Seven Summer Nights - Ashok aatreya (rm book recommendations TXT) 📗

heavy dose of information…Julia was not interested in all this but she was smiling and enjoying…at least showing it with her out worldly gestures. Actually, the first repulsive feeling went deep into Julia about him as she noticed his feet with mended old bad pair of shoes…although just after this feeling she also thought about her …her out fits were no good …for last three days she did not see bathroom beyond her routine calls…but she felt opposite her, the boy little bit sincere and innocent…and that was the point of staying with him for some time, She thought.
‘So if you want to go to Amber…I can give you company…today is my holiday…I will enjoy you…will not go to school…I mean…’Sameer could not talk more as he realized his English was not good…but Julia was still thinking about his innocence…She heard him telling-‘I will not go to school…I will enjoy you…what all he said was quite interesting…Is he a teacher…? No. It can’t be… then he is still in school level…?
‘What you told me…sorry…I’m forgetting your name (Sameer ..I …my name…he whispered)…You still go to school…Do you teach some where Semi? She asked.
‘No madam…( Oh he is now telling me madam…Julia smiled in herself)…I go to Lok Kala Kendra…you don’t know …it’s a dance school…I am student in five year diploma course …I am student of final year now learning classical dance Kathak.…In next six month I will be a second grade teacher…we have fine pay scales…’Sameer was telling her so many irrelevant things but Julia was trying to understand his psyche .Perhaps she was six to seven years elder to him and by exposure, in the worldly matters, she was too much mature and experienced.
‘Semi(She used the short form) you were telling me about Umbeer…how far it is…?
‘We can go just now…we can get bus…we will reach in one hour…not much delay. My English is tootofooti…breaking…sorry…He told her.
‘No problem…but good to know you are a dancer…She expressed her happiness.
‘Then we go…come with me, the Bus-stop is very close…where your bag…is your clothes etc…’He asked pin pointedly.
‘That is in clock-room.’
‘So you will keep your bag there…’
‘Yes why should I carry burden…I will be free without that…’
‘O.K…good…come to Bus-stop…very close…’
Julia followed him. She was browsing tourist literature…In an attempt to touch hand of Julia, Sameer took one of the folder from her hand and opened the page of Amber for her and telling her about this particular page he touched her open palm and showed her the photo of imposing fort…told her ‘-madam our old house is just behind this fort in the valley…’
‘Really…’
‘Yes but it is locked now, he repeated his old chapter of history.’
Julia thought for a while…he seemed to be a boring person…again and again telling about his heritage building in which she was least interested…but then she thought he may be helpful to her for her ‘future- plans’…for the purpose she has come to India…so she gave him a patient hearing…She also thought he cannot monopolize conversations and any moment she will make him shut his mouth…It was an initial stage and Julia knew about her ‘hidden- agenda’...that’s the reason she wanted to go with him till she wanted.
Sameer did not allow her to pay for anything…Her Bus fare…snacks …tea…even when they took a brief lunch in one of the Dhaba(canteen) of Amber after visiting the fort he met some close friend who made the complete payment before she reached the counter Every hospitality was in the name of gods …Guests are our gods ..’Sameer reminded her of this again and again.
Quite interesting! Her visit was full of excitement. That was Julia’s first visit to any Indian city and in the very first day she received a very- very warm welcome. Besides seeing the historical Palace she also enjoyed the elephant ride…and after ‘romancing’ in the nostalgia of the old Rajputs Kachhawah dynasty capital she moved to the famous observatory set by the founder of Jaipur…known as pink city…When she was on the top of the 18th centaury sky touching monument, visiting different royal settings of old queens and concubines plus the art-gallery of wind palace known as HawaMahal, she was badly tired…and wanted to take leave of her wonderful host Sameer…

The sky was darkening and the lengthening shadows of buildings with the setting sun were reflecting magical silhouettes creating wonderful landscapes in all directions far and wide. Her first innocent Indian friend Sameer was also tired but he shown no sign of that…
‘Semi you are a great company…I like every bit of your pleasant behavior and goodness…I think its already late…I have to pick my baggage…Thank you very much Semi-She expressed her gratefulness and warmth.
Sameer was sad and tired. , his eyes were heavy, almost on the verge of…wetting eyes, he was finding no words to reply to Julia’s words. His throat was dry…heart full of emotions about her …This was his first chance to have such a nice and long company of any foreign girl…Julia was loving…silent…perfect girl .He was lost in a dream…how great it would be if she becomes my wife…! He never thought he will have such an exciting time in his life…From the hearts of his heart he felt a sort of love for her…It was infatuation.
‘What happened Semi…you look sad…?Julia asked him
‘ I like you …you want to go …Julia I want to kiss you…can you give me a kiss?…He abruptly asked her something which never came in her mind…She was restless for that moment but then taking it normal suddenly came close to Sameer..she took him in her arms and kissed him…It was a very long-deep kiss from Julia followed by small broken kisses of Sameer…Both merged in the darkness of Hawa Mahal, a major world fame architectural monument of Rajpoot –Moghal splendor.
‘It’s wonderful palace… I have ever visited in my life.’’ Julia expressed her feelings.
‘Yes, royal ladies enjoyed sweet winds here, ’’Sameer replied in his own way…’tootofooti English’.
Then Julia opened the tourist literature page and read it for Sameer also-‘This five story building along the main street of the old city is in pink splendor. With semi octagonal and delicate honey combed sandstone windows….with the aim of enabling ladies of the royal household to watch the everyday life… ’On this she smiled and told Sameer-‘You have really correct information’
‘But my English is poor…You can teach me. I’ll practice hard…practice makes a man perfect…he added.
Julia laughed on his school days good memory.

