Hi folks,
Well this is the season of remakes...so why not one more from my side..hope the fate and quality of this one's a little better though😳...
Around a month ago, they decided to massacre Jai...the slaughter of Bani had begun even earlier...I just wanted to make an attempt to keep my favorite characters alive for myself somewhere...to give them the treatment they deserve...to bring out the most beautiful aspects of their love story...as I saw it...
I dont know if I will succeed...I realise that JW and BD differ for everyone in a certain way....I do hope though that my JW and BD come close to ur conceptualisation somewhere...😳 ...Would love to hear ur comments...So here goes...
FATED To LOVE: PART I
Bani stood gazing into the mirror hardly recognising the image staring back at her. She looked so unimaginably different bedecked in her red bridal dress and jewellery. On regular days she was wont to look simple and frail…mousy as she termed herself…petite was the more fancy word used by her friends and family. She was not unattractive of course...Not a ravishing beauty like her sister Pia …but many people found her good looking in a quiet pleasing way. With her delicate features and fragile figure, she looked way younger than her 24 years...almost like a school girl...but this was her chief charm...the strange contrast between her innocent youthfulness and the steadfast determination that shone out of her eyes.
Not that her appearance had ever really bothered her. She rarely spent time prettying herself considering it to be an indulgence exclusively meant for her sisters. Getting ready for her was more of a functional task…wearing something appropriate and looking neat. She rarely aimed beyond that. Yet today, on her wedding day, her face seemed to have taken on entirely new hues. With her heavy jewellery and the tinge of make up on her face, her red veil draped around her head, she looked just so womanly....grown up suddenly???...It was as if someone had suddenly taken away her girlish appearance, and handed her a new physical cloak...Only the eyes seemed recognisable...though they too held a new expression...a strange plea...helplessness….apprehensiveness perhaps...or was it just plain terror??
My image has also deserted me today…Along with everything else, I also lose this…she suddenly thought, a wave of depression rising inside her. She turned away from the dressing table dismally and walked to the other side of the room to stand by the long windows… The buzz of activity outside was evident…lights shining, figures scurrying. Her in-laws had booked almost the entire hotel for the wedding. Strains of music floated into her ears, probably from the banquet hall…and the distant echo of laughter… Inside however, the room was filled with a strange emptiness which seemed to match the vacantness which she felt within herself. The girls who had been helping her get ready had left her a little while ago to receive the groom's family and the other guests... They would be back again when it was time to fetch her for the actual ceremony….her wedding.
Looking out from where she stood by the window, she could just about catch a fleeting glimpse of the swimming pool. She knew her mandap had been set up by its side somewhere. "Its BEAUTIFUL Didi", Pia had told her excitedly a few minutes back while helping her get dressed. "The decorations are absolutely exquisite with floating candles and flowers all around....What a way to get married...just like a fairy tale..." she had gushed.
Fairy tale???... Was it really that?...It felt more like a nightmare to her... Marriage to a man she did not love…A man whom she had never even conceived of as a life partner …a man moreover who she was sure did not love her… Entering a family in which she felt herself wholly unwelcome…to assume a lifestyle to which she was totally unattuned and unsuited… How could this be a fairy tale??...She was totally at the mercy of fate…Caught in the whirlwind of circumstances, every moment she was walking towards the edge of the abyss…each step taking her closer and closer to a free fall into the unknown depths...
A gust of wind blew in through the window and Bani shivered, wrapping her arms around herself…She leaned back against the window frame and closed her eyes momentarily, trying to clear her mind a little…How had all this come about?? When was it that she had lost control over her life in this fashion??? Was it the day she had met this man whom she was to plight her troth with today?? Was it the day she had come to Mumbai six months ago?? No... it went even further back than that...It was six years back when she had first discovered how weak and powerless she was in front of fate's machinations...when she had discovered the humbling truth about how futile her pretensions were of exercising any sort of hold over her destiny. That had been the year which had changed the meaning of her life...changed her...forever.
Bani could still remember herself as a young girl…confident, cool, organised and above all, perfectly content. She had drifted along in life with an air of invincibility...Nothing could affect or touch her inner calmness...Of course there were the daily share of family troubles...Her father had always been in and out of jobs...Pia had been in constant scrapes, and almost always on the verge of failing in every class...the financial troubles had been perennial. As the eldest child, Bani had from a very early age found herself being solicited for advice and comfort by both her parents. With her mother in particular, she had been really close, the two of them discussing almost every problem in the sun and then jointly devising solutions. But ultimately nothing had seemed insurmountable for her.
Then suddenly one day, life handed her the harshest and bitterest lesson in humility...Her mother passed away after a short illness, and in a matter of a few days, she found that her life had taken an irrevocable turn. She lost her biggest ally, her biggest friend, her only support system, the chief reason behind her easy confidence...something crumbled inside her, never to be made whole again. All of 18, she made the ultimate discovery that not all battles could be won. In the fight between life and death, the latter always emerged triumphant.
She could never forget how she had wanted to howl and scream in pain and anguish in those initial days…how she had alternately wanted to destroy herself or to run away in order to escape the grotesque reality that she was faced with. But she did none of these things…Instead she found herself drawing upon reserves of courage which she had not known she possessed…helping her father and her sisters to try and live through the aftermath.
