Home is where the heart is #YourStoryIndia

Chapter 17

Asthami night the festivities reached its peak. There was a special Pujo called Sondhi Pujo which took place at the exact moment when Asthami ended and Nobomi started. The Goddess' face was covered,and a hundred and eight lotus flowers were offered. Later there was an Onjoli, where only people who had fasted all day could participate.

Since Maina and Philip hadn't followed the rule they didn't participate. Anyway,they were too busy with the preparations to have time to talk. The Arati took place with the sounds of the Dhak, a drum like instrument, with a deep and rich sound.

Once the Dhak was played, one of Maina's older cousins called everybody for a dance. They danced to the beat of the Dhak like there was no tomorrow. They danced with their hearts, souls and bodies. There was no rhythm nor meaning in the individual dance steps, however, somehow they meshed together in perfect harmony. Her cousins danced with the Dhunuchi in hand, a sight that was very iconic to Durga Pujo. Everyone, young or old,matched steps and became one for a moment,a wild raw energy surging through them, they cared not for the world. When seen from outside it was a very beautiful sight indeed.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Once all the ceremonies were over it was almost two in the morning. Exhausted and hungry, Maina went upstairs to rest. Only she couldn't find Philip. The last time they were talking on the ghat, Titli had interrupted them urging them to go home and get ready for the hectic evening of Pujo. Philip was relieved as he got sometime to collect himself, while Maina was frustrated as Philip had yet again managed to evade her.

She was about to give up her search when she saw him on her ledge, eyes closed as if in deep meditation, arms on relaxing on either side, sitting Indian style. The moonlight highlighted his blonde hair making it seem like a halo around his head. He looked ethereal, out of the world. So as to not disturb him she turned started tiptoeing away.

"I didn't realise you were stalking me , you know." Philip spoke aloud. His voice halted Maina in her tracks and she turned back again. Her protest died in her throat. Philip sat there with a heart melting smile on his face. His real smile, not the usual smirk. There was a sudden huge flip in her stomach, some kind of fluttering in her heart. I really shouldn't have had the street food, Maina thought as she watched Philip mesmerised by the soft expression on his face, the dimples on his cheek, the crinkles by his eyes, his slightly chapped pink lips......stop where you're going Maina. Since when did she think about such sappy things?

She shook her head as if to rid herself of her thoughts. She looked up to see Philip back to his usual smirk,blatantly enjoying her situation,as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"W...w...well, m...mom was s..s..searching for you. "She lied."Yeah that's it. Mom was searching for you." Maina repeated trying to sound confident. She had stuttered. Maina Chowdhury had stuttered. The world might as well end now. Philip could barely hold his laugh in and finally gave up. He laughed his heart out, his own tension also drained away. Lately he'd been thinking too much about what Maina had said. It had affected him more than he would admit.

If Maina was enchanted before, she lost herself in the moment now. She let herself drift away with his mirth and finally she found herself smiling too.
"Glad you find me amusing." She said dryly. She climbed onto the ledge.
"Who would have thought the hotshot smart confidant lawyer Maina Chowdhury was as adorable as a kitten?" Philip mused still laughing as he patted her cheek. Instantly Maina blushed, hard. If anything new happened to her anymore, she would jump off the ledge, she told herself.

Maina threw him a flat look even though she didn't mean it at all.
Somehow with Philip a side of her that nobody had seen before, nor were likely to see again came out. Somehow with him she was just a young twenty something girl, with no evil bosses or office politics or family problems. Time and again she tried to stop herself from all her feelings but there was only so many times she could deny herself. She was human after all,no matter what people thought of her.