Sach hote Khwaab

Shringaar

It was a radiant morning. 18th of March – my wedding day was here.
I opened the drawer of my desk and took out Mummyji and Bauji's photograph.
'Jab mann ho laut aana, ae kaha tha aapne, aur humesha ke liye alvida keh gaye? Aap toh mainu sabse jyaada pyaar karte the na, fir kyun kyun chale gaye?', I complained softly as tears welled up in my eyes. 'Kyun chale gaye mainu chhadke?'
I weeped for some time silently, clutching the photograph to my heart. Just then, a short gust of wind blew past me and I wiped my tears slowly and said, 'Nai aaj nai rona hai maine. Aapne bhi udaas ho jaana hai mainu iss tarah vekhke. Aaj kinna changa din hai! Aaj sabne khush khush hi rehna hai! Aap bas apna pyaar-dulaar mainu bhejte rehne wahin se!'
I kissed the photograph and caressed it for a while. With a sigh, I placed the photograph in my wooden chest.

Walking out into the balcony, I looked out in the open sky.
aaj din chadheya tere rang varga
aaj din chadheya tere rang varga
teri chuman pichli sang varga
hai kirna de vich nasha jeha
kisi chheene sapp de dank varga
aaj din chhadheya tere varga...

'Amrit?!', came Vashma's excited voice from behind me. I turned to find Radha jiji and Vashma coming in my room with my clothes and accessories for Maaiyaan. They came right into the balcony.

'Ohji tuhaadi mehndi dikhaao!', Radha jiji said excitedly, taking my arms in her hands. 'Hayeee! Kinni ghehri rachi hai!', she said, drooling over my mehndi.
'Ye toh hona hi tha!', Vashma remarked, nudging me.
'Acha acha ab jaldi jaldi taiyaar ho jao! Maaiyaan ke liye sab taiyaariyaan ho gayi hai!', Radha chachi said.
'Haan aur vo Mala bhi aayi nahi hai aaj!', Vashma said with a sigh.

'Vo Mala! Uff! Kiven kal poore din Damaadji ke agge pichhe mandrane ki koshish kar rahi thi!', Radha jiji said irritably.
I made a face, fidgeting with the end of my dupatta.
'Aur kaise zid kar rahi thi, ki dulhe raja ke haath mein mehndi vo lagaayegi !', Vashma exclaimed, in an annoyed tone.
'Vashma yaad mat dila uski!', I exclaimed, fuming.
'Oye tu kyun chidd rahi hai?', Vashma said, 'Acha khaasa sabak toh sikhaa diya tune use.'
'Bada mehndi mehndi kar rahi thi. Bichaari nu aisa dhakka maara, seedhe mehendi ke bhaande mein jaake giri! Haath pure mehndi mehendi ho gaye', Radha chachi exclaimed and both of them burst out laughing.
'Uske toh chehre tak pe bhi thodi bohot mehendi lag gayi thi!', Vashma added with a laugh. 'Kaise kheejkar gayi thi'
I looked on, extremely embarassed.
'Inna vi koi zor se dhakka nahi diya tha maine. Vo gir gayi isme mera kya kasoor?', I said, with furrowed eyes.
'Oye shaan se bol na ki haan maine maara dhakka, kyunki mere pati ko taad rahi thi! Aisi harkatein kar rahi thi', Vashma said adamantly, handing the clothes and accesories to Radha jiji and placing her elbow on my shoulder. 'Aur waise bhi, ye sab maze maze mein thik hai. Par tujhe aise fikr wikar karne ki zaroorat nahi hai! Randheer ko tere aage peechhe mandraane se fursat kahaan! Hmm hmm!', she said mischievously. 'Unhone to dhyaan bhi nahi diya hoga!'
I looked down, turning crimson.
'Haaye chamak toh dekho iske chehre ki!', Vashma remarked, holding my chin.
She rushed in front of me and taking my hands into hers, she spun around gleefully. In the process, slightly bumped into Radha jiji and all the clothes and accessories fell down from her hands.
We looked at each other and burst out laughing.

All of us kneeled down to pick them up. One choodi rolled down to near my room's door. I got up and went there instead to pick it up.

Out of nowhere Randheer came, lifted me by my legs and whirled me around, 'Amrit!'
For a minute I was stunned. He had literally taken my breath away. I was just smiling like a fool.
'Aap jaanti hai kya hua??!', he exclaimed excitedly.
'Mainu neeche toh utaaro!', I said timidly, looking down at him with an embarrassed smile. 'Aap pehle meri baat suniye!', he said urgently.
'Acha thik hai. Bataiye!', I obliged, trying hard not to blush.
'Aapki kavitayein kitaab mein chhapne waali hai!! Maine Jijeevisha Prakashan se baat kar li hai! ', he exclaimed.
'Ji?', I asked, confused.
'Ji!!'
'Par kaise? Kab?'
'Aapne jab vo kavitayein mujhe dikhaayi thi tabhi se main chaahta tha ki unhe kitaab mein chhaapa jaana chahiye. Aur fir aap kuch din pehle mere cabin mein apni diary bhool aayi thi. Tabhi mauka mil gaya mujhe unhe utaar lene ka. Ab bas agar aapki haan ho toh unhe chhaap diya jayega!', he replied smiling broadly.

What an amazing wedding present he'd given me! I am just so fortunate!
'Mainu vi aapko ek baat bataani hai', I said, with a bright smile. 'Kitabghar prakashan ne bhi ek kitaab likhne ka prastaav rakha hai mere saamne. Pacchees mukhtasar kahaaniyan likhne ki baat hai'
'Sach ?!', he exclaimed, swiveling around even more enthusiastically as I tightened the grip on his shoulders with a pleased smile. 'Kab ? Kaise?'
'Ye toh aapke laut aane se pehle ki baat hai par... aap aa gaye wapas, inna sabkuch ho gaya, mainu dhyaan hi nahi raha hai is baare mein.', I said meekly.
'Mujhe waakayi naraaz hona chaiye aap-par, itni badi baat aapne batai hi nahi mujhe!', he complained.
I started to apologize but there came Vashma's voice, 'Toh jaiye na naraaz!' I looked at Randheer widening my eyes in embarrassment. Shoot! They were here all this while and -

We turned. Vashma and Radha jiji sat there kneeling against the other side of the bed, cheeks resting on their palms, with a naughty smile on their faces. Extremely embarrassed, Randheer put me down again hurriedly.
We started looking elsewhere, awkwardly.
'Pehle ye bataaiye aap aaye kaise yahaan? Aapko roka nahi kisine?', Vashma asked with surprised smile.
'Nahi, mujhe toh kisine nahi roka', he replied innocently.
'Dhyaan nahi gaya hoga kisika, warna darwaaze se hi aapko lauta dete. Aur ye toh dulhan ka kamra hai, har kisi ko aane ki ijaazat nahi hai yahaan!', she said whimsically.
With a smug smile, he gestured to the embroidered frame which hung on my door.
'Haan pata hai hume ki aapki dulhan ka kamra hai, phir bhi nahi!', she said adamantly. 'Aapko toh sakt manaayi hai aaj. Aap yaahan nahi aa sakte!'
Bending a bit towards me, he whispered softly, 'Aaj inhe kar lene dijiye inke mann ki. Waise bhi aapko toh main inse hadapke le jaa raha hoon.'
'Chaliya chaliye', she said ushering him out of the room, while I looked down and blushed.

*