Stars & Dreams

17) Lambda Orionis - Knowledge Seekers

The shadows of the row of camels on the sand dunes made a haunting background for the shot. The assistant director filmed it while Rumi posed in her nomadic ethnic outfit. There was still an hour for the Sun to set but the camera men wanted to capture the shot right at that moment so that the stretching shadows could be captured in the frame. The long skirt was quite heavy and every time she moved; Rumi had to lift it up a bit so that it didn't trail over the sand. This was the scene where the investigator finds a spitting image of the girl murdered in London. She is a nomadic gypsy staying temporarily in a village near Thar desert with her troupe.

After hours of shooting in front of the camels, Rumi and the rest of the team returned to their hotel in Jaisalmer. The cool interiors of the Haveli welcomed them after the gruelling and bumpy ride through the sand dunes. The once-famous Haveli had been converted into a hotel and some of the rooms had been refurbished with modern amenities. Rumi's room was on the second floor. The small balcony attached to the room overlooked the wide expanse of the desert. Rumi loved her room and she thanked the woman who was in-charge of the team accommodation.

Yohan had not yet joined them for the shoot. He had returned from London but had stayed back in Mumbai to finish some work.

The Sun had set and the sky was dotted with twinkling stars. With the script folder in her hand, Rumi settled in the balcony to view the landscape. It was so peaceful that when she closed her eyes, she could hear the drifting sounds of the camel bells. In the distant horizon, Rumi saw the lush dark sky merge with the Earth's surface; where the land and the sky became one. She wondered if it was how the stars were born. Drawing a deep breath, she chided herself for the fanciful imagination. She leafed through the pages of her folder to learn the lines for the next day's shoot.

There was a knock on the door. Guessing that it would be one of the crew, she opened the door. To her astonishment, it was Yohan who was leaning on the frame of the doorway.

"Hi Rumi,"

"Oh! No one told me you were coming today," she babbled on, not knowing what to say.

"It is a surprise..." he pointed to the room behind her, "Is your room alright?"

"Yes, yes..." Rumi stepped back. Yohan hunched his shoulders and lowered his head to enter the room through the small doorway. His gaze wandered around the room, regarding the neatly folded clothes on top of the chest of drawers amusedly.

"The view from the balcony is breath-taking. Take a look," Rumi invited. She wanted to share the glorious sight with him.

"Whew! What a wonderful sight!"

"Yeah," frowning, she asked, "doesn't your room have a view?"

Glancing at her sheepishly, he answered, "I haven't been to my room yet."

That bit of news warmed her heart. Had he come straight to see her?

"Actually, I want the manuscript. I am planning to make slight changes. Do you have it?"

Berating herself silently for assuming that he had wanted to see her first, Rumi extracted his grandmother's script from the suitcase. When she handed it to him, his rapt attention was on the view outside.

"What an enchanting location this is! Such mystery that the desert holds!"

"I know and I must thank you also for giving me such an experience," she replied. They were standing quite close in the tiny balcony. His gaze ran over her face, noting her nervous eyes, wet stresses, scrubbed nose and biting lips. The gentle wind of the night carried the intoxicating fragrance of her shampoo to his nostrils. He shoved his hands into his pockets.