Posted:
The Beginning
The current of the river was moving its arms in a fiery speed resulting the sound of heavy downpour in the ears. The sun was playing hide and seek amidst the soft blanket of playful white clouds. The leaves of the trees were swinging with the music of the wind, adding a visual delight to the eyes that captured everything - seen and unseen. Cuddling in the lap of nature was a narrow escape from the chaos that was generated by the blind materialism attached to the carnival world. The greenery shone like a mist to the blind eye, the innocence of the place, the honesty, the modesty- everything made her feel humbled, honored and contented.
It had been a long time since I've felt so much closer to my existence. Her face adorned a real smile as she sat on a medium sized rock beside the mighty Myagdi River. It was flowing in a rapid pace letting the long shawl of the cool breeze touch her cheeks making her blush like a teenager at first puberty. Her eyes savored every hill that surrounded this small city, Beni Bazaar. Small town with less population and lots of glimpses of the pure unadulterated nature was a paradise for her.
That smile felt vulnerable yet indistinct at the same time. The brown brunette eyes seemed known to her. She felt a twinge of attraction towards those caramel eyes- it melted her heart, it made her feel special. Too much to happen in a first meeting- at a first glance. Forcing her sub conscious to dismiss such thoughts, she replied with a bright smile and waved her hands for a silent gesture of 'Hello'. Stuffing all his belongings in his bag, he stood up from his place and moved towards her, with the SLR camera oscillating with his movement.
She was watching the river plainly- with no thoughts circulating in her head; there was peace of soul and body. She was just there without her elements wandering for something or other. It was like every little puzzles were solved and the mystery was solved for eternity. Such were the illusions created by the nature- it hypnotized her and she laid her senses in its embrace. She felt alone and complete there till she heard someone rummaging through a polythene bag nearby. She glanced to the source of the sound and saw a young man trying to find something from the large polythene bag that he placed on his knees while he sat on the ground on grassy attire. She watched him take out a bottle of mineral water and drink to quench his tiredness, and again place the bottle back but this time in his bag that he carried on his back.
If only the pieces of life could be transported here and there to satisfy our comfort and ease, like the bottle. She was lost in her thoughts until she realized that she was staring at the man. Looking at her, he gave her a warm friendly smile. It was like he felt her stare at him- like an insight that pair of hazel almond eyes was capturing him in its aura.
He stood beside her and started taking the snaps of the place. After encapsulating the surrounding for memories, he sat on the grass beside her.
"This place is wonderful, isn't it?" he said looking at her for an answer that agreed his opinion, and with a frank smile that magnified his handsomeness.
"Yes, it is. I could die here" she said with honesty, a pure compliment for the place that had provided her solace after a long time.
"You aren't thinking of dying now, are you?" he teased her.
"No. I was just expressing the beauty of this place. No intention of suicide- though I don't fear death." she said confidently looking at him, into his eyes. She felt uneasy about how the conversation was getting more genuine and easy with this stranger.
He looked at her blankly- she was smart enough to understand a joke but there was something that laid deep down her constitution troubling her. For not letting any further speculations rattle his mind, he asked- "Everyone fears death- you agree or not. But you seem interesting. Either you are a different person or you have an underlying past."
He looked at her- she was gazing at the river, the stones and it seemed she was connected. Her skin shone crimson when the sky bled while bidding the sun good bye. The brilliance of her skin wasn't stained, her long hair danced with the breeze and she seemed lost, or in unspoken struggle or simply in an inner meditation- he found himself drowning in her nature.
She wasn't shocked or surprised. It was wonder how he was able to read her from her answer.
"None of them, I guess. Many people fail to understand that an individual has many layers within. One cannot just characterize a person by their talk. Therefore, claiming to know someone is entirely crazy and dumb- because thoughts change constantly, we change, time and situation changes us."She said with a comprehensive stare, but after being defeated to look into his questioning eyes longer, she turned her face towards the river.
There was an undisputed silence for a couple of minutes. Stillness was bliss, the heaviness was eased. Her statement was not filled with any sufferings- it was her logic, as simple as that- but the tone of her voice suggested him that some magic was still to be unleashed and she was suffering.
"I need to go. It was good talking to you. Goodbye." His husky voice rang in her ears and as realization dawned, she looked up to him.
