Indralok apartment, morning

"Maa! Maa! Dadabhai!"

A cheerful, lively, loud voice shuttered the peaceful ambiance of Chowdhury family. Two young men rushed inside like a whirlwind personified.

"Softly!" Kinshuk glared at both. "The entire locality has learnt by now that Priyanshu Chowdhury came home!"

Priyanshu bit his tongue, scratching his head in embarrassment.

"So you mean that I'm a calm boy, right?" Devanshu didn't leave the chance.

"Of course not! You are a silent mischief monger. It's just that people take more time to identify that side of yours."

"This is so unfair!" Devanshu pouted.

"Priya, Dev!" Paramita came forward. Both the brothers touched her feet.

"Now stop this childishness, kids!" She patted both. "You have grown up enough."

"Not to you, Maa!" Devanshu clang to her like a baby.

"Ok, not to me. Not to your elder brothers too. But at least grow up to your little sister. What would she learn from you two?"

"She must have learned enough boring things from Dadabhai so far." Priyanshu smirked. "Now we have come. We'll make her learn some interesting things."

"Don't make her like yourself!" Paramita gave him a slight earpull to which Priyanshu innocently nodded.

"Maa, where is she?" Devanshu looked around. "Won't we meet our bonu?"

"It's such a wonderful feeling to be called 'Dada'!" Priyanshu beamed, sitting on the chair with crossed legs. "Feeling upgraded to a level of elder brother!"

"Do behave like one from now!" Kinshuk reminded.

Devdutta was watching silently from the other room's window, grinning to herself. These twin brothers indeed brought new life to this home. The delight was so contagious that she could not just stay away anymore from it.

"Chhorda!" Devdutta came running, but paused at midway, looking at both brothers. "Wait, whom should I call what? Who's elder?"

"Me! Me!" Priyanshu readily raised his hand.

Devdutta chuckled. "But I thought the opposite!"

"Bonu you too?" Priyanshu faked a sigh. "No one takes me seriously. Seems like I really have to grow up now!"

"Please do, Priya!" Anshuman said. "You need to learn taking responsibilities from now. Otherwise," he winked. "What would Akansha say?"

"Aha, why pulling her within this?" Priyanshu's dark face was tinted with red hues. "Fine, I'll take responsibility. Dev, bring my phone! Quick!"

"Look! For him, taking responsibility means spending time with phone!" Devanshu rolled his eyes.

"Not at all! I'll handle Dadabhai's matrimonial profile from today. Chhorda, give me the password!"

"Priya, don't you really have any other thing to do?" Kinshuk turned grave.

"I have! Finding our Boudi is the most important thing for all of us!" Priyanshu glanced at everyone. "What say?"

"Without a doubt!" Devdutta spoke first.

"You too?" Kinshuk sighed.

"Yes, Dadabhai!" Devdutta looked at him with puppy eyes. "I too want my Boudi! Won't you listen to me?"

"He has to listen, Dutta. After all, majority wins!" Anshuman grinned.

"Dadabhai, this time me and Priya aren't going back to hostel unless your marriage is fixed!" Devanshu declared, making a serious face.

"What kind of madness is this?" Kinshuk frowned. "Your session break is just for a month."

"We know! And we'll do something within a month only." Priyanshu smiled with confidence.

"That shows you are still a kid." Kinshuk glared at him. "What do you think, little one? Marriage is like getting delivery from online shops? It takes time."

"Maybe. But your time has come, Dadabhai." Devanshu said. "I have checked your horoscope. You will get married soon. Within this year itself!"

"And that's why we have vowed that we won't return unless we meet our Boudi!" Priyanshu added.

Kinshuk helplessly glanced at Paramita. "Maa!"

"Don't look at me, Babai." She smiled. "Your brothers only can do what I'm failing since years. You can't ignore the wish of your little naughty darlings, can you?"

"I don't know! Do whatever you all wish!" Kinshuk shrugged, finally giving up.

***

Shivam Housing Complex, Salt Lake City, evening

Deepika lay down on her bed. It was a tiresome day with school work and her own research studies. She tried to find some relaxation in social media but it only worsened her mood, with all the falsehood spread regarding Mahabharata.

She was about to keep the phone aside but then only an unknown number popped up on the screen.

"Good evening, Ma'am!" She heard after receiving the phone.

Ma'am? Deepika's eyebrows met. Must be a student of hers.

"Good evening!" She answered, still unsure about which student it was.

"Couldn't recognise me?" The reply came with a slight sound of chuckling.

"I'm that person who always annoyed you in school, but still you loved me over the others!"

An affectionate smile played on Deepika's lips now. "Priyanshu! Priyanshu Chowdhury!"

"Right!" Priyanshu grinned now. "How are you, Ma'am? Are you still there in our school? May I go to school tomorrow around 11 am? Will you be there?"

