Magh Bihu

Prologue, Happenings & Aftermath

PROLOGUE

 

“Did you bake the cake? Have you packed your bags?” Anju asked in an excited tone even before I could say “Hi” to her as I answered her call.

 

I was standing at the entrance of Roodraksh, for my only shopping agenda – to buy a pair of shades. I would be inside the jungles for the next two days and a pair of shades was the absolute necessity of the hour. 

“Naah…. I haven’t! I am yet to reach home.” I told her. I didn’t tell her I was at some shopping mall to buy a pair of shades though. She would have crucified me!

 

“But it’s already 7:30 pm. When will you reach home? Where are you right now and have you not packed your bags or baked the cake?”, she went on in a breathless tone.

She was excited. I could make that out from her voice. I was excited too. But I was yet to get out of my WORK mode till then.

 

“Yes, its 7:30 pm, I am on my way home. I haven’t packed my bags nor have baked the cake”.

“I will do it tonight”, I assured her before she could bombard with another question and she really did and it hit me like the last nail on the coffin.

“Nandini, are you actually going to join us for the trip? I am done with my packing. I have made some gheela peethas and suji laddus as well’.

 

“Off course I am Anju”, I pacified her. But I know at that moment I didn’t sound convincing enough!

 

By the time I reached home, did the needful it was late into the night. Baking a chocolate cake for me is like making love with loads of foreplay. Over the years I have realized beating the egg whites, adding the sugar, then the melted butter needs mastery. One wrong moment and the butter might curdle. As you add the cocoa and flour, one wrong whip might allow air to go inside the batter which will flatten your cake.

 

So baking done and letting it cool, I packed my bags. Three tee shirts, three sets of underwear, two pair of clean socks, my toiletries, one pullover, one hooded jacket and my regular faded tee and a track pant to tuck in at night. A pair of denims would be enough I assumed.

 

I did the frosting on the cake and by the time I shut eye it was past midnight.

 

Yes! I was yet to pack my slippers, my laptop, chargers, lipsticks, kohl and mascara. I was almost awake but then I decided to do it in the morning.