Mishal Raheja
As Dutta
Follow the Heart
Part 2
Nanasahib Tavde dressed in a black kurta embellished with gold trim embroidery around the neckline, stroked his thick curled up moustache, as he waited for Nakusha to turn up. Irritated he drummed his fingers on the table, as he confessed silently that his constant pandering to her whims had made her into a right little madame! however, as her guardian and sole relative, he was wholly responsible for her future. Nana pulled his thick wide lips into a sly secretive smile, and that he planned sure to do , hers alongside with his future . After all he too needed some form of remuneration for the laborious duty of care he had bestowed upon her,
"Devach ki kirpa ! lardki ke zamandari uthna koi assan kam nehin hai", he cranked his neck to one side and caressed his moustache. Full of beans Nakusha rode on the frivolous devil may care wing of youth! flew into the large room where her uncle Nana Sahib sat looking deep in thought. She had already caught onto the brief final section of his comment
"aacha ! now being a girl, is a cause of agro for you? ohhh that's not fair Nana Sahib I am the ray of sunshine in your eyes aren't I ?chirped Naku as she stood behind Nana and entwined her bangle clad arms around his neck affectionately. Nana set aside the noose of her arms and brought her before him and gazed upon her caringly.
"kaise hai tu meri baachi? he asked as his hand patted her cheek once with his rings clad fingers. Naku swirled around before him, and exclaimed
"see for yourself! the best looking girl in Nana sahib's dera! and the next minute she asked the question..
"oh I can't wait for the spring mela to begin! mujhe jane do ge na aap? she asked cautiously, as she knew Nana Sahib , despite her cheekiness always preferred that she maintained the decorum of seeking his permission whenever she ventured out of the house.. i.e where she went and with whom? her guardian nodded and empowered her
" haan kyun nehin.. meri bacchi! after all it was primarily for your joy I will allow the fair troupe to pitch their equipment on my land holdings.. but Babi maa tera saath jaye ge.. you need to ensure that".. Nana decreed, then cleared his throat and informed Naku formally,
" waise I am expecting a special guest today, I'd like you to meet him and serve him nastha..can I count on you ? he asked ceremoniously. Naku nodded her head obediently, as he was her father's brother, and her carer, so refusal to abide by his rules was something Naku made ita point to adhere to
"of course Nana Sahib, your wish is my command! is ghar mein ju bhi mehman ata hai, Naku ka farz bunta hai us ke saiwa kerna.. she assured .Nana Sahib gave her a smile of approval and internally too placidity reigned within him as he gauged that his deliberations showed promise of materialisation. Naku, was told to see the preparations that were carried out in the rasoi, and she hurriedly did the needful..
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Kulte, Nana Sahib's trusted BG, announced the arrival of Kaido, the guest Nana waited for. The elderly man dressed in a white dhoti, a red kurta and a white twisted turban fitted on the circumference of his head, carried his slightly hunched back persona upon the aid of a walking stick .. his right hand gripped the golden falcon head hand rest.. Nana stood to greet the man as Kaido limped sluggishly towards Nana. Both men embraced each boisterously and Kaido was offered a traditional cane, rattan and wicker moda in which he literally slumped down as he rested his walking stick at an angle where he sat. He fixed and spread his dhoti across his knees and concealed his old withered lame limb.. Nana Sahib couldn't help but gaze sympathetically at the man's maimed leg. It was hard to pass into oblivion that Kaido had attempted to avert a past rebellion against Nana , and then in the process Kaido had his leg severed rather badly by an axe from Nana's opposing party.. so now, mused Nana was the time to award this rather loaded, old ,maimed sea dog!
