Story of Tublu, excerpt 2

Back in the town, Tublu's father Bipin started feeling very lonely after Tublu left. The Sharmas were also feeling Tublu’s absence and the silence around them grew. Mr Sharma was occupied with his school most of the time. He was getting older and got tired very easily. 

It had been drizzling for the last couple of hours. Bipin had just entered his room after watching the evening regional news with Mr Sharma. The frequent lightning in the sky kept illuminating the dark compound. The thunder was getting more violent and monstrous. Bipin started to prepare his food and opened his bottle of whisky. He had brought half a bottle that night instead of his usual quarter bottle. After having a couple of pegs he lay on his bed, enjoying the rhythmic melody created by the falling raindrops on the tin rooftop. He switched on the radio and tuned it to FM. It was playing a Bhupen Hazarika classic and Bipin prepared his drink immediately. He

was a true Bhupen Hazarika fan. 

The mesmerizing rainy night, whisky and his loneliness, collectively, managed to evoke a sense of nostalgia in Bipin. He remembered his childhood days and his mother’s image flashed deep in his mind. Bipin was the youngest of her sons and she loved him a lot. They stayed happily in a small village on the banks of the river Brahmaputra. Bipin was quite young when, one day, both his parents died in a ferry accident. His brothers took good care of him, but after they started their own families, things turned difficult for Bipin. Gradually, he became a burden on them. 

Both his brothers had equally shared whatever property their father had left for them. Bipin was left out in the share, but he never complained. Once his brothers asked him to leave the house, he went to a different village. He had to struggle a lot to make a living but then he never gave up. With time, situation was turning little better for Bipin, and then one day, Deepa came into his life. Deepa was Bipin’s love and the only woman in his life. They cherished their life together and lived a wonderful, married life. They felt blessed when Tublu arrived in this world. They were a happy family and enjoyed the small pleasures of life. But then, destiny had a different plan for them.

Bipin remembered Deepa’s beautiful face. He opened his trunk that lay under his bed. He picked up a polythene bag from there and unfolded it. He looked at his wedding photograph. That was the only photograph of Deepa that Bipin had with him. He had always preserved it like a treasure. It was a black & white photograph and the quality of the picture had deteriorated over the years. Bipin remembered the day when he had met her for the first time. Bipin held the photograph and looked at her. Tears came streaming down his face. He was in no mood to have his dinner.

An excerpt from my debut novel, Story of Tublu. It's a contemporary fiction book, published by LiFi Publications Pvt Ltd. The story has its share of drama, that entertains; humor, that makes one reminisce; love, friendship and emotions that defines the amazing journey that is, life.

Story of Tublu is now available at your nearest bookstore. You can also grab your copy from: