I am known to you all as the writer of FF : Life With Nandini. But today I am here with a new TS i.e., a Two Shot. I know I have announced for an OS but the story is now needing two chapter :P
This one Idea has been running in mind since very long after I happened to hear one of the amazing songs of Pankaj Udhas thats titled Goonghat ko Mat khol. The story ain't based on the album in any way; just that it cropped in my head after hearing this so I ought to give.
It might sound somewhat mushy - mushy but I hope you all will enjoy. I loved it personally; donno why? Maybe coz its my own idea :P Anyways; Do read, like and do comment and tell me how it is. Will be Waiting eagerly !!
Happy Reading!😊
Part - One
Jis din ke sapne 8 mahino se dekhey hain; khuli aur bandh ankhon se; sotey aur jaagtey; aur jis din ka besabri se intezar kiya hai; akhir kaar woh kareeb a hi gaya.
Aaraha hoon tumhe aur humesha humesha ke liye apna bananey. Wada kiya tha ke tumhare akele naam ke aagey apna naam jodker tumhe apna bana lunga. Aur ab wohi wada pura karne ke liye aaraha hoon. Apni Nayi zindagi; hamari nayi zindagi aur mere pyaar ke liye tayyar rehna. Tumhe tumhare ghar lejaney aaraha hoon main.
Tumhara Manik
Manik penned down the affectionate letter; with a never ending smile playing on his lips and enclosed it in an envelop along with the must - needed red rose; which was a symbol of his said and her unsaid Love. Then without any delay; he inserted it in the parcel he had packed with gifts he had bought for her; her favorite attire saree hued in his favorite color and a simple box of intricate diamond jewelry to go with it; and quickly drove from his house to the place which now topped the list of his best - liked places; the Post Office; as it was that sacred destination which connected him to her.
Bearing all his aura; he barged in to the V.V.I.P section and got his token of Love posted at the firsthand via express delivery so that it could reach its rightful owner as soon as possible. Having done the which was now his passion; sending her a letter; for one final time - he hared off back to his Mansion to get it decorated for her; for that 20 year old girl whom he had never met; never seen and even never heard but had just known; known like she was no other but a part of himself; for the past 12 months; for that unseen face which already had its image imprinted on his heart; for that pure and innocent creature who now was his everything and without whom he was nothing; for that angel who had pulled him out of the dark dungeons and taught how to smile just with her words; for that only one person who was his own though not by blood but by every other spiritual relation; for the reason of his happiness; for his solace; for his Nandini.
'Nandini!' He took her name in a whisper; like a prayer; watching the set of all her letters that he had compiled in an album as he sat in his Car - all set to start the journey whose end was she herself.
23 hours and 53 minutes was surely a long duration; especially for a Lover like him who was going to see the face of his Love for the first time; but with their memories that were linked through letters; he knew he could bear the day happily.
Opening the album; he caressed her name that he had Calligraphed or to be more precise; had scribbled innumerable times on the very first page and then turned the leaf to reveal her very first letter and smiled warmly as his mind instinctively reminisced the fortunate time when it all started and when and how she entered his barren and darkened life as Rain and Light.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
After attending an important meeting; that was held in Lucknow; with some international clients and cracking the deal for another deluxe project of Malhotra Industries; Manik was relaxing in his room - all ready to depart for Mumbai in the next three hours - when his Manager showed up and informed, handling him an envelop Sir! This Letter from some anonymous was lying in your Car.
Being the impolite and no - nonsense business Man he was that time; who didn't spared even a glance to things that had no connection with his work; he just signaled to throw the letter in the dustbin with his eyes - closed but fortunately or unfortunately the Manager misinterpreted the signal and dropped the letter in his bag that was also lying in the direction towards which Manik was pointing.
Eight days of ignorance elapsed and finally on the ninth day; the letter came to his notice when he opened his travel bag to search for something related to his business. Mistaking the envelop to be the one he was looking for; he tore it open to find an outlandish pink note with a white dried rose inside.
Surprisingly for himself; a sudden curiosity about the contents of the letter surged within him and owing to it; he unfolded the letter to see something beautifully written, reading :
17 saal ke they hum jab aapko pehli baar Luknow ke concert mein gaatey huay dekha tha. Apki awaz aur muskurahat ne jese hum per jadoo kardiya tha aur dheere dheere aapki awaz hamara junoon aur sukoon dono ban gayi.