It was a hellish time…Suddenly she found that the things she had hitherto looked upon as permanent and stable- their daily lives, the household, their family life- no longer existed. If she or her family were to survive, then she would have to build them all anew…so she set about the task either ignoring her own sense of loss or pretending that it did not exist. In fact, pretence became a part of her life…She had never known she could be so good at concealing her real feelings and her vulnerability from others… She forced herself to laugh, when she would have much rather cried…to comfort when she wanted to be comforted and cared for herself…to put on an air of positivity and hope, when she was racked by insecurity and self-doubt.
She struggled from day to day to restore some measure of normalcy and wholeness to their lives. She knew it was a losing fight. Something had gone away forever, and she could sense it every moment in the vacantness in her father's eyes, in the helpless glances of her sisters' faces, in the sudden deathly silence that fell in the home where earlier there had been blithe laughter and a daily humdrum of activity. Yet she continued to nurture, give and console...continued to care and cherish.
All her future plans and dreams became oriented in this direction. Her family was her top most priority…her reason to live and to work…her chief weakness. All she wanted was to build a secure future…for herself and her family. Luckily, she had always been a brilliant student. In the midst of all the troubles, she continued to work hard achieving one distinction after another. After completing her college she made to it almost all the top management schools of the country. she didnt feel however that her sisters would be able to do without her at home...Pia was 19 but still a child in many ways, Rano was two years younger. To everyone's surprise, she turned down all the offers and chose continue with her studies from her hometown Dehradun.
After doing her MBA however, she knew that she would have to move out to Bombay or some other big city, if she wanted to get high-paying job. With Pia on her way to completing her graduation, and Rano on the verge of entering college...she was hopeful that they would be better able to take care of themselves. In any case she knew it was the question of spending time with them in the present, or working for the future. Pragmatism resolved the issue ….to Mumbai she decided she would move.
Part II
Bani recalled how the decision to move to Mumbai had sparked off the first major confrontation she had ever had with her father over anything. She had always hated conflict…she could fight for her family…but fighting with them was just beyond her. Usually she just yielded to them, instead of forcing the issue…But this time she just couldn't find it in herself to agree with her father.
Her father told her that she would be allowed to move alone to a big city only if she stayed with the family of an old acquaintance of theirs…Mr. Walia. Bani had faintly heard the name before in stray conversations between her mother and father. She wasn't entirely sure how they had known him…She did however know that Mr. Jai Walia was one of the leading business tycoons of the country. He owned a chain of hotels and restaurants around the country as well as abroad, as well as a whole range of other subsidiary business.
She put her foot down…This was her own fight…her quest for success. She hated the thought of taking anyone's obligation…that too from a person she didn't know. Her father however saw things differently. In fact he had other plans up his sleeve. He wanted her to take up a job in Mr. Walia's office itself.
Bani was irked and exasperated. Not for the first time in her life, she was struck by how differently she and her father thought on some matters. Her mother would have understood…but her father…She tried to explain her point of view…. "Papa, I can get a job anywhere I want. I don't need anyone's push", she had said firmly. "Beta, isme koi harz nahi hai…He will give you a job because you are qualified for it. In any case, you will get a salary because you will be working for them, not for sitting idly." he had answered right back, refusing to see her arguments.
"But why don't you see that there's no need to take his help at all. If we can manage on our own, why are you unnecessarily dragging him into it?...And why do I have to stay with his family….I DON'T even know them…", she reasoned. But her father had just listened to her without reacting and she had known that he wasn't convinced. One day he announced that he had talked to Mr. Walia and it had all been fixed. After many resentful tears shed in private, she had been forced to acquiesce. Bidding her sisters a fond goodbye, she had arrived in Mumbai.
That had been over six months ago…Bani mused moving away from the window of the hotel room and sitting on a nearby couch…So much has changed since then.
She clearly remembered her first day in Mumbai. She had just a little luggage and armed with it, she reported to the corporate office of Walia Hotels as instructed by her father. Standing in front of the tall building, a sense of timidity and shyness had engulfed her. More than anything else, she was afraid of her reception by the unknown Mr. Walia. She did not want to seem to be like the scores of other parasitic loungers which she was sure hung around him all the time. Again and again her self-respect felt strongly the unreasonableness of making any claims on his kindness.
Mustering her courage, she walked into the reception and approached the rather haughty looking woman sitting there with trepidation.
"I..I want to see Mr. Walia…Mr. Jai Walia".
The receptionist gave her an appraising look from top to bottom and then said in a dismissive voice… "I am afraid he doesn't meet anyone without an appointment. And he's a little busy today. May be you could come by later after speaking to his secretary"…
"Er….I think he might be expecting me…If you could tell him that Bani Dixit has come".
The receptionist looked at her disbelievingly, but then decided to make a call in any case. Just Moments later Bani found herself facing a huge mahogany door with the name inscribed next to it in bold letters…Jai Walia, Chairman.
She gave a slight knock at the door and then entered the room…Inside behind a huge table with a glass top sat a man, rather heavy set…with well- chiselled aristocratic features…and just the slightest tinge of silver in his side air…He looked at her questioningly as she entered. Bani met his appraising gaze, and once more felt a wave of awkwardness sweeping over her. Once again she mentally wished her father had not put her in such a difficult position.
