chapter 16
at night kesar came in his room and saw gulaal sleeping
he came near gazed her for a moment and then quietly switch off the lamp and walked away
in the morning gulaal got ready for the hospital she came out of the house and saw kesar sitting on the door stairs waiting for her
she looked and tried to walk away from him
kesr said from behind" thanks"
gulaal turned back and looked at him
kesar said "thanks wo college fees k liye"
gulaal turned around and coldy replied "isme thanks ki kya baat hai wo paise vasant k hain unhone tumhari fees k liye rakhe the meine bas fees submit ki hai"
and then walked towards the gate she was looking for a taxi…….kesar was standing behind suddenly he noticed a car was coming with a high speed there was muddy water on th road the car came and spalshed the muddy water……kesar quickly came and grab gulaal and pulled her towards him……..gulaal was shocked and with reflex she pushed him away and turned back
kesar stood silent and then hesitately said "wo kichad aa raha tha isliye"
gulaal replied "mein thek hun" and then she looked for the taxi
kesar said in the low voice "can I drop u "
gulaal looked back she was getting late for the work so she quietly sat on the car…kesar also sat on the car and he drove her to hospital
meanwhile in the hospital dr dusyhant got the news from the staff about gulaal's marriage……..dr dushyant was unaware of this entire event as he was out of town since last one month so the news came as shock to him…..he was walking outside the hospital premise in state of confusion and he saw gulaal coming out of the car……he came near the car and greeted gulaal
gulaal said "dr dushyant apki trip kaise thi"
dushyant said "achi thi gulaal meine suna tumhari shaadi ho gayi….itni jaldi yah sab ho gaya……tumne bataya bhi nahi"
meanwhile they were talking kesar came out of the car and said "mein chalta hun"….gulaal noded her head and kesar left
dushyant was surprised he asked "yeh kesar…kaise…tumhari to shaadi ho gayi hai"
gulaal said in low voice 'meri shaadi kesar se hui hai, he is my husband"
dushyant was shocked and speechless
duhyant and gulaal were sitting in the canteen area gulaal explained him the whole situation……
dushyant said "yeh kesar itna immature behaviour kaise kar sakta hai usne bahut implusive hokar yeh decision liya hai"
gulaal said "haan par kesar k galati nahi situation inti tensed thi kisko kuch bhi samajh nahi aa raha tha jo kuch bhi hua uske liye halat jimeedaar hain"
dr dushyant "to phir kya socha hai apne is naye rishte ko kaise aage continue karogi"
gulaal replied in frustration" dr dushyant mein yeh rishta nahi apna sakti mein sirf apne family ko support karne k liye wanha hun jab sab theek ho jayge mein khud wo ghar chod kar chaali jaungi"
dushyant remained silent he looked at gulaal with a hope
in the evening gulaal came out of the hospital she saw kesar was waiting for her outside……gulaal was frustrated……. the past event had a great impact she was irked
in frustration she went nesar kesar and asked "kesar tum yaha kya kar rahe ho"
kesar said "tumhe pick up karne"
gulaal was angry she replied angrily "kyu iski kya jaurarat hai kesar tumhe aisa kyu lagta hai k mujhe hamesha tumhare support k jarurat padegi mein …mein apna khayal rakh sakti hun mein apni care karna ache se janti hun so plz leave me alone"
and then she started walking and looked for a taxi
kesar replied from back in low voice "aaj bus aur taxi k strike hain isliye socha tumhe pick up karlu…."
Gulaal looked at kesar and then turned back and started looking at the road for taxi…..she searched for 10 minutes kesar was standing quietly
after 10 minute gulaal turned back and sat in the car and they returned home
At night everyone sat for dinner gulaal was serving the dinner diaba asked for achar
Gulaal went in her kitchen she fount the achar jar she was trying to open the lid but the lid was tight……while gulaal was struggling to open the lid kesar came in the kitchen he saw her and offered help
Gulaal refused and said mein kar lungi
kesar took a deep breadth and stood there clamly watching gulaal…. struggling with the jar lid like the same way he watched her wen gulaal's duppatta was stuck in his bike
After few attempts gulaal gave up and without looking him said "yeh khul nahi raha"
Kesar smiled a little bit and he took the jar opened the lid and went away
After dinner kesar seeked permission from panba for a nightsaty at vicky's house
diaba asked him he said he has to complete his assignment with vicky so need to stay at his house……..panba gave him the permission as she knew y kesar wanted to stay out…. But diaba sensed the tension and awkwardness in their relation
For few couple of days diaba observed kesar and gulaal…..she was a wise woman she noticed the coldness and awkardness in their relation…secifically gulaal she reamined conscious wen kesar was around……diaba understood her dielemma and thought to talk to her
Next morning diaba came in kesar's room……kesr saw and offered her chair
Diaba said "kesar mein kal waapas talsagar jaa rahi hun"
Kesar asked "par kyu daiba itni jaldi kya hai jaane k abhi to ayi itni jaldi kyu"
Diaba said "mein sarpanch hun k mujhe wanha par bhi jaake kaam dekhne hai jaana to padega"
Gulaal came in the room she got the news that diaba was leaving for talsagra she came near and said "diaba kuch din aur aap ruk jaati"
Diaba said "nahi jaana to padega"
Kesar and gulaal were upset diaba looked at them and said "yeh kya mujhe kal jaana…….par jaane se pehle mujhe mumbai nahi ghumaayoge….kyu kesar mujhe sair nahi karaayga"
