FF: Deewanapan! Link to new thread in first page! - Page 4

CHAPTER 5. GEET NARRATES HER STORY!

It was late at night when Geet approached Maan. Earlier in the morning, after coming to know that the tires of Maan's rental jeep had been punctured, Maan had decided to get the girls to the nearest town through the Jungle. They had to cross the ghats to reach the town from where Maan had planned to arrange for his car to pick them up. Maan asked for his phone from Geet who had handed it over sheepishly. Maan had called his office asking them to send a car to the nearest town as soon as possible. Maan had also made sure that the punctured jeep would be taken care of by the rental agency. They trudged through the Jungle pausing only for water or food. Geet and Rajji knew that if they stopped for too many minutes, they might get caught; hence they quietly followed Maan without complaining or whining. Maan who was well versed with Jungles due to his camping habits led them towards their safety. He kept on looking behind making sure that the girls were safe and were not tiring up. As time passed, Maan was getting surprised to see the girls so determined to get to the next town that they did not ask once for a break. Maan was getting more and more impressed by the girls' diligence. He was also wanted to get to know the elder girl more. She seemed to be a totally different girl. Sweet and chatty at one moment and angry and bold at another! Maan could not figure the girl out. He had never met a girl this fiery and smart. Soon it started darkening and Maan started looking for a place to sleep. Luckily Geet informed him that they had warm clothes in their bag and they can handle sleeping on the forest floor for once. Still once it was total night, Maan made sure to choose a place where he could find long leaves; long enough to cover a whole human being at night. He soon lit up fire using the woods lying on the floor.

Rajji was already asleep nearby the fire but Geet could not sleep. Maan stayed awake wanting to be on guard and had sat on a rock some few steps away from the girls giving them some privacy yet being close enough to defend them from attack. Geet got up from her handmade bed on the floor deciding to stay awake and try to decipher the mystery named Maan Singh Khurana. Geet wanted to know why he was helping them, why he was going against his own family and why she had never known or heard about him even though he was from the same Village she was. So she trudged towards him wanting to ask him questions.

As Geet stood by him she noticed him staring at a distance pensively facing another fire he had lit up in front of him. She was unsure whether she should talk and disturb him or not. For a chatty person, this was the first time Geet had to think before speaking. After all, she did not want to offend him. Pata chala yahi chodke chale gaye! Na baba na! Main yeh risk nahi le sakti! Hey Babaji! Ab aap hi bataao ki mere dil mein jo sawaal hain main inse poochoon ki nahi! Suddenly, Maan spoke up breaking her thought process, "Kuch bolna chaahti ho?" Geet looked at him in surprise but Maan stared ahead. "Ji?", she whispered nervously. Maan shrugged, "Itne der se yahin khadi ho!", Maan looked up at her with amusement on his face, "Toh mujhe laga ki tumhein kuch bolna hai!" Geet shrugged and Maan gestured her to take a seat on the nearby rock. Geet sat on the rock and Maan spoke up, "Jo poochna hai poochlo! Main naaraaz nahi hounga!" He gave her a tender smile and Geet smiled back shyly. Maan did not know why but he was not feeling any anger towards this girl. Generally, Maan was very short tempered person, ready to shout at anybody without any notice, especially when someone came prodding about his life. The way Geet was dawdling beside him unsure to whether ask him her questions or not, if it had been anyone else doing it, Maan would have erupted like Mt. Vesuvius at that person for dilly-dallying. But oddly around Geet, he did not feel annoyed or angry. He felt amused at her confused expression and uncomfortable posture and he even found her nervousness endearing. Geet spoke up bringing Maan out of his thoughts, "Shukriya!" Maan frowned, "Kis liye?" "Aapne hum dono ki jaan bachaayi isliye!", Geet looked at him, her eyes looking at him in awe. Maan looked away uncomfortable with the admiration in her eyes, "Is mein thanks kya bolna? Yeh toh mera farz tha! Aur koi bhi hota toh yahi karta!" "Nahi!", Geet replied vehemently, "Aisa hota toh mera parivar abhi bhi zinda hota! Kisi bhi pind waale ne madat nahi ki isliye aaj main aur Rajji aise bhaage bhaage phir rahe hain!" Geet's voice was trembling with anger and pain. Maan felt sad for the girls. He frowned, "Lekin hua kya tha?" Geet fumed in anger. When she looked at him, Maan was taken aback by the amount of hatred in her eyes. She looked ahead and replied, "Dev! Dev Singh Khurana tha woh jisne meri zindagi barbaad karke rakhdi! Gaao ka gunda hai woh aur ek number ka ayyaash, badmaash aur kameena insaan hai woh! Arre! Jaanwar bhi usse achcha bartaav kar lenge! Gaao mein sab log usse darte hain sivaaye humaare parivar ke kyunki humaare parivar ka usse tab tak kabhi paala nahi pada tha! Ek din maine use ek boodhi aurat ko sataate dekha. Main usse lad padi kyunki main kabhi anyaay ka saath nahi deti! Mere gharwaalon ne hamesha mujhe achche aur sachche raaste par chalna sikhaaya tha! Par mujhe kya pata tha ki meri ek kadam mere gharwaalon ke darwajje par maut le aayegi! Agle din rishta leke aagaya woh apni Ma ke saath!" The hatred she displayed while saying Ma made Maan realize that even Dev's mother was not a good person. But didn't he know this from personal experience? Maan shrugged. Better not think about the past!

