Round 2 (Match # 7) - Ranjana Sharma vs. Akshay Rana

*) - The Bench

(Akshay Rana)

Note - I am very busy these days and unable to edit my story which was about 3500 Words the way I wanted.

Aaj fir kuchh yado ka peechha karte hue is park mein aap pahuncha hoo...hamesha ki treh mere kadam us bench ki aur badh rahe hain...
Meri ankhein bench par kuchh khoj rahi thi...ek jageh par akar talash khtama hui....yeh ek dil tha...jise kisi nukili cheez se kured kar bench panaya tha...us mein 2 naam likhe the...akshay and Riya...
Meri ungliya us dil par firne lagi...main fir se un beeti hui yado ke ghere mein ja raha tha...na chahte hue bhi.... Mujhe yaad a rahi thi 5 saal pehle hui wo batein..

5 saal pehle

college ka pehla din tha...kai students aa rahe the....
Main apni seat par tha....tabhi class mein ek ladki aai...bahut khoobsoorat... Ekdum pari...patle honth...kali aankhein...lambe ghane baal...jaise ghatayein...main use hi dekh raha tha...teacher ne uska intro diya....naam tha Rubina...wow...kya naam tha...
Wo mere samne wale bench par baith gyi...
"kya baat hai...poore kho gye ho..." mere sath baithi riya ne kohni marte hue mujhe kaha...
Riya meri new frnd thi....pehle din hi us se achhi dosti ho gyi thi...wo bahut simple si aur natkhat ladki thi..rang sanwla tha...agar Rubina se compare karoo to wo us se kam sunder thi....yani class mein no. 2 par...
Main hadbada gya...
"kya yaar...tu bhi na..."maine kaha
" ja paas jakar baith ja..."
"chal yaar padhne de ab...tu bahut bolti hai..."

pehle din khatam hote hote Riya aur Rubina dost ban gye the...aur main sirf use dekh raha tha...agar meri bhasha mein kahoo to chakshu yudh (aankhein lada) kar raha tha...

Din beet rahe the...main sirf dekhta tha...pehle kabhi aisa nahi hua tha...har ladki k sath flirt karta tha..par ise to bulane mein bhi ajeeb sa lag raha tha...kya ho raha tha mujhe...

Ek din free time mein main ghaas par baitha tha...tabhi pass se Riya aur rubina guzar rahi thi. Riya ne mujhe dekha aur mere paas aai...Rubina se bhi baaton baton mey dosti parvan chadhi.

Us wqt mujhe rubina ki batein yaad aa rahi thin..k sab us se jalte hain...to yeh baatein faila rahe hain...maine riya ki baaton ko seriously nahi liya...

Din beet rahe the...

Us raat phone par

tring tring
"hello riya.."
"kya baat hai shehzade...bade chehak rahe ho..."
" baat hi kuchh aisi hai...sunogi to khush ho jaogi..."
" achha..sunao fir.."
" i m in love....i m in love with rubina...my god...its feeling grt yaar...pagal tha main jo itne dino se pyaar kp bakwaas keh raha tha..."

doosri taraf kucch der shanti rahi fir ek shushk swar suna riya ka...
"akshay maine kaha tha na k us k liye feelings mat palo...pyaar ka matlab bhi pata hai tumhein..."
" are riya tum bhi kin bato ko sach maan rahi ho...aur pyaar ka matlab...
'love is a feeling...which starts from heart...and ends on grave..."
"hahaha..." wo ek mayus hansi thi...
"kya hua...main love ki phylosphy jhaad raha hoo aur tum bukka faad kar hans rahi ho...sahi answer nahi hai kya..."

"nahi akshay...sahi answer us din maloom hoga jis din tumhein love hoga..."

"are itni der se keh to raha hoo pyaar ho gya.."
" wo pyaar nahi hai akshay...tum use pasand karte ho...wo sirf attraction hai...love nahi.."
" waah tumhein to bahut kuchh pata hai ....like and love ek hi cheez hai ok...and i need ur help...taki main use apne dil ki baat keh sakoo..."
" akshay...main to har waqt tumhare sath hoo.."
pata nahi...aaj wo kuchh ajeeb sa react kar rahi thi...aaj uski awaz mein wo chehak...wo chanchlta nahi thi...
" ok to kal milte hain...kuchh sochna k kaise use kahoo.."

