The baby wobbled to and fro and fell on her nappy-padded bottom. Then she giggled, flailed her arms asking to be picked up. Neetu, the aayah didi tucked in the pleats of her sari and hoisted the baby on her waist who in turn would wriggle out and continue with this game. “Tanya! You naughty baby,” scowled the didi affectionately, quite enjoying herself. “Look at ma…ma...” and pointed towards the verandah. Tanya’s parents sat in the verandah sipping on to the strong tea, a speciality of Meenglas Tea Garden. Nishat had served a sumptuous breakfast to her cousin and her family who were visiting them from Mumbai. For the guests, it was a lifestyle much different than they were used to. The palette of greens all around them soothed their senses. The paved pathway that led to the porch of the bada bungalow, had been washed clean by the night rain and now glistened under the early morning sun.
Tanya’s elder sister – Shahana and her cousin made the most of their 1997-summer break from kindergarten. The two young girls played around their parents nibbling onto the freshly baked lemon cookies, while a mayna hopped over to peck on the crumbs. They wandered after the bird, gleefully flapping their arms and their parents looked on enjoying the blissful Sunday. After chasing the bird, the two girls skipped towards their mothers and chirped, “Can we go for a swim now?”
“We will take a dip after a drive. Go have a look at the pool,” replied the hostess. The kids danced around playfully barefoot on the lawn and made their way through the paving stones placed in a zig-zag pattern leading to the pool from the bungalow. The air was ripe with the pleasant petrichor. On either side of the pathway were the vibrant summer blooms of zinnia and balsams. The water spluttered out of the irrigation pipe, spitting in chaotic bursts into the pool, making tiny eddies all around the pool. Through the whirring of the lawn-mower, the girls heard their parents call out to take them around the estate for a drive.
Resisting the urge to jump into the pool, they hopped onto the vehicle. Feeling the wind on their faces, all of them enjoyed the subtle shift of light patterns. The beams of the sun danced on the fluorescent tea bushes illuminating each two-and-a-bud with a glossy shine. The city guests were on cloud nine as they soaked in the verdant view of the estates, which left them longing for more. But the kids anticipating a play in the water impatiently said, “let’s go back. Let’s go swimming.”
“Sure darling, we will all enjoy the pool. Let us appreciate this beautiful scenery as well! It is such a welcome change,” Nishat's cousin added.
As soon as they returned from the drive, the kids rushed into the pool. They splashed around in the bungalow pool, nestled in the corner of the sprawling lawn fenced by the bamboo hedge all around.
Nishat saw to the lunch arrangements, instructed the aayah to see to Tanya’s needs and then get her ready for the pool. She considered herself lucky to have Neetu, who she could trust blindly and Tanya too was fond of her. She and her cousin strolled towards the pool, chatting along. Inhaling deeply at the potpourri of scents which was a sweet mix of rajnigandha, grass vapour and orange shower, Nishat’s cousin complimented the hostess on her green thumb. Both of them inched into the pool as the water surged around them. “The water is so cold,” one of them screamed as the initial shock of the cold water wore off.
The four of them waded around the pool splashing, while their husbands sat in the gazebo next to the pool, enjoying the chilled fizzy drinks which felt like the greatest luxury in this heat. At times their daughters would jump out of the pool to join them sipping on the cool lemonade. The slight breeze on the wet swimsuits would cool them as they stood dripping.
The ladies wondered what was taking the aayah so long to get Tanya ready. Nishat was about to step out of the pool to check when she heard her husband say, “oh look! Tanya is here,” and then his stifled laughter. “Let's set up a photo shoot!"
The ladies pulled themselves out of the water and saw Tanya on Neetu's waist, all set to dive into the pool in her crimson bikini. But as Nishat's eyes met Tanya's face she was taken aback. A bemused smile played on everyone's lips.
The baby's face had at least two layers of powder. Dark deep kohl outlined her twinkling eyes and the centre of her forehead was adorned with a bindi. Her hair was slick and oiled back, secured with a matching ribbon, tied like a flower.
“Neetu, yeh sab kyu lagaya?” asked Nishat. “Mehmaan aaya hai... That is why I have taken this extra effort to dress up Tanya so well,” proclaimed Neetu, the aayah proudly.
Glossary:
Aayah: Caretaker of the baby
Neetu, yeh sab kyu lagaya: Why have you applied all these?
Mehmaan aaya hai: Guests are here