RAABTA

The night sky in Surajgarh was clear as the universe reflected on it in the form of the thousands of stars that twinkled far far away. Nights at Surajgarh fell early with the entire Palace and estate retiring for the day as early as ten at night. Tonight was eagerly anticipating the morning after, which would be Surajgarh's first Laxmi Pujan with their future Kunwaranisa who will hopefully greet the public with Kunwarsa. Could they be more excited for dawn? Well, everyone was, except  four souls who knew the harsh truth Surajgarh would face sooner or later. “So basically that was the longest relationship I ever had! If you call it that!” with a chuckle Pratap sipped at his Beer. “Six months!” “Umm… that too in school!” Shakti pointed out. “You! You had no girls in life dude!” Pratap patted his brother as Ajabdeh gasped “Not even one!” “But why?” Ajabdeh frowned as Shakti eyed Heer inspecting her orange juice. “Nobody was worth sticking around.” He shrugged with a warm...

The sun was about to set on the western horizon. The sky was now a palette of red, yellow and orange across the vast blue canvas, with occasional clouds around the setting crimson disk between the hills of the Aravallis. Lake Pichola reflected the colours of the sky, on itself like a mirror. The boats rowed on it. Tourists, artists, photographers, honeymoon couples… enjoying the beauty and serenity of the sunset. Further, eastward somewhere up near Bhilwara, the waterfalls reflected the colour of the red sky as though blood streamed down to the pool below. The gentle breeze blew sweeping aside the unmanned hair from the face of the lone being that stood there, watching the water create ripples on the pool and reflect the sky. The Bhimlat was quiet, except for the turbulence of her heart and the waterfall. Do you still remember the sunsets?  “Do you remember how you loved the sunsets?”He smiled watching the sun ready to go home for the day, from the private boat he was sitting ...

“Love is Living FOR each other. Laxman and Urmila did that as much as Ram and Sita. As for society and its norms, it's broken many men also. Do you not think that what Sita suffered Ram didn’t? He didn’t know his sons. He never had happiness. Laxman missed Urmila as much as she did.” Heer read the small piece of paper and smiled. “What is love if not living together? Urmila was a wedded bride who lived like a widow for half her life. Just what is LOVE if not PAIN?” Heer wrote down with a sigh.  Although this stranger had different opinions yet for the first time Heer felt she was learning something from another point of view rather than trying to prove each other right and wrong. Heer missed such a healthy discussion with any mind alike. Most high-society girls her age were more attracted to make-up, shopping, gossiping and dating. Most guys were flirting around, sleeping around, partying or sitting clueless in their father’s businesses.  At most parties, she felt like...