Things That Bang

"Happy Divine Day!"

"Eh? Whats that?" Sharmila tittered at her air headed friend.

"Oh! its when we pledge that our love will be as infused and divine that like of Vishnu and Lakshmi or like Shiva's and Parvati's or even Ram's and Sita's."

"No!" Aradhana looked around to make sure no one in the Archies store heard them. "Where have you been? Don't you read the news? Its no longer Valentine's Day. We call it Divine Day to avoid Ram Sena."

"Huh? Since when did this happen?" Sharmila looked bewildered

"About nine days ago when Pramod Mutalik said he will stop valentine celebrations from happening in Bangalore. You really have been hibernating!"

"Er, no not really. I never did have a boyfriend. All this is immaterial to me." Sharmila shrugged.  She browsed through the cards then gasped.

She held out a card with a religious picture of Shiva and Parvati on it with a big heart behind them.

"Is this what you are talking about?"

Aradhana opened the card and read the message "May our love be as pure and divine like that of heavenly beings."

"Yes, and I think I will give this card to Nikhil my fiance. "

"Fiance? When did this happen? I thought you guys were just going around. How could you hold such a big news from me. You two are most important people in my life and --"

Aradhana grabbed Sharmila 's elbow and pulled her to the cash counter and spoke in a hushed tone " Be quiet! They have police here in plain clothes. They will follow me back to the food court and arrest Nikhil and me"

She smiled and paid for the card and yanked her friend away from the crowded shop.

"Lets talk in the car!"

"In the car? Aradhana I know its been a while since we met. I was busy studying and didn't pay attention to the news and all but I do think you are acting crazy!"

"Sharmila don't be stubborn; come with me. Nikhil can wait for another ten minutes. I can't have him sit with us in the car. That can get us into trouble."

Sharmila shook her head and let her friend drag her out to the parking lot and into the car.

While Aradhana SMSed her 'fiance' Sharmila looked at the crowd moving into the mall. Mixed groups of boys and girls moved in and out of the malls. But there was something very peculiar, apart from older couples who were obviously married she saw very few college going couples around.

Aradhana put the cellphone back in her purse and looked out of the windshield.

"Its become very bad. We fear that they may drag us out on the roads and beat us up. The cops do nothing, the politicians are hand in glove with this whole mess. We have no where to turn."

Sharmila took Aradhana's hand and tried to comfort her "This will all blow over. You'll see. "

Aradhana yanked her hand back and hit the steering wheel hard "What I don't get is if my parents are fine with it who are they to tell me what to do? I don't go around telling them to take their asses out of Medieval times"

Sharmila sat back and watched a young couple get into a nearby car and the boy handed the girl a single rose. They smiled, the boy started the car and they drove off. Young romance, if only she had someone to love her.

"Don't take it too hard Aradhana." Sharmila spoke gently. Her friend was always the passionate kind.

"You know what Sharmila? My maid had three live in relationships. Three! These moralistic groups say nothing to the lower classes who have different sets of morals but they are forever trying impinge their authority on us."

Sharmila looked at her watch. They had a movie to go to and began to get impatient.

"Its quite simple Aradhana. The lower classes don't care. They are thinking of survival. That's their day to day life. Love is a notion indulged by the middle class. They cannot afford it. They don't care if its Valentine's Day or Divine Day. They just want to get through the day with at least one proper meal. Now come lets meet Nikhil. We'll get late for our movie."

They walked into the mall and then into the crowded food court.

Nikhil was easy to find. A clean shaven boy in a regular t-shirt and jeans. Aradhana ran a trembling hand through her hair and Nikhil brushed his clammy hand against the side of his jeans. They both looked nervous and Sharmila grinned at their mutual discomfort. She was after all the one who pushed them towards each other. They were her best friends in college.

Nikhil gave Aradhana a shy smile and handed her a card " Happy Divine Day."

Sharmila tried to smother the laughter that bubbled in her throat. She began to cough.

Aradhana gave Nikhil a strained smile and then a dirty look to her friend.

"Open the card" Nikhil urged.

Aradhana took the card out of the envelope and found herself looking at the identical card that sat in her purse.

Disappointment hit her hard .

Aradhana tried to put up a happy face.

She grabbed Sharmila's hand and smiled up at Nikhil "Lets go for the movie."

Once they entered the theater Aradhana made Sharmila sit between them.

Sharmila joked "But people may think I am Nikhil's girlfriend. We still may get beaten up."

Both Nikhil and Aradhana glared at Sharmila and the lights went off.

Related Article : On Divine Day Give This Divine Gift To Your Divine Man