Hameshaa -Thread Three- [NTL PG144]

~ Hameshaa ~

_Prologue_

PART 1

I had never seen my parents; I found out that I was an orphan when Mother Superior Ms. Gabriela Schneider told me so.

Life was perfect in an orphanage like "Holy Angels" Mount Abu.

When I asked who named me, as Arnav? She said that it was written on the towel I was wrapped in that day.

They had found me at the doorsteps of the orphanage on a rainy day. My mother had abandoned me. I never missed her, or should I say that I pretended that I didn't care?

I studied hard to make a place for myself in the society who pitied me because I was an Orphan!

I loved travelling, so I took it as a profession and completed my PG in Tourism. I had travelled all over India and its rich heritage always intrigued me.

I got my first promotion after I joined Rajashtan Tourism Department as Deputy Promotion Officer.

I got my posting at Kodaikanal, the beautiful city surrounded by narrow hills and mountains.

The place seemed like a Paradise on earth as I travelled through the Ghats. I can sense a pinch of nostalgia, as my hometown too was a hill station. All long pine trees in the side of the road and different types of wild flowers bloomed.

Passing almost 14 and more hairpin bends and small villages with 4 or 5 houses approximately I reached Kodaikanal town.

It was a pleasant morning, little misty but sun rays was peeping through the clouds as I yawned.

My driver Muni Sami ran to the back seat and asked me if I want coffee or tea.

He was a man in his 40's. all toned and build up like a Punjabi pehalwan. No knowledge of any other language other than his mother tongue, Tamil. But he understood English very well, as it was his daily routine to accompany the guests to the resorts.

"Coffee or Tea sir?"

I smiled and ordered a coffee, and sat on the nearby bench watching the deep valley with tired eyes.

As I couldn't sleep a bit watching the scenarios on the way.

I sipped the coffee Muni Samy bought for me, it tasted pretty good. And the atmosphere was just too fantastic to have a cup of coffee in the misty mountains of Kodai.

"Muni Samy, are we there yet?"

He nodded his head and gestured to the next mountain on the right and a red roofed building on the same.

"That is our resort?"

I asked amused.

"Aama Sir" [Yes Sir]

"Lets go then"

I shouted enthusiastically jumping up from the bench.

I sat on the front seat this time, as Muni Samy played some Tamil Song on his stereo.

I smiled at him as he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, according to the rhythm of the music.

"This is good, however I don't understand anything they are singing.."

I said smiling at him.

"You love music, Sir?"

"Ofcourse I do"

I said enjoying the pace of the song. It was very fast with all sorts of dhols and drums in the background.

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Muni Samy stomped on the breaks as the front tyre of the car got punctured. I too got off from the front seat accompanying him.

I sat on a tree trunk waiting for him to finish his job. I watched around , there were few small houses in the other side of the road. It seemed like a small village.

"Sir, our resort is near, only less than 1 km left"

"What is this Village called?"

"Devi Puram Sir, there's only 5 houses in this village, all are workers of our plantation fields"

Arnav nodded his head and removed his muffler from his bag as it was too cold in there.

He wrapped the same around his neck and walked ahead watching the serene beauty of the place. Inhaling the freshness of the air, without any kind of pollution.

He stopped on his tracks as a woman's loud yell pierced his eardrums.

He looked up at the place where the sound came from and found a man beating a small girl, and the way he was glaring and spitting fire, Arnav concluded that he was cursing or bad mouthing her.

But Arnav was too surprised as he watched the girl taking his every punch and kick without protesting.

His blood boiled at the vision and he climbed the rocky surface, running.

"Sir"

Muni Samy yelled at him as he saw Arnav grabbing the hand of that man, before he could beat that girl one more time.

The huge man glared at him and shrugged his hands away from his wrists.

Muni Samy came running to him; he caught his breath as he heaved badly, hands on his hips.

"This is our New Director In Chief!

He said gesturing at Arnav as the two men glared at each other.

Arnav saw the man's eyes down casting as Muni Samy mentioned him being the DIC of "Red Cedar Eco Resorts"

"Mannichidunga Sir"

The man said holding his hands together.

"Sir, he asking to forgive him," Muni Samy added looking at him.

The girl wiped her teary face and looked up at him. she had this huge brown eyes and long hair, made in pleats. She wore a shaggy skirt and shirt, which was over sized and dirty.

"Who's this girl?"

I asked eyeing at the small girl, who was looking at me with wide eyes.

"She's Khushi, Palani Samy's maid and a part time worker at our Coffee Plantation"

"And she speaks your language"

Muni Samy added smiling at Khushi.

Khushi's eyes widened as she met his gaze and found him smiling at her.

"Tum yahan kaise pahunchi?" [How did you get here?]

He asked looking at her face losing color.

Before he could repeat his question she ran away from there, and Arnav looked at her retreating back.

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_Prologue_

PART 2

My happy days at Lucknow ended when my father, whom I called Pappa died. He used to say that I was the reason behind his happiness, that's why he named me as "KHUSHI"

It was an accident, he had fallen from a huge building; he used to work in a construction site.

However Nandini maasi who used to live in our neighborhood, told me that he was not my own dad, he found me at a Railway station abandoned when I was only months old.

There was no one for me.

Before I could realize anything I was in a group of children who used to beg for their living, in return of food.

The man with yellow teeth and bad breath came to me and handed me a small kid. I carried him he was too cute, but very heavy. However I managed to steady my balance as I stumbled on my long skirt while climbing the bus.

No one gave a rupee or two, I asked them with pleading eyes and they ignored me. They asked me to go n work hard, other than begging in the streets. They were right at their place but I had to earn 100 rupees before evening. And nothing was coming in my way.

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I didn't made him any profit in his business so he sold me to a family at Mumbai. They wanted a house cleaner. I had turned 14 then and the difficulties of womanhood had started like my body started weird things to do. I grew so fast and I felt the changes in my body.

The family was so caring, they never treated me like a maid. I was happy with them. Got good food and clean dresses to wear, what else I wanted.

They had a daughter of my age and she helped me learn to read and write. I'll be always thankful to her.

But fate had something else for me in stores. It was the time of Mumbai Terrorist Attacks at CST and the family I used to depend on died in the shootout. I was homeless and helpless again.

Their relatives came and sold the house and I left from there. I went straight to Sugandha, who used to work at the restaurant nearby.

Then it all started and I ended up reaching the place called "Kamathipuram" [Similar to Mumbai Red Streets]

I escaped from there before it was too late and reached Kodaikanal.

I found out life is never easy.

And there is no GOD!!!

And no one is SAFE here.

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