MANEET OS- Suna Suna..Lamha.. EPILOGUE PAGE 20 - Page 2

Maan drove home quietly while Dadimaa was either talking on the phone or she was sleeping. But Maan couldn't get her out of his mind...No matter how hard he tried to shut his mind and heart from her, he couldn't. Dadimaa knew that he was getting restless about that girl, " Maan bete... aap usko bhool jayein... woh iss dunya mein nahin hain"

" No Dadimaa, I'm not thinking about her... don't worry" said Maan. Dadimaa only sighed and she knew if she talked about it even more, he would get angry.

Maan continued to drive in silence until he reached the KM. He turned off the ignition and he twisted the keys out of the ignition.. As he was tugging it out, he saw his hands... she had touched them lovingly. He could still feel her touch... soft like an angel. Dadimaa was getting even more worried and she said, " Maan bete..."

" Chaliye Dadimaa" interupted Maan as he snapped out of his thoughts. Dadimaa sighed and she got out of the car. Maan got out of the car slowly followed by Nakul who opened the door to Dadimaa.

Maan came inside and he looked around the KM... The large french windows were wide open and the white curtains blew in the breeze... It was
evening time and Nakul had placed candles all around the mansion because Dadimaa's kitty party friends would be over soon.

Maan went straight to his room and shut the door behind him. He had a stressful day and on top of that, that girl Geet was haunting his mind and heart. He felt an unknown connection with her. Maan took his white shirt off and hanged it in his closet.

He went into the washroom and freshened up...

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" Woh aagaya hain Chacha jii" chimed Geet as she danced around the deserted Handa Mansion. The mansion was abandoned and old... It was an ancestral haveli that aged about a hundred years.

The same old man emerged into the darkness and he lit an candle. " Geet beta, woh tumhara Maan nahin hain..." said Chacha jii as he was frustrated. " Nahin... woh mera Maan hain... mujhe poora vishwas hain kay-" began Geet. " Geet beta! woh nahin hain tumhara Maan..." repeated the old man. Geet stopped dancing and she looked at him hurt eyes. " Par chacha jii-" began Geet.

" Mujhe kuch nahin sun na!" exclaimed chacha jii. Chacha jii looked at his masters daughter... she was still the same old Geet. She never stopped loving that man Maan Singh Khurana ever since she saw him the first time, five years ago at the party.

Geet looked at him with angry eyes. Her eyes went red and she yelled, " WOH MERA MAAN HAIN... HE RECOGNIZED ME CHACHA JI.. HE DID... I DIED FOR HIM... AND I WON'T LET ANYTHING COME IN BETWEEN US... EVEN IF IT MEANS THAT HE DIES... ATLEAST HE'S WITH ME"

The torn curtains started to blow and the windows flew open and they started to open and close... Chacha jii looked at his masters daughter... same old stubborn Geet. Her hair blew in the fierce wind that she conjured. The candles started to flicker and immediately blew out.

" Bus karo Geet bete" said Chacha jii. Geet was still angry... how dare her chacha jii say that to her! That was HER Maan... not anyone elses... just hers.

Geet looked away and she swallowed the lump in her throat and then the wind stopped. The windows shut loudly and the curtains stopped blowing.

Geet fell on her knees and she said, " Woh mere kyun nahin hosakte chacha jii... mera dil maanta nahin hain... kya karoon..." A tear escaped from her eyes and chacha jii only smiled, " Bete... agar woh aapka hain, to woh zaroor aayega"

Geet looked up at him and only smiled, " Thanks chacha jii... aapke mooh mein ghee shakkar..."

" Pagli" laughed chacha jii. " Woh to main hoon!" sang Geet as she twirled around again and disappeared into the darkness.

Chacha jii looked around the abandoned haveli... He was the head servant of his master Mohinderlal Singh Handa, the owner of this once beautiful haveli with its halls that only echoed Geet's laughter. He could still hear them till today and he is the only one who remains left... everyone else... dead...

He went to the living room and he looked around...White sheets covered the tables and couches. Geet was the only daughter of Mohinderlal between her two brothers, Tej and Arjun. Her mother had died when she had gave birth to Geet. He had a tear escape from his eye and he quickly wiped it and smiled, " Saab jii...aapki aakhri kwaish poori kar raaha hoon"

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Maan was laying in his bed thinking about the whole day and especially that girl Geet. He didn't know why but he had the urge to go back... to ask the old man the whole story of that girl who is giving him sleepless nights...

" What the hell is going on with me... I'm never that sensative around girls and please... Maan Singh Khurana doesn't need girls to entertain him... he's better off alone" thought Maan.

Maan tried to sleep but he couldn't. Now he was getting frustrated... he needed to go back... no matter what happened.

" I need to go, I need to know that mystery..." thought Maan. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

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The next day Maan had cancelled all his appointments and he went towards the same dargah without a word to Dadimaa that he was going. Dadimaa would never allow him to go, so he didn't say anything to her. He went in the morning and he drove quite awhile towards the dargah.

Maan still couldn't erase his thoughts off of her... she was haunting his dreams.

