It was not the first time that Shipra was walking along the banks of Ganga on a breezy winter evening.But today she was feeling the coldness around more than ever before.She was drawing her shawl as close as possible but still her shawl was not providing adequate protection to her slender frame from the chilly winter breeze.
Was it merely the falling winter temperatures..or the cold heart within her which was as if melting within to remind her of a bitter feeling probably with which she has got to live her entire life now.
Barely a week back her beloved elder sister and best friend Shramana got married off and left the country to begin her new life in a far off foreign land.Shipra was not related to her by blood but their relationship was probably much more than that.Shramana was her best and probably only friend with whom she could share her life.Shipra still remembered her school days when she was barely a kindergarten kid and how Shramana didi made sure to help her out wit everything..right from learning to write a capital “A…B…C”,to helping her out to finish her lunch box during the recess.Then as time passed on Shramana didi taught her maths,physics and literature,she was her first trainer who taught her to pick up Kathak steps.She was her confidant,friend,philosopher and guide.If ever a guy troubled her in school,she always knew that Shramana didi will teach him a lesson.In short life for Shipra was nothing without her beloved Shramana didi.
So Shipra has to bear this truth that her didi is no longer with her.She still wondered,who will she approach in case she faces a problem in future,becoz Shramana didi seemed to have a solution to all her problems.It was not that she won’t help her out if ever Shipra approaches her becoz Shipra well remembers those last words of Shramana didi as she was standing at the airport to bid her goodbye.Shramana told her,”Shipra..no matter wherever Iam, remember Iam in ur heart and will always remain there..just remember me and I’ll be there for you”.
Still nothing could console Shipra.Shramana’s marriage had indeed left a void in her life.But was her marriage the only reason???She thought so and wished so..but as always her wishes proved to be futile.The pain in her heart was more deep seated.She still had the regret that her didi couldn’t marry the man whom she loved more than everything in this world.Shipra was probably the only person who had witnessed the gradual growth of love between Shramana and Mohit.She knew that they loved each other from their childhood,she knew they were supposed to be made for each other…in fact she learnt the meaning of love by watching their togetherness.
But not every love story has a happy ending.The great divide of caste and status separated Shramana from Mohit forever.Shramana’s parents could never agree her relationship with a boy whose family could barely make both ends meet.So another love was deemed to be sacrifised on the altar of parents’ wishes.Shramana wanted to leave everything for Mohit,her riches,her home and even her parents.But Mohit actually loved her more than she could ever imagine.So he requested her to be patient and never to take any step in life which would hurt her parents becoz the bonds shared with parents are probably stronger than any other relationship.Shramana couldn’t defy Mohit’s advice and so they both decided to part ways peacefully and even happily as Mohit wanted it to be.
Shipra saw it all..their friendship..their love..their sacrifice..and finally their separation!Before her wedding day Shramana told Shipra in a lonely moment that now she has only one wish in life.She will pray before God for Mohit’s happiness and she would like to see him get married to a girl who would love him more than she does.And she even urged Shipra to pray for the same.All these years not a day had passed when Shipra had not prayed to God wishing for a miracle that would unite her Shramana didi and Mohit forever.But now her didi has given her some altogether different responsibilities.
So today Shipra was walking alone on the banks of Ganga..she had begun praying for Mohit from the past few days itself.After all never in life could she defy her didi’s instructions.And she knew this was what Shramana wanted her to do.Though Shipra doesn’t know whether there could be a girl who could love Mohit more than her Shramana didi did.So once again she was asking for a miracle..but thats what she always did and God kept on turning down her prayers.Maybe this time she would be lucky.After all this time the strength of the prayer was more than before..earlier Shipra alone prayed for Shramana and Mohit..but now Shramana will pray for Mohit..besides Shipra will pray for Mohit too becoz Shramana wants her to do so..and morever Shipra herself wants to do so…Because there was a truth in Shipra’s life which no one else knew….not even Shramana who boasted of knowing Shipra even more than she herself did.But this truth only Shipra knew..and knew the banks of Ganga on which she had walked on so many evenings before…that alongwith the love story of Shramana and Mohit another love was blossoming somewhere silently to be buried forever in the confines of a heart..Shipra was in love too..and with no one else but Mohit.But she knew that her love will never be successful…Shramana and Mohit will never meet..but that never meant that Mohit could be hers ever.She never wanted it that way too.For her Mohit was always Shramana didi’s and could never be anybody else’s.
Hence Shipra moved on the banks slowly..she could see a boat sailing far off in the midst of the river..the boat seemed aimlessly moving as was she..her heart was heavy and burden of it was slowing her pace too..she had too many feelings to nurture,too many responsibilities to handle,too many prayers to make…but remembered only one song everytime she walked along the banks:
Kaagazon ki kashtiyon ka koi kinara hota hai……….
Koi kinara jo kinare se mile..apna kinara hai
O-Maanjhi re..apna kinara,nadiyan ki dhaara hai!
The complexity of relationships, feelings so subtle and yet so lucid….you are really marvellous…Keep writing.
