Once Upon a University Campus

Sound of Silence

"Idlis?" Annika gasped loud enough to wake up Sumo who was sleeping on the mattress at the corner of their room. Though Sumo sat groggy eyed, it was too early for her in the morning to be meaningfully awake. Annika's freshly washed fragrant wet hair was still dripping. The towel she had been using to squeeze her hair dry was uncharacteristically abandoned on the chair. Ranaji had hollered for her from the ground floor gate to the women's wing. An unexpected visitor was waiting for her. It could not have been Shivaay. He was supposed to be finishing his morning meetings before they could go Mangalsutra shopping later in the day. Annika had hurried down the stairs not knowing what to expect only to find Mohan. He handed over a bag to her and left without a word. When she unpacked the contents of the bag, she had found idlis, vada and a canister of sambar.

"Shivaay made idlis, vada this early in the morning?" Annika checked her watch. It was way too early for the rest of the world. The sun was wide awake and smiling in the clear blue sky, but the hostel was slow on Saturday mornings. Biharilal and his colleagues were dragging a huge vat in the mess kitchen and the jarring sound pierced through the tranquility of the morning. Sumo wiped her eyes, still groggy but the aroma of the sambar would not let her fall back on her bed.

"Idli? Did you say akka? Or am I dreaming?" Sumo mumbled.

"You are not dreaming dear Sumo! We are going to eat idli, vada and sambar for breakfast today." Annika emphatically declared.

"Yippeee" Sumo leaped out of her bed at once.

"I did not know Shivaay could cook south Indian food." Annika snapped the containers closed. "Go get fresh. We should eat before it grows cold."

Sumo abandoned her sheet and blanket and rushed to get ready. Before long the two girls had finished everything in the container. Sumo was picking up the last of the sambar stuck to the sides of the container with her finger and licking it.

"I should say Shivaay bhaiyya is an excellent cook. You got lucky Akka. After you get married, I will come over to stay with you every weekend. That way I get eat yummy food Shivaay bhaiyya makes. You should ask him to make south Indian food when I am visiting you." Sumo said enthusiastically. The comfort of familiar foods had propped up her spirit that had been sagging over the past few days.

"We will love to have you around Sumo. Honestly speaking, I am so used to you, this small room, our bathroom where water stops at 9 AM, the lonely roads of our campus, dhaba chai, pakoras, library, the simplicity of our lives here, the luxury of walking around in my torn Chandni, my faded Kurta, my students, the food they serve in our mess..." Annika's reminiscence was broken by Sumo.

"No . no not the hostel food. I agree with everything else but hostel food is just one step short of being toxic." Sumo shook her head in disapproval.

Annika took away the sambar canister from Sumo's hand. The stainless steel canister was shiny, clean and in no need of a wash.

"What a way to start the day Akka. Coffee?" Happy belly was making Sumo chirpy.

Annika could not have asked for more. Sumo turned on the coffee machine and waited for it to hiss.

"I should send a word of thanks to Shivaay" Annika spoke her thought aloud before picking up her phone to send the message right away.

She was used to Shivaay not responding to her messages immediately, especially if he were in an important meeting. She did not think much of not having received his acknowledgement till the coffee was done and the girls lazed around with the coffee.

"Ah! Such a nice start Akka.. I feel like going back to sleep." Sumo stretched her stout arms over her head.

"Mid semester exams?" Annik's laughter had a ring to it.