Rang Jo Lagyo: The Colours of Love

Chapter XXVIII: Lori

4 years later

Vrindavan, India

Anvita's POV

"Ta thai thai tat. No not like that. Do it like this," I said, fixing her hand placement. "Let's try one more time."

"Ta thai thai tat,

Aa thai thai tat,

Ta thai thai tat."

I sang out the syllables of kathak while showing her the footwork that goes along with it. She was keenly observing how I moved my foot to the tatkaar and she tried her best to copy me. When I hit my feet to the ground in a rhythmic pattern, it produced a sound that her tiny feet were incapable of doing. Where I wore the extensive pair of ghungroos on my feet, her small legs were only capable of accommodating a less heavy version of it. She was lifting her feet up and down in an attempt to make the same sound that my feet made when they hit the floor. My ghunghroo were louder than hers, which did not make her happy. So, she kept pausing in the middle of the lessons to tell me how unfair it was that her bells didn't generate as much sound.

"Now rotate your hands like this," I placed both my hands in front of my chest, and she followed me. "Good. Now spread your arms like this and bring them back to the same position after doing a full circle," I instructed her like a good mentor. She was a fast learner, and I couldn't help but appreciate the focus she was doing it with.

"I'm tired now. Can we stop now pleaaaaaaase," she said with a pout, adding extra sweetness to the word 'please'.

"Few more mintues okay?" I replied to which she began rubbing her nose in frustration.

"Mat kijiye na," I said to stop her from doing that and she did.

(Don't do that.)

Kneeling down to her height, I removed her hand from her nose and kissed it lightly.

"Okay fine we won't. Happy? Now give me a hug." She jumped onto me, putting her tiny hands on my neck, and squeezing me in her arms whereas my one hand was enough to cover her back entirely.

"Mumma," she said close to my ear.

"Yes bacha," I replied, closing my eyes in the comfort that she was giving me.

"You're the best!" She squealed releasing the hug and placing her baby lips on my cheek to give me a kiss.

"And so are you Vi," I said returning the kiss.

"Chalien?" I asked taking her small finger in my hand and she bobbed her head.
(Shall we go?)

We came inside the house after practicing in the garden for some time and I picked her up to make her sit on the sofa. Sitting on floor, I began to unwrap the little strings of bells that covered her feet.

"There you go bacha," I said, and she slid herself down from the couch and ran towards the kitchen.

"Slow down Vi," I said out loud, but she didn't listen. She returned with two ice cream cones in her hand and giving one to me, she adjusted herself in my lap.

"Cheers mumma," she said, touching her cone with mine.

We were just enjoying our ice cream when we heard the front door of the house open, and we turned our heads in the direction of it together.

"Dono maa beti ko bas ek hi kaam rehta hai. Dance karo, ice cream khao. Dance karo, ice cream khao."
(You mother daughter duo only know one thing. Dance, eat ice cream and repeat.)

"MASSI," Vi climbed off my lap to run towards the door, where Suhana was standing.

She picked her up and said, "massi ki bachi, mujhe ice cream kon dega?"