Chapter 6 Rejuvenation

• It becomes
• tough to survive, when somebody has questions at his own existence, when time
• comes that one raises questions at their own existence.
• Vastav
• arranged his room, his old study table and pasted the poster which he purchased
• from the footpath stall. He sat on a chair; stared at the poster and murmured
• in such a way that he missed something. Vasu looked at the walls of the room
• randomly. A worn out calendar caught his attention.
• It is said
• that a picture is worth a thousand words.
• “Which month is it?” As soon as the thought hit his consciousness, a cold wave blew his entire self. Vasu tried his best not to recall what his mind thought of just now. Realizing that he was running away from reality, he shuffled all the pages of Manorama Year Book.
• “This will not do........I will have to check today’s newspaper. Suppressing all his dormant excitements, Vasu moved slowly but steadily towards the kitchen. Confirming that Akangshya was still busy in the kitchen, he went closer to her and spoke in a low voice, “Maa, where is today’s Assam Tribune (newspaper)”.
• Akangshya looked at Vasu’s face as if she would never close her eyes and tried to capture the scene in her mind’s eyes.
• “Wait dear,
• I am coming”. She cleaned her hands with a wear out piece of cloth and in no
• time appeared again with the newspaper.
• “Here it is dear, go to the lane and I am coming with a cup of coffee”. Once again Akangshya’s
• behaviour puzzled him. Ignoring her words, Vasu folded the newspaper in such a way that it makes the date of the newspaper invisible.
• “Oh Shiva, don’t make my boat turn into the devastating waves of which I fear”.
• Surrounded by an ocean of unsurpassable thoughts, he reached the lawn and came face to face with the person whom he didn’t want to face then.
• Mr.Kaushik
• took a deep sigh and, put his pen down, looked at Vasu’s face and made such an
• expression enough for Vasu to read the silent conversation.
• “So, you are well again, I never expected you to with me now, you can continue your life as
• you like”.
• Though Mr.Kaushik didn’t spoke even a single word but his silence
• spoke all the words which he had for Vasu.
• As Vasu
• turned back and moved straight to his room, a cup of coffee was already waiting
• for him on the table.
• 25th June 2007(Monday). “Maa, Maa”. Vasu shouted. But Akangshya was standing nearby him, already prepared for the outcome which her mind foretold her the very moment Vasu asked for the daily newspaper. Vasu fell on her knees and started weeping like a child. He took a deep breath, collected his guts and started counting on finger tips.....January, February, March, April, May, June.....
• “It’s true Beta, it had been almost 6 months you came from Guwahati”.
• Vasu walked to the mirror, looked at himself as if the image is creating a trap for him.
• “Vasu, are you listening Beta, should I postpone the talk to some other day or you don’t
• want to hear anything at all”.
• “No Maa, I am listening”. Vasu replied still gazing at his own image, controlling hidden anger and hatred for an unknown mystic.
• “......and you had 7 stitches on the left of your head, your left knee cap was fractured and several scars on your whole body”.
• Akangshya continued but Vasu’s mind was searching for a different answer.
• “Beta, I have several works to do, today Dharitri’s mates have arranged a party at our home. Oh! I forgot to mention Beta; she is continuing her Educational Masters in Shikshan Mahavidyalaya. You didn’t know, she remained with you after you fall asleep till the time she satisfies herself that you are really with us”.
• Akangshya left the room finally rejuvenating Vasu’s memory that apart from his mother he has a father and a sister too. Now, those tear in his face every night, confused him.......is it his mother’s or his sister’s. The house gained life at the influx of Dharitri’s guests. Everybody was busy in a way or the other. Somebody talked about politics, somebody about latest songs and movies whereas some girls dressed gorgeously helped Akangshya in preparing tea.
• “Khuri, you
• leave the kitchen for us and go and join them, they are discussing about the
• drama, and you can help them”. Vasu peeped in through the key hole and saw a
• glimpse of everybody doing something. He couldn’t even imagine that study can
• be so interesting, so amusing and full of life. He tried to recall the course
• Akangshya mentioned about what her sister was doing. Vasu’s scientific temper
• gained youth and demanded him clarification. He couldn’t make out the
• summarized version of what was going in the next room.
• Slowly and slowly the voices faded and the room became numb but this numbness created a
• new strength in Vasu’s new way of looking ahead, a new way of knowing what life is.
• The human consciousness can never be explained, it is limitless as vast as the universe itself. When one level of consciousness gives up, another secret area of the brain vibrates in a new pattern to keep life continuing.......and continuing and continuing.