Part 10
As a part of the feasibility study for Armaan's project, Ashutosh and Nidhi were driving to her village. They were to do a survey of the health facilities available in the village, common medical problems that people suffered from and what were the local remedies availble. Armaan had recommended going to her village, as with her Dadi's influence, it will be easier to get the cooperation of the villagers. Armaan had gone to some other villages with other volunteers.
"Ek baat poochhoon, Sir. Aap bura to nahin maanenge."
"Poochhiye Dr. Nidhi."
"Aap ye mat samajhiyega ki main aapse koi shikayat kar rahi hoon, ya aapko blame kar rahi hoon. Bas ye sawaal mujhe aksar kuredta hai. Agar Nana aapko kah kar gaye the, aur aapke lawyer ko hamara pata maaloom tha to aapne kabhi humse milne ki koshish kyon nahin ki."
Ashutosh sighed and spoke after a moment of silence, "Achchha hua jo aapne poochh liya. Main khud bhi batane ke liye, apni safai dene ke liye betaab tha, lekin..."
"Main koi safai nahin maang rahi aapse. Agar aapko aisa lagta hai to rahne dijiye..."
"Nahin. Nahin Dr. Nidhi. Aapke oopar mujhe koi shaq nahin hai. Main achchhi tarah se jaanta hoon ki aap kabhi kissi se koi shikayat nahin rakhti, kissi se naaraaz nahin rahti. Apni kismat se ladti rahti hain, bina shikayat kiye. Aur main aapki ye quality bahut admire karta hoon. Unfortunately, main aisa nahin tha. Kissi ka gunaah saabit ho jaane par bhi aap shikayat nahin karti. Aur maine bina sach jaanne ki koshish kiye hue hi aap logon ko gunahgaar maan liya tha."
"Kya matlab?"
"Mujhe jab Mr. Kapoor ne bataya ki Baba ki koi aur family thi, to mujhe bahut gussa aaya. Shayad jealousy sahi word hai. Mujhe laga ki jaate-jaate Baba ka pyaar bant gaya tha. Aur phir unhone bataya ki heart attack waale din woh un logon se milne gaye the, to maine bas ye maan liya ki unke kuchh karne ya kahne se hi Baba ki tabiyat kharaab hui hogi. Mujhe nahin pata tha ki..."
"Ki woh humse mil bhi nahin paaye. At least waise nahin, jaise milna chahte the."
"Yes."
"Lekin ab aapko nahin lagta ki aapko ateet ki nafratein bhula deni chahiye."
"Ab maine kaun si nafrat paal rakhi hai? If at all, main bahut guilty hoon..."
"Hamare liye nahin Dr. Ashutosh. Apni zindagi ke liye."
"Kya matlab?"
"Sab log ek jaise nahin hote. Sab log itne bure bhi nahin hote. Mumbai mein mujhe nahin pata tha, lekin ab mujhe pata hai ki Dr. Asthana se aap itne naaraaz kyon lag rahe the. Lekin us naaraazgi ki wajah se poori zindagi akele rahne ka faisla to sahi nahin hai. Aur log hai jo aapki care karte hain..."
"Achchha. Kaun?" Ashutosh asked amusedly.
"Dr. Mallika, for example. Unhein aapki bahut fikr rahti hai."
"Come on Dr. Nidhi. Don't be ridiculous."
"Ismein ridiculous kya hai. Aap dono itne purane friends bhi hain."
"Aapko Niharika ki baat aur mere adopted hone ki baat Mallika ne batayi thi?"
"Woh jisne bhi batayi ho, main uska naam aapko nahin bata rahi. Aapko kissi ke oopar bhadakne ka mauka nahin dena chahti."
"Itna bhadakta hoon kya main?"
"Aur kya? Jab pahli baar aapne mere saamne Namrata ko daanta tha, to mere to hosh hi ud gaye the. Mujhe laga ki agar aap aise mujhe daantenge to mujhe to heart attack hi aa jayega."
Ashutosh laughed out loud, "Yeah. Mujhe yaad hai aapki shakal. Aisa lag raha tha kissi ne poora khoon choos liya ho."
Ashutosh had changed the subject and Nidhi realized that. But she didn't have the courage to start the topic again. He, obviously, did not want to talk about it. He had been a saviour for her, but probably did not think of her as someone he could share his problems with. As someone so junior, she could not cross her lines.
--
"Dadi. Ye Dr. Ashutosh hain. Maine bataya tha na. Mere boss."
"Achchha. To ye tumhare liye kaam karti hai."
"Ji."
"Are to ye batao ki kaisi doctori padhate ho tum log ye aaj kal ke ladke-ladkiyon ko. Inke hisaab se to saari jo takat dene waali cheezein hoti hain, woh khani hi nahin chahiye."
Nidhi chuckled as Ashutosh asked in confusion, "Aisa kya kah diya inhone?"
"Ab suno iski naseehatein. Doodh-dahi se malai nikaal kar khao. Chawal mat khao. Roti bhi jwar-baajre ki khao. Are itne bure din to nahin aaye kabhi ki gehun ke aate ki roti bhi naseeb na ho. Aur kya - mithaiyan na khao. Zyada cheeni nahin, zyada namak nahin. Are koi jail ka khana hai kya? Aur kuchh khayen hi na, to haddiyon mein dum kaise aaye?"
