Mishal Raheja as Major Dutta Patil
Painful Rapture ~ Chapter 40
"love can do much, but duty more".. Goethe
Dutta smashed and punched ,and hammered the living day lights out of the shinning ,swinging punching bag in the gym ,beads of sweat poured out of his skin, and he pulled his mouth down in short bursts to gather his strength and transferred the potency in the blow on the bag .He paused , drew his breath and moved away from the violently swaying bag.. he wiped his mouth and chin with his track suit sleeve , raised his narrow eyes as he took in the activities carried out by his Outs while he reached out for his whistle that hung round his neck and blew it to draw their attention as they froze. He beckoned them with a jerk of his head and pointed to the wooden floor and within seconds they stood in a parallel line facing him. He stared at them all 14 of them ,he had decided in order to save time he would brief his pupils about his off the premises official duty scheduled for tomorrow. He stood tall and broad in his black track suit and air max black leather trainers, "now officers ,this is to inform you that I have been ordered to carry out an official task tomorrow ,and as such ,I will not be available on site tomorrow" he apprised , their immediate subtle firm expressions were maintained ,but his lion like eyes detected a slip of a certain relief in them ,as so he continued in a resolved roll, "that however does not in any way mean that you are granted exemption from your tutorials . You will, continue to work either in pairs or in small groups on your assignments on BDS. Once you finish you will give a brief presentation of your work , and carry out an open floor discussion, each group or pair will be required to answer to FAQs in the large group discussion. Drill , and gym activities will carry on according to the scheduled time table", he ordered, as he shifted his narrow eyes for responses, "any questions officers? he enquired as he pulled his lower lip in his mouth and raised his eye brows at the raised hand of his pupil, he jutted his head for the question," Sir is there any further news on Khan,? asked Kapur, Dutta raised his eyes and checked his officer with coldness, officers I appreciate your concern for a fellow officer ,in fact on second thought I commend your spirit of camaraderie! it is useful on the front lines, as it triggers off looking out for each other but there are moments in life when one as to walk alone in the dark, within the throes of limitations of knowledge..barred from information that could cast light upon affairs and make things clearer for us to fathom, and this rule applies not just here, but in any situation In life when one is left in the dark!"he said with a lace of gleeful diversion, "so in short Kapur no news about Khan!" he firmed up. "Ok officers don't know about you but I could do with a shower" he dismissed them, but stopped them with a final word "now look here officers, it's no good being called a good class when the teacher is about! how good a class really is.. when the teacher is not about! that's the real test! remember that! he almost smiled as he turned to walk away from them. The female officers looked at his tall muscular figure ,to their delight his stubble had grown back! "I tell you he is such a hairy beast ,and very well turned out as well !" tittered Rao and Tiwari, and chipped in, by the way did you notice he almost ..jsssut smiled a little today, khush lag raha tha Sir ,aisa kyon? observed Bose, "oye you leave him alone , leave Khan to , sing his praises," chided Bhatnager and the girls huddled towards the female shower rooms. Dutta ,stripped and walked like a gladiator towards the communal men's shower he gave a quick scan ,the officers as usual still hang outside near the lockers or just delayed their arrival as per usual because he stalked or rather had his wash out! he fiddled around with the shower knob and a whoosh gush of high powered water fell on his thick mop of hair flattened to his scalp and mercilessly beat his head till curved lines appeared in the roots of his hair he spluttered the water with his pink lips and the power jet lashed at his lips ,he moved his head to one side to heave in air ,the water possessed his complete body like a frenzied wet demon! his back! his posterior, right down to his carved muscular legs to his long slender toes ,he rubbed his hairy chest with his right palm...having a shower was an activity he delighted in! it was such a physical joy! a complete and utter joy.. even as a child he recalled how up until the age of 5, AS delighted too! in giving him a bucket and mug bath! he loved it then and he loved it now ..but he suddenly blushed for he remembered he always had a pair of boxer shorts on when his AS gave him his watery fun times .. he bit his lip, however now, and he almost chuckled I am man enough to do away with them in communal bathing areas ...I guess I have just grown up he thought as he folded his arms to push back his hair from his fore head.. "Sir! if I may say so Sir,..Khan told me that she is already spoken for, forgive me Sir! but I was wondering if Khan is getting married? just a thought.."Dutta turned his head slowly, he knew who would asking him this question, he glared and spoke, "Kapur now if Khan told you about her private life , then I would imagine she told you in confidence , and to blurt this information amongst other course mates, would be highly unprofessional of you as it would initiate speculation ,and as her friend you will certain shatter her confidence in you...now with regards to further information about Khan ,may I remind you that you speak to your senior ..officer just be aware! you do not ask questions ! you carry out your commands and duty!" threatened Dutta as he twisted the shower controls and stepped forward towards his changing cubicle! whilst Kapur shivered violently under the running shower...
