Geeta’s Life Basab Dasgupta, California
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eeta’s father worked in a coal field in Dhanbad as the chief engineer in the coke firing plant. It was far from their relatives, but money was good and company provided car and living quarters. Besides, Dhanbad is a sizable city in Jharkhand with a hilly climate and all the conveniences of shopping, medical facilities, schools, and entertainment. Many places of tourist interest are nearbya. Geeta attended an English-medium high school with students from various parts of India. Everyone was bilingual in Hindi and English. However, she could never become close to any of her friends in school or neighborhood mainly because of cultural differences. However, there was a Punjabi boy, Parvin, who had an eye for her. He was a goodlooking kid with fair complexion, sharp features, and pleasant personality. He was completely enamored by Geeta. He preferred the softer and gentler demeanor of a Bengali girl compared to the Punjabi girls who seemed a little rough around the edges. During their final year at high school the mutual infatuation blossomed into a full-blown romance. The pair could not spend a minute without seeing each other. Geeta’s parents, Prasanta and Swapna, had plans to send her to a college in Kolkata. They had preliminary talks with Swapna’s sister in Jadavpur who was gladly willing to accommodate
Geeta. Jadavpur University and many other colleges were within easy commute by bus or train. They expected Geeta to be excited at this prospect. It was a real shock for them when Geeta declared that she would prefer to continue living at home and attend the local Guru Nanak College. Geeta mentioned that it would be difficult for her to live away from her parents and comfort of her own home; besides her aunt’s place in Jadavpur was small not to mention coping with the hustle and bustle of the big city. Her parents could not argue much as they also secretly wished that Geeta could continue living with them. n
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