Kalika I am updating here but as I said yaha no one reads aaj kal...
Poster Courtesy: Piyu
Chapter 23
….miles to go but life is still….
Part I
Gulaal turned back slowly after what seemed like hours of staring at the cloud of dust left by Kesar's departing bike, his parting words still ringing in her mind….
"Gulaal,teri baat mein kaise nahi manu,mere liye toh aaj bhi tu jo kahe woh sach hai,aur tu jo kare woh vidhi ka vidhaan,ha isse agar main teri chahere ki muskaan lauta sakta hu toh yehi sahi Gulaal,waise bhi saag ko hamesha jalke hi dusro ko roshni deni padti hai,mere jeevan ka udeshey agar yehi hai toh mujhe iss vivah se koi aapati nahi……"
Gulaal startled by the chirping of bird from nearby tree for a second stood staring at the bird recollecting the incident from years before when she was so lost in her dance routine during the Holi festival that she failed to notice the burning log near her leg and was about to step on it when Kesar had picked it up and thrown it back in the fire, unmindful of his burnt palm, he was more concerned about her wellbeing and Vasant had to forcibly take him away to tend to his injury….she came back to present with a jolt….Kesar had always loved her, revered her, irrespective of any relationship, he always cared for her so much so that he never even thought twice of plunging in the deep water to get her payal for her which had fallen in the river……she stopped on her way back….looking up at the sky, trying to find answers to thousands of questions but the person who could have answered for her was hiding behind the thick cover of the cloud and she continued her effort to try and find a small glimpse till she reached the back door……
Once back in her room, she picked up her diary and started jotting down her confusion, her dilemma, her anxiety and her complaints to one who knew her so well and one who would always be able to guide her in the right direction…but wasn't that true for Kesar too….
"Acha,toh lag gayee apni raam katha bayan karne,yeah dekhiye PB,main na kehti thi,isne Kesar ko apni jaal mein aisa phass raka hai ki agar who nikalna bhi chahe toh yeah apni dukhbhari daastan baya kar kar ke uske bhavuk mann ko apne kabu mein karke usse kabhi bhi dusri aur mudne nahi degi…dekh lijiye yehi hota hai apni bahu ko sar pe chadhane ka natijha……"
" PB, yeah sach nahi hai,Kesar apni padhai puri karke wapas aa jaye aur Dushyantji ke saath karkhane ki jimmedaariya shamhalne lage phir hum koi acha sa muhurat dekh ke Kesar aur Talli ki sagai kar dege…isse gaav wale jo bina sar pair ki baate kar rahe hai unke muh per bhi taala lag jayegi,aur aapke dil ko bhi tasalli mil jayegi…."
PB couldn't believe what she was hearing,she walked towards Gulaal and holding her hand spoke excitedly "Toh kya Kesar maan gaya Gulaal,usne mujhe toh saaf inkaar kar diya tha,main toh soch ke hi itni….."
Gulaal squeezed PB hand reassuring her and spoke softly,"Ha,PB Kesar maan gaya hai,main aapse yehi kehne aa rahee thi,per pehle yeah kush khabar Vasant ko dene baith gayee…dekhiye na Ba, aaj Vasant bhi kitna khush hai,main…main.." She couldn't continue further and left from the room closing her mouth with her hand to muffle the sound of sobbing
PB with animated face turned towards JK who was shocked into silence and didn't know how to react to Gulaal's news tried to cover up by forcing a smile, uttered in broken voice,"Yeah toh bahut hi achi khabar hai PB,aap toh bas ab vivah ki tayyari suru kar dijiye,Main chahti thi iss ghar mein Dushyant ki shaadi ki shenai pehle baje,per woh toh pata nahi yeah khusi kabhi mujhe dega bhi ya nahi,per aap bahut hi khush naseeb hai PB,kam se kam aap ka beta aapki bahu ki baat toh sunta hai…mubaarak ho…."
MB after hearing the news from PB summoned Gulaal to his room immediately and was pacing around the room when she entered,
"Gulaal, yeah main kya sun raha hu,main janta hu Kesar apni marjee se iss rishte ke liye kabhi ha nahi kehta,kya tune usse…."
"MB,aap toh janta hai na Kesar ko, abhi bhi kitni nadani bhari padi hai usme,ab aise mein,main usse ha kehlwa di toh kya galat kiya,ghar mein sab kitne khush hai yeah baat sunkar,aur Talli toh…."
"Aur tu beta,kya tune apne baare mein kuch socha hai,tu khush hai iss rishte se,kaise rahegi iss ghar mein,Vasant ki vidhwa banker ya Kesar ki pehli patni ke roop mein,dekh beta yeah samaaj nahi samajhta ki tune Kesar ko kabhi bhi apne pati ki nazaro se nahi dekha,unke liye toh…."
