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"tum kaun ho? Kahan se aaye ho? Shagun Divekar ke bare mein tum kaise jaante ho?"
"kyun? Naam sunkar kuch yaad aaya? Huh, kitni berehmi se tumne usey maara tha? Kyun sarja? Usne aisa kya kiya tha ke tumne uska accident karwaya? Usey maarne ki koshish ki... Kyun? Jawab do!!!" chandu yelled at him.
Niru just stood there speechless, while all thoughts came rushing back into sarja's mind. He boiled in anger and his face was all red. He clenched his fists and was so angry that it seemed like he could murder anyone who would come in front of him.
"Shagun... Shagun Divekar..." he spat out her name... "haan maine usey maara tha... main uske maut ka zimmedar hoon... lekin yeh sab anjaane mein..."
Niru was shocked. "kya bol rahe ho sarja? Chandu please batao, yeh sab kya ho raha hai?"
"kyun maar tumne usey... main kuch pooch raha hoon, uska jawab do... chaar saal se main iss sawal ka jawab doondh raha tha, aur aaj, main iska jawab tumhare mooh se sunna chahtha hoon. Bolo sarja" chandu burst out with all his might...
"kyunki uske baba ne mere parivar ko khoon ke aansun rulaye the... uske baba ne mere baba ka khoon kiya tha... murder kiya tha..." sarja spoke in a different tone... and this side of sarja was new to both, chandu and Niru. He looked so evil and revengeful. His eyes were red and full of tears...
"tujhko jaanna hai ke maine usey kyun maara tha? Toh sun..."
"bees saal pehle ki baat thi, main sirf 8 saal ka tha. Main, apne maai, baba aur bhai ke saath bahut khush tha apni choti si zindagi mein. Sab kuch tha humare paas- paisa, khushiyan, ruthba, izzat, sab kuch... kisi cheez ki koi kami nahi thi, ek perfect happy family the hum log...
Aur ek din, woh shagun ke baba, ritesh divekar, aaya humari zindagi mein, aur baba se naukri ki bheek maangi. Baba ne uspar aur uske choti si beti par taras khaake naukri de di. Baba ne uspe itna bharosa kiya, usey apna chota bhai samjha. Aur woh? Huh... Lalach mein aakar, usne mere baba ko unke business mein dhoka diya. Poora karobar dhoke se apne naam kar liya.
Baba ko bahut dard hua, isiliye nahi kyunki humara sab kuch humare haat se chala gaya... Balki isiliye, kyunki jis insaan par baba ne itna bharosa kiya, usi ne unko dhoka diya. Hum log kuch nahi kar paye kyunki mere baba ritesh ke khilaf ladna bhi nahi chahte the. Humne apna ghar chod diya, aur ek chote se kiraye ke makaan mein jaakar rehne lage, kyunki uss ritesh ne humare ghar par kabza kar liya... Lekin woh haraami, usne hume wahan bhi chain se jeene nahi diya... usne ghar ko aag lagwaya aur hum sab ko maarne ki koshish ki. Maai- baba, damu ko lekar bahar bhaag gaye the. Lekin main ander reh gaya tha. Mere baba mujhe bachane ke liye aag mein phir se ander aaa gaye. Main toh bach gaya, lekin baba... woh nahi bach paye... mere baba uss aag mein jalkar marr gaye... hume unki jali huyi laash mili... aur woh itna jal chukka tha, ke hum pehchaan hi nahi paaye ke woh baba the..."
Sarja broke down crying. He cried out loudly like a child. He loved his baba and missed him, a lot. Then he remembered Ritesh and at once, his facial expressions were of anger, extreme anger.
"aur woh ritesh, humara sab kuch cheen kar, aaram se hamare ghar pe rehne laga, mere baba ke mehnat ke paison se aish kar raha tha. Maine bhi tay kar liya ke main apne baba ke maut ka badla leke rahunga. Lekin issey pehle aisa kuch ho, woh ritesh saala marr gaya. Huh, usko heart attack aaya. Aur mera badla adhura reh gaya. Phir mujhe pata chala ke uski eklauthi beti, Shagun Divekar, London se wapas aa rahi thi, apni padhai poori karke. Aur phir shuru hua, ek naya khel... badle ka, saza dene ka, insaaf ka..."
