Anidita: A sweet journey towards a new dawn

Chapter 32: Bondita reaches Calcutta

The clock stuck 12...
Bondita opened her eyes ... it was all dark outside..
She got up... she has packed her things... she has taken all necessities like the doll Anirudh has given her.. a bottle of pickle she stole from the roof.. a tin of cream biscuits.. a tin box full of laddoos.. her tiger soft toy her father gifted her.... all necessities were there... upps money...
Bondita ran to her piggy bank and broke it.. its quite a managable sum of money she saved. Gold also gives money so she took some gold bangles and packed her potli tight. She took two steps back and looked at the potli.. it's so backdated..
She pulled out a bag from the almirah which she has stiched just yestarday cutting her patibabu's winter coat. It's looking so nice. She appreciated herself and wondered how happy Anirudh will be seeing her creativity...
Bondita unpacked the potli and packed all things in the bag and it was looking indecenly fat... no worries.. she took the bag on her back.. she looked at herself in the mirror.. she's looking like a Globe traveller.
Now she needs to dress up... in modern style..
Bondita dressed up like she saw Dr. Bose. The hairstyke is difficult for her so she just put her hair in a simple plait. She put the silver brouch Anirudh gifted on her saree. A light chain locket, sakha pola and a loght gold bangle... now this looks perfect..
She took the bag and looked at herself in the mirror. She smiled getting impressed by her own look. She wondered how happy Anirudh will be seeing that she's walking towards her aim alone..
It's 3 30... the first train is at 6 am... but she will have to leave before everyone wakes up... she sat near the window and stated waiting for dawn...
Now it's 4 30... she'll have to leave..
Bondita has prepared a rope tying her sarees.. she jumped out of the window... looked here and there and cautiously left for the station....

The man noticed her and was shocked... he also followed her...
Bondita cut a ticket for Howrah and covered her face in ghunghat so that no one recognises her.
The train approached and she got on it... the man also got on another boggiee..

The train whistled and started moving. Bondita got a window seat. She was so delighted. It's for the first time she's riding a train.. she looked out of the window hugging her back close to her and got lost in the views going past....

The train stopped at Howrah station. Bondita was mesmerised to see the crowd in the station..
"Itne log to sare Tulsipur main bhi nehi hain?!" She wondered...
She is wearing a light saree in midern plots with broch. Now she should act smart..
"Accha kaku Cacutta jane ka tanga kaha milega.." she asked the officer at the station...
He pointed her towards the tanga stand...
She went there...
The mysterious man followed her..
Bondita looked at the tangas... the covered ones are not looking safe... she'll went towards an uncovered tanga..
"Kaku Park street jaoge?"
The tanga wala looked at this lityle memsahab.
"Ha jarur memsahab... ayiye.." smiled the tangawala..
"Ha ruko ek minute.. " Bondita took out a big map from her bag... "ha to yaha Howrah station aur yaha park street... chaliye.." she ascended the tanga...
The mysterious man also took a tanga and followed her. .
Bondita's tanga was moving over the Polton bridge (old form of Howrah bridge ) she was so amused seeing the Ganga..
"Nadi main itne sare jahaj ?!"
"Ha memsahab... Ganga main jahaj to chalta hi hain... jab bare jahaj ate hain tab yeh setu aise dono taraf uth jate hain unhe jaiga dene..." tangawala understood she's new here..

Bondita was soo mesmerised. Why Anirudh didn't tell this to her before...

The tanga entered the city and Bondita was just too amysed to see such a big city.. earlier when she came to Heera mandi she didn't see this look nor that station... to fer kis tarah ayi thi woh.. she wondered...
The gigantic buildings the mesmerising mansions the roads wide as a river.. the crowd the people of different kinds and dessings... it's a whole new different world...

"Yeh hain Park street.." informed the tangawala
Bondita felt like she has landed in a foreign land as she saw in pictures...
She got off the tanga and gave the money to the tangawala

Bondita opened the map and looked into it... the mysterious man rested his back on a lamp post and yawned

She went into a lane. Here all are looking like Englishmen..
"Excuse me ma'am " Bondita asked a lady..
The lady lokked at her and smiled..
"Yess"
"Is this the Middleton street.."
"No this is the Russel street... Middleton street is the next lane..."
Bondita looked back
"Thick hain thank you.." Bondita said with a sweet innocent smile.. the lady smiled back...

Bondita got soo excited... she's near to her aim...