Dutta lay in bed wide awake, his brawny folded arms posted under his broad head, with biceps smooth skinned and knotted his shoulder joints pitted with long black shiny hair. His half opened eyes pierced the ceiling of his quarters , propelled him to have a rewind of the days events. Khan's saga ,his duty ahead still to be performed, although cut and dry. He pulled his breath in and let his lips part ,as his fingers comforted his large frame by the gentle stroke to her chunni , which covered his semi bare body. His fingers circulated the sensation on the soft fabric, his nostrils flared up and he moved his head to one side and closed his eyes briefly , "teri tu main Naku! he grunted ,"teri himmat ke tu mujhe pe apne frigging phone rakh de"! he moaned as he pushed his legs and taunted them in angered passion for her. His savage rage with succession took charge of his frame ,with unease he landed a closed fisted thump on the empty space beside ,"sukar mana tu edur nehi hai mera pass!" he gave up in the end , half vanquished ,the truth was that she was not there with ,but her chunni was and he put his arms around the chunni half around his neck his torso and his long legs and performed a roll on his side and trampled the soft piece of material under his heavy body and dug his nose into it and sniffed both hard and soft and closed his eyes , an ecstatic "ahhh"... rattled in his gullet and escaped from his mouth. "Jagooo! jagoo Mohan payra!" sang his alarm ,he smiled, as he shook his posterior laying atop the chunni ..trust Naku to put that tune for his wake up call! he chuckled, and rolled to lay on his back. He checked the time it was 5.30am, they would have to board the 7.00am train to head for Khan's Dera. He dialled her number and heard a woman's rather long slow moan, he perked up and continued to hear the moan which was a slow sugary whine ounne ! she carried on ,he moved his lips as he held the phone enoying her syrupy sighs and with a smile he half yelled "oye! kya ker rehi hai tu?uthe! main bol raha hoon" !he mock growled ,Naku moved her lips and clung to the sleeves of his kurta , "ne karo Saab sone do , charrho mujhe"", she responded as though in seventh heaven! ,"oye uthe hai ke nehi? ya ayon mein udher aur tera kam tammam karoon! kab se sun raha hoon tera harkatien ,beesharam aurat"! If this is what you'll deliver from now on! every time I phone you ,like you are up to no good on cloud nine Naku! then wapis de mera kurta! behaayahei ke bhi koi haad hoti hai ! aur ye kaise awazein nikla rehi the ...bata mujhe zarra?he challenged with a touch of flirting. ,she giggled "why Saab when you take out all those excited high sounds like ahhh! and ooohs! ,tu why can't I? ,challo good! now we can do it together over the phone", Dutta was pretty shell shocked "chup ker kya bol rehe hai tu? pata hain main kaun hoon tera! he rumbled obviously put off by her coming on to him manner, but she progressed in her advances ,"haan pata hai apun kaun hain mere ...saiyaaan! ..sayiaaan, ooo ! piya re piya re piya!" she sang ... as she wrapped his kurta sleeves tighter around her neck and bosom , shudddup! he shouted "pee rekhe hai tune? just stop acting like a common bloody tart! ,he paused, "erhh ,I am sorry baby mera mau se nikal gaya tera liye ..baaby why are you acting in this way ? main surprised to hoon ke to ye sab kuch kare, did you think I would like all this throwing yourself at me bit? naaa Naku Dutta wants his Naku to be ,shy ,innocent , a little daft, a bit of a gyan ke devi, and above all to be herself! untainted and pure".. you see tera peeche jaana tera Saab ka kam hai, tera nehi ,tera kam hai ke jab main bolye ga thujhe, to tu mera pas aah jaye...you see Naku the truth is... can't live without you...he paused and she replaced her thrilled sighs with ..low sniffles..."what! he hollered "oh for heavens' sake not those bloody tears Naku baaby please!! I would rather have you give me a further injection of your euphoric moans and sighs than tera ansoo , waise roona kis baat pa ah raha hai thujhe ? he taunted, she blew her nose and muffled "Saab itna pyar kirte ho apne Naku se? he pouted his mouth and moved his head to one side, "haan ,jahal aurat! koi shak?, she became silent for a moment as she weighed her insecurities .. now that he knew Khan likes him ,something... a grey melancholic area in her ,which she can't help harbouring ,chivvied her to ensure that she doesn't lose him, she tried to brush this feeling under the carpet, it was of no significance in her life! she chided herself after all the reason behind her telling him of her conclusion about Khan liking him was largely based and prompted by the fact that she trusted her love for him and that he equally trusted her! their love was grounded by mutal trust.. She felt overwhelmed by a rush of shame that sweltered her whole being..how much he loved her ..and she dithered!..Dutta rolled on his side for the split second in silence, in a nose and chunni blissful thrill, he closed his eyes, and his stubble fenced pink lips stretched, as he deducted , "bewakoof aurat, in secure feel ker rehi hai aus Khan ke waja se" he mused...this is what he failed to comprehend first she told him herself about her conclusion about Khans sentiments .. and now Naku was being gnawed by the feeling of losing him! women such complicated beings..yet again he smiled at a famous line, " woman are to be loved not understand" he kissed her chunni "kaise batoen ke I love you Naku apne aap se bhi zayeeda"he reflected ...as he rest his stubble cheek on his folded fleshy arm ! ,"Saab are you there? asked Naku, he stirred and rolled to lay flat on his back, "haan me here ,now listen, you need to get your act together, kam kuch aur tha thujhe ring kerne ka aur tu mujhe kadher le gaye", protested Dutta, "ok the reason I rang and got you up so early was to tell you that we have to leave to sort this Khan ka masala...so basically I'll be coming to collect you, be ready! ,don't want any delay samjhe it's ..and he refrained from saying any more, but added on "sun Naku koi dhange ke kapre pheena, it's not some party we are going too, duty per hoon main!! he rasped, !"excuse me ,Saab maine kab bola ke this is some wild party! you might as well tell me what to wear then, batao! ..she hissed back , "you under no circumstances are to wear a sari jis mein tera pait dekta hai ! hummmh kameez aur churridar pehen le , and make sure you have a warm woolly shawl as well ,it's cold in those areas, not far from the snow, so make sure you have warm clothing on..and haan koi sober color ho! ye na ho ke tu phir se dulhan ke theran lal pehan le" ..he chuckled ,as he knew she hated being lectured by him...he waited for her to respond and she did," Saab ap ko kiya problem hail lal rang se, mein lagan wale din bhi tu lal sari pahne ge tab aap kiya karo ga Saab ..bolo?, he smiled and cranked his neck a bit and replied in a hoarse voice, "lagan ke raat ko mein tere lal kaproon mein nehi interested hoon ga ,believe me baaaby I'll have other things on my mind I assure you!... Naku blushed and bit her lip, red hot in the face, till she heard him grunt, "phir mera mind bekar ke bemaqsaad chezoon mein laga deti hai tu Naku! stick to the task..now look here taking you along was not my idea, before you think ke tera Saab is maar reha! to be with you..it was my boss ka idea! because that officer of mine rang you not me!" ,he heaved as he got out of bed, "chaal you to need to get up you lazy cow! uthe! before I come and drag you out of bed! he yelled..as she giggled ,and he felt a naughty kick in side him.
