Saturday, September 20, 2008

Let's Fool Around (Extracts)

Since it was evening, therefore the atmosphere cooled down. Thus the faces of the people looked some what relaxed. But the whole public was tensed because of the late train. Coolies in red were also waiting to lift the luggage’s so as to earn something. But alas, the train was no where.
Suddenly Rahul’s eyes went over a girl clad in white salwar kameez. She was seated on a brief case and was looking at her watch frequently. Although there was a big clock of the platform facing her, but then also she was giving pain to her wrist by turning it again and again. After all she was a girl.
“Look yaar, look”, Rahul whispered to every one.
“What to look at”, questioned Karan to Rahul.
“Katto”, answered Rahul.
“Where”, every one raised there voice together.
“There you idiots. There at the big clock”, Rahul whispered again.
“I think she is also going by Gomti”, guessed Ali.
“Definitely yaar definitely”, confirmed Rahul.
“Yaar she is so beautiful. Yaar Mastan go and make friendship with her. Then you can enjoy your journey also”, Karan said.
“And she is alone also. She would at least need any one to look after her. Yaar after all she is a girl”, added Ali.
“Hmm...Today after so many days you have given me a right suggestion”, Mastan praised every one.
“But let me wait and see for some more time if she is alone or not”, Mastan added.
“If till fifteen minutes no one comes, that means she is alone” Rahul explained Mastan.
All of them started looking at the big clock. Some time they looked at the big clock and some time at the girl. The time was not passing. It seemed that it had stopped.............

..........After all, the class was over and all the students except Mastan went out from the class to drink water etc. Mastan quickly went near Rhea’s bag and slipped the card inside her bag and went outside the class room.
“Have you done it”, Ali asked Mastan in a curious manner.
“Yes, yes, yes, I have done it”, Mastan answered Ali................................

.................The tending love story, took a slight different turn, due to which the base of this newly formed relationship was mixed with love/lust, confusion and suspicion. Both sat a on a rickshaw and the rickshaw headed towards their hostels. Rhea was sitting with her head leaned on Mastan’s shoulders. Both were silent. Mastan was just thinking about the story which Rhea narrated to her. He was still very confused and in dilemma about the reality in her story. He was not able to predict what was going in Rhea’s mind at that moment. Was Rhea telling her the truth or was just playing a fool of him. But beside those confusions and suspicions, Mastan was happy as Rhea was tending to be his girl friend.

Secret of the Hand Gloves (Extracts)

It was a normal routine for every one. All of them had a long BC and went for a long sleep. In some rooms there were three people and in some there were two. But there were also some rooms which contained only one person. These rooms were a part of big mansion, which not only contained these rooms but also a big hall, a covered swimming pool, a basket ball court, a tennis court and an orchard surrounding them in a vast vicinity. This mansion was located at the outskirts of a city as it was meant for enjoying holidays. But these fellows were staying in the house for preparation of different courses entrance exams. Anil was preparing for his engineering entrance exams. Dhiraj was doing ............

..........“Abe kaun chutiya chilla raha hai be”, murmured Dhiraj. “Certainly it is Sandy, he will never get rid of his dramas yaar”, replied Feeroz, the room partner of Dhiraj. After a while all the fellows rushed in Anil’s room as he was the Don of the entire house. But in the room there was only Shiraz on his bed and Anil was no where. But after some time Anil came running. His clothes were soaked in sweat and he was breathing very fast. It seemed that a murder was attempted on him or he saw a ghost. Every one shouted, “abe kya ho gaya be, ye bawlon ki tarah kahan se a raha hai. Aur cheekh kyun raha tha”. Anil was so much terrified that he was not able to speak. He only told, “swimming pool”. Every one rushed to the swimming pool and were shocked to see the situation. The whole swimming pools water turned red and.....................

............Let’s leave them to discuss, as the matter is very critical as you have seen. First of all Iam sorry to keep you all readers in dilemma about the person who has been murdered. But I promise you will enjoy further reading. Well as you must have come across many other people whome I haven’t introduced. I think it’s the right and high time that I should introduce them to you. I would like to name the rooms as room no.1, room no.2 etc, so as to make every thing clear in this confused situation so as to reduce at least your confusions............

