18th May 1994
After travelling for some time, Jaiprakashji asked the driver to stop for tea. Shambhu parked the car outside a place called Krishna Snacks assuring them that it was a place he had frequented before and was clean.
Sameer stretched his legs for a couple of minutes and then sat at one of the tables in the patio. His eyes wandered around taking in the ambience. There were a few potted plants scattered around. A black cat was lazing to one side, trying to stay out of the sun. The day was starting to heat up.
His gaze handed on Naina who was muttering something to a parrot that was in a cage hanging almost in the centre of the patio. She had got hold of a green chilli and was trying to coax the parrot into taking a bite. The way she stood, was presenting him with her left-side profile; a very clear view of her bare waist and stomach and also parts of her curves on the top. Nice... he thought.
She remained oblivious to his perusal for a minute or so, till her sixth sense kicked in and she abruptly turned in his direction. As she comprehended the direction of his gaze, she coloured and bristled in indignation. Quickly pulling the saree pallu around herself, she walked towards the table that Shambhu kaka was occupying. Sameer chuckled internally.
His grandfather joined him soon and the server brought over their cold drinks. The elder man remarked "I am glad we decided to take this trip. I know, I haven't spent enough time with you as hoped for." Sameer muttered "Its ok Nanu. I understand it's been very hectic at work for you." Nanaji responded sounding apologetic "Work never ends my dear boy... But one should make time for family. Especially, when you've agreed to this visit to India. Well, let's make the most of the next few days!" Sameer nodded.
Once they resumed their drive, Sameer pulled out a book, while Nanaji made some small talk with the driver about how long he had been working for the tour company and how frequently he travelled in these parts.
Nanaji then turned his attention to Naina and asked her "Where about do you live in Ahmedabad?" She replied "Sir, I actually live in Khed." He nodded knowing that a lot of people from surrounding smaller towns or villages commuted to Ahmedabad on a daily basis for work.
She looked fairly young to be working and spoke English rather well for someone from Khed. He was intrigued "So, how are you finding the daily commute? Is it not too exhausting?" She smiled "I am used to the commute. I have done my entire schooling in Ahmedabad and attend college there as well." He could easily understand why she was attending a college in Ahmedabad, but wondered why her parents had chosen to send her to a school in another town all these years and enquired "Oh... Which school did you attend?" She replied, "Mount Carmel."
He was perplexed, if she went to that school she must be from a well-off family, so why was she working? And how was her family okay with her going on work trips like this? Was she very adamant that she wanted to do this? But then again, sometimes he just couldn't understand what this new generation thought! Nevertheless, he asked "So, what does your father do?"
Naina understood his confusion, she had been met with it on numerous occasions before. It did not bother her any longer. She clarified "Sir, my father passed away when I was very small. I live with my mother and Nani in Khed. After my Nanaji passed away too, my mother realised that she had to start working. It was hard finding a job, as she had never finished her graduation. Luckily my grandfather's ex-employer was able to pull some strings and helped her find a job in a school. My mother works in Mount Carmel's admin department and hence I was granted admission under the staff quota."
She wasn't sure why, but she found herself opening up to this elderly man very easily. Personal information that she would have never shared with another client, just seemed to effortlessly flow from her lips. He seemed genuinely interested.
She went on to explain that she used to travel back and forth with her mother during the school years and then later decided to join a college in Ahmedabad. On his further questioning she explained that she was pursing her Bachelor of Arts with History as her major.
She had started working with the travel agency as an office assistant over her summer holidays after she had completed the first year of her degree course. During her time there, she had gained an insight into the tourism industry and felt drawn to the career prospect of becoming a tour guide. Her passion for history had found a practical application in the job market. The manager had grown fond of her and had helped her formulate a plan. The tourism diploma was a two-year course, and it was decided that it made sense for her to pursue it simultaneously as she completed her degree.
Once college resumed, she continued working part-time over the weekends. Slowly she started assisting with day tours. Most of them had been with another senior tour guide, but lately she had done a few solo day-tours too. The second year had ended, and she was currently back to working full-time for the holiday period.
As she spoke about her ongoing education and part-time work, Jaiprakashji listened to her with growing warmth and admiration.
Sameer still had the book open in his lap but was listening in on bits of their conversation. Of course, for him a university student working part-time was nothing special. It was extremely common where he came from. All he deduced was she must be about twenty or so... a couple of years younger to him.
But he didn't miss the warm regard in his Nanaji's eyes for her. This was so different to how Nanaji had responded to Isabella the year before.
* * *
Nanaji would usually visit Vishakha's family in London every year during the English summer for a month or so. During his last trip, Sameer had introduced him to his girlfriend Isabella.
Sameer and Isabella had been known each other for a few years through to some common friends but had started dating when they found themselves pursuing their masters in the same college.
Isabella had the overall countenance of a nerd, quite committed to her education and plans for joining her father's business back in Spain. But she had a fun side too. Sameer had enjoyed her witty comebacks and observations about people around them. She had been good company to head to the movies or concerts with. And the sex had been fine too. Maybe not earth shattering or out of the world types... but it had been perfectly adequate.
They had been dating for a year, and she had seemed excited at the idea of meeting his grandfather.
It had been a fairly hot day, as per the British, when he had planned to introduce her to his grandfather. Nanaji accompanied him to Regents Park where they were to meet Isabella. They had been walking along the pond, watching the platoon of kids chuck pieces of bread for the ducks and geese, when she arrived.
She had made a special effort for the occasion and was dressed in a lovely cornflower blue sundress. She had worn more makeup than she usually did and straightened her otherwise naturally wavy light brown hair.
