Nayan pov
Varanasi.... Banaras..... ya..Kashi....ya kahon...Anandvan
As many names are given to one city and every name has its own meaning which defines its surreal beauty in its own different way, which makes this city more mesmerizing.
As for the name Banaras, it is a combination of two Urdu words one "Bana" (always ready) and "Ras" (juice of life) which eventually means 'a city which is always ready for the juice of life'.
And the mention of Anandvan was even found in Vedas which means a 'land of blissful forest'.
Everything which was said about Kashi is right and to understand, live and feel that , one has to come here in BANARAS. There is something magical in the air of this city that one has to feel it atleast once in a lifetime. At this moment only one quote of Mirza Galib came to my mind when he said:
'เคฌเคจเคพเคฐเคธ เคเคพ เคเฅเคฏเคพ เคเคนเคจเคพ!
เคเคธเคพ เคถเคนเคฐ เคเคนเคพเค เคชเฅเคฆเคพ เคนเฅเคคเคพ เคนเฅ.
เคเคเคคเคนเคพ-เค-เคเคตเคพเคจเฅ เคฎเฅเค เคฎเฅเคฐเคพ เคตเคนเคพเค เคเคพเคจเคพ เคนเฅเค.
เค เคเคฐ เคเคธ เคฎเฅเคธเคฎ เคฎเฅเค เคเคตเคพเคจ เคนเฅเคคเคพ เคคเฅ เคตเคนเฅเค เคฐเคน เคเคพเคคเคพ.
เคเคงเคฐ เคเฅ เคจ เคเคคเคพ!'
And now I can surely understand why he had said this.
It was Yesterday night when I landed in Banaras and after landing here I personally felt something ..... like some kind of shift, don't know if it's right or wrong don't know if it's wrong or right but I felt it.
So keeping all thought aside and I start moving towards the hotel in which I had already booked a room, for my stay. As the quater which is allocated for me is under renovation and will take some time to complete it. After checking in the room and freshening up I lay down on the bed to sleep of course after talking to my family because who doesn't love his/her dear life. And after talking to them, sleep consumes me around 12 o'clock midnight.
.
.
.
In the morning, my eyes opened with the tang of a bell which echoed in the atmosphere coming from the temple or maybe the Ganga Arti. After freshening up I moved toward the balcony of my room to see the view. And as I saw the sun rising to its horizon my steps automatically turned out from the hotel room to explore the city of Shiva, The Banaras.
So here I am at Aashi Ghat absorbing its beauty into my soul through eyes- the morning sun, running crystal clear water of Ganga, echoes of bell in air , the fragrance of incense sticks and the damped smell of wet soil are intermixing with one another so well that it's creating some divine fragrance which ultimately increasing the beauty of morning more.
And I literally don't know what came to my mind when my steps automatically moved toward the river and i submerge myself into the chilled water of Ganga .
It seems like that river had called me and I being enchanted by it took a dip in it feeling a sudden rush of calmness running through my veins. Coming out of water after calming my mind and soul I took my dupatta and wrapped it around myself as my clothes were drenched with water. And started moving toward the room to change clothes as I didn't bring any clothes with me because I didn't have any prior plan of taking a second bath in Ganga.
It's still early morning and the people have already started doing their daily chores which will eventually result in a sudden increase of crowd around temple and ghats and before that I want to change into a new pair of clothes. So I increased my speed while walking through the gullies (narrow streets) of Banaras.
I was walking towards the hotel room in the silence but suddenly some muffled voice came to my ear breaking the stillness of the surrounding and my steps halted.
It seems like someone is pleading maybe for help or wants to be released.
To see what's going on does someone needs help. I start to move towards the direction from where those voices are coming. And what I saw??
The reason why women are not safe in India while travelling alone.
Near the banks of the river 5 men are surrounding a girl of maybe in her early 20s or late 19s and that girl clutching her dupatta around her tightly with tears are shimmering in her eyes and her breath coming in ragged gasps.
"kahan rani.......ihaan to aao........."
"Where are you going darling ......here comes towards me...."
Sneered the largest of man, in white kurta - pajama having cloth around his neck said while chewing tobacco in his mouth
"Aree aur kahe pareshan rahi ho....aa bhi jao ....naaa...."
"Why are you increasing our work.......come here na...."
The girl whimpered, shrinking back against the grimy brick wall.
"Please... please chod.....chod do humme.... please ....jaane do..... Please"
" Please...... please leave me...... please.......let me go......please"
"Aree ham kahan kuch kar rahe hai... hum to bas tumhari madad karna chahte hai, hai ki nahi ......rani.."
" We haven't done anything yet.......we are just trying to help you out doesn't we right....DArling...."
another man chimed in, his voice oily smooth. He wore a cheap shirt and trouser that did little to disguise his predatory gaze.
"Aur nahi to ka humri Amma kahe Rahi ki unko ek too bahu rani chahiye jo din din unka haath bataye aur Raat mein.....aur dekho tum mil gayi Amma to badi kush hongi."
"Yes he is right . Infact my mother has told me that she needs a daughter in law whom will help her throughout the day and at night......hhhh.....and see we have found you, my mother will be very happy to meet you."
