Trust the magic of new beginnings
One and a half year later
Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad
Ruk ke bhi chal pade magar
Raste sab bezubaan
The serenity was blissful. A lone figure looked ethereal under the moonlit sky with a smile adding to its glow. It was Anupama. This place had her heart and so whenever she is overwhelmed by extreme emotions she would come here. Three figures stood leaning on the cars, at a distance looking over her for her safety. Vikram sighed and walked over to her, "What are you thinking so deeply after celebrating the anniversary of your new journey?" Anupama looked at the serene waters of the holy river and gave a genuine smile. "I am overwhelmed by the emotions. I feel blessed and grateful as I look back at the progress that I have made. I have grown and evolved as a person. I am pursuing my dreams and my passion. This new life is something that I have always wanted for myself." She took a pause and further continued, "I thought that the aftermath of divorce would have other consequences but as they say that whatever happens, happens for a reason. I am glad because the best part of the new journey was connecting back to my old friends. I missed you, Vikram. Though Devika was and has always been there for me, it was your antics and the way you understood me back then was something that I needed the most all these years. I share a different bond with Devika and the same is with you. The level of connection is different for Devika is strong, and sassy yet can be a child at times. The emotional understanding and support was there yet I missed the feeling of being protected and safe. You give me those vibes. We both are similar yet so different in our approaches." Vikram looked on puzzled. "Bhavesh has his own demons to battle with and being a brother he has done more than he could but there's a difference between what a friend can offer and what a family member can offer right? The magnitude of love is different, right? I could not reach out to Bhavesh all these years because that man's mother despised my family somehow. There were moments when I need someone to lean on as there was a nagging fear in that house." Vikram hugged her as a reflex and asked, " So are you coming to the reunion tomorrow?" Anupama looked at him with a poker face that implied her obvious answer. It was so like those times. They burst into fits of laughter.
The ride home was full of giggles as Devika, Vikram, and Samar chatted among themselves whereas Anupama was lost in the flashback as she recalled the mammoth changes that had changed her life for good and how she met Vikram was special. She was yet to experience the most beautiful and transcendental feeling of love at the hands of that one special person through the dice of destiny which had already been rolled out invisible to the mortal world. Vikram and Devika shared knowing smiles for the reunion was going to bring a storm with it as they left Anu's house.
Bodakdev, Ahmedabad
Divorce had been a harrowing affair for the Shah Household. The household had been divided into two groups- ones that supported Anupama and the ones that were against the separation. Bapuji, Kinjal, Dolly, Sanjay Bhai, Samar, Devika, and Mamaji provided Anupama the emotional support whereas Pakhi, Paritosh, and Baa ridiculed her decision. It changed the atmosphere of the Shah Household. The dynamics of relationships had changed overnight. There was a lack of communication. It had more of a spontaneous reaction to a situation rather than analyzing it and absorbing it. The lines of care and control were blurred. They were impulsive rather than listening to other people's views and had an element of intimidation coupled with fear. The core nature was a narrow mindset which was and continues to be unpredictable. Life threw many curveballs that had shaken the family up. It brought the crackled edges to the limelight. Things went on a downward spiral starting with Bapuji suffering a heart attack. Later on, Kavya and Vanraj got married post-divorce. Even though Paritosh had his share of flaws, he and Kinjal got married too. Samar went ahead and pursued his dream as a dancer. The family later faced a financial crunch as Vanraj, Kavya, and Paritosh lost their jobs. Anupama became their savior when she suggested the idea of opening a cafe by upscaling the old rusty garage apart from having a dance academy. The loan and taxes added to their woes as Rakhi Dave was a sordid opportunist. The growth and rise of Anupama in personal and professional spheres of life received acceptance and support from some people whereas it evoked feelings of jealousy and repugnance from the rest.
