Samaina SS : "Suhana Safar" (*Updated*; Epilogue on Page 85) - Page 41

It was a regular summer morning in Ahmedabad. The sun peeped through the horizon, signalling the arrival of  a new day. Bela, being the early riser she was, had already started the preparations for the breakfast. As she passed by her daughters' room on her way to fetch something from the store room, her eyes fell on Naina and Preeti sleeping, hugging each other, with a big smile on their faces. On any other day, she would have reprimanded them both for sleeping till late but that day, she didn't want to disturb their sleep. Her daughter Naina was back home after three years and her arrival had filled their home with happiness. It was true that she would come every year for her vacations and sometimes her stay extended for two months at a stretch but how could that suffice for the longing of a mother. She closed the door quietly, not wanting her daughters to get disturbed and returned back to her kitchen to complete her work.

"Aisa kya kar diya papa Naina ne? Aapse apni dil ki baat hi to kahi hai. Vo bhi sirf isilie kyunki vo aapse jhuth nahi bolna chahti thi. Aur papa jab Meghaben ne suicide karne ki koshish kari thi, tab aapne hi unhe samjhaya tha ni ki unhe apne mummy papa ko sab bata dena chahie tha. Aapne hi kaha tha na papa ki maa baap ke liye apne baccho ki khushiyo se bada kuch nahi hota. To fir aaj aapko kya ho gaya hai? Mujhe to lagta tha ki mere papa hamesha apni baaton par adig rehte hain. Lekin mujhe nahi pata tha ki hamare ghar me bhi duniya ke liye niyam kuch aur hote hain aur apni betiyo ke liye kuch aur" Preeti said disappointingly.

"Tu apne papa se behas kar rahi hai"? Anand asked angrily.

"Haan, kar rahi hun kyunki mai apni behan ko har roz rote hue nahi dekh sakti. Kya vishwas toda hai Naina ne aapka? Papa, Naina to aapki acchi vali beti hai na? Hamesha top karti hai, aapki saari baatein maanti hai, aapko kabhi shikayat ka koi mauka nahi deti. Aur papa aaj jo usne haasil kiya hai vo to hamare yahan ki ladkiya sochti bhi nahi hain. Aapko pata hai papa Naina ye sapne kyu dekh paati hai? Kyunki aapne use sapne dekhne ki himmat di hai. To fir agar usne ek aur sapna dekha, to aap smaaj ke dar se uske sapne ko kyu kuchal rahe ho?? Maana ki aapko nahi pasand aya ki Naina kisi ladke ko pasand karti hai to kam se kam aap uski baaat sun to lo. Aap to usse baat hi nahi kar rahe ho. Aisa kya kar diya papa usne?" Preeti burst  into tears. "Aap to duniya ke best papa the na,  vo papa jinke liye Naina aur Preeti se badhkar kabhi kuch tha hi nahi. To fir aaj kya ho gaya papa? Agar aap is baat pe garv mehsoos karte the ki aapke paas Naina jaisi beti hai to Naina ne bhi to apni puri zindagi aapke aur mumma ke shaare hi bitaayi hai. Please maan jaao, mummy papa. Ek baar samaaj ke purane niyaam kanoon chodh ke apni beti ki khushio ke liye maan jao. Please"

Bela, who was till now a silent spectator to her daughters' sufferings for the last few days, decided to speak up, "Preeti ke papa, sahi to keh rahi hai Preeti. Aaj itna khushi ka din hai aur hum sab aise udaas chehro ke sath baithe hain. Aap hi to kehte ho na ki hume samay ke saath badalna  padta hai to kya harz hai agar Naina kisi ladke ko pasand karti hai to. Hum ek bar us ladke se mil lete hain na. Aapne kaha tha na hame baccho ka dost ban na hai, to aap khud kyu  bhul gaye? Aur rahi baat logon ki, jab aaj tak humne parwaah nahi ki, to aaj kyu? Maan jaiye na. Hamari Naina me aapke sanskaar hain. Vo kabhi kuch galat nahi karegi."

