A Village Love Story

Pavitra never woke up late on Friday morning. It has become a ritual for her to get ready early on Friday morning and to visit nearby Kamakshi temple.

It has been four years since she never missed this ritual. She goes to the temple with the garland of fresh Kanakambaram flowers.

She loves those Kanakambaram flowers which were plucked from in their home garden and with most caring garland was made by her.

 

She waits eagerly for the afternoon to receive a letter. An inland letter that travels from the Chennai marina beach to a rural village named Kamakshipuram in Andhra Pradesh.

Her childhood friend whom she never met after High school writes letters to her every week.

He is studying in IIT Madras and he shares everything about his college life, goals and interests.

It was their habit to talk every day after school while going home.

Nikhil went to Hyderabad to join intermediate college. Their communication was broken as there were no mobile phones available extensively.

After two years in the annual ceremony dedicated to Kamakshi Devi, the goddess who is loved by the villagers of Kamakshipuram, Pavitra meets Nikhil.

She is a simple girl who doesn’t have any wish over rich lifestyle or showoff stuff.

Nikhil and Pavitra promised each other to continue their friendship with the help of letters.

Nikhil is a well-disciplined boy and cracked admission into IIT Madras. Pavitra with her interest joined in an arts college.

Pavitra wrote about her degree classes, preparation for becoming a good teacher in her first letter.

Nikhil at the other end written a letter about Marina beach and how spending time there relaxes him.

Every year they were meeting in the annual ceremony of Kamakshi temple and wishing each other good luck.

Nikhil reached his final year of Engineering. One time they both met in an old fort which is away from the village.

The fort is always silent as there were no visitors to it.

Pavitra saw Nikhil. After going to Chennai Nikhil’s language got a bit of Tamil aroma.

When jumping down from the steps in the fort, Nikhil held her waist. He holds her tight in his arms and their breaths started talking to each other. She doesn’t know when he tasted her lips.

Her light color lipstick rubbed on his lower lip. She put her hand in between their lips while he tried to give her one more kiss.

He asked why she is stopping him?

She said it makes her think about him more. In the musings, she loses her self.

Months passed but Pavitra still remembers the kiss she got from him. Of course, how can anyone forget their first love and first lip-lock?

 

One Friday afternoon, Pavitra received a letter from Nikhil. Nikhil selected for an automobile company.

He said along with his job he wants to continue further studies and his dream to buy a house in Chennai.

Next week Nikhil received a letter from Pavitra.

When the children were playing with tides on the shore, Nikhil opened the letter to read.

                                                                                  

Dear Friend,

I am so happy after knowing about your job offer and further interest in studies. I thanked Kamakshi maa again and again for your bright future.

When it comes to life, I feel it was always simple for me. I like being a teacher in our small school. I like playing with children in leisure.

Have you ever watched the sunset at our Syamala pond? The lotuses strongly oppose when the sun took away his rays. It becomes like the lips of a woman who fought with her husband.

When I see them I remember our kiss. I mean your kiss. The first kiss which you have given to me.

I cannot tell you how much I liked you as a friend.

But when I went back into our memories they all are a bit new every time. I do not say directly I love you.

Because I do not know what love means.

Especially from someone close to my heart but thousands of kilometers away from my place.

I do not know how to express these emotions like others.

Do you know Kanakambaram flowers? Every Friday I make a garland with them and offer it to Kamkshi maa in the temple.

I like Kanakambaram so much. Their elegant look and when the air just touches them they will shake from four sides.

Of course, Kanakambaram does not have much fragrance like other flowers do. But when it mixed with jasmine the look it gives is awesome. And it thrills me.

So, Mr.Jasmine will you be mine?

I mean Mr.Nikhil, can you be the jasmine for this Kanakambaram garland?

I and my garden are waiting for your reply.

With Love,

Pavitra.

 

There is no letter received from Nikhil.

Pavitra’s Friday routine is going on as usual.

Pavitra’s maternal uncle brought a marriage proposal. Pavitra’s mother wanted to get her married in this Sravana month anyway.

