A NOTE:
Thanks cupid but I will not ignore it…I am not the one to just sit and take anything!!! That's not me, and moreover writers don't fall short of words… …'wink'
Hey Dadpot (interesting name, do tell me what it means)
I thought of sending a PM to you but then if you can be so forthcoming, then I should be equally forthcoming if not more.
I was elegantly surprised after reading your post.
I would say you are fairly right. I don't know how closely you are following my story, but I have already put up a note saying I have taken bani's past from "A thousand splendid suns". You might have missed it; I don't blame you for that, to Err is human.
I am a great fan of Khalid Hosseni and have read both his books voraciously, which were deeply touching and scintillating. I was profoundly influenced by his charismatic writing to the extent that I almost shed a tear or two which I usually don't. I was struggling to find a background so I just felt like taking Miriam's past as I have already mentioned.
I am an individual, and am bound to get carried away and I do have my own sub-conscious/conscious influences and favorites. I am a self-confessed bibliophile/logophile and my hobby is to read and collect articles, essays, lines and words which leave an impact on me. Writing in IF is something I do out of love and interest and of course my wonderful friends here.
It is not as if I am publishing a book and I have "blatantly copied" or "ripped off". I do tend to write references from books if I fall in love with the emotion of it, it's a completely individual choice. I also do a lot of research work. Internet is a vast and open medium, maybe you might copy my story and post it somewhere else, who will know… …I don't mean to accuse/hurt you but I am just stating an example.
I am really thankful to you for taking out time and commenting. Please do find interest to read more (which is by the way original work). It has been a pleasure and I truly mean it.
God bless
Dhani
P.S.: In the book, it is not Friday…read it again if you want to check.
"My heart, the bird of the wilderness
My heart, the bird of the wilderness, has found its sky in your eyes.
They are the cradle of the morning; they are the kingdom of the stars.
My songs are lost in their depths.
Let me but soar in that sky, in its lonely immensity.
Let me but cleave its clouds and spread wings in its sunshine."
{The paragraphs I have used are parts of Tagore's single song, I have broken it and used the lines, so beautifully written, you just feel like reading them again and again}
It was no human agency but rather a quirk of the tides that was responsible for fixing the date of the vessel's early arrival. The period of the year fell close to the autumn equinox, and one of the more dangerous oddities of the waterways of Bengal: namely the ban, or bore-a tidal phenomenon that sends walls of water hurtling upriver from the coast. Bores are never more hazardous than in these periods, when the seasons turn upon an equinoctial hinge: at those times, rising to formidable heights and travelling at great speed, the wave can pose a serious threat to the river's traffic; thankfully the ship was anchored well in time…
The town was small, just a few blocks of thatched houses that faded away into a jumble of shacks and other hut houses, beyond, the path wound through dense patches of forest and towering, tangled thickets of sugar-cane. The surrounding hills and crags were of strange, twisted shapes; they sat upon the plains like a bestiary of gargantuan animals that had been frozen in the act of trying to escape from the grip of the earth...
Most of the invitees were transported by bullock-carts…the workers were getting down the luggage and other things under jai's supervision…jai held bani's hand as she descend the ship…
Bani stood nervously at a distance as jai checked all things and the workers headed off to the ancestral house where the marriage was scheduled…
Jai was walking, his bad hung over his shoulder when he realized bani's absence…he turned around to see her standing at a distance…surprised he approached her…
"Come…" jai said…bani hesitated…
"Jai…I…"
"What happened…?"
