“3 for 150”..”3 for 150”..screamed a face which was almost covered by the crowd around him..His voice grew stronger with increase in number of customers at his stall which was located on the roadside.Aryan was amazed to see the whole lane lit of the Mehendi bazaar.It was the eve of last day before Ramzan.Every business in that lane looked to make the most profitable sales on this eve.And yes it could all be seen with a number of discounts and free offers.Add to this the roadside vendors were offering goods at throw away prozes.Aryan was accompanied by his Eeshaan who lived across Mehendi bazaar.”Every year this sight is the most that I love”,said Eeshaan.”Its not that we don’t celebrate other festivals;but this evening has its own significance.Today everyone from the family steps out to buy things for themselves.Be it a kurta or salwaar,dry fruit or shewayya for the surkumba,everything is bought with so much enthusiasm”.”Ya I am seeing it for the first time and trust me Eeshaan I am simply amazed by this sight;look at that old man selling those perfumes,looks like he wants to fill city with fragrance with all those perfumes in the glittering colourful bottles around him,even look at your fren Farhaan in his cloth shop;he s looking as cheerful as ever shoeing all the customers the best pieces of cloth he has.If I would have missed today,guess I would have really missed.Thanks to your bike which broke down and you had a SOS to me to pick you up from here”.
Aryan and Eeshaan were not exactly the best of frenz exactly a year ago.Infact both almost sported radical ideas in their approach towards life and their religion.Both were in the same college during their technical graduation course.And after a particular incident where Aryan had saved Eeshaan from getting suspended from the college they came close to each other.But this closeness too was cut short as Aryan had to leave to Mumbai for his post graduation course and Eeshaan stayed back in his city to join his Abba s grinding machine industry.But often during their vacations they would meet up and hang out together.This day too was one of those days where Eeshaan s bike had choked and best person he could ask for help was Aryan whom he was supposed to meet after an hour.Now both of them were walking through Mehendi Bazaar which was synonymous to “Anarkali bazaar” in Pakistan.It was filled with articles like bangles,bindis,exotic perfumes and this day was the best day to be there.
The street was crowded fully and there was little place was anyone to walk through comfortably.”I will just tell Ghani chacha to send someone from his garage to pick my bike from my house and repair;meanwhile you keep walking down I ll join you”,said Eeshaan.After a few steps Aryan could see the cops putting divider boards in the middle of the road.This was normally done to keep an eye on everyone on the street;it helped them in monitoring.So people on the road were pushed to the end of the road on either sides.Before he could make himself ready for the rapid shifting that was being done the cops pushed him on one side .He stepped on the plastic sheet on the road thus losing his balance he crashed into a person wearing a jet black burkha.His forehead collided with her left shoulder.She suddenly turned towards him.All he could see was lit up eyes behind the face covered burkha ,which were looking at him with anger as if he had done the act with all “Noble” intentions.Aryan exclaimed,”sorry sorry I jus lost my balance.Looking at his face which almost turned white with the fear for getting hit by people for misbehaving with a girl wrinkles appeared beside her eyes looking at which he understood she had smiled and a smile meant she had not taken him in the wrong way.But there were larger problems ahead.The street grew closer to a bottle neck which meant it was a single line through which both of them had walk one behind the other ;and to add to all this chaos the pushing of people from behind reminded Aryan of Mumbai locals.Inspite of the jerks from the people behind him Aryan kept distance from her nota allowing his body to touch even a bit.In the 5 minute walk to the end of the street the gal was amazed to see how this guy behind her kept a distance from her. He kept his eyes on her looking that she was walking safe.When the end of the street came and she passed the bottleneck channel she turned behind and looked at him.”Shukriya”,she said in possibly the sweetest voice he had ever heard.He just kept looking at those eyes and in few moments he was lost in them.The girl took a left walked away into the crowd.Just