Swara and Ragini stepped down the car as they reached and walked inside hand in hand. They saw that the class had already started and settled on the floor. ‘Di, I think she’s going to select someone for singing competition today,’ Swara said to Ragini. ‘Don’t worry, I m sure we will be selected,’ Ragini assured and Swara smiled. ‘Haaye, aapke munh mein ghee shakkar,’ Swara replied and hugged her. ‘Good evening my students,’ said their singing teacher, Avni. Everyone chipped her back. ‘I will select any four of you and the four that will be selected will sing on stage on 30th Jan,’ Avni announced.
Everyone came and performed individually. In the end, came Swara’s chance. She stood up along with her guitar and played it.
Kesariya balam aavonee Padharonee mhare Des
Maari ghoomar chhe nakharaali re maa Mane ghoomar ramvan gyasa
Raatein ab nahi dhadakti
Din bhi saansein nahin lete
Ab toh aa jaao mere soneya… Baatein keh gayi zaroori Mere labon pe adhuri
Aake sunn jaao mere soneya…
Tere bin nahi laage jiya
Tere bin… ab to aaja piya
Tere bin… nahi laage jiya…Tere bin
(Swara thinks of a boy and imagines him coming close to her and hugging her from behind and kissing her cheek then disappearing)
Pehle jaise mausam bhi aate nahi hai
Barishon mein pehle jaisi baatein nahi hai
Pehle jaise mausam bhi aate nahi hai
Barishon mein pehle jaisi baatein nahi hai
Sookhe sookhe jazbaat khali khali mere
Haathon ki lakeerein bulaave soneya…
Tere bin nahi laage jiyaa
Tere bin… ab to aaja piyaa
Tere bin… nahi laage jiyaa… Tere bin
(Her imagination’s background changes into a rainy day where the same boy is standing with her under the rain looking at each other lovingly, her hands on his chest and his hands on her waist and their foreheads joined together)
Raanjha mera sab toh sona
Jise jaane khul jaaye
Maine toh band kar diya Saawariyaan ke naal
Chaand bhi wahi hai, wahi hai sitare
Tere baad phike phike lagte hai saare
Chaand bhi wahi hai, wahi hai sitare
Tere baad phike phike lagte hai saare
Aaja leke tu sawere kar ja door yeh andhere
Teri Doorie tadpaave soneya…
Tere bin nahi laage jiyaa
Tere bin… ab to aaja piyaa
Tere bin… nahi laage jiyaa
Tere Bin…
(She imagines herself with him gazing at the stars with her head on his shoulder)
Tere bina laage naa jiya
Morey piya, ab to aaja re morey piya Ab to aaja re morey piyaa
Ab to aaja re morey piya
Everyone gave her a big round of applause and she smiled and sat down. ‘All the best Di,’ Swara whispered to Ragini as her turn came. She played her sitaar and started singing.
Hawa ke jhonke aaj mausamon se rooth gaye
Gulon ki shokhiyaan jo bhanwre aake loot gaye
Badal rahi hai aaj zindagi ki chaal zara
Issi bahaane kyun naa main bhi dil ka haal zara
Sanwaar loon haaye sawaar loon
Sawaar loon haaye sawaar loon (x2)
(Ragini recalls Laksh and smiles)
Baramade puraane hain, nayi si dhoop hai
Jo palke khatkhata raha hai kiska roop hai
Shararatein kare jo aise bhoolke hijab
Kaise usko naam se, main pukar loon
Sawaar loon, sawaar loon Sawaar loon haaye sawaar loon
(She recalls Laksh holding the phone on her ear and helping her)
Yeh saari koyalein bani hain aaj daakiyan
Kuhu-kuhu me chitthiyan padhe mazakiyaan (x2)
Inhe kaho ki naa chhupaaye Kisne hai likha bataaye
Uski aaj main nazar utaar loon Sawaar loon haaye sawaar loon Sawaar loon, sawaar loon!
Hawa ke jhonke aaj mausamon se rooth gaye
Gulon ki shokhiyaan jo bhanwre aake loot gaye
Badal rahi hai aaj zindagi ki chaal zara
Issi bahaane kyun naa main bhi dil ka haal zara
Ragini was also given a big round of applause and she too smiled and thanked them. ‘So the results are out, the people I have chosen are Ragini, Swara, Mukti and Aliya,’ Avni announced and the audience clapped and congratulated them giving each of them a hug. ‘Congratulations Swara, but don’t think you will win,’ Mukti said. ‘I know how you feel as no one clapped so much for you, but don’t worry, picture abhi baaki hai,’ she replied and hugged her.
‘What are you doing?’ Mukti asked pushing her away. ‘I m just hugging you as Dadi Maa says that even our enemies should be hugged by us,’ Swara replied sarcastically. ‘Oh, cool, but what about your blind sister?’ Mukti said and Swara suppressed her anger. ‘She’s blind but she can do anything by her talent, don’t underestimate the power of Gadodia sisters,’ Swara said and was going with Ragini but was pulled in a hug by Alia. ‘Congratulations, sorry by her side, all the best,’ she said and Swara hugged her back.
‘Thank you,’ she replied hugging her back and went along with Ragini. They sat in the car and drove off. ‘You sang very nice,’ Ragini said to Swara. ‘You too Di,’ she replied. They reached their house in half an hour and stepped down the car and went inside their house, Swara saw that Shekhar and Sharmishtha were waiting for them. ‘Ma, Baba, there’s a good news, we both got selected in singing competition,’ Swara said and Shekhar came to them. ‘Arey wah, I m so proud of you,’ Shekhar said and hugged her. Sharmishtha stood up.
‘Congratulations Rags and Shona,’ she said and hugged both of them. Ragini smiled as she caressed her face. Swara went to Shekhar. ‘Baba, you should congratulate her as well,’ Swara said and Shekhar nodded in negative. ‘No beta, I can’t even if I want to because I have neglected her all my life,’ he replied. ‘But Baba, she’s also your daughter, she wasn’t born like this by her own wish, no one wants to be born like this, no one wants to live like this,’ she said trying to explain him. He remained quiet. ‘Close your eyes Baba,’ she said and he did.
‘What do you see?’ she asked with tears in her eyes. ‘Darkness,’ he replied. ‘Now walk like this,’ she said and he did, Sharmishtha and Ragini looked on. ‘Stop, now play this Sitaar,’ she said and he did and messed up in the beginning itself. ‘Now open your eyes,’ she said and he did. ‘Now do you see how much difference is there in your world and in her world? You had so much difficulty in everything, then think about her, I have seen from my childhood that no one cares about her, why? Isn’t she a human?’ Swara said and he felt ashamed of himself and walked towards Ragini.