Mumbaikar to Bong Baby!
Mumbaikar to Bong Baby!

I am born in a small village named Pingla in West Bengal India. However, I have hardly spent any time over there. My dad is a businessman and he shifted to Mumbai when I was just 8. I hardly had any memory of my native place Pingla. The only thing remembered was my childhood friend Arnab. He was a cute little boy who used to study with me since preschool. After all, we just had one decent English medium school that time in the entire village.

In Mumbai I quickly forgot about Pingla, studies here to graduate school and enter college. However, dad missed Pingla very much although my grandparents live with us; other relatives of my dad were still residing at Pingla. I had often heard dad talking about traditional art and songs Pingla had to offer. Pingla was no more unknown by now. The rural artist managed to give their art worldwide exposure with help of the Government and NGOs. I could feel how dad missed his native place but boy that’s a village and I lived in a metro city so never really wanted him to go back there. Well, Dad had a different plan!

On the week before my 18th birthday, dad and mom called me for an urgent family meeting. I was anticipating it was about an amazing party they have planned but soon their decision dropped on me like a bomb. They handed me tickets to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Air Port and said we are going to Kolkata and then we will go to Pingla. I almost cried as I planned so much for an amazing 18th birthday. I wanted to spend the morning with my parents at The Bay Cafe by the sea and later at night handout at Bombay Vibes with my friends. But now I get to hear that I have to be in some village, far far away from Mumbai. I mean that’s not fair. I didn’t speak with my parents that night. I was mad that they didn’t even consult with me before making such a decision.

That night mom came to my room and smiled at me. She was trying to cheer me up but I was angry so was acting up as if I can’t even see her in the room. She sat beside me and told me “You will love it at Pingla, trust me. I have spent 10 years there. People are simple and sweet there. You also spent 8years of your life. Have you forgotten Nita aunty? Her son Arnab and you were inseparable. Well, Nita aunty and Arnab stays in Kolkata now. We are gonna pick them up before going to Pingla. Meeting Arnab will make your day for sure. Also, you have your aunts and uncles waiting there. Trust me you are gonna have a great day .”

“I have no idea how Arnab is gonna make my day. I haven’t even spoken to him for 10 long years. I have moved on from life at Pingla. I am a bloody Mumbaikar”, I shouted at mom. Mom smiled and said I know. She just gave me a smile and left my room. I sulked all week thinking about how worst my birthday is gonna be. I didn’t even pack my bag. Mom did it all and chose my clothes to wear over there. To my surprise, she packed me a saree as well. She knew I hate sarees still she packed it. I had no interest in how I am gonna look at a place there would be no malls, no clubs, no KFC, no Dominos and no hot boys so I let her pack whatever she wanted.

Two days before my birthday we left Mumbai for Kolkata. The plan was to spend a day at Saltlakle (North Kolkata) where Arnab and his parents lived the next day they will drive us to Pingla and we would spend a week at Pingla. Dad and mom are good friends with Arnab’s parents and they were in touch all the time. I never knew that until mom talked about Arnab.

The flight hit Kolkata and my face was hung like a defeated warrior. Finally, I was in Kolkata. The city doesn’t look bad though, but it’s not Mumbai where I have my friends. They are so mad at me for ditching them on my birthday. But my best friend Kritika and Ankit said it’s ok to be with parents as well sometimes. Dad brought me a big container of Rajbhog (sweets of Kolkata) and said “My sona maama you can have some from it but the rest are for Arnab and his parents, don’t finish it up”. I mean wow first I have to spend my birthday at Kolkata against my will and then this Arnab gets a whole container full Rajbhog. Why the hell Arnab is getting all the attention on my birthday?? I pushed the container in my mom’s hand and looked outside the window.

After 30mins of drive, we reached Arnab’s house. Nita aunty and Mohan uncle hugged me and said “Tirth I never knew your daughter is so pretty” then they looked at me and asked, “Sana beta do you remember us? Your best friend Arnab we are his mom and dad”. Nita aunty added, “You have grown up into a beautiful lady I must say”. Nita aunty lifted my face with her hand and said “why are not looking happy my child?” I mumbled I am fine aunty it’s just the flight, I am kinda tired and gave her a fake smile.