When Sameer was about to relieve her, he felt Julia was in fever…
‘You have fever Julia’ He said
‘Yes since last night I was feeling feverish .It’s nothing but travel syndrome.…no problem, I will manage ’She replied.
‘But how…You have not yet settled in any hotel’
‘I will go ‘
‘No first we meet the doctor…’
‘I don’t think it is required.’
‘I feel it my duty ‘and’ take you to doctor…my last request ’He emphasized on going to a doctor. She agreed….They came more close…doctor did not take any fees…He knew Sameer and had seen his two- three dance performances…Julia was really impressed by his wonderful contacts…They went to-gather to station to collect Julia’s bag…but when she called a Taxi .Sameer put her luggage in side and told the Taxi driver to go towards Statue-circle.
‘Is there any good hotel that side’-She asked.
‘We are going home…my home.
Sameer was speaking from his heart with authority .His voice was strong for the first time. It was a positive sign, a good and healthy surprise for which perhaps she was waiting. Everywoman by heart wants her fellow- traveler must posses the quality of firmness and straight forwardness and confident macho personality, instead of meandering nature…Julia with pride was seeing a transformed Semi before her eyes.
‘Do you have your own house here-She enquired?
‘No I live in a rented house…My owner of the house is a very Goodman only old husband and wife there .Their children are ‘in’ U.K and France…’
The Taxi drove them straight to new residency area behind Statue-circle…there were few multistoried buildings and when they entered in one of the boundary house after three consecutive small turns, Julia encountered an old couple, sitting in the veranda on bamboo chairs. Both ‘ladies and gentleman’ were astonished seeing a ‘firangi’ with Sameer for the first time and at this twilight hour of the day…Sameer did not tell them anything but after settling her comfortably he came out of the room talked to them in local dialect marwadi-‘Aaa foreigner mhare school aaee chhai…kaal din ugyan chali jayalee…Aine tej bukhar aayaryo chai…raat raat ne mhare dooje kamaran main soyleli…Baeeji thei bhi sage soyjyajo…Bhale ghar ri beti hai…(This foreigner had come to my school, she will leave tomorrow early in the morning...She is suffering from high fever…Only this night she will stay in my another room…Old lady, you are requested to sleep in her room…She comes from a good family)
‘Koi baat kone beta( No problem my son)Tu kassyan koee sadak suun uthhalyasi…beene keedeeji…aaram suun sove…Davaee dubaee deediyakoni(you have certainly not carried her from road…tell her she must have a relaxed sleep…have you given her some medicine or not?)’The old house- lady told him all this.
Sameer came back in the room in a very relaxed mood. He looked very happy.
‘What happened Semi…you look very happy—she enquired curiously?
‘I am really happy…I arranged for your separate sleeping room…don’t bother the old household lady will look after you…there is a separate attached bath-room…you can refresh yourself as and when you like…It is still not late…’Sameer told what all had been arranged for her guest…Julia took a long breath .She felt relieved…her eye’s filled in full admiration for Sameer.

And then the first Indian night in an Indian home. Julia got a good bed on jute cot. Her room was airy and spacious in the back side of the house. Behind the house there was vast stretch of a garden and the piece of land for this house was purchased from the Nursery owner. Some part of the Nursery wall was broken in the open space. It was a big five room house with a beautiful big veranda and a small part of garden was also attached to it where good number of mango trees was planted.

When Julia was little set after changing her Jeans and topper…she was looking through open window. She was in scarlet-red Lungi (un-stitched gown) and full sleeve printed shoot black blouse. After washing her mouth and with brief make-up she was looking gorgeous…She was staring at the unending rows of mango trees with thick foliage. The smell in the air was pleasant. In the extremity there were flashes of light falling and disappearing and distant sounds of movements of automobiles was giving her nice feeling. It seemed to be a good garden…She thought, and just at the back she felt the presence of the old wrinkle faced stout build black skin man introduced to her as the owner of the house…along him the household old lady also entered the room and the third person was Sameer who was holding a cot…Julia knew the extra cot belonged to the old lady who would be her night companion. The face of the lady was very graceful and glittering in golden shade. She was wearing abnormal size of gold earrings embedded with red shining corals. The ornament was in half moon superfine design which impressed Julia.

‘Aaa doojee Khaat Mharee chhai…Huun unde thare khanai souunla chinta fikar koni rakhje beti (This cot is mined …I will sleep here close to you …don’t worry for anything daughter)’The old lady assured her of safety. She felt happy to hear the world of the lady. She was really charming to her eyes as she wore total