I was arranging the bouquets at the place that can attract the buyers. The hustle of the crowd was making the surrounding more energetic and joyful.
Temple was decorated with multi flowers adorning the place where the Supreme Lord resides. The row was pushing each other to reach inside the temple and offer Shri Prasadam and perform the Aarti. Some were busy buying Diyas while some were shaking Shrifal to check the amount of coconut water it has inside, some were selecting the sweets and Pitambari along with Chunari. Everyone was having a smile on their face because when you offer your prayer to the Supreme being you feel divine, you feel pious, you feel Blessed!
I was just arranging my shop as it was the time of dawn and we open it at this time so that devotees can offer these beautiful flowers to the Lord. Sun was rising slowly as if waking up from the slumber he was in the arms of night. The sky was dark still but the sun was scattering the shine slowly from the east. It was like the sun was engulfing the whole sky in a hug so as to pass the sunlight to each layer of the sky.
I was humming a hymn when someone poked my arm and I pinched my eyes in not again!
" Bass Gana hi gate rahoge ya Gulab aur Baijanti ki mala ko ache se sahej ke rakhoge. Zara dekhna woh gende i mala piroyi hai ya nahi "
" Aap na Kaki maine sab pehle se kar diya hai dekhiye woh rahe Gulab ki lattar, woh wali Gende ki aur ye rahi mere hanth mein apki Baijanti mala.... hogaya? Ya koi aur bhi mala pironi hai "
" Haan haan thik hai dekh to zara woh peela Aurkid dekhna "
" Kaki woh Peela Aurkid nahi Yellow Orchids Hota hai kitni baar bataya hai apko " I corrected her and she gestured to focus on work
" Neil dekhna Beta woh aaj ek afsar aane wale hain unka order likh lena kaffi bada order hai "
" Ji kaki " I smiled and she walked down the shop to perform her prayer.
I came to this city from my small village to work on my own even though it's a small work I want to earn and get a respectable job Afterall It's far better than to join a pathetic family business where my identity will be lost and I would only be recognized by the Surname of my grandfather and will be labeled after his business.
I could have had a luxurious life if I would have extended the textile business but I choose this path.
I wanted to do nothing as my only wish was to watch this world grow - grow like a flower. My life was having the fragrance from these flowers that entered through my hands every morning. Kaki has handed me this shop as she considers me her only son. It's truly said some relations are pure than blood relations.
Though she always acts strictly whenever I am busy reading Romantic novels whereas she wants me to sulk over-engineering. But I was always engrossed in the world where one can touch those snows directly falling from the sky as a blessing never have I ever experienced that and I lived those emotions there in the books. The words transmitted me to another world.
Well, this was my routine opening the shop at 3 or mostly at 4 when the Temple was cleansed and decorated beautifully. The sound of ' Shankh ' has always pored the divinity and purity from my ears to directly in my soul. Opening the shutters of my Flower Shop that I and Kaki named as ' Gulon ka Kinara ' and then arranging flowers. One by one bunch by bunch. Some of the marigolds, some roses - white, red, yellow, blue, and variety, The most favorite was to arrange Lily at a separate corner. Orchids that were imported and were kept in a special environment. The Tulsi Mala was the toughest part as they were soft and always took time to be arranged into a garland, it was highly demanded by devotees, and trust me its fragrance was just aesthetic.
After arranging every part well enough I use to fetch water in my hands and sprinkle it above my head entering inside the temple to offer my prayer. And the most important part of my life covering 10 Shlokas of Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta every day. That's the blessing in my life. And then my favorite work. Balancing my back on the wall of my shop involving myself in the novels of ' Shivani ' or originally known as Gaura Pant. Now since you know my routine let's leave this English conversation here I am into Hindi Literature and I am comfortable much more in that.
Alert Hindi Para in the further stories if you are not acquainted leave it kyunki iss story ki khushboo Hindi mein hai........
Mera sabse pasandida kaam tha phoolon ko bechna kisi anjan pate (address ) tak pahunchana bass ek khushboo ka dusre ke pass mehakna kitna acha lagta hai na.
Along with that, my favorite was the notes that were to be sent along with those Bouquets
Generally, people use to go with notes like " From this to that " but sometimes a few notes were really interesting and used to make my day with just mere words, like one day the order was to deliver white lilies followed by the note...
