She Won't Reveal (8)

She Won’t Reveal (8)

Nidhu Bhusan Das

Nilu was back home, proud. She telephoned Mr. Bose at 11.15 a.m. In fact, he was waiting for the call. She occupied his mind and thought since he'd woken up in the bright morning. He’d many thoughts. What’s the good news she’d share with him, would the news be good also for him, would she enjoy the exclusive time with him, or it’d be merely a meeting of convenience for her only?

While Mr. Bose was speculating thus, Nilu planned elaborately on the impending encounter with him. She’s sure he’d be useful for Kolkata as Jerry’d be for Delhi and Oxford. She keeps Jerry in good humour with phone call every night. She’d keep Mr. Bose within her breath, and be very casual with him. That’d be paying, she calculated.

Mr. Bose beamed as his cell phone buzzed with a Beethoven, and received the call.

“Hello..A..,” Nilu faltered but recovered in no time and said,”A-mal, it’s Nilu speaking.”

His first name sounded so sweet, and he felt the warmth of her breath flowing into him with her mellifluous voice.

“How’re you, Nilu? Good Morning.”

“I’m fine, you?”

“Excellent, waiting for you to meet.”

“I’m within your reach, dear.Only 20 minutes away.”

“Is it?”

“I’m excited, dear, going to ignite the car to race to you.”

“I’m thrilled at the prospect of having a fantastic time together.”

“We’ll have, dear, so soon.”

At 11.40 a.m. the doorbell of the hotel room rang, and Mr. Bose rose from the sofa and rushed to open the door. “Hmm dear! I’ve come…to be with you,” said Nilu with a smile that spread all over her Aryan face which had the hue of a fresh yellow rose. He took her hand and they melted into the room.Nilu hurled herself into his embrace. Their warmth shut out the chill of the Himalayan December. They sat on the sofa and she went into a huddle with Mr. Bose. He began to fondle her and gently imprinted a warm kiss on her forehead which she felt with eyes closed, and, in return, planted her lips on his. This being the intense romantic aura, the minds had distinct thoughts.

“Is it real? Why this sudden rush and crush? She hadn’t shown such craziness last time in the hotel. She visited me, as it were, to speak her mind on Anu, and her infatuation to Jerry, originally friend of Anu. She’s critical of Anu to the point of being vituperative. Now she’s totally different,a girl  without blushes, demonstrates her lust and love. Is it a kind of honey trap?” thought Mr. Bose with Nilu breathing emotion, swelling his.

Nilu’s clear in her calculative thought. She had only one emotion. It’s not of love. It’s not of any finer feeling. It’s a passion for upward mobility in respect of her academic ambition. She’d like to repeat the stratagem which had brought her success so far. Even the inclusion of her for presentation of paper in the seminar in Shillong was possible because Jerry had been instrumental. Professor Jyotirmoy Sarkar of Calcutta during conversation at his hotel room referred to Amal Bose and said they were classmates and still good friends.Nilu said Amal is her friend and was now at Amlarem on trekking. Prof. Sarkar is a renowned scholar and senior academic with clout. He laughed and said Amal cannot resist the call of the Himalayas. At once Nilu decided she’d use the good offices of Amal to her advantage. Emerging out of the room, she called Amal in an amorous tone which surprised and excited him.He began to feel Nilu is a real girl vibrant with life and love.

“I’ve come to love you, dear.It’s fantastic being with you. I like people of the world. You’re, really, a man exploring people and climes. You know the language of heart. Won’t you own me? We’re made for each other,” Nilu expressed an impassioned desire.Mr. Bose had been longing for such an advance since he met Nilu.Being an introvert he’s unable to express himself. During college and university days, he’d so many girls to his liking but couldn’t go over to anyone of them. No angel was there to come and tell him,” Yes, Amal I love you.” Girls have their own conceit and they don’t like to lose their personality proposing. They demonstrate their spring of love only when approached. Only Nilu is an exception.Mr. Bose being hungry might have failed to understand exception isn’t to be relied on as a pure emotion. He thought,” After all, Nilu’s boisterous and a well of love. She overflows in the Cupid-free Himalayan nook.”

Mr. Bose was overwhelmed. They frantically made love, unaware of the gliding time. They went to the washroom when it’s 3 p.m. It’s late for lunch, but they’re contented. Soon they got out of the room and into the dining room on the ground floor. There’s no diner then, and they’re alone. The menu was of Bengali food.Nilu said she couldn’t like fish because of the bones, and usually avoid. “I’ll sort out the problem, dear,” Amal assured and said,” I’m going to get rid of the bones for you, okay!” Nilu beamed,” So nice of you. I know you’re there to help me, always. Now on we’re together, perhaps, for ever, if you like.”Amal confirmed,” I like to be if you’re also eager.” He fed her, literally with his own hand as they now felt they had, meanwhile, shared everything and would continue it after the lunch was over.