" Nakusha! baachi , chai pani la oya , mera mehman ke liye! called out Nana! Nakusha entered shyly. She held the tea tray in both her fair hands, followed by Babi maa who carried a tray load of spicy savouries, sweet meat delights and halwa for the respected guest. Babi however peered with some disdain at the wrinkled face countenance of the guest who vividly attempted to disguise his aging process behind his groomed plus dyed jet black beard.. deva ! she mused , surely this specimen cannot be a potential suitor for her beautiful young Nakusha? why she was young enough to be his granddaughter! Nana Sahib could read the anxiety on his trusted servants face and without further ado he took charge and commanded
" chai buna ke de meri baachi.. ye hai mera sapotri Nakusha , Kaido jis ka maine tum se zakar kiya tha" Kaido just stared at this young fresh rose bud incessantly... without uttering much he tapped his walking stick on the floor as if to receive some apathy from her.. yes she was a joy to look at from head to toe.. he gaped at the way she leaned forward and poured the tea and then he nearly coughed and choked when she offered him his tea.. Naku , was bemused by the way his old bony wrinkled hand shook when he accepted the cup of tea , it rattled and she thought he would drop it. But he steadied the nervous tremor eventually and Naku looked at Nana Sahib as she waited for further instruction, but he just bowed his head and blinked his eyes at her which signified she could leave...
Kaido watched her hind lecherously and than slurped his tea from the saucer. Nana had assessed that Kaido had approved of his prized possession and so he came straight to the point..
" ab tum ne lardki tu dekh le hai, aagar main haan bolon tu badle mein mujhe kya mila ga Kaido? The thing is there are other landowners in Patil Vadi who are willing to give a lot for her hand in marriage..but what to do it's a huge responsibility .. cannot just palm her off with just any one.The reason I considered you is because of your previous loyalty to me when you incurred lifelong injury upon yourself.. and also because you have lucrative land holdings.. you have clout in the area. As one in place of her father , it's my duty to ensure that you will keep her happy.. bare nazoon se pala hai maine Nakusha ko " Nana continued , till Kaido interrupted fervently,
"tum haan tu bolo Nana Sahib! main lardki ko sone mein tol doon ga"
"woh tu thek hai.. sona tu Nakusha ke pas bahut hai.. besides , you need to consider your disability Kaido.. she is a young vivacious girl, full of energy and vitality .. ab mujhe us ko bhi tu samjhane pare ga.. so what offering can you make that she can't resist? asked Nana surreptitiously.. really the idea was to hear what stakes Kaido was prepared to put out. Finally Kaido too had to weigh what he ventured to do away with to gain .. this delightful girl.. he leaned forward in his rattan moda and rubbed his dry crinkly palms..
" dekho Nana Sahib, aap ki beti ke badla mein , main Kaido aap ko apne dau gundham aur ek gane ke gahet de sakta hoon.. chale ga..? obliged Kaido in sheer desperation to marry Nakusha. Nana tried to hide his glee! Well this was exactly what he had aspired for.. three fields! two of wheat and one plantation of sugar cane. He always had an eye on those pieces of land that yielded crops , more so as they very nearly existed at the adjoining end of his own lands.. now that he was about to get his hand on Kaido's land by the graces of his so called daughter Nakusha so be it! he has no qualms about Kaido being the right person to be a suitable husband for Nakusha..Both men shook hands amicably at the agreement, and Kaido limped out of Nana Sahib's hivali , he came in as a pauper but now he leaves feeling like a king!
