CHAPTER 1:
The air was not enough to free her from the suffocation. It
was all the more tighter around her. She
could feel the music somewhere near her. It had a sad tone that went along with
her emotions. The ghungru in her legs shivered with her every step. She kept on
beating her legs in the rhythm that she had lost long back. She could feel the pain
in the voice of the singer.
She went in for the last lap. The beats grew faster. And she
started taking her turns. Beating her legs harder. As if wishing the earth
would move away and take her in. she turned and turned... there was slight
dizziness in her head and she welcomed it. the music stopped after a wide range
of faster beat..
Tha dinak dhin tha'.
She too stopped with it standing with her right hand kept
forward and the left one raised high above showing the mudra...and her face,
facing the unknown eternity. She wished the music would have never stopped.
Loud claps of hands awaken her. She looked around and saw
girls clapping for her. There was a proud look in each of their eyes. One girl
rushed to her still clapping. "Wow Mam.. that was superb... ek baath bolu?? Kyu na
iss competition me aap akele hi participate karu? Hum apke saath aise match
karke dance nahi kar paungi... please..."
She gave a smile to the innocent girl and caught her ears.
"for your information Swati, I'm your teacher. Aur mujhe apne students ko dance
competition me bhejna hai... iss baar teacher aur students ko ek saath
participate karne ka mauka mila hai, isliye I'm doing all this. Samjhe ya..."
She stopped abruptly. A cold pain struck at her heart.
Swati was jumping up and down when the teacher caught her
ears. "Samajh gayi mam.. ab mere kaan chodo... uffo mam..mein tho mazak kar rahi
thi. Ok we'll do it together. But honestly that was awesome. Kya dance kiya hai
apne..."
She gave a sad smile. "ok ab maska matha laga... Ok team
(again she felt the pain... ) ok girls, take your position... start from the
beginning. And Niranjana... no more masti... Sanu...haath teekh se rakho... listen to
the music, feel it... ok on the count ... 1...2...1,2,3 start...
And the practice began. She walked in between them clapping
her hands... correcting them occasionally, joining them...
It went smoothly. After 1 hour of practice all had a silent
prayer and bid good bye. Swati was waiting for the teacher. She was cleaning
the room and arranging the things. She then said a silent prayer at the Nataraj
idol and turned to Swati. "chale..."
Swa: main tho kabse ready hu. Chalo...
They closed the door and walked out. It's their routine now.
After practice they would walk home together. Swati's home was closer to the
teacher. Swati always loved her. There was something special about her. Mam was
always silent and used to listen her nonstop chatter without any problem. She
would just smile at the talks and ask minimum questions. But today the teacher
looked lost.
Swa: kya hua Di...(she had the liberty of calling her Di, when
not in class) aap aaj kuch zyada hi chup ho?
Mam: zyada hi chup matlab?
Swa: aap hamesha chup ho. bas thodi thodi baathen karthi
hai. lekin aaj bilkul bhi nahi kiya. Any problem? Aap mujhe batha sakthe ho... I'll see to it.
She smiled at Swati. This girl was really innocent. "kuch
nahi Choti, bas aise hi..."
Swa: (not ready to leave her Di) nahi, mere Sherlock dimaag
ye kehthe hai ke koi tho baath hai...
Mam: Sherlock Dimaag?? Oh tho tumhare paas dimag bhi hai??
Swa: haye..mein marjawa. Koi mere viswas kyu nahi karthe. I
do have a brain. Ha marks thode kam athe hai... but dimaag hai... dekhna ek din
mien ek aise kaam karungi ke sab kahe...wah kya dimaag hai ladki ke!!
Mam: acha, tho bathao, kuch socha hai apne career ke bare
mien??
Swa: well sochtha hu ek investigation officer banu.
The teacher stops her walk. Swati notice it. "are aap ruk
kyu gaye?? Dar gaye na... I knew it... are meri Di... ek investigation officer se
zyada aur kaun dimaag use karthe hai... tho miene soch liya... mien IPS karungi... aur ek investigation officer banungi... aur ye dance jo apne sikhaye hai na... wo
mien apne undercover operation me use karungi... saare marth mere dance me fida
hogi... wo Agent Vinod mien dekha hai na... ke Kareena ne kaise dance kiya... waisa...are aap kuch bolthe kyun nahi?"
She turns around. She saw that Di was standing still at the
same position, while Swati had walked away. Swati is worried and rushes to her.
"Are Di... kya hua? Aap yahi kyu khade ho? apke thabiyath tho teekh hai na??"
The teacher looks at Swati. "ha mien teekh hu... chalo..." Swati
looks at the teacher. She knew something was off. She kept silent and walked
towards their home. Swati's home was first one. She went to the gate. Di gave
her a weak smile. "di aap teekh tho hai na? mien apko ghar chod du?"
Mam: nahi beta... I'm fine. bas thodi thaki hu. Nothing else.
Swa: are you sure? You look pale.
Mam: trust me, I'm fine. Ab chalthi hu. Bye. (she turns to
walk but stops and turns to Swati.) ek baath bolu Choti...(she nods) apne career
soch samajh ke lena... never take a career
jinme tum apne 100% na de pau. Do what you enjoy doing. Not what you feel like
enjoying. Ok?
