Chapter 6
Kesar walked into his room. He saw a red kurta lying on his bed with a note near it. He picked up the note and read it. "Pehenlena, koi nakhre nahi chalenge", Kesar sighed in exasperation.
Paan Baa was pacing right and left when Sudha and asked, "Kya baat hai, Paan Baa?". "Woh, Kesar ko ab tak neeche aa jaana chahiye tha pooja k liye, pata nahi itni der kyu lag rahi hai aur upar se Gulaal kahin chali gayi hai, aarey subah se pooja ki taiyyariyon mein lagi hui thi, ab jab puja ka samay ho gaya hai toh woh gayab ho gayi. Ajeeb hain ye dono bhi" replied Paan Baa. Sudha ceased the moment and said, "Talli hai na woh bula layegi Kesar ko. Aur Kesar k saath pooja main bhi baith sakti hai na". Paan Baa immediately replied, "Sudha, tu yeh kya keh rahi hai?Gulaal ki jagah pooja mein koi nahi le sakta. Pooja Kesar akele kar lega, main toh bas Gulaal ko issiliye dhund rahi thi kyunki humare ghar main koi bhi pooja uski anupasthiti main nahi hoti". Paan Baa left the place and Sudha said to herself, "Ajeeb ghar hai yeh. Yahan Mota Bha kehte hain ki shaadi ko bhul jao aur yeh Paan Baa toh uss shaadi ko bhulaye nahi bhulti".
Talli opened the door of Kesar's room slightly. She saw Kesar sitting on his bed lost in some thoughts. Kesar was wearing a red kurta and he was looking dashing in it. "Kesar", Talli called. Kesar snapped out of his thoughts and clutched the note his hand. "Aise Devdas ki tarah kyun baitha hai?", teased Talli. Kesar became defensive and said, "Devdas??? Tujhe main kis angle se Devdas laga?Main toh...". "Main toh kya? Kya soch raha tha bata na", egged him. "Koi kaam tha kya?",asked Kesar irritated. Talli blushed and said, "Tujhe sab neeche pooja k liye dhoondh rahe hain. Par main tujhe party k liye invite karna chahti thi". "kaisi party?", asked Kesar. "Woh...Rewa didi aur maine mil kar tere saare college ke doston ko bula kar ek chhote si party rakhi hai, farm house pe, shyam ko. Bohot majaa aayega, time pe pahunch jaana. Par filhaal tu neeche chal tera sab wait kar rahe hain", replied Talli excited. Kesar replied irritated, "Tu chal main aata hoon". "Aarey taiyyar toh hai phit nakhre kyu kar raha hai", asked Talli. "Kyunki mujhe pooja main baithne ka mann nahi hai", shot back Kesar. He collected himself and said, "Tu jaa yahan se" and turned his back against her.
"Tu kyun nahi aayega pooja mein?". Kesar knew this voice, he was happily surprised to hear it. He turned back and saw Gulaal standing. He was taken aback by Gulaal's get up. She was wearing a lovely red lehenga and heavy jewelleries,a beautiful bindi, she looked like a newly married woman. Kesar kept gazing at her. Gulaal looked down shyly as she saw his reaction. Kesar collected himself and feigned and irritated expression "Bas nahi jaana". "Kesar aa ke din toh aisa mat bol", said Gulaal. Kesar turned back, folded his hands and frowned. "Main bhi yahan se tab tak nahi jaaungi jab tak tu neeche nahi aata", said Talli. "Khadi reh, mujhe kya", shot back Kesar. Talli was going to say something but Gulaal interrupted and told her in a low voice, "Dekh tu toh zidd mat kar. Tu neeche jaa, main Kesar ko le aaungi. Uske nakhre sirf main hi jhel sakti hun". Talli was a bit stung by Gulaal's last sentence but she made her exit from the room.
