Mishal Raheja
as Dutta
Out of my hands
Part 12
Before his very eyes, this white sari clad woman that oddly fascinates Dutta, much to his displeasure turns a deaf ear to his command of stop! and like a frightened rabbit scoots off. As he clenches his hands and freezes on the spot, much to his further dislike another setback pops up! Bajirao appears out of nowhere before Dutta's contracted eyes! and very nearly escorts the woman down the sided aisle by the main corridor that leads to the annexe. Dutta's jaw twitches as he waits and folds his arms across his chest. As when Baji returns, he can make further comments on this loitering free as a lark! white bird in his house! about the information his mother supplied him but seemingly withheld from this nautanki Baji . However as for himself, being a man who creates, Dutta inherently wishes to discover and learn more about life around him.. so he can transfer an admixture of his sentiments and life as seen around him.. in an expressive mode.. be it on canvas or clay!.. and this woman in white comes in this category of" life around him" With a brush of his stubble chin and sided cheek with his slender fingers , his eyes sparkle as he appears well pleased with the justification he gives himself... an artist needs to know!
Meanwhile Baji, mutters under his breath , as both him and Naku walk away swiftly lest Dutta follows on..
"what exactly were you trying to do Naku?, have you lost both your mind and your way? had I not turned up Dutta would be taking you to task with a barrage of who? what? why?
Naku sniffs and pulls her pallu before her mouth, " wo I didn't realize he would turn up , so I hid behind a column ,I think DP ne mujhe dekh liya tha..
"hain? he turns up? Naku have you forgotten the man lives here, Dutta jis type ka hai, kisi bhi waqat, kisi bhi jagga, especially where you least expect him too .. he energizes in person! you will need to tread very carefully around here.. haan, Naku , if you can't.. then reveal yourself! contradicts Baji.
"I was going to Baji, it was you who stopped me saying it would affect his creativity.. reminds him Naku..
Baji nods, regretfully and confesses," yes, I did stop you Naku, but now I am having second thoughts, let's mull over it in the meanwhile."
Naku quickly enters the annex and Baji runs his fingers through his hair and walks back through the aisle,and muses, would it be best to tell Dutta the truth about Naku or not?however as his comrade, he still has a gut feeling to spare him the truth. Simply because he feels Dutta will lose his mind. When he gets back to the lounge corridor, Baji finds Dutta had gone from there! Baji asks the body guard if he has seen Bhau? Kaley points to the garden..
~~~~~~~~
Baji finds Dutta as he faces his easel in intense concentration, his head arches forward and his right hand curves and shuffles to shade the charcoal outline of a woman in a white sari.. her face of course lies concealed by the sided pallu of the sari.. Dutta puts the charcoal down in the easel trough and then swivels his bottom around to face the bemused face of Baji who looks down into his friend narrowed eyes.. Dutta rests his arms on his slightly parted legs which he props up on the tips of his toes..
"aah gaye tu snooper muhje par nazar rekhne? jests Dutta with a teeny pulled down smile.
"thujhe par nazar nehin meri .. teri charcoal draft par nazar hai, Bhau! what locha is this? guest hai wo Aye Sahib ke..and tune use dekh bhi leya.. and drawing her sketch? Deva, kya zamana hai!
"Nehin! I didn't din mein ! but hummm, I did spot her on the terrace raat mein, that night , I told you Baji and you thought I was tipsy.. ab thujhe pata chala ke Dutta doesn't lie.. and meri nazar bhi bhaut taiz hai , I can counting the wings of a flying sparrow.. waise tera bhaut yaraana lag reha tha uske saath this morning", Dutta comments then leans forward and stands tall before Baji , folds his arms, somewhat miffed , but still confesses further to his best mate
"look Baji! no one refuses my bidding in this house.. itne rude lardki thi.. I called her and she defied me and scurried off like I would eat her alive! he growls.
" ayeee Bhau! soocho tum, pun kyun roke tumhare call par wo larki ? tumhe nehin janti wo..