"MB,main sirf aapki beti banke rehna chahta hu iss ghar mein,kya aap mujhe yeah jagah dege?..."
"Beti toh tu pehle se hi thi Gulaal,iss ghar ki neev ko tune beti nahi balki ek beta banke majboot rakha hai,main yeah baat kabhi nahi bhul sakta,lekin betiyo ko ghar rakh ke unse seva nahi li jaati Gulaal,unko toh aashirwaad deke unke khushaal aur sukhi jeevan ki kaamna ki jaati hai….main tujhe yuh til til ghute nahi dekh sakta Gulaal...isliye iss vivah ki manjoori nahi de sakta….aur yeah baat isliye bhi mayne rakhti hai kyunki main Kesar ki mann ki baat janta hu…Gulaal beta main tumpe koi bhi dabav nahi dalunga…..Kesar ke pita hone ke naate main uski khushi chahta hu,per wohi baat tumhaare liye bhi lagu hoti hai…agar tum sache dil se Kesar ko apna pati sweekar karti ho toh sabse jayada khushi mujhe hogi…….per mein iss vivah ki baat bilkul kabul nahi sakta…kabhi nahi…."
Gulaal,who was listening to MB with bowed head looked up trying to read MB's face that conveyed so much without the need of any words…..
Part II
"MB aap toh samajhne ki koshish kijiye,mere liye Vasant ke alawa kissi aur ke baare mein sochna bhi mumkin nahi,aur aise mein main apne swarth ke liye Kesar ka jeevan kyun vyarth karu,Kya muh leke jaungi Vasant ke pass,kaise saamna kar paungi unn nazaro ka jo mujhe iss ghar ki bikhri hui deewaro ki jimmedaar therayegi…Nahi MB aap mujhe iss duvidha se mukt kar dijiye,Kesar bhi meri baat maan ke jindagi mein aage badh raha hai na…."
"Jindagi mein aage nahi badh raha,jindagi se vimukh ho raha hai,kyun nahi dekh sakti tum jo main dekh sakta hu,kyun ek saath teen jindagiya barbaad karna chahti ho kyun Gulaal….."
"MB,chalo ek shkan, ke liye maan lete hai Kesar aur main ek hi ghar ke neeche, iss DV ke rehte bina koi rishta rakhe apna jeevan yuhi vytit kar lete hai,isse kisko khushi milegi aapko? PB ko ke DB ko? Kyun nahi aap Kesar ke maan ko uss aur modte jaha jindagi ki saari khushiya uska intezaar kar rahi hai,jis insaan ne apne jindagi ke dus saal unn kuch mahino ki yaado ke sahare gujar liye ho uss insaan se khushi ki umeed rakhna bhi vyarth hai MB,mere liye toh Vasant hi sab kuch tha,hai aur rahega….maan jayiye MB"….she left from the room hiding a lump in her throat and MB sighed heavily before sitting down in the near by chair..thinking….
Days passed and the news of Kesar's acceptance for the engagement couldn't escape Sudha and Talli's ears, Sudha was so happy and excited that she got busy selecting clothes and jewellery for Talli even though Kesar had still three more months before he completed his final exams and returned for good, in her excitement she even wrote to him enquiring about his favourite colour so she could select right kurta for the engagement…Kesar had chosen not to reply to any of the letters except MB's where he had confirmed his acceptance of PB's proposal saying it was least he could do to keep Gulaal's honour intact and keep her promise to PB, MB had cried without restrain in front of DB after reading the reply, unable to do anything about both his children, condemned to lifelong misery…..
Poonam Ba had come over to see Gulaal after hearing the news and she tried her best to make Gulaal see how she was going to be completely lonely and alone without Kesar's presence in her life but Gulaal was adamant and had said she would everything and anything that was best for the house and she should not be advising her against it….
Poonam Ba the pleaded with PB to make her understand how Gulaal cannot remain in the house after the wedding as she would have lost all her rights to call this house her home,…koi naata nahi reh jayega Gulaal ka iss ghar se ya iss ghar ke sadasyo se….but PB had said that it was not something that she needed to worry about, Gulaal had done lot for their home and she would always have place in the house not as daughter in law may be, but as daughter she can always remain there…..Agar beti hi banke rehna chahti hai woh, toh hamare ghar kyun nahi,Poonam Ba had asked,Hum bhi uska utna hi khyal rakh sakte hai…agar aapko samaj ke darr se Kesar aur Gulaal ka rishta manjoor nahi toh wahi samaj ka darr mujhe bhi hai…main apni beti ko iss rishte ke baad iss ghar mein rehne ki ijjazat nahi de sakti…..Agar yeah shaadi hoti hai to Gulaal ko bhi usi din iss ghar se apna nata tod ke hamesha ke liye apne ghar wapas aana hoga…and she had left the place in hurry, leaving PB in a deep thought…..
