CHAPTER 5
At night gulaal was making her bed ''she saw kesar standing outside her room''he was watching her preparing the bed he leaned at the door and looked at her'..how could something so delicate and so beautiful can also be so tormenting'..? he wondered this person has taken all his sanity and his logic since she entered his life''''
she turned and asked "kesar tu yanha"
Kesar walked inside her room and said "haan tere liye sheher se kuch laya tha"
Gulaal looked at him and asked "curiosily mere liye kya?"
He took out a cute heart shaped box and opened to show a beautiful rubby studed gold ring to her
Gulaal was pleasantly surprised she asked "yeah tu laya hai
He noded his head and said "haan tujhe rings bahoot pasand haina"
Gulaal was happy she extended her hands and asked "hmm chal de mera tohfa"
Kesar smiled and caught her hand instead'.gulaal was startled the cold touch of his fingers made her shiver'..she could see the mix of yearning and the passion in the look he was giving her and although inwardly she was shaking by his touch she still stood their grounded
She said "kesar tu?"
Kesar looked into her eyes he gently hold her hands and slipped the ring unto her engagement finger'.he said while sliding the ring "meine paise bacha kar tere liye khareedi hai"
Gulaal said "par tujhe mera naap nahi pata '.mujhe nahi aayegi
She thought it maynot possibly fit her but suprisingly it did and so perfectly as if it was tailor made for her''only her''
Kesar looked at her and holding her hand asked bata "kaise lagi"
Gulaal looked down at her hand the worn gold felt soft on her hands'hardly anyone cared for her'''all these years everyone were so busy in their life they hardly thought she might have some emotions she might love gifts''some true knot of emotions filled her heart and choked her throat .she looked at her ring said in soft tune "bahoot sundar hai"
Kesar looked at her He felt his breath catch at the clear beauty she possessed'.. he looked at her hands and said in husky tone "par in hathon se jyada nahi"
Bringing her hand closer to his bossom with utmost passion he said "tu bahoot sundar hai gulaal" bewitched and lost in her beauty
Gulaal hear ppunded in a stange and unkown fear'' a relunctance tht had been there for wat seemed forever intensified uncomfortably'she immediately withdrew her hand and got up and said in breathless voice "lagta hai biji bula rahi hai" and she hurriedly went outside the room
Kear saw her leaving he lowered his head and smiled to himself'''.
In the morning gulaal got up and performed her morning pooja after fininshing the pooja she turned and burned some champor and started spreading the smoke in all corners of the house while hyming durga chalisa''. she reached the front door suddenly the door opened and kesar entered the house wearing his black vest and track pants he had returned from jogging soaked in the sweat he was breathing heavily both of them looked at each other startled'kesar noticed her'. she had taken bath and her wet hairs flowed down to her shaply back'''dressed in baby pink chiffon salwar kaameez her skin glistered in flickering rays of the morning sun...kesar was a goner he could have looked at her forever gulaal saw him and took a deep breath to calm her overwrought nerves and her heartbeat tht raced wildly''' she extended prasad to him
Kesar looked at the prasad and then smiled and opened his mouth and said "khila de mere haath gande hai"
Gulaal sqeezed a faint smile she fed a prasad to him and looked at her fingers tht just brushed against his lips'. nervousness possessed her
She turned back and started spreading the smoke in other corner of the house
While kesar wiped the sweat from the hand towel looking at her'..his eyes were stuck at her refusing to look away'..gulaal saw him staring at her'.she was uneasy''.unable to resist she finally asked "kya hua kesar'.aisa kya dekh raha hai'."while spreading her smoke with her gentle hands not looking at him
Kesar looked at her with dreamy eyes and said "gulaal tu apne baal mat bandha kar"''''.gulaal turned back
He walked and stood close to her and lowered his head whispeared in her ears in husky tone "tu khule baalon mein bahoot soni lagti hai" His warm breath bathed her skin''.her smell intoxicated him''''he wanted to say something but heard his biji calling out his name
He turned his head and said "aatu hun biji"
He turned back and looked at her sheepishly he smiled and chewed his lips and went upstairs'..leaving her in utter shock
Since kesar had returned she could sense his eyes constantly following her''everytime she went in the kitchen she could feel him staring at her from a distance''. everytime she closed her eyes she could feel him looking at her from the window the gaze tht remained fixed at her without blinking without any hesitation without any trace of guilt'''
For kesar the feeling was something he never before experienced restless and discontended he could know no happiness but in the presence of her who captivated his mind his soul his heart'
He tried to assume some firmness but in vain a look from her would throw him off his guard and his feeling much alien to him become his torment it was worse than the torture in the hostel wen she wasnt there with him'''..
