RISHTE- AK
Part -1
Situated 48 km north of Udaipur, Nathdwara has the famous Sri Nathji Temple. The black stone Krishna image that is housed in the temple was brought here from Mathura in 1669 to protect it from the destructive impulses of Aurangzeb. According to legend, the getaway vehicle, a wagon, sank into ground up to the axels as it was passing through Nathdwara. The priests realized that this was a sign from Lord Krishna - the image did not want to travel any further! Accordingly, the Sri Nathji temple was built on the spot.
Attendants treat the idol like a delicate child, getting it up in the morning, washing it, putting its clothes on, offering it specially prepared meals and putting it down to sleep, al at precise times throughout the day. It is a popular pilgrimage site and the temple opens and closes around the image's daily routine. It gets very crowded around 3.30 and 4pm when Lord Krishna wakes up after a siesta.
Dilip Rathod and Suryabhan Singh were the children of one of the famous ancestral families, living since 1800's in the same old ancestral homes where their Eight Great Grandfathers lived. There houses are few distance away from each other, and their families have been friends for last 150 years…….They are very well known in the Udaipur and nearby areas and well respected amongst the old royal families, who still lived there. They were both disciples of Srinathji and have always participated in many of the puja's and functions of Lord Krishna, held in Srinathji Temple every year.
Dilip and Suryabhan studied in the same schools and colleges for years and were good friends, though Dilip was 3-4 years bigger than Suryabhan.
Suraj singh's (Suryabhan's father) family was wealthier, and their house was like a palace…..There were around 15-20 rooms in the house, and huge surrounding area with fence…….there were separate servant quarters as well as big gardens behind the house…..Dilip's house was just the same, though not this huge……
Dilip respected his parents Devyani Rathod and Srinath Rathod and was close to them. Avantika Dilip's wife was ideal daughter-in-law and followed all the Rajashthani traditions of the house. Avantika and Dilip have 2 Son's Karthik (8) and Angad (3). Srinath Rathod (Angad's Dadaji) was well known for his horoscope reading and people from far away areas came to him for consultation.
Suryabhan Singh was the Son of Suraj Singh and Meera Singh. Suryabhan Singh has an older brother, who is 19 years older than him. His name is Krishnakanth. His wife Nandini was a lovely lady. Unfortunately, Suraj (Suryabhan's father) had a heat stroke when he was in the midst of travelling, when Meera (Suryabhan's mother) was 5 month's pregnant with Suryabhan. Krishnakanth was 20 and recently married at that time. Meera was in her near 40's, and due to her age and Suraj Singh's sudden demise, she had some complication during delivery and died during childbirth.
Nandini and Krishnakanth took care of Suryabhan like their son, rather than brother. Nandini loved him as if he were her own son and pampered him a lot. They could not have kids, but still were satisfied to have Surya, who was very attached to them. Suryabhan always treated his brother and sister-in-law with respect and tried to respect their wishes. They choose Gayatri as his bride when he was 21 and he happily married the girl of their choice, without any question. He was happy with Gayatri.
Even though he was proud of his old ancestral heritage, he liked to be more adoptive with modern technology. He did not much like the old way of thinking, which still continued around the big families, but never openly debated with anyone around, not in the least his brother. He bowed to their wishes, as he respected them for what they did for him.
Gayatri was pregnant and is about to give birth. Nandini who is now in her early 40's, is helping her in her room during her delivery. A local lady doctor and nurse were hired and every one were tense during the delivery, as the last time the child was born in this house, it was not happy moment for them. It was the day, both Krishnakanth and Suryabhan lost their mother….Suryabhan was pacing in the huge living area, while his elder brother sat there deep in thought, worried about his brother's wife….
Suryabhan – Mein ne kaha than apako bhaisa, ki Gayatri ko hum huspatal le jayenge. Dekhiye na kitni der ho gayi aur abhi bhi koi khabar nahi hai. Gayatri bechari ki halat to har minute kharab hoti ja rahi hai. He said looking anxiously at the closed door….