”I enjoy the food,” she said earnestly.

“Because it’s delicious, and they cooked well.”

“Not that. It’s because you’ve fed me. It’s fantastic, you know.”

“I’ve the pleasure, honey.”

“Also it’s mine, sweetheart.”

Amal looked at her watch and said” let’s not waste time. We may go back to the room, perhaps.” She took the hand of Amal, and they climbed the stairs to the room.

Once in the room, they were on the bed feeling the aroma of their breaths in silence with their lips locked in wild pleasure. Feeling the state of bliss Amal said, “I can bet the world for you, Nilu.” Nilu softly said,”I know, darling. You’re so good.I could never miss you.”

“Have you found any opening? I’d like to get you settled in Kolkata.What Jyotirmoy said?” Amal wanted to know.

“The Professor’s all praise of you. He loves you so much, as if you’re gay. I’m jealous, dear,” she said in the warmth of their contact.

“We’re good buddies, you know,” he said.

“He’s a powerful man, can create openings for me.”

“Maybe, I’ll be able to see to that.”

“Would you do that, dear? I’m really fortunate.”

“Fortune has brought me here this time, or I’d miss you, honey.”

“Then we’ll be ever together in Kolkata.I love to be in Kolkata,I dream the city.”

“Won’t you dream me?”

“Can’t you believe it?”

“I feel it.”

“That’s like my boy,” she said and began to snog him wildly.

“You’re wonderful, darling.”

“You, too. It’s my first experience. I’m in bliss with you.”

The love making lingered till 5 p.m. when it’s time for Nilu to drive back home. They walked down the stairs and Amal bade her good bye as she drove back home.

Prafullada saw Nilu driving away as Mr. Bose waved to her, happy and contented. Anu sent him with hot milk in a flask and honey for Mr. Bose to take as cure for his cold.Mr. Bose, unaware of what Prafullada had seen, took him to the room. The gardener saw two long black hair lying on the bed and smiled slyly as Mr. Bose was drinking the hot mixture. His earthly common sense doesn’t tell him to hold Nilu in high esteem and he often wonders why Anu ma’am is cordial with her.

“How’s Ma’am?” asked Mr. Bose.

“She’s cheerful,” replied Prafullada.

“Has she any message for me?”

“She hasn’t told anything.”

“Oh!” he exclaimed, visibly put out.

“Has Nilu ma’am returned?” Prafullada asked innocently.

“Nilu,I don’t know, perhaps she has,” he muttered, taken aback and in guilt and asked,” Doesn’t your ma’am know?”

“Maybe, she doesn’t. She’s silent about her.”

“They’re good friends, aren’t they?”

“I see ‘em together at the bungalow but ma’am never calls her.”

“Is it?”

“She comes on her own.Ma’am never goes to their house.”

“Interesting! They’re not friends!”

“Maybe, they’re not.Ma’am remains a silent listener when Nilu talks.”

It’s understandable, Prafullada’s a keen observer. He’s the clear perception that Nilu isn’t a welcome guest of Anu. The reason’s also perceptible.Anu likes tranquility for her brooding mind to remain active. The boisterous nature of Nilu doesn’t go with Anu’s serenity. Besides, Nilu’s intrusive, and tends to violate privacy. It’s interesting, when Anu’s mother visited her daughter and spent days in the bungalow, Nilu wasn’t seen anywhere near. But when Jerry came, she’s there for long hours even when Anu’s at office, and talked with him. This didn’t escape the eye of Prafullada.She’s the same role when Mr. Bose visits Anu. Now, Nilu calls Mr. Bose at his hotel room, and long hair lie on the bed.Mr. Bose wears short hair. “Should I report back to Anu what I’ve seen?” he began to think, seriously. As he’s on his way back to the bungalow, he’s weighing the options. He won’t allow anybody to harm Anu who’s away from home for peace. He now feels he shouldn’t have shown Mr. Bose the missive he preserves with care because he understands this note may have something relating to the melancholy of Anu. “Will Mr. Bose exploit his knowledge of the content of the letter to have his amorous relation with Nilu deepened?” thinks the gardener. He’s alarmed. This alarm makes him resolve,” I’ll tell ma’am what I’ve seen- Nilu’s seen off from the hotel and two long hair on the bed of Mr. Bose in the hotel room.”  ( continued on 10 April 2014)

