Anu-Raj [Estd. 1993]

1 - Shubharambh

Raas racheelyo, saaj sajeelyo, shubh ghadi chhe aavi
Aachha aachha tamtamaata shaamna o chhe lavi, ho laavi..

••

Navratri — 1993.

"Anudi! How much more time will you take?!"

Devika's voice was a hasty whisper at the door of Anupamaa's room in the Joshi Niwas.
Anupamaa, nineteen, was still busily adjusting her artificial pearl necklace. It was Navratri, after all.
She must look beautiful. Even though her mother disapproved of her trying to lose weight by not eating and wiping the floor herself, she had to look pretty.

Anupamaa Joshi was known for being the average nerd who could do nothing beyond study. And now, that she had finally been enrolled in college, she was on the mission to break that monotonous image of hers.

She had eyes of hazel brown, hair upto her waist. The smile was enchanting, but the most beautiful feature of hers, was her childish innocence. No amount of people's cruelty could have changed that. She found everyone good and trusted everyone. People had often eveteased her mother due to the absence of her father - she remembered slapping such men right across the face.

Yet, nothing took away her beaming smile and positivity whenever she met others who were good to her.

Her father had taught her forgiveness and she held onto it.

Anupamaa finally stepped out of her room, wearing a heavily embroidered blue and pink lehenge.
Devika sighed.

"This same lehenga? Again?", She asked.
"Devu darling.. forget the lehenga and notice me. I look different, don't I?", Anupamaa said grinning.

Devika looked at her.
Anupamaa had finally put kajal.
"You finally learnt to look better than a boring nerd. That's a development.", She said amused.

"Huh! I will be the hottest!", Anupamaa said dramatically. Today, like all other girls, she was on a hunt for true love. She too wanted boys to stare at her open mouthed. She wanted the attention that all girls in her class seeked. Today was the day she broke her boring image.
Today was the day she'd find her soulmate.

"Sure.", Devika mumbled, trying to suppress her laughter.

•

"Vannu why on earth are we here?"

They stood in the Banerjee Puja Pandal. It was Durga Puja, mostly done by the Bengalis in Ahmedabad. Vanraj Shah and his best friend, Ronnie stood in kurta - pyjamas on the large ground.
For all Ronnie knew, they were supposed to be in Shankar Society Navratri Utsav and not here. If Vanraj's father got to know he would bake both of them without an oven.

Vanraj did not reply as he looked around at the people in the crowd.

Ronnie sighted.
His friend was one cryptic idiot who will play on with the suspense until you figure it out yourself.
Vanraj wore a blue kurta with golden embroidery at the collar and white trousers. His sharp dark brown eyes were busy finding a particular person in the crowd.

"And I thought Gujjus hated Bengalis."

Both of them heard from behind.
Realisation struck Ronnie faster than light.

"No! Please tell me we are not here for—"

"Good evening Miss Krittika Banerjee.", Vanraj said smoothly, his lips breaking into a charming smile.
Women often melted before that smile, the sharp jawline was known to slice through women's hearts like the Excalibur.

An exaggeration though, Vanraj believed. Because the only heart, or woman he was ever interested in, was this woman right before her.
She was his first love, and the love he prayed for to be his last.

"So should I believe Vanraj Shah, the President of College Union, is here just for me?", Krittika said taking a step towards him, smiling subtly.

Ronnie watched them in bated breath.
He had known his friend since time immemorial. And this was the first time he was watching Vanraj being so soft and considerate with anyone beyond his family.
Krittika was the daughter of a rich businessman, totally out of a middle class Vanraj's league, but the heart has its ways.

They had been in this so called relationship ever since their school days. Ronnie had been writing poetry in Vanraj's name to impress Krittika because well, Vanraj was a terrible poet. He wasn't too good in expressing himself in any way, be it in person or on paper.

"When have I not been there for you?", Vanraj asked softly.
Krittika beamed at him as she looked around for a moment. Then she stood on tip toes and softly kissed his cheek.
Vanraj felt his heart skip a beat.

"Enjoy.", She whispered as she stepped away. Krittika smiled at Ronnie before she walked past them to her other friends.
Vanraj stood frozen for moments, barely breathing. He felt his face go warm, he felt the butterflies that nothing else could ever give him.

First love is strangely beautiful.

He turned his head to a side to watch her go.
The bewildered smile intact.

"Anu don't run!", He heard from a distance but he couldn't care less.

"Too late—"

And Anupamaa crashed into Vanraj, knocking him off on the grassy ground.
He fell first and she fell on top of him.
Her hand resting of his shoulders, his hand unconsciously wrapped around her bare waist as they fell.

Vanraj finally looked at the woman who had so nastily thrown him off - in annoyance.
Anupamaa stared at the man lying under her, feeling the tips of her fingers go cold.

"You are crushing me!", He shouted at her.
She stared at him, like she had seen a man for the first time.

Kanha ji this was not how I told you to show me my soulmate.
She thought awkwardly.

"Oh God! Anu you also na!", Devika finally reached them jogging.
Anupamaa snapped out immediately as she slid off him and stood up.
Vanraj mumbled in annoyance as he stood up, dusting himself.

"Uncle?"

He heard Ronnie's shocked voice.

Vanraj looked past a smitten Anupamaa and the breath left him.

He stared at the man, frozen to (he wished) death.

•×•

Translation:

“ Let's dance, get adorned, it's a holy moment,
It has brought those light twinkling star-like dreams of future.. ”

•

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