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Dutta sat on a mud tilla under the lone green mulberry tree that provided him shelter from elements of all seasons. During rainy season the drizzle danced, tapped, pattered , but somewhat provided him a leafy tarpaulin from getting drenched. Whenever the sun shone it's fiery torches of scorching heat ,the tree spread it's branches over him and relieved him under it's leafy shade ..it was his most preferential haunt, away from all, yet within visible distance where the family cattle grazed on the sparse yellowy parched meadows that cried out to the skies for a drink of water!. Since the small exclusive mound was at a gradient, it put him at an advantageous position , from where he could see right across the green fields dotted with watch towers and scarecrows at strategic places.. he could see the greedy swarms of hungry crows that swooped down from their flights upon the lush fields looking for corn ears, worms, anything that looked like food to them. This was his designated spot where he would press his bansuri against his pink full bottom lip and with the top lip blew through the wind instrument.. and with the combined magic of his breath and fingers he would play, soulful tunes ,that would calm the restlessness of his soul.. The still silence coupled with the heat had a drowsy effect on him today , and in no time he was lulled into a short slumber. It was only a brief snooze and he stirred soon , with his tough back reposed against the bumpy bark of the tree.. Dutta sat with one leg folded up , while the other lay straight and limp on the muddy soil under the tree. His lion like eyes lazily peered at his cows and buffalos as their jaws cud lazily whatever their hungry tongues and mouth found.. weeds, grass , wild flowerings. He scratched the prickly stubble under his chin as his ears picked up the clang! ding dong! of cow bells that dangled around the fleshy heavily creased necks of the families cattle. He sat up abruptly, as he found Kajri amiss! he yanked his neck around and scaled the area around him with his piercing eyes he couldn't see her! Up he shot on his feet! and his whole body lurched on the tilla as he cupped his hands and roared the place down..kajri!!! kajriii! As if he expected his lost lamb to answer, he frantically ran down the small mud mountain, disregarded angrily ,the sharp pebbly stones that cut into his toe post sandals.. his heart pounded against his rib cage as panic gripped him.. he had lost his prized belonging! as his body rattled and juddered down wards the slight gradient of the mound. In angst he banged the side of his outside sinewy leg in anger with his clenched fist.. height of stupidity dozing off! him allowing the little lamb to scamper off.. he panted at the very thought of letting her slip away the little pesky rascal! where could she be?
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As soon as Naku had served tea to Nana Sahib's guest, she left the two men to their affairs of mutual interest and popped back briefly into the kitchen only to inform Babi maa that she was off for innocent sair sapate.. gadding about with her sahelis! in the fields and areas that adjoined it. Naku knew it was enough to keep Babi maa in the know how as that was an expectation from Nana Sahib.. Babi maa was invariably her cover from his reprimands.. however before she left the house Naku thumped her head and mused , how dense? how on earth could she forget the most important part of her body.. that hardly ever stayed on the ground! her tiny fair dainty feet! so she arrived in her room, fumbled through her trinkets casket and picked out a couple of silver toe rings with a tiny hollow silver bauble .She balanced herself on one leg , raised the other, placed it on her bed, raised her ghaghra up to her calf.. and carefully slipped a couple of toe rings on her two of her toes. Then the culminated toe statement! the intricate sliver payals one for each ankle , she hung it against her palm, then leaned over her knee and hooked around her smooth skinned creamy ankle.. soon after Naku tip toed out of the house ,the subtle tinkling of her payal told her hurried tale when she slipped out of the hiwali..
Naku's gang of equally gaudily clad flippant girlfriends greeted her with gusto but Roops one of her closest friends, called out to her from the boundary of mustard field.. rife with the smell of manure and cows excrete.. but these youthful girls were ignorant of the foul smell as it was part of their way of life. Neither was Naku mindful of it, as she walked carefully and avoided animal droppings..
"ek tu tera sijna saajana Naku! really half the day is over and look at you turning up now.. chal let's go ek chakkar lagte hain bazzar ka, khetti imli kahane ko maan hai? Roops urged as she grabbed Naku's arm.. another friend , gullo teased with a wink..
"kher tu hai imli khane ka mood hai? ye kya chakkar hai? she said lewdly and the rested of the girls tittered loudly. Naku attempted to hush their vulgarity riddled innuendos,as Roops marshalled the gang in the middle of the fairly wide muddy road that was a through fare for all types of transportation that ranged from donkey carts, cyclists ,tractors ,jeeps, herds of cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep and last but not the least pedestrians as well!
Little did the girly gang care that they had literally barricaded the stretch of road that stretched with the canal on one side and the mustard fields on the other.. giddy chatter and gossip flowed uninterrupted till the sounds of tyres skidded to a halt followed by countless ear piercing beeps! The girls brigade stoppped in their tracks and they all swivelled to face the cute dimpled cheek driver of the black jeep who gripped the steering wheel.. Roops shook her neck placed one of her hands on her hips and spun her paranda woven long plait in a challenging pinwheel mode..
"kya re hero ? bahut jaldi mein hai tu! nazar nehin ata is sadak pe hum chal rehe hain?.. heroien.. she spewed.. Baji gaped then blinked his eyes and said..
