RAABTA

At dawn, Pratap was in his socks, minus the shoes, in her office room as everyone was still tired and sleeping. Nowhere could he find the file.  He frowned as he looked up at the room. It was shut, and a faint sound of music could be heard from inside. She was awake. He looked disappointed. He needed to read the terms in the file. Anyhow. To his surprise, he found Brownie in the corridor as he walked towards his room. A sly smile curved his lips. He turned her doorknob as noiselessly as he could. Thank god it’s not locked! He let Brownie in, expecting to hear her voice as he hid. Instead, all he could hear was the song on the stereo. Subah ki dhoop pe issi ki dastakhat hai, issi ki roshni uri jo har taraf hai… yeh lamho ke kuye mein roz jhakti hai, yeh jaake waqt se hisaab mangti hai… He peeped in to see the room empty and Brownie sniffing around. He entered relieved and saw a pile of files on the corner table. He tiptoed on his socks and went across the room to the...

The evening arrived in all its grandeur as the small wedding party started dressing up. Hansa had specially brought a Sherwani for Shakti to wear. He was looking handsome in a gold and crème sherwani and a gold pagri. Jalal adjusted his pagri and exclaimed, “I still look more handsome than the groom.” Making the nervous Shakti smile. All the men were in different shades of Sherwanis. Jalal chose a plum Sherwani to match Rukaiya’s plum full-sleeve lehenga and Chaks, and Sau teamed in a lavender shade. Patta preferred the casual Kurta in Maroon. Jaivanta chose a pink and beige half-and-half saree, and Hansa a sky blue one with pink lining. Ajabde was in a peach self-embroidered Lehenga and just a long earring, her hair flowing across her back, as she checked herself in the mirror. Brownie was sitting with a new blue bow he was flaunting, gifted by Pratap, much to her annoyance. She couldn’t say no to that. Brownie was as much his as he was hers. She made her way to Heer’s room as she s...

The morning arrived with Ajabde’s melodious voice coming from the small Mandir of Kanhaji, which she had made for her mother in the southeast corner of the ground. Pratap sat on the sofa in the living area as the first rays of the sun fell on the carpet from the window. He remembered it was an important day. As the voice was heard, he froze. This was not the first time that an important day had started with her Bhajan. He had never noticed it to be so precious before. He was too late. He saw his mother and Hansa walk out to the Mandir. Heer sat in front of the mirror as Sau and Rukaiya did her Sringar for the Haldi. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her life was changing. But not the way she planned it. Jalal put his hand on Shakti’s shoulder as he managed a faint smile. Jalal had no clue what he should tell Shakti now. Shakti looked at himself in the mirror, worried about Heer. Ajabde sat in the middle of the white marble temple, in her simple Kurti, her dupatta over her he...