February 2005,
Mumbai
A cozy little house where once lived a happy little family of Durga and Shiva Rawte, with their two children, their son Arjun and their younger daughter, Krishna.
It was late evening and the house seemed to be on fire, well Krishna was the reason.
"Aai!!" Krishna yelled from her room, "where's my pocket knife?" Fifteen year old Krishna, like her name, had a slightly dark complexion, large doe-shaped eyes, her curly hair neatly oiled and tied in two braids, and a sweet charming smile.
"Oh God this girl! What should I do?" Durga sighed as she reachedKrishna's room to find it ransacked. This lady in her forties, fair-skinned, lovely-looking, was a perfect housewife and a caring mother. Her family was her life, she loved them more than her own life.
"I can't find a single thing here Aai!" Krishna almost cried.
"In this dustbin, not even the RAW agents will find the things you're looking for!" Durga displayed her sense of humor.
"But nothing's actually lost until Aai can't find it!" Arjun said from behind the bed. Eighteen year old Arjun, was a perfect amalgamation of his father's manly strength and his mother's charming grace. He had inherited fair skin from his mother. He was a mischievous yet obedient son.
"Arjun, come on, get on mission, you have to clear all the mess that your sister has created!" Durga ordered him.
"Come on quick, I have to finish the packing today itself, tomorrow morning, I'll be leaving at 5! Make it fast!" Krishna whined.
"O Maharani! We are not servants at your father's house, it's your work. Do it yourself!" Durga stated.
"Baba!! Let Baba come, I'll tell him everything!" Krishna said in a childlike tone.
"Listen, both of you are clearing this mess, or else no dinner for you!" Durga said and went back to kitchen.
"Dau! Where are you going?" Krishna asked as she saw Arjun going out.
"To meet my girlfriend, don't waste time, clean up this mess!" Arjun ordered her.
"We were doing it together!" Krishna exclaimed.
"You have created it, and you will clean it!" Arjun said emphasizing on you'.
"I'm going tomorrow, and if you behave like this I will not come back! I'll stay in the forest itself!" Krishna blackmailed him.
"Okay, stay there, not for five days, for your whole life! At least I won't have to share my things with you or clean the mess that you create or hear scolding for your mischief! I'll be the happiest one if you don't return from the forest camp!" Arjun said knowing the usual drama of blackmailing and getting the work done.
~~
Five days later,
A dead body of a man and a young girl was found, the girl's body was badly burnt, but the bodies were identified as that of Shiva Rawte and his daughter Krishna Rawte.
~~~
The 50
Anupamaa
20