She Won't Reveal 7

She Won’t Reveal (7)

Nidhu Bhusan Das

Anu is an exquisite mix of the Orient and the Occident, Nature and Civilization, the Rural and the Urban, the Folk and the Literary, with the first option of each binary dominating her character. By the way, she told me the other day she’s traditional in respect of family, won’t tend to be radical and an iconoclast. Perhaps, that’s why she’s now a recluse. When she cannot accept certain things like parental neglect and prevarication on the part of the lover, she maintains silence as a way of protest. She’s strong enough in this posture. Outwardly, she’s western in dress code, formality and behaviour, but her intrinsic quality and value lies in her Indianness.

As I was sneezing, punctuated by coughing when in conversation, she went inside and came with a bowl of hot milk and a bottle of pure honey. She poured a spoonful of honey into the milk and asked me to sip the hot mixture. I smiled and followed her instruction. She said,” Mr. Bose, whenever you’ve such irritation/ailment, it’s better to have this for relief and cure.”

“Why don’t you suggest allopathic?” I asked.

“This is Indian, tested for centuries,” she was prompt.

“We urbanites usually are unaware of such cure.”

“This is folk medicine, Ayurvedic, you can say.”

“Your parents are doctors.”

“Thamma would never allow their treatment. She’s always for Aurvedic system of medicine.”

“So, you’ve unflinching faith in the system.”

“Because it’s found infallible insofar as I’m concerned.”

Meanwhile, she called in Prafullada and told him to get the juice of tulsi (Ocimum Tenuiflorum / Ocimum Sanctum) and honey for me next morning. She told him to take that to my hotel early in the morning for me to drink before breakfast. She said this is an infallible medicine for cold.

She’s Indian in different other ways. It’s really strange a convent educated girl bred in urban upper class culture could remain uninfluenced by the western ways. Not that she’s unaware of and unaccustomed to that culture. The fact’s she’s a staunch follower of her thamma, and is comfortable being oriental in thought and outlook. She’s for reasonable synthesis of the orient and the occident, with the orient having primacy. From her school days, Anu is a lover of music, both eastern and western. She learnt the art in earnest. While in Kolkata and Delhi she participated in concerts, including solos to the applause of the audience. She knows the nitty-gritty of the western classical music, but is anchored in the Indian classical tradition. She won standing ovations in Delhi and Kolkata for her sonatas in which she rendered Tagore and Nazrul into lofty music.

When asked, she fluently poured out her knowledge of the two music systems and the fusion of the two the Indian maestro like Pundit Ravi Shankar has made possible in style. She said when western music has its foundation on Do,Re,Mi,Fa,So,La,Te  Indian music is based on Sa,Re,Ga,Ma,Pa,Dha,Ni. Even Indian music has 12 notes like its western counterpart. Western music has Jamming while in Indian music there is Jugalbandi.Main instruments of western music are piano, violin, clarinet, cello, oboe, guitar (it came much later). Indian music depends on sitar,harmonium,violin,tanpura, tabla,mridangam, santoor and hawan guitar (newly introduced) . Western music has as themes romance, passion, and anger, and lust, harmonization while Indian music deals with peace, tranquility, romance, passion and melancholia. Indian music uses a different type of notation technique since its style and pattern cannot be expressed well in western sheet music form.

I understand Anu is fond of the study of parapsychology and paranormal. In her beautiful study I found two of her book shelves stacked with journals and books on parapsychology. Besides, Bengali books like Bhooter Galpa(Story of Ghosts),Maratmak Sob Bhooter Galpa( Serious Stories About Ghosts), Bhoyankar Bhautik Galpa(Horrific Ghost Story),Bhayanak Bhautik Kahini(Awful Ghostly Story),Bhayankar Bhautik Galpasamuha(A Collection of Terrible Ghostly Stories) and Bhautik O Rahasyamoy Galpa( Ghostly and Mysterious Stories) found place of pride in the shelves. Journals and books on planchette are also in place. As I showed interest in the collection, Anu turned enthusiastic. She began to talk on the Ghost in Hamlet, Witches in Macbeth, and Ariel in The Tempest and the Fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Not that she’s an avid reader of Shakespeare. She says,” I haven’t read Shakespeare much but am aware of the supernatural entities in his works.”

“Do you believe?” I asked.

