Khundas

Khundas Khundas !!

Aaya hai mauka khona nahin

Utha hathiyaar, aaj mita dushman ko

Maar daal, phaad daal , cheer daal

Dikha rasta jhannum ka aaj dushman ko

Khundas Khundas

Aaj ghar mai ghus chuke hain

Kaante ye jhaad ke, bin soche kaat daal

Bahut hua samman jahaan ka

Rakh dharti par sar inka, phaad daal

Khundas Khundas

De hunkaara, baja shankh, chamka talwar,

Kar tandav ki gidhdho ki dawat ho jaye

Pe lahoo chad dushman ki chaati per,

Khada khada har shatru bhasm jo jaye

Khundas hai to khundas hai

Haan haan jaha bhar ki khundas hai

Ab to ho jo bhi anajaam, kaun darta hai

Jab lahoo baha hai to lahoo bahane se kaun darta hai

Mumbai going through all the terror. Disturbing series of events and now this is the time to react. We can not forget 26/11.

NAJAR

“This is the poison that you have to use”, Kareem was not looking into Sameer’s eyes. He was trying to avoid an eye-contact because he knew that it would not be easy for Sameer to complete the job this time even after 5 years of experience. Sameer took a deep breath and looked at the big hoarding, flashing the red and blue light over Kareem’s left shoulder. How desperately Sameer wanted to punch Kareem’s face and run away. Run away from all this to a place where he can sit and scream loudly. He wanted to go to a hill, to jump from it and to dive into the water with the splash converting into a Tsunami and flooding the whole world. “Oye!! You are lost again!! Janab come back to earth”, Kareem shouted and Sameer realized that he was standing again at the same place. The hoarding was still showing lights. Red, blue, red, blue. Why not yellow. Sameer wiped his forehead with his white handkerchief. Kareem had been his assistant for 3 years and this was their 4th operation in this short period. Now they were very good friends and Kareem was more like a younger brother to him. Sameer recalled the memories when Kareem visited his home, “Arrey Miyan!! We are RAW officers but it doesn’t mean that we don’t have human emotions. We have to keep a low profile, we don’t have to speak much but that can’t stop me to have parathas made by Aunty ji. It seems you would not even call me in your marriage”. Sameer smiled dryly in this tense moment and shook his head as if to drop all memories. He took the bottle from Kareem and looked at it. “One single shot and the person will die in 15 minutes. No sound at all. Used by KGB and Mosad in many operations.” Kareem was telling Sameer as if he didn’t know about it. But Kareem also knew that Sameer was thinking about only one person right now. Najar.
“Sameer, I have been talking for past 15 minutes and you are not listening to me. I am not talking to you anymore. Bye”, Najar took her purse, pretended to stand but Sameer took her hand and made her to sit again. Najar was pretending to be angry but was smiling in her heart. She knew Sameer was going to propose her and she wanted this to be memorable for always. Sameer was looking at her continuously and when she looked into his eyes, he said “will you die for me?”, Najar fell back on her chair and started laughing hysterically. “I thought you were going to say I love you and you are talking about death and life. Yes Sameer, I can die for you because I love you so much. If you want then I can jump from this building right now.”
The taxi honked again and Sameer crossed his legs nervously and saw out of the window. One couple was laughing, holding each other in arms and trying to gulp the ice-cream as fast as they could. Sameer rested his chin on his hand, now he was alone as
Kareem had asked him to meet at the airport after finishing the job. He saw the silver ring he was wearing and rolled it once. He wanted to get rid of it but could not. “This one is for you, Sam. I hope it will always remind you of me. Never ever forget me otherwise I will kill you. ” and they started laughing again.
The door bell was loud enough to be heard outside the house also. Najar opened the door and Sameer smiled forcefully. She also smiled back and moved sideway to signal him to enter in the room. Sameer knew that her family was out for next three days so he just went inside and made himself comfortable on a wooden sofa. He looked around, the house was warm and he liked it in very first look. “You want water or tea?” Najar asked. Sameer shrugged and Najar understood, it was a signal for tea. Sameer rested his head on sofa and closed his eyes. He felt a pain in his chest and wished it could be a heart attack. Najar shouted, “Do you want snacks also? Mom has made some good snacks.”