"ok" phone cut kar diya...
"kamaal hai...aaj gud nite bhi nahi kaha...chalo....dost ho to aisi...yuhoooooo..." main khush tha....

us sham park mein:

"hi riya" maine riya k pass jate hue kaha...wo apne favourite bench par baithi hui thi...
"hello akshay.." usne jwaab diya..
" aur kya chal raha hai...kmaal hai...itne mahine ho gye...meri soch se ek aadh boy frnd pata lo...kab tak park mein akeli baithi rahogi..."

" main park mein kisi k sath baithne k liye boy frnd banaoo..."
" haa ...wo tujhe company de diya karega...hahaha.."
" tu hai na company dene ko...fir koi boy frnd kyun pataoo..."
" haa wo to hai par frnd aur boy frnd mein diffrence hota hai..."
" achha bhai...u love me i love u...ho gyi relation ship ban gya boy frnd...khush ?..." main is baat par uski taraf hairani bhari nazro se dekh raha tha..." hahahahaha..mazak hai budhdhu.."
"ohh..."

ham mein batein hoti rahi...uske hath mein kuchh tha...wo bench par kuch bana rahi thi...par maine dhyaan nahi diya...

"akshay ek baat poochhoo? "
" poochho"
" yeh jo maine mazak mein kaha agar maan lo serious hokar kehti to tumhara jwaab kya hota.."
" main mana kar deta...ham achhe dost hain bas...tum meri bestest frnd ho...aur yeh rishta kisi bhi girlfrnd boyfrnd wale rishte se kahi badhkar hai..." maine uski baat ka normaly jawaab diya...
"ok.."
"yeh tum kafi der se bench par kya kar rahi ho dikhao..."
" nahi "
" are dikha na..." kehne ka sath hi zabardasti se main uske kareeb aa gya tha...par sirf frnd k jaise...maine uske hath pakdemain dekhne ki koshish kar raha tha k wo kya tha...us jabardasti mein mera face riya k face k kareeb tha...ham ek doosre ki sansein feel kar sakte the...wo ab hath chhudane ki koshish nahi kar rahi thi..bas mujhe dekh rahi thi..
" yeh to dil hai...wow...kon hai wo..badnaseeb..i mean khush naseeb"
" dekh lo dhyan se main uth jati hoo..." wo bench se khadi ho gyi..

Us dil mein 2 nam likhe the.. Riya and Akshay...
"yeh sab kya hai..."
" are baba..abhi to tumhein boy frnd kaha...to koi nishani to chhod k jani padegi.." kehte hi wo hansti hui bhagne lagi...
"thehar tere ko to main abhi batata ho..." hanari chuhalbazi chal rahi thi main bhagte hue kisi ladki se takraya...
" sorry" main abhi bhi bhag raha tha...wo ladki apni anchor ko dekh rahi thi...usne face uthaya aur meri taraf kiya...wo Rubina thi...
Main wahi ruk gya...

"its ok.." we r frnd aur dosti mein sorry nahi kehte.." rubina ne normaly kaha..
" tum meri dost kabhi nahi ho sakti...janti ho tumne ek baar kaha tha koi mera dost nahi banta...tab main tumhara dost bana...par afsos..achhi dosti nibhai tumne..ab sab pata lag gya k kyun koi tumhara dost nahi banta...tum akeli hi theek ho.." uska face dekh kar main aag baboola ho utha tha...hamein sath dekh kar riya bhi hamare pass aa gyi thi..

" kya hua akshay " riya ne poochha..
" riya plzz apni dost se keh do k mujhse door rahe..."
" am sorry akshay jo hua use bhool jao plzz...riya tum hi ise samjhao..plzz" rubina ne riya se kaha..
" Rubina is wqt yeh gusse mein hai...tum filhal plzz yaha se chali jao..."
ab rubina ja chuki thi...mera mood off ho gya tha..
" are chhodo ab kyun garam hue pade ho chalo masti karte hain..." riya ne kaha
" nahi riya...bas ab ghar jane ka man hai..chalo main tumhein bike pe chhod deta hoo.."

ham dono ghar gye..use drop kar k main apne ghar gya...

