We were just talking. And I don’t know what overtook her, everything seemed to be at rest. The Lotus, the chants, the crowd, those guards, everything we saw and everyone we met was still. We were standing beside one of the nine ponds below the temple. And the calmness of that moment began to talk louder than ever.

Lotus Temple, the place where everyone comes to find inner peace in the crowds of thousands. But, the way she grabbed me, putting the garland of her arms around my neck. It was more exciting than the thought of performing pole dance in front of thousands of people.

I leaned toward her, and the lavender overshadowed the lotus at that very moment. I was waiting for her next step, peeping through my closed eyes. I was trying to see the possible reason behind this act of bravery, love, and stupidity.

There were many flowers in the garden. Still, I couldn’t see a thing. I didn’t want to see anything. Her blackish-brown eyes and her lotus lips were quite a scenery on their own. I leaned more towards her and now could feel the wine that we drank an hour ago. OH Wait! Is it she or the vine is kissing me.

Yes, that is exactly what she was trying to do amidst this north Indian crowd of the 2000s.

I shook her. And when she flinched, I thought this was a dream fading by. The flowers were falling off. There was a noisy silence in the temple. Everyone was looking at us, the guards were running over the red marble to catch us, offenders. I cursed myself again and again for ruining the moment.

But, the Lotus was standing firm. And under it, the fume of lavender was fading like a sweet memory of the past. I thought she would come to her senses and slap me for nothing. I was confused. I was as confused as the Brit next to me watching the “swastika” and wondering what a “Nazi Symbol” is doing in a temple.
When everything seemed to fall apart for a moment. She in her full senses did slap me but, for ruining the moment. She grabbed my neck and pulled herself as close to my eyes and then, kissed me.

I was still processing it. I could feel the heat of her lips and the beats of her heart. Then, I closed my eyes. Forgetting about Nazis. lotus. lavender. Brit, although it was funny. The guards. People and most importantly myself and just tried to capture the Lotus Kiss for the rest of my life.

Although all that happened in a flash. It felt like forever. My flinching, her slapping, and then our kissing, and that flash will always be in my heart for an eternity.