Maan finally reached the dargah to find it empty... not many people were around. He stepped out of his car and he looked around. Maan tied a white cloth on his head and he stepped onto the same warm marble that warmed his feet.

He looked around for that man, asking everyone...

" Kahan milenge woh?" thought Maan as he rubbed his temple in frustration.

He felt an hand on his shoulder and he turned around

" Aap humay dhoond rahein hain" smiled Chacha jii...

Maan only smiled a little and said, " Jii, main aapko hi dhoond raha tha... waisay... aapka naam?"

" Aap humay chacha jii bula sakte hain... sab bache mujhe yehi bulate hain" smiled chachajii.

" Please chacha jii... aap mujhse baray hain.. aap mujhe tum keh kar bulayiye" said Maan. Chacha jii only nodded and smiled.. " Theek hain beta"

" Aur mujhe pata hain kay aap uss ladki Geet ka poochnay aayein hain?" said Chacha ji. Maan only nodded and Chacha jii only said, " Mere saath chalo"

Maan followed chacha jii through the dargah and into its tiny alleys inside and finally he reached the same lake... Maan was about to question him until Chacha jii raised his hand and Maan understood and didn't say a word... he only followed chacha jii.

They went through a little forest area and Maan was beginning to get a little more curious and suspicious...

They finally reached the haveli and Maan stopped in his tracks... he looked around the beautiful haveli... it was like the ones that he saw in the movies, except it looked deserted... It looked like a ghost house.

Chacha jii opened the large gates without any key and Maan only followed him inside... the grass looked overgrown with wild flowers and weeds. Chacha jii and Maan reached the door which looked like it was from the 18th century with a heavy wooden door.

Chacha jii opened the door and Maan stepped into the large haveli. Maan scanned around and he saw that the haveli was definitely abandoned... white sheets were covering the couches, chairs, tables and paintings. It looked like it had never been lived in for years...

Maan smelt the jasmine again and his heart skipped a beat... it drove him crazy inside. It was so tempting... so seducing... so sweet...

"Chalo mere saath" said Chacha jii. Maan snapped out of it and walked beside him.

As they were walking through the large halls that was decorated with painting of people who looked like they lived long time ago and each picture was lit up with an tiny candle. Maan felt a cold shiver down his back as he walked through. He didn't feel afraid... but he felt something very different... something that he couldn't describe in words.

" I am the care taker of this Haveli" said Chacha jii. " Who owns this haveli?" asked Maan. " Beta... I am going to tell you a story and information about the haveli... if you have any doubts or concerns... you are welcome to leave any time you wish" said Chacha jii. Maan only nodded and Chacha jii continued on...

" This is Thakur Mohinderlal Singh Handa's haveli and as I mentioned, I am the only care taker of this haveli... he was my master and I was the head servant. Mohinderlal had two older sons, Tej and Arjun and his youngest was his jewel... Geet. Mohinderlal's wife Rano lost many children whilst giving birth and only two sons and one daughter survived... she gave birth to the daughter and shortly passed away. She only made her husband promise that he'll give Geet the love of a father and mother in her death. So saab ji did what she said and Geet was the apple of his eye. Geet's brothers loved her so much and were very protective of her. But it is said that Geet looked exactly like her mother... beautiful girl" said Chacha jii

"She was doted upon by others because of her personality and beauty. Geet was a lovely girl that always was positive. She was perfect and very angel like and everything about her was lovely... she had an excellent singing voice and would often sing songs to her father. Saab jii knew that she would never make a mistake that would tarnish the honor of the family... after all... Mohinderlal's grandfather buried all the females in the family because he was convinced that girls only tarnish honor... and they don't deserve to live. But Saaab ji was different, he loved his daughter Geet more than any of his sons." said Chacha jii.


" So how did Geet die... what happened?" asked Maan.

Chacha jii lit another candle in the hallway and Maan only looked at him with a million questions running through his changing expressions.

Chacha jii stopped walking and he approached the large room which looked like the living room. He went to the main mantle piece and Maan followed him and stood behind him. He looked up and chacha jii unveiled the large picture that was covered with a white sheet.

Maan looked shocked. It was the same girl Geet... She was smiling. The camera had definitely caught her in a good time. She was absolutely beautiful... her features soft and warm. Her eyes were hazel and she had soft rosy pink lips. So it was really Geet that visited him... same features... same everything. Her light brown tresses were set up neatly and elegantly.

" Saab ji knew that Geet would never make any mistake, he knew that she loved him so much. Until Geet beti made one mistake..." replied Chacha jii.

" What mistake?" asked Maan with more curiosity as he stared at Geet's picture...

" She fell in love" replied Chacha jii.

Love?! Why was that a mistake for Geet? wondered Maan.

" Falling in love was something that transgressed Thakur Mohinderlal Singh Handa's boundaries. Geet fell in love innocently and she didn't know that her father didn't like that. Geet would only marry someone who he approved of. And of course the man that Geet fell in love with five years ago, was out of her reach... the sad thing was that she could never tell the man that she loved him more than her life." said Chachajii

" Who was the man?" asked Maan. "She only knew his name. She never told anyone... not even her friends. Even I don't know his name beta" replied Chacha jii.

