13
It Is Late
But Perfect
Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it.
For many enlightened people life definitely is not a problem to be solved but it is a reality to be experienced. For wise people life can be a dream, it can be a game for the fool, often it is a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for the poor but ultimately life is a luxury for lovers.
In order to feel good and relaxed Rohan took a deep breath to inhale as much fresh air as he could. He was paying his heartfelt gratitude to his doctor, Doctor Rahul Sharma, a Cardiologist, who had insisted that Rohan make this trip. He reluctantly made this short trip from Sabeto to Lautoka Hospital. He was living a lonely life and so isolated himself after losing his first and only love. A heart problem developed and after his surgery his doctor recommended him to visit the hill station in Nandarivatu to recuperate and rejuvenate.
He was quite sure that it was completely preposterous suggestion for him but at some point he also wished to give a last chance to life. He had been missing his love, his soul mate. A ray of hope was still there. So he obeyed his doctor’s suggestions.
He booked a villa at the hill station and asked his village friend Satend to drive him from his home to Nandarivatu. The journey began in the morning and it was noon, when they reached their destination. Rohan got down from the car and started inspecting the cool and pleasant environment. Definitely, on the first impression this was an ideal place to recuperate and rejuvenate.
Rohan was entirely amazed to see the beauty of Nandarivatu. He soon settled with his friend Satend in the villa he had booked. By the afternoon he began wandering in the valley, observing the beauty and admiring the power of the Creator who has used multiple and extremely pretty sceneries. The lush green grass, the thick tropical forest, the ever fresh water falls and the huge mist covered mountains as the backdrop of the scenery were taking the beauty of this heavenly place to its perfection.
He also smelled a cold breeze, filled with the unique fragrance. Suddenly he fell in love with the commendable beauty of this splendid hill station. He found himself, a little revived. He was contended. Who would not?
Rohan was feeling a little tired. He sat down on the soft grass and closed his eyes for a while. He wished to capture the beauty in his eyes forever. A pretty face appeared in his thoughts. It was Shanti’s face, her big eyes with heavy eye lashes. She had talking eyes. He spent all his life in the sweet memory of Shanti.
He murmured, “Oh darling, why did you leave me and have given me such pain, plight, panic, perplexity and even purgatory?” He was lamenting. He muttered, “Better to die.”
“Hmmmm”? Bad words.” A soft voice entered into his ears and brought him into the present.
Rohan surprisingly opened his eyes. He saw there was a cute little boy standing very near to him. He was constantly staring to Rohan.
Rohan smiled, “What? Bad words? Who are you?”
The boy sat next to him and said, “Why so many questions? Ask one by one please. I am hardly a five year old boy.”
Rohan started laughing. He felt a little better after so long.
The boy resembled someone very precious to him. He had big eyes with heavy eye lashes. After some time he ran away to catch his ball. Rohan could not ask anything about him. He found a glimpse of Shanti in him. He had plethora of his lovely memories. He started floating into his past.
In his youth, at the Nasinu College he felt a deep love with a girl. She was the prettiest girl of the college. Her name was Shanti. She had stolen his heart at the first sight. He liked her so much. The way she dressed. The way she used to help others. The way she looked and walked. Rohan was quite sure that it’s nothing but love. He cared for her very much but could not gather courage to propose to her.
Rohan, himself was a handsome boy. He had a ripped body. Many girls wished to get friendly with him. But his eyes were always longing to get a glimpse of Shanti.
Once Rohan saw her talking to his best friend, Mohan, he asked him to fix a meeting with her. Mohan laughed. He told him not to ever try since she was his. Then he started laughing loudly as if it was a joke.
When Rohan got a first prize in the final exams, Shanti congratulated him and wished him well. She also lost her heart to him but she could not confer this to her new consort.
At times it takes no time to fall in love but sometimes it takes years. They talked less but their eyes exchanged their feelings. When heart transfers emotions through eyes, then words lose their identity. And the same happened with them. They became good friends but longed for a lot more affection to develop between them.
