Jee Le Yeh Pal
Kolkata, 10th November, 2015. 3:40 pm.
A medium sized room full of paintings. Some craft works on the showcase. Some undone sculptures and some uncompleted painting on bed, some books lying here and there were making sure the owner of the room must be a moody creative. There between the books, art papers and 2B pencils, there lying a not SO petite figure of a 22 year old maiden. The sound of bell disturbed a young lady from her beauty-siesta. She wake up hurriedly from dream and tried to absorb the reality.
"Shona, come downstairs. You have a registered letter" a man in his fifties called out loud from the entrance of a four-storied building.
"Letter, for me? That too registered?" with a puzzled face Shona came down and took the letter from the peon.
***
London, 11th November, 2015. 4:40 pm.
A room quite neatly arranged with two single beds, cupboard and study tables. One girl in her late teenage was engrossed in her laptop. Some other girl of same age group came with an artificial feather and inserted in her air.
"PUMPUUU..." the first girl diverted her attention from laptop and blinked her beautiful large eyelashes. "I will not leave you" she stood up laughing. Pumpu ran from her and she chased her beaming. They hugged, they chased each other, they made fun of each other, they slapped each other and they lived their life together.
5:50 pm. The same hostel room.
Tring tring... "Hello... aunty... :D"
"hello mishu beta, hows your day?"
"Day was awesome aunty and yours?"
"Good. Beta, here a letter came for you. Your friend Aarti sent it. I am coming to give you the letter. Okay?"
"Okies".. she disconnected the call. Mango sent letter? Whay happened? She thought.
***
Rewari, 15th November,2015. 7:05 am.
"Mumma, give the broom to me" A petite girl in her early twenties came down from stairs when she saw her mother sweeping the floor. "Where is Meethi Mausi? She didn't come again?" she said while taking the broom from her mother's hand. "No, beta, I am tired of her tantrums. I wonder what I will do without you?" mother's eyes welled up. She cupped her daughter's face and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Mumma, I will come every day to help you. It's just forty minutes distance to our house from my in-laws. She hugged her mother. And still one year I am here in this house mumma." "Just one year...aur beta, whenever you wish, do come. We will feel lonely without you." Mother said tightening the hug.
Mother went to do other works. She kept seeing the direction, where her mother went. Warm waters started filling her eyes. An unknown fear engrossed her. She went to the sink to wash out her terrors by splitting water on her face. Her bun got loosened; she made her bun again and took the broom.
***
Leaving all works, study and all just to come Rewari for one week was not easy for both of them. Parents were a big obstacle. But they smiled, requested, tried, cried, fought, convinced and at last they made it.
Rewari rail station, the same day. 9:30 am.
"Wow our Mango is getting engaged. OUuu Preeto, I am sooo excited. I will dance a lot in her marriage." Mishi said Preeto aka Shona who was sitting beside her in a taxi.
"yep, mist. I am too happy. But arranged marriage! How will she feeling God knows, though she always wanted to do arrange marriage. But . . ." Preeto said.
"Preeto you always fears. She must be very happy. Oye you came by train and me by plane but we got landed near about in the same time, good fortune. What say?" Mishi chirped.
"Indeed good fortune. I was little nervous as I am for the first time visiting a new city, that too without my family. But thank God you came in the mean time" Preeto smiled widely.
"Kaha jana hain Madam ji?" (Where to go?) asked the taxi driver.
