Part- 10
Aao saheb was returning from the temple with Rao saheb and Aparna, seeing Sampada she got very angry. She grabbed her hand and turned her..
“Himmat kaise huyi tumhari humare wade me kadam rakhne ki ??” Sare gaon humari badnaami kara di” She slapped her and continued.. “Jo log humari izzat karte the, humara samman karte the aaj wo log hum par haste hai sirf tumhari wajah se” She again slapped her hard.
She raised her hand to slap again just then sampada held her hand..”Bas kijiye Aao saheb bahut ho gaya ye sab jo hua hai na iski jimmedar aap hai.” She yelled at aao saheb, “Aayi thi na main aapke paas apni aur atharv ki shadi ki baat karne aur aapne kya kiya jabarjasti meri shadi Malhar se kara di.”
Aao saheb twisted her hand…” hum ye nahi chahte the ki teri zindagi uss lafange ke sath barbaad ho jaye isliye ki teri shadi Malhar ke sath par hume kya pata tha ki uski bhi zindagi barbad kar degi.”
Malhar looked sternly at them and he was seething after hearing sampada victimising herself.
Sampada tried to freed herself “Main yaha sirf apne bachhe ke liye aayi thi, abhi ke liye jaa rahi hu par apne bachhe ko lekar rahungi, chhodiye mera hath”
“Aye Sampu tu ye kya bol rahi hai, tujhe to sabse maafi maangna chahiye” Aparna shouted at her.
“Kyu maangu main maafi, kuch galat nahi kiya hai”
Mujhe apni zindagi jeena ka haq hai, Sampada replied.
Aao saheb picked up the stick, was about to hit her, but Malhar stopped her. “Ab in sab ka koi fayda nahi hai.. jo hona to wo to ho Gaya.. Aap Kanoon ko apne hath me nahi le sakti… jane dijiye ise”
“Aise kaise jane de sakte ho tum ise Malhar… iski wajah se hum logo par kya kuch beeta hai ” Aao saheb said..
“Hum to ise aise nahi jane denge” She grabbed Sampada by her hair, “Hume kahi munh dikhane layak nahi chhoda tha na” saying this she smeared her face with cow dung lying below…”ab aisa munh lekar jaa apne us aashiq ke paas aur dobara humare wade me kadam rakha na to is se bura haal karenge.. Karla”
The anger at the insult of being at the receiving end of such shabby treatment boiled her blood, she cleaned her face with saree, “Dekh lungi main tum sabko” saying this she left from there.
Kalyani looked up at him, sensing both his anger and his regret. Her eyes fell on his bleeding arm, “Malharji aapko chot kaise lagi?” He turned away ignoring her question. Kalyani gave moksh to anupriya and went towards him, moved her fingers to check his arm there she saw a wound with broken stitches. She panicked and quickly tore her duppatta and wrapped around his arm to stop the bleeding. He observed her anxiety and replied, his arm was grazed by a bullet yesterday.
He asked her to pack her stuff as they are leaving Ahilya niwas. He didn’t want Sampada to be around his son and even didn’t want to keep any relation with the people of this house. Kalyani looked at Anupriya she gave her silent nod as they have already discussed about it. He went into the room for last time and came back with some paper. He handed those paper to Aao saheb, she glanced at them it was power of attorney.
Aao saheb looked apologetically at Malhar and folded her hands, “Hume maaf kar do Malhar, hum tumhare gunehgaar hai, na hum tumhari sampada se karate na ye sab hota. Jis samman ki khatir humne ye sab kiya, wo samman hi nahi raha upar se tumhe, moksh aur kalyani ko itni taklifon se guzarna pada…
He said nothing and waited for kalyani to come. In no time, she came out with her baggage. Kalyani hugged her mother before leaving and anupriya assured her daughter that everything will be fine.
“Maai sirf aapke liye hi mere ghar ke darwaze humesha ke liye khule hai, aapka jab man ho aap aa jayiyega” he said to anupriya. Anupriya kept her hand on his head and said, “Ye koi bolne ki baat hai, tum mere damaad baad me pehle mere bete ho… Bas apna khayal rakhna Malhar.. Ye waqt bhi guzar jayega”
Keeping their luggage at back of the jeep, Malhar drove jeep to his old house. They entered in the house, he kept the luggage in the same guest room where kalyani stayed before.
