PART 27
Both were silent strangely...they were sitting in the car...but couldn't
speak a single word...with each other.....neither Daya could drive the
car....the happenings of the past one hour.....were so extreme from one
another....imbued with so much feelings....Daya was writhing in perturbation
within himself.....he even couldn't look upon his wife's innocent & sweet
face.....to think how easily his relatives....addressed her ...as only a
chawlwali....the people....who stays at chawls...wouldn't they have the
right to be treated as a human??...chawlwali...chawlwalo ke damad.....those
words were smearing him with blood within himself.....some unseen force was
shattering him into pieces.....would they ever know ever feel...how much
precious his saint like masterjee was ...for him???...no...what's their need
to know???..they had their swagger of being rich...rich by what??? money???
shame......if they could ever realise that an human becomes rich not by his
wealth of money & power...but by his heart.....& masterjee was far more
richer by heart.....he went russet in diffidence........& couldn't
understand how would he plea for her forgiveness.....
Smita was musing over the harsh words again & again...those words were
reiterating in her ears & couldn't keep herself tranquil...how could they be
so much merciless...so much vicious....towards a man....who lost his mother
when he was barely a toddler??...Daya's rueful,lugubrious,pale & crimson
face suddenly flashed infront of her eyes...it seemed to her that he had
gathered his every energy..to repress his tears.....a cyclone was twirling
within her heart...along with a bellowing pain that was bobbing up & down
inside her...she again glanced at her husband with a glance of compassion,&
pure veneration...& her pain was being burgeoned as she saw Daya wrinkled in
shame...she started reproaching herself....for being the cause of his
distress...& misery.....how could she give him a little comfort??...how
could now she quell his intense pain of being insulted??.....how could she
bring back his innocent,pure smile in his face??? she wished to yell...yo
release the unbearble pain....but....no...she restrained herself...as she
knew...it would add the distress of her husband.....being helpless....she
kept her eyes..on the vast sky....through the car window.....the dark clouds
were floating across the sky with with steady loud rumbles....as if they
were scowling at the earth..giving them warning to be prepared for a
cyclone....cold gale started to blow on....dry leaves were drizzling down
the path to make it colourful....flowers too were dribbling in stream as the
cold zephyre was dashing onto them to take them away from their root.....a
known fragrance of drenched soil was wafting along by the
breeze.....suddenly a glimmer of pure joy churned up within her heart....she
once looked at Daya...& then unexpectedly got off the car......& then
started to spin on the road stretching her two hands .....Daya was just
stupefied....& bit scared too.....before he could get off the car...the rain
started to drizzle down....Smita was slowly getting drenched...but she
wasn't aware at all...she was beaming with pure bliss...& continuously was
spinning around....Daya quickly got off the car....& he too inevitably got
totally sopped....he came nearer Smita....but the more he was going to
Smita...the more she was going away.....she was romping..&
jumping...scuttling...& laughing like a little toddler.....Daya was
awestrucked to see her....as he sussed out Smita....like this...for the
first time...but he was trying to clutch her hand...just to resist her from
getting drenched....but...his words were being lost by the rumbustious roars
of the clouds....
Daya was helpless...exhausted.....he realised...that Smita lost
herself....in another world....where....there was no pain...no agony..no
distress & dejection....there was only one word...& that is ...pure
bliss.....all efforts to call her were in vein....& now Daya went to
Smita...& clutching her within his arms...he jerked her & shrieked
out--Smmiiiitaaaaaa.....
Smita's dancing rhythm had been stopped.....she slowly opened her eyes....&
discovered Daya....infront of her......his ruffled hairs were giving
thanks...to the raindrops....drops of rain were dripping from his hairs,
eyelashes,decending through his cheeks...they were dripping again together
in streams from his chin....Smita never had seen her husband...so
closely....so minutely....she was standstill...she couldn't avert her glance
from his two deep wide eyes.....she got into reality....to get another
jerking from Daya--Smmita....chalo....barish me...bheegna....is
waqt..achchha nehi hai...aao..kya karti ho tum???....aise....helding her
hand tightly....Daya was heading towards the car....Smita was
smiling....like a little scamp...now coming into the car...Daya closed all
the window...& started the car....but it was difficult to go ahead within
the beatific rainfall....Smita still was smiling...& though Daya was totally
bemused...& bewitched to see Smita's smile for the first time....he was
determined enough to restrain himself...& scolding her again & again--ye kya
bachpana hai Smita??tumhe maloom hai...is waqt bukhar ya aur kuchh ho
jayega...to pher....now he started to drive the car slowly....& again
reprimanded his wife--koyi is tarikese barish me bheegte hai??woh bhi is
waqt??? jab doctor ne tumhe......apna pura khayal rakhne ke liye..kaha
hai....ha???...doctor aunty ne ..aaj hi itni kuchh batayi...aur tum...he was
speaking with his flow...