"Ek saal intezzar kiya tha maine, socha tha uske kareeb jaake, uski zindagi barbad kardoonga. Ussey dosti karke, ussey sab kuch cheen loonga, usi tarah, jis tarah se ritesh ne mere baba ke saath kiya tha... aur phir apne baba ke maut ka badla loonga. Main usey phone par dhamkiyaan deta raha, ussey property ke papers sign karke den eke liye... main apne baba ke mehnat ke paison ko wapas paana chahtha tha. Lekin shagun nahi maani... maanthi bhi kaise, usey lagtha tha key eh saari property ritesh ki hai... magar maine bhi taay kar liya tha, ke papers toh main kisi bhi keemat par sign karwake rahunga... aur Phir maine ek din Uske gaadi ke brakes fail karwaye aur uske gadi ka accident karwaya. Main sach mein nahi chahta tha ke woh marr jaye. Maine yeh sab usey darane ke liye kiya tha. Lekin mujhe nahi pata tha ke shagun uss accident mein apni jaan gawa degi. Maine socha ke usey dhamki doonga aur phir ussey property papers sign karwa doonga... lekin issey pehle kuch aisa ho, shagun chal basi... " sarja was shut his eyes hard. He felt the pangs of guilt coming over him again...
Niru was shocked. She considered him to be her best friend, without knowing the fact that he was a murderer. Chandu had tears in his eyes, not of sadness, but of hatred, pain and suffering.
Sarja looked at chandu and said "mujhe pata hai ke jo maine kiya, woh kisi maafi ke layak nahi hai. Ab peeche mudke dekhta hoon, toh afsos hota hai ke maine aisa kyun kiya. Itna gussa? maine shagun ke saath galat kiya tha. Bahut bura kiya maine. Lekin main kya karta? Badle ki aag mein main andha ho gaya tha. Uss hadse ke baad, main chain se kabhi nahi soya hoon. Har waqt uska chehra mere aankhon ke saamne aata hai. Maine prayashchist karne ki koshish ki, lekin phir bhi koi faayda nahi hua. Shagun wapas nahi aayi. Chandu, maine jo kuch bhi kiya, sirf apne baba ke liye kiya. Shagun se koi dushmani nahi thi. Agar Shagun ki koi galti thi, toh woh sirf yeh, ki woh Ritesh Divekar ki beti thi..."
Chandu could not hear anymore. He grabbed sarja by the collar and punched him hard, right in his face. Sarja's nose began to bleed. Sarja fell onto the ground.
"shagun se dushmani nahi thi toh usey kyun mara? Kis baat ki saza di usey? Kitna dard hua hoga usey?"
"lekin tum kaun ho? Shagun ko kaise jaante ho? Uske maut ka tum kyun badla le rahe ho..." asked sarja, who was struggling to get up...
Chandu lifted him up from the ground by his collar and slapped him hard and yelled at him "shagun meri biwi thi..."
Niru, who was witnessing all this, stood still. This was the worst day of her life. First, sarja says that he is a murderer. And now chandu says that he was married to shagun...
"kya??? Shagun?? Tumhari biwi??" said a breathless sarja...
"haan meri biwi... jisko tumne itni berehmi se maar dala... kyun sarja? Usne toh kuch nahi kiya tha... arrey tum mein aur shagun ke baba mein kya farak hai? Usne bhi kisi begunaah ki jaan li, aur tumne bhi... marte waqt shagun ne mujhse kaha tha ke usey maarnewale tum the... tab main kuch kar nahi paya. Lekin ab..."
"ab yeh sab record ho chuka hai..." said inspector shinde, who was hiding behind the bushes and recording sarja's confession.
"Sarja ne apna crime confess kiya hai chandu. Ab sab kuch kaanun ke hawale kardo... hawaldar, arrest karo issey..."
The constables arrested sarja. He looked at chandu and then Niru. Chandu refused to look at him and Niru was too shocked to react at that moment.
"Niru ka khayal rakhna." Sarja whispered in chandu's ears.