"nehin janti Baji, to jan jaye ge jald hi .. ke mein koi darinda nehin, aacha insaan hoon.. he shakes his head and complains, "all I wanted to ask her , if she was comfortable in the house and she thought , main pata nehin kya kar doon ga! pathetic she is.. full of herself!.. he walks away from Baji and then turns to face him, with a compassionate look this time..
"Aye Sahib, told me she's a widow.. is hounded by her FIL.. but why ? Baji.. I am curious to know.. but she just ran off! , says Dutta ,tad put off by the lack of information.. he stiffens his neck, and realizes, dryly.." I guess I should mind my own business.. shouldn't I Baji?
Baji gives a sheepish bow of his head.. and prefers to remain silent, but feels he perhaps maintains a healthy discretion of information from Bhau and begins to leave, only to be stopped by Bhau's request
"kisi ko bol Baji , chai le kar aeeye, feel lazy like a lout, must be seeing the white shadow this morning! gripes Dutta with evident bitterness..
" Bhau.. white shadow? kitne nam de ga tu us beechari lardki ko? don't you think ,you are too much on her case?
"haan!! aur tu Baji! are too much for her!! this too I can see! what's going on? seems she looms like a sheet of white glass between us.. pity I can't see what she looks like.." Dutta , screws his face and gives a pensive look , may be she's unpleasant to look at? he adds and startles Baji, who blurts.
Or maybe she is a beauty?
Dutta sucks in air with keenness on his face , which breaks into a smile," hummm, may be wo koi sundari hai, to my taste? Baji turns to look at Bhau innocently and once more starts to leave this time in a hurry to avoid further expansion of discussion..
Baji waits in the kitchen door his arms on the door posts. Both mother and daughter are seen to be occupied in cooking chores. Babi who chops vegetable turns and looks across at a and asks, " kuch chaiye Baji rao?.. Baji shakes his head and replies,"mujhe kuch nehin, chaiye.. pun Bhau chai mangata hai bhar garden mein". Naku takes on the task, as her mother undertakes the more time consuming one of preparing curries.
As she passes him , carrying the tray, Baji says in a low voice, "now don't try to be over clever, chai de and scram from there as soon as possible" he warns
Naku gives Baji a cheeky look and replies, "oh stop being paranoid Baji! or should I say possessive! agar kuch poochen ge tu jawab de doon ge.. Naku says truthfully
Baji shakes his head as she slips away to the garden.. "yehri hai ye lardki... he mutters
The clatter and subtle rattle of approaching tea makes Dutta presume correctly that tea arrives. Being Dutta he appears busy shading the sari pleats of the figure with charcoal.. in a guttural voice without a break in his activity he instructs
"rekh do edhur side par ! the tray is set down beside him., and from the corner of his eye he notes a bit of a white sari pallu! he is tempted to turn around and give this woman a sound look and may be pose a few polite questions too.The hushed silence speaks.. that she has not gone, yet.. but his inner respect for her current status sets him back. However he feels to thank her for the service, will not go amiss. So with his face still toward his easel he says in his gruff voice
"Shuriya.. no reply.. but still he adds, "tum yahan par thek tu ho na?
Naku hears the question, that requires her speaking , so she gives a monosyllabic answer..
"Je".. and scampers away , before he can turn his back..
Dutta does rotate his body around on his high stool.. but only sees through the glass French windows her delicate white sari clad figure disappear inside the main house..
But Dutta is not the one to give up! why should he? it's his house. This house is his! and she is a guest, surely she should be able to utter more then a curt je!. With a growl he chucks his crayon in the easel trough, it bounces against the trough and chips and then splits in half... Dutta frowns and gathers his full lips and blows the graphite black powder around.With a stiff neck he levels up , then leans and nimbly picks the tea tray with the empty cup and storms into the house. As sheer luck would have it, she approaches from the opposite direction.. pallu caught from one side between her teeth.. she very nearly stops on seeing him! but he carries on his stride with the tray balanced on his palm..
