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"I cannot give you anything more than my wishes for your happy life now, Arnav"

Meherbaani nahi tumhaaraa pyaar maangaa hai

[I have not asked for a favor, but your love..]

"Please, I am not allowed to love you anymore"

Tumhein manzoor hai tabhee to yaar maangaa hai

[Since you agree, that's why only I have asked..]

"My marriage has been fixed, Arnav. Bhul jao ab muze.."

Gairon ke dar se, tere sheher se

Hai kasam rishtaa todun na..

[Just because of the fear of others,
With your city, I'll not break my relation, I swear..]

All her words said in their last conversation when he had called her from Boston echoed in his mind as he took a sharp turn and ran his car on the road taking him to Lukhnow.

Tera rasta main chhodun na..

Tera rastaa main chhodoon naa..

I'll not let you go.. [literally: won't leave your road]
I'll not let you go...

He firmed his grip on the steering wheel while straining his eyes already tired by the long sleepless journey from USA to Delhi and now giving up with the stress he was putting on them to drive at these late hours. The familiar road took him back on the day when he had seen her first time helping her father to unload luggage from car and taking inside their new house through tilted window of his room. A tall, lean girl in her teenage, clad in bright yellow salwar suit perfectly complementing complexion of her silky skin, her long hairs braided in plait.. She had all to attract him in his early 20's and instantly forming a place in his heart with an unknown attraction.

He had run out of his house in the name of helping his new neighbors but only wishing to initiate small talks with her. However what happened was, he was left completely speechless mesmerized by her hazel dovelike eyes. Who said it takes too long to know a person? Sometimes your one glance is enough to touch other's soul.

*************************

Mr. Sharan Gupta and his only daughter Khushi were new acquaintances of the colony Ramnagar' in Lukhnow owing to Mr. Gupta's 15^th transfer. The sociable Lukhnowi people living in the colony welcomed them with open hearts. But soon the whole colony knew Sharan as a whimsical man who chose to be left alone all the time and used his draconic ways to hurt people if someone tried to befriend with him. Hence the whole neighborhood started avoiding him, especially self-respecting Mr. Aditya Singh Raizada , a man of strict discipline. He could not even stand with this new neighbor after experiencing his initial tirades when he had made attempts of getting well with him. Though everyone felt pity for his only motherless child who unlike him was amiable and benevolent but was under duress of her father's unfair restrictions, no one could help her.

This notorious and scandalous reputation of Sharan Gupta failed to make Arnav's heart grow sour for Khushi. He was attracted towards her as if a moth gets pulled towards flame. He used to find different ways to meet her, talk to her. This infatuation turned into care and protectiveness soon when Arnav came to know how Mr. Gupta beats his daughter brutally after getting drunk. Henceforth he never left any chance to be with Khushi and talk to her nineteen to dozens; no matter even if her father insulted him, hurt him or his family admonished him for keeping himself away from the man or his daughter.

It had taken many days for him to open Khushi up. Khushi's life compromising of a freakish father and frequent relocation from one city to another had made her grow up as a reticent, crestfallen girl. She hardly had any friend and no one ever saw any relative of Gupta's visiting to their house. But those wretched attributes could not have clouded her pure and loving heart Arnav had fallen irrecoverably in love with. And for a sensitive and soft-hearted girl like Khushi, it was difficult to not to reciprocate his feelings.

Arnav had constantly been her support in her difficult times, a hope in her depressing days and ray of bright future in her confused situations. Khushi too had returned his every action with equal fervor. She encouraged him to pursue his aim, believed in his every decision when his own family did not trust him, tolerated his high temper when his father punished him hard even for a little mistake, understood his unspoken words when he was unable to share his feelings to anyone. If he was fire, she was water; if he was the sun, she became moon. Both complemented each other in every way. They had found a friend, family and lover in each other. Away from everyone's eyes Arnav and Khushi had created their own world.

*******************

Khushi closed her hands adorned with mehandi in fists unable to take someone else's name written on it. She had never imagined that some day she would make hard attempts to forget Arnav. But was it even possible? It was not just a name but her whole life. Arnav was heartbeats of her heart, Arnav was blood flowing through her veins, Arnav was air she needed to be alive,.

