Forbidden To Love

1. Natural Artistry

The sun filtered through the clouds, marking the end of the rain. The water collected on the roads, glittered invitingly. Though the sky had changed its colour from pale white to yellowish orange, the earthy and musky scent of the rain persisted. The empty roads were filled up with people buzzing around.

Among the crowd, by the roadside, walked a lady along with her daughter who was not more than six. Silent and oblivious of her surrounding, the child wrapped her little fingers around her mother's hand and followed her steps.

"Chor, chor!! Koi ise pakariye!"

Frowning, the child turned her head to the screech of her mother and saw a man yank her mother's black, leather bag.

"Koi toh madad kijiye, us bag mein ek lakh rupaay the loan ke!" The lady yelled, chasing him across the streets.

But the people stood like rocks, possibly expecting some popcorns to drop from the sky which they could enjoy themselves with, while they watched the free drama.
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"Satyanaashhh!!" The girl slapped her forehead exasperated.

"Sorry madam, galti se hogayi." The thief scrunched his nose in irritation. The sudden collision with her scooty had invited more of drama which he certainly didn't wish to be a part of.

"Ek minute bhaiya, rukiye aap! Aise kaise humara scooter kharaab kiye chal par rahe hain, aur hume girkar jo chot lagi woh alag! Insaniyat ke khatir thoda ruk toh jaiye, humari scooty ko khada karne mein toh madad kar dijiye, hum konsa police mein shikayat karne jayenge aapke bare mein, yeh galati toh humse bhi ho sakti thi na."

"Aap chup rahengi kya kuch der, bake jaa rahi hain kab se! Main kya karu aur nehi karu woh batane wali aap hoti kaun hain?"

"Hum? Hum... hum aapko kyun bataye hum kaun hain? Pehle aap bataiye aap kaun hain! Bataiye, bataiye."

"Ruk.. rukiye! Mera bag... ch.. chor!" The lady stumbled on her way, panting, her eyelids almost dropping shut.

"Arey arey, aise thak jayengi toh bag kaise le payengi? Chhor dijiye, aapse nehi hoga..." The thief trailed, smirking.

"Unse nehi toh humse ho payega!" The girl spoke.

"Try me." He laughed, racing away.

She ran after, colliding with a man only to make his place in the gutter, appearing before a bicycler to bless him with a fractured leg who fell over in a futile attempt of applying brakes, kicking a man and knocking the accessories off the tables which tumbled over. She had even embarassed a man as she snatched his wig, while his bald head gleamed shyly............ A few disasters followed by when finally, she could grasp him.

"Aap log khade khade dekh kya rahe hain? Pakariye ise, hum police ko call karte hain. Aaj bhale hi aap sab ek aurat ki madad karne ke jagah unki bebasi ka tamasha dekh rahe hain, par zindagi ghumke thik isi jagah pe kisi din phirse khadi hogi... Tab aapko bhi madad ke liye shayad hi koi milega. Aaj unki halat dekhkar, ek kadam badhakar, kyun na aap sab hi badlaav ki shuruaat karein, kuch aur mile na mile, sukoon bahot milega aap sabko.." The nerve she tried to tickle in them had managed to bring about a change.

They offered a helping hand.

"Apne paas humesha inhaler rakhiyega, aapko kabhi bhi zarurat pad sakti hain." The girl suggested, forwarding the inhaler.

"Tumhe kaise pata chala ki mujhe asthma hain?" The lady asked, after she had regained her breaths.

"Kuch cheeze apne aap samajh aajate hain." She smiled.

"Shukriya, tumne meri bahot madad ki. Sabne bas khade khade tamasha dekha, par tum alag ho. Naam kya hain tumhara?"

"Yeh kya baat huyi? Humne madad thank you sunne ki liye thodi kiya, hume bas achha lagta hain madad karne mein, aur hum usi mein khush hain. Aur, humara naam? Hum hain Guddan!"

"Bada pyaara naam hain tumhara, bilkul tumhari tarah, jisne itni bahaduri se ek chor ko pakra. Main hoon Renuka, aur yeh meri beti Srishti. " The lady introduced herself, returning her smile.

"Humne kuch khaas nehi kiya, bas teen cheeze Guddan ko kabhi mat boliyega. Pehli, Guddan Tumse Na Ho Payega! Dusri, Guddan Tumse Na Ho Payega!" Guddan informed, eating up the third condition.

"Aur teesri?"

"Teesri? Woh aap apni beti se hi puch lijiyega, kyun Srishti?" Guddan booped the nose of the child.

Her nature left her spellbound. She was kind of rare, her beauty, the artistry of nature. The soft brown curls cascading down her back swayed melodiously with the flow of wind. Her doe eyes had the shade of amber, layered with innocence. With the warmth in her stare, her eyes served the way towards her soul. She had dark eyebrows while her rose lips were softer than cottons. Her smile sang it's own poetry, silencing the storm. The silk yellow frock reached down to her knees, complimenting her porcelain skin. Her pure soul added with her beauty, angelic she was. A lively angel.

"Arey baap rey, hum toh mummy ke liye sabziyaan khareedne aaye the! Aaj toh teri khair nehi Guddan! Hum ab aate hain haan?" Guddan slapped her forehead and hurried away, murmuring things.

People nowadays make such a mess of their surroundings. Idiotic people! She frowned, oblivious that she was criticising her own self.
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"Ye lijiye mummy, aapki sabziyan."

"Aagayi maharani ji? Toh bataiye, kaha the aap? Ek kaam toh tujhse hota nehi, ab kya gadbad pakakar aayi hain? Tujhse toh koi umeed hi nehi hain mujhe, tu toh hain hi galatiyon ki dukaan! Na jane woh konsi manhoos ghari thi, jab tune janm li..." Stupid fool!

"Maa! Aap humesha di ko kyun daanti rehti hain, bin baat ke sunaye ja rahi hain! Di ko bolne toh dijiye." Revati protested, irked by her mother's words.

"Le, agayi teri chutki, teri tarafdari karne! Meri beti ko achhi patti parayi hain tune Guddan, humesha main hi toh galat lagti hu Revati ko!" Kaushalya taunted.

"Maa aap phir shuru ho gayi? Di aap chaliye mere saath, inka to chalta rahega!" Revati dragged her sister to their room.

"Kamal hain!" Kaushalya rolled her eyes.
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"Di aap sunti kyun hain maa ki daant humesha?"

"Chutki, hume adat pad gayi hain, tu fikar mat kar. Mummy toh humari bhalayi ke liye daanti hain hume. Aur tu toh hain hi humse pyaar karne ke liye, haina?" Guddan asked.

She had always turned a blind eye to her mother's taunts, her partial actions. She could not accuse her mother for her mistakes had costed the family way too much. Though it hurts, but life has taught her acceptance, she had to learn it.

I know mummy, you love me dearly.

"Woh toh hain, par..." Revati trailed, sceptical.

"In sabko chhor aur meri baat sun. Tujhe pata hain aaj teri di ne kya kiya?"

"Kya?"
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"Waah, aapne bahot achha kiya di! Main humesha kehti hoon na, agar aap khud par bharosa rakhengi toh aapke liye kuch bhi naamumkin nehi. I am so proud of you."

Giggling at her sister, she took her into a warm embrace. The comfort of eternity, only sisters knew it.