"haila! tum nazar ke baat kerti ho.. main tu nazar samat pora he phassel kya hai! saath main meri tu dekhne ke skakti bhi chali gaye hai! main kahan hoon? koi batai ga mujhe? Baji replied as he jumped out of the jeep and groped towards Roops with his arms held ahead like a blind person.. Roops took a few steps back and thumped her hands on her hips and replied
"eyeee. hero! thujhe pata nehin hum kaun hain? Nana Sahib ke dera se hain hum.. Baji smiled sarcastically and folded his arm and scratched the back of his head and nodded
" haan tabhi tu main soochoon itne theeki pataka items hamra gaon ke tu ho nehin sakte.. ab chalo hatu aage se! khali khooti mera bejha maat chato.. nehin tu jeep chera de ga tum sab pe! He threatened and climbed back in his jeep and started it; put it in gear, lunged forward and the girls screamed and all huddled to one side! Baji with a wicked smile varoomed off! he fixed his rear mirror and caught sight of the cute girl who had confronted him. She waved her sandal behind his jeep! haila! chokri! namkeen hai! he chortled.. as he drove about doing his business!
Naku scolded her friends with fear in her heart. She disapproved Nana Sahib's name being taken as it could cause complications for her if her uncle came to know about the frivolous company she kept,
"look it's best that we keep to the straight and narrow , avoid any such situations that can ban us from gadding about freely in our dera.. people can make an adverse comment about our behaviour if it disrupts people's way of life.. woh tu ye ladka kisi aache gharane ka lagta tha , nehin tu bakhra khera ho sakta tha, sermonized Naku. Her friends looked shamefaced and hung their head and showed regret. However their remorse was fairly short lived as instead of turning to the limited small bazaar.. their ears catch the soulful sound of the bansuri around the borders of the out of bounds enemies territory.
All the friends pushed their palms and bodies against the wooden narrow planked fence, that demarcated the territory of shri Ram Patil's and Nanasheb Tavde's warring villages. Naku crossed her arms on the edge of the fence and dug her chin on her arm. There in the distance, on the top of a tilla with a mulberry tree, sat a man dressed in what vividly seemed a black kurta with white pyjama bottoms. From far he appeared youngish.. strong silent type expression .. yet his bulky arms seemed they were folded and from far it looked like he made the music with an instrument, bansuri! .. the notes of which harped on the strings of her heart. She appeared mesmerised by the tune.. it was some kind of a wanting ,a needy muffled wailing call.. she squinted her green does eyes so she acquired a better view but the distance was great. Her friends noticed Naku's persistent attention and decided to let it be.. but they too stared at the man.. Naku noticed along with others that he suddenly stopped, looked around yelled some name... twice! and then frenzied he raced down the small mud mountain. Fear gripped the girls and all receded hastily from the fence, as they surmised that he might have spotted them as intruders! and was coming after them! They tumbled back. Naku too .. almost backed from the fence towards her fields, till to her horror she felt the end of her chunni that had come loose from the waist of her ghaghra being tugged; bravely she looked behind and saw a little lamb caught under the lower gap of the fence! Her little belly pressed between the end of the fence and the ground! it had somehow managed to grip Naku's chunni between her teeth! Naku's heart melted and she bent down gently and rescued the little lamb; pulled her free from under the fence and scooped her in arms and held her across her bosom...Kajri too took one look at the kind green eyes and slurped Naku's cheek and nose! Naku giggled. Her friends told her off.. in no uncertain words..
" Naku dushmanoon ka janwar hai! choor ise aur nikla par yahan se! koi musabaat mein ne par jayen! but Naku's sanity left her and she stated calmly with Kajri safe her in her arms..
"nehin! finders keepers! mujhe mile hai ye, ab meri hai ! and she turned and began to follow her friends who were already leaving... Kajri nestled in her arms..
" roku!... eyeee larki! mera mamna khanien nehin jaya ga! wapis karo ,abhi! isi waqat! chorrni! commanded a guttural voice.. Naku turned and a tall , handsome man with a stern expression; arms folded across his chest imposingly ,stood upon his two slightly apart legs. He stared at her with narrowed lion like eyes .. and waited menacingly refusing to budge from his spot.. Naku trembled slightly as her memory served her right, ye tille wala aadmi?? .. forthwith as she was about to set the little lamb on the ground, Roops challenged him.. and stopped Naku..