. “Bring it”, Sameer slipped his hand in his coat and saw the bottle once again. He dropped his coat on the sofa and stood to keep the tension away. “I am using your restroom.”, somehow he spoke out and almost choked in the end. “Sam!! Just let me know if you find something unwanted in the rest room”, Najar cracked a joke and laughed. She always laughed like a small baby after teasing him. Sameer locked the door behind him and opened the tab at full pressure. He stood in front of the mirror and saw his face. Kareem’s voice was still in his head, “You have three options, kill her or kill yourself or betray your country. This is a war man!! Nobody loves anyone. ” He could see a line of tear in his left eye and removed it. His legs were trembling and he was not able to breath and he let out one small shriek. He took the support of wall and stood there for some moments. Now he could not hear any sound from kitchen also. He even did not remember for how much time he kept standing like that. Slowly he gathered his all energy and unlocked the door. His head was spinning and he knew that it is a matter of minutes only. He opened the door and tried to see clearly. Somehow he felt like everything was a blur and focused again. He reached drawing room and saw Najar sitting on the sofa with her head resting on it. Tea cups were on the table. Sameer sat beside Najar and took her hand in his hand. She didn’t respond as usual. He saw her face and thanked God once again to bring her in his life. He stretched his legs and saw Najar opening her deep beautiful eyes. She saw him with all love and touched his face. Her hands were cold, her eyes were sparkling like always and she smiled as if she was in a great pain. Sameer took her other hand and realized that she was holding something in her fist. He opened it and felt like some one stabbed him. It was the same poison bottle, Sameer could not believe it and almost tore apart the coat in search of the bottle. It was not there. Najar’s big eyes were only shedding tears and she was not able to speak. “Najar, talk to me, talk to me Najar. I can’t let you go like this. Why did you do this? You stupid, idiot. I could have found some or the other way. Open your eyes. ” Sameer was screaming in anger. She was now in his arms and almost lost her body balance. “I will take you to hospital. Come, get up you bitch. How dare you to do this without my permission. No, no, no, I am sorry!! …you are very good girl. Best one in the world. I will not let you die.” Najar took a strong hold of Sameer’s shoulders and saw directly in his eyes as if she wanted to talk to him for all her life. Her lips were trembling but there was no sound coming out of it. And finally she loosened her grip and her neck went back swinging freely.
There was a little white cloud in the blue sky, otherwise whole sky was clear. Sameer had never seen such sky in his entire life or he was noticing it for the first time. Past few hours were like a movie and then he realized Kareem sleeping on his seat with seat belt loosened in grip. He didn’t remember how he reached airport, how he ran out of Najar’s house when Kareem entered the house, how he dropped Najar’s hand last time. He felt some heaviness in his heart and took out a letter from his pocket. He slowly read it again.
Dear Sameer,
I know this is a difficult decision but I have to take it. I knew that you were a RAW agent and wanted the secret file from me. In ISI, we also have contacts and agents list, and you were there Sameer in the list. You wanted to serve your country as much as you wanted me to be a part of your life. I can not betray my country as well as I can’t see your state of confusion. I know you have to finish this mission with my life, and you think I can’t read in your eyes that you can never do this. This has to happen some day, so I am just waiting for this day to do it myself. Being the opponent country’s secret agent did not stop me to love you and now even death can not stop me to love you. I am sorry for this step but there was no other way. The moments I shared with you, are still the best ones and I want to sleep in my graveyard with this treasure. I know it will be difficult for you to forget and forgive me but never feel guilty for all this.
This was my decision and you don’t have any role in it. Would you not do the same if I was in your position? You can always find a new love in your life and I am only repeating your lines, you find some one and you loose some one but life moves on. Destiny was not in our favor for the entire life but I am lucky enough to find a love like you. Mamma always told me that some people spend their whole life to find a soul mate and look at me. I found you and in this last one year, I got all the love which I had never imagined.
Promise me that you will safely go back to your country and start a new life. Promise me that you will find some one with whom you can share the same thoughts as you did it with me. Promise me that you will live each and every moment in the same way as we lived in past one year. And promise me that you will never forget me.