"We were destined to be together only till here…" she said with a hint of sadness…
"What…do you mean…" a lamentable feeling entrapped in his heart whether he liked it or not: he was powerless to make it cease…
"I shall leave from here…"
"But how…"
"I can manage…already you have done so much for me…I can't thank you enough…"
"But bani…"
"I don't want to misuse your goodness…it's about time I leave…" bani said taking a deep breath…jai stood silent…bani turned around to leave…a few steps later she heard his coarse voice…
"Stay…" jai said impulsively, why he couldn't understand, but he only knew one thing, that he wanted her to stay…bani stared at him surprised…
"Jai…" he cut her short…
"Please…till the marriage gets over…"
"I am not invited jai…" bani gave him a sad smile…
"So what I am inviting you, Lolita wouldn't mind…"
"But…"
"Please…" jai didn't know what had come over him, he was never so comfortable around girls, he had always remained a bit aloof from them with the only exception of Lolita, but with bani he could open up so easily that he was requesting her to stay back…he had no right to do so but yet he was hanging on to a flicker of hope…bani couldn't refuse those pleading eyes, there was something in them which made her agree…
"Okay…"
"Good…come…let's go…thakuma will be really happy to see you…"
XXXX
Bani gawked at the magnanimity of the only huge building in the surrounding area; it was like a palace, with colorful stain-glass windowpanes, countless number of rooms…the grooms were send to a different house where they would stay…she amazed at the vastness of the place…
"Look thakuma…who's here…" jai stepped aside to reveal bani who was standing behind him…
"AHhh!!!Bani…" shakuntala exclaimed…
"She was going but I stopped her, and invited her to the marriage…" jai said…
"Very good…"
"I hope I will not be imposing on you thakuma…already you people have done so much for me…"
"Arree…na na…I am so happy, now you can massage my legs daily…" shakuntala grinned…bani smiled…
"Sure…I would love to…"
"Kajol…take bani to my room…" shakuntala said…
XXXX
Bani looked at her faded sari…she had brought only one sari with her, and one she was wearing, on the ship she washed one sari and wore the other, now again she has to wear the same sari and it was a marriage house, she regretted her decision of agreeing to come here on jai's insistence…
"Ki holo… (What happened)" shakuntala's voice boomed, bani suddenly turned around hiding the sari behind her…
"Kichu naa… (Nothing…)" bani muttered…
"Bani, Lolita will help with your dress…okay…"shakuntala smile at her, asking somebody to send Lolita to her… …
Bani noticed Lolita in a gloomy mood…
"I think these will suit you…" Lolita said extending a few saris towards bani…
"Lolita…what happened??? You are so upset" bani asked, Lolita was about to say something when she shut her mouth invariably…
"Nothing…its nothing…" Lolita mumbled before leaving hurriedly… …bani looked confused for a second but then her eyes fell on the pretty blue sari, she ran her fingers over the material…a soft smile formed on her lips, she would wear it in the Ashirwaad Ceremony tomorrow, she imagine jai ogling at her spellbound…she blushed to herself… …
XXXX
Jai ran settled his hair, ruffled by the blowing winds…the sun stirring at the horizon as the suck approached… …
"You are here, I was searching the entire house…" bani said…jai smiled and turned his head to stare at the sky…bani stood there rooted for a second, because when he was around, the oxygen seeped out of the air, her chest tightened and she couldn't draw enough air…all she could do was stand there, gasping… …bani gulped down, steadying herself she stood near him….
"You know how to make dolls with coconut leaves…" jai asked suddenly…
"What???" bani asked surprised…
"Dolls…"
"How???"
"Let me show you…" jai tore the coconut leave and turned and twisted making it into a cute flat doll…bani giggled…
"Wow!!! This is so cute…teach me please…"
Jai taught her how to make the dolls…
"I never knew this…" bani said amazed…
"We used to play with them when young, thakuma used to make them for us…" jai reminisced fondly…
"Wish we always remained children…" bani said poignantly looking down at the dolls…
"Hmmm…"
"Bani you are here…thakuma is calling you…" Lolita's voice interrupted them…
"Oh!!! Okay I will go…" bani said and walked away…
Lolita stood before jai, scrutinizing him…
"What happened??" jai asked puzzled…
"What???" Lolita arched her brow…
"What what???"
"Bani…"
"What bani…?"
"Nice girl…"
"So…"
"Sooo…"
Jai left, not understanding what Lolita was implying to say…
XXXX
God bless
Dhani
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