*Saudamini ka Khel*
It was morning and Neeya was still busy in packing. Thankfully Anirudh helped her out with getting that bag. After begging and arguing for half an hour, Anirudh still didnt allowed her to pack his bag and went to his study room last night. Remembering this, she goes to his study room only to find him sleeping in sitting position on the couch, with holding book on his chest. She smiles at him. Whatever the problem is, whatever the situation is, if there's dark all around, Anirudh's smile and his face is enough to bring smile on her face and light around her. She takes the book out of his hold and keeps it on the table. She thinks to wake him up. "Anirudh ji.... Anirudh ji...uthie Anirudh ji. Dekhie suraj kabka nikal chuke h lekin aap nhi uthe...."
Saudamini comes to the haveli and walks to the mandir. She sees around to find no one and smiles. "Trilochan kaka ko arti mai deri bilkul psnd nhi h. Lekin ye kya....yaha to koi h hi nhi arti ke lie. Is ghar ki bahu bhi nhi." She chukles to herself. "Koi nhi. Mai kar deti hu. Akhir ye mera hak tha jo mujhse cheena gaya." She prepares the thaal and starts doing arti. Listening to it, Trilochan comes to mandir thinking its Neeya but gets surprised to see Saudamini inplace of Neeya. Binoy also comes there amd smiles seeing Saudamini.
Neeya, who was in study room adoring her husband and trying to wake him up, moves her hand toward him thinking to wake him up but is stopped by a voice. She gets surprised to hear a female voice singing arti. She leaves all her work and goes to the mandir.
Trilochan gets angry to see her whereas Saudamini, tilting her head sees Neeya coming and smirk.
After completing the arti, she turns to other and gives prasad to everyone. "Tum yaha kya kar rhi ho Saudamini?" Trilochan ask. "Kaka...wo mai bas yaha aise hi aai thi aur dekha ki arti hui nhi h abhi tak. Aur suryauday hue kaafi samay ho chuka h. Aur mujhe yaad h ki aap hi kehte the ke subah kuch bhi karne se pehle arti jaroor honi chahie. Mujhe na aap dikhe aur na hi Neeya...to maine socha ki...mai hi arti kar lu....." She says faking innocent face and looks at Neeya who looks scared now. Trilochan was angry. "Mai janti hu ki Neeya bahu h aur use hi karna chahiye lekin mai bhi bhool nhi pai hu ki mai bhi is ghar ki hone wali bahu thi....aur har baar mai hi arti karti thi...mujhe maaf kr dijie Trilochan kaka." She says faking sadness. "Theek h."
He turns to Neeya and calls her in anger,"Bahuu!!.." "Ji...kaka ji." She stammer. "Kuch dhyaan h ki nhi tumhe. Sirf ek din subah uthke arti karne se tum bahu nhi ban jaogi is ghar ki.." "Maaf kariega Kaka ji...wo mai...saman taiyar kar rhi thi jane ke lie.." she says last sentence in slow tone. "Accha. Ghar mai aae hu 3 din bhi nhi hue aur nai naveli bahu ko mayike jane ki padi h. Waah! Kya sanskar h tumhare. Yahi sikhaya h tumhe tumhari Ma ne?" She doesnt answer. "Maaf kr dijie kaka ji.-" "-Tum mayike ja rhi ho na to ek kaam karo whi jake reh jana. Koi jaroorat nhi h aane ki." Saudamini smirk.
Neeya looks on with teary eyes. "Kaka ji... mujhe kshama kar dijie...aage se aisa nhi hoga...lekin aisa mat khie..." She says requesting. "Ha kaka. Rehne dijie na. Abhi to aai h nayi nayi. Uppar se ise ghar ke usool bhi nhi pata h, to aisi galti ho gi. Ab inke ghar mai to aisa nhi hota hoga na. Janti hu ki galat kia lekin agli baar aisa nhi hoga. Maaf kr dijie ise-" "-Bas! Tum hoti kaun h humare aur bahu ke beech mai bolne wali? Aur ab tumhe is ghar mai aake arti karne ki koi jaroorat nhi h." Saudamini fumes in anger but controls herself. "Ye kya keh rhe h da aap? Aap hi kehte the na ki subah ghar mai arti jitni jaldi ho jae, utna accha h. Ab apki bahu ko to dhyaan h nhi. Kam se kam Saudamini ko to h. Usne arti kar di to isme kaun sa paap ho gaya." Binoy defends him. Trilochan doesnt say anything but give angry looks to Neeya and leaves from there, followed by Binoy.