" Why and how did she die?" asked Maan. " You ask a lot of questions beta" joked chacha jii. " I need to know chacha jii..." said Maan. " Geet beti was right, Maan was exactly the same... no change had been brought in him." thought Chacha ji.

" Mohinderlal got to know about Geet's affair through a picture of that man under her pillowcase when she was sleeping and he had assumed that they both were going behind his back, so the hot blooded thakur he was, he confronted his daughter. Geet couldn't lie to her father... and she only addmitted it to him." I love him so much papa! he is my life... my love... I can't live without him..." And that was the day that all hell broke loose in this haveli. He grabbed his daughters arm and threw her on the floor. He was yelling at her, " YOU DISRESPECTED OUR FAMILY... YOU TARNISHED OUR HONOR... DAARJI WAS RIGHT... I SHOULD HAVE BURIED YOU, THE MINUTE YOU WERE BORN... DISRESPECTFUL WITCH! YOU WRETCH..." said Chacha jii

Maan felt a little angry in his heart. He knew that he didn't know Geet... but those comments were something that he couldn't bare.

" Geet beti only rebelled back and she said, " BURY ME NOW IF YOU WANT..."

Saab ji got even more angry with her and he said, " NO...THE ONLY WAY TO GET RID OF YOU IS TO MARRY YOU OFF..."

And Geet beti only yelled and screamed this...

"NO PAPA... I LOVE HIM... PLEASE... I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH HIM..."

" And her brothers heard of it and they were angry. They were on saab jii's side and they tried to find that man... and what I've heard is that they got rid of him permanently" said Chacha jii. " So what happened after that?" asked Maan.

" Thakur saab only forced Geet to marry Thakur Dev Singh Ranawat and Geet was helpless. She didn't have anyone to help her... so she only had one option... to kill herself.." said chacha jii.

" Why?! couldn't she tell the man that she loved him?" asked Maan. " She couldn't beta... he was out of reach for her... only a dream... the way she got his picture is through her friends..." said Chacha jii.

" So on the wedding day, Geet had dressed in bridal attire and she only came to me and said, " I need some air chacha jii... can I go outside?"

"I only agreed because I felt bad for her... so I snuck her through the back doors. And then saab jii called me in and I had to rush... I told her not to go anywhere but I had to go..." said chacha jii.

" So then Geet looked around and ran into the forest with her bridal attire still on... she ran through the forest and then approached this lake... and she cried her eyes out... and Geet beti didn't know how to swim. She went into the lake slowly and went to the deepest end and she threw herself in. She drowned herself in the deepest end of the lake." said Chacha jii.

" What did her father do?" asked Maan. " We all went crazy trying to find her and we went upstairs to find a letter on her bed which basically said that she is committing suicide because she couldn't get the man she loved... and that her father was marrying her off to a man half her age"

" Saab ji was broken... and we looked everywhere for her body... or even her. A week later, we found her body at the shore of the lake... and saab ji cremated her body with his own hands... Saab ji was broken... his respect tarnished. A month later, saab ji died of a heart attack, leaving Arjun and Tej. We thought that they were going to be heirs in inheriting this haveli and other property equally. The selfishness and greed showed in the brothers. They grew to hating eachother and were at eachother's throats for the property. One day they had a big argument regarding the haveli and the two decided that they would kill eachother for it if they wanted it for their own. It ended up in a bloody war between the brothers. Tej killed Arjun and then I had came with the police... but as the police arrived, Tej was so scared that he would be in jail and no one would bail him out... he shot himself in the head."

" And that was the day when the Handa haveli lost all its inhabitants... and I was the only one left. But saab ji knew this was going to happen, so he entrusted the haveli with me" said Chacha jii.

Maan only looked at chachi jii intently and said, " So why did Geet show up in front of me at the dargah?"

" Allah jaanay beta... I don't know why" said chacha jii. Maan was confused... but he felt so sad hearing the story of Geet Singh Handa.

"Thank you so much for telling me the story of Geet chacha jii... you cleared all my confusions about yesterday" smiled Maan. Chacha jii only patted his back and said, " You are welcome here anytime beta"

Maan smiled... and then Chacha jii said, " Main tumhare liye kuch khaanay kay liye bejhta hoon"

" Nahin chacha ji-" began Maan. Chacha jii only smiled and nodded and quickly hurried off. Maan just looked around the room and he looked at Geet's picture again. She was so beautiful. She was so lovely... but he didn't know why... but he felt like he knew her. Some where or another.

Just then Maan smelt the jasmine scent getting stronger and he turned around and looked everywhere. Maan's heart started to beat hard and his eyes frantically looked for her again. Just then he heard the same song in the same sweet voice, " Suna Suna... Lamha Lamha... meri Rahein.. Tanha Tanha... aakar mujhe... tum thaam lo"

His feet took off before he could think and he followed the sounds into the deep hallways. He walked down the hallways looking for her... the scent was getting stronger... and the voice a little louder... His heart beat even faster.


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