The uncommonness is what
we always desire when we think about being in love. Isn’t it my readers?? Well
I have a notion that uncommonness of fact that there is no inkling of being in
love. It just happens without any reason. Well there is a motive to everything
for sure. But Love is more special, more uncommon where there is ordinariness
in our practical life. Don’t you think so?
Tia was a girl of dreams.
She never had decent life with her parents, as she had lived with her divorced
mother. So, her contentment was with being with those dreams she weaved.
Visions that she saw, she built and pondered that when it will come true. Don’t
mistake her my readers that she has no real-world life. But those were her
dreams that kept her in hope to live in better prospect. One of such dreams was
to be with an impeccable man, a man with strong arms and soft heart. The
uncommon part was, she didn’t want the man to be gorgeous or look like demi
god/Greek god like Christian Bale or Hrithik Roshan. The best was she wanted
the person would be more charming by his disposition than his appearances. Tia
was a conventional beauty. But she had a wonderful heart. Always ready to lend
a hand and unstinting to everybody she met. Yet she herself was an icon of
feminism. She stood for the right and empowerment of women.
Tia was an eminent part
in Writer’s Revolutionaries club of her college, where sometimes she and her
fellow club-mates concoct stories for the Drama club about diverse visions of
life, struggle, respect and leading owns life in best potential and honorable mode.
In her sophomore year of college, she wrote an article of waning fact of
feminism. She was feeling that the women are being constantly beleaguered in
different spheres of life. Be it at educational institutes, workplaces, even at
home. Women from tender age to old, are suffering in each corner, the
liberation of women’s spirit is shackled with heavy chains of lust,
selfishness, infidelity and many more domestic violence.
She thought writing won’t
affect, as people are imperiled to forget the other day unless they are
fettered in same agony. Thus, she wrote for play-act and went to the Drama club
with script one day in her college. She didn’t know there is another senior who
just joined the drama club. It happened so, that the newbie was alone in their
drama hall, awaiting others.
Tia came in and asked,
“Who are you? Where are
Raghav, Mitasha and others?”
The gentleman stood up
said,
“I am waiting for them,
as I just joined the club today.”
Tia replied,
“Oh!! That’s nice, I am
Tia, from Writer’s Revolutionaries Club. I just came up with new story. Would
you please give this to Raghav or Mitasha? I have a class to attend, so Thanks
in advance”
She unpleasantly hurried
way with unknown breathlessness and nervousness. Uncommon to what she is.
The young man stood there
with flabbergasted look with the script in his hand and watching Tia panting
away.
After few days at the
Drama Club,
Raghav said, “The script
is really nice, but our principal would not let us do this”.
Tia said “This is truth
Raghav, U know that, but how come you are saying no?”
Mitasha came in and said,
“Guys, Arjun said we need
to do this, as it will create a huge revolution and will give the right stimulation
to many women and even men to think and realize”.
Tia was enthralled over
Arjun’s such statement. But who is this Arjun in their club?
When she asked for it,
Raghav said Arjun is his classmate and recently joined their drama club.
Tia was hugely captivated
over Arjun, She thought of him to be very nice guy. And again her dreams
cropped up.
She had so many
illusions, or rather fashioned so many deductions over Arjun’s temperament,
living style.
But my readers, love is
definitely not on the cards, it seems. As there was nothing more than a first
jumbled meeting of Tia and Arjun.
The other day, when Tia
was called to explicate and elaborate the emotions in the script, she was
formally introduced to Arjun. Arjun was ordinary looking guy with nothing
uncommon in his appearance. But Tia sensed he must have a very striking
personality. Man with Iron hands and words she believed of.
Tia was totally hypnotized
the way Arjun took up the script and explained how to enact them. She felt her
characters are factual in the way Arjun rendered them to his fellow mates.
In these days of play rehearsal,
Tia and Arjun started to become good friends. They even shared time after
college for coffee and had huge rounds of talks over everything. Tia found
Arjun, although have a different personality then her, had this demeanor, that
made her felt sense of safety and politeness.
Tia never happened to mix
with her fellow boy class mates or others as she scrutinize more than anything
she wants to be on safer side. But Arjun was different. She felt, he must have
come from a good class of decent and educated family. So she thought of asking
about his family.
“Tia, can we speak of something else. I can
tell you later about my family.”
Arjun said heatedly this
time as if he didn’t want Tia to let her know about his personal life.
Tia got livid too. She
said,
“Whenever I ask about
your family, or if you have a girlfriend, why do you get so heated?”
Arjun didn’t speak
anything and left the coffee table, swiftly.
Tia wondered what’s gone
wrong with Arjun.
“Why didn’t he never
spoke of his family? Why he remains quiet when I ask about his love life?”
She messaged Arjun that
night,
“I am sorry Arjun, I
didn’t want to hurt you. But I wanted to know more about you, you have become
more than a good friend. But I understand you might have some space and edge to
it. So it’s fine J
Good night”
After few minutes there
was a blink in her phone with Arjun’s message on it.
