Chapter 27
Giving up Us, for You – Part 1
(August, 1982…)
(Army Cantonment, Roorkee…)
"Hurry up Tejbir, we are getting late."
"Hold your horses brother," Tejbir looked at his impatient friend, "we still have time."
"No we don't!"
"We do!"
Maan glared at him, "Don't you know how restless she gets without me? She must be getting all jittery and you are sitting here hell bent on irritating me. Don't you know she misses me every second that I am away?"
"Is it she who misses you or you who misses her?"
Tejbir got another glare as a reply.
"Relax Maan, she won't even realize…"
"How can you say that?"
"Because for one she is just three weeks old and secondly I am her father."
"Ha! You are just jealous that Nia smiles more at me. Anyways I up you in rank. You may be her father. But I, on the other hand, am her godfather," Maan cocked an eyebrow at Tejbir.
It was not an exaggeration to say that Maan adored Nia to bits. Nia, a name that he had chosen for the little angel, had become the centre of his focus ever since her birth. A birth that could have cost Anupama's life because she went into labor in the eighth month itself. The time Tejbir spent taking care of his wife; Maan became the mama-duck for Nia. So much so that the officer, who rarely took lunch-breaks before, now rushed to Dhillon's place in that single hour too.
"Maan, could you come to my office for a minute?"
Maan and Tejbir immediately stood to attention hearing their Colonel's voice who had popped in his head in their office.
As Tejbir snickered at the back, Maan followed Col. Rathore with a resigned sigh, "Yes Sir?"
"I have a news for you, good or bad that is upto you to figure," Col. Rathore replied as they entered his office.
"What news Sir?"
"Have a seat Captain," Col. Rathore as he removed his beret, "As you are aware that your posting is due anytime now you must be anticipating a field posting, right?"
"Ofcourse Sir," Maan replied, "that is the set norm in Infantry, peace postings and field postings are awarded alternately."
"What if I say I can pull some strings and get you a peace posting?"
"But why, Sir?"
"Maan, you have given your best to the regiment always. Isn't my duty too to seek the best for my best officer? And anyways, how can this tenure at Roorkee be counted as peace posting in true sense of term, when you spent almost half of it in expeditions."
"It was my duty Sir," Maan stated matter-of-factly, "and was personally gratifying for me as an officer, as a person. It was not a task that I took as a burden."
"Think about it Maan," Col. Rathore opined, "it's either Sikkim or a peace posting," he signaled Maan to stop anticipating his reaction, "Yes, I know you would love going to Sikkim. High altitudes excite you. But the peace posting could be beneficial too. You could use it look after your family obligations. You or your family must be planning for your marriage. Think about it."
Maan nodded an affirmative at his senior and took his leave. He would need time to think it through. He would need counsel.
He needed to meet his father.
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(Khurana Kothi…)
"Bas, bahut ho gaya," Savitri complained to the quiet Amrit, "How long am I to wait for my bahu to come home? It's been more than a year now. Geet has finished her B.A. too. Mohinder jee should now start thinking about his duties as our samdhi and not just as the father of his daughters."
Taking the silence from Amrit as an encouragement she went on, "I will soon visit Amritsar and have a word with them."
She stood up with her resolve ascertained and strode out of the room, leaving a worried Amrit behind.
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(Amritsar…)
Fear and worry was etched on his face. He had his hands clasped tight else they would shake with trepidation. The blank walls of the hospital were closing in on him as he sat on the cold metal bench, sweating profusely.
A screeching wail resounded in the halls. His heart sank…
…with relief and happiness.
A nurse in pristine white came out as the blessed harbinger of the good news.
"Mr Daman Singhania?" she scanned the eager faces and zeroed in the man in question "Congratulations sir, it's a boy!"
"How is Nandini?"
"How is my son?"
Two voices spoke up immediately.
A father had asked for his daughter. Another, for his son.
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(Khurana Kothi…)
"Who asked you to tell anything to Nayantara?"
Amrit stood sobbing in the arms of Nayantara as Savitri continued to scream at her. Despite Nayantara's best efforts, Savitri was nowhere near stopping in berating Amrit for calling Nayantara and telling her about Savitri's thoughts about Maan and Geet's wedding.
