Ab ke Baras! Chapter 14 up! On 12th Apr! On Page 41! - Page 23

Originally posted by: khwaishfan

Chapter 12

terrific update! well written!

Maan drawn to Geet and cannot understand why!

Maan experiences de ja vu! the plave seems familar!

Geet worried about Maan!

can understand his dilemma!

update soon!

Originally posted by: love2_soma

geet hi kya mahi hai?kya maan mil payega apne mahi se?...

lovely update...

loved it very much...

Originally posted by: fict

fabulous part. Maan remembering many things and recognizing places means he is on the right track to find out about Mahi soon. Both Maan and Geet not wanting to leave each other as of now. Strong attraction from both sides.😊 waiting for next.

Originally posted by: aparna3011

superb update

both maan n geet are having feeling for each other but not able to name it

maan remembering the places

he is lie to geet that his grandfather told n show places in photos of the places he is describing to her

Originally posted by: khwaishfan

Kalpana post Chapter 13

Originally posted by: khwaishfan

hi there. its 2 months since you updated!

CHAPTER 13. THE BADI KOTHI

Geet looked up as Maan got down the stairs. She frowned. He didn't seem his usual cheerful nature. Agreed, he is never cheerful in the morning. But today he looked different. His eyes looked bloodshot and tired. His face looked dull. Geet wondered what the problem was but didn't question him and quietly served him his breakfast. She may have decided not to badger him with questions, but that didn't mean she was not concerned. And her concern was clear on her face.

Maan ignored her concerned gaze though. He knew he looked horrible. And how could he not be? He didn't sleep properly the whole night. First it was that breeze, then it was that house and now that Badi Kothi that he saw in his visions but was supposed to be only few miles away from him. The whole situation gave him sleepless night and he kept on tossing and turning. He remained quiet as Geet and he ate their breakfast.

Once done, Geet entered the kitchen to wash the utensils and Maan spoke up, "Geet!

"Ji?, she asked as she continued to scrub one of the utensils.

Maan entered the kitchen and stood beside her, "I was thinking. Kyun na main... Badi Kothi... aaj jaake aajaaun?, Maan blurted out feeling worried. He noticed Geet's shoulders tense and he wondered if she didn't like his suggestion. What if she was hurt that he wasn't taking her with him? Wait! Why would she be hurt? Maan shook his head. He was being silly!

But Maan was right. Geet was a little bit hurt at Maan's words. But she didn't know why! What is wrong with him going somewhere alone? She didn't understand her feelings at all.

She looked at him and the words came out of her mouth before she could stop herself, "Kyun? Ek din aur ruk nahi sakte? She realised how harsh she sounded, once the words came out of her mouth and she turned back to work on her utensils! Jhalli! Jhalli! Jhalli Geet! Kuch bhi bol deti hai!

"Nahi! Ruk sakta hun!, Maan whispered and turned away, unsure what to say.

Geet realised that she was being silly and taking a deep breath, she told him, "Actually Maan... Aap akele jaana chaahte hain toh jaa sakte hain!

"Really?, he asked in excitement and as he turned to look at her. He badly wanted to see the place that seemed to have held a special place in Mohi's heart.

Geet forced a smile on her face and looked at him, "Ji! Aap chale jaayiye!

"Thanks, Geet!, Maan said, as he surged forward, gave her a hug and walked off.

Geet stood there in shock and then after few seconds, went back to her utensils. But one thing stood out in clarity: She didn't want him to go alone. She didn't because this meant she lost some time to spend with him.

Maan stared with wide eyes at the Badi Kothi in front of him. He was here! He was here! Finally! One solid clue to his past and Mahi! And he was in front of it! He closed his eyes and remembered the peace and attachment he felt for this place as Mohi! He opened his eyes and took in a deep breath. He got down the Jeep, adjusted his shade and strode forward to the main gate. Just as he reached them, a watchman came out of nowhere.

"Kaun hai aap? Kya chaahiye?, the watchman questioned.

"Who owns this place?, Maan asked him.

"Ki?, the man asked in confusion.

Maan resisted the urge to chuckle and spoke in Hindi, "Iss kothi ke owner kaun hai?

