An Unforgettable Love

They grew together from their childhood in the same lane. It was a middle-class area. Ruma?s father was a tenant, every after two, three years they had to change their house. Some times due to the quarreling with house owner or sometimes maybe for the better places. Ananta had enough place to offer but he could not dare, since his parents might take it in a different way. One thing was very common. They always loved to play together, sometimes they quarreled for some funny causes but the intervention of their guardians made them quiet for some time and again they became friends.

At the age of ten, Ananta went on an educational tour to Guwahati. It was his first trip, naturally his parents were anxious and also worried about their only son but the boy discovered his first tour very interesting. In the morning when the train was entering Guwahati, crossing the Brahmaputra river, small blue Mountains hidden behind the misty fog, appeared like a fairy tale's living page. Still at the age of forty Anant can cherish those old memory, whenever he traveled in that route amidst his busy office tour. During the excursion they stayed in a very cheap hotel at Pan Bazaar, eat dal, rice, and cucumber curry every day but their trip to the Vasishtasram, Kamakhya Temple was excellent. Anant can easily remember that in their team, Enakhy, a small little plump girl sought help from Anant to climb on the dark staircases of Kamakhya Temple. They were wearing Marigold chains, putting hand in hand. It was just a little innocence but everybody teased Anant for that funny incident.

Anant did a small shopping. A photograph of God, Sri Hanuman for his mother, a string of beads for Ruma, some plums, and maybe something else which he can?t remember today. They had to return earlier, due to the fund crisis. Children were very unhappy because, of missing the most promised trip to the Zoo. So the elders arranged for a considerably good launch with rice and rotten fish.

After returning, next morning Anant was very excited to show that string of beads to Ruma but it was never found again. His mother told him that it was missing, maybe the rat had eaten the beads like the plums. As Anant grew older he understood that his mother never wanted him to offer the beads to that little girl, maybe his mother was worried about thinking that if it could be an approach for any future affair.

As the adolescence arrived, like most of the Indian Bengali families they started drifting apart. Occasionally they met each other. Ruma became very serious in her studies. She got a good number in Madhyamik and Higher Secondary Exams. Ananta was not at all a studious guy. He just finished both the exam marginally. Still, occasionally they met, in Bijoya Dashami or other festival occasions. Their meeting was very casual but seemed enjoyable to both of them. As time goes by, distances increased. Their childhood relation was disappearing like a rear light of a speeding car.

A strange thing was happening. Anant could not understand that why he felt a sudden beats of drums playing inside his heart or a flash of blood rising from feet to head blocking all his vision whenever he crossed Ruma or came closer, which was very uncommon in their relation. .He was not very sure, about her feelings. Girls are very careful about their privacy.

After finishing school Ruma went to the co-educational college for studying Arts and Anant joined two years degree course. There was lots of rumor in the air about the Ruma?s love affairs with a boy named Subhodip from Govt school but ultimately it was spoiled. Anant felt happy after hearing this news but time ran short. Ruma finished her college and her father arranged her marriage with a Bank clerk, wise type gentleman . It was a very tough time for Anant. He just finished college and was looking for a job. Already some of his friends joined different places but as a mediocre student Anant found it very difficult to manage a suitable job. The news of Ruma's marriage hurt him but he had nothing to do since they had no concrete understanding like many others unfinished love affairs.

On the day of the marriage, Anant managed a Hotshot camera from one of his friends and loaned hundred rupees from his elder brother to purchase a film. Ruma was looking very happy and beautiful. Anant took photographs of every ritual. Most of the photographs were either from too much distance or out of focus. Still it was a tribute to his childhood girl for his unspelled love.