Home Sweet Home
Everyone drove to Green Park. Anusha came as the only representative from his side - for now. Anuj came without Anita which was no surprise. The house had been purchased when Anita was a youngster with the expectation that she would 'inherit' it as a wedding present. The second floor above belonged to Dr. Naresh Garg and his physician wife who ran a successful women's 'clinic' in Green Park.
Manju needed to make sure that everything would be propitious for the young couple, so an Aarti and other rituals were absolutely essential. But that was only a start - a havan at the place once they were fully settled was the next thing on her agenda. She was getting her way! The house would be sanctified from top to bottom by the time she was done! Oh yes!
Finally! Things were off the floor and out of boxes. It began feeling of a home! This was the second time in her life when she had fallen madly in love! Totally, completely, absolutely, madly in love!! She loved this new home of hers! She loved it to bits!
The main entrance was from the side of the house with the car porch. A recessed door was covered by a small arched portico. One entered into the huge hall partitioned into the dining and drawing rooms. The floor was covered with travertine marble tiles. The far end of the drawing room led one to the garden, through a wall of ceiling-to-floor glass windows, two of which comprised the door. But first, one walked out to a verandah covered by an overhang. The square garden was gently and eagerly tended by Shahtab - under the watchful eye of his father who arrived for an 'audit' on a monthly basis! Had the plants been pruned? Had they been fertilized? Was the mulch in place? Had the grass been mowed to perfection? Those were not fun moments for Shahtab!
It did fit in perfectly with the ambiance of Green Park .. the 2 lime trees whose heavily perfumed flowers gave way to what must be millions of green, fragrant, aromatic, limes; there was a large gulmohur tree, Delonix Regia - no longer in bloom - that would be on fire of a brilliant orange in late spring, to later give way to a soothing green and a dark, cooling, welcoming shade! At least the jasmine bushes no longer had to compete with the lime trees for the gold medal - they were on top at this time of year. Particularly the 'Raat ki rani', Cestrum Nocturnum variety creeping up the wall that faced the street, which simply let loose - a wanton woman - as soon as dusk set in. It was equally wanton in its growth and had come to be regarded as the Mongol hordes - a menace and a weed! The other jasmines, Jasminum Sambac, single and double happily gave up their fragrant flowers to be wound through her hair. There was the plumeria bush with its pink blossoms. There were several rose bushes that would come to lend color to her home. These are some of what she recognized. Shatab would later give her a crash course in Canna, sunflower, phlox, delphinimum, nasturtium, zinnia ... she would drink from a fire hose, inundated with the amount of information!
The walls had been painted a creamy shade of pale yellow - so that one did not quite know where the floor ended and the walls began. The furniture was in place as were the simple silk drapes held back with tasseled ties. An 'eclectic' look had been recommended and she had been so grateful for the help from the design team at M. associates, and that of her m-inlaw. It was a wonderful mixture of the old and new. The traditional would always remain classic, and the new would grow to be traditional! They were awaiting delivery of the large dining table. On one wall, were six small, identical rectangular mirrors in gilt frames, lined up between the two wall sconces. The antique wood buffet was placed beneath the mirrors. The opposite wall held beautiful miniatures from the English Raj of Indian flora. The glass table would be held up with 2 oval travertine blocks and the six dining teak chairs were from the same period and style with woven cane seats.
The living room was furnished with two upholstered love-seats over which were placed down filled silk seat and back cushions. Two armchairs of Jodhpuri provenance in mango wood inlaid with camel bone in an intricate floral pattern were placed at angles to the loveseats. Their curved back allowed one to nestle back in comfort. The top ended in curved rams' heads. There was a large square coffee table of beveled glass over a large round travertine block. Placed on it were a few of the trinkets Simi had purchased in Sikkim, and a bronze reproduction of a Chola dynasty dancing Krishna. An inlaid Jodhpuri bureau sat against the wall over which hung an antique kantha embroidery - from Anusha as a gift. Framed prints of Indian Scenes from the 18th century Raj period - when so much was diligently documented by the soon to be British overlords - another gift from Anusha, hung on the wall. Brass pots of varying sizes were stacked in a corner.
The dining room led out into a hallway. To the left was their bedroom, while the right led first to a small bathroom - the powder room, and then the kitchen. On the left, across from the kitchen was the second bedroom. Their bedroom appeared recessed from the other side because there was no extending verandah. The same type of walled-in glass doors led out into the garden as well. The bed had been placed on the right side of the room and two bedside tables held small lamps. A flat-panel TV hung on the opposite wall below which a small built in cabinetry held the rest of the accompanying electronics. A pair of Raj period antique armoires were placed at right angles to each other in a corner. Hers was the one with a beveled glass panel on the door. His, the more sedate!
Their bed had a silk upholstered headboard and the linens were a lovely shade of pale gray. She had fallen in love with an upholstered bench that stood at the foot of the bed. It's scrolled arms rose above the seat. A pair of small bolsters with just a hint of silver embroidery on the edges were placed on either side on the seat. There were times when he would wish that she had not fallen quite so much in love with that. It was her prize possession and spats over what one could place on it would be commonplace! Gosh! Even his mother had never been so angry with him as she was when he 'crossed the line'! The drapes were of a complementary shade of gray silk hung on a rod just as were the drapes in the drawing room. The Thanka painting - one of the few things she had purchased in Sikkim - was now framed and hung above the bed.
It was a fun-filled day. Anuj left early, but reluctantly after lunch so as not to needlessly rile Anita. Anusha left a little later. Abhi drove the Sethis back to KB while Simi set about to putting the finishing touches to her new adorned beloved.
When he returned, he found her sitting on the verandah. Some of the suffocating humidity of the day had dissipated. She enjoyed the chirping of the crickets and was taking in the air redolent of the Raat ki Rani. On a really dark night, the glow of the fireflies would light up the seeming void. Her garden! Her home!
'Long day' ...
'Ummm ...'
'I'm hot ... I think I'll go shower and change ... stay right where you are Mrs. T., I'll be back in a jiffy'.
He leaned over to kiss her on the cheek then walked away. He returned after changing into his pajamas, fell back on the small rattan loveseat beside her sighing with fatigue, then reached over and put his head on her shoulder.
This was their quiet time. Nothing was said and yet everything was said.
'You look lovely Simi ... even here in this dark ... I really love you'
That was met with a strangely comforting silence. He knew she was overwhelmed by her own feelings for him.
He then gazed up at her and softly whispered 'Kiss me Simi' ...
She felt the color rise in her face with her heart in a rapid beat building up to a crescendo. She leaned down and let him kiss her. He then rose and helped her rise. As he kissed her again and again, he reached back and undid the knot of her hair that lay on the nape of her neck. That was the way she wore her hair when at home. Her hair fell softly about her shoulders. She kissed him back. With passion. It was difficult to say who held the other tighter as they tried to meld into a single being.
She said, her voice cracking with emotion ' Abhi ... I want you to make love to me' . She felt him pick her up as he walked back silently to their room. She hid her face in his neck. He loved her sweet fragrant body.
Thankfully, there were no burglars on the prowl that night for the lights in the drawing room never did get turned off, the doors were left ajar.
Fan Fictions
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
