ok guys I am not at all happy with this one.I am very sorry about it😕but I promise the next one will be better.so in advance sorry for this one😭 please do tell me if there are any mistakes.
and as always I appreciate all your precious likes and comments.Thanks for all the support😊
Chapter-8
Kesar is not able to sleep that night. He keeps on tossing and turning, his mind in deep turmoil. And the person responsible for the turmoil is none other than Gulaal. The words spoken by her outside the house still haunt him. He understood her viewpoint but that did not necessarily mean that he agreed with it. How could he make her see the futility of it all? And what about all these emotions that he was experiencing? They were very confusing and he did not know what to make of it. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, trying to rid himself of all thoughts and confusions. Right then a picture of Gulaal in her green saree, untied hair and carefree laughter invades his mind and a small smile appears on his face unknown to him. He hears her sweet voice calling him "Kesar" and he wakes up with a jerk. "yeh main kya soch raha hoon? Aur woh bhi Gulaal ke baare mein kyun soch raha hoon? Kya ho raha hai mujhe". He holds his head in his hands and growls in frustration.
Gulaal on the other hand is smiling to herself sitting in front of the dressing table. Today had been a wonderful day and she had enjoyed herself after a very long time. She takes off her earrings carefully and looks at them with affection. Kesar had made her B'day a very special day and she had a great time. She is lost in a world of her own brushing her hair remembering the day. She looks at herself in the mirror and is reminded of Kesar's remark "waise tho tum hamesha achi lagti ho lekin khule baalon mein aur zyaada achi lagti ho". A blush spreads across her cheeks and her smile vanishes "Gulaal,yeh kya ho gaya hai tujhe? Kesar sirf tumhara dost hai.tu aisa kaise soch sakti hai?agar use pata chala tho kya sochega?aur tu apni zindagi ki sachai kaise bhool gayi.tere mann mein aisa khayal aaya bhi kaise?",She covers her face with her hands,quickly rushes to the washroom and splashes her face with cold water "bas ab aisi waisi koi baat apne mann mein mat laana aur jaake chupchaap soja", she firmly decides and tries to go to sleep.
There was also one more person who was feeling restless and entirely uncomfortable with the whole situation. Panba had tried to talk to Motaba about it but she did not know how to express her fear. "yahan koi bhi aane waali musibat ke baare mein nahi soch raha.lekin main door se hi use pehchaan sakti hoon. Gulaal aur Kesar ki badhti nazdikiyon ko mujhe rokna hoga.warna aage chalkar bahut bada anarth ho jaayega.aur phir mere Vasant ka kya hoga?woh waapis kaise aayega?mujhe poora vishwaas hai ki mera beta apne parivaar,apni baa se zyaada din tak door nahi reh sakta.aur Kesar,woh tho naasamajh hai,use duniyadaari ki samajh kahaan? main jaanti hoon woh Gulaal ko bahut manta hai,aur isse pehle ki baat aur badh jaaye mujhe kuch karna padega.mujhe Sudha se jald hi baat karni padegi".
After a whole night of restlessness and disturbed sleep, Kesar wakes up listening to Gulaal's beautiful voice doing the aarti. He smiles and goes to freshen up but still he remains in deep thought. Finally he decides "mujhe Vasant bha ke baare mein patha lagaana hoga.ab wohi is guthi ko suljhaa sakte hain.Gulaal ki zindagi ek ajeeb se mod par aake ruki hui hai aur use sirf ek hi insaan azaad kar sakta hai.main jaanta hoon ki woh kahin door Jenny ke saath apni zindagi sukoon se jee rahe honge.lekin unke kaaran yahan ek masoom bina wajah dukh jhel rahi hai,andhere mein jee rahi hai.Vasant bha ka yeh farz banta hai ki woh apne se jude logon ke liye ek firm decision lein jisse Gulaal bhi azaad ho jaaye aur Jenny ke saath anyaay bhi na ho.lekin main kahan se shuru karun,kaise dhoondoon?mujhe kuch tho karna padega aur kaise bhi karke main unhe zaroor doondh nikaalunga.". He decides not to tell Gulaal about this right now. He needed to talk to Vasant and then he would let her know. Kesar feels relaxed and at ease after making this decision.