Us ghtna k 3 din baad mujhe ek call aaya raat mein..
" hello..kaise hain aap.." doosri aur se kisi ladki ki awaz aayi..
" achha hoo...aap kon.."
" ladki hoo awaz se nahi pata lag raha..."
"wo to theek hai aapka koi naam to hoga.."
" ji mera naam apko pata lag gya to aap gusse se phone rakh doge...is se achha hai k jaise main baat kar rahi hoo..vaise hi aap baat karte rahiye...bas..mujhe tasalli ho jayegi.."

" kamal hai...aree apna naam to bataiye..."
" aap mere naam se nafrat karte hain.."
" are aisa konsa pap kar diya aapne...plzz bataiye.."
" main Rubina hoo akshay...plzz phone mat cut karna"
mera dimag uska naam sun kar fat pada tha...
"jaldi bolo mere pass faltu time nahi hai.."
" akshay galatiya sabhi se hoti hai..kya tum meri pehli galati maaf nahi kar sakte...plzz akshay"
" nahi...am sorry..."
"akshay...main aaj bhi akeli hoo...mujhe dost chahiye...tumhi ne kaha tha k tum dosto ka sath nahi chhodte...plzz akshay...plz.."

" dost ban kar hamesha sath hoo...par jo tumne kiya uska kya.."
" wo maine janboojh kar kiya tha...tum meri vajeh se problems mein pade the...main nahi chahti thi k problem aur jyada badhe...to khud se door karne ka wohi ek treeka tha..."
" waah...kya treeka...tha..ab phone rakhoo?"

" nahi akshay plzzz..."
ham mein kareeb ek ghanta baat hui...purani batein zahir hui....ab main use bulane ko razi ho gya tha...par sirf dost k taur par...

Life mein fir se rubina aa gyi thi...aksar phone par wo mujhe kehti thi main tumhein pasand karti hoo...main purani bato ki yaad dila kar hamesha mana kar deta tha...

6 mahine beet gye...

Us raat phone par:
" akshay...mujhe aisa lagta hai k tum mere kareeb aa rahe ho.."
"aisa kuchh bhi nahi hai.."
" tum meri care karte ho...mera khyal rakhte ho...kya ham fir se ek nahi jo sakte.."
" dekho rubina...ek baar main chot kha chuka hoo...phir se nahi.."
"is baar aisa kuchh nahi hoga...." wo shayad ro rahi thi

"no, plzz rubina.."
"itne mein to agar koi janwar paal lo us se bhi pyaar ho jata hai..tum itne pathhar dil kaise ho.." uske rone ki awaz saf sunai de rahi thi...."

" hi..plzz stop crying...plzz ab ro mat..dekho main nahi kar sakta aisa..."
"plzz akshay..give me a one chance...is baar aisa hua to main kabhi tumhare samne nahi aoongi..."
kafi sochne k baad mujhe haa kehna pada...shayad main bhi use pasand karta tha...beautiful jo thi...aur maine to pehle bhi uski khoobsoorti ko hi dekha tha...us din riya ne poocha to maine mana kar diya...aur is cheater ko fir se ek chance...wow...grt..

Ab relationship..normal thi...ham mein jyada baat cheet nahi hoti thi...jyada ek doosre ki taraf dekhte bhi nahi the...sach kahoo to yeh sirf naam ki relation ship thi... Riya ki family bhi mujhe pasand karti thi...ek dum bete sa pyaar karte the sab...main aksar uske ghar jata tha...

4 months baad

main riya k ghar gya..
'ding dong' door bell bajai...kuchh samay baad uski mom ne darwaza khola..

" akshay beta...are aao aao...kaise ho...?"
"achha hoo aunty...aap sab kaise ho..."
" achhe hain beta...ruko main juice lati hoo tum baitho..."
" aunty riya hai...us se kuchh notes lene the..."
" nahi beta wo apni kisi frnd k sath market gyi hai...kya naam tha uski frnd ka.....haa yaad aya..Rubina..."
"oh...main uske room mein dekh leta hoo aunty...shayad notes mil jayein..."
"jaisa tum chaho...tum chalo main riya k room mein juice la deti hoo.."
" are nahi aunty...bas notes lekar main chaloonga..."
main uske room ki aur gya...ander jate hi notes dekhne laga...ek chhote tabel pot k neeche ek diary rakhi thi...mera dhyaan us aur gya...maine use uthaya aur padhne laga....usmein riya ne apni har baat likhi thi...usmein yeh sab bhi tha k wo mujhe kitna pyaar karti hai....

