Skip to main content

Friends?

By
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 anticipated 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 smile.
“Aww! Tell me the truth, are you gay? It is okay if you are.” Ajabdeh smiled as Heer said a soft, astonished “Jija!”
“It’s okay…” Shakti shook his head. “That’s just juice.”
“Pardon?” Heer frowned, realising he had noticed she hadn’t sipped on it yet.
“Ahem!” Pratap smiled as Ajabdeh was still between her own joke and giggles. 

“What kind of a girl do you want!?” She frowned. 
Pratap noticed Heer, who now took a sip with a lingering smile.
“Do tell Shakti, what kind of girl do you want?” Ajabdeh insisted again, her voice a little soggy from the alcohol.
“Someone who believes in forever.” He shrugged, making someone stop at her drink. “For starters.” He stopped as his sibling and Ajabdeh laughed.
“Forever is a myth!” Ajabdeh sipped at the last drop of her drink. “Trust me!”
“I agree.” Pratap raised his almost empty beer can at Ajabdeh.
“It’s not when you find the right person, you know!” Shakti shrugged defensively.

“Urgh! Too much! And who is your right person, Shakti?” Ajabdeh insisted, “Tell me about her.”
“Umm, I dunno….” He kept down his drink on the centre table, thoughtful, “I guess someone who thinks of others first, prioritises family and emotions, someone with aim and morals.”
“Hmm.” Ajabdeh frowned thoughtfully.
“Someone who I feel I know… nowadays.” Made Heer choke on her drink as Pratap gave her a napkin she took awkwardly. “Someone like a mirror to my soul.” Shakti finished amidst the confusion.
“Umm… Ajabdeh… please tell him he is describing the protagonist of a book! He reads too much!” Pratap shook his head, still suspiciously looking at Heer, who got up and left to clean herself with a soft “Excuse me.”
"Sooner or later, we see the red flags and flaws, then it becomes too much to handle, and we repel out of attraction." Pratap insisted.

“But...” Ajabdeh frowned thoughtfully “I think I know someone who is like this!”
“Really?” Pratap smiled, amused “Who is that?” He eyed his brother from the corner of his eye as Shakti looked a little red.
“That's the thing… I can’t place it! Who is it?”
“Think Ajab Think.” Pratap was amused at her looking soggy in her thought. “….Who can it be, yaar”
“Umm, Dadabhai…”
“Hush! Let her think!”
“Ya Shakti, let me think! I will help you!”
Shakti seemed relieved when Ajabdeh could not remember, as Pratap managed to give a soft chuckle. For the first time, he was teasing his little brother about a girl, and he loved it!

At around half past midnight, they were sitting on the rooftop of the Palace, in the lounge area and minibar beside the rooftop pool, the favourite corner of Pratap’s, or so Ajabdeh had inferred from all his party stories there. After dinner, and some plans and timings of the puja being discussed, as per plan, they retired for the day, and later sneaked up to the rooftop courtesy of Shakti and Pratap. 
“What on earth was that?” Heer splashed her face with water after cleaning herself “I shouldn’t have come anyway. This is so odd!” 
Heer was reluctant at first to the booze plan, but remembering Kunwar Shakti’s invite, she didn’t refuse. She had, however, made herself clear on arrival that she was a non-alcoholic “juice” person. Ajabdeh, on the other hand, was more interested in the “Royal Booze” as Pratap flaunted their wine collection over Dinner, much to the elders’ dismay and her pleasure.

While walking back to the cottages from the stables in the evening, they had hatched a perfect plan to slowly begin to show to each others’ parents that they were not how their parents had suggested them to be. That way, maybe, the parents would stop trying to bring them together and understand their views, or so they hoped. Ajabdeh had started it well enough with “I never cleaned my room ever in my life! I am a lazy bum!” that was managed by her mother’s “Her father always pampers her a little too much!” much to her disappointment while Pratap seemed to play the right card talking of his wine tasting adventures, and a few not so perfect embarrassing moments that prompted the parents to talk of the puja. 
She had sent him a thumbs-up emoji right after dinner, which was followed by his “See you soon!”