"Ji…Vo main…she began…and then stopped hardly knowing what to say…
The man in front of her had an inscrutable expression showing no sign of recognition or acknowledgement…
"I am Bani…Bani Dixit…"…she finally found the courage to say and waited for him to greet her or smile at her. All she met with was however a hard considering look in his eyes…At length however he nodded slightly…
"You arrived this morning?" he asked in a deep voice which almost made Bani jump…
"Yes…the train was a little la…" she was just about to speak when the door opened behind her and a breezy voice floated in…
"Jai darling…", followed almost immediately by its owner, a smart, extremely well-dressed woman entered the room… "Oh…you have someone with you…" she said on seeing Bani and then turned a questioning gaze from her to Jai…
"This is Bani Dixit...daughter of an old …" there was a slight pause which Bani couldn't help noticing before Jai Walia continued in clipped tones…"friend…She'll be working here from now onwards…"….
"Oh really…" the lady cooed and immediately turned to Bani extending her hand smilingly… "Hi…I am Roshni…Roshni Chopra…Jai's…" she turned towards Jai and flashed another smile meeting his eyes and then did not continue… "You don't look as if you are from Mumbai…" was her next sentence… "
"No…I arrived only today morning…from Dehradun…" Bani answered shyly.
She felt strangely over-awed by the woman in front of her…She didn't know what it was about her…Roshni was attractive…not overly beautiful…but definitely good-looking. Hazel eyes, very fair, a glowing unblemished skin, dark brown hair falling over her shoulders in careful disarray. What was however most distinctive about her was her immense confidence and air of complete self-assurance. Her voice had a slightly authoritative tinge. The ease with which she was carrying on the conversation with Bani showed her to be every bit a woman of the world she was…She seemed to fill the room with her vivid presence…her fruity laugh and mellow voice…Her smile flashing regularly was warm and friendly, with just a hint of condescension Bani thought. But she did not mind that …She felt it more welcoming than Mr. Walia who still kept out of the conversation and only continued to scrutinise her silently…I wonder who Roshni is… his girlfriend…or…??
"Oh…so you have done your management?" Roshni was asking her… "And where are you going to put up…Do you have any relatives in this city?"…
Bani glanced at Mr. Walia uncomfortably and then answered rather hesitatingly… "Er…actually…I am…", she started, and then stopped looking at Mr. Walia again….
"She's staying at Walia mansion…", he finally answered…in the same clipped tones… "For now…" he added in slightly lower tones but Bani heard him.
"Oh really??", she heard Roshni answer in a tone of ill-concealed surprise…
Bani felt the colour rising in her cheeks and began to feel hot with embarrassment all over. This is so awful….Why is Papa making me go through this?...But she had no time to pursue her thoughts further as Roshni had turned to her again… The surprise on her face had gone, and once again the mask of geniality was on…
"We shall meet again very soon then Bani….sweet girl na Jai?", she said turning to Mr. Walia and then addressed herself to Bani again… "You can ask me for any help you might need…you know clothes…" Here Bani felt her direct a swift glance down at her kurta…"Shopping or anything at all…Ok darling…bye…", she said…giving Bani an air hug which rather took her by surprise…Roshni then walked upto Jai and gave him a slight peck on the cheek, " Alrite sweetheart… "Don't forget our dinner tonite…" she said softly…He only nodded flashing another smile Roshni sailed out of the room.
Silence descended the room once more after Roshni's departure. Bani wondered uneasily what she ought to do. It was plain Mr. Walia was NOT happy to see her…It was just as she had expected…He didn't want her working with him or in his house…What should she do?...Should she defy her father and tell him that she wanted to strike out independently…But where would she go…she knew nothing about the city at all…
Just as she was reaching a decision to speak, Mr. Walia' voice resonated again… "You have your mother's eyes…", he said abruptly…
Bani stared at him in surprise… "You knew my mother?...I thought it was my father…", she began confusedly…
"I knew them both…." he answered shortly. "Only too well…" adding softly speaking almost to himself…
Bani looked at him curiously for a moment…Had she imagined it or did she see him slightly wince when he said that…She had no time to dwell on it however, because he was speaking again… "You should go home now… I will call my driver…I will see you in the evening….You can join work from tomorrow…", he spoke, words shooting out of his mouth almost jerkily as if he just wanted to get over with the job as soon as possible. Bani nodded and then waited while he asked his driver to come up to the office. He gave him directions to take her to Walia mansion and then with a nod indicated that she followed him. She bid him goodbye and walked out of the room.
Part III
The Mercedes carrying Bani circumvented through the busy streets of Mumbai, finding its way to Walia mansion. Gazing out of the tinted windows of the car, Bani found her disconcerting encounter with Mr. Walia being literally crowded out of her mind by the melee of novel sights which she was treated to. She had not had the chance to travel much and after her closeted existence Dehradun, every scene, every experience seemed fascinating…the dense traffic, the crowds of people all purposefully pushing towards their respective destinations without as much as a sideward glance, glitzy shiny new skyscrapers interspersed with of more sedate colonial-style buildings, the bustling markets, and amidst all this the sudden sweeping sight of the sea when she least expected it held her in a thrall….
