THE LOCKET (4)

THE LOCKET

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A/N:

This is a story of two brothers Maan and Dev and their journey from being teenagers to men. There are two girls who fall in love with them in the process, Geet and Naintara.
While one love story is sweet and gentle, the other is no less than fireworks. There will be confusions, misunderstandings, growing up, breaking up, making up, standing up and lots of love along the way. Hope you enjoy it.

edited

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING READERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT

I return to my desk Monday evening more fidgety than ever. I have been educated in an all girls school so I am naturally shy around boys. Even before leaving for Delhi, Darji had warned me against being friendly with city boys. He said that they could trap you with their sweet ways and talks.

It is strange, Darji never warned me against someone who doesn't talk at all. Someone whose gaze makes me ponder what his eyes speak to me. What is this restlessness that his eyes convey? Why does the loneliness in them strike a painful chord in my heart. Why do my eyes want to understand the language that his speak to me? How will I face him now?

I wait to see if there was indeed something or was it only something that my imagination had conjured. Evening turns to night, one day to the next. Neither does he come nor do the professors.

As the week ends and I walk to my hostel on Friday night, I tap the side of my head and lecture myself sharply, "Jhalli kahi ki! It was raining that night. Maybe he just wanted to make sure it was you at the window and that you were safe. After all Professor Shetty had asked him to do it, he had not come on his own. Seriously, Geet, what an imagination you have! As if this is a movie and you are a heroine that someone is going to talk to you with their eyes. Aisa toh movies mein hota hai. You are thinking no end of yourself these days. Just because you are studying in a big city, you are putting on high airs. The whole incident meant nothing at all".

I start packing my things to make an early start for Hoshiarpur. I am sure that once I am there all my thoughts will be back to normal. I realize the stupidity of my thoughts.

After all, life is not a fairy tale. No Prince Charming is going to ride into my life on a white horse and sweep me away to a happy ending.

"Get back to normal and fast", I scold myself again.

*****************

I had decided to take the early bus for HP when I left the college campus on Saturday. Like every weekend, this time too I was planning to try some new recipes with Darji. Darji looks forward to our time together and is teaching me to cook. He loves to listen to all my nonstop talks about my hostel mates and each one of them is a story in itself.

First there is Sharmeen, who has some guru, but funny I have never seen her do yoga or do any meditation. Guru toh uske liye hota hai na... I wonder about that girl sometimes. She is always on her mobile with her guru and the pictures in her room of her guru, chi chi Babaji, aisa kaisa Guru hai iska. I ran out of there just seeing a few pictures. Then there is the kicking girl who is always threatening the Doc and that girl Sweety jo bohut sweet hai par always study karti rehti hai. Darji always asks about the mysterious one, Mari who never lets anyone into her hostel room. Even Ms. Iyer never goes there. What could she be hiding there? There are many whispers but the puzzle is yet to be solved. Then there is the smiley girl who is into cartoon characters, no one seems to know her name. Apparently it is spelt the same way from both ends. Also there is Ratna, the computer whiz, who helps everyone. Not to mention the sweet administrator who is into cats and who makes me laugh every time I see her. As if all this is not enough, there is Professor Sona Menon, whose husband Professor Yash is more famous than her. Even though he does not teach in our college and we see him only when he comes to pick up his wife, most girls on campus have a crush on him. These girls are crazy, they have a kid for god's sake.

But of all my hostel mates, his favorite is Madhu, the resident non-shayar whose shaiyari makes his cheeks red with laughter. Now all I have to say is "Arz kiya hai" in her style and he starts laughing.

*********************

There is nowhere I would rather be than HP in the weekend. As the bus driver drops me at the corner intersection my feet hurriedly rush home. There is a bustle around my house and I see neighbors running to and fro from it. They are glad to see me and drag me in.

"Geet beta. Accha hua tu aa gayi Geet, Darji ki tabiyat theek nahi hai".

I rush in to the bedroom and see my beloved Darji looking pale with sweat covering his brow. I rush to him and hold his hands. His eyes soften even amongst all the pain and his face tilts into a slight smile, "Yeh lo, aa gaya mera bacha. Yeh kya, tu darr kyun rahi hai. Main bilkul theek hoon...", he tries to reassure me, "...thoda aaram karunga toh sab theek ho jaayega."

Looking at him crumple up again in pain, I make up my mind and we rush him to the only hospital in HP. Even though my Darji is not a rich man anymore, he is widely respected here. The doctor takes his case quickly and lauds me for getting him to the hospital in time. He has some heart trouble and is going to require care. I am crushed on the inside but I can't let my Darji see me like this and worry. I am all he has and he needs me now to care for him, not worry unnecessarily. He is resting now and I continue my vigil outside the door. A band of people from the village surround me. How many have offered me water, tea or food, I have lost count. There is a strong sense of loyalty in our village and the man lying inside has a bit to do with this.

As evening rushes in and since Darji is still asleep from the medications, the crowd thins. I sit by the window to grab some fresh air.

From my vantage point, I can see the open fields of HP in the distance. They remind me of my childhood. As a little girl, holding Darji's fingers, I have time and again walked with him here on his evening walks.