Geet continued speaking in monotonous tone, "Daarji jaante the ki woh kaisa insaan tha! Poora pind jo usse darta tha aur uski harkaton ka shikaar tha! Pata nahi kitni ladkiyon ki zindagi barbaad ki hai usne! Aur kitne gharon main laashein bichaayi hai! Aise insaan ko Daarji thodi na apne ghar ka daamaad banaate! Daarji ne saaf mana kardiya us rishte ko! Hum sabko laga woh humein jhuka nahi paayega! Sahi socha tha humne! Humaara sir toh jhuka nahi paaya par kataa jaroor diya! Us ek din ne meri zindagi ka rukh badal diya! Ek ek karke humaari zindagi mein usne tabaahi machaayi aur humein barbaadi ke kagaar par la kadha kar diya! Paani band ki, bijli band ki aur toh aur logon ko bhi humse milne se rok diya! Phir bhi hum nahi jhuke! Hum date rahe! Par woh? Aisi hi thodi na haar maanta woh! Usne shaitaaniyat ki saari hadein paar kardi! Usne sab ko meri aankhon ke saamne maar daala aur yeh keh diya ki agar maine us se shaadi nahi ki toh Rajji ko bhi maar daalega!" Geet had tears running through her cheeks and Maan felt his heart clench. She did not deserve this! She was supposed to have a happy life! She was not supposed to loose her family at such a young age! Maan's anger grew for Dev and he was not surprised when he realized that he hated Dev. Geet looked at her mehendi filled hands and she laughed sarcastically, "Aap jaante hai? Aaj meri shaadi thi!" Geet looked at mehendi with hatred filled eyes. She looked at Maan with emotionless eyes, "Bhaag aayi hoon main apni Shaadi se! Kyunki main usse Shaadi karne se behtar marna samjhungi!" She looked at Rajji for few moments and then looked back at him, "Main toh shaadi hote hi zeher khaane ka socha tha par Rajji ke baare mein sochkar marne ka iraada chod diya! Lekin aaj Rajji ke honsle ko dekha toh laga ki uski aur meri maut manzoor hai lekin us kameene se shaadi manzoor nahi!" Geet looked at the fire in front of her while Maan looked at her with awe and respect. He never thought he would meet a girl like her! Most girls in India would accept what fate had dished them out after facing what Geet had faced. But Geet did not bend. She remained strong and she did not break. Maan wished that there were more girls like Geet. Then people like Dev would not have survived in this new world.

CHAPTER 6. MAAN SPEAKS ABOUT HIS LIFE!