Gulaal walked up to Kesar and stood facing him. Kesar turned his face away from her.Gulaal pursued her lips and spoke in a pacifying tone, "Tera gussa mujhpe hain na? Toh tu ghar ke logon par kyun nikaal rha hai". Kesar still was not looking at her. "Main jaanti hun maine jo kucch bhi kiya galat kiya, dekh main apni galati maan rahi hun", said Gulaal. Kesar slowly looked at Gulaal and asked, "Tu kahan chali gayi thi?". "Oh! Woh toh Paan Baa ne kaha tha tere saath pooja main baithne ke liye toh main taiyyar hone chali gayi thi, waise bhi late ho gaya tha aate aate", replied Gulaal. "Mere saath pooja?", Kesar asked confused. Gulaal became uncomfortable with the question and looked here and there. Kesar looked at her curiously and asked, "Kya hua". "Woh...pooja main patni ka baithna zaroori hai isiliye. Main bas yeh Paan Baa ke kehne par kar rahi hun", replied Gulaal and turned her back towards Kesar. Kesar said, "Sirf Paan Baa ke kehne par karne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai. Main abhi jaake Baa se baat karta hun", Gulaal turned towards him and said, "Pagal hai kya? Tere bhalayi ke liye bhi toh kar rahi hun na main par tu hai ki nakhre pe nakhre kiye jaa raha hai". as she finished, she saw Kesar smiling and looking into her eyes. Gulaal got conscious and walked off saying, "Ab tujhe aana hai toh aa". As she reached the door, Kesar said, "Ruk" and she stopped. Kesar walked towards her with a mischievious smile and asked, "Aise baithegi pooja main?". "Matlab?", asked Gulaal confused. Kesar came closer towards Gulaal and Gulaal felt uneasy. He covered her head with her dupatta and said not taking his eyes off her, "Ab theek hai". Then, he walked down to the hall leaving Gulaal all surprised. She thought about the moment for a bit but quickly snapped out of it and followed Kesar.
She came and sat down near Kesar. As the pooja began, Kesar told in Gulaal ears, "Acchi lag rahi hai". Gulaal squeezed out a smile. Mota Bha asked Paan Baa, "Yeh Pooja, Gulaal koi zarbardasti toh nahi..", before he could complete Paan Baa replied, "Nahi ji. Maine Gulaal se kaha zaroor tha par koi zor nahi daala tha. Woh toh apni marzi se pooja main baithi hai, Kesar ki bhalai k liye". "Tab theek hai Paan Baa", said Mota Bha. The pooja was about to end and everyone was given petals of marigold to shower on the photo of the Deity as the priest chanted the mantra. Everybody started showering the petals but Kesar mischieviously kept throwing them at Gulaal. At this, Gulaal feigned irritation but when she looked at Kesar smiling, she couldn't help herself from breaking into a smile as well. This was witnessed by Talli who didn't feel good about it.
After Pooja was over, Gulaal gave a gift to Kesar and said "Yeh Baa ke taraf se". Kesar took it enthusiatically and asked, "Baa kyun nahi aayi?". "Woh...unki tabiyat subah se theek nahi lag rahi thi toh maine hi kaha woh aaram kare aur tum unse baad mein mil sakte ho", replied Gulaal. "Baad mein kyun? Abhi chalte hain", said Kesar enthusiastically. "Abhi?Yahan toh sab log hain", Gulaal replied. "Aarey pooja toh khatam ho chuki hai na. Hum Mota Bha se keh kar chalte hain. Chal Naa", he urged, grabbed Gulaal's hand and walked to Mota Bha. They got a nod from Mota Bha and went to Gulaal's house to meet Poonam Baa. Kesar and Poonam Baa exchanged hugs. Poonam Baa had made him his favourite halwa. All three of them ate the halwa and Kesar talked about how he missed Poonam Baa.
Gulaal looked at her watch and remarked, "Baaton baaton kab shyam ho gayi kucch pata hi nahi chala". Kesar exclaimed, "Bhool hi gaya main". "Kya?", asked Gulaal. "Rewa aur Talli ne mere liye party organise ki hai.Aur already bohot derr ho chuki hai", replied Kesar. "Ohh...toh tu wahan chala jaa aur maafi maang lena late hone ke liye", said Gulaal. "Woh log meri jaan le lenge. Gulaal", he said. Then an idea struck him and he said, "Tu chal na mere saath". "Main uss party main kya karoongi? Nahi Nahi!", denied Gulaal. "Tu hi mujhe baccha sakti hai unse. Chal Naa Gulaal, mere liye", he requested. Gulaal just didn't know what to say, Poonam Baa said, "Itna keh raha hai toh chali jaa, naa". Gulaal said,"Par Baa aapko chhodh ke..", Poonam Baa said, "Main bilkul theek hun. Ab tu jaa, itna keh raha hai woh". Gulaal hung her head in defeat and said, "Theek hai main change karke aati hun". "Uss ka tym bilkul nahi hai, already late hai hum log. Aise hi chal", said Kesar placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her egging her to come with him. Gulaal was waiting Kesar to take his bike out. Kesar parked his bike and came to Gulaal, laughed and said, "Yeh kya?". "Kya", asked Gulaal getting confused. Kesar moved closer towards her, he touched her hair. Gulaal became conscious and was about to say something when Kesar removed a petal entagled in her hair and said, "Yeh phool attak gaye the". "Chale?", asked Gulaal not meeting his eyes. "Haan", he smiled and sat on his bike.
Author's note: Sorry for being super late, I just overslept and sab idhar udhar ho gaya. Plz dnt throw mojris if the chappie doesn't match up to ur expectations.
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