Love
Najar

Sameer folded it back and noticed that there were more white clouds making different shapes. Kareem slowly whispered “I am sorry mate, you were correct. She really loved you.” Sameer blinked and saw out of the window again. He tried to find Najar’s face in one of clouds but he could not find it.

This is my first short story ...I am naming it Armaan according to story line and my wish ....please read it and leave comments ..


The bus took a turn and I woke up again. The person sitting beside me also bent towards the window and his head almost hit the window. “Are you alright?” I asked him. “Yes, I am fine”, he replied. After one minute of silence, he asked me something, I removed my earphones and apologized for not listening him. He smiled and again asked “so, are you living in Dehradun?”. I thought what a typical question to start any conversation and replied affirmatively. He said “ohh!! Good! We are from Raiwala; you must know that small town near Dehradun. You are of my son’s age, he is also very fond of music.” He was reminding me of my father who came to drop me at bus stand along with my mom. I became silent again and tried to listen to U2 song but somehow didn’t feel it. The old person asked me again “So you are a student?”, when is he going to leave me alone, I thought. “No, I am working as a software engineer.” I replied back quickly so that he can cut short and don’t ask what exactly I am doing.. He said “oh!! So you are a computer wizard. Nice to meet a person like you.” I thought what the heck, “it is not like this sir. I am not a computer wizard, just know some software and some times I do coding stuff.” He smiled and cleared his throat “Hmm..My son also likes all these technical things. Once he made a transistor and went around showing it.” I nodded as if I was very much interested in listening to his story. I wanted to say “yes, yes, I know your son, didn’t he get the Noble prize last year”, but remained silent. “He always stood first in his class, and played brilliant cricket. His mom always called him the fortune of our family and called him Raja.” I could sense him smiling while looking out of window. Even I could imagine a small kid next to any door running here and there and his parents calling him. The old man carried on “His wishes to become a great man made him so excited that he used to ask me, Papa, who is greater, a pilot or a scientist? And I always told him that it is not the designation which makes a person great, but it is a person who makes a designation great.” The bus passed through a village on the way. Some small kids were waving their hands at our bus, some were poking their finger in their nose and some were gazing at the passengers as if they were zoo animals. “Raja did not want to go to college to help the family by working in a factory, but I wanted him to finish his B.A. . We managed somehow to pay his fees and he also started taking tuition to help himself” the old man rested his head on the seat. The bus stopped and the conductor shouted, “This halt is for 20 minutes. If you want to have snacks then come out”. I saw the old man as he stood to come out with me. It was a bright day with winter sun right above our heads. We had covered the half distance and now I was listening to this man even when his story was a normal one. We sat on a bench and ordered for two teas. The motel was quite crowded and the waiters were running here and there to bring the orders. “Raja did good in his studies in first year. He made some good friends also and they all came to our small house. Sometimes I asked him to concentrate more on his studies than to roam around with his friends but he assured me that everything is fine. I had great expectation from Raja and I didn’t want him to be in any trouble. He always told me to calm down as he was looking far in future. One day he told me that his friends are starting a business of woods. He told me that they will deal in woods and will supply it to the furniture makers in various cities. His eyes were sparkling like pearl and he was not able to hide his excitement. I asked him to get away from this business as I didn’t feel something good in it. He tried to explain me but I was not agreeing. He then shouted that I can’t see him growing from a lower middle class to rich man. He went out and I thought of him like a small baby arguing for a small toy when he was 4 years old. He accused me to stop his growth, to jealous of his success and what not. That evening our family ate in silence, nobody talked at all”. “Arrey, chalo re !!chalo re, it is the time to start the bus, otherwise we will be late for Delhi ”, it was the bus conductor. I started moving towards the bus and we sat down again on our seats. The old man took out a pan-supari from pocket and put some of it in his mouth, just below the lower gum. He offered me also but I refused it. He started again “Raja did not talk to me for few days. He was always avoiding me and talked in a low tone with his mom when I was there. I did not like his behavior and sometimes shouted at my wife to conspire with her son against me. She asked me to sit with Raja and sort out the issue but I did not listen to her. One day Raja came