Sanjay slowly stopped the car once they entered the town of Rae Bareli. Damini suddenly woke up as if she was startled.
"Err Sorry.... I didn't want to wake you up but we have reached Rae Bareli. Can you guide me how to get to your place?" Sanjay asked softly, finally turning around to look at her face directly, instead of the rearview mirror he was using while driving.
It was early hours of the morning and the sunshine filtered through the car windows. Sanjay thought she looked even more beautiful.
"Thanks, but no. Please drop me at the Auto stand and I will go on my own in an Autorikshaw (Auto is a 3-wheeler taxi). My family is very conservative, they wouldn't like to see me coming in a stranger's car, trust me." Damini smiled ruefully.
Sanjay was taken back. He wa
For the first few months after her return, Aishwarya seemed to behave in controlled fashion, not spending much and took active interest in learning the ropes of running their business, much to Raghav and Vasudha's delight. But Sanjay knew her too well to believe everything straightaway. After the Rath Yatra finished, the communal riots that broke out between Hindus and Muslims in their nearby cities and the rest of India, distressed and derailed the normal life of every one including Sanjay and Raghav's families and their business as well. Slowly, after a few months, things returned somewhat to normal. All this while, Sanjay kept thinking of Damini, and prayed that their family was safe and unaffected due to the riots. It was as if her face got imprinted inside his heart forever. He was also gravely concerned about her wellbeing, considering the chauvinistic mentality of her family members. Many times, he
It turned out that the only reason Aishwarya was behaving well and confirming to minimal expenses was because of the strict warning issued by her father Durga Prasad that unless he saw real change in her behavior, he would cut off all his relations with her, and most importantly he would write a will disowning her. Once he felt sufficiently confident that Aishwarya had changed for good, he wrote a fresh will. But this time, taking a cue from Raghav and Sanjay's idea, he left all the wealth that belonged to him in the name of his Sanjay and Aishwarya's future kids. Aishwarya was incensed to no end and went straight to her father's home and had a big row with him. Things got so out of hand that the old man had a heart stroke at the end of it. Sanjay and Raghav rushed to Lucknow and got him admitted to the hospital, but unfortunately he died within a few days. I
Sanjay felt devastated with Aishwarya's stubborn attitude and her conniving threats to make him change the company ownership deed.Over my dead body, Sanjay resolved to himself.The firm not just belonged to him and Raghav alone, but it was a source of livelihood for all the hundred employees who worked there. If he handed over the company reins and money to Aishwarya, it was as good as throwing it down the drain and destabilising the livelihood of all the people who work there.As he drove back to Allahabad, he stopped briefly at Rae Bareli. His heart longed to meet Damini in person. But what was he going to say to that lovely woman, who had pinned all her hopes on him for marital bliss? How could he break her heart and share this devastating news with her? Perhaps he doesn't deserve the love of such a pure creatur
The Presence of Nargis and Rashid Khan and their little son Ahmed gave the much needed emotional anchor for Damini and Reshma in their new home. Slowly, Reshma began to get accustomed to the new school and friends in Varanasi. Even though Reshma hadn't embraced Sanjay's presence in their lives, she wasn't hostile towards him either. It was the summer of 1992 and Sanjay came down with a severe sunstroke due to the long hours he spent driving between Varanasi and Allahabad. One such night, after a hot and long day of travel, he reached home in Varanasi and just collapsed. It took almost two weeks of constant care and nursing from Damini for him to recover completely. The more love and care Damini showered on him, the more guilt he felt towards her, for his inability to reciprocate her love, or give her the marital status she deserved. He tried to remember when was the last time he felt so nurtured and loved
Raghav came and hugged Sanjay whole heartedly for sharing such happy news, that too on a great day like Diwali. As he hugged his best friend, Sanjay turned towards his Bhabhi and silently shook his head, in reply to the incredulous, unuttered question on her face. Vasudha looked relieved, albeit confused. Sanjay took theladdoofrom the plate his Bhabhi gave him before and stuffed his friend Raghav's mouth with it, celebrating, in his mind the imminent arrival of his child with Damini. Once all the congratulatory moments passed, Sanjay took a smallerladdooout to Aishwarya too and gave it in her palm. Making sure that no
Rewind to 10 hours earlier. Rana and Shankar were having breakfast at Rana's house. "Shankar Bhai, it is a simple job but a very important one. This is a direct order from our Madam Aishwarya ji, so we can't mess it up, ok? We have tosafelyand this is the key word,safelyabduct a pregnant lady from a home. Anyone comes in the way, just hit them to pulp if you want to, but nothing should happen to the pregnant lady. She should be safely transported to a guest house on the outskirts of the city. So, are you up to the job?” Rana observed Shankar carefully and continued, “ I know you have objections about these kinds of jobs, but once y
There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled. There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled. You feel it, don't you? ~~Rumi Aishwarya tried to contact Rana as to what was going on, but couldn't talk to him, as he had already started from his place in search of the Damini and family. By ten o’clock, Raghav was genuinely worried as to why Sanjay hadn't returned home. Vasudha too pretended to be. When they called the factory, there was no answer, as it must have been shut down. Aishwarya gave up all pretense of niceties and insisted that she be allowed to go home. Raghav and Vasudha too agreed, and together they went to Sanjay and Aishwarya's home but Sanjay wasn't there either. Just then Aishwarya got a call from Rana, who aft
"Thank you for helping Sanjay in this critical time, when I couldn't. Sometimes I feel envious of you. He had become closer to you than me. So, he is at your mother's place in Bombay now. Does your mother know? She is my mother in law, but even Sanjay is scared of her." Raghav finally chuckled. Vasudha hit her husband playfully. "Of course, she knows. She is in Varanasi now helping Leela with the baby and would come here to our place too after few months. That's why I thought it would be best for Sanjay ji and Damini to go there. I have written a note to the neighbors who always keep the spare key to our apartment. And I spoke to them over the phone too. By the way Raghav, I saw Damini. She is so serene... such a lovely girl. She is the best thing that could have happened to Sanjay Ji." Vasudha said happily.