I sat there for fifteen minutes or so admiring the sun rays dancing on the river. It was a very rare sight in Kolkata but I was in Green Garden then, which I had to keep reminding myself. It was such a good place that mixing in it was not difficult. I almost felt like home there with Kaajal. If you are thinking that Green garden is a garden then let me tell you it is a town. It has a lot of greenery so has been named the same. I used to live in Kolkata. Green Garden seemed like Kolkata because Kaajal had told so much about it that it became more known to me than my own city.
Kaajal used to live in Green Garden and I had gone to visit her. It was a good break probably much needed one. After spending fifteen peaceful minutes staring at the clean river I started towards home.
“Tara, tomorrow is my drama competition. Will you practise with me?” Kaajal asked.
“No, Kaajal. I think I should concentrate on my story” I said.
“Come on Tara, please.”
I agreed after she pleaded a lot. The play was about a robbery in a king’s court. Though I couldn’t understand much of it but I got the gist. During a break we decided to have a chat.
“I just do not like the monotonous life in Green Garden. What about Kolkata? You must be enjoying a lot.” Kaajal said.
“Just too much. One day the enjoyment was unbearable.”
“Why what happened?”
“It was an august day. It was pouring heavily. I was sitting in the divan and reading an old book. What could anyone do in such a mess? Amidst all this mess my little sister had come to visit. She was too tiring to deal with. She kept demanding for a picnic. I said that it was not possible but she wouldn’t listen. Moreover the bustling noises coming from surrounding house drove me crazy.
Not only that city life is so tiring and noisy that sitting and staring at the nature now doesn’t even appear in a dream.
All the sound has driven me crazy and only a touch of peaceful nature can soothe this fire. So I came here to trouble you.” I said emotionlessly.
“So why do you like this place so much? It is because of the closeness to the nature or something else?”
“Kaajal, you are asking questions just like an interviewer.”
“Tara, I really want to know?”
“Yes Kaajal it is close to nature.”
“Why don’t you come here forever Tara? Away from all the problems and tensions?”
I kept quiet as I did not have words to reply back then. Maybe Kaajal guessed it and suggested that we should resume the rehearsals of the play. Next day I was supposed to leave. The question which Kaajal asked remained moving inside my head.
Next morning I said before leaving “Living forever in green garden is not a bad idea.”
Kaajal was shocked that I resumed the topic.
“I like green garden, in fact I kept thinking the whole night whether to live here or not. But no, Kolkata is my own city be it how bad possible. There is a kind of oneness which lacks in green garden. Yes the traffic irritates me ,the weather does too but running from it is not an option. Be it however bad but its mine and I can accept it in any condition it is. So I wish I could have stayed here but my fondness of Calcutta didn’t allow me to stay here. Bye Kaajal.”
Till today I wonder if it was reacting or over reacting but as said there is a good thing in every worst possible thing.
