Yellow!

The best friend sent me a link to the most amazing living bookmarks one could come across. I want to buy them, gift them to my father-in-law and see them grow into black and yellow flowers. (When I was a little girl, I used to call them tiger-flowers for their colour combination). Sunflowers always fascinate me. And what can be more fascinating if you see them grow out of bookmarks?

 

The instruction manual recommends that once you have finished your book, the ribbon must be removed and the bookmark soaked religiously after which they can be sown deep in fine soil. They can be planted in pots or in the garden, where sunshine basks for at least 4 hours a day. With sunshine, water and love, the bookmarks turn into a tuft of flowers.

Books do open doors to a world of magic, but here, a bookmark does the honours. Here is a bookmark that breathes. A bookmark that gives birth to a bunch of black and yellow happiness. (“Udein khule asmaan mein khawabon ke parindey” does a pop-up act while I write this post).

They are right when they said, “Just give back to the earth what your earth gave you (your book)”. Absolute truth.

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Time: Day before yesterday. 7.00pm

The best friend said that, like me, she too is awed by Sunflowers.

“Sunflower is one of my favourite flowers”.

Me: It is also my favourite perfume.

Her Whatssap message giggled. “Buy na.”

Me: It is out-of-market. For the past one year, I have tried every possible source I could.

Burnt every bit of kathh and khhor. No luck. : (

Time: Day before yesterday. 11.55pm

The brother in law handed over a brown paper package.

What I saw inside released a thousand butterflies in the digestive system….all restless and wanting to break free. A bottle of Elizabeth Arden perfume.

“Sunflowers”.

*almost faints in disbelief*

It had a quote written on the transparent casing: “A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future” :D

And it also had a “Please see” note: “To the woman’s woman who is every bit the sunflower in our life. Here’s to you smelling like me.”

The voice choked. The cheeks turned salty and the heart missed a beat.

I have said it before. I shall say it again. Sriyanta Chatterjee, you reaffirm my belief that good things always happen to good people. You are surely one of those better things life has rewarded me with. (Disclaimer: This view is independent of the influence induced by the present gift).

P.S:  About the “here’s to you smelling like me” part, you not only smell of ‘Sunflowers’ but you also smell of happiness. You reek of peace and goodness. And above everything, you smell like family. Yes, I do want to smell like you.

P.P.S: I always thought that the advent of the would-be sister-in-law would make me terribly jealous and insecure, for all the attention I enjoyed will be shared majorly. Needless to say, you proved me wrong.

P.P.S: শেষ দুটো প্যারাগ্রাফের জন্য আজীবন আমার কর্তৃত্ব-ফলানো মুখ বুজে মেনে নিস। নইলে তোর ভগবান ভীষণ পাপ দেবেন কিন্তু! 

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I was flipping through “the rains…” folder on my computer. I saw this picture. It was clicked on a Saturday afternoon at the Park Circus crossing. The cloud burst held hands with the sunbeams. I had posted it on Facebook…. “Little Miss Sunshine decides to rain dance. Can’t wait to see the rainbow.” (I have a bad habit of naming and describing almost every picture I click.)

Today, the picture got a more appropriate narrative. Courtesy: Rekha Bharadwaj played on repeat.

“Kaisi teri khudgarzi, Na dhoop chune na chhaon…..“

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Mangoes and Kadam phool.

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The High Court para saw some just-for-the-day stalls selling Papor-bhaja in abundance. I observed and absorbed the process with the happiness of a five year old. Rathajatra just has this magic, you see. It pulls you into a time machine and with a ‘Whooosh’ sound it transports you to your childhood.

The papad dived into a pool of mustard oil. As it swam, its fragile body became strong and crispy. Jagadish did the rest. Packet full of papor-bhaja accompanied by Jilipi.

I too, took a dip into the sea of memories. Rathher mela at the Rashbehari junction, papod-jilipi-teeler kathi, plants for the terrace, pets (rabbits and birds) for the two of us (Bhai and I), aluminum miniature utensils for the doll’s house and wooden utensils for the kitchen with belun chaki (round wooden board and rolling pin) and bnoti (vegetable chopper) topping the list, tasting countless pickles with wooden ice cream spoons and ultimately buying one or two, digestive ajwain golis and dalimer hojmi from Jaina Shilpa Mandir, Fatafat, the black salt we called ‘Current’ (because of its electrifying effect on the tip of the tongue), Mouri-lozenges  (coloured, sugar-coated aniseed), clay models of Ganesh, Ramkrishna, Bibekananda, pigeons, fruits and vegetables (amongst them, the brinjal always looked closest to real).  

  

Today, while we were gorging on the papor-bhaja, a colleague said…”Ishh, er shonge jodi plastic er chutni thakto……..”

Some things just make your day. : )

The colour “Yellow” is one such.