Naku ,once ready walked towards Ms.Tendulkar's office and requested for leave of absence ,regarding an unavoidable personal matter. The matter was put before Ms. Tendulkar, who used her discretion and granted the leave .She knew that Nakusha's attendance and punctuality was exemplary ,also her attitude towards responsibility , as whenever a situation arose in terms of her being off site, she would arrange and settle the locum working in her place.
Naku waited with bated breath for his arrival .On the dot at 6.30 am he arrived in his camouflaged jeep. She was a bit taken aback when two soldiers with loaded rifles jumped out and stood to attention near the jeep ,it was obvious to Naku he drove here. She ,stood still as she heard the driver seat door shut and almost saw a long camouflaged uniform booted leg poke out .Her eyes waited till he walked from behind the jeep in her full view. He was in full uniform with beret and belt but over it he carried a long flared from the waist, dark olive green over coat with shining gold insignia carved knobby buttons. As he walked slowly towards her his unfastened over coat blew with the slight morning breeze and the pulsating of his tall majestic frame. As he approached her he bobbed his head at her very formally , but his narrow eyes shone at the sight of her .."hummh" he said briefly and turned to look at the soldiers who one of whom leapt forward and saluted Naku and inclined to hold her trolly . Dutta raised his palm and commanded "ap jao jeep mein batho mein ata hoon"...and grabbed hold of her wheelie trolly while he carried it to the back of the jeep where the other soldier ,made room for it and Dutta slid it in. He turned to look at her , and caught her totally smitten by him looks ,but ignored it and with his head signalled her to get in the passenger seat beside him. The two soldiers sat with their backs straight and their rifles propped up on the butts ..Dutta looked at her briefly with sided eyes ,sucked his lips and started the jee .He drove in silence with his right elbow eased on the window sill he ,fondled the side of his cheek and mouth while his eyes scored the road. He checked the time as he changed the gear to fourth it was cutting it short so he sped down towards the railway station. Once there ,he threw the keys to one of the soldiers for parking the vehicle and grabbed hold of her wheelie suit case in his right hand , grabbed her wrist by the left and doubled! trebled! the stairs with his long legs to get to the crowded platform ,"Saab"! he turned and checked his speed as she nearly stumbled on the stairs. Once the train was spotted he sighted the door to the compartment and stretched his long legs and hauled himself up with her suitcase and found their seats ,fitted her luggage on the over head berth and moved out of the way so that she could have the widow seat. Naku sat down and began to nervously twist her shawl corner in her fingers, Dutta loomed above her as he checked looked at her little quaint ways ,and put his camouflaged army ruck sack on the opposite seat that faced Naku's , near the window. He could see the disappointment on her face, as she fully expected him to sit beside her. He left her briefly as his soldiers came up and he showed them the section opposite them on the other side of the aisle. He knew the soldiers had to be near him ,Parekh's orders. Naku kept looking at him like a lost insecure child, every so often he would bend his tall frame and stepped into their section, as made way for passengers, passing through the narrow aisle. The rounded , pot bellied tick collecter saluted Dutta and remarked "Sir jee kamal hai aaj aap ke yahan hone se ek dum disciplne hai! koi hungama nehi!" Dutta just smiled and once the aisle was clear he walked towards the exit and jumped onto the platform and headed to the tea stall. Naku , panicked that the train would leave without him and she looked nervously at the two soldiers who sat like bronze statues in a war museum! she thought.. she heard the train hoot and she leapt up from her seat in a rush to go after him as she heard the heavy rumble of the wheels in slow motion and bumped into him in the aisle .he lurched back with the goods he was carrying.. "oye! kya hoya hai thujhe?toilet jana hai kya? he asked in a mock concerned and amused way ,the train jolted and he held her by the arm and sat her on her seat while he sat down on his opposite her. His legs parted, his back bent and he raised his head up and with narrow lion eyes looked at her , he threw his head back a little, "kya hoya hai toilet jana hai"he repeated , she brought her toe forward to stamp his booted toe, "don't you dare! haad mein rahe tu apne!" he said as he flared his nostrils, "ok here! have got some stuff for you ,ye le samoosa , ye le bottle of water and here are some sweeties to suck on if you feel sick",he offered, as he passed over the bag to her, she grabbed it and he peered into her eyes ,"tere tu maine! ..thanks bhi bolte hai hain you rude girl"! he suggested. He straightened up and stuck one leg out almost touching her churridar clad leg, and with head posted against the seat he checked her out.. His drowsy eyes feasted on her beautiful delicate porcelain featured face, perfect fragile face with equally fine features, the mirror of her soul the green doe eyes which she flaunted even more with the dark razor sharp flicked up curves of her kajal complimenting her dark jet black finely symmetrical eye brows, his stare fixed on her sharp nose and finally her soft pink and velvety rosebud blossom lips sent him into a reverie..he closed his eyes, as his head wobbled side to side..."Saab she whispered kya dekh rahe ho? He looked at her with half opened eyes and ran his tongue very slowly over his bottom lip and said "thujhe dekh raha hoon" ,he smiled with semi intoxicated eyes ,"that's why I chose the seat opposite you pagal aurat! ta ke thujhe dekh sukon, waise aache lag rehe hai tu , the dark rust brown suits you , tera ye kali shawal garam hai na Naku? hummmh aur chunni hai ne teri? you might have to cover your head baby...showing respect for local culture" he predicted. Naku looked at him as he sat sprawled, his torso bulky and strong upheld by his long strapping beefy legs ,he noticed her checking his legs and he pushed up his posterior on the seat and crossed his legs ,and reached out for the carrier bag that held a magazine , which he pulled out with a raised eye and started looking through the magazine entitled weaponry used in the WW2... Naku tweaked her nose and shook her face to one side he caught her expression and put the magazine on his loins and inclined towards the side and pulled out a magazine "ye le tera liya tu bhi pareh magazine" ,she looked at the book cover. ."world cuisine made easy ! "Saab! she tipped his folded knee with her tiny fingers, how horrid of you...what makes you think I'd be interested in this!..talk about being sexist! she complained... "aye Naku don't read too much into it, this our problem we latch on to few clichd phrases and then tend to be touchy about them! and apply them anywhere ..now jitna main thujhe janta hai ..thujhe kahana bana ka shaaq hai...hai ke nehi? ..I thought you might be interested in learning about popular foods from other cultures as well, may be try your hand at them as well", he lowered his sullen eyes.. "but obviously not...would you rather I'd brought a bollywood gossip magazine ?..she leaned forward and touched the knee of his folded leg...nehi! she did a mock fade out! Dutta glared at her "oye keep our