It was a challenging time yet Vanraj Shah refused to learn his lesson for his male ego had been battered and bruised due to the whole debacle. The core nature had been intact. Vanraj's personality was still shrouded by arrogance and there was an air of authority in his mind which spoke volumes. He represented and still represents the typical male chauvinist who was and will always be self-centered, selfish, weak, and self-obsessed. The maturity had been lost long back as he had tried to subdue Anupama by threatening her apart from demeaning her as she was still his legally wedded wife when the mother and son duo had shifted to that house the next day. However, she refused to fall for his traps. He had gone ahead and broke her ghungroos shattering her dreams and hopes. The mind games were played again but all the efforts went in vain. As soon as the date of divorce came near, he was in two minds as on one side Kavya was hell-bent on getting married to him, and on the other, he had gotten used to Anupama through the little things that she used to do. When an individual loses a person, the worth and value is known and the same happened with Vanraj. It aroused conflicting emotions within him. The stark contrasting personalities of Anupama and Kavya had taken him by surprise. There was regret and remorse but rather than owning up to his mistakes he held onto the superiority factor and flipped according to the situations and needs that were in sync with his cynical interests.
Bapuji and Baa were poles apart and were divided by their opinions and views when it came to Anupama and divorce. Baa was still clinging to the thread of authority, power, and control which reflected the social conditioning. She had been molded into a typical mother-in-law with an element of intimidation creating barriers in the name of society and reputation apart from age and kids for Anupama. However, Anupama was unperturbed. Though she was grateful when Anupama stepped in to save Bapuji's life when he suffered a heart attack there was an unsettling feeling in her heart as Vanraj's happiness mattered to her the most. She would change colors like a chameleon according to the circumstances, needs, wants, and necessities. The line between being a daughter and a daughter-in-law was quite distinct and clear. There was a peculiar resentment and bitterness apart from a lack of gratitude. The cushion of motherly love had actually been beyond the boundaries which would be equal to pampering. A mother's love had given rise to an obnoxious person with a very disdainful attitude. Love that had catered to everything yet she refused to blame him that too blatantly. However, Leela Hasmukh Shah had failed to learn from her mistakes and her own experience with Moti Baa, who was generous and thankful unlike her. She had unknowingly repeated the history.
Bapuji is the silent supporter Anupama ever had. He considered her to be a daughter of the household just like Dolly. The heart knew that Anupama had always been righteous and now he insisted that she focus on her life. Her dreams and aspirations were left incomplete. Thus, he was persistent about Anupama learning dancing again from Nandini's Gurumaa. He even requested Anu to stay back in the household as a daughter post-divorce which was politely refused by her citing her plans regarding a new house. He was the head of the family and had provided for the family and protected them in his times, unlike Vanraj who had gone ahead and abused his ex-wife and son like Samar. The character and wisdom of a man like him and that he possessed had failed to be absorbed by the next generation yet he tried as a father and as a husband. Bapuji respected boundaries and had control over his emotions but what he lacked was the knowledge of withdrawal and interference. The art of knowing when to take a stand and when to let it go. That was and will always be a grave mistake as a shield who was trying to uphold the harmony and peace of the household. The timing was the essence here that had given adverse results. That silence was an error strong enough to be misinterpreted. However, at times it felt like he would only voice out as needs and wants. It is necessary to speak up when matters escalate and that too beyond tolerance and off the limits. A lesson that he would learn in the future.
Kinjal and Paritosh were living together yet there were differences in opinions when it came to mummy. Kinjal being the lonely child despite having a mother around had been yearning for love. She craved a mother's love. A love that would fill in the cracks in her heart. She felt safe and protected with Anupama around. She supported her as Anupama had known her boundaries and was ethically right. The stark differences surprised her. She molded herself according to the customs of the household but now her marriage was on the verge of hitting the rock bottom due to Paritosh's impulsive and indifferent attitude. Paritosh had gone broke and his ego was too big to ask for monetary help from his father. He got a job from his mother-in-law only to get ransacked a couple of months later. He had the audacity to move out to the penthouse that his mother-in-law had given out. The incompetence, anger, and lack of dedication had left Kinjal flabbergasted. Though he missed his mother the gossip made him frustrated and furious as he failed to look through his mother's eyes and heart. Thereby he ended up maintaining his distance.
Pakhi had a hard time dealing with chaos and confusion. She had spotted Kavya and Vanraj sharing a moment whilst the probation period of divorce. It had led to a nervous breakdown thereby resorting to psychological help. However, whilst recovering, she went ahead to live with Kavya when Vanraj had moved out of the house for a short period of time. She consciously avoided her mother yet she missed her a lot.
