Tark Se Mitaayenge Fark

The Dark Shadows

With slow and baby steps, she walked landing her alta laden feets on the stairs of the haweli. The stream of tears continued to wave through her doe shaped orbs. Her bangles and anklets were jingling yet filled with the gust of despair and agony. The joyous aurra with which they used to collide with each other and with her fluffy flesh was all lost and dried up. Holding the railings of the stairs, her palm glided through the cold steel bars, giving her a cool sensation on her skin. Her face had all turned pale, weak and had tinges of her never ending tears. Her eyes were all swollen up and were pringling her with the sudden irritation and itchiness. Opening the door of her room which was his once, she entered coldly inside.

Mujhe abse tumhari shakal bhi nahi dekhni hai. Chali jaao yaha se aur ayanda se apna chehra bhi mujhe mat dikhana...

Those venomous words ringed in the ears of her heart, pricking her soul to the bottom. The sudden whirlpools of thoughts churned in her mind, echoing the events one by one and ringing just like someone beating the hard sheet of metal. She closed her ears with her palms, again shredding the tears from her doe shaped eyes. Walking towards the gigantic wooden almirah, she took out the sea green saree and spreaded it neatly on her cushiony mattress. Her hands moved through the metal bar inside the almirah, removing the sarees which were neatly hanged on the cloth hanger. One by one, the sheet was occupied with the piles of vibrant sarees which were neatly ironed and folded. She turned behind, again roaming her eyes in the second row of her almirah, all she found were square boxes which were sheathed with red and blue velvet sheets. She gently caressed them and the drop of tear fell on it. Not because she was having any greed for materialistic things, but those carried the sweet smell of divinity and pure blessings of her Kaka Sasurji , which he gifted her for being her perfect gruh laxmi.

"Ye meri Bondita bahu ke liye!!"

"Par kaka sasurji..."

"Par var kuch nahi. Humara pyaar aur aashirwad dono dene rahe hai tumhe."

She smiled between her tears and her palm automatically went on her head where once the fatherly figured had blessed her with happiness. Her gaze again went towards the pile of sarees. Creasing her eyebrows, she went towards the bed and started separating the well intricated fancy sarees. Hanging back again on the hanger, she placed those in the almirah and took with her the plain cottony ones since she didnt want to own any accessories unless her pati babu wished so. Her steps dragged her towards the small desk where their frame in barrister robes was kept. She picked it and placed it in the bundle of clothes not before tightly cuddling it to her chest. She pranced towards the Krishna idol and the special keychain. She took the idol with her and the keychain in her palms and touched them at her forehead. Her gaze moved with all angles inside the room since the walls beholded the fragrance of their memoirs. Her breath hitched a little since every air of the surrounding made her nostalgic. She looked at the  wall clock which showed 4 am in the morning. Closing her eyes for shedding the final tears, she exited outside after silently closing the door.

Slowly , she walked downstairs carrying the bundle which was hugged across her chest. Keeping it on the teapoy of the hallroom, she walked inside the room of her Kaka Sasurji. The figure was leaning on his rocking chair, his hands tightly clutching the rest and his eyes closed behind his golden spectacles.

"Kaka sasurji. Main devipur vapas jaa rahi hu. Pati babu ne bola hai ki voh meri shakal bhi nahi dekhna chahte." She uttered with her teary puppy face.  Seeing no response, she continued further.

"Aapko bhi toh accha hi hai. Abse aapke sath koi kutark nahi karega. Bhari babu ko jyada daantiyega mat. Aur haa...apka chashma jab bhi kho jaaye tab ek baar sir pe hath laga dena."