Chapter 25

RR through our eyes (Chapter 25)

 

The wonderful Parud VM attached below is by none other than our Amy (Preggy of IF )

No edits from Mano this week. Wishing her a speedy recovery

 

The word secret when used as an adjective means “not known or seen or not meant to be known or seen by others”. And it is one of the very few adjectives which can adorn any noun out there.

Secret revenge

Secret thought

Secret fear

Secret hope

Secret wish

Secret recipe

Secret jealousy

Secret admiration

Secret past

Secret dream

 

And then comes the noun which encompasses all of the above. Like a black hole. “SECRET”

Almost everybody has secrets. At least at one point of time or other. And yes Ranawats and Mehras were no different. 

Kakusa – He was the soft spoken boy of the haveli. Always hiding behind his more adventurous more sharp tongued elder brother. He loved and admired his brother Dilsher and it was reciprocated as well. Till the day a girl walked into Dilsher’s life. A girl who was meant for Danveer but who stole Dilsher’s heart. A girl as soft spoken and mild mannered as Danveer but as luck would have it – opposites attract. That is from Dilsher’s side to start with. And that was a turning point in all their lives. Four of them caught in a web of lies and deceit and hatred from that very moment. Unknown to his Dilsher, Danveer had already had a glance of Mala a few days back. After all that was the deal between the parents. Elder boy for the elder girl and the younger boy for the younger girl. So Danveer had no qualms about going all the way to Mala’s village to just get a glance of her. And he did and was bowled over. And that fated day he had to make the biggest sacrifice of his life. For his brother, Dilsher, who always protected him from the bullies in the class. For his brother who always sacrificed every good thing in his life for his younger brother. And to add salt to the wound he got Mohini in return. A girl with no love in her heart. Who had her eye only on the haveli and who had her hatred set upon her only sister and her husband. Danveer had been happy - even though for a fleeting second - when Mala eloped. But Rudra’s pain did affect Danveer. The pain of that sweet girl Paro also affected him. He was thankful that he could dissuade Paro from discharging that gun in the BSD office on Rudra and later on herself. Rudra going around like a Jallad was not acceptable to Danveer. And he could finally get Rudra back at the haveli. Along with his family. After all Danveer was not like his wife – who hated everything related to Mala. He never hated Mala or her son. Danveer could never get Mohini’s approval – not even after three kids and years of living together. But he did not hate her either as he was grateful that she did not run away leaving him and his children behind. He never forgave his brother for what he did and in parts paid him back by meeting Mala in secrecy and postponing her coming to the haveli or meeting her son and ex husband. By always keeping her at arm’s distance so that his brother will repent that fateful day all his life. That was his secret revenge. 

Mohini - never kept her hatred for Mala under cover. It was open for all to see. She was convinced that Mala was as strategic and cunning as herself and had intentionally met Dilsher before Mohini could meet him. And took away what was rightfully hers. The haveli and all the money which came with it. She hated Dilsher for choosing Mala over her. She hated Danveer for not having the guts to refuse to marry Mohini. She herself could not refuse. Her father’s wrath and fascination for trigger was well known. She hated Danveer for not being man enough to boss over her. How much she would have liked to have a more powerful and more intelligent person as her husband. But no, it was Mala who got that as well – not once but twice. Mohini could not believe that Mala had found such a great life as Thakurain – wife of the powerful and rich Thakursa. Had she known it earlier she would have had a deal with BSD and trapped the Thakursa and handed him over to the officers. Thus taking away from Mala all that she had. But luck was not with Mohini. It was that stubborn girl of Rudra , that Dhuakumari, who did the honours. And got into the haveli as Bahu later. And gave Dilsher what Danveer could never get. A grandson – an heir to the Ranawat family. Luck always favoured Rudra ever since Mala ran away. First he was lucky to get Paro who loved him with all her heart. And now he has got Myrah - who is probably one of the richest Mohini has ever met – who is adamant on marrying him. Over the years Mohini has learnt one thing. She never kept her hatred hidden and it got her nothing in return. It is better to keep the secret thoughts to one self and not to disclose. One may get a good name after all. 

Maithili - had always been submissive in the haveli. Particularly put up with her Mohini’s taunts and atrocities. Always acted as if she is the ever sacrificing daughter-in-law who will stick to the house – no matter what. The truth was not so simple. Maithili had come from a very poor family. Who were well to do at some point of time. Not to the tune of the Ranawats but still well to do. But over the years her brothers had split the property and mismanaged the wealth to the extent that they no longer had any means to support their only sister. Nor did they have any interest or time. Maithili had nowhere to go. And she loved Samrat. Though she despised the fact that he never took even a tiny step to support her. Maithili had no other way but to act as if she is fine with Mohini and that she loved this haveli and the people inside with no ill feelings. She had great admiration only for two people in this family. For Rudra and for Paro. Two people who stood up for her when her own husband could not. And now Myrah. Who supported Mythili and could get her what she always wanted. A baby girl for her own. Mythili will always be indebted to Myrah. It is another matter that when she first arrived on the scene and Rudra developed feelings for her, Mythili objected to it with full vigour. Mythili had a secret fear. Though she never shared her fear with anybody else. Her fear of losing Dhruv as a son. But now Mythili had no fear of that sort. Now she has her own baby – whom nobody can take away from her. Or so she believed.

