Kalatani – Thipkyanchi Rangoli

“Ithe yenar hotis tar at least shawl gheun yaychi na…,” he said, wrapping her in her favorite pink shawl that he had bought for her, hiding her from the biting cold of December, “nahi tar mala tari sangaycha. Mi aanun dili asti. Itkya thandit, itkya ratri mazi bayko ithe terrace var basun aajari padli tar? Mi tula aadhi pan sangitla hota na, Shishta… mazya bayko chi kalji ghet ja mhanun, hmm? Tichya babtit asla halgarjipana mi ajibaat khapavun ghenar nahi!” 

“Khapa-Khapa what, Khadoos?” she asked, pulling the shawl closer to let its warmth comfort her. 

His contagious laughter echoed in the quiet air. “Apurva… Apurva…” he murmured, shaking his head. “Mala watat hota ki mi mazya bayko la barich Marathi shikavli aahe ya 2 varshat pan… aata watatay… classes parat suru karayla lagnar!” 

She smacked him on his shoulder. 

“Ow. What? Do you not want to sit for my classes again? Mala aathavtay koni tari waat baghaycha mazya classes chi aani mazya tests chi… aani konitari khup abhyas karyacha… changle marks milalyavar appreciation mhanun kisses -“

She slapped her palm on his lips, shutting him up before he could complete. Her downcast eyes hid the sweet blush that his words brought to her. 

Certainly, his classes used to be quite interesting and exciting for her. 

He took her hand down, laughing at her reddened cheeks. “Kay? Ajunahi? Mala watla hota aapan barech pudhe nighun aalo aahot for you to blush on the mention of mere kisses!”

“UGH! Shut up, Khadoos!”

The more she blushed, the more he laughed. 

“Thik aahe, mi chup basto. Tu bol. Kay zalay?” 

The smooth transition of his tone from the teasing mischievous one to the concerned sincere one was supposed to be comforting but the question rather had her smile fade. 

“Kuthe kay? Kahich nahi…” She managed to bring her smile back to convince him but the minute he reached out for her hand and placed it on his heart, she knew that she had failed. 

“Mazya bayko la jar space havi asel, manat kahitari challay pan mala sangaycha nasel tar te mala chalel, Apurva pan jar mazya bayko la asa watayla lagla ki tiche dole mala vachta yet nahi… lagnachya 2 varshanantar suddha… tar te mala nahi chalnar!” 

“Asa kahihi nahiye, Khadoos…” She turned to look at him and stared at her hand that still rested on his heart. Lowering her gaze, she slipped her hand around his arm and let her head find its favorite place to lean on. “Mala aathavan yetey…” 

“Mazi? Pan mi tar ithech aahe…” 

“Khadoos…” 

“Sorry… mi bas tuza mood thik karaycha prayatna karat hoto. Sorry. Konachi aathavan yetey?”

There was a long minute of silence when she stayed utterly quiet in response to his question. “Tula weird watel…” Her low voice gave away that she was apprehensive about sharing the chaos in her heart with him.

He hummed. “Tula aathavtey, Apurva… aapan jevha Shirdi la gelo hoto tevha devala fula wahilyavar tu mazya dokyavar fula takat hotis… saglyansamor… te mala weird watla hota? Last anniversary la tu mazyasathi ek chain banavun ghetli hoti… aani tuzya according te.. kay te bolli hotis tu, haan… kind of a male Mangalsutra to make sure that everyone knows I am taken… te mala weird watla hota? Ekda tula hava hota ki gharchi sagli kaame aamhi purushani karaychi… te suddha saadya nesun… te mala weird watla hota? Hmm, Apurva?”

She lifted her head from his shoulder as he took her down memory lane. Her husband certainly knew how to put her lost smile back on her lips. 

Her head moved on its own accord, confirming his words.  

“Mag aata tula ka watate aahe ki tuzya manat je kahi challay te mala weird watel?” He adjusted her shawl that had slipped from her shoulder and put it back in its place. 

“Apurva, manya aahe… aadhi mala baryach goshti nahi pataychya tuzya…” His hand slowly held her palm in his, gently rubbing her knuckles with his thumb. “Pan tevha… mi hi struggle ch karat hoto tula samjun ghenyat jashi tu karat hoti. Pan halu halu jasa aapan ekmekanna samjun ghyala laglo… sagla badlat gela. Ho ki nahi?”

