Siva opened his bag and took out a cover. It contained a piece of ‘black
halwa’ which was sent to him from his village last
month on one condition. “Pass on to Nandu whenever you meet him…” Siva tasted the halwa and found it okay… But then, he had to explain…
“Nirmala wanted to give this to you…”
Nandu smiled and stretched his hands for the halwa.
“Thank you…!” He put a piece of it in to his mouth. Closed his eyes tightly so that no one will see his tears.
After two days of tiresome journey, Nandu reached New Delhi. No one was waiting for him at the station to receive him. So he was not in a hurry to get down from the train.
New Delhi railway station was crowded with people. People traveling across the country, sharing frustrations in different languages…mostly in Hindi…Girls, boys, sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers…with full of life in them!
Nandu took his diary and searched for a contact telephone number, which was given to him by a Comrade when he was leaving to Delhi.
“Call Madhusudhanan, …will be available in our
party office at Rafi Marg. He will help you get an accommodation.”
Nandu dialed the number several times. It was not connecting…The telephone booth owner got annoyed.
“Bhayya, jara hame bhi jeene dho!” (Brother, do let me live!) He commented.
Nandu could understand Hindi very well. The only problem was to reply… It takes time. So he kept quite and waited till all others complete their calls. Once again Nandu made a call. And he got connected.
“Madhusudhanan..?”
“Yes…”
“I am Nandu…”
“Okay… Ramettan had already spoken to me about you… Come along… Take a bus and get down at Rafi Marg… Ask anyone… and they will guide you to our party office… I shall wait for you here.”
Nandu took a DTC bus. He got a side seat. When the bus took a left turn he could see India Gate far away. The Parliament House and South Block…It took fifteen minutes by bus to reach Rafi Marg.