Big Gondogol in Old Kolkata

Mr. Ghosh returned from Kolkata on a Saturday afternoon. By evening, he was feeling uneasy and post a light dinner, he spoke to his GP Dr. Dave.

“Daktar saheb, mera pet mein bahut gondogol ho raha hai.” (Doctor, there is some major trouble in my stomach).

The doctor on the other end knew his patient well and his Bhindi (Bengali-Hindi) language even better. He asked Ghosh babu to come to the clinic next morning.

Mr. Ghosh was more than punctual, and along with his wife, reached the clinic even before the staff there had opened the clinic door. The doctor came dot on time and immediately took the patient and his wife to the examination room. He made Mr. Ghosh lie down on the examination table while he started to probe with his stethoscope. Whichever part of the patient’s belly he touched, the man often cried out…

“Oooh…aaah… udi baba… bahut darad hai Daktar saheb.” (It is very painful Doctor)

“Hmmm… Seems something serious. I would like to examine you with an ultrasound machine once before I diagnose and prescribe the next course of action.”

Mrs. Ghosh was very worried. “Sir, I remember the ultrasound machine being used almost regularly during my pregnancy. Why do it for him now?”

“I want to see the inside of his belly to make sure there is nothing serious.”

The lady just nodded her head and agreed to the course proposed by Dr. Dave who pulled the ultrasound machine closer to the bed, applied some gel on Mr. Ghosh’s belly and started moving the probe while looking intensely at the screen.

“Mr. Ghosh, it appears that your stomach and intestines show heavy signs of battering in the last few days. You seem to have gone overboard on gorging such diverse items in such quick succession that I can see the week’s full course ‘mahabhoj’ clearly. Let me recreate the timeline and the menu card while you can confirm if my deductions are correct. I shall skip the details of the few light meals and fruity breakfasts.”

Mrs. Ghosh was quite amazed, “How much technology has advanced. The machine for maternity can also detect gastronomy!”

“You had a huge chunk of steak with veggies and bread roll. This one looks really nice and special.”

“Yes Saar, that was at Mocambo’s on Park Street. I had the steak while my missus had Chicken Pavlograd. This is a dish similar to Chicken a la Kiev but has, in addition to molten butter, cheese and vegetable fillings inside the ball like serving.”

“Hmmm… interesting, indeed.”

“Saar, even more interesting was the Don Giovani’s shop outside Mocambo’s. We expected it to be serving nice Italian pizzas, pastas and macaroni but they had so many specialties displayed outside on the front window that would make any Italian exclaim, mamma mia!”

Dr. Dave smiled and said, “Mogambo khush hua.”

“Mocambo and not Mogambo Saar. This restaurant was opened in 1956 by Shivji Kothari who recruited an Italian chef to give the customers the original Continental taste and the interior décor, done by a German architect, has remained unchanged since then. It was the country’s earliest nightclubs with live bands playing, something that was discontinued since 1970s.”

The doctor probed further, and with eyes widened to their limits, exclaimed, “Special gosht biryani with mutton bhuna is the next speciality inside you Mr. Ghosh!”

“You must try these delicacies at Arsalan, Park Circus. That’s the original place. With the smiling little Md. Irfan opening the door to welcome you and the aroma of the biryani cooked just right for you with the egg and the potato tucked inside every plate, the food here transports you back to the times of Wajid Ali Shah and his famous khansamas who arrived at Calcutta from Lucknow, bringing with them the best of Awadhi cuisines.”

“Mr. Ghosh, there is one lunch which simply stands out. This was quite a combination of Bengali traditional food along with a slightly westernised ending.”

“I know Saar what you are referring to. This was the day we went to College Street. We were feeling hungry and someone knowledgeable recommended us to eat the traditional food at Putiram’s. This is a sweet shop that is over a century old and possibly has not changed in all these years. It is a small shop with some sweets kept in glass showcases in the front and a few ancient wooden table-chairs kept in the back-end where customers can sit and eat. We ate a plate of dal kachori with chholar dal and alu sabzi, topped it with four varieties of their special sweets that ranged from rajbhog, jalbhora, amriti and shorer nadu. It felt very full but then my ginni (wife) said that we have to go to the Indian Coffee House, a place associated with the city’s adda culture since 1942. We went there for a nice cup of hot coffee but could not resist the fluffy butter toast with a sprinkling of sugar on top. Having studied in the college opposite to the place, for her this was sheer nostalgia as was the visit to the Dasgupta Book Store on College Street that started way back in 1886.”

