In those days, I was pursuing my
Engineering from I.I.T., Delhi. I only had a few more exams left for third year.
30th April was the last day for exams.
My parents lived in Bhopal. Our bungalow was at the Bairagarh
Road. My father was a contractor for the construction of bridges and roads for
past two decades and was mostly busy in contracts given by Madhya Pradesh
Government.
He got a big tender in Betul valley last year. Around four
hundred labourers were working together on daily basis and our company was
growing persistently.
I was 22 years old and my parents were
always discussing about my marriage. When they wanted to know my decision for
the same, I gave them my consent. First they proposed Varsha’s name (our
ex-neighbour Vermaji’s daughter) before me. She was pursuing M.A. in English
Literature from Bhopal itself. We had good relations with Vermaji’s family for
the past ten years.
I and Varsha often used to play, hang
around and eat together. For the past two years, she started to avoid confronting
me. Whenever I asked the reason, she would smile and walk away.
Nearly six months ago, I met Varsha in
a social programme in Bhopal. While talking to me, she asked my hostel’s
address. After that, she even wrote some letters to me, but I did not reply for
even a single time.
Once the exams got over, I started
preparing to return to my home in Bhopal and wrote a letter to my mother and
informed her. On the day of journey, I boarded an Express Train from New Delhi
Railway Station at 7 in the morning and reached Bhopal Railway Station at 4 pm
on the same day. Our car driver had come to receive me, by 5 pm, I was at home.
It was summer and was very hot. As
soon as I reached patio our maid 'Jaanki' opened the door and greeted me.
Drawing room cooler soothed my mind. I felt silence at home. Till now, Mom
would have welcomed me with words - “Oh! Son, u came”.
I thought Mom would be sleeping in her
room. I went to have bath and got dressed. Then Jaanki asked if she can serve
the breakfast but I asked her to wake up Mom first.
She told me that Mom has gone to Betul
Valley. It was being ten days since she was not at home. Jaanki said - “Ma’am
has wrote a letter for you.”
I asked - “Where is that letter? Show
me.”
She went to Mom’s room and I followed
her. She picked up the letter lying on the table and handed it to me. I started
reading the letter:
“Dear
Babu (My Name),
I
got to know that you are coming home from Delhi. I am leaving for Betul Valley
due to some reason and have to stay there for few days. After reaching home,
you too can come here.
Rest
is fine.
Your
Mom”
2
What could be the reason that Mom went
to a lonesome place leaving her home behind? I was in a doubt after reading the
letter.
Once I thought she might have been
there because it was too hot here. But I guess I was wrong as it was mentioned
in the letter that she had to leave due to some reason. It was better for me not
to predict. I stood up to ask Jaanki and all of a sudden my eyes were stuck on
some dresses hanging in the rack.
There were some beautifully designed
green scarves, long skirts and loose blouses, and then I saw slippers and
sandles. It seemed that we had some guest. All slippers and clothes were seemed
to be of a young lady.
Mom used to keep the cupboard’s key
below bed’s mattress. I took the keys from there and opened the cupboard and
was surprised to see literature books. Meanwhile, Jaanki prepared the breakfast
for me and asked me to come.
While eating I asked Jaanki if we had a
guest at home. In a reply to this, she narrated a long story -
Last month Mom and Dad visited Betul
Valley. My Mom met ‘Narmada’ over there. She is the granddaughter of our laborer’s
supervisor. Narmada had pricked her leg on a thorn. When she tried to scratch
it, pus oozed out and her foot swelled up. Mom got acquainted with this
incident and brought Narmada along with her for the treatment.
Mom was fascinated by her playful,
mercurial behavior, harmonic sweet voice, beauty, black eyes and long hair. Mom
treated Narmada as her daughter on her cleanliness and way of living.
Mom loved the food she cooked and she
became Mom’s family member in a very short span of time. Once Narmada expressed
that she was missing Betul valley and would like to go there. Mom asked Narmada
if she would like to come back to Bhopal.
“Definitely, only if Grandpa gives me
permission to come”- said Narmada. That is why Mom personally went to see her
off and she was with her for the past ten days.
Narmada was born and grown up in a labor family. Four years
ago, her parents died in an accident during digging a mound of soil. It was a
turning point of her life. On seeing her condition, a couple who were doctor by
profession, gave her shelter. With this, she had notable changes in her way of
living. Two years later, that couple shifted abroad and she again returned to
her grandfather’s cottage.
I was amazed with this brief introduction of Narmada. After
dinner, I lay down on bed and started thinking about Narmada.
‘Narmada’ - I have heard this name several times earlier as
well. Undoubtedly, she was an innocent girl, but she was very beautiful and
attractive too, I had heard so.
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3
Jaanki told about Narmada in a
coquettish manner and actually whatever she had said was true. My guess was all
correct.
I fell asleep thinking about Narmada
and suddenly got awoke at 7 in the evening, got fresh and sat on a chair in
patio. Jaanki prepared tea for me.
While handing over the cup she
informed me that Varsha had called up when I was asleep and was asking about me
if I am in Bhopal or not. She informed Varsha about my arrival.
