Hey guys, I am extremely sorry. It has been 3 weeks since I posted my ff. Actually I was bit busy these days. Here we go with our new part……….
Part-25
Sanskar and Swara reach the farm. Sanskar, again gets involved in the godown work. Swara reminds him about meeting the Labourers, but he couldn’t find time. Finally, Swara decides to visit the farm. Sanskar informs the Supervisor and asks him to send someone with Swara. One of the worker escorts Swara to the farm. As Swara enters the plantation, all Labourers get alerted. They stop their work and formed a line on either side of the road and are greeting her bending their heads as a guesture of respect. This happened throughout the plantation which spread several acres. Swara feels uncomfortable. Some are addressing her as landlady, some addressing her as Madam, some addressing her as Owner.
It almost took two and half hours for Swara to roam around the plantation. Only feeling she was filled with is awkwardness. She didn’t like the way people greeted her. She returns to the godown where Sanskar is still discussing about trade related issues with the staff. Swara waits for him.
Finally, after half an hour Sanskar comes out of his cabin.
He asks Swara, ‘ So how was the farm? Did you like it?’
Swara smiles back and replies, ‘ Sanskar I want to go home. I am tired.’
Sanskar is surprised hearing the answer she has given. He thinks to ask her later. ‘ I have work. It will take some more time. I will ask Shivam to drop you home. Is that okay?’
‘ Sanskar, I want to go alone.I will go by walk’, she heads to leave saying this.
‘Swara, I think you should take Shivam with you’, Sanskar stopped her.
‘ I am not a kid Sanskar. I can manage, I can go alone. Don’t pamper me and don’t be a over protective husband. I am going bye’, Swara hugs him and leaves.
Swara walks on the road thinking. The way Labourers received her is still running in her mind. It is distracting her pleasantness to some extent. She thinks how she used to get along with the people. She used to be a common person. And after marriage, she rarely travelled using public transport. All the parties she attended are of their family’s or family friends’s. She rarely interacted with outside world, except at shopping malls or restaurants. She recollected the way the servants greet her in the home. It was not the same as the one which she received today. She says to herself,
‘I always wanted people to respect me. But what kind of respect it is? People are respecting me losing their own self respect. Why they can’t see me as one of fellow human being like them? Atleast they are earning for their own bread by doing work. I am not doing that much too. Then what sort of privilege I am enjoying now. Just because I am daughter-in-law of Maheshwari family, I am getting this respect. I married Sanskar. I thought I married a person. Did I marry his wealth,property and status too?
Is it necessary to respect the spouse of the boss too?
So, if you have wealth you will get respect. Then what about that respect which people offer, once they know me, my thoughts, my attitude. To give respect to a person, mutual feeling of humans is enough. But offering respect,losing ones self respect just because I married their boss….
Swara…. Swara….
Swara hears a lady voice calling her. She is very much familiar with the voice. It is Sanjana who is calling her from behind. Swara stops and goes to her.
‘ Hi Sanjana! What are you doing here?’ ,asked Swara
‘ I visited one of my relatives house here. What are you doing here?’
‘ I went to farm with Sanskar. I am going home now’, Swara replied.
Both friends continued their conversation walking on the road.
And Sanjana comes across to a Royal Enfield parked on the road side. She touches it. Swara observes her.
‘ What happened?’ Asked Swara.
‘Some memories struck my mind seeing this bike. You know Swara, I used to ride my friend’s bike during my college days. Those days! They won’t come back’, sighs Sanjana.
‘ You can ride a bike too!’ Swara opened her eyes wide out of amusement.
‘Yes’
‘Do you want to ride it again, Sanjana?’ asked Swara.
It suddenly rains. They both ran to the nearest shop. Swara’s phone rings. It is Sanskar who is on the call.
‘Hello!’
‘Have you reached home’, asked Sanskar.
‘No Sanskar we got struck here in the mid way’, replied Swara.
‘okay! Wait there I will come and pick you’, Sanskar ends the call.
He arrives there with in few minutes. They both settle in the car. Sanskar drops Sanjana at her home and drives towards home. They both reach home and Swara opens the lock only to surprise seeing the state of the house. The courtyard is completely filled with rain water. The water has actually spread on the floors of living room and corridor. Swara stares at Sanskar. Sanskar looks confused too and speaks to Swara, ‘ I think the outlet of the courtyard is choked by dirt. And that led to this disaster’
‘I think so.’
‘Call Santoshi and ask her to clean it’, says Sanskar.
‘Santoshi is on leave today. We need to clean it’, replies Swara.
‘What!’ shrieks Sanskar, ‘Okay! I will call Watchman he will clear the water in the courtyard.’
‘So the great Sanskar Maheshwari needs some one else to solve his own problems. He can’t even clear the dirt that choked one of the pipes of his own house’, saying this Swara laughs at Sanskar.
Sanskar glares at her, ‘Swara, I can do it. But see that water. It’s totally filled with dirt. It is unhygienic.’
Sanskar realises that it is unhygienic to watch man too.
‘Okay I am going to clear it. But you stay here, don’t move or else you will slip’, Sanskar gets down the staircase saying this to Swara.
‘He slowly steps into the courtyard watching his every step. But he slips and falls down. Swara shouts and runs to the courtyard to help Sanskar. She reaches him and laughs seeing his state. Sanskar gets annoyed further. He makes faces. Swara, seeing his puppy face stops laughing and forwards her hand towards Sanskar to help him. Sanskar holds her hand and pulls her into the water.
‘Sanskar! What have you done?’ yelled Swara.
‘Laugh now’,says Sanskar sitting on the floor of courtyard.
Swara gets annoyed. She splashes water on Sanskar.
Sanskar stands up and starts running. Swara runs after him and is about to slip again, Sanskar holds her and hugs her to support her. They look into each other’s eyes. She asks him to leave her. She breaks down the hug and splashes water on him. Sanskar does the same. They spend some time there playing in the water and then slowly clear the water off the courtyard. Then cleaned the floors of the house. Then fresh up and cook Maggi together, settle on the dining table to have their dinner.
And then Sanskar asks,’ what happened Swara! You were not happy after visiting the farm. Is everything alright?’
Swara narrates him everything that had happened and finally asks him,
‘ I am none for them Sanskar. I haven’t achieved anything in life neither they know me, just because I am your wife I am getting the respect. So marriage is not only between the individuals, it’s also between status,wealth and respect too. Isn’t it Sanskar? And another thing Sanskar, they are working you are working so mutual respect is enough,right? A formal greeting is enough? Why this superiority and inferiority between us?’
To be continued……
PART 24: http://www.tellyupdates.com/everything-change-timea-swasan-ff-part-24/