A DiRa OS- The Unbreakable Bond Of Souls...

"Daatahukum...humien ijazat dijiye...hum abh nahi ruk sakte..."

Ratan looked down at his hands. They were empty, and still marred with the blood of the woman who was his protector, his Pehredaar...The same woman who had spent 12 long years of her life, alone, fighting for him...fighting for his life fiercely, with great strength and determination. She was not at all afraid or worried about her own life. She was his protector in every sense...be it his honor, be it his wealth and properties, be it his family or be it his own life. She gave her everything to him...and then she gave him her beautiful heart...but he could not take care of it. She had always taken and accepted whatever he had to give her in return for her favors, and today, she even took a bullet for him.

He could feel her still, unconscious body in his arms... In a frenzy, he had even tried to perform a half-baked CPR on her...he had punched in her chest to revive her drowning heart...he had put his mouth on her lips to provide her some oxygen...but it had all been in vain. It was all very late.

Kesar Mehal had been under a terrorist attack; the leader of the terrorists had exclusively attacked Ratan and had shot at him, but the bullet never reached Ratan...because Diya, his Pehredaar, his best friend and his wife had come in between the bullet and himself... The police had already intervened and the rescue mission was on, and just a while ago, when he frantically carried her to the car to take her to the hospital, Yash banna took the driving seat and Ratan cradled the bleeding woman in his lap. He was madly trying to keep her conscious by saying various things to her, and that's when she had mumbled in a faint voice,

"Daatahukum...humien ijazat dijiye...hum abh nahi ruk sakte..."And with that, she had lost consciousness...and Ratan lost all his composure. He was rocking her, screaming her name again and again...but she did not respond. Yash drove them to the hospital as fast as he could...

But they were very late...

The doctors took Diya thakrani sa in the Operation Theater quickly, but soon they told a panicked Yash that Diya had lost a lot of blood, and the bullet had pierced her chest cavity. They were afraid that while taking it out, they might rupture Diya's heart, causing instant death.

It was a beautiful garden... The grass was lush green, and there were groves of trees with different leaves all around. He was sitting by the garden pond and was watching the beautiful Lotus flowers in the center of the pond. A wild array of colorful flowers surrounded him, that were very strategically arranged in flower beds. Canopies covered with colorful flowers hung over his head. He could hear the buzzing bees and chirping birds. The sun was hidden behind fat clouds. He was watching the natural beauty around him, but he had a sadness within him...as if something, or someone was missing! He was looking at the colorful leaves on the trees when he heard a melodious voice humming a tune. He recognized that voice in an instance...it was Diya's beautiful voice. He looked around, but he could not find her. He wanted to watch the glorious sight of those colorful flowers with her, but he could only hear her voice... She herself was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, the beauty of everything around him started fading away... He was looking for his Diya frantically... Without her, he was not even able to enjoy the nature... He started calling out her name,

"Diya...Diyaa, kahan hain aap? Please saamnay aaiye na.. dekhiye yeh hum kitni khubsurat jagha per hain."

There was no reply.

He called out aloud again,"Diya please yahan ayein na...dekhien tou sahi...aapke beghair yeh sab mujhe accha nahi lag raha. Please mere samnay aaiye na."

This time he saw the beautiful woman on the other side of the garden. She was bent down near the flower beds, and was touching the petals of the flowers very delicately. Her back was towards him, and he felt a new relief and energy washing over him on seeing her there. He quickly rushed towards her. When he reached her, he tapped her shoulder and said impatiently,

"Diya, kahan chhupi hui thyn aap? Aur mujhe jawab kyun nahi de rahy thyn?"

Slowly, she turned her face towards him. She had a beautiful smile playing on her lips, but her eyes were...casted downwards. She slowly rose up and stood in front of him, and said softly,

"Daatahukum, aap yahan?"

Ratan felt her behavior quite strange. Besides, the way she had addressed him, irritated him and he said a little angrily,

"Kia hogya hai Diya apko? Ap ne kia yeh Daatahukum Daatahukum ki ratt lagai hui hai? Miene aap se hazar bar kaha hai ke aap mujhe sirf Ratan kaha kerein. Aur yeh kia ker rahi hain aap? Mery taraf dekhiye."

