sazaa….
The sky was tar black and the large clouds were moving towards him. He heard the tapping of the rain on the bench and then gradually it became a pitter pitter….people ran for cover shouting, hauling, but he sat motionless…the clouds spat out their beads of water and those tears rolled down his cheecks….the rain hit his skin as if it would go right through it…he was so completely wet and numb that he didn't feel the splashing of the vehicles…the litter swirled into the air..drops of water trickled down his face and so did the tears…he sat there frozen with closed eyes..the cold air blew over his face…the drops were soothing…but they couldn't sooth him today…the drops took him into that aura again….
Here…he could hear the murmuring of the rain….he could feel HIS tears as the droplets of moisture began to drip from the window top…he looked at the great sheets of water…deep down he could feel his soul was in pain…he sighed helplessly and turned hearing his name..
He turned with a jerk ,"jee sir"
Acp: abhijeet …wo daya dikhayi nai de raha hai dopaher se….kahan hai who? Theek to hai na?
Abhijeet,helplessly….aap to jante hain sir….aaj 12 september hai….
Call kia tumne?
He calmly shook his head with….nahi...koi fayda nai hai sir(in low tone) wo kuchh aqt akela hi rahe to behter hoga….shayad..
In dino mein hamesha hi udaas rehta hai…tanha sa usski aankhein…(sighed)…17 saalon se dekh raha hoon iss larke ko…
Abhijeet:udaas to who hamesha hi hota hai sir…bass kabhi kabhi chhupa nahi pata….
Acp patted his shoulder with,"jao abhijeet…wo baakiyon k liye kitna bhi khudgarz rahe…tumse to dard baant hi lega…use tumhari zarurat hai..ghar le jaan aur ho sake to khana bhi khila dena…dhyaan rakhna apna bhi aur usska bhi…"
"ghar to le jaunga sir"…he said deeply…"par soch raha hu kya dilasa dunga…"
"Kuchh zakhmon k koi marham nai hote shayad…..''he looked into space
.
.
.
.
A young woman was hanging lifeless on a rope. her eyes were wide open. her face was all red and swollen. Her cheeks had some tears. and there he stood holding her feet tightly in his hands. he shook her again and again . he cried loudly…..
"maa….maa''..he again weeped,"maa….kuchh bolo na maaa" "kuchh to bolo…..maaaaaaaa''…he shouted
He cried like hell again…."maaa ….maaaa ….bolo na maa…"his voice trembled now…
It had been half an hour now. but his mother had no signs of life in her…he shouted , he cries, he shook her with all his strength and then he hugged her feet and broke down…what else could a six years old kid do?
With rain drops batteing roof like hail of bullets, hammering on the windows like rentless drumming of nails. The mighty storm seemed to blow away her mother like a lifeless leaf….he still cried
Some unconsidered figures saw the scene from the rain blurred doors and windows. They heard his painful shrieks. it could pierce their ears but couldn't touch their scene was clear in front of them but they were still interested in scrutinizing the woman.
"Ghar to raha nai…ab izzat bhi nahi rahi aur karti bhi kya…."
"Ch ch ch…khud to mar gayi…bachhe ko bhi dariya mein phenk deti…ab wo lavaris kya karega…"
They slowly dispersed away.
now…deep down he knew that his mother had left him just kike his sat at the floor wrapping his legs with his little still weeped in low knew the harsh reality, his voice didn't make any difference to anybody…neither his dead mother, nor those living creatures outside.
After some minutes, he felt a soft touch on his shoulder he just turned and hugged her tightly. He knew who she just closed hi eyes and let the pain flow out of his eyes.
"maa…maa kuchh bol nai rahi…dekho na kaaki…" just then he stopped, he sensed something,looked at the face of the person with a jerk.
His brother stood wrapping him in his shell. He looked at him again with confusion…."abhii tummm"..loooking keenly
He closed his eyes for a sec.. "mujhe lagaa ki…."
His brother hugged him tightly again..daya whispered," do pal k liye laga jaise…."
Abhi patted hi back gently, wiped his face and giving a side hug spoke," chal ghar chal, pura bheeg gaya….late ho raha hai…bahut ro liya ab aur nahi…hmm…"looking at him. Giving him a side hug , both moved towards the car.
Daya sat at the passenger seat. Abhijeet looked at him after every second..his closed eyes,wet face,he was dipped in his memories again….
He hugged her tight,"maa ko kya hua hai kaaki?...woh kuchh kehti q nai? bolo na…. bola na kaaki" she cried and wrapped him in his arms …"shhhh…chup hoja beta…chup ho jao…sab theek ho jayega….beta…chup ho jao…warna tabiyat kharab ho jayegi…" she spoke with concern
The next thing he remembered was when kaaki gave him a burning wooden stick to him, she held his hands firmly and lighted a did he know that he was actually performing his mother's last rituals. He had himself set fire to her body. He stared keenly at the burning pyre, those burning logs. That fire had actually burnt the innocence out of him, when kaaki held his hands, joined them together and said,"beta pranaam karo maa ko"….he looks at her confusingly with eyes wide open…sometimes he stared at the burning pyre, sometimes at kaaki's face…he was finding his mother or he just knew the truth no one knows….he just looked and looked at the pyre….
An year ago, he had asked his mother about his father. She tried to explain him how a person disappears from this world and you lose him forever and believe that he is with 'bhagwan ji' 'll not see him again abut he'll always guide you and protect you… 'death'!- this is what she called this process…
He looked at her bewildered. She softly smiled at him and ruffled his hair and said…"ummm don't worry, I'll explain you later when you grow up…"
He smiled lightly in reply.. "yaad se batana haan!"
He looked at the pyre again….
His mother had explained him beautifully…..!