Maan and Geet remained quiet for a while with Maan feeling sorrow for the girls and hatred for Dev and Geet crying for the loss of her family. After a while, Maan spoke, "Yeh Khurana parivar se log itna darte kyun hai?" Geet looked at him confused, "Aapko nahi pata?" Maan shook his head, "Kuch yaad nahi!" Aur jo yaad hai use bhoolna chaahta hun! Maan looked at her wanting to know her answer. He wanted to know how much she knew before he could explain to her his story. Geet was quiet for a while. After a few moments she spoke softly, "Khuranas yahaan kayi sadiyon se rehte hain. Kai peedhiyon se woh Hoshiarpur ke pind ki rakhwaale maane jaate the! Aur woh rakhwaale hi the! Sabki madat karna, anaathon ko ghar dena, sookhe mein anaaj paani ki vyavastha karna, yeh sab unka kaam tha! Par jaise jaise woh logo ki seva karte unka logon mein sammaan badhta gaya! Aur sammaan ke saath saath unka ghamand bhi! Bahut saalon pehle ki baat hai jab yahaan ek aisa Khurana aaya jo bahut hi ahankaari tha! Naam toh nahi jaanti par itna pata hai ki woh Dev ke pappaji the! Unki haveli mein woh, unki patni aur unki Maa Savitri Devi rehti thi jinhein sab pyaar se Beeji ya Daadima bulaate the! Phir unko beta hua aur unki patni chal basi! Bete ke liye unhonein doosri shaadi karli, Mrs. Pammi Khurana! Mujhe toh unhein Pammiji kehna chaahiye naa ki Pammi kyunki woh mujhse badi hai! Lekin woh itni zaalim aur ahankaari aurat hai ki woh us respect ke laayak hi nahi! Bade Saab ne apne bete ke liye shaadi toh karli lekin Pammi toh us bete se nafrat karti thi! Kehte hain us bete ko toh Daadima ne hi paala tha! Phir us Pammi ne Dev ko janam diya! Pammi ne usmein itna zeher ghola aur ahaankaar sikhaaya, ki woh ek shaitaan ban gaya utni choti umar mein! Phir Dev ke Pappaji chal base aur phir jo hua woh main soch bhi nahi paa rahi hoon!" Maan looked at Geet in confusion. He was too young to remember this whole story. "Tumhein yeh sab kaise pata?", Maan wondered. Geet looked at him with surprise, "Yeh kahaani toh aaj kal gaaon ke bachche bachche ko pata hai! Saare pindwaalon ne apne bachcho ko yeh kahaani bataayi hai taaki sab log Dev aur uski Ma ki asliyat se waaqhif rahein!" She continued narrating, "Phir Pammi ne gaaon mein dheere dheere keher machaana shuru kar diya! Uske aadmi logon ko tang karte, gareeb logon ki zindagi barbaad karte! Ladkiyaan safe nahi thi raat ke baad aur ghar ke ladko ko maarna toh un gundon ka shauk tha! Dev bhi utna hi ghatiya insaan banta chala gaya! Kehte hain ki jab us ghar ka bada beta chaudaah saal tha tab woh gaayab hi hogaya! Lekin mere Pappaji kehte hain ki woh beta gaayab nahi hua! Maar daala un logon ne! Bas in saalon mein jaise jaise Dev bada hua uska keher aur gehra hota chala gaya! Uski Ma woh Pammi toh use aur badhaava de rahi thi! Aur aaj Dev se log itna darte hai ki koi uske khilaaf nahi jaata! Bas yahi hai kahaani Hoshiarpur ke Khuranas ki!"

Maan nodded. Even though Maan was well versed with the story Geet narrated, when Geet narrated it he was thrown back to those days for few seconds. But there was a reason behind him asking her these questions. He wanted to know what happened to Daadima. As there was a lull in their conversation, Maan asked his question, "Par uss Daadima ka kya hua?" Geet remained quiet for a while. After few seconds she looked at him and Maan was shocked to see tears in her eyes. When she spoke, she spoke with such a tremor in her voice, it seemed to Maan that she was trying to answer his question without tearing up, "Aap jaante ho Maan, main jab choti thi na toh School ke raaste ek Mandir padta tha jahaan main roz aate waqt mattha tekti thi! Aur wahaan main us Daadima se roz milti thi! Badi pyaari thi woh! Phir unka pota nahi raha aur unhonein Mandir aana band kar diya! Suna tha ki kai saal pehle woh heart attack se mar gayi!" Maan felt his heart stop. Daadima is dead! He felt a lump lodge in his throat. He gulped and avoided looking at her. Geet continued vehemently, "Par mujhe sach pata hai!" Maan whipped his head around and looked at her in confusion, "Matlab?" Geet looked at him with anger in her eyes, but Maan realized that the anger was directed towards someone else. Geet replied, "Jab main wahaan uss ghar mein kaid thi tab maine Dev ko apne chamchon se kehte suna tha ki Pammi ne unhein zeher de ke maar diya!" Maan felt horror in his heart and his heart was about to come out of his throat. Daadima was killed? She was the only person left in this whole world whom he considered his family and she was dead? As they sat there, both mourned Daadima's death by remembering her.

