Birha Chapter 2
A year later and in the surroundings of what for the world was the most romantic city shiv kapoor who was still in essence that businessman at nature was famous not for his businessman status but for another skill which seemed to have taken to many hearts. Stepping out from what was a book shop on traditional French street which belonged to the city of Paris..shiv kapoor was sounded by a number of people mostly woman..who seemingly carrying what was shivs new venture were over the moon to have their copy of his new novel signed by the man himself. Amongst the older ladies whom seemed more interested in shiv rather than his novel shiv kapoor manages to turn on his charm to defer the situation and take his leave with grace..yet every request was met and every copy of his book signed. having avoided the bombardment that were his fans shiv steps across the street heading to a coffee shop which had been his retreat for the past few weeks here. mainly for the reason that this certain coffee shop was always quite and also the fact that the window feature of it let shiv keep a watch on the book store on the opposite side of the road..just out of interest as to see who are the types of people that actually paid to read what an ex businessman with no imagination would write. Sitting down in his usual spot at the window shiv awaits a few seconds..taking his note pad out of his blazer pocket he places it on the desk and just as he does so his coffee awaits him. With that smile which gave off a warm greeting shiv thanked that one waitress whom he interacted with daily.. taking a look at the surroundings and then at the coffee in front of him..shiv was sitting in wait and as so glanced at his wristwatch which was hidden under the sleeve of his blazer yet a little shuffle of his arm revealed that shiv was as usual a little early. Looking out of the window which sat on shivs right hand side, his sight fell on the shop across the street. Book shop which displayed numerous copies of his book in the window its self. Now he had left it looked like the crowed had died down. There was nothing much that shiv could pay attention to out of the window yet he did notice something. His own reflection. He could see himself in the shadow of the window and for the first time noticed the sort of changes that had come with him throughout the year. With the ease of shivs character he found all these things a little amusing. His look still profoundly shiv kapoor had easied a little..you could say that touch of creativeness was shown in shivs appearance His white shirts had been replaced by a more homely jumper of a brown shade and his formal blazer was now more over a casual coat..that too of a baize shade. Still handsomely neat looking yet a pair of glasses hung from his blazer pocket were the new addition to shiv kapoor. So much had changed in this one year and the feeling of being so was known to shiv too yet he thought of this change as good. He was now at more ease...his writing his thoughts everything had driven him away from, that busy stressful life shiv kapoor once lived. Shiv was one to walk along the street and make the passer by smile in response to his character and here was just another example of how shiv had taken to his time in the past year. As he sipped from his cup of coffee and replaced in on the table the person who seemed to be a cleaner within this coffee shop seemed to know shiv. "tumari nayee gitaab ka lauch tha aaj." looking at the amount of peoole that had entered the coffee shop with this certain book the man knew it was only shiv who would have such an impact. The man stopped his sweeping of the floor to question shiv, this man seemed to have all the looks of someone wise. He was the only Indian around in this area and shiv had spent many a time talking to him randomly. Fairly old in appearance, more of a grandfather look this man had spent years out of india and shiv had always thought there was something more deeper to this man then met the eye but never had a chance to touch upon it. Smiling at the man shiv confirms that this is his new book..yet the man has a comment to pass. Loolking at shiv with certain deepness within his eyes. "BIRHA, toe is gitaab ke pane ki kyversion was very different. "nahin...is gitaab ki ghaziyat hai pyaar, woh pyaar joe birha ke lamho mein bhi mehsoos hot hai. Woh pyaar jo harski mein appko dekhay deta hai. Aur pyaar jo har kisi ko muskurahat dene keleigyey majboor karta hai." And it was true shivs words had put a smile on the mans face asking no more he simply carried on with his work and after he had done so he intended on picking up a copy of the book just see expreice this birha which wasn't pain but love which shiv was still smiling to today. Just as shiv got a moment to himself his wait was over...mr gupta, shivs sectrary from kapoor industries was still with him. Entering the coffee shop mr guta took a seat having greeted shiv. "congratulations sir aapki fourth succesuff publication." Shiv smiled he hadn't even realised that it had been four already. Mr gupta took out of his briefcase a copy of shivs book..a blue covered publication with the title birha written in an appt font on the front. Shiv look a pen out of his blazer pocket as mr gupta passed him the book putting it down on the desk shiv opened the cover of the book and on the accompanying blank page signed the book..
