Haunting Past

By the time for breakfast, it started to rain. A storm brewed outside as Survi stood at the window worried. If it rains like this all day, I can never see the Kalan and am not leaving without answers.

“ I have never seen this kind of a storm in Bijolia” Hansa said surprised, “it’s raining like it will flood.” Pratap nodded in agreement.

There was a knock on the front door as Hansa wondered “ Who is here in this storm?”

Pratap went ahead to open the door as a lady came in brushing off the rain waters, with a bag In hand. She looked younger than Hansa but they had a few similarities like height and basic looks. She was more stylish. In an Anarkali, she frowned displeased at the weather.

“ Dheer Mausi?” Pratap hugged surprised as Hansa stared coldly. Survi came to the scene and stared at the lady. Something about her made her feel uneasy. The lady stared right at her as if she saw a ghost.

“ Who is She?” She asked displeased pointing rudely at an awkward Survi in Hansa’s saree.

“ She is a guest Mausi,” Pratap spoke up. “ She is a history student and…”

“ How can you let strangers stay?” Her tone shocked everyone. “ My father’s home has been turned into a dharmshala is it Jija?”

“ Mausi…” Pratap tried to explain. Survi looked shocked at the overreaction.

“ No Pratap, do you people not know that it’s so unsafe?”

“ She is right,” Survi spoke up as Hansa and Pratap looked at her wide-eyed. “ I should leave. I over welcomed my stay.”

“ Survi Beta, there is a storm outside,” Hansa spoke alarmed.

“ It’s just a storm, Aunty.” She spoke taking her backpack. “ Here is my number, if my luggage arrives tell them to call me and I l courier your saree Back “ She stepped out in the rain as they looked stunned.

 In a minute Hansa managed to say “Pratap stop her.” He ran to find his car keys as Dheer scolded “Jija!”

Survi was walking down the empty lane in the downpour in her saree, with the backpack. She was murmuring curses to herself.

“ How can you be so stupid? You just went barging into someone’s home. That too over some stupid voices in your head. Bin baat ki insult ki uss Buddhi ne! Damn it! Where is the way outta this place?”

She looked around, the storm has prompted the makeshift shops to close, and not a soul was in sight. She walked ahead and found a broken wall of some ancient building. She walked across it and found the base of what was once some palace. The pillars stood half-broken still in some areas. She sat down on one of the boulders.

“ Where will I find the Bus stop by mid-day?” She wondered. As the wind blew strong she felt the voices come back again.

“ Ajabdeh, Ajabdeh? “ It was Hansa Aunty again.

“ Khamma Gani… aap??” some man spoke.

“ Arree aree dekho kaise Sharma rahi hai Bindni.” Laughs, Giggles.

“ Kunwar Pratap! Kunwar Pratap” It was her own voice now. What? Pratap?

She tried to stop the noises by putting her hand on her ears.

“ Stop Stop Stop” She shouted.

Pratap found her on the boulder as the rain turned into a drizzle.
She seemed like crying “ Stop Stop Stop. Please” She held her ears.

“ The voices again?” Made her look up at him as she wiped away the tears.

“ Look, you … go… I….”

“ Did you hear that?” He looked around as she stared clueless.

“ Hear what?” She was looking around.

“ Drumrolls, shehnai…” He stared around. “ Who is getting married in this deserted2 area?”

“ Umm, Mr Singh. I can hear nothing.” She looked confused as he stared at her. He shook his head and the noise was gone. She looked scared.

“ Maybe… I think… umm… we should get some medical help.” She looked annoyed. “ I will go mad.”

“ I have been hearing the voices for a long time, they are like a part of me, but with you, it started recently like after…”

“ Do you think the symptoms we have are linked? Like in a disease?” She looked scared.

“ We are not sick Survi. Trust me.”

“ Where is the Kalan?” She tried to shake off the fear.

“ You are standing on it.” He smiled.

Her eyes went wide as she looked around at the pillars.

The clouds have given way to the sun a little as she moved from pillar to pillar he watched her. She got the flashes again, curtains, mandap, flowers. She kept them to herself.

He heard his own voice call out.

Ajabdeh? Ajabdeh. Aap hum e chod ke nahi ja sakti. Ajabdeh uthiye.Amar ka kya hoga… Ajabdeh…

Ajabdeh? Survi had spoken so much of the lady now he was hearing….He closed his eyes again and as he opened them he saw her slip. He grabbed her by the hand preventing a fall.

“Pratap!!!!!”
She exclaimed scared as he looked wide-eyed. The voices he heard in the corridors of the temple ever since he was a little kid, were hers? He looked scared, sweating.

“ Say that again.”

“ What? Pratap?” He was sure.

“ What happened?” She asked again, he shook his head. It Can’t be! I don’t know her.

“ What is that?” She pointed at the temple at a distance.

“ Shiv Temple. Let's go.” He felt uneasy.

The purohit smiled at Pratap. He was giving devotees the sindoor tilak after the Devi Ma puja. As he put the tilak on his forehead she looked at him. She felt she had seen him with the tilak before. She felt… attracted? She shook off the feeling as she said “I should leave.”

“ You are going home with me and that’s final. Leave the day after tomorrow like it’s scheduled.”