Kesar said "haan diaba kyu nahi mein aaj college se off le leta hun"
Diaba saked gulaal to accompany her gulaal agreed and she took also took a day off
Diaba kesar and gulaal left home and visited some important temples of mumbai other tourist spots…..then diaba asked kesar to show her beautiful beaches of mumbai
Kesar took them to aksa beach as it is generally less crowded and more peaceful…soon they reached aksa beach it was beautiful and expansive beach of mumbai…it was a working day so it was almost desserted…..the sand was very fine and light almost white in apperance….diaba gulaal and kesar were walking slowly along this beach gulaal was in the deep state of relaxation as she continued walking down the beach she can feel the sea breeze blowing gently against her cheek…..the fresh salty smell of the air was blissful the warmth of the sunrays was penterating her body…….the raoring sound of the surf was so soothong that she felt perfectly content on this beautiful beach….gulaal took her shoes and stepped onto the sand in her bare foot…..kesar was walking behind gulaal and diaba…….he was looking at beautiful footprints of gulaal …he was stepping over those footprints superfuously….he then saw two kids trying to build a sand castle on the beach he stood there and walked towards the kids and offered his help……he then started building the sand castle with them
Diaba and gulaal walked a little distance and then diaba asked gulaal to sit and they sat on the beach….gulaal watched the waves ebb and flow..they were slowly coming in….breaking over each other….and then slowly flowing back out again…she was looking over the horizon how it bended slightly downward as it follwed the curvature of the earth and may miles offshore a tiny sailboat skimming along the surface of water…gulaal was looking at the scenic with great pleasure diaba looked at her and asked her "tumhe samandaar pasand hai?"
She happily replied "mujhe paani, samandaar, aasmaan, nadi sab bahut acha lagta hai ……janti hai diaba bachpan mein bengal mein rehti thi humahara shaher ganga nadi k kinaare tha…..aksar mummy papa k saath waha jaaya karti thi…..nadi ko dekhna aur naav k sair karna acha lagta tha"
Diaba said" kesar ko bhi nadi bahut pasand hai bachpan wo bhi nadi k sair karne k zid karta tha…..wanha jakar kagazz k naav chalta tha…..pechli bar keh raha tha mein apna janamdin naav par maanuga"….and diaba laughed
Gulaal heard kesar name and suddenly got conscious
Diaba looked at her she knew gulaal was hesistant….
Diaba looked at the ocean and said "janti ho gulaal ek ladki ka jeevan bikul ganga nadi (river) k tarah hota hai shuruat mein jitne chanchal aur shok baad mein utni hi gehri aur shaant……..ganga kitne hi mod se guzarati hai……kitne hi toofan aate hai par bas wo behte rehti hai ……raaste mein ganga ka sangam bhi hota hai…..wo jagah bahut paawan aur pavitra maani jaati hai….logo k saare paap us pavitra sangam mein nasht ho jate hai"
Diaba then looked at her and said "par ganga wanha rukti nahi hai gulaal….uske kismat mein sahil se milna likha hota hai……she paused and said "gulaal tera sahil bhi tera intzaar kar raha hai" pointing at kesar
Gulaal was listening here quitely she said in low voice "diaba mein vasant k yaad k saath khush hun"
Diaba said nahi gulaal yaadein k sahare zindagi nahi guzaar sakte…she then pointed at some girls who were playing with soap bubbles "un bachiyon ko dekho gulaal ek hawa mein bulbule (soap bubble ) uda rahi hai aur dusare us bulbule (bubble) ko pakkad ne koshish kar rahi hai…jitna chahe koshish karle yeh bulbule kabhi haath nahi aate…..gulaal vasant k yaad aur usese judi khushiyaan bhi un bulbule k tarah hain tu jitna bhi unhe pakadne k koshish karegi tere haath kuch nahi aayega….to sirf uhe dekh kar khush ho sakti hai par tere haath hamesha khaali rehenge"
Gulaal was in tears as diaba was telling her the tragedy and practicality of life…..she said "diaba par kesar"
Diaba said "gulaal tujhe yeh saare baatein teri dadisaas nahi balki wo aurat kah rahi hai jisne apne pati ko kabhi bahut pyaar kiya aur uske pati ne uska saath beech mein mein chod diya..tab uske dewar ne uska haath thama aur unka haath tham k is aurat ne zindaagi k bahut khubsoorat pal jiye hain…..
Gulaal looked at diaba
Diaba said "gulaal apna naazariya (prespective) badal teri nazare(insight) apne aap badal jaayegi "
Gulaal didn't said anything and looked at kesar who was trying to erect mould of sand that never took a familiar shape….he was trying to build the castle but couldnt.she looked him and slowly walked towards him and sat beside him and satrted building the sand castle…..and together they build the most beautiful and impressive sand caslte….the kids were delighted to see the lovely castle they came near and kissed kesar and gulaal and said "thanks"
Kesar and gulaal looked at each other with a smile…the smile that was natural and genuine ..then kesar stood and started walking away…..gulaal saw him leaving and called him from behind
Gulaal "kesar"
Kesar turned back
Gulaal said "humne kabhi ek dusare se baat nahi ki hai…..ek dusare se kate kate rehte hain….kya hum dost ban sakte hain"
And gulaal put her hand forward kesar looked at her…he smiled and put his hand on her hand….in the back sun was sinking in the ocean and hiding its light but for diaba who witnessed th whole event ………it was a new beginiing
Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin
