The aurora of moonlight confers its regards to the newly blossoming love story. The enchanted, shooting & feeble breeze enhances the fancy of the room. The stars are still twinkling on the sky & it’s whim will make anyone fall for it. But her thoughts are some where else. The stars are burning ball of energy. They are consuming their inner energy everyday to bring light on every other’s face. But the truth is, on the passage of time, they are nearing towards their destruction. One fine day, all their energies will be consumed & they will be exploded & will merge in eternity. No longer they will twinkle or bestow their divine grace. However, despite their destruction they will always be remembered for their sacrifice.. Lovers will remember them as their acceptance of love. All these accepts are mulling over Payal’s head. She knows decay is the ultimate truth of life. No matter what the future will bring for them but on each passing day they are approaching nearer towards their decay. And birthday is one such occasion. It’s a day of joy & happiness but one can’t deny the fact that on each birthday, the person is growing older, consuming its energy to reach its ultimate destination. But wait!! Your footprints can be stayed alive in this world by pure love & sacrifice. She wants their love story to be printed on golden letters to be followed by the descendants.
The trios have broken their hug & breaking the utter silence, Payal starts her rapid fire wish lists.
Payal: Bhabi, though it’s your birthday today, I am unable to present any gift to you.
Swara: You, yourself are a big gift to me!! I have met a sister on my birthday. I will cherish this unbreakable bond through out my life. What else do I need payal? Even if I would have got a present, it won’t be more precious than you.
Payal(on teary eyes): I never ever imagined earlier that life could be this much beautiful to an orphan.
Swara & Sanskar (in unison): stop it payal! How many times shall we tell you not to utter that orphan word? Actually it’s all our mistake. May be we are unable to deliver care & love towards you. So, you are uttering this very word by remembering your aloneness.
Payal: Sorry to both of you. I promise , I won’t repeat this mistake again.(indicating to swara) Bhabi, as you have accepted me as your sweet sister, can I ask for a favour?
Swara: Yes dear, go ahead…
Payal: Bhabi, Can you get married to Bhai again now?
Swara: Marriage… Now… But why?(in a confused tone)
Sanskar finds swara a bit hesitant towards payal’s proposal & asks her to cancel this wish.
Payal(in affirmative tone): Bhabi, my brother had already lost her love in his marriage date itself & I also knew in which circumstances you both had married. But today’s case is different. As the earlier wedding day was an imposition to you. You never accepted it until the day you confessed your love to Bhai. So, I just want to give my Bhai, who is world to me, a bit happiness & this time it must not be an infliction, rather an acceptance from heart.
Swara is overwhelmed by her maturity & gives her consent.
Sanskar: but Payal, I have not made any arrangements & also from where will I get a priest in this late hour?
Payal(laughing decently): Bhai, you are such a fool! You always call me your sister, then how can you doubt my credentials?
Sanskar: (in a shock tone) You mean…
Payal: yes, you are thinking right. I have already arranged a priest & he will do all the arrangements now with in a few moments. Till then you both will go & freshen up..
Swara: (in a surprise tone) it means you have planned earlier…
Payal: Yes bhabi… Prior to coming here, I have planned this & Bhai is also ignorant about it..
Swara: what if I have rejected this proposal?
Payal: No bhabi you can’t.. I know my brother very well & as you are his choice, I can predict your behaviour. So I didn’t have a bit doubt that you will definitely give your nod to this proposal.
Mean while Payal has called the priest & he has also more or less completed all the arrangements. Swara & Sanskar also have come to tie knot with mutual acceptance.
Payal makes them seat on the mandapa. Both are looking into each other’s eyes to start a new beginning of their life. Priest has started the holy hymns. The chanting of mantras is echoing in their ears. Both are paying heeds to each & every hymns & understanding it’s meaning & effect on their married life. When the seven circumambulations are continuing, both have come to know why this social formality makes significance in a married life. Swara & sanskar are conveying their thoughts through eyes as if now they come to know the essence of being together. They have understood that marriage is a consecrated responsibility in which two people become one by soul & face the upcoming difficulties together. It is never taking the other for granted, the courtship shouldn’t end with honeymoon, rather it should continue till last breath.., till the protection of partner is required. It is performing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty but in the spirit of felicity. It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual & the obligation is reciprocal. It is not only marrying the right partner rather being the right partner. Both have found their right partners with each other. The wedding rituals come to an end with sindoor & mangalsutra & now both have accepted each other from core of their hearts..
—
After the small, sweet wedding ceremony gets over, payal hugs both of them in teary eyes & utters, “Bhai, won’t you present any gift to bhabi?”
Swara: Payal, today I have received the biggest gift of my life in form of sanskar. What more do I need?
Payal: No bhabi, today Bhai will sing for you.
Swara:(in laughing tone) sing… Does sanskar know how to sing?
Payal: Don’t underestimate him bhabi, he is also a guitarist like you.
Swara: what? (Turning towards sanskar) I have only known that you are a leading business man. Why have you never told me about this shade of yours?
Sanskar bows down his head with out uttering a word.
Payal now breaks the silence of sanskar & utters, “Bhabi, actually after his first love’s death, his life had filled with sorrow, grief, regret, darkness & more over to take vengeance. In these circumstances how the pure musical tone would bliss his heart? So, he left playing guitar.
Swara can sense the deep wound that has scattered his heart & wants to heal it.