Mera dil dhakk se baith gya..

Us diary ka ek page:

main sirf ek person ko pyaar karti hoo...wo hai akshay...meri zindagi mein aur kisi k liye jageh nahi...par wo...wo to rubina se pyar karta hai..rubina..college ki beautiful girl hai..wo kaha aur main kaha...achha hai akshay ko rubina mili...coz main apne aap ko itna sunder nahi maanti...akshay jis se pyaar karta hai..wo use mil gyi...ye mere liye sabse jyada khushi ki baat hai...bas aage bhi wo khush rahe yehi dua hai meri...

Diary ke us page par kuchh tha...shayad...jab yeh likhi hogi tab wo bahut roi hogi...

Main soch raha tha...Riya mujhse kitna pyaar karti hai..aur main..chhi...dhikkar hai mujh par...sir sundrta k peechhe bhaga...sach mein...pyaar ka matlab nahi pata hai mujhe...pyaar to riya ne kiya hai...agar wo rubina se kam khoobsoorat hai to kya uski galati hai...nahi...fir kyun maine uske pyaar karne ka haq chheen liya...

Socho se bahar nikala us cheekh ne...main dodta hua neeche gya...aunty ki cheekh thi..
"kya hua aunty.."
" beta...rubina...rubina ka accident ho gya...wo sabarmati hospital mein hai..."
"aap ghabrao mat aunty...main dekhta hoo.."

main apni bike ko udata chala ja raha tha...hospital pahunchne par rubina dikhi...

"kya hua riya ko..."

Main nahut gusse mein tha...shayad yeh wo pyaar tha...jo riya k liye umad pada tha...
" main sadak cross kar rahi thi...peechhe se ek truck aa raha tha...mujhe dhyaan nahi tha...riya ne mujhe dhakka diya...main to bach gyi..par riya ko us truck ne apni chapet mein le liya..."
"u....ab kya kahoo tumhein...listen carefully...main tumse pyaar nahi karta...u cheater...tumhare liye maine riya k pyaar ko nahi samjha...aaj tumhari vajeh se wo waha hai..."
" akshay meri kya galati..."
"shut uppp"

tabhi doctor icu se bahar aaye aur kaha...dekhiye...patient ki halat serious hai..bachne ki koi ummeed nahi...
" riya..nahi..kuchh nahi hoga riya ko..."
main icu ki taraf gya..
uski halat dekh kar meri aankho se aansoo nikl pade...shayad zindgi mein 2ri baar roya tha main...
"ak...akshay...chup...ho jao..."wo riya ki karahti aawaz thi...
" riya...mujhe maaf kar do riya...main tumhare pyaar ko samajh nahi paya..i love u riya...sach mein aaj mujhe love aur like ka antr pata lag gya...riya plzz mujhe kabhi chhod kar mat jana.."
"akshay....tum rubina se pyaar karte ho...wo chali jati to tumhein dukh hota..tumhara pyaar tumse chhin jata..aur main aisa hone nahi de sakti thi...maine rubina ko bacha liya akshay.."

“Maine tumhari diary padh li hai Riya..kuch mat kaho.”

"i love u akshay..i love..." usne mujhe gale lagaya...uske baad uski awaz nahi aai...
"riya...riya...kuchh bolo...riyaaaaaaaa"...aansuo ka sailab umad pada tha meri aankho se....
Wo chali gyi thi bahut door...par wo aakhiri lamhe mein mere ander pyaar jaga gyi....

Aaj bhi aksar is bench par yehi uski nishani dekhta hoo...maine socha hua hai...agar riya nahi to koi aur bhi nahi...main kisi se relationship ya shadi nahi karna chahta...

