Naini Central Jail
Manish looked up at the ceiling. He couldn't see anything in the pitch-dark room. Was he going mad or imagining things? If he recalled every bizarre thing that happened to him in the past few hours, anyone in his place would go mad. It all started with the Prison Sentry informing him that he had visitors.
Instead of the normal common hall where prisoners met their visitors, he was taken to a small room on the way. The Sentry opened the door and let him in. First Manish was blinded by the blazing lights pointed towards the door.
As he covered his eyes, and yelled "What is this? What the hell is going on?", the Sentry explained "these guys want to interview you. DSP Saheb gave the clearance. I am right outside, just yell if you need help." Saying that he banged the door to a close.
Now we know how Aryan cleverly manipulated Manish into thinking he was going to be killed and made him call his father Rana. Thanks to Miku and friends fabulous acting skills. :D
Aryan's heart was in turmoil. After listening to everything Shankar revealed, he almost felt dumbfounded. He thought nothing else could shock him about the events of that fateful night from 16 years ago, but he was mistaken. But In a way, now everything made perfect sense. What happened that night as well as what happened later in Goa. His heart burst with relief and joy with that tiny hope all was still not lost. There is still humanity in this world and it might show in the strangest of places. But ultimately it reaffirmed his belief that whatever happened to him and Miku, it was purely because of the goodness and kindness of his parents. How else can he explain these new revelations that he heard today?He will never forget this day. And that was purely thanks to Shankar, who finally confirmed that he will stand as a police witness and give evidence against his former mentor Rana and his partner in crim
"Chandu!!" He wished his voice didn't sound so hoarse, desperate. "Dev, How are you? You didn't get hurt too bad right? Raj Kaka spoke to me a long time ago. Just after you and Shankar reached the cantonment, Avinash ji called him and informed him it seems, and he called me straight away. He told me everything that happened today... you were so brave, to tackle them all like that and then pull such a trick on them. I am... I am so proud of you. But what did Shankar finally say? Raj Kaka didn't know, so..." Chandni who was talking rapidly till then, stopped herself, feeling shy and awkward for sounding so eager. Aryan just listened to her, his heart brimming with joy, not even taking her words completely, just happy that she wasn't mad with him, even after all the past incidents, and was talking with him so happily. He looked up at the starlit sky, which seeme
Chandni slowly opened her eyes. She was lying on her bed, in her bedroom. How she reached there, she had no Idea. On a chair beside her bed, sat Vikram who smiled slowly at her, now that she was awake. On the other side of bed, was Nargis Chachi, dozing off in her awkward sitting position at her feet. Chandni got up quickly, stunned. Vikram signaled her to be shush and smiled again in reassurance. "Don't worry Chandni, it is just Chachi and me. Everything is okay. Don't worry. Do you want some water?"He got up slowly from his chair and handed her a glass of water from the side table. Chandni grabbed the glass and gulped down all the water,
We look before and after, And pine for what is not; Our sincerest laughter With some pain is fraught; Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought. Percy Bysshe Shelley The earliest memories of his married life for Sanjay were those blissful moments he and Aishwarya spent on their honeymoon like any other newly married couple. When the rest of the world didn't matter and there was nothing but their need for each other. But once they came back to Allahabad, Sanjay realized that Aishwarya wasn't someone who would want to settle into the role of a wife or daughter in law of a home. In fact, her concept of home and happy life was q
"What!! Why did you do that? If Aishwarya wants to come back, then it is the best thing for both of you isn't it? Go....go right now and bring her back from Lucknow." Raghav Demanded. "Hey Bhagwan!! Don't be so naïve Raghav. She just wants me to pay off her debts and borrow more money here, as the lenders over there might have refused to give her any more money." Sanjay said with gritted teeth. "I know exactly what I am talking about Sanjay, it seems you are missing the point here. If she is being ridiculed and insulted by her father and external people, isn't it your responsibility to protect her from these? Is this how you let others treat the woman you vowed to protect and care for, till the day you die?" Raghav snapped. Sanjay sighed deeply, grabbing Dev as he tried to escape under the table trying to catch a
