DASTAN-E-MOHABBAT

Chapter 13

The just-risen sun shone softly and its light dawned in with the chorus of the melodic birdsong. Unlike the house which was all quite since 3 days. Swapreena were in the kitchen unpacking the breakfast given by one of the neighbours, when Vishakha came.

Vishakha-Kya kar rahe ho bacho?

Swati-Mummyji woh...Sharma aunty ne abhi nashta bheja hai toh wahi nikal rahi hai.

Vishakha-Hmm thik hai. Ahh.....meri Panditji se baat hui, dopahar ko khana banake ek gay aur kauve ko khilana hai. Nashta hote hi khana banane lag jaayenge.

Naina-Auntyji aap khane ka tension mat lijiye hum sab dekh lenge.

Preeti-Ji aunty aap bas Dadi ke saath rahiye.

Vishakha hummed silently and went away. Meanwhile Dadi was in her room reminiscing about the last conversation she had with Dadu.

Flashback

It was late night when Dadu and Dadi where sitting on the swing placed in their balcony looking at the moon.

Dadu-Aaj Sameer bada khush tha, nahi??

Dadi-Ha, Naina se itne dinon baad jo mila.

Dadu-Hmm, tumhe yaad hai Sumitra shaadi ke 2din pehle jab main tumhare ghar ke bahar aaya tha.

Dadi-Ha yaad hai aur mujhe yeh bhi yaad hai ki kaise aapke peeche woh kutte lage the.

Saying this Dadi giggled followed by an aching laughter.

Dadu-Kya din the na woh.

Dadi-Ha, shaadi ke baad ke toh bohot haseen. Yaad hai jab aap mere liye hafte nayi bindiya le aate the.

Dadu-Ha....har dukaan mein ghumta tha main tumhare liye alag bindiya lene.

Dadi chuckles remembering her early days of marriage.

Dadi-Ab toh bas bacho ko khush dekhna chahti hu maina.

Dadu-Hmm, ab bas Sameer-Naina ki shaadi ho jaye ton main aankhen band karlu.

Dadi(gasps)-Kya bol rahe hai? Shubh-shubh boliye.

Dadu-Arre Sumitra ye baate sunke hi tum ghabra gayi? Main jaunga toh kya karogi?

Dadi-Toh main bhi aaungi aapke saath.

Dadu-Bilkul nahi.

Dadu sat facing at her.

Dadu-Tum mere jaane ke baad bhi yahi rahogi, humare bacho, poto, par-poto ko khush dekhte. Aur mera har sapna pura hote hue dekhogi.

Dadi-Acha, sab main hi karu aap waha aaram se baithenge, mujhe akela chodke.

Dadu-Kisne kaha main akela chodunga. Main tumhari yeh bindi banke hamesha iss maathe pe sajaa rahunga tumhare saath, tumhare paas.

Dadu said holding Dadi's hand while she blushed profusely.

Flashback ends.

Dadi moves her hand to her forehead and feels the bindi. She looks at Dadu's photo and says.

Dadi-Vidhvaye bindi nahi lagati par apne diya hua yeh tohfa main apne se kabhi alag nahi karungi kyunki isse, mujhe aapka mere paas hone ka ehsaas hota hai. Aapka har sapna pura hoga aur yeh aap dekhenge bhi mere saath hoke, mere paas hoke.

Dadi gets emotional looking at their wedding photo and caresses it.

************************************

Dadi stepped down after 3 days, the living room which had experienced laugh, love, tension was all silent. The girls were serving breakfast plates whereas Munna and Vivek were discussing about the office work. Vishakha was instructing Sameer to get the groceries and items needed for today. Dadi breathed and stepped forward.