The driver who was an elderly, genial looking man had apparently gauged that she was new to the city and obligingly kept pointing out important city marks to her…As he showed her some of the fancy shopping malls they were passing by, her thoughts took a new turn...Pia would love to be here…she mused, turning her head to look back at the complex again and again… May be when I get my first pay check, I could buy something from there…The idea was exciting and she soon fell into a reverie dreaming of the things her job would enable her to do now…the gifts she could purchase, the unmet needs she could fulfil, the dreams she could nurture… for her sisters…
She was jolted out of her day dreams by the sudden swerve of the car and looked up to see that they were entering through the gates into what seemed like an estate surrounded by high walls…At the far end of the large grounds stood a large imposing looking white bungalow towards which they were heading now….have we reached?...she wondered and almost immediately her guess was confirmed by a signboard The Walias…At the far end of the large grounds in front stood a large imposing looking white bungalow…Bani wriggled uneasily in her seat, her hands suddenly feeling cold…After the less than enthusiastic reception which Mr. Walia had given her earlier, she hardly knew what to expect from the rest of the family…
The chauffeur dropped her at the porch, took out her luggage and rang the bell for her. Then taking his leave of her, he proceeded to take the car back to the parking at the back. Bani stood by the front door nervously… God…please help me go through this…she thought shutting her eyes… Just let everything be fine…
"Yes, Ma'am…how can I help you?"…Bani opened her eyes to find herself being addressed by a liveried butler…
"Er…I am Bani Dixit…Mr. Walia might have called about my coming?" she enquired a little hesitantly.
"No Ma'am…I am afraid I have no such information."…was the surprising reply which she got…
"You don't?...Is there anyone else whom he might have told…?… I mean the rest of the family?" she asked again…
"I am sorry Ma'am…Jigyasa Ma'am is not here…She'll be back in a couple of hours… And Jai sir and Aditya sir are in office right now…."
Bani felt her heart sinking inside her…What am I supposed to do now?
"Can I wait for Ms…I mean Mrs. Jigyasa?", she said in a desperate tone trying at the same time to remember the little her father had told about the other family members…Mr. Walia was not married, but he had a sister…Jigyasa must be her…she had no idea what her surname was though…
"Sure Ma'am…Please come this way", the butler bowed and led her inside the house. He escorted her to the hall opulently furnished leaving no one in doubt about the financial status of its owner. Bani stationed herself on the edge of one of the sofas pointed to her, and began her wait her hostess…
Minutes passed by, turning into hours with there being no sign of anyone from the family… The butler came once more to Bani, offering her refreshments, but she declined…He suggested the she speak her Mr. Walia once…and after a little hesitation she acquiesced and dialled his cell number. His phone was switched off.
With every passing moment, she was beginning to feel utter helplessness overtaking her…She felt out of place and isolated. Mr. Walia did not even bother to tell anyone I was coming. What more proof do I want of the fact that I am just not welcome. I don't care to start out my stay here like this. I'll tell him and move out somewhere. I don't care what Papa says or thinks. This is just not right... she found herself thinking and was then surprised at her own first-time rebelliousness. She was beginning to feel totally exhausted as well…the previous night spent in the train had been none too comfortable…Her mental stress coupled with the long drive through the Mumbai traffic took their toll and she slowly found her eyes drooping and warm mists of sleep overtaking her. ..
"Tony…Tony…Yeh bag is carpet par kisne rakha hai? Tum logon ko andaza bhi hai kitna expensive hai yeh? Himmat kaise hui tumhari? "…a shrill voice screeched through the air, waking up Bani with a start. She woke up dazedly to see a tall heavily made up woman pointing towards her bag which she had unwittingly placed on the corner of the carpet. Mrs. Jigyasa…she thought…She got up hurriedly and picked it up… "I am really sorry…I…I didn't realise", she mumbled.
The lady directed an unfriendly glance at her and swept an appraising look at her from top to bottom… "Kisse milna hai tumhe?" she asked her coldly.
"Ji…Ji main Bani hoon…Bani Dixit…I've come from Dehradun…I am Nishikant Dixit's daughter…Mr. Walia's friend. Mr. Walia might have told you about my coming…" Bani answered tremulously…
"Nahi…he hasn't said anything….And agar tumhe Jai bhaiyya se milna hai to office main ja kar milo. Ghar par hamare sirf select guests hi aate hai…har koi nahi", came Jigyasa's rather rough reply...
Bani felt herself going hot all over…This was getting worse and worse… "Ji woh main yahan par rahne…Mr. Walia ne mujhe yahan rahne ke liye…Woh main"…she said finally with great effort almost clenching her fists…
WHAAAT???.... "What nonsense…Are you out of your senses…? Jigyasa almost roared sending a wave of shock over Bani…
"This is a house...not a Girl's PG or a rest house… ki koi bhi yahan aa kar rah sakta hai… Mujhe samajh nahi aata hai ki tum log Mumbai kya isi bharose aate ho ki Jai bhaiyya tumhe support karenge…I can't believe it… kabhi bhi koi bhi unka dost ya door ka rishtedaar ban kar aa jaata hai… As if he's taken the responsibility of feeding the entire clan… Abhi tak to sirf office mein aate the… Ab ghar mein bhi aa kar privacy intrude karenge…" Jigyasa's voice cut through venomously…
Bani stood in silence her mind beginning to feel almost blank with humiliation and shame…She opened her mouth to speak once, but then closed it again… What could she say?… It was her father who had asked her to come here… How could she defend herself without putting him in the wrong? In any case, it wasn't his fault also… He probably did not realise what kind of people he was sending his daughter to…She had had a foreboding…and it had come true even more than she had expected…There was only one thing to do now…she strengthened her grip on her bag, preparing herself to walk out of the house immediately…
"I know exactly what kind of mentality people like you have…Parasites…All bl**** parasites…" Jigyasa's tirade was continuing when a booming voice suddenly interrupted her…. "That's ENOUGH Jigyasa"…
Bani turned around to see Mr. Walia standing near the entrance. He walked towards where they stood with a deliberate stride and directing one glance at Bani addressed Jigyasa in a tone of unmistakeable authority… "Whats the matter?"