"Neeya...mujhe maaf kar do...Mujhe aisa nhi karna chahiye tha janti hu. Lekin-" "-Koi nhi Mini Di. Kya mai apko Mini di bula sakti hu?" Saudamini looks on,'is naam se mujhe sirf Anirudh bulata h aur whi bula sakta h. Lekin tum to kuch hi din ki mehmaan ho. Tumhari baat ko kaise taal skti hu..' "ha. Koi dikkat nhi h." She smiles at her(of crse faking) "isme apki galti nhi h. Meri galti h. Mujhe dhyaan rakhna chahie tha. Waise bhi mere se jyada hak to apka h is ghar mai." She smiles at her. "Waise aaj tumhe aur Anirudh ko tumhare ghar jana h na?" "Ji...Accha...mai nashta ka prabhandh karke aati hu." Saudamini nods.
Neeya went to kitchen to find Bihari and Koyli. "Bihari dada Koyli Maasi. Aaj ka nashta mai bana du agar aaplog ki ijajat ho to." "Aap? Bahu rani apko ye sab karne ki koi jaroorat nhi h. Hum sambh-" "-sambhal lenge. Janti hu. Lekin mujhe bhi to kuch karna hoga na. Akhir Roy Choudhury ki bahu hu." She laughs making other laugh. "Theek h bahu rani ji jaisa aap kahe. Aap ek kaam karie, chae bana dijie. To bade malik, yani Trilochan ji ilaichi aur adarak ki chai peete h lekin kam meethi. Aur Binoy ji Angrezi chai peete h. Humare chote malik coffee peete h aur Batuk babu aur Somnath babu coco doodh peete h." "Shukriya" she smiles and with the help of Koyli, she make coffee, and tea for her in laws.
"Are kya ho rha h yaha pe?" "Didi wo bas nashte ki taiyari." "Accha. Chalo ye to badhiya h." And she starts helping. Neeya looks at her. "Mini didi." "Ha?" "Ek baat poochu?" She says with seriousness. "Ha. Poocho na." "Aap mujhse naraz to nhi h na?" "Naraz? Q?" "Wo...meri aur Anirudh ji...ki shaadi ho gi....mai janti hu ki aap aur Anirudh ji ek doosre se bahut pyar karte h aur mai ap log ke beech mai aai-" "-Neeya! Ye kya bol rhi ho tum? Aisa kuch nhi h. Jo hona tha wo ho gaya. Aur phir isme tum dono ki koi galti bhi nhi thi. Bas galat to halat the jo humare hantho mai nhi hote. Aur dekho na, tum dono ekdam ek jaise ho. Padhne wale, badlaw mai vishwas karne wale. Kya pata ki kismat ne hi tum dono ko milvaya ho ya bhagwan ki banai jodi ho. Aur yhi baat Anirudh ki, mai humesha usse pyar karungi aur wo mujhse. Mere lie whi kaafi h." She says squeezing Neeya's shoulder, making her smile. "Bihari dada. Ye chai de aaie. Mai Anirudh ji ko dedungi." "Ji bahu rani." And with that, Bihari leaves kitchen to the hall to serve tea.
Neeya takes a cup of coffee on a small tray and walks toward study room, smiling that she will see her husband's handsome, innocent sleeping face; Saudamini following behind. When she goes to open the door, Saudamini stops her,"agar tumhe bura na lage to kya mai de du coffee?....Anirudh ko?.."