Nice story deepika but i beg to differ with this part of story where you wrote …..”Shramana and Mohit will never meet..but that never meant that Mohit could be hers ever.She never wanted it that way too.For her Mohit was always Shramana didi’’s and could never be anybody else’’s.”…. i guess it would have been better for everyone (Sharmana, Shipra and Mohit too) had this relationship blossom between shipra and mohit…. past is past and who better than shipra can understand and look after mohit better now after his separation from sharmana….. just my view though and i know lot many will not take my view … still
Hi Deepika………Very nice & heart touching Love story. Such aap bahut hi acha likhti ho, thanks 4 sharing…………..SURYAKIRAN
what a beautiful story….and so well narrated….the emotions are so very real….even loss cannot defeat true love….ironocally, strangely …whatever you call it…my next post is about a similar true love story…only they havent parted ways as yet but are fully aware that they will have to sooner or later!…..
Unless I receive request from your end, I would definitely miss from reading this beautiful story. It is a different taste of write-up that I receive from you. So sensational…….. beautiful combination of sentences. It has touched my heart. Thanks a lot for this nice story.
Unless I receive request from your end, I would definitely miss from reading this beautiful story. It is a different taste of write-up that I receive from you. So sensational…….. beautiful combination of sentences. It has touched my heart. Thanks a lot for this nice story.
wah!!!! nice short story….. and at the end your comparison of Shipra with boat is very meaningful. YOu imagine well and even write also very well short stories. The names you have used for the characters in the story are also too good (actually speaking, bengali names are too sweet) and the pic of Howrah Bridge is giving some meaning to your story……….Over all its a beautiful story and I wish you can send it to some magezine for publishing….. i am sure they will publish it….. Just try it out, if not done already……….aameen
achchi story hai…lekin ant mein filmi geet ki panktiyon ka gairjaruri upyog kahani ke lay aur shelly ko prabhavit karta hai
very lovely story Deepika…touched my heart deeply “Koi kinara jo kinare se mile..apna kinara hai…
Deepika……….. You are a very good writer.that is very heart touchy story
GANGA TERAA PAANI AMRIT…………..”Ore jaler tore bhaaisya gelo , maajhi haal paai lo na…………..Athoi jale dubaali re man , kharkutaa re aakraai aa khoj re daangaa “
Ki bepaar boloto… poster alert pelam na… tai aage porte parini… Mohit er nischal prem… Shipra”r mone prem jagiyeche….. Emon prem jaar kono poribhasha nei… Abar shei eki kotha ” prem shudhu prem … chawa-pawa theke onek bodo…tomar ei golpo ta .. mon ke onek kacher theke chuye gelo… Bhaalo theko dear
Hi Deepi, sorry couln”t read the post earlier………This is the life. I would have done the same had I”ve been in her place. About Shripa I wanna say……..she should remain calm and should believe in her unflinching faith towards God……….some miracle may happen in future. Sharmana di has started her new life……..her husband would take care of her and would love her more than Mohit I guess. (bhagvaan ne accha he socha hoga di k liye).
when U drive a car on the buisiest road dear……Deep….u hav to obey strictly its rules n regulations…..u always cant go in the short cut way…….if ur soul excites U to do tht………bcoz …if a accident meets ……n only two motor bodies dash…..then there is also damage n too destructions……n penalty n an incident gets added with ur life……..n if a person comes below ur tyre…….then think …..dear …….U r getting punishment its no doubt from the law ……but think abt the one whose heart gives out his/her last breathe in that accident………then U will forget the thing so called”love”……….n it will follow U for the whole life…………so no n never in wrong way…………very beautifull post my frnd………keep on writing………”m glad bcoz searching good lines………wish u a very happy life……….all the best………..always tc
Very well composed post deepika and the story had a very close resemblance with the life of my one of my best friends… Coming to the post, lets pray Sharmana didi’’s husband will love her more than Mohit does just as she expects someone else to love Mohit more than her. and i guess Shipra already loves Mohit that way…
Lets hope things go smooth in future, that is if the story is a real one…
I did not receive any alert for this from rediff but thanks for the personal alert which gave a me a chance to read such a wonderful post of yours:-))
nice love story………….$
touching
Touching and a pity, that I cannot read the song after all….
Deepika,
You are a very talented writer. You transmit emotion ..is not just empity discription. Great job. I am on my way to work but i intend to read it again later when i have more time.
I look forward to connecting with you soon,
Carl
True love never expects anything in return… wonderful write-up deepika…… keep posting such…
Another masterpiece from you,shramana wants Shipra to pray for Mohit such that he gets a girl in his life who would love him more than she did.But Shramana never realises that the girl is in front of her.And I must say that there are no weighing scales to measure love but had it been there Iam sure it would have proved that Shipra loves Mohit more than anybody else even more than Shramana herself.Because only true love gives the strength to bear everything in silence as Shipra has done all these yrs n is still doing..wonderful depiction of love.
Love like d banks of d river dat never meet.touching…..