Dhruv – had just got opened his eyes. Still feeling drowsy he looked around in his bed. And saw his Mummy sleeping next to him. His Mumma for him. He knew from the day he met that it is indeed his Mumma. In a different dress. But with the same love and affection in her eyes. The same tenderness in her hands. He was too young to remember her touch as per Koel. But he disagreed. He could instantaneously know her touch. When she pats his head or strokes his cheek. When she bends and hugs him tight. When she pulls him into a hug in the night. It was his Mumma indeed. But Papa had never agreed when he voiced it. And later somehow Koel’s strategy worked. When he started saying Mumma Ne Bheja Myrah Ko, his father agreed. So Dhruv stuck to that strategy and called her Mummy. Though he had a secret hope - that the day will come soon when he can openly call her his Mumma.

Koel also opened her eyes. And looked around. She was alone in the bed. Before Naina arrived, Maithili Tai used to make Koel sleep in her room. Sometimes Dhruv too slept in the same room though he wanted to be next to his father most of the times. The bond Dhruv had with his father was something Koel always wished she had.  Neither her father nor mother were like normal parents. But then she had Maithili and Samrat and Koel was happy with that. Till baby Naina arrived. And till Myrah arrived. Now Dhruv has Myrah who is doting on him all the time. And Naina has her mother’s attention all the time. Even Saurabh had a great set of parents whose life starts and ends with him. Koel had a secret wish. That one fine day she will wake up and see that her parents have changed and that they will shower her with all the love in the world.

Shatabdi had great luck. Though she got Mohini as her mother-in-law, she could escape entering the haveli as a second wife. Samrat would never have agreed to the same. But Shatabdi and her family were unaware that he was married. There is a GOD who helped her. Now her life is dedicated to making Mohini’s life as miserable as possible. Mohini has kind of lost her hold on two out of the three things dear to her. One- the haveli (which now belonged to Rudra – because registration in the name of Samrat, Sumer and later Mohini – was given back to Rudra by the ever Mahan father-in-law of hers). Shatabdi felt sad about losing the fortune but then the sadness on Mohini’s face cheered her up. Two - On the grandson – with Maithili adopting Naina and Shatabdi not willing to go through another delivery which will spoil her figure. Shatabdi was quite happy when a daughter was born to her and not a son. Not that she herself preferred one over another. It was just for the sake of seeing unhappiness on Mohini’s face. The third thing dear to Mohini was her Achar business. Shatabdi spent her days and nights to find that secret recipe for the Achar which will put Mohini to shame. The only way to get back at Mohini was to make something better than her Achar. Shatabdi was sure of that. And she will keep experimenting to get the recipe right.

Samrat was afraid of his mother from childhood. He had taken up after his father. Very quiet and never looking for a confrontation. And he learnt from his father. To keep quiet in front of Mohini. To do what she wants without questioning so that he can avoid getting stung by her words. But still she never spared him. Was always trying to put him down for not having a successful business, for not having a baby, for not able to control his wife.......Many a times he had been tempted to tell his mother that only if his own father had been able to control his wife !! But he never had the guts to say anything to her. And he jealous of a few people in the haveli. His TauSa when he was alive, Rudra, paro when she was around and now Myrah. The reason for the secret jealousy was simple. All of them could stand without flinching in front of Mohini and question her. But he never shared this secret with anybody. Not even with Maithili.

Sumer. Who had nothing but secret admiration for Rudra. Inspite of hitting Rudra in childhood and getting hit by him. Inspite of feeling anger towards Rudra for tempting him with money to marry Paro knowing very well that she loved him. Inspite of Rudra accusing Sumer wrongly for poisoning him. Sumer secretly admired Rudra. For being able to make a multi millionaire like Myrah fall in love with him. Only if he had that kind of talent, he could have escaped the clutches of this damned haveli and his spiteful mother.

Both Poonam and Rajeev could not sleep the entire night. That photo of Paro was a shock for both of them. An exact replica of Myrah. They could not even close their eyes. Because Paro’s face floated in front of them. Al the earlier fears and worries which they experienced years back came flooding into their minds. They did not even want to switch on the lights lest somebody walked in asking whether things were okay. Nothing was okay with the two of them. They just lied down next to each other holding each other and sobbing in the thick of the night. The tears they had collected within themselves like a dam could no longer be contained. Their secret past was here to haunt them.

Then there is our hero. Rudra Paratap Ranawat. Who returned to his room with Paro and put her to sleep next to Dhruv. She was right. He never had to fight for her hand last time. He just grabbed her from the border and brought her home. Never asked anybody’s permission – not even hers. And she offered her love to him on a silver platter. Just like that. Oh this time things are different. Yes she did love him now also. But he had much more work cut out for himself. Smiling he touched Paro’s hair and stroked them. His thoughts went to his only secret dream nowadays. The one he dreams of – Sothe Jaagthe. The dream he has with his eyes open and eyes closed. While driving, while working, while eating , while lying down. A dream that Paro will just get up one morning and remember everything. A dream which made him smile thinking of the day when it will happen. A dream which made him sad that it has not already occurred.

 

Hale dil, Haal-e-dil

Tumse kaise kahoon

Yun kabhi aa ke mil

Tumse kaise kahoon

Yaado'n mein

Khwabo'n mein

Aapki chhab mein rahe

Haale dil, Haal-e-dil

Tumse kaise kahoon

Oh hum toh udhad se rahe

Hoth yun sil se rahe

Tere hi zulfo'n ke gane

 

Yun toh sau khat bhi likhe

Karpan mein rat bhi liye

Teri kahani dohrake

 

Kabse yeh Keh rahe..

Aapki chab mein rahe

 

Haal-e-dil, Haal-e-dil

Tumse kaise kahoon

Haal-e-dil, Haal-e-dil

 

Tumse kaise kahoon

Yaadon mein

Kaboon mein

Aapki chab mein rahe

Haal-e-dil, Haal-e-dil

Link to the Parud VM incase you cannot see it below.

Parud VM - Haale-E-Dil