If silence could ever speak
(28/08/2011)
Kesar,
Tu kaisa hein..apne Vasanthbha ko bhul gaya?..pehle tho hum paas na hokar bhi humesha saath rehthe dhe..lekin achaanak yeh sab kaise hua..tu hum sab se ithni alag..apne Vasanthbha se bhi...kyun Kesar..eik hi pal mein..aisa kya hua tha ki sab kuch ithne badal gaye...
bahut koshish karke teri patha doond nikkala hein..pehle socha tha ki tuje aakar milun..phir tu hi tho kehtha tha na ki mere khath dekhthe hi ghar daud aane ka mann kartha hein..isliye socha ki aakhir tuje likh hi doon...waapas aaja Kesuda..apne Vasanthbha ke khadir...
Vasanth
...
The arms which held the letter shivered, while he tightly closed his teary eyes in deperation...
...
He placed his lagauge on the upward berth of the bus and sat by the window seat...the bus was crowded with so many villiagers along with the so called 'sophisticated' civilians...but he felt so lonely,as if this world doesnt belong to him..or was that he never wanted so..except with his Vasanthbha and ...and someone who trespassed his world, for whom he has craved the most but denied himself all these years...as the sights outside were left behind, the world also travelled 3 years back
...
Flash Back
(15/11/2008)
It was festival time for Talasagara, a variety of colors filed the streets creating an ambience of the whole festive mood, the street shops tented there with a wide range of handicrafts and other fancy materials. On the other side, there the girls in small groups were performing the Garba dance form of the traditional Gujarat.
While the camera flashes were frequently capturing the snaps from different angles.She was vigilant to preserve the artistic beautyin each frame. She has completely lost in her craziness (photography) along with the spectaculars which her lens would rapidly absorb.
Suddenly she was interrupted by a teasing laugh from behind.
Dushyanth:(laughing) Tu tho aisi behave kar rahi hein jaise Garba pehli baar dekh rahi hein!
Nirja:( in an irritated tone) Pehle bahut baar dekh chukki hun (softness and a strange affection crept in her voice, staring at the spot) lekin un sab mein kuch kammi dhi...woh..kuch tha jo sirf yahan mil saktha hein. Yeh,..logon ki masoomiyath,yeh sachai, iss kala ke prathi jo lagav hein un mein, jo preeth hein, yeh sab...shehar ke high society walon ke beech bahut kam milthe hein..
Dushyanth:Arey, mein tho mazaak kar raha tha, (laughingly), tu ithni emotional kyun horahi hein(she hung her head, embarrased; Dushyanth continued). Achcha hum yahan thak tho pahunch gaye, lekin aage kaise chalenge??
Nirja:(remained thoughtful for a second) Dekhthe hein..(and she looked around to find a village girl of almost her age bargaining with the bangle seller, holding a dozen of bangles; Nirja slowly approached her)
Nirja(hesitantly):Ex..cuse Me..
(The girl turned around and looked at her suspiciously)
Nirja:Woh..Motaba ke haweli...
The girl:Ji aap kaun??
Nirja:(a bit uncomfortable tone): Wonh mein Nirja (by the time Dushyanth reached there.) aur yeh Dushyanth mera dosth..hum Mumbai se hein aur..yahan Motaba se milna chahthi dhi..
(The girl examined them for a while, which made them unease..while she burst laughing)
The girl: Arey tum log khabrao mat, aur mein hun Rewa..Motaba ke beti..
(Nirja and Dushyanth sighed in relief and followed her to the haweli)
...
As she entered the yard, she felt as if each pebble lying there were eagerly waiting for her footsteps, while each corner of it was waiting to converse with her, the chatterings which were left incomplete, far behind the time unknown. While she walked further she thought, whether it was she who stepped in or was it something else that made her do so...