“Kunwarsa drinks too much, don’t you think?” Ramrakh sounded a little alarmed at the revelations at dinner.
“Have you seen your daughter??” Hansa defended. “He is a royal and they…”
“Hmm…”
“Do get to sleep, it's late…” Hansa had turned off the lights, unaware of the Girls’ midnight plans.

“What was her name, Dadabhai?” Shakti turned the tables quickly as Heer arrived back on the lounge sofa beside her sister. “That girl.”
“Who cares…. Phoolmati or phoolwati something… “ Pratap shrugged.
“What a FOOL!” Ajabdeh once again laughed at her own joke.
“It was just six horrible months until she slept with Jalal.” He shrugged as Heer eyed him rather coldly.
“Whoa! Slept with Jalal?” Ajabdeh went wide-eyed and sat up facing him 
“Dost dost na raha… pyar pyar…” Before she finished her horrible singing that made Shakti laugh, Pratap defended.
“Whoa Whoa! That was preplanned. Okay?” Pratap drank cooly from his Beer can, “He would lure, she would give in, I would accuse and leave. That’s how most end!” He shrugged. “Who cares? Six months was too much for me!”

“You can’t beat me!” Ajabdeh raised her hand. “Two months, twenty-eight days! And that too in college. He was so, so dominating that I punched him! He laid his hands on me once just coz he was jealous. How dare he?”
“Actually, it was three, twenty-eight days were February Jija.” Heer corrected.
“Whatever?” Ajabdeh chuckled, placing her head on Heer’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Heeriye, relax! Am fine!”

“On this note, Ajabdeh… more drinks?” Shakti offered.
“Yes, please.” She smiled, tilting her head with a smile and giving him her empty glass to fill.
“So,” Shakti cleared his throat, “how about you?” Shakti smiled at the quiet, out-of-place Heer, still worried about her sister’s unreasonable giggles and Kunwar Pratap’s amusements.
“I still have juice.” Made him smile.
“No, I mean… Love…Relationships…” He stopped at Ajabdeh’s laugh.
“The only relationship she will ever have is with the husband Baba chooses!” made Heer nod with a smile.
“It’s not wrong to believe in forever!” She defended as Shakti stared right back at her. She realised to stare back at him and then at Pratap, who seemed rather amused at them.
“Aha!… too much of forever happening tonight.” He smirked. “Some Wine tasting, Ajabdeh?” Pratap got up from his place.
“Yes, please.” Ajabdeh smiled at him as he gave her his hand. Something about this night made Pratap want that Shakti and Heer would hit off like he and Ajabdeh did the other night. His brother rarely had friends, most were his friends Shakti hung out with, and although Heer was younger than him, she did in fact make him speak and be social at least.

Ajabdeh smiled, giving her hand in his, ready to walk away as she read his mind. In fact, she kept insisting her stubborn sister go out and make friends in vain, as Heer often said, “Men only want one thing! Be careful, Jija!” Shakti, Ajabdeh liked and trusted to leave with her sister ever since they met. She had trusted Pratap more easily than the others. Why?
They walked from the lounge area beside the rooftop pool towards the minibar at the corner, leaving Shakti sharing an awkward silence with the girl who stirred her juice and stared at the stars with a sigh. Now what?

“Am sorry.” She spoke up.
“For what?”
“I … was kind of rude yesterday… in the study…” made him smile as he said, “It’s okay.” Another awkward silence followed as they stared at their siblings sharing some jokes and laughing at the minibar.
“Umm… You read?” He broke the silence.
“Yes. A lot… favourites?” Heer smiled.
“Dan Brown.”
“Jeffrey Archer.” She shrugged.
“Eric Segal.” Both smiled together. Now that was some topic!

“This one is the Montoya Cabernet… Best red wine.” Pratap poured into two empty glasses. “Taste it.”
“Umm… It’s good!” She nodded. “So what do you think?”
“This one was named best wine in 2015… and…”
“No, not that Princy!” She shook her head and laughed. “Bout our plan?”
“Well, what did your parents say? Uncle seemed displeased.” Pratap analysed.
“That’s the point! They said nothing. Kuch bada sochna padega.”
“Umm Ajabdeh, how about tomorrow? There is a puja and guests and… If you screw up…”
“That would just cause shame to Punwars and Sisodias. Do you want that?” Ajabdeh frowned.
“No... No… You are right.” He agreed. “Parso again?”
“Yeah! Abhi toh party shuru hui hai!” She smiled at him.

