It was at 14807 views last nite when I posted that part.
Part 59
Ahmedabad
May 24th 2011
3 pm onwards
(OK history lesson for the expats like me)😳
Legend has it that Sultan Ahmed Shah saw a hare chasing a dog while camping in the banks of the Sabarmati River. It's not everyday that one sees a hare chase a dog, it impressed him enough to set up capital there upon receiving spiritual advice from his priest. Hence Ahmedabad was born in 1411.
It went from being ruled by the Sultante of Delhi in late 1400s, to a Mughal outpost in late 1500s to being ruled by the Marathas in mid 1700s
It also earned itself the nickname the "Manchester of the East" due to the hundreds of textile mills that once operated out of here.. The city was at the forefront of the Indian independence movement in the first half of the 20th century.[8] It was the centre of many campaigns of civil disobedience to promote workers' rights, civil rights, and political independence.
Today's Ahmedabad on the other hand is a far cry from the above. Sardar Sarovar, IT companies and a burgeoning wealthly middle class
Sabarmati River runs through the center of the city, dividing the old and new in more ways than one. Khanak's parents home is in Niyojan Nagar, in Ambawadi 25 kms from the airport. Her Aada and Bua had come to the station to receive them.Her Dad was teary eyed to see her, kept repeating " 5 dine mein chali jaayegi"
Khanak had to correct him, yet he repeated the same thing.
Her Bai and Dadi, started to pamper her, her Dadi limped inside to get the big jar of haldi she had personally supervised grinding of. The haldi and mehandi was ceremony was on May 28th . shaan's Dadi had spoken to her Bai to explain all the Punjabi rituals. They were expected to courier many things over time.
Dadi had told her Bai that Khanak should wear the dark pink and ivory chooda and there was a ceremony that went with it.
She stood in her parent's terrace and looked down at her ring finger. It sparkled in the twilight. The house was tiny, barely 1200 sq ft, spread over two floors and a terrace. Clothes dried on the line, one of the two (half) doors that led to the downstairs creaked and screeched, slamming against the frame.
The house was on a busy street, there was no front yard, just 20 feet between the front door and a low gate. Buses and cars rumbled along all day. Hawkers and bicyclists wove through them like an obstacle relay.
As far as she had heard from the guy, the wedding they were around in Ahmedabad the day after the wedding, on May 30th, and were expected to return to Mumbai June 1st. The Visa interview was on 2nd or 3rd. Boston on 5th.
Her heart hammered at those thoughts. She would be in Ahmedabad on 30th but no longer in her parents house!
Her friend during high school days Sia was getting married in a month, she lived next door. Khanak had gotten out of touch since she left home to go to college, then marry Sooraj, eventually moved out to Mumbai.
Her parents had started discouraging her from hanging out too much with Khanak, when ever she visited, afraid her marketability would reduce.
It did not bother Khanak. She had no clue what the word self pity meant. She was oblivious of most things that happened around her. Her parents were deeply hurt for her sake, but it did not worry her at all. Very rarely she really thought about anything too much.
The last 4 months had been different. All she was doing was "think" about one man!!!!!!!!!!😳😳.
She heard her Mom call her from the 1st floor, her room''..
She proceeded to walk downstairs
Bai: what are you doing upstairs, Bua is coming over in an hour, go dress up.
Khanak: Why? Bua ke liye kyon?
Bai: 4 din mein shaadi hai. Maasi dono kal aa rahe hain. Ja tayar ho ja
Khanak: In kapdon ko kya hua hai? (looks down at her mustard churidar with a orange print on)
Bai: Behas nahi kar, ja
As she is leaving "Shaan ko bataya tu pahunch gayi?"
Khanak: Umm'. Nahi (blushing) Unke Papa ka phone aaya tha. Jab hum junction mein the.
Bai: arey usko nahi bataya? Kitni galat baat hai beta, phone karo
Khanak thinks "Its already 7 PM, what good is it now?"
Aada tere ko unke hotel ke bare mein kuch batana chahte the
Khanak: Kya? (turns around, cooling her cheeks with her hands, patting them down gently)
Bai: kya hua? Chhath par machhar hai na? 4 din mein shaadi hai. (whines)
Khanak: nahi (uncomfortable)
Bai: Lamary, kuch kaha Aada ne
Her Aada walks in, squeezes her shoulders, goes and sits on her neatly made bed, it has a burgundy mirrorwork bed spread on it, the walls are filled with her sketches and certificates and school pictures. There is a desk in a corner with a 10 year old PC on it. Its covered with a hand croched white drape like thing, her Bai made.
There are no pictures of her and Sooraj anymore.
Khanak forcing that thought out of her mind''. "Kya hua Aada?"
Aada: Unhoney kareeb 6 ya 7 "sweet" kya kehte hain who book kie hain"
Khanak: Hmm... kahan?
Aada Le Meridien hai ne. Nehru Bridge kea age, who bada sa sundar safed rang ka
Khanak is irritated :Haan?
Aada: Tere sasur keh rahe the, ki wahan koi aur room nahi hai, to Marriott mein mil jaayega to le lenge.
Khanak wonders "Just HOW MANY are coming"
Aada: Unke bahar jo log rehte hain who bhi aa rahe hain.
Khanak: Oh!
Aada: Tujhe bataya hoga Shaan ne nei?
Khanak: Umm... Nahi (jumpy)
Aada: Use se to baat kar le beta. Use bhi nahi karegi to kaise chalega? (upset)
Bai: Karegi karegi...
Aada: Meri tarah nahi rehne ka. Main to yaha rehta hoon (looks around at her room, a lump forms in his throat)
Khanak: Aada! (hugs him and sits by him on the bed)
Aada: Ab hamesha chup kyon rehti hai?
Khanak: ritu se baat karti hoon main (complains)
Aada: shaan se kab karegi?
Khanak: Unse... Who... kuch kehte nahi...😳
Aada: Who kitna achha ladka hai (happy, content)
Khanak: aur main?😛
Aada: Tu to meri jeene ka maqsad hai (laughs)
Bai: Usko tayar honey do zara (nudges her Dad)
Aada: Kyon Shaan bhi aa gaya kya? yeh karma to kitna saaf hai, yahan baithke baat kar lenge dono! (unmindful of her Mom's irritation and shaking of the head)
Khanak, feels color crawl up her face. She can feel her fingertips are numb, all the patting and cooling of her cheek was of no use. The color and heat was back.
Khanak thinks "He doesn't want to talk here Aada!" (shuts her eyes and hides in his arm)😳😳😳
Edited by aditee - 12 years ago