True love?

I haven’t blogged for a long time now. One new story to share…

Palampur
20 years back:

Rajeev, a young 24 years old guy, full of life, dreams, hopes, the urge.. the hidden interest to make it big in life visits Palampur, a small Hill Station set on the rising slopes of Kangra Valley before they merge with the Dauladhar ranges, in Himachal Pradesh. His interest in photography pulled him to that place. He was too tired, working, slogging and wanted a break from everything. He had booked for himself a room in one of the best hotels there.

He would simply walk through the lovely tea gardens.. click pictures of local people there.. enjoy a cup of tea in a local tea workers house.. and again just keep walking… His interest in Palampur grew with every passing day. He wanted to know more and more about the place.. its history etc. He heard of a family .. the oldest in Palampur and decided to visit them. The next day he got up early and went to meet them .

He was greeted by a young little girl, very charming, very cute who took him inside. A old man came after almost 15 mins. Everyone addressed him as “babuji” in the family. Rajeev bowed and he too called him babuji. While he was talking to him, a girl came out and sat there with them . She seemed to know much more about Palampur, more than even babuji, though she must have been hardy 20-21 years old. Rajeev was impressed. She told him it was her interest in Palampur coz of which she knows so much about the place. She was a simple looking, tradition girl, who was updated about the modern living style as well, but her values deep rooted. Her name was Malvika. They became good friends. Malvika showed him a number of beautiful places in Palampur in the next couple of days. Places like “Al-hilal”, “Andretta”, “temple of Baijnath”, “Bir and Billing”, “Neughal Khad”,”tea factory”, “Temple of Bundelmata”. Rajeev took many pics of Malvika. Malvika’s simple, innocent attitude, her innocent beauty, her intelligence impressed him a lot. For Malvika it’s a unique experience. She had never been this close to any guy, she felt so attached to him .She actually fell in love with him. She would take Rajeev’s flirtatious compliments too seriously. One day as she waits for Rajeev, he doesn’t come … She waits for hours.. for days but Rajeev never comes back. Finally one day she decides to go to Rajeev’s place in Delhi. There she gets to know that Rajeev is out of country for some course. She is shattered, shocked and very angry. She is angry on herself for waiting for him. She is angry on herself for feeling for him. From a simple innocent girl, a girl who so easily expressed her emotions she turns into a stone when it comes to emotions. Any emotional display would be a faked one. She opened a small bookshop in Palampur and spent her time reading books.

15 years back:

She had been to Delhi to get some new books for her shop. As she was idly going through some stalls she came across Rajeev. She had never expected it. She had thought Delhi is too big to come across him and moreover believed that he was abroad. Rajeev smiled when he saw her and came and talked to her so casually. Malvika simply could not believe it. She tried to be quiet. As quiet as she possibly could. She was supposed to marry a guy her parents had chosen for her in a month. Rajeev didn’t mention even once about his sudden disappearance. Neither did she.

She just bid him bye and left. Once as she was sitting in her stall she saw a car stop outside her stall. It was Rajeev and with him a lovely lady. His wife. They were so happy. So engrossed in each other. Rajeev didn’t know it was Malvika’s shop. He just told her hi and introduced her to his wife. Malvika smiled. She just tried to behave as normal as she could. As soon as they left she cried…cried and cried for hours. And then she decided something. She told her family she wont marry. She simply can’t trust anyone, anyone in her life. Her family objected but she was so determined they could do nothing. She also left India. Went abroad for higher studies. She led a beautifully lonely life. She and her books. She loved painting but now she couldn’t. She felt as if there were no colors left in her life.

A year back:

Malvika was here in India, in Palampur. A man delivered her a letter. It was from Rajeev. He wanted to meet her. She simply didn’t feel like meeting him. All those days, those memories flashed across her eyes. The memories, which had never evaded her thoughts even once. She didn’t feel like meeting him. The next day at 10 when he had asked her to meet him she was still confused, slightly restless. She couldn’t stop herself and went to meet him. He looked fatigued. He felt she still looked so sweet, so charming. They both sat there talking nothing, she wasn’t even looking at him. She regretted the decision of meeting him. She just told him, “Rajeev I have to leave. I have some work. Will talk to you some other day. Take care” He said, “Sure. Just wanted to know how you are. How is your family? Your husband?” “All are fine” is all she said and left. He just smiled back and she left. She didn’t care to look back at him but he was looking at her only till she was out of sight.

2 months back:

She was leaving for her college abroad. She was a professor. She had to go to Delhi first. She was tempted to visit him just once before leaving. When she passed by his house, she just stopped and went in. It was a sudden visit. His housekeeper told her that he is in the garden and led her to the garden. He was sitting in the chair and having his tea. It was early morning. She just told him hi and exchanged a few words. Then she told him that she was leaving the same day. She wanted to meet his wife. He said his wife isn’t there at home so she can’t meet. They talked for sometime. Then she got up to leave. She went a few steps and then came back and said, “Rajeev you wont come to leave me till your gate?” He said, “Hmm don’t worry she will leave you. Goodbye”. She left. But she could feel something somewhere was wrong. She didn’t even have the time to know what it was. She had her flight in another 30 minutes. She had got her luggage checked and cleared when she suddenly felt like going back.

And she went back. She entered his house without knocking. She was shocked to see Rajeev’s wife’s huge photograph in the main room with garland on it. She was dead. She was shocked to see that Rajeev was going from the table to the other room in his wheel chair. She was shocked. She called out his name. He was shocked. He was so angry. He never ever wanted her to know this. One tragic incident had changed their lives. He was happy that Malvika is happy. He never bothered her with his sad stories.

Malvika went near him and said, “ Rajeev please let me be with you. Don’t send me away when I want to share your pains… Share your tears. Please”

He sighed and said, “No Malvika. You should leave. You have your own life. These are my own pains. I have to live with them. And please don’t meet me again. Don’t bother me by coming here. I am happy with my life. I am absolutely fine. There is no tear to be shared. Leave please. Leave now. I have alot of work to do”

Malvika was crying though she hated the tears rolling down from her eyes. The Ice melting, faked emotions being replaced by true, honest, deep emotions.

She said, “Rajeev I don’t have a family to go back to. I never married. I couldn’t. To be honest it wasn’t that I was waiting for you. I knew you would never come back, you were never mine. It’s just that I was so deeply hurt that I felt I couldn’t trust anyone else. Please let me be with you.”

Rajeev was staring at her. [He was hurt. Deeply hurt now. He was happy that at least Malvika was happy. When he had met Malvika years back in Delhi, he knew he loved her. He never told her. He was going to get married in a few more days and heard that even she was getting married. And he felt that she didn’t love him. So he never told her about his feelings. He had left Palampur because he was feeling chained to Malvika. Something, which was a strange thing for him. He wanted to be free and this deep feeling of being chained, bonded, and committed… he hated it. Now when they had met and he got to know that Malvika’s life was sailing smooth he was so happy.]

He kept staring at her, his eyes full of regret now. And Malvika sat in front of him, her hands on his legs, which had now lost sensation completely. She didn’t say a word… just kept looking into his eyes… till Rajeev actually calmed down. His eyes became tenderer… his facial expression more relaxed… more soothed.

He sighed and then looked at her, smiled and said, “Malvika why did all this happen? Why did I run away from you? Our lives could have been so completely different.” She just smiled and said, “That’s life. Our lives are going to be different from today onwards, right from this moment.” They stayed together ever after. Laughed, cried, enjoyed, shared pain together but in Scotland where Malvika was a professor in a University. They started their life afresh.

Need I write? “And they lived happily ever after. ”