" humien kaisa pata chale ga ke ye mamna tumhara hai? batao? humm.. Dutta raised his palm at her and replied hoarsely,
" eyee lardki, tumhere bakaar ke batien suna ka mera pas waqat nehin hai, aur mujhe sawal bhi pasand nehin!".. then Dutta looked at Kajri all comfy in this pretty strangers arms.. and growled at her angrily.. Kajri! and the little lamb squirmed in Naku's arms,at her ladlaa Saab's voice! That was sign enough realized Naku, that the lamb belonged to this stranger who was a foe.. slowly she walked to the fence ready to pass over the animal; but the stern stranger just stood fixed to the spot where he stood.. instead he commanded
" neeche uthro ise, khud he wapis aye ge! he rattled .. Naku too lost her rag and retorted..
"she was stuck under the fence , I had to pull her out.. she will get stuck again.. what kind of a man are you ? you want her belly to be grazed again." she reasoned over the fence but she could tell this angry young man wouldn't accept her reasoning..
"dekh larki, tu ju bhi hai, apsra ya insan? ek tu tum chori karte ho uppar se mujhe patt bhi paraha rahe ho! Kajri ko main tum se accha jano hoon.. " Naku.. mused had he complimented her beauty? but she tried to remain focussed and flashed her green eyes at him! and called out
" here take her.. over the fence! pakro! if you don't , tu phir main isi apne saath leke ja rehe hai.. and she held Kajri over.. Dutta had no choice left other than that of retrieving the love of his life Kajri .. somehow in the process of passing the lamb over to him... his fingers felt hers, and hers felt his .. a connection sparked and Kajri left Naku's arms but not without a cheeky lick on Naku's sharp pointed nose! As Dutta took over his lamb, he oddly felt a part of this stunning stranger travel into his being.. he gave this stranger's green eyes a profound look and then turned about and walked away from the fence and took to the narrow winding muddy path ,homeward bound..
Reluctantly Naku withdrew from the fence once again.. this time it took her tremendous effort to move away from it and she returned to her own territory where she stood.. one too many questions crammed her mind. Almost dazed she walked back with her friends; away from a sweet incident whose part she was not so long ago... who was he? asked her heart.. a foe without a doubt! replied her mind.. what was his name? asked her heart? ajnabee! stranger! replied her mind.. when would she see him again? asked her heart, probably never again! replied her mind.. but she needed to meet him again ! rebelled her heart , that will be met with opposition! reminded her mind.. bhul ja Naku.. koi faida nehin, dushman gaon ka beta hai.. thujhe merna nehin hai abhi! jeena hai! she mused.. as she trudged home preoccupied .. she decided silently, but surely to come across him again would be an act of complete harmlessness .. kise ka kya jayea ga? she reckoned and deep in thought tapped at her hiwali door.. and simply walked past Babi maa who just cranked her head and noticed Naku slightly down..and wondered why ? baher se ah rahe hai chorri.. pun udhas hai?
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Kajri nibbled at his ear, and Dutta raised his arm and tapped her head annoyed..
" jidhar marzi ghuss jata hai tu Kajri! uppar se jis ke saath marzi tu chal parte hai! Dutta ko tu aisa lag ke thujhe us larki se pyar ho gaya hai! bewaafa nikle tu ! apna ladlaa Saab ko bhul gaye re tu!! and he twisted his hand and scratched her scalp affectionately.. as she bleated in joy with his attention. Today as he returned home, strangely enough he seemed less burdened by the idea of making an entry into a hell hole.. today it felt like his fathers home.. his paternal residence. A tap on the door granted him entry.. but with a degree of usual militancy.. Bela has eldest vahini challenged him with a face that sneered,
"dekho tu laad Sahib ghar ku laut ayan hain! kahane aur sone ke liye " she provoked him. But his father's timely coughing spasm , prompted Dutta to ignore his vahini's terse gibes. With quickened steps he made way to his father's room.. the feeble man looked at his son withy dry cracked lips.."pani"... he asked feebly and Dutta rushed out and boomed in the court yard
"aap sab log ghar hoti hein! babaa ko pani bhi nehin de saktien hain? Dutta roared, as he strode to the earthen pitcher of water, lifted the silver plate and lowered the metal ladle in the pot, filled it with water and poured it into the silver glass! His brothers happened to walk in after a day's labour at the fields. One look at Dutta , who turned away as he carried the glass of water to their father's room.. Kadam the eldest brother dumped their sacks on the mud courtyard floor, questioned his wife who came running with a glass of chilled curd milk drink for her husband..