Krishnakanth- Surya, tu to janta hai na, humari ghar ki bahu bahar nahi jati….Aur huspatal mein kya rakha hai. Tere kehne par doctor aur nurse bhi to hum ne bulva liya hai na…..Tum chinta mat karo….Srinathji bar bharosa rakho….Ma ki baat alag thi. Unki umr aur babuji ke achanak maut ke karan, unhe sadma hua tha…..Magar humari Gayatri ko kuch nahi hoga…..Dekhana abhi khushkhabari ayegi…..Aur mein Taya ban jaunga…he laughed looking at Surya….
Surya was still not convinced but gave a small tight smile to his elder brother. Recently he was feeling a little uncomfortable about his elder brother's old fashioned thinking. But he could not say it loudly…..He wanted to do Masters from one of Udaipur's old Universities. But his brother thought it was useless. He did not take out the subject again, as Gayatri was pregnant. But the nagging feeling about following the same old traditions, even if they were not correct were always sub-consciously making him flinch….. Suddenly the door opened.
Nandini – Badhai ho devarji. Gayatri ko ladki hui hai. Ghar mein Lakshmi ayi hai. Bilkul ma par gayi hai. Chand sa chehra hai. She said smiling at them…..
Suryabhan – Sach bhabhi….Aur Gayatri, woh kaisi hai….Thik to hai na woh? He asked worriedly.
Nandini – Haan devarji, bilkul thik hai. Bas kamjori hai. Magar abhi 2-3 mahine mein phir se pahele ki tarah bhagne lagegi….Mein hun na uska khayal rakhne ke liye, aap chinta mat kijiye….she said with a affectionate smile
Suryabhan- Haan haan bhabhi, aap ne mujhe ma ki kami kabhi mehsos hi hone nahi di……aap aur bhaiya to humare ma bapu saman hai……..mujhe malum hai, apke chaya ke tale Gayatri bahut jald thik ho jayegi…..
Krishnakanth got up with tears in his eyes.
K: Maine kaha tha na Surya, dekho sab thik ho gaya…..he said coming to Suryabhan, Badhai ho….he said taking Surya in his arms and hugging him….
S: Haan bhaisa….aapke aur bhabhisa ke ashirwad ka natija hai……he took blessing from his brother and sister-in-law.
N: Thodi der mein tum ma aur apni bachi ko dekh sakoge. Kya naam socha hai…..
K: Meine uska naam Kripa rakhna chahta hun….Srinathji ki Kripa…..Bahut dino ke baad hamare yahan ladki hui hai…..
Suryabhan nodded his head and smiled with agreement….
S: Bahut acha naam hai bhaisa. Mujhe bhi pasand hai….Kripa….yahi naam rakhenge…….Nandini smiled and nodded.
N: Mein abhi sabka muh mitha karati hun…….Aap jara Avantika bhabhi ko phone karke bata dena ji…… kakisa kab se raah dekh rahi hogi…..
K: Mein abhi phone karta hun…..He took out the phone and started calling everybody with the happy news…..Within few minutes the word spread around and people started coming in with gifts and sweets…..
Meanwhile, Suryabhan met his little girl and beamed with pride. He slowly went near Gayatri and kissed her forehead which was covered with perspiration. Gayatri was very weak due to heavy blood loss and could barely manage a smile.
S: Humein itni pyari beti dene ke liye bahut bahut shukriya Gayatri, par bas, aur nahi, mein tumhe is haal mein nahi dekh sakta…..Tum jaldi se thik ho jao. Humare liye ek beti hi kafi hai….Use hum sari khushiyan denge…..humne aur kuch nahi chahiye…..he said putting her hair behind her ear…….
Gayatri just smiled and was fast asleep in few minutes…..The maids were with her, to take care of her and her needs…..Everyone were in the seventh heaven looking at the little baby who was sleeping near her mother peacefully..…..The house was decorated with flowers and oil lamps on Krishnakanth's orders..…..Rathod family came home in the evening, to wish everyone and look at the baby…….