Rohan and Shanti both were in deep love with each other. Only formal proposal had to be made. They both were planning to open their hearts on the right time. But God had different plans for them. They could not muster enough courage to proceed further even if their hearts were eager to pounce.
Mohan and Shanti on the other hand belonged to the same village. Mohan wished to have her as his life partner anyhow. He was a paranoid. It was all because of him that Rohan and Shanti could not unite.
It was getting dark. Rohan headed towards his villa. He was not feeling well for many reason, the most important being his craze to be with his lover. By this time his friend Satend had already prepared a good and sumptuous dinner which was well enjoyed by the two friends before retiring to their single beds with the minimum of luxury.
As soon as he went to his bed he went into a deep sleep. On the very next day Rohan reached the same place where he had met that cute little boy. He was excited to see the boy who was already playing there.
Rohan stretched his hand to shake and said, “Hi, I am Rohan. I am from Sabeto. Tell me something about you.”
The boy replied, “Hi dude, I am Kanti.”
Rohan murmured, “Kanti, a nice name. In my dictionary it means ‘charming’ and you are a charming little mate.”
They became friends gradually. Now Rohan forgot to inquire about his mother. They played together. They laughed together. Actually they were filling each other’s vacuum.
Rohan realized that the boy’s big eyes with heavy eye lashes, starved for love. The two little sparkling, mesmerizing eyes attracted Rohan. He also found that some invisible, yet strong string is somewhere between them which gradually took them closer and closer.
Rohan had a heart surgery recently. His Doctor advised him to visit some refreshing and lively place and inhale fresh air and here he was at last.
With the help of fresh atmosphere and his new little friend’s company, he started recovering fast. Nothing in the world could heal him as this small boy’s company. For the very first time Rohan felt to be loved and cared. He felt completely contended. Nothing more he required from his life now.
After playing with the Kanti, Rohan returned to his room in the villa and took a long bath with slightly warm water. He was a little tired. Instead of having dinner he preferred a cup of hot coffee and some cookies. He was eager to go to his bed and dream the same dream which he had been having for last few years. He finished his coffee and slipped in the not so warm and comfortable bed. Eventually he found his slumber and he took himself to his beautiful and pleasant past.
In his dreams Rohan was heading towards the college, he overheard some sounds behind the bush next to the recreation room.
“You have to marry me or else I will die. You will be charged for this. I will commit suicide. Please say yes to me. I beg you, please.” He heard his friend Mohan saying.
”I am really concerned about you Mohan but for me you are just a friend,” he heard a female voice.
“Look here, I have a knife. I can cut my wrist and can die right here in front of your eyes. Please say yes. Come to me forever. I love you so much,” he heard his friend Mohan plead.
“Love? Do you really know the meaning of love? It’s nothing but lust. Love is a very pious emotion. Why don’t you understand? I really don’t have any such feelings for you.”
“So, to whom do you feel like that? With whom you want to sleep? These rosy cheeks belong to whom? Damn it. That must be Rohan. Isn’t it? But, I warn you, he is a poor guy. He can hardly give you a roof over your head; clothe you or feed you, leave along a loving life to live. Got it?” Mohan was saying with some anger.
“You are sick, Mohan. You need a Psychiatrist,” uttered the female voice.
“Oh I see, you mean to say that I am mad.”
Nobody had the idea that Mohan was schizophrenic. He had a different world of his own. He suffered from hallucinations.
When Rohan looked carefully at the female he recognized that she was Shanti who had started sobbing now.
Rohan appeared there at once, when he heard Mohan’s name. He was trembling out of fury. He was stunned. To his surprise, Mohan was proposing to Shanti forcibly. What a ferocious boy was he?
Rohan was shocked. What to do? How to save his Shanti from this devil?
Suddenly, Shanti embraced Rohan tightly, as tight as she could. Rohan got his conscious back. Mohan disappeared swiftly.