Malharji… aapki hath doctor ko dikha dijiye warna infection ho sakta hai. “Hmmm.. tum aaram karo, police station jaa raha hu.. fir doctor ke paas bhi chala jaunga…” he replied with straight face. He took his clothes and went to change.
Anupriya brought food for them in the evening. She asked about Malhar, kalyani told that he went to Police station then he will go to the doctor. She had dinner with kalyani and spent some time with moksh then she left as it was getting late.
Kalyani was sitting on bed, Moksh was sleeping in her lap, she was thinking about the events that happened today, didn’t know what upcoming days are holding for them. What Sampada going to do ?? But she knew one thing that she will not let anyone trouble her family anymore.
It was dark when Malhar walked into the house, he saw kalyani sitting on the bed and her eyes were closed as if she had been waiting for him and finally fell asleep then looked down at his son who was sleeping peacefully in her lap, he sat on the floor, caressing his sleeping son.
“Mera Jina Hi Tumhare Dam Se….
Tum Jo Bichhad Gaye Kahi Humse
Main Tumhare Bina Mar Jaunga…
Tumhare Hi Sahare Hi Gujare Din Sare”
He sang a song in slurred voice. Moksh stirred in his sleep as Malhar held Moksh’s tiny hand in his and kissed them.
He looked at Kalyani's innocent face and remembered all those accusations that Sampada made on him.
He walked out of room hurriedly and looked around wildly, as if the past were lurking here in the shadow of his house. Sampada voice wouldn't just fade away from his mind even after he drank so much. He was torn by guilt and as she said he should be ashamed. Sampada seemed to have a malicious satisfaction on her face like she wanted to make him feel miserable.
He went into his bedroom, taking out Sampada’s leftover belongings, he set them on fire. He took pictures of their wedding, burning them one by one while keeping in his hands, his fingers got burnt yet he didn't stop.
Kalyani woke up as there was smell of burning in the air. Putting Moksh in his cot, she slowly closed the door and walked in the direction of smoke, she saw Malhar was standing in front of fire. His hand having burning pictures in them. She came and quickly threw the pictures from his hand.
“Kya kar rahe hai Malharji.. chhodiye inhe.. aapka hath jal jayega”
Kalyani brought water and poured into burning fire then she looked at his hands, his finger were burnt and blistered. “ Kya kiya aapne.. dekhiye kitni jal gayi hai ungaliyan”.
She brought ointment quickly and her gentle fingers were applying on his burnt ones. He was silent, she saw the wounded look on his face that bothered her most, the same vulnerable expression that she had faced before but this time his breath laden with the smell of alcohol.
Malhar sat down gloomily and looked at her with sorrowful eyes. “Mujhme aur sampada me sach koi fark hi nahi hai.. Usne mujhe dokha dekar mer zindagi barbaad kar dii aur maine tumhe majboor karke.. Usne mere sapne tod diye aur maine tumhare..”
“Nahi Malharji aisa kuch nahi hai…aap please uski baaton ko dil se mat lagayiye.. apne aap ko sahi dikhane ke liye wo aapko galat bol rahi hai” she retorted
He laughed, a slow little laugh, deep in his chest. “Tum bahut achhi ho kalyani.. isliye tumhe koi bura nahi lagta… Par sach to ye hai ki main bahut bura hu aur mujh jaise bure insaan ko saja milni chahiye.. tum mujhe saja do kalyani…
He unbuckled his belt, placed it in kalyani’s hand asked her to beat him but she refused. He took the belt from her hand and started hitting himself with it. Kalyani stopped him by throwing the belt on floor. “Aap aisa kyu kar rahe hai.. Malharji… maine aapse pehle bhi kaha hai mujhe aapse koi shikayat nahi hai”
In a little while she heard a low husky sob, and saw that the tears were overflowing down his face, ”Maine bahut galat kiya hai tumhare sath, ho sake to mujhe maaf kar dena kalyani”. He knelt and begged for forgiveness.
“Aapne kuch nahi kiya Malharji.. jo kuch bhi hua wo sirf ek galatfehmi ki wajah se hua.. Aapki koi galti nahi hai” She was in tears.