then he heard a voice which was calling him from far end of the road.It was Eeshaan who was standing outside the Kurta Store.Aryan moved towards store where Eashaan was looking at best kurtas in the whole of the bazaar.Try helping me to pick one,he said.Reluctantly Aryan started looking at the kurtas kept on the table.In his mind he still was lost in those eyes and word shukriya echoed on all four sides.Just then he heard,”Give that cream kurta which has a black lining on the front end”.Yes it was the same voice which was echoing in his mind from past few minutes.Again all he could do was look at those eyes trying to know what was so special about them.”Now Aryan will you pick one for me, I am really getting late”,Eeshaan said.”Give me that cream kurta which has a black lining on the front end”,Aryan asked person who was showing them kurtas in that table.Eeshaan exclaimed”I already have 3 of that colour,don’t want to buy one more of that colour.”.Its for me replied Aryan.You can buy any colour you want.”Oh k “said Eeshaan stuffed a black kurta in the shopkeepers hand and said “Pack it soon”.Meanwhile Aryan kept looking at the girl who was at the cash counter paying the bill.Eeshaan called out”Oye Mr.Aryan; come here and pay for your kurta.”Till Aryan and Eeshaan reached the counter the girl had gone.Soon after dropping Eeshaan home,he reminded Aryan “Ammi has asked you to come home tomorrow by 12 for lunch.Dont be late you ll miss out on the sweet which you like so much.”Aryan nodded and left.To say,he was simple lost in the “shukriya world”.
On the festive day Aryan arrived at Eeshaan s place wearing the brand new kurta he had purchased the previous day.He came in and greeted Eeshaan and his parents who were waiting for him.They all knew him as the guy who had saved Eeshaan from suspension.Both of them had the delicious surkumba which was served in large steel bowls by Eeshaan s mother.Four bowls of sweet and Aryan had his tummy filled to the limit.Then soon both of them moved to Eeshaan s room where they were all eager to watch the India Australia cricket match which was being played in Eden Gardens Kolkata.India had won the toss and decided to bat first.Like all Indians who s adrenaline pumps when Sachin faces Lee same was the case with both Eesh and Aryan.Just 2 overs into the match and both the openers Sachin and Sehwag had started blasting Aussie pacemen all over the park.Both frenz were jumping and shouting around as if they themselves were in Kolkata stands.Soon there was a knock at the window of the room.Eeshaan moved and opened the window.”Can you please stop shouting and lower the volume Eeshaan; I have my exams tomorrow” came the voice.Aryan too looked at the window pane only to synchronize the voice and shimmering eyes of the previous evening.He tried his best to reach the window to see who was it.Just before he reached the pane Eesh shut it and again all that Aryan could see were those black eyes which had looped him the previous evening.Suddenly he acted all normal and asked Eeshaan,”Who is that gal? Never seen her before around?”…She s Afreen.Our distant relative from Ahmedabad.During the riots she lost her father and few months back she moved here with her mother to the house above.Her mother works in a bank and she is giving her B.Ed exams externally.With all relatives here her mother finds our city safe it seems.She keeps telling that one final job she ll finish off and stay peaceful all her life in our neighborhood.Anyways why waste time talking about them lets just enjoy Sachin keep these arrogant aussies at bay.
Soon after India s innings was over Aryan had to leave;but one thing kept troubling him.The face which had made him almost restless had just eluded him by a moment today.He came out of the house and as soon as he kicked to started his bike,he s leg slipped off the kick bar and it rebounded.”Oh Shit Oh shit”..shouted Aryan in pain.Soon then he heard a laugh from the balcony above the house.He could see a fair girl with curled earrings long hair let down standing and laughing out loud.She had worn a sky blue salwar which was of lucknowi material.And yes those were the same eyes which he was thinking about all through.Her beauty made him still for a few seconds.He stood there looking at her laugh with a smile of “cute boy” on his face.After this brief beauty encounter he started his bike and moved.All through the way he kept smiling at himself.He was smitten by Afreen s beauty.Only thing he could see around him was her face and hear was her laughter.Soon he talked to himself and said..It just happen.