Anand looked at Naina who was standing with her head down, probably trying to hide her tears. His heart sank. He was the one responsible for every single tear that had fallen off Naina's eyes in the last few days. Bela was right. He was the one who had always asked Bela to adjust her thinking with time. He was the one who had always tried to be more of a friend than a father to his daughters then how could he falter this time? There was not a single day in his life when he had scolded Naina, infact Naina had never given him a chance to do so. She had always been the perfect daughter, a daughter who could do anything to keep them happy. Then how did he end up scolding her? He took a step forward towards Naina and Preeti "Beta, mai dar gaya tha ki meri Naina galat raaste par chali gayi hai. Mai dar gaya tha ye soch ke ki mai kaise duniya ka saamna karunga. Ye sab baatein haawi ho gayi thi mujh par aur main apn aaapa hi kho baitha tha. Lekin ab nahi. Ab meri betiyo ki aankho me ek bhi aansun nahi aaaega. Maaaf kar do mujhe".  "Nahi aise mat bolo chachaji/papa", both Preeti and Naina said in unison and hugged him. " Chalo ab hum meri beti ki safalta ki khushi me bahar khana khane jaenge, chalo taiyar ho jao". Naina and Preeti's faces beamed with happiness and they forgot all their pain "Papa/chachaji pizza khaenge. Hum abhi kapde badal ke aate hain", both replied in excitement and  turned to walk towards their room. "Naina, kal 10 baje use mandir me bula lena milne ke liye. Hum bhi to dekhe hamari Naina ki pasand", Chachaji said smilingly and  Naina nodded.

***************************************************************************************************************************************************

Tring Tring! Tring Tring! The phone in the Maheshwari residence was ringing again and again for the last one hour and everytime Ramdhari went to pick it up, the buzzing would go off,  causing him annoyance. "Sameer bhaiya ke aane ka time ho gaya hai aur ye phone baji ja raaha hai. Khana bhi nahi banane dega ab ye phone. Are jab logon ko baat hi nahi karni hoti to phone karte kyu hain".

"Kya ho gaya Ramdhari? Kya bad bad kar raha hai akele me?" Sameer asked as he sat on the sofa, tired from the day's work. Ever since he was back to Ahmedabad, he had started going to his Nanu's office to learn business. Since Nanu was out of the town for some work, he had additionial responsibility on his shoulders. The days were getting more and more hectic with passing time. "Are bhaiya, pata nahi kaun phone kar raha hai itni der se . bar bar do ghanti bajti hai aur phone kat jata hai. Hum to pareshan ho gaye hain", Ramdhari replied, setting up the dining table "Aap haath mu dho lijiye, khana lag gya hai bas"

"Do rings? Do rings bola na tune? Are buddhu, teri bhabhi phone kar rahi thi",Sameer said and ran towards the phone and quickly dialled Naina's number. She immediately picked up as if waiting for him "Kahan the, kitne der se phone mila rahi hun".

"Are vaah. Itne dino se gayab tum ho aur daant bhi mujhe rahi ho. pata hai kitni tension me tha mai? Chachaji kya abhi bhi gussa hain?" Sameer asked forgetting every other thing.

"Tumhe kaise pata is sab ke baare me?" Naina asked confusedly.

"Nainu, to tumhe kya lagta hai. Tum mujhse itne din baat nahi karogi to mujhe kuch pata nahi chalega? Mujhe Preeti ne bataya. Tum to bhool hi gayi thi apne Sameer ko", Sameer replied. His sad tone pinched Naina hard, "I am sorry, Sameer. Mai itni pareshan thi ki mujhe samajh hi nahi aaraha tha kya karun. Aur mai tumhe kabhi nahi bhool sakti. Aise mat bolo"

"Mujhe pata hai. Lekin aise dubara mat karna. Nahi to agli bar sidha ghar aajaunga tumhare. Kisi ka lihaaz nahi karunga. Soch lo", Sameer warned her.

"Uski zarurat nahi padegi. Kal chachaji ne mandir me bulaya hai tumhe milne ke liye", Naina replied.

"Sachi?", Sameer asked unable to believe his ears. "Han baba sach. Tum 10 baje pohnch jana. Aur mujhe tumhe ek aur khushkhabri bhi deni hai lekin vo kal. Mai jyada der nahi baat kar sakti ab", Naina replied.

"Naina, kitne din se humne baat nahi kari aur ab bhi tum aise kar rahi ho. Mat jao. Mujhe kitna kuch batana hai tumhe, " Sameer said.