.........Going in kitchen in darkness in this situation was really a haunting one. Sweats were following their ways on the body and both of them were trying to reach the kitchen. “Arey Shaukat bhai, yaar aur logon ke sath ana chahiye tha”, Badal spoke. Shaukat replied, “sach me aise situation me mujhe to bahut darr lag raha hai”.There voice echoed in the hall and they any how reached the kitchen door. “Yaar Shaukat koi kitchen me hoga to nahi”, terrified Badal inquired. “Abe sale tu chup kar”, Shaukat cried slowly. Then Shaukat opened the door of the kitchen. Both of them entered the kitchen and started searching the match box by there hands. In this search something came in hands of Badal. It was some what soft type of thing. By inquiring the shape of that object Badal realized that it was a hand with five fingers.........

The Call Girl (Extracts)

The night was not enough dark to hide my sleazy face. But the sluggish clouds some how helped me to hide my face in the half moon lit night. There were three straight roads which met at the junction. I was walking on the footpath of the fourth one, which met all the roads at the junction, but was slightly a curved one. The cold breeze with a sight speed touched my sari and went away. It was almost 5th time that it did like this. The traffic lights at the junction of the road just blinked in orange color. It was a signal to tell the riders of night neither to stop and nor to speed up.
After walking a distance, I had reached to the same old tree. It was the same tree under which I passed much time waiting for my customers. This was not only the place where I waited. There were many other places too, but this place was somewhat lonely and far from the reach of crowd. On that day, I was thinking about the old tree that was going to miss me for ever. I was so selfish. It helped me a lot when I was alone. It gave me shades and was like a true friend to me. But now I was going to leave my work, my customers and the life of shame.
Seeing at the tree I said, “Oh my dear tree. You were a nice companion to me. You were true and faithful friend to me. I will never forget you. Please forgive me.”
My eyes were full of tears and nose was watery. I took out my hanky to absorb the tears in it. Just then I heard a voice, “Excuse me”........................................

The Journey (Extracts)

The moon continuously followed us. Its speed was same as of ours. It was a full moon and the yellow light filtered through the green trees and touched the road. The road was long curved in a special fashion and the jeep was running smoothly. In between some jerks were coming but they got lost in the way. The air was gushing inside and was playing with our hairs. I lay at the back seat of the jeep and was gazing at my friends who were asleep on the back and front seats. I was thinking about my future without them. These friends remained always with me. In every situation of life they supported me. In school, in coaching, in tours, in exams and in punishments they always smiled with me. I was thinking about the same moments which I passed happily with them.
Now the time had come that we all had to separate. Our 10th class board exams were over. The result still remained undisclosed to haunt us. So we decided to plan the last tour of our life in which we all were together. That also ended drastically and the trekker stopped to drop my friends to their respective residents. Lastly I was also dropped to my resident. I was exhausted and was extremely tired. So I went to sleep.
Like this many days and many nights passed. In between we used to gather sometimes, just to enjoy the final moments. No one knew, who was to land up where. I met these friends, three years ago. Three years ago I came here to take admissions in 8th class. How the time has slipped and is slipping, time itself can’t tell.
It was a fine morning of June 1997 and at about 8 the phone bell ranged. It was the same monotonous type of ringing sound of a telephone which was used those days. At that time there were no mobile phones or land line phones of different ring tones. They were one and only one of their kinds. Well I picked up the phone and the hello voice revealed that it was.......................

Saturday, September 13, 2008

The Sacrifice

[If you are left with nothing other than choosing one option from a number of given options and all the options seem equally correct, then what would you do? The story revolves around the various sacrifices made by different people. In the end, the story leaves the reader in a dilemma in choosing the correct option as the biggest sacrifice.]