But his Nanaji had not warmed up to her. Sameer could tell from the way he tried to keep his gaze away from Isabella, that he did not approve of her mid-thigh length dress. Nor did he approve of the familiarity with which she touched Sameer in front of him. Nanaji was polite to her but did not engage in much conversation with her. They spent less than an hour together before Nanaji excused himself claiming he had plans to meet some friends.
When Sameer later tried to ask him about his impression of Isabella, Nanaji had been fairly tight-lipped. And so, Sameer dropped the topic.
There had also been some argument between Nanaji and his mother about Deepika being allowed too much freedom. Deepika had turned sixteen and had started spending a lot of time hanging out with her friends, some of whom were non-Indians. Nanaji was unsettled by the overall behaviour of that bunch of teenagers. The prospect of his teenage granddaughter staring to date anytime soon, did not sit well with him. He felt that Vishakha and Vivek were not handling the kids appropriately. Vishakha tried to reason that they lived outside India and things were different there. But her father only felt let down.
Hence this year he had chosen not to visit London. Sameer had just finished his finals for the masters and Nanaji had asked him to visit India instead. Also, there had been some legal paperwork that had to be completed by Sameer related to his biological father's assets, and it had seemed like a good idea to wrap it all up before he started his own career.
* * *
Seeing Nanaji interacting with Naina now, Sameer left a little miffed at his previous year's reaction to Isabella. Well, it doesn't matter now... he decided.
They stopped to see an ancient Shiva temple along the way. They had reached it just in time before the temple closed for the afternoon. Naina gave them a quick overview of when it was built and the two specific times of the year when devotees flocked there. Sameer clicked some photos of the old structure and walked around the premises chatting with his grandfather. Naina purchased a few flowers and Bel leaves from an old lady sitting near the temple entrance and headed inside to pay homage to the deity. Sameer wondered feeling baffled, if she planned to repeat this ritual at every temple they might visit during the trip?!
Once back in the car, Naina asked the two gentlemen their preference for the next stop. Nanaji had a quick word with Sameer and advised that they would like to stop for lunch in a bit and then head to the destination. It was too hot for any additional sightseeing for the afternoon. They would like to catch a siesta and then plan something for the evening. Shambhu kaka was accordingly advised and they carried on with the journey.
During a quick stop at a decent highway restaurant, a simple lunch of Bhindi Masala and Dal Tadka with Rotis was partaken. Due to lack of many free tables, Naina had joined Jaiprakashji and Sameer at their table, while Shambhu joined some random man who was eating by himself. She learnt that Sameer had just completed his Master's in Business Administration from a prestigious university and was suitably impressed with this information.
Throughout lunch, she observed him with growing fascination. His accent and body language were so different to what she had encountered before. Sometimes she struggled a bit to understand everything he said. At one point she asked him out of curiosity "Don't you speak Hindi?" He shrugged "Not really... my parents speak Marwari at home and outside it's just English. But then I am not very eloquent in Marwari either. Though I can follow most conversations, and can speak some simple sentences here and there, I can't speak it fluently."
She was baffled "But why don't you speak your mother tongue at home?! It's a part of your heritage... your roots." Nanaji nodded in agreement. Sameer just stated "I guess, because we moved to UK when Rohan and I had just started school, to help us settle in and gain command over the language, my parents started speaking to us in English at home. And then we just got used to it."
Another thing she noted was, that he had lovely silky hair and was in the habit of frequently running his fingers through them. Well, if I had such lovely hair, I would do the same, she thought. Her own tresses flowed to just her shoulders in thick waves. She found it easier to maintain them like this, with hardly any spare time on her hands to pamper them. She realised that he bore a striking resemblance to the Bollywood heartthrob Salman Khan.
Sameer noticed how her forehead would furrow when she struggled to understand his accent or just not follow some phrases that did not form a part of the Indian vocabulary. She looked awfully young for university though. Where he came from, most girls barely in their teens looked much older than her. The layers of make-up that they added to their faces seemed to add years to their age too. Even without the make-up though her face carried a natural rosy glow. Her twinkling eyes did not need eyeliner to highlight their natural beauty. She seemed to be wearing some barely-there shade of lipstick though, or maybe it had faded away over the last few hours.
They were back on the road as soon as lunch was done. Nanaji had started nodding off. Naina started reading some book very intently. The driver would make some remarks to her every now and then, probably some updates on their location and the distance still to be covered.
Sameer must have nodded off at some point too, cause his Nanaji was shook him awake as they reached the destination. As the car passed the driveway leading to the structure, it was lined with a lot of Gulmohar trees in full bloom. Almost as if the heat around had resulted into the trees bursting into flames!
He noted that she was taking in the surroundings with slightly parted lips and awe filled eyes. When the car stopped, she whispered wide eyed "This is so beautiful..." Nanaji nodded and then commented "Sameer, we are really lucky to get a chance to stay here. Shantanuji has offered us their hospitality only out of mutual love and regard. This palace has been in their family for generations and is not used as a commercial property."
They were welcomed by Balwant, who was the main caretaker of the property. He seemed to be in his mid-forties and informed them with great pride that he had held the position for over fifteen years now after his father retired from the same. A maid appeared carrying a try full of some cold lemonade and khus sherbet. As the new arrivals quenched their thirst, Balwant gave them an overview of the general layout of the property and the surrounding areas.
It was decided that they would rest for a few hours and then reassemble about six in the evening in the foyer, to head out to explore some of the surrounding area. They were shown to the rooms readied for them.
(That's it for today! I will post the next part most probably on Thursday.
Also, big warm thanks to all my readers who have been voting for my previous Samaina FF - 'The Reluctant Groom and His Accidental Bride' for the Choice Awards 2019. Your love and appreciation motivates me to keep writing.
Happy Valentines Day and have a lovely weekend all of you!
Lots of love, May)