Sanjay slowly stopped the car once they entered the town of Rae Bareli. Damini suddenly woke up as if she was startled. "Err Sorry.... I didn't want to wake you up but we have reached Rae Bareli. Can you guide me how to get to your place?" Sanjay asked softly, finally turning around to look at her face directly, instead of the rearview mirror he was using while driving. It was early hours of the morning and the sunshine filtered through the car windows. Sanjay thought she looked even more beautiful. "Thanks, but no. Please drop me at the Auto stand and I will go on my own in an Autorikshaw (Auto is a 3-wheeler taxi). My family is very conservative, they wouldn't like to see me coming in a stranger's car, trust me." Damini smiled ruefully. Sanjay was taken back. He wa
For the first few months after her return, Aishwarya seemed to behave in controlled fashion, not spending much and took active interest in learning the ropes of running their business, much to Raghav and Vasudha's delight. But Sanjay knew her too well to believe everything straightaway. After the Rath Yatra finished, the communal riots that broke out between Hindus and Muslims in their nearby cities and the rest of India, distressed and derailed the normal life of every one including Sanjay and Raghav's families and their business as well. Slowly, after a few months, things returned somewhat to normal. All this while, Sanjay kept thinking of Damini, and prayed that their family was safe and unaffected due to the riots. It was as if her face got imprinted inside his heart forever. He was also gravely concerned about her wellbeing, considering the chauvinistic mentality of her family members. Many times, he
It turned out that the only reason Aishwarya was behaving well and confirming to minimal expenses was because of the strict warning issued by her father Durga Prasad that unless he saw real change in her behavior, he would cut off all his relations with her, and most importantly he would write a will disowning her. Once he felt sufficiently confident that Aishwarya had changed for good, he wrote a fresh will. But this time, taking a cue from Raghav and Sanjay's idea, he left all the wealth that belonged to him in the name of his Sanjay and Aishwarya's future kids. Aishwarya was incensed to no end and went straight to her father's home and had a big row with him. Things got so out of hand that the old man had a heart stroke at the end of it. Sanjay and Raghav rushed to Lucknow and got him admitted to the hospital, but unfortunately he died within a few days. I
For the first time the confident smile on Dev's face faltered. "Hmm Yes I think so Mrs. Bharadwaj. But if there is anything he does that you don't like, and you are too shy to tell him directly, maybe I can help you?" He looked hopefully at her. The waiter hovered around them, hoping they would order. "It's your choice!!" Dev handed over the menu to her. Chandni didn't bother to open it. She looked sweetly at the waiter and asked, "What are your signature dishes for entrees and mains here?" The waiter went through a long list of delectable dishes, which as per his recommendation were most sought after. Chandni randomly picked a few and asked them to be served as quickly as p
"Everything is about you is it? What you want to do, what you don't want to do? What If I am not in the mood to talk right now? What if I am finding my husband too..."? She didn't finish her sentence and Dev grabbed her waist and pulled her towards him. "Your command is my wish... my majesty." He smiled in relief. "This is what I want sweetheart!! That you tell me everything openly. I didn't tell you how you look in this dress because I was afraid I will get too carried away even without...forget it!! When I saw this dress in a catalogue, I knew you would look damn good in this, but when the time comes, I was hoping I could do this too...." His ran his fingers lazily in a feathery touch along her open back, making her shudder involuntarily and wrap her arms around him. She nuzzled his neck, kissing him slowly al
It was almost Seven pm and Dev had booked their dinner at Eight. Chandni opened the suitcase that Dev brought along with him, which was supposed to have all her clothes that she packed in Mumbai. But to her horror, it was practically empty except for some new underwear and casual clothes. As she made a thorough search to see if any of her clothes were in other suitcases, She recalled all the events of the afternoon After dumping their luggage at the hotel, they had a leisurely lunch, and strolled around the streets of shopping markets. Dev insisted on going back to the same shop where she bought the shorts she wore to the airport, and buy every combination of shorts and casual tops there, as he said "it made you look like a local and the 18-year-old I married." But Chandni suspected otherwise, the way his hungry