"uski chinta tum mat karo, woh ab meri biwi hai. Tum apni chinta karo sarja, tumhe toh 'attempt to murder' aur 'murder' ke liye umar-qaid ki saza hogi."
The constables put sarja in the jeep, while inspector shinde shook hands with chandu and left the place. Now only Niru and chandu were in that place.
"chalo yahan se" chandu said as he held Niru's hand.
"haat mat lagao... Farebi ho tum... jhoot bola tumne... Tum mujhse pyar nahi karte. Tumne mujhe istamal kiya chandu." She screamed at him.
"nahi Niru, main tumse sach mein pyar karta hoon." He tried to make her understand, which had obviously gone in vain...
"mujhe tumhari kisi bhi baat par yakeen nahi hai. Chale jaao yahan se." She said as she herslf tried to walk away. Chandu blocked her way.
"kahan ja rahi ho?" "ghar"
"kiske ghar? Uss sarja ke? Wahan jaake kya kahogi? Ke sarja apne shadi ke din, jail chala gaya kyunki woh ek hathyara hai?"
Niru stopped in her way, chandu was right. She could not go back there. But she refused to admit that he was right.
"main baba ko wahan se lene ja rahi hoon. Uske baad hum dono gaaon chalenge"
"Niru tum meri patni ho. Humne abhi abhi shadi ki hai. Aur tumhara ghar wahin hai jahan main rehta hoon, hai na?" He hoped she would listen to him.
"kaunsi patni? Kaisi shadi? Sab jhoot hai. Main nahi maanthi iss shadi ko. tumne mujhse shaadi ki, aur phir yeh sab hungama kiya. tumhe pata tha ke agar yeh sab shadi se pehle hota, toh main kabhi bhi tumse shaadi ke liye haan nahi kehti... itne bade dhokebaaz ho tum chandu..." she tried to wipe away her sindoor, while chandu held her hand and prevented her from wiping it off her forehead.
"tumhare maanne, na maanne se kuch nahi hoga Niru. Meri baat maano... Pehle sarja ke maushi ke ghar chalte hain, tumhare baba aur tumhare samaan ke saath, mere ghar chalte hain. Aur koi behes mat karna. Tumhare paas iske alawa koi option nahi hai..." chandu said firmly, yet lovingly.
Niru definitely had no option. By now perhaps her entire village would have known that she was getting married. And if she went back with her baba, unmarried, there would be so many questions, mocks and remarks.
She quietly sat in chandu's car, as he opened the door for her. They drove to maushi's place in silence.
While they reached there, there was a huge crowd outside the house. Niru and chandu sensed something was definitely wrong. They went into the house and were shocked.
In the middle of the hall, there lay a dead body – Niru's dad. He had died due to his mental ill health. Niru had no more strength left in her. She fainted and collapsed onto the floor.
When Niru woke up, it was around 3pm. she was in a room. It was big and spacious and was nicely decorated. She wondered where she was.
"tum mere... ummm... humare ghar mein ho." Chandu said as he helped her to get up.
"baba??? Mere baba..." she began to wail as she remembered seeing her baba's dead body at maushi's place...
"shhh Niru... sambhalo apne aap ko..."
He hugged her as tight as possible and she cried in his arms. She had lost everything. She hugged him back adn buried her head in his chest. She kept weeping for a long time and a little while later She began to recollect the days events. The temple, their wedding, the crime confession, shagun ...
She pushed chandu away from her when the thought about shagun struck her mind.
"haat mat lagana. Tumne sarja se badla lene ke liye mujhe istamal kiya? Ab mujhe malum hua ke tum mujhse kyun keh rahe the ke main sarja ko kuch na bataaun. Ek baar mujhse sach keh dete chandu? Mujhe bura nahi lagta agar tum..." she no longer spoke in anger, she spoke with hurt feelings...
"maine batane ki koshish ki thi. Lekin darr gaya ke kahin tum mujhe chod ke toh nahi jaaogi. Main tumse pyar..."
