The City, the Ghats and the Two of Them

The bell rang for the communications class, and Tiwari miss had already applied her lipstick, pinned her clip, and was on her way to the class. Banaras Hindu University (BHU) had huge number of students coming from all the corners of the country. Taking attendance in a class of 100 was a task in itself. Tiwari miss never had the privilege of good presenteeism in her class, considering the nature of her subject and the interest of the students. She pulled out the attendance register and began calling out numbers.

He was never bothered about his number being called out. But paid all the heed to Roll no. 21.

“Present”, she said in her sweet voice. He knew he had fallen for her already. Fiona D’souza, it wasn’t regular name he had heard in Benaras before. Only the firang tourists that came had such name. He was in love with her name, the time he heard it first.

He. Shiv Dwivedi, was just another guy from Benaras. Born and brought up in the locales of Varanasi and Shivpur, he had the soul of the city moulded in him and without a doubt a true Bholenath devotee.

He never had such infatuation for a girl before. The conservative surrounding and his shyness,never got him too much interaction with the opposite sex.

But this girl was different. He had this exhilaration to know about this non-native girl. He followed her after the college. He rode his bicycle safe enough to not get caught by her sight. Everyday he saw her entering the gate of the girls hostel in the campus, and left on his way for home to Shivpur.

It has been a routine for him since a month now. He has just been stalking her from far away. Found her on facebook though, but couldn’t press the “send request” icon. Her profile said she was from Goa.It’s a place he has been always fascinated about. She was the new fashionista in the college. Though she was never bothered people praising her for that. She wore what she was comfortable and looked best. She had this rolly curly hairs and wheatishly fair skin, she looked attractive in her perfect curves and good height, and always caught the eyes of every passerby.

One fine day, Fiona was late for her statistics class. She wanted to attend it as she had many doubts in the chapter. Missing the lecture was costing her mood. She reached the class but couldn’t enter as a delay of 45mins wasn’t just an excuse. She came to the backside garden and saw another guy from the statistics class. He seemed to have no interest as to what he might have been missing today. She went near him, a familiar face, she called “hey!!”, Shiv turned around, he saw his divine crush in front of him and calling him. With a frozen throat he said “hi”.

All he could think in mind was if she had caught him seeing her. He waited for what she will ask now. With curiosity she asked “why aren’t you attending the Statistics class today?”

He took a sigh of relief, to avoid his answer disinterest in the subject, he said “I got late today”.

“Oh, me too” said she.

“I am Fiona by the way” she said extending her hand for shake.

“I..i am Shiv” said he fumbling.

Fiona was never a hesitant one, and she was used to the attention she got all the time. It was never new for her to meet a nervous guy.

She still had an hour left for Shukla sir’s Probability class.She asked him “hey you know the campus well right. Can you tell me where I can get Ramu chacha’s chai in the campus.

Shiv was enthrilled with joy inside. But he calmly replied “yes, it is at the second junction after the medical hostel”.

She said “Thank you and… nice to meet u Shiv” and started to leave.

Shiv knew this was the only time to defeat all the fears and seize the moment or he might regret this for the whole semester. With all the jittery he said “uhmm I am going to have a tea too”.

Fiona turned and smiled. He knew it was a yes. They walked together to grab that rs.15 special tea by Ramu chacha with added chocolate powder above it.

Fiona was delighted at the first sip. “Yummm” she said.Shiva was used to. “You should have the one at Vishnu tea at the ghat, you will forget this one”.

Fiona was thrilled to know about it. She had been here for a month but hadn’t stepped out yet. She wanted to know more about the place but can’t trust a stranger on a tea. “yeah I will go there someday too” she said.

They finished the tea, all Shiv could see was the excitement she had on her face sipping it. It was the closest moment that he could see her hairy curls rolling down to her cheeks and neck. She looked like a mermaid to him.

“Where are you from?”, she asked.

“I live in Shivpur, 10km from here. I ride bicycle or take the bus”. He got to know one thing then, that when your  crush asks you one thing, u end up answering ten.