" ab is nakthu ko kya hoga hai?bare barek mara raha hai? Kamde's wife Bela moaned loudly
"humein bola babaa ka raj kumar, hum babba ka khyal nehin rektein! Dutta had enough he stormed out and stood defiantly before his brothers, arms by his side with tightly clenched fists and legs slightly apart..
" haan tu kya jhoot bola hai maine? The three of them stay at home , babba needed a drink of water, but did they bring him a drink?of course not! Davde confronted Dutta.. with look of deep hatred on his face
"itni chinta hai thujhe tu khud kyun nehin khyal rekhta hai tu babba ka? waise bhi sare din tu awaragardi ke sawa aur kuch nehi kerta! and as expected the next brother Shinde too joined in.. to add salt to Dutta's wounds
"badtemeez, age se zaban chalta hai! chal nikal yahan se! koi roti nehin mile ge! aur ghar se bhar khetoon main ja ke sau khole asman ke neeche! tarre ghin ! Dutta spun around to leave and heard his father's feeble wail.. Dutta! Dutta! na ja mere baache! But Dutta was already near the front door and halted only when Kajri grabbed his pyjama and he turned his neck and looked down full of rage at his pet.. there was no way in hell he would leave her amongst these monsters and he twisted his waist bent sideways and lifted her up in his arms, held her close against his wide chest and walked out of his house.. well how could he stay when he was literally asked to get out!...
Dutta's father tired eyes cried.. for the treatment meted out by his sons and their wives ,for Dutta.. baghwan! kaise beta diye hain mujhe tune? apna khoon se itne nafraat?.. mujhe maut kyon nehi ah jati? Ab sehan nehin hota mujhe se"... sobbed the ailing shri Ram Patil.
On the other hand the wives chivvied their husbands to the kitchen area in the side of large mud court yard. They decided now that the old man was asleep, Dutta kicked out of the house.. for at least tonight, this would be the best time to twist their husbands ears! So they set out the flat low stools and spread the brightly coloured piece of cloth where the food would be served and ate.. as the husbands ate, the sister in laws exchanged meaningful looks and finally , Bela the senior most, gave the suggestion that would create ructions in the family..
" maine tu ye bolon , Dutta kabhi nehin sudhre ga.. babaa ko chaiya , ise hamesha ke liye ghar se nikla de.. said Bela and Abha joined in readily too..
" tum theek bolo Tai... dar badaar ke thookrien pare gein tu ekal thekana ah jai ge! majal hai ke koi kam kare" bhai sar din khatoon main kam kertien hain aur Dutta mazaa me jeta hai". The youngest vahini ,had the fear of god in her and she disagreed..
" aisa tu maat bolo, janwar bhi tu rooz charane jata hai" the other two pulled a face at Daksha... yes what she pointed out happened to be true.. Dutta did take out the cattle for their daily grazing round. The brothers only sat immersed in the act of eating. They heard what their wives chattered and moaned about but chewed ,chomped and finally licked their fingers once their meal was done. Bela being the older brother's wife offered the wash basin to all three men as they rinsed their fingers.. Kadam being the eldest brother finally cleared his throat ,picked at his teeth , spat the unwanted bit of the chewed food out of his mouth and then finally spoke firmly..
