(Part 1 updated from previous post)
Angad was still freezed in shock with Rima’s words unable to comprehend what was actually happening. Rima snaps and continues to hold the rose forwarding it towards Angad saying, “Angad I know how things are really awkward for you but believe me I did not know a better way to express my feelings especially when I know the fact that you have a broken heart. I wanted you to know about my feelings so that you can decide upon on whether to start a new chapter with me or not. So what do you think about it?” As of now, Angad was in a totally perplexed state. He had never expected this coming from Rima. In the past two and a half months that they have been working together, Angad always saw Rima as a good project partner, colleague and more like a sister because Rima was almost the same age that is just a few months older than Soni. Now all that was happening around Angad made him totally confused on how to respond to Rima. He quickly gets up, asks Rima not to stay on that uncomfortable position and makes her to sit comfortably. Rima was moved with Angad’s caring gesture and kept giving him affectionate gazes as he continued to care for his. As Rima sits, Angad sees that she was shivering on feeling cold due to the cold breeze blowing in from the rooftop. He checks out in his bag to find something as a cover for Rima and soon his hands reaches to a hand-woven shawl given to him by Nimmo. His mind soon wavers back to the past.
Fb. Nimmo who was seated along with Dadi, calls out her sons Karan, Angad and Kabir. Once they come, she tells them “Soni doesn’t like to wear shawls, so, even if I make one and give her, she will only throw it somewhere in her cupboard letting it go totally unused. So, I have knit a special woollen cap and muffler for her which will fit with her fashion sense. For you three, I have woven three woollen shawls. I had gone to the market with these aching knees and brought the wool to weave these shawls for you! I have also embroidered your names on them. Here this is yours Karan and these are Angad’s and Kabir’s.” Nimmo hands over each of her sons, a shawl, which had their names in hindi embroidered neatly. Karan was delighted to get it while it was not the same for his brothers. Angad and Kabir gave repugnant gazes at the shawls given to them by Nimmo. While Karan goes forward, hugs his mother and plants a thank you kiss on her forhead, Kabir angrily asks, “What is this Nimmo? Woollen shawl that too hand-woven? So old-school? Karan bhai will like such things because he is an old-school himself like you but not me, I’m new-gen, you should have made something different for me like you did for Soni!” Nimmo glares angrily at Kabir, which makes him silent not daring to say anything else. Angad continues “Kabir is right Mumma, nowadays, men don’t usually wear shawls even in cold weather, we prefer jackets and blazers. And you have woven them in so bright colours! Indian-green for Karan bhai, cherry-red for me and pink for Kabir? Karan bhai is alright with anything you give him and Kabir likes pink so he too will be fine with it. But what will I do with this bright red shawl?” Kabir cuts in saying “Oh hello bhai, I like pink but I have never said I like pink shawls! I will look like a joker if I wear them over my clothes.” Dadi scolds them saying, “Oh just shut up both of you! You have an issue with your mother not following your trend but can’t see her love woven in those shawls, ha? Now my dear dumb grandsons, why do you think your mother has woven these shawls when she is crystal-clear about all her children’s likes and dislikes. Nimmo knows each and everything what each one of you three brothers want, then why do you think she has woven these shawls for you three when she could have easily made different winter-wear for you three too like she did for Soni?” Angad, Kabir and even Karan gets thinking on Dadi remark while giving a questioningly look to Nimmo who gave a naughty smile at Dadi. The three brothers did not understand what their mother and grandmother were communicating with their eyes. Dadi continues, “Now listen all three of you, before Nimmo became my daughter-in-law, I had woven a similar shawl for Guneet who after all being your father, also gave me a similar distasteful remark about the shawl like you two.” Angad and Kabir get embarrassed, Dadi continues “Which is when I told him, the shawl was not just for him but also for his would-be wife!” All the three brothers look at their shawls with curiosity. Dadi “Because when you share this shawl with her you both will be bound in a relation of “love” and since it is woven by your mother, it will bind her with your family in “love” and the best testimony for that is your mother and me”. Angad and Kabir