" Dear Anshika,
Woh shayad rang hua nahi jo Khas tumhare liye Bana ho isiliye Ye white Lillies "
Main muskura diya sochne laga ki ye Guldaste ko recieve karte samay uss ladki ki Aakhein kaise Chamak jayengi, Kathai Aakhein aur Chehra to pakka Surkh ho jayega. Kitna acha lagta hai na jab sab muskurane lage.
One day there was the bouquet of Blue Roses along with the note of just two words " Papa Sorry " and I was just in the pool of thoughts. what mistake did the son commit? Will his Father forgive him? Will this mere sorry will compensate for the loss between the time the father has faced until the son said Sorry?
I use to pen down these notes in my diary. And on restless nights I dreamt that one day these notes would be the signature of one's feelings.
One night I was closing my shop but suddenly a car stopped- Mercedes and A boy nearly of my age approx 25 moved out all in a black suit his expensive perfume was passing and covering my flowers. for the first time, my flowers were having a fragrance that was beside them as well.
I smiled at him and welcomed him in. he was checking out the sections of each flower carefully.
" Kis tarah ki flower bouqets lena chahenge aap, Kis flower ki catlock dikhaun aapko ? Aur Bhi Hain par Kaal subah aayenge " He shifted his gaze from flowers towards me
" Nahi nahi mujhe ye bato ki ek Guldasta kitne dino tak fresh reh sakta hai ? " he said touching the petals of roses and I just answered whatever knowledge I was having.
" Ji agar Air-conditioned room hai to 10 se 15 din kamse kaam "
" Thik hai kaal suabh iss address pe ek Guldasta koi bhi umm.. tumahri pasand ka deliver kar dena " He said taking out a card from his pocket " Aur ispe note kya karna hai ye main suabh tumhein message kar dunga " he said completing his sentence.
" Ji ho jayega " I said taking the card glancing over the address mentioned where I have to deliver the Bouquet. It was the address of a bungalow amongst the porch area of the city.
" Aur issi tarah tumehin har 10 din pe ek Guldasta deliver karna hai jab tak main mana na kar dun, thik hai? " he said further taking the leave and I was just thinking what he has to write in those notes?
The thought along with which I slept the previous night accompanied me in the morning on my pillow. What would the last night customer write on that note and why am I so excited? Why am I expecting some romantic note here? Or it's just my imagination it can be for his mother who might be ill and he has to leave her for his work or it could be for his wife who is angry with him and he is here to pacify her with these beautiful bunches of flowers. I was weaving one after another imaginary story and reached my shop.
The truck that was loaded with flowers was waiting for me. As this was the starting of the winter season I decided to buy a large amount of flowers cause in this season they dry slowly. And since this was the season of marriage the demand for these flowers increased to a hype. Often the orders for decorating the cars were placed and I use to smile like a fool when I Calligraphed the first letter of the name of groom and bride with roses on the windscreen of the car thinking how the Auspition was once in the name of groom written in hands of Bride by Heena was replaced by flowers on the cars. I enjoyed this a lot.
I started to arrange my flowers and then two boys accompanied me, the delivery boys and the remark was that I have appointed them as a Delivery boy for the joyful nature they have. I always thought that how would one feel if they were delivered a bouquet of flowers soft and beautiful with a dull face and cranky voice - Naah.... not matching. So these two were always happy and smiling when they delivered Flowers to the selected address " Jazbaaton ko Manzil tak ehtiyat se pahunchana maine apni zimedari bana li thi "
I was putting the last bunch of flowers in the bucket filled with water that a message pooped in my phone with a beep.
' Vidyut pandit ' the customer who came last night.
" please send this note with today's flowers " he requested and below this, there was a quote to be there on the note today from a famous Shayar it stated:
" Dear Avni,
Aap Chu Dekhen Kissi Gunche ko kabhi apne hath se
Guncha Gul aur Gul Chaman Ho jayega "
I smiled it was from nowhere that the strict appearing man of my age was into Shayaris " Halanki Sher Thoda Kamzoor tha " I thought if these notes were to be sent out of love it would be like ' lots of love ' ' take Care ' or much more to ' Miss You '
Interesting! I murmured under my breath and hurriedly made a bouquet of Ruby Blushy Rose and then his words rang in my ears ' Har 10 din main Ek Naya guldasta '
" hmm," I thought this deal is quite interesting and somewhere beautifully peaceful.
.............................................
" Ek saafina hai teri yaad agar
Ek samandar hai meri Tanhaai " the message beeped in my inbox and that's how my morning started. It was 10 days since I had sent the Bouquet to Avni. This name has something magnetic but just shrug it off.
