Queen of Hearts

Good looks and beauty are a Visa for entry into many places, especially people’s hearts They will make things easy for you. Everybody will be obliged to you. Well, if not everybody, at least most of them. I am talking with reference to my friend during my degree days, by name Nanda, who was simply beautiful with a graceful persona, very fair and tall, with a very proportionate body. She was the only daughter with three elder brothers. Her father was a high-ranking police officer. But she was to earth and humble person. We were four friends moving always together.

Being from a wealthy family, she could afford and would wear lovely expensive sarees. One would have to see to believe, the way the lady lecturers were patronizing Nanda and were floored by her looks and sarees. They would especially enquire if she understood the lessons and try to indulge in conversation. They were concerned if she was absent for a few days. I had to mention these specifically because in big colleges with large numbers of students in each class, the lecturers do not take note of these things. If the attendance of any student is less, the administration deals with it. The strength of our class was 100.

 When it came to the Department of intelligence, Nanda was average and not interested in studies at all. She knew that her father was waiting for her to complete her graduation to get her married. The rest of us were above average and considered good in studies to different extents. We figured out that we were weak in chemistry and had to work extra hard. Nanda could afford to buy, so she would get books from different authors/ publishers. I volunteered to prepare notes. So I was given all the books and would pour over the books, reading and preparing copious notes on each topic. Exams were fast approaching and whenever we had free periods, we four would sit under the trees and I would explain the notes to my friends and we made sure that we all understood the topic. Due to our collective work, we did well in exams and scored good marks.

She was married to a Doctor towards the end of our degree final year and was irregular to the college but somehow managed her attendance and finished the course. We all parted ways afterward, each one pursuing our chosen path and could not continue our friendship.

I always remember Nanda. Not because she was beautiful and wealthy but, because she was untouched by both these advantages she had and was always grounded and unassuming. Though everyone including the lecturers treated her specially, she never was affected by that differential treatment. That special quality of hers made her look all the more beautiful and only those of us who interacted with her closely understood this special quality in her.

Her pure heart and unassuming mind enhanced her beauty and made her adorable. She made a special place in our hearts. Truly, a queen of hearts!