FF:Pyaar Ka Rishta Final Chapter updtd Pg 67 - Page 22

Chapter 12

(Flash Back- Kesar's Journey)

Kesar was cheerful when he left the house. The sight of Gulaal waving at him filled his mind with a strange feeling of peace, contentment, of a sense of belonging. He had dated some girls in the past but no one ever affected him as she did and he did not even know the reason why. Maybe it was the quiet strength in her that allowed her to strive on inspite of the disheartening situation she found herself in or maybe it was the fragile vulnerability that she tried her best to hide but sometimes peeked out. There was something about this 'child-woman' that just drew him in and he didn't know if he could ever escape her charms or maybe he really did not wish to. He hadn't slept a wink last night thinking about the almost kiss. He would have definitely kissed her if that call hadn't interrupted the moment and brought him back to reality. The sight of Gulaal standing against the door, teary eyed and an intoxicating smile, looking at him with those big, beautiful eyes had hypnotised him. He tried fighting it but the moment she closed her eyes in surrender, he knew he was lost. He had hated that ringing sound of his phone at that moment from the bottom of his heart but now thinking about it with a clear head he was partly thankful for the call. He knew what he felt for Gulaal was way more than friendship but right now everthing was too complicated, "jab tak Gulaal is jhoote rishte mein qaid hai tab tak mujhe apne jazbaaton par kaaboo karna hoga.main samaaj ki parwaah nahi karta lekin meri wajah se Gulaal par ungli uthe yeh mujhse bardaasht nahi hoga",he thought with a quiet determination.

As the car reached the airport he called up Akhilendra Sharma who was waiting for him outside. Kesar asks him "aapne kal bataya nahi ki hum Guwahati kyun jaa rahe hain?"

Sharma: "woh maine Vasant ji aur Jennyji ke cell phone records check karwaye.usse patha chala ki Guwahati mein dono ke cell phone use hue hain.uske baad kuch activity nahi hui hai.phir maine Jennyji ka background check kiya tho patha chala ki unke door ke rishtedaar,unke koi uncle wahaan rehte hain.ab aage ka wahin jaa kar patha chalega.mujhe laga ki agar aap saath chalenge tho Jennyji se baat karne mein aasaani hogi".

Kesar: "mujhe tho laga ki Jenny ka is duniya mein koi nahi hai.yeh aapne bahut acha kiya jo mujhe batha diya.main jald se jald un dono se milna chahtha hoon.kitne din ho gaye unse mile hue", he smiles.

Kesar was filled with excitement to meet his brother but he was so tired that he slept in the flight and his dreams were once again haunted by Gulaal. "Kesar" he could hear her sweet voice calling him. "Kesar" and he smiles lazily in his sleep,catches hold of her hand and mutters "Gulaal". He hears a loud laugh "Kesarji sapnon ki duniya se baahar aayiye.main Gulaal nahi jo aap mera haath itne pyaar se pakad rahe hain",Kesar wakes up with a start and is shocked to see Sharmaji in front of him. He was holding Sharmaji's hand which he let goes of immediately and gives an embarassed smile "sorry woh main'.". "It's ok Kesarji aksar pyaar mein insaan ke saath aisa hota hai.mere saath bhi hua hai,isliye main samajh sakta hoon",Sharma replies with a huge smile. Kesar thinks about the word "pyaar" and a smile creeps up on his face.

They reached Guwahati in the evening. They get the directions for the address in hand and finally reach their destination-Jenny's uncle's house. Kesar's heart was beating fast. He would finally get to know where his Vasant bha was and how he had been doing all these days. The door opened and was answered by an eldery person "yes?" Sharmaji looks to Kesar and prompts him silently to speak.

"uncle,my name is Kesar.I am Jenny's friend from college".

Uncle: "arre beta,come in.baithiye. Kesar naam tho kuch jaana pehchaana sa lag raha hai .Jenny ko college mein jaante the.".

Kesar: "jee uncle.woh kaafi time se baat nahi ho paayee.maine contact karne ki bahut koshish ki lekin'.tab mujhe laga ki shaayad woh aapke paas aayi ho.isliye chala aaya usse milne. Uncle, Jenny kahan hai? jenny's uncle's face tears up "beta,lagta hai tumhe patha nahi chala". Kesar gets an uneasy feeling and asks in a small voice "kya patha nahi chala uncle?"