It was morning kesar was in his room he was searching for his fav tshirt but couldn't find it anywhere finally he started calling gulaal
"Gulaal gulaal"
gulaal heard him and went upstairs she asked "kya baat hai ghar kyu sar par utha rakha hai"
kesar said in irked voice to "aur kya karu meri fav tshirt nahi mil rahi poora kamra chaan mara kahin bhi nahi dekh rahi"
gulaal replied "dhang se dekha hi nahi hoga yeah dekh almari mein hi rakhi hai par tujhe dekhna hi nahi hai, haina"
she complained while handling him his tshirt
he said firmly "haan to yeah sab mein kyu karu tu kisliye hai ''yeah sab kaam tera hai tu hi dekh" he said with strange directness and authority and resumed wat he was doing
gulaal was hesistant
kesar looked at her and said "acha sun'.yeah tshirt dhundne ka chakkar mein kamra ekdum mess ho gaya hai tu saaf kar dena '"
gulaal nodded her head "thek hai preeto se kah deti hun wooh saaf kar degi"
kesar looked at her he was irritated he shoted back "kyu preeto kyu saaf karegi dekh gulaal meine pehla bhi kaha hai yeah kaam tera hai''..mein kyu kisi aur se kaam karne ko kahu''.. tera kaam hai tu kar'''..and he left angrily
Gulaal was scared'..hell scared with the way he spoke to her''. he said it so authoratively tht she to felt nervous and tongue tied''.it wasn't the first time he had thrown tantrums at her'.infact as a child he use to throw terrible tantrums so often'..but now the things were different there was not a childlike instance but a strange authority as if exercising his right on her'.
Late afternoon gulaal entered his room'''.the room was a terrible mess he didn't cleaned up nor he asked anyone else for help it was untidy as it was in morning''.nothing changed at all gulaal took a long breath and said "ekdum ziddi hai'..agar mein naa karu to khud bhi nahi karega aur naa kisi ko karne dega''..
She picked up the piles of clothes tht were scattered on the ground she placed them neatly in the almirah'..she arranged the books on the books shelves dusted and mopped the floor replaced the bed linen with a fresh and clean set 'while arranging his bed her hands slip under the pillow and bumped on sheaf of papers she lifted the pillow some pictures were hidden beneath the pillow gulaal looked at those pictures curiously
She remembered her conversation with preeto the previous morning
Preeto "parjaiji tenu pata hai aajkal kesar veerji ghanto kisi ki photo dekhte rehnde hai aur akele akele haste rehnde hai "
Gulaal was pleasantly amused she asked "photo?"
Preeto exclaimed "haan parjaiji ekdum gum ho jaate hai photo dekhte dekhte" she lowered her eyes smiled and said waise menu pata hai wooh photo naa aapke hi honge"
Gulaal creased her eyebrows frowned and said "kya bakwass kar rahi hai"
Preeto insisted she holded her hand and said "nahi parjaiji mein sach kah rahi hun wooh jin nazaro se us photo ko dekhte hai itne pyaar se sirf ek pati apni patni ko dekh sakta hai"
Gulaal looked at her she frowned and grabbed the ladle in haste
Preeto continued "haaye''.jitney pyaar se veerji us photo ko dekhte hai utne pyaar se toh mere khasam (husband) ne menu dekha naa hoga" she sighed
Gulaal scolded her "oye bas kar aur dekh sabzi jal rahi hai"
She remembered her banter and she extended her hand to pick up the pictures'''.but her gaze fell on the cigarette case and lighter tht laid adjacent to the pictures
Gulaal picked up the cigarette case and the lighter and looked at it in disbelief
Just then Kesar entered the room he said "gulaal''."
Gulaal turned around and frowned she extended the cigarette case and asked in stern voice "yeah kya hai"
Kesar looked at the cigarette case his eyes widened and he bite his tongue in desperation
Gulaal said again "kuch pooch rahi hun tujhse yeah teri haina
Kesar hesistated he had acquired the smoking habits at college gulaal and biji wasn't aware of it now he was caught red handed he took the cigarette case and lighter'''in low tone said "haan"
Gulaal was startled she asked "kya tu cigarette peena laga hai"
Kesar chew his lips and said "kabhi kabhi"
Gulaal was irritation "tu paagal ho gaya hai tujhe pata hai cigarette peena kitni boori baat hai pata hai kitna boora asar padta hai sehat par kuch akal hai yaa nahi"
Kesar shoted back "oh common gulaal chill maar'.. mere umar dhoodh peene k nahi hai'.aajkal k generation yahi karti hai aur mere saare dost bhi peete hai meine pee li isme boorai kya hai'.. mujhe lecture mat de'.."
