Na Jaane Kyon...

Saare gham mein jaana sang hun tere

Here's a long one today

Naina was busy ironing the clothes for the coming week when the door bell rang.

"Didi, aapko auntyji bula rahi hain. Unhone kaha aap jab bhi free ho aa jaana." Bhalla aunty's one of the maids stood at her door.

Naina nodded, "Main ek ghante mein aati hun."

"Auntyji ne kaha hai Ayush baba ko bhi leke aana. Uncleji ne ice cream mangwayi hai." She added.

"Theek hai." Naina smiled.

After about an hour, along with Ayush, she went down to meet Bhalla aunty and uncle.

The moment uncle saw Ayush, he beamed, "O aaja mere young man. Kitne dino se dikha nahi... bola tha na har do teen din mein aaya kar mere paas. Teri ice cream bhi tujhe yaad kar kar ke thandi ho gayi."

Ayush clapped his hand on the mouth, laughing loudly, "Haww, aapko itna bhi nahi pata... ice cream toh pehle hi thandi hoti hai."

Naina jerked his arm, "Ayush, bado se aise baat karte hain?"

Bhalla aunty, who was laughing with Ayush, stopped her, "Aye haye puttar, usko na daant. Bachhon ki aisi pyari pyari baatein sunne ke liye toh kaan taras jaate hain hamare. Aaja, tu mere paas baith. Bhalla saab, aap le jao apne chote partner ko aur khilao ice cream jee bhar ke." She quickly looked at Naina, "Aur tu ghoor mat bachhe ko. Garmiyan hain, kuch nahi hona ice cream se. Khush hone de unn dono ko."

Naina shook her head, "Nahi aunty, main manaa nahi kar rahi. Lekin Ayush girata bohot hai. Room ganda kar dega. Yahin table pe kha lega toh better hoga."

Bhalla aunty waved off her apprehensions, "Ab bachhe yeh sab nahi karenge toh kya hum phailayein? Puttar, kismat wale hote hain jinke yahan saaman bikherne ko bachhe hote hain... warna ghar ghar thodi hoga, museam ban jayega... har cheez saaf suthri, apni jagah pe. Naa ji, rounakein toh saari bachhon se hi hain. Ab tu apna hi dekh... tujh mein aur Ayush mein kitna farq hai umr ka. Jab yeh paida hone wala hoga tab tujhe pakka bura lagta hoga... lekin ab tum dono saath mein ho toh kitni khushi hoti hai na... bachhe hamesha khushi hi laate hain, chahe jaise bhi haalat hon."

Naina hadn't told her about the truth of Ayush's entry into their lives... nor did she intend to do so. Except her group of friends in office, she didn't think it was necessary for anyone to know about his real identity. She noticed the dampness in aunty's eyes as she fondly gazed at the picture of her son and his family.

"Aunty, aapne apne bachhon ko jaane se roka kyon nahi? Aap aur uncle itna pyar karte ho unse lekin phir bhi unhe itni door jaane diya." She couldn't help but ask... as she had always seen Bhalla aunty and uncle missing their son, his wife and their grandson.

The elderly lady quickly wiped her eyes, "Arre puttar, tu rokne ki baat kar rahi hai... humne toh usse zabardasti bheja hai. Harmeet khud hi jaane ko taiyar nahi tha. Badi mushkil se maine aur Bhalla saab ne manaya usse."

Naina was shocked, "Zabardasti bheja? Lekin kyon?"

Bhalla aunty leaned back in her chair, sighing, "Kabhi kabhi sirf apni nahi, sabki bhalai sochni padti hai. Jo dukh maine jhela, main nahi chahti koi aur usse guzre. Rabb ki meher se mujhe Harmeet mila lekin aaj bhi jaane kitni aisi aurtein hongi jinki goud sooni hogi. Agar mere Harmeet ki wajah se kisi ek ka bhi bhala ho sake toh main khushi khushi rabb ke ghar jaa paungi."

"Main kuch samjhi nahi aunty." Naina gave her a perplexed look.

There was a sad smile on aunty's face when she looked at Naina, "Puttar, mujhse ek bohot badi galti ho gayi thi... jab meri shaadi ko kuch hi mahine hue the. Umar kam thi na toh akal nahi thi. 18 saal ki hi thi jab shaadi hui toh khelne kudne ka bada shaouk tha. Shaadi ke baad Punjab mein Bhalla saab ke bade se ghar mein khoob daudti phirti thi. Inke biji bauji bade hi achhe the... beti maante the mujhe. Che mahine baad pata chala main pregnant hun. Biji ne samjhaya ki ab mujhe dhyan rakhna chahiye aur sambhal ke chalna chahiye. Koshish karti thi yaad rakhne ki lekin aadat jo padi thi uchal kood ki." She paused, taking a napkin from the table to wipe her eyes, "Aur ek din issi nasamjhi mein seediyon se gir gayi. Chaar mahine ka bachha tha jise kho diya humne. Ghar pe kisi ne mujhe zimmedaar nahi thehraya lekin mera dil khud ko doshi maanta raha... aur phir doctor ne kaha ki ab main phir se shayad... phir se meri goud bharne ka chance naa ke barabar hai."