The Journey We Had

Diving deep into the Past!

In the last part, anirudh got a clue about bondita's missing.

Let's continue,
Anirudh came at home. Batuk was there finding some documents sitting on the chair " batuk, tum hospital nhi gaye?!" He asked putting his bag on the table "nhi dada gaya tha main abhi aaya hu kuch, documents chahiye the. Vaise aap itni jaldi kaise abhi toh 1 hi Baja h!" He said "haa main half day lekr aa gaya" he said going in the kitchen "half day kyu?" He asked "vo mughe durgapur jaana h, abhi!" He said taking the jug and putting the water in the glass "durgapur, abhi?!!" He said getting up from his seat "haa! Abhi, kuch investigation krni h isiliye jana h!" He said drinking the water "par kyu, matlab vo toh boudi ka gaav h na! Kuch pata chala h kya?!" He asked seriously "aa... haa main tumhe sab kuch kal aake bataunga, tum shaam ko ghar aake aaraam se khana khaa lena haa! Maine bana diya h aur koi zaroorat hogi toh vo saamne confectionery store h, wahan se le lena thik h?" He said putting the glass on the slab and coming out of the kitchen "thik h, aap aaraam se jaiyega aur apna dhyaan rakhiyega!" He said. He nodded and batuk left taking his bag.

After some minutes,
Arvind came at his door. He knocked "aa...haa aa raha hu!" Anirudh said from inside coming downstairs with his suitcase. He came and opened the door. Arvind was standing on the gate outside his car. He locked the door and was gonna put his keys but then he stopped. He saw the keys and memories flashed infront of his eyes when he was used to take the keys from bondita and was used to open the door. A drop of tear fallen from his eyes "anirudh!! Kya kar raha h chal na!" Arvind said "aa...haa...haa aaya!" He said immediately wiping the tears and took the keys in his pocket and went. He reached near him. Arvind took the bag and put it in the car. They both sat in front and left.

After a few hours,
They were now inside the boundaries of durgapur. All the memories had started flashing infront of his eyes. The way she was used to play under the trees, the place from where she was used to take water etc. Nothing was changed at all. Then that place came where they met for the first time. It immidiately stuck in his mind "ek second rokna!" He said "kya hua anirudh?" He asked stopping the car. Anirudh immidiately came out of the car and went a few steps ahead. He remembered the place where he saw her for the first time when she was just 13 yrs old. Her mischievous eyes which were in a rush of finding a path to achieve the mischief. He remembered when he saw him sliding down his cart. He started smiling with tears sheding from his eyes remembering those moments "kya hua anirudh tu aise ruk kyu gaya?!" Arvind asked coming out the car "tughe pata h arvind, yeh na vo jagah h Jahan main aur bondita pehli baar mile the, 5 saal pehle!" He said smiling with tears sheding from his eyes showing him the place "kya? Yahan?! Matlab yahan kaise?" He asked "tughe pata h, main na railway station se aa raha tha aur na main bailgaadi mein baitha tha tab. Tab main 6 saal baad hindustan mein aaya tha, aur pehle din hi maine usse dekh liya. Vo na aise saamne se bhaagti hui aa rahi thi aur pata nhi kis baat ki usse itni jaldi thi ki vo bas bina idhar udhar hue bina so he smjhe seedha meri bailgaadi ke neeche se slide maarke nikal gayi!" He said moving some steps ahead "kya? Matlab bail gaadi chl rahi aur vo chlti bail gaadi ke neeche se...!" Arvind was amazed "haa aur nhi toh kya, maine gaadi rukvakar utar kar dekhne gaya usse aur uss se pucha main ne ki kya vo thik h par meri baat ko ansuna kar ke vo aage ko bhaag gayi.... uss din maine usse pehli baar dekha tha!" He said being nostalgic with tears of memories in his eyes "anirudh, tu chinta mat kar, hum dhundh lenge boudi ko!" Arvind consoled him placing his hand on his shoulder. He nodded seeing at him and went towards car. Arvind followed him.

After a few minutes,
They reached the village. The sun was setting behind the mountains. The darkness was approaching the sky. Arvind stopped the car "anirudh ab aage chal ke jaana padega, h na?" He asked but anirudh  was in deep thinking "anirudh? Anirudh?!!!" He called him "aa..haa..haa..." he came out of his thinking "maine pucha ki ab aage chal ke jaana padega kya?" He asked "aa... ooh acha, hum pohonch gaye... aa ha isse aage chal ke jaana padega" he said and was going out of the car but then he interrupted "anirudh, tu kya soch raha tha?" Arvind asked "emm... Arvind, main soch raha tha ki main, maa ko kaise apna chehra dikhaunga, yeh Bata kar ki main bondita ka khayal nhi rakh paaya" he stopped and said "maa Matlab? Boudi ki maa?" He asked "hmm..." he nodded "anirudh! Tu chinta mat kar, vo bhi samjhengi tughe, jo hua usse koi nhi rok sakta tha, aur vo bhi toh jaanti hi hain na, ki tu boudi se kitne pyaar karta h!" He said "hmm... chal chale!" He said opening the door. They both came out of the car. They took their cases and went ahead "anirudh, tu pehle aaya h kya yahan, matlab boudi ke saath shaadi ke baad kabhi?" He asked "haa, jab shaadi hui thi uske baad 2-3 baar hi aaye the, uske baad fir bondita padhne chali gayi toh fir main nhi aaya" he said "toh matlab tu abhi 5 years baad aa raha h toh tughe pata h vo rehte kahan h?" he asked "aa... haa pehle jahan rehte the vo toh pata h par abhi bhi wahin rehte hain kya yeh nhi pata, kisi se puchna padega" he said. They both were finding someone to ask the route when a person called anirudh "arre vilayati babuuuu!" Someone shouted from back. They both moved back. An old aged person wearing simple clothes in a group of people who were coming from the farms called him. He came near him and was gonna touch his feet "arre nhi nhi aise mat kariye!!!" He immidiately moved back stopping him "arre jamayi babu, 5 saal ho gaye aap aaye kyu nhi ek baar bhi yahan?" He asked "aa...main aa hi nhi paaya, par maaf kariyega maine aapko pehchana nhi, aap kon hain?!" He asked "arre yaad kariye, jab aap 6 saal pehle aaye the aur humare gaav se guzar rahe the, tab hum hi ne toh aapko bail gaadi se chhoda tha tulsipur!" He said "aaa...." Anirudh started thinking downing his head "ohh...acha yaad aa gaya! Aap yahan se guzar rahe the aur aapne mughe kaha tha ki aap mughe tulsipur tak chhod denge" He said Haaa!! Ab aapko yaad aaya, vaise vo bondita kahan hai? Itni si thi jab byah ke chali gayi thi, 5 saal ho gaye usse dekha nhi, ab toh vo bhi bohot badi ho gayi hogi na" he asked "emm... vo abhi nhi aayi par, vo jaldi hi aayegi yahan, aa...aap Bata sakte hain ki vo...uski maa ka ghar, matlab, praveen jadhav ka ghar kahan h abhi?" He asked "haa na, vo toh abhi bhi wahin rehte hain jahan pehle rehte the, aaiye hum aapko le chalte hain!" He said and they followed him.