Av: Kitni pyaari bachi hai….Avantika smiled looking at the little girl, laughing at Angad and Kartik's silly questions and looking at the little bundle…..bilkul tum par gayi hai Gayatri….Gayatri smiled proudly looking at her little girl…..Kya naam socha hai….
Nandini: Kripa……Ye chahte hain ki uska naam Kripa rakhein, kyun ki ye saab to Bhagwan ji ki Kripa se hua hai…..Itne saal baad is ghar mein laxmi ayi hai…..aur woh bhi itni pyari…..she laughed beaming with pride at Surya's daughter…
A: Bada pyara naam hai aur bilkul sahi kaha bhaiya ne…..Betienya to ghar ki laxmi hoti hai….na jane samaj ajj bhi bete ki hi umed kyun karte hain…she said sadly…..
Devyani: Ekdum pari lag rahi hai…..bahut khubsoorat hai…..bilkul tumhare jaisi hai, Gayatri….wahi naak, wahi ankhein….Devyani said, taking Kripa from Avantika…..Bhagwan ise lambi umar aur dher sari khushiyan de…..she said smiling at the little baby……
In the living room Srinath sat with his punchang and other book to prepare Kripa's kundali for her future…….Everyone were waiting for his verdict…..He frowned a little and took out some other horoscope and after a little time, smiled with a great satisfaction…..
Srinath – Bahut bhagyashai hai teri beti Surya…….Bahut sekhegi aur khub naam karegi tera, Sakshat Saraswati ka roop hai……..Parivar ko humesha jode rakhegi aur jis ghar jayegi Lakshmi layegi…….Bahut achi kundali hai….He said with a smile….
Surya and his family were beaming with pride….They were happy and celebrated the arrival of their new member by doing Srinathji's puja and feeding the poor people near the temple. They did Kripa's name keeping ceremony very grandly, in their home temple, calling the main priest of Srinathji, who was a dear friend of a family……Gayatri decorated the idol of Srinathji with Nandini's help and did the puja and rituals with all her heart and distributed 16 different types of sweets(Prasad) to the village people, with her own hands…….Kripa was showered with gifts and jewelry from everyone who was near and dear. They had a big party, with all Rajasthani food and dance……Ladies sang and danced around her, singing beautiful songs……There was happiness all around…….Surya and Gayatri were in seventh heaven….…Years flew by with love filled days and laughter filling the huge house……Rathod familye was as much attached to Kripa as her own family……They doted on her and fullfiled her every wish……She was pampered and loved as a little princes in between these two families……If she would be even a little hurt, they would fuss around her for days…….Kripa was the heart of both the families and a very sweet child in all…….Angad and Kartik, though interested in playing with their own friends, were still protective of her…….Though Angad at times was angry on her as she always took the ladoos and sweets made by his dadi to her home……..!!But he always knew that his dadi would save some for him even though she would show Kripa that she had given her the entire box of sweets………
4 years later…………
G: Are Kripa theher to ja, kahan bhagi ja rahi hai….Yeh dudh to pe le….she said frowning and running behind her…..
Kripa came near Suryabhan and hid behind his leg…..Surya laughed and picked his daughter….
S: Are Kripa, kyun har roj maa ko tang karti ho…..Dudh to roj pina padta hai….nahi to apko takat kaise ayegi…..Aur maa ko satana achi baat nahi……
K: Par humein dudh pina bilkul acha nahi lagta….papa…
S: Hmmm…..yeh baat hai…….he said chuckling and kissing his daughter……Par dudh to sare bachon ko pina padta hai…….nahi to takat kaise ayegi……Ek kaam karte hain, are Gayatri, he said turning to her….. tum Balvant(servant) to bajar bhejo, aur kaho jara Horlicks ya bourvita, jo bhi mile, la de…..Kripa ko acha lagega…….
Krishnakanth: Woh kya hota hai, Surya…..
S: Bhaisa, woh dudh me milakar pene ke liye hota hai…..bachon ko acha lagta hai……Krishnakanth frowned at that…..