Payal(turning towards sanskar): Bhai, today you have got your love. This life will bring love & bliss for you. The eternal seed of love has already blossomed & is making its magical touch in your heart. It’s a perfect time to erase the old, painful memories & design new, affectionate memories in it’s place.
Sanskar listens to her words carefully & thinks each & every word of payal patiently.
Sanskar(in thoughts): You are right payal. I want to give swara all the happiness not because it’s her birthday but she is the sole cause for me to breath.
Payal(pushes sanskar lightly): Bhai, what are you thinking? Why every time are you mingling in your own thoughts?
Sanskar: oh!! no… Nothing…
Payal(in teasing tone) Oh!! Are you thinking about the song? I mean which song will you sing to impress bhabi?
Sanskar & swara starts blushing & sanskar goes towards the bedroom to bring the guitar from the shelf.
Suddenly light of the room goes out & dwindling lights are illuminated through out the room. The ray of those lights enhance the glow of swara’s beautiful face. At once, they can hear a feeble, pleasant & melodious voice thoroughly synchronized with guitar’s rhythm.
“Saanson ko jeene ka ishaara mill gaya
Dooba main tujhme to kinara mill gaya
Saanson ko jeene ka ishara mil gaya
Zindagi ka pata dobara mil gaya
Tu mila to Khuda ka sahaara mill gaya.”
Swara eyes towards sanskar & both are memorising their past moments. Their hearts are connected like the strings of guitar. The story started when he was not perceived about the truth of Kavita’s death. He made her his pawn & when he realized the truth, her heart had already scattered & a deep wound had constructed a home in her heart. To heal her, he became her protector, saviour. Even knowing she was going to use him as a weapon to unite her parents, he let himself to be used to repent for all his misdeeds & a bond was formed. Slowly she made her place deep inside his heart. She dissolved the harsh ice wall intertwined through out his heart & gave him a cause to live. Her selfless desires healed him & he became more addicted towards her.
“Aaraam de tu mujhe, barson ka hun main thaka
Palkon pe raatein liye, tere waste main jaga
Mere har dard ki gehrai ko mehsoos karta hai tu
Teri aankhon se gham tera mujhe maaloom hone laga
Tu mila to Khuda ka sahaara mill gaya.”
His accident was a major storm that hit their lives. He just wanted a glance of her, a touch of her before leaving this cruel world which no more could give him pain. But the destiny had planned something else. Though she never accepted till then that she was madly in love with him but a connection had already formed. She could sense his pain & solicitude. She fought with his destiny, kept their dreams afloat & confessed her feelings. From the very moment the dynamics of their relationship had changed from friendship to love & agony of their fate had changed from hatred to felicity.
—
Sanskar now switches on the light & stands besides her & gently kisses her cheeks & yells,” happy birthday, shona. I love you.” Swara turns towards him & hugs him tightly without remembering payal’s presence.
Payal coughs & both come to senses & break their hug. As it’s already late, sanskar instructs Payal to take rest. Payal hugs sanskar & wishes them for their marriage & goes to the guest room to sleep. Just then sanskar turns to swara to take her to bedroom but he witnesses swara is already lost in some thoughts. Like something is agitating her. So he comes close towards her.
Sanskar: what are you thinking, shona?
Swara(in sad tone): sanskar, this is the first time I am celebrating my birthday away from maa & dida. I miss them.
Sanskar: shona! You know na there are some medical emergencies of your relatives. So, maa has already wished you prior to the birthday.
Swara: I know…. (In a confused tone)
Sanskar feels the sentimental gravity of her words.. Like she feels to express something else.
Sanskar: shona, I am right here. I am always yours. Pour out those things which are hurting you. Trust me you will feel relaxed & keeps his hand around her shoulder.
Swara: you know sanskar! I had always protected my family like a boy. I was devoid of father’s love & his protection. I always felt a burden to stand straight to fight the upcoming difficulties. Like every girl needed pamper, I also somewhat wanted care & strength to feel protected during childhood. Now I also want to feel vulnerable in front of the one, who truly cares for me & can secure me. Today I find out that one in you & she places her head on his chest & sanskar is holding her shoulder. He is amazed by her thoughts & makes a silence promise that he will protect her, become her saviour no matter what. Every difficultly now has to face him before touching her. He can die thousand times to flourish a smile in her face.
Swara grabs his shirt tightly & closes her eyes to feel his solace & warmth. A few drop of tears have already inundated his chest. Swara entwines her fingers with his like their lives & breaths are also twisted with each other. He kisses her forehead & lifts her. Swara is about to say something but sanskar puts his finger on her lips & closes her eyes by placing his hand on it & utters, ‘just feel this moment, shona!’. Her heart is beating in synchronization with his heart beats & her scent is filled in the atmosphere of the room..
“You are the angel of my imagination
You are my love & my destination
You are the one for whom I was searching since long
You came secretly like a love song.”
Guys, I am extremely sorry for this late update. I am totally pissed off in project, assignments & seminars. I am barely getting any time to write this ff. This episode is also written in college during break hours. So I have no knowledge how it has turned out. Feel free to criticize if it is a wastage of your time. And give me suggestions that will you want me to continue this ff? Or else I will stop it. As for next 15 days i will remain damn busy in college stuffs. So unable to post it.. The ball is in your court guys… Thanks to all the readers to give their immense love.