She didn’t protest. After all, she had nowhere to go. Ego was stupid to show in this situation.

As she walked in with him Hansa hugged her pleased while Dheer stared.

“ Mausi, apologize to her.” His voice made Survi surprised. He was angry.

“ Pratap…”

“ Apologize.” He was stern.

“Am… Sorry, Survi.” She said as Survi added “ It’s okay. I should change.” She looked at her luggage that Hansa had kept knowing fully well her son would bring her back.

That Night. Pratap moved restlessly in his sleep. He was in a dream. In his dream was … Survi? In wedding attire, she looked much younger. He was filling her hairline with sindoor. He got up restless. What was that? He gathered he needed some fresh air. He walked out on the roof and found Survi there.

Survi couldn’t sleep. As soon as she tried to sleep she heard voices. A very known voice she couldn’t place.

Ajabdeh aap hum e chod ke nahi jaa saakti, Bhagwan das abhi bacche hai. Ajabdeh sunn rahi hai aap…

She was sleeping with great difficulty when she saw a dream. That’s when she woke and gathered she can’t sleep tonight.

She had walked out on the roof for some peace until he walked out.

“ Bad dream?” He asked as she nodded.

“ I saw am lost in a jungle… and then I found a Hut.” She tried to recollect.

“ A hut?”

“ Yes. Like some tribal Hut.” He stared at her like he was trying to place her in his dream. She stared back in silence.

In The Morning.

“ Come help me with the Janmashtami preparations.” Hansa offered. “ You know any Bhajan?”

Survi nodded “ No. I don’t Maasa… I mean aunty.”

“ Aree, Maasa nikla hai toh wohi bulao.” She smiled. " Waise bhi meri beti jaisi ho." made her feel a certain sadness she couldn't place.

Then she remembered.

“ Yes, Mom used to sing one.” 

“ Sing then.”

Aakhiyaan Hari Darsan Ko Pyaasi…. Aakhiyaan.... Hari Darsan Ko Pyaasi
Din kyun Chahat Komal Nayan ko, Nisdin rehta Udaasi.... 

Pratap stood still as a shiver ran down his spine. He rushed out asking “ Who was singing that?”

“ Survi.” His mother replied confused.

“ The tune…. It’s not right.” He spoke like he was not in control of the words. Everyone stared at him like a ghost.
" But Pratap..." His mother stared surprised at how he knew that.

“ Yes, He is correct. Survi when will you learn?” The voice made them turn and Survi’s eyes went wide.

“ Mom? You are Here? How??” She ran for a hug.

“ I got Mahek’s call. Then I called your hotel and got the address from the Car services. Now I am here too I wanna to see Haldighati” She smiled at her daughter.

She hugged her mother as Hansa looked at them pleased.

“ Welcome Behenji. “

“Call me Jaivanta.”

“Aap hi gaa dijiye sahi Bhajan.” She stared at her son “ Waise Pratap, I didn’t know you know this Bhajan. I never heard this one.” Pratap felt uneasy. 

“ Mom these people helped me a lot. This is Mr Singh, his mother and Mausi.” Survi introduced.

“ Thank You so much, Beta.” She smiled at Pratap. " My daughter has this impulsive nature. She goes on a two-day holiday and makes it ten. "

As soon as she started singing Pratap felt goosebumps. He had flashes of himself in front of Lord Krishna as the same voice sang this same song. He could stand there no longer. He walked out and  Survi followed him out seeing he had been disturbed ever since her mother arrived.

“ Are you okay?”
“ No, I am not, I really am not!” He looked scared and confused.

“ What’s wrong?” She asked.

“ Does it ever happen that dreams come true and they really like…. Scare you?” He stared at her looking for answers. This stranger looked like…. A soul he knew for time immortal.

“ Yes.” She replied her eyes not leaving his. “ But why?”

“ Nothing… Can I ask you something?” He asked as She nodded.

“ How did you look as a teenager… I mean..” He looked disturbed.  “ I mean were you a little…err…””

“ Chubby? Yes?” She looked shocked. “ How do you know?” He stared at her speechless.

She broke the trance with

“ Kal…. I… Hum… Haldighati jaa rahe… me and mom… you want to come?”

“ Yes. 5 days of holiday seems like I am working.” He smiled shrugging.

“  If you don’t want to go…”

“ No No, I want to.” He spoke up.

“ I am sorry.”

“ No Survi, I need the answers too.” This made her nod reassuringly at him. “ And … stop calling me Mr Singh. Call me Pratap.” He managed, fully aware that every time she took his name he felt weird.

Why did her every gesture look familiar? Is it really what I think it is? How can it be? THOSE HAPPEN IN FILMS. She can not be my…I am just attracted to her. Yes. It's just that ever since I met her I feel a connection for the similar kind of things we face. But her eyes... Where I have seen them before?
" Umm... Pratap..." She felt uneasy at his gaze as he looked away. " What if we never find the answers.? I mean I am leaving Day after tomorrow and..."
" Will you remember everything once you... reach Delhi?" He asked worried.
"Of course, I will. I ... want to know..."
" Then maybe you can give me a call..." His words made her look at him as he quickly added
" That is if you find something... I mean." He managed a smile as she smiled back nodding.

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