Smiling more, Deepika shook her head. "You haven't changed, Priya! The same habit of questioning too much at once hasn't yet left you."

Embarrassed, Priyanshu lowered his head. "Sorry Ma'am."

"And I know well why you want to come to school. Meeting me is just an excuse, isn't it?" Deepika smiled knowingly.

"No, no, nothing like that!" Priyanshu quickly protested. "I want to take your blessings before my semester results are out."

"Mad boy, will it change your result magically?" The teacher lightly scolded. "You'll get what you've written in paper."

"Written well this time, trust me! But without your blessings I don't feel relieved. Can I meet you once please?" Priyanshu innocently pleaded.

Deepika beamed. She knew Priyanshu well. This favourite ex-student of hers had never entered his exam halls without touching her feet. He used to say that after his mother and elder brother, Deepika was the only person whose blessing mattered to him.

"Come after school timing, ok? And bring Devanshu too with you."

"Thank you, Ma'am! Thank you so much!" Priyanshu exclaimed.

"Deepa," her mother called. "With whom you're talking?" 

"My ex-student, Maa." Deepika replied after cutting the call.

"Oh." Her mother sighed. "I thought..." She trailed off but Deepika knew it.

"I don't have a boyfriend, Maa. Don't worry." She smiled.

"I do worry because you don't have one." Her mother frowned. "All the time you only think of others but never think of yourself. When will you get married, Deepa?"

Deepika hid a sigh. This was something she was now used to hear everywhere. Be it at home or at workplace.

"I will, when God will wish so." She precisely replied.

Annoyed, her mother left the room. Deepika kept her phone aside and turned on the music player. Rabindranath Tagore's famous dance drama 'Shyama''s romantic melodies greeted her ears.

Jibone param lagano koro na hela
He garobini
Brithai katibe bela.

[Don't ignore this precious time of life,
O proud young lady!
Your youth will be wasted.]

Deepika smiled to herself. The lyrics seemed too similar to what everyone was telling her all the time. But who cared about her own wish? Did they even know whom she wanted? Her dream man had not met her yet. And she was not a girl to compromise with anything less than what she wanted. Unless her dream manifested into a human of flesh and blood, she had to wait.

The next song played up, echoing the thought of her mind.

Dhora se je day nai day nai
Jare ami aponare sopite chai
Kotha se je achhe sangopane
Pratidino shato tuchcher aarale.

[He hasn't come to me yet
The one I want to give myself to!
Who knows, where he is hidden
Within hundreds of small things.]

***

Indralok apartment

"Again!" A disappointed Priyanshu threw his phone to the bed.

"What happened?" Anshuman looked up from his medical journal.

"Another rejection!" Priyanshu's frown deepened. "The girl seemed so well-suited for Dadabhai. But they didn't agree."

"What's the reason now?"

"The same thing. They want nuclear family. A groom with four brothers isn't acceptable."

"I knew it!" Himanshu sighed. "Nowadays every girl's parents want groom to be single child."

"What's the way then, Mejda?" Priyanshu sounded helpless now. "Will we never find a girl who would like to stay in joint family?"

"We will. But not in this way." Devanshu said very softly, as if he could see the future. His calm voice sounded prophetic.

"Stop searching in matrimonial sites. Nothing will happen from there." He said again in the same tone.

Everyone looked surprised and unconvinced.

"What are you saying Dev?" Anshuman protested. "Yes I know it's being a bit difficult for us. But that doesn't mean we'll stop trying!"

"I'm saying what's right. Arranged marriage is never going to happen in his fate however we all try. Because," he paused a little, looked at everyone and then added, "Dadabhai has love marriage yog in his kundli."

"Love marriage? In this age?" Kinshuk softly chuckled. "No way!"

"Come on Dadabhai. There's no age for falling in love. And my prediction won't go wrong."

"First you decide what you want to become, lawyer or astrologer!" Kinshuk rolled his eyes.

"Cannot I be both? Astrologer in part time?" Devanshu blinked.

"You think clients will come to such a lawyer who practices astrology too?" Himanshu smirked. "What a weird combination!"

Devanshu pouted. "I'm not talking to you!"

Kinshuk laughed. "Let him do it, Him. He himself will know that astrology isn't for him when his prediction on me will fail."

"It won't, Dadabhai." Devanshu said. "You will fall in love. Very soon."

Kinshuk shook his head smiling and went back to his laptop screen. But the others could not ignore Devanshu.

"If it really happens, Dev, I myself will arrange a grand party in your honour." Himanshu promised.

"Stay assured, Mejda." Devanshu leaned back on his chair.

"We shall meet our Boudi soon. Mark my words!"
________________________________________

Song lines are written by Rabindranath Tagore. Translation is mine.

So, what do you think will happen next?

Do you smell some connection or not?