Smita was smiling...& after a long...she kept her eyes over Daya to listen
to his scold....the raindrops were gleaming,glittering...& glistening over
his forehead,cheeks....& chin....he was radiating the magical beams of
ray....of raindrops....Smita gazed at her husband with eloquence & reverence
within her eyes....she went dumb...frozen like ice....& couldn't bat her
eyelids....to see the man....of her life.....his drenched hairs.....started
to dry....in the wayward cold breeze...& straying in the air.....
Daya was very much worried..& that worry made him so restless....he was
speaking again--tum bachhi ho kya??..ma ban ne wali ho....aur aise bachcho
jaise harkate....he stopped..realising that the sounds of Smita's laughter
had been trailed away...& she was silent....he turned his face towards
Smita...& saw the reverence....the devotion...within her eyes...she was
watching him with rapt attention being totally unaware about anything else
around her......Daya never had watched Smita ...like this....but the depth
....the silent glance...& it's parlance....he was familiar with
that.....after a while..Daya quickly averted his glance being a little
embarrassed...& nervous......& again concentrated to drive the car
well...but after a while....he had to pull the break in a rush....Smita just
startled & her trance had been broken by the sudden shuddering
jerk.....Daaya opened the door...& was about to go out...but stopped to hear
Smita's worried & soft voice--Dayaaa...Daya quickly turned his face towards
Smita....Smita lowered her eyes..& said--abhi bhi.....barish ho raha
hai....beejli bhi....gir raha hai...Daya's face wreathed with a light coy
smile...& then he told--main bas dekh ke hi chala ayunga...he went ahead...&
saw a thick matured stock of a tree....made the path closed....being an
obstacle in the middle of the road...he looked around...but this was a path
in which there wasn't a single one to help him....now Smita too got off the
car...& came to help....Daya was again started to yell---tum!!!..jao...andar
jakar baitho...oh..tumhe lekar kya karu main??jao..he again clenched Smita's
hand to took her within the car...& then he again came back...& started to
move the stock with his two hands....though he succeeded easily but as a
result he again got drenched....
he came back into the car....& sighed being a little tired....he was just
about to start the car...but stopped to hear Smita's piqued voice--jab tumhe
barish itna hi na pasand hai.....to jab main bheeg rahi thi.......tab kyu
tum....gari se utar aye??
Daya tittered a little to feel the peevish voice of his wife....&
said--tumhe kisne kaha..ke mujhe ....barish pasand nehi???
Smita was silent.....her peeved sulked face was disturbing Daya....now he
said in a hilarious voice--aise.....barish se.....main ...naraz nehi
hun.....
--to kisse naraz ho?....Daya didn't expect the quick question....but before
he could say anything....she again asked in a low & sad
voice--mujhse??..Daya was totally confounded....he couldn't twig why
suddenly her mood drifted ..& she went sullen....now he smiled & cooed
--naraz to tum ho...woh bhi mujhse...haina???
Smita didn't say anything..neither she looked at Daya....now Daya again
croon in a very soft & imploring voice--kyu naraz ho Smita??maine kya kiya
hai???..Smita quickly kept her eyes on Daya....& saw his beseeching glance
full of penitence....she felt a twinge of sharp pain inside her.....&
cooed--jab main kuchh karne jati hun.....itna ....dat te kyu ho??....Daya
chuckled lightly.....& then said very slowly in a gentle soothing
voice---tumhe bura laga???...main to.....soch raha tha....ke....agar.....
tumhe...bukhar ho jaye.......he stopped...& again looked at Smita...Smita
was staring at him....now he again said--achchha ..thik hai....aur nehi
datunga.....aab to muskurao.....Smita looked upon him....with brimming
eyes...& murmured--Dayaaa...Daya was waiting to hear from her.....she again
murmured--mere ma mujhe....aise..data karti hai....
Daya asked being curious--aur masterji..woh....matlab....papajee?...woh nehi
dat te hai tumhe??....
Smita smiled like a blooming bud....& said slowly--nehi...bohoot
kam....darasal....woh mujhe.....bohot pyar karte hai.....isliye...kitni bhi
badmashi karti thi main....woh hamesha...ma se bachate the mujhe.....
Daya sighed humorously...& said drawing a conclusion--iska matlab hai...ke
datnewalo ne ....tumhe pyar nehi karte hai...haina????