She slowly lifted her eyes and he saw that they were bright...but their brightness looked as if she was faking it. Her smile had widened too, but even that didn't look real. Ratan was totally baffled by her state. Without thinking, he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. When she was just an inch apart, he said,

"Diya kia hua hai apko? Aap itna ajeeb kyun behave ker rahy hain?"

Diya dropped her eyes again...and Ratan felt that she was shutting him out. It was unbearable...it was not at all acceptable to him. Automatically, his hold on her shoulders became tighter, and he pulled her much closer to him. The impact of his actions and his unsaid demands made her raise her eyes up again...and this time he saw that her eyes were bright with un-shed tears. Something happened to his heart on seeing her like that...he asked desperately,

"Diya kia hua hai? Please batayein kia hua aapko? Aap rou kyun rahy hain?"

She bent her head submissively, held out joint hands in front of him and whispered,

"Daatahukum, hum aur aap abh saath nahi reh sakte. Apki dunia ko chhodne ka samay aagya hai. Mager hum aapke sath kuch vacchan mien bandhay hue hain...aur jab tak aap humien ijazat nahi dein ge, hum jaa nahi payein ge. Iss liye please Daatahukum, humien aagiya dijiye."

Ratan felt as if the sky had fallen on his head...He felt as if a volcano had erupted and the molten lava was flowing towards him to burn him...perish him.

He clutched her shoulders so tightly that his own fingers turned white, and he jerked her closer to him...so close that there was just air separating them now, and then he said in a dangerous voice,

"How dare you Diya? Aap ki himmat kaise hui mujhse yeh baat kehne ki?"

Diya's tears were rolling down her cheeks now, and she looked at him helplessly.

Ratan was watching her tears, and as always, her tears were affecting him...He felt as if his own heart had started crying while shaking his head vehemently,he said,

"Diya...nahi. Na hi aapke Daatahukum hone ki hesiyat se, aur na hi aapka Pati hone ki hesiyat se, mien aapko kahin Janay ki ijazat nahi dun ga."

Diya shook her head slightly and whispered,

"Mager Daatahukum, humara tou koi rishta kabhi tha hi nahi."

This hurt Ratan more than anything... It was true that he had not accepted her love, and they were about to be divorced also...but that did not mean that they didn't have any relationship besides being a Daatahukum and Pehredaar. He knew he had failed her...he had disappointed her...but that did not mean that she was allowed to DENY their relationship. He again shook his head and said desperately,

"Aise na kahien Diya. Apke sath mera kia rishta hai, yeh tou miene bhi buht deir mien samjha. Kabhi aapko apni Pehredaar ke roop mien dekha, tou kabhi apni best friend ke roop mien jaana. Kabhi biwi ke tor per aap se jhagda kia...tou kabhi work partners bann ker aap se kaam seekha. Nahi kia tou bass uss jazbay ka izhaar nahi kia, jo mere dil mien aapke liye hamesha raha."

He brought his forehead forward and touched her temple, closed his eyes and said resignedly,

"Diya, ager mien aap se kahun ke miene aap se uss waqt se muhabbat ki hai jab se mien 9 years ka tha aur aapko bina dekhe mien London chala gaya tha, tou kia aap mera yaqeen kerein gy??"

He felt Diya stiffening in shock. He opened his eyes and saw her looking at him in a daze...Her tears were forgotten now...and her mouth was agape with astonishment.

A tired smile crept up his lips as he nodded and continued,

"Aapko bina dekhe, bina Janay, meine aap se aik rishta bana lia tha Diya. Aap mery rakhshak thyn...aur mien aap se buht attach hogya tha. Woh sirf attachment nahi thy...mujhe aap se muhabbat ho gai thy Diya.. Aapke letters mien bhi kabhi nahi pata chala ke aap kon thyn...mager mujhe farq nahi padta tha. Mere liye aap mera sab kuch thyn."