" dekho Dutta ko hamesha ke liye ghar se rukhsat kerna ,koi asan kam nehin, babba ke jaan hai Dutta.. tu is baat ko edhur he khatam karo.. and chalo raat bahut ho chali hai .. sona hai, subah jaldi uthna hai, zameen bhi tayeer kerne hai neye fasal ke liye".. The other brothers too were dead tired and soon heeded to their older brother. Frustrated the three wives, shared their end of the day duties. One cleared up, the other washed and scoured the pots and dishes.. and the third , pushed at the hand pump and filled a couple of pails of water. When at last their chores were done.. the three sat on the charpoy in the courtyard under the starry dusky dark firmament, the goat tapped her foot and flapped her ears to shoo the flies that irritated it.. with a sigh Abha says.. hopelessly
" Dutta mein aagar babaa ke jaan basti hai.. tab tu intezar kerna pare ga ke babaa ke jaan nikle.. tu phir he Dutta is ghar se jaye ge!.. Bela in addition says seriously ,
" Dutta ko jana he hoga hamesha ke liye! woh gaya.. tu uska hissa bhi hamre pati ko mile ga! Daksha spoke up once again plotting, conniving and conspiring against Dutta.. but Daksha yet again corrected them
" baghwan se daro Tai.. babaa ke jaidaat pe Dutta ka bhi utna he haq hai jitna baki Bhau ka hai".. Bela snubbed her and reminded her,
" naiki kerna se thujhe tera hassa kam mile ge .. yerhi! Dutta na ho tu uska hissa bhi dau bhai me banta jaye ga! chalo re! ja ke sau jayen is pagal ko choro .. sarde mein is ka damak tekhane lag jayea ga!..hissed Bela and in strop her and Abha went indoors.. leaving the lone figure of Daksha sitting alone on the charpoy in the dark night.. she looked at the cow as it lowered her head to drink water from the wooden trough... beechara Dutta pata nehin kahan hoga.. she mused silently and a tear rolled out of her eye...
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As soon as Dutta stepped out of his house in the cold night, his anger abated and systematically expelled from both his body and mind. With the street light behind him his lofty shadow progressed onwards away from his home. The silhouette of a tall broad man , with some animal perched across his shoulders. The chill of night, made his breath puff out in steam.. Kajri's warm fleece on the back of his neck transmitted enough heat that kept his feet on the move.. he could feel the bansuri rub against the side of his muscular lower torse.. that was another thing , very dear to him, which when not in use he carried it in his sewn in kurta's pocket.. he gave a slanted smile in the dark.. he travelled light only way to be.. it was strange, but somehow tonight , out on the road in the middle of the night , he didn't feel down in the doldrums..
He didn't even realize when his feet carried him to the boundary fence that over looked the foe's village.. did his feet travel inadvertently? or was he goaded by his soul? who knows , but it is a question that he is content ,for the moment not to answer.. for now was the time to enjoy and savour silently. Take in the atmosphere around him. He gazed with parted lips at the lights of yonder dwellings. One hiwali spanned across wider and stood out more than the others... that stranger girl.. could that be where she lived?.. she was affluently dressed recalled Dutta. Tenderly and gradually, surrounded by the cacophony of the hoots of the woodland owl, cricket songs , and the bark of a wild dog.. he walked closer to the wooden fence.. the spot where the girl had stood across this very fence on her side of the ground and he stood where he was now.. slowly he placed his fingers on the spot where she had handed him Kajri and his fingers slowly ran back and forth and then suddenly gripped the fence with both his palms tightly.. woh kaun thi? dushman ya saajan? Kajri bleated as if to remind him of the no go zone.. he gripped the fence harder; narrowed his eyes and growled.. totally as he followed the prompts of his sentimental side...his heart.
"ju bhi ho lardki? Kajri.. teri teharan mujhe bhi aachi lage hai.. pata tu chalana pare ga uska.. and he twisted one of his longs legs; placed it on the joinery and attempted to throw over his leg on to the girls territory.. but Baji suddenly appeared and pulled him back.. shock written all over his face.
"Bhau neeche uther! yehra ho gaya hai kya? raat ko dushman ke haad phlaand raha hai! chal lets get out of this area before we are spotted by Nana's paltu kutte!.." ..to be continued Hamlet53, 20.2.15
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Edited by Hamlet53 - 10 years ago
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