Phir achanak se aap gayab hogaye; na akhbaaroun mein aapki tasveerien ayein aur naa hi aapke gaaney. Aapke kho janey per hum ne bhi jaise khud ko khodiya aur aaj teen saal baad jab aapko phirse dekha toh khudko rok nahi paye yeh khat likhne se.
Apki dard bhari aankhon ne aur aapki khoi muskurahat ne humein bhi ek ajeeb tarah ka dard dediya. Jaantey hain hum ke aap ko hum jaise chahne walon ne bohot khat aatey hongey per hum un sab jaise nahin hai. Hum bas aapko wapas khush dekhna chahtey hain. Apka dard batna chahtey hain. Yeh dosti wala safed gulab hamari taraf se aapke liye.
Umeed kartey hain ke aap yeh khat padenge aur ismein dost samajhker apni pareshani humein batayenge.
Aapke jawab ka intezaar rahega.
Pata iss kagaz ke peeche likha hai.
Nandini.
Her words had left him speechless and rapt and his mind wondered at how this unknown girl who he hadn't even seen; had comprehended his pain that he had kept buried and hidden deep inside the oubliette of his heart and under the cemented shades of anger and ruthlessness.
The stone walls he had built around his heart to safeguard it from getting hurt; was somehow cracking with her mere message but still being under the control of the super powerful supposedly protective monster; he curbed the faint wish of his real soft heart to reply back and accept her friendship and ignored the letter.
Days passed but that muffled wish only kept soaring in his heart and nagged him day and night and finally giving in to it one fine day; but not entirely or in fact any positively; he replied, but rudely - still being too much under the influence of the Monster and also to check if she would also shun him like every one else did on grounds of his not so good traits; a fact that he knew but didn't want to throw light on :
First of all; Nandini or whatever; yeh 21st Century hai aur yahan koi letters use nahi karta. Its so old - fashioned. Dusri baat tumhari language - its so compicated Man! Normal bhasha mein baat karti toh theek hota. English nahi aati kya?
Aur rahi baat mere dard ki toh tum bilkul bakwaas baat karrahi ho!
Aisa kuch bhi nahi hain! Aur agar hain bhi toh main tumhe kiun bataon? Tum ho koun jo main tumhe apni personal space mein ghusney doonga? Agar khush rehna chahti ho toh apne kaam se kaam rakha karo.
Manik Malhotra
He was sure that no sensitive girl like her; as he had fathomed her to be from her letter; would ever answer to such a repulsive letter but proving his surety fallacious came her reply; though a little late; on the weekend; saying:
Pehle toh hum maafi chahtey hain. Do baatoun ke liye. Ek toh hamari language ke liye aur dusra der se khat likhney ke liye. Hum jaantey hain ke aapka ghussa aur karwahat ek dikhawa hai. Hum nahi jaantey kis wajah se aap yeh jhoota chehra pehentey hain per haan hum bas jaantey hain ke yeh saccha nahi hai. Phir bhi aapke sawalon ka jawab denge.
Haan yeh 21st century hai aur aaj kal internet ka istemaal hota hai per hum ek anath hain aur hamare orphanage mein in sab ki facility nahi hain aur na humein istemaal karna aata hain.
Ab baat karte hain hamari bhaasha ki toh aisa nahi hai ke humein angrezi nahi aati; aati hai lekin humein hamare sheher lucknow ki khaas tehzib wali zubaan mein baat karna accha lagta hain. Lekin aapki sahulat ke liye hum puri nahi lekin thodi thodi angrezi istemal kar lenge.
Wese ek baat kahein?
Aapko jhoot nahi bolna chahiye! Aap bhi jaantey ho ke hum bakwaas nahi karrahe. Yeh sach hai ke aapki khushioun ko koi gehri chot dimak ki tarah khaye jarahi hai.
Aap humse puchrahe they na ke aap humein kiun batayenge? Toh iske jawab mein hum kahenge ke jab tak hum kisike humdard nahi bantey; hum dard se aur dard humse judaa nahi hota. Bas hum aapke wohi humdard banna chahtey hain taaki aapka dard aapse judaa hojaye.
Haan hum koi nahi hain per hum woh koi banna chahtey hai jissey aap apni personal space mein enter honey dogey. Aur rahi baat hamari khushi ki; toh aapko khush dekhkar humein woh mil jaegi.
Aap humein apna asli chehra dikha sakte ho. Hum wada karte hain aapko kabhi dhoka nahi denge aur na hi aapko kabhi akela karenge.
Hamare yahan sirf Thursday ko bahar jaaney ki ijazat hai; isliye hamare jawab aapko weekend per hi mila Karenge. Yeh mat sochiyega ke aapse cutty karli hai humne.