After a while, Maan stood up and walked few steps away from her. He put his hands in his pocket and spoke, "Tum jaanti ho main kaun ho?" Geet looked at him surprised at his question, "Maan Singh Khurana! Dilli waale ho aur Khurana khaandaan se related ho!" Maan remained quiet for a while and turned towards her. He looked at her and mumbled, "Main Dev ka woh Bhai hoon jise uske apne gharwaale maar daalna chaahte hain." Geet's eyes widened as she took in Maan's words. Maan continued speaking staring at a distance, oblivious to Geet's reaction, "Mujhe jyaada toh kuch yaad nahi bas Daadima yaad hai aur Dev aur Pammi ki harqatein yaad hai! Bahut nafrat thi un dono ko mujhse! Kai baar mujhpar hamle hue! Aur kai baar main marte marte bacha! All thanks to Pammi! Sirf baarah saal ka tha main jab mere maut ki tayyaariyaan shuru hui thi Pammi ke haathon! Do saal, main sirf maut se bachta raha! Kabhi mujhpar chaaku se hamla hota toh kabhi mere khaane mein zeher daala jaata tha! Babaji ki meher thi ki main bachta chala gaya! Jab main choudaah ka tha tab Daadima ko Pammi pe shaq hone laga! Aur phir mujhe bachaane ke liye Daadima ne mujhe apne ek dost ke ghar Dilli bhej diya! Aur logon se kahaa ki main jungle mein ghum ho chuka hoon! Jaane se pehle Daadima ne mujhse ek vaada liya! Ki Main kabhi Hoshiarpur mein kadam nahi rakhunga jab tak yahaan Paami aur Dev hain! Aur main Daadima bhi milne ki kabhi koshish nahi karunga! Bas zindagi mein aage badhta jaaunga aur peeche kabhi mudke nahi dekhunga! Saal beet gaye aur main Dilli mein pala badha! Daadima ki yaad bahut aayi par na kabhi unse mila aur na kabhi unki koi khabar aayi! Bas unke us vaade par jeeta chala gaya! Aur yahi hai meri kahaani!" Geet was horrified. She had known how cruel Dev and Pammi were and to face their cruelty at such young age with no one left to defend him; suddenly she felt respect well up in her for Maan for not giving up and surviving the whole ordeal! Maan noticed her expression and gave her a sad smile, "Jaanti ho? Main kabhi bhi yahaan aana nahi chaahta tha! Lekin ek construction deal thi jiske liye mujhe yahaan aana pada! Jab mujhe bataaya gaya tha ki mera client Hoshiarpur ka hai, main toh is deal ke ready hi nahi tha! I did not want to deal with Hoshiarpur in any way!" Maan nearly shouted his last few words but quieted down and continued speaking, "Par mere client ne Dilli aane ki baat kahi toh maine haan keh diya! But then last moment uski tabiyat kharaab hui aur usne mujhe apne ghar yahaan Hoshiarpur mein bulaaya! It is as if...", Geet cut him off, "Jaise Babaji chaahte the ki aap yahaan aayein!" Maan smiled at her and Geet smiled back, "Jaise Babaji jaante the ki mujhe aapke un berehem shabdon ki jaroorat thi apne aapko bachaane ke liye!" "Achcha?", Maan looked at her in mock anger, "Toh mere sirf baatein useful thi? Maine sirf itna hi help kiya?" Geet gave him an innocent look and nodded. Maan narrowed his eyes playfully, "Toh un gundo se lada kaun tha?" Geet shrugged and looked at him playfully. After a while, both started chuckling and shared secret smiles among them.