“Mr. Ghosh, after the heavy bombardment at College Street, there seems to be one section of slightly less heavy continental food.”

Picture courtesy: Internet

“Yes, that is our lunch at the famous Tolly Club. One of our friends had invited us there. This is a 220-year-old club, ranked amongst the world’s finest, which was started by Scottish banker William Dixon Chuickshank. It has an eighteen-hole golf course and serves some lovely continental delicacies. We chose the grilled fish and chicken cutlets and more than the food we enjoyed the company of friends amidst the serene nature where birds walk up to your table  freely and the greenery all around fills your soul, something we miss dearly in the cities.”

“Quite impressive Mr. Ghosh. But not as two power packed meals of Bengali maach-bhaat!”

“Yes, Saar. They were the two Mama Barir Adorer Khabar which is difficult to translate but in simple words it means that the maternal uncles pamper their nieces and nephews the most and feed you with love when you go to their homes. The first one was my daughter’s mama bari where mamaji took us to a special place for a huge spread of fish and begun bhaja (aubergine fries), moonger dal with jhuri bhaja (crispy potato fries cut fine), ilish machher tel jhol, chutney and butterscotch ice-cream topped with gulab jamun. As if this was not enough, when we visited my maternal aunt’s place, she made sure we had four different types of fish which included a crispy bhetki fry from Machhali Baba (the latest rage among the Calcuttans), lotya maach (bombay duck), hilsa and rohu and a special delicacy of mocha bhaate (mashed banana flower).”

“Amazing that you ate all of this and so much more. I can additionally see traces of many varieties of sweets, momos, pizzas and dhaba food inside. It is quite surprising that your belly did not explode and you have escaped with just a pain. Now tell me, the week you spent at Kolkata, was it just spent in eating or did you do anything else?”

One afternoon I was humming the song from 1942 A Love Story which goes… Kuchh na kaho, kuchh bhi na kaho. Mrs. Ghosh thought that I was telling her to stay quiet. She got very angry and dragged me to the Word Museum at the National Library to make me realise the importance of written and spoken words. The Museum of Words, also called Shabd Sangrahalay, is spread over nine galleries. A remarkably curated museum with so much to see and learn. There are touch screens to play around with, sound platforms where you get to listen to audio from above, 3D musical visuals and history of the written word over the ages from all across the country. With a huge number of exhibits, this is a must-go-to place. Having seen it all, I have since erased the troublesome swan song of RD from my playlist forever.”

“Ghosh babu, I am going to prescribe you some medicines,” said Dr. Dave as he got down to writing on his letterhead. Mr. and Mrs. Ghosh were worried that the intense and long check-up and ultrasonography would cost them a bomb. Dr. Dave, with a naughty smile, pushed forward the letterhead and attached another short paper with a pin. On it was written…

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Ghosh.

I wish to go with you to Kolkata for a week and taste the food there. I am told that there is much more to the street food and fine dining in the city than you will find anywhere. Attaching a blank cheque for you to buy the tickets for the trip and the hotel stay.

SS

Chhoo Mantar- Part 2

 This is the second and final episode of the story Chhoo Mantar. Please read the first part for continuity (https://punctuationsandmore.blogspot.com/2026/08/chhoo-mantar.html  ). The story so far in brief:

The Kingdom of Kano is in the evil grasp of Bela, the witch, who has control over some magic berries that keep the sick princess alive. She is impersonating as the queen after banishing the real queen to a faraway place. The witch has a twin sister, Leela, who tends to her grandson Rumi, the shepherd boy. The two are planning to rescue the kingdom from the evil clutches of the witch.

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“So, Dadi what is the plan? I am sure you have already chalked it out in your mind last night,” asked an excited Rumi, rubbing his eyes and smiling cheek to cheek.

“Keeping in mind who we are up against, we have to act with speed and stealth. The whole operation must be completed flawlessly in three days flat. If our plot gets busted, the enemy will come down hard not just on us but will also strike the two weak points of the royal household- the banished queen mother and the sick princess.”

“Dadi, when you talk of we and us, you mean we will have more people on our side while doing this rescue mission?”

“No. It will be just the two of us to maintain utmost secrecy. I will do the planning and provide some help; the difficult part of execution will have to be done by you alone. Are you ready to undertake this dangerous mission?”

Rumi’s face became serious and his eyes gave a piercing look. He went silent for a few seconds and then thumped his right fist on his chest and shouted, “I am ready, Dadi.”