“Don’t worry, if you
really want to know, meet me tomorrow at Coffee shop”
The next day,
Tia was all fervent to
know more about Arjun’s life. Just then, Arjun came in with white as if he was
in a memorial hall or from a cemetery. Tia wouldn’t understand what the matter
is.
She suddenly asked,
“What happened?”
Arjun slowly seated at
the table and started to speak.
“It’s my Mother’s and
Wife’s Second Death Anniversary. I was giving Shradh for them at the Paschim river ghat nearby”.
It was like a lightning
struck to Tia’s mind and senses.
“Arjun had a wife, and both of his mother and wife died in same day??”
She felt like asking
what? How? And when?
But before she would
speak, Arjun showed her two photographs from his wallet.
Tia took them from Arjun
and started looking at them in speechless manner.
Arjun started saying,
“I come from a very lowly
village down in Rajasthan-Gujrat border. We make Salt and Bandhini work as part
of our daily work and business. But there was a ruthless don of my village, who
took 50% of our income in order to strive his life, lust and living.
He used to utilize every
women for his own needs. He never had a family of his own. He also had a
business of trafficking drugs to Pakistan and sometimes young women trading.
We also had a custom of
child marriage and yes, I was too married at age of 11 years to 10 year old
girl, Chandini.”
Tia looked on to a
beautiful girl’s photo who must be age of 16-17 years. A charismatic beauty for
a village girl to look at.
Arjun continued.
“When I was 18 years and
she was 17, we understood that we are totally in love. We had this good memories
when we both came here once. My parents treated her more than a daughter than a
daughter in law. My father with all his savings had allowed me to study further,
so he sent me here to complete my education. But last year, that uncivilized
Don, Vichitra, had went to his extremes.”
With this Arjun’s eyes
filled up with tears. Tia held his hands to console him and pacify him. He too kept
his hand on her and continued.
“My father had ran out of
money, so I did extra tuitions and other part time jobs to earn my life,
college and rest much more send him. But Still Vichitra had some rough
intentions.
One day he came up to my
house and said that he would give my family 60,000 rupees if they sell my wife,
Chandini to him. When I heard of this from my neighbors of village, I was
enraged, I left the college in mid of exams. For which I had to stay back for a
year later.
Anyhow when I came into
my house…”
Arjun suddenly stopped,
his knuckle was tightened and was sturdier than iron, and his eyes were blood-shot
red, but he wasn’t crying.
Tia was afraid, not for
the tale she was listening, but for Arjun, who was undergoing through lot of agony.
Arjun still continued
after a while that.
“When I came into my
house, there was blood everywhere, and sound of Chandini, shrieking in pain, as
if she was calling to her help. My mother was stabbed and was bleeding to death
and my father injured to core. I understood what’s happening and took the axe
lying at the corner... I first entered my room and killed 5 men surrounded Vichitra
and Chandini, who was watching the most revolting thing in world… Without
looking more further, I axed 20 times on Vichtra’s posterior, slaying him
instantly. I felt I could do anything to justify the mistreated happened to my
wife and my parents.
Watching my wife in this
condition was terrible, Tia. But I hold her in my hands and cried loud. Till
then she had lost her breath her life holding my hands, as if she acknowledged
me for taking revenge of delinquency done to her. The vehemence was still alive,
I still remember this day, and how I had to take my father to hospital and
cremated Chandini and my mother with my own hands.”
Tia was then dreadful
hearing this heart wrenching truth of Arjun’s life. She understood, why Arjun
took the interest over her script. She understood, he was no common man. He was
there to instantly take the revenge of the wrath fell upon his family.
Arjun continued,
“It was a black day.
However I had took up a vow, to never let a woman suffer for anything. I
thought somehow, Lord Gopalji was with me, as the judge bailed me on
self-defense. My father and other villagers too supported me. But I lost my two
most significant women of my life, in hands of those uncouth lustful butchers”.
Tia, after that disclosure
of Arjun’s past, had not slept whole night. She felt the pain for Arjun and
there was more than empathies. She also thought that there are such men who can
do the righteous verdict at the time of such crisis. And even took the pledge
to safeguard the women race whenever required.
Over the time, the
sympathies and sorrow for Arjun became a tender emotion that fostered in Tia’s
heart. She blended herself in Arjun’s colors of sensations, she was drawing
herself more closely to Arjun. But on other hand Arjun although wanted to be
with Tia, somehow he struggled to keep a distance, as the pain of separation
from his wife, Chandini was unbearable at times to him.
These days, Arjun and Tia
started an association in the city as “Help Woman Helpline” taking help of police,
legal and medical help. They helped many women in city whoever came for help in
legal and emotional grounds.