After a while, Geet looked at Maan curiously, "Phir Dilli aake aapne kiya kya? Matlab padhaai, job vagaira vagaira!" Maan picked up a stick nearby and started prodding the ground with it, "Architecture mein Graduation kiya, phir MBA abroad se ki and right now...", he pulled out a visiting card out of his shirt pocket and handed it to her. Geet frowned as she checked it and her eyes widened. Right below Maan's name it was written "CEO and Owner" and underneath it "Khurana Constructions" was written! Geet looked at him in shock and Maan smirked at her expression. Geet blinked twice and murmured, "Aapne apni ek company tak khol di?" Maan smiled modestly, "Haan! Main toh is company ko Khurana ka naam nahi dena chaahta tha par mujhe yaad aaya ki meri Daadima bhi toh ek Khurana thi! Aur unke hi wajah se aaj main zinda hoon!" Geet nodded and then slowly asked, "Bahut badi company hai kya?" Maan frowned and then nodded, "Dilli ki best construction company hai aur bahut jald India ki bhi ho jaayegi!", Maan spoke with pride in his voice and Geet smiled at his words. Maan looked at her, "Waise tum kyun yeh sab pooch rahi ho?" Geet smiled sheepishly, "Woh... Main... Woh mujhe naukri chaahiye Dilli mein toh socha pooch loon." Then suddenly scared that Maan would rebuke her, she started speaking rapidly, "Woh kya haina main toh graduate hoon par Rajji abhi College mein hain. Toh uski padhaai poori karwaani hai aur Dilli ke College ka fees toh mehenga bhi hoga na? Aur baad mein uski shaadi ...". Maan raised his hand and she stopped speaking. She looked at him nervously while twisting the ends of her Dupatta. Maan shook his head, "Kitna bolti ho tum? Tumhaara naam Geet nahi Hoshiarpur Express hona chaahiye tha!" Geet pouted and looked away. Maan took the card from her hands, pulled out a pen from his pant pocket and wrote down something on the back of the card. Then he handed the card back to her, "Peeche apna personal number likh diya hai maine! Dilli mein jab tum apne dost ke ghar settle ho jaaogi toh mujhe call karna! I will get you a job!" Geet grinned eagerly, "Sachchi?" Maan nodded and Geet looked at the card in excitement, "Thank you! Thank you so much! Aap bahut achche insaan ho!" saying this she lunged towards him and hugged him tightly. Maan stiffened at her hug and Geet eyes' widened as she realized what she had done. She pulled away and both looked away avoiding each others' gaze.

After a while, Geet could not remain silent and blurted out the first thing that came into her mind, "Kya aapki shaadi hogayi hai?" Maan looked at her in shock and Geet bit her lip. Hey Babaji! Yeh maine kya pooch liya! Geet! Tu na ek number ki jhalli hai! Ghadhi hai! Yeh sab koi pocchta hai kya?... Before she could scold herself anymore, Maan replied, "Nahi!" They remained quiet for few minutes with Geet scolding herself and Maan feeling awkward. But after a while, Maan could not stop himself. There was something in this girl that made him want to flirt with her. He slowly turned to her and asked her, "Waise tum kyun pooch rahi ho? Kahin mujhse shaadi karne ka iraada toh nahi?" Geet felt her heart skip a beat and then start hammering faster against her chest. She looked at him wide eyed and her shock went away when she noticed his twinkling eyes. He was teasing her! While she felt relief at his expression, somewhere inside a corner of her heart, she felt a pinch of disappointment. Why was she disappointed? Did she want him to ask her seriously? Geet wondered. She put this information filed away in her brain to look at it later and answered Maan's question seriously, "Nahi! No way! Abhi abhi toh us zaalim Dev se shaadi karne se bachi hoon! Ab itne jaldi mujhe shaadi ke aag mein nahi koodna!" Maan smiled at her answer but inside his heart was filled with disappointment. Why was he disappointed? He did not know.

Soon the whole night passed, with Rajji sleeping and Maan and Geet talking the whole time. Maan told her about his College days and Geet told him about the fun she had during her childhood with Brij, Rajji and Titto. While talking, neither of them noticed that the night was starting to fade and sun was about to come up. It was Rajji getting up which aroused them out of their worlds and brought them back to the reality where they had yet to escape fully from Dev. Soon, they packed their bags and moved onwards to the nearest town.