Her eyes started welling up with fresh tears on hearing this. He brought his lips to her eyes and kissed them lightly one by one, and said,

"Jab finally aap se mila, tou aapki khoobsurti per marr mita tha mien. Aur jab aapko jaana, tou pata chala ke iss khoobsurat chehre ke peeche aik buht khoobsurat insan bhi hai... Diya...mera aapke sath dil ka rishta buht pehle ka tha...baqi dosti ka rishta tou baad mien bana. Miene uss khoobsurat dil wali ladki se dosti ki thy Diya...aur mien tabb bhi yeh baat janta tha ke aap ki jagha mery life mien kabhi koi aur nahi le sakta."

Her tears were rolling down her cheeks...he held her head protectively from both sides and brought his face close to her face. With closed eyes, his lips caressed her cheeks, wiping away her tears in the process...and then he continued,

"Aapko kia lagta hai ke miene aap se shadi kyun ki thy? Koi majboori nahi thy Diya...Papaji sa ki chitthi bhi mujhse woh nahi kerwa sakty thy ager mien khud na chahta. Mager uss waqt miene aap ko aur sab ko yehi kaha ki miene sirf Papajisa ki aakhri wish ki wajeh se aisa kia. Mien buht conflict mien tha uss waqt Diya. Mujhe meri azadi bhi chahiye thy... aur mere dil ko aap bhi chahiye thyn. Iss internal conflict ki wajeh se miene sara ilzam aap per aur Papaji sa ki chitthi per daal dia...aap se buht rude hogya...buht awkward behave kia...kyunki mien khud samajh nahi paa raha tha ke aakhir mujhe chahiye kia? Mager aap ne hamesha ki terha mujhe buht acchay se, patiently handle ker lia. Aur pata nahi kis darr ki wajeh se, miene khud hi yeh assume ker lia ke aap mery best friend se ziada kuch nahi ho saktyn. Kabhi aapko biwi hone ke rights nahi diye...mager jab aap per koi ghalat ilzam lagta ya koi aapo taklif pohanchata, tou mien bardasht nahi ker paata tha. Miene divorce ki baat tou ker dy thy mager mien aap ko kabhi chhod nahi sakta tha Diya... Mujhe yeh baat tabb bhi pata thy ke mien aapke beghair nahi reh sakta. Aap se haath chhuda ker mien kabhi sambhal hi nahi paaonga... Mujhe sab malum tha Diya... mager mien apne apko apke qabil nahi samajhta tha. Koi internal fear tha ya koi block tha...jo sab kuch mere sub-conscious mien hone ke bawajood mere conscious mind mien nahi aa pata tha. Mager iska bilkul bhi yeh matlab nahi hai Diya ke mera aap se koi rishta hi nahi tha."

He opened his eyes and saw her eyes bright with love and tears. His gaze fell on her quivering lips and as if in a trance, he brought his thumb and touched her lower lip with it...and then he said quietly,

"Aap aadat thyn mery Diya...aap fitrat mien ghul chuki hai mere. Aur Aap poochti hain ke mera aap se rishta kia hai?" He shook his head slightly and continued,

"Aap se mera rishta yeh hai Diya ke ager aap khush hoty hain, tou hi mien khush hota hun. Aap udaas hoty hain, tou mien bhi udaas hota hun. Aap roty hain, tou mera dil bhi rone lagta hai. Aap se mera rishta yeh hai Diya, ke aapki saanson ke sath meri saansien judd chuki hain. Mere dil ke taar aapke sath judd chuke hain. Ager aapki saans thamay gy, tou sath mien mery bhi thamm jayegy. Ager aapka dil dhadakna bannd kere ga, tou meri dhadkanien bhi ruk jayeingy."

Diya's breath hitched on hearing this. She brought her trembling hand, laid it on his chest tentatively...carefully...but then she splayed it over his heart protectively and said,

"Ratan...aap ko zinda rehna hai.Aapki life buht important hai. Aapko apna harr haalat mien khayal rakhna hoga."

He put his hand on her hand and said,

"Mere zinda rehne ke liye zaruri hai ke aap zinda rahien."