Mr Kapoor xx
as shiv closes the book and hands it over to Mr Gupta, mr gupta takes the book from shiv but has a question. "sir kya mein aap se kuch pooch sakta hoon." Shiv nods a yes in ease whilst drinking his coffee. "sir aap har book ko shiv kapoor ke naam se sign karte hai magar yey book ko kyun.." before gupta could finish his question shiv kapoors expression, the amusement had already taken over his expression. Putting down his cup he explains. "kyun ke jiske paas yey gitab jaa rahin hai woh..insaan muje mr kapoor bulata hai." Mr gupta new that this ritual of sending the first copy of his publication was to gauri yet wondered if shiv knew that a year was nearly complete. "aap jaante hai naa k eek saal hone ko heh?" the look on shivs face was of aknowegement he knew and the softness in his eyes seemed to express his pleasure at gupta reminding him so.
.....As shiv walked the corridors of his apartment..just as he approached the door to his flat, feeling a touch on his right shoulder he turns and facing him is his next door or even the old lady that lives opposite him. Looking overly excited she greeted shiv. "you know ive already read your book its brilliant." The fact that this book was in hindi and this French woman had a keen interest in going for the hindi version which shiv always failed to understand yet the softness of the man that was shiv kapoor accepted all of the ladys comments and also the tin ok biscuits she had baked him. After spending some time talking laughing about some things in his book shiv was free and entered his flat. Luxorious as per the status of shiv kapoor the flat was contemporary yet held a writers theme to it .. a small ish kitchen for shiv himself to act as chef..more so a lounge area and an place where shivs desk sat..on it his unfinished pieces of work..empty cups of coffee the lot and thats when he began to feel that missing element. Sitting down on that chair that seemed to have its own place shiv seemed to enjoy everything.. his new career, all the love he recived from all his readers all over the world things were great. His every day was ful of a peaceful cheeriness and not forget the reason that bought on this happiness the love for gauri. It had been a year and in this year he hadn't spoken to gauri once yet he was always informed of her..anupam was the key in all that. Yet even with no contact gauri was still the essence of shivs life, the happy go lucky nature of shiv kapoor was down to the love for his wife which never left him. Every book that he would write..its content was always love..love and nothing but love, in some instances he wrote moments that he had with gauri. Wondering if gauri would approve he would ease over the approval bit and write it anyway knowing that she was going to read it anyway and she could easily express her disapproval if needs be. This was shiv kapoor, at ease with life and in as much love with his wife as ever..inside somewhere lay that longing to reunite yet he knew that his wait would be worth the while. As shiv sat in his seat in thought the phone on his side made a certain beep. A sound which told him that there was an ansewer phone message. Pressing that certain button which would accept shiv listens as the speaker sounds.
"Shiv, Aupam bol raha hoon.. mein jaanta hoon ke tum appne book lauch mein busy ho magar im sure ke tumne kal ka date notice kiya hoga..kal 27th October heh aur tumara sal pura hogayay hai shiv... kya socha tumne shiv..ek sal kafi hota hai. Vaise jab time mile toe muje phone karna baat karenge. "
..................Whilst Shiv had taken up his career as a successful writer and flown the world gauri was a success and her dream had come true. Amongst more familiar soundings gauri was in the centre of Mumbai. From record to record gauris music was a hit, whilst her voice was the talk of the country gauri found herself in a world isolated. 24 hours a day were the same from publicity events to parties to recording over and over again. But it wasn't just the feel of gauris life that had changed gauris appreace had taken a change to. Not to her acceptance yet she was now one of the most famous singers in the country and some things she had to do and this was one of them.