(Suddenly Rewa's voice broke her trance)
Rewa(enthusiastically):Paanba, yeh dono Motaba se milne aaya hein.(while both of them greeted her with a namastey, but Nirja's eyes twinkled on seeing her, which made her act far beyond just a formality, unlike Dushyanth's)
Paanba:(with a smile of hospitality) Baitiyena aap log, mein abhi Motaba ko bulathi hun..(they noded and sat on the sofa, while Rewa and Panba went inside)
(After a while a man in his late 60s with a pagdi on his head climbed down the steps, greeting them)
Motaba:Arey aayiye aayiye, tum dono ka hi intzaar kar raha dha, (Approached them) Laljiba ne bathaya tha,...humare iss chotta sa gaav mein tum logon ka swagat...
(Motaba sat on his chair and both of them too took their respective seats)
Nirja: woh mein padai ke silsile me yahan ayi thi..woh actually muje meri shodh(research) sambandhidh bharat ke ithihas aur sanskrithik kalao ke baare mein paper thayar karni thi, tho socha ki Talsagara se acha kaunsi jagah ho saktha hein(escaped from her mouth and became a bit nervous) I mean Laljiba ne bathaya tha.
Dushyanth(to ease the situation):waise pichle kuch mahino mein jis tarah ki tharakhi hui hein yahan par..bahut suna hein..
Motaba:(smiling)..bahut khushi hui yeh sunkar..mein iss gaav ke sarpanch hun, lekin yahan ki tarakhi par mere baita Vasanth ki mehneth hein, yeh gaav uska sabkuch hein(his eyes reflected his proud for his son Vasanth, and the 2 returned a wide smile in response)
Dushyanth:(Stood up)Tho ab muje jaana chahiye motaba(joined his hands and seeked permission to leave, Motaba and Nirja stood up)
Motaba(surprised):Aisa kaise..tum dono hamare mehman hein..(Dushyanth intervened)
Dushyanth:Motaba, woh actually mein sirf Gulaal ke saath aya tha, yahan thak ise chodne keliye aaya tha, philhaal muje jaana hoga, ghar pe maa akeli hein..aap chintha mat kijiye(looking at her)Nirja jab thak yahan hein, muje tho yahan aana hi padega na(he smiled and walked near her and in a low voice) Kabhi koi zarurat ho tho bula lena..(and she nodded her head in consent and he left)
...
[At night in Nirja's room at Badi Haweli]
(Nirja was busy in copying the pictures she has taken to her laptop, while Rewa entered there)
Rewa:Tu abhi tak soyi nahin..
Nirja(still concentrating at her work):Woh thoda aur kaam hein..
(Rewa slowly sat at the side of the bed and Gulaal passed a smile at her)
Rewa:Tu pehle kabhi aaya hein yahan?
(Nirja raised her eyes from her laptop for a while and looked at Rewa with her eyes a bit widened)
Nirja:mm..nahin tho?
Rewa:Tho kaise laga yeh jagah??
Nirja(smiling):Bahut acha laga..yeh jagah bhi aur yahan ke log bhi, aur tuje bhi (smiled wide at her)
Rewa:(laughing) yahan tho aur bhi log hein..Vasanthbha ke baare mein tho Motaba ne bataaya hoga na
Nirja:hmm(noded slightly while resumed her work and all through she just kept simply noding with whatever Rewa said in praise of her Vasanthbha and the entire family, but a name that Rewa casually said somewhere in between, grabbed her attention like anything )
Nirja:(astonished) Kesar??
Rewa:haan mera ek aur bhai hein Kesar, woh shehar se apni MBA pura kiya hein..bas 2 hafte pehle lauta tha, aur abhi Vasanthba ke saath kam ke silsile mein baahar gaya hein.. kya hua??
Nirja:(nervous) woh..kuch nahin, mein bas...muje laga ki koi ladki hogi...
Rewa:(laughing)..yeh jo tu mujse kahan so kahan..(trying hard to control her laugh)..Kesar ke saamne mat kehna..teri kher nahin hogi..samji??