Frequently writing letters and asking
for me on telephone, it seemed that Varsha wanted a close relationship with me.
She again called up at 10 o’clock while I was planning for the next. Varsha
asked - “How are you Babu? When did you return?”
“I came this afternoon. I was asleep
as I was tired.” - I replied.
“Babu, come home tomorrow morning.” -
She said.
I said - “Not sure for tomorrow, but
will call you before when I have to come”. I hung up the receiver after saying
this.
The moment I kept the receiver down,
Jaanki came and said - “Babu, we have to go to Betul valley tomorrow. Ma’am
would be waiting for us.”
I replied - “Fine, start packing for
the journey.”
After having dinner, I tried to sleep
again but my mind was bit distracted. ‘Narmada’ - I was fascinated by this
name. Literally, I just heard of her but never saw her and another point to be
noted that why Mom liked her so much?
Narmada would return because she had
her belongings here, I thought.
Anyways, I slept thinking of her and
woke up at 6 in the morning. Jaanki was busy in her work. I got ready and
informed at Varsha’s home over telephone that I was visiting them.
At around 10o’clock, I took my car and went to Varsha’s
home. When I reached her home, everyone - her parents, brother and she herself
were present. With due respect, I met her parents while she was standing and
peeping from behind the curtains of the door.
I said - “What are you doing there behind the door. Come
here.” Her parents laughed on this. She did not come but sat inside the room.
For a few minutes, I had conversation with her parents
along with tea. Then I went to Varsha's room. She was waiting for me and stood
up as I entered. She greeted me with 'Hello' and I too replied saying ‘Hello’.
She was damn gorgeous. I gazed at childhood Varsha who was
now an adult. She was the same Varsha who were at the heights of playfulness.
She was the same Varsha who were once lean. But now she had a good curvaceous
body. She was wearing a pink suit (traditional outfit of Indian women) and a
long scarf.
When I beheld her, she asked - “What happened Babu?”
I grew conscious and said - “You are a grown up girl now
and looking very pretty”.
She cut off my point and asked that
why didn’t I reply to her letters.
I said - “I was busy in studies, so
couldn’t reply”.
I saw the time, it was late. On seeing
her temerity and impatience I said - “I should leave now, Jaanki would be
waiting for me as we have to leave for Betul.”
“Oh! Yes, there is a girl - Narmada.
She was there at your home as a guest. She seems to be very dangerous, be
alert.” - She said all of a sudden on hearing Betul.
I asked her if she ever met her. She
replied - “Yes, she is very dangerous. She looks clever, frightful by gestures,
quarrelsome by behavior...”
I said - “This is not possible. I
heard enough praises of her and most importantly, she has won Mom’s heart that
Mom went to Betul along with her.”
Varsha said - “Dear, she definitely
knows bewitchment.”
I replied - “Do not think so. She is
an orphan and secondly, she is very innocent girl.”
It seemed that Varsha had developed
disdainful intent towards Narmada. I did chit-chat with her some more time and
returned home saying ‘See you again’.
Maid and driver were waiting for me.
After breakfast and entrusting bungalow’s responsibility to Guard, we started
our journey to Betul at around 2 pm. I myself drove the car and maid and driver
sat on back seat.
It was too hot outside. The moment we
were out of Bhopal, I increased the speed. Within four hours we were near Betul
Valley. Now maid started guiding the way to construction site - “Construction
site is not far away now.”
I increased the speed further. I was
impatient to see Narmada. How she would be like? How beautiful she would be?
What would be her way of talking? I had all these questions in my mind
throughout the journey.
4
We could see high dense alpines everywhere over there. It
was 6 in the evening. There was a light cool breeze in the atmosphere.
As we reached closer, Jaanki gestured our arrival to the
destination. I looked carefully and lower-downed the speed. I saw around 300
workers busy and 8-10 trucks were carrying out their work. Laborers’ shift
usually ended at 5 pm, but they were still working. It seemed that construction
work was on full swing.
I was driving according to maid's direction. We were bit
gone ahead then all of a sudden Jaanki shouted - “See, Narmada is coming with two
pots of water on her head.”
I suddenly put the brakes and started looking for her
everywhere, but I could not see her.
I asked - “Where is she? Where is she coming from?”
Jaanki replied - “Oh! Look towards that hill. She is the only
one who is coming from that side.”
The moment she said so, my eyes caught on Narmada. I got
hypnotized by her glimpse. Round face, beautiful figure, as she was approaching
closer, she seemed even more beautiful. She was wearing yellow bodice and green
knee-length skirt and white scarf. Though she had very sober clothes but her
adulthood was clearly seen emerging. She had her long hair on one side of the neck
on thoraces. She had decency on her face. Overall, she was an attractive girl.
Gradually she disappeared between dense trees.
Jaanki interrupted - “Can we move now or will you keep
staring?”
I drove to Narmada’s home. Really, she
was an idol beauty and the praises I heard were no less.
She was already at home when we
reached. I wanted to see her once more till the time I wanted to. But this
could not happen.
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