Part-9
All scenes from his recent past flashing in Malhar’s mind. How anupriya was against their marriage, how she tried to make him understand that he was doing wrong, she even raised her voice for kalyani against Aao saheb and today he himself wants to free Kalyani from this relationship and thought that she would convince her daughter to get freed whereas she wants him not to leave kalyani.
He further thought about the time when Kalyani was ready to do anything to help someone. He believed that she was pretending to be good but when she didn’t even care for her life to save others, he felt that he was making mistake of misunderstanding her. He vented his fury on Kalyani which he had for Sampada and now he regret that how badly he treated Kalyani .
“Aapki beti ka dil bahut saaf hai, kisi ko bhi takleef me nahi dekh sakti par maai kisi ke prati samvedna rakhne ki bhi ek seema hoti hai aur aapki beti ko wo nahi pata hai, khud ke bare me nahi sochti hi nahi.
Anupriya smiled at his words for kalyani and he continued…
“Sampada ke dhoke se to mera dil hi toota hai par jo maine kiya hai main pura toot chuka hu..kaise bhool jau ye sab. Mera zameer chhalni ho gaya hai.. Maai… khud se nazar nahi mil pata hu main.
“It’s not that easy to forget everything and move on, there are injuries which are incurable” Malhar said after a long silence.
Anupriya can feel a pang of sorrow in his voice.. Main ye nahi keh rahi hu ki bhoolna aasan hai par samay har ghaav bhar deta hai.. Zindagi me sabhi faisle humare nahi hote, Kuch faisle waqt ke bhi hote hai.. Khud ko aur kalyani ko thoda samay do dekhna dheere dheere sab theek ho jayega. Anupriya said after sensing his dilemma.
Malhar said nothing, gazed fixedly into vacancy, as if lost in thoughts. Continuous ringing of his phone brought him back into reality.. He answered the phone and walked towards his jeep.
Malharji…. Kaha jaa rahe hai aap?? Kalyani came with moksh, she held his wrist to stop him from leaving. He glanced at her, she had questioning look on her face then looked where she held him but he didn’t try to release it..
Police station jaa raha hu , ek jaruri kaam hai… he made slight reply..
Aap jhoot bol rahe hai, koi kaam nahi aapko, aap sirf hume chhodkar yaha se jana chahte hai… hai na..
His expression went tender as he was looking at her
“Mera yakeen karo kalyani.. main sach kah raha hu.. Pawar ka phone bhi aa raha hai..” He showed his phone but She asked Malhar to pick up the call and put it on speaker as she wants to make sure if he is not lying. Malhar was amazed by her behaviour but did as she asked him to do.
Jai Hind Sir..
Jai hind… Malhar replied
Sir…hum nikalne ke liye taiyar hai bas aapka wait kar rahe hai… Aapko kab tak pahunch rahe hai..” Pawar said from other side..
Malhar told Pawar that he would reach in few minutes and cut the call..
“Ab to yakeen hua na ki main sach kah raha hu” He said while keeping his phone in his pocket..
Dekho raat hone wali hai abhi ke liye tum maai ke sath jao, Main kaam khatm karke wapas aata hu” He caressed his son’s cheek and asked anupriya to take them with her.
Anupriya must have seen something of this in his expression. She asked kalyani to come along. Kalyani agreed to go as she didn’t want to interfere in his work but still looked more than doubtful..
Malhar went inside the house after changing his clothes, he drove to the police station. Seeing him leaving, Kalyani asked her mother, “Aai…. Malharji wapas aayenge naa ??
Haa kalyani… wo jarur wapas aayega.. anupriya assured her daughter.. Moksh suddenly started crying, Kalyani tried to calm him down.
Use bhook lagi hogi kalyani.. Chalo jaldi wade chalte hai..
Malhar reached to police station where the police team was waiting for him. The team reached outside the village, they left their vehicle and covered rest of the distance by walking. They were keeping an eye on the ruined building by hiding behind the trees. A man was caught by a constable who saw him going towards the building and he brought him to Malhar. Malhar asked him what is he doing here ?? At first he refused to tell anything but when Malhar threatened to kill him, he told everything. He ordered some constables to surround the building and some of them to followed him. Slowly they reached inside the dilapidated building. They began to walk about the room, examining various indefinite objects in the half darkness.
