Hum

Chapter 4: Hum

My thoughts:

I reached Choudhury mansion at 10 am and saw the whole place was decorated like a fairytale. The whole family greeted me with hugs and smiles welcoming me in their family celebrations. They kept a very small function with just two families together and I'm really glad that they shared one of their special days with me too. Arvind Kaka was holding Anirudh in his arms, while Binoy Kaka was carrying Bondita in his arms. Anirudh and Bondita stood and I hugged them wrapping my arms around both of them together. Entering the house, I looked around and saw that there were many pictures of Anirudh and Bondita together and with other family members kept in a wall. Soon, the family priest of Choudhury mansion came to conduct a pooja for Bondita and Anirudh. After completing the pooja, Shubra and Sumati Kaki distributed prasad to everyone. The prasad was really tasty. Since Anirudh and Bondita were too young to take prasad, they were given a small amount of milk as offerings. Then, Shubra Kaki and Binoy Kaka lighted a diya 🪔 for Anirudh, while Sumati Kaki and Arvind Kaka lighted a diya 🪔 for Bondita. After some time we completed lunch and we were all just playing with Bondita and Anirudh together. It was time for gift wrapping. Thakuma gave each of them two new clothes. Trilochan Kaka gave them two small gold chains. Shubra Kaki and Binoy Kaka gifted them a dollhouse. Sumati Kaki and Arvind Kaka gave them new shoes. I was having loads of fun with both of them. I bought some dolls, small baby dresses, socks, shoes and cars for both of them. However, both of them expressed their excitement when they received papers and painting materials like colours, pallettes and brushes of children's sizes. Shubra and Sumati Kaki kept some colours on the palette and gave them some paint brushes and papers in front of them. They grabbed the brush, dipped the brush in the colour and began scribbling filling the white with many colours to their hearts content. Once finished they wanted to show each other first, so they turned towards one another. Anirudh whispered to Bondita "Bon" and Bondita even whispered to Anirudh "Rudh". "Bon" and "Rudh" were their first words and that was only to one another. It's like this is a special birthday gift. I could only hear apart from them because I was sitting just near them. I'm really happy to be a part of this lovely moment and also glad I took some photos of their paintings and the moment too when they stared at each other's eyes while whispering one another's name with so much feelings in the words itself that anyone can be spellbound hearing it. They showed what they painted to one another and as another birthday gift Anirudh gifted Bondita what he drew while Bondita gave Anirudh what she drew. Soon, it was time for cutting cake. We all sang the birthday song and clapped together and embraced one other. They too clapped bouncing slightly with excitement, hugged one another closely and also walked to everyone holding hands and hugged them.Since, they were too young to cut cake or even have it, everyone tasted the chocolate cake that had '1' written on the centre. It was really delicious. Anirudh and Bondita were given a small drink of chocolate milkshake and minimal amount of melted chocolate which was spread around the cake as part of their one year birthday treat which they enjoyed loads. After cutting cake and all they again went back to painting to their hearts content. They were not ready to leave their paintings nor those drawing materials which I gave them and play with something else anytime soon. It seems like they really loved it. I decided to head back home since it's now evening so I bid goodbye to everyone by embracing them.