Sameer sang Naina

Part 6: Darjeeling ki Sair

Section II 

Darjeeling Diaries 

Part 6: Darjeeling ki Sair

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Monday, 19th July, 1993

"Naina?" Sameer knocked on her door. "Naina...so gayi kya?" he repeated.

"Hmmm!" Naina's mumbled response came.

"Arey Naina! Utho. Darwaza to kholo," Sameer repeated as he tapped the door multiple times.

"Sameer!" Naina's sleepy voice sounded through the door, but Sameer didn't relent. Finally, Naina got up from the bed and opened the door. Sameer burst into chortles as he saw her disheveled hair and bloodshot eyes.

"Kya hai Sameer?" Naina muttered, as she rubbed her eyes.

"Darjeeling kya sone aayi ho?" he asked as he tried to pat her hair to normal.

"Sameer, rest to karenge na. Itna lamba safar tha," Naina yawned.

"Kuch bhi? Chalo tayyar ho jao, hum ghumne ja rahe hain," he commanded.

"Ghumne aur abhi? Mujhe nind aa rahi hai. Tumhe nahi sona kya?" Naina protested.

"Nah, ghumne aate hi na meri saari thakaan gayab ho jaati hai. Aur vaise bhi madam, kal ka ek din khaali hai. Fir agle 3 din zyada time nahi milega. Itni door aaye hain to jagah bhi to ghumenge na. Chalo naha lo fatafat. Bahot sara cover karna aaj. Main bahar wait kar raha hun," he said.

Naina knew she had no option. These were the rare times when she regretted having a hyper-active boyfriend.

Twenty minutes later, Naina emerged in a flowery peach kurta, a white churidaar, and a matching white duppatta. She'd paired it with white hoops and a matching cardigan. Though the evening weather was pleasant, it was chilly for Naina. The winters of Ahemdabad were nothing compared to the temperature dips during the rainy season of Darjeeling.

Sameer bit his tongue as he saw her, and then yelped in pain.

"Aur saj-dhaj ke aao. Vaise hi control ki band baji padi hai," he murmured through gritted teeth.

Naina was alarmed, "kya hua?" Sameer didn't respond as he gazed into her kohl lined eyes, and pulled out the ribbon to let her hair loose.

"Ab theek hai!" he winked as he held her hand and led the way. As soon as they were out of their accommodation, Sameer took her to a nearby tea stall, and ordered two steaming hot tea cups for him and Naina, "nind bhaag jayegi!" he elaborated. And then there were times like these when Naina used to feel grateful for a boyfriend like Sameer. He always understood her problems, before she even had to voice them out to him.

Sameer glanced at his watch and then caught a taxi to take them to the Darjeeling railway station. Sameer had already booked their tickets through an agent yesterday. They disembarked from the taxi, just fifteen minutes before the start of their train journey. They comfortably settled themselves on the seats for the famous Darjeeling Joyride.

Sameer started humming, "mere sapnon ki rani kab aayegi tu...aayi rut mastani kab aayegi tu...beeti jaaye zindagani kab aayegi tu...chali aa tu chali aa...!" Naina blushed and started peering out of the windows as the train started. The scenery was unparalleled, much more beautiful than she'd ever seen around their home.

"Sameer, wo dekho," Naina pointed out to a quaint, small mountain cottage and a couple of goats and sheeps grazing on the meadows.

"Dekh hi to raha hun," came the reply. Naina turned to see Sameer's eyes fixated upon her. She blushed again and turned his face towards the window as he chuckled.