"Aap sabko bohot bohot shubhkamnaayein, " was the only phrase uttered by the guests in RC haveli.
The hall of haveli, well-decorated with colourful flowers, lights, mirror chains and balloons resonated with a thunder of numerous claps.
The centre of attraction for the day entered the hall. Coming downstairs,he was dressed in black coloured western-styled coat and black pants, he wore a pair of black belly in his feet. He had a black bow at the collar button of his white shirt. His hair swirled in air and he settled them with his hands.
The centre of the hall had a huge table with a multistorey cake placed on it. The cake was white in colour and on the top of it was written- A......
The boy went towards the table and smiled seeing the cake. A little girl helped him stand on the top of other side of the huge table. He forwarded his hands and Bondita placed both her hands in his tiny hands. He danced with her, made her swirl round and round in air. In doing so he had to stand on his toes and it seemed that his little feet would bulge out of his black belly.
Bondita's lips curved in a smile but a lone tear escaped her left eye.
❀
He forwarded his hands and she placed her tiny hands into his safe hands. They were dancing to the music that was being played on the gramophone, in the study.
"Aaj mein bohot khush hun Bondita", exclaimed Anirudh while dancing.
" Kyun khush ho aap? Mujhe bhi batao na, mujhe bhi khush hona h", a voice said so sharply that both of them parted.
The little girl entered the study holding a notebook in her hand.
"Bolo na baba, kyun khush ho aap? ", she questioned again when she didn't receive any reply.
" Jaldi pata chal jayega, Pragati", said Bondita.
❀
The cake was cut. The little boy kissed Bondita's cheek and fed her with the cake.
The little boy, then excitedly walked towards his gifts to open them. Everyone rejoiced the special occasion.
❀
The little boy came into the study holding Pragati's hand. Bondita was sitting on the chair in the study, holding a book which had a brown cover on top of it.She held the book in front of her face and was so engrossed in it that she didn't see them coming.
"Hum dono se jyada zaruri kya h maa jo aap iss kitab mein itna khoyi hui ho", exclaimed Pragati with a frown on her forehead.
" Zarur kisi krantikari ke barre mein hogi yeh kitab, tabhi khoyi hain yeh isme", replied the little boy.
"Chup karo tum dono! Aur yahan aao aur apni padhai shuru karo,kal chutti thi padhai se kyunki iss chutku ka janamdin tha isliye aaj double padhna padega. Samjhe dono! ", Bondita reverted.
She had given Pragati an assignment to complete for her school exams and made her sit on the chair and then,started teaching the little boy on the blackboard.
The little boy had his full concentration on the book Bondita was reading just before. Sitting on the sofa, he tried checking the cover of the book. Unfortunately, he could not since the table was a bit high and he himself was a small nut.
He signalled Pragati to read the cover of the book and tell him what's written on it.
Pragati read it and tried telling him but stopped each time since Bondita turned her face towards them from the board.
It was normal for both of them since they used to exchange candies, chocolates and cookies secretly during the class whenever Bondita was busy scribbling on the board. But they were still a little afraid.
When Bondita went out to bring water for three of them, Pragati whispered the title on the cover of the book to the little boy.
The cover read-
'My Dreams, Her Efforts'
❀
Anirudh was sitting in his study writing something.
Bondita came into the study without making any sound.
"Come on, Bondita! Mujhe pata h tum ho", said Anirudh and smirked.
As Bondita approached him with her blown cheeks, he closed the book he was writing in, stood up and turned towards her.
" Phir chupali aapne! Main yehi toh dekhna chahti thi ki aap kya likhten hain har shaam ko baithke", exclaimed an angry Bondita.
"Yeh iss waqt tumhare kisi kaam ki nhi h, par jis din se mein isse likhna band krdunga uss din se yeh tumhare kaam ayegi", said Anirudh.
" Aur vo shubh din kab ayega, pati babu? ", she questioned instantly.
" Vo toh mujhe bhi nhi pata", said Anirudh.
To this, she again blew her cheeks.
"Bondita, ab ek bacchi ki maa ho aur dusre ki banne vali ho abb toh bacchon ki tarha mat muh fulaya karo", said Anirudh sarcastically.
To this, both of them laughed out aloud togetherly.
❀
The little boy came running to Bondita.She took him in her arms and kissed his cheek.
"Maa, vo mujhe bazaar jana h", said the boy.
" Abb konse khilone chahiye aapko, aapne janamdin par kitne tohfe mile hain na aapko. "
"Maa, tohfa nhi chahiye vo na didi padhai kr rhi thi toh unke pen ki nib tut gyi aur ink bhi khatam ho gyi, vo leke aani h. "
Hearing this, her face was filled with horror and a lone tear escaped her eye.
She wiped her tear and said, "Vo sab samaan mein mangvadungi tum jakar khelo. "
He got down her lap and went away to play with his friends in the backyard.
Bondita went to her room and sat on the bed with an expressionless face. Soon, she started crying profusely.
❀
"Aaj vo shubh din aa hi gya! ", exclaimed Kaka.
The whole RC haveli was decorated. A small puja set-up was arranged in the mandir.
Anirudh was scrolling the book he used to write every evening. It was filled till page-304.
" Bondita, mein zara bazaar jake aya", said Anirudh.
"Nhi, aap nhi jayenge. Aaj hamare bete ka naamkaran h aur aap bazaar ja rahe hain. "
"Bondita, meri pen ki nib tut gyi h aur ink bhi nhi h ghar mein toh mein vahi lene ja raha hun, mujhe vo kitab likhni h shaam ko. Aur naamkaran toh abhi do ghante baad haina. "
"Accha jaldi ayiyega", said Bondita.
Saying this, he hugged her and left. A lone tear escaped her left eye but she didn't know the reason for the tear.
❀
Bondita was sitting in the study, holding the same book in her hand. The book was not fully filled. It was written till page-304
and an about four years old-dated piece of newspaper was kept between page-304 & 305.
Bondita took out the piece of paper and the headline read,
'Blood Shed in Tulsipur market'
-25 people died and 35 are wounded.
Her old wounds were scratched again.
❀
The well-decorated RC haveli was left gloomy after the deadly news arrived.
The red sindoor of Bondita's hairline was wiped off and she was left with a colourless life.
Bondita was sitting in the study when her eyes landed upon the book whose cover read-
'My Dreams, Her Efforts'
She recognised it to be Anirudh's secret book. She opened it and started reading it. It was actually an account of their life story.
The book made her relive all her special moments with him providing the much needed strength to her.
When she landed on the last-filled page of the book page-304 it read-
Aagaz-ek nayi shuruaat
......
The book was incomplete. Perhaps, he was expected to write about the naamkaran of his son that evening.
❀
The little boy came running to Bondita.
"Maa, aapne mera naam Aagaz kyun rkha? Sab dost chidhate hain mujhe Kaagaz kehke. "
"Tera naam toh tere baba ka aashirvaad h, voh chahte the ki unki beti Pragati ki raah par chale aur tujhse hamare desh mein ek nayi shuruaat ka Aagaz ho, isliye aapne naam par garv hona chahiye tumhe, samjhe! ", saying this Bondita patted his back.
" Haan maa. Main baba ki kranti ki mashal banunga! "
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Hii readers!!!
For the first time, I wrote anything as such. I hope it was not so odd.
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