The Best of Things
(Ragya, Swasan) Fan Fiction Series +16
By Bubble
Chapter 59
Swara looked out of the window, drinking in the landscape around her. The lofty mountains, the deep ravines... the never ending streams running alongside...
They had flown into Dehradun yesterday and made their way to Haridwar. They were now making their way to holy Gangotri, the origin of the river Ganga. Ragini sat next to her, her eyes unblinking on the green mountains all around them; beside her, Lakshya too had his head a little out of the window, letting the crisp breeze ruffle his hair. Sanskaar sat in front, next to the driver, fascinatedly watching the winding road as it hugged the hillside.
In Gangotri, they made their way to the river, which was called Bhagirathi at this point. They were each carrying a change of clothes. Swara knew they would be taking a dip in the river but somehow she had not thought it would be so swift and that there would be so many rocks! As they walked down the steps, she fell silent... in spite of wanting to be reasonable, dread of the water overpowered her. Ragini and she had worn uncomplicated kurta pajamas suitable for a dip, but Swara was now feeling that she needn't go into the water at all.
The guys stripped down to their boxers and deposited their clothes. Ragini held on to Lakshya's hand and waded in gingerly as well... they all let out exclamations about how freezing the water was. Swara stood, staring in distress at the white foam she was supposed to enter.
Sanskaar looked back at her. "Aao, Swara!" Swara looked at him pertrified. "Kya hua?" he asked and came back to see if she needed a hand over the boulders. She shook her head. Sprinkling the holy water on her head would probably do!
"Main.. bas... Sanskaar, mai sar par thoda paani chidak leti hoon!" she said.
He looked at her puzzled. "Matlab? Gangotri mein aakar Ganga nahaogi nahin?!"
She shook her head, feeling like a fool. But the waters were rapid and... they looked... frightening.
In a flash, Sanskaar understood. He hadn't realised Swara may have fears about the water - she had showed no signs of being afraid of the river in which she had almost died... but apparently, she couldn't voluntarily enter it either. He looked grim, but in that case, it was even more necessary that she defeat her fears.
"Aao, just a small dip, Swara... main hoon tumhare saath. Aao..." he held her arm in a firm grip and led her forwards inexorably. She went as far as the last boulder at the water's edge and then shook her head again.
"Come, Swara!" he said again, entering the water himself, ready to hold her.
Now Lakshya and Ragini realised as well that Swara was baulking... and both looked concerned as they remembered what Swara had undergone... what she must have experienced to make her look so warily at the river in front of her.
"Come, Swara!" repeated Sanskaar imperatively, holding out a hand.
"Bhai, if she's so scared...!" began Lakshya.
Sanskaar shot him a glare that cut him off midway and turned implacably to Swara again. "Swara, I'm not letting you go back to Kolkata without dipping in the river. You don't have a choice. Now come, I'm going to be holding you."
Swara put one tentative foot into the water... and squealed - this time, it was the unexpected temperature. They all laughed. She put both hands into Sanskaar's and managed to walk knee deep in.
But now she would have to wade in deep enough to immerse her entire body into the water... and that meant standing in the middle, facing the bracing flow... what if her foot slipped and she... "Mai beh jaaungi, Sanskaar!" she whispered.
"Nahin, tum nahin bahogi, Swara, balki tumhara dar beh jaayega. Tum nahin bahogi - I'm holding on to you!" he said, both assuring and authoritative.
Ragini had just been standing to one side watching... her own heart full of guilt as well deep sympathy for Swara's fears. She now took her dupatta from where she had left it on the bank and stood in front of Swara. The guys watched as she took one end of it around Swara, tied it firmly and tied the other end in a tight knot around her own waist. She took Swara's hand firmly in her own. "Aao Swara, I've tied us together now... I won't let you drown. Iss baar, agar tum beh gayi toh hum bhi bahenge!"
"Koi nahin bahega!" Lakshya said sharply. "It's just a short, harmless dip and millions of people do it!"
So Swara allowed herself to be taken a little way into the river. Holding on tight to Ragini, she cautiously felt her way on the rock under her soles. Finally they stood waist deep, where it was possible to wet themselves fully. Sanskaar and Lakshya had become somewhat psyched as well and they stood alert around the girls, guarded for even the slightest mishap. Swara took a deep breath and on the count of three, the two sisters sank into the holy river in sync.
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