In an hour, Shakti and Heer had discussed the latest bestseller, how much they love old romantic songs, their favourite movies and dream destinations. They had again run out of topics.
“It's looking like we aren't trying to set them up; they are doing an Uno reverse on us and trying to set us up.” He laughed at a wide-eyed Heer. “Am sorry… Sorry… I'm drunk, I think… Sorry…” His scared face made her smile back 
“I enjoyed the conversation, Kunwarsa.”
“I told you to drop the Kunwar, Heer. Friends?” He extended his hand as she took it. “Friends. Good night, Shakti.” She stood up to leave as Ajabdeh frowned at her from the minibar.

“ Let’s go, Jija, it’s almost 2am.” She smiled a courtesy smile at Kunwar Pratap, who stirred at his wine.
“Umm… You are leaving already?” Ajabdeh frowned.
“ We are! The puja is at 7 am, Jija, remember?”
“Okay Bye! Shakti, drop her, please.” She waved in the air almost at Heer's face, making her frown.
“Sure, Ajabdeh.” Shakti nodded, about to follow Heer out.
“But…” Heer frowned unsurely.
“I want to talk about something with him. I will be back!” She pushed Heer towards the staircases leading to the lawns below. "Pakka!"
“Okay, okay,” Heer smiled awkwardly. “Goodnight, Kunwarsa.”

Ajabdeh watched her leave with Shakti in tow.
“What do you want to talk about?” Pratap broke the silence, narrowing his eyes suspiciously as she pushed her free locks up in a top-knot bun.
“I wanted to ask something…” She smiled devilishly, taking off her studded earrings and placing them on the counter.
“Which is?” He sipped cluelessly.
“You told me you wanted to take one person to Chavand and that was supposed to be your One, right?”
“Hmm, so?”
“That means...” She frowned thoughtfully. " At some point in time, you did believe in love ….”
“You NEVER thought of a possibility ?” He frowned. “I was a kid when I had this thought, but people change, right?”
“ What made you not believe in Love anymore, Pratap?” He realised she had not only ignored his question but was in a very pensive mood herself.
“Why do you want to know Ajab… how does it matter?” He looked away as she kept staring at him.
“ It’s just that… I wanted to know… leave it….” She let out a chuckle. “Am sorry.”
“No… I…” He stared back at her sadistic smile. “I can tell, it's no big deal. I can trust you with my secrets.” Made her stare back at him with a smile, “Will you trust me with yours?”
“Maybe…. You first!” She refilled their glasses as he cleared his throat.
"Okay."
"Okay...."
The night was about to witness the deepest secrets of the heart!





Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Purnota: Chapter Sixteen

By
It had been a month since Bondita had started working in the firm. With Somnath’s wedding date being set for winter, many things were keeping Trilochon and Kalindi busy as they took charge of the smooth running of things leading up to the wedding. They needed to shop for everyone, buy gifts and choose jewellery and sarees for the bride. Despite his attempts, Trilochon found Binoy reluctant to participate in his son’s wedding arrangements. Somnath took him and Kalindi to places they wanted to go, especially Kolkata for shopping, and Trilochon made arrangements to make sure that the first wedding of the generation was grand enough. Bondita tried to help as much as she could as she noticed Aniruddha being oddly aloof from the entire thing. She assumed it was due to Trilochon’s reactions to his lack of interest in marriage. Trilochon kept pestering her to enquire into his reasons while she kept stalling him with excuses. Bondita also failed to know more about Kalindi and Trilochon’s past, ...
Read More