As gauri spent as much time as she could before her next scheduled function she spent time in her own way and inevitably she was reading one of shivs novels. That was the closest she was to her husband, she was aware of how poplualr he was now as an author and she was proud and the fact that the mentioning of her husband made her smile..reading his novel she was the happiest. The first to read and yet the most touching moment was when she opened the cover of the book. It litrally was written in the same way every time yet it was the most important factor to gauri. Touching over the written signature even the book gave off shivs presence which she loved. Yet like always she was interrupted....knock on the door. And shashank walked in carrying in his hands what was a dress of some sort."Gauri tayar hojon hame late ho raha hai." Walking in with a busy appearance shashank leaves for gauri a dress. A westernised dress which gauri never favoured. Looking at it she stopped shaskhank.
Gauri: "Ek minuet shashank Yey pehna saroori hai kya"
"Come on gauri hamne baat kit hi naa ke yey saariya yey sab nahin chalienga tum ab gauri nahin arstist gauri kapoor ho." And it was true shashank was only her secretary and that how she treated him yet for some reason she trusted him and maybe he was right. Leaving the book gauri began to get ready for her music launch. ....looking at herself in the mirror she noticed the change a change she didn't like. No more was she gauri kapoor. Shiv kapoors wife she was gauri the singer gauri kapoor. Her overall appearance had changed. The traditional, simple look no longer remained..that look was only for when she wasn't to be seen by outsiders but when in front of her audience she was to dress somewhat westernised. Even with this change gauris character didn't change. She was gauri shiv kapoor and all her traits were remained the same. After having done what she had to do for her fans at home she was the same gauri. She changed into her saari...replaced her sindhoor and all those features of a married woman. Yet looking at the mirror this was something gauri disliked she only awaited that time when she could be herself. ......................
Mid way though gauris recording and as mr gupta enters the studio gauri stops the recording partway not shashanks like put shashank worked for her at the end of the day and that was a fact that gauri reminded him of at times. Gauri new that Mr guta had bought her shivs new novel and the expression on her face was indescribable. Taking the book from gupta gauri thanks him as he leaves. Just as mr gupta leaves shashank approaches with paperwork. "Gauri yey sign kardo". Gauri taking from shashank was a contract of some sort signs while shashank watches.. gauri signs- Gauri S Kapoor to which shashanks gives a look as he had this ideology that an artist that was married would not do as well as one who was single and therefore gauri was to hide the fact that she was married yet again it was something gauri disliked. It had gone far enough in regards to changing her appearance for success. Whilst gauri spends timing reading shivs novel her phone rings and shashank picks it up.
Not impressed by shashank picking up the call anupam comments "Gauri ko doe phone.." and thats just what shashank does although even he has a certain dislike on his face. Which gauri finds amusing as she answers the phone.
Gauri: "aap kaise hai dada"
Anupam: "mein theek hoon par suno, Agle hafte tum delhi jaa rahin ho.?
Gauri: "Hah waha mera function hai." "Theek hai .." and unexpectedly anupam puts the phone down on gauri. Anupams antiques put a smile on gauris face. And as shashank walked in..kya hua? Gauri resonds with a nod as to say nothing but stops shashank as he heads off with his own work "Shashank yey." Gauri gets out from within her book a white enverlop and shashank new just what it was it was a letter to shiv. Taking it shashank has a comment. "is ka fayda kya hai gauri..shiv kabhi tumare khat ka jaavab toe nahin deta." Gauri didn't have a reply she just smiled because she knew that her husband wouldn't get back to her because it was a part of his instruction. He wouldn't contact her and now it was coming up to a year gauri hoped that this time she may get a reply and even if she didn't the fact that he had sent a copy of his novel each and every time was enough for gauri. As shashank took away the letter and entered his own room he left the letter on his desk along with all the others that he hadn't sent off..instead he turned back and taking the letters threw them into the waste paper bin.
A week later and shiv approached the checkout at the airport the lady asked for shivs ticket and he handed over a ticket which stated the destination as delhi.
.............
comment:
p_commentcount