FF: KAUN HO TUM? 26th Mar: Chap 22 on Pg 99! - Page 7

OMG!! what an interesting concept? loved it

CHAPTER 1. MAIN PREET HOON!

"Kaun ho tum?", Maan whispered but the silhouette did not move.

He stepped towards her slowly, his heart thudding in his chest. The curtain swayed but did not uncover the silhouette. He swallowed and pulled the curtain away only to stumble back and fall on his bottoms. He gawked stupidly at the uncovered silhouette and then blinked. And then blinked again. It was a statue! It was a statue! Maan burst out laughing. It was a statue! He continued to laugh. Maan! You are an idiot! It was a statue, not a woman! And you were scared of that! You are truly an idiot Maan, truly an idiot!

After few minutes, his laughter petered down and he stood up from the floor. He shook his head at his stupidity and then turned around. Chalo! Maan beta! Lets drive to Handa Haveli! Lagta hai un bechaaron ko uthaana hi padega!

Just as he was about to step out of the Haveli a melodious voice wafted out of the house. Maan stilled as the beautiful voice echoed throughout the house rhythmically as if someone was singing. He could not catch the words sung but he assessed that it was female voice. He took in a sharp breath as her voice continued to echo around. He turned back but there was no one around. "Toh yeh aawaaz aa kahaan se aa rahi hai? Kaun gaa raha hai?"

As the voice echoed from one of the passageways nearby he walked towards it. As he entered the passageway the voice became clear.

Adhura Hun Main Afsaana

Jo Yaad Aaun Chale Aana

Mera Jo Haal Hai Tujh Bin

Woh Aakar Dekhte Jaana

Maan reached the end of the passageway which opened into a courtyard. There on the other side of it stood a woman dressed in white salwar kameez with her back facing him. He walked towards her, her voice pulling him towards her like a magnet.

Bheegi Bheegi Palkein

Chham Chham Aansu Chalkein

Khoi Khoi Aankhen Hain Udaas

Maan was so entranced by the voice that he stumbled upon a nearby pot and the pot crashing echoed all around. He froze as the woman stopped singing. She turned around in a flash and Maan took in a sharp breath as he caught his first glimpse of her face. Her face was angelic with wide brown eyes, soft lips and round cheeks. She looked ethereal to Maan even though she had no make up on her face or any color on her clothes. From head to toe she was swathed in white. The duppatta of her salwar kameez covered her head and her face was pretty expressive. Right now it was expressing anger, Maan realised.

"Kaun ho tussi? Etthe kaise aaye ho?", the young woman, Maan estimated she was in her early 20s, glared at him with anger. Maan later on would swear that he saw sparks come out of her eyes, her glare was that piercing. Her voice held a soft quality that showed even in anger.

"Tussi mennu ghoor rahe ho? Chheti Chheti dasso tussi etthe kya kar rahe ho nai toh hun pind de logaa nu bulaavaangi!", the woman retorted in anger. Maan may not be well versed in Punjabi, infact he did not understand a single word of what the girl was raving about but even he understood that the threat of pind de log. After all, the only time a girl would talk about the people of the village is when she is threatening someone by calling them all here.

"Dekhiye! Please kisi ko mat bulaayiye! Mujhe bas theherne ki ek jagah chaahiye thi! Bas! Isliye yahaan aaya hun! Agar yahaan ek kamra mil jaaye toh..." Maan spoke as he looked at the girl.

The woman shook her head, "Nahi! Etthe koi jagah nahi milegi! Tussi aur kitthe jaake dhoondho!" She turned away showing her displeasure.

Maan frowned. But outside the banner said it was a Lodge. Why wasn't she allowing me a room then?

Maan spoke up again, "Dekhiye! Agar baat paise ki hai toh main ek raat ke liye aapko paise de sakta hun. Mujhe bas ek raat ke liye kamra chaahiye bas! Actually main Handa Haveli jaa raha hoon. Wahaan ladki dekhne! Lekin itni raat ko unke darwaaze pe jaake khada nahi ho sakta na? Darwaaza khula tha warna main yahaan bhi nahi aata. Mujhe aapko disturb nahi karna tha! Please! Just one room!"