She remembered the day when she had seen Arnav first time. When he had come to her and offered his help to carry the luggage, she had felt as if a Greek god from the book she was recently reading had descended down in front of her. His sharp features, a tall figure, chiseled body; he had everything for which any teenage girl would go gaga over. But what had impressed her more was glint in his chocolaty eyes. His eyes were speaking volumes even he had exchanged only a word or two with her.

The attraction was one sided or mutual she did not know but she used to like it when every time he would accompany her for grocery shopping or some other by making some excuses. Sometimes it even irritated her when he constantly asked her about her friends, school, her likes-dislikes and she would answer him in monosyllables. She did not know how to talk about herself, what she felt, what she liked because she had never talked about that to anyone in her life before. She hardly had any friends and her father did not wish to see her face leave talking to her. And her habit of keeping her thoughts to herself had created invisible walls of seclusion around her heart. But Arnav's persistent stalking had brought her on the edge of breaking every wall she had built. And finally one day he found his way to her heart through every brick and stone when he silently shared her pain and supported her through the trauma.

It was another day when she was badly beaten by her father and weeping pressing her head into her knees in her garden. She did not realize when he had come there and sat near her. What she acknowledged was his hand gently kept on her head indicating he was with her. Finding support first time at such despairing time of her life, she had cried her heart out in Arnav's embrace until she had left with no tears to shed more. Her years of agony, pain had found its way out and she had found a cocoon of a new friend to confine her in its warmth securely. After that day Arnav never left her side. He even stopped playing football with his friends in the evening to spend time with her. He laughed with her, cried with her .She did not realize when their friendship turned to something more beautiful, more sacred relation called LoVe and how Arnav became her whole world.

Her father's continuous bashing, his family's admonishing or his friends' teasing nothing could change their relationship. Not even the long distances when Arnav and his family shifted to Delhi. Not even Arnav's departure to States for his higher studies could shake their strong base of relationship. If something changed between them over the years then only their regular meetings turned to long hour talks on phone and then to whole night online-chats. No matter where he was, near her or far away at other end of some ocean; No matter they talked daily or not but Khushi's whole being was always suffused with only one person Arnav'. He was with her in her every breathe, every memory and in every moment.

Agar ye hai nahi, to phir jaanay pyaar kyaa hai
Mere bheetar tu, kise parvaah aur kyaa hai
Teraa rastaa chhodun naa, chhodoon naa main teraa rastaa chhodun naa

[If this is not love, I don't know what is.. You're within me, who cares for more.. I'll not let you go...]

Khushi's whole world of dreams suddenly came crashing one morning when her father announced that her marriage had been fixe to some stranger whom she had never met and the wedding was held after one week.

She sank in her bed all crumpled, numb unable to sense anything or even breathe properly. She had not seen that coming. She had been lost in her own world of love that she had almost forgotten that life is no any fairy tale. What was she supposed to do now? She could not oppose her father. On which basis would she oppose? As it is her father would not listen her single word no matter what. And her strength, her Arnav was far away in Boston appearing for his exams. She did not just know how to tackle with the situation. So she did what she had not have done in long period. Just wept whole day and night till her body gave up with fatigue and drifted to sleep at wee hours.

Next day when she opened her eyes, her decision had been made.

' She would marry to the guy her father had chosen for her' She made her mind.

Once she thought of calling Arnav and telling him everything. Only once. But then she pushed that thought out of her mind. Arnav was appearing his exams. If he came to know about her marriage, he might leave everything and come there. And exactly that was not what Khushi wished him to do. Studying in Harvard University had been his only dream as long as she had known him. There was never a day when he would not talk about his plans of studying in this one of the top business schools. She knew how he had worked days and night to get admission there. Achieving a scholarship for the course was not an easy task at all but he had made it possible determinedly so that lack of finance should not be a hurdle in fulfilling his dream. But the terms and conditions for the scholarship were strict. Failure in any term or missing any of his examinations could possibly turn into canceling his scholarship. And then he would be left with no option other than packing up his luggage and leaving the university discontinuing his course in mid-term due to insufficient funds.

