The Real luvvv storrryyy…

[caution: Reading further might induce an intense desire to strangle the author... which you cannot do because you do not know where I live Anyways, read on at your own risk...of damage to the sense inducing part of your brain.]

It was a hot, dusty day in the town of Naakhodda (Naak-o-da) in the Kathiawad region of rural Gujarat. Himace was 14, talented at music and a regular fixture at the dandia orchestra. Himace was also in love. With Sayyoni, his neighbour. But more about that later.

Himace was, as I said, talented. But not at studies. It didn’t help that he only had one expression in class. He looked like he was angry at the teacher and teachers generally don’t like that. He also spoke of himself in the third person. For eg, when told to write a essay on “My Best Friend” Himace wrote:

Himace is very popular. Himace has lots of friends. But the best friend that Himace has is Himace. Jai Mata Di. Lets Rock!!

Oh, did I mention that Himace had another problem, a small problem. He would shout out, “Jai Mata Di. Lets Rock!!” every half an hour. This created a lot of problems in class, especially with classroom discipline and many attribute his schooling troubles to this.

And he had other problems. Sayyoni was one. She was a very good friend of his. His heart ached to be with her. But because he had only one expression(yes the angry/constipated look), she could never get it. Yet Himace nursed his love for Sayyoni, composing songs for her, writing music for her. Unbeknown to Himace, Sayyoni had a boyfriend. And the boyfriend was Huzoor (hey, it was a small town, people in small towns name their kids funny, I tell you! ). Anyways, this Huzoor was quite a jealous fellow. Whenever Sayyoni talked of her good friend Himace, Huzoor would secretly be very very angry. He wanted Sayyoni for himself, she was his and she should talk only about him, he reasoned. He longed to bash up that Himace.

It was dandia season and Himace was performing at the community garba. He decided to propose to sayyoni that night. On Stage. He sang the following song:

Apne zulfon pe meri ungliyaan rehne do,
Apne hothon pe meri galtiyan rahne do,
Apne seene mein meri daastaan rehne do…

Yaara sach kehna
Jis tarah pyaar hai mere dil mein,
Hai tere dil mein bhi,
Yaara jhoot na bolna, sach kehnaa…

I love you, O sayyoni,
Jai Mata Di,
Lets Rock!! (pumps fist in air and exits stage)

Naturally, Sayyoni was shocked. She ran out of the dandia hall, to her house. Himace saw her leave. He tried following her. But Himace was waylaid by Huzoor and his goons. Himace was surrounded. He was scared, but he did not show it (rather he could not show it, he just seemed angry to the goons, who naturally, got more merciless). Himace fought the goons valiantly. The air of Naakhodda was rent with “Jai Mata Di, Lets Rock!!” as Himace pounded the goons, striking fear into their hearts with his cries. But the numbers were too many. Before long, Himace was subdued. Huzoor punched him on his nose and tore his hair off. And left him there. Bleeding from the nose and with a bald patch on his head, Himace lay there, thinking. He blamed Sayyoni, he blamed Huzoor, he blamed himself. He should never have loved her that much. He wasn’t sure if he ever could love somebody again. He looked angrier now, but the truth was that he was sad, very sad. Himace got up. He wanted to go home. As he wobbled home, he found a cap in one of the alleys. He dusted the dirt off the cap and wore it.

The next day, at the dandia hall, as the curtain rose off the stage, a boy with a cap and angry expression appeared on stage and started singing,

“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, Huzoooorrrr…..Tera Teraa Tera….. Kusoooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…..”