Smita again smiled & the she lost in a trance before saying within the deep
muse--nehi.....mujhe to....kabhi kabhi.....aisa lagta hai....ke.....agar
koyi kisiko.....dil ki.....gehrai se.....pyar kare......to hi....use dat
sakte hai.....jaise....she turned her face towards Daya with force to
say--jaise ki......but stopped..to see her husband's waiting eyes.....Daya
got a little embarrassed....Smita too flushed being a little shy....she
lowered her eyes.......Daya now broke the silence & said watching around
--barish ruk gayi hai...chalo...jaldi ghar chalte hai....he headed towards
Shiraz Apartment right at that moment.....
It was almost eleven at night......they had their dinner a bit early
tonight...as it was a hectic day....Daya was in the room...he was trying to
sleep....but couldn't.....might it be possible that he hadn't the habit of
going to bed so early....& also....whatever happened throughout the day
might be the cause to .....
he kept tossing & turning....& after a while he got out of the bed....& went
to the balcony.....still the bleakness of the breeze could be felt..as it
was blown slowly.....a damp redolence pervaded the whole atmosphere....Daya
couldn't recall the last day...he got drenched in rain...like this......his
mind was straying through the past days....the days go out...the happenings
of those days also go out...but it left the its memories....full of joy &
sorrow....the aroma of wet soil...brought back...to float away Daya's mind
into the past....a splashing scene of the past was gleaming infront of his
eyes...nearly of five years back......it was too a day of dark clouds....&
torrential rains.....for the first time papajee had taken him to the
"Snehalay"...the orphanage...built by himself....Daya could clearly recall
his first experience there....he hadn't been able to even speak..to see
those innocent, pure faces of the children who were abandoned by their
parents.....Daya hadn't been able to keep tears within his eyes...his tender
soul that day had been lashed by the bare truth of this world.....&
papajee's soothing words too he could recall--ro kyu rahey hai Daya???...is
duniya me...thori koyi anath hote hai....sab to bhagwan ka hi aulad
hai.....wohi...raksha karte hai sabko.....wohi...sabpe...apna karuna barsate
hai.....for the first time...he had been considering himself as a lucky
boy...to see those wretched children.....papajee had some important
meeting....so he had gone to office....& after spending sometimes with those
children...when Daya had been returning to home....he had been wreathing
with a strange feeling....he had been hobbling down the road even leaving
his car behind.....torrential rain had been spattering down to leave him
totally drenched....but he hadn't that consciousness..to feel that.....when
he recahed home....everyone had been totally staggered to see him like
that....he had entered into his room within a trance....& sat musing about
the faces of those children for long..untill....a soft touch distracted his
mind....someone was moping his hairs dry....chinking noises had been
spreading every corner of the room....before Daya could have any opportunity
to say something....a soft croon he heard--hmmm..to barish me aajkal...bheeg
bhi rahe ho???...bukhar hone ka darr nehi???hoga kyu??maloom jo par gaye
tumhe...ke bukhar hone se....tumhari Rani....apne Raja ko chhorkar kahi nehi
jaa payegi.....Daya had turned his face back....& seen...Hema there...with
her special,famous, perky, impish smile....she had been moping his
hairs...with her dupatta.....Daya wished to say everything...every single
feelings which were churning up within his heart...but....he couldn't.....&
burst into silent sob..engulfing Hema...with his two strong arms.....Heme
had been gazing at him with total surprise...she had been craving to feel
the repressed pain of Daya.....she had been patting over Daya's sopped
hairs...drenched cheeks....& finally....pecked on his.....forehead......
Daya got startled......to realise that he lost into the past days........he
sighed.....& tried to divert his mind........he opened the door.....the
entered into the hall....chachu was sleeping in his room.....the door of
Smita's room was ajar......Daya sat on the couch....& took his laptop...to
do some unfinished work.....within ten to fifteen minutes....he became
deeply involved with his work.....he was so intensely working that didn't
care about the time....untill...a steady slow groan..he heard...at first he
didn't notice it....but it was gradualy aggravated....Daya turned off his
laptop....& noticed that it was nearly two o'clock at night....the wince...&
graon...was coming out from Smita's room....Daya went infront of the
door...& tapped it....but no one answered.....Daya was hesitating to
enter...& so he again tapped the door...this time also he didn't get any
answer.....Daya a bit disconcertingly...pulled the ajar door slowly....&
entered into the room....Smita was lying in the bed...swaddled
herself...with two shawls...she was shuddering a bit...& was groaning in
pain......Daya was worried....& got tensed....quickly he went nearer her
bed...& called her....but....she didn't answer.....now Daya ...kept his palm
over her forehead....& his anxiety raised as he realised....that Smita was
down with high fever.....Daya started to pant being anxious & extremely
perturbed--aab ??....jiska darr tha...wohi..huya....he went to Chachu's
room..& called him in a loud voice....Chachu was in deep sleep...& when he
got up.....Daya said him in a fretful voice--chachu...tumhare bahurani ko
bohot tez bukhar aya hai....