That day in the evening he had to get back to Mumbai.As he got into the bus and sat after bidding a good bye to his parents he started dreaming about the girl.He did not know what she had done to him, but everything he saw,thought,felt was she around him.Even after reaching Mumbai,he would often go dazed and lost in his class.Th guy who was hyperactive in all activities was found wandering alone in canteen and corridors.He kept telling his frenz about the whole incident with Afreen,the gal who had stolen his heart.He kept repeating the episode again and again to his frenz.Being a great artist himself he had drawn several sketches of her face.Infact in a sketch he had shown her face in different moods.Soon he was famous as “Lover Boy “in his college.All he talked was about Afreen;but everyone wondered…this guy hasn talked to her,spent time with her…still he s so much into her.Barely a month later Aryan had almost prepared himself to go to his hometown and meet her and tell her how much he loves her.Being strong and as practical as possible he was also ready to give her time if she wanted for the reply.
He reached his city and soon drove his bike that morning right to the street adjacent to her house and walked.As he walked he saw Eeshaan step out of his house.”Hey Aryan..suprise surprise..how come you here..at this time…today!!!”Aryan wasn prepared to answer all these questions.He soon took Eeshaan to the play ground nearby and told him his love story.For a second Eeshaan was shocked to core, he couldn believe the most practical and sensible guy of his college could go crazy on gal whom he had just seen once.After Aryan was done he spoke” I think you should go back to Mumbai and not waste any more time on this.”Aryan questioned” Why u sayin so”..whats the issue tell me..i know she and me are from different religion but I can convince both our parents if she agrees.”…Theres no question of bloody convincing anyone..just forget it…eeshaan shouted.
After the storm calmed down Eesh sat beside Aryan and told what all had happen..
Afreen s marriage was fixed to an accountant in Eeshaan s company.But one of the guys working in Ghani chacha s garage had a thing for her.He kept following her everywhere she went in the city.He also had approached her but she had clearly denied any talk with him.That guy was one of those slimy uneducated uncouth people staying in the same street as she.As soon as he came to know about Afreen s marriage he went wild.He and his frenz beat her groom a week before marriage and threatened him not to marry Afreen.Groom refused to marry stating his reason as he had seen Afreen and the guy going around the city.This brought down her image in the entire society.Everyone started cursing her and often those garage guys used to comment cheap on her.So one day morning her mother couldn find her in house.On her bed was a letter folded inwards.Afreen had left the city and fled.She had written that she couldn take flak she received from the society and even her mother wasn capable of supporting her.So she had applied for a job and fortunately she had got it.She had left all of us and just gone away.Her mother still awaits a letter from Afreen about here whereabouts.After that I also found my scrapbook missing.I thought she would atleast contact me..but no news yet.Just hope she is safe.Anyways Aryan I think you have a great future mate don’t let it go.Get back to Mumbai and concentrate on your studies.
Aryan came back to Mumbai very next day.The moment he came into his room he burst out into tears.He had he sketches all over his room.He could feel wat the girl would have undergone after everything happen to her.Whole nite he kept sobbing in his bed without opening the door of his room for an entire day.Next day he decided to get over it and begin his life in a much better and strong way.He looked at his in the mirror ;he s eyes were bulged and looked weak.He got ready and stepped outside his room and walked into the crowd moving towards his college.He was just as normal as he was when he had joined the college.A month passed by and it was time for the college annual fest.Aryan was incharge of the whole fest.He used to leave his room early and get back late.One evening when he came back to his room he found a box lying outside the door.It was wrapped with a red paper and seemed heavy.He immediately opened the cover and found a round glazed mug which was had words written on it..”To someone who always cared for someone from the someone was cared “..also written was the address of the sender..It read Miss.Afreen Teacher Indian High School Bandra Mumbai…Very next day in the morning he took a bus to Bandra with a bag which had all her sketches in it and most importantly he had worn THE KURTA from where it had all begun!!!
ashwath