The two sat down together for a long time, and while Dadi spoke, Rumi kept listening to her attentively. He was memorising every step, every detail that the old lady was sharing. She was scribbling something on pieces of small papers which looked like maps with markings. He kept nodding his head once in a while, and by the time she was done talking, the young lad once more gave her a big smile, stood up and then bent down to touch the old woman’s feet seeking her blessings. She pulled him up, gave him a tight hug and kissed his cheeks while tears kept flowing from her eyes. She knew what dangers lay ahead.

Day One

Rumi took his flock towards the side where his Dadi had told him of the place where the real queen was being held captive. As he came near the place, he saw that a cluster of huts but one of them looked different, secluded and protected. When he saw a number of armed guards hiding carefully behind boulders and trees in the periphery of that hut, Rumi was sure that he had arrived at the right place. He went slightly away from the spot and asked one of his sheep to lay down and bleat aloud as if in great pain. The loyal sheep did as was told and then Rumi started running towards the village shouting, “Help, help…tiger, tiger…”

Hearing his shouts, some villagers picked up wooden sticks and ran towards the spot. Rumi went to some of the guards and asked them for their help. They consulted each other and immediately abandoned their posts and joined the villagers to drive away the intruding tiger.  Rumi took this opportunity to run to the queen’s hut where he saw that the main door had a sort of a tray slot at the lower end and was merely bolted from the outside without a lock. Rumi unbolted the door and the moment he saw a lady in simple clothes, he went down on his knees and bowed to her in complete obeisance.

“Who are you and why are you here?”

“I am Rumi and am here to take you away from this prison.”

“I will not go anywhere because if the witch comes to know about my escape, she will kill my only daughter.”

“You have to trust me. My Dadi is the twin sister of Bela, the witch, and she will help us in defeating the evil woman. She knows the good magic that can defeat the dark one but before that we need you on our side.”

“I have heard about Bela’s twin sister but have never met her. Why should I trust you?”

“Look at this bracelet on my wrist.  My Dadi knew you would not believe my words and so gave this to me. Their father had got this unique pair of silver bracelets made for the two sisters.  Tell me, is this not the same bracelet you would have seen on the witch’s wrist?”

“Yes, I do remember having seen bracelet like this on her wrist.”

The boy looked innocent and the queen got convinced. Both of them rushed towards the entrance door where a woolly sheep stood, munching and smiling at them. Rumi, pushed the sheep inside the hut and bolted the hut and the duo ran towards the back of the hut which was in the opposite direction to where the guards had gone. He followed the route that his granny had drawn for him and made an exit without the guards realising that a daring escape had taken place right under their noses. The two ran for a long time and when they felt that no one was following them, they stopped near a flowing stream to drink some water and rest a while. The queen asked the boy, “Why did you leave your sheep inside the hut?”

“My queen, the guards will be sliding the meals meant for you through the slot in the door and later pulling back the empty plate periodically. The woolly inside is a great muncher and will make no noise as long as he is kept well fed. He will gobble up the food and the guards will not come to know that you are missing from inside. All we need is three clear days to execute our complete rescue plan. The woolly sheep is our Trojan Horse in this Odyssey.”

“That’s quite an ingenious plan!”

They reached the granny’s house where the queen felt the safety of a home after years of captivity. The Day One task had been accomplished successfully and all felt happy.

Day Two

Rumi hardly slept that night. He was feeling very happy at having accomplished his first task. He had been giggling a bit in his bed when he remembered his woolly inside the hut and how he had fooled the soldiers who did not know whom they were feeding. He, however, knew that today would be a much bigger day of ultimate daring action.

Leela accompanied Rumi to the banyan tree and waited for the horseman to arrive from the castle. The horseman was surprised to see an old lady and a young lad as he began disembarking.  The moment he got off the horse, Leela drew her wand, pointed it at him and the man turned into a woolly sheep. She then pointed the wand towards Rumi who now turned into a tiny mouse. She carried the Rumi to the wet patch where she released him. Rumi went beneath the surface and realised that there was a proper tunnel going deep inside. He kept on sliding lower and lower till he hit a hard surface. As he fell, the bell around his neck, which was originally with the horseman and later given by Leela to him, made a jingling noise. Even though the bell had been turned into a miniature to match his own size, the noise it made was pretty loud which led to the dark chamber below getting magically illuminated. Rumi got very scared as he saw that the place was swarming with snakes. Rumi knew that the snakes loved eating rats and mice but he kept moving forward bravely. To his utter surprise, the snakes started moving aside hearing the bell ring thereby allowing him to make his way to the middle of the hall where a bowl with large number of red berries was kept. Rumi crawled up the bowl and put two berries in a pouch kept ready there. The original horseman would normally carry one berry a day but Rumi was following his granny’s advice. He now started pulling the pouch slowly but steadily towards the tunnel opening from where he had come inside the dark hole. Just as he moved upwards, the lights went off and he felt a twirl of hot air that pushed him upwards towards the surface.