Sindhu Bhavan Road, Ahmedabad
Anupama's Ashiyana
Samar had grown more responsible, serious, and a workaholic. He got engaged to Nandini despite Vanraj's refusal. Dance was his passion and a dream that he had seen as a kid. It was in his genes as Anupama herself was a good dancer. There was a void in his heart. A void of father's love. He craved to be accepted and acknowledged by his father. Vanraj had belittled his dreams and there was a lack of support and appreciation. That had impacted his mental health and his confidence had plummeted yet he continued for his mother for he had learnt to keep his personal and professional lives separate. The moral beliefs of right and wrong were too strong to let go of a relationship that was toxic. He made his livelihood by managing the online classes of the dance academy. He was and is immensely proud of his Rockstar. The inspiration and the motivation that he received from Anupama fuelled his inner quest to be a good yet most importantly a family man. He managed the finances of the flat where he found a home. A home that had his heart. He found his peace and solace. Nandini had grown fond of Anupama and found a mother in her.
Anupama had outgrown herself in this one and half year. She picked up the broken pieces of her heart again. She had forged herself through fire. She was rebuilding her life again. She was learning to see dreams again. The happiness and radiance matched the energy in her heart. The fire was slowly taking form. The elegance along with poise and fiery attitude was her very nature and now she was being the person that Anuj had fallen in love with once apart from some changes here and there. The transformation had taken everyone by storm as this was the real Anupama as she unraveled her personality through layers. The confidence was coming all over again. She was in the process of discovering herself again. Likes, dislikes, interests, and passion were the new words in the dictionary. The grind had never stopped for she continued to learn new things every day with zeal, zest, and vigor. The crisis in Shah Household did bother her but she was learning to draw her limits. The very boundaries made her refuse the chores that Baa expected her to do when she stayed during the probation period of divorce. It made Anupama learn to drive a car much to other people's reluctance. The first step toward being independent. She had picked up English quickly yet struggled with the pronunciation and the accent. The next milestone that she ticked off was to rejoin college. She was jittery and nervous about restarting it given her age and the responsibilities however Samar's assurance and unwavering belief in her washed off her worries. A look at the college brought back the millions of memories that she had made with her closest friends. The fantastic four had her, Devika, Vikram, and Anuj. Devika had been there for her through thick and thin yet the bond felt incomplete without the other two idiots. She was clueless as she had lost contact with Vikram and Anuj apart from being privy to the fact that Anuj fell hard for her due to the little things that she did gracefully. She was grateful for such friends. At that moment she was unaware that soon she would meet her long-lost best friend Vikram too in an unexpected twist of fate.
The start of her college was messy but with Kinjal, Devika, and Samar being around it looked like a swift maneuver. They were her three musketeers. She balanced her college along with her dance academy effortlessly. The academy continues to be a soaring success. Soon she topped her second year of college. That was a huge feat itself and she was eternally grateful to Kinjal who had helped her immensely. The celebration of passing the year with flying colors was low-key. It was so like Anupama who had opened the albums of college and went through the photographs in her cozy corner. The next achievement was a house of her own albeit on rent but it was hers as she so wanted to have a house of her own rather than staying with her mother and brother. She had gone ahead and designed it. The interiors were subtle and had earthy shades yet authoritative reflecting her elegant and sophisticated taste. There were many instances where she felt herself to be facing a conundrum of emotions. The rise in the professional sphere of her life gave her a sense of satisfaction and contentment yet there was a void in her heart. The word called "Love" had ceased in her life and her heart. A piece of her heart was occupied by her kids. Though she loved all of them equally the reciprocal of her love and sacrifices were almost null when it came to Pakhi and Paritosh. She missed them terribly. She used to feel a pang of pain whenever she used to come across a cliched mother and child moment or even a happy family moment. The crack had deepened the scar on her heart.
The last year of her college was to begin and she was required to do an internship in a business company since she was pursuing BBA and was wanting to pursue MBA as well. She had learnt to use the technology efficiently and thanked Samar for the incredible amount of patience that he had in teaching her the basics. She found herself to be tech savvy yet having limited usage. She had applied to many small-scale companies in Ahmedabad however Devika's firm insistence to apply to AK Group of Industries had left her baffled. She had heard about the work culture and ethics of the company and so she applied for an internship begrudgingly. Thus, when she was selected for the internship she could not believe her eyes. "They choose interns on the basis of merit and prefer dynamic personalities who can spearhead changes and come with freshness and uniqueness. Someone who can add value to their company and you possess these qualities. Even I work there though my department is different." said Devika when she had shown her disbelief regarding the selection.
