The sky is cast with dark clouds today. Pune has had the sun beating down on it for past few days. The parching taste of summer is in the throat. Even the sight of dark clouds is calming to sore eyes. But I don't want it to rain yet. Yes, I want to savor the taste rain in the dry wind for some more time. Looking out from my world of logic through the window of glass, I see my city grow like a huge concrete giant. The mountains to far east have crumbled to half in past year, since I have been gazing out at it from this exact spot from 9.15 to 6.40 Monday to Friday. As a soft wind rises the dust settled on the road making the tea stall walla cover up his freshly fried pakodas, my heart flows with the wind. The world around me is in place, so am I,from the outside. Inside, I feel so restless, so jumbled. Don't want it rain yet! Please let it stay clouded, let the evening golden sky be covered with those large grey clouds like an jewel covered in rags. The humidity is oppressive outside, I know, even though I have been sitting in this air-conditioned oversized matchbox since morning. But still let the clouds stay, for some time. Let the sky be drenched in that golden hue. Let the wind blow. I turned back to my real world-codes and numbers, plugging in the music in my iPod. Then I heard it, the tap on the glass. Faint, quiet. Then another and then the hard constant beating. I looked back at the window as the droplets hit it with force. The sky was no more drenched in gold. It was dark, muddy grey. A thunder rendered the air with static followed by crackling sound. Wind whipped a fury almost shaking the glass. The film of dust everywhere had settled down. The tea stall walla was calling the little boys who worked for him to take the wares and cigarette packs inside. If those got wet?Loss would be enormous. It rained. It rained..
Ch9: Envy & Possesion-Page30
Ch10: A Good Girl-Page35
Ch11:Tug of War-Page39
Ch12:Crossroads-Page48
Ch13:Understanding You-Page52
Ch14:Storm Brewing-Page58
Ch15: Freshet,Frost & Fire-Page64
Ch16:Happy EverAfters-Page70
Ch17:Six Months & Seven Steps-Page74
Ch18: A New World-Page83
Ch19: Sunshine in Vanilla Sky-Page91
Ch20:White Noise-Page96
Ch21:My fair Lady-Page101
Ch22:Rights& Wrongs-Page106
Ch23:The Special One-Page112
Ch24: Dreams & Ambition-Page118
Ch25:Being You-Page124
Ch26:New Beginnings-Page127
Ch27: Rules & Religion-Page130
"Who log 5baje tak aayenge?.train late rahi to 6 baj saktey hai?.tu 2baje aaja..Kyun teek hai?" Damini bua looked at the girl standing behind the curtains, half hidden in its folds. She scratched the big toe of her right foot with the nail of the toe of her left foot, twirling the corners of the curtains lace around her fingers, looking at a spot near Damini's feet. Kalawati half turned her head towards her,"Kya re,jawab de? Sonu aur deepu school se kab aayenge?" She nodded."main unka khana padoos ke rahk dungi. Sonu sambhal legi. Phir dopaher mein deepu gali mein khelta hai aur sonu dance sikhane jati hai choudhari kaka ke ghar" Kalawati frowned,"Homework?" "main raat ko karwa dungi." Damini made a sound of impatience,"tu bata tu ayegi ya naahi? Mujhe bahut kaam hai kal ke liye." She bit her lips and inclined her head slightly. Damini confirmed-2baje,pakka? She again nodded and said,"Didi, main chai lati hoon."
