Life is small, keep smiling

Like many of my well wisher, Kajal told me that I am getting older and should get married soon. When I ask my well wishers to find a girl for me they do not raise that topic next time, but kajal was different. She informed that she find her cousin a good match for me and invited me to see her. Then, I could not tell her that I was joking. She knew that I was shy, then also how she could call me for seeing girl? I tried to avoid her, but could not do it for more time. To get some official work done by her, I finally agreed to see her sister Madhuri.

I did not get time for two get new cloth for me, but now it was necessary. I went to my favorite shop Indian Terrain show room at Secunderabad and got a light dark strip trouser and a blue shirt. Madhuri was from Pune and was visiting Hyderabad on last monday of October. Getting a leave on monday was difficult but I could manage to get half day leave.

I reached home of Kajal on time before lunch, talked with elders and met Madhuri. The beautiful lady was wearing a blue saree, gold ear ring, silver anklet, nail polish, lip stick and smile. All family members of Kajal gave credit of delicious biryani to Madhuri. After lunch I got an opportunity to talk with Madhuri. Actually I did not talk much except accepting what Madhuri was telling and nodding my head in between the talk.Madhuri wanted to be a school teacher but I wanted her to be manager of my imaginary pharma company. I did not remember much what Madhuri was telling as I was immersed in the beauty of Madhuri. All I remembered was "Life is small, keep smiling."

Parents of Madhuri had given her liberty to choose her life partner. I liked Madhuri and was convinced that she was also interested on me. I am a resident of Odisha and though it would be wonderful to marry a lady from Andhra Pradesh as I can get tasty sambar and mouth watering biryani etc.I started learning Telugu seriously to impress Madhuri.

I had to discuss about Madhuri with my family members. I went to Tensa, a beautiful hill station in Odisha where my family members were gathered for family function. My uncle had been staying there.

Apart from hill station, Tensa is known for surrounding iron ore mines. Peoples of all parts of India stays there. When I go there I see sun rise above hills far from Tensa high School and I enjoy sunset, while sitting on cement bench near Tensa guest house. The luxurious guest house is meant for government servants, mining officials and officers from Rourkela steel Plant. Sun set behind the queue of blue hills becomes hilarious with the smoke that rise from village on the foot of hills and ever changing color of clouds. When I can not go near guest house to get pleasing picture of sunset,I view it from balcony of our home. Weak ray of sun, when fall on light-red-black iron ore of half cut hill, turns sky into pink-red.Sound of stream;smell of ripe fruits from near by jungle; flying, colored birds and cool breeze brings a impression of heaven. I wonder,whether this natural beauty of Tensa is seen by the persons who coined the words like 'heaven on earth' and 'god's own country' for Kashmir and Kerala respectively and what words they would have framed for Tensa / Odisha.

After function, I discussed about the matter of Madhuri with my elders. While, some of them approved it, others did not approve it. I could not convince the dissidents.I informed Kajal about the issue. many years have passed since then but I did not forget the words of Madhuri "Life is small, keep smiling". I lost her, but I am still smiling.