Jodhpur- A short story

I am sitting on the highest roof of a 500 year old halevi surrounded by light indigo everywhere, with a brilliant orange dot in pale greyish sky. I absorb everything around me as my husband and friends decide to sleep off the afternoon. We are all recovering from the long road trip we made from Pushkar to here in our own ways.

There is a nip in the air already. I can hear a dog barking somewhere, horns of vehicles on the streets close by, birds chirping and the Maulvi reminding people to pray. I have always loved these reminders. The Church bells, the sweet sound of azan or the soothing ringing of temple bells- they are enough for me to connect to God. I don't pray.

I can see the boundary wall of the fort and I am hoping to be served a piping hot cup of masala chai right here. I am obviously looking at other indigo roofs and balconies, I want to know what people are upto. I don't know them but that doesnt stop me from intruding into their lives. I see a girl standing on a roof close by. She is folding the clothes that have been drying in the sun and she is talking to someone.

'Why is she so shy while talking? Why do I feel that she is hiding, that she doesn't want to be caught talking to this...?' I don't know whom she is talking to, I can't see, even though she is really close to me. I can hear her. I shift a little. I want to see the person on other side of the conversation yet I have to be subtle. They can't know that I am spying. I still don't see but I hear.

Girl on the roof- Where were you for so long Sunil? I have been waiting here since almost 20 minutes. Do you know how painful it is to remove each bedcover taking 5 long minutes? 

Sunil- Sorry Parvati, I was trying to come but Prakash refused to help me. He said do your own job so I had to start what I had to do and I quickly came to say hello.

Parvati- Oh!!! that means you are going back?

Sunil- Sadly yes, as soon as the water boils. I have already added the ginger and sugar so that I have a few more minutes with you. I promise to come back at night, lets say 11.30?

Parvati- I have a lot to do at that time. tidying up the house, wash the utensils, clean the kitchen, check if Pallavi and Aarti's uniforms are ironed. I can't. Shall we meet in the morning? 4.30? on the way to the milk shop? 

Sunil- At the entrance of our lane, he says smilingly. And rushes back to his boiling water.

Parvati's heart is filled with the deep affection that she has for Sunil. She smiles back at him. I can see her smile and then she turns around to see if anyone else witnessed their rendezvous.  She obviously doesn't want to be caught. Before I could turn away she notices me and suddenly turns red. Her expression was more shock than embarrassment I notice. It was as if her eyes were confused if they should look away or open themselves as wide as possible.

I am confused too. I am very embarrassed at being caught spying but I am more confused. Why is she shocked? She could be angry, she could be embarrassed but why this expression, I wonder while I hear the clicking of a cup and saucer travelling on a tray. I am secretly thankful for the timing of the tea. I am a tourist so I can just turn around for tea and forget ever having sat through this conversation. I turn around with a purpose, I see a waiter carrying my tea and some cookies and relief fills me. The waiter bends to keep the tray on my table and my eyes fall on the tag on his shirt- Sunil Rathod it read.


Mallika Bhatia
Written- December 2011
Published- March 2017