Meanwhile the smoothness
of womanly love, crept into Arjun’s life. Tia although felt that she is in love
with Arjun, but she never confessed. She knew if she would, she will not only upset
Arjun’s past remorse, but also she might lose a friend who was more than a soul
mate would be.
Tia knew Arjun is not
among common men she comprehends, and even when she daily meets with such
abusive cases against women. She even didn’t like her father, as her mother was
tortured by him with his constant ego clashes and domestic abuses. So her
mother had to be separated to save her daughter’s future. Tia then never could
gel up well with men around. Although she never faced such, she kept herself
out of mixing with menfolk, but she had a reverie of being with a person so
different.
Arjun was man of unique
heart very much different than she perceives other men. But yet nobody else can
decipher what’s so uncommon in Arjun than other same class of men. Tia was
completely sure that the man of her dreams is only Arjun. But she too was in
pain that she will never be with him, as she didn’t want him to get hurt.
Meanwhile the compassion
Tia provided was intuited by Arjun. More his heart wanted to live a new life,
he would think of suffering his mother and his wife went through. Arjun was
growing uncomfortable at times being with Tia. He was not able to think at
times what he should do. But then he said to himself,
“May be Tia is only being
sympathetic towards my past suffering and my father.”
Suddenly he felt a wobbly
hand on his shoulder. It was his father. He said to him,
“Son, I know what you are
feeling right now. It was our past that we are still struggling with. But had I
been at your place, I would have happily embraced the future, also with loving
memories of past. Now, you have an option also Son, where your memories are
cared by your upcoming future”
Arjun understood what his
father meant. His future is none other than Tia. Just then his phone beeped and
found that it was Tia’s message.
She wrote,
“Can we meet at our
office tomorrow?”
Arjun couldn’t understand
what happened, why she said such. Suddenly when he entered he found Tia with
her mother.
Arjun asked
“What happened, auntie?
Are you okay?”
Tia’s mother replied
suddenly.
“Will you marry my
daughter?”
Arjun took a step back.
Tia understood Arjun was hurt. She turned her face and started to cry. Then
Tia’s mother replied.
“Tia’s father wants her
to get married to his friend’s son, so that he can get some money to save his
beer bar. That filthy man. Please I beg you Son. Just marry my daughter. So
that I can save her from his uncivilized father and his friend. His friend, Dev
Prasad is a rich business man of this city and his son is a retard. If I can
show him that Tia is married to you, then he might not do anything. If he does
I can take legal help. It’s my fight son, I don’t want my daughter to be
sacrificed. I know I am being selfish and asking so much from you, but please
help me. ”
Arjun couldn’t answer.
Tia replied.
“Mother, Arjun is a nice
guy. I know I love him but…”
Suddenly Arjun replied.
“What did you just now
said, Tia?”
In such rare situation
Tia could not understand how she was able to confess her heart to. So, she
remained silent. She would know, her heart will be broken. But she braced
herself to face it but just then in, Arjun took her hands and said,
“It’s not enough to say
just “I love you”, Tia. We need to enact upon each and every day. I know I
never had a chance to prove it for Chandini, although I think I was able to
bring justice to her suffering. Now when I am getting another chance, I don’t
want to lose it. I promise that I would prove you every day that I love you”
Tears welled up in Tia’s
eyes. She would not say any words. She hugged him. Then Tia, her mother, Arjun
and his father went to near Temple. They got married in the same day. And then
they approached their friend lawyer, Ashutosh, who made their marriage legal
papers. And then they blissfully got married.
Everything was going
smoothly, Tia and Arjun’s married life, their parents. Tia and her mother along
with Arjun’s father worked in the NGO, where else Arjun had a decent job in the
IT company after college.
Until then one day, Tia’s
father and his friend arrived with goons, to forcibly take Tia. Tia’s mother
begged her to leave her daughter as she was married, just then Arjun’s father
called him about the hue and cry in the house which was now situated near to
his office. He understood this time he won’t let his love to fail into hands of
such evil people.
Then he called and came in
with his NGO workers. This time, Tia was well protected by her true mate, her
husband, Arjun. Even if she was injured badly in the commotion, she was happy
and thanked god for Arjun and everyone else, all of them showed bravery. The
other people around who worked for Tia and Arjun’s Help line had beaten the
goons, Tia’s father and Dev Prasad black and blue.
The police arrived and
arrested the goons, Tia’s father and Dev Prasad. They were charge sheeted and
finally jailed with help of local police station’s statement and of various
pending cases against of Dev Prasad. And thus the truth and justice succeeded
and so was the uncommon love.
The love which appeared like
a normal wholehearted relationship, was the quintessence of un-commonality.
Uncommon is love that had no such idea which would be pen down, but the unusual
was the spirit prevailed each day, each moment. Tia and Arjun subsisted their
future overlooking all worries and guarding not only each other but others as
well.
Sruti
Saturday, September 06,
2014