Rumi came out of the hole and Leela quickly changed him back into the shepherd boy and took the pouch from him. They went to their hut where the queen had kept dinner for them. The two ladies kissed Rumi many times and said that he was a very brave lad.

“Dadi, how will the berries help our cause?”

“You sleep well tonight and tomorrow we will have the biggest day.”

“But Dadi, I was hoping to fight the enemy with swords and spears. When will that happen?”

“We are fighting an evil force that is working with trickery and magic. Swords and spears are needed in a different sort of combat arena. We are fighting trickery with our intelligence and want peace and love to flourish in the Kingdom of Kano without much blood being spilled.”

“That’s so wonderful Dadi. Good night.”

Day Three

Rumi had slept well on the second night and he felt fresh when he woke up. He was also excited for the action-packed final day that lay ahead. The sun was shining bright and he looked out of the window. He was completed bewildered when he saw outside a patch of land with many tall vines with bunches of red berries hanging from them. He turned around and saw his Dadi smiling. She said, “I used one of the berries you got yesterday and created this garden overnight. Magic can surely be used for good purpose. Now with these berries freely available, the princess will not have to depend upon the witch and her soldiers for survival and that will free King Hano and his kingdom from her control.”

After having a sumptuous breakfast, Rumi and Leela went back to the banyan tree where the horse and the sheep stood. Leela used her spell to make Rumi look exactly like the soldier in full uniform and asked him to go to the castle with the remaining red berry. She told him that she will also be coming to the castle herself separately.

As Rumi, in his soldier disguise, closed in on the castle, he was unaware of the events developing in other parts of the kingdom. The woolly inside the hut was enjoying the hospitality so much that it had an urge to seek more food. The sheep started ramming the door with his head from inside which caught the attention of the guards. After a while they opened the door to find that the queen was no longer there and an ill-tempered sheep was in her place. A guard quickly jumped on a steed and spurred away to inform the witch in the castle.

Bela, the witch, came to the elevated balcony of the palace and saw a soldier coming to the castle. She thought it was the regular soldier who was bringing the magic berry for the princess waiting at the entrance to the palace. Unaware of the rescue act that was taking shape, she went to take her leisurely bath. Meanwhile, Rumi got off the horse at the palace gate and saw the princess for the first time. She looked simply heavenly beautiful. He put a finger on his lips signalling her to keep quiet as he pulled out the berry and a diamond ring that the princess instantly recognised as one that belonged to her mother. Rumi told her in muted voice about the queen’s escape and asked the princess to eat the berry and ride out with him without further delay. The princess wanted to go to her father once but Rumi said that time was of utmost essence and her safety would be the key to force open the witch’s vice-like hold over the king. The princess climbed on to the saddle and sat holding Rumi who asked her to cover her face with a veil.  He kicked the horse to a gallop and gained speed in a short time. As he was exiting the castle gate, he saw another horseman entering and shouting, “She has escaped… she has escaped!” Rumi knew something had gone wrong somewhere so he pushed his horse harder. While speeding away, he got a glimpse of his Dadi slowly making her way into the castle.

Hearing the horseman’s shouts, Bela came back to the balcony hurriedly. She could now see at a distance the princess riding away with a soldier. With both her hostages having escaped, a furious Bela decided to capture the princess back. She ordered her guards to get her Flying Fury chariot ready immediately while she dressed herself in full armour with a sword and the magic wand tucked in the belt and a trident in her hand. The chariot was a special one drawn by six white horse that could outrun anyone on land, air and water. She took the reins in her own hands and charged towards the castle gate. Seeing the queen in her chariot coming, the guards went to open the big gates when Leela stepped forward. Bela was stunned seeing her twin sister after so many years.

“So, it is you who is orchestrating this plot against me? You will fail miserably, Leela.”

Leela gently drew her magic wand out of her cloak. Seeing the wand, Bela exclaimed, “You are here to fight me with a fake wand? This one cannot be father’s special wand for it was with him when he died.”

