AnYa SS:That Innocent Beauty (updated last part :page 7) - Page 4

Thanks for the lovely replies. Here is the last part.

Part 3

I went back home. As I entered, Arun was standing at the door with a suspicious look on his face.

"Huh? What?" I looked at him confused.

"First you tell bro What is cooking haan? Seems like you are in love with this temple or correction.. in love with SOMEONE coming in the temple" Arun smiles and presses upon the word someone

"No nothing like that, you are thinking too much okay!" I walked past him after patting slightly on his head.

I went to my room and added all the pictures in my laptop. I clicked on the slideshow to see the pictures one by one. Just then Navya's pic came. I paused that slideshow at that moment and looked at her. It reminded me about her today's little conversation with me. "How can any girl be so beautiful and innocent?" I thought. I decided to confess my feelings and propose Navya on the next day. As day after tomorrow I was leaving Vrindavan for good. The thought of leaving Vrindavan and her rejecting my proposal was killing me from inside but I decided to stay strong.

But the next day was completely different from as I thought it would be. I have completely forgot about Janmashtami . Mami has told me in the dinner table yesterday about the pooja which was going to be in the morning itself. Whole day I was busy in the pooja as being a devotee I was helping mami in organizing the pooja from cleaning the pooja room and decorating kanha's murti to attending the guests in the pooja. I hardly got any time to visit the temple.

In the evening Vrindavan was lit up beautifully. The celebration was going to take place in the Prem Mandir. Mama and Mami have asked me to accompany them. We reached at the mandir around 6:30 p.m. People from all over have come to be a part of this auspicious celebration.

The celebration started with the grand abhishek, where baby Krishna is bathed in the 5 sacred substances, milk, yogurt, ghee, sugar and honey. Then there was a huge stage set up for a Krishna play followed in a song. We all sat in the 4^th row. I was wishing if I could see Navya here but seeing her here might be impossible as there was so much rush in this place.

The curtains rose up.

*background music*

Madhuban Mein Jo Kanhaiya Kisi Gopi Se Mile

Kabhi Muskaaye, Kabhi Chhede, Kabhi Baat Kare

As the play started I was startled to find Navya on the stage dressed as Radha. She was looking beautiful in a yellow saree. My eyes seemed to have fixed on her. "So it was all Krishna's leela" I thought and smiled.She was lipsing the song and was acting like she is jealous by roaming around a kanha's murti which stood at the middle of the stage.

Radha Kaise Na Jale, Radha Kaise Na Jale

Aag Tan Mann Mein Lage

Radha Kaise Na Jale, Radha Kaise Na Jale

(the other girls with Navya circled the murti of kanha.)

(the lights dimmed over the stage and a centre light focuses on kanha now)

Madhuban Mein Bhale Kaanha Kisi Gopi Se Mile

Mann Mein To Radha Ke Hi Prem Ke Hain Phool Khile

Kis Liye Radha Jale, Kis Liye Radha Jale

Bina Soche Samjhe

Kis Liye Radha Jale, Kis Liye Radha Jale

(the lights becomes bright all over the stage now. The girls along with Navya at the centre dances at the rhythm)

(the lights again focuses on the moorti of kanha)

O, Gopiyaan Taarein Hain, Chaand Hai Radha

Phir Kyoon Hai Usko Biswaas Aadha

(the stage brightens)

Kaanhaji Ka Jo Sadaa Idhar Udhar Dhyaan Rahe ( Navya circles around kanha and gestures with her hand as a question to kanha)

Radha Bechaari Ko Phir Apne Pe Kya Maan Rahe (Navya stands beside kanha and keeps her chin over her thumb with a worry)

Gopiyaan Aani Jaani Hain, Radha To Mann Ki Rani Hai

Gopiyaan Aani Jaani Hain, Radha To Mann Ki Rani Hai

Saanjh Sakhaare, Jamna Kinaare

Radha Radha Hi Kaanha Pukaare(the light focuses on Kanha)

Oye Hoye, Oye Hoye (Navya keeps her elbow over kanha's shoulder)

Baahon Ke Haar Jo Daale Koi Kaanha Ke Gale(A girl puts a necklace made of beads on kanha's neck)

Radha Kaise Na Jale, Radha Kaise Na Jale

Aag Tan Mann Mein Lage

Radha Kaise Na Jale, Radha Kaise Na Jale( Navya makes a cute angry face)

(the girls along with navya dances on the rhythm)

Suddenly mami started coughing badly.I got up and went to the back stage room to get some water for her.I found a water tap and filled some water in a glass. Just then I heard an elderly man was talking with some girls who were dressed as gopis.

