CHAPTER 22. FROM ONE NIGHTMARE TO ANOTHER
(WARNING: There is rape mentioned in the story! Only in passing but it's a bit painful. If you want to avoid that part, then ignore the italic portions and skip ahead!)
Daarji looked around and noticed the pain on NT and Dev's faces. The pain was understandable! They were sensing Preet's situation and their heart went out for her. But Darrji's eyes got riveted to Maan's face who sported anger and rage. Daarji
"Daarji!, NT interrupted, "Aap theek hain?
Daarji frowned at her question. Why was she asking him that? That's when he
He patted the cheeks of worried NT.
"Phir Preetto ka kya hua, Daarji?, Dev asked worriedly, "Kya woh kabhi khush reh paayi?
Daarji noticed the hope in Dev's eyes and
Just then Maan spoke up, "Kya
Daarji sighed, "Preetto ki shaadi hogayi! Koi kuch bola nahi, kisine bhi aawaaz uthaaya nahi! Kaun uthaata! Parivar nu fikar nahi! Gaao waale Bauji se darte the! Kaun kuch bolta?
Daarji shook his head with sadness, "Kuch mahine gujre aur na maine Preet ko dekha, na usne humein! Shaadi ke agle din main gaya tha unke ghar! Pag phere vaaste kudi nu ghar waapis lene! Wahaan uske pati ne saaf inkaar kar diya, Preet ko bhejne se! Milne bhi na diya! Khaali haath aaya main! Uske baad koi bhi Preet se mila nahi! Use ghar mein band rakha gaya! Maine kai logon se poocha jo uss raaste se nikalte the ya Lodge de aas paas rehte the! Lekin sab ne yahi kahaa! Kisine Preet ko dekha nahi! Bauji se shikaayat ki toh Bauji ne mennu hi do laga diya! Kahaa Preet abhi apni nahi, paraayi hai! Bhool ja use! Uss waqt Bauji bade khush the! Preet ko bechkar paise jo mile unhein! Waqt beet ta gaya aur main aur Soni Preet ko bina dekhe reh gaye!
Daarji took a small break and NT spoke up, "Phir Preet kabhi aapko dikhi nahi?
Daarji looked up and noticed the horror on her face. He smiled gently, "Nahi
"Kab?, Dev asked.
Daarji smiled as he remembered one of the fondest memories of his life, "Ek
Sukki smiled as he sat in the groom's place. He knew he was too young to get married. Even his father had agreed to that fact. But the bride had an elder brother who was impressed by Sukki and had told his parents about how principled and well-mannered he was.
Don't take Sukki wrong! He didn't hate this marriage or something! He was like many young men eager to get married and prove to the world that they were grown up now. But there was one thing in his life that worried him and that was his father. What if his father mistreated Sukki's wife? The thought left him scared. But he persevered. His father had been happy
Sukki watched as the wedding ceremony went on. His wife, who was only
Sukki would have continued thinking about his sisters and the predicament of his family if it hadn't been for his little sister's scream, "
The crowd parted into two and there she was! Sukki resisted the urge to spring up and go running to his sister. He couldn't leave the mandap now, not when the marriage was ongoing. He was stuck in his place. But Soni had no such compunction. She squealed and ran to her big sister and hugged her tightly. Sukki was the only one who noticed Preet wince. He looked at her worriedly but she looked at him and smiled. There was something off about her smile though. Sukki watched as she gingerly walked towards the mandap. She never walked so timidly before, Sukki mused. Gone was the self-assured steps of his sister. Now she acted more like an attacked deer. She circled the mandap and sat beside him, wincing at the move.
Their father said something and Preet replied and once again Sukki was struck by how different his sister was. Gone was the head raised high. She kept her head down now and the pallu on her head was held by her hand as if she was scared to let it go.
Sukki was more baffled by how she was dressed. Her dress was made of some heavy material, her neck was filled with gold jewelry. His sister was never like this! She was a simple woman who dressed and lived simply!
Soon the marriage was done and Sukki and his new bride took his father's blessings. Then they took Preet's blessings. Just then Soni asked where Jijaji was. Preet gave some excuse. The pain in Preet's voice scared Sukki. What had happened to his sister? Soon, his sister left. Other than the blessing and the hug, his sister did not say a single word to him. The one person who told him everything about her life, every secret of her heart, every dream in her eyes, every pain of her life left without saying a single thing. And that troubled Sukki the most.
"Woh bole bina chali gayi, aur mennu kuch nahi samajh aaya!, Daarji lamented in present.
"Uss din Preet
NT blinked back her tears and Maan looked away. Dev was moved too. Sukki of that age may not have understood what Preet's changed
"Kuch mahine beete aur humein ek aur mauka mila Preet se milne ka! Bauji bimaar pad gaye! Sab ko laga chale jaayenge! Vaidji ne kahaa ki Preetto ko bula lo! Aakhri baar Bauji ko sab se milne do!, Daarji said. He wiped his tear filled eyes as he continued, "Preetto ko uske pati ne teen din ke liye bheja! Meri votti uss waqt bade taqleef mein thi. Pet se thi kuch dino pehle, lekin humaara bachcha gir gaya!
