“Her Smile” made my day!

Most of the time we aspire for holidays and end up doing nothing except taking a trip of social media or glueing ourselves to movies or if someone is extremely studious then gazing books and notebooks all the day. The situation becomes unbearable if you had a couple of holidays before the weekend and when the weekend comes, you are left with nothing to do. Even the trip to social media fail to appease us, movies seem boring and fixing a momentarily gaze at book becomes suffocating.

Usually, I prefer a couple of visits, a month which I have already completed. Becoming a travel addict at this age is not recommended since it will hamper your study and if you aren’t from the very rich-economical background, it will burn a hole in your packet as well. My situation isn’t much different from what I have mentioned above.

Due to elections of DUSU and Lord Ganesha’s blessing, We already had enough holidays. On Saturday, I was gazing at the ceiling and walls of the room to pass my time and get the clue what to do. The situation becomes worse when you are ‘so-called single’ in the city like Delhi. I never felt the need for one because my contacts in Delhi are enough to move on any trip or any place whenever I want. But that day can be listed in one of my bad days since I was dialling the numbers of one to other but I got a negative response from each of them. I wondered whether they have planned collectively to abandon me and get here bored in the four walls of the hostel room with attached balcony. I chose not to, hence I took my ‘Pragmatica’ and earphone and plodded out of the hostel with lofty yet slow steps. This is going to be my first solo visit and I don’t know whether to be happy or sad. The prime concern is ‘Where to go’! People often get confused when I refer ‘Pragmatica’ so I better tell you before. She is my gf!!. You might be wondering that few lines before I said that ‘I am single’ and what the hell is this now? Well, don’t worry, she is my DSLR cum Gf.

Anyway, I took the Pink line from Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus to reach INA and with the hope that in due course I will decide ‘Where to go’. Earphone randomly played the songs and I came completely overtaken when this song came in the list.

“sang tere paaniyon sa behta rahu, tu sunti rahe mai kahaniyon si kehta rahu“

While I was shaking my head with my body like those dancing metres sometimes of Home Theatre, I heard the creak. I was to Sarojini Nagar now. The gate opened with the familiar Hindi and English melange of voice “Keep your hands away from the door“, otherwise gate won’t gate closed and your hands will be safe, we have a smart sensor here, installed at the door, I completed that voice in my thoughts in an irritated manner and fixed my eyes toward the gate for the time pass. Few people entered including one girl of my age, perhaps, the height being 5’2” with a fair complexion followed by one boy who wasn’t very sturdy but good-looking. I quickly withdrew my gaze from the girl anticipating some danger and got involved in the same lyrics again.

After the lapse of a few moments, I don’t know why but my eyes searched her face and stopped after the successful search result. When my eyes met her (which rarely happens with the strangers), she smiled like I have never seen before. I was flummoxed to see someone smiling at me without any reason. I quickly checked my outfit and my hair whether I am looking like a cartoon with the pragmatica’s bag hanging around my neck in a cross manner and earphones immersed in my ears creating a soothing melody. To me, I seemed alright but not sure about her why she smiled. Also, you can’t help yourself much in that situation since you cannot ask them. So I returned to my previous state, frowning a little at her. INA came in a while. Still, I was ambiguous about ‘Where to go’ since half of the deciding time was consumed by that ‘Paaniyon sa song’ and half was taken by that girl’s smile.

People hurriedly looked for interchange. I also decided that lets first go Rajeev Chowk and then after decide ‘where to go’. If I couldn’t make up my mind till then also, then I would simply take a round of CP and return. With this vision in mind, I also followed those mesmerized people moving in the similar direction towards interchange. The gate of the metro towards Rajiv Chowk was ajar so I ran toward it nimbly skipping 2-3 stairs at a time and not caring about the consequences that If I will fall, catching rickshaw will become difficult for me. Luckily, I got into it and after resting for a while when I returned to senses, I couldn’t believe my eyes, the same girl standing in front of me, this time even much closer. Before gesturing anything toward her, I peeped sideways to see if that guy is still around to knock me down but he was nowhere and I settled peacefully like a statue beside her after finding him nowhere.

Are you a photographer? She asked in the hardly audible voice which got lost due to the music in my earphone.

Hey, I am talking to you, she said scowling. ( Giving you a tip- girl feel very bad if you won’t pay attention to her)

This time I get to know somehow that she is referring to me.

Hey, Whattt….? I got confused by the sudden questioning by a stranger, moreover a girl.

Where is this metro going? This time she asked in a sweeter tone, altering the question as I guessed.

Where do you want to go? I asked. In the metro, you can’t tell people where the metro is going as there are so many stops and interchange in between.

Mayur Vihar! She replied.

Okay, so take blue line from Rajeev Chowk toward Noida. On the way, you’ll get your destination. I replied at once with the confidence of 2 years of living in Delhi.

Thanks a lot! By the way, where are you going? She asked again.

I was taken aback by the question. why would she want to know where do I intend to go? Anyway, I replied the truth!

I don’t know! I replied in the gentler tone as possible.

What do you mean you don’t know? If you don’t want to tell that’s the other reason. She frowned at me again.

Aree! Actually, I haven’t decided yet. I was feeling bored in the hostel so I came casually to visit any place not knowing what. Maybe I should think of ‘Akshardham’. ( I played my card since I knew that it is one station before Mayur Vihar). I felt a little uneasiness in my body as I spoke.

I hope your plan isn’t instantaneous. She smiled. So you will be taking the same route as mine? She enquired.

How do you know? I was surprised. If she knew why she asked me?