No, she would not allow this to happen. Let what may come. She could not be the reason for him to leave pursuing his only dream he had been catering since his childhood. Until now Arnav had done so much for her. He had been her strength, her support. He had endured every blow of sorrow by himself and shielded her. Now it was her time to do something for him. She would bear any pain but would not come between Arnav and his aspiration.

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Arnav had been restless from two days. Khushi had never left his calls unanswered. And 48 hours would be a record in itself to not get her reply for his mails. He tossed the book in his hand on bed. Something was wrong, He knew.. But what? And how he would get to know?

Should he call at her home? But what if her father received it? Let him. He can't do much except bashing him from that far distance.' After contemplating for many times he finally decided to call at her home.

The relief which settled in his heart after listening to Khushi's melodious voice did not last long when she discreetly talked to him and ended the call. His mind alarmed him. Something was definitely wrong with his Khushi and he had to know it. And once Arnav Sigh Raizada decided to do something then even rule of exceptions could not fail him from achieving it. He called her again. Once, twice, thrice- five times, countless times to talk to her and to know what was bothering her.

And when he did, it shook the ground beneath him.

His Khushi was marrying to someone else in three days?

"Why? Why did not you feel it important to tell me Khushi?" He bellowed her probably first time ever in these many years and her cold answer angered him even more.

" I did not want to be hurdle of your life , Arnav. I want you to peruse your dream. Promise me you will. I want you to achieve your aspiration."

He determinately climbed staircase taking him towards his exam room. If that is what she wants him to does he will. If she has no qualms about marrying some stranger then why should he worry? If she can easily forget all those years they were together, all those moments they hand spent together so he too can. If she does not value their love then why should he?' He convinced his mind.

As he reached at last stair, his steps halted. His legs denied moving an inch further. His eyes refused to see anything else around him, his ears defied to listen any sound in surrounding and his heart stopped beating. As if his own body decided to non-cooperate with him.

His memory transported him back to the day when Khushi had cried over his shoulder very first time. He had patted her gently letting her cry till it lightened loads of pain on her heart and when finally her sobs had subsided he kept his hand on her head and promised , "Khushi, after today you won't be alone ever to bear any pain. I will be always there with you no matter what." He had promised himself more than to her.

The warning bell brought him to the present. He once glanced around him. He was on fence now. If he went inside the hall, he could never reach to Khushi in time. And maybe there would be no need to go to Khushi then until he reached to India. If he missed this exam, chances were there that he would never able to achieve his dream. He would have to forget his ambition. Whatever he would decide at this moment could change his life forever.

It was more than difficult to let go off his dream. Studying in Harvard had been bee in his bonnet since he had read about it at age of 12. And the scholarship he had received for this course was the result of his blood, sweat and tears of 13 years. He had sacrificed many things going extra mile through the entire journey to reach here. Now to waive his endeavor that too when he was too close to achieving it was too painful.

He turned to go inside the examination hall.

But as soon as he took a step further another mind asked him. If he achieved whatever he had dreamt of, would it be worth if Khushi would not be there in his life?? Did not he have come so far because Khushi was with him at every step in his struggle? She had inspired him, helped him and supported him to reach there. Did not she too burn her mid-night oil by sitting at her balcony visible from his room just to accompany him whenever he used to study at night? Did not she keep fasts at his every exam so that he would get blessings of her Devi Maiyya? His every success, every achievement was hers too as much as it was his. She had been happier than him when he had secured the admission in Harvard along with scholarship. It was her happiness which was made him happy, more than the news of his admission. So now even if he topped in the university, would he be able to celebrate it without Khushi??

And imagining his future without Khushi in it, hitched his breath.

Was he fool to even think on those lines?

What value would be left for anything in his life if there would be no Khushi?

His life will be worthless without her.

She was his life. She was his only aspiration.

And with new found meaning of his life, he ran towards airport leaving his university behind to fulfill his promise he had made himself years ago.

