RASIYA....

Manav is enjoying the holy Dussehra festival in his hometown, when a fortuitous encounter leads into an inevitable fondness and a spark which is far beyond any normal infatuation. 

Manav's pov:
Due to the unpredictable crisis of the pandemic, after two years there is a proper pandal and dussehra celebration in my locality. Fairy lights,crowded streets with localized stalls of food,toys,small accessories, evenings of this month create a jolly environment to move around. Today I was wandering in the streets with my friends and cousins, they're the best company you could ever get because together chattering and exploring things become more fun than wandering alone.
  
At around 10.00 or 10.15 we headed towards the ground where the Ravana Dahan (burning of the effigy of Ravana is a ritual) had to be done.But we were late ,all the places got occupied by the people, and a huge crowd had gathered.With many difficulties we could manage to find a far corner behind the ground in between the small bushes and trees.There are fairy lights everywhere beautifully clad over the branches of the trees that's why I could make out that a small group of five to six girls and boys are moving towards us.Maroon Salwar,large silver jhumkas and her specs reflected a bit of LED lights in the background, I noticed this girl in that group.As they came near us I could see them clearly. When the girl led her eyes on me her expression changed as if realizing something but at no time she drew her face to a neutral one.One of them in my group recognized my cousin and their never ending chats started.One good thing happened in their conversation that I came to know about the girl.Recently she moved to her home and our parents known each other previously not to mention but through the talkative cousin I have.This new information somehow fuel my interest to know her more.
After some time one of her cousins said that they have to enter the ground,she had told someone to keep seats for them.My mind started to think about some excuse which could stop her from going but I couldn't think of any.Before I opened my mouth she said that she wants to stay here because didn't want to sit in between the crowd.Keeping her words they stay with us to see the Ravana Dahan from here only.I wonder why she stayed here instead of watching it from the front side. Literally here only the back of the effigy of Ravana can be seen, nothing else. Loud music playing everywhere but my ear stuck to a particular melody which was just started behind the trees in a small food stall. I kept looking at her from the corner of my eyes.She stood there sideways towards my face.Till now we hadn't exchanged a single word but felt like we both were present there for each other as if my Hotspot automatically connected with her Wi-Fi that too without any password.And the background is intoxicating, chilling breezes,darkness except for some faint lights and the music,

"Mera darpan ankhiyan teri, Tujko tarse ratiya meri,Jeena mujhko rass aane laga, Jabse chehki batiya teri…..

Jogan tera mara rasiya, Jag jeeta dil haara rasiya, Pag tere Chaubaare thehre, Sadke main banjara rasiya…….."

In my mind unconsciously I drew her into the song,making her the centre of the lyrics.I could make out that although from the side but she was also observing me.

"Rasiya yeh tera hua,Toone jiya moh liya,Rasiya ne tera hai jo,Wahi tujhe saunp diya,Rasiya……………"

My control over my mind was losing, unwantedly my thoughts were running towards a particular direction.To give some logic to my foolishness I thought who can be described as a "Rasiya",if it is a person who is completely intoxicated by an erratic wave of pheromone,whose true existence cannot be comprehend, but is there something beyond the logic,beyond the reality.What if I am being in this kind of state.Just pulled like a magnet, force is invisible but at the same time powerful and undeniable.Without your consciousness you are drowning into an unknown universe and ironically this forcefulness seems ecstatic.For the first time in my life, I want to lose myself……to whom I don't know, may be want to lose my senses completely so that I can live the movement without any logical thoughts crossing my mind.

Suddenly there's a BOOM ……loud sound echoed in the background, at this point she completely turned towards me,a chilled vibration ran through my spine, God knows if it's due to the cold weather or her eyes which were peeking directly into mine.My eyeballs took a while to adjust the bright light.Just then stopped at the particular view in front of me.I am going into a state of thoughtlessness but at the same times millions of thoughts were popping. What's happening I couldn't comprehend.Eyeballs dilated, closing both my palms tightly, just tracing her from a three arm distance as if drinking her minute details through my eyes with a slight gap in my mouth and then everything froze……………

"Every head got burnt , it's already been late ,let's go", her cousin told her.Now I could feel my consciousness again. She nodded her head to go but her foot got jammed on the spot ,neither of us was moving from our position. When I sensed that her cousin was coming near to take her ,I opened my mouth but I could only ask,
          "Hey,What's your name?"
           
 She smiled and said "Rasiya"....

            "What?"I asked, getting confused. 

She said "Rasiya ,you like the song very much right ?" 

              "Yeah,but how do you know?"I said.

               "Because, Mr in between the loud bursting of crackers you were reciting lyrics of that song."This time her smile got bigger and she walked past me to join her group.

For a few minutes I couldn't process the entire thing which just happened. Then we also came home.

As soon as I reached home my mother asked "Do you like the girl,how's she?"
 
I kept thinking about how she knows. Then she said that she sent my photo to her parents and they were waiting inside the ground to introduce us to each other. Now I got the point why she didn't want to go inside the ground. I opened my whatsapp to see a pic which was sent by my mother this morning. My mother said that the meeting was set up in a hurry. Both of the family had no idea so she forgot to inform me about the pic.My phone was silent and my cousin informed her that we met accidentally so they didn't rush to make it an official meeting.I excused myself from them as I was very exhausted and told them to discuss this thing in the morning.But before heading to my room I asked my mother,  
               "Has she seen my pic?"
My mother said that she has no idea about this because she has sent the pic to her mom's phone.

After getting freshen up I lay on my bed thinking about the day,sleep is the far thing that will come to me now.When she saw me first she realized something, at this point I doubt if she has seen my pic.She didn't want to go for the meeting but at same time she stayed there knowing that I was there,only if she has seen my pic.It's like more awkward than family meetings ,rather it's more personal. Or in another case if she has not seen my pic,she felt at least a bit of attraction to stay there.I don't know where this thing can lead to.But one thing is for sure that "I want to fall in this trap whether it's planned or unplanned."