She hummed.

“Mag aata sang… konachi aathvan yetey?”

She traveled her gaze to her feet. “Mazya Aai chi!”

Surprised, he stared at her for a moment before softening his tone. “Dr. Anjali?”

She nodded, without lifting her gaze that stayed glued to her feet. 

“Ti itke varsha ithe navti tar mala savay zali hoti tichya nasnyachi. Rather mi savay karun ghetli hoti pan aaplya lagna saathi ti ithe aali aani mag itke divas ithe hoti… je sarva kahi mi manachya eka corner madhe lock karun thevla hota tyacha lock ch tutla… and everything came rushing back.” 

He made not a single attempt to hold her when she pulled her hand off his grip and left her chair. Letting her feet take her to a comfortable distance, her fingers curled around the railings while he didn’t move.

“I know I kept saying that I didn’t need her… I didn’t want her, which was true but…” Her voice trailed off as she struggled to find the right words to express herself. 

“Pan goshti badlat gelya. Tuzya… tyanchyaprati aslelya bhavna badlat gelya,” he said, giving his voice to her silent thoughts.

“Nahi mhanje… ho… mhanje… mala nahi mahit, Khadoos…” She crossed her hands and pressed them on the railings before leaning on them. “Khadoos… tula kay watate? Tine mazyavar kadhich… kadhich prem kela nasel?”

Her longing for her mother had never been concealed from his eyes but the chaos in her heart unsettled him that night. 

Pushing his feet into his slippers, he strode forward and stood beside her. “Tula mahiti aahe mi generally ya vishayavar bolat nahi pan aaj tu vicharteyes mhanun sangto… Kasa asta na, Apurva… prem aani prem vyakt karnyache prakar… he pratyekache vegle astaat. Aaplyala jasa havay tasach loka aaplyavar prem kartil… asa qvachitach shakya asta.” 

“Mala samjel ashya language madhe saang, Khadoso,” she said, not taking her gaze away from the moon that she was staring at. 

“Bara. Tuzya Aai ch tuzyvar tuzya baalpani kiti prem hota he mi nahi saangu shakat pan jar tu mala vicharshil… ki aaj tyancha tuzyavar prem aahe ka? Tar mi mhanel… mala watate ho!”

His answer made her head almost instantly turn to him. “Kashavarun boltoys?”

“Mi je baghitla aahe tyavarun… Bas ek drushtikon aahe, Apurva. Maza asa ajibaat mhanana nahi ki hech asel pan… mala asa watate ki kadachit asa asava!” 

“Kasa asava?”

“Mala manya aahe ki tyanchya mule tula khup traas zalay. Khup traas. Tyanchya mule aapla almost divorce zala hota. Te hi manya aahe pan aaj jevha mi maage valun baghto aani vichar karto… tevha mala prashna padto… tyanni ka kela asava te sagla? Aani uttar… mazyakade ekach aahe. Prem. Barobar ka chukicha… he mala nahi mahit pan… prem hech uttar aahe mazyakade!”

She leaned her back against the railings, folding her arms across her chest. “I can’t believe tu he boltoys, Khadoos… You’re justifying Dr. Anjali scheming to get us divorced? Tu mhantoys prem uttar aahe? Konavarcha prem?”

“Tujhyavarcha prem!” 

Those were probably the two words her heart secretly did want to hear from him but her brain still wasn’t convinced of them. In fact, it still couldn’t stand the idea that Dr. Anjali did love her. 

“He bagh,” he said, holding her arm to turn him toward her when she looked away, “Apurva, tevha tyanchya wagnyacha jitka traas vhaycha na mala tyane mala kadhi tyanchya bajune vichar karuch dila nahi khara tar but today… Now that we are all sorted and happy, I think I have the liberty to look back without getting offended, which really does make me feel that… tyancha prem hota tuzyavar… tyancha prem… aahe tuzyavar!”

He paused, letting her have her own sweet time comprehending his words.

“Tyanna aapla divorce vhayla hava hota… because in her eyes, I wasn’t the right guy for you. She felt that you deserved better. Someone more handsome, fun, and-“

“Shashank…” His words had her instantly step closer to place her hand on his mouth. “Don’t say it again!” 