Chachu rubbed his sleepy eyes & asked in between yawns--kya??...bukhar???
chachu said--koyi bukhar utarne ki dabai de do...dekho....guriyadidi rakh ke
gayi hai...
Daya hissed in despair & said--nehi chachu....koyi bhi dabai...is waqt woh
le nehi sakti hai....
Chachu asked him casually with sleepy eyes--kyu??
Daya was embarrassed...& then he said --suno...tum jakar apne bahuraani ke
pas baitho...mujhe doctor ko bulana parega...
chachu was surprised & asked--daktar?? itni raat me kaun ayega??
Daya was desperate--dekho...main nehi janta hun...par mujhe isi waqt doctor
ko lana hoga.....
Chachu said--to pher main chalta hun...is der raat me..main tumhe kaise
chhor sakta hun???..waise...hamare niche fifth floor me...ek daktar rehti
hai...koyi....he was thinking staring at the ceiling..& then
said--ha..daktar Ruby Dutt...main jakar....
Daya interrupted--nehi chachu...tum Smita ke pas raho...main abhi araha
hun...he went out....& again came back after about ten minutes....with
Dr.Ruby Dutt....She came into Smita's room...& was checking
her...minutely.....Daya asked chachu to go outside.....& then said with
hesitation--waise....normally....main itni raat me....aapko..pareshan ..nehi
karta....lekin....as..she is pregnant....mujhe laga ke....jhat se..koyi bhi
dabai de dena...thik nehi hoga....
Dr.Ruby Dutt smiled a little & glanced at him full of appreciation &
told--apne bohot achchha socha hai.....is waqt bohot hi samajh aur dhyan se
kam karna parte hai....
Daya asked in a shrivelled face--doctor...darne ki koyi...baat...
Dr.Dutt was writing prescription...& squinting her eyes she
said--nehi..darne ki baat nehi hai...lekin inka bohot achchha khayal rakhna
parega....main kuchh medicine likh ke de rahi hu...woh aapko pas
me....medical shop me abhi hi mil jayega......aur ha....puri raat zara
khayal rakhna ha??..ek ghanta ke phark me..barbar temperature check
karna...aur agar bukhar nehi utre...to mujhe turant inform karna thik
hai?...
Daya nodded his head ..but he was very much nervous...& asked
her--par...bukhar to....utar jayega na??....
Dr.Dutt smiled & said--I hope so...okay??...bye, good night...
Daya quickly called for the medicine...& took drenched handkerchief...to
keep it over Smita's forehead......grasped Smita....to sit on.....to give
the tablet...as Smita was totally in trance of high fever.....she was
infact yelling
sometimes....--maaaaa....maaaaaaa........Shinkuuuuuu........peetajee
ko........bolna.......woh.......woh.........ke......woh...dukhi maat
bane....
main........main......bohot.......khush .....hu....ha maaaaaaaa......tumhari
damad......mere khayal rakhte hai......khayal rakhte hai...she was
groaning..gasping sometimes....but didn't stop....to deliver the
words--maaa..woh.......apne se bhi...zada......zada.....mere ...khayal
rakhta hain.....ha
maaaaaaa.......mere...sare.......sasuralwale..........mujhe....
bohot......pyar.....pyar karte hai maaaaaa......
Daya was squirming inside with guilt ....& shame.......he was musing deeply
staring at Smita's pale face with moistened eyes--jin logo ne....tumhe ek
insaan ka maryada hi nehi diya....barbar...chawlwali
pukarke.....tumhe....itna.....aapmaan kiya......unhi logo ko.....Daya closed
his eyes in unbridble agony.....a drop of tear came out from his
eyes......he wiped it...& saw the watch....& checked the temperature ...to
note it down with time......within half an hour to forty-five
minutes.....Smita started sweating profusely......& she went silent
too......Daya .....wiped her face with cold towel....& kept aside her
straying..tangled dishevelled hairs....& again checked the
temperature...which gave him a sigh of relief...the temperature had gone
down.....Smita was in deep sleep..as the fever left her...she was lying
being crinkled....Daya patted her dishevelled hairs....& again sat on a tool
just beside her bed...........his mind was totally blank at that
moment......within himself he was continuously praying for Smita's well
being....& was checking her temperature as well though it had gone
down....watch was dangling with noises.....& Daya was sitting there like a
stiffened stone....his eyes were worn out...& closing in tiredness....but he
did open his eyes...with force......the dawn was approaching slowly...the
lerk of the birds were barely audible......Daya started to droop down...in
drowsiness....& slowly....lost within a light kip.....
Edited by suchi_dev2006 - 15 years ago
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