Rohan patted her shoulder to console. He took her to a nearby chum’s shop. After a while she felt a little relaxed.
Rohan asked politely, “Shanti, are you ok now?”
Shanti replied, “hmmm”
Rohan asked, “How do you know Mohan?”
Shanti replied, “We are from the same village. You know him too because he was at the college with us. I think he is a paranoid or schizophrenic. He scares me. I don’t like him.”
Rohan asked, “Oh I see. I will speak to him. Relax.”
Rohan ordered two cups of coffee and let her relax. Rohan took her hands in his hands and pressed a little to console her. Out of shyness her cheeks were ablaze. Her black suit was nicely fitting on her slim body. Her silver ear rings dangled and touched her cheeks so often. She left after finishing her coffee.
Rohan was still in shock for Mohan’s behavior.
He decided that he will certainly speak to Mohan.
For some reason he had to move to his home town and it took a month. When he got back, he could see neither Mohan nor Shanti. He wandered for his love. He prayed to God to help her and to save her. He was very much worried about Shanti. He did not get any clue.
He searched on Facebook, inquired from her friends and the entire search engines on internet but all in vain. He understood that he had to spend his entire life all alone, without his love.
After that he never went to any date, never talked to any girl. He indulged himself in his studies and further in his job. He was so depressed. He left the idea of even a glance of Shanti. He cursed himself for not being able to express his feelings to her.
And as people say, ‘the show must go on’. He has now crossed his thirty. He isolated himself totally and became a heart patient.
It was a sunny fresh morning. Rohan was feeling much better. It’s so strange that love has a magical role in our lives. Sometimes medicine fails but some compassionate love and tender care can do miracles.
Rohan got up quickly and rushed to meet his little friend Kanti. While sitting on the soft grass, he sensed some familiar fragrance. He opened his eyes at once. A lady was carrying Kanti back. Rohan was desperate to see her but he could not.
On the very next day Rohan came in the valley a little earlier. He wished to see the lady at least for once. He waited for long but Kanti did not appear. Rohan again found himself in a deep and dark isolated well. He drowned in that great grief.
After spending a couple of days at the hill station, Rohan was sitting and inhaling the fresh air outside in the verandah. He was asking the God to give him the reason to live. For whom should he live?
It is often said that to pray, one needs not to go to the Temple or to the Mosque. There is a direct, heart to heart connection or communication with the God Almighty. If the feelings are real and pious, God certainly listens and always does the best and the right things.
While praying and to Rohan’s utter surprise, Kanti appeared from nowhere.
Kanti exclaimed, “Hey dude, I am here to take you to my home today.”
Rohan surprisingly asked, “Hey Kanti, where have you been? I was looking for you my friend.”
Rohan was delighted. He tried to lift him but Kanti was reluctant to let him do this and so he denied Rohan this favour.
Kanti said, “You should not lift me up, it may hurt you. I know you are a heart patient.”
Rohan got wet eyes to witness so much compassion and concern for him from the little child.
Kanti spoke sadly, “It was my father’s death anniversary, so we were busy in that.”
Rohan asked in low tone, “Oh, I am extremely sorry. When did it happen?”
Kanti replied, “Mom told me that he was an impulsive person. He died all of a sudden. We could not even provide him first aid. Now we two are left alone in the family.”
Rohan consoled him by wrapping his hand around his small body and gave him a warm and passionate hug.
Suddenly he pranced merrily and said, “I have something very special to show you.”
Rohan asked, “What is that?”
Kanti replied, “A letter.”
Rohan was very surprised to hear this, “Oh, a letter?”
Kanti shied a little and said, “But in the entire letter you will get only two words, Rohan and Shanti.”
Rohan snatched the letter from his hands hastily. He tried hard to read that but could not. His tear filled eyes could not see clearly. He was as happy as a kid feels when he feels the joy to get his favorite ice cream. He started turning and rolling the letter.