"hello akshay.." us awaz ne mujhe socho se bahar nikala...
Wo Rubina thi...
"hi.."
"akshay...main aaj bhi tumse pyaar karti hoo...'zz give me one more chance.."
" nahi rubina...maine sirf ek hi ladki se pyaar kiya hai...RIYA se..uska pyaar mere dil mein amar hai..tum jo karti ho wo sirf attarction hai...pyaar nahi..kya pyaar ka matlab pata hai tumhein..."
" pyaar ka matlab hai..
Love is a feeling which stars from heart...and ends on grave...pyaar ek ehsas hai...jo dil se shuru ho kar kabr par khatam hota hai.."
" nahi yeh pyaar nahi.."
" par tumhi to yeh shabd kejte the..."

मुझको नसीब था कभी सोहबत का सिलसिला
लेकिन मेरा नसीब कि उसको भी खो दिया!

 गुल की तलाश में कभी गुलशन में जब गया
खुशबू ने मेरे पाँव में काँटा चुभो दिया!

उनकी निगाह की कभी बारिश जो हो गई
मन में जमी जो मैल थी उसको भी धो दिया!

 सोचा कि नाव है तो फिर मँझधार कुछ नहीं

लेकिन समय की मार ने मुझको डुबो दिया.

Rating – 59/100

Word Limit Penalty – 10 Points

Final Rating – 49/100

*) - Kali

(Ranjana Sharma)

'Love' the most appropriate definition all of us find often comes from our couples and romance, mother's selfless love for her child or an animal's love for his master. But, here's a tale with a different perspective. It was a sunny day, with busy roads and birds chirruping their throats out in order to be heard above the city noise. There was some time for the monsoons to arrive.

Though it was warm and bright, but inside a slum, it was as dark as it could have been! They would call it a home. A structure with old concrete wall on one side and tin and rags on other three. Actually, the concrete thing was a left over of some old structure that someday would have existed. A few sacks were stitched together to cover another hole in the slum. This hole was bigger than the rest, big enough to be called as the enterance and rags would play the door.

The inside scape was rather the expected type. Smoke would hinder the view. But their eyes were all used to it. The first thing that could be noticed were a few twigs burning between two stones on the front left corner.This was their chullah ' the slum chullah' instead.

It was not so high or lets say it was too low as one had to bend to walk inside. The perimeter- not more than 4 average steps on either sides. Next to the chullah a bundle of twigs and sticks. A few flat pieces of tin and a few turned and twisted wires served as utensils. Two things that could be identified as old broken buckets served the same purpose. And a lota next to a cunning lady while she lay on floor. She was about to deliver a baby. And was all alone. The familiar sounds from the busy streets appeared disturbing. She cried a few times and then knew nothing unless her consiousness revived. She got up to check the infant still crying. And then something made her beat her head. A girl! I am sure she wasn't even sure about what the new born looked like when she noticed this. She thought for a moment and then got up with great difficulty to feed the child for the first and the last time indeed. Then she stood up to find a piece of cloth and covered the new born with it. She cleared everything to her best. Then she covered her own face with a dupatta and rushed out. She walked unless she reached where she had to. She stopped in behind a tree and then for the first time looked at her daughter with great affection. She then kissed her daughter once...twice... thrice... and many more times. With her eyes glittering and shimmering she moved ahead and left the child on the first stair of the orphanage.She was sure this was better than letting the child killed or sold. She moved back and turned around as she wiped off her tears and sweat and walked back. She never turned around. Well, the girl grew up with the name 'Chhaya' because of her dark complection. She was not very beautiful. Her smile did no magic. Her laughter was no music to ears. Nobody would ever find anything special in her. But, there was something that differentiated her from the rest!

She never wanted to stay there. She always wanted to move out into the world so beautiful, the world she had always known through books- The world of tales and rhymes.To know what was next to the old green fence. But then there was nothing she could do unless one day, when there was something she actually could! She was around 13 years old. That day there was nobody around the back door which she could have easily opened and she knew the gate there was always open for others like her to come in. And yes! It was the perfect time to escape. She did turn around once but the orphanage could nomore stop her. She ran and ran... and ran!  And then she found something that matched the pictures in the books. A train! Fascination made her follow the track and the platform was not so far as well. She found a train on the platform and her awe made her climb in. This! This was the world she had imagined, the world she wanted to be in, the world of tales and rhymes. She had no idea where she was going and then the TC examined her. She turned blank on being questioned, who accompanied her! But then another man in the waiting chamber paid for her saying he was Chhaya's mamu. After everything was done Chhaya turned up, "ap sach me mere mamu ho?"