K: pata nahi bajar mein kya kya milavat hoti hai…..koi jarurat nahi….Ja Gayatri kesar badam aur ilaichi dal ke la…..sehed ke liye bhi acha hai….aur swad bhi acha ayega…..Surya frowned a little but kept quite….
G: Je jhethji…….
K: Tayaji…..par humein dudh nahi pina….Kripa said looking at him……
Krishnakanth: Aise nahi kehte, gudiya….Jao ma ke sath aur dudh pe lo…Kesar badam se tum aur bhi gori ho jaogi aur bilkul pari lagogi….Jao ab….mujhe kaam karne do, aaj bahot kaam hai……Jau Gayatri Kripa ko andar le jau….Mujhe suryabhan se kuch kaam ke bare mein baat karni hai….Surya reluctantly handed his daughter to Gayatri and sat down…..Their eyes met and Gayatri smiled at him lightly and nodded to him asking him that it is alright and she would take care of Kripa……
Kripa made a face, but went with Gayatri any way……
Krishnakanth: Aur haan ek aur baat Gayatri…..Ab Kripa badi ho rahi hai….Use ye frock vock muth pahenaya karo….Acha nahi lagta…..
S: Par Bhaisa…..abhi to ye bachi hai…Sirf 4 saal ki hai…..he frowned displeasingly…...phir kyun….
K: Are Surya humare yahan aisa acha nahi lagta….woh itne bade ghar ki beti hai….Aur woh bhi aise ghar ke jiske purkhon ki pehchan raja maharaja se hai…..aise kapde videsh mein thik hai, mugar ye apna chota sa gaun hai….Jaisa desh waisa besh………woh humare ghar ki izzat hai…....Jau ab Gayatri….
Gayatri obediently took her daughter and left..…she was a little disappointed…..Suryabhan had bought so lovely dresses for their princes, from his last trip to Mumbai, and now she won't be able to use it for her daughter……she looked lovely in those little frilly things…….it was difficult to keep following old traditions, as all other kids, who came to play with Kripa wore skirts or frock, and some where even wore pant shirts like boys…..
A week or so after……
S: Bhaisa, mein soch raha hun ki Kripa ko aab school mein dakhil kara dun……ab to woh 4 saal ki ho gayi hain na…..
K: Ye kya keh rahe ho Surya, woh koyi school vool nahi jayegi…….hum uske liye ghar mein hi achi si mastarni rakh lenge..…..Apne khandan mein ladkiyan bahar nahi jati padhne…..Par tu chinta mat kar, uske padhai mein koi kami nahi ayegi…..
S: Aap kis sadi ki baat kar rahe hain bhaiya…..aaj kaal to sab school jate hain, aaj to ladkiyan havai jahaj bhi chalate hain…..
K: Chalate honge, par yahan apne ghar mein nahi…..Kripa ghar mein hi sikhegi…..uske liye saab se badiyan shikshak dhund ke layenge……..
S: Par bhaisa, uske hum umr ke bache saab school jate hain…..Kripa ko unke sath samay katna acha lagega, sath padenge likhenge, hasenge ek sath bade honge, to woh bhi khush rahegi……ghar mein yun akeli….
K: Surya, chahe to ass pados ke do char ladkiyon ko an eke liye kaho, uske sath khelne, par mera nirnay atal hai…..woh ghar par hi padegi….itni bade ghar ki beti aur woh bhi itni sundar, kisi ki najar lag gayi na khandan ki beti par to acha nahi hoga……nahi woh bahar nahi jayegi……..
Suryabhan was disappointed and went to terrace……and kept looking at the lights far away….
G: Are aap yahan….saab app ka khane par intazar kar rahein hain….Gayatri said after an hour or so…..
Suryabhan shook his head….
S: Mujhe bhook nahi hai….tum sub khana kha lo….. he said sternly and left to his room…..
Gayatri knew the reason for his anger and looked down with tears….she too wanted her daughter to go to school…….Already she had started teaching Kripa a little and she was a bright girl…..She picked many letters within few days…..