"Chaiyyiji bas vi karo…"
"Chup kar kudiye," Savitri taunted Nayantara, "don't tell me what to do and what not to do. These days I am seeing you girls being too bold infront of me. This is all Maan's fault. Getting the girls educated, asking their opinions, encouraging them to take their decisions. Look! Now my daughters feel that they are better than their mother," she glared at Amrit, "I am going to teach this girl a nice lesson today."
Helpless in the face of her mother's wrath, Nayantara could only pray for some intervention. And that was when her husband came in the room for her rescue.
"What Amrit did wasn't wrong Chaiyyiji," Dev came and stood next to his wife, "please don't scold her more," he disguised the ultimatum as request. In a society where son-in-laws are treated akin to Gods, he stood upto his name for the right reasons. After all Amrit was no less than a sister to him too.
"Dev ji, you don't know…"
"I know Chaiyyiji," he asserted, "I do know. And I approve too. What you were going to do was what I do not approve of. Rest, you are the elder here, you know the best."
Duly snubbed, Savitri held her peace. For now.
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(Handa Haveli…)
"Where is Sonu?"
Daman rushed in, discarding his bag on the sofa, with impatient strides looking for his newly born son. Nandini, who was still recovering, was staying with her parents as per the custom.
He rushed into his wife's room to find her surrounded by her sisters. But his eyes could not find the one he sought.
"Where is Sonu?"
"Sat Sri Akal Daman paahji, Papaji has also just come back from factory so…"
"Sameera, just tell me where is Sonu?"
"Daman puttar," Mohinder called out from behind as he came in carrying the baby, "kee haal…"
"Sonu!" Daman ignored his father-in-law's question as he litteraly snatched his son away and walked out of the room without a backward glance to anyone.
"What was that?" Sameera spoke up with irritation. "How could he ignore Papaji this way? What is wrong with paahji these days?"
"Kuchh nahi Sammy," Mohinder hid the hurt that had registered in his eyes, "he just excited to see his son."
"This is more than just excitement Papaji," Sameera refused to buy the excuse, "he has been behaving weird ever since Sonu's birth. He doesn't even bother asking after his wife. And he his being particularly rude to you Papaji. I do notice things Papaji. Everytime you hold Sonu, he snatches him away from you."
"Believe me Sammy, he his just being an excited father. When Nandini was born even I was this possessive. It's not unnatural for fathers to be this way. Anyways," he made an attempt to divert the topic, "have you made the invitee list? We must have a grand function Captaan Sa'ab! No mistakes! And has Rano spoken to Savitri jee? I have already called Ajaipal jee from office."
The lure worked and the girls got busy discussing the function arrangements. Unbeknown to them, a worried look passed between Mohinder and Nandini, whose eyes were clouded with pain and worry.
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(Khurana Kothi…)
(Chandigarh…)
"Puttar! When did you come?"
Ajaipal Singh Khurana looked on surprised as his eldest son strode into the estate lawns. For Ajaipal gardening was a passion, walking his favorite passtime. He had always loved walking through his lawns after dinner. He found it pleasant and soothing. But watching his pride, his Maan walk towards him, with him, made his evening splendid beyond words. This was convenient in a way, because he was a man who rarely gave in to words, unless compelled to.
"Huni aaya Daarji." [I just came Daarji.]
"Achanak? Sab khair?" [Suddenly though? All well?]
"Everything is fine Daarji. Just needed to speak to you…"
"Sardarjee…Sardarjee…"
The excited voice of Savitri came from within the house. Both father and son looked upon with identical expressions. What now?!!
Savitri hurried to where her husband stood. "We need to go to Amritsar tomorrow."
"Savitri, Maan aaya hai…"
"Oh Kakke!! Good! We need to go to Amritsar tomorrow."
"Chaiyyiji…"
"Nandini nu munda hoyya hai..." [Nandini has given birth to a boy.]
"Savitri…"
"We must all go. They have a function tomorrow. Few of their close relatives are also coming. It's the perfect occasion to speak to them about the marriage."
"But Chaiyyiji…"
"Infact we could take the chunni* along and and they give shagun to Maan then and there."
"Listen to me Chaiyyiji…"
"Bas bas…bahut bolda ae…andar jaa khana khaa. [Leave it…you talk a lot anyways…go inside and have some food] Let me talk to your father."
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(Handa Haveli, Amritsar…)
(Function day, morning…)
"Sab aag gaaye Sameera?"
"Nahi paahji."
Daman turned an irritated look at Sameera and then at Mohinder who was standing at the gate to receive the guests.