As she went into Kaladidi's kitchen, she heard Damini bua's voice raised in a cheery octave- Kalawati ji,maine meri dinky ko sab sikhaya hai?kari,bunai,sillayi...BSc second class hai?aur sab bana sakti hai?cake..wo angrezi mithai..pu..pu..pudding..iske alawa-samosa,kachori,ghewar,halwa, aap jo bolo.par agar ladke wale ladki dekhne aaye to ladki ki kitni tayyari hoti hai..tailor se kapda lana hai..parlor jana hai..sara din bhag daur.aur mujhe to 50 kaam hai, saaf safai dekhna hai, naukar kahan sab kartey hai. Ab rasoi mein solah pakwaan kaise banaye. Par inhone kah diya hai, ladkewalo ke liye sab ghar mein banega. Bahar se kuch nahi aayega. Teek bhi hai,ghar ke pawaan ka swaad alag hota hai. tab maine socha apni nakkusha hai na! waise bhi isse to koi khaas kaam nahi hai, padhai-likhayi bhi nahi,job bhi nahi. Saara din ghar par..dinky ki dost bhi hai. Phir ..She stopped as nakkusha brought the tea. Picking up the anarsa kachori she continued,"phir saroj ke baad..hum logo ne kitna kiya hai..Nishikant ji ke liye..hum unke apne hi to hai..parosi hi parosi ki madat karta hai kyun nakkusha?" Nakkusha sat down beside kalawati and picked up the Kishore jiju's torn laptop bag and started to mend the rip in the side pocket nodding.
Kalawati looked at the girl concentrating on threading the needle and suppressed a sigh. It was nothing new. Ever since, people in Rajnandgaon had tasted Nakkusha's Malpowa at Navdurga few years back, she was called at their homes to cook on special occasion. Then Fatima's eldest's marriage got fixed after the boy's family tasted Nakkusha's sheera. They fell in love with the cooking and Fatima was quick enough to answer that everything was made by Sakina. 'Yahan kubool hua,aur wahan hing ki mahek ki tarah baat purey ganj mein fael gai'. Now whenever an alliance came for any girl in the vicinity, they would call Nakkusha to make the delicacy and pass off the cooking as their own daughters. Nakkusha would agree every time. Kalawati hated it but didn't say anything. She understood nakusha. She knew nakkusha went to hear the praise of the food she made. Nakkusha thought that it was the only thing worthwhile that she could do. Even when the praises where taken by someone else, they were for the things she made and that was enough for her.
Damini finished her tea as she discussed what needed to be bought for the next day's feast. Nakkusha told in her halting voice the quantity and ingredients she would need. Damini left with a pleasant smile at Kalawati. Nakkusha- Didi, main chalti hoon. Yeh ho gaya..Jiju se bolo isme chocolate ke wrappers bharna band karey..aapke dieting ki aisi taise kar di hai..achcha main pardon ka maap kal le lungi.abhi chalti hoon, chat se kapdey uttarne hai. aur haan doodh ubal diya hai..nahi to phat jata. Kalawati watched as Nakkusha crossed the narrow lane to enter her small undercontructiion house without plaster. She climbed the stairs outside the house's entrance two at a time and started taking down the clothes from the line. Kalawati watched her. Nakkusha?.nakku. Saroj kaaki ki nakku.
Nakkusha was Kalawati's nextdoor neighbor Nishikant shukla's daughter. When Kalwati had came to this town in Madhya Pradesh, as the bride of the young lawyer Kishore Dsehmukh about 14 years ago, nakkusha had been just 6. A shy little thing, always hanging by her mother Saroj's pallu. Kalawati had felt her heart go out to the little doll who looked uncomfortable in her fluffy, oversized frock that belonged to another, swiping at her running nose. Shukla's were simple folks. Nishikant's clerk's job in cloth mill fetched enough that the family survived with pride but barely. Saroj was a good homemaker. She substituted her husband's earnings with her sewing and embroidery. She knitted sweaters for the neighborhood woman for a fixed amount. She was not much educated but in her own capacity she made her family comfortable. She was a beautiful woman. One of most beautiful woman Kalawati had ever seen. But Nakkusha. Then 6yrs later Saroj had died of lung infection. Nishikant was left with a 8yrs old sonal and 3yrs old Deepak and yes, he was left with Nakkusha. No, it was more like nakkusha at 12 was left with a little siblings and a clueless father. She had to grow up at 12.