Nita aunty welcomed us inside and showed us our rooms. As I was settling in my room, Nita aunty said “Arnab will be back soon, he is at the gym right now. Maybe seeing your childhood best friend can cheer you up”. I said to myself well never knew a village guy can also go to the gym. I was exhausted and wanted to take a bath. Nita aunty told me the bath is right at the corner of this floor but hell yeah I forgot to ask which corner it was. Did she say right or left?? I totally missed it as I was super pissed off by the whole situation.

I took my extra soft pink towel got into my satin bathrobe and went to have a bath. I found the bathroom; it wasn’t that difficult at all. It was just that the bathroom had to be accessed through someone’s bedroom. One sight of the bathroom made me feel more relaxed now. There is a white marble bathtub and aroma candles at the corner of it. I checked out and found some aroma shower gels and bath bombs as well. I thought let’s give myself a nice relaxing bath after all that my parents did to me. I lit up a lavender aroma candle and used a lavender bath bomb and slide my body into the cold water of the bathtub.

The aroma of the lavender candle made me so relaxed that I just wanted to close my eyes and forget about worldly affairs for some time. I did close my eyes and got lost in deep thoughts. My peace did not last longer than 5mins when I heard someone opening the latch of the bathroom door. By the time I could have stopped the person from entering the bathroom he was already there and my jaw drooped. Before my eyes could even reach his face I saw his chiselled body and sweaty muscles and when I finally managed to reach his face damn I was awestruck. Who is this boy?? My brain exploded and my lips and eyes ditched me. I couldn’t utter a word and nor could I stop staring at his gorgeous face.

He lowered his eyes and asked me “Sana right? How did you manage to find my bathroom?”. As his words hit my ears my brain said “shoot me shoot me I am dying of embarrassment I entered the wrong bathroom for sure”. Hell, wait how he knows my name? Is he Arnab? I was asking myself. But then I remember I was naked in the bathtub and the foam had almost dissolved. My towel and my bathrobe are kinda far from my reach. I looked towards the window and mumbles “I am sorry, I think I entered the wrong bathroom and didn’t even lock it. But you need to go away now and cause I need to dress up”. He smiled and said “as you say princess” and locked the door of the bathroom.

I quickly grabbed my clothes dressed up and ran from the room. I came to my room and panted thinking of the whole thing. Then I remember he called me “Princess” that’s what Arnab used to call me when we were young. So he was indeed Arnab. I was blown away seeing him and I realized have an instant crush on him. Boy!! He is gorgeous, his tanned skin, chiselled body and mesmerizing eyes made me lose my heart at the very first sight. But I never expected to meet Arnab all naked in his bathroom for the 1st time. This was so embarrassing I didn’t know how I am gonna face him next time. I was lost in thoughts when I heard a knock on my door.

I opened the door and my worst nightmare came true. Arnab was standing right in front of me and I was so embarrassed I saw him and slammed the door on his face. I heard him saying, “hey princess I know we didn’t plan to meet this way, but it was just an accident. I understand that and I came here to return you something you left in the bathroom. You don’t need to be embarrassed though we are childhood friends and I know how careless you are”.

Wait, what?? Did he just call me careless? I opened the door angrily and told him “this place is new for me, how would I know if that’s was your bathroom and I got losssss…”. I hardly finished my sentence when he handed me over my gorgeous lilac laced push up bra that I left in his bathroom. I gave a smile and said, “oh that! Thank you for bringing it back to me I was looking for it”. I don’t know what I said I was super embarrassed again but Arnab laughed at me and said you haven’t changed princess. Hope you didn’t forget how you used to leave your crayons in my bag after drawing classes. I didn’t forget any of those. His eyes lit and I blushed remembering our childhood. I didn’t forget a bit I said to Arnab. We exchanged a glance. Then he looked straight into my eyes and said you look like a real process now. I realized my hands were sweaty and my cheeks warmed up I smiled and ran to the balcony.

I heard mom calling my name. I rushed downstairs and asked her what happened. Nita aunty said it’s time for lunch sweetie. The aroma of the food on the table was really good and I compliment Nita aunty for all the amazing food she has prepared for us. Nita aunty looked at me and paused. She asked, “You meet Arnab already right? Your face is glowing”. She was right and I didn’t know how to stop blushing but I avoided answering her question as if I couldn’t hear her.