home with packets in his hands. He gave us all new clothes and told his mom that he has got his first profit in business, he was still not facing me and just put a bag in front of me and left. I opened it and there was a piece of fine winter suit. I took it in my hands, felt the warmth and put it back in the cover. This kept on going for few more days, Raja was making good money and now everyone was happy with him. Even my relation with Raja has come to a new point and we were not avoiding each other any more. One day he came with me to hospital also when I felt pain in my chest. All over the life was good.” The old man shifted a bit on his seat and bit his lip while starting again “then one day my neighbor came in running at 10 in the night. I just had my food and wanted to sleep but his nervous face made me fully awake. He told me that police is asking about Raja. My heart was on my mouth when I heard it. I wore my slippers and came out. Police constable was in front of my door. He was careless as usual and smoking a cigarette. He was talking to a person whom I didn’t know and then he saw me coming. He shifted his weight from left to right leg and asked me if I was Raja’s father. I nodded in yes and then he asked me to come with him. I excused and asked to change and take some money with me. My wife asked me what happened, I told her that it was because of her son that police has come to out door. I was cursing the day when Raja joined this business. Now I felt how come he was earning so much money. I saw my all honors coming down to earth which I earned in past 50 years. My fear was turning into reality and I could sense my heartbeats. I sat down with the constable in his jeep. I was holding tightly the seat and all bad thought were coming to my mind. I was sure that police would have caught Raja for smuggling case as I was reading it all in the newspaper. Then the jeep took a right turn and I asked the constable where is he taking me as the police station was not on that road. Constable asked me to calm down and told me that we were going to hospital. I skipped two or three heartbeats. I asked him what was the case but he was not ready to tell. He told me to calm down as my son was all right. I was not ready to accept this fact. That 15 minutes journey looked like a journey form heaven to hell. I stepped on the hospital steps and saw some more police persons. Their leader was reading a hospital document and then he saw me. He came to me and asked if Raja was my son. I said yes and then he sighed and said that my son was in ICU. Raja was undergoing an operation for critical injuries. I was not able to speak. I felt like my legs were not supporting me. I took the support of the wall and asked him, how it happened. I was sure it must be some gang war of wood business man which had shown my son the face of this hospital. The police inspector told that even they didn’t know the exact incident but Raja was out with his friends in wood yard to do a deal. Some wood smugglers attacked them all of a sudden and Raja and his friends started running. One of Raja’s friends had come with his kid who was 3 years old. The gangsters took a hold of this kid. If Raja would have wanted, he could have run for his life, but he didn’t. He stayed back and brought the kid back. The gangsters surrounded and charged Raja with sharp weapons. His all friends ran away and he was alone there. He fought bravely but he was out numbered by the attackers. He was lying there for two-three hours and then someone brought him to the hospital. Police inspector told that Raja and his friends were opposing the wood smuggler, that’s why smugglers attacked them. His chances were less but I didn’t know what my feeling at that moment was. My son always asked me, how to become a great man and he showed why he was a great person. My eyes were full of tears but these were not only of fear and sadness but also of proud.” The old man stopped for a moment and I saw a line of tear falling from his eyes. I was numb and could not speak for a moment and then asked “what happened then?” the old man sighed heavily and said “Raja survived but injuries were deep enough to damage his nervous system. He uses a wheel chair and can not speak properly. He needs a person to take care of his needs. When ever my eyes meet his, I can see some repent there but I told him that I am proud of his acts. He did what he wanted and that also in a pure manner.” The bus started to slow down and I could feel the Delhi bus station approaching. I was still imagining Raja running in the streets with a kite in his hands and showing it to his father. The old man said with a heavy accent “I have come to Delhi to meet the doctors to consult about my son. I have faith in my god and I will see soon my Raja walking and doing his work again. This time I will not stop him.” I shook hand with him and somehow managed to say “I have never seen a father son relation like this. I wish you and Raja best of luck for future.” Then we took our bags and started to out destination. I turned back and could see the old man’s slowly walking image in the darkness of the bus stop. I took a deep breath and I don’t know why I was missing my parents badly.