She took over all her mother's responsibilities. Not that she didn't commit mistakes. She did a lot, but then she learnt, too. With time everything went to normal for the younger children, even nishikant immersed himself in work. Nakkusha was the only one left with the vacuum that Saroj left back. Then when Nakkusha was giving her Hsc exams Nishikant lost his job at the mill. What they had saved was barely enough for a hand to mouth existence. He couldn't have afforded education for threee children. Kalawati refused to let him stop their education and kishore lend him some money. Nakkusha decided that she will join college once her father got a job. She didn't budge from her decision inspite of the coaxing. It took Nishikant a year to get a job at a grosser's shop. By then nakkusha had decided that they needed to pay the loan first then fix their depleted savings. Her studies could wait. And they still waited.
Kalawati liked nakkusha, no she loved her. She reminded kalawati of the kind woman who had become a friend and mother for the young city bride so alone in a new small town. After wedding kalwati's life had changed drastically. She was brought up in buzzing city of Bombay in proper maharashtrian way, while Kishore's family had settled in Raipur for decades and kishore's job was in rajnandgaon. Saroj was the shoulder she cried on when Doctors confirmed that she could never have a baby. Her in-laws had heaped insults on her. But kishore and saroj stood by kalwati giving her strength. With time she had overcome her pain. It still hurt her sometimes but saroj's children filled the void to some extent. Especially nakku.
She often told nakkusha that she should not always put her talents down. Why! She was very good at sewing and embroidery, knitting and of course cooking. All she lacked was belief and pride in herself. Nakkusha believed what people around her said about her. There was nothing in her that would make an impression. Pheekey hai.
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Nakkusha went about her days work in a hurry. She finished her household chores and skipped the four steps to Kala didi's house. She had to go to damini bua's house by 2 today. She twirled the parrot cage hung on the first floor corridor. It spoke up flapping its wings in agitation,"Aa gayi..aa gayi..aaa gayi" It was its way to welcome her. It never spoke any other word or to anyone else. Just for nakkusha. It would announce her arrival spreading its wings even in its prison. Nakkusha- chup,BuddhuRam. Didi. Jaldi se kapda nikal do. Maap le lu..Khidki ka to teek hai..par darwaze ko kum padega lagta hai..
Nakusha took the cloth and started measuring it to the living room's wide windows when kalawati interrupted,"Nakkusha, yaha ke pardey nahin hai, re. Wo paheli manzil ke guestroom ke hai." Nakksuha stopped and stared at her,"par wo to band rahata hai?uske liye pardey?"
Kalwati-arey,band isliye rahata hai kyunki wahan rahne wala yahan nahi rahta. Ab wo aa raha kuch mahino ke liye so uska karma tayyar karna hai.
Nakkusha whispered- kamara jiska hai? She beamed a huge smile-Kala didi, aapka sariyal bhai aaraha? Wahi jo har cheez ka nuks nikalta hai..Hari sardu kahin ka!
Kalawati-Chup! Jo mann mein aaye bol deti hai?arey, wo to tabhi bachcha tha?thoda ziddi to hoga hi. kitne dinno baad aaraha..ab badal gaya hai?
Nakkusha-main dekhungi to maanungi..arey baap re bhul gayi?main chali..main aake sham ko le lungi maap..achcha..aaati hoon. Yun aur yun..She snaped her fingers and raced to the door before kalawati could protest.