“Is there a reason to disbelieve?” she questioned and continued,” You see the role of the Ghost in Hamlet. He told his son, the Prince of Denmark, how his younger brother Claudius had gotten him killed and usurped his throne and the bed. But for this intelligence, Hamlet won’t know the secret and understand why his mother hastily shared the bed with his uncle. Think how the witches provoke and bolster Macbeth to get rid of King Duncan to become the king of Scotland, how Ariel under command of   Prospero helps the banished duke in having sweet revenge on his conspirator-brother and his accomplices. The fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream show how the incorporeal entities have the same emotion of love, sense of fun and aptitude for indulging in conspiracy as those of humans.”

“I’m a student of philosophy,” I said to counter her belief, perhaps for the first time under her spell,” and cannot think positive about the supernatural entities.”  She has the mettle and won’t track back, and said,”Mr. Bose, Hamlet and his friend Horatio were students of philosophy. They studied classical philosophy which combined ethics, logic and natural science. Yet Hamlet had to accept the veracity of the Ghost.” To illustrate her point Anu quoted Hamlet as saying:

“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,

Than are dreamt of in our philosophy.”

She continued:” Mr. Bose Hamlet and his friend Horatio studied Philosophy at the famous Wittenberg University wherefrom Martin Luther launched the protest movement against Papacy of Rome, and the campaign later on came to be known as Protestant Movement.”

 I understand she is versatile and can think and analyze independently. In the absence of Nilu, she is relatively eloquent and apt to verbalize her thought. She said she’s a believer. Yes, she’s a big room for worship on the ground floor like we find in an average Hindu home. She worships one hour in the morning and a couple of hours in the evening when the fragrance of burning incense blows out of the room. Prafullada informed, on occasions she spends the whole night worshipping. She distributes food offered to the god among those in the house and neighbours. This is her regular practice, said Prafullada, beaming.She’s a real mother, he noted spontaneously.

”I’m a theist,” she said, categorically.

“I understand,” I said, astonished at her honesty.

“Also a rationalist,” she continued.

It’s puzzling. Theism and rationalism are thought and projected to be antonyms. How the two could have a synthesis in her, I thought, seriously.

“There’s no essential contradiction between the two,” she said and went on to explain,” the contradiction is between superstition and rationalism. Religion has its own rationale, and those who use religion to exploit the innocence and ignorance of people distort its tenets, create superstitions. But superstitions shouldn’t be confused with religion and spiritualism.”

She’s a post-graduate in computer science and also studied parapsychology. She told me frankly,” People around take me to be immersed in spiritualism, and, perhaps, don’t know or cannot believe I know computer application.” She herself is aware, I guess, that spiritualism and parapsychology are dominant in her thought and practice. Twists and turns in life and the memory of her thamma, named after the consort of ancient Indian sage Vashista, made her turn to spiritualism. Vashista was one of the seven great sages who dedicated his entire life to the welfare of the world. He believed divine and individual efforts were essential for achieving anything in the world. Anu is like that, said Prafullada.She prays for the welfare of all and takes care of all people around, be they colleagues or neighbours,interacts with all and sundry.Prafullada in his mid-fifties is a confirmed bachelor. He doesn’t know why he has chosen the life of celibacy, understands it keeps him hasslefree.Anu tells him,” It’s better to think of the Immanent and the merger of the individual soul with the Infinite. Love and mating causes sorrow and makes the mind narrow. Let’s transcend the mundane and temporal. The soul is eternal. Love between spouses rooted in corporal pleasure and temporal considerations, cannot lead to joy as it cannot be selfless.”

“Mr. Bose, do you have a love experience?”Anu asked, unhesitant.

“Nilu is ambitious,” said impulsively.

She smiled meaningfully and said,” Is it? Why have you named Nilu? Is she etched in your mind?”

Caught, I felt ashamed and laboriously said,” Not exactly.”

“She’s a good girl, worldly-wise.“

“Quite unlike you.”

“But you may trek well with her.”

“You mean I’m ambitious and pragmatic?”

“That may be your interpretation, Mr. Bose,” she said promptly.

No doubt, Anu has learnt the art of reading mind. My lapse confirmed her I am infatuated to Nilu.Does she know Nilu met me at the hotel? She hasn’t given any hints. However, it’s clear she has assessed me. I’m like any other Kolkatans who retreat to Himalayan resorts for a break from monotonous routine in urban cacophony.Nilu likes to migrate to glittering life in a mega city. Thus we’ve a commonality. I don’t know who would win Nilu, Jerry or I. I understand she’ll go with him who can help fulfill her dream and ambition. She’ll be back from Shillong tomorrow. She telephoned me this morning and said,” Bose, I’ve many things to tell you. You’ll be happy, dear!” ( continued on 28 March 2014)