Chapter 5

shree

@qwerty.shivi123

[NOCOPY]

EPILOGUE

“Krishna nee begane baaro” she sang, with her hand slowly stringing the tanpura as she taught her students for the second time that hour.

“Krishna nee begane baaro” they sang together, trying their best to commit the tune to memory.

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“That’s it for today, kids. Practice it properly and come for the next class. Shriya, especially you. I don’t want any excuses.”

“Ok ma’am”

With a chorus of ‘thank you, ma’am’s and ‘see you tomorrow!’s, they all left, bidding goodbye to their teacher and her husband.

As she got up to place the tanpura back in its stand he stopped her with a hand to her wrist.

“Chipkali, kitne din ho gaya hein. Woh gana ga na”

“Abhi?”

“Nahi, raat ke 2:30 baje ko ga. Phir kabhi? Gadhedi” he shook his head.

She sighed and asked him, “Waise, kaun se gaane ki baat kar raha hai thu?”

“Wahi jo tum hamesha gaathi ho mere liye. Humara gana” he winked at her, causing her to shrug back.

“Aankh maare… aankh maare…oh ladki aankh maare…” she sang out of tune to tease him.

“Ae yeh gaana nahi, yaar!”

“Dil dhadka e ae ae ae...aur seeti bajaye ae ae ae...” she continued to further spite him.

“Abe bas kar ye bakwaas gaana. Kitne pyaar se maang raha hoon. Please Raavi, sing na?”he begged.

“Accha teekh hai baba, I’ll sing. Just gimme a min. Let me just make something for the kids.”

As she made her way to the kitchen he followed her in to help her. Soon, piping hot chai and samosas were made and brought to the balcony.

“Sing at least now na?”

She settled back on the cushion with the tanpura on her lap and began…

Aaj jaaneki zid na karo

Yunhi pehlu mein baithe raho

Aaj jaane ki zid na karo

Hai mar jaayenge, hum to lut jayenge

Aisi baatein kiya na karo

Aaj jaane ki zid na karo

With her eyes closed, the wind playing with her hair, jhumkas dangling at her ears, jingling with every shake of her head, fingers stroking the strings of the instrument and waves crashing in the background, she looked like the epitome of Maa Saraswati in her golden-white saree.

Tum hi socho zara, kyun na roke tumhe

Jaan jaati hai jab uth ke jaate ho tum

Tumko apni qasam jaan-e-jaan

Baat itni meri maan lo

Aaj jaane ki zid na karo

Yunhi pehlu mein baithe raho

Aaj jaane ki zid na karo

Lost to her voice, singing their song, Shiva didn’t notice the shuffling of feet that entered the house quietly.

Waqt ki qaid mein zindagi hai magar

Chand ghadiyan yehi hai jo azaad hain

Inko khokar mere jaan-e-jaan

Umr bhar na taraste raho

Aaj jaane ki zid na karo…..

She ended the song on a high note and opened her eyes to look at him. He had unshed tears in his eyes recounting the first time she ever sang this song for him and she immediately understood his train of thought. They kept looking at one another until —

“Ahem ahem!”

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A/N: That's it you guys.

i am ending this story here with an epilogue i wrote on a whim.

i am super grateful for the abundance of encouragement and appreciation i received. special thanks to krishna for helping me write it. ILYSM