get moved and hold onto their shawls tightly. Dadi, “Nimmo has woven these shawls for all three of you now because soon our Karan is getting married. After Karan it is Angad’s turn and after Angad I don’t know if anyone will give their daughter to my nikamma grandson.” Kabir “Beejeee!!” Dadi “Alright yes even our Kabir will get a girl and when your wives come to our house leaving behind their own families, they should get all the love not just from you but from our whole family, especially from their would-be mother-in-law because every girl shares a special relation with her mother and if her mother-in-law is like a mother for her then she is one the luckiest bahu.” Nimmo “Just like me, haina, mummyji?” Dadiji “Well it’s your turn now, show your sons, how much of a good mother-in-law you can become”. Nimmo, “Well Mummyji you can see that I have already started trying.” Angad and Kabir are completely touched by their words and they fondle the shawls given to them by Nimmo affectionately. Soon, they go and seat themselves near their mother along with their elder brother who already had his seat at the right side of his mother. Angad placed himself on the other side of Nimmo hugging her, while Kabir sat down near Nimmo’s lap, placing his head on her lap. Angad “We are sorry Mumma, we got so carried with fashion and trend that we did not see the love you have put into these shawls while weaving them.” Kabir “Truly Nimmo sometimes you are very bitter like neem herbs and sometimes you are very sweet like pinnis which melt in our mouth. It is so difficult to understand you.” Nimmo “You find me bitter because I am strict with you all but just like how my love is hidden in these shawls, same way there is also my love hidden in every rebuke I give to my children. You will not understand it now but “after marriage when you become parents yourselves” you will understand it at that time.” Angad “But Mumma aren’t me and Kabir too young to think about marriage and wives? Karan bhai is getting married in a month with Amrita bhabhi coming soon to our house. So no worries for him. But us? By the time our marriage plans start happening, do you think we will still have these shawls safely with us?” Nimmo “I have full trust both on you and on this nikamma that you will keep your shawls safely yet I have one doubt…” Angad and Kabir look on “Whether you will give the shawl to the “right” girl or “not”? You both don’t know that getting the right life-partner in your life, is very important because the first half of your life is dedicated with your parents, grandparents and siblings and the second part with that special woman who will enter into your lives because since then each and everything in your life will be shared between the two of you be it “love or pain”” Kabir “Don’t worry about me Nimmo, I will give this to the right girl and you see my girl will also be a pink lover like me. She will surely love this shawl.” Kabir pauses to think in his mind “I’m sure Meera too loves pink like me.” Angad “Oye, what happened? Where did you get lost in the middle of the conversation?” Kabir continues to Nimmo, “Mumma, you need to worry only about Angad, he is always confused when it comes to taking decisions in his life. You see he will again be confused with whom to give this shawl.” Angad hits his head from up saying, “Shut up”. Kabir quickly gets up and continues, “Now you can hit me because I’m your younger brother but I bet the day when you have to decide to give your shawl to a girl, you will be in a “dilemma” because you are one dumbhead who can’t choose between “heart and mind””. Angad runs behind Kabir while the other tries to escape. Angad “Oh really? Now I will show you who is the real dumbhead.” Both brothers keep fighting while the other family members try to stop them. Fb ends.
- Angad holds onto the shawl tightly thinking, “Although Kabir gave that remark as a joke, sadly it became a reality in my life today. I always wanted to present this shawl as a surprise to Meera after she became my life-partner but now I’m forced to give it to the girl who wants to make me her life-partner. What kind of game is my zindagi (life) playing with me?” Soon his moments with Meera start flashing in front of his eyes and his eyes gradually start filling up. As he was still teary eyed in Meera’s thoughts catching the shawl in his hands, Rima calls out from behind asking, “What happened Angad?” Angad quickly wipes off his tears, goes towards her and drapes the shawl around her shoulder. Rima starts feeling better and smiles cheerfully at Angad’s act. She says “This is what made me fall for you Angad, your “serious and sophisticated” personality". Angad feels a chill in his body as he hears those words.
(Part 1 not completed)
Jhanak
Shiv Shakti