" Kya kamal ka aashique Mijaz banda hai.... behad Khubsurat hongi Avni " with these thoughts I started to get ready along with a thought came where had Vidyut went for so many days and even if he went for work who sends flowers in such a way to his ladylove?
" Shayad naya naay Ishq ho " such stupid thoughts often knocked in my mind but nevertheless I always pushed them away. I reached my shop on my Bike and Today the first order was to be prepared for Miss Avni. This name just melted on my tongue like sugar just sweetening my mouth.
Which Flower should be sent today as it is of my choice according to Mr. Vidyut. The more the flowers the more were the colors shining.
How would I know which flower she liked? If He would have told me so it might have helped. Or.... Miss Avni herself would have told.
" Miss Avni herself? " I was amused at my own thoughts. Her number is there with me shall I ask her any day?
Naah.... Naah It would be uncomfortable I will send whatever I like why too much stress? I am fair enough happy with the amount that is paid in my account every 10 days. After thinking for few minutes I made the Bouquet Of Red Carnation.
Red and winter are something I always prefer on my list. And then from the shelf, I took a card that was having a picture of a boat at the seashore. I wrote inside the card with blue ink.... that was sent by Mr. Vidyut in the morning.
Like this Three months passed. I have sent approx 10 Bouquets and lastly, Vidyut has ordered for a large Bouquet with a message of Birthday wishes. So it was Miss Avni's Birthday.
I have sent and delivered many bouquets but this Mr. Vidyut was somewhere stuck in my mind. This was the fourth month since I was sending Bouquets to Miss Avni and today was the first day of this month to send the bouquet but there was no message or note from Mr. Vidyut. I sent him the message but it was undelivered. After 2 - 3 messages more I started to make the Bouquet.
This time I selected White Rajnigandha ( Tuberose ). until now I have sent Colors through these flowers but now I was sending the fragrance. I took a card and like always I wrote
" Dear Avni, "
I thought to send it like this without any note but don't know in which flow I wrote a shayari
" Kuch Khatakta toh hai pehlu mein mere reh reh kar
Aab Khuda jane teri yaad hai ya Dil mera "
Jigar Muradabadi the shayar Whom I have preferred most of the time. Don't know why I was waiting for the delivery boy to return. When he came I asked him..
" Woh Mohtarma Guldasta dekh ke Khush to hui na? " and the delivery boy answered chirply
" haan woh humesha Phool dekhne se pehle Note padha karti hain, aur halka sa muskuara ke Thank You! Kehti hain "
I don't know why I was imagining her Facial expressions when she would have received today's Bouquet along with the quotes that were from my side today unlike What I use to send Ob on behalf Of Mr. Vidyut.
...................................
Kabhi Kabhi Seedhi pagdandiyo par Chal kar Zindagi ek halka Sa mod leti hai. Ye koi Doraha nahi hota Manzil wahi rehti hai magar aap bass roshani ki disha mein chalne lagte hain. Khushiyon mein thoda Ijafa Hojata hai Bass... Kuch aise hi daur se shayad mein bhi guzar raha tha.
The next date for sending the Bouquet came but there was still no message from Mr. Vidyut. my heart was saying to write something as a note and then to send the flowers. Until now I remembered each Quote from small to famous Shayars but I was a little uneasiness.
I wasn't knowing the reason behind the sudden break in the quotes sent from his side. It can be that they both have a fight? Or ... It can be that Mr. Vidyut wanted to send some silent message to Miss Avni. There were many things I didn't know
On the next date for sending those flowers, I selected Dark Violet Gladioly to make the bouquet and took its long stems to be decorated with satin ribbon. Now was the time for the Note. I thought for a long time.
" Koi ruthne mannane wali baat likh dun kya? Nahi... Aise hi rehne deta hoon. sirf Mr. Vidyut ne Bhejvaya hai ye keh ke bhej deta hoon itni hi duty to hai meri " I wrapped the bouquet with cellophane paper.
After some time the delivery boy was arranging the Bouquets in his delivery bag and there was a card hanging outside from the chain. It was the name of my Shop and Tagline
" Gulon ka Kinara - We deliver emotions " and below that, with violet markers, it was the Quote from Shayara Parveen Fakir's few lines
" Woh toh Khushboo hai Hawaon mein Bikhar jayega
Masla Phool ka hai Phool kidhar jayega " and I was suprised that tere was an answer from that side. On a simple paper with blue Ink, it was written " Shukriya " and now this ' Silsila ' was going further. I stopped asking my client Mr. Vidyut that why wasn't he sending any love notes? Instead, I didn't want that he send any such quotes it was as if I wanted to send those lines. After delivering the Bouquets the delivery boys use to hand over that Thank you note as a reply always but how can I be satisfied with this much!