Zindaa hoon lekin, wo baat nahi hai
Haathon mein teraa, jo haath nahi hai
Ishq kaa hai naam badaa, maine hai kiyaa kaam badaa
Kar ke magar aadhaa chhodoon naa
Tere rukh se ye chehraa moDoon naa
Tera rastaa main chhodoon naa

[I'm alive, but it's not the same anymore,
now that your hand is not in mine..
The name of love is big, and I've done a noble deed..
But I'll not leave it half done..
I'll not turn away from your face..
I'll not let you go...]

Khushi was staring at the stars standing in her balcony trying hard to convince her heart overwhelmed by so many complex feelings when sudden rustling of tree leaves drew her attention towards the tree grown up clinging to her balcony. She observed a dark figure had climbed on the tree and was in the process of jumping in her balcony. Before she could scream in fear two familiar gleaming orbs met with her.

"Arnav?"

She did not believe in her own eyes. How could he be there? It must be illusion of her tired brain.

But when her illusion called her name in the same husky voice of Arnav's , her breath hitched.

"Khushi??"

"Arnav? How..I mean..Why...when.."

"Khushi I will answer all of your questions in spare time but for now we don't have much time left with us. I have come to take you away from this hell. Before anyone sees us, Chalo" He held his hand out to take hers with uttermost determination.

Khushi recovered from the shock of seeing him there but now his words put her in another dilemma. She took a step back hesitantly saying,

"We can't elope, Arnav. It's wrong."

"Being together till death makes us apart is destination of our love Khushi. And it is our right too. We are doing nothing wrong." He said without any dubiety in his voice.

Chaahat hai meree, kusoor nahi hai

[It's my love, not some crime..]

"But why did you leave your dream for me, Arnav? You could get any other girl but now you would not able to..." She was now on the verge of losing her remnant nerve.

"No other girl is you Khushi. And having you in my life forever is my only dream." He said cutting her words.

Dil jazbaatee hai, majboor nahi hai

[The heart is emotional, not helpless..]

"Your family won't accept me. What if they ostracized you?"

"You are my family, Khushi"

Sar ye bhalay phoot gayaa, jism meraa toot gayaa
Khud se kiyaa vaadaa todoon naa

[Even if the head is broken, and the body too,
I'll not break the promise made to myself..]

"No more ifs or buts now Khushi. Our love is worth leaving everything behind.We are as good as dead if we live apart. And I won't allow you to do this with both of us. Ab Chalo" He held his hand out for her again.

Baandhoon sehraa, kafan odhoon naa
Tera rastaa main chhodoon naa

[I'll wear a wedding veil, not a shroud..
I'll not let you go...]

As he took a step towards Khushi, she took a step back. And turning opposite to Arnav walked inside her room leaving baffled Arnav behind.

Khushi turning on her wheels went near dressing table, took the mehandi bowl kept on it. Taking some mehandi in one she smudged it on her other hand where name of some stranger was written.

Arnav's lips curved generously at her action and his all mars on forehead vanished immediately looking at her mehndi smudged hand.

Khushi opened her cupboard, took her favorite jhola out of it and hung it on one shoulder. Taking quick steps towards balcony, she came near Arnav and held his hand still extended in air for her.

"Ab chalo" She spoke matching with same determination that of his.

Without sparing another glance at back, both left the place holding each other's hands...to be with each other forever and ever.

Tera rastaa main chhodoon naa...

Tera rastaa main chhodoon naa...

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Movie: Chennai Express
Music: Vishal-Shekhar
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Singer: Amitabh Bhattacharya, Anusha Mani

~VM~

Dumas has posted another beautiful VM suitable to this story. Thank you so much dear. I think we are at door step of creating a new tradition here 😃

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lg9a6iL970[/YOUTUBE]

My take on the song

There are many love songs in Hindi movies but this one is unique describing a boy's strong determination to get his lady love back .What appealed me more in the lyrics is obstinacy of the man who knows that it's not crime to love someone and hence he is ready to face any circumstances for his love.

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P.S: I am so overwhelmed by the response I received for this new style of writing. I thank my all readers from bottom of my heart for being so supportive and encouraging. Hope I can always keep entertaining you with my writing.

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praj.shrish2014-01-29 02:07:49