Neeya looks on. She wanted to give him coffee and go to him. Faking a smile, she gives him the tray. "Q nhi."
She takes the tray and goes inside. Neeya doesn't move and stands there to watch.
Saudamini enters the study room and keeps the tray on a side table. And shakes him,"Anirudh...utho Anirudh.....Anirudhhhh" but he doesn't wake. Then she holds his index finger and dips it in the hot cup of coffee making him jerk awake shouting. "Aaaahhh!! NEEYA-" He stops when he sees Saudamini inplace of Neeya. Saudamini looks at him in shock.
Neeya who was standing outside laugh at his reaction but she wasn't able to listen what they were talking.
"Mi...Mini..? Tum..yaha?" She folds her hand and gives him 'are you serious' look. "Nhi...to kya yaha Neeya ka hona chahiye tha?" She ask him. "Nhi nhi....wo shayad abhi thode der pehle...jab mai so rha tha to Neeya ki awaz sunai di thi..to mujhe laga ki shayad whi hogi...Par Mini..tum yaha?" He ask last question surprised.
"Ha! Maaf kar dia tumhe." She says pouting, making him smile. "Pata tha mujhe. Pata tha mujhe ki meri Mini apne Anirudh se kabhi gussa nhi reh skti. Pyaar jo krti h mujhse." Saudamini moves closer to him. "Shi kaha...Bahut pyaar karti hu apne Anirudh se...gussa reh skti h kya tumhari Mini?" Anirudh holds her by her waist. "Tumhara Anirudh bhi tumse bahut pyaar karta h " and they hug each other.
Seeing them like this, Neeya who was standing outside gets jealous and feels her heart getting broken. She too wants to hug him, talk to him her heart out, tease him, spend time with him....but maybe in dreams.. Saudamini knew all this and evil smirks to herself.
She just wipes her tears away and leaves from there, to the mandir.
"Hey Dugga Ma! Kyu kiya apne mere sath aisa?....Kyu apne meri aur.. Anirudh ji ki shaadi karai....Kyu?....aap janti h ki mai Anirudh ji se bahut pyaar karti hu aur khush dekhna chahti hu. Aur unki khushi sirf Mini didi pe h...lekin jab bhi unhe sath dekhti hu to...dil toot sa jata h....kya karu mai Dugga ma...kyaa..?..." She cries there for few moments and then leaves to her room.
**********************************
It was afternoon and everyone had done their lunch. Neeya was still in her room thinking about all hers and Anirudh's moment together. Whether it was their first meeting i.e. helping her saving Ma, whether it was playing with children in school, or whether it was dancing and playing together in rain or their marriage. Recalling those moments, she still gets goosebumps.
She was lost in her deep thought when Bihari comes there,"bahu rani, apko ghar ke lie koi lene aaya h." "Lene? Mujhe?" Kaun ho skta h? "Aap chalie. Mai aati hu."
Neeya goes downstairs to find the man she hate the most along with Indra. "Neeya Bitiya....kaisi ho?" "Pishe..." (Generally 'pishe' means paternal aunt's husband whom we call 'fufa' in Bengali. Thats what google told me🤞)
"khushi nhi hui mujhe yaha dekh ke? Are mai tumhe lene aaya hu ghar ke lie. Waise to bhai aata h behn ko lene...par tumhara to bhai hi nhi h na...islie mai aagaya. Saman bandho aur bulao humare jamai babu ko. Tumhari pishi intezar kar rhi h ghar pe." He and pishi would be the last person she would talk. "Aap-" "-Bahu!!" Trilochan comes there. "Bahu wo rasoi mai sab aise hi padha h. Lagta h is samay Koyli bhi nhi aapaegi. Tum jaake jara-" thats when his eyes falls on her pishe. He looked fine man as he was wearing well person cloth, i.e., suit. "Aap kaun?" Pishe joins his hand,"Namaste! Mai Neeya ka pishe hu. Ise aur jamai babu ko le jane aaya hu." "Accha...theek h. Bahu. Anirudh ko bula lao. Jane ki taiyari karo." She nods and goes to study room.
