~ SwaSan Story ~ Tears of Pearl ~ On Hold - Pg11 - 07/08 ~ - Page 3

Chapter 2:

No matter how far
The eyes can see
There's still the limit
Of the azure skies.
Were I to build a house
I would build a house
From where I could see
Beyond the stars
Beyond the skies.

(Manzar ik bulandi par aur hum bana sakte
arsh se udhar hota kash ki makan apna
- Mirza Ghalib)

Next Morning

Swara woke up pretty early next morning. She glanced at her wrist watch and saw that it was only 4.30 a.m. After freshening up, she went and stood in front of the window and looked down to see a garden, situated along the eastern side of the walled plot. She slipped down through the staircase, noticing that the inmates of the house were all in deep slumber and made her way out, through the back door in the kitchen. It wasn't a plot though, Swara mused as she made her way towards the rose bushes, a great many plot could easily fit within this single plot. The early rays of the sun were yet to filter in through the early morning sky and a slight mist hung around the garden, lending it an aura of peace, tranquility and mystery all rolled into one.

As she slowly caressed the dewdrop-laden rose petals, Swara thought that she would have to wait for some time more before she could go inside and meet her Uncle and Aunt, who she was completely sure were still sleeping inside peacefully. Swara walked over to the back of the garden and held her breathe when she saw the sea in the distance, beckoning her with every roll of its waves. She sat down gingerly on an ornate iron bench, after wiping the dewdrops off with her dupatta and stared at the heavenly sight in front of her. The smell of the wet earth enlivened her senses and the desperateness of last night gave way to a resolute stand to be her own self and find all the happiness that she rightfully deserved. She realized that for this, she had to start by moving away from MM and not feeling left out of her own life itself.

After half hour or so, she scampered up the staircase towards her attic room, unwilling to meet any guest and answering their questions about herself and her whereabouts. As she tiptoed towards the final flight of stairs towards the end of the long corridor, she heard muffled voices coming from a room, the door being slightly ajar, and also what seemed like a woman crying. She increased her pace and entered the attic and closed the door behind her. At that moment, her eyes fell on the food-laden dish on the table and she was filled with gratitude for Payal. Swara was hundred per cent sure that it was Payal who had left the food behind for her, no one else seemed to know about her existence in the house except for Sujatha Aunty and Urvashi Masi - Sujatha Aunty was busy with the impending engagement and stuff while Urvashi Masi would never do that. She went and sat down on the bed once again and picked up the book again, she had heard that it was a great book and was determined to finish reading it during her stay here. But she dozed off after a while, and it was only when Payal woke her up several hours later, that Swara surfaced back to the mortal world.

As she opened her eyes, Swara noticed Payal keeping a cup of tea on the table. She then turned back towards Swara and came and crouched down beside her 'Didi, something very bad has happened and I forgot to call you earlier. It's already 11.00 a.m. and many of the guests have started leaving.'


Swara pushed herself up on her elbows and blinked at Payal 'Bad? What has happened?' She did not tell Payal that she had been awake very early in the morning and had gone to the garden, and that while coming back, she had heard somebody crying in a room.

Payal shook her head sadly and said 'Seems like Bade Papa and Badi Maa received news from abroad stating that their son is now admitted in a hospital and he has to undergo some sort of surgery. Kavitha Didi was also with him but they have no other information. It was she who informed the Maheshwaris. Bade Papa and Badi Maa are both going there tomorrow it seems and the engagement is naturally off.' Saying this, Payal left Swara all alone and dazed. Swara sat like a zombie on her makeshift bed and decided that it was time for her to make herself invisible from the house when the door to the room flung open and a distraught Urvashi walked in, followed by Vrij.

On spying Swara sitting on the bed, Urvashi started screaming, tears flowing from her eyes, as a flustered Vrij tried to rein in his wife.

'Didn't I tell you Swara to go away from this house? See what bad luck you have brought to this house as soon as you stepped in. I love my nephew so much and I was so happy for him, finally getting married to the girl he always liked. And here your black presence has destroyed everything, do you realize it? Do you know that his legs may never be useful again? That Kavitha's family has called off the engagement as they don't want him as a son-in-law? And I don't blame them either, who would want their daughter to get married to a handicapped and spend all her life like this? But I blame you, I hinted so many times to you to leave but you stayed behind. For what...?'

