Sudha : Maitree are you alright beta ?
Maitree : Haan Buwa Ji..Actually a guy named Ashish helped me and dropped me here.
Sudha ; Beta you should have invited him to home. He helped you.
Maitree : Buwa Ji I requested him. But he was in rush .
Sudha : Thank God you safely reached back. But beta when you went away and why we didn’t hear your scream ?
Maitree ; That’s what is troubling me a lot.
Suddenly Sudha held Maitree’s hand and looked her shockingly.
Sudha : Beta your hand, these much scars on your hand …..That means Maitree whatever you told me regarding Gandharva ….Is that true ?
Maitree gets extremely scared. She covered her head and hand with her dupatta immediately
Maitree : If Dadi saw the scars in my hand she will fire me with lots of questions……Buwa Ji will Gandharva come again to trouble me ?
Sudha : Maitree beta be bold…Beta this might have happened in another way also , I mean may be you might have fell down and your hand got hurt
Maitree : No Buwaji…..It’s not like that…Gandharva grabbed my hand..
Suddenly Dadi shouted : Maitree!!!
Sudha : We can discuss later. First you come inside beta. I will manage things.
Maitree nodded her head and as soon as she entered Dadi stared her sharply.
Dadi : I warned you Maitree don’t go out. Don’t do anything which Gandharva don’t like. And you didn’t listened me ….
Maitree : No Dadi…..It’s not like that….
Dadi : Then why are you covering your head and hand with dupatta ….
Sudha : Maa aap hi kehti thi naa Maitree is like fairy or princess. So when Gandharva will arrive if she covers her head with ghungat then Gandharva will like her more …Hein naa Maitree ?
Maitree nodded her head..
Dadi smiled and said : Good. At least now you understand things..
Sudha : Maa Gandharva toh aate jaate rahenge …..Mmmhh….What I am thinking is Maitree toh waise hi Gandharva ki ho jaayegi …..But uske pehle kuch pal usse uski marzi se jeene deejiye naa…..Bas theen saal ki toh baat hein Maitree ko degree mil jaayegi phir 20 saal ki ho jaayegi …..
Dadi : 20 saal hote hi Gandharva Mandir mein purnima ke raat Maitree ko hamesha ke liye bhej diye jaayenge. Phir Mandir ka darwaza hamesha ke liye bandh ho jaayenge…..Kyunki iss ghar ki aakhiri ladki hein Maitree….Mere bete ka toh koyi beta huwa hi nahin….Aur Gandharva Mandir mein jaane ke baad Maitree puri tarah se Gandharva ke ho jaayenge…Phir Gandharva joh chahe kar sakte hein uske saath…..Par tab tak ke do theen saal bache hein Maitree ke paas….
Maitree felt extremely fear hearing it.
Sudha ; Toh kya Maitree college jaa sakti hein ?
Dadi nodded her head.
Maitree : Dadi !!! Seriously I can go college for studies..
Dadi : Yes. But remember one thing. You won’t stay at Sudha and Diwakar’s house. After classes you straightly catch the bus and will come here….
Maitree : But Dadi Buwaji’s home is so nearest to college and it’s….
Dadi : I granted permission to you and if you take it as an advantage and break the rules then I won’t be responsible…You should never leave this house and village during nights because at nights Gandharva’s powers increases and he will come for you….Do you get that….
Maitree : Ji…
Sudha waved her hand at Maitree’s forehead and gave her the application form.
Sudha : Beta without thinking much fill the application form . I guess all the unwanted things may leave once you enter the college and trust me education keep a person growing ahead. I didn’t get that opportunity so my education was limited upto 10th only. You are the first girl child of our family who is going to college. So you should study well and make us feel proud.
Maitree : Buwa Ji I will definitely study well and will stand at my own feet . This village is constrainted with so much of misconcepts and false beliefs. I want to break them and for that first I need to change myself and this one is the first step towards that.
Sudha : Be bold like these always beta….Accha abhi mein chalti hoon….Take care..
Maitree smiled and said : Bye Buwa ji…
At that night
Maitree !!
Maitree was shocked to see Gandharva at her room
Maitree quickly came out from room and locked the room from outside …She started breathing faster.
Suddenly she heard the murmuring tunes…
Maitree thought : He has started singing. Dadi said he might gain powers at night. Before he breaks this door and come out I have to run away from him….
Maitree started running and while running she screamed Dadi Dadi….But like happened earlier no one heard her scream….
Maitree was running so fast and on the mid way she collided with some one and he held her when she was about to fell down . It was none other than Gandharva
Gandharva : You are so desperate to become my bride…..In this red bridal dress you looks like a royal princess..
