Chapter 2
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[MEMBERSONLY]
Kajra laga ke, ghajra laga ke
Main sharmaau re
O mera babu chhail chhabila
Main to naachungi
O mera balmaa rang rangeela
Main to naachungi...
rulama 2014-01-30 00:30:34
[NOCOPY]
RECALLING ARNAV
(Devaki, how do I thank you for this perfect banner?)
Part 1
LUCKNOW
5 months later
The radio blared,
O mera babu chhail chhabila
Main to naachungi
O mera balmaa rang rangeela
Main to naachungi...
Main to naachungi
O mera balmaa rang rangeela
Main to naachungi...
Khushi danced on the bed and the children joined her, singing along with her.
Kajra laga ke, ghajra laga ke
Main sharmaau re
O mera babu chhail chhabila
Main to naachungi
O mera balmaa rang rangeela
Main to naachungi...
Khushi twirled around, her dupatta in her hand.
"Band karo yeh naach gaana!" Buaji shrieked. "How many times should I tell you not to exert yourself, Nandkisore?" She caught Khushi by her ear and pulled her down.
"Buaji, chodiye na hamein!" Khushi whined.
Buaji turned to the children. "Dafaa ho jaao yahan se! You know that she is sick. You know that the doctor has asked her not yo jump up and down. Then why are you here?"
"Woh"woh Khushi didi called us..." the children began.
"Get out, all of you. Or should I get my belan, Nandkisore?"
Retreat was the best part of valour. The children vanished, jumping out through windows and escaping through doors.
Buaji turned to look at her Titliyaa who was scowling at her.
"Titliyaa, you know you have to take rest," Buaji began, her face lined with worry.
Khushi hugged Buaji, burying her face in Buaji's neck. "I am sorry. I promise, Buaji. I won't do this again."
"Your head is not hurting, is it?"
"No, Buaji," Khushi replied.
Buaji heaved a sigh of relief.
"But I am going to open Satwik Mishtan Bhandar tomorrow." Khushi said.
"Hai Re Nandkisore! Parmeswari! What are you...? How?" Buaji was lost for words.
"I went to Rajesh Chacha's house and talked to him." Khushi smiled at Buaji.
"Garima, Sasi Babua, tanik idhar aao," Bujai hollered. "See what your precious bitiyaa has done."
Garima came, pushing her husband in his wheelchair, her face worried, pale.
"Kaa hua, Jiji? What has Khussi done now?" she asked anxiously.
"Titliyya went to Rajesh and asked him if she can open Satwik Mishtan Bhandar again in his shed." Buaji hit her forehead with her hand.
"Khussi!" Garima exclaimed.
Khushi looked at her family, her face serious. "I know I am sick, Amma, Babuji, Buaji. But I am tired of sitting at home doing nothing."
Buaji looked at Garima & Babuji.
"I talked to Rajesh Chacha. He knows that we have no means of income. And that you had to spend a lot of money after my accident. So he said I can use his shed to make and sell sweets like Babuji did." Khushi looked at her family with loving eyes.
"Bitiyaa!" Garima could not continue.
"Don't worry, Amma. I talked to Munna and Krishna, Babuji's main helpers. They have promised to join me."
The adults stared at Khushi.
"They will come at noon to clean all the huge vessels and pans we used to use. I will go out in the evening and order the ingredients. We can start tomorrow."
"Khushi, beta, are you sure?" Babuji asked, his lips forming the words with difficulty.
"Very sure, Babuji. With your blessings and Amma & Buaji's help, we can do it," Khushi said, hugging his feet.
"Then you do it." Babuji blessed her.
Khushi smiled. "Buaji, I am hungry. Kuch khane ko do na?" she patted her tummy.
"You are always hungry. When aren't you demanding food?" Buaji grumbled good-naturedly as the whole family moved in to the kitchen.
"That is because there is a small chicken in my tummy. It is hungry all the time." Khushi laughed.
The ladle fell from Buaji's hand. Garima and Babuji looked at Khushi's laughing visage and hurriedly looked away.
"Jab dekho chabar chabar," Buaji managed to say. "Shut your mouth and eat."
"How can I eat if I shut my mouth?" Khushi laughed. "This Madhumati Gupta is sanki, like her niece. Sab sangat ka kamal he!"
Buaji placed a mountain of pooris on her plate. "Eat," she ordered.
Khushi took half of them and dropped them back in to the bin. "Four will do, Buaji."
"You want only four pooris? Kaa hua, Nandkisore? Is your head hurting again?" Buaji was stiff with worry.
Garima and Babuji stopped eating to stare at their daughter.
Khushi turned her head to look at the steps leading to the first floor of their ancient haveli, Gomti Sadan. "It is all your fault," she told the steps. "Why did you have to trip me as I walked down?"
Buaji looked at Garima & her brother. "It is not the fault of the steps, Nandkisore. It is your fault. Kabhi kabhi dekha karo where you are walking and how," she scolded Khushi.
"It may be my fault, Buaji. But is it fair that I had to spend one month in the hospital because I tripped on these steps? Is it fair that I have to struggle to remember names and people and events now? Aap ko pata he, Babuji? Bablu was telling me about how I used to climb the mango tree in his yard and pluck mangoes for him." Khushi clutched her head. "And I couldn't remember! I have forgotten all the important things in my life, Buaji! And all because of these steps."
Garima took a hasty sip of water. Babuji and Buaji looked elsewhere.
"Amma, did Jiji call?" Khushi asked.
"Payaliyaa called. But you were out." Garima said.
"Why can't she come to see me? I know she came when I was in the hospital, but I didn't see her then." Khushi scowled.
"She is with her husband and her new family in Delhi, Nandkisore! You should not expect her to visit you daily and giggle with you now. She has responsibilities, Sanka Devi," Buaji tried to silence her.
Khushi grimaced. "Who asked you to marry her off to a bespectacled man in Delhi? Couldn't you have found some one in Lucknow? Then she could have been with me all the time."
"Titliyaa, life does not happen as we want it to. Have you finished dinner? I will come up with you, Nandkisore. We can go to bed." Buaji offered.
"First I will call Jiji. Then I want to see her wedding photos. Buaji, how come there are no sangeet photos? And is Akash Jiju an orphan? How come there are no photos of his family?" Khushi asked, confused.
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