Pratapgarh Diaries

Kabir and Dimpana

Kabir's POV
The place where we landed was a hall. We went out of that hall.

There was nobody outside.

"Ab pta kese chalega k mandir kaha h?" Dimpana asked.

"Mandir me shaam ki pooja ya aarti krne sab naag naagin jaate honghe. Dekhte h koi nikalta h ya nhi" Mirza said. We waited there.

After sometime we saw some people going somewhere.

"Bhale log lagte h, inse poochte h" Dimpana said. "Tumhare mama k bete h kya? Bhale log lagte h. Betho chup chap! Naag h woh!" I said. She kept quiet and sat again.

We followed them. They reached the Mandir and did their pooja.

After the pooja everyone went home while we hid in the Mandir.

*******

It was late night.

"Saap so gey lagta h...chale?" Sumedh asked. Mirza nodded and we went in the Mandir.

We walked carefully and reached the idol of Shesh Naag.

"Yeh to boht badi h. Manka waha upar h, kon chadega waha?" Mahima asked. "Mirza aap jao" Razia said. "Nhi...Mirza tum yehi raho. Me jaata hu, agar kucch gad-bad hui to sambhaal lena" Sumedh said.

He climbed up and reached the top of the idol. He looked down. We quickly nodded. He looked at the Manka and picked it.

As soon as he picked it, snakes woke up. "Yuvraaj jaldi neeche aao!!!" Mirza shouted. Sumedh nodded and quickly came down.

We ran from there. Snakes were following us. We finally reached the hall where we came from. We locked the door.

We were safe.

We sat down. "Yeh manka kucch bada nhi lag raha?" Razia asked. "Haan, vahi toh. Yeh baki dono se bada h" Sumedh said.

"Kyunki yeh manka, do manko k judne se bana h" Someone said. There was another person in there. We immediately turned to see who it was.

"Kon ho aap?" Mahima asked. He was looking like a pandit. "Me Naaglok ka guru hu" He replied.

We walked backwards to escape. "Daro mat. Me tumhe kucch nhi krunga. Me tumhari sahayeta kar sakta hu" He said.

"Aao jante ho hame?" I asked. He nodded. "Me sab janta hu" He said. "Yeh jo Manka aapne haasil kiya h yeh do manko k jod se bna h. Ise tod kar do manke banenghe" He said. "Ham aapki baat kese man le?" Dimpana asked. He closed his eyes and said some mantras.

When he opened his eyes again, the Manka was divided into two.

"Dekha" He said. We were shocked to see it. "Me tum logo ki aage bhi madad kar sakta hu" He said. "Woh kese?" Mahima asked.

"Aage ka raasta bta kar" He said.

"Kya h aage ka rasta gurudev?" Mirza asked.

"Talaab" He said. We looked at each other. "Talaab?" We asked. "Haan. Naaglok ka talaab. Usme h agla Manka" He said. "Woh kese milega?" Razia asked. "Kucch varsh poorv, ek Saadhu ne us manke ki suraksha hetu usko talaab me fenk diya tha" He said. "Aaj bhi woh manka uss talaab ki gehraiyo me h" He said. "Ham waha takk pohonche kese?" I asked.

"Me le jaunga" He said.

He opened the door at the back of the hall.

We walked for some miles and finally reached the lake. "Yeh h woh talaab" He said. "Lekin yeh to kaafi bada h, yaha ham kese dhoondenghe?" Sumedh asked. "Raasta dikhana mera kaam tha, uspe chalna tumhara kaam h" He replied.

We took his blessings and he left.

"Chalo lgao dubki" Mirza said. We nodded. "Mujhe swimming nhi aati" Dimpana said. She waited for us and we started swimming in the lake.

We looked everywhere but didn't find anything.

We came out. We shook our head looking at each other. "Ek tooti hui naav k ilava kucch nhi mila" Mahima said. We looked at her. "Tooti hui naav?" We asked in unision. She nodded confusingly. "Hame to woh bhi nhi mili!! Wahi dekhte h!" Mirza said. We went in again and this time looked in the boat.

We found a small box.

We came out again and opened the box. There we found it!!

"Yeh kya h?" Dimpana asked looking at a bottle which was in the box.

"Iske andar kucch h, kholo to" I said. She opened it and found a paper. We looked at it. It was a map. "Kaha ki map h yeh?" Mahima asked. "Yeh to talaab lag raha h. Mandir bhi h...yehi ka naksha h yeh" Sumedh said. "Yaha ek hire jesa kucch bnaya h...kya hoga!?" I asked. "Arey Manka hoga!" Dimpana said.

"Agle manke takk pohonchne ka naksha h yeh!" She said. We nodded. "To chale?" Razia asked. "Mirza k saath reh reh kar tum bhi iske jesi ho geyi ho!" Mahima said. We chuckled. "Thoda araam kar lete h" Mirza said.

I sat next to Dimpana. "Nakshe ko jaldi pehnchan liya. Kaafi smart ho geyi ho!" I said. "Me hamesha se smart thi...don't worry hamare bacche bhi smart hi peda honghe" She replied. I smiled and nodded.

Then I realised what she actually said. "Huh? Kya, kya kaha tumne?" I asked. She bit her lower lip. "Kucch bhi to nhi" She said. "Jhoothi! Tumne abhi hamare bacche ki baat ki!" I said.

She blushed.

"Bolo na! Tumne kaha na esa?" I asked. She looked around her. Everyone was sleeping.

She looked at me and smiled. She placed a kiss on my cheek and hugged me tightly. "I love you Kabir!!" She whispered. I was still in shock. What was happening!? Was she serious? "Dimpana tum mazak to nhi kar rhi na?" I asked. She broke the hug. "Har baat mazak lagti h na tumhe? Jao!! Mazak hi samajhlo!" She said pushing my arm. I chuckled. "Arey nhi sorry!" I said and hugged her. "I love you too Baby!!" I said.