Swara stood up and stared down at the hard, cold stone floor as the pattern blurred due to tears falling uncontrollably from her eyes. The entire world seemed to swim around her and she backed off towards the table, cramming her stuff inside her open bag. She hardly noticed Sujatha Aunty coming in the room and pulling Urvashi away with her, with Vrij following them downstairs. All she knew was she had to get out from the house. Swara stumbled towards the washroom and changed hurriedly. Clutching her bags, she stepped out of the room and climbed down the staircase. She could hear excited voices from the hall and she took a detour through the kitchen. Payal was there and cast an apologetic smile to her. Swara smiled half-heartedly at her and stepped out of the house. Praying feverishly that no one would spot her leave, Swara nearly rushed towards the gate, dragging her bags behind. Once outside, she slowed down her pace a little and walking blindly for a while, she signaled an auto and started towards the hostel. The plate of food still lay untouched in the attic.

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Evening that day

Swara was arranging her clothes in the small cupboard in her hostel room which she was sharing with another girl called Kavya. Kavya had already been staying here for a couple of months so she tended to boss around Swara a bit. Swara did not mind at all and set to clean her side of the room diligently. The connecting phone in the room started ringing shrilly and Kavya picked it up. After a minute, she told Swara that someone had come to meet her downstairs. Swara was surprised, apart from Urvashi Masi no one else knew the address of this hostel. Maybe Urvashi had come to reprimand her further, Swara thought as she made her way towards the Matron's Office. She was surprised when she saw Sujatha Aunty sitting there. Seeing Swara, Sujatha got up from her chair and walked towards her.

'Swara, I am sorry for what happened today morning' she started in a soft voice 'You know what happened right? We are all so tensed that we didn't know what to do. And I did not expect Urvashi to have a go at you suddenly. I have come here to apologise to you and tell you that in spite of what Urvashi said or believes, neither me nor Sanskaar's papa believe you have anything to do with it. It's just a mere coincidence dear' she said as she cupped Swara's chin. 'Now dear, I don't want you to cry at all. You are not someone because people think you to be so. But I was so worried to find you missing from the house, all of a sudden. I understand you do not want to stay there after what happened but girl, you should have at least told me you were leaving. I early had a heart attack to find you missing from the house.'

Overcome with emotions, Swara said 'I am sorry Aunty for what happened. I wasn't thinking straight. And I did the first thing that came to my mind.'

'Its ok Swara, I understand you' Sujatha said 'Anyway, I am leaving with your Uncle tomorrow to be with Sanskaar. He had met with an accident and has to undergo a surgery and understandably is a physical and an emotional wreck now. He needs us there. I don't know how long we will be there and all other guests have left, excepting Vrij and Urvashi. Now I have come over here today to ask something from you, since you call me Aunty, can I request you for something?'

Overcome with a desire to make right her wrong, Swara replied eagerly 'Yes sure Aunty, anything you want.'

Looking deep into Swara's eyes, Sujatha said 'This is very serious and important Swara but please try to understand me. All our lives we have always welcomed people into our house and we follow the dictum that every guest is a representative of God. Athithi Devo Bhava. And we have always tried to keep our guests happy and satisfied. But today whatever happened with you at our house is our fault entirely and we believe that we have wronged God. To make things right and to offer penance, I have come to request you to come and stay in the Maheshwari Mansion for some time, until and unless we return with Sanskaar. You can say that I am offering you to look after my house when I am away. Well child there's not much to wrack your brain upon. You don't need to worry about anything; Shambu, Payal and others will help you. You just have to be there. You will do so for me dear, I hope.'

Swara was completely puzzled, she walked away from the elderly lady and said 'But why Aunty? I never had a functional house myself and I don't think it will be wise for me to go back there with Urvashi Masi there, she literally hates me. I am sorry Aunty I can't do it, I don't want people to say anything to you because of me and I definitely don't want you all to suffer anymore because of me.'

Sujatha went and stood in front of her 'Maybe this is your destiny Swara. And God wants it to be like this. I can't force you to be there if you don't want to go. But if you go and stay there, I will be relieved that at least one child is safe inside my house. And you can obviously keep this room, incase you wanted to run back again.'

Swara was in a dilemma, she did not want to say 'No' to Sujatha, and in fact she was one of the very few people who treated her like a human being. But then going back to MM again may not go down well with her Aunt Urvashi and invariably she would be blamed for everything. On the other hand, she thought that once Mr. and Mrs. Maheshwari returned back to their house with Sanskaar, she would come back here.

Swara turned towards Sujatha and smiled at her 'Ok Aunty, I will go but I will come back here once you all return from the States. And yes, can I stay in the attic during this period?'

Sujatha stared at the pale-green churidar clad girl in front of her and started laughing 'Sure darling sure. You can stay in any room you want. But first go and get your luggage. I am waiting for you downstairs.'

Swara sprinted up the stairs towards her room. No, it was not the hope of staying in a Mansion that got her going, but rather the feeling that someone liked her and considered her as a normal human being. She had to prove to others that she was not associated with other's fate and she would rewrite her own fate.

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