The woman remained still for a moment and then she turned but now her expression changed from anger to curiosity. Maan was surprised at this sudden change.

The woman asked reverently, "Tussi Handa Haveli ladki dekhne jaa rahe ho?" Maan did not think her voice could go any softer, but now her voice went softer and sweeter. Her voice was like music to his ears. When Maan nodded in response, the woman smiled softly, showing the dimple in her cheeks, "Phir toh tussi jitne din chaaho yahaan reh sakte ho! Aao aao! Main twonnu twaadda kamra dikha deti hun!" She turned and walked away, her body fused with a new type of energy. Maan frowned in amusement. Ise kya hua?

Maan walked behind her with swift steps and soon joined her side by side. As they walked Maan questioned, "Aap Handa parivar ko jaanti hain?" The woman nodded and replied softly, "Ji! Main ussi ghar ki beti hun! Tussi jis ladki nu vekhne jaa rahe ho, woh meri chotti behen hai! Soni!"

Maan was confused. If that was her house then why is she staying here? Then something clicked and he smiled. She must be married to the owner of this house. That is why she is staying here. But why is she in white? And wearing no mangalsutra or sindoor? His eyes widened in shock. She must be a widow. Poor girl! Running this establishment at such a small age! Then he frowned. But then why isn't she staying with her family? And didn't Daadima say some other name of the girl who he was going to see? Something rhyming to heat. Ah yes! Geet! Geet Handa! Then why is this girl calling her Soni? Maybe its her nickname for Geet. He shrugged and continued to walk with the young woman.

"Toh phir kal aap Handa Haveli jaroor aaoge na?", Maan asked and the girl shook her head, a sad smile gracing her face, "Nahi!" Maan was confused and wanted to know the reason behind her refusal. But before he could ask they had reached his room.

"Yeh raha aapka kamra!", the woman announced and Maan entered the room. The woman turned to walk away when Maan realised something. He did not know her name. He turned around, "Waise mera naam Maan hai! Maan Singh Khurana! Aur aapka?"

The woman, who had already walked few feet away, turned around and smiled politely, "Preet! Assi Preet Ahluwalia hega!" She walked off and Maan catalogued her name in his mind. Turning around he placed his bag near the bed and went and lied on it. He sent a SMS to Daadima about staying at some Lodge for the night and then he closed his eyes. Before he knew it, he was asleep.

Next morning, Maan woke up early and with sleepy eyes he stumbled into the wash room attached to the room. He freshened up, brushed his teeth and then walked into the bedroom only to be stupefied. When he had arrived at night he had walked into the room and had simply gone to bed without even looking around but now that he was awake and alert he was shocked at what he saw. There were almost no furnishings in the room except the bed on which he slept. The whole room was almost bare. He frowned. Is this how these people run a Lodge? He shrugged. This was not his matter. Lifting his overnight bag, he trudged out of the room.

Maan walked towards the main hall while looking for Preet. He wanted to thank her for her hospitality and wanted to pay the rent for the room. But he could not see her anywhere.

"Mrs. Ahluwalia?", Maan hollered but no response came. Maybe he woke up too early. He checked his watch. It was 8 AM. How can the lady not be awake? He had heard from his Daadima that villagers tend to wake up early morning. "Mrs. Ahluwalia?", Maan shouted again.

He frowned as still no response came.

Looking around the main hall with his back to the main door he shouted again, "Preet Ji?"

Suddenly, a voice came from behind, "Kaun Ho Tussi? Etthe ki kar rahe ho?"

Maan turned around and came face to face with a man who must have been in his mid 40s.

"Ji! Main Maan Singh Khurana hoon! Iss Lodge ke Owner ko dhoondh raha hun!", Maan replied.

"Ji! Main hi iss Lodge ka Maalik hun! Mandeep Singh naam hai mera!", the man replied and Maan blinked. Then who was Preet? Maan did not realise he had spoken the words out loud till the man looked at him astonished.