They almost pass by like two ships on the ocean.. in the narrow sided corridor.. but Dutta with his free hand blocks her way! and she literally jerks back , spins around! backs, then runs down the way wherefore she came from. Dutta's palm tilts! and the tray crashes with the tea cup on the marble floor.Kaley skates down and screeches to a halt! when he sees the imposing figure of Dutta who simply passes his long leg over the mess on the floor and comments as he moves off
"humm Kaley .. kushi hoi dekh ke tum kam pe alert ho!.. kisi se bolo ke ye saaf kere "
Dutta with hands held behind his back strolls on further in the direction she went .Something tells him, if he musters up clout he may just still find her pottering about. His eyes light up as he finds her before Bappa's statue in the foyer. Her slim back leans and he sees part of fair lower arm as she lights the lamp stand. The match blows out! and he draws closer behind her , leans over her shoulder, reaches out for the box of matches, shoves it open with his finger, pulls out and strikes the match.. Naku gathers herself and shifts to the side in a hurry! as his arm stretches past her waist to light the candles stand. He lingers for a second and looks down at the top of her covered head and gently says,
"Bappa ke samna tum se kehana tha, mujhse darne ke koi zarrorat nehin.. artist ho koi killer nehin" ,he hopes for... but gets no answer from her accept a nod of her head..
Dutta pulls his lower lip slightly into mouth, turns and then walks away.. Naku turns to look as he walks away, one arm bent his back... her eyes well up and she turns to face Bappa , and she says, "Bappa tu janta hai , aagar main kuch bhi boli tu DP will recognize my voice.. show me the right way, which will cause him the least stress... and slowly she turns away and nearly runs to her the annexe. As it is dusk and only dim lights now shone in the narrow sided aisle of the large corridor she fails to see the tall shadow before her!
She bumps against his chest! strong arms go around her and she rests her cheek against his heart that pounds and thumps like mad. Dutta hoods his eyes, her pallu falls off her head in the collision , and he feels this warm body against him tremble like a leaf.. Dutta gulps and slowly turns his head the other way.. if a woman wishes to maintain the sanctity of her widow hood, Dutta shall certainly not flaunt it.. and he loosens his grip over her back and gently moves away from her. His eyes lower, he gyrates, and goes down the aisle, opens the door to his sher ke gharr, lion's cave! and closes the door behind him.
Slightly perturbed and jumbled up he walks to one of Nakusha's previous charcoal replica's .. Naku his subject! and stares hard at it as he thinks aloud, "mujhe kyon laga Naku ke jo aurat mera se takriye abhi, wo tu thi.. I felt your warmth , and smelt your fragrance.. muddled he cranks his neck to the side and furrows his brow then moves his trouble shot eyes at her charcoal picture ,and continues, "maagar wo lardki tu kaise ho sakte hai? you were not even married.. so being a widow would be quite out of question! a click to his door provides temporary relief! Baji is here so Dutta can off load...
Baji can see clearly what mode his Bhau is in and he thinks it best to talk about Nakusha his subject!
"I see tera phir se us student ke tarif dahiyaan chala gaye Bhau ! good to note, I wonder how she's getting on?
Baji rao! the strangest thing happened today, I came across that widow lady.. kuch bolte nehin.. hope she's not mute?or maybe she hasn't come to term with what life's thrown at her? so she's traumatized to say much? poor soul, yaar , I feel much compassion for her..
Baji looks at his friends face, washed with the sincerity of his soul.. guilt knocks at Baji's heart..
But Dutta carries on, his eyes expand.. childlike and confused.
"I met her again , near Bappa's idol, told her not to fear me.. but there too! she failed to speak.. Baji , yaad hai, Nakusha was like that in the beginning, unwillingly to speak.. she seems very similar.. haan aur abhi in the dark to , we collide! but no Baji , you know me.. I turned my face the other way.. maine uska chera nehin dekha... Dutta discloses to Baji whose eyes nearly pop out ready for the worst! but much relived at the outcome.. he jests nervously
"Kya baat hai Bhau! you did a hat trick today! thein! thein! mulakatien! but inside Baji aches to come clean with his bosom pal and hence he suggests,
"dekh Bhau, if you feel she is similar to Nakusha, then why don't you use her in helping you with the art work.. Nakusha your subject, knew the ropes, of mixing , and other art prep chores, that you taught her .. thujhe idea ho jaye ga.. about who you think she can possibly be! kya bolta hai tum?
