upma.. With the
warmth of the upma, mita has smiled little bit about thinking her brief travel to the past..

One night, mom was with her at Guwahati..

‘ Dad is still angry with me…’?

‘ Oh of course. But, mita, you know I was always thinking about your future and it was always my
priority..’

Mita has remembered that after the Rin episode, mita was depressed. Dad has hurriedly arranged her
marriage. At that point of time, it was an issue whether Mita can continue her job after marriage or not.
Mom has immediately intervened. Has talked with to be in-laws and finally have settled it positively.
That time also, Bijit has a positive nod.With a brief sigh, mita has thought: has she made proper justice
to Bijit..?

Mita was searching for love, what , in some way , Rin has provided to her for a very brief duration. But,
Bijit ? He has never objected mita, for any of her venture. But what about his love? What mita has
expected from her husband: Love, loyalty, tenacity and marvel of intelligence? That is probably beyond
the scope to deliver on part of Bijit. Mita suddenly thinks, her husband is caring, responsible, non-
intervening type. Is it good? Or, she will like exchange of heated words on different household issues!
She feels little bit confused.

‘This is an emergency. The captain has detected a fuel leak in the right engine through a cockpit alarm.
He has shut it down. The Mayday call (distress signal from ship or aircraft needing help) from the cockpit
has made to the Air Traffic Control (ATC), Hridaipur.’

With this announcement, the mood in the aircraft has changed dramatically within a moment. Some
people have started praying. Some has tried to go towards cockpit, having no idea, what exactly is to be
done at such a situation. A deep flow of panic has taken place among all the passengers on board.
Suddenly an aircraft, full of happy, ready for landing people has converted into a crazy, traumatic, mad
place.

Mita has started thinking that it is her last travel. Some horror scenes, like an aircraft in fire, some
injured blood-bathed people in ambulance and cry of injured people come one by one in Mita’s mind.
Will she survive? Will she meet? Meet to whom? …

‘Ladies and gentlemen, the ATC has given clearance for landing. Don’t be panicked. We are taking all
possible efforts for a safe landing. Be patient. We are landing shortly..’
This announcement from the cockpit has made a very little improvement of the traumatic situation
within the aircraft. Hastily, Mita has seen the airport, the runway is surrounded by ambulances and
security staffs and she has also observing the reaction of other co-passengers. Suddenly, her eyes were
stuck on diagonally opposite corner seat. A gentleman..Is he ? She has robbed her eyes .. Is he ? He has
laughed and has shown a victory sign..Mita has closed her eyes. She has heard: ‘ we have landed safely..’
The Fly Air flight from Guwahati to Hridaipur has landed in the midst of shower of aviation fuel on the
runway..

‘Love asks life: How days go? Life says: for you, I colored my hands with henna ‘..

Chubby chick, a spectacle.. Otherwise, as it was..Rin has made a hand shake with Amrita. It is roughly
three years, they met again. In a different city, in a different mood.

‘So, mita u r travelling alone..? ! ‘

‘ Rin, do u think I was shy ? ‘

‘ Oh no. Not at all. The , what has brought u here ?

’For a presentation. I am working with an advertisement firm. We have a business deal scheduled here.
One of my senior colleagues will be here on today afternoon. Tomorrow, we shall have the
presentation.’

‘Great. Probably, you could not do it, if we were together at Siliguri.’

‘ Oh rin..Please don’t say such hypothetical things..What u are doing here?

‘Me? Not so important thing like you. I am on a private trip.. .’

‘ Really? So, where is your wife in the pleasure trip?’

‘ Mita. I said private, not pleasure..’

It is small airport and it is a small city also. Mita has booked a cab through pre-paid service. Arin was
waiting for someone. Soon, both of them have dispersed in two separate directions.

Yearning for an ex?

Mita, can I take a room in your hotel? ‘

‘Yah.. u can. If room is available, who can prevent you to be here..But,..’

‘ But .. but ? ‘

‘ But, I think , it will not be wise ,for any of us. Because, it would be an evidence. On some day, who can
say, it may be interpreted in a different way.. ‘

‘ Oh Mita.. you are so scared..

‘ Rin, I am a wife of someone. U r also married. Both of us are here for some prefixed work. It should
not be counted in other way.’

Oh Mita, you are still so obsessed of ..

Obsessed of what ?

Will u allow me to be at your place?

Ummm. Okay. At the restaurant, in front of my hotel. After dinner, at 09.30 p.m.

Oh no. Mita, u are giving me a formal business appointment..