Purnota: Chapter Fifteen

By
A week was all it took for Bondita to get used to work and the new routine. She would wake up early and hurry through her chores, helping Kalindi prepare a tiffin of either Chirer Polao or bread jam and then proceeding to the Roy Chowdhury house. She would arrange the day’s paperwork before Aniruddha arrived at the study room. Occasionally, she would hear him call out to Koeli for breakfast and pack her things, knowing he was almost ready to leave. He would walk into the chamber, check his list, and they would go to work. She would follow him from courtroom to courtroom. She would be sitting in the audience and learning. She would follow him to conferences and client meetings and take notes. They would discuss complicated cases. She would share the tiffin she brought from home. He would at first take a reluctant bite, then eat more than her. She often gave him her share of food discreetly. They usually stayed back after everyone was gone and ordered food for dinner. Some days, he woul...
Read More

Purnota: Chapter Seventeen

By
Bondita opened the curtains of her room at The Park to find the view of Stephen Court and the street below going towards the Maidan. She eyed the double bed and placed her things on one side while lying down on the empty side. The soft bed made her yawn as she sat up, staring at the clock. She needed to change for a quick dinner. They had an early matter at the High Court, and the client’s car was supposed to pick them up around 9 AM. As she changed into a full-sleeve black top and jeans, removed her earrings and adjusted her smudged Kajal, she heard a knock on her door. She opened it to find Aniruddha standing in a pair of jeans and a grey polo-necked T-shirt, his hair brushed back, as he cleaned his thin-rimmed glasses with the edge of his T-shirt.  “Are you ready for dinner?” He asked, putting the glasses back on. As she nodded, she grabbed her handbag. They walked into The Bridge, and Bondita was a little conscious of her environment. Many foreign guests, businessmen and even s...
Read More

Purnota: Chapter Fourteen

By
“Why can’t she work? I will too.” Bondita had barged into the Roy Chowdhury living room early in the morning, still in her loungewear, as Aniruddha looked up at her through his glasses. Trilochon was showing Aniruddha some paperwork from one of their investments as Bondita stood by the coffee table, wearing a frown. Aniruddha looked confused. Trilochon cleared his throat as he shook his head at Bondita. “It's different. She is going to be the daughter-in-law.” Aniruddha eyed Trilochon and Bondita, who shook her head in disappointment. “So?” She questioned, “She can’t have a life?” “When a woman marries…” Trilochon stood up, straightening his Panjabi “Her life is about being a good wife and mother.” Bondita gasped. Aniruddha’s jaws tightened as he kept the papers down. Bondita spoke before he could. “Then by that logic, men should also concentrate on being husbands and fathers.” “Then who will earn the bread?” Trilochon rolled his eyes. Bondita eyed Aniruddha, expecting him to speak...
Read More

Purnota: Chapter Thirteen

By
Aniruddha eyed Trilochon, sitting at the desk in his room, attending to some paperwork. His reading glasses were on his nose, and he appeared engrossed in a financial document. He stood at the threshold, a bit unsure and glanced over his shoulder at Somnath, Batuk and Bondita. She gestured at him to go on. Aniruddha cleared his throat. That prompted Trilochon to look away from his document at his nephew. “Jethu, if you are busy, I can come back…” He suggested unsurely. “Come in and close the door.” Trilochon glanced over Aniruddha’s shoulder at the others who walked away hurriedly. Aniruddha closed the door, and Bondita tiptoed to place her ears on it. Batuk and Somnath stood at a distance. “So you met her?” Trilochon spoke while cleaning his glasses. Aniruddha nodded. Somnath had introduced them to Ashalata. Bondita, Batuk, and he had met them in a Dhaba off the highway. Although Bondita did most of the talking, initiating a friendly gesture to put the nervous Ashalata at ease, he had...
Read More

Purnota: Chapter Twenty

By
Trilochon’s only desire for Som’s wedding was for it to be so grand that the entire Chandannagar remembered it for the longest time. He had also invited the leaders of the opposition, ministers and even the CM, and if rumours were to be believed, he would accept the invitation. That meant trying to impress him for a ticket to the next Lok Sabha elections. He knew the only way to do so was also to showcase Som as a prodigy. Their family name was enough to earn votes for the party in the area. “Perhaps you could tell him about Somnath Babu’s involvement in some of the projects here. Like the slum area where water was flooding the pathways…” Poritosh had suggested. “But it was done by…” Bapi Da had stopped as Trilochon shook his head, “How does it matter who did it? What matters is that we say Som did it.” They agreed. “Jyatha Moshai.” Bondita walked into his room, not expecting the elderly men from the Party office to be there. “ Bolo, Maa. ” “The Gaye Holud is here.” She smiled. “How a...
Read More

