AROUND YOU ✔️

Chapter 7

"So unka rural area mein rehna, yahi wajah hai aapke inqaar ki?", crossing his arms over his chest, Uday Shergill calmly asks to his daughter Bela.

Just yesterday, he arrived India. Like always, he bring gifts for Bela and Bua, bought by Lameia, his second wife and today he called Bela and Yukti for knowing answer.

"Baba! Yeh aitraaz kya kam hai?", she looks at him astonished moving her head up which was hanging low till now.

"Dekhiye Beta! Kisi insaan ko pasand-napasand karne ki wajah unke character, personality and habits hoti hain, na ki unki surrounding. Achche bure log har jagah har kahin paaye jaate hain chahe wog rural area ho ya urban."

He continues, "Aapke according gaon ki rasmein and jahalat (illiteracy) suitable nahi hai aapke liye par wahan aisa kuch nahi hai. Aap ek baar dekhengi woh mahaul toh aap samjh jayengi ki aapki soch se bilkul mukhtaleef hai woh jagah."

"Baba aap samjh nahi rahein..!"

"Main samjh raha hoon Beta! Gaon mein peace, unity aur dosti ki bhi achchi misaalein hain. Aap shehron ki bhaag daud aur behad electronic aur machini zindagi ko nazar-andaaz karo. Sirf shehar waalo ki padhayi aur waqt ke importance ki quality pe nazar rakho aur udhar gaon ki khushal mahaul ko ek taraf rakh kar unke apnapan aur rishton ko mohabbat se apnao. Dono taraf se achchi cheezein gather karo aur buri cheezein nazarandaaz karo. It's as simple as that!!"

"Par baba mujhe gaon ke logon se darr lagta hai.", she says softly with glassy eyes. Mr. Shergill smiles at her innocence.

"Bela, meri jaan. Woh gaon ke log nahi hain. They are high standard. And maine Mahir ko isiliye choose kiya kyunki woh mujhe uski aadat aur qirdar ki wajah se achcha lagta hai. Us mein woh saari qualities hain jo main apne daamad mein dekhna chahta hoon. Mehnati, nek dil, badon ki izzat karne waala, insaaniyat se mohabbat, bezuban ke liye pyaar, gareebon ke liye kuch kar guzarne waala. Dil ka bhi khoobsurat hai aur dekhne mein bhi attractive personality." Looking at Bela's colourless face he sighs a deep breath.

"Lekin phir bhi aap raazi nahi hain toh main force nahi karunga. Lameia bhi apne kafi sare cousins ke proposals rakhti hai mere saamne. Yeh nahin toh option toh aur bhi hai, saare ke saare well settled. But still my best choice is Mahir even unhone bhi yeh calm and peaceful area chuna rehne ke liye warna aa..", he couldn't complete further as his phone rings, "Excuse me." and he leaves.

***

But let the author complete this:
"Warna woh bhi abroad mein settle ho jaate, apne kisi bhi country ke pent house mein. Unke apne hotels chain hain 'Sehgals group of hotels', all over Europe and Asia. Mahir aur Ranvijay mil kar sambhalte hain with Andy. Still he chose to live here because of their ancestral royal life, to keep their pre names 'Shekhawats' high and for their morals and values."

So yes! Bela doesn't know that they are not just some landlords or royal family "SHEKHAWATs" in outskirts of Mysore but the freaking entrepreneur "SEHGALs" also. Poor Bela.. Gaon-shehar ki ratt mein kuch nazar nahi aata use.

***

Vishakha is going Chennai on her cousin's wedding in two days. She asked Bela a lot accompany her but Bela didn't budge.

Uday has left for Dubai just in two days of coming India because of some urgent meetings. He has told Bela to give her decision the day he come come backs again.

Bela's day and nights are very restless. She has lost her interest in works. Her mind use to replay the words said by her Baba.