Arohan - The Ascent

The News

Urvashi had returned to India and to Padrauna that evening. In total, she had utilized only 3 weeks of her 3-month leave. As she returned back to Padrauna, and to familiar sights and sounds, she did not miss being in the US. A part of her had always wondered why she wanted to live in India when she could easily find a life for herself in the US.

She had a whole group of friends there. She had great contacts. She could find work easily and live a cosmopolitan life, a life she had always dreamed of. Yet, when Tim left, that life held no more attraction for her. She longed for nothing more than the dusty, worn-out roads of her homeland. Neither did the impersonal and individualized life in a foreign country where your success was measured by the car you drove or the brands you wore, hold any sway for her.

She didn't need a big house or a luxury car. She needed a purpose to justify her life and that purpose could only be found in India. And find it she did, in the education of rural children. In her life and the lives of many like her, education was the factor, that had transformed their lives, giving wings to their dreams. She wanted to facilitate this transformation in as many young lives as she could.

And her current visit to the US just bolstered her resolve and removed any thoughts of doubt she had had. India was home. It was where she would rebuild her life, with a purpose and a new meaning.

The thought of rebuilding her life filled her mind with his image. The one man she had truly despised ever, in all her life, well.. besides her father. But now, as Urvashi sat in the cycle rikshaw, on her way back to her house in Padrauna, she knew the situation had changed. 

What she was afraid of, had already happened. And in that mundane moment, exhausted from her travel, and the emotional upheaval she had been through, in her meeting with Tim's mother, Urvashi could not help but think of the image, from the TV news, when she saw she had seen a glimpse of him.

Urvashi closed her eyes, even saying his name, devoid of any emotions was impossible. His name, just his name, was enough to make her feel a sense of...

"No, I am not ready to acknowledge this yet!" she said out loud, unbeknownst to herself.

The rikshaw pulled turned around, looking at her strangely. "What happened madam, any problem?" he asked why the day was mumbling to herself.

"Huh?" Urvashi looked at the rikshaw puller. "Did you hear me say something?" she asked, embarrassed, that she actually spoke her thoughts out loud. "It's nothing, chalo," she told him, assuming a haughty look. When the man had turned back and the rickshaw started moving again, Urvashi closed her eyes, her face turning pink as a turnip in embarrassment.   I am going crazy she thought, mindful to not say the words out loud a second time.

She didn't want to face the interrogation Pandit ji would subject her to, if he found out she had returned earlier than planned. But she also knew that she would have to face him sooner than later. And she probably did not have the answers to all his questions, rather, would not admit to the answers to all his questions. But for the evening, she needed to be alone. She needed to carefully go over her thoughts , or at least try to and sort her feeelings.

It was now clear to her that there was unmistakable line drawn in her life. And that line was, undeniable, before meeting him and after meeting him. She had to make some decisions and she needed to them soon. She was hoping that soon, she would receive a letter from him, telling her that his mission in Afghanistan was over and that he was coming home.

An unwitting smile crept up onto her lips. But the very next moment she checked herself. No. NO. She would not allow herself . She had to wait. She had to hear from him first and then, only then would she make a decision.

The rickshaw puller watched her as he stood in front of the gate of her house. The street was already deserted at 8:00 pm. Everyone was probably watching something on TV while having dinner. Excpet for the steert light and the occasional bats flying past, only she and the rickshaw puller stood on the street.

"Amma!" called the rickshaw puller for a 5th time.

"Huh?' urvashi looked at him irritated, her brows knotting as the man interrupted her chain of thought. "What is it?" she asked and realised they were at her place already. She looked from her gates to the rickshaw wala.

"It's been 5 minutes... pls get down so I can go back to the station and take another passenger," said the main, folding his hand and bending his head in a namaste. 

"What nonsense, we just arrived, here I even have your money ready," she said placing the 100 rupees note in the man's hand. She had bargained for 80. "Keep the change," she told him, as the , man begrudgingly thanked her.

Urvashi pulled her trolley bag into her house, unlocked the door and pulled her suitcase in. She came in, closed the door and secured the latch. She took her baggage into her bedroom, put the suitcase next to the bed and her huge travel bag on the bed.She went to the bathroom, washed her hands , feet & face and came to her living room. She had packed lunch from Lucknow. She opened the lunch parcel and took out Biryani and curry, putting it into a plate. She poured herself some water, from her bottle of Bislery mineral water and came to her living room. Thank God, the electricity was there . She turned the TV set on and surfed through the channels.

Pandit Ji's House - Padrauna

Just as Pandit ji turned off the lights and lay down on his bed, he heard the urgent knock on his door. he sat up abruptly . Who would come at this time? Was it Arjun Singh, he had mentioned his daughter had complained of stomach ache.

Pandit ji, walked to the front door and unlatched it. the next minute, Urvashi rushed in, tears gushing down her face, panting in utter panic. She walked in, half sobbing, half mumbling something which Pandit ji could make no sense of. Wait! Urvashi came back to Padrauna? When? And why was he not aware that she was back? What happened to her plan of staying back in America?

Urvashi looked around Pandit ji's living room, her face wearing a crazed look.She managed to find the remote to the TV set and turned the TV on, in the process collapsing onto the floor. Pandit watched confused as the news came on.

"Indian peacekeepers along with their colleagues from US, UK and Australia, stop the mass massacre and disrobing of young girls near a Taliban stronghold. One Indian soldier critically injured in the combat. "

To be Continued...