My Everything

By
Kunwar Pratap stormed into the Mahal at Gogunda amidst uncertainty and chaos. Happy faces of the chieftains and soldiers welcomed him as Rawat Chundawat, and some other chieftains stopped the ongoing Raj Tilak. A visibly scared Kunwar Jagmal looked clueless at a visibly angry Kunwar Pratap. Rani Dheerbai Bhatiyani hadn't expected Kunwar Pratap to show up, that too, despite her conveying to him his father's last wish of crowning Kunwar Jagmal. Twenty-one days after Udai Singh's death, she was finally close to a dream she had dared to dream since Jagmal was born. He was not informed about the Raj Tilak as per Dheerbai's instructions. She eyed Rawat Ji. He must have assembled the chiefs to this revolt against her son, against the dead king. No one except them knew where Kunwar Pratap was staying. It was for the safety of his family. " What are you doing, Chotima?" A disappointed voice was directed at her. She could stoop down so low? For the first time, an anger...
Read More

Purnota: Chapter Eighteen

By
The autumn change gave way to a foggy winter, much different from what Bondita was used to in Kolkata and Dehradun. She missed the Dehradun chill in Kolkata, but Kolkata winter was filled with book fairs, festivals, art, and culture, of which she loved to be a part. With the coming of winter, Bondita realised she had almost forgotten about winters in Chandannagar. Although the temperature barely dipped below 12 degrees, the chilly wind from the Ganges made the mornings and nights cold enough for a shiver. The largest trees around the neighbourhood wore a barren look, and one could feel the crunching of dry leaves beneath their feet while strolling by the Strand. It was also a significant winter for Bondita, who had her first case where she was the second chair to Aniruddha. The moment she told Kalindi about this important step in her career, she insisted that she visit the temple with her early in the morning. “And when you visit Kolkata, go to Kalighat once, thank Maa.” Bondita nodded...
Read More

Towards You

By
The Afghans, after Sher Shah Suri's untimely demise, were at loggerheads for power. Their troops near Mewar were now led by Mehmood Shah. They secretly captured territories in the forests and waited to attack Mewari camps when the time was right. Rawat Chundawat and his spies had confirmed the news, and Udai Singh sent a warning to Mehmood Shah to withdraw his troops from Mewar in vain. Now that it was out in the open, it was time they declared war. Mehmood Shah had limited resources in Mewar. His internal rebellion against his commander did not help his cause. His spies clearly suggested that in no way could he win, especially with Kunwar Pratap leading his troops. He was having second thoughts about the war. It was then that one of his aides suggested a perfect plan. Maharani Jaivanta Bai had decided to go to the Mahakaleshwar Temple near the outskirts of Chittorgarh, in the forestlands of Bhilwara. They had travelled a long way and across the Gambhiri river that meandered during...
Read More

Purnota: Chapter Nineteen

By
“Wake up, wake up!” Bondita smiled, amused at Aniruddha and Batuk sleeping on his bed, hugging each other like children. She removed the curtains, and the room was flooded in daylight. “Urgh.” Batuk stirred as Aniruddha sat up. “What is wrong with you?” Batuk threw the pillow Bondita caught before it hit the floor. Her wet hair shone in the sunlight, with droplets of water lingering on its tips as she adjusted her well-pleated orange saree with a blue border and opened the window. A gust of cold breeze blew in from the Ganges, prompting Batuk to pull his blanket over his face. “Let me sleep, Daini !” He murmured. “Is it not enough that you all gave away my room to guests?” Aniruddha was stretching and yawning as Bondita chuckled, amused, pulling her wet hair to the side of her shoulder. “Why are you dressed up?” Aniruddha asked, suppressing a yawn. “Oh, you should be, too. Jyatha Moshai said We are going to Kalighat.” She raised her brows, amused. “Oh shit,” Aniruddha murmured, hitting...
Read More