Sort of…As I am on a business tour.. But, Mr. please notice the time of appointment. Will be nothing
official in it.. I promise..

Missing a lover, that Mita, never had

Even after three years of separation, those days are still visible in Amrita’s mind. She can still feel the
agony, pain and frustration; she has to pass through in those days.

In the beginning, she has tirelessly tried to find Arin. His cousin, who has shared a flat in Siliguri with
Arin, was then contacted regularly. After a period of two months, it has become clear to her, that,
nobody is telling the truth to her about Arin. Rin has shifted himself in a college of the same owner
group, near Kolkata. To her utter surprise, Rin didn’t possess a cell phone, exclusively for his own use. He
has used different people’s phone including that of his mom. Finally, it has become very clear to Mita,
that Rin and his family has left her forever..

This brings pain with a mixed feeling of humiliation..What she has done with Rin ? She has protested
against Rin’s casualness in career advancement. She has protested against his narcotics addition. Both
was linked with the future well-being of Rin. .. Yes, her mode of expression were probably, at some
point was mixed with violence. But it had happened in between her and Rin.. There was no third person
present over there, then..

So, clearly, it was Rin’s decision to leave Mita, unilaterally, forever..

Set for a date? what‘s on Rin’s mind?

Mita was surely the strongest ‘addiction’ in Rin’s life then. Surely, Rin has many sources of addiction: his
gaiter, poetry, narcotics, Mita..

Mita has probably not thought about in that way. After narcotics addition was exposed before Mita and
to Rin’s close associates, it was a collective decision to eliminate narcotics. But, it was to some extent
Rin’s personal prerogative to eliminate Mita at that stage. Was it a conscious decision or Rin’s self
prerogative to put some legitimacy into his decision? His male ego..?

If it is, then, why Rin is so scared to meet Mita now..?

Rin : Mita, the most precious possession of love is break up..

Mita : Rin, I don’t agree. You seem to be in Victorian era..

No Victorian age thing. The latest Bengalee movie that has received good public response this year, is
again telling about this.

Bijaya ? Oh..life is not a movie..

But, movies are made on stories of life.

So, u want to celebrate your break up with me..

No, not at all..

Yes, off course..

That day, I have shouted against your narcotic addiction, your casual approach to your career
development..

Only shouted? You have destroyed the exercise book, contains my 6 years’ poetry collection. You have
almost crushed my guitar.. Only shouting? You had almost destroyed me, unless I made you to leave?

Was it a way, Rin , to make one’s girl friend to leave..

Mita, we were probably friends plus. Not BF-GF..

Friends plus like Half Girl Friend?!

So, you have entered into fiction, finally..

No, not me. You are always in the world of fiction: movie, novel.. whatever..

Things apart..You have met me for this calculated endless quarrel?

Calculated? You have said calculated?

Yes. I have said it. Because, you have made this appointment.

But, Mita, I have not taken your cell no. U have { in full sense } dropped your business card in the side
pocket of my bag..

He.. he.. he.. It was a trap..

Yah.. Honey trap.

Honey trap? he.. he.. he..

It is already half past ten, Mita. They are closing. Probably, I have already crossed your given time line.
Sorry. It’s over for today.. Bye..

Hurriedy, Rin has turned back …

Mita can remember that, in similar fashion, some six years back, Rin has suddenly said good bye at a
Durga Puja pandal in Siliguri.

Hey, Rin, it will be a busy day ahead for me. Please text me. If I can manage. Rin has half turned, half
laughed and finally disappeared. fully.. Love has smiled silently, at last..

‘Winter: it brings people home.’

On 2nd day, they could not manage to meet; even at late night ...Rin has some suddenly got affected by
cold. He couldn’t make it through. Then they have decided to meet on the 3rd day of their visit at
Hridaipur. In fact, that was the last day of stay for both of them at Hridaipur. They have decided to visit
the places of tourist attraction.

To start with, they went to the Natural History Museum.

‘Mita, do you cook at home?’

‘Oh Rin, this is a question, normally asked by a woman, when she talks with another (little known)
woman! I am living alone at Guwahati.’

‘Do you?’

Yes, it is, for the last eight months..’

‘What about your conjugal life. And you have not replied my previous question.’
‘I cook in rare occasion. I have arranged for a home delivery and it is convenient. Me and Bijit meet once
in a month. Sometimes he comes. Sometimes, I go.’

‘Great. Unthinkable. Romantic Mita has become careerist Mita.’

‘Yah. That you can say. Anyway, you have not uttered so far the reason for your coming at Hridaipur..’