"Kohli Saab hain!, the watchman replied.

"Kya main unse baat kar sakta hun?, Maan asked.

"Aap kaun?, the watchman questioned.

"Ji main... Maan Singh Khurana hoon. America se aaya hoon! Unse... Unse milna hai mujhe!, Maan was making up as he went. He pulled out his Business Card and handed it to the watchman. The Watchman told him to wait and went to the main entrance. After a while he came back and asked Maan to come in. Maan drove his Jeep through a long winding driveway and reached the Palace like Mansion. It seemed to shine in the sunlight, Maan felt. As he got down, a lean man in his late forties or early fifties came running down the front steps with a smile on his face. His hair was peppered in with white hair and he wore gold rimmed spectacles. His eyes were small and shrewd but his face was cheerful. He was fit despite his age. He was wearing pristine white silk pyjama and his kurti was embroidered and looking more like what Maan saw men wearing in Punjabi weddings. But this man seemed to wear it for day to day life. In his breast pocket was a red colored folded kerchief and his wrist had gold plated expensive watch. It seemed that the man lived a life of opulence. As Maan stared at the man, he felt stunned. The man looked so familiar. Why do I feel I should know him? Who is he?

"Hello! Mr. Khurana! I am Thakur Kohli, the owner of this house! But you can call me Raj! That's what most people call me!, the man introduced himself as he put his hand forward.

Maan shook hands with the man and introduced himself and explained his status as the CEO of his company. Just then he removed his shades and the man's eyes widened.

"Pardon me, Mr. Khurana! But your face looks very familiar to me! Infact, I am certain that I knew somebody whom you resemble. Are you by any chance related to Mr. Mohinderjeet Khalsa?, the man spoke with a posh accent making Maan feel as if this man had taken education from abroad, most probably London based on his faint accent.

Maan took in a sharp breath. So he was in right place! And this man knew his past person. But he couldn't blurt that out, could he? Maan relaxed a little, "I might be! Just then an information came to his mind. Mohi's elder sister had gotten married to some fellow who a year after marriage shifted to Canada with his family. Maan didn't know how he knew this information. Must be Mohi's knowledge! Maan continued to speak, "My Nani's name is Harpreet Kaur, Happy!

"Oh!, the man's face suddenly cleared and he became very happy, "You are Happy Didi's grandson! I was quiet fond of her! She used to take me and Mohi to the local fair! Suddenly Maan's mind showed him a vision of a simple looking girl dragging him and another kid to some fair. He blinked and the vision vanished.

"Come on in! Come on in! Any family of the Khalsas are always welcome in the Badi Kothi! You Granduncle Mohi lived here as much as I did!, the man explained as both walked up the stairs and entered the house. The Mansion was just like Maan had seen and described to Geet. And seeing it in front of him, proved to him that all his past lives' story were real and not an element of a fiction.

"So how can I help you? Are you here to visit your family's hometown?, asked Raj.

Maan smiled. His original plan was to lie about wanting to see the architecture but the man itself provided with a better excuse.

"Uh.. yes! Naani was very dear to me. But she died quite prematurely and I didn't get to spend much time to her. So I came here to know about her family. What can you tell me about them? Especially my Granduncle Mohi... Naanaji used to say she was very fond of him!, Maan rambled, praying that this man didn't have the knowledge about Happy didi's current status. Or else he would catch Maan's lie easily.

The man took in a deep breath and sighed, "What to say about Mohi! He was one loyal and kind fellow. Didn't lie. Didn't cheat. Total honest banda! We played together as children. The fun we had! The man stopped speaking and stared at a distance with a hazy look in his eyes as if lost in the past. Maan closed his eyes praying that he would have some vision showing some of these memories that the man mentioned but he could sense nothing.

Few minutes later found both the men in the backyard sitting on wicker baskets with a dining table in front of them and tea in their hands. Raj was regaling Maan with one of his childhood antics with Mohi and both were laughing. Once the laughter died, Raj spoke, "But I don't know much about Mohi's adult life though. We had grown up together as kids but after that my parents sent me to London for further studies. And when I came back, Mohi was a part of Indian Army and in love with a young girl called Mahi.

