Part 2
Handa Haweli, Hoshiarpur, Punjab:
Around 8:00 in the morning, a young man around 23-25 yrs old was angrily walking towards the fields. A little boy and his sister were playing outside in the garden. Two middle aged women were roaming around the large hall, supervising the servants. the atmosphere was pleasant but still, there was a certain worrying element in the air.
In the fields:
Oye channi, aise mat kar, dekh mai tujh se phir baat nai karungi. Geet was dressed in a cute waist-length long sleeved minnie mouse top and white capri pant. Her shiny black hair was flying as she ran about, looking for her friend, who was hiding behind some tall sugarcane stalks. A cute pout on her face and little nose scrunched up with anger, she looked just like a little doll. Geet was the envy of the entire village and her family's darling.
Channi had a hand clamped tightly to her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter as geet's irritated yells reached her ears. Taking pity on her, channi was just reappearing from behind the cane stalks when she saw geet's cousin brij walking towards their play area. His face was red in anger and the quick, long strides that he took while walking frightened her very much. She sat down very suddenly, not daring to move from her place. She tried to throw some dried grass at geet to alert her, but seeing in front her eyes widened in shock, as channi realized it was too late.
"Oye, teri himmat kaise hui yahaan par aane ki? Maine tujhe mana kiya thaa, bhul gayi? Janti nahi ki aaj mera yaar dilawar aane wala hai tere liye shagun lekar? chup chap yahan se ghar chal, aur ek ghante mei taiyari puri kar le. Bahot ho gayi teri ye man-maani, ab main tujhe seedha kar ke chhodunga."
Uttering these threats, brij caught hold of geet's lil' hand and dragging her like a goat, began to walk swiftly towards their house. His vice like grip was hurting geet as she struggled to free herself while saying,"veerji mujhe chhod do. Muje aap ka wo dost pasand nai hai. Main kabhi usse shaadi nai karungi. Wo bahot ganda larka hai."
But what she wanted to say further was never out of her mouth, as just then geet was slapped really hard by her brother. The force of the slap was so strong that she fell on the floor hurting both her elbows, and tears fell from her eyes as she bit her lips trying to ease her excruciating pain. "Aah! a painful moan escaped from her mouth but just then brij pulled her up by holding her soft hair tightly and again started dragging her along with him.
Rajji and tito were laughing and chasing each other around in the garden when they spotted their older siblings coming from a distance and as they came near, Rajji's lips started trembling and she ran inside the house to inform darji and her parents, who were sitting on the cot, awaiting their morning snack.
Darji was sharing a merry joke with both his bahus when the girl ran inside, panting and sweating profusely. Taking in her messed up look, Darji stood up shocked and just as Taiji was about to say something, Brij stormed inside. Geet was still held tightly by him and crying badly, trying hard to free her hand from his tight grip.
Enraged at her son's cruelty, Rupinder went forward and instantly freeing geet's hand, placed a tight slap on her son's face. Brij was looking at her stunned, when Darji came forward and gave him another hard slap. Poor geet was by then clinging to her tayiji and sniffling fearfully, shaken by her brother's cruel behavior.
"Sharm nai aati tujhe, apni chhoti behen ke saath aisi harkat karke? Aakhir tu kya saabit karna chahta hai? Samajh mei nai aata aakhir is ladke ko kya ho gaya hai. Puri tarah se hath se nikal gaya hai ye. Ab to ghar ke bado ki baat bhi koi asar nahi karti is ke dimaag par." Daarji blasted brij angrily as he wanted to cure the haughty and arrogant guy of his stubborn attitude.
"Daarji, mai bas iss ladki ko dhang se kabu kar ne ki koshish kar raha hu. Mere dost dilawar khattar ne rishta bheja hai iske liye. Is ke ye videshi dhang ab shadi ke baad uske ghar mei nai chalenge. Acha hoga ki ab aap isko itni azaadi na do. Warna ek din ye poore handa parivaar ki naak katwa ke rahegi." Brij finished in his usual arrogant way.
Sukhdev Handa took one look at his scared grand-daughter and eyed his sons. They took away geet to her room and Rajji and tito followed suit. Then Daarji went to another corner of the hall and picking up the landline phone, dialed someone.
"Rrring Rrrinnnggg! went the phone and Mr. Amar Khurana, the witty patriarch of India's most honored industrial outfit, Khurana Industries, answered the call.
Hearing the other person, he was smiling with delight. Then the visit was fixed, and he ended the call saying,"Theek hai sukhdev, hum log kal shaam ko milenge. Main ghar mei sab ko inform kar deta hoon." Saying so, Dadaji cut the call and turned to speak to his junior version, his grandson Maan.
"Maan bete hum ne apne dost Sukhdev Handa ki poti se aap ki shaadi fix kar di hai. Aap aaj shaam ko hamare saath chalenge hoshiarpur, sab se mil kar geet se sagaai kar ne ke liye." He finished with a wide smile.
Maan frowned hearing his grandpa and uttered huffily, "Dadaji plz, aap jante hai ki mujhe ek achi, modern aur ideal ladki se shaadi karni hai. I want a modern girl, not a village belle, jo dhang se cheese toast bhi nahi khaa sake. I won't even look at her." He said in a disappointed tone.
