Amita Ray shares a poignant tale of love and loss and how life comes a full circle at times bringing unexpected surprises.
The bittersweet cadence of shehnai wafting from afar had a numbing effect on Vinod. It evoked a niggling ache, a wrench in his heart ushering him into hoary memories; thoughts which he both craved to dive into and run away from. Lighting a cigarette to ward off his disconsolate mood he stood on the veranda adjacent to his room at the old age home.
The old age home NIRVANA was virtually an abode of peace. It stood on a sprawling space in the southern fringe of Kolkata. The aged inmates, single or couples had a room, attached bath, and a veranda facing lush green manicured lawns interspersed with flower beds. The river Ganges flowing at a distance murmuring and mingling with the blue horizon provided a perfect backdrop to an elegant vista.