bloody voice down Naku my soldiers are about", and she touched her ears and smiled "Saab ap apne kahane ke liya kuch nehi liya? he looked up at her from his behind his magazine... "nehi Naku ju mein chata hoon woh abhi nehi mil sakta mujhe...not the time or the place" he owned up regretfully ,she parted her lips and smiled at him coquettishly.. the train rattled and shunted along ,Dutta sat engrossed in his magazine ,time to time he looked up to check her out and he every time he looked at her she was busy eating her crisps ,samoosa's ,he wondered ,he never imagined that she enjoyed junk food so voraciously ,.he interrupted "pani bhi pee liya ker Naku, it's good for you" he suggested as he watched her turn wide eyed, as her fingers unscrewed the bottle and brought it to her lips ,she gulped and smiled at him, and with a bow of her head looked up at him shyly... he replied, "haan de edher want a sip too! , she blushed as she passed him the bottle and he parted his lips opened his lips and closed them over the neck of the bottle thirsting like mad...she watched his pink lips as he guzzled down the whole bottle. She looked into her bag of sweeties and unwrapped a mint bonbon and leaned forward and pushed it past his wet lips into his mouth, he rolled the confectionary in his mouth and sucked on to it and smiled, "thanks ..aachee hai and he narrowed both his eyes as he caught her wide doe eyes...she knew he wanted to pop his sweet into her mouth.. she could read his thoughts...and she blushed as she knew, he knew too, what he would have liked to have done. Once her wares were finished Naku looked at him as he sat opposite her his legs crossed ,he continued to read as he played with and stoked his stubble with his right palm once and then with the outer hand ,he obviously derived some sort of pleasure from this self caress thought Naku ,as she stolen glances at him. He looked so handsome and she repressed an urge to land a kiss on his smooth skin ,his stubble had grown to the way it was before ,which made her the happiest woman on earth! Out of boredom she played with her fingers in her lap and he could sense her tedium and looked up at her, closed his magazine and laid it to rest on the empty double seat next to him. He took a deep breath spaced his legs and leaned forward with an arched back and peered into her eyes, "bore ho gaye hai Naku? he asked, she looked captivated by his gaze and shook her head once, he pulled his mouth gently to one side and lowered his eyes ,she knew he would not be the sleeping lion like he's acting out to be if he had the power! she looked at the top of his forehead and once again fought her desperation to run her fingers through his hair...a feat she had never attempted to this day ,he read her face intensely and finally piqued his lower lip and was about to break visual communication with her ,when she suddenly kept him leaned towards her, "waise Saab un fauji ko kyon layen hai saath mein"she whispered. His expression changed from moderate to a brewing storm as his eyes flashed and he grunted "shut your face woman! don't you dare makkke anny flippping comment about my workkk, he dragged his words dangerously..he jerked up and rested his back against his seat and yanked his leg over the other, "he folded his arm and rubbed his thumb against his fore finger deep in thoughts, regrets.. he shouted at her, he looked across at her flushed hurt face, and he too experienced discomfort, "dekh Naku ,you know I do lose if it's to do with my work! as it is, this is a particular duty I find difficult to adhere to as I may be stepping on sensitive ground, Naku kisi ke ghar ka mamala hai, besides I am still irate plus baffled as to why she didn't phone me? I am her tutor, her senior officer thujhe kyon phone kiya ,us ne Naku? it almost feels to me she's giving you preference over me ,like she cannot differentiate official from non official! she is an able officer and can go a long way ahead in a male bastion domain... lekin Naku if she carries on like so ,flippant and irresponsible I will have to revise my decisions about her future! ...Dutta suddenly stopped as he realized he was talking about his officer with a civilian , it's not the done thing!..he was cracking up!. Deep creases formed across his brow and Naku immediately lifted herself up and sat beside him and looped her arm through his...and stared at his leg.. "Saab nehi ye kya sooche reha hain ap , she rang me because as a woman she felt comfortable in talking to me, I suspect she was too frightened to tell you directly about her forced marriage, besides I don't think pupils are meant to carry their tutors personal numbers , she reasoned as she stroked his muscular arm slowly calming his tumultuous spirit , she knew him well enough to gauge that had he been at a more private place, he would have bellowed his lungs out ,but she was pleased he was letting off some steam...she stopped as she felt his head turn towards her and she looked up into his tender eyes and he nodded once "hummmh" he muttered and headed to her, to go back to her place adjacent to him ,she got up instantaneously and sat back on her seat, "right now as far as the accompanied soldiers are concerned that is official protocol that has to be maintained as I am on official duty...it's orders! so not a debateable topic samjhe tu! and aur ek baat to tu jan he gaye hogi ke that I have to behave in a conduct befitting an officer, and you as that officer's future wife.." he said meaning fully. Naku smiled shyly nodded. The train slowed down a bit noticeably and finally ground to a halt, the aisle bustled with passengers to get to the convenience stall .Naku's eyes twinkled as she saw something off interest "Saab woh dekho gol gappa ! Saab mujh ko khane hai! ao na plzz Saab! Dutta looked up at her as she stood near him like a child that begged for treat , "pagal ho gaye hai kiya? he dismissed as he shook his head ,but she tugged his hand ,"haan mein pagal hai Saab gool gappe ke liya ...challo ne! ,Dutta both glared, grunted and took off his over coat and passed it over to the soldiers, saying "mein ata hoon tumhen kuch chahiya ?he asked politely but it was obvious they declined. Dutta watched her with a combination of outrageous civvi idiocy hers and his staid military abstinence from such taste buds ticklers. Dutta watched with crossed arms across his chest Naku who sporadically opened her mouth ,popped the sour watered punctured savoury crisp globe, and crunched it under her teeth. Her eyes winked every now and then at the tang of the dish as she ran her tongue around the corner of her mouth, and Dutta, irked "eredhi aurat anikheen marte phir rehe hai!". He reached for a tissue and passed it to her to dab her lips, she held him encapsulated with her laughing doe eyes and impulsively finger picked the savoury and invited him to a taste. He pulled back his neck and shook his raised palm "thujhe pata hai main bahar ka khana nehi khata, aur ye sab to absolutely not! apna peit nehi kharab kerna mujhe! and you'd better watch it as well, apna gala na kharab ker lena" ,then after a pause he continued with dancing eyes , acha hai dard ke waja se tu kam bole gi tu some peace and quiet to mile ga tera Saab ko ! he teased. She ignored him and finished off her treat, "chaal ab! Dutta suggested , but her eyes roved and she finally announced, "nehi Saab, mirchee lag rehi hai , woh kulfi kahani hai!"she insisted. Dutta shook his head vulnerably under her love demands, and watched her rapaciously attack the kulfi...but with held his reaction!