Swati nods yes, but still she didn't get it. the teacher was
about to go. "Di... Kuch puchna tha apse"
"ha pucho... kya baath hai?"
"aap aise kyu ho? I mean, ithne chup chap... jaise sabse dur
ho... aur jab aap dance karne lagthi ho, tho aap koi aur ban jathe hai. as if I
don't know that person. Aise lagtha hai, ke aap firse ji rahe ho. aur jab music
band hothe hai, tho firse wahi gloomy face, jisme ek fake smile bhi hai. wo smile
jo kabhi bhi apke ankhon thak na pohonche. Kya hua hai di...any problem?"
She smiles at Swati. She was caught off guard. "you know
what Swati... I think you will make a great officer. You know how to observe.
Keep your dreams high, and go for it. chalthi hu.. see you tomorrow."
The mam walks off. Swati was used to it now. Di never opens
up anything, but would catch up any slight distraction of her student. And
before one recognizes, one would be opening her heart to the teacher. She had a
great shoulder to cry upon. The one that could absorb anyone's trouble or pain.
May be that's why she was all gloomy. As she had heard a lot of sad stories.
Swati kept watching the retreating figure of her Di till she crossed the lane
and then walked to her room.
***
She was feeling a sudden heaviness in her heart from the
moment Swati reached home. This is the only person to whom she opens up a bit.
Only the amount that Swati could handle. Why to trouble others? No...
She reached the house. Yes house... not her home... to make it a
home, she needed much more ingredients. And she knew she have forgotten those
flavors long back.
Koyi fariyaad tere dil mein dabi ho jaise
Koyi fariyaad tere dil mein dabi ho jaise
Tune aankhon se koyi baat kahi ho jaise
Jaagte jaagte ek umr kati ho jaise
Jaagte jaagte ek umr kati ho jaise
Jaan baaki baaki hai magar saas ruki ho jaise
She shook her head and opened the door. The hall had a sofa
and a small table. There was minimum furniture around. And no photos at all.
She walked to her room, and splashed water on her face. She came after a bath
and wore a pale blue cotton salwar. She went to the kitchen after tying her wet
hair in a towel and made a cup of coffee.
She walked to the hall and sat sipping the hot coffee. There was nothing
particular in her mind. She just gazed around and her eyes fell on her laptop,
that was placed on her study table. She looked at it for a while and went to
take it. she placed it on her lap, opened it. the wallpaper came up.
Har mulaakat pe mehsoos yehi hota hai
Har mulaakat pe mehsoos yehi hota hai
Mujhse kuch teri nazar pooch rahi ho jaise
He looked as calm as he used be. The gentle smile, the
luster in his eyes. A small stubble on his cheeks. It must be prickly to touch
it. she smiled a bit. Her hands went upto his cheeks. She closed her eyes to
feel his warm cheeks. A lone tear frightened her to come out.
Raah chalte huve aksar yeh ghumaan hota hai
Raah chalte huve aksar yeh ghumaan hota hai
Woh nazar chupke mujhe dekh rahi ho jaise
Woh nazar chupke mujhe dekh rahi ho jaise
"NO jaan!! You
promised me..." she heard his voice
in her memories. She blinked her tears off...
"sorry..." she said to the wallpaper. "ab nahi karungi... I
promise." She gave her fake smile to him
again.
Ek lamhe mein simat aaya hai sadiyon ka safar
Ek lamhe mein simat aaya hai sadiyon ka safar
Zindagi tej bahut tej chali ho jaise
Zindagi tej bahut tej chali ho jaise
She connected the net to the laptop. She went in to check
the mail. And there it was, again. She closed her eyes as she saw his name
again. "why are you doing this sir? You know its over?" she said it to the
name.
But then, she saw the subject of the mail. "please don't ignore this mail. We need you"
That was not the usual line. Her eyebrows wrinkled. "now
what are you upto sir?" her thoughts voiced out.
The cursor was kept above his name. it was highlighted.
Ready to open at her click. She kept on looking at the name. after a few
seconds, the cursor moved to a side. And it clicked over the 'star' icon. She
exhaled heavily. "sorry Sir, I cant..."
She clicked the label, "starred"
A new window opened with the starred mail. All unread ones.
From the same ID. Its almost 12 mails now from last 3 months. And she never had
the heart to open it. she have been putting the 'star' and saving it up. All
had the same name from the sender. "Sameer Rathod"
Is tarah pehron tujhe sochta rehta hoon main
Is tarah pehron tujhe sochta rahta hoon main
Meri har saas tere naam likhi ho jaise
Meri har saas tere naam likhi ho jaise
Koyi fariyaad tere dil mein dabi ho jaise
Tune aankhon se koyi baat kahi ho jaise
Jaagte jaagte ek umr kati ho jaise
Jaan baaki baaki hai magar saas ruki ho jaise
[lines from one of my fav movie Tum bin...]
CHAPTER 2: PAGE 6
Edited by kunchu - 11 years ago
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