Diamond Hearts (Volume I & II)

35. When we finally talked

Mahil :

Kuhoo avoided me. For whole two weeks.

First week went with me not seeing her at all, almost as if she disappeared. The next week, I finally saw my woman exiting her home at six-thirty in morning. I had accidently woken up early that day.

I tried initiating a conversation when we met in the elevator four days back but she acted as if she didn't hear me. And when we came face to face in our balconies this morning, like usual Sundays, before I could say anything she left stomping her feet muttering, "Not again."

So, basically we were in that phase of relationship where... Oh, were we in a relationship? Right, no.

What was I to call this phase, suggestions anyone?

I expected something out of this Sunday. But when the day went absolutely uneventful except for me realizing that I needed to do grocery shopping, I walked to this new grocery store after grabbing a burger from nearby café. How would it feel to do this with her? Seriously, I wanted to buy vegetables and chips with Kuhoo?

It was more about us walking side by side on pleasant evenings. I would love if she wore a plain blue skirt and left her hair open during those walks. She would hold a grocery bag between the flexed hand and side of her chest, a chocolate bar in the other hand. Wind would make her open hair dance as she munched on that delicacy. I would walk by her side insisting on carrying the bag, staring at her beauty as she licked the lips.

Only if these dreams would come true one day.

A smile played on my lips as I sauntered through this newly discovered part of neighborhood thinking about her. My steps came to halt hearing a faint piece of music. It was unfamiliar but soothing in a way I automatically started moving towards its source.

Following the melody, I reached in front of a beautiful marble temple, chants of Hare Krishna, Hare Rama spreading through it everywhere. Looking at the temple I nodded to myself and turned on the heel to leave when my eyes fell on a bookstall arranged in the surrounding. There were mostly religious books organized neatly on a makeshift table. It reminded me of that huge bookshelf from Kuhoo's place where she had a special section for these books.

"Do you want something?" A bald man in white dhoti and kurta asked, sitting on a chair behind the makeshift table.

"Huh? No, I was just leaving," I turned again but then I saw a copy of Bhagvad Gita through my peripheral vision, a similar one that I had seen at her house.

Following my line of vision, the man picked one copy and forwarded it, "Here, have a look."

I stared between him and the book for a long moment, but ultimately took it when he gave me an encouraging nod. It was actually an English translation with Sanskrit verses stated one by one. Shuffling through the pages, I randomly came across the verse she had mentioned when we were attending Rahul's marriage ceremony.

"Karmanyeva... Karmanyev adhikaraste" I fumbled with words not knowing how to read them correctly.

"कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।

मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥

(Karmanye vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana,

Ma Karmaphalaheturbhurma Te Sangostvakarmani.) That means you only have the right to perform an action but never to its fruits. Let not the fruits of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction," The man explained.