Beauty sits clutching the edge of her seat as Meghna negotiates the car a bit wildly, albeit dexterously, over the potholed road leading to the next village. Meghna's lips are set in grim determination. Beauty looks at her and thinks, "Meghna ji ko lagta hai ki baba se milkar unki zindagi safal ho jayegi…lekin zindagi bachegi tab na…..gaddi kaise chala rahi hai yeh…"
They finally enter the village. The road is now too bad to drive. Meghna parks the car by the side and they make the rest of the journey by foot. The villagers gaze in consternation at Meghna in her slacks and T-shirt. Beauty looks embarrassed.
They arrive at a small shack that looks singularly unattractive from outside. A robust Sikh is guarding the door. Meghna shrinks at his fierce looks but Beauty, obviously familiar with him, asks him whether baba is free. He nods and goes to check. He comes out after a while, smiling slightly. "Baba kehnde hai, dono kudiyan nu andar bhej do.."
(Pardon my Punjabi, it is just not up to the mark!)
Meghna pauses apprehensively and looks at Beauty. For once, the cocksure Meg is nervous. She whispers, "Baba ko Hindi samajh mein aati hai? My Punjabi is terrible…."
Beauty: (nodding reassuringly) Bilkul…..wo toh Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu sab jaante hai…aur unhe thodi-thodi English bhi aati hai…(Meg's eyes widen)
They both bend down to enter through the narrow door. The place is musty from inside, although extremely clean and almost bare. A wizened old man sits in one corner, bending over some indecipherable texts. He is dressed completely in a rather faded white, and his hair is loose and wild around his face. He looks up when the girls enter. His eyes are shrewd, kindly, and amused at the same time. (And guess who the actor is—the guy who plays Rangeela in JLH!)
Meghna walks up to him rather tremblingly. He motions silently to them to sit. Meg obeys and is about to say something, when Baba himself speaks, "Puttar, tu yah jaanna chahti hai na ki meri shakti mujhe kahaan se milti hai?"
Meg gasps, revealing by her face that this was exactly what was on her mind. Beauty's intent gaze shifts from her to Baba.
Baba: Puttar, yeh shakti rabb ki den hai…yeh seekhne se, mantra padhne se, diya jalaane se nahin aati…kyunki rabb jaante hai ki sirf ussi ko apne kal ke baare mein jaanne ka haq hai, jo apna aaj sudharne ki himmat rakhta hai…..issliye main sabko unko kal ke baare mein nahin batata…sirf unko, jinne badalna ki chaah hai….himmat hai!
Meg: Lekin Baba……agar aap mujhe yeh shakti thodi-si lend kar de, toh main waapas Mumbai jaakar, bahut logon ki help ka sakti hun…unka future unhe bataa sakti hun….
Baba shakes his head gently. "Kya bataogi unhe? Ki wo aane wale kal mein aur kitni galtiyan karenge? Tum jin logon se paise le kar (Meg squirms) unka bhavishya batana chahti ho, wo to apne aaj ko bhi nahin sambhaal sakte….wo kal jaankar kya karenge!"
Meg looks uncomfortable. Beauty hides a malicious smile. Meg insists, "Baba, at least aap mera future toh bataa sakte hai!"
Baba nods. Meg motions to Beauty to go outside. Beauty looks on defiantly. "Main kyun jaun?" she thinks. "aakhir main hi toh unko yahaan tak laayi hun!"
But the next moment Baba himself tells her softly to wait outside. Beauty gets up and leaves reluctantly. Outside, she tries to overhear their conversation but can only catch a low murmur. She grimaces. "Pata nahin….Wo Meghna ji, Baba ke saath kya khichdi pakaa rahi hai!"
Tomorrow: Baba tells Meghna……