CHAPTER-10
A colourful and lovely evening marked the sangeet of kunwar pratap's darling sister maan. Her colourful ghagra and simple but elegant jewellery was making her look exceptional. The blush on her face was adding to it. While all the ladies sat encircling her,her sister chand went up to the decked platform to give her performance which was the first one for the night. The musicians who had been specially invited from gwalior played their dhols and nagadas while she danced merrily on the various folk tunes. The little girl's dance in her traditional black outfit won everybody's hearts. She was soon joined by maan's childhood friend padma kanwar who looked equally pretty in her blue ghagra.
This was followed by a ghoomar dance by some experienced artists which left everyone mesmerized
And then came the much awaited performance of the night by kunwar pratap and ajabde. She was wearing an orange-yellow ghagra-choli while he was wearing dark green which perfectly complimented hers. The family, especially maan and chand looked on as the singers sang in their melodious voices and the couple danced.
"Ho tum hi toh ho bas tum hi toh ho"
Kp and ajabde moved ahead, bowed down and clapped their hands together and then moved back again.This continued periodically for some time.
"Dhara gagan mein tum hi toh ho"
They danced, their right hands in each others,his left hand on her waist and hers on his shoulder.
"Hriday nayan mein tum hi toh tum hi toh ho haan tum hi toh ho"
He stood in the middle clapping his hands while she moved around him in a complete circle and kept rotating too.
"Mann mein ho tum
Har kshana mein ho tum mere kan kan mein ho tum"
They took their steps together, hand in hand.
"Main hi toh hun bas main hi toh hun paas tumhare main hi toh hun
Saath tumhare main hi toh hun"
Holding his hand she moved round and round with his arm for an axis.
"Aas mein bhi aur saans mein bhi vishwas mein main hi hun"
They stood close to each other and waved their hands in the air in unison.
"Antar mann ki chaah yahi tum ho jahan meri raah vahi"
She came rolling on in his arms and he hugged her from behind.
"Jo hai mera sab arpan tumko vyakul naina hai darshan ko"
They took their steps together in the same position.
"Bhav mein swar mein tum hi toh ho aathon peher mein tum hi toh ho"
Holding both the hands, they together alternatively moved first towards each other and then away from each other.
"Reet preet ki sadiyon purani mit gayi lekin haar na maani"
She let go off his hands and tries to move away but he caught her hand.
"Itna hi bas tumse kahungi jeet ke hi main tumko rahungi"
He pulled her closer to himself.
"Hoke vivash phir aaoge tum chodke phir na jaoge tum"
With the pull she fell into his arms but he caught her and their eyes were locked into each other's and for a long time they were completely lost in each other's eyes.They hardly did realize that they were on the stage performing in front of so many people.
Thus the dance ended and everyone couldn't help but appreciate their dance moves and performance.
Vb:Kitna accha nritay kiya inn dono ne. Sachmuch.
Maan:Aur ye keh rahe they ki inhe nritya nahi aata.
Chand:Haan chotima.Aap janti hai bhabhisa ne toh sidhi na kar di thi. Par accha hua dadabhai ne haan ki. Varna aap hi batayiye humme kaise pata chalta ki ye dono itne nipun hai nritya kala mein.
Vb:Nahi chand. Nritya toh inhe nahi aata hai. Parantu aaj jo kuch bhi inhone kiya hai vo ye sirf isliye kar paaye kyunki ye ek dusre se itna prem karte hain. Aur vahi ek aisi baat hai jisne isse itna accha aur yadgaar bana diya hum sab ke liye.
Maan:Haan chotima.
Vb:Vaise maan aap bhi toh ks se itna hi prem karti haina?
Maan:Vo hum...
Padma:Maan kahin aap hum sab ko bhool toh nahi jayengi na,yahan se jane ke baad?
Maan:Ye kya keh rahi hain aap padma? Hum aapko kaise bhool sakte hain? Aap toh humari sabse priya sakhi hain.
Chand:Ek kshana, jija, kahan ja rahi hain aap?
Padma:Aapko nahi pata chand, vivah ke baad har ladki ko apne pati ke ghar jana hota hai?
Chand:Iska artha hai ki aap humme chodkar chali jayengi jija?
Maan had managed to control and persuade herself with great difficulty on this and she didn't want to let those thoughts come back to her. Vb knew this and she tried to discourage chand and ignore her question.
Vb:Aap jayiye chand. Jakar kheliye abhi.
Chand:Parantu...
And then when she saw ajab coming ,she immediately ran to her.
Chand:Ek baat batayiye bhabhisa. Padma jija ne aisa kyun kaha ki har ladki ko vivah ke baad apne ghar se jana hota hai. Kya jija bhi humme chodkar chali jayengi?
Ajab(In a fix):Vo hum... (trying to change the topic)Aap humara ek kaam karengi chand? Kya aap kripya saubhagyawati jija se jakar aapki jija ki kundli le aayengi?
Chand:Nahi pehle aap batayiye humme. (turning towards kp)Dadabhai aap batayiye.
Dadabhai:Ab hum kya kahein? Sach kahein toh aapki padma jija ne bilkul satya kaha hai.
Chand:Toh iska artha ye hai ki jija sachmuch chali jayengi. (after a pause)Yadi humme ye pehle pata hota toh hum kabhi aapki sahayata nahi karte dadabhai. Kabhi jija aur jijusa ko milne nahi dete. (sobbing)Nahi kabhi nahi.
Kp(hugging her):Shant ho jayiye chand. Yadi aap hi aise kamzor pad jayengi toh aapki jija ko koun sambhalega? Aapki jija bhi toh nirbal ho jayengi na?
Chand(in anger):Nahi hum ks ko apni jija ko le jane hi nahi denge. Hum abhi jakar keh denge unse ki yadi unhe humari jija se vivah karna hai toh unhe bhi yahin rehna hoga mewar mein. Varna ve unse vivah hi na karein.
Kp:Aisa nahi kehte chand. Ye toh jivan ka katu satya hai ki vivah ke baad ladki ko apne ghar jana hi hota hai. Isme aap aur hum kuch nahi kar sakte.
Chand:Toh phir thik hai, hum jija se hi keh denge ki ve ye vivah hi n a karein.
She took her steps towards maan but kp held her tight.
Kp:Nahi chand, aap aisa kuch nahi karengi. Aap janti haina kitni mushkil se mani hain aapki jija. Ab yadi aapne unse kuch kaha toh ve phir se tut jayengi. Aur aap janti haina ki ks aapki jija ka bahut dhyan rakhenge? Vishwas kijiye, aapki jija aapse milne aati rahengi.
Chand(hugging him tightly and crying):Haan dadabhai, hum jante hain. Aur hum aisa kuch nahi karenge jisse humari jija ko dukh pahunche. Parantu aisa kyun hota hai ki har baar ek ladki ko hi apna ghar chodna padta hai. Kyun dadabhai? Aur kyun ek var apna ghar chodkar apnj vadhu ke ghar nahi ja sakta?
Kp had no answer to her question. In fact no one had an answer to her question. Sometimes the rules of society are strange ones. And we all are more or less bound by them. And all kp could say was"chup ho jayiye" and nothing else.
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So this was the second last update. I will try my best to update the last chapter (s) and the epilogue tonight or by tomorrow.
Meanwhile please do read and review. 😳