Part 5
Maan was working in the garden when she reached. Even before she could voice herself he turned around as if his soul felt her presence as if his heart ached to see her tormented and guilty self.
Geet (hardly any audible whisper as her voice choked in her throat): Maan…
Maan (voice laden with worry seeing her devastated self while his eyes as if reflected her unsaid pain): Kya baat hai Geet? Why are you crying?
(What happened Geet? Why are you crying?)
Geet (she just couldn’t control herself any longer and fell on her knees seeking forgiveness): Please mujhe maaf kar do Maan, mujhe sach mei yeh andaza bhi nahi tha ki meri us ek kwaish ki wajah se you will have to suffer so much (she sobbed truly guilty for her wish, she hadn’t realize its gravity then)
(Please forgive me Maan, I truly didn’t realize that due to my one wish you will have to suffer so much)
Maan (lifting her up): Nahi Geet, isme tumhari koi bhi galti nahi hai, jo bhi kiya maine apne hosho hawas mei kiya, apni marzi se kiya toh phir iski zimedar tum kaise ho sakti ho. Geet mei nahi chahata ki tum is baat ke liye kabhi bhi apne aap ko doshi mehasoos karo, (Seeing her still numb he continued) yeh toh Babaji ki marzi thi. Please don’t blame yourself, you didn’t commit any mistake.
(No Geet, it was not your fault at all, whatever I did, I did consciously, being fully aware of the situation and consequences, with my own wish then how can you be responsible for it. Geet I don’t want you to blame yourself for this ever, (Seeing her still numb he continued) it was Babaji’s wish. Please don’t blame yourself, you didn’t commit any mistake.)
Finally his words provided her soul with the much needed solace and she calmed down. When someone called out for Maan.
Mr. Khanna: Maan beta idhar toh aana zara. (Maan beta, please come here)
Maan: Ji aaya. (to Geet) Mei toh bas yehi aasha karta hoon ki tum jaha bhi raho khush raho bas. (saying so he left from there)
(Ji coming. (to Geet) I only wish that wherever you stay, you stay happy. (saying so he left from there))
Geet was about to leave when Meera came to her.
Meera (mocking smile): Waise manana parega, apni rooh ko sakoon dene ka sabse aasan shortcut tumne doondh hi liye (Geet was surprised to hear her words) Aur nahi toh kya, you knew Maan Bhai would never ever blame you and so hence your guilty heart would so easily be forgiven (Geet was speechless) But if you really want to earn true forgiveness then you should undo the wrong that has happened because of you.
(Hmm I have to agree that you found the easiest shortcut to provide solace to your soul (Geet was surprised to hear her words) What else, you knew Maan Bhai would never ever blame you and so hence your guilty heart would so easily be forgiven (Geet was speechless) But if you really want to earn true forgiveness then you should undo the wrong that has happened because of you.)
Geet was sobbing in her room still trying to contemplate the truth and how his complete life had shattered thanks to her one wish and how stupid that wish now looked after Dev’s betrayal when Mrs. Handa entered her room with her super.
Rano (shocked to see her condition, she kept the tray down and sat next to Geet): Kya hua Beta… (What happened, Beta…)
Geet (she hid herself in her mother’s warm embrace hugging her by the waist as she lay her head in her lap): Maa, yadi unjane mei hum se koi bahut bara paap ho jaye toh… (she sobbed uncontrollably)
(Maa, if unknowingly we commit a huge sin then…)
Mrs. Handa (she knew something was truly amiss but she didn’t want to force Geet rather she wanted her to open up herself, ruffling her hair): Toh beta hume apni galti ka prayashit karna chahiye. Jiska humse bura hua hai usse hume maafi maagani chahiye.