Nirja(narrowed her eyes):,,,,kya woh uthna khatharnaak hein??
Rewa(in defence): arey nahin, nahin...sach kahun tho dil ka bahut acha hein..lekin kabhi kabhi gussa tho nak par hota hein ki pucho mat...
Nirja: Aise baath hein..(a misterious smile passed through her face)
Rewa:Achcha, ab mein chalthi hu, tu bhi so ja..(Nirja smiles at her, Rewa was about to leave the room when she turned and looked at Nirja)
Rewa:Ek baath kahun tujse (Nirja raised her head), patha nahin kyun muje aisa lag rahi hein ke jaise hum sab ko koi naatha hein tujse..(and she walks out the room leaving Nirja a bit stunned)
...
(The next morning NIrja came into Rewa's room, wearing a dark green lehanga ..)
Nirja(worried): Rewa, mein ne kahan na tujse, lehange mein, mein bilkul teek nahin lagthi.
Rewa(surprised): Nirja tu tho kithne sundar lag rahi hein iss lehange mein(held by her shoulders) aur tu chup chaap yahan bait ja (and made her sit infront of the mirror.(her attention was drawn towards the wide range of beautiful bangles and jewel collections of Rewa)
Rewa:(exclaimed through the mirror) Kesar...(walked to him) aur Vasanthba nahin aaya?
(hearing his name Nirja was surprised and turned hastily,to have a glimpse of him)
(Kesar was just passing throught the corridor, but stopped as he heard Rewa, but as he entered the room, nothing could steal his eyes, except the girl in green; the unknown emotion that reflected his eyes- whether he was a bit shocked seeing a stranger in his house or whether he unknowingly was encapsulated in her enchanting eyes; he couldnt make out.
Rewa:(smiling) Kesar, yeh Nirja hein, jo kal (before she could complete, he regained and responded)
Kesar: haan..woh Motaba ne bathaya tha (and he tried hard not to look at her again, and spoke as to Rewa) Vasanthba ko kuch zaroori kaam aagaya aur woh wahi rukh gaya, aur tu jaldi chal muje aur bhi kaam hein(and he hastily walked away)
[Kesar reached near the jeep, but was still lost in her thoughts, just a momentary glimpse of her has stirred up some lines and jots, which were fogged some where deep in his concious
...
[At the same mela spot, where Nirja was taking the photographs before]
[Three of them stepped out of the jeep. This was the first place she visited in Talsagara, but at this time, she felt as if something has changed, maybe with in herself, this time she is one among them, Rewa and Nirja walked towards the fancy shops, tented there...Kesar was still at the caught of the moment, She was a total stranger for him, but something was there within her, that constantly drew him towards her, even without his consent]
...
[Hours passed, but there was no sign of their return. As he came in searach of them, to his amusement, Kesar found both of them, standing before a board of concentric circles, hanging at a reasonable distance and Nirja focusing at it, holding an arrow, careful enough to shoot at the center., Rewa was standing beside her who had already lost the game, Kesar paced towards them irritatedely]
Kesar:(impatiently):Muje ithna kaam hein wahan pe, aur tu yeh bachon ka khel mein mera bhi waqth barbaad kar rahi hein( he said that as if to Rewa, totally ignoring Nirja)
(Nirja noticed this)
Nirja(in a controlled voice):Tho tum karke dikhao..
Kesar:Iss tarah ke phalthu khel mein mera koi shauk nahin hein...
Nirja: kyun, haarne se dartha hein kya?
(Kesar couldnt take it any more and proceeded)
Nirja:(warning) Sochle ek baar, haar gayi tho meri baath maan na padega (he didnt pay much attention to her, and headed for the game and tried all his chances but all the attempts were in vain, he was a bit frustrated)
Kesar:Mein jaa raha hun.(he turned and started to walk when Nirja called him.
