" Yeh papers? Yeh yahan abhi tak kya kar rahe hai?" Somnath said while checking the papers. Questions raised in his mind. He kept the papers back in the drawer and walked outside the study, towards his room.
Naina was folding the clothes, to keep it inside the cupboard. She noticed Somnath, who had just entered lost in his thoughts. She didn't say anything, and kept doing her work. Somnath came out of his thoughts, when he heard the cupboard closing. Naina was about to walk away when Somnath held her by her wrist.
"Naina.." Somnath whispered. Naina didn't move or say anything. But tears did pool around her eyes. Somnath hugged her from behind, and whispered in her ears " I am sorry".
" Par tumhe bhi samajhna hoga Naina, uss baat ko 6 saal ho gaye hai. Humare bas mei nahi tha kuch.." Somnath stopped when he felt Naina moving away from him. Turning around, she kept her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him. Somnath too wrapped his hands around her, and stayed in the moment.
" Uss din humari saari khushiyan cheen gayi Som ji..khaskar meri wajah se. Kya mei itni buri hoon?" Naina said, while Somnath, whispered,
" Pagli, tumhari galti kahan se hui. Shayad niyati ko yahi manzoor tha..apne aap ko mat koso naina...please..mujhse nahi dekha jayega.."
Naina hummed, and closing her eyes stayed in his arms. Somnath kissed her hairs, and let that moment stay for now.
Meanwhile Downstairs
Anirudh entered the mansion, with the case files and the pot of roshogullas. Calling out Bihari, he gave him the roshogullas and went to his room. Lying down on bed, he stared at the ceiling, with blank eyes. He closed his eyes, reminiscing that night.
The night Bondita left
Anirudh woke up feeling uneasy, still. He saw Anika lying beside him. Putting her in bed properly, he covered her with the blanket, and walked out of the room.
Passing by the floor to go down, he saw her room. Empty. Walking inside it, the memories played, in front of his eyes. Taking a sharp breath, he looked around the room. The room somehow felt unfamiliar now. Like as if no one stayed here.
He was lost in his thoughts, when he heard a paper rustling. Looking towards the source of sound, he saw a paper on the table. Picking it up, he began to read it.
" Mujhe pata tha, aap zaroor aayenge, mere kamre mei. Aur mei yehi chahti thi, ki aapko meri yeh chitthi mil jaye. Lo dekho, jeet gayi mei Barrister Babu.
Aapko pata hai, aap ne mujhe itna pareshan kiya hai na ki, ab adat si ho gayi hai. Pata nahi, kaise guzrega din ab. Par thik hai, dost hai na. Mei aapko jab bhi samay mile, tab tab chitthi likhungi aur aapka sar khaungi. Mei akele kyun yaad karun aapko. Aapko bhi yaad aani chahiye.
Birristerra babu, aaj jo hua. Apne aap ko mat kosiye. Mei jaanti hoon kyun aur kisliye Kiya aapne. Koi aur samjhe na samjhe. Please, khush rahiyega.
Anika ke upar bhi dhyaan dijiyega. Aap pe gayi hai puri, akelapan mehsoos hoga usse par batayegi nahi. Usko Roz subhe, badam aur doodh khilana. Nakhre karegi par pyaar se pilaoge toh mana nahi karegi.
Aur..
Anirudh woke up, due to some noises coming from downstairs. Anirudh let out a yawn, and moved towards the washroom to get freshen up. Changing he came back, he looked at himself in the mirror, and whispered " Jhooti.." and moved downstairs, to see what's happening.
" Hum nahi pata Binoy. Hum chahte hai pura parivaar Bambai chale humare saath. Aare, humare itne khaas dost ke poste ka vivaah hai. Aise hi nahi mana kar sakte hum." Trilochan said to his younger brother, Binoy.
" Da, dost aapke. Hum sab jaake kya karenge." Binoy said non chalantly while reading his newspaper.
" Kya ho raha hai? " Anirudh said, while Trilochan said, " Tumhare baba huye."
Binoy frowned while anirudh chuckled.
" Hum chahte hai ki pura parivaar humare saath humare dost ke ke pote ke vivah mei chale. Tumahare baba hai ki maane ko taiyaar hi nai hai? Kya karein batao?" Trilochan said.
That's when Anika entered, and ran towards Anirudh. " Babaaaa".
Hearing her voice, a small smile appeared on his lips, and he opened up his arms. Anika hugged him and said, " Aaj pata hai kya hua.." and narrated the whole event whatever happened, except the part where she told her friend about Bondita.
Three men who were sitting together, listened to her intently. She was the source of their happiness after all.
Bombay, Chatterjee Badi
" Aree koi aarti ki thaali laaao. Aaj itna bada utsav hai. Ganesh chaturthi hai, Ganesh chaturthi. Shighro shighro kaaj ta koto" A woman in her late 60s said, irritated.
" Kaaki, chid chid mat karo. Yeh loh thaaal." A woman, gave her the thaal with a small smile.
" Tu nahi hoti toh pata nahi kya hota. " The woman smiled and patted the latters head.
" Waise ganesh ji ke saath saath, unke dost mushak maharaj bhi aaye hai." The woman whispered and pointed in a direction and giggled. "Isko toh mei.." the old woman got up and moved towards the direction and held the person's ears. "Aaa..Maa kya hai? Mere kaan kyun kheech rahe ho?" A man said wincing in pain.
" Kyun kheech rahi hoon? Mere Gannu( ganesh ji) ne abhi tak nahi khaya toh tu kaise khaa sakte hai? Haan?" the woman said and twisted her son's ears more. When both of them heard a giggle.
" Bondita ki bachi, ruk tujhe batata hoon." The man somehow escaped from his mother's hold and moved towards Bondita. Bondita's eyes widened, and said loudly, " Kaki, Mayur mujhe pareshaan karne aa rahe hai.." and raj away.
Mayur ran behind her. And Bondita ahead of him. Their giggles and laughter echoed in the whole house, making the occasion more joyful. Mayur's mother was looking at them with a smile, and got back to work.
Precap :
Roy Choudhuries in Bombay
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Rudhita - Jeene Bhi De
FanfictionAnirudh Roy Chowdhury, a widower, defied society to save a woman from the cruel fate of Sati. In doing so, he bound himself to a marriage he never sought. Bondita, once a widow, never imagined she would be tied to another man again, let alone as his...