Jenny's uncle:"beta'.woh'.Jenny ka dedh mahine(one and half months) pehle accident ho gaya tha jisme uski'' maut ho gayi".

Kesar: "yeh kya keh rahe hain aap uncle.Jenny ka accident'yeh sab kaise?" The uncle now was crying freely "patha nahi beta,lagta hai God ki yehi marzi thi.waise bhi wo ache insaano ko hameshaa apne paas jaldi bulaa lete hain. Jenny jab se mere paas rehne aayi tab se bahut udaas thi phir achanak us accident waale din uska ek dost aaya usse milne-Vasant.pehle tho dono ke beech kaafi jhagda hua. Lekin baad mein jab woh mere paas aayi mera permission maagne tho main hairaan reh gaya.maine use itna khush kabhi nahi dekha tha.usne bataya ki woh Vasant se bahut pyaar karti hai aur usse shaadi karna chahti hai isliye woh uske saath uske gharwaalon ko manaane jaa rahi hai.maine hansi-khushi apni razaamandi de di kyunki main sirf uski khushi chahtha tha.lekin mujhe kya patha tha ki destiny ke kuch aur hi plans hain". Kesar had now completely gone cold and silent and Sharmaji had to ask the uncle what happened.

Jenny's uncle: "woh dono taxi se jaa rahe the.achanak ek truck saamne se aayi overtake karte hue aur unki car se takraa gayi. Jenny ne tho wahi dum thod diya". He stops for a moment trying to collect himself. Sharmaji asked "aur saath mein jo ladka tha'woh ab kahan hai?". "mujhe baad mein patha chala ki use hospital le jaaya gaya.uski wallet kisine chori karli thi is hadbadi mein aur uske paas koi ID bhi nahi paaya gaya jisse uska patha maaloom chale. Isliye mujhe hi inform kiya tha hospital waalon ne.lekin jab tak main wahaan pahunchaa bahut der ho chuki thi".

Kesar gets up and says agitatedly "uncle shaayad aapko kuch galat fehmi ho gayi ho.ek baar phir se soch ke bataaiye kya us ladke ka naam Vasant tha?"

Jenny's uncle: "haan beta.uska naam Vasant hi tha.maine kitni koshish ki uske gharwaalon ko doondhne ki lekin patha nahi lagaa paaya.police ne bhi haath khade kar liye.phir maine hi uske body ko claim kiya tha. Par beta tum itna kyun pooch rahe ho uske baare mein?"

Kesar goes into a state of shock and is unable to react. Sharmaji explains to Jenny's uncle that Kesar is Vasant's brother.

Jenny's uncle comes upto Kesar "beta, I am so sorry.maine bahut koshish ki uske kisi apne ko doondh sakoon lekin'..uske pocket mein ek letter tha jo maine sambhaalkar rakhi hai.socha ki kabhi tho koi poochthe hue aayega. oh! isliye mujhe tumhara naam itna jaana pehchaana laga.woh letter tumhare liye hai beta.main abhi leke aata hoon". Sharmaji looks to Kesar who was now sitting on the sofa with a blank look in his eyes. Jenny's uncle comes in holding an envelope and tries giving it to Kesar but he is still as a statue. Sharmaji takes it from him and says"sorry sir,Jennyji ke baare mein sunkar bahut bura laga.lekin kismat ke aage kisi ki kahaan chalti hai". Jenny's uncle wipes away his tears and says "ek baat ki thasalli zaroor hai ki us din woh behad khush thi .woh dono kaafi khush the aur humein unhe isi tarah yaad karna chaahiye", he looks at Kesar while saying this. Sharmaji held Kesar by the arms and takes leave of Jenny's uncle. Kesar's face is completely emotionless at this point and it remains so even after reaching his room. Sharmaji keeps the letter in front of him and says sadly, "mujhe maaf kar dijiye Kesarji.maine kabhi nahi socha tha ki humein yahaan aakar aisi khabar sun ni padegi,nahi tho main aapko apne saath kabhi nahi laata. Aap yeh chitti padh lijiye, is par aapka hi naam likha hai. shaayad isse aapke mann ko thodi shaanti miljaaye". Kesar looks at the letter with fear and doesn't get the courage to open it. He sits in the same position for the rest of the night. The next day Kesar slowly comes out of his shock and picks up the letter with trembling hands. His eyes fill up when he sees a familiar handwriting and he caresses it

" Kesar,

main jaanta hoon tu mujhse naaraaz hai.jab tak tujhe yeh letter milegi tab tak tujhe yeh patha chal gaya hoga ki maine kitni badi galti ki hai.maine tumhara kaha nahi maana.main Motaba se baat nahi kar saka aur Panba ki zid ke aage kuch kar nahi paaya.maine shaadi karke ek maasoom ki zindagi barbaad kardi.main kaayaron ki tarah wahaan se bhaag gaya.mujhe kuch nahi soojh raha tha us waqt.sirf yehi khayaal tha mann mein ki main kahin Jenny ko na kho doon aur is wajah se maine kisike baare mein nahi socha,na hi apne parivaar ke baare mein aur na hi us ladki ke baare mein.mujhe maaf kardena Kesar.lekin jab main Jenny ke paas pahuncha aur use sab batha diya tho uska reaction dekhne laayak tha.tu hota tho tujhe bahut mazaa aata.usne mujhe thappad maara Kesar! Main hairaan reh gaya par us thappad ne mujhe yeh ehsaas dilaaya ki maine kitna bada paap kiya hai.main samajh gaya ki jab tak waapis aakar sabse maafi na maang loon tab tak main kabhi khush nahi reh paaunga.maine jo us ladki ke saath kiya uske liye shaayad bhagwaan mujhe kabhi maaf na karein,lekin try tho kar sakta hoon na ki uski zindagi meri wajah se barbaad na ho.

Jenny ne mera saath dene ka vaada kiya hai aur hum ab ghar waapis jaa rahein hain.main jaanta hoon ki shaayad main uske pyaar ke laayak nahi hoon lekin main bahut khush naseeb hoon Kesar,ki woh mujhse pyaar karti hai yeh jaante hue ki mujhme kai saari kamiyaan hain. tujhse shaayad nazrein milaane ki ya baat karne ki himmat nahi hai mujhme isliye main yeh sab is chitti mein likh raha hoon.ho sake tho mujhe maaf kardena.main jaanta hoon ki maine tumhara dil dukhaya hai aur jab agli baar milenge tho shaayad tu mujhse baat bhi na karna chaahe par ho sake tho apne bade bhai ko maaf kardena.

Vasant".

Kesar started crying reading the letter and he holds it tight to his chest "Vasant bha'''yeh kya ho gaya'.kya ho gaya'..", Sharmaji looks in and closes the door leaving Kesar to come to terms with his brother's death. In the evening Kesar composed himself and once again went to meet Jenny's uncle. They both share their sorrow and the uncle shows him the place where he performed Vasant's last rites. Kesar spent some time there and goes back to the hotel. The next day Kesar decides to go back. He tells Sharmaji "ab yahaan rehkar kya karenge?mujhe ab yeh sochna hai ki main yeh baat gharwaalon ko kaise bataaunga. Sharmaji aapne meri bahut madad ki hai aur uske liye main bahut shukrguzaar hoon", he tries hard to control his emotions and not break down completely. Sharmaji gives him a hug and tells him "apna khayaal rakhiyega Kesarji aur kabhi bhi meri zaroorat pade tho yaad kar lijiyega.main haazir ho jaaunga".

Kesar reached home quite late. He did not have a clue what to do "main kya karoon.kaise kahun sabse? Shaayad mujhse yeh nahi hoga.kam se kam aaj ki raat tho nahi.main kal subah baat karne ki koshish karunga.aaj ki raat main kisi se baat nahi kar paaunga". He decided to go to his room but found himself standing outside Gulaal's room "main yahaan kya kar raha hoon?kya bolunga usse?". He opens the door but is unable to look at her. Her sweet,happy voice cuts into his thoughts "Kesar tum aagaye.maine tumhara kitna intezaar kiya pata hai aur tumhara phone kyun switched off aa raha tha?...". He is not able to answer her for fear of breaking down completely. But when she came closer to him and held his shoulder he felt overwhelmed and all the emotions he had been trying to bottle up just bursts out. He started sobbing loudly and enveloped her in a tight hug. He knew that tomorrow he would have to be strong for the family but tonight he needed this,he needed to express his grief or he would go mad.