"Aap to bahut acche gharane se lagte h. Lekin Neeya to.." "Janta hu. Uske baba aur hum alag ho chuke the. Aur jooki mai Britisher ke under kaam karta hu, unhone humse koi bhi sahayata lene se aswikar kar lia. Pagalpan sawar tha Shekhar ko."
Trilochan thinks for awhile. "To aap khush h Neeya ko is ghar ki bahu ke roop mai dekh ke?" "Um...sach bolu to nhi. Qki iske baba ne bahut apmaan kia h humara. Hum to bas iske pishe hone ka kartavya nibha rhe h." "Agar aisa h to hum aur aap khoob jamenge." "Matlab zameendar sahab?" "Matlab ye ki apko humara ek kaam karna hoga. Aur uske badle tumhe tumhari mooh mangi rakam milegi." "Beshak karenge. Aap hukum kijie bas." Trilochan smirks and he tells him something.
*********************************
"Anirudh ji..." She calls him out entering the study room. "Anirudh ji?" She looks around but he was nowhere to be found.
"Are! Prakash! Tum yaha?" Binoy ask pishe. "Arey! Binoy sahab! Nomoskar." "Aap yaha kya kar rhe?" "Ji mai Neeya ko lene aaya hu ghar le jane ke lie. Pishe hu mai uska." Binoy nods. "Par tum dono kaise jante ho ek doosre ko?" Trilochan ask. "Arey Da. Humari factory mai aae the ek baar. Janta hu inko. Sir John ke andar kaam karte h ye." Trilochan nods. "Accha. Ab yhi humari madad krenge humari samasya hal krne mai." Binoy looks at him questions written all over his face. He tells him everything.
Binoy smiles and then he also gets a plan and goes to his room and calls Saudamini.
"Hello"
"Saudamini!"
"Binoy kaka!"
"Ha. Saudamini mai acche se janta hu subah tumne jo kia wo q kia." Silence "Pareshan na ho. Mai janta hu tum us ladki ko is ghar se bahar chahti ho...Mai khudh use is ghar se bahar chahta hu aur tumhe is ghar ki bahu banana chahta hu." Saudamini smiles. "Aur uske lie hume milke kaam karna hoga."
"Isse jyada accha kya ho sakta h Binoy kaka. Ek se bhale do. Agar hum aur aap mil jae to kya mumkin nhi h."
"Ha. Lekin tumhe mera ek kaam karna hoga. Anirudh tumhare sath khelne gaya tha na, to whi hoga?"
"Ha Binoy Kaka."
"Badhiya. Neeya ka pishe aaya h use aur Amirudh ko le jane ke lie. Tum kuch bhi karo aur use apne paas rok lo."
"Samjhie kaam ho gaya kaka. Ab Anirudh seedhe raat ko ghar aaega aur khud mana karega use uske saath jane se."
Both of them smiles and gets ready to implement their plan.
***************
"Bihari dada! Apne Anirudh ji ko dekha h?" "Chote malik?......Haan!! Arey wo to Saudamini ji ke sath khelne gae h. Har roz jaate h. To unhi ke sath honge." "Accha...theek h."
Ab mai kya karu? Mini di ke ghar jau kya unhe bulane? Ye bhi to sahi nhi rhega...
"Kya hua Neeya bitiya? Pati nhi mil rhe?" Prakash says chuckling. She doesn't answer and goes from there.
*******************
Saudamini goes to her room to see Anirudh sitting on a chair reading a book. "Anirudh!...kya tum bhi?..ghar aae ho to kitabo mai lag gae." She says innocently in anger. Anirudh chukles and keeps his book aside. "Accha sorry." He says holding his ear. "Nhi. Koi sorry nhi." She says turning the other side. "Arey q?...Mini..." He walks infront of her holding his ear,"sorry...." But she doesn't say anything. "Accha batao...kya karu mai phir?" At this, her face glows up,"Tumhe aaj poora din mere sath bitana hoga!" She says giving her best smile. "Poora din? Bas!? Mai tumhare sath poora din kya, poori jindagi sath bitau.." he says coming closer to her.