“Apurvaaa,” he murmured, rubbing her back as she circled her hands around his neck, “arey… kay zala? Mi tyanchya drushtikonabaddal bolat hoto. Tuzya kiva mazya nahi…”

“Still..” 

He planted a quick kiss on her hair before pulling away. “Bara. Bara. Nahi bolnar. Mag tar khush aamchya Madam?”

He let out a peal of joyous laughter upon watching her childlike nod. 

“Nahi pan maza point asa hota… ki tyanchya parine tya tula ek better life milavi mhanunch prayatna karat hotya na? Parat… barobar ka chuk ha maza muddach nahi. Pan vichar kar… jar tyanna tuzyabaddal kalji nasti… kahi watlach nasta… tar ka tyanni itki dhadpad keli asti aaplya divorce saathi? Kahihi ka kela asta tyanni?”

“Tech tar, Khadoos. Aai mhante na swatala mazi? Mag tila itka hi kalu naye ki maza aanand konasobat aahe?” she asked. 

“Karan tya tula samjun nahi gheu shaklya. Tya itki varsha laamb hotya tuzyapasun. Tumcha nata kasa hota he mala tula vegla sangaychi garaj nahi. Tuza mann tyanna na kalna sahajikach hota na?” 

“Tu defend kartoys tila…”

“Ajibaat nahi. Mi bas tyanchya bajune vichar karnyacha prayatna kartoy. She stopped insulting our family, put an end to her attempts to take you away from me, and went back to the US and I think I know why…” he continued. 

“Why?” Her anticipation found her voice, visibly upset that he stopped midway. 

“Jevha tu hospitalized hoti tya accident nantar… tya roz yaychya aani mala tuzya bajula basun aslela baghaychya. Eka ratri jevha tuzi tabyet achanak khup bighadli tevha tithe mi ektach hoto. I lost my cool. Khup aarda-orad keli hoti. Khup chidchid keli hoti. Dr. Kaushik was out of town. Tuzi avastha pahun itka ghabarlo hoto ki kahi suchenasa zala hota tevha mahiti aahe koni mazi samjut kadhli hoti? Koni mala dheer dila hota ki tula kahihi honar nahi?” 

Her unblinking stare at him gave away that she could hear what he was yet to even say. “Dr. Anjali?”

He nodded, confirming her answer but caught her shaking her head in disbelief. 

“Mi khara boltoy, Apurva,” he snaked his hands around her waist and swiftly pulled her in front of him, “I would like to believe that she saw my love for you back then and it convinced her that we… belong together, my feelings for you are genuine and… no other man can love you the way I do!” 

Still unsure, she just quietly let him speak while she patiently listened. 

Did Dr. Anjali really love her? 

“Jar itkach prem hota mazyavar tar mi lahan astana ka geli ti sodun mala? Maza kahich kasa hakka navta, Khadoos tichya velevar? Tichya premavar?” 

His fingers tucked her hair strands behind her ears before he cupped her cheek. “Bilkul hota pan chuka… hotat, Apurva. Tyanchya kadun hi zali asavi kadachit?” 

“Tyachi punishment tar mi ektine bhogliye na pan…”

“Mala saang… aaj achank ha vishay… ka?” he asked. 

“Message aala hota. Dr. Anjali cha.” She pushed her hand into the pocket of her dress and pulled out her phone. Clicking on Dr. Anjali’s message, she turned the phone toward him.

Hi, Apurva. Kashi aahe he vicharnar nahi. Shashank sobat aahe… Kanitkaranchya sobat aahe mhanje chhanach asashil. Tula Thaalipeeth aawadtat na… mi aaj kele hote. I wish mi tula pathavu shakle aste but it’s okay. I know tula hava te sagla khayla milta tithe. Tuzi aathavan yete, Appu. Kadhi kadhi phone karat ja. Message pan chalel. 

He loosened his hold around her waist while he read the message before completely letting her go. 

“Tu reply nahi kela…” He gave the phone back to her. “Apurva, ek vicharu?”

“Hmm…”

“Tula je kahi problems tuzya aani tuzya Aai chya madhe hote te visrun punha ekda sagla navyane suru karaycha aahe na?”

His question left her dumbstruck. The question that her heart kept urging her to ponder over but the question that kept making her run away from it! The uncomfortable question of the reality of her own feelings! 

