Episode – 10
Later in the evening, traveling on his car, both remained silent. Dhaani was looking at the surroundings lost in deep thoughts while Viplav at the roads. Discretely, the man started stealing glances at the lady, and hides his act whenever she gets to turn her head towards him. Once back at her view, Viplav looks at her again, sad and thinking.
Flashback
Later, in the afternoon. Viplav and Dhaani are standing at the hospital reception.
Viplav : (pays the fees) Thank you. (starts walking towards the exit followed by Dhaani) By the way, where should I leave you ? Your house ?
He looks at her and realizes those were not may be the correct words that would make her jump in excitement. She was indeed walking with an upset face expression, trying to find a solution to her path.
Dhaani : I don’t even know what I will do there. Each corner of it would remind me of her.
Viplav : (they finally reached the outside) But you will certainly stay somewhere right ? I think you might go back home, and take someone with you also. I dont feel it good to leave you alone.
Dhaani : Wherever I will be, I don’t want anybody around me and I dont want to disturb anyone anymore. I don’t want others to suffer bad luck becau…
Viplav : (stops walking and stays in front of her) God, Dhaani! Stop this nonsense yaar. I am fed up with it. Don’t think like that about yourself.
Dhaani, shocked of his anger, looks down scared. Seeing her situation, he comes back on his senses and closing his eyes, regrets the few seconds gone. He opens his eyes and gets set to convince her.
Viplav : Dhaani, I… I didn’t mean to scare you, I am really … sor…
But she doesn’t listen to him and goes away from there, shedding her tears. He gets upset of himself and runs behind her foot steps.
Viplav : Wait! Dhaani!
She keeps walking when suddenly her arm held, she gets stopped. She feels being pulled behind and she falls on something hard but warm. Her face hidden between that shaped chest, she keeps crying her pain, tightly holding the open shirt by both her hands. She gets back on her senses and slowly raises her head to fall on Viplav staring at her quite surprised. (She actually felt being pulled, but it was her only who ran for a shoulder to cry on, all by unconsciousness. And so his surprised reaction.) Realizing his look, she leaves her grip looking around her and wipes her tears.
Dhaani : (sneezes) I … I am sorry.
Viplav : No no… It’s ok. You don’t have to say sorry.
Dhaani looks at him once and ready to go but again she gets interrupted.
Viplav : Where are you going ?
Dhaani : (showing her back) Somewhere my fate will guide me to.
Her feet get ready to walk when… she
Viplav : I …
… his one interpellation again freezed her.
Viplav : Don’t go please !
The way he pronounced those three “shabdon” just glued her on the floor.
Viplav : At least not before seeing your mother, for a last time.
Dhaani turns back on his surprising words and looks at him unexpected.
Dhaani : Mr.Viplav; what are you say..
Viplav : Today is your mother’s funeral, have you forgotten?
Dhaani looks down.
Dhaani : I know.
Viplav : You will go right ?
Dhaani, fearing to upset him again with her answer; was tensely playing with her fingers. But that was not helpful for her to hide the fact.
Viplav : Oh! So you were not ready to go there.
Dhaani : Everyone will be there.
Viplav : So? Of course there will be people there.
Dhaani : I don’t want that one day to be spoilt. It will be the last rituals for my mother. I prefer that it happens in peace.
Viplav was understanding her feelings. But he was not ready yet to leave the matter.
Viplav : Alright, it will happen as you wish. But you might not miss to see your mother at least a last time. You already left the hospital not seeing her. Let’s at least attend this.
A while later, Viplav and Dhaani reach the crematorium where the latter’s late mother was supposed to be burnt for the peace of her soul. Both were standing quite far away, hiding behind the trees when rituals were going on there. Dhaani was able to see Priya standing there with some other ladies of their neighbourhood.
Pandit : Who is this lady’s son ?
Priya : Panditji, she has only a daughter.
Man : And she is not here also. She ran away.
Priya : Listen! She hasn’t run anywhere. She will come back.
Man : Haaan I can indeed see that. That inauspicious girl doesn’t even have guts to live that she ran away. And she even left her mother alone like this.
Dhaani was listening to each of his word, shedding some bad tears, her head facing the ground and her arms in search of support circling round the tree with her arms. Meanwhile Viplav was getting angry inside hearing that man badmouthing about Dhaani.
Viplav : I will show him his…
He walks few steps to get interrupted. He surprisingly turns his head back and falls on Dhaani who was holding his fist asking him to calm down.
Panditji : It’s not the time to argue. We have to complete the entire rituals before the end of the mahurat. (looks at Priya) Priya betha, do you know anyone who can do them ?
Priya : Panditji, there is Dhaani na.
