Sach hote Khwaab

Struggles

Amrit and I had composed ourselves before getting near the door, otherwise everyone would get worried. Uday, Vashma, Radha Chachiji and my parents were sitting on the takhts in the drawing room and chatting happily. We were just about to enter when Radha Chachiji got up and stopped us. 'Oh ruko ji !'
Clueless, I and Amrit looked at each other.
'Damadji inne din baad ghar laute. Kisine aarti utaari unki ?!' she asked and looked around at everyone questioning. Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads.
'Oh koi nai ji koi nai.', she said cheerfully 'Main avi gayi aur aarti ki thaali laayi. Tussi itthe hi khade rehna ! Andar ni aana !', she said raising her finger. She ran inside and soon was back with a thaali.
'Amrit ! Tussi vi aage aao. Damadji de kol khade ho jao'
Amrit nodded with a smile and covered her head with her dupatta, coming forward. Radha Chachi applied a tika on our foreheads and performed the aarti. We looked at each other and smiled.
'Haye ! Tussi dono naal naal khade kinne sohne lag rahe ho ! Oh ji aap dono na aise saath saath rahoge ji humesha', she said sweetly.
'Maa !', Uday said 'Inhanu andar bula lain ya saari galaan aethe khade khade hi karaange ?'
'Oh haan ji haan ji. Aa jao. Vashma ne to mainu pehle hi phone kar diya tha, par hi nai aa paayi'
Amrit replies, 'Koi nai chachiji. Tussi hun te aa hi gaye ho !'

We went in and sat down, me beside Uday on a takht. Amrit excused herself for a moment and went upstairs. I noted to call after her if she did not return in a few minutes. She did return soon. She had gone up with the bunch of Daisies and had come down empty handed. I smiled.

She went and sat down near Vashma, who enquired quietly if something was wrong. Amrit shook her head and asked 'Kabir so gaya ?'
Vashma replied, 'Kahan sota hai tere bina. Main hi jaanti hoon kitna samjha bujha ke sulaya main use'.
I turned towards Mummyji and Bauji, 'Aap logon ne khaana kha liya ?'
Bauji replied, 'Haan puttar. Humne to khaana kha liya. Par bacche saare tum dono ka intezaar kar rahe the. Pehle khana khaalo fir baithenge baat karne'

***

After dinner, while coming back into the drawing room, I asked Uday, 'Amrit bata rahi thi ki aap sab refugee campon mein logon ki madad kar rahe the ?'
'Ji Randheer Sahab ! Wahan itne ghaayal log the. Itne beghar log the. Madad karne waale bhi kam the aur humein bhi kaam ki zaroorat thi. To kuch din hum wahin ruk gaye.'
Vashma joined in, 'Hum logon ki marham patti kar dete. Sarkar ki taraf se aaye kapde baant-te, khaana baant-te.'
Amrit too came, 'Kayi log the jo gaon gaon se aaye si. Kisinu unki bhasha ni samajh aaundi si. Par unha vich kuch loga di bhasha Radha Chachi nu samjh aati thi. Unhone unki madad kiti.'

We all sat down on the takhts in the drawing room, where Mummyji-Bauji were waiting for us.
Uday said, 'Amru aur main, hum na roz aas-paas ke kuch campon mein bhi ghoom hi aate aapki talaash mein. Maine apne coach sahab ko khat likh diya tha pata karne vaaste ki humaari team kahan ikattha ho rahi hai. Hum bhi fir wahi chale jaayenge'
Vashma said, ' Us waqt musalmaano ki khilaaf itne bhadke hue the log ki mera to camp se bahar na hi jaana behtar tha. Kabir bhi bohot chhota tha.'
Amrit smiled and said, 'Kabir to humaari aankhon ka tara hai. Us waqt usnu dekh ke hum sab apni saari dikkatein bhool jaate the ! Aise hi ek hafta beet gaya. Fir Veerji ke coach sahab di chitthi aayi ki unki team Dilli mein ikattha ho rahi hai. Bas fir humaare paas jo thode bohot paise the usse Dilli ki bus ki ticket khareedi aur yahan chale aaye'
Uday said , 'Ji Hockey ke vadhiya khilaadiyon ki na Police mein naukri lagti hai. Pehle to kade zaroorat nahi padi to maine li nahi thi ji par ab zaroorat thi. Police mein naukri milne kaaran saanu kiraaye da ik teen kamre da chhota sa makaan vi mil gia Karol Bagh mein. Bas ji saanu hor ki chahida si ?!'

I asked, 'Apne saathiyon se dobaara milke to bohot acha laga hoga na tumhe ?'
He said sadly, 'Milkar khushi to bohot hui par –'
'Par ?
He replied 'Rai Sahab, humaari Punjab ki team ne na unnees sau saitalees mein nationals jeeti thi ji ! Bambai ki team ko haraya tha ji humne. Sann adtalis mein hone waali Olympic khelon mein humaari team se hi kayi khiladiyon ka selection go gaya tha ji. Unme main vi tha. Par batwaare mein humaari hi team ka sabse zyaada nuksaan hua. Adhe log us paar hi reh gaye. Aur jo idhar aaye vo sab bhikhar gaye. Pehle to ji Punjab mein hockey ka sadar mukaam Lahore mein hi tha. Par Batware ke baad badalna pada use.'