FF: Pyaar in the Pink City Pt32/Pg106(Concluded) - Page 2

"Maut aur Zindagi, dono hairaan hai,

Waqt ko mod de, hum woh toofan hai.

Ai zamane tere, eh, eh, saamne aagaye

Aaj ke daur ke, eh, eh, naujawan aagaye

Dar pe teri, banke sooraj, lekar subah aagaye ab hum

Subah ko '.. kar pranaam'.. Subah ko'.. kar pranaam"

~ Title song of an erstwhile DD serial ' Subah.

Part 1 Start Line

                Last night's downpour was showing signs of finally letting up and had reduced to an almost powdery drizzle as the midnight black skies began to slowly lighten up into a pre-dawn greyish blue.  Thundering hooves muffled by the puddles of squishy earth sounded in the distance and steadily drew nearer.  Ramsingh strained his eyes from under the cover of a humongous black umbrella as he stood at the doorway to the stables.  Out of the eastern horizon, where the track now covered with the rainy sludge curved, burst out a magnificent Arabian mustang, his shiny black coat glistening with sweat and rain; his long, powerful strides eating up the ground in an almost artistic grace; barely discernable puffs of breath streaming out of flared nostrils as his master bent over him to urge him on the final lap home.

The rider a strapping man of muscle and sinew was none other than his maalik, his Thakur, Ajay Singh Rathod.  Ramsingh's eyes travelled to his young master and his chest puffed up involuntarily with pride, as he saw man and beast work in such unspoken harmony, mind and body, muscle to muscle, strength for strength, pride merging with pride as they reached the finish line in a triumphant flair.  The master had returned home!  It had taken him a while to find his way back after what fate had dealt him, but return home he did.  It had been about nine months now since he had crossed the threshold into his ancestral Haveli, and although he had not mentioned anything about staying back, he had not spoken of leaving either, and that had to count for something.

                Ramsingh hurried forward clutching the backpack in his hand, his chappals sinking in the muddy sludge, as Ajay swung his long lean legs over his horse and landed in a smooth motion.  

"Good boy Atticus! Good boy" praised Ajay in his baritone voice patting  down the powerful pectorals of his steed, and feeding him a carrot, unmindful of his soaking wet riding shirt clinging to his rippling back or the water trickling down from his long locks that curled just above his collar.

"Ajay Baba, yeh leejiye" said Ramsingh handing his master a clean dry shirt while straining on his tip toes to hold the umbrella over Ajay's head.  

"Shukriya Ramu kaka. " He replied, his golden skin breaking out into a beautiful smile and his lips parted revealing pearlescent teeth.  "Ghabrayiye mat.  Bas thodi si bhaarish hain.  Iss mein bheegnese mujhe kuch nahin hoga".  

Stripping off his wet shirt, he pulled on the clean white one and proceeded to take the umbrella from a protesting Ramsingh's hands.  

"Naahin, Hukum.  Yeh hamara kaam hain".  

" Ramu Kaka, kitne baar kaha hai ki mujhe hukum mat kahiye.  Aap hame, hamesha ki tarah, Ajay baba hi bulayiye' with that he handed the reins to his diminutive valet, picked up his back pack and revved up his Hummer, one of the few things he had brought back home with him,  to head back to the Haveli.  

He must reach home before Tashi woke up and missed him.  The sun rose in the eastern sky staining it a cheery rouge just like thoughts of his Tashi filled his mind with a cheery rouge of its own.

************

                "Chote, aapse kitne bhaar kaha hain ki breakfast table pe business not allowed hain?" Anjali chided Arnav her eyebrows drawn in mock irritation.  It was impossible for her to be really angry with her chotte.  

"Nitin, I have to go now.  Why don't you join us home for tea this afternoon.  We will discuss the rest here.  Normally I don't mix business with pleasure, but this time, mujhe lag raha hain ki, koi aur bhi  tumse milke khush hoga". Arnav smiled enigmatically as he pulled his bluetooth off his ear and settled down just as his pretty wife walked out of the kitchen with a jug of freshly squeezed orange juice.  

His face lit up as his eyes met hers and every thought of his upcoming business deal scuttled of its own accord into a corner of his mind.

                Anjali surveyed her family chattering away around the breakfast table.  What a wonderful picture they made.  Naani sneaking bits of paratha to Lakshmiji, her pet goat under the assumption that no one was aware of what she was doing.  Akash pampering Payal with choice morsels of  methi paratha liberally smeared with Desi ghee, as Maamiji insisted that it was a good stimulant for milk and she ought to eat for the sake of her baby girl.  Aaanya at this very moment was blissfully unaware of all of this and was snoozing contently in her cradle in the cocconed comfort of the blankies hand embroidered by her mom. 

Arnav and Khushi as usual were having a dual conversation.  One of the spoken kind, where Khushi ji definitely had the upper hand and another of the unspoken variety, where her chotte waxed eloquent, for he always managed to get Khushiji tongue tied when he looked at her the way he did at this very moment.  Anjali quickly extinguished a tiny pang in her heart, and smiling brightly she rose from her seat declaring she needed to get ready; the workers would be in at nine am and she wanted to supervise the final detailing of their music lounge herself.