(Then my child, we need to repent our sins. We should seek forgiveness from the person whom we have wronged)
Geet (faint whisper, as if to herself): Pa yadi woh insaan aapko doshi hi na mane toh… woh aap ke maafi maagane se pehele hi aap ko maaf kar de toh… phir aap kya karo (she paused before continuing) uski aakho mei aap ke liye koi nafrat koi ghrina… kuch na ho… chahe aap ne uska sab kuch kyon na cheen liya ho… usse toh aap se jaise koi shikayat hi nahi… usne toh jaise us zillat kohi apni zindagi maan liya ho… par aap ki aatma ka kya… aap ke zameer ka kya… uski nisawat aakho mei zaak kar toh jaise aapki rooh tarap utth thi hai, galini se bar jati hai… aapki aatma aap ko kachotti hai… (she hiccupped as she sobbed bitterly) yeh poori kayanat jaise cheek cheek kar mujhe uska doshi manti hai, usse barbadi ka zimedar karar karti hai… (she howled uncontrollably)
(But what if that person doesn’t even consider you a culprit… if he forgives you even before you can seek forgiveness… then what should you do (she paused before continuing) what if his eyes have no hatred no ill feelings for you… simply nothing… irrespective of the fact that you snatched his everything… he toh as if has no complaint from you… as if he has accepted that humiliation as his life… but what about your soul… what about your conscious… just by peeping into his selfless eyes you soul flinches with extreme pain, your soul fills up with remorse… your consciousness pricks you… (she hiccupped as she sobbed bitterly) it is as if this entire world is screaming declaring me his culprit… accusing me of ruining him… (she howled uncontrollably))
Rano (tears flowed from her eyes seeing her child dying of guilt): Toh phir meri bachi apni galti ko sudharne ki koshish kar (Geet looked up at her mother trying to understand her deep meaning) Kuch aisa kar ki uska dukh kuch kam ho sake… kuch aisa kar jisse ki woh phir se aabad ho sake…
(Then my child, try to correct your mistake (Geet looked up at her mother trying to understand her deep meaning) Do something so that his sorrow can be lessened… do something such that he can be happy once again…)
Geet got up completely determined to undo all wrong and correct everything come what may… she wiped her tears as her mother’s words echoed in her ears. Making up her mind Geet went to her dad.
Geet (her head bowed as silent tears rolled down her cheeks): Dad…
Mohinder (was astonished to see her broken state): Kya hua beta… (What happened beta)
Geet (sobbed as she continued): Mei Maan se kabhi pyaar nahi karti thi (he was surprised as to why was she touching her topic today after 3 months but seeing her devastated state he let it be) Mei Dev se pyaar karti thi magar shayad kisi ke sache pyaar ki itni bekadari karne ki saza mujhe mili, maine jisse sacha pyaar kiya usne sirf aur sirf mera istemal kiya… mere pyaar ke badale mei mujhe itna bada dokha diya… shayad yehi meri saza thi… Par shayad mujhe pyaar ka sahi mayna hi nahi pata tha… pyaar toh woh hai jo Maan ne mujse kiya… mere ek baar bas keh dene se usne meri hare k baat maan li, maani bhi kya… mujhe toh pata hi nahi chala ki usne meri khusi ke liye apna sab kuch daav pe laga diya aur toh aur mujhe uska aisas bhi nahi hone diya apne balidan ka… (She sobbed and sobbed more, Mr. Handa was stunned at the revelation) Maine usse bas kaha ki mujhe usse shaadi nahi karni aur kyunki usne mujhe is bandhan mei bandha hai toh wohi mujhe isse bahar nikale… yeh jante hue bhi ki mei usse pyaar nahi karti usne apne pyaar ke khatir meri yeh kwahish bhi poori kar diya… aur toh aur takhi meri izzat par koi daag na lage usne apni izzat ko daag daag kar diya (she howled as she fell on her knees feeling like a worthless piece of shit) koi kisi se itna pyaar kaise kar sakta hai woh bhi bina kisi swarth ke… yeh jante hue bhi ki uske pyaar ki koi kadar hi nahi hai…. reciprocation toh door ki baat hai… kaise koi apna sab kuch daaw par laga sakta hai (she completely broke down sobbing inconsolably)
(I never loved Maan (he was surprised as to why was she touching her topic today after 3 months but seeing her devastated state he let it be) I loved Dev but maybe because I abussed someone’s pure love so mercilessly that I got its punishment, the person whom I truly loved with all my heart just used me, I only got betrayal in respose to my love… maybe this was my punishment… But maybe I never realized the true essence of pure love… true selfless luv is what Maan did… just because I told him once he agreed to all my conditions, not only did he agree… i didn’t even come to know that just for my happiness he put his everything at stake and he didn’t even make his sacrifise obvious to me… (She sobbed and sobbed more, Mr. Handa was stunned at the revelation) I just told him that I didn’t wanna marry him and since I was in this relationship due to him he only had to make me come out of it… despite knowing that I didn’t love him, for his divine love he fulfilled even this wish of mine… and more over so that I don’t get blamed for it he ruined even his self-respect (she howled as she fell on her knees feeling like a worthless piece of shit) How can someone love someone so much, that too without any selfish interest… knowing that there was no value for his true love…. let alone any reciprocation… how can anyone sacrifise their everything (she completely broke down sobbing inconsolably))
Mr. Handa was completely speechless realizing what all had transpired that day… first he was furious at Geet but seeing her condition he mellowed down. Also he felt that somewhere he too was responsible for the whole ordeal as somewhere he felt he had failed as a father as his only daughter couldn’t even come and tell him that she was unhappy with the marriage he had fixed.