Dutta nods once and goes, "hummm..it's a thought, Baji now I'll just have to think how I'll go about making her give consent? he pulls a face and grumbles, "all this to see her face and check my sixth sense!
Baji chrips with gusto , har! Har! Mahadev!
~~~~~~
Dutta's folded arm props up his head , as his eyes shift around his studio ceiling.. he muses about his next artistic venture and the mode he will take to involve her. His free hand gently moves across his chest. Baji is right, how she reacts will sure be a tell tale. But still, fine conduct should be the way he carries himself.. making a fool of himself will not be acceptable for him never about her. He moves his head under his creased arm and his eyes well up as he recalls, his very own mother, apne bemaar Aye.."Dutta maan saaf ho tu koi kam muskhil nehi hota.. Bappa saath deta hai, samjha Dutta? he loosens his mouth, gulps and says aloud, "haan Aye, my heart is crystal clear, without malice.. but there is a certain significant doubt about this widow.. only wish to know, uska saach kya hai? but he mumbles "as maa, said leave it to Bappa..
~~~~~~~
Next, morning at the breakfast table Dutta sits alone with Aye Sahib. It is obvious that the rest of his family is served breakfast in bed.. ever since the arrival of this mother and daughter duo. He narrows his eyes and turns his head to the wooden screen that cordons the kitchen from the dining area.The, clatter of cutlery; the delicious aroma of poha; the boiling of tea fumes.. and rather loud banter of the ordering mother, told Dutta in no uncertain way that, the mute widow too was in there with her mother.
Then she sails in like a white albatross, mutely silent.. an illusion ..her fair smooth hands place the dish of poha on the table.. Aye Sahib, notices Dutta hard stare at Naku's hands.To divert his attention , she asks what his plans for the day are.? he replies, he plans to make a large mural of shri Ram and Sita on the central wall of the lounge. The idea excites Aye Sahib and Dutta gently places his hand on her hand, "there is no doubt his mother is the biggest patron of his work. Aye Sahib, though has some anxiety ,
"Dutta wo tu thek hai tu paint kare ga, pun mujhe hamesha chinta hoti hai jub tu scaffold pe chata hai.. Baji ye Kaley tere madaat ker rehe hain?
Naku still stands to one corner of the table face hidden away without a doubt with the white pallu. Dryly with a firm mouth and stern face Dutta presses his palms on the dining table and hauls himself up ready to leave.. almost walks off, but realizes his mother requires an answer.. and maybe Bappa too now provides him an opening, so he pauses and looks directly at her,
"help tu chaiye Aye Sahib, pun Baji aur Kaley, mere paintings ke exhibition kisi jaga set kar reha hain, tu wo nehin hoonge".. he becomes silent and soon after, steals a look at the widow, but she continues to be withdrawn and Dutta turns and goes out to the workmen to set up the scaffolding before the middle wall of the lounge..
Naku in the kitchen knows well what she wants, her inner self girds her to be proactive, show the interest in art work that is also inherent in her.. but the truth about herself refrain's her. On sharing her indecisiveness with her mother proves an exercise in futility..
"tera dahmak thek ha meri baachi? Saab ko pata chala tune apna baiwa hona unse chupiya , tu wo Aye Sahib se kha ke humien is ghar se nikalwa daga, phir hum us dilwara ke nazar mein ah jayien ga.. ye chati hai tu? bol? rants Babi, and Naku looks at the implications her mother paints and decides to remain silent and low key.