A war-like atmosphere had descended upon the marble island counter in the kitchen, which also served as Dining table in the Bharadwaj household. "I want to come to Goa too.. I have never been there! Mummy! Mummy!! Tell Daddy I want to come too.. I don't want to go and stay with Miku Chacha!! I am not going to eat this breakfast anymore till you agree to take me along." Atharv crossed his arms and looked at his parents furiously, after making sure that he finished all but a few spoons of the huge second serve of his favorite Kheer! "Hey Buddy!! Why are you saying you don't want to come and stay with me? I am hurt... deeply hurt! We are friends, remember!! Goa is seriously boring! All you do is sit in front of the beach and stare at waves! And trust me, there too your Mum and Dad would be telling you don't do this, don't do that.... But you and me, we are going
A few months later. -------------------------- "Atharv... tell your mummy to hurry up otherwise we both are going to the function without her!" Aryan said in irritation, as he looked at his watch for the umpteenth time. "Daddy you can tell her whatever you want in person, because she is right behind you. Haha" Atharv pointed to his father with a jerk of his head, and went back to playing the video game on his phone. "Don't you start anything now!! As it is, I am in such a bad mood for spending so much time wearing this saree." Chandni didn't even let her husband open his mouth. Aryan groaned loudly. "Well, who asked you to wear this? And if you knew
A flushed and pained Vikram slowly made his way out of the washroom towards his bed and sat down exhausted. He should have gone to the living room and joined others at Breakfast but he felt totally drained. Maybe he could rest for a few more moments. He sat upright against the propped up soft pillows on the head board and took some deep breaths. Just then he heard soft footsteps followed by a knock and his face broke into a smile. "Come in!" Chandni and Aryan entered with breakfast tray. "Aaah!! Mr. and Mrs. Bharadwaj! And with breakfast for me! I should thank my lucky stars huh!!" He cheered them jovially. Chandni gave the juice to Vikram with a smile and sat next to him on the bed. Vikram scooted over and tapped on the other side of the bed, inviting Ar
Her heart rejoiced at the thought itself, even though she was still depressed thinking about her Didi and the drastic step she took. Committing suicide is such a stupid cowardly thing. It is not a solution to any problem. In fact, you leave so much trauma and grief for all the people you leave behind, who loved you all your life, and they get sometimes permanently scarred from it. Vikram ji had been through so much trauma after Didi died. If only she knew how much he loved her!! He went out of the way to help everyone from his wife's family and fulfilled the last wish of his wife. She and everyone in the family was sure that if only Didi had reached out to her Daddy, Vikram would have been so happy to meet them all in normal circumstances, and they would have been one big happy family! Now she understood the meaning behind each and every word Vikram ji said to her at the top of that hill cliff after he saved her..... Her thoughts wandered to that fate
"Chandni, after I saw your father at Renu's Anniversary, I went through her things and found this letter addressed to me. And everything that I did afterwards was because of this. Please read it, it is nothing personal. And I have read it so many times that I know the contents of that letter by heart now." Chandni took the letter with trembling hands and began to read. ============================ Hi Vikram, By the time you read this letter, I am probably gone from your life, and this world. I know what I am going to do is a cowardly act, and something I will just add to the list of regrets that I now have in my life. I wish I was as brave as my mother who loved my father wholeheartedly and fought a
"I know Sanjayji, what wonders women can do, to turn our family life into a bliss. But I also knew what kind of people my relatives were, Renu didn't!” Vikram rubbed his eyes and sighed. “ They would pass snide remarks about her to my father and other relatives or bring up the topic of her family just to unsettle her. Her nervousness only made things worse, as it made all of us suspect that she was hiding something from us. She began to have trouble sleeping and I took her to the doctors who ordered her to do some lifestyle changes, exercises and also prescribed some sleeping pills, but requested her to use them as a last resort. She became fidgety and moody as time went on. I asked her plainly one day, was there anything I needed to know? She flatly denied that she was hiding anything from me but was hurt that I am not trusting her word. She accused me that I was trying to spy on her, which made me