As each day passed, Suryabhan was feeling more and more frustrated in between these old traditions…….He wanted his daughter to have all the happiness in the world….wanted to make her independent……but the old traditions and his brothers strict rules, were making it impossible…..His brother, did not want to adopt to new ways of thinking….His dreams of doing masters were also rejected……But how could he stand there and see the same happening to his daughter……even though he respected and liked his brother, he was starting to think about a new future for himself and his family, away from this old traditions..……
Few days later……
Krishnakanth: Are bhagyawan…..kahan ho, jaldi aao….bahut buri khabar hai…..Surya ….Gayatri kahan ho sab…..Everyone came running hearing his voice….
Surya: Kya hua bhaisa…..he asked anxiously….
K: Are Srinath kaka ko dil ka daura pada hai…..akhri saans le rahe hain…….Kripa ki yaad kar rahe hain…….humein wahan jaldi jana hai…..jau Kripa ko lekar aao….mein aur Nandini age chalte hain……
N: Hey bhagwaan….ye achanak kaise ho gaya….
K: Pata nahi….ab wahan jake hi dekhte hain….huspatal bhi nahi ja rahe….doctor ke liye bhi mana kar diya….unhone….
Everyone was shocked to hear this….. They quickly took Kripa and headed to Dilip's house…..As soon as they entered, the maid took them to the Temple area of the house, where Srinath was resting on the bed kept for him….He insisted to stay in the temple while he took his last breathe….... Angad (7) now, was sitting on the bed, with his granddad…..Kartik was visiting Avantika's sister Netra in Jaipur…..
Srinath: Krishna aya ki nahi? He whispered looking at Dilip…..
D: Bas babuji ate hi honge…..Phone kar diya tha aur naukar ko bhi bheja tha…..
Srinath: Gopal kanhaiya….thoda aur vakt de dena, ek akhri kaam pura karna hai…….he whispered with eyes closed…….Avantika and Devyani began sobbing quietly……Srinath did not want a doctor….He was quite adamant about it……Dilip had tears too……Suryabhan came in with little Kripa and so did Krishnakanth…..
K: Dilip, kaise hain kakasa? Kakasa, dekhiye Kripa aa gayi hai…….he took Kripa from Surya's hands and made her sit on the other side of the bed……Slowly Srinath opened his eyes…….
Srinath: Aagayi meri pyari rajkumari…….Tumhara hi intazar kar raha tha…..kitni pyari lag rahi hai ye lehenge mein, bilkul mere Gopal ke Radha ki tarah……
Then he turned to krishnakanth…..Krishna……meine Kripa ki aur Angad ki kundali dekhi hai….Pata hai…..done ke gun aise milte hai, jaise Radha Kishan ke milte ho……Angad aur Kripa ek dusre ke dhal hai aur ek dusre ke liye hi bane hain…….Mein teri beti ka vivah, apne pote se karna chahta hun. Mujhe vishwas hai teri baat Surya kabhi nahi talega…..Everyone around were stunned and speechless…….Never had they even thought or expected Srinath was about to talk about this new relationship…….. Especially Suryabhan and Gayatri….
K: Jaroor kakasa aap thik ho jaiye, sahi waqt ane par hum un donon ka bhya bahut dhum dham se karenge…..itne salon ki dosti rishtedari mein badal jaye issase achi baat kya ho sakti hai….aur apke jaise khandan to dhundne par bhi nahi milte…..meri Kripa bahut bhagyashali hai……sachmuch…..
S: Nahi Krishna….Mere paas waqt nahi hai……Shadi abhi hogi….isi waqt…….No one spoke for a few seconds…….
Then suddenly Surya shouted…..
S: Yeh nahi ho sakta…kakasa….kabhi nahi ho sakta……aap ne aise socha bhi kaise…..woh 4 saal ki choti si bachi…..uska bhya….yeh nahi ho sakta….namumkin hai ye…….and left the room angrily……Dilip looked at departing Suryabhan, with anguished eyes…….Srinath looked at Surya leaving with pained eyes…..and then looked at Krishna….
Edited by vamita - 13 years ago
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