I would ask them " De diye Phool ? Unhi ko Diye the ya kisi aur ko. Avni kuch Bolin? unhe Phool Pasand to aa rahe hain na ? " and they answered in yes and No. I wanted to ask them
" Kya woh saree pehanti hain? Aur.. aur Baal Jude mein lipte hote hain ya Khule bikhre hue? Kaisi Rangat hai unki Gehuaan? Aur muskurati kaisa hain?
And I realized that she has made a place in my subconscious and from don't know when?
And finally one day I decided to deliver The flowers myself.
" Koi wada nahi
Koi yakeen nahi
Kisi baat ki umeed bhi nahi... phir nahi janta tha ye kya tha ki aaj mein delivery boy banke jane ko tayiyar tha "
I was intently watching my ownself in the mirror.
Hmm, I must say I have a handsome face. And I smiled and I found My smile is also good enough. I took out a cream color shirt and Blue jeans
I went to the nearby lake that had given their water to keep my flowers fresh don't know why they were to be thanked today. I went back to my shop and decided to name something large and beautiful like never before. Roamed my eyes around my shop and there were just flowers and flowers. Many colors so many fragrances so many varieties. Which to be picked which to be left? having this confusion in my heart.
With each flower, I made a Bouquet unmatched. And now the time was a for a small note on a card.
I wrote Hasrat Jaipuri's Shayari:
" Kahin Woh aake na mitta de Intezaar ka Lutf
Kahin kubool na Ho jaye Ilteja meri " and this time I smile with content after writing Dear Avni at the top.
After reaching the address I rang the Bell and My heart was thumping so hard. After a second Bell, a Lady opened the gate. Just like the shayaris was her appearance. The white complexion, doe-shaped eyes,sharp-edged nose and Petals-like lips, and a mole above her lips.
I was like preparing another Shayari on her Beauty and was zoned out. And with this, I guessed that She was Avni.
" Ji..... main woh..... Neil From Gulon ka Kinara Shop. " I said hesitantly looking Down not meeting her eyes and then I heard her.
" Aandar aao " was unexpected. I was sitting on a sofa and she came having two Coffee Mugs in her hand and passed one to me.
" Shayari Achi kar lete Ho " She said and i could feel the heat on my cheeks.
" Ji ... shu...Shukriya woh Mr. Vidyut ne Apke liye Bouquets bhejne ko kaha tha Notes ke sath unke notes aane band Ho gaye to main ..... main woh " I trailed off and she chuckled and trust me that was melodic
" Vidyut aur main Kabhi sath nahi the woh usne bhejna thik samjha aur main Chup rehna " I was shocked that she was sharing her personal affair with me but I kept quiet.
I felt so unprofessional that I invaded in someones's personal life by sending those notes on my own.
" Maine tumhari bheji har Shyari ko ek jagah rakha hai Card ke collection mein Mujhe Apne se lagte hain" Avni said and I was astonished that what was the message behind these words.
I looked down then at the flowers and then on my Coffee mug but dared not to look at her. This lonely surrounding and the breathing of mine followed by her was somewhat making me feel different emotions. Some desires were bottling inside.
I was finally at the same gate that once was the place of my over-excitement and now it was just I can't describe.
I walked out of the gate and settled on my Bike when I heard her saying
" Ek gulaab ishq hi sahi rehne Do
Khushboo pe haq tumhare Humara bhi Rehne do "
(my lines no copy....)
She said leaning on the door smiling at me and I smiled with satisfaction and with a new enthusiasm inside cause this journey is filled with the fragrance of Rose mixed with Love to Cherish Forever.
Bass Yahin tak tha Aaj ka Safar
.................................................
Milti hoon aagli Kahani ke safar mein.................
Nerdy_Turtle21 kaisa laga kuch hatke hai kya?
So I am back with os as You all supported me and said I should definitely go with an Os Collection so here I am expanding Aab Kehna Hoga to Avneil Silsila....
Kaisa tha I tried something phir se pata nahi kya but trust me tried...
Hope You liked it do share your views and Vote if you want.
Sorry For Typos You can give virtual Flying Chappal*
And I am reminding You ho sakta hai Hindi jada ho Os Collection mein to yaad rakhna
Anyways
Love You
Take Care
Your ViKu