"Jai bhaiyya….you don't understand… This girl is saying that you have invited her to stay at our house…" Jigyasa's voice had suddenly lost its hard edge but was nevertheless accusing...
"So?....", was the single loaded word Jai uttered…
"Jai bhaiyya…how can we just let anyone stay here…ghar mein itne mehmaan aate rahte hai… anu or Saahil ke friends… mere friends….Aap kab tak sabko apne aap ko use karne denge…"…Jigyasa carried on looking at Bani with hatred…
Jai put up his hand to interrupt her…"Jigyasa…I make the decisions here… Kaun kise kab invite karna hai, I know that…I forgot to tell you about this…that's all…Now can we please END this discussion here…."…he said in a voice edged with faint impatience…
"Jai bhaiyya…how can you…?" Jigyasa stopped on seeing the expression on Jai's face… "FINE!!! WHATEVER!!!…" she said and walked away huffily after a final malevolent glare at Bani…
Jai gave another glance to Bani who was still standing mutely without any expression on her face…"TONY…TONY….show her to the guest room…"…He shouted out loudly and made as if to go off…
Seeing Tony pick up her luggage, Bani suddenly woke up as if from a daze…She stepped forward and stopped him with a gesture…"Mr. Walia…I don't think I can stay here… I think I shall live elsewhere…"…
Jai stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Bani…There was a flicker of surprise in his face but then the impassivity was back…Bani met his gaze unflinchingly….She couldn't stay here after all this…This was the right step…she knew that… "I'll find a PG for myself…or a hotel… or something…"…
There was a long silence as Jai continued to look at her…"Tumhare Papa ko shayad accha na lage…" he finally spoke disdainfully.
Bani stared at him her rattled at the unstinted animosity with which he said that… Jai met her surprised eyes and with a visible effort resumed his neutral expression "Alrite… You can stay in the outhouse…Fine?" he said dismissively and was about to go again when Bani stopped him impulsively….
"Mr. Walia…What would be the rent if you please?"…
"Whaaat?"….This time the shock was evident in Jai's voice as he spun around to face her…
Bani gathered up courage and went on… "Would…would 5000 rupees per month be fine"…she said faltering a bit…Jai did not answer her…He cast her another long look and then nodding at Tony who was waiting with the luggage walked away from the hall with rapid steps.
******
Part IV
Bani stepped out of the house with mixed feelings…Jigyasa's accusations were still ringing in her ears…yet she was glad that she had managed to salvage at least some self-respect for herself... It such a relief to know that she would not have to spend her days and nights in the constant company of people who did not want her…She had never felt so oppressed in a place than she had in the few hours she had spent inside Walia mansion…She was determined not to stay on in the outhouse for long…I'll find a place for myself once I get to know the city a little more…then I can be truly independent…she told herself as she followed Tony to the outhouse located on the far corner of the grounds…
*******************************
Night had fallen and in the garden, the crickets were chirping in full measure when Bani stepped out in the garden again, a good two hours later…She was feeling exhausted with the effort of getting the outhouse in some sort of liveable shape…The place was furnished minimally but Tony had told her that it had not been in use for quite a while… Bani had had to wage a proverbial war against the dust and cobwebs before creating a reasonably clean corner for herself and her belongings for the night.
She also made a phone call home…her father had thankfully not questioned her much about how she was greeted by the Walias. He had handed the phone to her sisters who had been more curious about her experience in a new city…She gave them a gay account about the city and the things she had seen that day, not bothering to give them any unsavoury details… what they did not come to know could not upset them …she reasoned with herself.
The chat with her family however had brought with it a wave of homesickness…Now that her work was over, there was nothing to distract herself with…Dinner that day would have to be skipped as there were no provisions for cooking in the outhouse…Tony had brought a message for her from Mr. Walia to dine at the mansion, but there was no way she was stepping into that house again today…She began a quiet stroll in the lawns, hoping that the faintly-scented night time air would make her feel a little more refreshed…
A little distance away, lights shone brightly from the Walia house…Cars were snaking across the drive way towards it now and it seemed that there was some get-together in progress…The grounds right in front of the house had been lit with lanterns….However the part of the garden in which she stood was a little removed and had been left in darkness…Bani gazed at the buzz and activity and then turned back forlornly to contrast it with the dark and cheerless outhouse which she would have to presently return…Her mind inadvertently her mind flew back to her home…
It was dinner time now…If she were at home, she would be serving food to everyone…Pia and Rano would be chattering away nineteen to the dozen…squabbling, fighting, laughing…her father would be smiling indulgently at them…a general air of companionship and mutual comfort…At least she would not be so alone…she thought depressedly. Since her mother had died, she had constantly tried to steel her heart against loneliness…to teach herself to live alone without outward sympathy or emotional support…but the enemy refused to be totally vanquished…It kept striking her whenever she believed she had won at last…Today was one of those days…
Bani felt warm tears misting up her eyes turning the lights in front of her fuzzy…This will not do…she told herself and turned her back towards them resolutely…she stepped forward gingerly in the darkness, trying to make her way back to the outhouse…She was only a little distance away from it when a twig cracked behind her, and the very next moment, she almost jumped with terror as a pair of male hands gripped her shoulders….
