Night Jasmine

Untitled Part 63

When Parth reached in time for dinner, he had another surprise for them. There was a change in the plan, Vidushi had called him saying that she had booked Mumbai-Goa return flight tickets for them through her contact, which meant Randhir, Sanyukta and Parth would not be driving, instead a car would pick them all up on their arrival at Dabolim airport and would remain at their disposal during their stay in Goa. They would arrive in Goa by one in the afternoon to coincide with Vidushi's arrival, which meant that they need not undertake the over 600 km exhausting drive from Mumbai to Goa and would reach just in time for lunch. When Randhir did not respond to her call because he was in the shower with Sanyukta Vidushi rang Parth to inform him about the change, asking him to complete their web check-in as the flight was heavily booked due to the long weekend. Of course, Vidushi neglected to mention that all the arrangements had come through because of Nobin da's involvement, after a little effort he had managed the accommodation and the flight bookings between Mumbai and Delhi. However, he had warned Vidushi not to mention anything about his role in the matter to the others.

After dinner they finished their packing and went to bed, glad that they did not have to rush too early the next morning. Randhir relished the time he could spend with Sanyukta in his arms because off late he had been quite occupied and hardly came home. As he embraced her tenderly after yet another passionate encounter he thought about how much had changed when he found out that Yasmeen was actually Sanyukta. After she had stopped veiling herself he discovered a completely new woman who was craving to lose her inhibitions with him and it was easy for him to reciprocate because under her ordinary garb she was sensually inviting. She was a far cry from the Sanyukta he knew as a child, the shy girl who would tiptoe around the Haveli self-consciously, observing and absorbing everything but expressing nothing. He now knew how her meat dishes reminded him of the Haveli kitchen, he remembered how she would painstakingly observe the cooking in his home, memorising all that she learnt to recreate it for him. Through her growing years she had been completely devoted to him, and he could not love her enough for it. 

The next morning after a simple breakfast they reached the airport in time to board their flight to Goa, Sanyukta being the most excited of the three as she was visiting Goa for the first time. She was also looking forward to meeting Vidushi. Their flight landed just a few minutes befor Vidushi's and in half  an hour the two siblings and the second set of lovers were reunited. As the boys loaded the bags into the waiting car Vidushi harassed Sanyukta about finally giving her brother a taste of paradise after keeping him waiting for so long, and she wanted to know all the details, making the poor girl blush furiously even as Randhir grinned winking back at his sister, knowing fully well what was being discussed.  They drove on wide streets and later some narrow lanes that swept through emerald-green scenery dotted with palm trees, cutting through lush paddy-fields, whitewashed churches and lovely houses that could easily be in rustic Portugal rather than in India. It was a brisk, smooth ride to the quiet little farmhouse in South Goa owned by a local Goan Saraswat family called Khandeparkar.The resort that they ran in a different location had no rooms available so they had moved this set of visitors to their ancestral property which was not really equipped to house tourists. But they would be the only guests there, and would be accommodated in the two spare rooms on the first floor. 

The owner's parents resided in the bungalow and they personally welcomed the youngsters who greeted them respectfully assuring them that they would conduct themselves responsibly, fully aware that they were staying in somebody's home. As they were led to their rooms they were served cool tender coconut water that came from coconuts freshly harvested from the palms on the property. There was no room service, nor bath tubs or swimming pool, but the property opened to a quiet lagoon where they could go swimming and boating and there were hammocks put up for them to laze on. As soon as they had freshened up they were invited to lunch in the dining room attached to the spacious kitchen, where a home-cooked traditional Goan feast awaited them. There was bangdya hooman or mackerel curry with ukdo or parboiled, unpolished rice, sungtachey daangar or shrimp cutlet, fried viswan/kingfish/surmai fish, tisryo or clams curried in a rich brown coconut masala, long beans sauteed and tender red amaranth shoots called tambdi bhaji, which was in season. The rice flatbread called bhakri was succulently soft and was used to scoop up the food.There was also kismoor-a relish made with dried toasted shrimp, chopped onion, and grated coconut and the quintessential sol-kadhi- the delicious pink tangy coconut milk and cocum drink.

Randhir made Sanyukta promise that she would make the effort to enjoy the local cuisine, and she gingerly tried the less bony mackerel tail from the curry with the parboiled rice. She discovered that it was delicious, flavoured with dried byadgi chilies from Karnataka and with the unusual spice called tirphal, related to the sichuan pepper, giving it a spicy zing. Even the parboiled rice, cooked on wood fires had a unique taste and chewy texture. She ended up trying everything, including the deliciously tender amaranth saag which was simply sauteed with chilies and chopped onions and topped with grated coconut. Coconut was centre-stage, being used in most recipes yet tasting so different. In its freshly grated form it added a touch of sweetness, but in the clams it lent a nutty richness as it had been toasted. It even featured in the sweet called tavsoli, a baked cucumber and cashewnut cake which was scrumptious. 

They ate their fill, raving about the food, paying rich compliments to their hosts for their cooking and their hospitality. The lady of the house had personally supervised the cooking although she had hired help to put it together.They had been in Goa for just over three hours now, but were already in love with the place and its culture. Both couples decided to take a siesta, the relaxing noon sleep being very much a local tradition. The huge meal had left them feeling drowsy and they decided to spend the evening exploring the neighbourhood after a brief rest, and instructed their driver accordingly. They then fell into a deep slumber, looking forward to spending a memorable holiday in the heaven that is Goa.