It used to be very romantic scene when Gull used to meet Mahnaaz at the lonely river with his hands in her hands and their eyes gazing at the setting sun at the end of the river with a number of singing and perching birds, some playing, some flying over the blue aquatic surface making the water vibrate and produce circular waves traveling into infinity. Gull and Mahnaaz passed their time at the bank sometimes talking about the birds, sometimes about the river and sometimes about themselves. Many times Mahnaaz asked Gull a question that if he were in a situation to choose one option from the two- either marrying her or becoming the king of the country, then what he would choose? Then Gull’s reply used to be that he would like to go for the second option. He always used to tease her in one way or the other. But Mahnaaz was always one step ahead of Gull in teasing. She used to reply that this would really set her free from Gull and she would be free to come with anyone else at the bank of the river. But both of them knew that this was just a competition of teasing and nothing else.
Gull was a soldier of the country’s army whose king was Firouz. Firouz was a young king and a good friend of Gull.Firouz became king at a very young age because he lost his father in a battle. Like his father Firouz was also a brave fighter. Now the time came for Gull and Mahnaaz to appear in wedding ceremony of their young king Firouz with a beautiful princess Sameen.Gull and Mahnaaz looked very happy on the day of marriage. Gull said to Mahnaaz that he would also marry such a beautiful princess like Sameen.Then Mahnaaz took a deep sigh and replied that for this one has to be as handsome as Firouz. Like this the day of ceremony ended and the night fell.
A couple of days passed and one-day war was declared in the country. Mahnaaz was very much worried because Gull had to leave for the war. Mahnaaz tried to stop Gull by many ways. She asked him to run away from the country to such a place where no on e could find them. Gull explained her that this was not possible and it was must for him to go in the war. He promised her that he will return from war and then they will marry each other. The war continued for one week and it brought bad news for several people. The people lost their king Firouz and Sameen her husband in the war. Sameen fainted when she heard the news of her husband’s death. The whole country sunk in the deep sea of sadness. Time, the great healer, healed the wounds of people but there was no one to heal the wound of queen Sameen. Her eyes were always seen wet. Neither she wept nor did she cry. She became a living dead after the war. Gull and Mahnaaz felt very much pity on their queen. Mahnaaz always asked Gull that why this happened but never got her answer.
One day Gull was called in the palace in front of the ministers. One minister told him that before going for the war, king Firouz ordered that after his death Gull should be made king and marries queen Sameen and rule the country. After hearing these words Gull was in a state of shock and fell in a great dilemma because in any case he could not revert to the orders of the late king. He agreed and returned to Mahnaaz.When Mahnaaz asked about the matter he told her that the late king wanted him to become king after his death. After hearing the news, Mahnaaz jumped with joy and replied that why he was not happy with this great news. Mahnaaz was so happy because she heard only the half part, rather the good part of the news. She was so happy that she started thinking about their future life when Gull will be the king and she would be the queen. She totally forgot about the queen Sameen.Suddenly Sameen’s sad face struck the mind of Mahnaaz and the whole situation changed. The most joyous moment of Mahnaaz’ life became the worst moment of her life when she saw tears in Gull’s eyes. For an hour Both Gull and Mahnaaz sat together at the same lonely river bank but for the last time, gazing at the setting sun .The situation was just as their jokes came true which they used to do which each other several times at the same place. Both of them knew that this was the last time for them to be together at their favorite place.
The day came and Gull was married to Sameen.Some months later Gull asked Mahnaaz to marry Aftab.Aftab was a handsome person and was rich fruit merchant. Mahnaaz denied at the first time but when Gull persuaded her to marry Aftab for their love, the same love that existed between the hearts of Gull and Mahnaaz, she agreed. Aftab was a very loving and caring person .He always tried to make Mahnaaz happy. He always told Mahnaaz that he loved her very much and used to ask whether she loved him or not. Mahnaaz didn’t answer his question and just used to give a smile. Soon the days passed and God gave a handsome son in the lap of Sameen.The palace was decorated with candles and all the people came to see the small prince. Aftab and Mahnaaz also came to bless the baby prince. Aftab said that baby looked like his father and Mahnaaz replied that he looked like his mother.