***
"Aarti.. wo aa gayeee" a cousin of mine told me. Just 5 minutes ago Preeto called. How much I am happy that Preeto and Barfi my taktak both are coming, no no they arrived from far away just for me. I will give then lots of lots of kisses, no I don't care about their Terrence taunts. He He. Aarti ran to open the doors. She wore a beautiful Sea green Sharara, her long hairs were flowing in air. The bindi on her forehead was shining like a star. She opened the door. "Paglonnn" she called and looked up... "Karan ji, aap?" she turned back. "Jee haan mere bhai, kyun aapko accha nai laga hummara aana? To bhai chala jaayein?" karan's brother said slyly. "NAI" she almost shouted. "Aaiye na?" she showed them path of the hall. "Kahiye? Kuch kaam tha?" she asked. "Nai, haan, wo ..." Karan fumbled. "Actually hum ring khareedne jaa rahe the toh mom dad ne aapnki ring ki map lene ke liye bheja." "Oh, yeh ring leja sakte hain" Aarti took of a ring from her ring finger and handled it to Karan. Karan smiled. "Mango meri taktak aja aja aja, taktakate hue aaja"... "Meri barrot KC kaha hain? Laxy abhi bhi so rahi hain kya??????" two different voices came and danced in the house. My Preeto, Barfi... "Yayyy" Aarti came out from the hall running and opened the door... These three met for the first time, they hopped, they jumped, they danced, and they twirled, the laughed... They cried... They hugged, they smiled. The boy's duo felt isolated, These three were so happy and engrossed with each other that they forgot other two boys were there. "I never seen her so much happy" Karan beamed saying each words. "Kitne cute hain wo friend!" ... his brother said. "Kya?" Karan asked. "Bhabi is looking so cute with her friends." He explained. "Yea" he coyly agreed.
The very same day evening.
"Pata nai yeh love hain ya kuch aur, but accha lagta hain unke saath time spend karna. Thode reserved hain. Baatein nai karte zyada. Unki emotions ko bhi acche se express nai karte, samajh nai paati hoon wok khush hain ya ..." Aarti said.
"Khush hain, bahut khush hain jeeju, dekha nai hum teeno jab hans rahe the inno ki tarah, wo kaise teko dekh rahe the, with so much love..." said Mishi.
"Yep, when our inno gyan babaji saying then it must be correcto..." Said Preity gimmicking Mishi. "Preetooo... Ruk jaaa" Mishi laughed and started chasing Preity. Aarti too joined.
Later in night
"Wo kisse baat karing itta Mist?" Preity asked.
"She is a new friend, from my neighbourhood." Aarti said, "But she is not sooo good"
"Yep, I can get a negative vibe from her." Said Preity.
Next Morning...
Guys Kaira and me decided a picnic... Yay..."Mango Preeto hum challenge okk??? Mangi mere hine wale jeeja ji ko bhi bula lio" ... "Picnic kaira ke saath... nai wo badi selfish." Said Aarti.
"Kaha Mango, itni pyaari si toh hain." Said a determined Mishi.
Preity gestured Aarti to stop. "Ofcourse she is good but itti jaldi kisipe trust karna is not okay na Mist?"
"Haan, wo to hain... but picnic pe sab saath jayenge, koi problem nai hoga." She said with a puppy face.
"Okay..." agreed others.
Day after Tomorrow
The three besties organized a picnic on a dead old river. Kaira, Karan and Karan's younger brother Arjun also joined. They talked, hopped drenched in sudden rain and ultimately enjoyed a lot. Gradually it started getting dark. The thunders stormed in the sky. The boys also panicked. "Let's go home fast" Karan said. But where are Preity and Kaira? Both are missing. "Preeto said she found a beautiful tree with red flowers... so she went to take some photographs, Kaira also went. We were then playing badminton" said Mishi tensed. "Omh, that selfish witch is with Fruity?" Aarti exclaimed. Arjun ran towards the direction where Mishi directed previously. Others followed too.
Rain started pouring heavily and the dead river started gaining life, again. They all were running on the chest of the river. Nobody was there in that isolated place.
Morning after the disaster...
Karan woke up at night in the local hospital, They were saved by some local people. He looked for Aarti at first. Couldn't getting a glimpse of her, he went outside. His left leg was terribly hurting, there's a deep cut. He ignored, to search Aarti was much more important for him. "Aarti... Aarti..." he cried standing on the lawn of hospital. There he saw her. With mishi, parying. Both girls were praying for their Dearest friend Preity. That was a delightful soothing watch. One was praying to Allah and other to Bhagwan. No, caste doesn't matters in front of emotions.
