Love Re-defined

Chapter Twenty Nine

Courthouse Hug

"Patibabu....Amar dike dekhun na (Look at me na)?"-Anirudh forced his eyes away from his file to look at Bondita. Her voice making him aware of her 'Gracious presence' in his study.

"Amar mathar sidur ki thik ache? Mota vabe diyechi to ami? Joto mota sidur toto beshi valo hobe amar biye (Is the vermilion on my forehead alright? Have I applied it thickly? The thicker the vermilion, the better my marriage will be..)"-her reply made him feel stunned for a second. He couldn't believe such absurd words had come out of her mouth.

"Bondita, who told you such nonsense? This is absolutely rubbish..."-She looked at him, a little scared at his tone, for his tone made her remember the head sister of her school in Dalhousie. Who used to scold her for her questions.

"But patibabu, komola kaki told me to do so. She said that it makes.."-She couldn't finish her words as Anirudh groaned loudly at her words.

He wanted to control his anger at her stupid stunts. But her antics were getting too much for him to handle.

Especially, right before his hearing.

"Bondita, it's all hogwash. A part of the old wives tales. The thickness of your sidur (Vermilion) won't make anything better. It doesn't make our married life better. It's just a part of the belief process...."-Bondita looked at him, her eyes were filled with tears. Him not wanting to participate in her belief process regarding their marriage made her feel sad for herself.

She didn't tell him of the people, she had heard criticising his past. She had heard rumours of him being incapable as a husband. And how this marriage was just a facade to save the Roy Chowdhury's face after Somnath's runaway act.

She was deeply disturbed by those words. And when komola kaki, their neighbour told her about the benefit of applying her vermilion thickly, she did it wholeheartedly just to make her marriage triumph in the face of people's vitriol.

"Bondita, I think you need to stop going to these dawats with Sampoorna ma. They are becoming a bad influence on you. These ladies are making you...."-Bondita spoke up before he could give his verdict on her choices.

"Patibabu, Ami sidur lagai karon ami ete bisshas kori. Amar jonno ei sidur r shakha pola joruri. Chotobela theke ami ete bisshas kore aschi. Ebong ami ete bisshas korte thakbo. Apnar Kotha eta bodlabe na. Apni to...(I apply this Vermilion because I believe in it. For me, this Vermilion and these shaka polas are important. I have been trusting these items since childhood. And I will keep believing in them. Your words won't change it. You are...)"-Anirudh felt his head bursting with pain as she spoke on and on.

Not being able to control himself any longer, he snapped.

"Can you stop talking for a minute? Can't you see that I am working? I don't want to hear your stupid superstitions that you've learned from the villagers. For god's sake, get out of my study..."-She got startled at his words.

He had never spoken so harshly with her. Today, his words held a frustration that she never saw in him. His face was scrunched up in fury.

Today, for the first time, she saw in him the angry social changemaker everyone talked about always.

The man, who for everyone else was an epitome of anger, whose anger was always erupting like a uncontrollable volcano.

She felt scared of him. She was afraid of his demeanour.

She stammered a little at his verbal lashing towards her.

"Why are you getting angry at me? I didn't do anything wrong...Dont take out your anger on me. I am not a punching bag for your work related frustrations...it's okay, if you are irritated at me...but that doesn't give you the right to throw me out of this study. Remember that you had told me, this place belongs to me as well...."-Anirudh was startled at the way she spoke the words. He had expected shouts and tantrums from her. But her calm and collected self made him mad.