Anupama gulped down the glass of water and repeated the word "Selected". It helped her to come to terms with her selection. This was a big opportunity for her to learn the nuances of the business world. She was excited and nervous at the same time. She would make sure that she would utilize this internship to its maximum potential.
Thaltej, Ahmedabad
Vikram's Nirvana
Vikram had landed. He inhaled the air as soon as he stepped out of the airport. The hustle and bustle made his heart swell in happiness as he was back in his motherland. The feeling gave him a different kind of solace. He had to shift his base here given the timeline of the work and so it had taken him six months to get all the procedures done and now he was here in the town. The drive to his posh penthouse was nostalgic as he looked through the lanes of the city. So much had changed yet there were faint memoirs. He mentally made a note to call up Devika the next day as he wanted to meet her before he resumed his work as the head of the project. He had interviews lined up as an intern would work under him for this project. The jet lag left him exhausted and thus as soon as he hit the bed he fell fast asleep. A smile crept over his face in sleep. Maybe the heart knew for he was to meet a familiar figure from the past.
The next day morning he had already been late and the time difference had messed up his schedule badly. He had a few days off before he could resume the office as a head however the work was too much from finding a house help to getting the hang of the Indian lifestyle. He took his time to settle down and made the urgent call to Anuj informing him about his safe arrival or else that guy would skin him alive.
Later on, he called up Devika over to his place to have a conversation that was left hanging in mid-air and also to meet her after ages. He was sipping his tea whilst looking at the skyline of Ahmedabad when the bell rang. "VR" crooned Devika and she almost jumped over him. "You are still a kid, Devi" replied Vikram after giving her a hug. The conversation stirred with over two cups of tea when he put forth the question, "Is she okay?" Devika looked at him and straightened up. She just nodded her head. He sighed as he was clearly clueless about the happenings in her life but if Devika had been disturbed then it had to be something big. He understood privacy. Thus, he was unaware of the divorce and its aftermath. Well while going through the names of the potential candidates he did come across the name "Anupama Joshi" but there could be a possibility of the individual being someone else and not his college partner. She was married so using her maiden surname was out of question. The day he had joined the office was the day he met her. The appearance had made him zapped for she was Anupama. Same yet so different. The interview left him proud yet there was an awkward silence as both of them recognized each other but for Anupama, the guilt held her back.
The turning point in their relationship was when Vikram tended to an ill Anupama who had turned up to work. She had almost collapsed and Vikram had an instant urge to scold her yet he controlled himself. It wouldn't behoove a man like him. He was rendered helpless as Samar had gone out of town and Devika had been at a business conference. That day the ice had been broken as they talked about their days and Anupama in her feeble state murmured about how she missed her other two friends. It had left him startled and emotional because whilst working together Vikram could visibly see the differences in Anupama's personality and the business acumen that she possessed had been like a bombshell to him, Devika, Kinjal along with Samar. That day he learned about her past. It had left him numb and left him unsettled. That day, for the first time Anupama felt free from the baggage of her heart. The demons of her past. It was a broken heart that was hidden amidst the layers of her fiery character.
Chatrapati Shivaji Airport, Mumbai
Anuj was sitting in the waiting room with a healthy GK by his side. He was awaiting the announcement of his flight to Ahmedabad tapping his feet whereas his one hand fiddled with the magnets as this one year had changed a lot. He was back to the place where a piece of his soul has been all these years. Though he would come back the manner in which his homecoming was planned, was beyond his imagination. There was a foreboding twinge in his heart, an unsettling feeling. Destiny surely did work in weird ways when you least expect it. All he could do was hold on to the thread of hope.
Kis lamhe ne thaami ungli meri
Phusla ke mujhko le chala
Nange paanv daudi aakhein meri
Khaabon ki saari bastiyaan
Har duriyaan har faasle kareeb hain
Is umra ki bhi shaksiyat ajeeb hai...
Jeene ki ye kaise aadat lagi
Bematlab ye karje chadh gaye
Hadson se bach ke jaate kahaan
Sab rote hanste sah gaye
Ab ghaltiyan jo maan leen to theek hai
Kamzoriyon ko jo maat di to theek hai