Once all the seated abroad the train, his deadly visual darts pierced her and she winced and withdraw, whilst he crossed his leg and fondled his stubble, " waise mujhe ye nehi samjhe ata pagal aurat that this is by all means is a flipping rescue operation ! and you bleeding think you are on some kind of holiday! first my boss is on my back case to rescue this bloody "so called soldier"!! who is prisoner at her own home ,forget about being a prisoner of war!! and then there's you ! that needs to be fed every four hours! bloody hell! main kadher phanse giya hoon" ! he fumed. Naku looked at him and closed her eyes to have a nap...best let him cool down ,her tummy was full! so food fill intoxication too the better of her. Her head against the train window thumped gently and Dutta got up reached out for his ruck sack pulled out his olive green ribbed pullover folded it, held her by the shoulders , slid her down on the seat and shoved his jumper under her head. Next he straightened up and as he moved, she held his wrist "Saab"...she stirred ,he collected his great coat from the soldiers and draped her kneed up body with it. Dutta watched her from his seat , what a pity that they had never been on a train journey together, and now that the occasion realized , his hands were tied... for they were duty bound. He shifted his position ,kneed one of his brawny legs and unfolded it on the train seat ,as he arranged his back and head against the window, soon after he hiked up his other booted leg as well and crossed it on top of the other.His head hammered gently at the window pane ,he sealed his eyes briefly ...
A brusque jolt brought Dutta to his senses, he secured himself and double fast checked Naku who had sat up abruptly too, "kya hoya hai Saab train kyon rok gaye hai?"Dutta stood up on his feet straightened his beret and walked off towards the exit. There was general complaint from passengers about ;the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere ,he picked up that was a reason for this sudden halt. He strode towards the station master's office , who stood to attention upon seeing an army personnel. Cutting the matter short Dutta asked for details of the stoppage, "Sir, it seems that there is some undefined blockage on the track ahead, since we have had landslides due to earth tremors" explained the Station master. Dutta continued for him "so it sound's like huge boulders are the barricade , so how do you expect to sort his out then? ,he questioned without wasting time ,although Dutta knew that at this ungodly hour ,governmental help would probably not be available as it was outside office hours. He was deep in thought as both him and the station master made way to the main platform to face the brunt of travellers , in one scan of the eye Dutta could only take in the elderly , mothers and young children and his eyes became intense, till he was tapped on the arm by an elderly couple, "beta dekho na ab hum ko edhur he sar raat guzzarni phre ge , pata bhi nehi kya hoya hai? beta tum he kuch karon, apni wardi ka maan rekho" they pleaded.That was it! Dutta was going to take an executive decision, there was no way in hell! he will leave these people here, he held the old ladies hands "maa jee aap chinto maat karo mein dekhta hai main kya ker sakta hoon", he said and there was a loud cheer, and sound of relief. Dutta walked away from the crowd and stood at a distance from Naku's window as he dialled a number on his phone ,"yes Namaste ,this is Major Dutta Patil serial number MISH-303-007! put me through to the brigade Major in place it's an emergency..."within seconds he was on to the man he wanted," yes Major Dutta, this is Major Shergill, how can I help ?I got the message you said its emergency is it with yourself?" Dutta squared up "no Major not directly related to me but it's certainly an emergency which is cause of discomfort, inconvenience, and perhaps loss of valuable time to the general public, you see Major as it stands we are three hours away from Kangra at a railway station, where the train cannot proceed ahead due to track blockage ,what I would like from you is some soldiers with crane trolley to haul the boulders and clear the track, the public on the platform has appealed to my rank and uniform Major, hence I made my decision ,now it needs to be adhered to by yourself" concluded Dutta with a firm, but complacent expression. Major Shergill smiled. "of course Major Dutta I totally agree and I shall be giving the orders to my boys and they should be with you within 40 mins to an hour.. now can I arrange anything for you in the meanwhile, there is an officers mess within an hour away from the railway station where you could put up for the night if you so desire, I could in actual fact send you out a jeep right now if you want ,by the way are you travelling on your own or with family?" asked Major Shergill, Dutta lowered his eyes and bit his lip and replied ,"with family Major and two other soldiers as protocol, and yes on second thoughts I would appreciate a jeep for now and later at the Dharamshala railway station ,if that's ok with you" appreciated Dutta, "yep no problem Major Dutta, and oh give my regards to Brig. Parekh! small world! he was my instructor in Artillery school" said Shergill, Dutta laughed ,"so Major you checked me out did you ?nice one, laughed Dutta, "oh yes Major, good old army scrunity! kya karien ,you can't be lax not nowadays ! Shergill warned, "yes absolutely Major! and thanks very much for your help, another feather in our army cap! Replied a gratified Dutta ...he walked over to report the result to the much relieved Station master and the public ,who clapped and saluted Dutta, as he hurriedly returned to his compartment to brief Naku, as he sat opposite her, "Saab aap kitna aache ho, tu hum raat Mess mein guzzarien ge ?she asked half excited ,he curbed her interest, "nehi Naku Mess mein nehi ,kisi as pas ka hotel mein, Mess mein kaise le ker joan thujhe? biwi nehi hai tu meri , aur kuch aur nehi bana sakta main, army decorum has to be maintained "he firmed up with humble eyes..."so yes me and my soldiers will stay in one hotel and you'll stay in another" he continued, but she argued, "Saab why can't I stay in the same hotel as you and your soldiers, surely you can stay in one room , your soldiers in another double room, and me in another single room...now does that make sense"! she said with a little smile, he nodded ,"sorry Naku jab duty samne ho tu mujhe sirf protocol nazar ata hai ,it's like my brain starts to dysfunction" ...he paused and his eyes smiled tenderly and softly at her, and he continued "but you are always out and about to bail me out my shahzdi..."she was encouraged by his words and chirped "tu phir ab chalen Saab , Army ki jeep ahh gaye hogi station ke bahar", he nodded and replied decisively "no Naku, Dutta doesn't come first ,janta comes first! jab tak train dobara challo nehi hoti Dutta will not move from this station!...Naku looked at her lion ! her man of action! her knight in shining armour not just for damsels! but for any one out of joint!