NT gasped as Dev and Maan looked alarmed. Daarji noticed their looks and continued with a little chuckle, "Arre bachchon! Yeh sab toh uss waqt roz ki baat thi! Tab kahaa the aaj kal ke jaise Doctors! Gaao tha yeh! Yahaan toh bachche bachchiyon ki tak shaadi hoti thi! Itna pichda hua tha humaara gaao! Chod do! Humne bhi kabhi ka chod diya!
"Toh meri votti bimaar thi! Bistar par leti rehti thi! Aur main aur Soni mehmaano ko sambhaal rahe the! Tab aayi Preetto. Bauji se mili! Bauji ne use theek se dekha bhi nahi! Phir hum se mili! Wahi murjhaayi hui, dari hui, mere vyaah ke din waali Preet thi! Aake humse kaam maangne lagi! Use bhi madat karna tha! Maine kahaa hum sambhaal lenge! Lekin woh jidd karne lagi! Uss waqt maine uski aankhon mein puraani Preet dekhi! Socha shaayad madat karegi toh khush hogi! Maine kahaa ki meri Votti de naal reh! Preet uske paas chali gayi!, Daarji heaved a huge sigh as if preparing himself for something bad.
Maan, Dev and NT braced themselves.
Daarji took a deep breath and his visage filled with anguish, "Uss kuch waqt mein Preet aur meri Votti pakki dost ban gayi! Kuch din baad Bauji achanak se theek hogaye aur Preet waapis apne ghar chali gayi! Uske kuch dino ke baad ki baat hai! Main ek din ghar aaya aur meri Votti bas chup chupke roye jaa rahi thi...
"Ki hoya
Sukki sent Soni away and coaxed his wife into speaking up. But his wife refused to stop crying and neither did she tell him what was wrong. Fed up of the whole thing, Sukki informed her that he was going to
"Preetto ka
Daarji continued, "Uska
Daarji looked at the people around him with pain filled eyes, "Sochiye! 15
NT had tears streaming down her face and had to be consoled by Dev to calm down. Maan looked at the floor with
Daarji smiled with a tinge of sadness, "Phir ek mahine baad aisi khabar aayi ki mennu samajh ni aaya, khush ho jaaun, ya aansu bahaaun! Sikandar mar gaya! Umar hogayi thi! Heart attack aaya aur mar gaya! Haan mennu achcha laga kyunki meri behen ab aur dard nahi sahegi! Lekin dukh bhi tha! Itni choti umar mein widhwa jo hogayi! Tabhi widhwa ki phirse shaadi nahi hoti! 16 saal ki ladki zindagi bhar kabhi shaadi ke sukh nahi dekh paayegi! Yahi thi meri Preet ki kismet!
Maan's mind flashed to his first meet with Preet. She was dressed in white garb!
Daarji shook his head, "Lekin khushi aur gham ke saath ek darr bhi tha! Akeli ladkiyon ko log badi buri nazar se dekhte hain! Aur Preet toh sirf 16 saal ki thi! Aur jis baat ka darr tha, wahi hua! Sikandar ke maut ke baad, Preet uss ghar ki malkin hui! Uss ghar mein ek do naukar chodke koi nahi tha! Akeli thi woh wahaan! Mennu aaj bhi yaad hai, raah chalte ladke kaisi kaisi gandi baatein karte the, meri Preetto ke liye! Main toh bhool hi gaya, kitne baar main ghar aaya maar peet karke! Lekin log bolte gaye! Aur main apna haath unpe chalaata gaya! Phir ek din tang aakar, apni Preetto ko main ghar le aaya! Lekin Bauji ne use andar aane se manaa kar diya! Kehne lage, ladki paraaya dhan hai, shaadi ke baad pati ki hai! Usi ghar mein rahegi, wahin jeeyegi, wahin maregi! Aur unki ek hi beti hai, Soni! Preet unki ab beti nahi! Preet yeh seh nahi paayi aur bhaag gayi! Main bas dekhta reh gaya aur kuch na kar paaya! Karta bhi kya? Bauji ka khauf jo tha hum sabko! Unke khilaaf kaun jaata? Uske baad usne mujhe usse milne se bhi mana kar diya! Sab se apne aapko door rakha! Aur phir ek din 1968 mein khabar aayi! Preet ki laash uske ghar ke koonve mein paayi gayi! Paani mein koodke jaan de di usne!
Silence permeated the room. No one moved. No one spoke. Maan, Dev
Oh my God! What a tragic update!
I had such a tough time, not just writing it but also reading it while editing.
I genuinely don't know how I managed to write this update!
Next up, Geet's childhood and conclusion to flashback chapters.
Thank you, take care and have fun,
Kalpana
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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