Taufa

A Night to Remember

26 January, 1957 raat ke sadhe gyarah baje. Randheer was driving home from press.

"Aaj press mein achanak zaroori kaam aagya jis wajah se mujhe ghar lautne mein deri ho gayi. Phone karke Amrit ko khabar toh pohcha di thi ki main der se lautunga par unhone pehle ki tarah mujhe daata nahi ki Randheer aapko sab kaam samay se kar lena chahiye, tabiyat kharab ho jaaegi, ya phir bina khaana khaye kaise rahenge aap balki unhone bas itna kaha ki," Koi baat nahi Randheer, aap aaram se aaiyega!" Ho sakta hai ki vyast rahi hon, ya dhyaan kahi aur ho issiliye nahi daata hoga!?!", he spoke to himself.

As he reached home he found Mumma Raizada waiting for him, "Aagya tu puttar, kitni der ho gyi! Chal ab haath-muh dhoke khana khale maine laga diya hai!" 

It was strange whenever he got late Amrit never let Mumma Raizada stay awake, she herself waited for him in the hall. Worried he asked, " Maa Amrit theek hai na, na aaj unhone mujhe phone pe daata aur nahi wo yahan hai, kya mujhse naaraz hain wo, ya tabiyat kharab hai unki? Kuch bataya unhone aapko??" 

"Shaant ho ja, sab pata chal jaaega tujhe. Pehle khana kha le phir jaa apne kamre mein wahin hai Amrit, gusse mein hai, intezaar kar rahi hai tera!" Mumma Raizada said as she moved towards her room only after giving a thumbs-up to Amrit who was standing at her room's window. Amrit nodded with a smile and went inside. "Bina khaae mat jaana nahi toh aur naraz ho jaaegi", Mumma Raizada gave a last warning to him before closing her room's door. Randheer as instructed sat and finished his food as quickly as he could and then rushed to their room continuously thinking of what he had done. He opened the door and found the lights switched off. "Amrit aap naaraz hain mujhse, koi galti hui hai toh maaf kardijiye na", Randheer spoke as he stepped in.

The lights switched on and to his surprise the room was beautifully decorated with white flowers and candles, the curtains were open flowing with the gentle wind, and the open window let the moonlight in adding to the beauty of the atmosphere but Amrit was nowhere to be seen. As he moved forward the fan turned on making rose petals kept on it fall over Randheer. "Amrit!" he exclaimed clueless about what was happening. "Amrit kahan hai aap? Aur yeh sajawat...", before he could continue ahead he heard her voice.

"Shukriya....! Shabd kam pad jaate hain jab aapka shukriya ada karna ho, shukriya meri zindagi mein aane ke liye! Shukriya mere sapno ko sach banane ke liye, shukriya humare pyaar ko itni shiddat se nibhane ke liye!", spoke Amrit as she came from behind the door. She was wearing Randheer's favourite red saree and Mr. Raizada was lost in his wife's beauty. She snapped her fingers to bring him out of his thoughts. 

"Amrit aapne dara diya tha mujhe, kabse yeh soch soch ke pareshaan ho raha tha ki kya gustakhi hui hai mujhse! Aap bhi na aisa mazak kaun karta hai", he said making a grumpy face. "Accha baba maaf kar dijiye, bas aapko thoda satane ka mann tha aur maa ko bhi pata tha iss baare mein toh main akeli shamil nhi thi issme!", she said giving an 'i am innocent' expression. "Aap na bas yeh bholi shakl banake har baar mera dil pighladeti hain", he said giving up.

"Accha ab yeh bataiye ki yeh sajawat kaisi lagi aapko?" she asked excitedly. "Hmm, ek khwaab jaisi, ek beyhad khoobsurat khwaab jisme main hoon, aap hain aur hai humara saath. Par aaj iss khwaab se taufe ki wajah!?!", he said.

"Wajah aaj ki taareekh mein chupi hai, 27 January 1957", she said widening her smile.

After thinking for a few seconds Randheer's lips too curved into a smile as he realised the reason behind this beautiful set-up by his love, "Das saal!" he exclaimed, "Aaj das saal ho gaye uss din ko jab ullulaal ne burkhewaali ko dekha tha aur usse uski aankhon se mohabbat ho gayi thi!"

She nodded in agreement with a smile. "Sahi pehchana aapne", she said as they hugged each other. As Amrit broke the hug she played a song on the gramophone. "Can I have a dance with you?", she asked extending her hand towards Randheer. Pleasently surprised at her wife's question he held her hand with a wide smile. They held each other and danced as the song played in the background;

Surili akhiyon waale, suna hai teri ankiyon se

Behti hai neendein aur neendon mein sapne

No sooner were they lost in each others eyes. Two people so in love lost in each other being blessed by the moonlight, a sight to behold. After a few moments a stroke of wind brought them back to the real world. 

"Aaj ki iss raat ko itna yaadgaar banane ke liye shukriya Amrit, yeh hamesha humare saath ek khoobsoorat yaad banke rahegi, itna accha taufa toh kabhi maine bhi aapko nahi diya hoga", he said hugging her from behind.

"Aapke diye taufon ke saamne toh yeh kuch bhi nahi hai Randheer, par fir bhi ek taufa aur hai mere paas aapke liye", she said with a shy smile.

"Lagata hai rab bohot meherbaan hai aaaj humpe", he said looking at her.

"Kuch yun hi samajh lijiye, par iss taufe ke liye aapko apni aankhein band karni hongi"

"Jii!?"

"Ji. Chinta mat kariye aapki hi patni hoon kuch ulta seedha nahi karungi"

"Aaap bhi na Amrit", said Randheer as he closed his eyes. Amrit kept her hands on his shoulder and went on her tip-topes to give Randheer a soft kiss on his cheek. As he opened his eyes in amazement she stood there looking into his eyes.

~the end~

~hope you guys enjoyed reading, your reviews would mean a world to me<3~

~p.s. the song released in 2009 i've assumed it to be present in 1957~