Chapter 3: The Riots

3 years ago

Mahi

@Mannmohanaa

Recap: Amrit is married to Randheer and she has been conferred with the title of Princess of Daulatabad. Veer leaves for the rehabilitation center. Vashma and Uday shift to a new house. Vashma misses her Baig household.

Chapter 3

Morning 9AM

Vashma was busy drying her hair with the towel when Uday caught her waist suddenly, from behind her. 

"Vashma Uday Sahani" he whispered in her ear. He clutched her waist tightly, making her blush and cornering her completely. Vashma always had her tricks to get the better of him but Uday today clearly had the upper hand. But Mrs. Sahani being smarter than he thought, she quickly jerked her hair on his face in a swift move, taking him off guard. His grip loosened and she ran away, leaving him baffled.

"Vashma yeh theek nahi horaha oye" he ran behind her all the way to the kitchen, complaining like a baby. She winked at him and threw the towel at him, laughing adorably. Uday had no option but to depart with the wet towel but he vowed he'd take his revenge sooner or later.

.

"Uday chal, bazaar jaana hai na?" She said after winding up the lunch table.

But Uday was no where to be found. She searched around for him in the backyard, on the terrace but he was nowhere. Suddenly, the lights went off and she was swept off her feet in no time. Uday wasted no time and took her straight to the bedroom. They were met with a shower of petals as soon as he opened the door. Vashma loved such small surprises. They were finally at home, after a lot of struggle and she wanted to make the best of this peace. He was about to place her on the bed, when the doorbell rang. Vashma giggled with a sorry face directed towards him. After cursing his luck, Uday went to open the door. She quickly grabbed her dupatta and joined him at the doorstep. The doorbell rings wouldn't stop and they wondered who was so desperate to see them.

As soon as Uday opened the door, a young kid kneeled down and grabbed his legs. He begged him to take him in. Uday was taken aback. He did not know how to react. Vashma saw the blood stains on his shirt and felt shocked. She took the child inside the door immediately. The child turned around and signalled some people to come in. He had with him his mother, who was pregnant, and an old man. His shirt too had blood stains and he seemed hurt. Vashma told him to wait and sneaked outside. There was no one on the streets. All shops were closed and there was no one in sight.

They took them in. Vashma observed the tabeez in their necks and understood the matter. She gave them some water and food, meanwhile Uday switched on the radio to check on the happenings. There had been severe riots in Old Delhi, especially in the slum areas near Jama Masjid and the Muslim households had been ruthlessly set on fire.

Uday called out to Vashma, who was busy tending to the new guests.

"Vashma, oye, humne inhein andar le toh liya par zyaada der nahi rakh sakte. Agar kisiko kaan no kaan bhanak bhi lag gayi toh bada masla bann jaana hai ise."

"Par Uday, aise kaise inhein chodd dein sadako par? Arey yeh jo Chacha hai, inhone aaj hi apne bete ko kho diya. Unki bahu baccha dene waali hai aur uska pehle hi ek chota baccha hai. Kahan jaayenge yeh log?"

"Vashma vashma, tu samjh hi nahi rahi. Tujhe yaad nahi humaare saath kya hua tha? Lalaji ke saath kya hua tha? Tu chahti hai yeh sab dobaara ho?"

"Uday samjh toh tu bhi nahi raha. Tu mazhab dekh raha hai aur main insaan dekh rahi hoon."

"Main mazhab dekh raha hoon? Oye nahi oye. Main bass humaari salaamti dekh raha hoon. Nahi daal sakta main tujhe aur museebat mein. In logon ko khaana de, aur fauran ravaana kar yahan se Vashma." He said decisively.

"Nahi Uday. Yeh log kahin nahi jaayenge."

She blocked his away to the hallroom.

"Vashma, zidd mat kar. Poori Delhi mein dangge bhadke hue hain. Jald hi sabke ghar ki talaashi li jaayegi. Hum yeh khatra nahi utha sakte. Chal mujje jaanede."

"Nahi Uday, aaj chahe duniya idhar ki udhar ho jaaye, yeh log yahan se nahi jaayenge."

Vashma was sure of what she was doing. Once  she had been in a similar situation and even Uday couldn't understand what she had gone through. The fear of safety, the chaos in the head. The panic of not having a home and your loved ones with you. And carrying a living body inside you on top of it all. It was nerve wrecking.

"Vashma main samjh sakta hoon tujhe inn logon ko dekhkar shayad apnapann mehsoos ho raha hai lekin halaat..."

"Halaat? Halaat toh '47 mein bhi theek nahi the. Aur bhool mat Uday! Uss waqt ek Iqbal Baig ne tujhe aur tere parivaar ko panaah de thi. Apni jaan ko khatre mein daalkar tujhe border ke liye ravaana kiya tha. Bhoolna mat."