Maan took in a sharp breath at those words. So Mahi is real! Finally! Finally I get some solid clue about Mahi.

"Mahi?, Maan acted clueless.

The man chuckled, "Ah, yes! Your Naani wouldn't have known about this, yes? She was married in our childhood itself. So she mustn't have known about Mahi! Mahi! That girl who stole Mohi's heart., the man was once again lost in his memories as he continued, "She was a cheerful but feisty girl. She loved her pranks and was always running around creating ruckus. You can never see her stand still anywhere. She was what Mohi called Chulbuli. She was the girl who captured Mohi's attention and never let it go. The man suddenly came out of his thoughts and looked at Maan with smile, "I didn't see their love story begin. But I certain was a part to it. After all, I was the one who helped them get engaged by taking Mohi's rishta to Mahi's house with him. And I was the one who suggested this house as the venue for their engagement. This house may not have witnessed their love story but it did see their engagement.

Suddenly a servant came out of nowhere telling Raj that there was an urgent phone call for him and some farmers wanting to meet him about some help. Raj nodded and excused himself. Both Maan and Raj stood up and Raj invited Maan for lunch.

"And while you wait for me and our lunch, you can explore my Palace! You are an architect. You might find it quite fascinating., was the man's parting shot as he left with his servant.

Maan liked the idea of inspecting the Palace. For so many days, he had been lost in this world of Mohi and Mahi that he had forgotten what it was like to be Maan Singh Khurana, the man who was so passionate about architecture that he made it his career. To inspect the architecture of a building was something so purely Maan, that Maan appreciated the offer and was eager to look around, even a building that wasn't that magnificent compared to some Palaces he had seen in Europe.

Maan entered the building through the back door and reach the main hall again. There he started to roam around inspecting the walls and some of the murals painted on it. Some were of old wars that the house seemed to have witnessed, but some murals were purely for aesthetic purposes as they depicted beautiful sceneries and well-dressed people. Strategically placed on the walls were paintings of, what Maan presumed, the ancestors of the family. While walking by the wall and admiring the paintings Maan didn't realise when he had entered a corridor. He simply walked around enjoying the place, for once forgetting his worries and just being at peace in the moment.

Just then his peace was shattered as he heard a voice. Someone was singing he realised. But he couldn't guess from which opening of the corridor the song originated. The voice stopped singing. He looked around in confusion. Who was singing? Just then he heard it again, but this time clearly.

"Maine bhi kya khaab sunehra dekha... Har chehre mein tera chehra dekha...

It was clearly a female singing, Maan understood. He looked around the corridor once again but he heard nothing. He walked back swiftly the way he came and just as he stepped into the main hall, he encountered one of the servants who was coming in from outside.

"Hello! Suno!, Maan called out.

"Ji Sarkar!, the man came closer.

"Yahaan pe koi gaa raha tha kya?, Maan asked.

"Nahi Sarkar!, replied the man.

"Are you sure? Koi ladki yahaan gaa nahi rahi thi?, Maan asked to confirm.

"Arre! Nahi sahib! Yahaan toh koi ladki rehti bhi nahi. Gaayegi kahaan se? Yahaan sirf Bade Thakur rehte hain, aur koi nahi! Yahaan ladki toh kya, naukrani bhi nahi hai!, said the servant.

Maan frowned as he wondered what was going on. Why was he then hearing a female singing? Just then his eyes widened. Must be from his memories!

Maan whirled around and stared at the corridor with different eyes now. Earlier, they just told him stories of the architecture, but now they held the clues to his past. He ran down the corridor, eager to see where it ended and mainly what memories would be unlocked once he reached the end.

He reached the end and it was a door. He laid his hand on the door and stared at it blankly for few seconds, part excited and part nervous. Finally, he took in a deep breath and pushed it open. He frowned. The door didn't lead to a room, it opened to a garden. This must be the side of the palace. He shook his head. That's it? A garden? What was he going to find here? He turned to walk away when suddenly he heard giggling. He turned around in shock. Who laughed? Who was it?

