"Mujhe badi fikar ho raho hai, beta, yeh sab kaise hoga? Ek to itna lamba safar, aur upar se Punjabi shaadi! Hamain unki reeton ke bare main khuch bhi pata nahin….kuch bhool ho gai to?", a women was telling his son. Worry was evident from her words as well from the wrinkles of her face.
"Aap bevajah fiker kar rahin hain Ammi, Kapoortala se unke koi parivaar se koi yahaan aane vale hain, hamein sab kuch samjha denge, aur saari taiyarion main madad bhi karenge….", a tall boy sat by the lady's knees, eyeing a jhoomka in the great spread of jewellery and garments around him.
"…vaise bhi aapne to is hi ghar mein chaar-chaar shaadiyan karvayi hai. Is baar to sirf barat le ke jaana hai!", said the boy reaching out to the jhoomka.
"Arre, dekho bhaijaan, aap hum auraton ki kaam main dakhal na do! Vaise bhi, hamari bhabhi ko chod ke aapki choice badi kharab hai….." one of the seven girls said…making all of them giggle.
"Yaad hai Ammi, aapa ki shaadi main bhaiyaa ne mujhe hare ghagre ke saath kala dupatta pasand karvaya tha….", said the youngest looking one, smiling.
"Bhaijaan, aur unke raang…..hara ya kala ya fir bhoora…..sara samay apni fauj ki baatein…..aur kuch aata bhi hai kya unko??", said another, still giggling!
The boy oblivious to all this mazak masti, was staring at the golden jhoomka, with red beeds…….thinking of his beloved, his love……his would-be-wife…..
"Maine agar tere saath freashers ball main aane se inkaar kar diya, to tu mujhe mana nahin sakta tha??"
"Hum bhi kamre main yahi soch rahe the…."
"Par tune aaj miss bahut kuch kiya, sabne itna maza kaiya, itna naache…."
"Aap kise bevkoof bana rahin hain? Yeh hum bhi jante hain aur aap bhi, ke aape to ball main kiya w o h dance nahin tha!"
"To kya tu sikhayega mujhe dance karana……?"
The look in his eyes said it all. He, who had never danced, never beheld a girl other than his sisters, never gone so close to anyone, never felt love……took her hand and lead her to the deserted dancefloor!! And they dance, for what seemed like hours…..without any music with perfect harmony!
"Captain Ali Begh!!", called a voice from the courtyard!
Ali shot up and rushed to the door….the voice sounded weirdly familier, but Ali couldn't recongnise it…..
"SURIJI…..aap!!', yelled Ali
"Badi changi gal hai puttar, tu evahi Pooja se biyah kar lega aur hamein batayega bhi nahin?? Par meri beti apne Suriji ko nahin bhooli, to maine usse kaha….ke pahele us gadhe ki khabar leta hoon, fir teri baraat main naachta aaunga!", smiled Suriji. "Waie puutarji, sachhi gal e hai, ki main ithhe Kanpur vich apne bhanje de ghar aaya si, aur vahan yeh tere vaalidsaab mil gaye."
"Hamein to vishvaas hi nahin ho raha hai…..Ammi, apa….ye dekhiye Suriji, aaye hain, Academy se! Main inke bare main aapko apni chitthion main likhta tha na?",Ali explained!
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😊
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