Dushyant who had started staying more and more in the city after Gulaal's revelations just so that he could be away from home was surprised to hear the news about Kesar and Talli's impending engagement as he had gathered from various instances about Kesar's growing fondness for Gulaal,all he wanted was Kesar to have everything he ever desired, he knew he was in no position to put his point across to Gulaal or Kesar but still he thought he would try talking to MB who listened to him quietly but declared his inability to intervene, he said something on the line …uss waqt mein apne sharir ke haatho majboor tha,aaj apne mann ke hatho majboor hu…mere dono baccho ne aaj mujhe kuch bhi kehne ya karne layak nahi choda….main kya kar sakta hu Dushyant…jo mavadi ki ischa….
Unmindful of how the forthcoming engagement to Kesar had caused upheavals in minds of so many people Talli was overjoyed and couldn't content her boundless excitement when Kesar called and requested her to meet him in the city making sure that no one knew about her visit……she had accepted readily and making an excuse to get some books had left from home very early one morning by bus for the city….
Kesar met her at the bus depot and they had taken off for an excursion around the city,her child like enthusiasm was quite infectious Kesar could not help but smile at some of her antics, towards the afternoon he had taken her to one of his favourite spot, on the top of a very tall building from where you could see the entire city literally….and had asked her….
"Talli,tum mujhse shaadi kyun karna chahti ho,janti hi kya ho mere baare mein,hum toh bachpan mein bhi kabhi saath nahi rahe phir kyun tumne mujhe….."
Talli who was looking at Kesar as if she was day dreaming and he would disappear if she opened her eyes, took his hand and squeezed it tightly making him wince, Main toh tujhe bachpan se chahti aayee hu Kesar,mere liye toh tere siva na kabhi koi tha, na hai,maine kabhi kissi aur ke baare mein socha hi nahi….
Acha,agar main kahu ke main tujhse pyaar nahi karta,aur na hi kabhi kar paunga toh kya tab bhi tu mujhse shaadi karna chahegi….Kesar voice was slightly edgy,he forced his hand out from Talli's grip and waited for her reply walking slightly away towards the terrace edge, which had no boundaries….
"Kesar aisa kyun keh raha hai,yeah pyaar vyaar kya hota hai main nahi janti,Gaav mein toh sahi umar hote hi shaadi ho jaati hai bas,aur jisse shaadi ho jaye usse pyaar bhi toh ho hi jata hai na…."
Kesar smirked and laughed at her innocence…
Tum janti hi nahi pyaar kya hota hai,pyaar mein insaan apna wajud tak bhul jata hai,sirf apne pyaar ke liye jeeta hai aur sirf uski hi har khwayish apne jeevan ke udeshey bana leta hai,bas yeah soch ke ki shayad isse uske dil mein thodi si jagah pa sake..
Acha ek baat batao,tum kehti ho na,tum mujhse pyaar karti ho,toh chalo yeah batao kya tum iss chat se niche kud sakti ho mere liye…..and he went dangerously close to the boundary edge while saying it…
Kesar yeah kya mazak hai…tumhe ho kya gaya hai…aur tum yuh piche kyun ja rahe h, wahi ruk jao na….mujhe darr lag raha hai….
tumhe darr lag raha hai..aur mujhe dukh ho raha hai..apne jinda hone per
apni her saas lene per...har waqt har ghadi bas yehi sochta hu ki uski chere pe ek muskaan dekh saku jo uski aanko tak pahuchti ho
per kya karu...pyaar mein aap itne vivash ho jate hai ki ek bhi pal apni jindagi se dur nahi reh sakte aur uske liye har roj zeher ka kadwa ghut peeke jeene pe majboor ho jaate ho
main bhi Gulaal se dur nahi reh sakta...bas usko apni nazaro ke saamne dekhna chahta hu khush..bahut khush hamesha..
Tum janti ho Talli,main Gulaal se pyaar karta hu,itna pyaar ke yaha se kud ke marna mere liye jyada aasan hoga tumse shaadi karne ki bajaye…mere liye yeah jeevan kissi bhyanker shraap se kam nahi hoga…lekin phir bhi mujhe yeah manjoor hai kyunki maine Gulaal se vaada kiya hai…uski har baat maanne ka….uskle har vachan ko nibhane ka…mere liye yeah shaadi sirf aur sirf ek shraap hai…per tumhe mere saath yeah yaatna sehne ki jarurat nahi hai tum aazad ho,iss rishte se mana kar sakti ho….kya tum karogi aisa???? He quried pleadingly
Talli who was stunned into silence could only mutter….agar iss jeevan mein tumhare saath aduri jindagi jeena hi likha hai toh yeah hi sahi Kesar….mujhe pura vishwaas hai mera pyaar hum dono ke liye kafi hai…….
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