21 May 2016

Tujh Se Milkey Hoon Main Khoya Teri Nighaon Mein...

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This is an imaginary story about a man who falls in love with a woman. Any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental. 



It was the month of November. Rahul went to Kabir Suman's concert at Kala Mandir. The great singer was singing brilliantly. The first half of the concert was simply amazing. During interval Rahul went to Kala Mandir's balcony to have some coffee. There he saw a woman in a blue saree and immediately fell truly, madly, deeply, savagely, helplessly and hopelessly in love with her. There was an angelic radiance in her face and her beauty was simply divine. The first time he saw her, he just could not take his eyes off her beautiful face. And when she smiled, she looked ravishing. He just fell in love with her mesmerizing smile. She looked older than him but that did not stop him from falling in love with her. 

The entire balcony was very crowded. Rahul's friends came over to him and started talking to him. He could not avoid them. He had to talk to them. But even while talking to them, his eyes were actually searching for that woman in blue saree. She would suddenly magically appear and then disappear again in the crowd. The third bell rang. Everybody went back to their seats. Rahul also did so. Throughout the second half of the concert, that woman's face kept on flashing in front of his eyes. He wanted to concentrate on Kabir Suman's songs but his heart was hell bent on concentrating on that woman in blue saree. 

The concert ended. Rahul came downstairs. He saw that woman in the blue saree standing there and talking to Piyali, whom he also knew. Rahul thanked his lucky stars and immediately walked towards them. Piyali acknowledged Rahul's presence and introduced the woman in blue saree to him. Her name was Bishakha. Rahul asked her whether she was there in Facebook. She replied affirmatively. Rahul knew that he would surely find her in Piyali's friend list. 

That very night he searched for Bishakha in Piyali's friend list, found her and immediately sent her a friend request on Facebook. He also made her picture as his laptop wallpaper. She accepted it after a week. She was twelve years older than him, but it seemed to him that he has known her since their last twelve lifetimes. They started talking about Kabir Suman's concert. And about other things too. A few days later they exchanged their phone numbers. Then they started chatting on Whatsapp too. She told Rahul that she was a divorcee. Her ex-husband has married again. She has not. She was teaching in a school. And she stayed with her mother near Park Street. 

It was Christmas eve at Park Street. It was a Wednesday. Rahul was sitting alone at Au Bon Pain in the evening. Suddenly Bishakha messaged him at Whatsapp. She was there surfing through books at Oxford. She was alone too. Rahul immediately went to Oxford. From there they decided to walk together throughout the entire length and breadth of Park Street. It was very crowded. They had a wonderful conversation. She was really well-read and intelligent. Simply with the spark in her eyes, she captured his imagination. Rahul wanted to hold her hand while walking but she did not let him.  

All the restaurants were jam packed. There were serpentine queues in front of all the restaurants in Park Street. Rahul took her to Dreamland Restaurant for dinner. They luckily got an empty table there. This was Rahul's favourite restaurant. All the waiters knew him there because he has been coming to this restaurant for the last fifteen years. Rahul ordered chinese food. Bishakha loved chinese food very much. They spent an hour there chatting while eating. Her mother called her on her mobile. After the meal when the bill arrived, Bishakha insisted on paying it. Rahul wanted to pay it but Bishakha did not let him. After dinner Rahul walked with her towards her home. 

After dropping her home, Rahul came inside St. Xavier's Chapel to attend the Christmas Mass. It began around 11:30 p.m. and it ended around 2 a.m. From St. Xavier's, he went again to Au Bon Pain. It was open till 4 a.m. that night. Inside the chapel, Rahul had put his phone in silent mode. But inside Au Bon Pain, Rahul now messaged Bishakha. She replied. She was still awake. They messaged each other till 4 a.m. Then she went to sleep. Rahul came out of Au Bon Pain around 4 a.m. and hailed a cab from in front of Park Hotel and went to his home. It was very cold. He had to pay an extra hundred rupees to the cab-wallah.  

On the following Sunday, Rahul and Bishakha met at Park Street Cemetery. They went inside and stayed there for an hour and half. From there they went to have lunch at Dreamland Restaurant. From there they went to Oxford Bookstore. After surfing through some books they went upstairs to the Cha Bar and ordered tea. It was quite evident in his eyes that he liked her. She also liked him, but only as a friend, nothing more than that. He told her that he liked her not physically or sexually but intellectually. He liked the fact that she has read so many books and knew so much about literature. There was so much to learn from her. 

After tea, they again decided to walk together throughout the entire length and breadth of Park Street. Rahul again tried to hold her hand but she did not let him again. Park Street was less crowded than Christmas Eve. Rahul told her how much he loved Park Street. While walking he felt like giving her a sudden kiss on her lips in front of everybody, but then controlled himself and realized that this city was still Calcutta, not yet London. Here you can urinate in public, but not kiss. Anyways Rahul wanted to smoke a cigarette, but she did not let him do that either. After walking for an hour or so, she went back to her home. Rahul came back to his house via metro. He lied down on his bed and switched on the TV. He started surfing through the channels and finally stopped at this song :


Khud Se Anjaan Hoon Main
Khud Se Begana
Kya Dekhti Hai Tumhari Nazar 
Mujhko Batana
Do Aankhe Hai
Aankhon Mein Kya Hai
Hmmm Ek Chehra Hai
Kiska Chehra Hai
Pucho Apne Dil Se Pucho
Pucho Hawaon Se

Khoya Khoya Tha 
Duniya Ki Raho Mein
Tujh Se Milkey Hoon Main Khoya
Teri Nighaon Mein
Khoya Khoya Sa...

Kya Hua
Hua Kya Aise 
Kaisi Yeh Hulchul Hai
Badla Hua Hai
Tere Aane Se Jahaan
Kuch Na Kaho Tum
Kyun Na Kahoon Main
Kho Na Jaoon Teri Baato Ki Bahoon Mein

Khoya Khoya Tha 
Duniya Ki Raho Mein
Tujh Se Milkey Hoon Main Khoya
Teri Nighaon Mein
Khoya Khoya Sa...

Kya Ho Tum
Yeh Tum Batao Tum Ne Kya Jana Hai
Jana Ke Tum Ho
Chalo Jana Toh Sahi
Ab Toh Batao
Hmmm Yun Na Satao
Ho Na Jaye Joh Na Socha Khayalo Mein

Khoya Khoya Tha 
Duniya Ki Raho Mein
Tujh Se Milkey Hoon Main Khoya
Teri Nighaon Mein
Khoya Khoya Sa...







Rahul immediately changed his Whatsapp Status to :


Khoya Khoya Tha 
Duniya Ki Raho Mein
Tujh Se Milkey Hoon Main Khoya
Teri Nighaon Mein...


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