The train was up and running and Dutta accompanied by Naku escorted by two armed soldiers arrived at the humble rest house, Dutta was never the one to use special privileges and army liberties granted to him, his father always instilled in him that defence, along with government sectors, was funded by the tax payers money.. hence anything OTT was never really his scene of preference ,he could have had, if he wanted to, travelled by air ,he mused, as he bit his lip ,mind you he would have saved time ,but he gradually moved his head to look at the woman beside him. To him all that mattered was that the one beside him felt at home and comfortable, and as far as he could fathomed she seemed to be having a jolly good time ! Alongside with a stroke of luck there was the short train break down , which he wanted her to experience.. especially when things went smoothly ..but a snag appeared out of nowhere...he wanted her to be ready to encounter any emergency in life with a flair rather than lose it all . Dutta smiled as he looked down at her, captured totally by her upward gaze up at him from the rest house's garden area in the cold silvery blue darkness..
He had checked in ,the proprietor of the rest house allocated rooms in the manner Naku had suggested, and Dutta walked Naku to her room, he took the room key from her hand and unlocked the door and signaled her to stand in the corridor and wait while his tall uniformed frame walked into the room, switched on the lights moved over to the windows to note if they were securely shut ,finally satisfied he held the door open from the inside and beckoned her to enter and as she did... he stepped outside into the corridor. She turned in panic "Saab aap ka Kamra? she asked he folded his arm up ,raised his eye brow and jerked his head to the left ,five doors away from you Naku ,down the corridor I'eve checked it ..by the way it has a balcony...he become silent and then started again, "hummmh will you be able to meet in the garden below your room? he questioned. She smiled, and he pushed his head forward towards her with probing eyes and eyesbrows, "sure ?he asked "daar tu nehi lge ga ?he confirmed as his eyes continued to seek her assurance she shook her head from side to side and he mumbled.. "see you then in a moment and he walked towards his room..
Naku saw him in moonlight standing on the balcony his hands in his pockets his over coat hung over his shoulders. He paced slowly and his raven black hair shone in the moonlight as he tread in wait for her. A stray breeze caught his hair from the back of his head and rendered it out of place.. her movement beneath in the darkened garden, caught him as he looked at her, his narrow eyes blinked once, as she held her breath.. "mera chand, mere Saab... Naku looked up as he loomed up before her in a slow languid regal lion walk. He had put on the overcoat as it was cold and misty ,which made him look mystified and baffled . Dutta approached her and looked down into her porcelain like face ,his palms felt her hanging arms and he tilted his head towards her and placed his lips to the side of her neck. She shuddered ,and he whispered as he kissed her soft earlobe ,"are you cold my love?, she looked above into his narrow hooded eyes as he studied her face, and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs.. she nodded and whispered "haan Saab I am cold ..he seized her and clutched her tiny body towards him! as close as decency allowed and with a spread of his arms like a falcon he took her tightly in his overcoat and button her body to him! she giggled as ,she snuggled up against him ,but he was in mood for humour ,he opened his hungry mouth and hurtled it upon her mouth ardently with all pent up suppression! and kissed her ruthlessly as she gasped for merciful air ..and he let her! while he attacked the sides of her neck grazing it with his rough stubble which made her moan in sweet pain ,which further instigated him to mete out punishment to her by carrying out further passionate amorous kisses on her lips ,her cheeks ,her neck ,her ears! nothing was safe! .Naku's arms tightened around his broad back every time he kissed her ,he whispered in her ear ,his breath hot and burning "dekh abhi humara lagan hoya hota tu we would be sleeping in the same room, he moaned as he bit her ear lobe , she kissed his ear in response whispered back in his ear "dekha aap ko sirf ek he bata yaad rethi hai ,he heard and squeezed her bosom hard against his chest, and she cried, "Saab maat karo you are hurting me now" she moaned as she brushed her soft cheek against his stubble cheek, "Naku..ohhh baaby you cannot even imagine how much I want to hurt you...but alas! the time is not right baaaby ,my love ,how long does your Saab have to wait ,Naku?how long? he begged as he held her face in his broad palms and bowed his head over her delicate up turned face to rub his smoooth lips against hers..in one last final kiss they gave their lips to each other and his palms held her tightly in his arms...and they emerged as one, two passionate souls locked up in an article of winter clothing shielded from the cold around , lit by the flames of their love...Naku withdrew, held his face, rubbed his cheeks with her tiny fingers ,then kissed the tip of his nose, with the command "undo the coat Saab ..mujhe jana do" she said as she wiggled her tiny soft body against his tough brawny physique ..before more could ensue his long slender fingers obeyed her order then.. freed her! as he scrutinized her shawl covered figure disappear in the shadow of the night...