Uday stood silent, staring back at the valiance in her eyes and the power in her words. She wasn't backing off today.

Vashma went out and prepared some haldi doodh for the to be mother. Uday joined her in the kitchen and said, "aaj raat tak. Bass isse zyaada nahi."

Vashma tried to argue but he cut her off. He understood her point but she had to understand his fear too. She nodded positively in response and left Uday alone, standing near the stove. The fire and these 3 people brought alive the dark memories of partition. The chaos, the pain, the fear. All of it had come alive out of nowhere.

.

Uday prepared to sleep. He picked up the empty water bottle lying near the bedside and went to refill it when he saw Vashma talking to the woman. The woman looked back at him and he turned his face away. She seemed tired and weak. Vashma helped them move to the guest room. After filling the bottle, he was about to enter his room when he observed that Vashma still hadn't returned. He went to the guest room to check on her when he saw a sight that completely shook him from within. All 4 of them were reading the namaaz. He had never seen Vashma doing so, in the past 3 years. The old man had the white cap on his head.

He was brought back to the time they were stuck in riots back in Lahore and Vashma had projected him as a Muslim to save their lives. The pinch he had felt in that one moment came back to haunt him. He couldn't bear that one moment and here, he had asked Vashma to let go of her identity and community completely? With teary eyes, he left the room and went back to his room, thinking about the crisis at hand.

He went outside and cleaned the blood trail leading to his doorstep. He had made his mind.

...

Randheer was on his night errand, checking all the doors and supervising the security, that had been increased due to the riots. He had called up Uday in the evening itself, as soon as he had come to know about it. And Uday had told him about the old man, pregnant woman and the kid in their house. Randheer could only wish of their well being and also about improvement in the situation by morning. He was about to return to his room when he overheard Ranimaa and Vijendra arguing about something. He heard Veer's name and he stopped in his tracks.

"Aapko pata hai Naliniji, Veer ko hamesha dukh pohochta hai par woh kuch nahi kehta. Aap jaanti hai na uska kitna mann tha ki uski biwi ko Princess of Daultabad ka title mile aur aapne use Amrit ko de diya, yeh jaante hue ki ek zamnaane mein inki shaadi hui thi? Kitna bura laga hoga use aur shayad..."

"Aisa nahi hai. Aap bhi jaante hai na use, bachpan se humaare harr faisle se dikkat hai usko." She argued back.

"Woh kitna manta hai aapko, aap ko dikhta nahi? Aapne ek baar bola usko Randheer aur Amrit ek dusre se pyaar karte hain toh usne haste haste divorce papers par sign kar diya, iske bavajood ki woh Amrit ko pasand karta tha. Aaj ek baar phir aapne uss bacche ko naraaz kar diya Naliniji."

Randheer felt shaken. He never knew that Veer had started liking Amrit. He never knew Veer wanted the title for his wife. He felt terrible about his own self usurping all his wishes like that, in a single blow. Inspite of this, Veer had never ill treated him. He had loved him like his own brother, always being considerate and kind to him. But what had he done in return? Was this the reason Veer left the Rajmahal?

...

Vashma got up and turned around in bed. The sun was up. She looked the other side of the bed. It was empty. The events of last night came flooding back and she got up startled. Where was Uday? She ran towards the hall way to check, when she saw him sleeping on the armchair, right at the door, with his hockey in his hand. He looked absolutely cute and adorable sleeping all curled up, with his legs stretching out on the floor. He had been guarding the door all night, in fear of an attack. Vashma suppressed a sob, as she realised the depth of his anxiety about the refugees in the house. She wiped her tears and recollected that it was time for them to leave. She saw that they were already packing the belongings. She handed over the woman some besan ke laddoo and a water can. They hugged and bade a goodbye. Vashma was about to open the door when Uday caught her hand.

He grabbed her hand and brought her in the house, along with the 3 of them. 

"Hum inhein aise besahara nahi chodenge Vashma. Maine sab soch liya hai. Meri woh paas waale Masjid ke Maulvi se bhi baat hogayi hai. Dhoop sar par aa jaane dete hain. Phir main khud unhein wahan par chodd aaunga."

Smilingly, she hugged him tight. She was wrong that he didnt understand her pain. Uday Kishore Sahani was the softest and the most caring human she had ever come across. How could he disappoint his Vashma? 

"Shukriya Uday," she mumbled, still clutching his kurta tightly and sobbing her heart out.

....

Next chapter teaser: Randheer and Ranimaa have a small tiff. Vashma and Uday visit Amrit and Randheer with a plea.