OUCH!!! WHO'S THIS?…she shrieked shaking herself free and turning around in panic…The person who had held her let go…and seconds later a torch flashed into her face…Bani blinked in the sudden light trying to shade her eyes and to figure out who it was…
"Oh…I am really very sorry…I thought you were Anu…" came a man's voice…a young man's voice by the sound of it…
"Who are you?" Bani spoke trying to regain her calmness…The person switched off the torch and the next moment she found herself being pulled gently in an area where a stray lamp cast a pool of soft light…she stepped into it and looked at her companion…a young man of about her age….thin and slightly built. He was good-looking, but in a schoolboyish way… It was almost as if he had outgrown his actual age…His best feature was his pair of soft brown eyes which Bani instinctively felt glinted with mischief and fun most of the time…At the moment however they were looking down at her with an apologetic expression…
"I am really sorry…." said their owner regretfully… "I didn't mean to frighten you at all"…
"It's alright…" she replied softly and gave him a reassuring smile…
"I thought it was someone else…" the young man said again smiling back in a friendly way… "By the way I haven't seen you before… Were you going to the party?"…he asked…
"No…actually I was just going to the outhouse…" Bani told him.
"To the outhouse?" the man asked looking surprised…
"Yes… I just moved in there…I am living with Mr. Walia for a few days…he's a friend of my father's"…she said a little awkwardly…
"Oh ok…" the man said casually not asking any other questions… "By the way, I am Pushkar…Pushkar Shukla…" he said proferring his hand to her with another smile…
"I am Bani…Bani Dixit"…
"Bani…that's an unusual name…So are you going to join college here Bani?"…Pushkar asked her raising his eyebrows quizzically…
"Oh no… I am going to work in Mr. Walia's office…I completed my MBA a little while back…?...Bani replied…
"Oh…you look so young…I thought you were just out of school…That's why I thought you were Anu…"…Pushkar said in a voice which had a teasing quality to it…
"Hmmm…You don't look pretty old yourself…"…she began a little defensively…and then started smiling noticing the twinkle in Pushkar's eyes…
Pushkar gave a mirthful laugh "I am old enough to be your senior in office…"…Yes…he continued, seeing Bani's surprised expression…. "I work for Jai sir as well…he's my boss too… though actually a lot more than that…Anyway…you tell me…what were you doing wandering in the garden, giving poor innocent souls like me scares like this?" he pulled his face into a droll expression…
Bani smiled warmly… "Just taking a walk….But who is Anu?...she asked remembering what he had called her initially…
"Anu is Jigyasa Aunty's daughter…You have met Jigyasa aunty right?...Bani only nodded her agreement…She had met her alrite…
" I have been looking for her all evening because I wanted to ask her about her cousin Natasha…Natasha was supposed to be here in the party tonight…I don't know where she is…I only came to the party to meet her…Been waiting so long you know…" he said in a confiding whisper…
Bani smiled at him again… "Well all the best… I hope she comes soon to relieve your distress…" she said a little teasingly…
"Ya…I hope so…", Pushkar said making another face and then dimpled again… "Alrite Bani, I have to rush…Ragini will get wild otherwise…"…
Ragini?...Bani asked in surprise…
"Ya…my girlfriend…."…Pushkar said a little sheepishly…
"You already have a girl friend…and Natasha?"…Bani's asked sounding scandalised...
Ya well…just a little experimentation…"…Pushkar said cheekily pushing his hair back and then broke out in an infectious grin again looking more boyish than ever which Bani couldn't help responding to…
"Ok…let me rush…I'll see you in office tomorrow…" Pushkar said, grabbing her hand in goodbye and scampered off…
Bani gazed after him, a soft smile still on her face and shook her head…the depression she had felt earlier had entirely dissipated, and she was feeling enthusiastic and happy again…Had she had just found a friend in an alien place?
Part 5
After that first day, it was as if time had sprung up wings…Days passed by swiftly turning into weeks…and Bani discovered one morning with a faint sense of shock that she had been away from home for nearly two months. After her unpropitious start it was surprising how easily she had slipped into a new life and routine in an unknown city…she mused as she bustled about her morning chores…Of course she still missed her home and family…But gone was the desperate sense of alienness that had engulfed her on the first day…New relationships… new people… new work… new ambitions… new horizons… new experiences… new scenes… new vistas….all crowded out the old ones she had left behind…
She LOVED her work…the fact that it was her first job only made her more eager…in her own way she had always been ambitious…she wanted to excel in whatever she did. Here there was so much to learn…so much novelty in each task…so many fresh challenges, that she found herself looking forward to each day in office…But it wasn't just her work….It were the people she came across who dispelled her feeling of uprootedness…
She met the rest of the Walia family the second morning after her arrival. Tony came once more to the outhouse with Mr. Walia's message asking her to join them for breakfast. She hadn't been happy to receive the invite. After the sample she had already seen of the Walias the previous day in the form of Mr. Jai Walia and Jigyasa, meeting the whole clan together ranked last in her wish-list. She was in half-mind to avoid it but then went anyway…and never regretted the decision.