"Bye.", her voice was barely a whisper.
His soft eyes pierced her soul, those eyes calmed her. She felt a genuine happiness rising within her. She felt like staring into him for longer time, it was senseless, but the urge was priceless and essential.
He tore his eyes away from her, with some reluctance that clouded his heart outrageously and walked away where his consciousness led him to.
A string of gloom tugged her but she wasn't that feeble to let her miseries sunk her enthusiasm. She gathered her bag from the ground and left the place. She had to go somewhere too.
____o.O.o.O.o.O.o____
"I don't understand why these buses are so packed today." she muttered feeling disgusted, while trying to get herself inside the bus through the crowd of people standing on the door itself.
"It's the time of festivals. People are returning to their residential cities after Dashain", a familiar voice was heard.
She wasn't dazed. It was expected. The farewell before an hour ago wasn't real. Looks like God wants us to know each other. Wait- why am I getting so fanatical? It's a co-incidence, of course! , she thought and refrained herself from thinking otherwise.
"So, we're going to the same place", he said to her as she got seated beside him. She nodded a yes.
"Would you like to sit by the window? People say- modesty helps to get well with a woman." he said teasingly. And before she could say anything, he added "But what a 'co-incidence'- we met by the river an hour ago and now we're leaving this place on same bus, and same seats."
"Oh yes. So, Mr. Humbleness Personified, I'd definitely sit by the window." she smiled as she realized the previous undefined atmosphere was vanished and a lighter conversation was knocking the door.
She opened the window slightly and inhaled the fresh air that made its way from the 'Kaligandaki River' flowing some meters down the road while the wheels of the bus paced off to reach its destination, the capital city, Kathmandu.
"It's an irony. When I see outside with these windows closed, the dark screen of the window makes the atmosphere look a little pale, like in the evening. And again when I open these windows, it's the same bright sunny afternoon. Perspectives make such a difference", she said in a contemplative tone and her own action baffled her. She wandered why she couldn't lock her thoughts within herself.
"Yes, they make a lot of difference. And indifferently- some people stick to that perception which is an illusion and nothing more." he said briefly, with a contentment in his eyes that conveyed the conversation was going in the right path.
"Human beings are such mysteries, you know. When I travel, I sprout a lot of thoughts. Sometimes, I feel that my soul doesn't belong to my body and I need to be somewhere else. I feel like devoting myself to the nature. I feel like detaching myself from family, friends and travel alone and serve people. It sounds crazy to others but sounds just right to me." the upsurge of her feelings found a voice and a listener.
"We are alone in this world. The insecurities, the fear, the happiness- no one can feel it more than we, ourselves. What you feel can't be criticized." he replied after absorbing the true sense of what she was saying and feeling.
Communication was much easier with him. It flowed smoothly like a close acquaintance. They shared their ideas about life, about what they want to endure and how they felt about everything around.
"You're like a philosopher", he directed his opinion towards her and smiled- their conversation had turned a lot more thoughtful.
She chuckled. "I am different and you're too. What I say is what I've learnt, experienced and seen.", a prompt reply was given by her.
"You're an open minded and inspiring person. "He passed a huge praise too easily.
"Inspiring? I don't know about that. Insecurities and lack of self esteem kill me every day and I don't know why"
"You need to love yourself" he said, his eyes focused upon her.
"I do. If I hadn't loved myself, I'd have been dead by now." she said in almost a whisper.
"I'd love to fall in love with you", forcing all his consciousness to lay beside, he spoke with honesty. He couldn't really figure out why he said that- he didn't regret it too.
She was surprised beyond words. What was this man? He understood her- she could speak with him more frankly than ever, but at last he was just a stranger. And she didn't even know his name. They just talked endlessly throughout the journey and weren't least bothered to know the name of each other.
"Arnav", he said, "Arnav Singh Raizada is my name". It was like he could read her thoughts, he could see her confusions and uneasiness.
Leaving the outburst of unknown dilemma, she smiled- "I am Khushi Kumari Gupta".
They diverged their paths and moved towards their own destinations. They had nothing to do with each other, still they felt connected. The destiny was the controller- and whatever games it played, would be fair.
'Arnav'...'Khushi', the river was heard whistling.
Members Lounge
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
Anupamaa
Hindi TV Shows
7