"Rahul can't come because of the traffic.He is stuck up there from atleast 1hour."The elderly man sighed with disbelief.

"But sir then who will become kanha at the end of the play??"said one of the girl.

"we have to think fast!"said the man.

"If you guys don't mind I can play the role of Krishna at the end"I said as I walked inside the room.

"you are?"asks the elderly man.

"I am Anant Bajpai..I can help you people out" I said as I forwarded by hand for a handshake.

"I am Ravi Sahani. The editor and director of this play. Its very kind of you that you want to help us. Please come with me."The director shook hands with me and asked me to proceed to the dressing room.

"Bro! Where are you going"Arun comes running towards me.

"Here hold this glass of water and take this for mami.I will tell you later about all this."I said to him and rushed to the dressing door.

I was all dressed up as Krishna and the director quickly narrated me what to do.

(The stage becomes dark as the moorti of Krishna goes inside and all the girls dressed as gopis left the stage.Only Navya was left in the stage. The spot light fell upon me.I was standing in the middle of the stage holding a bansuri)

Kis Liye Radha Jale, Radha Jale, Radha Jale(I did the lipsing of this line and looked at Navya.)

(She was surprised for a moment to find me dressed as Kanha but then smiled slightly)

Radha Kaise Na Jale (Navya keeps her elbow over my shoulder and looks at me lovingly)

Kis Liye Radha Jale (I kept looking at her)

Radha Kaise Na Jale (she looked at me)

The Hall room filled up with clappings as the audience stood up along with Mama,Mami and Arun who were looking a bit surprised but were smiling at me.

The curtains fall down.Navya looked at me and asked-"Aap..How come you are here?"She was looking at me confused

"I ---" I tried to spoke but was interrupted by the director.

"Tumne toh kamaal hi kar diya Anant,I am really thankful to you Beta for saving our play.Really it means a lot"said the cheerful director.

"Aray please don't make me embarrass by thanking me again and again.I am really happy to play the role of Krishna.I have done something like this for the first time." I smiled and looked at Navya who was smiling as well but still looked a bit confused.

"Oh Navya!" The director said "You must be surprised na that how your kanha Rahul becomes kanha Anant !" chucked the director.

"Ahh.. ya kind of" said Navya softly.

The director described her the whole situation from how they landed up in a trouble and I saved them. Meanwhile I was enjoying the expressions of Navya which were turning from shock to surprise and then ultimately smiles shyly. "Hey Kanha" I thought "How can anyone be so innocent" I was smiling continuously until their conversation was over.

"Hey Navya" Her friend came and took her along with her to keep the props in the dressing room

I shook my hands with the director for the last time and went behind her.

Her friend has gone to the other room and she was alone in the dressing room keeping the props.

"Hii..I guess tum mujhe pehchan toh gayi hogi na.We met in that temple twice"I said feeling a bit nervous.

She looked up at me and stood up. "I remember Anant Ji" Navya smiled.

"Again Ji..call me Anant. It sounds better"I looked at her keenly.

"jee" She looked up at me "I mean okay Anant"

"Vo main tumse kuch kehna chahta tha.I don't know how will you react after hearing this but I..I fell in love with you the first time itself when I saw you at the temple praying"I spoke in one go.

"Aur main bhi" Navya said and looked down shyly.

"Huh? Matlab"I looked all surprised.

"Vo uss din" She looked up at me and continued "The day when you saw me for the first time.You thought that I went away just like that without seeing you.Actually when panditji was talking to you I saw you and I don't know why but my heart..my heart seemed to be thumping at an uncontrollably fast rate.Then when I descended downwards in the stairs, my jhumkha fell down I was in a hurry as I needed to go to my friend's home but as I stopped and looked back ,I saw you playing with my jhumkha.I don't know why but it brought a smile on my face.The next evening when I collided with you I knew you were going to return my jhumkha back but my Baba fell ill and I was very worried that is why I rushed with the herbs.That day when you were clicking pictures my friend told me that a boy has come to stay over here with his mama-mami and his name was Anant .All the night I kept thinking about you.I know it is a 'besharmi' for small town girls to confess their feelings like this but I can't help it Anant" Navya eyes had filled up with tears by now.

"shh.."I wiped her tears "Don't cry Navya,see it was indeed Kanha's leela.He wanted me to come here to meet you like this,it was all in our destiny Navya."

"Will you marry me,Navya?" I sat up on my knee with a ring