                "Well, yeh such hai, sirf bahana nahin tha.  Humme such mein aaj ke work items review karna tha." She told herself mentally, trying to assuage the tiny prick of longing that she had experienced when she saw her loving brothers and their wives.  She had wanted what they had for as long as she remembered, right from when she was a teenager.  Her parents' unhappy relationship had only fuelled her need for a loving partner all the more.  She had wanted nothing more than to mold herself into that kind of a woman who would do anything to keep her husband happy and in love with her.  She gave a bitter little smile.  But unlike houses and music lounges, love cannot be designed, it had to happen.  And for some inexplicable reason, love had decided to pass her over for other eligible candidates.

Anjali  firmly pushed her depressing thoughts to the far recesses of her mind, picked up her blueprint from the coffee table and slowly ascended the stairs leading to what had been her former bedroom and now a spacious hangout for the entire family.  She looked around in pride as she mentally ticked off the various design elements for the new Raizada music lounge that was replacing her old bedroom.  

Her brothers' business acumen often eclipsed their musical side.  There were indeed very few people who were aware that the normally quiet and reserved Arnav transformed into a flamboyant drummer, her Akash had a way with the Sitar when he was in college that had had teenage girls swooning over him, and fashioning their dream lovers after his quiet well-mannered demeanor and aristocratic elegance.  

Maamaji was a pro at the Harmonium and belted out traditional Hindustani as well as Bollywood classics of Mohammed Rafi and Mukesh with equal abandon while his fingers flew on the keys of the Harmonium.

"Hame ek chota sa family party rakni chahiye to innagurate this lounge" thought Anjali brightening up.  She pulled out another sheet of paper and started a fresh list of things to-do for the party she had just conceived.  The arrival of the workers brought her out of her revere and she turned to them her tone and manner instantly turning business like as she pointed out various aspects that needed their attention that day.

***********

                Arnav hugged Khushi kissing the top of her head at the doorstep and smiled to himself as he heard his Di's no-nonsense voice issuing directions to the contractors.  He had a spring in his step as he crossed the threshold, "It felt so good to see Di in this mood.  When his guest shows up for tea this evening, he had no doubt her happiness would increase all the more.  And when his plan works and he would make sure it does,  Di would stay in this happy state of mind for a long time to come".  Grinning at his thoughts, Arnav nodded to an astonished Pandey, his security guard who caught himself in the nick of time and smartly saluted his master as he drove out of Shantivan.

********************************************

"Maut aur Zindagi, dono hairaan hai,

Waqt ko mod de, hum woh toofan hai.

Ai zamane tere, eh, eh, saamne aagaye

Aaj ke daur ke, eh, eh, naujawan aagaye

Dar pe teri, banke sooraj, lekar subah aagaye ab hum

Subah ko '.. kar pranaam'.. Subah ko'.. kar pranaam"

~ Title song of an erstwhile DD serial ' Subah.

Translation

"Life and Death are equally astonished

As we turn into a tempest that turns time itself around

Watch out World, as we emerge in front of you

As the youth of the present generation,

As we stand at your threshold luminous as the Sun

Bringing in our wake a golden dawn.

Salute this Dawn'. Salute this Dawn'."

Part 1 Start Line

                Last night's downpour was showing signs of finally letting up and had reduced to an almost powdery drizzle as the midnight black skies began to slowly lighten up into a pre-dawn greyish blue.  Thundering hooves muffled by the puddles of squishy earth sounded in the distance and steadily drew nearer.  Ramsingh strained his eyes from under the cover of a humongous black umbrella as he stood at the doorway to the stables. 

Out of the eastern horizon, where the track now covered with the rainy sludge curved, burst out a magnificent Arabian mustang, his shiny black coat glistening with sweat and rain; his long, powerful strides eating up the ground in an almost artistic grace; barely discernible puffs of breath streaming out of flared nostrils as his master bent over him to urge him on the final lap home.   

The rider a strapping man of muscle and sinew was none other than his maalik, his Thakur, Ajay Singh Rathod.  Ramsingh's eyes travelled to his young master and his chest puffed up involuntarily with pride, as he saw man and beast work in such unspoken harmony, mind and body, muscle to muscle, strength for strength, pride merging with pride as they reached the finish line in a triumphant flair.  The master had returned home!  It had taken him a while to find his way back after what fate had dealt him, but return home he did.  It had been about nine months now since he had crossed the threshold into his ancestral Haveli, and although he had not mentioned anything about staying back, he had not spoken of leaving either, and that had to count for something.

                Ramsingh hurried forward clutching the backpack in his hand, his chappals sinking in the muddy sludge, as Ajay swung his long lean legs over his horse and landed in a smooth motion.  

"Good boy Atticus! Good boy" praised Ajay in his baritone voice patting  down his steed;stroking his powerful pectorals and feeding him a carrot, unmindful of his soaking wet riding shirt clinging to his rippling back or the water trickling down from his long locks that curled just above his collar. 

"Ajay Baba, here you go" said Ramsingh handing his master a clean dry shirt while straining on his tip toes to hold the umbrella over Ajay's head.  

