Excellent sayings by great men,
‘’love is one amazing forest
Where brave tigers are killed
By beautiful deer and
Every mountain has a fountain’’.
This holds true in the case of the old man.
The old man looks like a lifeless rock,
But in his youth he was
One of the most handsome boys
Of Patna Medical College, Patna.
Blooming with charms and glamours of youth.
He was popularly known among his friends
As Mr. Jha.
But he was very shy and sober
As he hailed from a village school
Where there was no co-education
Someone has said,
”Love is not made,
It just happens
And it has its own criterion.”
Mr. Jha had deep love for one
Of the girls of his class whom
He used to call Prerna.
Hers was a pious name
Which showed her parents were
Pious and righteous in nature.
In Mr. Jha’s eyes
She was a paragon of beauty
And was worthy of her name.
Being one of the toppers of her class
She had straight A’s in all the subjects
All through her medical career
But she looked a little shy
She was like a queen bee
Always surrounded by a bevy of girls
Three of them were like her own shadows
Mr. Jha named them as Shani, Rahu
And Ketu as they never let her free
to talk to anybody.
Mr. Jha being no exception.
But action speaks louder than words.
Prerna was the real source of his inspiration
Which he could not
But mention in his editorial
As the editor of his college magazine.
Prerna was a bit strict and stern.
Never mixed with boys and never
Liked loose talks and when
By chance they came face to face
They used to feel unduly nervous
With their tongue tied
And lips sealed.
But body has its own language
When the tongue fails to work.
Fortunately she was alloted
An adjoining seat to Mr. Jha
In the Biochemistry lab,
Where they were occasioned to read and
Understand each other and
Come closer and closer.
Once she was going to hand
Over the charge of instruments
She seemed depressed
And not at ease.
Mr. Jha sensed the trouble and asked,
”Are you okay?”.
She replied,” Look here,
Mr. Jha, a few of my instruments
Are missing.”
“Don’t worry take mine I will manage anyhow”
Said Mr. Jha.
But he could not manage and
Had to pay the penalty.
When Prerna came to know
That Mr. Jha had to pay the penalty
For her fault
She rushed to him
And insisted on taking the
Penalty- amount.
Mr. Jha said, ‘’please don’t worry over trifles,
I can do anything to see you pleased.
Insist no more or this will
Ache my soul”.
The dignified lady kept a dignified silence.
At times
Silence sounds something
More than that of the very word
YES Can.
They looked deep into each other's eye for quite a long time
as if they were talking in the language of the eyes.
One of his friends was Mr. Sharma.
Mr. Sharma was a very jovial fellow
He used to create humours at times.
One day it so happened that Mr. Jha
Along with Mr. Sharma was sitting
Behind Prerna, there
Was a loose card on the desk.
In emotion,
Mr. Jha wrote on the Card
“Prerna, I love you”.
Mr. Sharma read the card.
Jokingly, he threw the card on the Prerna’s head.
Prerna read the card,turned back and
Gazed at Mr.Jha’s face but uttered no word.
The dignified lady again
Lapsed into deep silence
Only to mince the matter.
But all the three girls
Shani Rahu and Ketu became
Aggrieved,angry,and agitated.
As soon as the class was over there
Was a break and those girls
Virtually dragged her and
Stormed the principal’s chamber
When woman becomes
Angry and agitated
Even a storm feels shy.
Mr. Jha became very nervous
As the principal was a strict disciplinarian.
One of his friends Mr. Choudhary
Hinted him to leave the class for the hostel
And assured him for having a watch over the
Situation, what happened in the principal’s chamber
Was known to none but those three girls were
Found indifferent to and angry with Prerna.
They left the company of Prerna
Which was never seen before.
This was reported by his friend
Mr. Choudhary.
Miss Prerna’s mood was rather light
And happy.
Mr. Jha passed a sleepless night as he was
Mentally perturbed
And pulled himself by ears
And vowed “I would never even
Look at these Bloody Girls,
They are determined to get me
Rusticated on very simple
And trivial grounds. “
Next day while going to attend his class
He saw Miss Prerna
Going alone towards Girls’ hostel.
He followed and said
“Hello Prerna, would you mind
Sparing a few minutes for me?”
Prerna was happy to see Mr. Jha
As she had been searching for him
since yesterday evening,
To have a talk with Mr. Jha.
She looked all around and said
“Oh yes, why not,
Please do come into the waiting hall
And be seated.”
Some kids were banging around the waiting hall,
They were related to some fourth-grade-employees
Of the hostel and were
Used to bringing tea etc
From nearby shops, on a few tips,
For the girls of the hostel.
Some parents were awaiting their wards
In another corner of the hall
And were busy listening
To the radio.
“I have come to tell you one thing.”
Said Mr. Jha
Miss Prerna said,
“I have to tell you many things
I have been looking for you in the
College library and the canteen
I could find you nowhere”
Mr. Jha said,
‘’I have come to apologize for
Yesterday’s incident.
I am very much ashamed of,
And extremely sorry for what
Happened yesterday in the class,
But I didn’t imagine
In my dream of dreams that you will be so cruel
To lodge a complaint
Against me
To the Principal. ”
She feigned to be serious and said,
“Why did you throw the playing-card
On my head?”
Mr. Jha became very nervous,
And was dumb-struck and said,
“I have never thrown, I swear by God.”
“But it’s in your handwriting,
I know”
“I have only written and did nothing more
“Sometime you write on a card
And sometime in your editorial,
And you put me under great trouble.
What has happened to you?”
“I don’t know the why
But I couldn’t help it.
I feel it was quite unwise of me.
Please pardon me.”
Prerna smiled.
“You seem to be an abyss
Of ignorance and innocence
As you put me under a lot of trouble which
Only I have to face and not you.
Please don’t be worried
I have lodged a complaint to the principal
No doubt,but you will be happy to know
That I haven’t disclosed your name
While I was knowing fully well that
None else but you committed
The mischief.
My friends were adamant on and
Pressing me hard for disclosing your name,
But I don’t know why my soul did not
Allow me to do so.
Mr. Jha was extremely grateful, glad
And taken by surprise that Prerna
Had not disclosed his name
Before the principal and saved him
From a lot of trouble and harassments.
Mr. Jha said “Prerna, how great you are!
How nice of you!”
Prerna,”I know you are
A reasonable and responsible boy.
I never expected such type of work
From you, before the whole class.
Mr. Jha, for every work there is a suitable
Time and place otherwise the picture
Becomes dark and gloomy
What was its need?
I know you adore me.”
Mr. Jha said, ”Prerna,
Your culprit is here before you
Do what you please
I confess to my mistake.”
Tears welled up in her eyes
“My Girl friends have been teasing me
Since yesterday evening
By your name.
Gossip-mills of the Girls’ Hostel
Are abuzz overtime about it.
They say ,”you love Mr. Jha secretly.”
Last night I could not sleep
The line ‘Prerna, I love you’
Had been ringing in my ears
In your voice.
Please tell me where my fault is.
I have committed no wrong, even then they are teasing me.
Not only men but women also at times
Lose grip over their emotions.
Mr. Jha said “your girl friends are
Liars, at least I can’t believe
That you Love me”
Prerna said,” I have been tolerating
All your nuisance
You did what you liked, but I never let you
down, depressed and demoralized.
You know,
When you wrote in your editorial
About me
Somehow or the other
My mom came to know
That the editor of the college
Magazine has moved in with her daughter.
I suspect , it is bloody Reema,
Who whispered more than everything
Against me into my mom’s ear
She envies me too much.
Mom asked for the magazine,
And read herself, and became very angry about it.”
I told her, “Mom,
You shouldn’t worry at all.
He is a nice chap
In every respect.
He is my classmate,
very close to me and takes
much care of me.’’
Mom replied in an angry tone
“I know he is very close to you,
I want to know,
Who Mr. Editor is.”
Prerna said,” Just a moment mom,
Here is the photograph of Mr. editor”.
