The love story, the heartbreak, the unfulfilled desire…….
Mihir was upset. He was upset with everything. Not that he did not have anything. He was blessed if we see him in the aspects of comfort, luxury, home and family. He had a luxurious home, loving parents, househelps, car and motor bike of his own and what not. However he was not happy. Why? Well, he did not have a girlfriend? Yes, you read it right. He did not have a girlfriend with whom he can exchange text messages, talk over the phone, go on dates, spend the evening together and feel happy about all the moments spent with her. Now, the question was, why did he not have a girlfriend? Well, he was not 6 feet tall, but he was 5 feet 7 inches tall. He was skinny. He felt, maybe if he had muscles and he was taller, girls would like him. Academically, he was an average student. He was certainly not dumb, but yes, he never got any more than 70 percent in his entire academic career till date.
He moved to this new city hoping that while pursuing his post graduation, he might come across someone who would fall for him and he can spend boundless time with her and bask in the euphoria of being in love.
His new college was stupefyingly magnificent. Mihir’s parents were doing very well in life and hence it was absolutely fine with them to spend oodles of money on their son’s education. The campus was amazing. It was on a sprawling landscape with lush greenery. The classes were centrally air conditioned. The hostel was attached to the campus and it was as comfortable as a luxurious hotel.
With all of these and good friends too, Mihir was still unhappy. So, whenever he was done with his classes, he would go and sit under the shade of a beautiful Banyan Tree at the rear end of the college campus. He loved that place because there was no one around. He could ponder over his melancholy of not having a girlfriend in his life. He would sit there, look up at the sky and say gently, ‘Why? Why? Why am I so lonely? Everyone has a significant other in his/her life. Why not me?’. Saying that, he would spend an hour staring at a blank spot and come to his room.
Today was a regular day at college. After classes, as always, he went and sat under the Banyan tree. The breeze was making the moment worthwhile. The sun was not blazing and the soothing breeze touched Mihir’s skin as if some soft satin cloth gently scratched his hairy arm. This happened twice. He knew nobody comes here. He again got lost in his thoughts. When the breeze touched him for the third time, he turned around. He was surprised. There was someone sitting behind him. While he was leaning at one end of the tree, he could see, someone else sitting at the other end. He got up to see who was there. The moment he saw the person, he gazed at her without blinking. There was a beautiful young girl, sitting and reading a book. Flawless fair skin, jet black straight hair and kohl clad eyes and a light lipcolour on her lips. She looked like an angel from heaven. Mihir could not blink his eyes. The girl was engrossed in reading. Her satin scarf swayed in the breeze and that was what was rubbing through Mihir’s skin when he was sitting. Suddenly, the girl felt Mihir’s eyes staring at her. She got up quickly, looked at Mihir and said softly, ‘I am sorry, I came and sat here. I am new to this college and found this place soothing. I never meant to disturb you.’ Mihir fumbled and stammered when he said, ‘Nnno, it’s oh k. I should not have come and looked at you. This Banyan tree is not mine. Anyone can sit here.’ The girl laughed. When she laughed her cheeks blushed. Mihir could not stop himself from admiring her beauty. She then said with an adorable tone, ‘This Banyan tree in mine then.’ She then giggled and said, ‘ I am Manya.’ Mihir extended his right hand to shake hands with her and said, ‘Mihir here. Nice meeting you.’ Manya shook hands with Mihir and said, ‘ I am in division B, first semester, history major.’ Mihir said, ‘First semester, division A, Statistics major.’ Manya gave Mihir a warm smile and said, ‘That’s so cool. See you around. I need to go now. Bye.’ Manya went. Mihir looked at her walking away. Her long satin pink dress, her hair, her jingling bangles, everything made a mark in Mihir’s heart and soul.
