Part IV
JW: Aisa hai aaj subah mere kafi sare appointments hai…tum ek kam karo…Mrs D'silva se check kar lena…aur ho sake to aaj hi 2nd half me Bani ko office le ana…ha aur don't forget her papers…he goes to take his seat at the head of the long table for breakfast.
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Since Bani is new in the city, Pushkar's sends a car to take Bani for a 3 o'clock appointment with Jai Walia…office me kiyu Bani had asked Pushkar…mai toh unka ghar me hi hu…
Pushkar: Ghar me unka pass time kaha hai…aur jab ghar me hote hai…he likes to relax…daro maath…ajao ….maine gari bhej dia hai…aur I will be there…don't worry….but Bani was nervous…mai thori na koi interview me ja rahi hu…she scolds herself….
Bani enters the executive offices of Walia Group of Industries, it occupied the entire 20th floor of Walia Sheraton Hotel off Bandra reclaimation….
Pushkar receives her as she gets out from the lift…it was a modern office, Bani noticed as she was walking towards JW office, with lot of natural light coming through the glass walls…
Pushkar introduces Bani with Mrs D'Silva an elderly lady, sophisticated and smart…with short grey hair…Bani also noticed there where two more young girls working but under the instructions of Mrs D'Silva….
Mrs D: Oh Pushy just on time…he is waiting but make it short dear…he has to go out in 20 minutes maximum…to attend a meeting with the ministry…
Pushkar and Bani enter….Jai Walia was working on his massive desk....big chamber with sofas on one side and a very good view through the glass wall…Bani could see the road down below and the sea beyond…
As they sit down, Pushkar hands over Bani's file to him…he does not waste time and starts looking through it….
JW : So Bani, what do you have in mind now…Bani told him about her wish to study restoration & conservation of heritage buildings & properties and her wish to go abroad if she can secure a 100% scholarship….
JW nods and thinks for a second: You are a good student Bani and I don't see any reason of not getting a scholarship but this is a subject which I think very few places might be offering as a course…hmmmm..o.k. Bani what if I give you the scholarship, which university do you plan to go to
Bani(instantly): Harvard, but why will you give me the scholarship…..
Pushkar: Bani, Jai Sir does help out many students…there is no why to it….
Bani frowning: Mr Walia, Sir, studying masters in Harvard, USA, will be an expensive one provided I don't get any scholarships….I am sorry I blurted out without thinking…
JW: It is perfectly o.k. Bani, my offer stands, you just have to choose the university and I am ready to sponsor, even if you do not secure any sort of scholarships….
Bani could not believe her ears…its too good to be true…she feels elated …her dream turning into reality…Bani's thought stumble…..charity without a reason?
Bani: eer Mr Walia, Thanks a lot for showing your confidence in me, specially since you hardly know me…lekin, mai, if you don't take it otherwise, mujhe iss scholarship ke badle me keya karna parega….
Pushkar (little irritated)…Parai karna aur keya…Bani tum bhi na…JW raises his hand to stop Pushkar …
JW: Kindly make your self clear Bani…
Bani: Please do not mis-understand me Mr Walia, aap itna kharcha karenge mere liye…yeh kharcha toh phirbhi agar mujhe accha kaam mile toh mai wapis kar sakti hu, lekin aapka yehsan to kabhi bhi lauta nehi sakti…lekin phirbhi…maine suna hai, kai companies, give a bond or something like that so that after qualification, you are required to serve the company….aap samaj rahe hai na mai keya bol rahi hu….
JW: You are a very understanding girl, waise humlog bhi karte hai…but to profession related to our kind of business, tumhara line jara hatke hai…even if I buy a few more heritage properties, I doubt whether you will have a whole time job restoring those…lekin…..just then Mrs D'Silva pops in…Jai…time for you to leave now...keeping the traffic in mind….
JW gets up, puts on his coat….looks at Bani….let me think of something Bani and I will get back to you….walks out from his chamber…
Pushkar: Oh God Bani, tumhara himmat ka daag dena parega…humlog unke decisions ko questions nehi karte…
Bani: Pushkar I am sorry, lekin mujhe charity se darr lagta hai…mere mata pita chale jane ke baad…she keeps quiet thinking about her mami's relentless effort never to let her forget about their charity towards her upkeep….
Pushkar understands…he is constantly reminded of his status by Jigyasa maam, the reason for his staying was that Jai Walia never treated him differently than his family members…..and he is one who matters
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Bani was now settled in Walia Mansion, already quite a darling with Masi & Daadi, as other members were busy with their own schedule, Bani had nothing to do, she checked the internet, wrote to colleges in Mumbai and was waiting for their feedback…Jai Walia nodded her every morning in return to her greeting but as pushkar said, he was a busy man…and one day when he came back relatively early…he sat with Masi to listen to whatever she had to say regarding the household…tu shaadi to karega nehi…tu sunna hi parega….agar tera biwi hota…she would have taken care…
JW: Aap ho na, Jigyasa hai na…aap dono dekh lo…
Masi: Jigyasa ko parties se phursat mile tab na, aur mera aur daadi ka umar bar raha hai beta...aur mera tabiyaat ka tu toh janta hi hai....(Bani tries to make herself invisible, trying not to catch any attention, she immerses herself in a magazine...)
JW: Phirse woh purani baath, masi, aap bhi na…just then he sees Aditya coming in…aare Aditya tumhara pass thora time, mujhe kuch discuss karna hai…takes him towards his study…
Masi sighs: Bhag gaya phirse…
Bani: Aap roj roj yeh baat kiyu karte hai, unhe shayad pasand nehi hai...
Masi: Mujhe maloom hai usse pasand nehi, khud ke liye kam se kam mere liye shaadi kar le....
Bani: Shaadi toh apne liye kiya jata hai...unka bhi toh koi jaroorat hona chahiye...nehi toh woh shaadi do din me khatam ho jayega...anyway shayad koi pasand nehi a rahe hai....
Masi: Ladkiya ka koi kami nehi, acche acche ghar ki ladkiya bhi hai, qualified, dignified, har tarah ki ladkiya us par marte hai......lekin yeh hai ki.....masi releases a deep sigh...ghume ga phirega lekin shaadi nehi karega....
Bani: Iski koi waje toh hogi...
Masi: Hai na, abh tere se keya chhupao beta, tu toh family hai...aaj nehi to kal pia se jan hi jayegi...aur puri duniya yeh baath janti hai....jab Jai 23/24 saal ka tha...jijaji ka death ho gaye...unka khoon ho gaya tha unke rakhyal ke haath.....
Bani: Matlab
Masi: Yeh nachiket hai na, uski ka beta hai
Bani: mai kuch samjhi nehi...
Masi: Jijaji ka death huwa tha...10 manjil ke ek flat se gir kar...kisi ne dhakel diya tha...pata chala yeh flat kisi Barnali naam ka aurat ka hai jo kuch saal pehele...walia industries me kam karti thi...baad me naukri chhor di thi....kiyuki woh jijaji ka rakhyal ban chuki thi, aur uska ek beta bhi huwa tha...nachiket naam ka...khair barnali ka toh jail ho gaya, nachiket ko ek naye zindagi mili..kiyoki itna sab ke bawajood Jai ne usko ghar le aya...9/10 saal ka tha woh ...didi bhi maan gayi...ha uska keya dosh hai....lekin Jai ka life kharab ho gaya...shaadi karne wala tha woh, Roshni Chopra ke saath, bahut bara industrialist ki ladki...lekin roshni ne kaha tumhara father aise the aur tum baap ke beta nehi honge iska keya guarantee ......usko chhor ke London chali gayi...
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Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
