Ranjha

1.1 | Main Berang

FARQ HAI.

Chapter 1 — Main Berang.

•

1997.

"Dolly, enough! This is not happening! I am not getting you into any dance classes!", She heard her brother's crystal clear voice.

Dolly, sixteen, sat on the swing absolutely annoyed.
Her grandmother, lovingly called Moti Baa, looked at her sadly.

"Look at Bhai na! He's always dominating and behaving like the king of the world!", She said, complaining loud enough for her annoyed brother to hear.

"Dolly, you know we are not the Tata Birlas? So maybe shut up now—"

"Gutlu!", Moti Baa snapped at him sharply.

He finally looked up from his breakfast.
Since the finances were dwindling and he had just got a job, they still had to sit on the floor while eating.
No dining table.
And definitely no money for hobbies.

It was an extremely colourless life, to say the least.

"Have I taught you to talk to your little sister that way?", Moti Baa asked, giving him a piercing look.
He sighed.
"Sorry, Dolly behna.. but still.. it's a no.", She said, flashing a fake smile and going back to eating.

"What's wrong with what Vanraj is saying?", Baa said, admiring her son eat.
"He's the bread earner, just twenty two but he's still doing so much! He decides who will do what.", She added, the hint of pride unmissable.

Moti Baa sighed.
"Bhai, Anu Di is very nice! She's charging nominal fees. She too wants to support her familly!", Dolly said stubbornly, now on the verge of tears.

"Good for her, but I am not interested in being mahaan. Sorry.", Vanraj said, finally getting up.

"You are so mean!", Dolly shouted, wiping invisible tears.
"Happy realisation.", He said with a overly sweet smile.

•

Anupamaa sat back in her house.
She had cleared the courtyard, in hope to conduct the dance class.
She had only two people interested.
One was her bestie Devika, the other was a junior, Dolly.

She knew it wouldn't add up much to her family income, that came from her mother selling pickles, but she needed it to at least pay her college fees.
Her late father's savings were almost finished.

She was nineteen.
And an adult.
And someone who needed to immediately marry before the neighbours started with "Haww.. you haven't married your girl! After twenty who will marry her! Tch tch poor thing will have to live without a husband!"

"Anu di.. you want help?", Her younger brother asked, watching his sister at work.
"Naah.. I will manage.. I just hope Dolly shows up.. Devika will, I know.", She said, more to herself, looking at the door.

Vanraj finally walked out of his house, ready to walk to office.
The recent financial crunch had pretty much sucked out all the savings they had.
Moti Baa needed her medicines, anyhow.

"She lives only in the next row of houses! Bhai! Please na!"

His sister's voice seemed to echo in his ears.

"I'll check while returning, I guess.", He said as he walked down to the office, almost three kilometres.

•

It was six in the evening.
Ahmedabad sky lit up in a dark orange glow today.

And Anupamaa sat sighing.

"Arrey Anu.. don't worry na. You'll find more students.", Devika said handing her a churan she bought from outside school.
"It's..", She sighed.
"Nothing.", She added, pointlessly.

Dolly hadn't showed up.
And somehow, it was oddly heartbreaking.

"Aacha.. I should go.. otherwise Maa will get very angry.", Devika mumbled awkwardly.
Anu smiled at her warmly and nodded.

Devika left, leaving the gate open, as was her habit.
Anu didn't bother to get up.
Maa was busy with her pickles.
Bhavesh was trying to study.
And she sat here, in the silence, wondering where her life was heading.

Just then, the lights went off.

"Oh no! The current is gone!", Bhavesh said, irritably.

Vanraj paused midway, looking at the street light turn off.

"Please no..", He mumbled to himself, exasperated.

He hated a lot of things, but darkness topped the list everytime.
He dragged himself towards the address Dolly had said.
Anupamaa Joshi, was the name.

The darkness was falling with every passing moment.
The stars came out when he reached the house.
It was a single storey house, pretty basic.
From the faint outline in the moonlight, he could make out the house.
Sighing he stepped in through the open gate.

Anupamaa stood up finally, realising this month would be worse than last.
She hated her helplessness.
It was heartbreaking.

She abruptly noticed the faint outline of a man.

Her heart skipped a beat.
She silently bent and picked up a stick that her mother often used on her brother.

"He's definitely here to abduct Maa and me for the last debt.", She whispered to herself, ready to attack.

"Probably that's her.", Vanraj thought as he took another step forward.

With the sound of every passing footstep, Anu's heart beat increased a little.

By the time, he came into the range of the stick, her heart paced to deafening levels.

"Are you—"

Before he could complete she struck.
Right on the left arm.

And the lights came back.

•••