I Wish

Payel and Avi had been married for two years. Avi worked in a MNC Software Company,was in Europe for two years on a project. They were back in Pune a week ago.

It was a laid-back Sunday morning. Payel was still in bed and lazy enough to get up. Avi too was reluctant to get up and the door bell rings. Avi said “I think its the maid servant”. “Tanu bai, so early, impossible”, Payel replied, covering her face with a pillow trying to hide her face from the sun rays. Avi opened the door and found The Sunday Times spread over the floor. Avi gathered those and closed the door and headed towards the bedroom.

“Now a days newspaper report only scams, crime and price hike. Payel dear petrol price has gone up to Rs. 63.59”; Avi started reading the headlines from the newspaper one after another randomly. “India lose by 3 runs, onion prices are reaching sky high, Another IT man died in a road accident”.” Hey Payel, the image of the dead person in the newspaper resembles someone I know, probably I have seen him, may be in Facebook’. Avi started reading the details quietly and seriously. After a few minutes of silence he uttered in a low voice, “Payel, he is the Bengali guy, your best friend”.

Payel snatched the newspaper and read the entire article for re-confirmation, she could not resist herself and broke down into tears and started uttering, “I wish you never wished that, oh God what you did.” She sat down on the floor holding the newspaper.

Payel had met Pralay yesterday only at the Khadki Kali badi. She was so happy to meet her best friend after such a long time, but happiness comes in small packets n voila it evaporates.

Let me tell you a few more things about Pralay and Payel, how they are connected and how they know each other.

Pralay Sen was software professional in Pune and worked for a small US based company; he stayed alone in a rented flat. Two years back Payel and Pralay worked in the same company and both were deeply madly in love,barring all differences of castes and cultures. Pralay was a Bengali and belonged to a moderate modern family where as Payel, a Marathi of an orthodox rigid family, where any one marrying outside their caste faced social boycott .Despite all the odds they were so much in love and wanted to spend life together. Payel knew that getting married to Pralay is like a dream come true. She used to pray to God that everything falls in place and everything will be all right someday. And she would live a happy life with Pralay.But if wishes had wings. Things do not always happen the way people wish, somethings are destined and they are executed in the way of life. One fine day she came to know from her mother that some MBA guy,Avi, from her community has proposed to marry her. Avi, a middle level professional earning a real good salary was the “Eligible Guy”and obiviously the chosen one. Payel didn’t want to marry him but she had to marry Avi coz she could not defy her parents, her loved ones.she had to make a choice and she sacrificed her dreams, her love for the family.

Payel got married to Avi. They went to Europe for two years as Avi was sent to Paris by the company. Two years passed hence. But Pralay did not move on with life. He still loved Payel and was angry with god.

Saturday, Khadki Kali Badi Pune.

After returning from Europe Payel decided to visit the temples in Pune. She and Avi visited Dagru Seth Ganapati Temple, Parvati, Chatur Shingi.

In the evening she decided to visit the Kali Mata temple at Khadki. she had been last time to this place three years back with Pralay, who was a regular to this temple. She remembered the old times and wished that she finds him here again. She saw around and a smile dawns on her face. Pralay was there, sitting, doing nothing, neither praying nor looking at something. Payel rushed to him, and called him in her sweet soft voice. Pralay was startled. He could not believe himself; he looked at her lovingly and smiled. He could not utter a word and then he blurted out “You” How come? When did you come? Payel replied, “a few days back”. Then she started asking about how he has been? What is he doing and where he is now a days and lot many questions, but all questions remained unanswered. She sat beside him, kept quiet for some time and then again started repeating all the questions. All her questions again remained unanswered.

She asked Pralay to accompany her to the temple. Pralay denied. He replied, “I don’t pray to God anymore, or go inside the temple where there is an idol which has no life. Why should I pray to someone who can’t answer my simple prayer?” I once prayed to her make you mine and that you should love me the most, but that never happened. You left me Payel to sulk, to miss you, to long for you.

Payel started crying and uttered “It’s not true, and I know that your wish has been fulfilled.While coming here I wished that somehow if I could find you here and then I met u here and my joy knew no bounds and wanted to share every bit with you. But Pralay you haven’t changed, you are still the same emotional guy. I wanted to see you really happy with life. But you have turned bitter.why did this happen? I want you to be happy always’.

Suddenly Pralay started accusing her, “for you your family was important,foreign trip, high paid salary,high flying life lured you”.

“You know Pralay”, Payel said, “I have always loved you in all my small ways that you will never know and I will never show. I know that you have loved me the most and still care for me more than anyone else.We didn’t get married coz that was probably not destined.That does not mean the presence of god is denied. God knows best what is best for us and he answers our prayers.”

Pralay looked at her and smiled, as if he was mocking the belief and the existence of God. Pralay lashed out at Payel,” You know Payel there is a lot of anger in my heart and an equal amount of hatred for you, I wish you would suffer in the same way I suffered the last few years.I wish you lose the person you love the most and live with the pain all through your life’. And if you claim I am the one you love the most I should get killed. See I am alive, I am in front of you, I should have been killed days ago, but it’s not happening. I was fool that I loved someone who never cared for my emotions.”

Payel’s eyes went misty her throat choked and she left without praying to God.

Pralay wished for two things, both got fulfilled but he never came to know, God was always with him and fulfilled all his wishes.

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