They had reached Kangra valley in Himachal Pardesh surrounded by the dense rows of coniferous Deodars. Naku looked in fascination at the array of bustling people replete with not just national cultural diverseness but with an international flavour of keen tourists. She felt although the sun shone, winter was gradually being phased out as owing to recent snowfalls in the northern areas , temperature still lingered at 14 to 15 degrees and there hung a nip in the air. Dutta turned his neck and looked at her sitting in the back seat of the jeep with the two armed soldiers, and jerked his head forward in enquiry motion to check if she was ok .She smiled, with reassured eyes and he looked ahead again as the soldier drove. Dutta had acquired Khan's address from the attendance officer before he left military school, he fished it out from the breast pocket of his sleeveless armour bullet proof jacket and passed the address note to the soldier who drove the jeep. The army jeep scaled the heights of the winding steep road up to Khan's residence. Wasim involved in wet wiping his cab looked up as he detected movement below with the corner of his eye, he hurriedly looked down at the road below he clearly discerned the approaching vehicle to be that of the army ! in haste he ceased his grooming the vehicle ,washed his hands and ran inside the house!
The army jeep stopped in front of the entrance of the frugal homestead. Dutta covered his pistol in the concealed holster above his waist with his folded palm as he screwed his nose and mouth and scanned the area with his eyes, jerked his head to the soldiers and commanded "cover the sides and the back of the house and the soldiers flexed and held their rifles and ran towards the sides of the house .Dutta took a deep breath looked at Naku with rusty chunni covered head and black shawl draped till below her knees ,"chaal!"he ordered. The fright on her face was obvious and the silence around her nearly killed her, he reached out for her wrist and took bold noisy steps on the chunky ,cobbled stoned steps . He stood at the large but ill-kempt opened wooden door and announced in a large voice "army"! ,by now with years of experience he could sense if the place he was surrounded with, was safe or dangerous!..A young man with a bread and longish wavy hair clad in a long black kameez and gathered shalwar appeared with his hands folded in respect and stood before Dutta. Dutta peered into his eyes coldly to pick up signs of militancy ,he couldn't detect any, so he folded his hands and said "Major Dutta, and stepped into the house and the man backed off slightly as two soldiers with rifles stepped on either side of Dutta in the house and cocked up their rifles..dutta glanced at them on either side and his eyes commanded, keep the rifles cocked ,but up right .Dutta drew his breath and explained," hum yahan sarkari kam se aye hain ,ghar ke bare ko bulao"he commanded , Wasim, jerked as he heard Dutta's to the point ,non nonsense guttural.. "jee sar mein Wasim hai, he explained, "main bhi edher he rathe hoon..he said scared out of his wits! But Dutta raised his palm up and showed that his order needs to be carried out..Wasim ran inside to the other room ,which gave both Dutta and Naku a quick chance to look around to other floors or rooms in the house, it seemed apart from what appeared to be a kitchen, there were two other rooms ,one that this so called Wasim went to and one other.. Dutta ascertained perhaps that's where Khan was held captive, his thoughts were interrupted as an older man came into the room with Wasim, ,dressed in a white shalwar kameez and a brown shawl hanging from his shoulders .The soldiers taunted themselves as the man moved and sat on a weaved bed. Dutta stood before the old man ,and again folded his arms and said "aap Khan ke mamma jee hain kiya?"he asked gently ,he knew he was in uniform he had to act within cultural respect for the elderly , for those were the values his mother had inculcated in him at home... due to Dutta's gesture the old man softened up and responded with hospitality ,"Wasim Major sahib aur un ke biwi ke liya kawa le ker ayo", both Dutta and Naku were highly embarrassed and Dutta moved his chin and admitted ,"ye meri biwi nehi hain mera saath is mission per kam ker rehin hain, aur ap ke beti Khan ki dost hain" said dutta clarifying any doubts .He was pleased he mentioned his officers name ,he knew the words he used mission and Khan, the two pivotal words that he said, without the use of force..for he could see that these two words unhinged the two men before him, for Dutta wanted them to initiate the questions, and the important man did, "mission Major Sahib? kis kisam ka mission ? kiya main aur Wasim aap ke kuch madaat ker sakte hain, ap fauji hain tu humri kush kismati ho gi ap ki madaat ker ka" said mama jee. Dutta looked at the old man and almost cocked his head and with narrow eyes replied" mission ye hai ka app ye batien ufsar Khan kahan per hai? Dutta asked directly, "sahib humien nehi pata is bare mein ke woh kahan hai" defended the old man, Dutta folded his arms across his chest and emphasized, "tu ap jante hain Khan ko?, mamma jee laughed nervously, "jee haan Major sahib ,main us ka saga mamoo hoon" he admitted at last. Dutta stood tall as he looked directly into the old man's face ,"maager ap ye nehi jante ke aap ki beti military school se ghayab hai? aager us ka pata nehe challa tu qatal ka case bhi bun sakta hai, aur shak ke daire mein aap bhi ah sakte hain , kyon ke apne kam par aap ke beti ne ye batiya hai ke, use ke mama us ke zabardasti shaadi kisi lardke se ker reha hain", ruled Dutta as Naku's face changed expression from straight face to disbelief ! her Saab playing a game!. Both the men panicked and blurted out the truth that Dutta wanted to tease out of them with the least possible use of military might. "Major Saab araz hai, Khan humari beechi yehan per he hai humare pas ,humari tabieyeet dume ke waja se kharab ho giye tu hum ne use yahan bulwa liya" ,he pause a bit and instructed Wasim to release Khan" jao Wasim,Rajoo ko le ker aao". Dutta looked at Naku and one of the soldiers and headed them to follow Wasim. Seconds later, Naku her arm around a withdrawn Khan's shoulders returned to the room. All eyes were on Khan ,she looked tired and untidy but as soon as she her senior officer she stood erect and saluted ,and Dutta looked at her objectively and fired questions at her in front of all else present, "now officer few questions! please answer them loudly and clearly! Number one, have you been offered meals while you