“and where are you from?” asked he.

“I am from Goa”. She answered to the point. But the look on Shiv’s face made her answer like him.

“I live in a place called Betalbatim there. It’s a small town near Colva”.

Shiv could only imagine places, he was more interested in her expressions when she spoke so subtly.

“Have you ever been to Goa before?” she asked.

“No I haven’t, but would love to” said he.

He pulled out 15bucks for the tea and asked for another 15 from Fiona. “I just got 30, but the other 15 I need for the bus, I haven’t brought my cycle today”, said he.

Fiona was happily pulled out 30 and insisted to pay it full this time. Shiv was persistent and made sure to give his share. Fiona was delighted with the honesty he spoke. Before leaving to her hostel she asked him “hey uhhmm Shiv, would u show me that another place for that amazing tea at the Ghats u said. Or may be the way to reach those places”.

Shiv was surprised and excited at the same time. Within no time he said “Yes, I will take you there”.

Thank you she said and they started to walk away. It was the best 300meters walk Shiv ever had.

He is a fair looking boy, with a charming smile just like his city of sweet has. Fiona took her chances as he was from her class and seemed a good guy.

They met the next day. He took her to the ghats. Had amazing assam and masala tea at the Vishnu tea emporium.

He then took her to Blue Lassi shop at the Kachori chowk. Ordered the pomegranate lassi with chocolate and it was mouth watering for Fiona. She licked her fingers to the last, as it was the tastiest lassi she ever had.

She had an amazing afternoon with him. And asked for one more day to spend.

Shiv was sailing in the clouds. All his friends and bff had no clue how come this idiot had such an amazing girl going out with him.

The weekdays lectures finished and came the weekend. Shiv told her to take her to the Ganga aarti in the evening.

He took his elder brothers motorbike to pick her up this time. Fiona was surprised and impressed with his speed of charm. But was more interested in seeing the beautiful city.

It was 6:30 in the evening and the aarti was about to start at the famous Dasashwamedh Ghat. He took her to one of the rowing boats. The sun was setting down and only the twilights made the visibility. The boat rower took them to the middle of the Ganga river. It looked splendid from there. The ghats, the people, the fire lights, the diyas, all of them. A splendid show of spirituality and hinduism was served before her eyes. The aarti started with priests holding big brass diyas and doing circles. It looked like an eternal flame burning the satans in people. Fiona was thrilled, she didn’t even realise that for that moment how she ended up holding Shiv’s hand. And for Shiv,It was the most lovable moment for him. For him it seemed that the time would have freezed and he could capture it for life.

He dropped her to the hostel and left with butterflies in the stomach.

Fiona couldn’t sleep that night and neither could Shiv.

The next weekend they went for some street food tour. Shiv promised her to make her taste the best street cuisine she ever could. They started with Deena Chaat Bhandar in Rampura Luxa. From Tamatar chaat to Dahi chaat, they had it all. From the spiciest to the sweetest, Fiona melted her tongue for all of them. It was the best street food she was having that time. Then for the desserts, they had the Benaras special “Malaiyyo”.

“Yumm yumm yumm” she said.

“Shiva, it’s the yummiest food I ever had today, u truly are a darling, boy”, she said excitedly and headed for the ghats with him.

It was the first time she sat so close to him. Ganga was cool and calm as she always has been and will be for eternity.

It was so peaceful in the evening at the Assi ghat. She held his palm and said, “I never imagined I will meet someone like you, you really are a sweet friend to me”.

It was the most happiest moment for Shiv. Yet he couldn’t say much due to lack of experience of such moments. He smiled and headed to drop her to the hostel.

As he dropped her she said , “I am leaving for Goa tomorrow, its mumma papa calling, I will be staying there for the vacations. What about you?”.

Shiv was surprised and all his vacations plan got washed off in mind. He said “nothing much, I will maybe go to my ancestral village outside the city”.

“That’s nice, or if you don’t have any plans, do come to Goa, I would love to host you there and show you places just like u showed me yours”.

Shiv smiled and waved her and said “Until we meet again”.