"Sorry maan bete, but the decision is made, ab aap kuch nai keh sakte. Aap ko hamare saath aaj hi hoshiarpur ke liye nikalna hai, so plz get ready to leave. Hum annie aur vicky ko bata kar aate hain." Saying so, Dadimaa left to inform her other two bratty kids, who are the life of their mansion.
"Geet puttar, meri baat ko samajhne ki koshish to kar. Tu janti hai ki tere Daarji kabhi tere liye koi galath decision nai lenge. Bas ek baar, maan puttar se mil to sahi. Muje poora vishwaas hai ki tu usko dekhte hi pasand kar legi." Daarji was trying to
make geet understand and agree for maan's alliance. But she was not ready to understand as she was not ready to marry anyone just then.
"Daarji aap kyu mujhe aise apne se duur karna chahte ho? Muje kisi se shaadi nai karni. Brij veerji bi muje zabardasti apne dost se shadi karwane ki baat keh rahe hain. Mujhe aap sab ko chhod kar kahi nai jana hai. Mai, yahi rahungi, aap sab ke saath." Geet declared while shedding tears, wrapping her arms firmly around her grandpa's enormous waist.
Tayaji and mohinder sat down in front of them and threading his niece's little head with his broad palm Rajinder said, "Dekho puttar, tujhe pata hai ki agar tu maan se shadi nai karegi, to brij kisi bhi tarah se apne dost dilawar ko tere gale baandh dega. Aur phir wo shaitaan agar teri zindagi mei aa gaya, tu tujhe barbaad kar dega. Aisa nai hai, ki hum tujhe us dilawar se bacha nai sakte, lekin tu apne veerji ko ache se janti hai. Wo teri marzi ke khilaaf, tuje dara dhamka ke shadi ke liye
bithaa dega. Aur hum sab log haar jayaenge. Kya tu chahti hai ki, hum log haar jayein? Kya tu apne parivaar, apne Daarji ki khushi nahi chahti? Kya tu hum logo ki khaatir, itni si baat bhi nahi maanegi? Maan se shaadi ki baat nai maanegi?
Geet realized that her family was right. She was not going to let them down. Her Daarji loved her very much, and she was hell bent on proving that she would always uphold his pride. She decided that she would meet the guy her grandpa selected for her and get married to him. She made up her mind to make her family's good wish come true.
The whole way from Delhi to hoshiarpur, first in their chartered flight and later by road, maan was cursing his stupid sister and naughty daada-dadi under his breath. He just couldn't believe that he had agreed to their insane idea of visiting this village and meeting those backward, narrow-minded people. And that miss geet, gosh! what kind of a silly, behenji type girl would she be! Maan certainly didn't want any girl to run behind him holding a glass of buttermilk and uttering, "Suniye ji! Suniye ji." His eyes became big as saucers while imagining that horrible scene in his mind and maan shook his head lightly, trying to calm himself.
The driver's voice brought maan out of his thoughts. He got out of the car as his sister and dada-dadi had already got down. Sending ramesh to park the car, Maan took a step ahead and was astonished by what he saw. An impressive looking old-fashioned haveli and posh, well dressed servants. A tall, good looking old man was hugging his dada joyfully and two beautiful women were taking the aarti of the guests. Two middle aged men were taking blessings from the elders and escorting them inside.
Maan followed them and they all sat down on comfortable, squashy armchairs. Everything in the haveli from the people, their clothing to the interiors and furnishings was absolutely high class and sophisticated. A little girl and boy dressed in tee shirt and jeans were chatting animatedly with annie, giggling together happily. MSK shook his head seeing his kiddish little sister.
"Arey Sukhi, geet beti kahaan hai, usey to bulao. Hum kab se taras rahe hain usey milne ke liye." Dadaji prompted his friend as he wanted to tame his nakchada grandson. Just then, annie ran forward saying, "Wow man! Such a beauty. Ye kitni khubsurat hai na dadima! Bhai, you r so lucky. Sach mei, dadaji ne to ek pari dhundi hai aap ke liye." Shocked to hear the sudden shouts, maan turned to look in that direction and was just left gaping at the gorgeous beauty standing in the middle of the room, dressed in a beautiful brown turtleneck top and black denims. She had beautiful black, glossy hair which hung down her back. The lovely doe-like eyes, cute confused face and luscious creamy skin was too good to be true.
Maan found himself getting up from the couch and walking forward, smiled at taiji and rajji. Then forwarding his hand he said in his husky voice,"Hello, I am maan. Aap ka naam kya hai?" Geet was a bit hesitant and she looked at her family for support. Daarji and everyone gave her wide smiles and blinked assuringly. Relieved with their looks, she smiled faintly and holding maan's hand, replied softly, "I am geet, aap se mil ke bahot khushi hui."
Maan was looking at geet fixedly the whole day and entire evening too, getting restless in between whenever she went inside or outside with her siblings. Although he denied it at first, but it was true. Maan Singh Khurana, the most eligible bachelor in India, had fallen head over heels in love with Geet Mohinder Handa, the most beautiful girl in hoshiarpur. The evening air smelled pure and sweet, as maan smiled feeling the magic of romance in his workaholic life for the first time.
Cricket
Jhanak
1.1k