"Anirudh dada!" Somnath calls him from outside the room.
Anirudh walks out of room with Saudamini behind. "Kya hua Som?" "Dada wo... Neeya ke pishe aae h apko aur usko ghar le jane ke lie. Kaka ne apko bulaya h." Anirudh looks at his Mini apologizing. "Theek h. Tum chalo, mai aata hu."
Saudamini goes to her room. "Mini....maaf kar do mujhe. Mai bhool hi gaya tha. Lekin...phir kabhi? Kal? Kal mai tumhare sath poora din rahunga, par aaj...jana hoga mujhe. Apna khyaal rakhna" He turns and starts walking outside. He was at the main doorstep of the house, when he hear sound of something falling on the floor with Thud! "Mini!?"
He runs to her room to find her on the floor. "MINI!!" He rush to her side and picks her. "Mini..." He lays her down on the bed and holds her hand. "Bhaumik kaka...Deedaaa...." He shouts for them, rubbing her hand.
"Kya hua?" Bhaumik and Deeda comes there panicking. Mini!....kya hua meri bacchi ko?..." Both sits down beside her, checking on her. Anirudh rush to the hall and calls dr asking him to come asap.
"Kaka maine Dr ko phone kr dia h wo aate hi honge.." Bhaumik looks at him in anger. "Tum! Tum q aae ho yaha? Uska sab kuch cheen ne ke baad q aae ho tum yaha? Chain nhi aaraha tumko ise itni takleef deke? Aur kitni takleef dena chahte ho ise?" Bhaumik says almost crying. Seeing him sad and his Mini in this condition, he starts feeling guilty and more heartbroken. "Kaka....mai...kaka mai Mini se bahut pyaar karta hu....Mera yakeen kijie maine kuch nhi kia-" "Bhaumik ji?" Doctor comes there and both of them wipes tgeir tears away. "Aaie dr. Dekhie meri bacchi ko kya hua h?" Bhaumik says calming himself.
Doctor starts checking on her, while everyone goes out of the room except her deeda.
*********************
There, Neeya was outside waiting for her husband with Prakash. Binoy was standing at balcony looking at them. "Kaise? Kaise leke jaogi tum Anirudh ko?... Saudamini ne to apne kaam kar bhi dia hoga..." Binoy speaks to himself smirking.
"Pishe..Mai dekh ke aati hu inhe." And she starts walking to Saudamini's house.
***********************
Anirudh and Bhaumik was waiting outside for doctor. After few moments, he comes out. "Doctor kya hua?...kaisi h meri beti?.." "Ji ghabrane ki koi baat nhi h. Inka raktchaap yaani blood pressure kam ho gaya h jinke wajah se ye behosh ho gai h. Filhal maine inko injection de dia h jinse abhi inhe hosh aajaega. Ye kuch dawaiya h jo aap inhe samay pe dete rhiega. Baaki inhe aram karne de aur jyada khilae pilae jisse inka blood pressure normal ho jae." Anirudh sighs in relief. He dont know for how much long he was holding his breathe.
Neeya, who was now standing at the doorstep, looks on shocked with what doctor has said. Anirudh didnt notice her and walks inside to her room. But Bhaumik noticed her and he boiled up in anger. "TUM!!...TUM YAHA KYA KAR RHI HO? MERI BETI KI HALAT KI JIMMEDAR SIRF TUM HO SIRF TUM!" He suddenly starts shouting on her making her scared. "Dekhna nhi chahogi kya haalat ki h tumne meri beti ki? Chalo. Dekhlo. Khushi hogi na tumhe usse uski khushiyan uska pyaar uski jindagi sab kuch cheen ke." Scared, she walks to her room to see Saudamini lying unconscious on her bed and Anirudh sitting beside her holding her hand in his.
