Underneath the Banyan Tree

Synopsis:   Sita makes friends with her tour guide friend, Lesley.   The two end falling for each other and start traveling together and have a large family of their own; the banyan being their sacred spot and symbol of love and friendship. 

Chapter 1—From India to Australia 

Sita Kahn had always been a free-spirited, joyous woman who adored packing her bags and going where her whims took her.    This time, the beaches and wilderness of Australia were calling her name.    Seeing that she had so much sick time to take off and after earning her PhD in graphic design, she had decided to take a break from teaching new bright imaginative souls and head to the land down under.    

Australia was everything Sita had imagined and more than she could’ve ever wanted.   It was obvious that this was the trip she needed, especially since her hotel came with an executive package.   Whenever she felt the need to visit the spa, she could.   Tonight, she would be treating herself to a Turkish bath and massage after a lengthy flight from Mumbai.   

The accommodations were far more luxurious than perceived.   Everything far exceeded Sita’s pre-conceived notions of what Australia would be like.   She hoped that she would be mingling with locals soon and perhaps even hear from Aboriginals.   She was drawn to their tribe and stories like a magnet without really knowing why.   All she knew is that Dreamtime was heady, fascinating, and nebulous belief that she wanted to explore in more depth.    

Chapter 2—Awakening Refreshed

When the sun filtered into Sita’s room, she awoke feeling gorgeous and full of vim and vigor.    Back home, she had been feeling rather drained because work had been taking a lot out of her.    She adored teaching, but every so often, time needs to be spent replenishing oneself.   

Outside, there was a tour guide waiting for her.   His name was Lesley White.   Mr. White was practically beaming, and his smile sent a shockwave of emotions through her being.   The moment his eyes met hers, she felt like she had known Lesley her whole life. 

‘Surely this is a joke sprung upon me by the Universe.’, she mused to herself.   She didn’t even know this fellow and now she was feeling giddier than a pot-addled teen.     

She took a few deep inhalations and reminded herself she would take baby steps with Lesely and get to know him.

‘Que sera sera.’, she reminded herself and put her best food forward.    Lesely didn’t seem very intent on talking to other women on the tour.   His eyes were squarely on Sita and it was obvious the two had a connection neither of them truly understood.   Nonetheless, the seed for possible romance had already taken root in both of their hearts.     

Chapter 3—The Banyan Tree

On the tour, there was a Banyan tree that Lesley enjoyed stopping under to ‘have a nip of tucker’.    He always cooked his own food and he relished sharing his cooking with whatever tour group joined him that day on his ‘walkabout’.    

‘Banyan trees are important to us as well.   They have high spiritual significance.’, Sita said, getting Lesley to break from the group slightly.    The group didn’t seem to mind.  All of them were more interested in the ‘up-close and personal’ take of Oz.   

‘Yeah, too right.’, Lesley agreed.     He explained why Banyans were so important to him and how he remembered one in his own backyard growing up as a kid. 

‘I was an explorer.  Always climbing, always scuffin’ my knee, or nearly breakin’ my arm.  It was always something.   My poor nurse mum, she was frettin’ over me.   She gave me a lot of freedom, but I was always gettin’ myself hurt.’, Lesley chortled.   

‘Do you still have your parents around ?’, Sita asked, curiously.

‘Well, yeah !   Mom’s name is Rosalind.   My da is Richard.    What about yours ?’, Lesley asked.    Sita’s radiant expression dimmed slightly.  

‘Sad to say, my parents both got killed suddenly.   During one of the festivals, they got crushed by a stampede of elephants.   No one saw it coming, not even me.  I didn’t really see their bodies.  Not like I would’ve wanted to, but I wanted to say goodbye.   I feel like if I had gotten to that festival a bit earlier, maybe…’, Sita felt tears brimming in her eyes.   Lesley felt terrible for having continued this conversation on family.    

‘My condolences.   Here, have some vegemite.  Always picks me right up.’, Lesley said, pulling out a handkerchief, giving it to her as well as the sandwich.    He let her keep the handkerchief as a bonus.   He had plenty more at home, anyways.    

Chapter 4—A Short Trip and Long Distance Love 

Sita cherished her time with Lesley every moment she could find it.    The two had begun as friends innocently enough, but in a short amount of time, the two had fallen quickly for each other.    Before she left for India, the two exchanged phone numbers. 

‘I promise you, I will make this work, Sita.   Mark my words as an honest Aussie.  I won’t let you down.’, Lesley stated, boldly.    It had only been a fortnight, but the two of them had fallen deeply for each other and neither one of them wanted to be left out of each other’s lives.   