My Mom just gazed at the photo
For a minute or two
Then she gazed at my face,
Looked deep into my eyes,
Smiled and said ,”You are a very very naughty girl”
I encircled my mom from behind
Her chair and kissed her head
And said,”My mom is really great”
Mom said ,”from your childhood
Upto now I gave you what you
Asked for, as you are my only child,
But you always
Took advantage of my weakness.
I fear ,you may put me in great trouble
You know your dad pretty well,
He is old-styled and believes
In old customs and manners.
But you shouldn’t worry at all
I will try to convince him
When I find him
In a cheerful mood.
Are you happy my Babe?”
Hearing this Mr Jha’s chest started swelling.
He felt a bit tightening of his shirt which was loosened,
By opening one of his buttons.
He felt as if he were a university topper.
Without appearing at a university exam.
He took a deep breath,closed his eyes
And fully relaxed in chair.
The warrior in him thoroughly aroused.
For a very sort while he thought himself
As the Samrat Akbar mounted on a big
Decorated Elephant in the battle field which he
Saw very recently in the film named Mugle-Azam,
In which Prithwi Raj kapoor acted as Akbar.
He pulled his sword, raised in the air and said,
‘’Go ahead, now I can conquer any battle.’’
The very next moment he was filled with hatred as
Akbar had fought a battle against the love of his son
With a poor lady.
Her mom for the first time in her life
could have experienced that her
babe had turned into an adult.
Shivering of unique senses
Sparked through her spine
She got lost into the memories
Of her own pre-marital days
When she had met
Prerna’s father for the first time.
Prerna asked,”what are you thinking of .”
Mom said” Prerna, engineers are never
Like doctors.
In my opinion doctors are made up of nerves
While engineers of pure Steel
Your father was always mad after his
Works and projects.
I had never been a source
Of his inspirations.
I want to see the boy personally.
You are the luckiest my babe.
My mom asked every finer details
About you,
But I never let you down anywhere.
Mr. Jha, you left me nowhere.
Everybody is teasing me
Why will you lag behind?
Do tease me to your heart’s content.
Her eyes brimmed
Over with tears.
Mr. Jha requested, “Please excuse me Prerna,
I told you just out of joke and thought
You will take it easy,
But I feel you have been hurt.
I love you too much
For conscience’ sake,
Please forgive me.
I promise,I will never hurt
You again in future.”
Even a word of dearest one hurts
More than a thousand and one
Words of enemies,
And when a gun is already loaded
A slight touch on the trigger
is enough.
The poor fellow,
Mr. Jha couldn’t read
Her mental condition
Which her girl friends
Inflicted to such an extent
That it came to a point
Of bursting.
Mr. Jha pulled the trigger
By mistake, but relieved
All her mental pressure.
Mr. Jha said, “please relax Prerna,
Or I will feel hurt.”
Prerna replied,”if you wil hurt me
In future by your remarks
Or by your behaviour
I promise , I will never show you
My face so long as I am alive.”
Mr. Jha was shocked at hearing this line.
While he was a child
There was a young couple in his relation.
They were very nice
To look at,
And they loved each other madly
The wife was never tired
Of appreciating her husband,
And the same was the case with the Husband,
When she used to be
Angry and aggrieved too much
With her husband
Due to some reason
She would often
Tell her husband.
Only this line
And her husband
Would calm down,
And keep quiet.
It is always better to keep quiet
When one does not know
What to do
and
How to do.
When a lady becomes aggrieved
With her husband
Or dearest one
She often uses this line
Which speaks of nothing,
But deep and sincere love.
At least , Mr. Jha became
Assured of, and confirmed
At that she loved him ,
And all for his deeds.
He felt guilty of himself.
Mr. Jha said ,”Prerna,
You have become very
Serious and sentimental,
Please calm down,
Smile, it pains me to see you like this.”
She smiled, no doubt,
But her eyes were
Still swimming with tears.
Tears were expelled ,
Which could tell
The story of love and dedication
Of long years of the past
Which Mr. Jha could appreciate
And felt at heart, which he
Could never know earlier.