Aapke khat ka intezaar rahega.
Nandini
A smile broke free from the steel clutches of gloom and crept on his face after ages on her such genuine and sincere words - that directly strung the chords of the jammed strings of his heart.
A strange thorn had pricked his numbed heart on getting to know that she was an orphan and guilt filled in him for being so uncourteous with her. The warmth of her letter only was so overwhelming that it melted down the cold demon borne out of the world's cruelty and absence of Love within him.
Wholeheartedly but hesitantingly giving their friendship and her a chance; he had apologized for being curt but din't share his worry and politely asked for some more time to open which she happily gave.
Eventually they grew from just strangers to friends; best friends; and got binded with an emotion called Trust.
He had begun investing his trust in someone again; in her; slowly but surely and all what he gained was satisfaction without any regrets. He comfortably shared his bits of bother with her; both trivial and serious ones; and she showed him the right and easy paths to pass through those predicaments like a guiding star.
With time and without his conscience; she and her letters became an essential and Vital part of his life - so much that he feared against his lionhearted self to loose her; loose himself.
She told him everything about herself - good and bad - what she liked and whatnot - that she loved dancing the way he loved singing - that she enjoyed cooking - that she had a special inclination towards the color white - that she had little dreams and little expectations from life and so on and so forth.
Just to assure him that she had faith in him; she had laid her life like an open - book for him to read - no secrets and no lies.
Not only did she made herself familiar but had also effortlessly got him known to herself - intensively; extensively and to the full extent except for that one dreadful mishap that gave his life a 360 turn and he had gladly; with all his will; had given answers to all her adorable enquiries.
Their bond grew close - knit and a mutual dependency on each other for lives developed and in the wake of this affinity and simon - pure attachment that was beautifully bound by confidence in each other; after 2 months and 2 weeks of giving time - on the 3rd weekend of third month had come her letter with an earnest and solemn request to reveal the bane of his life to her - the culprit of his injured heart - the reason behind his woes so that she could eradicate even that and heal him completely.
For the sake of her concern - filled entreaty and their relation and having 101% conviction in her loyality - he had at last disclosed in the answering letter about how he was desolated and betrayed by everyone he thought were his own and how even the only devoted brother he had been left with also was snatched from him by death.
He told her how he was shoved into the depths of darkness when he was afraid of it by no one else but people who had bought him into this world and that how all these vicissitudes of fortune had murdered the musician in him and how he was a loner after it.
In response; she had done exactly that something which was the only remedy for his malady.
She hadn't been sorry neither did she sent her sympathetic and pitying pointless condolences - like everyone else who knew did - but had instead said :
Jo hua hum ussey mita toh nahi sakte per yeh wada zaroor karte hain ke hum humesha aapke saath rahenge.
Chahey iske liye humein kisise bhi ladhna kiun na padey.
Auron ki tarah hum aapko andhere mein dhakelenge nahin per humesha aapko ussey bahar nikalenge.
Humein aapse kuch nahi chahiye lekin hum aapko bohot kuch dena zaroor chahtey hain - har woh khushi jo aap deserve karte ho - jo aapko muskaney per majboor karde.
Bas Yahin kahenge ke apne kal ko agar aap apne aaj per haavi honey dogey toh aaj aur aaney wala kal bhi kharab hojaega. Zindagi agar aapko ek wajah de roney ki toh uske saamne 1000 bahanoun se hasdiya kijiye.
He was cured; revived and the storm that had been within him for a forever had now calmed.
In succint and few chosen words; by her pure promises; she had consoled and mend his weeping and shattered heart and the dried marks of her tears on her letter; that clearly showed that only the narration of his anguish had harrowed and caused her discomfort; had annihilated the obnoxious feeling of forlorn and lonesomeness.
And at that very moment; he was sure that he needs her to breathe and to be alive in true sense; that his smile is she herself; that she was the only one he wanted from life and from God; that she was his lost music; that he could merrily die and sacrifice himself for her; that he loved her.
The realization itself was so paradisic that he was dying to feel the phase and be with her and without wasting any time - in the immediate letter he had confessed his feelings for her and told her that a future filled with euphoria with her was his only cherished aspiration.
Though he was certain of her Love; that dripped and outpoured like oceans from every alphabet of her letters; but still he wanted to hear it from her and she had even fulfilled his this wish but in her own demure way.
