Dear Monali

Nidhu Bhusan Das :

Dear Monali,
Festival of color is on here to-day. We are shrouded in colors – roseate, green and azure. Sweetmeats are aplenty. I don’t know how you spend the day in New York. Perhaps, you tend to reminisce how we enjoyed the day in Shantiniketan where Vasantutsav (Vernal Festival) attracts people from home and abroad. Can you remember how the inspiration of the spring would color our thought and we would renew our vow to remain together? I understand you can, since you are nostalgic. I expected a Facebook Wall Post from you ahead of the day. Maybe, you are otherwise preoccupied. Since I live in a country where even to-day one can choose not to remain busy, I have the luxury to address this letter to you. I don’t know how much time of your busy schedule will be spoilt when this letter will come to your notice.
I did not have the mind to write this letter. In fact, the routine of sending mails to friends on occasions reminded me of your being in New York. I collected your e-mail address from Mallika. She is all praise of you. We are now good friends. She often visits me at my office and residence. I come to know about your progress in study from her. She says she likes to stay back in India, would do PhD in Microbiology at Symbiosis, Pune. What is interesting is that she tries to explore possibilities of my transfer to Pune where our company has its headquarters for Indian operation. Last Sunday night during our candle light dinner at Oberoi Grand she asked,’ I have heard, the head office of your company for India is in Pune. Why don’t you try to get transferred to Pune?’ I could not at once understand the significance of the query. Rather, I thought she would like to send me away to end the intimacy that has grown between us in your absence. I have felt so far that her overtures towards me have an element of jealousy, possibly, against you. I am not sure I am correct; you may have the proper assessment, after all Mallika is your sibling.
I confess I have developed as much tenderness to her as she has for me. She is handsome, if not a paragon of beauty like you, and has profundity of feeling and an animal spirit, which, you know, I like most. I understand Mallika does not quite feel the pull towards you. I don’t know why. She often asks me how I could develop friendship with you. According to her, you are impudent and the arrogance engendered from your academic excellence. I argue that it is not bad. It helps one to maintain distance necessary for pursuing research. Mallika sneers at such suggestion and says one cannot have an emotional relation with such a girl. She is self-centered and can sacrifice even relation for academic and other achievements. I don’t have such a summary judgment.
I tend to believe Mallika loves me. She is not willing to leave me. She often says we are made for each other. Do you think so and believe we would be the right couple? If not, please advise her. She is now with me. We are two-in-one in the living room of my flat in Salt Lake, Kolkata. She would not talk to you right now by telephone, and is against my making a call to you. So, I write this letter of confession of my love. I may keep you in memory having Mallika with me. You may forget me but I would not like to bury the memory of many exclusive moments with you.
I wish that you reach the pinnacle of academic achievement.

Your now- forgotten- friend
Swapan