Tears are the last weapon of children
And ladies
Tears, can move anyone
What to talk of their lovers
Tears disclose the secrecy
Of heart like the man,
Who discloses the secrecy
Of house when expelled from
When she could
calm down herself,
Mr. Jha wanted
To divert her mind by asking,
“Prerna, tell me,
Why they are teasing you”
Prerna said in a weeping tone
“First in Principal’s chamber,
They were admant
On, and were forcing me
To disclose your name
Before the principal
For which I was ready
At no cost.
Secondly, when you wrote
About me, in your editorial
My heart will never
Rest in peace if I forget
To thank Miss Prerna,
Who has been a constant
Source of my inspiration,
And without whose help
This magazine couldn’t
Have been possible
To be published.
Although on this, I felt full satisfaction
And completeness in me but I kept it a secret.
But bloody rascals, My girl-friends,
At that time also
compelled me too much to lodge
A complaint to the principal
But I turned a deaf ear to them.
Mr. Jha, I don’t know the why
But I never want to see you
Harmed, harassed and demoralized.
Yesterday, when I came back
From the principal’s chamber
I could find you nowhere
I thought you left the class
Just out of fear.
I was feeling guilty.”
If you know a woman,
You know a world
Mr. Jha was an ignorant
And innocent boy.He always
Misdiagnosed Miss Prena for a misfit.
As she was strict and stern
In his opinion.
He could never know before
That she was also
Sailing in the same boat.
There on the radio
Of the waiting hall,
A heart touching song
Was going on
Gali-gali ghume
Dil tujhe dhundhe
Tere bin tarse nayan
“Lagan lagi tumse maan ki lagan
, lagan lagi tumse
Maan ki lagan.’’
Prerna said” Last night I had
Many grievances against you.
I had decided to fight with you
Whenever you will be caught
Alone and unawares.
But, when you are here
In front of me, in person,
All my grievances
Are gone with the winds
But I must ask you,
What do you find in me,
Which other girls are lacking?
She was in a much better mood
Than usual.
Mr. Jha said “Look here Prerna,
Chastity, gravity and simplicity
Are Divine’s diamonds
Which illuminate
The inner beauty
Of a lady and leaves her
Nothing less than a Goddess
I personally feel that
Beauty without Gravity
Is as good
As a beautifull lady
Without virginity
Over and above
Your face is charming
Skin is glazing,
You have black, curly,
And silky hair,
Your maxillary prominence is prominent
With a bloom, which makes you different
From other girls.
The most characteristic feature is
Your well modulated voice
Which is rather sweeter
Than the cooing of doves
And humming of bees,
Besides technical skills
You are endowed
With creativity, originality,
And popularity among girls
Besides nature and character,
Every part of your body has its own beauty.
Even your heels and toes
Have its own beauty.
But I must say
That your smiles are rather dangerous
You are the most beautiful girl,
Like the rose among the flowers.
Prerna, I am fond of the rose.
The rose attracts me the most,
But, you do something more.”
She relaxed fully with cheers,
Smiled and said,
You do not look only nice,
But you speak so sweet.
I could never know
That you are a master-piece
To win and influence
Your aggrieved friends,
Mr. Jha, you are a reasonable boy
How could you write
In your pen?”
Mr. Jha said,” It might be
A slip of my pen
Or just an outburst of my emotions.
Dream and emotion
Are things of unconscious Mind
And are not under one’s control
It can happen
Only under two circumstances,
If consciousness gets relaxed
Or the emotion is so violent
That consciousness gives way
Now you are the best judge to decide
Which factor was at fault with me.
I must say,
When feelings and ideas
Are forcibly suppressed
They find outlet in emotion and dreams
Suppose you close your door
Daily before going to bed
But one day it was left open
Inadvertently, of course,
And a thief comes
Into your room
And steals away
All your valuables
Now tell me,
Who at fault is.”
Miss Prerna smiled and said,”Please excuse me,
I forgot to tell you one thing
I had been thinking
Of all these days
But I waited impatiently
For suitable time and place to communicate,
There is a thief
Who often creeps
Into my bedroom
When I am in my slumber
With my doors bolted from inside
And he chats and plays with me
And I too relish it
For hours together
Only to chat and play
And not to steal anything
I am telling you the truth.”
Mr. Jha, “This speaks of the truth,
No comments:
Post a Comment