Gulaal has no time to think about anything else but her studies. She and Rewa are very busy with their final exams. In the meantime Kesar keeps on trying various ways to find information about his brother. On the other hand Panba who has also taken a decision of her own talks to Sudha. "Sudha,tum keh rahi thi na ki tumhari nazar mein koi ladki hai jo Kesar ke liye bilkul sahi rahegi,koi door ki rishtedaar tumhaari",Panba asks curiously. Sudha is overjoyed to hear this and replies "haan baa uska naam Talli hai.woh meri choti behen jaisi hai.mere baba ke chachere bhai ki beti hai.Kesar aur uski Jodi bahut achi hogi.maine dono ki kundaliyaan bhi panditji ko dikhaayi thi.aur panditji ne khud kaha hai ki isse acha mel Kesar ke liye nahi ho sakta". "haan yeh achi baat hai.tu use yahaan thode dino ke liye bulaale.use wajah mat bataana.main dekhna chaahti hoon ki kya woh is ghar ke liye,hamaare liye theek rahegi",Panba says with a satisfactory smile on her face. "haan baa main use abhi bulaa leti hoon.waise bhi agle hafte se uski chutiyaan shuru hongi tho main yahi bahaana kar doongi ki woh in chutiyon mein mere saath aakar rahe",Sudha replies with a huge smile on her face.
Kesar was frustrated. He had just come back from office and he was angry. It had been an entire week since he had started his little investigation but there was absolutely no progress and with each dead end his hopes were extinguishing. But then he would be reminded of Gulaal's teary face and once again he would immerse himself wholeheartedly with renewed vigour in his "find Vasant bha mission". Kesar decided to talk to Motaba about it. He knew his father's health was frail but he also knew that the main reason for it was his guilt and inability to do anything for Gulaal. This made him optimistic and a small smile appeared on his face. Suddenly Rewa enters his room and just starts rambling "Kesar,dekh na tu samjha na Gulaal ko,mera kaha tho woh maan hi nahi rahi.maine kitni baar kaha…..",Kesar interrupts "Rewa,Rewa,dheere bol kya baat hai.kya bol rahi hai tu?mujhe kuch samajh mein nahi aaya". Rewa calms down and starts speaking "arre woh hamare college mein party rakhi hai.exams khatam hog aye na isliye hamaare batch ke sabhi students ke liye party hai.main jaana chaahti hoon,lekin Gulaal hai ki mana kar rahi hai.ab tujhe hi samjhana hoga.tu samjhaayega tho woh zaroor maan jaayegi". Kesar goes along with Rewa to Gulaal's room. Gulaal looks at them with a smile and is about to ask something when Rewa starts "Gulaal,dekho Kesar bhi hamaare saath chalega.ab tho chalo na…", Kesar looks at Rewa quizzically. When he did he ever say that? But he smiles and turns to Gulaal "haan Gulaal,chalo main bhi tho dekhoon ki tum logon ka college kaisa hai?aur kitne din ho gaye party mein gaye hue,mazaa aayega". Gulaal tries her best to backout but Kesar and Rewa keep on pestering her and finally she gives in. Rewa is delighted "yay,chalo ab jaldi tayyar ho jaate hain nahi tho der ho jaayegi pahunchne mein". Gulaal speaks up"lekin Motaba aur Panba se permission…", "arre maine pehle hi pooch liya,Motaba ne hi tho kaha tha ki Kesar ko saath leke jaana",Rewa replies. Rewa,Kesar and Gulaal get dressed quickly and are about to leave the house when Panba calls them "kahan jaa rahe ho tum log is samay?". Rewa chirpily replies "baa Motaba ne bataaya nahi kya hum log college party mein jaa rahe hain.jaldi waapis aajayenge,chinta mat kijiye". She holds both Gulaal and Kesar by their arms and rushes out before Panba could object.
She goes to Motaba and asks him"aapne kyun jaane diya unko?aap kyun nahi samajh rahein ki…….".Motaba interrupts her, "Panba aapko nahi lagta ki aajkal aap Gulaal se kuch zyaada hi sakti se pesh aa rahi hain?". Paanba looks at him accusingly, "haan aur kyun nahi woh is ghar ki bahu hai,Vasant ki patni hai aur main nahi chaahti ki uski kisi harkat ki wajah se hamaare ghar ki badnaami ho..". Motaba raises his voice "uski kisi harkat.Paanbaa us par khichad uchaalne se pehle apne bte ki harkat ko tho yaad kijiye.shaayad aap bhool rahi hain ki hamaare bte ne koi kasar nahi chodi hamein sharminda karne ki.ulta Gulaal ne tho hamaari izzat bachaayi hai.aur haan Paanba aage se Gulaal ke baare mein soch samajh kar bola kijiye,kyunki aapne chahe use kabhi beti nahi mana ho lekin maine use dilse beti maana hai.yeh kabhi mat bhooliyega". And he walks away leaving Paanba shocked and confused.