were locked away in your bedroom, Khan nodded and Dutta reminded her to speak ,and she confirmed, "yes Sir!, Dutta coldly carried out were you offered ,ablution and sanitation, officer ! demanded Dutta "I was Sir! confirmed Khan , satisfied Dutta asked the final question "now did any of these two men here commit any act of violence upon yourself? as little as a push or twist of the arm , to a forceful strike to coerce and impose their decision? Khan looked at the two men, and negated the suggestion "no Sir" she said much to the relief of the two men ,by now they were beginning to get the picture of her vocation. Dutta quizzed her further, "so tell me officer why were you not at work on Monday when you should have been? what stopped you exactly? what? demanded Dutta with his finger pointed in her face...Khan replied loud and clear, "Sir mere mamma jee ne mujhe kamre main band ker diya tha ,kyon ka maine ne ,Wasim se shaadi kerne se inkar ker diya .Dutta faced mamma jee , his legs apart ,his hands on his waist, and slowly recapped, "sun liya aap ne kakka ,and you wasim ,for aiding and abetting with him!...suna aap ne ap ke beti ne kiya bole saaf lafzoon mein! ab meri sune aap ,ek fauji ko us ke marzi ke khilaf quaid kerna woh bhi un halat mein jab jang na ho, fauj mein ek jirm hai, ap jante hain, koi janata ka am aadmi aager aise kera, use jail ho sakte hai!.. .ek civilian ek fauji ko qaidi nehi bana sakta! ...ap ne use duty join karne se bhi roka! mujhe ye sara masala apne seniors ko dena ho ga...fauji mamala civilian nehi hota! humare apna quaide kanoon hain ,smajhe ap mamma jee" rasped Dutta and after a pause continued.. "rahi baat officer Khan ke shaadi ke..to.. Dutta continued but decided to recede a tad, as he noticed the old man 's feathers were already ruffled ,so he allowed him to speak first. The old man sat on the bed and held himself up by his palms and said " dekho Major shahib, ap ko ye batna hai mujhe, ke ye hamre ghar ke mamala hai, fauj aager is se dor he rahe tu baither hoga , said Khan's mamma jee...Dutta smiled ,"fauj is se dor nehi reh sakte kyon ka, aap ne ek fauji ko he paker ke rakha hai use waja se" he replied calmly, "mujhe pata hai ap ke rasam aur rawaj, aur ye bhi pata hai ke beti ke zimawari hoti hai jis din se woh paida hoti hai , isi leya shayeed use ke baat baachpan se he tai ker de jati hai...magaar kaka ye lo ap ke beta ab ek baleg aurat hai na baleg lardki nehi, ye lo is se pooch lo ye lagan ke liya tayaar hai kiya? ,Dutta looked up at Khan, expecting her to speak her piece, Khan stood up straight, and clearly spoke, "mamma jee mein ,lagan ke liya tayaar nehi hoon abhi, mujhe apna career bana hai abhi, aur ye nehi ke Wasim mujhe pasand nehi hai, magaar mujhe kuch aur waqat chaiya abhi do ya teen saal aur"..she said..choosing a mid path. Naku moved from her place and crouched beside the old man "dekho mama jee aaj jo Rajoo ne aap ke baat ka maan rakha hai , woh isi liya ke Rajoo jante hai ke jis mukam pe woh hai apne kam pe, woh sab ap ke dua ka niteja hai , aap ke chinta kerti hai woh, ab use dau de ker kam pe behgien,mama jee" suggested Naku, and the old man blessed Naku by putting his hand on her head ,and he looked at Khan ,"aache lage hai mujhe teri saheli Rajoo", and Wasim too smiled . Dutta heard the remark about Naku and with hooded eyes gazed at her crouched body and thought, "ache ,hummmh don't we all like her ..but I adore her ,he moved his mouth and fixed his face, and rattled off again, "aur kaka zabberdesti kisi aurat ya lardki ke shaadi kerna bhi ek jirm hai ,aisa sarkar ke kehna hai, fauji ka nehi!" he pointed it out..mama jee sat highly flustered, he knew he didn't stand a chance not in front of this young officer who used his brains rather than his brawn.. and finally he walked up to his daughter and embraced her, as he confessed that he was swept away by traditions ,but was still happy that she would consider marriage with Wasim although it would be a matter of waiting... but he would give his blessings towards her pursuing her career.
Dutta ordered Khan to get her act together, and left the house to gather some fresh air, his soldiers followed him, and he noticed a crowd of local villagers checking out their military jeep and now with out oof the house, all eyes gyrated to him and his soldiers! Dutta descended down the gradient, his boots dug into the sharp pointed rocks ,they moved back especially the nosy women as he came towards them ..they watched and waited for him to speak and with furrowed brow he watched and waited for them to speak.. finally one of the men folk spoke ,"kya hoya Saab? koi bum mila hai kiya ? khathrahe hai kiya? ..Dutta shook his head "nehi nehi koi khatre nehi sab shaanat ha"i ,he said with a smile ,by now some more had joined them, "kya hai na Saab ,fauji ghare dekhe tu sooche ke kuch hoona wala hai" continued the man, ..Dutta suggested "sab theekh hai ap jaio apne ghar" , suddenly one old lady came up to him and touched his arm, "dekho beta tum militree wali hoon! humri madaat ker do! woh humra pani ka nal toot chukka hai !beta koi pani nehi hai humre gharon mein..miloon chaal ke jana partha hai sarde mein pani lena ,kuch madaat karoon beta ...that was it! he looked at his soldiers and ordered "jeep mein se tool box aur soldering ke auzaar nikalo jaldi ! the soldier ran and confirmed the items were present ..Dutta looked at the man who spoke with him earlier.."garhe mein bahito aur la kar challo us jagga per jahaan pipe hai"! he shouted with authority. Wasim came running with his tool box as well and Dutta gave him thumbs up as he jumped in the back of the jeep too!
The men finally returned victorious, under the command of a soldier...Dutta Patil..who showed that the army can act anywhere when needed for public service ..not just the borders! Once he returned the old woman held his bowed head and kissed it "beta tu jaye ,tere baache salmaat rahen ..teri pati"... Dutta felt a tear had built up in his eye and his lips fell apart and he said to the old lady ,"meri maa ko dau dein...the old woman replied "beta teri maa hazaroon saal jiya" ...overcome with sentiments Dutta waved at the crowd which began to dwindle ,he yanked his head from where he stood and bellowed up at Naku and Khan , "all load"!...to be continued Hamlet...2.3.12
Precap: " so you have returned Khan? tell us what happened ?and what took you so long?..you have being playing hooky!" teased her officers...
dutta took her out and then kulfi
also nakku sleeping dutta realising about there journey but he bound to duty
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
