The Unventured Passions

Magical Mundanity

Electrition Nandagopal was sitting on the high wall chewing the insulation of a wire unmindfuly, his stomach growling at the mouthwatering aroma of sandesh coming from the kitchen. Milkman Madan was infront of the kitchen, running to and fro with gallons of fresh milk, flashing his sparkling white teeth to an annoyed Manimala everytime. His younger brother Bhulu was seated at the open courtyard with a drawn face, arranging the fresh flowers to be made into garland chains, his heart longing to sneak out.
"Had it not been for that crackling new ten rupees note, I'd be long gone !" He had pouted his lips with a sigh, taming his heart to focus on the flowers.
Jagai was a simpleton, and on top of that his increasing forgetfulness had made it hard for him to get jobs these days.
"But Barrister Babu is always good to me", he would proudly say, "whenever I wipe the windshield of his car, he gives me five rupees, my entire week's income!" Needless to say, Jagai was appointed too, to do petty chores inside the household, and it was the fifth time since morning he had asked Bondita one question.

"Maa Thakurun, where should I keep these Rosogullas?"

"On my head!" Bondita had replied, a little irked this time, and poor Jagai was almost about to do the same, following his Bondita MaaThakurun's command, word by word.

"Arey arey... Jagai... Give it to me", Anirudh had held his hands at once.
"We don't want our guests to have baked Rosogullas, do we?" He smiled at the simpleton, taking the pot of Rosogulla from him with his right hand, as his left hand still lay bound with a sling around his neck.

Jagai had scratched his head at this subtle pun, confused, as Bondita turned her head to roll her eyes at him.
"Oh... You don't trust me?" Anirudh had widened his eyes at Bondita too, as he bent down a little to feather touch her head, withdrawing it instantly, his lips curled up in a pretentious pain.
"Damn... I just burnt my fingers!"

Bondita eyes had narrowed at him, as she picked up a handful of flowers from a basket nearby and threw it at her husband.
"Don't disturb Barrister Babu... I don't have time for this now."

Jagai was still standing infront, confused as ever at this sudden sight of his agitated MaaThakurun throwing flower at his Barrister Babu, but what he gaped at was his new found knowledge of how flowers when thrown in a certain way can cure burns!

Batakrishna and Satyakirth were given the charge of decorating the entire house with garlands of marigold. Large strings in yellow and orange hue lay in heaps on the open courtyard as both the men were seen making merry with each other
Batuk was standing on the cemented seat surrounding the Krishnachura tree, flexing his shoulder muscles in a show, while Satya had pulled up the sleeves of his new white silk kurta, winking playfully as he puffed up his biceps for him in return. Batuk's eyes had shown up at once with unblemished admiration.

"Here... You two... What's the point in petting those muscles if you won't even put them to use?" Bondita was standing behind them, her eyes narrowed, hands on her waist, and Batuk know exactly what's coming next.
"Useless... All useless... Everyone is just fooling around..." She turned around looking at two guards carrying a huge ladder inside.
"There... Arey who told you to take that inside? Keep it out... Out... At once."
She yelled at them as the two large bodybuilders almost ran out, vanishing from her sight at once.

"And you, muscle man, why are you smiling at me like that?" She widened her eyes at Satya as he picked up a basket of flowers and handed it over to Batuk.
"Guests would start pouring in anytime now... Fast fast... Make your hands move faster..." Her last words receded with her receding steps as they saw her almost run inside the house chasing a woman with a basket of fruits.

"What's with her today ?" Satya grinned at Batuk, helping him hang another garland string from the branches of the tree.

"She gets very edgy when she's worked up."