It’s actually my 3rd day in Delhi. I know that Akshardham is beside Mayur Vihar. I am travelling in the yellow line for the first time hence I have to ask about the route from here.

Oh its okay! That’s great. No worries. You came to Sarojini for shopping. right?

Yeah! with my friends’ directly from college. They either crept to their home or with their bfs to enjoy the weekend, leaving me alone! By the way, how do you come to know?

I am here in Delhi for 2 years. I replied proudly. with these easeful communications, my uneasiness seems to go and hence I was becoming more comfortable with her.

Oh, I see! Anyway, Are you a photographer? You don’t look like the one.

No, I am not. I am a student. I replied gazing at her for one more time.

So why are you troubling yourself with that heavy DSLR without any reason? She added quite sarcastically.

Excuse me! She isn’t only a DSLR. She is Pragmatica, my gf!! I said with 30% anguish and 70% sarcasm.

OMG!! In which world I am living. People here are so mad, I have never imagined. And she started laughing with the hands over her mouth.

I blushed! I saw her face for one more time. The laugh wasn’t like making fun of someone. It’s more like amusing yourself. Moreover, her childish smile made my mind and body rejuvenate rather frown.

What’s wrong in that? I asked as if I am indifferent to her life.

No, no nothing wrong in it. But why are you troubling your gf in the place where she can’t visit? She again remarked sarcastically holding her laugh for a moment.

What do you mean? I baffled

Don’t you know mobile and cameras are not allowed inside the temple? I heard from one of my friends. Are you visiting for the first time?

I returned to the senses. Yes, she is right. These items are strictly prohibited inside the temple.

I will take snaps of the temple from outside. I said in order to maintain the dignity of staying 2 years in Delhi. Also, It’s my 2nd time here. Last time I couldn’t make most of it. I added.

That doesn’t make much sense! Taking snaps from outside. She raised her eyes while she said.

(The familiar tone of metro again announced ‘Yeh Yamuna bank hai, Vaishali ke taraf jane wale yatri yaha se apni gaddi badal sakte hai’. I never realized in that conversation with her, when I have changed to the blue line from yellow. It’s only one station down to ‘Akshardham’ and less than two minutes to make my next move.

Are you coming with me? I asked at once cutting the conversation in mid-between and throwing my last card which was queen. I only hoped that she didn’t have the Ace otherwise my defeat is destined.

She too was perplexed at my sudden question not knowing what to do. She didn’t reply. I stood motionless for a minute, pondering over what I have done. A feeling of guilt crept over me which made me shiver from top to bottom. I shouldn’t have asked that! I was about to say ‘Sorry’ when the gate to ‘Akshardham’ metro station opened. I have to get off quickly. I looked at her face for the one (which was still thinking) last time to say ‘Sorry’ or to wave hands to say bye but I could do nothing. The reason, I don’t know. I simply came out of the door and heard the door closing with a beep. I didn’t even dare of looking back. But what all is going on. I heard the beep again. Someone has caused obstruction in the path of the metro door and it again opened. I turned back with a micro hope and minute possibility.

Hey, Are you thinking of visiting the temple with your gf, not your friend? She asked smiling.

I can’t believe my eyes for a moment. Yes, she was there, standing in front of me. I was the happiest person on the earth at that time.

Yes, Of course! Why not. Waise bhi, I was looking for some company. I said blushing and If at that time, I have glanced into the mirror, my face wouldn’t be much different from the red tomato.

In the next five minutes, we were in front of the temple. She gave me the tutorial on how to click photographs which no one ever dared to. we clicked numerous pictures of surroundings, crowd, children, temples etc and after submitting the Pragmatica and our cell phones, we entered inside.

We did boating, saw light and sound show together, visited bookshops, the opulent statue of ‘Swami Narayan’ where we kneeled down. After having dinner in the canteen there, I realized that it’s 7:10 PM and we need to go back to our respective destination though I didn’t want to. During the whole journey, I was never too close to her neither too far. It went quite smoothly. We came out of the temple, took out our mobile and cameras and again set to the destination from where we were to part- the metro. In the meanwhile, I thought of asking one question to her.

Who was that Guy behind you at Sarojini Nagar metro station?

Who, Which Guy? Accha that one. I didn’t know him. He must be someone like you. She laughed again making fun of me.

I too smiled at my insanity, what all have I thought. Without wasting much time, I asked the other question.

Oye, Why have you smiled that time after seeing me?

hahaha! Actually, I wasn’t laughing at you. I was reminded of one joke cracked by my friend today and when I smiled you came in front of me.

So that was also a coincidence. we both started smiling at each other.

Most of the part of our walk to the metro station, we remained quiet. At last, sadly, the moment came when we both should go in opposite directions.

I looked directly into her eyes, she in me. I can predict with those look in her eyes that she too is unhappy.

I tried to give her a ‘tight hug’ but in the meanwhile metro of both the directions came simultaneously.

She said in a low tone, I need to go. But please send me the photos! With that, she quietly went inside the metro. I too guessing no more possibility.

Is there no way we can meet like this again or even better? I thought as the metro creaked to next station.

Yes, yes! I will send her the photos and will ask her to meet again.

Send the photos? How? Do you even ask her contact number? I didn’t even ask her name neither she mine. Where was I lost? I at once thought of running away from another metro in opposite direction but now it’s too late.

One noble soul there vacated the seat for me sensing my condition. I sat with the hands on my head, asking this question to myself:

“Where was I lost and how this all happened without introduction. How can I meet her again? I don’t know even her college name, her name, what course she studies here”

Was I too absorbed in myself? If I was, then She too? Or we were lost in one another. Perhaps the most difficult question to answer!!

– Shashank