Anidita : With you always

CHAPTER 1

Siting on the floor with book in her hand, Bondita's concentration was somewhere else only. Not paying heed to anything written in the book she was thinking about what village women told her in the morning. Everyone called her lucky for having such a loving and caring patibabu but her naive heart didn't understood the context of it. At that time having a husband who fought for you, took care of you, would do anything to see you smile and would encourage you to fight for your rights and raise your voice against wrong, was an impossible task. A time where women were told that their place is in the kitchen only and they are nothing in comparison to men, existence of a man like Anirudh Roy Chowdhary was a rare thing. But our sweet little bondita had no idea about this and thought why she was being referred as a lucky girl. 

Pushing those thoughts aside, she thought to concentrate on her book as her patibabu will definitely ask her about that, when her eyes went towards the mirror brought by her patibabu. Gaal lal hona, dil ki dhadkano ka tham jana hai looking in the mirror bondita wondered how was that even possible. How can looking at someone make your cheeks turn red and if a person's heartbeat stops how will they live. 'Yeh gaal lal aur dhadkane tham kyu jati hai kaki?' 'Arey jab hume kisi se pyaar hota hai toh aksar aisa hota hai.'  'Tumhare patibabu tumse bhout pyaar karte hai tabhi toh rato raat hi ghusalkhana bana diya aur subah tumhe koi kaam bhi nhi karne diya' 

Pyaar this word got struck in her head. What was so special about her patibabu loving her, even her mother loved her and her kaka sasurji, som dada, batuk, bhari babu and koyli didi also loved her.  And she loved them back equally. Why would her cheeks get red and heartbeat will stop if she loves her patibabu. She loves a lot of people but this kind of thing has never happened with her. She was curious to know about this type of love, how it happens, when it happens? All these questions were running in her mind. She was eager to ask her patibabu about it.

Opening of lock made bondita to come out of her thoughts. Looking at the door she saw a stressed Anirudh coming inside the hut. His worried expression which he quickly masked with a smile didn't went unnoticed by bondita. Keeping her questions aside she thought to welcome him first. Offering a glass of water she sat next to him. Looking at him intently she saw her face in the mirror kept next to her. Her cheeks didn't got red. She then kept her hand over her heart but could feel her heartbeats. Disappointed look came over her face which was noticed by anirudh.

"Tumhara aaj ka din kaisa rha bondita? Kya padhai ki tumne aaj?" asked anirudh 

"Aaj ka din aacha raha pati babu. Manie dohe padhe aur angrezi ka ik path bhi padha. Aur apko pata hai din mei pados ki saari kaki aur unki beti mujhse milne aai thi. Khub batein ki maine unsei aaj. Apne gao ke din yaad aa gye mujhe. Khub maza kiya maine unke saath. Bhout hi aachi jagha hai yeh." Bondita replied getting lost in the memories of those old days where she would play around, climb trees and have lots of fun with her sister.

"Arey waah khub bhalo. Acha laga sun ke ki tumhe yaha aacha lag rha hai aur koi dikat bhi nhi aarhi. Vaise konse dohe padhe tumne aaj. Sunao mujhe bhi." Anirudh settled down in front of her eager to hear her reciting dohe.

Bondita excitedly narrated dohas to anirudh. After having some more conversation both decided to have dinner. As they ate dinner they talked about some more things. Finishing their dinner they decided to sleep. Saying good night anirudh came out of the hut and settled himself on his bed which was just some sheets on the front porch covered with some more sheets to prevent war of mosquitos and anirudh. Glancing at bondita from window and making sure that she has settled down he laid down and got lost in his thoughts. 

Bondita laid on her bed and thought about the question she was about to ask her patibabu but didn't ask as she wanted to know more about it from village ladies itself. She knew that her patibabu has answers to her every question but she wanted to get more knowledge about this pati patni ka khass pyaar from other ladies. With this thought she decided to call it a day and slept.

Anirudh on the other hand was thinking about how he will get enough money for bondita's school fees. He thought about the offer that manorama, a krantikari  he met while buying mirror for bondita,  has presented him with. All he had to do was to help her in freeing one of her krantikari brother but their was some huge risk involved which was his life. He loved his country and would do anything to see his country free but now he has bondita's responsibility with him. He thought what all she would have to go through if he died while doing task. This thought scared him but he needed money and he was not getting any case. After thinking alot he came to conclusion that he will help manorama with her mission but will ask her to make sure bondita leads a normal life if something happens to him during the mission. This was the last thought he had before his eyes shut down and he got lost in his dreams.