Some more months passed and something bad happened. While giving birth to her child, Mahnaaz reached to a serious condition. The doctor said that he couldn’t save Mahnaaz. At the last moment Gull and Sameen reached Aftab’s house. Lying on her bed, Mahnaaz said that she wished to see her daughter growing up, playing and speaking before her eyes. She asked the fault of the small child that her mother died after her birth. Gull tried to assure Mahnaaz that nothing will happen to her. But she knew very well that what would happen. The last moment came and Aftab held the hands of his wife with lot of tears in his eyes. Mahnaaz said that she never told Aftab, but she always loved him very much from the beginning of their marital life. She told Gull that she tried very much to forget him and not to love him but was unable to do so. She said that Gull was the person who made her know how to love and Aftab was a person who made her know how to sustain love. She asked Aftab to forgive her for not being with him throughout his life. At last she asked Aftab to look after her daughter and don’t make her feel that she has no mother. She took her last breath in the arms of Aftab and closed her eyes forever. The whole environment was full of sorrow and tears rushed from the eyes of everyone.
Some days later Aftab came to meet Gull and Sameen.The asked a for a favor from Gull and Sameen.The favor was that he wanted that they should adapt his daughter as their daughter because he didn’t wanted that his daughter should feel that she is without a mother. Gull and Sameen accepted Aftab’s will without any hesitation. Then Gull asked Aftab that he would be alone without her daughter and how he would live without her. Then Aftab replied that he had no problem, he could live without her daughter. He said that he used to be out of the city all the time for business and when he would be in the city he could come to the palace to see her and meet his daughter. Aftab asked Gull to promise him that he would not let her daughter know the truth. Gull and Sameen kept Aftab daughter’s name as Bahar because she brought happiness in the palace. Gull and Sameen got a nice sweet daughter and the small prince got a sister.
The days turned into months and months into years. Bahar grew up into a beautiful princess. Aftab used to come in the palace with lot of fruits for her daughter Bahar.He spent many hours sitting with her daughter, talking with her, telling her stories and poems. Whenever Aftab departed from the palace he used to keep his hands on her daughter’s cheek with tears in his eyes. Bahar never understood the matter and she used to inquire the question from Gull, Sameen and even Aftab, but never got the answer. Bahar also used to visit Aftab’s house and used to eat delicious fruits. Aftab loved her very much and she also loved him very much. Since Aftab used to be out of his city frequently and didn’t care for his health therefore his health fell down slowly and slowly with time. He became a heart patient and started living in his house and left the buisiness. No one except her daughter, Bahar cared him. She always used to come daily at his house and see whether Aftab was fine. Gull asked Aftab several times to come in the palace and live there but he denied all the time.
One day when Bahar was sitting in the garden of Aftab’s house, she heard a loud voice of her name. Aftab was calling Bahar very loudly. When Bahar rushed in his room, she found Aftab lying on his bed with his palm on the left side of his chest. That was a heart attack and Bahar rushed and held Aftab’s hands. Aftab said that he always loved Bahar very much. With tears in his eyes, Aftab asked Bahar to forgive him. Bahar replied that she also loved him very much. And after that Aftab closed his eyes forever. When Gull and Sameen reached Aftab’s house they found Bahar crying.
The days passed by and the time came when it became necessary for the truth to be revealed to Bahar because seven days were left in Bahar’s marriage. Gull and Sameen asked Bahar to come with them. They took Bahar to the same lonely riverbank where Gull and Mahnaaz used to pass their time. Bahar liked that place very much. She said that she had never been to such a beautiful place. Then Gull told Bahar that today he would be telling her a real story that starts from this beautiful place. Then Bahar sat down on the sand to listen the story. Gull started to narrate the story from the beginning when he and Mahnaaz used to pass their time at the beautiful riverbank. Gull continued his story and at the end when Bahar came to know the reality, she neither cried nor wept. Bahar got her answer that why Aftab was asking her to forgive him.
After sometime all the three returned to the palace. In the evening Bahar went to Aftab’s house. Looking at his picture she wept and cried that for her happiness he ruined his life. She said that she loved him very much. She asked him that why did he asked her to forgive him. At last she said that she was proud of being a daughter of that father who sacrificed his whole life for his daughter’s happiness and daughter of that mother who sacrificed her love for the country.
Aftab sacrificed his whole life for his daughter because he wanted to see her happy and as promised by his wife Mahnaaz. Mahnaaz sacrificed her love Gull and Gull sacrificed his love Mahnaaz for the country. Firouz sacrificed his life and Sameen sacrificed her husband for the country. Whose do you think was the biggest sacrifice?