All can not be professional writers and earn their livelihood through literary writing. Many are just amateurs. I am one such amateur writer. Some of my short-stories and verses have been published in various popular magazines. Thus I consider myself a literary figure. Writers like me desire to participate in literary competitions so that we can get both fame and money in a short time.

A popular national magazine has recently announced a short-story competition. I decided to write a quality short-story for the competition. I started to write one also. Normally I write a short-story like this: first I will contemplate on the beginning of the story. Then I struggle mentally for some days to further the story line. Gradually the story takes a definite shape in the mind. Then I complete writing the story and at the end give title to the story. But now I decided in the beginning itself the title of the story as “The First Love-making” because I am very sure and clear of the story line.

~*~
 
Visal is highly disturbed. He is experiencing hopelessness and helplessness. His mind is blank. He is not able to decide what to do and is grief-stricken. Visal is a modern youth. To live happily is his motto of life. But he is thinking that destiny is unkind to him for some reason. That is why such a depressing incident has taken place in his life is what he believes. What is that incident……? What are the consequences……?

Visal is a soft-ware engineer. He is working for a prestigious computer company and is receiving fat salary and perks. Like the youth of his age he is romantically dreaming about his married life. He is eager to get married as soon as possible. His parents are also on the look out for a suitable bride.

Visal’s mother met Vinamra in one function. Visal’s mother is very much impressed by the tender body, bright lotus-like face, proportionately formed limbs and organs and attractive figure of Vinamra and decided that Vinamra should become her daughter-in-law. She arranged through a mediator to contact Vinamra’s parents with the proposal and Vinamra’s parents gladly accepted the proposal. The marriage of Visal and Vinamra took place on an auspicious day.

That is the night of nuptials for Visal and Vinamra. The nuptials are much eagerly and passionately waited night for the youth and the most exhilarating. Visal sat on the flower-decked bed in the decorated room and is waiting for Vinamra. The room is fully filled with stimulating fragrance from the incense sticks. After some time Vinamra slowly entered the room. In the nuptial-bride’s dress Vinamra is very beautiful and inviting. Both looked at each other. Visal is bitten with desire. But Vinamra immediately avoided looking. No feeling is revealed in her face. Visal approached her slowly. He gently attempted to affectionately embrace her. But she prevented him with her looks. She immediately went away from him and sat in a chair. Surprised, Visal also went near her and sat in another chair.
 
Pleasant moonlight is spread all over. Visal’s thoughts are full of aesthetic feelings. He again attempted to embrace her. At that moment avoiding his touch she started saying:

“Please do not touch me”
“But, why?”
“This marriage has not taken place according to my wishes. I am in deep love with another person”

These words of her pierced through his heart like arrows and he became immobile. He has fallen into a valley of ache and pain from the peak of aesthetic desire. Vinamra continued talking:

“I and my cousin loved each other very deeply”
“Then, how is it that our marriage took place?
“I did not want to wound the feelings of my father. So …..”

Visal is not at all ready to hear such utterances on his nuptials night. When he is dreaming to hear pleasant sounds this disharmony has started.

“Then, why you have married me?’ asked Visal with aching heart.
“It is my father’s wish”
“With this immature and childish behavior you have spoiled my life” said Visal accusingly. His voice resembled the sounds made by a broken veena.
 
~*~

I wrote the story up to this point. I unsuccessfully tried to continue writing. My mind suddenly became blank. All the story-line which is thought over earlier has completely disappeared. My mind is filled with vacuum. The half-written story is teasing me daily. Some days passed like this.

One day I started re-reading the half-written text. What a surprise..!! The story is written further with a different hand-writing from the spot where I stopped. Astonished, I started reading eagerly.

~*~

“I love my father so much. He is impressed with your alliance. I could not disobey him after knowing his mind” said Vinamra.
“Why are you now telling me all this?” questioned Visal.
“Because there is no meaning in the union of the bodies when there is no union of hearts..”

She paused for some moments and continued:

“You are free to scold me. You can even beat me. I will bear everything. But I do not change my mind. You are educated and are aware that it is cultureless to make love to a woman against her will and wish”
“But you have behaved in a highly cultured way!?!” angrily said Visal.
“Yes. I have behaved in cultured way. That is why I told every thing. I hid nothing”
“You should have shown this much culture earlier to our marriage. Then this marriage might not have taken place at all”
“My father is very adamant. He refused to marry me to my cousin. If I remain unmarried, my father will become unwell. His health is very delicate. Contemplating all this, I agreed to get married to you”
“You have thought very well..!!?” saying this Visal sighed deeply.

The soft bed and the flowers spread on it sympathized with Visal. Then Vinamra said:

“I do not want to become burdensome to you. I will do some job and take care of myself. I understand your distress and pain, but I am truthful; we both are pawns in the hands of Destiny…”
Visal did not appreciate her philosophical expression. He said:
“I do not touch you even though you are my wife, when you do not love and desire me. But I respect the institution of marriage. So we must be husband and wife for others”
“Certainly! I am your wife in all respects and obey you except for sharing sexual life. I will do the duties of housewife without blemish or fail”
“You can do a job as you desired”
“Thanks a lot”

~*~

I finished reading. But who has written this….? The hand-writing is familiar to me…?!

“Have you finished reading the story….? “ Hearing this question I turned my face. My wife Chitra is standing there smiling. Ja! Now I am reminded. It is Chitra’s hand-writing.
“Yes” I replied.
“Giving divorce is not the solution of the problem. Divorce is not acceptable. Mere union of bodies does not constitute marriage. Enjoying sex is just a part of married life. Two people can be husband and wife by being intimate and friendly to each other sans sex and can lead a happy married life. Such a life is also a wedded life.”

I am completely taken by surprise. After hearing Chirta’s utterance I am reminded of the incident that happened two months back. That was our nuptials night. Smothering my chest with her fingers affectionately, Chitra has told me with a sweet voice:

“I desire to continue my studies in the university. If I get pregnant immediately, It will be awkward to go to university in that state. I do not have faith in family planning methods. So I pray to you that we observe celibacy for some time…. !?”

Whether the sweet and affectionate talk of the new bride hypnotized me or whether I did not like to reject the first wish of my brand new wife or because I believed that I will see for some time and do the needful later, I do not know but I agreed to her wish.
 
Has Chitra through completing my story has given me some message..? How much opaque is woman’s thinking..? Who can grasp the inner recesses of a woman’s mind? Great and matured minds themselves fail in this task. How can I, a normal person can grasp?
 
I became utterly disturbed. Anxiousness has generated many stressful thoughts. Before going into the kitchen, Chitra has asked me:
 
“I have changed the title of the story. Have you observed that..?”

Then I saw the title. The title is changed to:

“The Unsmelt Still Smelt Flower”.