Dutta dressed in white pyjamas and voile lemon kurta, carries an assorted paints container by the handle , up the rungs of the sided scaffold ladder.. as his long legs fold and propel up one at a time, Naku watches him through the motifs of the wooden lattice kitchen screen, her private niche from where she views him.. how she desires to be with him.. emotionally it's a hard chore to resist his earlier call for assistance ... she spots sitting on the floor at the foot of the leaning ladder, his assortment of sabre paint brushes standing like a battalion of soldiers with black bushy heads, in a medium solid wooden container! that was it! Naku, covers her head with her pallu..and entwines the edges around her slender neck.. leans down and her fingers of one hand curves around the handle of the brush holder and the other rests on the sides of the ladder.. as if in a trance she follows him up the ladder.. but ensures her head is bowed rather than raised.
Dutta is two rungs away from the top platform when he feels his ladder tremor he cranks his neck and looks down and suffers a shock when he sees the white bird moving up the ladder , rather her following him , or giving him a helping hand??..he curbs his enquiry and slowly turns his face the other way and then carries on.. then with a sideways extension to his arm that carries the paints container, he deposits it on the platform base of the scaffold ..then swivels his neck and bends it only to feel the shaky ladder and her awkward flight up the rungs.. his eyes twinkle and he almost says to her, "rehene de, kya sar be kaffan bandh ke ah rehe hai! but instead lowers his leg down the rung and simply with a straight face, expands his arm down to her and says
"bas.. shukriye.. pass the holder to me.."and she does, and as he takes it from her, and with a sweet smile he looks down at the top of her nearly mummified head, says
"aram se. neeche utarna, aistha ,aistha.. " he watches her from his heights.. and continues to do so, till she steps nimbly on the ground.. and then as usual she scampers off!
Something sparks him to express himself.. an emotion, pure! even godly that transcends from the heavens when gods show generosity to us feeble sinful mortals! and shower us with the emotion that inspired the gods to form the world! LOVE.. He looks at the flat space before him as he sits on the flat platform on top of the scaffold. With a fast sketch with a graphite pencil he has a draft manuscript of his painting.
He decides beforehand, it'll be an idyllic, serene, setting that seethes in complete oneness of spirituality and soul..
With the bold tumultuous strokes of wide brushes he sweeps the background with ethereal pastel blue white primer back drop.. with his bottom lip in his mouth, he swerves his arm in circular motion with a flat brush slimed with the paste of white ,greys and blues emerges the opaque orb of the full moon.. bathed in the bluish glow of bulrushes and wispy curly, water plants lie before the moon, the revered deities.. secluded in their moment of tender love.. shri Ram sits with one of his legs kneed up.. whilst the other lies folded on the silvery bed of the grassy banks.. he looks down tenderly into Sita's upturned eyes ..Dutta with a large brush paints the delicate figure of seraph like image of Sita , in a watery flowing ghagra choli that compliments her body.. her head inclines on shri Ram's knee.. and Dutta paints her hand that rests in shri Ram's wide palm.. Dutta decides that he will paint the revered deities in royal attire.. so with a fine brush with gilt paint he paints the finishing touches,. Shri Ram's intricate crown on his head, ornate gold necklaces on both their necks and finally.. the embellished arm bands of their arms. Dutta moves back on the platform to study his painting.. wipes the sweat of his face with the back of his palm.. then changes the brush plus the paint and dabs bits of green foliage around the holy husband and wife.. what Dutta desires is others to feel the eternal love between these figures of his faith.. last minute addition with his finest brush he use black paint further more to exemplify the doe eyes of Sita.. he is reminded of Naku's green doe eyes and he pulls his mouth to one side in an attempt to concentrate on his present task.. with a sense of complacency.. now, self- approval is to show over zealousness in one's work! praise from others has to be the mightier pleasure.. he muses with a smile..
He reclines back with a relaxed sigh and views sections of his work that catches his eye.. one thing evident in the sequence of events in shri Ram and Sita's life.. is a painting of good times that befits royalty.. but now he needs to show their love transcends to the heavens.. when they face exile from the good life to the bad one! banwas mein.. shri Ram aur Sita .. fulfilling their vows of marriage.. standing by each other in all times! he muses..