The girl squeezed her eyes shut, letting tears to spill from her closed eyes. As she wasn't able to hear their disgusted words and was shivering in fear. She knew resistance was futile against so many.
"Kaho to hum bana de tumko jamai ...aur le chale tum sab ko..... tumhare sasu..ral... hm. Aur rahi baat tumhri Amma ki to vo to beta, tumhare jaisa kuput Jan ke dukhi hi hongi chaho tho likhvalo hum se"
" If you are so desperate to be tied in wedlock then I can help you out ......to lock you up.. what say hmm. And if I think about your mother then surely she must be ashamed by giving birth to a son like you. I can even sign a stamp paper about it."
I asked in calm voice hiding the rage behind it as it seems unbearable to my ears to hear and bear their nonsense.
All of them turned their heads in my direction. And then my eyes met with teary eyes of the girl and it seems like she is pleading to me through her helpless teary gaze to be saved from these monsters.
"Aari dada ek tho aur ladkiya...." The first one said
" Oh my my see what we got..."
"Koi sahi hi kaha rahe... upar wala jab bhi deeth h... chappar paad ke deeth h .... Re lalaanva lagat h hamka tumri bhaujai mil gayi...re..."
" Now it seems that someone has said right" men with red cloth around his neck said while taking cloth around his neck in his hand "Divine Grace is unlimited and bountiful. God does not merely give. He showers you (with blessings or benefits or ... whatever). It seems like I have found a sister in law for you lalaanva "and laugh with his minions while eyeing me from my head to toe. And my fist clenched tight.
This man......now my head is also paining ... All thanks to them but they wouldn't be thankful for long time.
"KYA HO RAHA H YAHAAN.."
"What's happening here...."
Suddenly a deep voice came cutting through the air and I turned my head in the direction of voice.
And as my eyes stops on him it seems like time stops and surroundings starts to blur out and the only sane thing which is left behind is those deepest shades of black eyes. Which are ready to drown anything within them either it is a person or the whole ocean itself.
And lashes so long and dense that it seems that to protect all the world from his eyes depths God has provided those long and dense eyelashes so that 'koi inme doob ke kho na jaye aur kabhi lot kar aa na paye' ( people can be saved before drowing into them) you know for humankind. But now it seems that I.....
" lo ek tho aur aa gaya.. saala....kabab mein haddi banan khatri ...... ka abe ...... chalo niklo. Dekh nahi sakte kitta jaruri kaam ho rha h ihaan chu..."
"Look one more bastard has come to save the damsel in distress....what...get lost if you love your life."
Someone said breaking my string of thoughts and I shift my focus ones again on the situation in hand as men with red gamcha once again said
"Ka be lalaanva bhabhi hai re tumhari yahin, jara tameez se baat karo inka samne."
" Lalaanva .. your sister in law is also present here show some respect to her and don't talk like that in front of her."
" O bhabhi ke devar, idhar suno vo jo ladki h na usse abhi k abhi chod do ,abhi to tamij se samja rahe h Varna badtameezi pe agar hum utaru ho gaye na to vo tum sabke liye accha nahi hoga."
"Hey you... listen to me.... just give that girl back to us ... otherwise the amount of respect which you will get from ....trust me you won't be able to handle it."
I said warning them as now all this is going in some other direction.
"Arri dada hum to dar gaye re...... vasie ka karogi, agar hum ika nahi chodenge to ??"
"Ohhh you have scared me see we are shivering from fear. " The third one said while mocking me and said further. " What will you do if we don't leave her"
The girl got scared from there such types of talk and more tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Dekhiye bhaisahab hum kuch nahi kar rahe aur na hi kuch karna chahte hai aap please phool ko idhar aane dijiye aur hum usee yahan se lekar shanti se chale jayenge."
"See we don't want anything just give us our phool back and we will go from here silently."
The new man said calmly to make them understand not knowing ki ye 'laaton ke bhoot h baaton se nahi mante.' They need a heavy dose to open their Divya chakshu ( third eye or mind )and see they have proved me right in no time.
"Ha ha ha, ka be hum soche rahe ki e to tahra mard ladega humse mard ki tarah i ladkiya khatri, ka naam liye? ...haan phool, ki tu uo ke khaatir kuch Hume marega kuch humse mar khayega par e to pehle hi haar gaya re isse bahadur to humka hamari bhaujaie lagi kyun bhaujaie ...ha..ha..ha"
"Haaa..ha..ha I have thought that you will fight with us for that girl what's her name h yes phool, for phool like a man but it seems like our sister in law is more manly then this men haa...ha..ha"
The leader said and laugh out loud.
So now by giving them there third and last chance I started moving towards them and asked them while folding my hand around my chest
" Aakhri baar puch rahe h phool ko chodoge. ki. nahi."
"I am asking you for last time will you let phool go or not"
As I got to know the name of girl few moments ago.
As a result they stop laughing and then the men in white kurta pajama with red gamcha moves towards me and stops just before me only leaving distance of few inches Between us and said
"Nahi chodte, aur ab tum bhi humare sath chalo."
"We.. are... Not....leaving her and now you will also come with us"
While applying pressure on each and every word while forwarding his hand to hold my wrist but before he can even touch me................................................
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