"Aapne bhi Preet ko dekha hai?", the man spoke in hushed voice.

Maan frowned, "Dekha hai ka kya matlab hai? Main mila hun unse! Kal raat hi! Unhonein mujhe yahaan ek kamra diya! Main raat bhar yahin thehra hun!"

The man drew in a sharp breath at Maan's words and went paler.

"Bhaisaab?", Maan called but the man did not react. He simply stared at a distance in shock.

Maan grabbed the man's arms and shook him, "BHAI SAAB!"

The man came out of his trance and looked at Maan with shocked eyes, "Saabji! Tussi pehle bande ho jisne Preet ko dekha hai!"

Now it was Maan's turn to take in a sharp breath.

The man continued, "Che mahine pehle kisine mujhe bataaya ki mere Lodge mein ek bhoot rehti hai! Aur uss din ke baad se maine bhi use mehsoos kiya hai! Lekin aaj tak kisine usko theek se dekha nahi hai! Bas ek safed kapdon mein lipti ladki dekhi hai! Aur use uska naam Preet bataate hue suna hai! Aur Lodge mein ajeeb ajeeb ghatna dekhi hai! Phir logon ne yahaan rehna band kar diya aur nuksaan se bachne ke liye maine yeh Lodge band kar diya! Main ab ise bechna chaahta hun lekin bhoot ke darr se koi ise khareedta nahi hai!"

Maan interrupted him, "Lekin kal raat toh darwaaza khula tha! Agar Lodge band hai toh taala lagaana chaahiye na?"

The man looked at Maan with wide eyes, "Yeh ek aur paheli hai yahaan ki Saabji! Har din main aake taala lagaata hun aur har subah yeh darwaaza khula milta hai Saabji!"

Maan frowned and looked around. He did not believe in ghosts. Maybe some kids come late into the night and play pranks. He looked back at man, "Toh phir raat ko aapne aake dekha nahi ki kaun darwaaza kholta hai?"

The man nodded, "Aaya tha Saabji! Ek baar gaao se kuch logon ko leke aaya tha! Lekin darwaaza band hote hue bhi andar se aisi daraavni aawaaz aane lagi ki hum sab darr gaye! Phir kabhi raat ko koi yahaan aaya nahi!"

Maan was shaken up by the incident and walked out while the Lodge Owner went and locked the Lodge. Maan turned around and looked at the Haveli like Lodge. He remembered Preet's anger filled face as she glared at him. "Kaun Ho Tum?", he whispered softly, "Koi aatma, koi insaan ya meri aankhon ka dhoka, Kaun Ho Tum?"

So people, what do you think of this chapter?

Did you like my Preet?

Did she scare you?

And can anyone guess what song was Preet singing?

Do state your answer in your comments below!

Thank you, take care and have fun,

Kalpana

Interesting exciting update and little scary too
dadi on bride hunt for maan finally selctd a girl soni lets see who this girl is yeh preet kaun hai

Mysterious part..

Mysterious Update

wow, very curious to read further parts to know about preet n maaneet's meet

This was awesome!!
I love to read this genre but its rare to find for Maaneet fictions.

Maan meets the all white clad girl calling herself Preet. She says that he is going to meet Soni but as per dadi its Geet. So whats the mystery?? And she is the elder sister to Soni/Geet. Is Preet played by Drashti?


And as per the lodge owner, she is a ghost. So who or what is she?? Is she an illusion or some girl suffering from some psychological issues... Monjolika ishtyle???

Jo bhi ho, Maan is in for the ride of his life!!!

P.S Like button not working!!

Nice part

Very interesting update.. Maan saw a girl who called herself 'Preet', in white dress in the lodge, when asked for a room to spend the night, she refused but later relented when he said that he is going to HH to see a girl for his marriage..In the morning the lodge owner disclosed to him that the girl is a bhoot and the lodge is not open for anybody..Mysterious. Loved it.. Waiting for next..

dats a interesting update...
curiouds to knw abt it
update soon