Mr. Walia's parents, she discovered, had passed away many years back. His nearest relatives now were his sister Jigyasa and a maternal aunt. The aunt resided in Delhi, though love for her favourite nephew drew her to Mumbai often and for long stretches of time. Jigyasa and her family- her husband Aditya, their twins Sahil and Anu, and Aditya's mother were however permanent fixtures in the family home. It were the latter who were a revelation of sorts to Bani. After the stand-offish Mr. Walia and the sharp-tongued Jigyasa, she had hardly known what to expect. But the other members of the family were very different as she soon found.
Aditya Mehta…whom she quick fell into the habit of calling Aditya uncle… was a genial pleasant man who hardly ever lost his warm smile and the twinkle in his eye. Bani often secretly wondered how he had managed to woo and win over Jigyasa in the first place. She had never seen a couple more unlike each other. The lighter side of life never escaped Aditya… it rarely struck Jigyasa. He was a fun-loving, easy-going man… one whose motto in life was to like people and to make friends with them…a habit which never ceased to irk the more judgemental, class-conscious and snooty Jigyasa. Behind their constant banter however she soon sensed a deep affection and a bonding which seemed to overcome all their dissimilarities.
Their attitude towards Bani was just another one of the things in which they differed. Aditya took to Bani from the very first moment. He treated her as his long-lost daughter, and against his warmth, she soon lost her shyness with him. He frequently checked on her in office as well as home, and Bani soon began feel as is she had someone she could rely on in any crisis.
Bani thought it odd initially that Aditya and Jigyasa should stay in the Walia mansion at all. The mystery was however soon clarified. Besides being Jigyasa's husband, Aditya was also Jai Walia's closest friend. Their association as Aditya confided in her one day, went back to their boarding school days…They had been together in college and later became business partners. After they became family it seemed natural that they should all stay together. Aditya's mother also moved in with them.
Seeing Mrs. Mehta, Bani knew exactly where Aditya got his pleasing nature from…She was a lively beady eyed old woman…whose zest for life seemed to be growing in direct proportion to her age. Movies, fashion, outings, parties…nothing was beyond her interest. Bani had never really met any one like her. She had never known her grandparents and felt drawn to her instinctively. Mrs. Mehta on her part was delighted to have another new ally in her… a friend to chatter with gaily and make plans. She insisted that Bani call her Dadi just like the other children and her only complaint was that Bani's staying in the outhouse prevented her from seeing enough of the latter.
The twins Sahil and Anu were 15, just a little younger to Rano, and full of fun, frolic and laughter. After years of being the eldest one, Bani had acquired a way with those who were younger to her…she could play friend, elder sister, adviser and arbiter all at once...it was a matter of days till the pair of them came to adore and look up to her… Thanks to their regular visits to the outhouse and their constant refrains of "Bani didi….this" and "Bani didi…that" she missed her sisters a lot less than she would have otherwise done.
In the Walias then, or rather the Mehtas living in the Walia mansion, she unexpectedly found a warmth and sense of belonging she so wanted…Of course she was not a favourite with everybody…It was no secret that Jigyasa hated her with a fervour which only seemed to have grown each day since her arrival… there was no let-up in her malicious remarks, or malevolent glances… Bani had grown used to her acidic tongue though she couldn't claim that she was immune to it… Her sarcasm often caused her to blink back tears of hurt…
She hardly knew what the cause of her dislike was… except perhaps she had stayed back in the Walia house premises against her express wishes… In the absence of a Mrs. Walia, Jigyasa ruled the Walia mansion with a heavy hand… Though she had forsaken her maiden name for nearly 16 years, she was still acutely aware of being the only daughter of the Walias and a member of one of the wealthiest families in the country… Bani's presence seemed to rankle her in everyway and she rarely lost the chance to register it…Yet Bani instinctively felt that beneath the arrogant, even vicious woman she encountered, there was a woman who was a loving wife, a devoted mother and an affectionate sister… In some strange way, Bani just brought out the worst side of her…she therefore tried to avoid her as much as possible and ignore her verbal sallies…
With Mr. Walia it was different. Bani didn't know if he disliked her in the same way as Jigyasa did… perhaps not. But she was sure that he didn't really like her either. His behaviour towards her was exactly as it was on the first day… aloof and indifferent. He rarely spoke to her… if he did, it was always to-the-point, curt…almost as if he was impatient at the sheer necessity of it. He wasn't like that with everyone… she often saw him relaxed and smiling while at home or with Pushkar… There was however a strange awkwardness whenever she was around… He became strangely constrained and silent.
Bani had almost given up mentally figuring out the relationship between him and her father. He never mentioned her father's name, and strangely enough, her father made no reference to him either in their telephone conversations. She asked Aditya once if he knew her father, but he had replied in the negative. She finally satisfied herself with the explanation that her father had probably done a good turn to the Walias a long time back, and Mr. Walia was repaying them now by giving her a job and a place to stay. It seemed the most plausible explanation…and somehow she respected Mr. Walia for not forgetting an old favour done to him. It was in keeping with his general character though she thought.