Pavi, see the photo at least. I know if your father was alive we would have wonderfully made your wedding. Me and your uncle doing our best for the bridegroom.

Pavitra is half asleep. She did not see the photo.

Maa, I will tell you my decision on the coming Friday. Pavitra said in a normal tone and slept.

She expected Nikhil might send the letter at least this week. If not she decided to tell yes to the marriage proposal.

Friday came and went. But there was no letter for Pavitra.

She said yes to marriage. Pavitra’s mother Lakshmamma was so happy to have a son-in-law who is from the same village. Every girl’s parents mostly think about the nature and habits of a bridegroom more than anything.

Lakshmamma felt Pavitra is lucky to marry a well-educated person, earning a decent amount and from the same village.

Sravana month came and devotees are flooding to Kamakshi maa temple where one can worship Lakshmi, Saraswati, and other Gods idols too.

As the marriage date is coming to near Lakshmamma is busy inviting guests for marriage.

On a Friday, Pavitra went to the temple and offered Kanakambaram garland to the goddess. When She opened her eyes after praying there is a Kanakamabaram garland with jasmines placed at regular intervals.

She checked here and there and asked pandit about the new garland on the idol of Kamakshi maa.

He pinched her ears and said, Pavitra! you and your becoming husband are making fun. I know.

You gave me kanakambaram garland and he came with another kanakambaram garland with jasmines.

Pavitra’s heart got a wide a bit and Nikhil’s image became graffiti on her heart walls.

She fastly walked home like one does during before rain comes.

She went to her room and searched for the photo of the bridegroom. Yes. She jumped into the garden after seeing photos. It was Nikhil’s photo. She has shown the photo to her favorite kanakambaram plants and danced in happiness. Lakshmamma thought something happened to her daughter and started praying for her.

It was a simple wedding in Kamakshi maa temple. But Lakshmamma arranged for a grand feast at home for all guests.

Both Pavitra and Nikhil are known to all villagers from their birth so everyone is happy to see them as a couple. Nikhil’s parents are happy with Pavitra’s obedience and nature of respecting elders.

That evening Nikhil took Pavitra to his home and then to Shyamala pond. The lake is silent and looks alone.

Pavitra, see this Nikhil said by keeping his hand towards the lake. Sun is going to his home, as sun rays are withdrawn, lotuses in the pond were shrinking their petals.

Nikhil hugged her from the back. Pavitra’s navel is experiencing the touch of his fingers.

There were no viewers for this scene except the pond.

Moon is going to come and lilies in the pond were ready to make love with him. Nikhil kissed Pavitra on her right side of the neck. While she tried to resist but he started disturbing her bosom. While lilies were seeing them with utmost surprise, Nikhil lifts her and took to the place where he already planned their first night.

He planned to surprise her near her favorite pond.

The farmhouse roof is welcoming the couple to make love. He started kissing her lips and then playing with her navel. His tongue started making rounds around her navel. With the pleasure from every part of the body, she pulled him towards her bosom.

While he is busy to have her completely in his arms, she asked him, when did you start loving me?

What women do not tell men is foreplay is always better than the sex. Those teasing, rubbing each other’s bodies, talking a bit nasty in-ears to relax.

But he knows how to romance.

He is playing with her hair and her boobs are tightly pressed against his chest. She felt his peaky nipples when he is moving down.

He answered her question with a moan.

She replied with another one. While they both serving their bodies in different positions moon got shy and went behind the clouds.

The cool breeze of Sravana month relaxing their sweaty bodies.

She played with his nipples a bit more and slept.

They both returned home the next morning. The redness in eyes clearly says they both have not slept at night.

Days passed like water flows from hill to bottom after rain.

Nikhil prepared to go to duty after marriage leave.

They both took an auto to the bus stop. Pavitra got down at the temple and Nikhil went towards the bus stop.

Pavitra went to worship Kamakshi maa. She has a garland of Kanakambaram in which jasmines placed at random intervals.

The temple bells rang as they saw both kanakambaram and jasmine together.