"Thanks Ramu kaka. " He replied, his golden skin breaking out into a beautiful smile and his lips parted revealing pearlescent teeth.  "Don't fret.  It's just a little rain and I am not going to fall sick for getting wet in it".  Stripping off his wet shirt, he pulled on the clean white one and proceeded to take the umbrella from a protesting Ramsingh's hands.  

"Let me do it master.  This is my job".  

" Ramu Kaka, haven't I forbidden you from addressing me as master.  Please call me Ajay baba as you have always done since my childhood' with that he handed his reins to his dimunitive valet, picked up his back pack and revved up his Hummer, one of the few things he had brought back home with him,  to head back to the Haveli.  

He must reach home before Tashi woke up and missed him.  The sun rose in the eastern sky staining it a cheery rouge just like thoughts of his Tashi filled his mind with a cheery rouge of its own.

************

                "Chote, how many times have I told you that your business is not welcome at the breakfast table?" Anjali chided Arnav her eyebrows drawn in mock irritation.  It was impossible for her to be really angry with her chotte.  

"Nitin, I have to go now.  Why don't you join us home for tea this afternoon.  We will discuss the rest here.  Normally I don't mix business with pleasure, but this time, I think there is someone else who would be very happy to meet you as well". Arnav smiled enigmatically at his Di as he pulled his Bluetooth off his ear and settled down just as his pretty wife walked out of the kitchen with a jug of freshly squeezed orange juice.  His face lit up as his eyes met hers and every thought of his upcoming business deal scuttled of its own accord into a corner of his mind. 

                Anjali surveyed her family chattering away around the breakfast table.  What a wonderful picture they made.  Naani sneaking bits of paratha(Indian bread) to Lakshmiji, her pet goat under the assumption that no one was aware of what she was doing.  Akash pampering Payal with choice morsels of  methi paratha(Fenugreek bread) liberally smeared with Desi ghee(Clarified butter), as Maamiji insisted that it was a good stimulant for milk and she ought to eat for the sake of her baby girl.  Aaanya at this very moment was blissfully unaware of all of this and was snoozing contently in her cradle in the cocconed comfort of the blankies hand embroidered by her mom. 

Arnav and Khushi as usual were having a dual conversation.  One of the spoken kind, where Khushi ji definitely had the upper hand and another of the unspoken variety, where her chotte waxed eloquent, for he always managed to get Khushiji tongue tied when he looked at her the way he did at this very moment.  Anjali quickly extinguished a tiny pang in her heart, and smiling brightly she rose from her seat declaring she needed to get ready; the workers would be in at nine am and she wanted to supervise the final detailing of their music lounge herself. 

                "Well, it certainly wasn't just an excuse to get away from the breakfast table.  I do have to go over the work items for the day before the men arrive." She told herself mentally, trying to assuage the tiny prick of longing that she had experienced when she saw her loving brothers and their wives.  She had wanted what they had for as long as she remembered, right from when she was a teenager.  Her parents' unhappy relationship had only fuelled her need for a loving partner all the more.  She had wanted nothing more than to mold herself into that kind of a woman who would do anything to keep her husband happy and in love with her.  She gave a bitter little smile.  But unlike houses and music lounges, love cannot be designed, it had to happen.  And for some inexplicable reason, love had decided to pass her over for other eligible candidates.

Anjali firmly pushed her depressing thoughts to the far recesses of her mind, picked up her blueprint from the coffee table and slowly ascended the stairs leading to what had been her former bedroom and now a spacious hangout for the entire family.  She looked around in pride as she mentally ticked off the various design elements for the new Raizada music lounge that was replacing her old bedroom.  

Her brothers' business acumen often eclipsed their musical side.  There were indeed very few people who were aware that the normally quiet and reserved Arnav transformed into a flamboyant drummer, her Akash had a way with the Sitar when he was in college that had had teenage girls swooning over him, and fashioning their dream lovers after his quiet well-mannered demeanor and aristocratic elegance.  

Maamaji was a pro at the Harmonium and belted out traditional Hindustani as well as Bollywood classics of Mohammed Rafi and Mukesh with equal abandon while his fingers flew on the keys of the Harmonium.

"An intimate little family party is in order to celebrate the inaugural of this music lounge" thought Anjali brightening up.  She pulled out another sheet of paper and started a fresh list of things to-do for the party she had just conceived.  The arrival of the workers brought her out of her revere and she turned to them her tone and manner instantly turning business like as she pointed out various aspects that needed their attention that day.

***********

                Arnav hugged Khushi kissing the top of her head at the doorstep and smiled to himself as he heard his Di's no-nonsense voice issuing directions to the contractors.  He had a spring in his step as he crossed the threshold, "It felt so good to see Di in this mood.  When his guest shows up for tea this evening, he had no doubt her happiness would increase all the more.  And when his plan works and he would make sure it does,Di would stay in this happy state of mind for a long time to come".  Grinning at his thoughts, Arnav nodded at an astonished Pandey, his security guard who caught himself in the nick of time and smartly saluted his master as he drove out of Shantivan.

********************************************