“Father had given me his real wand saying that I could use it just once in my lifetime. I had kept it safe for so long waiting to use it only at the darkest hour to save our land. I am sure, today is the day to defeat the empire of evil that you have created.  I am going to stop you from doing any further harm to the royal family and to the people of Kano.”

Bela picked up the trident and threw it with all her power at Leela who just pointed her wand in its direction to have it blown to smithereens. Bela knew that the conventional weapons would not work in this fight. The battle would have to be the ultimate Wand to Wand Fight (WWF). She pulled out her wand and was about to cast her deadliest spell when a sword pierced her from behind and she collapsed. It was King Hano who had caught Bela by surprise. He had heard the conversation of the two sisters from his chamber and with the two loves of his life safe, he took to arms and delivered the fatal blow.  Blood oozed out profusely from Bela’s body and soon her eyes shut. Hano pushed Bela’s corpse out of the chariot and boarded it himself. He asked Leela join him and take him to where his queen and princess were being kept.

Hano and his family were reunited and there were big celebrations in the kingdom. Leela broke her father’s magic wand and took care of the berry garden while Rumi refused to accept any gifts from the king. He moved around with his flock, playing with the animals and living a simple life with his granny. He was always invited to the royal household on special occasions and given a place of honour.

And they all lived happily ever after.

SS

Chhoo Mantar

Rumi, a young shepherd boy of ten, returned home where his grandmother welcomed him with a glass of cool buttermilk. He gulped down the drink in no time and was about to start his daily prattle when the old lady put a finger on her mouth signalling him to stop talking. “First freshen up, eat dinner with me and then at bed-time we will talk.”

“Ok, Dadi.”

After dinner, the woman cleaned up the place while the boy rolled out their bedding on the mud floor of their hut, the thatched roof of which had quite a few uncovered patches. When the weather was dry, the two would admire the clear starry skies through those gaps, but on wet days the bed had to be moved away and pots and pans had to be placed strategically to collect the rainwater.  She was too old to repair the hut herself and had limited resources to get it done by someone. But, somehow, neither of them complained. They were happy in their simple lives, in each other’s company.

“Dadi, I have been seeing something very unusual over the past few days. Sometimes, around midday, I see a horseman in full armour galloping down the castle path. He jumps off his horse under the big banyan tree, ties the animal to the tree trunk, and then starts running towards the middle of the field. He normally runs for a short distance and then with every few steps he shrinks in size till he reaches a small wet patch. By the time he reaches the spot, he has already shrunk to no more than a small creature like a mouse which then jumps and vanishes into the soil. The last few days I have tried to follow him, hiding behind the trees and the bushes, and have also tried digging the soil at the point where I have seen the man vanish but it always turns out to be a dead end. All I find there is soil and more soil and no trace of the man or the mouse or whatever he had become. Later, I end up filling the hole that I have dug and levelling the ground to its original state. You have lived for so long here, do you know what this is all about?”

“How many times have I asked you not to take the sheep to the side where they grow the grains? You should take them to the other side where there is only grass which is good for the animals. Stop going to the other side and go to sleep now. I don’t have answers to all your silly questions,” said an angry and disturbed Dadi.

“Your anger tells me, Dadi, that you know about this vanishing act and you want me to stay away from it. Tell me, Dadi, what’s the mystery behind this?

The old woman went silent and the little one’s reply calmed her down. She now spoke with a quiver in her voice.

“What you have been seeing is trickery and black magic and getting close to it means you will get sucked into it and, finally, it will devour you brutally. I know who is doing this black magic and how dangerous that person is. I want you safe and so am asking you to avoid going to the other side and observing whatever is happening there.”

“I get your point Dadi but what is this ritual?”

Fed up with his constant questions, the old woman broke her silence.

“Long ago there lived in these lands a man who was, possibly, the greatest magician of all times. He had twin daughters who trained under him for years together. The younger one, Bela, was very pretty and was loved by all in the Kingdom of Kano. The king had a son, Prince Hano, and when the time came for him to marry, he ignored Bela and married the only daughter of the neighbouring king. Everyone was invited for the celebrations at the castle. Bela never forgot the slight and envied the woman who was to become the queen. As time passed, Hano ascended the throne. Bela, meanwhile, took to dark magic and slowly mastered it. She would practise the dark art on the villagers. Some people simply vanished; others were found badly mauled in the mornings as if some wild animal had attacked them. The master magician, on realising that he had helped create a dangerous entity, tried reasoning with the girl to mend her ways but she refused. One day the sad father, who blamed himself for the actions of Bela, jumped off the cliff and was never seen by anyone again. Bela’s sister was heartbroken and decided to give up magic altogether and cut off her ties with her twin.”

