SwaSan OS: SONG

Situation: This happens after Swara has decided to give Lakshya a chance(not really as we know as per the spoilers😊), but she has gone back to the baadi for a day or two and rejoined college.And she knows she loves Sanskaar.😃

This is the first musical OS I have ever written..and the song is a Tagore song. Its Bengali as i am one😊. You may put it on if you want to...even if you do not understand it...Swara translates at the tail end of the OS.😊

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iuZrJumCLo[/YOUTUBE]

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There was a Bangla Music Contest to be held, today at the Rabindra Bharati University Auditorium. The banners were up, making the entire campus glance impatiently at their watches and phones. It was supposed to begin at 6 PM. The classes got over at 5.

Swara had been lounging near the cafeteria, sitting on some roots of a huge Gulmohar tree, fiery with crimson blossoms, rehearsing for her act. Spring was in the air. The red petals had covered the ground below...making a carpet of the finest fabric.

The group she played with were supposed to do an assortment of some popular Tagore songs remixed versions... they spiced it up by jamming with guitars and keyboards.

Swara hated it. In her opinion every music needs its own accompaniments. Fusing one with the other creates an exciting hotchpotch and totally loses the depth. Like a branch will wither if parted from its tree.

Somehow, Swara was unhappy with the song she had chosen. It was a fantastic song, a crowd-puller..but she could not put a finger on it. Her group assured her that her voice suited this song perfectly. Yet her heart and gut did not. It was just a song.

It was not her song.

Swara fidgeted with her guitar. She jiggled her legs. She fiddled with her jumper zip. She drank water. She hummed and hummed, trying to lose herself in the tune and find it in her heart.

Suddenly she saw him.

Sanskaar was sitting on the bench outside the cafeteria...munching on a bag of chips. He had apparently not noticed her.

Swara peered closely, narrowing her eyes against the glare of the red sunset which had already made the campus alternate between light and shadows. It made the Gulmohar blossoms blush an even passionate scarlet.

Springing up delightedly, Swara ran to him.

"Sanskaar?"

"Swara? Tum..." Sanskaar momentarily doubted whether this was a phantom figment of his imagination which hallucinated him often these days, whenever he missed her. Swara stood there, inches from him, a pleased smile on her face, eyes sparkling...and the last rays of the sun lighting up half of her face in a blaze of glory.

"Tum yahan, competition dekhne aaye ho?" Swara's Mom had invited the entire Maheshwari family to enjoy the competition with them. Lakshya had invited himself. Sanskaar however, had been in London for the past month, for work. He used some other number while abroad...and they had not talked for weeks.

"What competition?" Sanskaar concluded that Swara looked very much real...and he was at seaabout any competitions she might be blabbering about.

Swara pointed at the banner hanging directly overhead. Sanskaar read it...and seeing the guitar in her hand, put two and two together.

"Tum participate kar rahi ho kya?"

"Hmm. This is my College, never told you did I? But tum kyu aaye the?"

"Well, I sponsor a scholarship here. Its part of my CSR. After the meeting I got hungry" Sanskaar smiled.

"CSR?" Swara hunkered down beside him, stretching out a hand, fishing for some chips.

"Corporate Social Responsibility, Swara. Its something companies do, as a welfare scheme." Sanskaar explained, handing the packet to her.

"Oh. For what?" Swara happily started crunching, her words growing incoherent as chips came between them.

"B.A.Honours in Dance. Thats why I came to talk to the in-charge. They wanted me to be present for the Convocation."

Sanskaar suddenly realised, that Swara had almost halved the entire packet in about 30 seconds..and rapidly snatched it back. He was still ravenous.

"Is it The KM scholarship?" Swara was licking her fingers for the residual chatpata masala.

"Yeah. How'd you hear of it? You must be in Vocal and Instrumental Music stream."

"Yes, but I got friends in Dance. And KM are I guess, Kavita's initials? They have her picture in their alumni gallery . I've seen it and my friends told me she had a scholarship in her name. Only, I did not realise until now, she was your Kavita" Swara explained.

"Yes. That's her." melancholy weighed in Sanskaar's voice and in the droop of his head. Wounds heal..but they twinge.

"Remembering her hurts you..it's not just CSR obviously" Swara knew. She had seen it in full force in the early days of knowing him.

"Well yes. I loved her a lot. So did she. She is certainly part of me."

Swara gazed into his downcast eyes...trying to fathom whether she had any place in them. She would have liked to hear that she was a part of him too.

Sanskaar got up. Brushing his jeans, he held out his hand.

"Best of Luck Swara."

"You won't be staying back to watch me?" Swara's drive seemed to have whooshed out.

"No. You decided to give Lucky a chance. I do not want to interfere. He must be coming huh?" Sanskaar guessed with a slight twisted smile. He gave the last chip to her.

"hmm." Swara agreed unenthusiastically...getting up to bid him goodbye.

"Bye." Sanskaar walked away from her. Taking her heart with him. He seemed unaware of someone's rapidly watering glance imprinting on his retreating back. Missing him even before he had left.

Swara slowly sank back down. It ached her, being away from him, when she now knew, that she was in love with him. The Gulmohar paled as its flaming flowers were doused by the rapidly approaching dusk.

She now knew which song she should sing. She went to get it approved from her group head.

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Swara's group won the competition. Her family, own and extended, cheered out there. But Swara's eyes did not find the one she wished present. Swara evaded Lakshya later, when he came to congratulate her heartily...and feigning tiredness, biked home, to bed.

Sanskaar received a video from Swara. It was her performance, recorded by her Mom.

Sanskaar listened to the song. The melody stirred his soul..although the words were unfamiliar.

He called her.

"Got your video Swara. You were brilliant. Did your group win?"

"Yes, we did. Did you like the song?" Swara had been dying to share her win with him. She rolled over in her bed..clutching his voice closer to her ears.

"Well, I do understand a bit of Bengali, but hardly so well as to decipher Tagore. I loved the melody. Translate the lyrics for me."

"My eyes could not seek you, as you hid deep within my heart. I braved the sights outside, mingling with other souls...ignoring you, who had your home in my heart. In whatever I do, you are omnipresent. You gave me your shoulder in all my grief and shared all my joys. Listened to all my woes and rejoiced in my happiness. Yet, I did not go to you, my love. I took you for granted. I never acknowledged you

I knew you would catch me if I fell, so, I played with abandon as a child, merrily all day, flouting other tunes, knowing not, that you had composed me with your breath.

Yet, seated in my soul, you continued to better my life with your harmony. You put the tunes to my lyrics...not expecting me to sing your song in return." Swara's voice started sounding choked.

"Swara..." Sanskaar said hesitantly. He did not want to read too much into whatever this was.

"Its my favourite song Sanskaar. Yet I did not understand it at all before you entered and are now trying to exit my life. I miss you" Swara whispered, voice drenched in tears.

"I am not trying to exit your life. I am around Swara. I miss you too."

"Can we please meet tomorrow?" Swara sniffed.

"Well sure, but why?"

"Just like that. Bahut kuch hain jo tumhe bina bataye mera tummy phool raha hai.." Swara pouted.

"Oh no..tumhara tummy isi liye phool raha hai..coz u eat too many chips." Sanskaar teased her gently, trying to lift her spirits.

"Huh. Why? You mean I am a golu? I am not." Swara hmmph-ed.

"Ok you're not." Sanskaar chuckled. This always got a rise out of her.

They kept talking until the sun rose, banishing all doubts of the night. And talked some more. They have their entire lives to find out what they mean to each other.