He was greatly respected, almost revered by all his subordinates in office. Walia group had the staunchest work ethics…its CEO pushed himself to the edge in hard work, and ruthlessly demanded the same amount of dedication from everyone else. He was impatient and had a volatile temper…but with it possessed an uncanny business mind. These qualities combined with a generosity which made him go out of way to look after his numerous staff gave him something of an iconic status. Bani soon found herself joining his band of admirers despite the lack of personal interaction. His coldness to herself she had stopped minding… she was grateful to him that he had repaid his obligation, and she did not think he owed her anything else. Besides it was more than made up by the kindness of Aditya and the friendliness of Roshni…
Bani had been right in her assessment of Roshni Chopra on the first day…she was indeed Mr. Walia's fiance. Their engagement had not been officially announced…but it was very much on…as Roshni herself told her one day. They had been friends for over two years…and then around a month back Mr. Walia had proposed to her. They were only waiting for his aunt to come down to Mumbai before making their relationship public and plunging into matrimony.
Roshni inexplicably took a sort of a fancy to Bani and decided to take her under her wing… She frequently asked Bani to accompany her to sundry shopping trips, introduced her to various people in social gatherings, and generally tried to guide her through the ways of Mumbai. Bani was touched by her concern and her warmth… she was glad to receive advice from someone who was much older and had seen so much of the world… Besides she couldn't help admiring Roshni for her confidence and her ease of manner… Roshni could be a highly amusing companion and had a great sense of humour… time with her passed by much faster than it did with most other people. She and Mr. Walia were well-suited to each other… Bani often thought… she would make him a perfect wife…taking care of his home and his social engagements with equal ease.
But the person who had most contributed to making her two months away from home was Pushkar. When she thought about it, she always felt how symbolic his entry into her life had been. In the very first meeting, he had drawn her away from the darkness into a pool of light. That was exactly the role he seemed to be playing for her now.
Bani had never had a close guy-friend before. Her shyness and reserve, coupled with her entanglement in numerous responsibilities had always prevented her from getting very intimate with anyone. Even if she had wanted to be friend with anyone, a young man like Pushkar…an incorrigible flirt, a party animal, and a complete extrovert would have probably been the last person she would have chosen. Yet, he turned out to be exactly what she could have ever wanted.
Though high-spirited, he was soft-hearted and caring… like most other people, he also felt protective towards Bani… He bailed her out of troubles even before she knew she had gotten into them. They spent a lot of time together. As luck would have it, he was her immediate senior in office, and much of the work she did passed through him. Even after work-hours, they spent long hours together…talking, laughing, and going on long drives. She soon knew everything about his life…his daily escapades…his constant scrapes. He introduced her to a form of life she had hardly known existed…the pleasures it could hold…the constant joy-ride it could be…
Somehow he brought a colour and brightness into her life… When she was with him, she forgot all her troubles…her duties… her inner ache… her emptiness… it was as if he showed her how much fun life could be… what pleasures it could hold… His cheerfulness chased her blues away…gave her the confidence to live…just as it had done the first day…His warmth made her feel as if she belonged.
He was undoubtedly the best gift Mumbai had given her in those two months…he was the person who made her new life so much more enjoyable… he was the friend she had never possessed…and who was perhaps growing much more than that every day…
**********************
Bani bustled into office, a little past 9.40 a.m., and quickly hurried to her desk. Punctuality in Walia co. was a crucial aspect, and she was already late by 10 whole minutes. She blamed the more than usual morning traffic for her plight, and could only hope that no one would notice it as it was her first misdemeanour. Just as she was beginning to open her computer and get down to work, a head popped up over the partition separating her cubicle from the rest of the office space… It was Pushkar.
"Why are you late… Ms. Dixit?", he demanded emphasising her last name.
"Oh Pushkar…tum….ya…got caught in traffic…hope there's no trouble as yet", Bani asked a little nervously…
"That will be Pushkar sir for you…Ms. Dixit"…Pushkar replied seriously drawing himself up…
"Ya right….Pushkar sir indeed…" Bani laughed and tried to reach out to hit him…but he dodged back…
"Yes…you must call me that… and now that you are late… please go home again…you know company rules…and Jai sir's orders…" Pushkar said gravely, his forehead furrowing a bit.
"But this is just my first time… and its not my fault at all… Why should they cut my leave…" Bani began in a worried tone… and then stopped seeing Pushkar's amused expression… "Pushkar…!!!!...you are seriously too much... LIAR!!!...she said hitting him lightly but smiling at the same time…
Pushkar smiled his mischievous grin… "Not lying at all…You seriously have to go home… to pack…"….He stopped for a little while to enjoy the effect he had created. Rewarded by Bani's expression of utter mystification, he continued… "We are going to Pune… for the project presentation today… You are going to come with me as it will be a good exposure for you…"…
"Seriously…Wow….!!!"…Bani said happily… "But how come… I thought you all were going tomorrow morning…The presentation is tomorrow na?"…
"Ya…but there is to be an informal meeting today evening…Jai sir will attend it himself…so the team's leaving earlier…Ok…now hurry… Come I'll drop you home and then go pick up my staff...kitna baat karti ho tum… " he teased…
Bani made a face at him and then picked up her bag…This was going to be fun…her very first official trip…to Pune.
***********************
PART 6 on pg 9
Part 7, pg 12
Part 8-A, pg 16
Part 8-B, pg 18
Part 8-C, pg 21
Part 8-D, pg 22
Part 9-A, pg 27
Part 9-B, pg 30
Part 10-A, pg 35
Part 10-B, pg 39
Part 11-A, pg 43
Anupamaa