Over a year, the two couldn’t bear being an ocean apart, so Lesley made a Christmas trip to India.   It was more crowded than he expected, but anywhere near Sita made the noisy, boisterous streets of India worthwhile.    

The weather hadn’t been much different in Mumbai and in fact, Lesley found it even hotter than it had been back in Sydney.   He didn’t complain much at all since he was used to the torrid temperatures.    He had planned everything for this Christmas.  He had prayed, discussed his master plot with his parents and rehearsed what he would say to Sita.   Little did she know that she too, had a Banyan tree outside her home.   Once he saw it, he knew that this was the place that he would propose to her, coincidence or not.  

Chapter 5—Down on a Knee, Under a Tree

It was Christmas day and everyone was exchanging gifts, laughter, pleasantries and stuffing themselves to the gills with magnificent food, almost to excess.   Everyone became silent as Lesley sang one of his favorite Bollywood songs to Sita.   It was the main theme to DDLJ, a long-standing, record breaking romance that was the springboard to Sharukh Kahn’s meteorological rise to fame.   No one could help but be charming singing the familiar bars to that song.    

‘What’s this all about ?  Are you trying to be like Raj ?’, Sita chuckled. 

‘I was hoping a little bit of SRK’s romantic appeal would rub off on me.  I guess deep down, I’m a sentimental schlub.   Now all you know, don’t go blabbin’ it.’, Lesley said, which brought raucous laughter from the whole group.    

Sita was impressed Lesley was a delightful singer.   She felt her cheeks go hot when he sang to her and looked at her so endearingly with those bright baby blues.    Then, he shocked her and propped himself up on one knee.

‘Sita, my darling dear.  Will you marry me ?’, he asked.   She immediately said yes.   The two began smooching once Lesley slid the huge rock on her ring finger.   Their lives would ultimately change, but Sita was about to make a permanent move of her own, if she got her relatives’ blessing.   

Chapter 6—Sky’s the Limit 

When Sita mapped out her plans, the relatives were more than happy she was branching out and becoming more authentic.    She hadn’t been herself since her parents’ unfortunate demise and she had kept that trauma bottled for years.    Only recently, since meeting Lesley had she begun to use love as a salve to heal the cracks in her heart.   

Lesley was euphoric.  He was nearly beside himself in knowing that Sita would be coming back to Sydney with him.

‘Will we ever return here ?   We have to pop over to Mannat someday.’, Lesley said.   Sita didn’t know any of the megastars from Bollywood but many of them were normal human beings with altruistic hearts, so anything was possible.     

Marriage seemed to occur in a whirlwind, but the aftermath of it had been incredible. A lot of adjusting took place and the friends turned lovers turned a permanent couple began to settle into married life together.    

Before the two knew it, they had two children of their own.   Children were expensive and required a lot of responsibility, but the little ones were delightful.    It wasn’t long that little Eleanor and Rudy began to ask quite a bit of questions.    It was right back to the Banyan tree where many inquiries had been answered.    The two would travel right alongside their parents, learning of the joys (and perils) of exploration.   It wasn’t certain which paths they would take since they were both still very young and learning who they were, but it was obvious that they were in an extended family that adored them and did their best to make certain the siblings had the best that life had to offer them.     

Chapter 7—The Central Point 

Eleanor and Rudy grew older, wiser and eventually had a family of their own.   They ultimately respected both origins of their upbringing and saw a lot of the world in their youth but never grew tired of adventuring.   With children of their own, it made it more challenging to see new and different attractions, but they were always keen to learn something new, even if it was in their own backyard.   

It was a typical sunny afternoon and Lesley had come back from another successful tour.  He was preparing to retire.   Sita had already made the transition into retirement long before her husband ever did, but she taught students on the side since she lavished her students with practical tips and tricks to become successful artists.    

‘Just like old times, eh ?’, Leslie said, drawing Sita close to his side and kissing her cheek.  Sita felt herself blush as she had so many times in the past.   Her youngest grandchild, Benson, stuck his tongue out in disgust.   

‘Yuck !’, he commented, and began chasing his sibling Gordon in a rousing game of football.   The other kids, Tamara and Wendy, joined in, laughing and having a blast.   

It was time for dinner in the form of a picnic lunch with a spot of Merlot under the Banyan tree.   This time it wasn’t in Lesley’s back yard, but in the place where Lesley and Sita had savored their first picnic lunch of many as they were slowly falling for each other.   

Epilogue 

Eventually Tamara, Wendy, Gordon and Benson all returned to their respective homes and Lesley escorted Sita back to his Jeep.   They played INXS music much louder than normal, singing their famous hits at the top of their lungs.   Some things, indeed, never changed, but the couple knew that their lives would always be unusual.   To be honest, however, that was just the way they preferred it.  

The End