Bonded by grief
Where was he? She could not help the deep sense of foreboding that rose within her. Had she pushed him too far with her words? Why couldn't she have simply kept her silence? Why did she have to keep pushing?
She found a group of children playing outside the dargah.
One of them smiled at her rather familiarly and came up to her.
"Are you better now?"
She knew? How?
"You know me?"
The little girl nodded.
"I saw you yesterday. I even told that uncle to wear the headscarf!"
Was she talking about Rana ji?
"Did you see that uncle now?"
The little girl nodded.
" He went towards the riverside!"
Gayathri hastily gave her a pat on the head before rushing off in the direction that she had pointed!
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"Bhaiyya...bhaiyya...bhaiyya aap kahaan jaa rahe ho?"
It took a repeat of the question for Rana ji to even register that it was he who was being addressed!
He looked blankly at the man who addressed him.
"Humne poocha aap kahan jaa rahe ho?
He shook his head sideways.
The men look confused now. The one who had addressed him earlier persisted with his questioning!
"Yeh raasta toh seedha nadhi ki taraf jaata hain...wahan jaana hai aap ko?"
He shook his head again. As he did, he absorbed his surroundings, where his aimless walking seemed to have brought him.
The men were a group of woodcutters...! Even as some of them had stopped their work and were watching him, he noticed an old man continuing with his task undistracted!
"Woh chacha...itne buzurg hain...phir bhi...?"
"Kya karein bhaiyya...pet ke liye kamana padta hain...aaram ki zindagi humare naseeb mei kahan...hum raja maharaja thodi na hain ..."
He felt like he'd been slapped..!
No, they were not lords. They did not have the luxury!
As if under a spell, he walked towards the old man!
"Chacha ji...main karoon?"
"Bhaiyya...meri roti kyon cheen rahe ho...agar tumhe naukri chahiye toh kahin aur jaake doondo..!"
"Nahi Chacha ji...main bas aapki madad karna chahta hoon...!"
"Tu kyon karega meri madad...tu mera kya lagta hain?"
Indeed! Who was he? What relationship did he share with these people?
"Apna beta samaj lijiye chacha ji...main aapse prartana karta hoon...mujhe karne dijiye...!"
The old man was not convinced but something in his voice seemed to reach out and touch him.
"Teekh hai...par mere tankhva mei se hissa mat maangna...!"
He shook his head hurriedly before taking the axe and swinging at the tree with all his might!
He could not stop. He was not sure for how long but he continued to hack away. The sweat on his forehead trickled down into his eyes and almost blinded him but he did not desist.
"Bhaiyya...bas karo...ek hi din mei saare ped ko kat daaloge kya...bas...!"
He was forced to stop when the old man caught him by the arm.
"Chalo...hum sab khana khane jaa rahe hain...tum bhi aao hamare saath...!"
He shook his head...
"Aap log jaaiye...mujhe bhook nahi hai...!"
The old man looked at him strangely as he walked way in the direction of the river.
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That was where she found him.
Sitting by the riverside, seemingly looking aimlessly at the horizon.
"Aap yahan kyon baithe hain, Rana ji...chaliye...!"
She knelt beside him and reached out for his hand.
Her face changed color as she looked at his blistered and bleeding palm!
He kept looking at the horizon..
"Ranaji ...mujhe maaf kar dijiye..meri wajah se apne aapko dand mat dijiye...!"
"Shama...!"
"Kis liye Rana ji?"
"Main jaanta hoon...yeh bohot choti shabd hai...meri gunaon ke saamne aur bhi choti pad gayi...phir bhi...mujhe shama kardo, Gayathri!"
"Aap mujhse kyon shama maang rahe hain?"
"Aap se toh maang sakta hoon...har ek praja se jaake kaise maangoon?"
"Rana ji..?"
"Kaise kahoon ki unke raja apni khud ki peeda mei itna kho gaya ta ki apni prajaon ki peeda ko dekh nahi paya, samaj nahi paya...!"
"Rana ji...?"
"Main haar gaya hoon, Gayathri...!"
"Rana ji...aisa mat kahiye...!"
She picked up his blistered palm and pressed her lips to it.
Unbidden, tears started rolling down her cheeks and dropping onto his palm..
"Gayathri..!"
She looked up at the sound of his broken voice...!
He looked her with deep sorrow before a single tear fell off from the corner of his eye.
He shuddered deeply before he sought refuge in her bosom.
What did she tell him? How did she comfort him? She did not know!
Instead she did the only thing she knew. She continued to caress his back until the shudders that wracked his body slowed down somewhat!
Love could not bring them together but a shared grief and pain did!
Cricket
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Bigg Boss 19