“Why then did the magician teach Bela the art of black magic?”

“Magic is neither good nor bad. It is how people use it. Some use it for entertainment, for creating something good while others use it for harming others. The father was just passing down to his daughters the life skills he knew hoping that the knowledge would help them in life.”

“What happened to Bela then?”

“What I am going to tell you is something unknown to anyone in the land. So just listen carefully but make sure you do not share it with anyone or it will get you into trouble. People who want to keep this a secret will go to any length to ensure it is never revealed.”

“I promise Dadi, I will not talk to anyone about it. Tell me.”

“King Hano and his lovely wife did not have a child for many years. And then, finally, they were blessed with a daughter. However, the little one was very sick from the time she came into the world and doctors tried their level best to keep her weak heart beating. Bela came to know about this tragedy and saw this as an opportunity to change her fortune. She went to the king and told him about her magic powers to cure all ailments. The king and the queen were very happy to hear this but then the witch spoke…

‘’I have a garden full of magical berries and if the princess were to have just one berry a day, she would have no issues with her health. She would be able to live a normal life. But I have a condition that you must fulfil or else I shall destroy the garden forever.’’

The king and the queen said that she could ask for anything for they treasured their daughter more than anything.

‘‘I will bring one magic berry a day for the princess and no more. No one will try and search for this garden of mine. In return, the queen will have to be banished from the kingdom and I will have to be given a place on the throne beside you.”

The king was about to put his hand on the sword when the queen stopped him and said, “We agree to your demands. As long as my daughter lives to be healthy and you stay on the throne, my going away is a small price to pay. My only concern is how Princess Sumi will take to a new mother?”

“You need not worry about that for I will change my appearance to become an exact replica of you. No one except the king will ever know.”

In the middle of the night, the real queen was put in a carriage and taken away by soldiers who appeared loyal to Bela, and by the time the sun rose in the morning, a silent coup had taken place in the palace.”

“So, you mean to say the queen in the palace is actually Bela. Where is the real queen now?” asked Rumi.

“She lives somewhere in a small house in the direction where you usually take the sheep out to graze. The house is guarded by soldiers and she is not allowed to step out of the house. Her daily requirements are provided for by the soldiers from time to time. She is under what you might call a total house arrest.”

“Bela is an evil woman. Why can the king not kill her?”

“The king is helpless. On the one hand the life of his daughter is at stake, and on the other his wife is held in captivity by an impersonator. It is like in the game of chess where he is in a checkmate situation.”

“Dadi, you always say that evil must be defeated and forces of good must come together. Why don’t you do something now?”

“How can I fight Bela, the witch? She is far too powerful.”

“Dadi, I have seen a picture kept inside your iron trunk. You had a sister who looked exactly like you. It means, you are the twin sister of Bela and the good magician who your father trained as well. You definitely are the only person who can match her in this art.”

The old woman froze and had no heart to refute the boy. She softly said, “Rumi, I have not practised the art of magic for years now and do not wish to get involved. I have one purpose in life now and that is to take care of you.”

“Dadi, now that I know the story, if you refuse to rise to the occasion, then you have to teach me the art. I am willing to step forward.”

“You are far too young and learning this art will take you years. Why don’t you go to sleep now while I think over this? I will let you know my decision by tomorrow morning.”

“Okay, Dadi. Sweet dreams.”

As Rumi slept soundly, the old lady opened up the big trunk. She first looked at the picture of her with Bela and then she saw one photo of her father performing on stage. She remembered him and his final words, “The world is a place to love and live and magic must play its role in keeping it like that.” There were books inside which had not been opened for long and some pieces of ropes, magic wands and other props of illusion, possibly meant to be used on stage during live performances.

She closed her eyes and asked herself a few questions and the answers that came to her mind:

a.      Is Bela doing wrong?  Yes

b.     Should she be stopped? Yes

c.      Do I have the ability to fight Bela? Maybe not, for I am rusty and old.

d.     Should I take her on? Maybe not, it is not my fight after all.

She slept off after a while and in the morning was woken up by the gentle hands of Rumi who was pushing against her shoulders.  When she opened her eyes reluctantly, he kissed her on her cheeks… “Dadi, please say yes.”

She could not say no and simply nodded her head and the boy jumped with joy.

To be continued.

SS