Naku ran to the annexe straight to her room and unwinds her pallu around her face and neck and then she stood before the mirror with her pallu off her head.. she peers into her green eyes and whispers, "kahan se ah gaye itni himmat tera mein Naku? kuch bhi ho sakta tha,? she titls her head and feels her cheek.."ju bhi hoya aacha hoya.. meri benoor zindagi mein roshni ah gaye.. even though for a second.. but for long enough till Bappa will make things happen for me.. she moves from the dresser to Bappa's plaque image on the wall.. she prays before it with clasped hands, "Bappa all my life I give in your hands, do as you will with it"
~~~~~~~~
Dutta work for hours at a stretch without a break..it was like a deluge of creative ideas that are best when transferred.. he works now on painting of the shri Ram and Sita in the forest ,leading a frugal life.. away from the luxurious affluent palatial life style. With a broad brush lying on this back he delivers the green foliage back drop that encapsulates their lives living close to nature.. broad brush defined curved branches of smooth bark trees, that lovingly form a protective canopy over the husband and wife.. Dutta paints Sita a once queen.. now dressed in a humble red sari.. in the forest stripped of her grand fineries, but still Dutta gives her the radiance, dignity and the graced privilege of being shri Ram's beloved wife.. even being in banishment.. Dutta does use a fine brush to show a certain sadness in her eyes.. of being away from their land.. after some thought Dutta paints shri Ram standing closely behind her, guarding his wife.. with bow and arrow in hand.. ensuring her protection.. shri Ram too feels the same way as his wife.. Dutta paints his eyes glazed with reminisces of their , land, home and family..
Dutta studies the mural of ram and Sita and adds the last minute touches , more light around them to signify day time , and with the curve of his brush he adds a sided rolling hill and dabs green blotches of green grasses and wild weeds, he moves closer and holds a thin fine brush and carefully paints, green tear drop leaves across the branches to give impression soft shiny slippery surfaced leaves..he studies his work and lovingly paints on leisurely.. some simple jewellery that graces shri Ram and Sita.. rudraksh beads garlands in their necks and on their wrists.. flower garlands..
Seemingly, still he has dissatisfaction over the way Sita's sari folds drape across her bosom and progresses over her shoulder.. he darkens the folds of Sita's sari where it pleats.. he keeps the tin of red paint by his lion as he busily dips his brush into the brownish mixed paint in his paint palette for shading.. his eyes still on the Sita's image he stretches back his arm to dip in the litre tin of bright red water based paint that sits precariously on the far side edge of the wooden scaffold!..
~~~~~~~
Naku, now pallu still on her head , but a little more confident.. thinks it's no major feat that she offer him tea! since he has been working nearly all day.. she figures, since he is at a height she would leave the tray under the scaffold where he can see. She looks up at him seated on the platform engrossed in painting Sita's red sari on the mural with a fine brush. Dutta again stretches his arm backwards to recoat the brush with red paint.. when he in a split of the second his arm span accidently knocks the tin off the scaffold platform!!!
Naku on the floor, in complete awe of the image of shri Ram and Sita suddenly sees the tin career off the platform! and before she knows it... it plunges down and spills moist cold red paint all over the top of her head! she screams and her reflexes make her jump and she falls to the side on the floor huddled! she misses the tin which crashes on the floor with a bang! Aye Sahib, Baji hear Naku's scream and a crash! and gather around her!
Dutta throws the paint brush! dashes over to the base of the wooden scaffold! looks down! the widows face, bold green eyes look up to him.. her white sari pallu covered head spatters with wet red paint on the top of her crown! but Dutta's eyes are transfixed on her face..where the paint from her head, slides down to her forehead and then progresses to the bridge of her sharp nose! Dutta grips the scaffold... his legs shake... as he silently mouths..NAKU... to be continued Hamlet53~11.11.14
~~~~~~~~~
this one for the exam takers.. oyee!! hope you performed above average! and to the shy bart... who is slowing showing her chera... very nice... me chuckling...
baji rao! you beat me to it, you nautanki!😆,, reservation ummm..
Edited by Hamlet53 - 10 years ago
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