For the regular onlooker she wasn’t even beautiful. Most would rate her as an average Bengali girl of the block. Even I didn’t find her terribly attractive to look at. But I loved her. I loved her since the time she would play at the doorstep of her house with her ragged dolls. What I loved most in her were her eyes. I still can’t say for sure what was there in her eyes – but it had me captivated. I had never seen eyes like hers. She had eyes that bore deep into my heart, bringing a sweet, warm wave of assurance within; eyes that cradled me in the crisp black-and-white world on the other side of the picture, where life was, at least, beautifully lit.

She was known around the neighbourhood as naughty and mischievous. This girl, Rini, with her unattractive demeanor and impish manner had captured my eighteen year old heart. I used to blissfully dive inside the beauty of her eyes. I remember once during Pujas I had held her close and had told her, 'Rini I wish I could take those eyes away from you'.

'Why?' She had asked coyly.

'For them, they turn me mad. I love your eyes so much Rini.' I had blurted.

I had loved her so much but we couldn’t end up together. Somebody with an IIT degree came one day and took her away from me amidst much pomp and grandeur to Delhi. I stayed back with a heavy heart. A pain that still bleeds inside me in my times of solitude.

Well, I would have probably come to terms with this pain if this incident was not followed by another traumatic episode.

Within two years of her marriage Rini was sent back home by her in-laws. She came back completely blind. Apparently her husband had thrown acid on her eyes and face due to some dowry dispute.

I had a chance to meet her one day when she was at the garden alone. I told her woefully, 'How could one harm such beautiful eyes?'

'If only you haven’t understood as yet why my eyes are no more Deepu, its better you don’t.' She had smiled and replied.

In the words of Henry wadsworth Longefellow, 

You are much to blame for letting her go back.

A pretty girl; and in her tender eyes

Just that soft shade of green we sometimes see

In evening skies...