Aga anupriya.. kaha thi tum din bhar, hum kab se tumhari raah dekh rahe hai.. Aao saheb said when she saw them coming together.. Kalyani walked to her side of house..
Kalyani ke sath thi Aao saheb ?? Anupriya said while walking towards her..
Aisa kya kaam tha jo itna samay lag gaya aur Hume bata ke jana jaruri nahi samjha tum kab se itni gair jimmedari ho gayi ho.. Aao saheb said while looking at kalyani..
Iss ghar me aur bhi gair jimmedari log hai aao saheb.. thoda unke bare me bhi sochiye kya har waqt aai ke pichhe padi rehti hai aap..
Anupriya asked kalyani to be quite and to go in her room. Aao saheb was annoyed with kalyani but said nothing.
Maaf kijiye aao saheb.. ab se aisa nahi hoga..
Theek hai.. ab agar tumhe apni beti se fursat mil gayi ho to humare pairon ki maalish to kardo..Kab se humare pairon me dard ho raha hai…
Ho.. Aao saheb main abhi aati hu..
Kalyani comes into her room after putting Moksh to sleep in his cot, she went to the kitchen to get milk. Anupriya also came there to heat some oil for aao saheb. She saw that milk was about to overflow from the vessel and kalyani was lost in her thoughts. She turned off the gas..
Kalyani dhyaan kaha hai.. abhi sara doodh gir jata..
Aayi… kaha gira hai theek to hai.. she said looking at the vessel..
Nahi gira kyunki band kar diya.. kaha dhyaan hai tumhara.. Malhar ke baare me soch rahi ho…
Nahi.. nahi to.. kalyani sighed
Achha.. Malhar ke bare me nahi soch rahi to kya soch rahi ho..
Aayi… Pata nahi mujhe kuch theek nahi lag raha hai.. ajeeb si baichaini ho rahi hai..
Tum kyu itni chinta kar rahi ho.. maine kaha na wo ab kahi nahi jayega kalyani.. she caressed her back…
Khana bhi nahi khaya hoga tumne ?? Hai na.. Main abhi aati hu.. jara aao saheb ki pairon ki maalish kardu.. phir hum dono milke khana khayenge theek hai..
When he entered in the room and saw some people are sitting and consuming liquor and smoking. He asked them to surrender but they became alert and started firing to escape from there. In retaliation the police also fired shots resulting in a bullet injury to them. Those who succeed to escape later chased by the team. After arresting the culprits, they recovered the illegally, half-made weapons from the spot and they were stunned by the quantity of weapons. The injured were rushed to the hospital and later formalities were completed by them.
Kya hua pillu.. kyu gussa ho raha hai..
Ab pillu dudhu piyega hai na.. Itna gussha nai karte.. Kalyani tried to feed moksh but he started crying again. Anupriya enter in room after hearing moksh’s crying.
Kya hua kalyani, moksh itna kyu ro raha hai..
Pata nahi aai, jab se hum wapas aaye hai tab se moksh bahut chid-chid kar raha hai dekho na dudh bhi nahi piya…
Achha mujhe dikhao main koshish karti hu.. she also tried but he cried continuously.
It was late in the night and Malhar hasn’t returned home. Kalyani called doctor but he was out of the town. He has given her details of other doctor. They decided to go hospital in the morning.
Kalyani tried hard to feed and put moksh to sleep and at last he slept. She asked anupriya to stay with her and anupriya agreed.
Next morning they took moksh to the doctor. The doctor had taken his time seeing him, but had finally confirmed that moksh is in good health. He told them there is nothing to worry about, very often child show signs of anxiety, such as difficulty separating from parents, sleep problems.
Anupriya and kalyani both looked at each other. They understood that even though he can’t speak, they can also feel the happening around them.
Doctor continued, “I would suggest you to interact with your baby more, don’t let him feel alone. You and his father needs to do their best to reassure and comfort him.”
They thanked doctor and left. Sampada saw them coming out of the hospital, she followed them until they reached Ahilya niwas.