"What is this? We should start by now…"
Sameera hated the tone he was using with her father. She interjected equally irritated at Daman, "Some of our guests are yet to arrive."
"Kaun? Look at my relatives. They are all here on time," he taunted back.
"Khuranas. It takes them seven hours to get here from Chandigarh. It's a long journey paahji yet they are making sure they reach here to congratulate you and join us in the celebration. And then Gurvinder masiji, Brij masarji…"
"…and your Jugnu Mamaji."
Hearing Jugnu's voice, Sameera exclaimed with surprise.
Rano's sister, Gurvinder, Gurvinder's husband Brij were expected to arrive as they lived few hours away from Amritsar. But arrival of their Jugnu Mama was a surprise. He had been living in Canada for past many years and rarely came to India. Last the Handas had met him was when Anvesha's elder daughter had born, five years back.
Rano came and embraced her sister as the girls surrounded their jovial Jugnu mama.
"Jugnu paahji!" Rano turned to embrace her brother, "You have come after so long. We never imagined that you be coming."
"Bas Ranjeeta, I had some business in our anscestral village. Through Brij I came to know of this blessed news and came to meet my darling nieces and nephew."
"Sat Sri Akal Brij jijaji," she then towards her brother-in-law.
He gave a gruff nod to Rano and turned back to conversing with Mohinder. Brij wasn't the one for wasting time on unnecessary matters. And only one thing mattered to him money.
His wife, Rano's sister, on the other hand, held money in disdain. Gurvinder hadn't been as lucky as Rano. But a loveless marriage didn't reduce her capacity to love. She showered it on her children and her sister's children in abundance.
"Mamaji, tussi Canada toh kadd aaye? Baaki sab nahi aaye? Mamiji, Rajji?" Sameera asked Jugnu, after the girls greeted all of them.
"Do din pehla," Jugnu replied, "but your Mami and Rajji have not come. Rajji has her exams. But your Mami have sent gifts for you all."
"Yes!!" Geet exclaimed, "And did Rajji send me those earrings I had asked for?"
"Err…wohh puttar…"
Geet understood and chided herself for being so silly. Why would Rajji remember such an old thing? She is stupid anyways!
Seeing the dejected face of her youngest niece, Gurvinder hastened to cheer her up. "So what if Mamiji forgot? Maasi remembers," she smiled at Geet who beamed at hearing this.
As the Maasi bonded with her nieces, Jugnu gave a sly nod to Brij. On getting his cue, Brij began, "Mohinder paahji, horr dasso, how is the business going on?"
"Sab Babaji di kripa hai Brij paahji," Mohinder smiled.
"Ofcourse," Brij replied, "and what about things at home. How is the progress for the girls' marriage?"
Mohinder hesitated before replying. To tell them that Geet had got engaged before her elder sisters wouldn't have looked very well. Hence, he and Rano had decided to wait before breaking the news to the relatives. But how long could one keep such things hidden. However no such occasion came up when they could let their relatives know. This event seemed a good opportunity. Though he knew that they would probably feel insulted that such big news was kept from them. Relatives are always a tough lot to handle.
Mohinder was saved from giving a reply as Daman spoke up a little rudely, "Bauji should we begin…?"
"Daman puttar, Khuranas have not arrived yet. It wouldn't look nice if we begin without them."
"Khuranas? Important guests Mohinder paahji?" Brij faked interest.
"Haan jee," Mohinder began, "infact we wanted to tell…"
"Aa gaye!" Meera exclaimed and everyone turned towards to look at the gate.
A white Ambassador came and stood to a halt. Out stepped Chaudhary Ajaipal Singh Khurana and his wife, Savitri Swaroop Khurana. They were followed by their eldest daughter and their eldest son-in-law, Nayantara and Devender Rajgir.
As Gurvinder, Brij and Jugnu stood watching keenly, a tall young man stepped from behind the car and made his way to the front of the group, as they made their way towards the house.
As he took his place next to his father's right, she took a step back and hid behind her father.
Geet Handa peeped from the left of her father's shoulder to gaze quietly, yet confidently, the man who intrigued her, Captain Maan Singh Khurana.
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*Chunni – here it does not refer to a mere veil but the veil that is a token of formal acceptance of marriage. Once the bride is adorn with the ceremonial veil it is taken as her belonging to the groom from thenforth.
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Edited by jazzerette - 13 years ago
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