Anirudh- The Story Of A Misread Barrister

Chapter-52: Under the Radhachura Tree

(Note: The yellow flowered tree that we find on roads, which also belongs to the gulmohar family is called Radhachura in Bengal, it seems. The red flowered one is called Krishnachura. In India we find them everywhere called by different names of course. Near my home, during the monsoons, there will be red and yellow carpets formed below these trees. It is so beautiful to look at them. After getting down the college bus, while walking home, I used to cross these trees and it feels so nice to see them. After all, yellow, red and green is a fabulous combination.  Can any painting be complete without the colour yellow? No. I love it.  So, in this chapter I have used the yellow one, which also symbolises friendship. In future we will make Anidita sit under the Krishnachura too.) 

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Bondita and I strolled across the corridors of the mansion thinking about a plan to unite Bondita's new found friend and her lover.

"Did any idea strike your mind?", Bondita asked.

"Not yet.", I said.

Once again we continued our stroll. Bondita gradually made her way into the garden while I stayed in the corridor. All of a sudden, she forgot what she came for and started admiring the Nature. Passing her hands gently over the plants, she greeted the flowers and chased a butterfly. When she was tired of chasing it, she rested by leaning her back against the bark of a yellow gulmohar tree. The tree was shedding its flowers forming a yellow carpet on the ground. As Bondita stood beneath the tree, it showered flowers on her too.

Bondita, who got too excited at this lovely gesture of Nature, started to jump and clap in joy. She spread out the free end of her saree to collect the flowers. Once a handful of them were gathered, she scattered the flowers all over, while twirling in delight. Her charming smile, long hair, sparkling eyes and every gesture was so enchanting. The mild sun rays of the monsoon season added additional colour to the scenery. For a while, I was lost in the world of Bondita. However, when I remembered about the purpose of our meeting, I walked straight to her in order to bring her out of the fairy land.

Bondita who didn't notice my arrival, continued twirling and lost her balance, thus crashing into me. I fell on the ground with a thud while she fell over me. My spectacles fell off revealing my eyes to Bondita and thereby giving a better access to my mind. I gazed into her eyes without blinking and so did she. Love oozed out of her eyes. I didn't know how to decode the love in those eyes, as they made me believe that she loved me. I was in a confusion regarding what to believe in –my eyes that saw her love for me or the ears that heard about her love story the other day at the river?

I had no clue of what she read in my eyes, but she seemed to be pleasantly lost in me too. This was the second time I got to notice her perfect countenance once again. She looked beyond perfect for me. Bondita was like that rare artistic piece by God, which is flawless from inside and outside.

We remained in that position for ample time doing nothing except reading each other's eyes, while the flowers continued to shower. Without my knowledge, a pleasant smile took over my face replacing the fake seriousness. When we finally became conscious about the situation and the position we were in, Bondita coyly asked,

"What is the need of standing so close to me? Are you unable to bear even an inch of a distance between us?"

"Oh yes, you blame me for everything that happens. All your complaints are only about me.", I said with a pout.

"My love is also....", Bondita was about to say something but then I groaned, on feeling a sharp pain in the lower back of my body.

Evidently, I hurt my waist due to the sudden fall. Until then, I was in a trance and thus failed to notice it. Once I came out of Bondita's spell, I started experiencing the pain.