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The Tomar house smelled of delicacies from two blocks away. In the living room the two families were fixing the match with Dinky and her soon to be groom stole shy glances at each other. Nakkusha took out the kalkaand she had made for the final touch of tilak as servants described to her what was happening out. She was beaming with happiness. Dinky will be so happy in her marriage. And everything had turned out well-the veg patties she had tried for the first time, custard and navratan halwa..all that bua had told her to read and make from 'Grihashobha' magazine. Nakkusha had enjoyed learning the new dishes and also try her hand at the new oven bua had bought this diwali. Nakkusha loved cooking and her dream was to have a state of art kitchen like kalawati didi's or bua's. she can't so she was happy with these little occasions to fulfill her wish. "Jab sonu badi hogi na tab uski shaadi aise ghar mein karungi jahan sab ho. Fridge oven AC car sab?itni sundar hai sonu. Padai bhi achchi karti hai..uske liye to koi officer ladka dundungi." Nakkusha smiled at her thoughts.She never dreamed of her own wedding or her own home. It had never ever occurred to her that she might deserve some happiness for just herself. That someone might like her and love her. Afterall, she had no perfections. She was had not inherited anything from her beautiful mother.
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He sat beside the girl and stole another glance. She was looking down at her fingers shyly. 'Beautiful!', he thought. He had been against this arranged marriage. It was a very old lookout. He wanted a bride who would be able to walk beside him in his world. He worked in a huge city in IT and needed to go abroad frequently. He wanted his wife to be educated, stylish and who maintained herself. But he must admit Jyotika- Dinky was really accomplished and beautiful. For the little time they had talked she had been very interesting companion. And Wow! Could she cook or what! He liked her straightforward attitude and sense of humor. Yes, she was the one. He didn't want to think of it as arranged marriage. He decided that he would think of it as arranged love.
"Arey Nakku! wo mithai lana!" He heard his to be mother-in- law call out. She smiled,"Yeh bhi! Dinky ne banayi hai..Kal raat ko..Fridge mein tayyar rakhi thi..Iski dost hai nakkusha..paros mein rahti hai..usse kaha tha oven mein thoda garam kar do."
He heard a soft chime of bells and tuned towards the door as a girl brought out the tray. Her looked down as she walked, her anklet making the soft sound. She offered the tray to all elders one-by-one and finally brought it in front of him. He looked up to see her face. Nothing striking. In fact, a very common plain face. Her features were blunt. Dark complexion with some pox marks on her face. A blunt nose, and lips to large. He dismissed her after thanking her. And looked at Dinky again. She stole a glance at him blushing pink.
"Dinky, jiju ka muh meetha karana." The girl said with a mischievous wink at her friend. He noticed the musical lilt in her voice.
"Haan..haan..beta?tub hi dinky ka muh meetha kara" his mother nudged him happily. They lifted their spoon and fed each other the sweet. As the divine taste exploded on his buds, his smiling gaze passed on the girl again. She was laughing softly shaking her little shoulders. It was not like her smile made any difference to her unremarkable face, but her eyes caught his attention for a second before passing on. Hmm, those eyes were her only saving feature, he thought.
She didn't make striking first impressions, he decided but there was something on her whole demeanor that said she was likeable when given time. He shrugged and looked at his future bride, now she was the thing to fall in love with at first glance. Dinky smiled at her friend.
What was her name,again! Well, something totally unremarkable he supposed. Khair, Vijay looked at his fiancee. He knew he has fallen in love with her. He loved Dinky.
??.To be continued.
An author's note😳
Vandu, i know..i promised that thriller...but that need to be on the back burner for a while as 'EK this kahani' is going to get a little thrilling itself. So I decided to tell this story, which was a little simple and short tale. Of course its a Tasha FF...but again like The second chances the characters are totally different from the shows..Infact in original story that I wrote the leads are Kuntal and Aseem. Based in the small town of Madhya Pradesh named Rajnandgaon, which now is in the state of Chattisgarh in India.
In this story of course there is no painting of the girl's face with soot to make her ugly and hide her beauty. Here Nakkusha is ugly..well, maybe not ugly but a plain girl whose face is not the one which will attract a price charming. and she knows and accepts that.
But then she doesn't realize that there are some imperfection which make a perfect picture..its needs the right artist to capture it.
Hope you all like this tale as much as my other attempts.
Love,
Shilpita😳
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