She hadn't inscribed her sentiments on the sheet in an elucidated manner like he did but had expressed by ending her letter with 'Apki Nandini' rather than the regular watermarkish just Nandini.
That only term; Apki; was more meaningful than any combination of heavy weight words and this beautiful one - word statement of her saying that she was his; had given him the happiness of both worlds; of the heavens and of the seven skies combined and beyond that - he knew he din't and would never need anything.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
'Tum soch bhi nahi sakti ke tumne yeh sab kehkar mujhper kitna bada ehsaan kiya hain.
Jaanta toh bohot din se tha yeh baat per kisi wajah se manna nahi chahta tha. Per tumne jaaney anjaney woh wajah bhi mitadi aur isliye mere dil ne yeh baat maanli.
Bohot Pyaar karta hoon tumse. Bohot.
Sorry! Per tum toh jaanti ho na ke main apni dil ki baatein lafzon mein zahir karne mein kitna bura hoon. Zyada kuch toh nahi keh paunga per yeh kahunga ke ab mujhe zinda rehne ke liye saanson ki nahi; tumhari zaroorat hai.
Meri kuch na hoker bhi sab kuch bangayi ho tum.
Tumne wapas mujhe zinda kiya aur ab main chahta hoon ke tumhari dee hui iss zindagi ko tumhare saath jiyun.
Tumhe apna banana chahta hoon.
Apna sab kuch tumhare saath baatna chahtun hoon.
Tumhe apne paas apni baahon mein dekhna chahta hoon.
Jaanta hoon tumhare jazbaat aur tumhara jawab bhi lekin phir bhi sunna chahta hoon.
Toh batao; humdard honey ke saath meri humsafar banogi? Hosake toh jald jawab dena.
Abse humesha ke liye
Tumhara Manik.
Nandini smiled amidst crying out of joy; while re reading his that love letter for which she had longed for 3 years; right from the very moment she had seen him for the very first time; for an umpteenth time.
Lying on her bed and holding the message of his arrival close to her heart and a lingering smile on her lips; she remembered their 8 months of courtship; as per her daily regimen; only to feel her heart swell to the verge of getting burst.
Everything seemed so dream - like even though being the finest verity.
How they had covered the distance between no one to being the only one.
How her all imaginations had and were still sedately taking the face of reality.
How he had given the unco her a chance and had ended up falling in Love and How they had landed up in present where he was coming to make her his officially and to take her to his little world.
She blushed profusely; exhilarated and elated with the endmost thought; with butterflies fluttering hard in the pit of her stomach and a myriad of questions going on in her head.
How was it going to be?
What would happen?
What would she say?
What would he tell?
Will he find her beautiful?
The self interrogation came to standstill at the latter question and in a jiffy; truck loads of reverence and admiration replaced the nervousness brewing inside her as she cast her mind back to all things gorgeous that he had told her :
That it din't matter to him if she was beautiful or not.
He would Love her anyway.
That even though he hadn't seen her; he knew that she is an aesthetic beauty of her kind.
That ..
Her own thoughts choked abruptly and a darker rosiness clouded the milkiness of her cheeks at his lovely and sweet warnings and frequent reminders of how he would always stay proximate to her and keep staring at her for hours; so much proximate that their breaths would mingle; once she would be his.
Only the fascination of being close to him; to touch and to hug him was enough to tangle her in knots and send thousands of volts of electric currents down her spine and maybe even make her a bit frightened; but in a good way.
But no matter what and above all nervousness; she would; as per her own pledge; surrender herself to him in every and all respects - in and as a life - long reward for his 8 month long yearning - yearning to meet; see and even listen her.
8 Months.
A period of 243 days that she had herself set as a barrier between them and their union; a condition which he had accepted readily and without an erm; - to give their budding relation some time to establish and mature before they could kick - start a lifetime together.
It hadn't been easy or to be precise; had been quite onerous and stringent for them - but still they had withstood and for their and for their Love's good had emerged stronger and more profound.
And after all the hankering; finally;
the moment had come.
To Be Continued ..
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Phewhh!!
Done !!
So tell me how is it?
I hope I din't waste your time.
Do read and Definitely Comment.
I will post the next and final part; which I still have to write; only if I get good response.
So if you wanna read how are they gonna meet; then drop in your reviews and likes.
Silent Readers !!
Yaar atleast yahan toh comment kardo aaplog.
Eid ki Khushi mein hi sahi.
Criticism; Chappals; Tomatoes; Rotten Eggs are also dil kholke welcome.
Bas show Up !
And At Last ..
EID MUBARAK ALL !!
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