If I wasn’t wrong I saw mom and Nita aunty exchanging glances and smiling. I didn’t know what was going on between them but I choose to ignore and dug into the food. My heart skipped a beat when I saw Arnab in a white kurta walking down the stairs. His hair was perfectly brushed and a bracelet of black beads handing on his wrist. His perfume filled the room and almost intoxicated me. He looked at me and said “As always ha princess you have started eating without me, even after we meet after 10 long years. You aren’t ashamed of yourself ha!” I almost choked with the water I was drinking when I heard him telling me that. Nita aunty came and patted on my back and scolded Arnab for teasing me.

Arnab apologized but to my surprise, he sat right beside me to have his lunch. Nita aunty looked at us and smiled, “just like old times na Sarita” and she looked at my mom. They both smiled and nodded their head. I didn’t know what was going on between my mom and Nita aunty all the time but I was super conscious about eating anything as my crush was sitting right next to me. Arnab doesn’t seem to be bothered at all. He ate his lunch and said to me lets hang out in my room I have your favourite board game Ludo in my room. Damn! He remembers everything. I didn’t know why but all my sadness of not being in Mumbai on my birthday was replaced by a surge of adrenalin. My mom said to me Sana go and enjoy girl, you have met after 10 years you must have so much to share with each other. I wanted to say yes and no at the same time. Yes because I wanted to be with Arnab badly and no cause my 1st meeting was damn embarrassing. My desire to be with Arnab won and I said yes.

After having lunch I went to his room but couldn’t find him. I stepped in called him a name and he came from behind me and pressed my eyes with his palm. His warm hand over my face was giving me shudders. He came close to me and whispered in my ears “Happy Birth Day in advance princess”. His warm breath on my shoulder gave me goosebumps. He released my eyes and I saw a box right in front of me. I looked at him and asked him, that’s for me? He said open it, princess. I opened it and found a pink teddy bear holding a brand new mobile phone. I had been begging mom for this for months. How did Arnab know about it? I picked it up in disbelief and then he came close to me again and said “I picked this up for you so that we never lose contact with each other from now on”. I got so emotional I cried and hugged him right away and said sorry to him for not keeping in touch. Then I looked around in the room and found pictures of me hanging on his wall and they were just not one or two. He collected pictures of me of all ten years I have not seen him. I was so overwhelmed that I cried.

Arnab held me tight in his arms and said stop crying you will ruin my shirt princess. I gave him a soft punch and asked him why he didn’t speak with me. He said he wanted to give me space as I was too busy in my Mumbai life. I got to know mom and Arnab spoke all these 10 years I have spent in Mumbai. He missed me and mom sent him my pictures. I told him he didn’t need to give me such an expensive phone he said it's all fine for you princess. He knew I wanted that and he joined his dad’s business worked hard and to earn that money to give it to me. It was a special gift after all. I totally forgot about Mumbai and we spoke for hours.

Before I could leave his room he kissed me softly on my cheek and told me “you are so beautiful I can’t take my eyes off you princess”. I blushed and ran to my room. I didn’t know what was happening. Was it love or just friendship? I wanted to tell Arnab I have already fallen for him. But sadness crept in as I remember I have to return to Mumbai after a week. Do I have to stay away from him again? Why is this happening to me? I was asking myself weird questions that I have never thought I would ever think of.

The next day I woke up and made sure I go to the right bathroom. Took my bath and came back to my room to get ready for the long drive to Pingla. I stood in front of the mirror and looked at myself. My wet hair was dripping water over my shoulder and crawling down the curves of my body. Arnab’s words “you are so beautiful I can’t take my eyes off you princess” struck my head and I dropped my bathrobe to look at my bare skin. I adored my naked body as if I realized how beautiful I am for the first time in my life. I took some photos with my new phone to look at myself later. I heard my mom calling me so I got dressed and came downstairs. I saw everyone was already waiting for me. I smiled and apologized for the delay.

In the car, Nita aunty and Manoj uncle took the front seat and mom and dad took the middle one. I asked where am I gonna sit? Dad pointed at the little back seat only good enough for two people. Hell! I will die suffocating I was about to yell but then Arnab joined me. I didn’t utter a single word just sat with him happily. On the drive, I receive a call from Kritika on my old phone and I asked Arnab to hold the new phone he gave me. Totally had no idea his fingerprints can unlock it. I was ranting my heart out when I noticed Arnab has already unlocked my phone and was now looking at my naked selfies. He smiled and locked the phone. He put the phone back in my purse and whispered be a careful princess. Heck! Not again!! How much embarrassment I am gonna go through. What would he think about me? Damn, I hate myself.