Kalyani lifted him from the ground, helped him to walk in other room. “Sahi kaha tumne galatfehmi hi thi jo main ye samajhta raha ki wo mujhse pyaar karti hai” he said and sat on the bed, Kalyani sat near him trying to pacify him.
His words were filled with gasping, broken sobs “Sach to ye hai ki main kisi ke pyaar k layak nahi hu kalyani… Maine jis se bhi pyaar kiya wo mujhe chhod ke chala gaya.. Pehle Baba.. phir Aai… aur ab.. ab sampada bhi.. sab mujhe akela chhod dete hai” he buried his face in Kalyani's chest, sobbing uncontrollably. “Wo mujh se moksh ko bhi cheen legi aur main fir akela ho jaunga”
Looking at him still more fixedly than she had yet done, he looked so forlorn, so empty like the hope had been sucked out of him. Underneath that facade of hate, gruff exterior there lurked a vulnerable heart which carried so much pain. Under the effect of alcohol, his emotional outburst flashes the story back of him. Kalyani couldn’t believe her eyes, he was the same man who pretended to be strong in front of the world and here he was sobbing like a child and afraid of being left alone. Her heart ached to see him like this. She embraced him, holding him tightly like she wanted to protect him and she will do whatever it take to make everything right for him.
“Aisa kabhi nahi hoga… Main hu na aapke sath.. Hum sath milkar sari mushkilon ka saamna kar lenge.. bas aap kamjor mat padiye Malharji” her hand caressed his back. “Koi aapko moksh se dur nahi kar sakta” her voice choked with emotions.
His eyes swollen and his chest sore from sobbing, he turned his face up to look at her face, her teary face made him feel more sad. “Tum meri wajah se ro rahi ho naa.. he asked innocently and his face filled with concern. ”Maine socha tha ki kabhi tumhari aankhon me aanshu nahi aane dunga par humesha tumhe rula deta hu..
“Nahi Malharji aisa nahi hai.. aap please shant ho jayiye.. Dekhiye main nahi ho rahi hu” she quickly wiped her tears and smiled.
He looked at her, taking her lone teardrop on his fingertip, “Jhoot bol rahi ho tum, dekho ye tumhara anshu”
“Ek kaam karte hai agar aap nahi royenge to main bhi nahi roungi” she blinked away her tears and tried to cajole him.
He tried to wipe his tears but they kept streaming from his eyes, “dekho naa…kalyani ye aanshu to ruk hi nahi rahe hai” he said in complaining tone .
“Aap ye sab ek bura sapna samajh ke bhool jayiye, fir dekhna sab theek ho jayega aur ye aansu bhi ruk jayenge” she said while wiping his tears with both hands.
Either her words or her soothing voice caused him to threw his arms around her, hugged her closed to him.
“Kalyani Main sach me sab bhoolna chahta hu kalyan… Mujh se ye sab bardasht nahi ho raha hai… Main kya karun??” He continued, “ Main yahi sochta rehta hu ki Maine use itna pyaar kiya aur usne mere sath ye kiya aur tumhe nafrat aur takleefon ke siva kuch nahi diya aur tum humesha mera sath deti rahi.. kyu… Kyu kalyani??” He murmured against her chest.
Kalyani was about to say something but he drifted off to an uneasy slumber. She tried to make him lie down on the bed but he moved slightly, slept on her lap, holding her hand. She thought it wise to let him sleep off his hangover. She caressed his head, seeing him sleeping peacefully.
Kalyani knew he has manhandled, tortured, suspected her, insulted her yet there were moments when it seemed he actually cared about her as person. No matter what he spoke, she had also seen the sensitive and compassionate side of him many times, as his eyes never lied. He would roar like a beast and curse her presence but was always mindful of her dignity. This made her heart believed that one day when he will learn about the truth, he will be in his old self which he lost because of sampada’s betrayal.
Hatred for Sampada increased even more for not only she betrayed him so cruelly but she filled him with self doubt and guilt and evoked his painful memories when he was still trying to get over her betrayal.
It had hurt to see him in the state of guilt. She had decided the best way to get rid of his guilt was to make him understand that he has not ruined her life and she has never thought of him wrong. He didn’t need her forgiveness, all he needs to forgive himself first. With these thoughts in her mind, she slept.
Kumkum Bhagya
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
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