"Sab kal batana", Naina replied unwavered by his request which made him angry. "Theek hai jao". "Accha suno", Naina said lovingly causing his heart to flutter "Muaaah". Byeee" and she cut the phone

"Naina, this is cheating yaar. Mera jawab to sunti jaati", Sameer held the receiver close to his heart. He kept the receiver down and thought to himself "Chalo ab sasur ji ko manane ka time aagaya hai"

****************************************************************************************************************************************************

Sameer paced around in the temple hall, nervously. He had come to the temple, half an hour in advance, not wanting to take any risk "Sameer, aaj teri izzat ka sawal hai. Bohat hero bana firta hai na duniya ke saamne. Lekin aaj to teri saari herogiri nikal gayi hai. Kaise kaanp raha hai tu dar se. Aur, aur ,aur ye mai apne aap se baatein kyu kar raha hun? Calm down Sameer. Naina ke Chachaji hi to hain, maan jaenge. And now stop talking to yourself. enough of it".

Naina was climbing the stairs of the temple along with Preeti, Anand and Bela when she saw Sameer, standing in one corner, talking to himself. A nervous Sameer was an unusual sight for Naina and she couldn't help but chuckle. Seeing her laugh, Anand looked at her amazed. She pointed towards Sameer "Mujhe nahi pata tha ki ise bhi nervousness hoti hai". Her innocent reply made Anand laugh and he followed her direction to locate Sameer "Naina, ye to vohi ladka hai", "Ji chachaji", Naina nodded in affirmation. By now, Sameer had seen them and he came forward to greet them, "Namaste chachaji, namaste chachiji", and touched their feet. "Udhar chalen?" Anand said and directed them towards a corner in the backyard of the temple hall. He walked forward and rest of them followed suit. 

"Sameer, dekho hum  yaha tumhara koi test lene nahi aye hain. Hum jaante hain ki hamari beti ne agar koi itna bada faisla liya hai to kuch soch kar hi liya hoga. Naina ne hume tumhare aur tumhari family ke bare me bataya hai. Ye bhi bataya ki tumhare Nanaji ko bhi is rishte se koi apatti nahi hai. Jayprakash ji to vaise bhi Ahmedabad ke bohat izzatdar insaan hai.  Lekin dekho mai Naina ka chacha hun. Uspar mujhse jyada haq uske papa ka hai. Unke liye aur mere bade bhaishab ke liye ye jaat biradari bohat maayne rakhti hai. Isilie mai tumhe pehle hi bata dena chahta hun ki Naina aur tumhara safar itna asaan to nahi hoga lekin mai aashvasan deta hun ki mai aur Bela har smbhav koshish karenge" Chachaji said calmly. "Lekin, hum abhi chahte hai ki Naina aage ki padhai kare aur uske baad hi hum tum dono ke  rishte ki baat aage badhaen".

Sameer smiled a bit and replied "Hum bhi yahi chahte hain". He took  a pause and continued         "Aapko sach me mujhse kuch nahi puchna? Aap to mujhe jaante bhi nahi ho"

Anand and Bela looked at each other and smiled "Beta, soch ke to hum bohat kuch aaye the, lekin kabhi kabhi kisi ko parakhne ke liye ek nazar hi kaafi hoti hai. Aur maine to tumhe us din station pe hi parakh  liya tha", Anand added teasingly.

"Ab kyunki jijaji ko official permission mil hi gayi hai, to bhagwan ji se bhi aashirwaad le len", Preeti said excitedly and her father nodded in approval.

Anand asked Sameer and Naina to do aarti together and take the blessings of the almighty. As  they performed the aarti together, Anand asked Bela softly "Kyu Bela, sahi faisla liya hai na humne?"

"Bhagwan jhooth na bulae. Sahi, galat nahi pata lekin ye zarur pata hai ki Naina agar kisi ke sath khush rahegi to vo Sameer hi hai. Sameer ko dekhte hi uske chehre par alag si chamak aa gayi hai aur Sameer ki aankhon me bhi Naina ke liye pyaar saaf dikh raha hai. Humari bacchi ki khushi Sameer me hi hai. Bas ab aage sab accha ho", Bela replied and they both prayed for their children's happiness.