Kya hua hai mere bachhe ko.. sampada shouted..
“Sampada” kalyani turned hearing her voice, she had fear in her eyes, as if her worst nightmare was about to come in reality. She clutched moksh to her bosom.
Ha main… aise rakh rahi ho tum mere bachhe ka dhyaan, tumse ummid bhi kya ki jaa sakti hai.. sampada taunted
Sampada… yaha kya kar rahi ho tum.. Anupriya asked.
Maai.. mujhe kalyani se baat karni hai..
Dekho kalyani.. main jaanti hu tumhe meri wajah se bahut kuch sahan karna pada hai..
Neither I had written your name in the letter nor Malhar would have married you out of revenge. Sampada said shedding crocodile tears. “Tum mujhe mera bachha dedo”
Apna natak band karo sampada, ye jhoothe aansu kahi aur dikhana.. jab kalyani ne tumhe roka tha tab moksh ki yaad nahi aayi.. anupriya yelled at sampada.
Wahi galti to sudharne aayi hu maai.. tab nahi ruki ab aayi hu na apne bete ko lene k liye, isiliye apni beti ko samjhayiye moksh ki aaya bai banke use kya milega..
Moksh kalyani ko apni aayi maanta hai sampada aur tumne ye kya laga rakha hai jab man kiya chhod diya, jab man kiya lene aa gayi. Kisi ki bhi bhavnao ki kadr hai tumhe, kam se kam apne bachhe ko to khush rehne do.
Sampada didn’t give any heed to anupriya’s word and before kalyani could react she tried to snatch moksh from her, anupriya was about to stop her but sampada pushed her and she fell on the ground. She took moksh in her arms and began to run just then he immediately began to wail.
Moksh ko mujhe do sampada.. plz…dekho wo kitna ro raha hai, uski saans fulne lagegi…Kalyani walked towards her, she was not listening to her and moved away.
Tumhari taraf dekh tak nahi raha hai wo sampada.. kaisi maa ho tum jo apne bachhe ka rone se bhi nahi pighal rahi hai. Ruk jao sampada… Anupriya shouted angrily.
Sampada received a blow on the cheek, it stunned her and she gasped. When she looked at the side from where the slap came, it was none other then Malhar. His hand dropped to his side and his eyes flashed with anger, he took moksh from her, rocked him consolingly in his arms and glared back at her, incensed.
“Mere bachhe ko rulane k liye ye ek thappad kaafi nahi hai, mujhe majboor mat karo ki main bhool jau ki tum ek aurat ho, aakhri baar bol raha hu mere bachhe se door raho” an enraged Malhar screamed at Sampada.
Sampada pursed her lips and touched her hurt cheek while eyeing him. A slap mark developed on her cheek.
Tum mujh par hath uthakar kya saabit karna chahte ho ki tumhe moksh ki parwah mujh se jyada hai. Tumhare paas waqt hai uske liye, is aaya bai ko saunp diya hai tumne. Is se behtar zindagi de sakti hu main ise. Moksh mera bachha hai, maine use janm diya hai, main uski aayi hu ye aaya bai nahi.
He looked at his son whose whimpering was slowing down. “Moksh ki aayi sirf kalyani hai.. Sirf kalyani”.. he declared and gave moksh to kalyani whose eyes were again filled with tears. “Tum jaise swarthi aur dhokhebaz aurat maa kehlane k layak nahi hai”.. He said and shoved Sampada toward the door.
“Ha main hu swarthi aur kaun nahi hota swarthi.. Kya tum swarthi nahi ho ?? Ek atharah saal ki ladki se shadi karke use moksh ki aaya bana ke rakha hai, uska istemal kar rahe moksh ko mujhse dur karne ke liye to mujh par ungli uthane se pehle ek bar khud ko bhi dekh lo”..
Familiar anger, pain and guilt swirled through him, the same he felt the day she left him. Kalyani sensed his change in expression, though his movements were controlled but she noticed as he fisted his hands, tightened every muscle in his body. Sampada’s words were affecting him again.
"Get out!" Malhar said in such a terrible voice that the whole house heard it with horror.
Edited by Priyapriyu - 2 years ago
Debate Mansion
Parineeti
Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan
