introduction

Chapter -1: The Invitation.

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It was end of November 2000; I was in my final years of my college, completing my 22nd winter on this earth. In Kolkata, winter had already reached. Foggy mornings and dew drops on the grasses made me nostalgic. That day was Sunday, so I was lazily turning the newspapers and was reading the headlines and sipping a hot cup of tea. Mom was in the kitchen and dad went to market.

The door bell rung.

Mom asked me to open the door; probably the newspaper man has come for the monthly bill.

I went downstairs only to find a middle aged person, probably of 40 years and a lady in her late thirties stood at the door.

The person asked me whether my mom was at home or not. I nodded affirmatively.

He introduced himself as a cousin of my mom.

I ushered them inside and they rested themselves in the drawing room.

My mom came to drawing room and was astonished to see them.

She exclaimed ---"After long time, Shasanko, what is the news. And this is your wife Meghna? Good to see you both. After a very very long time"

I came to know, Shasanko was my mom's cousin brother. Shasanko were three brothers and three sisters. It was the marriage ceremony of their youngest brother Subroto. During their talks I came to know their youngest sister was still unmarried and they were searching for a perfect groom for their little sister.

So by relation, Shasanko was my maternal uncle (mama) and Meghna was my maternal aunt (mami).

They all lived in their ancestral house in village. Their village named Baduria, interior in Kolkata region. My mom's was a school teacher; her school was also in the same village. Also I came to know, when my mom started her teaching, she used to live at their house.

I was born at their house, few years before, probably 2 years before my birth, my mom's aunt gave birth to their last female child, the youngest sister of Shasanko.

My mom told me stories, how her little cousin sister, whom every one used to call Suchismita, used to play with me.

My mom and dad shifted to Kolkata when I was five years old, so I have no memories of my baby days, what I used to do with Suchismita.

But my mom told me, Suchismita was very, very naughty, as every youngest child in a family and used to love me very much, as I was the only person who was younger to her. She used to take me to the mango orchards, used to take me with her to every place she went. I was like her baby doll, with whom she used to play a lot.

In village, all have big families. So was the same with Shasanko. They were in total of six siblings. And he and Meghna was a proud father of an eight years old prince.

My mom and dad accepted their invitation to be present for the wedding of their youngest brother.