(Kesar stopped and turned towards him, with a stern and somber face)
Nirja:(challenging tone) Shard abhi pura nahin hua(flung an anklet from her hand before him)
There was a mysterious blend of challenge and more over a wish in her voice as she said: Yeh paayal zara pehanade muje..
(Kesar looked at her unbelievingly while on what she has just said and moreover why...but he could only see the sparkle in her eyes which he could hardly resist and bent before her to put on the anklet around her extented foot)
Kesar(mumbling):Mein bhi kaunsi museebat main phas gaya! (and he was about to move on to the other while she hastily pulled her leg and yelled while running away,)
Nirja:(laughing) Mein sirf ek hi pair mein payal pehanthi hun..
(Kesar stared towards her all the way she ran, with a stunned expression..her words compelled him to linger on those blurred thoughts with in him, which he has brushed off just a few hours ago)
...
[He sat on the jeep all irritated, waiting for them, while Rewa sat by his side]
Kesar:(in a low voice to Rewa, oblivious to Nirja's presence): Aise ajnabiyon se ithni dosthi bhi teek nahin hein, patha nahin kaun hein aur kya hein , muje na woh ladki bilkul teek nahin lag raha hein.
Rewa:Maanthi hun ki, uske saamne haar maan na pada tuje, lekin iska yeh matlab nahin hota hein ki uss bechari par aise khamakha insaam lagaye jaayenge..
(Only then Kesar noticed Nirja who was sitting at the back seat with a gloomy face...she might have heard him,...might have felt hurt..., he silently drove home)
...
[Kesar was in his room, still stuck in her thoughts, she is a total stranger to him, but still something was there, in her so familiar to him, but what was it? and the answer too was somewhere within him; the more he tried to dig out, the more it swifted to depths..he was exhauasted of thoughts and so tried to be encauged in some other works, but stil he was feeling a bit guilty on his behaviour towards her...at the next moment, someone called him from the door]
Nirja: Kesar
(Kesar turned towards her and was surprised on seeing her, while she was hurt with his words about her in the jeep, and it was clearly reflected on her face and voice)
Nirja: Panba ne kahan ki tumhe khaane ke liye bulao(and she was about to leave when Kesar called her)
Kesar(eagerly): Nirja..(walked towards her) woh mein..I...I'm sorry, muje aisa nahin kehna chahiye tha, tumhare baarein main..I'm really sorry (in a genuine guilty tone)
(Nirja tried to pull out a faint smile)
Nirja:(hung her head down) Its O.K . waise muje bhi tumhare saath aisa nahin karna chahiye tha, shaayad mazaak kuch zyaada hogaya, jo tuje gussa aagaya.
Kesar (laughing): Arey koi baath nahin.
Nirja(amazed): Tumhe bilkul bura nahin laga?
Kesar(narrowed his eye brows): Bura tho laga tha (with a naughty smile and a husky tone)..lekin kabhi kabhi kisike saamne harne ka bhi kuch alag ka maza hotha hein(he winked his eyes)
Nirja:(relieved, and with a longing in her eyes):Tho kyun na hum dosth bane..(and extented her hand) Friends?
(Kesar was about to meet her hand, but stopped in between)
Kesar:( moved closer and in his soft voice): Mein aise ajnabiyon se dosthi nahin karthi..(and with a piercing look and a mischievous smile left the room, leaving Nirja, hell bound in his magnetic pair of eyes)
(Nirja was still at the caught of the moment, her glare followed him, who was walking down stairs with a smile persisting on his face)
Nirja(to herself with folded hands)..Abhi abhi sorry keh raha tha, aur dekh kaise apne attitude dikhake chala gaya. Yeh aaj bhi waise ke waise hein..nakhre waala..zara sa bhi nahin badla. (she shook her head with a smile running across her lips and followed to the dining hall.)
...
Edited by alanta - 14 years ago
>>i actually don't why so don't ask😆
Anupamaa