"Neeya?" Anirudh ask sternly. "Tum yaha kya kar rhi ho?" "Anirudh ji...wo-" "-baba....baba..mai...." Saudamini opens her eyes blinking. "Mini...Mini tum theek ho na?...Tum...tum..." Anirudh was on cloud nine to see her conscious that he wasnt able to say anything. Saudamini smiles at him and squeezes his hand. "Mai theek hu Anirudh." "Tumne bataya nhi Neeya Roy Choudhury. Kya karne aai ho tum yaha?" Bhaumik ask sternly. "Ji..wo..Pishe aae h.. ghar le jane ke lie..wo rasm ke lie.." she says slowly. "Jaie Anirudh babu. Bulawa aaya h apka apki patni se. Jana nhi h sasural?" Bhaumik says to Anirudh taunting him. "Par mai Mini ko...nhi.." "nhi Anirudh..tum jao...dekho kitni ghabrai hui h Neeya...use tumhari jaroorat h. Rasm bhi to jaroori h...Tum jao...mere lie Deeda aur baba h na." Saudamini says innocently. "Nhi...khi nhi jaunga mai...Apni Mini ko aisi halat mai chodh ke kahi nhi jaunga." Anirudh says holding her both hands.
At that time, Neeya truely felt guilty. 'Ye sab meri wajah se hua h....sirf meri wjh se...in dono ki dukh ka karan sirf mai hu...mai...'
"Nhi Mini di. Mere se jyada apko Anirudh ji ki aur inhe apki jyada jaroorat h. Aise samay mai ek doosre ka sath dena sabse jaroori h. Rasm to kabhi aur bhi ho sakti h. Aap apna khyaal rakhie. Mai bhi nhi jaungi." Neeya says forcing a smile. "Nhi Neeya. Tum jao. Mere wjh se mat ruko..." "Par Anirudh ji-" "-Kaha na. Jao!" He says in anger tone. She never saw him shouting on her like this. She nods and slowly walks backward looking at Anirudh. Saudamini smirks.
Flashback...
"Mini....maaf kar do mujhe. Mai bhool hi gaya tha. Lekin...phir kabhi? Kal? Kal mai tumhare sath poora din rahunga, par aaj...jana hoga mujhe. Apna khyaal rakhna" He turns and starts walking outside.
She looks around thinking of how to stop him whe she gets an idea. She quickly pours herself a glass of watee and takes out a tablet of Barbiturates and swallows it. Just after that, she starts feeling drowsiness and falls down...
For those who dont know what "Barbiturates" is, lemme tell you its the medicine for lowering blood pressure and hypertension. And it was used in 1900s for treatment of blood pressure, hypertension, headache, etc. And it does have some side effects among which drowsiness and unconsciousness is one..
Flashback ends...
Anirudh was totally angry at her as he thinks that this all is happening cuz of her, cuz of him, cuz of his marriage with her.
While Neeya, who was already broken, was now devastated, badly broken.
She goes out and sits in the Bullock cart. "Kya hua? Jamai babu nhi aae?" Prakash ask with taunting tone. "Wo nhi aaenge. Saudamini didi ki tabiyat kharab h aur aise mai unhe unki jyada jaroorat h. Wo unhi ke sath h." Prakash smirks. "Kya baat h. Patni ko chodh ek parai aurat ya kahu...premika" Neeya gives him angry teary look. "Uske lie apni patni ko chodh dia....tch tch..." She looks away from him with tears falling down her eyes. And now, the cart was in its life.
Binoy, who was watching all this from balcony smirks evily. "Bahut shi Saudamini. Khel khelna to koi tumse seekhe."
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Neeya looks at the road. She was lost. 'Q dugga ma? Q? Mai hi q?....pehle baba...aur ab Anirudh ji....q?...kis paap ka dand bhog rhi hu mai?...kyu meri zindagi ek ek karke mujhse sab kuch cheen rhi h...q?....kya mai aisi hi jindagi ki hakdar hu...jisme na koi khushi h..na koi pyaar....?..'
But she didnt know what was waiting for her in her village....
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