"Haan beta aur ab hum ghar jaenge."
'Ghar' the word had the charm and the little girl was spellbound. She followed her mamu and they reached an isolated place. This place exposed her to more mamus, chachus, bhaiyas, uncles etc. Now she was just another source of money to them. She along with the other kids had to beg and steal for them and the girls had to serve as prostitutes as well. It was not more than a year when she was added to a team which had to threaten people and rob them. In this span she had lost her name her identity. The only name she had was 'ae ladki'. Now the world was no more colourful. It wasn't the world she wanted to be in. There was nothing she could relate to those tales and rhymes. And one day it turned even worse when she while robbing an old man was pushed by a fellow and the dagger took his life!

The gang left her behind and she ended up in a juvenile jail. It was a similar torture for her. People out there were wierd! The harsh jailors were too harsh and her fellows wierd in all imaginable respects. They were wierd in shapes and sizes, wierd in thoughts and actions wierd in every way! So she decided to isolate herself. She never talked to anyone and nobody liked her as well. They named her 'Kali' because of her colour. Kali liked nothing. Then one day she found herself a pen. A pen! She did remember how to write. She opted for writing. She wrote about the world she had imagined and the contrast. She created some wonderful pieces with every second word spelt in a new way though. But this was the only thing that she found was good. Her diary soon became her passion her love ! Others would laugh at her. But it never affected her. She would rather say that 'you'll all be quiet one day. The day I get published.' She wrote everything in the name 'Kali' not because she loved the name but because she wanted all of them to respect her and her love the day they actually read her. Her diary was the only precious thing she had. Kali would never let anyone touch her love except for one person who appreciated her. Dr.Ghosh 'the psychologist' would often visit the jail and the only thing she liked about him was that he would ead a few pieces and appreciate Kali. This encouraged her. And her love would get intensified each time she wrote.

Time went by and her love grew even more. Then one day she was told she would be released after a week. She shared her thoughts with her diary. She started writing good things now. Things full of happiness. Her diary was always around. Days passed and her hopes reached the sky.

It was her last day in that jail. Now she could go out and discover the world she always wanted to be in. She could publish her work. She would find a place where nobody would laugh at her for loving a diary. She could live the way she wanted to. She woke up before everybody else. Took out her diary from beneath the pillow and wrote something. She was happy, very happy. She moved out on the first call to bathe but this time she forgot to hide her love. Well it was her last day there. Who and why shall harm him. She returned after 15 minutes and was horrified not to see her diary. She searched and re- searched and when she lost all hope, she cried. She was shouting like mad people and everybody assembled to see what had happened. A few laughed, afew suggested her to buy a new diary when she was out, a few walked away but noone understood. The police official asked Kali to shut up. Kali reached the ground with a thump and tears washed her face. But as she looked up she notices a grin on Samaya's face. Samaya was another inmate. Kali attacked her with all force she had and held her neck. People tried to save Samaya but Kali had shown enormous power. Samaya uttered in whisper "ki- kitchen ". Kali left her and started running towards the kitchen. It wasn't more than 4 steps when the fire alarm was heard. The kitchen was on fire. People were running away and she was running towards the kitchen. Then a few hands grabbed her and pulled her back.
She lost her consiousness in the way out. The next morning she came back to find her diary. She walked with fast steps. Hurries in the direction where the kitchen had been. She searched like mad people. But could find just nothing. Her love had turned into ashes like everything else had been.She did not drop a tear and din't even utter a word. She's quiet since then.

Today after 7 years Dr.Ghosh has found her in a home for such people. He is again going to ask her to let him read a few pieces. I hope with dr.s wish Kali is able to find back her reflection, her voice and her love.
I hope today the ashes come up alive in the form of the diary dr.Ghosh is carrying today. And Kali finds her love... again!
-The end-

Rating – 65/100

Judge’s Comment – Dono stories me dard hai tadap hai par mere liye Kali vijeta hai. Akshay tumhare andar potential hai.

Result – Miss Ranjana Sharma wins the match and enters Round 3. Mr. Akshay Rana is eliminated from the tournament.