The morning sun couldn't able to wake Preeto up from her slumber. Kaira woke up few minutes ago, all wounded, feeble. She looked around, place looked strange to her. She stood up after some times gaining conscious. She walked up to the nearby lane, a truck came after some time, she asked for lift and without even thinking once for Preity left.
"Everything is my fault. If I was there with her that time. She would be here" said Mishi crying. "Kuch kha le Barfi... Aa jayegi fruity, kuch nai hua use..." Said Aarti sobbing. "Nai jab tak wo nai aayegi maine nai khayungi kuch bhi" she bursts out again. Aarti tried to hold herself but couldn't.
The news of Kaira returning home safe and sound gave them a shock. They went to her hurriedly. They questioned and cross questioned her. They forced her that much that she had to tell the truth. Aarti and Mist immediately broke up with her and left.
" I trusted her, mango" said a broken Mishi.
"Koi nai Barfi, hota hain, but abse trust soch samajh ke okay?" Aarti consoled.
"Hmm" she nodded.
Preity woke up two hours after Kaira's departure. She found herself on the bank of the dead river, near a jungle. She stood up with great difficulty and tried to locate the place, but couldn't. She started walking towards the locality. It's getting dark. She had fears of Ghosts. She started murmuring ram-ram0ram-ram while walking through the isolated path. Her eyes were getting shut due to weakness. She felt a tap on her shoulder suddenly. Taking her heart in her fist she looked up. "Arjun...???" She relaxed.
"She came to attend my engagement and here ... Fruity I love you so much, can't live without you. Come back" said Aarti... Mishi was ill; she didn't took a little bite of food in her mouth. The door clung open surprising them all. "Preetooo... fruityyy..." they all came and hugged Preity. The next day was Aarti's birthday and engagement day. They enjoyed a lot. Aarti got engaged. But still she had a thing in her mind; her fianc was not that expressive. Now it was the day for them to leave from there. Mishi went to Kaira'a house to meet her for the last time.
"Mishi? You?" kaira asked shocked.
"Yep, kaira, you know friendship is very important, it gives us strength when we go weak, it is our consolation, our power, our joy, our sorrow... Don't be sooo selfish that one day you have to be alone in this world. Trust me that will be your biggest punishment. Bas yahi kehna tha."
They all went to the air port to see off Mishi. Now it's Preity's turn to leave. Karan, Arjun, Aarti were in the railway station with Preity. The train came whisling. They stepped into the train, to keep the luggage. Arjun gave preity a bouquet of Red roses, she accepted smilingly. Then they left to give some alone time to the two best friends. Arjun left, he seemed upset. Karan came to buy a magazine. The train started. Aarti and her Fruuty were so engrossed in talks that they didn't understood that the train started. The train had taken a moderate pace. Aarti understood. She got up. She went to the doors, there Karan was running to caught her. She tried to jump down from the train, Karan said, "NOOO..." He increased his pace and went on the train, "Kuch ho jata tumhe toh?" he asked. There so much concern, love, care was in his eyes. Who cares if he is not that much expressive, his eyes expressed a lot. Aarti thought. There's something new she was feeling, may be that is love.
They went off in the next station. Preity looked at the note of the bouquet which Arjun gave. She opened it. "I am coming to Kolkata soon :)... Arjun". She beamed with smile.
"Guys Hum phirse milenge ... Kuch plan banao..." mishi typed.
"yep inno zarror...muahhh " Aarti said.
"Chup kar taktak, plan bata..." Mishi said again.
"Kolkata?" Preity
"Yep, kya khilayegi?" mishi
"Biriyani" peity
"Chicken?" Mishi
"Me nonveg nai khatiii" Aarti...
And life goes on and on and on like this...
🤣
n hum worried ho jate hein kaha gai ye kaha gai🤣
(apple juice hain. pi lio 😉)