Baaki sab sapne hote hain

Everything else is dreams

apne toh apne hote hain

Our own are our own

channa ve ja ke jaldi chale aana

The one who resembles the moon, go and come back quickly

jaanewaale tenu pind diya, galiya pukaarengi

To the one who is going, the streets will call out for you

jaanewaale tenu baaga vich kaliya pukaarengi

To the one who is going, the flower buds in the garden will call out for you

***

Those were the days when my father was alive. I was four when he passed away. My mother, I have never seen as she had died in childbirth. Since that time, it is only the two of us, Darji and I. I remember Darji learning to comb my hair and sending me to school with crooked chotis. I remember punching a girl in my class who made fun of them. How could she dare to make fun of my chotis? Darji had made it so it was perfect.

Having the burden of a small child thrust on him in his golden years, Darji had taken up a job to keep the household running smoothly. When our land got sold, one parcel at a time, I had no idea. The only awareness I had was that we would not walk there in the evening anymore. He told me that it was because it took him so long to make dinner. I have always been a finicky eater and so he used to end up making several vegetables every night. The one he succeeded in feeding me I had and the rest he had to eat. The rotis in the beginning were as burnt as his fingers. I do remember kissing his hands to make them better. Every burn in his hand from the past now shreds my heart to bits.

mujhse tera moh na chhute, dil ne banaaye kitne bahaane

I cannot see you going away, the heart made so many excuses

duja koyi kya pehchaane, jo tan laage so tan jaane

How would anyone else recognise, the body which has felt will know

beete gujre lamho ki saari baatein tadpaati hain

All the foregone times of conversation torment me

dil ki surkh deewaaron pe bas yaadein reh jaati hain

On the red walls of the heart, only memories stay

baaki sab sapne hote hain

Everything else is dreams

apne toh apne hote hain

Our own are our own

channa ve ja ke jaldi chale aana

The one who resembles the moon, go and come back quickly

jaanewaale tenu pind diya, galiya pukaarengi

To the one who is going, the streets will call out for you

jaanewaale tenu baaga vich kaliya pukaarengi

To the one who is going, the flower buds in the garden will call out for you

tere sang laad lagaava ve, tere sang laad lagaava

To be affectionate with you, to be affectionate with you

tere sang pyaar nibhaava ve, tere sang pyaar nibhaava

To maintain love with you, to maintain love with you

***

Suddenly, the voyage of memories that my mind has been on stops and I feel bad about myself. I have thoughtlessly left him behind in my quest for a degree. True, he always values and encourages education. In fact, he was on a committee to improve education in HP but I feel myself as a shirker to the responsibility of caring for him. This leaves me feeling uneasy and I look outside the windows to get my bearings.

I see a cat with its litter near the corner of the hospital. For all the care the kittens will get, they will leave and not go back to the one caring for them now. Looking at them, I realize that this is indeed what distinguishes us from animals. We as humans give care and support to each other and nurture each other as long as we live.

meri duwaavon mein itana asar ho

Let there be this much effect from my blessings

har dard gum se tu bekhabar ho

That you are unaware of all pains and sorrows

ummeedein tute na mere aashiyaane ki

Don't let expectations of our home break

khushiya mile tujhko saare jamaane ki

Let you gain the whole world's happiness

tere sang laad lagaava re, tere sang laad lagaava

To the one who is going, the streets will call out for you

jaanewaale tenu baaga vich kaliya pukaarengi

To the one who is going, the flower buds in the garden will call out for you

beete gujre lamho ki saari baatein tadpaati hain

All the foregone times of conversation torment me

dil ki surkh deewaaron pe bas yaadein reh jaati hain

On the red walls of the heart, only memories stay

baaki sab sapne hote hain

Everything else is dreams

apne toh apne hote hain

Our own are our own

***

The man who nurtured me and cared for me needs me now. I make up my mind that I will not be returning to college for the rest of the semester. I have Professor Bhaskar's number. He is the coordinator of the scholarship program. I decide that I will inform him about my decision in the morning.

My gaze is drawn up to a flight of birds heading home in the darkening skies. My thoughts are in sync with them. It is time to return home...

teri meri raahon mein chaahe duriya hain

Even if there is distance in our paths

inn faasalon mein bhi nazadikiya hain

In these barriers, there is nearness

saari ranjishon ko tu pal mein mita le

Destroy all the misunderstanding in one moment

aaja aa bhi ja mujhko galein se laga le

Come, come on now, embrace me

tere sang laad lagaava re, tere sang laad lagaava

To be affectionate with you, to be affectionate with you

tere sang pyaar nibhaava ve, tere sang pyaar nibhaava

To maintain love with you, to maintain love with you

beete gujre lamho ki saari baatein tadpaati hain

All the foregone times of conversation torment me

dil ki surkh deewaaron pe bas yaadein reh jaati hain

On the red walls of the heart, only memories stay

baaki sab sapne hote hain

Everything else is dreams

apne toh apne hote hain

Our own are our own

channa ve ja ke jaldi chale aana

The one who resembles the moon, go and come back quickly

aanewaale tenu pind diya, galiya pukaarengi

To the one who is going, the streets will call out for you

jaanewaale tenu baaga vich kaliya pukaarengi

To the one who is going, the flower buds in the garden will call out for you

apne toh apne hote hain

Our own are our own

*******************************************

THANKS ALL FOR THE SUPPORT.

Thanks to Mari (mayyo13) for proofing all my work.

PLEASE MENTION IF YOU LIKED THE MUSIC ON YOUR COMMENT.

PICTURE CREDIT: GEET PICTURE GALLERY

VIDEO CREDIT TO THE UPLOADER.

PRECAP: Maan back from Mumbai

Originally posted by: sweetkj

Originally posted by: sweetkj