Panditji : But betha, she is a woman. Men only are able to do it. Moreover, she is not here right now. And we can’t leave Dulaari’s body like this for a long time. We have to do something fast.
Priya was shedding her tears for so long but none was there to console her.
Panditji : Priya betha?
She looks up at him.
Panditji : Do you know someone ?
She sadly looks down and slowly shakes her head to say no.
Panditji : Alright! We will call someone then.
Panditji brings some from his numerous students and ask them to do the rituals. One of them do the three rounds around the body of the late mother covered of wood, and once he leaves the water pot behind him to break it, he takes the burning wood piece and covers Dulaari of fire. Dhaani who was seeing all far away, feels burning inside of her. She never wanted to leave her mother alone. It’s an insecurity that made her run away from everything.
Slowly people were disappearing from the place, and even Priya was forcefully taken away from there. Dhaani noticing the burning body alone, stands up on her feet and walks to it, leaving Viplav behind. Once in front of it, she falls on her kneels and stares at the mocking fire.
Flashback
Dulaari was cooking in the kitchen when a small girl comes there crying. She turns her head and looks at the little girl worried seeing her tears.
Dulaari : Dhaani? Why are you crying betha ? Come here, come to mah.
Dhaani goes to her mother and sits on her laps crying.
Dulaari : Betha, why are you shedding tears ? Tell me na.
Dhaani : Mah… you know that Phool chand uncle …
Dulaari : Yes. What happened ? What did he say ?
Dhaani : He… He said that … I am nothing but just a burden for the world. (sneezes)
Dulaari : What ? Did he really say that ?
Dhaani : Haan. (sneers) He even said I was inauspicious.
Dulaari widely open her eyes and look at Dhaani with shock. It was not even expected for the end of it.
Dhaani : Mah, what does “apshagun” mean ?
Dulaari wants to cry out her pain but her one tear would discourage and hurt her little girl. She fakes a smile and reassures her daughter.
Dulaari: Betha, someone “apshagun” is actually someone very nice, who never bothers other people and always think about others before itself. Those around you are lucky because you bring happiness in their lives.
Dhaani : (with a cute smile that shows her holed teeth set) Really? Do I bring happiness for you ?
Dulaari : You ARE my life betha. Without you, I am nothing.
The mother makes the little girl face her and hug her.
Dulaari : You are my everything. You made me become the luckiest person in the world.
(voice echoing in present Dhaani’s mind)
“If there was no Dhaani then there was no this Dulaari. I am alive only because of you!”
Dhaani (present) : (tears rolling down thinking about her mother, looking at the burning thing) Mah I know you used to lie not to bring tears in my eyes. And doing so, you kept shedding yours inside forever. You never told me anything, but I always felt the pain you endured because of me. (looks down) I have always been a burden for you also. And today, (looks at the woods again) you chose your path to heaven, where you might be in peace. And so, I just wish that… that you find happiness wherever you are. And, wherever you are, your place in my heart will never get vanished.
She closes her eyes and bending down her head to burst out her tears, she faces pain and tries to remove all her bad memories.
Viplav : I think it’s time for us to leave. It’s getting late.
She opens her eyes and standing up on her feet, turns to look at Viplav who was behind her.
Dhaani : You may go, I want to stay here for a while with my mother.
Viplav : I can’t let you stay here alone, so I will remain here with you too. It’s not a safe place.
Dhaani : I don’t really care about myself. There was only one reason on Earth for me to live, but today, I have nothing.
Viplav : God sent you here with a reason certainly. You just have to find it out. Abandoning the challenge is not the spirit of life.
Dhaani looks at him.
Viplav : Fight for that reason! Fight for your mother! Fight for you!
Dhaani looks at him deeply and thinking.
End of flashback
Viplav : (looks at Dhaani, in his mind) Don’t worry Dhaani. I will help you find your destiny, as the supporting pillar. This is the (looks straight) promise of Viplav Tripathi.
Precap – Viplav is seen dropping Dhaani at some place.
Viplav : Finally you are back… I hope you will finally live your life better … and stop thinking about others.
Dhaani is set to go down the car, but she gets interrupted when her veil gets stuck on something.
Thanks for reading! Keep commenting and telling your views.
Ok posting the three stories is really… strange actually. I don’t know if you guys are quite confused.
Ok finally ViDha got out from hospital. I know you guys might have been fed up of it. After all 9/10 episodes in a same location, you might get annoyed.
But now, more to come. To know more about ViDha’s destiny, keep reading “Because Destiny Has Become Our Love Story”.
And sorry to the writers whom I couldn’t comment in this month’s posts. I read a lot whenever I had Wifi, but was unable to comment. VERY SORRY TO THEM!
Thanks for reading once again.
With lots of love !