Mihir could not wait for the sun to rise. He wanted to meet Manya. His classes started early, while history classes started at the later half of the morning. He could not focus in his class at all. He waited for his class to end and then he went to division B. The class was empty. The classes start at 11:00 a.m. It was 9:30 a.m. Mihir went to the cafeteria for breakfast. Then he came to his regular spot, The banyan tree. He sat there. His heart said that Manya will come. He took his books and started reading them. He had a class at 10:30 a.m. but that was in a different building. It meant, by the time, he came back, Manya will be done with her 11:00 a.m. class and might go with her friends somewhere else. Which meant Mihir won’t get to see her. So Mihir waited. 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 pm was not an easy wait. Nevertheless, Mihir was not impatient. He would wait. What if she doesn’t come? Well, then he would go back to his hostel room. However, the wait was fruitful. At sharp 12:00 p.m. Mihir heard some jingling sound. There she was. Today she was wearing a green and yellow dress with a multicoloured scarf. Mihir loved Manya’s dress sense. Her dresses were long, vibrantly coloured and she wore matching bangles. Manya saw Mihir and said, ‘Hi. So, this seems to be your favourite spot.’ Mihir smiled shyly and said, ‘ Yes. Seems, you like this spot too.’ Manya replied coyly, ‘Umm, it’s nice to be here.’ After that Mihir and Manya started talking and they never realised that the dusk sky had engulfed them.
This became a regular affair. Mihir and Manya met everyday and one fine day, Manya told Mihir that she has fallen in love with him. Mihir’s joy knew no bounds. Manya was his happiness, his heart, his soul and his life. This is what was missing in his life. Love. Yes love. In Manya, Mihir found love.
This beautiful story of Manya and Mihir continued for couple of months. However, both of them ensured that no one in the campus knew about it. The reason being, apparently Manya came from a very conservative and orthodox family. So Manya had told Mihir not to breathe a word of this to anyone. If anyone came to know of it, her family would come and take her away. They won’t allow her to continue her education anymore. Mihir could not let that happen. Hence he never told anyone about his beautiful love story.
But then, there is a saying, sometimes beautiful things don’t last because people cast evil eye. Yes, sad, but true. One fine day, Mihir’s roommates who are also his classmates, happened to see Mihir underneath the Banyan tree. That evening, when Mihir came to his room, his roomies, Shreyansh and Yash, asked him about his love story. Mihir could not lie to them. That was the end of it. Shreyansh and Yash did not want this love story to continue. Hence, every day, they told Mihir something about Manya. Mihir tried to ignore them and always went ahead to meet Manya. However, the way Shreyansh and Yash told about Manya to Mihir, Mihir started feeling their words in Manya and his relationship with Manya. One fine afternoon, after meeting Manya, Mihir seemed to lose himself. He sat on his bed frozen. Shreyansh and Yash, sat with Mihir, consoled him and tried to bring Mihir back to his normal self. However, Mihir seemed lost. Nothing they said could revive him. After a week, Mihir came out of the trauma and hugged Shreyansh and Yash. He had not made any effort to meet Manya since that afternoon. Manya tried to meet him, but she had to do it without anyone knowing about it. She waited beneath the Banyan tree every day. However, Mihir never came.
In another couple of days, Mihir packed his belongings and left for his hometown never to come back to this college. His parents never asked him why. He never told them. He started his education in a college near his home and he started to feel happy for being at home. He never felt upset anymore. He started enjoying his life and never missed the ‘love’ factor. All thanks to Manya.
He is thankful to Shreyansh and Yash who told him all about Manya. It was hard trusting them, because what they said about Manya was hard to believe. She was one of the nicest humans he had come across. However, he realised that every word of Shreyansh and yash was true, because that specific afternoon, when he had broken all his ties with Manya, he saw and felt the truth. What was the truth? The truth was always hidden. Hidden where? Hidden in her long dress. Well, yes. She hid her truth in her long dress.
That afternoon, in the breeze, when Manya’s gown flew slightly, Mihir saw her feet for the first time. Her feet were turned backwards. Apparently ‘Manya’ was a ghost who stayed in the Banyan tree. She always had a desire to make a tomb like ‘Taj Mahal’ for her husband when he died. Unfortunately, she died before him. Hence her spirit stayed in this Banyan tree waiting for a boy, whom she could marry and this time she would not die before him, because she is already dead. This time too, her desire of her husband dying before her and thereby giving her an opportunity to make a beautiful tomb for him, remained unfulfilled.’
