After all the drama that took place on their first day as a married couple wasn't good. Now it was almost nocturnal, the mosquitoes bit her but today she was quite. As, Prithvi had already provided her with a flat bed sheet. To cover her body up, from the blood sucking creature 'mosquitoes'. Yet somewhere in her heart she was thinking over what she said this morning to Prithvi as she placed the Mangalsutra in front of the idol's picture.
Meera laid on the cot, thinking about the recent super-fast activities that took place in her life.
'Akash, I'm really sorry' she muttered under her breath as she turned around to one side. Meera could see the light sheer sheet that hung on the rope as a partition. Trances of vermillion were still on the ground dividing the room into two but the sheet added another look to the room.
Meera watched Prithvi sleep peacefully though he was completely disturbed by the recent happenings in his life in his mind. It was too quick for him to digest.
Meera bluntly looked at him through the thin sheet, she silently let out sobs in anger, in sadness and in a weird pain of guilt that had taken place as she missed Akash more, but she was strong. There was an unseen strength she had that kept her mind and heart at their place.
Prithvi yelled out loud as he heard the silent sobs, as they were piercing his ears 'Band bhi karogi abhi, saara din char char char char karti rehti hai' he paused for a second and continued 'Aur raat ko bhi mera chain uda rahi hai, rona hi hai toh bhara ja ladki' said Prithvi.
'Dekho, Prithvi mujhe tumse ladne ka koi shouak nahi hai' Meera replied firmly. Soon as Prithvi gave her a look through the thin sheer sheet Meera continued 'Aur haan mai abhi ladki nahi hu, mera naam Meera hai aur mai tumhari biwi hoon tum mano ya na mano samjhe'
'Dekho tum mujhe biwi samjho ya na samjho mujhe farak nahi padta hai, bas mujhe ladki mat kaho' Meera completed her sentence clenching her teeth together looking towards Prithvi
'Tumse baat karke mujhe fizul ka waqt barbaad nahi karna hai samjhi, Chup chap so jao' ordered Prithvi.
---
The night was a silent one, it had passed by through successfully; without any physical fight neither did Prithvi throw Meera out of his house/room.
It was early morning when the sun rays from no-where had hit Meera's face she suddenly opened her eyes as she remembered where she was. She looked around and found there was no Prithvi she relaxed and made her bed. Shortly she had a shower singing some old song revealing herself that she might just be in safe hands. She sung the chores of the song 'Tujhse Naraz Nahin Zindagi' continuously as she let out silent tears.
As soon as she was dressed up, she was out of the bathroom walked towards the God's picture she placed in the room on her side. She prayed silently, and looked around for a mirror in the room.
'Ufff, ye Rambo singh kabhi apne aap ko dekhta nahi hai shayad isliye koi mirror nahi hai' Meera mumbled.
She opened the vermillion box gifted by her step mother, she saw it was half empty already. Or maybe not, there were only traces of vermillion left as Prithvi had used almost everything for the partition.
'Ye dalna zaruri hai kya' questioned Meera's heart. 'Haan, maan toh rakhna hi padega vermillion aur mangalsutra ka' Meera replied to her heart.
'Mangalsutra' Meera said once again looking at the table it was empty no rudraksh(the black thread that Prithvi had tied on her neck) and no Mangalsutra.
Meera searched for it everywhere, she was so tensed she couldn't find it. Prithviii she called out but there was no-one around to hear her.
Soon Prithvi had come to get something he saw Meera searching for something the room had turned into one hell of a mess.
'Ye kya kar rahi ho tum, kisse dhund rahi ho? Aur mere kamre ka halat kya bana rakha hai' roared Prithvi balling his fist.
Meera jerked up suddenly, 'Prithvi tum aise darya mat karo mujhe bhooth ki tarah' replied Meera sarcastically.
'Mera mangalsutra nahi mil raha hai' said Meera with moist eyes.
Her sudden moist eyes and soft voice made Prithvi to think twice about her and the mangalsutra. Soon he screamed at her, 'Tumse ek Mangalsutra sambhalta nahi?' he questioned in anger.
'Ye kya chal raha hai tum dono ke beech' questioned Meera's step mother Prabha.
'Dulhan maa' whispered Prithvi and turned around, 'Kuch nahi voh iska…' but before he could continue Prabha was shell shocked the way Meera looked.
'Aarey bitiya, tumhari mang itni suni suni kyu hai, aur ee ka?' Prabha paused giving Prithvi a hard stare and said, 'Bitiya mangalsutra yu utarte nahi, kaha gaya' questioned Prabha with worriedness in her voice.
'Voh mangalsutra ghum gaya hai' informed Meera staring at the ground with guilt.
'Bitiya voh yahi hoga, dhundo' assured Prabha. The ladies searched all around, soon Prabha taunted Prithvi 'Aise kahe khade ho Prithvi, madat karo apni patni ko' ordered Prabha.
Prithvi nodded his head and searched he unconsciously came to Meera's side and checked under her cot. Shortly he found it, 'Mil gaya' said Prithvi excitedly.
Prabha was relieved, Meera smiled but her smile soon faded away as Prithvi had her mangalsutra.
'Abh pehnao apni patni ko uuuh' commanded Prabha firmly. He tied the knot of the mangalsutra around Meera's neck, Prabha let out a smirk watching their shyness. Meera stared at Prithvi, and he did the same. Both of them couldn't take their eyes off each other for various reasons.
But soon Prabha broke their trance and said, 'Abh se Bitiya tum saree hi pehan na, humne laye h kuch sadiya tohre liye' Meera blinked her eyes in acceptance.
While Prabha continued 'Aur haan Prithvi, ee yaad rakhna jabhi ee tohri patni ye mangalsutra utaregi tab tab tumhe hi isse pehna na hoga. Yahi reet hai' completed Prabha.
She looked around, 'Bitiya ka maang bhi bharo bolna padega ka Prithvi tumhe' Prabha questioned Prithvi.
Prithvi looked at Meera, she raised her arm to Prithvi's chest level with the vermillion (sindoor) box in her palm. Prithvi picked up some of the left vermillion from the box, and filled her maang.
Some vermillion fell on Meera's nose, she felt it on her nose. Prithvi looked at her with moist eyes as Meera's words ran down his memory. He slowly wiped each and every trace of vermillion that fell on her nose, while Meera looked at him intently and loving for the first time ever.
Prithvi caressed her nose, slowly he lost himself in her eyes and tucked the loose strands of wet hair behind her ear that disturbed Meera's face.
The mangalsutra, brought a complete new start into their life's with a new morning that had taken over all the hate created in between them.
comment:
p_commentcount