Hey guys?
Please keep away those joothas and chappals. I know it has been long time?but what to do, I seriously was lacking of ideas, inspiration and time of course. But finally I have got something rolling? I was surfing the net when I just read about Jane Austin (never read her works except a few glimpses of Pride and Prejudice). Though I find all her works similar but they surely have something nice. This is loosely inspired by one of her unfinished novels. I will add my own twists and turns? Let's see?
I am writing after a long gap so please excuse the mistakes or tell me if it is not up to the mark? it will more about the confused notion of 'love'.
ENJOY!!!!
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Separate Journeys... ...
Part-1
The sky was covered in evening's glow?Displaced, uprooted and uninvited, the sun seared and scornfully disappeared behind the distant hills as if a mere mirage...Cloud clusters had lent a soft hue to the green of the forest by placing shadows on it; there, a covering of whirlwind encircled everything; that covering hided the united form of beginning and end in creation?
Bani peeped out of the train, which was slowing down; she could see Mt. Abu written in bold letters on the board?she sighed pulling her suitcase nearer?the train came to a lazy halt?the porters swarmed before the compartments, managing her way through she got down, clutching her bag, steering the suitcase to a less crowded place?though the small station was not crowded much, in fact it would be a shame to even call it crowded compared to the throbbing stations of Mumbai? a breeze of freshness touched her face?she inhaled the sweet scents of the wild flowers the breeze carried with itself?yes it was paradigm shift from the ever busy, every running Mumbai, a slow paced, warm Mt. Abu?maybe it was for the best? she smiled feebly as she saw a familiar face, she was waving at her enthusiastically?for a moment she felt unsure of how to react, this was odd? very odd?yes, she was her sister, her own flesh and blood but she felt strange? a kind of unassuming restraint? ?
"Bani!!!!" clamored a chirpy voice?pulling bani into a hug?
"Hey Pia?di?" bani choked?finally letting her go pia held her hand?
"Come let's go, papa and di are dying to meet you?" pia said dragging along bani?
"How is papa??" bani enquired after a long pause?
"Oh!! He is fine but needs to take rest?" pia said with a bit disdain thinking about her father's failing health?
Before bani could reply pia was already shouting out for an auto?
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Bani stretched her lips into a bright smile?honestly she was feeling claustrophobic?she had almost clogged her vegetable soup as she witnessed her eldest sister, Rano fussing over as if she were a small kid while her father asked her innumerous questions ranging from her studies to friends to hobbies to likes and dislikes?
"Now enough papa?don't bog down her with questions?let the poor girl breathe?" rano said picking up the cutlery?
"I will help you clean up di? "bani offered?
"Arre?no?I will manage, I am used to it?you might be tired from the journey why don't you rest? we will talk in the morning?" rano smiled at her going inside the kitchen?
"Yes bani?come I will show you your room, di had personally decorated it?" pia got up yawning, making least efforts to help?bani smiled gingerly getting up?
"Good night papa?" she wished nishikant?
"Good night beta?" he said gulping down his medicines?
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Bani looked uncertain after entering the room, it was done is baby pink, a color which she loathed? but nonetheless the room was spacious and less furnished, the way she liked, open and airy?
"I hope you like it?" came rano's sweet voice from behind?
"Of course di?it's?its very nice?thank you?" bani said?
"I am so glad that you will be staying with us now?somewhere we have missed out a part of our childhood? I and pia were together, but you?you were all alone?" rano blinked a tear drop forming in her eyes?
"Oh Di!! Now stop getting senti?" pia cheered up rano?
"Hmm?now off to bed both of you?" rano said kissing bani on her forehead?
Bani fluttered her eyelids, feeling unusually glum?she closed the door, not feeling sleepy she walked towards the open window?cool air was blowing in?she spotted a hint of light in the opposite house which was shrouded in the darkness?
Her thoughts wandered directionless?One is encouraged to move on, to embrace change?but one cannot separate past and present?The past is never dead and buried-it isn't even past? ?
It was her mother's death?she remembered, her father was completely broken down?she was hardly eight?rano and pia were older than her, a bit mature comparatively?Vasudha, her maternal aunt had cradled her to sleep that night after she had cried the whole day long? Days had passed, nishikant was a lifeless man?struggling to manage between his three daughters, work and home?Vasudha who was a sassy woman of her time, opposite to her older sister Kiran Dixit, had divorced her husband by then, rescuing herself from a bitter marriage, quite settled in her new independent life of a freelance writer for a magazine in the glitz and glamorous city of Mumbai? she had offered to take along bani with her, as if she couldn't have her own children, at least she would have the satisfaction of bringing up her sister's daughter? Nishikant retiringly agreed?and bani was waving her sisters good bye from the rear of the taxi?whose memory she hardly remembered now? ?For Bani, she was reborn in Mumbai?going to school, making friends, studying, fooling around her masi's office during holidays, going to college, gangs, partying? it was a different life, fast?unlike here where everything worked at a considerable speed bound by those high-raised mountains? ?
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By now bani was lying on the middle of the bed?looking at the flashing number on her mobile?it was Vasudha?
"Hey Mrs. Watson?" bani said playfully?
"Bani?" came vasudha's voice?bani was sure she was blushing the other side?
"How are you dear???"
"I am fine masi?feeling a bit strange but I will get used to?" bani confessed honestly?
"Give some time to yourself bani?I know it is difficult to leave a lifestyle and adjust but you are with your family finally?"
"Masi?I am away from my family as well?it seems I will never have the luck to stay in a family?" bani said sarcastically?
"Don't ever say like that?you can come anytime you feel like?"
"Actually I don't want to be the kabab main haddi between two love birds?" bani joked?
"Oh!! Shut up!!!"
"Wasie?how is Robert uncle?"
"He is fine; he is busy writing something?he feels fresh in the mornings?here he is saying hai?"
"Hey sweetie?" came Robert's thick greeting?
"Hey uncle?I am great?so now you are masi's new victim, I hope she is not giving you a hard time? if she does tell me, I am open?"
She heard Robert's throaty laughter from the other side?
"Don't be mean dear?you know she is great?"
"I know?and I miss her badly?"
"Bani?I miss you too baby?" came vasudha's sullen voice?
"Masi?okay now, before you cry?I will hung up?"
"Bye?take care?give my love to rano and pia?and take care of jiju?"
"Ya!! Bye?"
Bani disconnected the line the kept her mobile on the side table?she was over-confident that she would be oaky without vasudha but she was wrong, completely wrong?she was already missing her mother, friend, philosopher and guide? ?
Vasudha had met Robert Watson, a Canada based writer, during an event organized by her magazine, whose chief editor she was, he was travelling in search of inspiration, they got along like a house on fire from their first meeting? and it came as no surprise to bani when vasudha told her that he had proposed her?She had known that since she met Robert, a fine gentleman who was also a divorcee? in fact it was bani who prompted vasudha to say yes even though bani had her own biased opinions about Love, over the years she had seen the loneliness vasudha endured, there was a void in her life which she had filled to some extent with bani but of course she couldn't stay with her lifelong, and she deserved all the happiness?After seeing off vasudha and Robert after their court marriage bani boarded the train to Mt. Abu as her father was keen on her return to her home now? ?Why now??? Was what she had been thinking during the entire train journey? ??
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God bless
Dhani
Pati Patni Aur Panga