In the car Rewa and Gulaal are in the backseat chattering away to glory. Kesar keeps looking at the rear view mirror to catch a glimpse of Gulaal. She looked lovely today in a red and black anarkali churidaar and he was finding it hard to take his eyes off her. And to add to his joy she was once again wearing the earrings and the necklace that he had gifted. Gulaal senses his gaze on her and gives him a sweet smile. He is dazzled and he hits the break pretty hard. Rewa looks at him angrily, "kitni kharaab driving karta hai tu Kesar, saamne dekh ke gaadi chala na.tu dar mat hum tere bare mein chugli nahi kar rahe". Kesar is embarrassed and looks at the mirror once again when he sees Gulaal trying hard to hide her laughter. Soon they reach the college. The party was being organized in one of the auditoriums, so they go over there.
"Chaar baj gaye lekin party abhi baaki hai…" was being blasted and when they went in, they saw a lot of them dancing to the tune. Rewa screams "chalo Gulaal hum bhi dance karte hain". Gulaal replies "mujhe dance karna nahi aata". "mujhe kaunsa aata hai.dekho na bahut saare log tho bas aise hi hil rahe hain.aur hamaare saath Kesar bhi tho hai.tumhe nahi pata na, Kesar bahut acha dance karta hai.usne bahut saare competitions bhi jeete hain. Kesar tu Gulaal ki help karega na". Kesar nods and takes Gulaal to the dance floor. Suddenly the song changes and a slow tune plays. "yeh gaana sabhi pyaar karne waalon ke naam",the DJ announces and the song starts
"Mann yeh saahib ji, jaane hai sab ji
Phir bhi banaye bahaane".
Gulaal finds that there are couples dancing all around. She looks sideways at Kesar who is looking around. "Kesar,yeh tho bilkul nahi aata.chalo chalke wahan khade hote hain aur Rewa kahan chali gayi?" Kesar points out Rewa to her who was dancing with a guy looking very happy. "Gulaal yeh itna bhi mushkil nahi hai.chalo apna haath do", Gulaal places her hand in his "aur ab apna doosra haath mere shoulder pe rakho", Gulaal places her hand hesitantly on his shoulder.Kesar's other hand goes around her waist loosely and then he says "ab bas meri lead follow karna and you will be fine", and he smiles charmingly at her.
"Mann yeh saahib ji haan karta bahaane
Naina nawaabi ji na samjhe ishaare
(na samjhe ishaare)
Dheere dheere, nainon ko dheere dheere
Jiya ko dheere dheere bhaayo re Saibo
Dheere dheere, begaana dheere dheere
Apna sa dheere dheere lage re Saibo"
Gulaal and Kesar continue dancing. She had stepped on his foot twice but that pain didn't bother Kesar at all. He continued to look into her beautiful,big eyes and kept on dancing.
Surkhhiyaan hain hawaaon mein, do dilon ke milne ki
Ho! Arziyaan hain nazaaron mein, lamha yeh tham jaane ki
Kaisi huzoori ji yeh lab dikhlaaye
Chuppi laga ke bhi ghazab hai yeh dhaaye"
Lost in the sweetness of the song Gulaal feels intoxicated and places her head on his shoulder. She feels warm and safe. This feeling of security made her lighthearted and she closed her eyes enjoying the moment. Kesar is surprised to see Gulaal so carefree and he places his chin over her head and closes his eyes.
"Dheere dheere, nainon ko dheere dheere
Jiya ko dheere dheere bhaayo re Saibo
Dheere dheere, begaana dheere dheere
Apna sa dheere dheere lage re Saibo"
Saibo... Saibo...
Dheere Dheere... Dheere Dheere..."
The song ends and a loud applause rings out. This breaks the spell. Gulaal and Kesar break apart and look at each other. Gulaal looks at their hands which were still intertwined and gets a shocked expression on her face. She hastily rips her hand away and runs off leaving him all alone on the dance floor looking at the place she was standing in a daze.Gulaal comes out of the auditorium and takes a deep breath to calm herself down. She could not believe what had just happened inside. How can she face him now? How could she lose herself so completely in front of him? These questions started to go through her mind and she kept on walking without thinking . Suddenly she looks around and it is quite dark and the auditorium is far away. She gets scared and starts walking back. And then she hears a voice "arre itni raat ko aisi sunsaan si jagah pe ek ladki kya kar rahi hai? woh bhi akele akele".
Cricket
Kumkum Bhagya
Tum Se Tum Tak
Sampoorna