A genuine smile came on her lips this time. The clouds had parted and the sun beam was falling on them now... Suddenly everything around him became very bright...so bright that he had to close his eyes tightly shut. And that's when he heard a voice,

"Kaku sa... kia aap mujhe sunn sakte hain? Daatahukum, kia aap mery awaz sunn rahay hain? Hum Yash banna hain...please aankhien kholien...hum se baat kerein..."

Ratan's eyes jerked open. He was sitting on the floor in front of the Operation Theater. He quickly looked around and saw a very worried Yash crouching beside him. One of his hand was on Ratan's shoulder...which meant that he was not only calling him, he was actually jostling him to bring him out of ... that zone ...or that trance...or that dream that he was in...only that it had felt too surreal...too real!

Seeing Yash's extreme concern, he managed to ask,

"Diya?"

Yash, who was relieved beyond words to see him out of that paralyzed state he was in for almost half an hour, replied,

"Kaku sa hum yehi tou batana chah rahay thay. Diya thakrani sa ka Operation hogya hai...Doctors unki bullet successfully nikaalne mien kaamyab hue aur abh unko recovery mien le gaye hain. Abhi bhi unconscious hain mager doctors keh rahay hain ke abh khatray se baahir hain."

Ratan's eyes automatically clenched this time...and he staggered. Yash quickly held him by his shoulders and hugged him. This was the first time in all this duration that his Kaku sa had broken down and was weeping in his chest.

They were sitting on the floor in that same pose when a nurse came out of the OT. And asked,

"Ratan sa?"

Ratan raised his head from Yash's chest, wiped his tears and said,

"Jee bolien, Mien hun..."

Nurse nodded and said respectfully,

"Daatahukum, aap zara OT. mien chalien. Thakrani sa recovery mien hain aur unconscious hain, mager woh behoshi mien aapka naam le rahy hain baar baar.

Ratan and Yash both quickly stood up and Ratan followed the nurse inside the OT. He was asked to remove his shoes and wear the OT.Slippers that were lying in one corner. The floor was marked with paint to tell everyone who enters the OT. that their own shoes were supposed to be disposed off before that marked point. Then he was given scrubs to cover his clothes all over, a surgical face mask and a special cap to cover his hair. After all the necessary protocol, he was taken inside the recovery room.

His heart squeezed with pain on seeing his Diya lying on the bed...with all sorts of tubes running around her, some of them through her...and different machines monitoring her vitals and brain activity. He sat beside her, held her hand and softly whispered,

"Diya..."

He felt Diya's hand tightening around his own...and then he heard her drowsy mumble,

"Ratan.."

He brought his ear near her mouth and said,

"Haan Diya...mien yahi hun...aapke pas."

After a couple of seconds, he heard her raspy whisper,

"Ratan, itna sab kaha... directly bass yeh kyun nahi kaha ke aap hum se buht pyar kerte hain?"

Ratan was shocked to hear this. It was unbelievable. He had been in a dream...or a trance...when he had confessed his true feelings for her...but she knew! How is that possible? He thought dazedly.

And then he felt a tug on his hand. She was not completely conscious, and yet she was talking to him...responding to his touch...demanding his reply!

He smiled and kissed her cheek, and said teasingly,

"Kia kehna zaruri hai? Aap ko sab pata tou hai...sab feel tou hota hai."

A frown creased her forehead and she puckered her lips and like a cranky child, whispered,

"No...say it. I waited so long..."

This time, he placed his lips on her dry, parched mouth and without any hesitation said,

"I love you...I love you very very much...and I just cannot live without you."

Her lips formed a small, satisfied smile and her mind slipped back into oblivion.

Ratan sighed...he knew that her oblivion won't last long and soon she would come back to the Kesar Mehal with him.

They both had waited for each other for so long...and their wait was about to get over now.

They both had managed to bridge all their gaps and love had found its way...etched deep into their souls. Their relationship was so strong, so unique...and so invincible. He smiled as he recalled a poem he once read somewhere which said,

Unbreakable,

We fly together, high and free;

I follow you, you follow me.

We touch the moon,we touch a star;

And daylight's end is yet so far.

Like two birds in the open sky,

Unbreakable souls, You and I.

(Poem by Mia-source: Google)