Mohinder (gently caressing her hair): Ab jo ho gaya so ho gaya… we can’t change the past, but we can surely repent for our sins and undo the wrong we did (Geet looked at his with hopeful eyes) Chalo, come with me we have to reunite a family which has been through hell due to our misdeeds, to bestow the lost dignity of the pure soul who has suffered so miserably at our hands, to seek forgiveness from the sister who was forced to accuse her divine brother of a sin so brutal that it would have shook her very soul to the limit of nightmares.
Mr. Handa took Geet along with him to the Khurana Mansion. Mr. and Mrs. Khurana were stunned to hear the revelation to say the least. Thought they felt relieved on the one hand that their son was innocent and pure but on the other hand their soul was burning in hell remembering all the atrocities they had bestowed on their divine child while one part of their heart accused Geet for the infinite sufferings of their Maan. But leaving all the said and unsaid feelings aside they simply rushed to Maan wanting desperately to absorb all his pain and to grant solace to his tortured soul.
As they reached the old age home, Mr. Khurana rushed to Maan’s room with Mrs. Khurana at his heels while Meera stayed a little behind peeping from the door truly relieved that soon her big bro would finally be free from all the filthy accusation as tears of happiness escaped her eyes while Geet stayed far behind as if just to witness their reunion and leave all this far behind.
Maan was cleaning his room when Mr. Khurana called him from behind…
Mr. Khurana (a meek whisper): Maan…
The cloth dropped from his hand hearing his father’s voice and time as if stood still as Maan slowly turned around and as soon as their eyes met, Maan knew that his father knew the entire truth, while on the one hand he was relieved that his family would finally be able to breathe free far away from the tortuous hell he had pushed them to but his soul still declared him responsible for their misery and sufferings and he simply dropped on his knees as tears of remorse overflowed his eyes truly repenting the agony he had caused his beloved family, his heart bleed at having destroyed his own family by his own hands.
Maan (choking with emotions): Bauji, please mujhe maaf kar dijiye… Maine aap sab ka bahut dil dukhaya hai… Mei kitna khudgarz hoon ki apne pyaar ki pavitrata sabit karne ke liye maine aap sab ko dukho ke andero mei dhakel diya… Mei kitna busdil aur kamina hoon, kyunki mai apne pyaar ke saat joot mei bhi bewafai na kar saka mei apni behen ki zindagi nark bana di… (he sobbed bitterly as he desperately clung on to his father’s legs seeking forgiveness for his sins while Mr. Khurana shook his head how could be blame his beloved child after knowing the entire truth)
(Bauji, please forgive me… I have caused so much agony to you all… I am so selfish that in order to prove my love I pushed you all into the dungeons of darkness… I am such a coward and cheap person that just because I couldn’t be unfaithful even in a lie I ruined my sister’s life…)
Mr. Khurana held his shoulders as he gently raised Maan just not able to absorb what all torture their noble child had undergone at their as well as destiny’s hands. Just not able to control his emotions Maan hugged him hard while Mr. Khurana tightly hugged his back wanting him to let go off all his bottled up emotions.
Mr. Khurana: Nahi mere bache, tera toh koi kasoor hi nahi tha… tune kuch bhi nahi kiya…
(No my child, it is not your fault, you didn’t do anything…)
Maan (but how was his soul to forgive himself): Nahi… mei…
Mr. Khurana (cutting him, how was he to see his innocent child suffer in hell): Nahi mere bache bas ab aur nahi… (he broke the hug shaking his head) (No my child, not anymore…)
Madhavi (as she wiped Maan’s tears): Bas ab aur nahi Maan, ab aur aasu nahi… jo hua woh Babaji ki marzi se hua usme tera koi bhi dosh nahi hai (and Maan simply hugged his mother wanting to let go of all his guilt but how was he to console his still remorseful and dying heart. His conscious cursed, accused and abussed his already guilty heart to have caused such unbearable agony to his beloved family. Despite his entire family being there his heart felt numb as his soul was still wandering in the dungeons of darkness as his heart burned in hell to have ruined his family so mercilessly)
(Not anymore Maan, no more tears… whatever happened, happened as per Babaji’s wish, it is not your fault)
While Meera and Mrs. Mehra looked on from the door as tears of happiness poured from their eyes that finally his soul will be able to find some solace, finally he would be free from all the burden, finally he would be able to smile once again…
While Geet silently slid away from the background, no longer having the guts to face her own accusing soul which blamed her for all his misery and she slowly slipped into the oblivion.
Precap: Maan’s guilt trip continues…
I know many are furious at Geet and hate her while some think it was Maan’s fault…
Maan’s luv for his Geet was truly selfless but alas he and his family really suffered…
Geet too is not at fault entirely she was lost in her own pain…
Sometimes we just don’t realize what we do in the spur of the moment blinded in luv…
finally we all are humans and hence flawed…
Let’s see how the journey unfolds dear… hope u will enjoy it and keep giving me long comments
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