Rohan wondered, “Where is Shanti? Is she your Mom?”
A tender and familiar voice came from the back. Shanti said politely, “I am right here Rohan. We suffered for the unknown sin. It would not have happened, if we were ever able to express our true feelings for each other at the right moment.”
Rohan looked at Shanti. She had not changed much. She was standing with her evergreen pretty face and one can die for kind of smile.
Rohan was ashamed, “I am sorry. I am your culprit. It is all because of me that you had to suffer all those hardships. I have been a coward all my life when it came to love.”
Rohan was sorry and had tears in his eyes. He sighed, “Oh Shanti, my soul craved for you forever. All the way from Nadi to Nandarivati, how come?”
Shanti said all in a single breath “When you left to your home town, Mohan forcibly brought me here because he was working for the Monasavu Dam and then married me. He had been in the delusion that I loved him. He had a fear to lose me too. He always used to torture me against your name and our relationship.” Shanti was saying and choked a little.
She continued, “I tried to make him understand but he never listened to me. Mohan was really a schizophrenic. I tried to help him but he used to throw the medicines. He wanted to win me but he could not win my heart Rohan. So when he used to lock me in the room after beating badly, writing your name was my only hope.”
Tears had started roiling down on her cheeks.
Rohan said, “Oh my God, you suffered a lot Shanti.” Shanti wiped her tears and asked Rohan to tell her about him.
Rohan replied, “I spent my life in loneliness and in your fond memories and kept remembering you only. I am still as bachelor as you left me.”
After a few minutes of stark silence Shanti managed to justify her living, “Mohan was never nice to our son Kanti and I. We never had a wife-husband or a father-son like bonding. With you Rohan, Kanti will definitely have a bonding of love and security.”
Kanti hesitatingly asked, “So would you come along to our place, dude? May I call you Dad?”
Shanti blushed at the words of her son.
Rohan nodded and lifted up Kanti and placed him on his back. Now, Kanti didn’t deny Rohan this pleasant privilege.
He replied, “You are most welcome my son.”
Kanti insisted, ”So, what is the delay, Mom and Dad?”
Rohan looked at Shanti and questioned from his eyes, for which Shanti lowered down her big eye lashes as usual to seal her agreement.
Rohan now felt lighter just like a feather. He wished to fly high in the sky of the valley of Nandarivatu.
Rohan asked merrily, “So, you people came here to take me along? Hah, I am ready to go with you but I have a condition.”
Shanti understood his romantic mood so sent Kanti to play. Shanti widened her eyes, lifted her heavy eye lashes with sparkling and mesmerizing eyes behind and asked, “And, what’s that?”
Rohan came closer to her now. Rohan whispered in her ears softly, “I need the same tight hug, which …..”
Shanti could not help but burst into tears. Rohan consoled her and took her in his arms. She embraced him tightly with her lean arms.
Rohan placed a warm kiss on her cheeks. Took out his ring and placed it on the finger of Shanti, “Oh Shanti, I love you so much, Please never leave me alone. By God’s grace we have united even though it is too late. Will you marry me Shanti?”
Shanti also whispered in Rohan’s ears, “Yes, it is late but perfect.”
The heavy white mist and frost started clearing in the arms of the vast mountains of Nandarivatu giving way for the two lovers to sing many songs of love and comfort all their life.
Now the beauty of nature presented Rohan the reason to live a better and worthy life. He got love of his life. It was a fresh cold breeze having the fragrance of sandal wood from the tropical forest adding a radiant romance in the air.
Now Rohan also had a family to love and care.
Dono bandhe huye is pyari zindgi se
Phir bhi udne ko pankh pasaare
Kabhi band pinjare se duniya dekhe
Kabhi kankhiyon se ek dusare ko nihare.
@
Both are bonded tightly to their love life
Spreading the wings to fly with no strife
Looking at the world from their love cage
Watching each other with love and craze.