Ashutosh smiled in amusement, but did not laugh out loud as a respect to the old lady, "Lekin ye sahi kahti hain Dadi. Aapko diabetes aur BP ki problem hai na. Isliye zaroori hai parhej baratna."
"Bura ho ye machinein banane waalon ka. Na machinein hoti, na ye duniya jahan ki beemariyon ka pata chalta."
"Ab to ban gayi Dadi. Aur pata chal bhi gaya," Nidhi said, "To ab koi chaara nahin hai. Aapko sawadhaani baratni hi padegi. Ab ye bataiye, camp kahan lagana hai."
"Kahan kya? Koi Ramleela ka manch thode hi na banana hai. Yahin dwar par aa jayenge sab log. Tum log deewan par baith jao. Abhi Laxman ke bete ko bolti hoon ki sabko bata de tum log aa gaye ho."
"Achchha Dadi. Sir, hum log tab tak set up kar lein?"
"Sure. Chaliye."
--
"Wakai aapki Dadi kaafi interesting hain," Ashutosh said while returning back in the evening.
"Mujhe pata tha ki aapko unse mil kar achchha lagega."
"Kaise pata tha aapko?"
"Different context mein. Lekin woh bhi aapke jaisi hi hain. Strong. Confident."
"Strong to aap bhi bahut hain."
"Main Sir? Kyon mazaak kar rahe hain. Aapko to pata hai. Mujhe to naye logon se baat karne mein bhi hichkichahat hoti hai. Balki dar lagta hai."
"Use nervousness and shyness kahte hain Dr. Nidhi, weakness nahin."
"If you say so."
"Waise aapke Baba ab theek hain?"
"Haan. Kuchh zyada hi theek hain. Maine kitna mana kiya, lekin already nayi job ke liye chakkar laga rahe hain."
"Are to aapne mujhe bataya kyon nahin?"
"Kya?"
"Jeevan Prabha mein ek accountant ki zaroorat hai. Main to intezaar kar raha tha ki aapke Baba theek ho jayen to..."
"Baba accountant nahin hain, Sir."
"Degree se nahin hain. Lekin itne saalon ka experience to hai. Dekhiye Dr. Nidhi, agar aapko aisa lag raha hai ki main koi bahana bana kar, ya jhooth bol kar aapki madad kar raha hoon to aisa nahin hai. Jeevan Prabha mein sach much problem hain. CAs aate hain aur kuchh mahinon mein chale jaate hain. Unhein lagta hai ki ek non-profit, charity organization mein kaam karne se unki market value kharaab ho jayegi. To hamare paas ek hi chaara hai. Kissi aise insaan ko recruit karna, jisne experience se cheezein seekhi ho. Koi aur aayega, to Baba bhi aa sakte hain."
"Mujhe nahin pata Sir. Aap Baba se hi baat kar lijiye. Agar unhein sahi lagta hai to mujhe kya problem hogi?"
"Main pahunchte hi baat karoonga."
Ashutosh went to meet Yograj, when he dropped her home.
"Dr. Nidhi. Mujhe pata hai ki aap bhi thaki hui hain. Lekin mujhe chai ki sakht zaroorat hai. Mil sakti hai please."
"Zaroor Sir. Ismein kaun si badi baat hai. Main bas abhi haath-munh dho kar banati hoon. Baba aap bhi piyenge?"
"Haan. Agar bana rahi ho to mere liye bhi bana do."
"Ji. Theek hai."
"Mr. Verma. Mujhe aapki madad chahiye," Ashutosh spoke when Nidhi went inside.
"Meri madad? Agar main aapki koi bhi madad kar sakta hoon Dr. Ashutosh, to samajh lijiye ho gaya."
Ashutosh explained how they were having a problem in recruiting an accountant at Jeevan Prabha, just like he had explained to Nidhi.
Baba smiled, "Aap mujhse madad maang rahe hain, ya meri madad kar rahe hain?"
"Main bilkul wahi kar raha hoon, jo maine kaha hai. Mere manager pareshaan ho chuke hain is position ko fill karne ke liye. Aur ab financial year end aa raha hai, to unhein bahut dikkat hone waali hai."
"Aapne Nidhi ko bataya hai."
"Haan. Aur unhone faisla aap par chhoda hai. Mr. Verma. Agar aapko meri baat par bharosa nahin hai to aap wahan ek-do mahine kaam kar ke dekh lijiya. Agar aapko lagega ki wahan par aapke liye kaam nahin hai, to aap chhod dijiyega. Lekin please ek baar koshish kijiye. Dekhiye. Apni nahin to Nidhi ki khaatir. Aap jaante hain ki aapki har pareshaani se woh bhi kitna pareshaan hoti hai."
Yograj sighed. Just then Nidhi entered with tea and snacks. He looked at his daughter for a moment. Then turned to Ashutosh, "Theek hai. Aap mujhe Jeevan Prabha ke manager se milwa dijiye. Jab se woh kahenge, main aa jaunga."
Nidhi looked at her Baba and Ashutosh and finally smiled.
--
Arjun
Cricket