Gulaal yelled "oye bhaad mein gaaye tere dost menu usne koi lena dena nahi hai'''''' tu nahi peeyega bas'.."
Kesar closed his eyes in desperation and said "thek hai nahi peeyunga"
Gulaal insisted "aaye aise nahi kha meri sau (swear ) ki aaj k baad ciigratte ko haath bhi nahi lagaayega"
Kesar looked away he remained silent refusing to swear on her
This raise her temper to the maximum she yelled " khasmanokhaneye'(useless fellow ) nahi maanega naa'thek hai'.mein is cigarette ko hi chulhe (stove) mein daal deti hun" and she snatched the cigratte case and lighter an ran towards the door
Kesar was startled he ran after her he said " gulaal tu kya kar rahi hai oye wooh mera favourite brand hai poore pind vich nahi milega chal waapas kar"
he caught her and grabbed her hand trying to snatch the cigarette case from her''
gulaal didn't gave up either she struggled hard she yelled "aiyye chod ise''"
he tried harder to snatch and said "aaiye waapas kar"
and a struggle ensued between them neither of them ready to submit'''''.
Gulaal yelled hat pare (move aside) chod cigarette
Kesar kept struggling to snatch the cigratte case he said aaye waapas kar meri cigarette"
in order to get the upper hand he pinned her against the wall their arms outstretched kesar said looking into her eyes "tu biwi hai tenu biji banane ko kisne kaha hai"
gulaal was startled the words fell like lightening on her she ceased the struggle arms still outstretched she stood passive wht ? did he said WIFE? her mouth went dry and she stared at him incredulously'..trying to contemplate wht he said
kesar's gaze fell on her she was dangerously close to him yet painfully distant'.her warm breath fell on his chest and his heart thumped in excitement she was standing still''the cold sweat trickled down her neck he swallowed a huge lump as he stared at her neck in fascination'.his heart was racing widly .the feel of her soft tender palms against his palm was making him dizzy his grip loosened a bit he lightly traced his palm and interlocked his fingers with hers he stared deep in her eyes they looked at each other with contrasting emotions gulaal looked at him puzzled'''. he with deep passion losing his senses he bend his face a little and leaned forward '''
and he heard preeto calling for gulaal
preeto 'parjaiji kethe ho aap biji bula rahi hai"
(where are you biji is looking for u)
kesar looked at the door and turned back their eyes met again''gulaal looked at her state she immediately withdrew her hands and pushed him aside'..she stood at one corner adjusting her dupatta tht was crumbled in the fight'''..she was shivering in fear'''her white skin paled more and more
kesar stood there for a sec trying to hold his breath he slipped his cigarette case and lighter into pocket and he looked at gulaal who was trembling in fear'confounded he looked in other direction his eyes fell on pictures tht were lying on the bed
he looked at gulaal and quietly pick up the pictures in haste and went out of the room leaving gulaal in deep turmoil'.
Kesar walked with quick steps and collided with preeto the pictures scattered
Kesar yelled loudly "marjaniye dekh k nahi chal sakti"
Preeto said kesarveerji menu pata hi nahi tha aap ithe (here) aa rahe ho''
Kesar bend down to collect the pictures...preeto's eyes fell on the pictures and she shouted in excitement "haayo rabba...parjaiji ithe (here) aao jaldi"
Gulaal heard her voice and she quickly came out of the room
She was shocked and startled to see her pictures lying scattered in the corridor the pictures tht represented her true self... the pictures tht he had taken secretly while she performed pooja. her pictures while she spread the smoke of camphor on all the corner of the house her pictures while she hold ladle and chirpped with preeto her pictures while she press the feet of biji and smiled ecstatically her pictures while she slept profoundly they were more..lots more
Kesar smacked his forehead in desperation and quickly went out of the sight to avoid another grilling session.
Preeto chirped "haaye mar jaawa gud khake... kitne soni lag rahi ho parjaji... in photo ko hi kaala tikka laga do'mein kehti thi naa kesar veerji aapki photo dekhte hai
Gulaal looked at preeto and then looked the pictures she was vulnerable...
Edited by arti07 - 11 years ago
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