"Kaun hai? Kaun hai wahaan?, Maan shouted as he stepped out. The garden unlike the one in the back was not filled with flower beds and flowers. This was made to look wild, with strategically places bushes and trees all over. It was perfect place to hide, Maan thought as he looked around for the giggling person. Just then he heard it again and now he could recognise it being distinctly a female voice. Must be the singer! Maan pushed some of the branches hanging above out of the way and came to an open area. Just then he heard it.

A lady was laughing! Maan walked forward astonished towards the voice. It came from behind one of the trees. He reached the tree and looked around only to be stupefied. A couple were there. The man was hugging the woman from behind. He was tickling her and she was laughing. Maan was shocked because he couldn't see their faces. Everything was a blur. For a second he stood there without blinking, unable to understand why it was so blurry. Just then the couple vanished and Maan took in a sharp breath. It was them! He knew it. It was Mahi and Mohi! Who else could he see? But what are his memories trying to tell him? Why is everything so fragmented? Maan was frustrated as he continued to think. Why can't everything be smooth and shown to him in one whole film like they do it in movies? Why only pieces of memories? He shook his head trying to dislodge his thoughts. Enough of negative thoughts. I have to remain positive, or else my past life would destroy my present one. He leaned on the tree and closed his eyes trying to reign in the despair he was feeling. Just then he heard her speak.

"Ab tu mennu kadde chad ke nai ja sakta! Teri meri sagaai hogayi! Aur ek saal mein vyaah hoga !, he heard her say. Maan's first instinct was to open his eyes and look around. But he kept his eyes shut tightly. He instinctively knew that if he opened his eyes, she will vanish and the memory too. So he kept his shut and focused on the memory. Suddenly he could see it through his mind's eye. He was standing near the tree but this time Mahi was in his arms. He couldn't see her face but he knew that it was her. She had her arms around his neck and Maan could feel that she was looking at him with love. Maan concentrated on her words and despite not understanding Punjabi he understood what she was saying. This vision was from the time just after their engagement. And they were to get married in a year. And now she was teasing him.

Mohi replied to her words with a question while his arms tightened around her waist, "Aur tu mennu chad ke gayi toh? Maan could feel Mohi's fear at the thought of Mahi leaving him.

Mahi huffed and Maan felt that she was glaring at him, "Tennu chaddne se pehle main mar na jaaun!

"Mahi!, Mohi snapped at her as he tugged her into a tight hug.

Maan's eyes snapped open at the surge of love he felt at that moment. Mohi's feelings were being transferred to him again. He shook his head. He couldn't get drowned in Mohi's feelings or he would loose himself again. But Mahi's words reverberated through his brain, "Tennu chaddne se pehle main mar na jaaun! And that's exactly what had happened. Maan felt a shiver down his spine at the thought.

It was late in the evening when Maan came back to Handa House. After his vision, one of the servants had found him and brought him to Mr. Kohli for their lunch. Only Maan knew how he had maintained his composure and hidden his inner thoughts while trying to maintain a normal conversation with Raj. After lunch he excused himself and grabbing his Jeep, had driven back to the village. But then something tugged Maan and he ended up in the older part of the village right where the house that seemed familiar a day back stood. He had entered the house, taken a seat on the floor and tried to find some solace from his thoughts. He was fed up of this past life madness. In every film about reincarnation, they show that the people try to find about their past. But none of the movies show the inner turmoil that the characters feel. The confusion of the past, the mystery of Mahi, the fear of losing the current self to the past self. Maan wanted a respite from all of it. He wanted a break. As he sat there for few hours, mulling about his fate, his mind went to Geet and he sat up. He realised she was his respite. She knew nothing about his past. She was as far away from this mystery as possible. Talking to her would be a good break from this mystery. And hence, he had taken his Jeep and drove right back to Handa House. And now that he stood at the threshold and saw Geet sitting on a stool reading something, Maan felt at peace.

Oh my! Geet is Maan's peace and respite! How sweet!

Next update, Maaneet have a moment while another clue about the mystery comes to fore!

Thank you, take care and have fun,

Kalpana

Loved the chapter👏

thanks for the pm!

Very nice & exiting update
So maan got some clues about his past & met Raj who was mohi's friend
When will Geet remember her past & recognise maan ?
Pls update soon