He sighed, looking at the conflicting emotions in her orbs. Pressing his palms on the railings, he locked her between his arms. “Aani tyaat kahi chukicha aahe asa mala ajibaat watat nahi, Apurva. Your brain wanted you to walk away from me so many times, didn’t it? But your heart… it always kept bringing you back to me. Why? Because though we think our brains are intelligent and hearts, stupid, it’s the other way around. I have learned this because of you that we need to rather we should listen to our hearts more often.” 

Taking the shawl off her shoulders, she wrapped it around him. “Ah… Mr. Kanitkar has learned a lot because of me, eh?” 

“Of course… just the way Mrs. Kanitkar has learned a lot because of me, hmm? Like,” he whispered, leaning forward while caressing her arms with his finger, “like-“

She slapped her palm on his chest, stopping him from advancing further. “Like how to be shameless?”

“Nah. Shameless is certainly not the word, Mrs. Kanitkar. Um… romantic could be, hmm?”

“KHADOOS!” she giggled while trying to get hold of his hands that were enjoying tickling her, “just stop it!” 

“Ow… mi zoplyavar tu gym vagere jates ki kay?” he asked when she held and twisted his hands behind his back. 

“Haww…” She covered her mouth with her palms, pretending to be shocked. “Tula kalala? How sad! My secret life has been exposed.”

“Goshti pakdun thevna jitka sahaj asta titkach kathin asta tyanna sodun dena. Lokanvar aapla aslela raag dharun thevna jitka sajaj asta titkach kathin asta tyanna kshama karun punha ek chance dena. Sagle nahi karu shakat, Apurva.”

As he resumed the conversation that he had halted to lighten up her mood, she couldn’t help but realize how far they had come in their relationship in the past two years. He had come to understand her far better than she understood her own self. 

“Aani tyaat hi kahi chukicha aahe asa mi mhannar nahi. Manasa vegli astaat. Naati vegli astaat. Kadachit kahi lokansathi tutleli naati na jodna hech yogya asta pan kahi lokansathi ti naati jodna tyanchya aayushyala ek vegli kalatani deun jata aani -“

“Ek-ek minute, Khadoos.” She pressed her hands on his shoulder, surprising him. 

“Ka-kay zala?” He glanced at his wife, a part of him already knowing that she was up to something.  Oh, how much he wished she was up for some romance! 

“Kala-tani mhanje?” 

And with that, he had yet another facepalm moment in his life. Thanks to his wife! Annoyed, he quickly got her hands off his skin. “Tula vicharla hech chukla maza…”

“Arey sang na… te tani mhanje kay?”

“KALATANI, Apurva. Tani nahi. KALATANI.” He grabbed her wrist. “Tu chal mazyasobat. Aaj pasunach tuze Marathi che classes parat suru karayla lagnar. Chal.”

“Aee… nako.” She urged as he started to pull her but when he didn’t seem too willing to listen, she sat down, adamant. “Bas to ekach shabda navta mahit mala. Baki yeta mala sagla aata. No more classes, please…” 

As he looked back and caught her sitting on the cold floor, he immediately pulled her up. “At times, I can’t help but wonder if I’m dealing with a twenty-three-year-old or a three-year-old!” 

“Maybe a three-year-old in the skin of a twenty-three-year-old?” She laughed. “You seem to be an expert in handling kids now. I think, we should really plan a baby now, no?” 

He was caught off-guard. “You’re kidding me, aren’t you?” 

“Look at me.” She pointed at her face. “Do I look like I am kidding you?” 

“You serious?” 

“Aata kay email pathavu tula? Ka paper madhe news deu? Ka road var jaun loud speaker gheun ordu?” 

He scratched the back of his neck, clearly taken aback.  Was she actually serious?

“Bara te baghu aapan nantar. Mala sang mag kay thartay tuza?” he asked. 

“Aikaycha thartay maza…” she said. 

“Konacha?” 

“Mazya manacha aani… mazya navryacha! Aajkal tyala maza mann mazyapeksha jasta kalayla laglay na…” 

This is a random piece of fiction. Absolute imagination. Kind of a random mini tale based on the picture.

Kashi watli sangayla visru naka! Have a fantastic Sunday ahead. Much Love. <3