"bass karo chandu. Tumhe yeh kyun lagta hai ke main ab tumhe chod ke nahi jaaungi? Tum mujhse pyar nahi karte. Tumne sirf shagun se pyar kiya hai aur karte rahoge. Woh tumhare zindagi ka pyar hai. Main tumhare zindagi mein kahin nahi hoon chandu, main tumhari kuch nahi lagti..."
"shagun mera pehla pyar hai, Niru. Main manta hoon iss baat ko. Lekin ab main sirf tumse pyar karta hoon"
"oh, toh tum shagun ke pyar ko bhula chuke ho? Tum mujhse pyar karte ho? Toh tum shagun ki yaadon mein hamesha khoye kyun rehte ho? Kal ko agar main marr jaaungi toh kya tum kisi aur se wohi kahoge jo tum aaj mujhse keh rahe ho?"
"Niru, please, marne ki baat mat kehna... ab main tumhe kaise samjhaaun? Mujhe khud chaar saal lage, shagun ke maut ke gham ko bhoolne ke liye. Tum bhi mujhe chodne ki baat kar rahi ho? Agar tum mujhe chodke chali gayi, toh main marr jaaunga..."
Niru placed her hands on his lips. True, she was hurt because of chandu. But that dint mean she dint love him anymore. She was angry with himbecause he did not trust her enough to tell her the truth, but she couldn't hate him. Chandu smiled inwardly when she palced her hand on his mouth. He knew that she still loved him, it was just that she needed time to digest these shocks she got in one day. He removed her hand from his lips and cupped her face with both his hands, as he smiled at her.
"meri zindagi sirf tum dono se judi hai... bass, mujhe kisi aur ki koi zarurat nahi..."
She removed his hands off the face as she frowned.
"dono? Kaun dono? Ab Aur kya chupa rahe ho? Bolo..."
"ummm... dono yaani ke tum aur..."
Meanwhile someone opened the room door.
"uth gaye aap?" Said a boy of around 5 yrs.
Niru was shocked. "yeh kaun hai?" she asked chandu and before he spoke up, the boy was ready with a reply.
"main kaun hoon? Aap mujhe nahi jaante? Mera naam prem hai, prem deshmukh. main papa ka beta hoon..."
"ummm... yeh mera beta hai..." said chandu as he looked at prem.
Niru was blank. The man whom she loved whole heartedly was a widower and had a son!!! This was too much for her to take...
"aur aap meri mama ho na?" prem asked Niru with a cute look on his face. Her heart melted when he addressed her 'mama'. She knew what it was to live without a mother. Yet she did not forget that prem was chandu's son... chandu and shagun's son...
"haan beta, yeh tumhari mama hai, jo thodi si thak gayi hai. Abhi mama aaram karne do, phir baat karna.."
"ok papa" he smiled at chandu. Then he went upto Niru and whispered softly in her ears.
"aap abhi so jaao, sham ko uthke hum dono khelenge. Thik hai"
Niru did not react. Chandu and prem both left the room. Niru lied down and began to rewind in mind, some moments of her life. She was upset, angry and annoyed with everything. Life had been very cruel to her. It had given her so many shocks and unpleasant surprises, all in less than a day. She closed her eyes as tears began to flow from her eyes.
"kyun? Mere saath hi aisa kyun? Sab kuch khatam hua... baba bhi mujhe chod ke chale gaye... aaj ke baad, marte dam tak mujhe in dono ke saath hi rehna hai, yeh jaanne ke baad bhi ke yeh kisi aur ki amanat hain, aur yeh mere khud ke kabhi nahi ho sakte... kyun chandu? Kyun mujhe itna hurt kiya? Maine toh tumse pyar kiya tha... sacchha pyar...toh phir tumne mere bharose ko kyun thod diya? Main ab bhi tumse pyar karti hoon chandu, lekin sacchai jaanne ke baad, mujhe nahi lagta hai ke main iss pyar ko kabhi bhi us tarah jataa sakti hoon, jis tarah se pehle jataya karti thi... hum milke bhi mil nahi payenge chandu.. hamare beech mein shagun naam ki deewar hamesha rahegi..."
Her lashes were wet with tears and those tears made marks on her cheeks as they dried there... She soon drifted off to sleep, without realizing that this was not the end, it was a new beginning... or was it????
Arjun
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