Premlata
"Congratulation Mr Raj" Mr Vijay, Chairman of Shakuntala Buildcon Ltd rises from his chair extends his hand for handshake.
"We hope that your company will complete the project within stipulated time" Mr Vijay added passing the contract paper over to Raj
"Thank you Sir, We assure that our team will not let you disappoint" Raj replied smilingly, holding the contract file in his left hand.
After the meeting gets over Raj came to his office. He put his file on table, stretches out having given cursorily look to cabinate where all the Contracts files were arranged alphabetically. He was feeling proud of his project team who had succeeded in achieving some of prestigious projects back to back in short span of time ever since he had set up Raj Architecture Consultancy in the capital. Smiling innocent face of his two tiny tot in frame which he had kept on corner of his table gave him bizarre happiness.
He slowly placed half emptied glass of water over the table after sipping half of it. Raj after long time opens his personal email id which he had given to his selected friends and acquaintances, id which he doesn’t use for company's correspondence purpose. He goes through different messages suddenly he stops on message " Invitation" sent by Rohit, one of his friends of college days. He opens the inbox, goes through the message and then immediately downloads the "Invitation Card" which was attached with the messages.
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Premlata
Weds
Ankit
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Raj mutters and for a moment his all concentration had centered around on word " Premlata " He does not go through the contents of the cards, date of wedding, or venue but only thing which was spinning into his mind was " Premlata".
"Premlata !". Raj mutters again. He later goes through the contents. His impromptu reaction after going through the invitation card was conspicuous of his inability to express his happiness. He recalls his past correspondence with his college friends and gets surprised as why had he never discussed about her when he had been in contact with her and after 17 years suddenly Rohit informed him by sending wedding Card" of one of the attractive, simple, taciturn and lovely classmates, a face which had become obscure with passage of time but still he could not forget that lovely innocent face.
Raj gets print out of the wedding card he goes through it again and again. His pleasant memories of college days begins to open page by page. He begins to remember the days he had spent in college, with Premlata, a Shy, taciturn womanish face he always would get attracted towards her in spite of presence of other girls. He would feel strange homely affinity towards her whenever he would interact after the classes.
Raj remembers that day when he was pooh-poohed by his classmate for his proximity with Premlata. He doesn’t know why his relation with her was ridiculed, he even doesn’t know what feelings She was having towards him since he himself would realized that he was not so mature, prepared, and wise enough to express his concealed feeling.
Raj remembers that special day when Suman Das, one of her classmate suddenly gave get together party to all his classmate. Every body was surprised over the reason behind sudden party. He also couldn’t forget that smiling innocent face of Premlata who in that party had disclosed in front of all that this Party was given by Suman for her engagement and she will get married shortly after completion of course. That moment Raj visualized Premlata in wedding dress. He imagined how beautiful she would look when She will wear wedding dress. Everybody was congratulating Suman for the day and the moment every girl cherishes. Raj was lost in thought of Premlata as if this party was given by her. He wanted to see her in same state what Suman Das was feeling that moment perhaps this was also strange feeling and affinity Raj had for Premlata nobody was aware.
With the passage of time his friendship with Premlata kept strengthening but that relation was confined to a limit. He also couldn’t forget those days when affair of one of her other classmate Ranjita with Vinay was topic of discussion among classmate and that love affair got divine blessing as both had decided to tie the knot as parents of both gave their consent. Premlata came in Saree on that occasion, looking awesome, lovely and that was the final year of her college.
Because of initiative of few students who mooted the idea to make directory giving form of a booklet incorporating all batch mate with permanent address and their contact no’s so that everybody could remain keep in touch with each other even after leaving the college. But It was coincidence that compiler of that directory did not include permanent address of few classmate, Premlata was one of them.
Raj could not contact her after final examination since She had also left girls hostel where she was living even though he kept on trying to get in touch but he failed and neither She had contacted her.
Raj joined an architect consultant but he remained in contact with some of his friends but somewhere he was missing the person he had been attached with, possessing different feeling which neither his friends nor even Premlata could realize.
Today Raj gets nostalgic and sentimental when he gets “Wedding Card” unexpected from Rohit who never let him know about Premlata even after their long communication. Perhaps he wanted to give Raj a surprise which he had never expected. A definite surprise which had compelled him to think once again about her. Number of questions begun to emerge in his mind.
He asks to himself “ Are marriages made in heaven ? "No, Never"
Raj opens his personal phone directory he dials up.
" How r you Rohit "
"Fine" Rohit replies
"Just now I have gone through the message and I am completely surprised having seen the invitation Card”
“Certainly, You shall ask me why did I not inform u about her. In fact I also came to know about her few days back when I saw her wedding card on my colleague’s table he is intact her neighbor. When I asked about her I came to know that She is same Premlata. So I called her up. You can say it coincidence. she later called me up to forward wedding card on her behalf to you”
“ Unbelievable” Raj replies and disconnected the line.
Raj leans back on his chair, lights up cigarette, he begins to think about the marriage ,and famous saying "Rishte Aasmano se ban ke aate hain, People say marriages are made in heaven, he engrosses in thought "Does marriage take place coz of intervention of divine power or it is the solely result of influence of other factors in and around in surrounding on earth which make the marriage possible If marriage is really result of divine power then why did divine power delay in blessing her after 17 years. Is there any expediency behind the delay in giving justice to her This can be realized better by Premlata herself but one thing is obvious that she deserved to be solemnized of this occasion years back when Raj visualized her in dresses of bride.
Buzzing on his mobile gets him distracted from his thought. He gives a look on his mobile. This was call of his wife Shruti. He rises from chair, looks up at clock it was 7.30. He comes out from room heads for home carrying memories of pleasant past, the days he had spent his close friend Premlata and the present moment he doesn’t know whether it is occasion of joy or……….
End
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