Birds of Paradise

Birds of Paradise

’’Trifecta’’ screams the audience seated in the pavilion as Gajra reaches the finish line. It is Zaheer’s maiden race as a professional jockey. The mare has never let down the owners. Zulu and Bulbul are enthralled. The pavilion resonates with the beating of, drums, and the sound of bugles. In between are heard cheers for’ Gajra’ who made many grab a bootie. The two girls are on cloud nine! Zulu and Bulbul love Calcutta’s ’The City of Joy’, for its intellect, culture, and unfettered enthusiasm.

Blessed are these girls who laugh, giggle, and play together on the banks of River Hoogli.

As the winter of 1971 draws close, the clouds of The Indo -Pak war loom over their paradise. One

day amid war Zulu goes missing.

Bulbul has lost her only friend, Zulu. She wipes the tears with her sleeve and prays for Zulu to be

alive.

She walks into the Ali lodge. It is charred and in shambles. Bulbul enters Zulu’s room with

conviction to find her friend. Bulbul trips over something and bends down to pick it up. It is a diary covered with black soot. She dusts it with her hands and quickly hides it under her dress.