‘It is little-bit delicate. I have come here to meet one of college friend. He is presently in a distress
situation. Depressed also. I have talked with him in last two days. Have tried to provide little fuel, so that
the car of his life can start moving..’

‘ Oh Rin. You are doing social service here..Why you have gone to Guwahati?

‘Actually, there is a Guwahati Chapter of our college’s Alumni association. I was there to meet our
friends there. Then I came to know about this guy. Then have decided to rush here to attempt some
restoration sort of..’

‘ Is your mission successful ?’

‘Partially. May be some more meetings will be required.’

‘So, you have given vocal tonic to your old fried. You have that capability.

’What capability’

‘To influence the people somehow to move in the desired direction’

‘He he. .Is it ? Then, that capability cannot be made effective on you!’

‘Jokes apart, Rin. Other than your guitar, I was fond of your talking.’

‘Oh. I couldn’t realize that.’

‘That is your incapability. Now, what I feel is that we have to listen to those people, who genuinely love
us. We should provide them at-least one opportunity.’

‘Opportunity for what?’

‘We have to say yes. I am with you. Opportunity to be together with. Then see, how chemistry works..’

‘So, fate of relationship will be decided by chemical equation?’

‘Literally not. But, factually yes.’

‘In this Natural History Museum, we can see the evolution of the lifestyle, culture, rituals of people in
this region. These all are chemistry, at a given physical condition..’
Walking with the wind..

After the natural history museum, they have moved to the famous Pratap Sagar Lake. There was speed
boat fun ride. In the mid of the lake, when the boat moves fast and the water jet touches the rider of
the boat, Mita has unclipped her hair. The water lightly touches her hair..

‘ Oh rin, I can remember that day, at the Teesta river bed. Me, you and your guiter..’

‘That days are no more. Those are sweet memories only..’

The ride ends. They has come out in the midst of heavy flow of air that has swept away both of them..

Twilight, together and…...

It was 4.30 in the afternoon. Both of them have flights to be on board at 7/7.30 in the evening. . Their
last visiting point was Hridaipur Fort. It was a giant structure with its partial reminiscences..

In the gallery, they were watching weapons, as used by Rajput warriors in the fourteenth century..

‘ Rin, have you noticed the weapons. How strong were those people? I want to say, they were holding
these during war and had used for own protection cum beheading enemies..’

‘ Yah.. they were pretty strong. They were Rajputs. Swar kant jai/ firbhi jiska dhar larte jai/ o Rajput ! ‘
[He ,who can continue his fight , even after being beheaded by enemies is Rajput ! ]

‘ Rin , you are again uttering dialogues of popular movies like the Padmabat..’

‘ Sure. I am doing it. Because, this thing has come to my mind first as a definition of those brave
warriors..’

‘ No doubt , they were with lion’s heart..’

‘Mita, this all people know. But, most of us miss that they were romantic people : true lovers..’

‘ True lovers.?’

‘ Factually, we, the common people , in many occasions only see the black and white, we miss the in
between..’

‘ What is in between ?’

‘ The grey. For Rajput, we identify them as brave warriors. If we think about their love stories, we then
immediately club it with war. Like how Mr. Jaisi has once done.’

‘ Mr Jaisi ?’
‘ Mr. Malik Mahhammad Jaisi. In the sixteenth century he has written the story : Padmabati’

‘ You want to say, before Mr Jaisi’s story, Padmaboti episode cwas not so popular’

‘Exactly. At that time love was always clubbed with the story of a fierce fight..’

‘ Then’..

‘ Then nothing.. The trend continues. In our history, there is a never-ending reserve for such stories,
which in different form, still entertains people. You can see, what happens in Bahuboli..’

‘ Oh Rin , in a given opportunity, you have started your lecture, incidentally, now about love and war..’

While talking, the sun slowly departs towards the west.. A thin ray of setting sun falls upon Mita’s face.
It is the same light what makes a magic on the look of anyone at such moments in some occasions. The
twilight saga..

Rin has seen it.

‘Mita. I can’t control myself ‘..

‘? ‘

‘Can I ? Can I’

Both the leafs touch and penetrates in the twilight..

Mita has taken a shower and has settled in the sofa at her small drawing room in Guweahati.She has
seen three missed calls. Two from Rin and one from Bijit..She thinks for a while. .She suddenly feels little
pain at the corner of her leaf. Her recent memory with rin..

She called back to Bijit..

‘ How is the trip Amrita. Is everything all right..’

‘.Yha.. ‘

In the television set , probably in the next flat, one voice is saying : ‘ Even if there is no union of hearts,
we may at-least join hands..’ The speech continues..