Maitree released herself and shockingly find out that she was not wearing her usual salwar suit….With much fear she looked him
Maitree : Please leave me…..Don’t do this to me…..Please…..
She literally started crying so high. Gandharva looked her intensely and suddenly rain started bursting and her clothes turned as normal salwar suit . She turned and tried to walk away. Gandharva came closer to her .
Gandharva : I can’t see tears at eyes of my princess.. Trust me I won’t harm you..
Maitree : And whatever you did with me at morning …
Gandharva : I am sorry my fairy…..
Maitree : I am normal girl not any fairy or princess…So please don’t trouble me…
Gandharva : Now whatever I will say you will not understand it. You are like a child and I know just few months back only you became 18 years old ….
Maitree : I am not a kid anymore and don’t think that you can do anything with me….I will kill you…
Gandharva ; Do you have that courage to kill me Maitree ?Look at my eyes and see ..
He held her close towards him and Maitree looked those magnificient eyes..
Gandharva : I promise you until you gets 20 I won’t come to you…….Only after you celebrate your 20th birthday I will come to you.
Maitree : Will you kill me that day and throw me at the river just like the way you did it with Kalyani Buwa Maasa ?
Gandharva : You really think I can kill some one …I am a Gandharva and my duty is to sing well and attract princesses..
Maitree : And how many girls trapped in your so called attraction ? What’s my number ?
Gandharva : Maitree !! I just attract only but trust me I didn’t felt anything special with them. Those who came to Gandharva lok they became fairies and they are happily living there. And whoever disobeyed it their fate will become miserable….
Maitree : That means you will kill me after three years ….
Gandharva ;No Maitree….I won’t do it….You should fly like a free bird…..And I want to see you happy always ….Now you are going to college and I came to wish all the best for you ….
Maitree ; Are you my well wisher or my killer ? What should I believe ?
Gandharva wiped her tears and held her towards his heart
Gandharva : Your scars have gone with my touch at your hand . I will always be with you and whenever you feel sad or pain I will be with you to wipe your tears….You should reach heights by educating yourself. And believe me I am so happy for you …..
Maitree : Gandharva!!
Gandharva : My princess now we will see after three years only…..But my music will melt you whenever you need me…..I swear what you heard is my heart’s truth ….
Maitree cried bitterly and Gandharva hugged her and Maitree also hugged him as knowingly or unknowingly she felt something special in his words …
At that moment Gandharva started singing a soulful melodius song which was filled with love and also the pain of seperation.
Bichade Bhi Hum Jo Kabhi Raston Mein
To Sang-Sang Rahongi Sada
Qadamon Ki Aavaaz Sun Ke Chalungi
Tumhein Dhondh Loongi Sada
Bhuli Mohabbat Ki Ye Khushbuien Hain
Hawaon Mein Faili Hui
Chhukar Muje Aaj Mahsus Kar Lo
Vo Yaaden Meri Anchhui
Aisa Milan Phir Ho Na Ho
Sab Kuchh Mera Tum Hi To Ho
Bepanah Pyar Hai, Aaja
Tera Intazar Hai, Aaja
Ho, Bepanah Pyar Hai, Aaja
Tera Intazar Hai, Aaja
Gandharva : Just allow me to stay with you this night Maitree. Because when you will see morning rays of sun you will not find me …..Upto three years I will not come and it’s my promise….
Maitree looked his deep eyes and she didn’t felt to say anything against him. Gandharva lifted her in his arms and started walking .
And when they reached at her room he made her to sat gently at the bed. Slowly Maitree felt asleep and Gandharva made her to lie down at bed and while sleeping she held Gandharva’s hand unknowingly.
Gandharva sat beside her and looked her innocent face . Slowly he also felt asleep.
Next day morning
Maitree wake up and find out that Gandharva has vanished somewhere…..She called Gandharva Gandharva…..But there was no one to hear. She looked at her hand and find her hand has become absolutely normal.
Maitree thought : That means whatever happened it was real…..
Dadi ; Maitree….
Maitree : Dadi!!
Dadi : Beta Jasmine flowers had blossomed after a long time…..It’s a good omen …You are going to remove curse of our home , I am so happy for you.
Dadi hugged Maitree . Maitree felt confused….
Maitree : Dadi I need to take bath soon. And I need to go college also.
Dadi : Haan Jaa Gudiya rani..Acche se padhai karna….God bless you beta..
Maitree felt so much happy to hear those positive words from Dadi …
Maitree thought : That means now those haunted nights won’t happen with me….Seems Gandharva has did some magic. Dadi after long time has started smiling …Any ways now I need to focus on my studies…
Maitree reached the college . She was wearing a simple salwar kameez and she looked everything in excitement.
To be continued…..