I was so embarrassed I could hardly speak with Arnab and he wasn’t also talking to me. This made me nervous and I was tensed. I didn’t know what he was thinking, was he thinking that I am so careless that anyone could have found those pictures. I was so sad to see him silent that I almost cried hiding my face. I didn’t want to lose him at any cost, we reunited after 10 years and I was released I am totally in love with him. We reached Pingla and I saw at least 50 of my distant relatives who I don’t even remember came to welcome us. The warmth of their love melted me like ice cream. Pingla was not that bad after all and besides, I never knew I have such a big family here. That day passed in a jiffy getting to know people at my dad’s ancestral house. Arnab and his family was a neighbour so they settled into their own house right beside ours. I was trying to find one chance to speak with Arnan but nobody ever let me be alone.

That night I tossing and turning on my bed but couldn’t sleep. I looked outside the window and saw the garden has flooded with the white light of the full moon. I never saw something like this in Mumbai for sure.

I thought of dropping a text to Arnab to know if he was sleeping. I texted him:

Sana- Hi, Are you awake?

Arnab- (after 10mins) Yes.

Sana- Did you see the moon? I am watching it from my window.

Arnab- I haven’t seen the moon the whole day.

Sana- Whole day? Moon is supposed to be visible only at night. Isn’t it?

Arnab- Ummm my moon is pretty much visible all day.

Sana- Why couldn’t you see your moon then?

Arnab- She was busy being loved by relatives.

Sana- Lol who are you talking about?

Arnab- You want to know?

Sana- Yes.

Arnab- Ok…….

Sana- ?????

Arnab- …….

After 5 mins of waiting when he didn’t text me back, I thought he slept off so I was heading to bed as well. Right then, I saw a black figure crawling up my window. I have heard a lot of ghost stories of rural India and I was about to scream in fear. But the figure came and covered my mouth so that I can’t shout. I was sure by then it was a thief so I bit on his palm. Then a familiar voice cried and said stop it’s me Arnab. I flash my mobile light on his face and damn it was him.

I said I am so sorry I panicked you didn’t even tell me you were coming. He said, “it’s ok but I am still mad at you. You bit me like a wild cat. Also since I have seen you in the skin I am convinced you are a wild cat”. We broke into laughter but then he reminded me it was night and everyone was sleeping and he has risked his life to come and meet me at that hour of the night in a house full of relatives. I lowered my voice and asked him “so am I the moon who you wanted to see?”. He looked into my eyes and lifted a lock of hair from my face and told me “don’t you know”. I stood still looking at his mesmerizing pair of eyes and felt the warmth of his body pressing against mine. We noticed our breath getting warmer and heavier. He sat on the bed lifted me on his lap and we were kissing crazily for the next two or three minutes I guess.

When we stopped, we were totally crazy for each other. I looked at him and took off his t-shirt and started kissing him. He pinned me into the bed and started kissing me as well. The taste of 1st love was so intense and mad and crazy I never imagined I would be in Arnab’s arms just a week ago. But Arnab was no mess he didn’t cross lines. You guessed it right we didn’t have sex that night! He kissed me and told me “the saree aunty packed you was a gift for the woman I want as my life partner. I want to see you in that tomorrow” and he left.

The next morning as I dressed up for my birthday celebration I checked out tutorials on YouTube on how to wear a saree in Bengali style. To my surprise, I did manage to pull through that Bengali look and my cousin sister Brinda helped me to get an authentic Bengali woman look. I walked down the stairs to join the celebration I saw Arnab standing watching me with teary eyes. I felt like the happiest woman in this world. My 18th birthday was not at all bad after all. Away from Mumbai, I found the love of my life.

It's been 5 years since then I never returned to Mumbai. Me and Arnab studied at Kolakata. I graduated from law college while Arnab completed MBA. I later realized that mom and dad already knew how much Arnab loved me and conspired to put us together. Dad always loved Arnab and Nita aunty loved me as a daughter. So they knew it would be the best match if we fell in love and we did. I never thought of going back to Mumbai and planning to get married soon. I never realized how and when a Mumbaikar turned into a Bong Baby just for love.
['Hopeless Romantic']
['Romantic', 'Love At First Sight', 'Lovestory', 'Romance', 'Love']