Jonakir Khelaghar

Akash Bhora Chand

A sky filled with the moon.....

At the Ganga Ghat...

Byom was restless... Tupak.. TUPAK ... TUPAAAK!!

Why Tupak? what was so great about Tupak? He was just a kid hardly 3 years elder to Pupli and Nilu. How will he know how to deal with a girl lost in her world which has very blurred lines between reality and Illusions. Her tumour which has lead her to believe in her stories whose protagonists were Byom. How will she live a married life with someone else. She was still stuck between Sussi, Durga and Nilu. Maybe there are many more of such stories where her Dassyu Raja took some other name and some other form and hurt her again and again.

If in her stories it was Byom who has been hurting her knowingly unknowingly then shouldn't it be himself who took her responsibility? It should be him and it was much obvious... why couldn't Mimi and Baba think of me? I should have been the first choice to marry her. Is it because Mimi thinks that he is the reason for her disturbed state of mind. He felt like he was being punished for something he never did.

What should he do now? Wait, did anybody thought of asking Nilu... What is her thought on marriage and specifically marriage to Tupak? She might not even like Tupak that way... What was going on in Mimi's mind? Her favourite Nilu's illness has affected her thinking process. Baba and Mimi always thought through things long and hard, but now Nilu's tumour is compelling them to hurry with things plus Tupak would blindly marry anyone Mimi chose. But Byom has always been much fussy about things and Mimi kept it all in control by keeping things just the way he wanted. But he too would marry anyone of Mimi and Baba's choice she should have known that. Just because he was a bit spoilt by Mimi that doesn't mean he won't bow to her choice in life partner.

He didn't even ask her about the girl she has chosen for him, did he? That should be enough evidence of his obedience. He should tell that to Mimi. But what if Nilu has said that she doesn't want to marry him and Tupak would be better for her? Nilu had been really scared of him. So many times he has also taken advantage of her fear, and teased her to no end.... Not realising she might not like it at all...

Back in Jalsaghar....

Nilu was doing some very important work with full concentration... when...

Byom: Kya ho raha hai?

Nilu was so shocked that all the nuts in her hand fell on the ground. She looked ready to run away again when Byom stepped in front of her. She looked scared to death, eyes going round and lips and chin trembling. Byom held her chin in one hand and hated it that she squeezed her eyes closed.

Byom: Nilu aankh kholo, aur mujhe dekho. Main daant nahi raha hu bas puchh raha hu... Dekho...

Nilu: woh sab gilhari khana ikkatha kar rahi, aur yeh chhoti wali gilhari nahi kar payi toh main use moongfali de rahi thi jo maa ne diya mujhe. Main un se puchh kar hi kar rahi thi aisa, bina puchhe n..nahi kiya... Shotti...

Byom: Oh toh gilhari ki khane ki fikr hai... Khud Khana khaya aur dawai li?

Nilu shook her head to no. So he looked down...

Byom: In sab mein se tumhari gilhari koun si hai?

Nilu pointed a finger to the tiniest of the lot running around.

Byom: Achha mujhe ek baat bataogi? Mimi meri shadi karwa rahi hai, bohot si tasveere di hai mujhe... tum usme se ek pasand karke bataogi?...

Nilu: Main?

Byom: Haa tum... pasand karogi please?